United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019 This bill establishes several prohibitions, requirements, and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Specifically, the bill prohibits MA plans from instituting additional prior authorization requirements for surgeries (including related items) that are furnished to a patient during other surgeries for which prior authorization was not required or was already received. Additionally, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards, including the ability to provide real-time decisions in response to requests for items and services that are routinely approved; (2) annually publish specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
Climate Security Intelligence Act of 2019 This bill establishes the Climate Security Intelligence Center within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The center's duties shall include serving as the primary intelligence community organization for analyzing climate security threats and identifying best practices for such analysis.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2019
Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2019 This bill revises provisions of the low-income housing tax credit and renames it as the affordable housing credit . The bill increases the per capita dollar amount of the credit and its minimum ceiling amount beginning in 2019 and extends the inflation adjustment for such amounts. The bill modifies tenant income eligibility requirements and the average income formula for determining such income. It also revises rules for student occupancy of rental units and tenant voucher payments and prohibits any refusal to rent to victims of domestic abuse. The bill further modifies the credit to establish a 4% minimum credit rate for certain housing projects, repeal the qualified census tract population cap, prohibit local approval and contribution requirements, increase the credit for certain projects designated to serve extremely low-income households, increase the credit for certain bond-financed projects designated by state agencies, eliminate the basis reduction for properties that receive certain energy-related tax benefits, and increase the population cap for difficult development areas (i.e., areas with high construction, land, and utility costs relative to area median gross income). The bill also includes Indian and rural areas as difficult development areas and modifies other requirements relating to casualty losses, acquisition credits, and foreclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2019
Offshore Wind Jobs and Opportunity Act This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to award offshore wind career training grants to institutions of higher education or labor organizations to develop, offer, or improve educational or career training programs that provide skills necessary for employment in the offshore wind industry.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13308 Midland Road in Poway, California, as the "Ray Chavez Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Quiet Communities Act of 2019 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to reestablish an Office of Noise Abatement and Control to promote the development of local noise control programs, carry out research, and develop and disseminate educational materials, among other duties.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Spent Fuel Prioritization Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Energy to prioritize the acceptance of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned nuclear power reactors located in areas with large populations and a high seismic hazard.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Women's Health Protection Act of 2019 This bill prohibits state or local governments from imposing certain restrictions on access to abortion services. Specifically, state or local government may not require unnecessary tests or procedures in connection with the provision of abortion services, the same health care provider who provides abortion services to perform such tests or procedures, providers to offer medically inaccurate information to patients before or during abortion services, providers to refrain from prescribing certain drugs, certain hospital facility transfer agreements, one or more medically unnecessary in-person visits, or patients to disclose the reason for seeking abortion services. The bill also prohibits limitations or requirements that both single out and impede access to abortion services based on a number of factors (e.g., restrictions that are reasonably likely to decrease the availability of abortion services in a state). A state or local government also may not prohibit abortions prior to fetal viability nor prohibit abortions after fetal viability in cases where the health care provider determines that continuing the pregnancy poses a risk to the patient's life or health. Additionally, the Department of Justice, individuals, or health care providers may bring a lawsuit to prospectively enjoin a limitation or restriction that is prohibited by this bill. The bill further requires the government defending such a limitation or restriction to show that (1) it significantly advances the safety of abortion services or patient health, and (2) such advancement cannot be met by a less-restrictive measure.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2019 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2019 This bill expands prohibitions and requires additional disclosures related to political spending. Specifically, foreign nationals are further restricted regarding their involvement in election related activity, including by prohibiting their participation in the decision-making process regarding an election expenditure. Existing foreign money prohibitions are expanded to prohibit disbursements for paid internet or digital communications. The Federal Election Commission must perform an audit after each election cycle to determine the incidence of illicit foreign money. In general, organizations making political expenditures must disclose donors who have contributed $10,000 or more during an election cycle. Certain of these organizations, including corporations, must also disclose their beneficial owners. The bill requires organizations to provide additional disclosures on certain political ads, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution Act of 2019 or the SHIELD Act of 2019 This bill establishes a new criminal offense related to the distribution of intimate visual depictions. Specifically, it makes it a crime to knowingly distribute (or intentionally threaten to distribute) an intimate visual depiction of an individual (1) with knowledge of or reckless disregard for the individual's lack of consent and reasonable expectation of privacy, and (2) without a reasonable belief that distributing the depiction touches a matter of public concern. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Securing the Rights our Veterans have Earned Act of 2019 or the SERVE Act of 2019 The bill expands eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to former members of the Armed Forces who were discharged from service under conditions other than honorable or with an entry-level separation by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity (including by reason of a gender dysphoria diagnosis).
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Housing for Women Veterans Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2022 the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, which provides financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing or transitioning from homelessness. Under the bill, a specified amount of such funding shall have a focus on providing assistance to women veterans and their families. The bill also requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to complete an analysis of programs that provide assistance to women veterans who are homeless or precariously housed to identify areas for improvement in such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Military Spouse Hiring Act This bill expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include the hiring of a qualified military spouse. (The WOTC permits employers who hire individuals who are members of a targeted group such as qualified veterans, ex-felons, or long-term unemployment recipients to claim a tax credit equal to a portion of the wages paid to those individuals.) A "qualified military spouse" is any individual who is certified by the designated local agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Protecting LGBTQ Youth Act This bill expands programs that prevent and treat child abuse and neglect to address issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Specifically, these programs include (1) research and reporting requirements, (2) providing technical assistance, (3) grants to states and local agencies to train child-welfare personnel, and (4) community-based prevention-service grants, among others.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Supporting Eating disorders Recovery through Vital Expansion Act or the SERVE Act This bill provides coverage of the treatment of eating disorders under the TRICARE program. The services include both inpatient and outpatient care and shall be furnished without regard to age of a military dependent or whether there is a primary diagnosis of the disorder. As part of the process for referrals for mental health evaluations of members, the Department of Defense (DOD) shall encourage commanders and supervisory personnel to undertake mental health early identification training, to include recognition of warning signs and symptoms of an eating disorder. DOD shall establish that a facility may receive expedited authorization to provide services if the facility is affiliated with an authorized TRICARE facility or provider and it only provides mental health services.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2019 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a zero-emission passenger vehicle standard. Specifically, the bill sets a schedule for increasing the percentage of zero-emission vehicles a vehicle manufacturer delivers for sale, culminating in a requirement to sell only zero-emission vehicles from 2040 on. The bill also requires the EPA to establish a zero-emission vehicle credit program that approves one zero-emission vehicle credit for each zero-emission vehicle delivered for sale in the United States and partial credits for qualified electric vehicles based on the estimated proportion of the mileage driven on the battery. Manufacturers that fail to meet the minimum required percentage of zero-emission vehicle sales must submit to the EPA a quantity of zero-emission vehicle credits sufficient to offset the excess. Credits may also be sold, transferred, exchanged, or retired in certain circumstances. The bill imposes civil penalties for the failure to comply with zero-emission vehicle credit standards, with collected penalties being deposited into the Highway Trust Fund. After 2040, the EPA may issue injunctions on the manufacture of passenger vehicles other than zero-emission vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for job applicants or employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Specifically, the bill declares that it is an unlawful employment practice to (1) fail to make reasonable accommodations to known limitations of such job applicants or employees, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on an entity's business operation; (2) deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations to an applicant or employee; (3) require such job applicants or employees to accept an accommodation that they do not want, if such accommodation is unnecessary to perform the job; (4) require such employees to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to their known limitations; or (5) take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against an employee requesting or using such reasonable accommodations. The bill sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies under various statutes that cover different types of employees in relation to such unlawful employment practices. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must provide examples of reasonable accommodations that shall be provided to affected job applicants or employees unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship. The bill prohibits state immunity under the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution from an action for a violation of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Methane Waste Prevention Act of 2019 This bill addresses methane emissions from oil and gas operations. (Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil.) The bill provides statutory authority for the Environmental Protection Agency rule titled Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources , published on June 3, 2016. The bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish specified requirements for reducing and preventing the waste of natural gas, including by venting, flaring, and fugitive releases, from all oil and gas operations; and measuring and reporting the production and disposition of all gas subject to the mineral leasing laws, all such gas produced, consumed on site, or lost through venting, flaring, or fugitive releases. All such requirements shall include consistent enforcement mechanisms for any operations not in compliance with them.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Disarm Hate Act The bill expands the categories of persons who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm. Specifically, it prohibits firearm sale or transfer to and receipt, possession, shipment, or transport by a person (1) who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or (2) who has received an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Real Education for Healthy Youth Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with certain HHS components, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Education, to award grants for comprehensive sex education for adolescents. It also awards grants for comprehensive sex education provided by institutions of higher education and for training faculty and staff to teach comprehensive sex education to adolescents. Comprehensive sex education programs may include, among other things, instruction that addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of human sexuality and approaches designed to motivate and assist students to maintain and improve their sexual health, prevent disease and reduce sexual health-related risk behaviors. Grant funds generally may not be used for specified purposes, including to (1) withhold specified health information related to HIV, (2) provide medically inaccurate information, or (3) promote gender or racial stereotypes. The bill also revises requirements and eliminates prohibitions regarding the content of educational programs funded through the HIV/AIDS prevention program, repeals the prohibition on using funds for materials or programs that promote or encourage sexual activity and contraceptive distribution in school, and repeals the Abstinence Only Until Marriage program.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2019 This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit conduct, including bullying and harassment, that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to (1) limit students' ability to participate in, or benefit from, school programs; or (2) create a hostile or abusive educational environment that adversely affects students' education. LEAs shall also provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct, and report on, an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics shall collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Veterans Early Treatment for Chronic Ailment Resurgence through Examinations Act of 2019 or the VET CARE Act of 2019 This bill addresses dental care programs for veterans. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish administrative support to a dental care provider that provides services to a veteran that would not be covered by VA benefits. The bill also requires the VA to implement a pilot program to provide free outpatient dental services and treatment, and related dental appliances, to eligible veterans. Eligible veterans are those who are (1) enrolled in the VA health care system but are not eligible for VA dental care, (2) not receiving regular periodontal care, (3) between 40 and 70 years old, and (4) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Faster Treatments and Cures for Eye Diseases Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a pilot program that provides for a partial federal guarantee of specified bonds, the sale of which shall finance promising translational vision-impairment research with private investment. The Government Accountability Office must study this program and consider whether similar programs should be established for other areas of biomedical research.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
This resolution condemns the attack on the Chabad of Poway Synagogue near San Diego, California, on April 27, 2019. It honors the memory of Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was killed. It expresses hope for recovery of the three individuals who were injured.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Hardrock Leasing and Reclamation Act of 2019 This bill addresses mineral leasing, exploration, and development on federal land. Among other things, the bill prohibits the issuance of a patent for certain mining or millsite claims; establishes a permitting and leasing system for hardrock mining; establishes a 12.5% royalty on new mining operations and an 8% royalty on existing operations, with an exemption for small miners; protects special places, such as wilderness study areas, roadless areas, and wild and scenic rivers, from hardrock mining activity; requires consultation prior to undertaking any mineral activities that may have a substantial direct impact on the lands or interests of Indian tribes; establishes an environmental standard for mining activities to ensure that mining activities prevent undue degradation of public lands and resources; prescribes requirements for the exploration permit process and for operations permits, including financial assurances; and authorizes the use of amounts in the Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund for the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by past hardrock mineral activities and related activities.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and related labor laws to extend protections to union workers. Specifically, it revises the definition of "employee" and "supervisor" to prevent employers from classifying employees as exempt from labor law protections, expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of or discrimination against workers who participate in strikes, makes it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership, permits workers to participate in collective or class action litigation, allows injunctions against employers engaging in unfair labor practices involving discharge or serious economic harm to an employee, expands penalties for labor law violations, including interference with the National Labor Relations Board or causing serious economic harm to an employee, and allows any person to bring a civil action for harm caused by labor law violations or unfair labor practices.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 This bill removes the requirement that a health care practitioner apply for a separate waiver through the Drug Enforcement Administration to dispense certain narcotic drugs (e.g., buprenorphine) for maintenance or detoxification treatment (i.e., substance use disorder treatment). Further, the bill directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct a national campaign to educate health care practitioners and encourage them to integrate substance use disorder treatment into their practices.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2019 This bill bars the Department of Agriculture from allowing the construction of roads, the reconstruction of roads, or logging in an inventoried roadless area where those activities are prohibited by the Roadless Rule (i.e., certain federal regulations relating to roadless area management).
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Better Respiration through Expanding Access to Tele-Health Act or the BREATHE Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish a pilot program in which qualifying respiratory therapists may provide telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the program must allow respiratory therapists to provide telehealth disease management services (e.g., smoking cessation counseling) for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Medical Nutrition Equity Act of 2019 This bill expands coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, other specified federal health-care programs, and private health insurance to include foods, vitamins, and individual amino acids that are medically necessary for the management of certain digestive and metabolic disorders and conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act This bill treats certain military survivor benefits that are received by children as earned income of the child for the purposes of the kiddie tax (the tax on the unearned income of children). This has the effect of exempting the benefits from such tax.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
Puppy Protection Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to expand standards that govern the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals to include new requirements for commercial dog dealers. Specifically, the standards must require dog dealers to provide to dogs adequate housing, exercise, and veterinary care; appropriate and nutritious food; continuous access to potable water; and meaningful socialization with humans and compatible dogs for at least 30 minutes each day. The standards must also include requirements for breeders to use safe breeding practices and make all reasonable efforts to find humane placement for retired breeding dogs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
National Museum of the American Latino Act This bill establishes the National Museum of the American Latino in the Smithsonian Institution. The purposes of the museum are to (1) illuminate Latino contributions to the story of the United States; (2) provide for the collection, study, research, publication, and establishment of exhibitions and programs related to Latino life, art, history, and culture; and (3) provide for collaboration with Smithsonian Institution museums and research centers and other museums and educational institutions in the United States and abroad to promote the study and appreciation of Latino life, art, history, culture, and its impact on society in the United States. The bill establishes a Board of Trustees for the museum to advise and assist the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian on all matters related to the administration and preservation of the museum. The Director of the museum shall manage the museum and may carry out educational and liaison programs in support of its goals. The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall establish and carry out specified grant programs and a scholarship program, including a grant program to promote the understanding of the Latin American diaspora in the United States. The Board of Regents shall designate a site for the museum and is authorized to design and construct it.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
This bill expands eligibility for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Veterans Affairs-Supported Housing (VASH) rental voucher assistance to homeless veterans honorably discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service regardless of length of service. According to federal regulations, HUD was granted authority in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 to waive or provide an alternative for the current requirement that HUD-VASH assistance be targeted to homeless veterans who have chronic mental illnesses or chronic substance-use disorders.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish standards for facilities holding aliens in its custody, phases out using non-DHS facilities for such purposes, and contains other related provisions. The standards shall comply with the American Bar Association's Civil Immigration Detention Standards. The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) shall conduct periodic unannounced inspections of each facility and shall take various actions against noncompliant facilities, including imposing fines, cancelling contracts, and closing facilities. DHS shall report to Congress any death of an alien in its custody within 24 hours and conduct an investigation within 30 days that identifies policy changes that could reduce the likelihood of such a death. DHS is prohibited from entering into contracts for third parties to operate detention facilities and shall terminate existing contracts within three years of the bill's enactment. The bill establishes that OIG facility inspection reports and contracts for an outside entity to operate a detention facility are records available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. DHS shall maintain certain information relating to detained aliens, including the alien's location and whether the alien was separated from family. The bill provides for various requirements and procedures related to detaining aliens, including (1) prohibiting DHS from detaining children, (2) imposing a presumption that an alien should be released, and (3) establishing that aliens in custody shall be subject to the least restrictive conditions. The bill also abolishes mandatory detention for asylum seekers.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Homes for Our Heroes Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to Congress regarding public housing agencies for which vouchers for rental assistance were allocated. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to report on the medical centers of the VA to which funds were provided for case managers under the supported housing program, as well as other relevant information involving case management funding. This bill also requires HUD and the VA to conduct a study to identify barriers to carrying out the supported housing program.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2019
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that only a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can ensure Israel's survival as a secure Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations for a Palestinian state. It also expresses the sense that any U.S. proposals that fail to expressly endorse a two-state solution will likely put a peaceful end to the conflict further out of reach.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2019
Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 This bill prohibits funds from being used for kinetic military operations against Iran unless Congress authorizes such an action, with various exceptions such as in response to an imminent threat. ("Kinetic military operations" typically refers to active military actions, in contrast to latent operations or cyberwarfare.)
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2019
Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the "Ghost Army," collectively, in recognition of its service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2019
Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019 This bill revises regulations related to the safety, sale, and advertisement of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems (e.g., e-cigarettes, e-hookah, e-cigars, and vape pens). Among other requirements, the bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement regulations that require color graphics depicting the negative health consequences of smoking on the labeling of cigarette packages; requires the FDA to apply regulations on tobacco products to all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes; raises the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products to age 21, and makes it unlawful to market, advertise, or promote any electronic nicotine delivery system to individuals under such age; prohibits the retail online sale of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems; prohibits the use of flavored products in an electronic nicotine delivery system, except in specified circumstances; increases the user fees that the FDA collects from manufacturers and importers; and directs the FDA to regulate products containing synthetic nicotine (not made or derived from tobacco).
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2019
Federal Leadership in Energy Efficient Transportation Act or the FLEET Act This bill establishes various authorities and requirements for upgrading the U.S. Postal Service vehicle fleet, including requirements to reduce petroleum consumption, fuel efficiency and emissions standards, and authorities to enter into energy savings performance contracts and utility energy service contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2019
Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William “Bill” Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Labor and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make improvements to the Transition Assistance Program that serves members of the Armed Forces who separate, retire, or are discharged from service. Among other requirements, the bill extends by five years the pilot program for providing off-base transition training for veterans and their spouses. Labor must select no fewer than 50 locations to implement the training, and at least 20 shall be states with a high rate of veteran unemployment. The bill requires the VA to make grants to eligible organizations for the provision of transition assistance. Finally, the bill grants access to the VA and Labor to certain information reported by employers to states' new hire directories in order to track employment of veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2019
Protecting Access to Wheelchairs Act This bill excludes specified wheelchairs and associated accessories from Medicare's competitive acquisition program (in which rates are set through a competitive bidding program rather than by an established fee schedule).
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2019
Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act This bill expands the tax exclusion for energy conservation subsidies provided by public utilities to include certain subsidies for water conservation or efficiency measures and storm water management measures. The bill excludes from gross income subsidies provided (directly or indirectly) (1) by a public utility to a customer, or by a state or local government to a resident of such state or locality, for the purchase or installation of any water conservation or efficiency measure; and (2) by a storm water management provider to a customer, or by a state or local government to a resident of such state or locality, for the purchase or installation of any storm water management measure.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act or the NO BAN Act This bill imposes limitations on the President's authority to suspend or restrict aliens from entering the United States and terminates certain presidential actions implementing such restrictions. It also prohibits religious discrimination in various immigration-related decisions, such as whether to issue an immigrant or non-immigrant visa, with certain exceptions. The President may temporarily restrict the entry of any aliens or class of aliens after the Department of State determines that the restriction would address specific acts that threaten U.S. interests such as security or public safety. The bill also imposes limitations on such restrictions, such as requiring the President, State Department, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide specific evidence of a need for the restriction, and to narrowly tailor the restriction to meet a compelling government interest. Before imposing a restriction, the President, State Department, and DHS shall consult with Congress. The State Department and DHS shall report to Congress about the restriction within 48 hours of the restriction's imposition, with regular updates. If such reports are not made, the restriction shall immediately terminate.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act This bill sets forth provisions concerning the restoration, economic development, and conservation of, and recreational access to, certain public lands in Northern California. The bill establishes the South Fork Trinity-Mad River Restoration Area, the Northwest California Public Lands Remediation Partnership, the Trinity Lake and Del Norte County visitor centers, the Horse Mountain Special Management Area, the Elk Camp Ridge National Recreation Trail, and the Sanhedrin Conservation Management Area. The bill designates specified federal lands as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, the North Fork Wilderness as the North Fork Eel River Wilderness, specified federal lands as potential wilderness areas, and specified segments of certain rivers and creeks and of a specified river estuary as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Also, the bill authorizes the utilization of certain forest residues for research and development of bio-based products that result in net carbon sequestration; authorizes initiatives to restore degraded redwood forest ecosystems in the Redwood National Forest and state parks; requires studies concerning certain visitor accommodations and recreational trails in the Six Rivers, Shasta-Trinity, and Mendocino National Forests, as applicable; authorizes partnerships for trail and campground maintenance, public education, visitor contacts, and visitor center staffing on federal lands in Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte Counties; and adjusts the boundaries of the Elkhorn Ridge Wilderness.
![Official portrait of Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000593_200.jpg)