United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019 This bill makes it unlawful to knowingly influence (or attempt or conspire to influence) a major international sports competition by use of a prohibited substance or prohibited method. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both—and mandatory restitution. Additionally, property used or intended to be used to commit an offense may be seized and forfeited to the U.S. government.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2019 This bill allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to serve flavored and unflavored whole milk.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Strengthening The Resiliency of Our Nation on the Ground Act or the STRONG Act This bill requires the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive Office of the President to establish an interagency working group to (1) provide a strategic vision of extreme weather resilience; (2) conduct an analysis of current and planned federal activities related to achieving short- and long-term resilience to extreme weather and its impacts on the United States, such as flooding, drought, and wildfires; and (3) develop a National Extreme Weather Resilience Action Plan. The plan must include (1) the establishment of an online portal that directs users to key data and tools to inform resilience-enhancing efforts; and (2) the identification of a coordinating entity to establish and maintain such portal and to coordinate the implementation of the plan and track its progress.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Connecting Lobbyists and Electeds for Accountability and Reform Act or the CLEAR Act This bill requires reports filed by political committees, reports filed by persons making independent expenditures, and reports filed by persons making disbursements for electioneering communications to disclose if individuals identified in the reports are registered lobbyists.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment declaring that women shall have equal rights in the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction. The amendment prohibits the United States or any state from denying or abridging equal rights under the law on account of sex.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2019 This bill addresses the safety of portable flammable liquid fuel containers. The bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promulgate a final rule for flame mitigation devices in portable flammable liquid fuel containers that impede the propagation of flame into the container, unless the CPSC publishes a determination that a voluntary standard developed by a standard development organization meets the intent of this bill. Either the promulgated standard or the voluntary standard shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule. If a standard development organization subsequently revises a voluntary standard, the organization must notify the CPSC and the revision becomes enforceable unless, within 90 days after receiving notice, the CPSC determines that the revised standard does not meet this bill's requirements. The CPSC must undertake a campaign to educate consumers about dangers associated with portable fuel containers near an open flame or other source of ignition. The bill extends child-resistance requirements for closures on portable gasoline containers to receptacles for gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel produced or distributed for sale to, or use by, consumers for transport of, or for refueling of internal combustion engines with, gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1450 Montauk Highway in Mastic, New York, as the "Army Specialist Thomas J. Wilwerth Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 25 Route 111 in Smithtown, New York, as the "Congressman Bill Carney Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Finger Lakes National Heritage Area Study Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating specified counties and other areas in the state of New York as the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act This bill allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Fairness for Federal Contractors Act of 2019 This bill appropriates funding to provide compensation to certain employees of contractors who lost pay or leave due to the lapse in appropriations that began on December 22, 2018. Each agency subject to such lapse shall adjust the price of any contract for which the contractor was ordered to suspend, delay, or stop work as a result of the lapse. The agency shall compensate the contractor for reasonable costs incurred to (1) provide compensation, at an employee's standard rate of compensation, to any employee who was furloughed or laid off, or who was not working, who experienced a reduction of hours, or who experienced a reduction in compensation, as a result of the lapse, for the period of the lapse; or (2) restore paid leave taken by any employee during the lapse, if the contractor required employees to use paid leave as a result of the lapse. The maximum amount of weekly compensation of an employee for which an adjustment may be made may not exceed the lesser of the employee's actual weekly compensation or $1,400.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 201 9 This bill repeals the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans). The repeal applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to establish a clearinghouse for disseminating information regarding available programs and financing mechanisms that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, distributed generation, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Sustainable Shark Fisheries and Trade Act of 2019 This bill revises provisions regarding shark conservation and fishery management. The bill requires any country that seeks to import shark products into the United States to obtain a certification from the Department of Commerce that the country has a regulatory program in effect to provide for the conservation and management of sharks, including measures to prohibit the removal of any of the fins of a shark (including the tail). Commerce must revise its regulations to include rays and skates as species that are subject to the Seafood Traceability Program. (The Seafood Traceability Program has data reporting and recordkeeping requirements at the time of entry for imported fish or fish products entered into U.S. commerce.)
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act or the PACT Act This bill revises and expands criminal provisions with respect to animal crushing. It retains existing criminal offenses that prohibit knowingly creating or distributing an animal crush video using interstate commerce. The bill also adds a new provision to criminalize an intentional act of animal crushing. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to seven years, or both. It provides additional exceptions for conduct, or a video of conduct, including conduct that is (1) medical or scientific research, (2) necessary to protect the life or property of a person, (3) performed as part of euthanizing an animal, or (4) unintentional.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019 This bill makes it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins or any product containing shark fins, except for certain dogfish fins. A person may possess a shark fin that was lawfully taken consistent with a license or permit under certain circumstances. Penalties are imposed for violations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill expands and reauthorizes through FY2024 specified nursing workforce development programs. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes (1) loan repayment and scholarships for nurses; (2) loans for nursing faculty development; (3) advanced education nursing grants; (4) grants for increasing nursing workforce diversity; and (5) nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants. Eligibility for nurse education, practice, quality, and retention grants is expanded to include nurse-managed health clinics that provide primary care to underserved communities. Further, grants for nursing career ladder programs are expanded to (1) promote career advancement for individuals to become registered nurses or advanced education nurses and (2) support internships and residency programs that encourage mentoring and the development of specialties. In addition, eligibility for advanced education nursing grants is expanded to include education of clinical nurse leaders in combined registered nurse graduate degree programs. Clinical nurse leaders are advanced generalist clinicians who apply research and coordinate care to improve outcomes for patients. Eligibility is also extended to clinical nurse specialist programs that provide registered nurses with full-time clinical nurse specialist education that qualifies participating nurses to provide a full range of care. The bill also revises specified grant reporting and program evaluation requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2019
2020 Census Improving Data and Enhanced Accuracy Act or the 2020 Census IDEA Act This bill prohibits the Department of Commerce, in the 2020 decennial census and each decennial census thereafter, from (1) implementing any major operational design feature that has not been researched, studied, and tested for at least three years before the date on which the applicable census occurs; or (2) including on the questionnaire for the census any subject, type of information, or question that was not submitted to Congress. The Government Accountability Office must certify to Congress that the subjects, types of information, and questions to be included in a decennial census have been adequately researched, studied, and tested to the same degree as in previous decennial censuses.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2019
U.S. Senator Joseph D. Tydings Memorial Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2019 or the PAST Act This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2019
This bill redesignates the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area in the state of New York as the "Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area."
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 40 Fulton Street in Middletown, New York, as the "Benjamin A. Gilman Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Puerto Rico Recovery Accuracy in Disclosures Act of 2019 or (PRRADA ) This bill requires professionals employed in debt adjustment cases involving Puerto Rico to file verified statements disclosing their connections with the debtor, creditors, and other interested parties before seeking compensation for their services.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take a series of actions relating to palliative-care training. Specifically, HHS must provide support for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers. The centers must improve the training of health professionals in palliative care and establish traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced-education nursing degrees, social-work degrees, or advanced degrees in physician-assistant studies in palliative care. HHS may provide support to medical schools, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical-education programs for training physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine. HHS must (1) provide Palliative Medicine and Hospice Academic Career Awards to individuals to promote their career development, (2) support entities that operate a Palliative Care and Hospice Education Center, (3) support individuals in specified fields who are pursuing an advanced degree in palliative care or related fields, and (4) award grants to nursing programs to train individuals in providing palliative care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must provide for a national education and awareness campaign to inform patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care. The National Institutes of Health must expand national research programs in palliative care.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2019 This bill establishes the National Infrastructure Development Bank as a government corporation to finance energy, environmental (e.g., drinking water or waste facilities), telecommunications, and transportation infrastructure projects. The National Infrastructure Development Bank Board, established by this bill, must oversee the projects. The board may make loans and loan guarantees to assist in financing infrastructure projects. In addition, the board must establish an American Infrastructure Bond program. Under the program, the board may subsidize interest payments by the issuers of state or local bonds. The bill establishes the National Infrastructure Development Bank Trust Fund and appropriates to the fund an amount equal to the tax receipts attributable to interest payable under the bonds. With the approval of the Department of the Treasury, the board may issue public benefit bonds to provide financing to infrastructure projects. The bill exempts bonds issued by the bank, and the interest on or credits with respect to the bonds, from state or local government taxation. Financial assistance for an infrastructure project must be repayable from dedicated revenue sources that also secure the infrastructure project obligations. The assistance may not exceed 50% of reasonably anticipated project costs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct or support research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
American Dream Employment Act of 201 9 This bill permits the compensation of congressional employees who have been issued employment authorization documents under the Department of Homeland Security Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. The program enables many unlawfully present aliens who came to the United States as children to be granted deferred action (a type of relief from removal which does not confer immigration status) and work authorization.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Automatic Voter Registration Act This bill requires state motor vehicle authorities, upon receiving specified identifying information regarding an individual requesting services, to transmit the information to the state election office. The state election office shall then notify the individual that the individual shall be automatically registered to vote in federal elections in the state unless the individual declines to be registered to vote, does not meet voter registration eligibility requirements, or is already registered to vote. A state may only use such information regarding an individual's citizenship status for determining whether the individual is eligible to vote in federal elections.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service should restore mail delivery service standards to those of July 1, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that compensation of public school teachers should be comparable to that of other college graduates with years in the workforce where the teachers are employed.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act or the PIRATE Act This bill addresses unlicensed radio broadcasting (called pirating), including by increasing the maximum fine for a pirate radio broadcasting violation to $2 million and imposing a fine of up to $100,000 per day for pirating violations subject to the $2 million limit. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must (1) annually submit to Congress a report summarizing implementation of this bill and associated enforcement activities for the previous fiscal year; and (2) at least once a year, assign appropriate enforcement personnel to focus specific and sustained attention on the elimination of pirate radio broadcasting within the top five radio markets. The FCC may not preempt any state or local law prohibiting pirate radio broadcasting. The FCC shall (1) revise its rules to require that, absent good cause, in any case alleging a violation, it shall proceed directly to issue a Notice of Apparent Liability without first issuing a Notice of Unlicensed Operation; and (2) publish a database of all licensed radio stations operating in the AM and FM band that includes each licensed station and all entities that have received a Notice of Unlicensed Operation, Notice of Apparent Liability, or Forfeiture Order issued by the FCC.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Raise the Wage Act This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the federal minimum wage for regular employees over a 7-year period, for tipped employees, and for newly hired employees who are less than 20 years old. The bill sets forth a schedule of annual increases in the federal minimum wage for individuals with disabilities. The Department of Labor shall no longer issue special certificates for the payment of subminimum wages to such individuals after the final wage increase under this bill for such individuals takes effect. Labor shall provide, upon request, technical assistance and information to employers to: (1) help them transition their practices to comply with wage increases and other requirements under this bill for individuals with disabilities, and (2) ensure continuing employment opportunities for such individuals. The bill eliminates the separate minimum wage requirements for tipped, newly hired, and disabled employees. After a specified period, these employees shall be paid the same minimum wage as regular employees. Labor must publish any increase in the minimum wage in the Federal Register and on its website 60 days before it takes effect.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Freedom of Religion Act of 2019 This bill establishes that an alien may not be denied entry, reentry, or admission to the United States, or any other immigration benefit, because of the alien's religion or lack of religious beliefs. This bill shall not affect the authority of various government agencies or immigration officers to determine whether a particular individual may pose a threat to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Bringing Reductions to Energy's Airborne Toxic Health Effects Act or the BREATHE Act This bill amends the Clean Air Act to revise requirements for hazardous air pollutants. Specifically, the bill allows (1) emissions from oil or gas exploration or production wells and emissions from pipeline compressors or pump stations to be aggregated with emissions from other similar sources and regulated as a major source of toxic air pollutants, (2) emissions from those wells to be aggregated for purposes of emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants, and (3) emissions from oil or gas production wells to be regulated as an area source of toxic air pollutants. The Environmental Protection Agency must (1) issue a final rule adding hydrogen sulfide to the list of hazardous air pollutants; and (2) revise the list of air pollution sources within 365 days after issuing the rule to include categories and subcategories of major sources and area sources of hydrogen sulfide, including oil and gas wells.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
TRICARE Reserve Select Improvement Act This bill expands TRICARE Reserve Select eligibility to include members of the Selected Reserve who are enrolled or eligible to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to commemorate Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith, four Americans killed in the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. (Stevens was the U.S. Ambassador to Libya at the time, Smith was an officer in the Foreign Service, and Doherty and Woods were both government contractors and former Navy SEALs.) After the medal has been awarded, it shall be given to the Central Intelligence Agency Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 This bill provides for a Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to the U.S. Merchant Mariners of World War II, in recognition of their service during World War II. Following the award of the medal, it shall be given to the American Merchant Marine Museum, where it shall be available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act This bill updates the Department of Defense's Survivor Benefit Plan and how it operates in relation to other benefits. The plan currently provides a monthly annuity (based on a percentage of a service member's retirement pay) to an eligible beneficiary upon the death of the service member. Currently, if a surviving spouse is also entitled to dependency and indemnity compensation, the annuity paid under the plan will be reduced. The bill repeals certain provisions that require the offset of the plan annuity from amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation. Under current law, upon the request of the surviving spouse, the military branch concerned is authorized to pay an annuity to the member's dependent children instead of to the surviving spouse. The bill restores the annuity to an eligible spouse who previously elected to transfer payment to a dependent child.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act of 2019 This bill expands the categories of persons who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm or ammunition. Specifically, it prohibits firearm sale or transfer to and receipt, possession, shipment, or transport by a person who has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of stalking.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Disability Integration Act of 2019 This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. The bill requires the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue regulations requiring government entities and insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. Government entities must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Regulations shall also (1) require government entities and insurance providers to perform self-evaluation on current services, policies, and practices and concerning compliance with requirements of this bill; and (2) require government entities to submit a transition plan. HHS must determine annually whether each government entity is complying with the transition plan and must increase funding for those in compliance. The bill allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of its requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act This bill expands eligibility for a presumption of service-connection for veterans exposed to certain herbicide agents (e.g., Agent Orange) during military service in Vietnam. Specifically, the bill removes the manifestation period required for the presumption of service-connection for chloracne and porphyria cutanea tarda. Additionally, the bill provides statutory authority for a presumption of service-connection for certain cases of acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy without a manifestation period. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 770 Ayrault Road in Fairport, New York, as the "Louise and Bob Slaughter Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2019
Keep Families Together Act This bill limits the separation of families at or near U.S borders or ports of entry and imposes limits on the prosecution of asylum seekers. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall not separate a child from a legal guardian at a port of entry or within 100 miles of a U.S. border unless a state court terminates the legal guardian's rights; a state child welfare agency or court determines it is in the child's best interests to be removed; or the child is determined to be a trafficking victim or at risk of becoming one, the accompanying adult is most likely not the legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. Such separation shall end unless a licensed independent child welfare expert authorizes the separation within 48 hours. DHS, DOJ, or HHS may not separate a child from a legal guardian solely to deter migration into the United States or to promote compliance with immigration laws. DHS shall develop (1) training related to the bill's family separation requirements, and (2) guidance for how legal guardians may locate a separated child. HHS shall provide legal guardians weekly status updates about a separated child. An asylum seeker who has expressed a credible or reasonable fear of persecution may not be prosecuted for certain immigration law violations until the asylum application has been finally adjudicated.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2019
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act of 2019 or the BRACE Act of 2019 This bill permanently extends the tax credit for railroad track maintenance. The extension applies to expenditures paid or incurred during tax years beginning after 2017. Assignments of miles of railroad track, including related expenditures, for tax years ending after 2017 must be treated as timely if they are made pursuant to a written agreement entered into within 90 days of the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2019
Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1 silver coins in commemoration of Christa McAuliffe, a teacher tragically killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. The design of the coins shall bear an image and the name of Christa McAuliffe on the obverse side and a design on the reverse side that depicts the legacy of McAuliffe as a teacher. Treasury may issue the coins from January 1-December 31, 2020. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of the coins shall be paid to the FIRST robotics program for the purpose of engaging and inspiring young people, through mentor-based programs, to become leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
National Gun Violence Research Act This bill amends various provisions of law and sets forth new provisions to promote gun violence research. Among other things, the bill does the following: removes limitations on the use of firearms tracing data by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; permits funds made available to the Department of Health and Human Services to be used for gun violence research; establishes the National Gun Violence Research Program to promote gun violence research; and authorizes various competitive grants to support research into the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of gun violence.
![Official portrait of Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000469_200.jpg)