United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2016
Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Assessment Act This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess and report on the cultural and historic resources in the waters of the Great Lakes. NOAA must recommend in its report whether: (1) underwater geographic areas in the Great Lakes should be designated as national marine sanctuaries to protect resources of historical and archeological significance; and (2) the designation of a network of underwater Great Lakes areas that protect those resources could bring significant educational opportunities, economic development, jobs, and tourism to the Great Lakes region.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act This bill postpones from December 1, 2016, until June 1, 2017, the effective date of a final rule of the Department of Labor revising income thresholds for determining overtime pay for executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer ("white collar") employees exempt from regular minimum wage and overtime pay requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Expresses support for the designation of National Suicide Prevention Month. Recognizes suicide as a preventable public health problem and supports declaring that suicide prevention should be a priority. Promotes awareness that suicide most often occurs when stressors exceed the current coping abilities of an individual suffering from a mental health condition.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
S.O.S. Act of 2016 This bill amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to increase the contribution and benefit base for 2017 through 2019. The bill revises the computation of primary insurance amounts to include surplus average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) in determining them, adjust surplus earnings for purposes of determining the surplus AIME, and reduce the third bend point factor. The retirement age shall increase past 67 years by certain formulae. Cost-of-living adjustments shall involve the Chained Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor. The bill formulates a minimum monthly insurance benefit, and establishes an increased benefit for beneficiaries on account of long-term eligibility, starting 20 years after they become eligible for monthly OASDI benefits. The bill revises a certain formula to increase benefit computation years for purposes of calculating primary OASDI insurance amounts. This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any: budget resolution that sets forth totals for any fiscal year regarding the Social Security Trust Funds that are less than the totals of the Social Security Trust Funds for that fiscal year as calculated in accordance with a current services baseline, or spending or tax legislation that would cause any totals to be less than the Funds totals for the covered fiscal year. The bill declares that this latter point of order shall not apply to Social Security reform legislation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to remove or demote a VA employee based on performance or misconduct and provides that specified federal employee performance appraisal provisions shall not apply to such removals or demotions. The VA may remove such individual from the civil service or demote the individual through a reduction in grade or annual pay rate. A demoted individual shall not be placed on administrative leave or any other category of paid leave during the appeals period and can receive pay only if he or she reports for duty. An expedited appeals process is established under which: (1) an employee shall have the right to an appeal before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) within seven days of removal or demotion, (2) the MSPB shall issue a decision within 60 days of the appeal or the removal or demotion becomes final, (3) an MSPB decision and any final removal or demotion may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals, and (4) the MSPB may not stay any removal or demotion. The VA may not remove or demote an employee: (1) without the approval of the Special Counsel if the individual seeks corrective action from the Office of Special Counsel based on an alleged prohibited personnel practice, and (2) until a final decision in the case of a whistle blower complaint. The VA shall reduce the federal annuity of an individual removed from the VA Senior Executive Service (SES) who is convicted of a felony that influenced his or her performance while employed in such position. The VA may reduce the federal annuity of an individual who was convicted of such a felony and was subject to removal or transfer from the SES but who left the VA before final action was taken. The VA may recoup an award, a bonus, or relocation expenses paid to a VA employee under specified circumstances. The VA may suspend, reprimand or admonish an SES employee for misconduct or performance that does not merit removal. The VA must notify an individual five days before taking such proposed action. Appeals may be made to the Senior Executive Disciplinary Appeals Board (as provided for by this bill) and may not be appealed to the MSPB. The bill establishes an additional whistle blower complaint process, which shall include suspension and removal actions against supervisory employees who commit prohibited personnel actions against a whistle blower. The bill amends the disability benefits appeals process. The bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to prohibit payment of an award or bonus to any VA SES employee during each of FY2017-FY2021.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
Requires both chambers of Congress to assemble annually in the Hall of the House of Representatives to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General on the Government Accountability Office's audited financial statement of the accounts and associated activities of the executive branch, together with an analysis of the financial position and condition of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
Agency Accountability Act of 2016 This bill requires any agency that receives a fee, fine, penalty, or proceeds from a settlement to deposit the amount in the general fund of the Treasury. The funds may not be used unless the funding is provided in advance in an appropriations bill. Any amounts deposited during the fiscal year in which this bill is enacted may not be obligated during the fiscal year and must be used for deficit reduction. The bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require offsetting receipts and collections to be treated as revenue. (Offsetting receipts and collections are funds collected by agencies from other government accounts or from the public in businesslike or market-oriented transactions. Under current law, the collections are treated as negative budget authority and outlays rather than revenue and may be used to offset spending for budget enforcement purposes.) The requirements of the bill do not apply to the U.S. Postal Service or the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the USPTO must submit annually to Congress a report describing any fee, fine, penalty, or proceeds from a settlement collected by the USPTO during the previous year.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2016
No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop: a quality assurance document for carrying out the toll-free Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), including at backup call centers; and a plan to ensure that each telephone call, text message, and other communications received by the VCL, including at backup call centers, is answered in a timely manner by a person, consistent with the guidance established by the American Association of Suicidology.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Stamp Out Invasive Species Act This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue and sell a Combating Invasive Species Semipostal Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp must be transferred in equal proportion to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture for combating invasive species. (Invasive species are nonnative species whose introduction poses a serious threat to natural ecosystems and causes detrimental economic damage to local communities.) The stamp must be made available to the public for two years.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Expresses the commitment of the House of Representatives to create a comprehensive solution to the threat of invasive, nonnative species throughout the United States by controlling and eradicating established invasive species populations, and preventing the further introduction of nonnative species into native ecosystems. (An invasive species is an organism that is not native to an ecosystem and is ecologically or economically harmful in the new environment where it is not native.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
This bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community-based outpatient clinic in Traverse City, Michigan, as the "Colonel Demas T. Craw VA Clinic."
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
Anti-Pyramid Promotional Scheme Act of 2016 This bill prohibits the establishment, operation, or promotion of a pyramid promotional scheme, which is defined as a plan or operation by which a person gives consideration (money or other thing of value) to a participant in the scheme for the right to receive compensation derived primarily from the participant's introduction of another person into the plan or operation rather than from the sale of products to ultimate users. The bill grants enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission and requires violations to be treated as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2016
Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2016 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. The design of the coins shall bear an image of 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, 2018. 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 · 29 April 2016
Vet Connect Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to disclose to non-VA entities that provide hospital care or medical treatment to veterans (including private entities and other federal agencies) records of the identity, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of any patient in connection with a program relating to drug abuse, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, or sickle cell anemia.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Jessie's Law This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit disclosure of patient records relating to substance abuse with the patient's oral consent or the consent of the patient's parent, legal guardian, or spouse. (Currently, disclosure is permitted only with the patient's written consent.) Interchange of such records is permitted within accountable care organizations, health information exchanges, and integrated care arrangements for purposes of attaining interoperability, improving care coordination, reducing health care costs, and securing or providing patient safety. The Department of Health and Human Services must develop and disseminate standards for hospitals and physicians regarding displaying a patient's history of opioid addiction in the patient's medical records with the patient's consent.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2016
Great Lakes Pipeline Safety Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a study to determine the economic and environmental risks of oil or hazardous liquids spills or leaks in the Straits of Mackinac that a failure of onshore, underwater pipeline facilities within the straits would pose to the Great Lakes. In addition, DOT must evaluate the condition and structural integrity of the facilities. DOT shall terminate operations of a facility upon a determination, based on such studies, that risk of hazard to life, property, or the environment warrants termination.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10721 E Jefferson Ave in Detroit, Michigan, as the "Mary Eleanora McCoy Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2016
Safe Water and Nutrition Access Act This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take the following actions regarding eligible states (states in which there is a community with respect to which the President has declared an emergency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act relating to public health threats associated with the presence of lead or other contaminants in a public drinking water supply): guarantee loans to entities to process, distribute, aggregate, store, and market locally or regionally produced food under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (CFRDA) for projects in underserved communities in an eligible state, using specified Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds for FY2016; provide grants under the CFRDA's emergency and imminent community water assistance grant program to nonprofit entities in an eligible state, notwithstanding maximum population and income requirements or maximum grant limitations under such Act, using specified CCC funds for FY2016; use specified CCC funds for water and waste disposal technical assistance and training grants, and for the rural water and wastewater circuit rider program, in FY2016-FY2017; and use specified CCC funds for eligible projects or partnerships under USDA's healthy food financing initiative, with priority given to eligible projects and partnerships to be carried out in an eligible state. The bill allows such amounts to be obligated during the five-year period beginning with the date the amount is first made available, after which the provision under which such amount is provided shall expire. No funds may be used to carry out a provision of this bill unless completely offset by a corresponding reduction in mandatory funds available for another program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2016
Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study access by underserved populations to general surgeons, including whether the health professional shortage area designation under the National Health Service Corps program accurately assesses adequacy of access or whether another measure or designation would be more appropriate. HHS must consider potential methodologies for designating surgical health professional shortage areas.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
Firearms Transfer Improvement Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to broaden the scope of permissible transfers between a licensed gun dealer and an out-of-state resident. Current law permits a licensed gun dealer to sell or transfer a rifle or shotgun to an out-of-state resident if the transaction occurs in person and complies with applicable laws of both states. This bill permits a licensed gun dealer to sell or transfer a firearm to an out-of-state resident if the transaction occurs in person and complies with applicable laws of the state in which the gun dealer's place of business is located.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2016 This bill imposes criminal penalties on anyone who knowingly or knowingly attempts to: (1) perform an abortion knowing that the abortion is sought based on the sex, gender, color or race of the child, or the race of a parent; (2) use force or the threat of force to intentionally injure or intimidate any person for the purpose of coercing a sex-selection or race-selection abortion; (3) solicit or accept funds for the performance of such an abortion; or (4) transport a woman into the United States or across a state line for the purpose of obtaining such an abortion. Violations or attempted violations shall result in fines and/or imprisonment for up to five years. The bill authorizes civil actions (for verifiable money damages for injuries and punitive damages) by: (1) fathers, or maternal grandparents if the mother is an unemancipated minor, of unborn children who are the subject of an abortion performed or attempted through any of the above violations; or (2) women upon whom an abortion has been performed or attempted with a knowing or attempted use of force or threat of force to intentionally injure or intimidate any person for the purpose of coercing a sex-selection or race-selection abortion. To prevent an abortion provider from performing or attempting further abortions in violation of this bill, the bill authorizes injunctive relief to be obtained by: (1) the women upon whom such an abortion is performed or attempted, (2) a maternal grandparent of the unborn child if the woman is an unemancipated minor, (3) the father of such an unborn child, or (4) the Department of Justice. Violations of this bill are deemed to be prohibited discrimination under title VI (Federally Assisted Programs) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (Violators of title VI lose federal funding.) Medical or mental health professionals must report known or suspected violations to law enforcement authorities. Criminal penalties are established for a failure to so report. A woman having such an abortion may not be prosecuted or held civilly liable. Courts must make such orders as necessary to protect the anonymity of any woman upon whom an abortion has been performed or attempted if she does not give her written consent to such disclosure. In the absence of such a woman's written consent, any party, other than a public official, who brings an action must use a pseudonym. For purposes of this bill, "abortion" is defined as the act of using or prescribing any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance, device, or means with the intent to terminate the clinically diagnosable pregnancy of a woman, with knowledge that the termination by those means will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of the unborn child, unless the act is intended to: (1) save the life or preserve the health of the unborn child, (2) remove a dead unborn child caused by spontaneous abortion, or (3) remove an ectopic pregnancy.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2016
No Dollars for Iran Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from issuing a license under any law, including the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, that would permit a person to conduct offshore dollar clearing outside of the U.S. financial system for transactions that would involve or benefit the government of Iran or any Iranian person.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act This bill declares that the proposed or the final rule of the Department of Labor entitled "Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees" shall cease to have any force or effect. The rule revises the "white collar" exemption of executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer employees from minimum wage and maximum hour, or overtime, requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). If the proposed rule is a final rule on the date of enactment of this bill: Labor shall not enforce it based on conduct occurring before that enactment date, an employee shall not have any right of action against an employer for the employer's failure to comply with the final rule at any time before that enactment date, any regulations that were amended by the final rule shall be restored and revived as if the final rule had never taken effect, and nothing in this bill shall be construed to create a right of action for an employer against an employee for the recoupment of any payments made to the employee before the enactment of this bill that were in compliance with that final rule. Labor may promulgate any substantially similar rule only if it has completed certain required actions; but the rule shall not contain any automatic updates to the salary threshold for purposes of exemptions to minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under the FLSA. The requirement that definitions applicable for such exemptions be defined and delimited from time to time by Labor regulations shall be construed to: require Labor to issue a new rule through notice and comment rulemaking for each change in any salary threshold it has proposed; and exclude any rule that would result in changes to any salary threshold for multiple time periods, including through any automatic updating procedure. Labor may not promulgate any final rule that includes any revision to duties tests for exemption from minimum wage and maximum hours requirements unless specific regulatory text for the provision was proposed in the proposed rule.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2016
Greater Sage Grouse Protection and Recovery Act of 2016 This bill delays findings by the Department of the Interior with respect to the greater sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act until September 30, 2026. Additionally, Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) are prohibited from amending any federal resource management plans that affect the greater sage grouse in a state in which the governor has notified Interior or USDA that a state management plan is in place.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2016
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act This bill establishes a three-year reauthorization, rescission, and termination schedule for unauthorized programs funded through the annual appropriations process. The schedule applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year. After a program's authorization has expired, the bill limits the program's funding in the first year to 90% of the funds provided in the expiring year, reduces the limit to 85% for the second and third years, and terminates the program at the end of the third year. The bill enforces the limits by rescinding any funds that exceed the limit. The Office of Management and Budget must reduce discretionary spending limits by the amount of any rescissions. Programs that are reauthorized during the three-year period are exempt from the limits, rescissions, and termination if the reauthorization includes a provision limiting the authorization of appropriations period to no more than three years. The bill establishes the Spending and Accountability Commission to recommend a reauthorization schedule for discretionary spending programs and review all mandatory spending programs. The commission may recommend legislation to replace the funding limits and rescissions required by this bill with reductions in mandatory spending. The commission's reauthorization schedule must limit reauthorizations to three years, include the funding limits and rescissions established by this bill, and establish a mechanism for replacing the limitations and rescissions with reductions to mandatory spending programs. The House of Representatives must consider the proposal using expedited legislative procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2016
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016 or the RPM Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to allow the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls if the vehicle is used solely for competition.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2016
Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act of 2016 This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow the United States to prosecute certain U.S. employees who engage in conduct in Canada that would constitute a federal criminal offense if the conduct had occurred in the United States. This bill applies to employees, contractors, and grantees of a U.S. department or agency other than the Department of Defense who are stationed in Canada pursuant to a border security initiative.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act or the BRACE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for railroad track maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct critical monitoring, scientific assessments, and research in support of fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin between the United States and Canada. In support of the fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin, the USGS Great Lakes Science Center shall: (1) execute a comprehensive, multi-lake, freshwater fisheries science program; (2) work cooperatively with regional, state, tribal, and local governments; and (3) consult with interested groups, including academia and Canadian agencies. To protect and improve the Great Lakes, the USGS Great Lakes Science Center may provide: deep-water ecosystem research, fish behavior and habitat reports, fish population assessments, invasive species research, use of biological equipment and laboratory capabilities necessary to support fishery management decisions, and studies that assess impacts on Great Lakes Fishery resources.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Lake Berryessa Recreation Enhancement Act of 2016 This bill establishes as the Lake Berryessa Recreation Area specified land administered by the Bureau of Reclamation that is underlying or adjacent to Lake Berryessa in California, including any improvements. The bill transfers the administrative jurisdiction over the area from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior. Interior shall develop a management plan for the area and may establish guidelines and restrictions on recreational uses to ensure the safety and security of recreational users. Interior may also issue recreation concession permits, including at the area, to allow a third party to provide facilities and services to visitors on lands and waters managed by the BLM in support of outdoor recreational opportunities. Reclamation shall continue to administer and operate the Monticello Dam and any related facility, including any power facility.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Justin Smith Morrill Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Justin Smith Morrill's lasting contributions to higher education opportunity for all Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Safe Drinking Water Act Improved Compliance Awareness Act This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require public water systems to notify their customers of lead concentration levels in drinking water that exceed lead limits under national primary drinking water regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must notify customers of a violation of a national primary drinking water regulation with significant potential to have serious adverse effects on human health as a result of acute exposure, if the state or the public water system fails to notify the public within 24 hours of receiving notice from the EPA of the exceedance. Community water systems' consumer confidence reports must include a definition of "action level," which is generally a certain contaminant level that triggers a requirement for the public water system to take additional actions to control corrosion. The EPA must establish a strategic plan for conducting targeted outreach, education, technical assistance, and risk communication to populations affected by lead in the public water system. EPA employees must forward to the public water system any data indicating that drinking water contains lead that exceeds limits. The public water system must then disseminate to its customers information on the exceedance of a lead limit, its potential adverse effects on human health, corrective steps underway, and advice on whether customers should seek alternative water supplies. The EPA must disseminate the information if the public water system or the state fails to do so. The EPA must: (1) make information about lead in drinking water available to the public, and (2) carry out targeted outreach strategies that focus on educating groups that are at greater risk than the general population for adverse health effects from exposure to lead in drinking water.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2016
Commends the cooperative owners and the employees of the Farm Credit System for their continuing service in meeting the credit and financial-services needs of rural communities and agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2016
Expresses support for: (1) the goals of Catholic Schools Week, an event cosponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and established to recognize the contributions of Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States; and (2) the continued dedication of Catholic schools, students, parents, and teachers toward academic excellence and the key role they play in promoting and ensuring a brighter, stronger future for the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2016
Faster Care for Veterans Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to begin an 18-month pilot program in at least three Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) under which veterans use an Internet website to schedule and confirm appointments at VA medical facilities. The pilot program's duration may be extended and the number of VISNs may be increased.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2016
Censures and condemns President Obama for willfully disregarding the legislative powers of the duly elected Congress provided by the U.S. Constitution through his executive actions (with respect to promoting smart gun technology) to deprive American citizens of their constitutionally mandated right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2016
Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that any executive order, memoranda, proclamation, or signing statement issued by the President that infringes on the powers and duties of Congress under article I, section 8 of the Constitution or the Second Amendment, or that would require the expenditure of federal funds not specifically appropriated for such executive action, is advisory only and has no force or effect unless enacted as law. The bill nullifies any such executive action and prohibits the use of appropriated funds to promulgate or enforce any such action. The following persons may bring a civil action in an appropriate U.S. district court to challenge the validity of any such executive action: (1) any Member or either or both chambers of Congress, (2) the highest governmental official of any state or political subdivision if the challenged action infringes on a power of such state under any congressional enactment or relevant treaty, and (3) any person aggrieved of the challenged executive action with respect to a liberty or property interest adversely affected directly by the executive action.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2016
Second Amendment Defense Act of 2016 This bill prohibits a federal government officer or employee from taking an action that limits an individual's conduct related to firearms or ammunition that is more restrictive than limitations in effect as of January 3, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Establishes in the House of Representatives the Select Committee on Oversight of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to conduct comprehensive oversight and investigate compliance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and issue annual reports of its findings to the House regarding: all enrichment activities, including relevant limitations pertaining to uranium enrichment levels, centrifuge capacity, and related research and development; all international collaborative partnerships formed and the agreed upon research interests; all uranium stockpile levels, including enrichment levels as well as the amount and price of any excess uranium sold to international buyers; all International Atomic Energy Agency oversight activities relating to the JCPOA, including the effectiveness of relevant inspections into JCPOA tenants; compliance with all enacted international and domestic sanctions, including potential violations of relevant sanctions; all financial transactions including establishment of banking relationships, trade in gold and precious metals, and investment in Iran's oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors; all research and development of missile technology and the acquisition of relevant technology from international partners; and all acquisition of conventional weaponry by the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Guard and Reserve Equal Access to Health Act This bill directs the military department concerned to provide a physical examination to each requesting member of a reserve component who will not otherwise receive one through that department. The military department concerned shall: (1) provide such examination during the 90-day period before such member's scheduled date of separation, and (2) give the member a record of the examination. A member shall not be entitled to transitional health care benefits through his or her department solely by reason of being given such examination.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Recognizes the achievements of Berry Gordy, Jr., who established the Motown record label, in creating the lasting musical sound of Motown. Recommits the House of Representatives to ensuring that musical artists such as Berry Gordy, Jr., receive fair protection under the copyright laws of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2015
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should submit to the Senate as a treaty under article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution any binding and universal agreement on climate change adopted at the Conference of the Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule published on October 26, 2015, that revises the primary and secondary national ambient air quality standards for ozone.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Expresses support for: (1) the designation of a Small Business Saturday, (2) efforts to encourage consumers to shop locally, and (3) efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2015
Child Protection Improvements Act of 2015 This bill amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to direct the Department of Justice to: (1) establish policies and procedures to streamline the process of obtaining national criminal history background checks on covered individuals, and (2) establish a criminal history review program to provide covered entities with reliable and accurate information on the criminal history of a covered individual. It defines "covered entity" as any business or organization that provides, or licenses, certifies, or coordinates individuals or organizations to provide care, care placement, supervision, treatment, education, training, instruction, or recreation to vulnerable populations including elderly persons, disabled persons, and children. It defines "covered individual" as an individual who: (1) has, seeks to have, or may have unsupervised access to vulnerable populations served by a covered entity; (2) is employed by or volunteers with, or seeks to be employed by or volunteer with, a covered entity; or (3) owns or operates, or seeks to own or operate, a covered entity.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2015
American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015 This bill requires that, in addition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) screening, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a background investigation before U.S. refugee admission. A "covered alien" is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who: is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. A covered alien: may not be admitted as a refugee until the FBI certifies to DHS and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that he or she has received a background investigation sufficient to determine whether the alien is a U.S. security threat; and may only be admitted to the United States after DHS, with the unanimous concurrence of the FBI and the DNI, certifies to Congress that he or she is not such a threat. The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct annual risk-based reviews of all certifications. DHS shall report monthly to Congress on the total number of admission applications for which a certification was made and the number of covered aliens for whom such a certification was not made for the preceding month. The report shall include for each covered alien for whom a certification was not made the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by the certification.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015 This bill prohibits a covered refugee from being admitted to the United States until the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certifies to Congress that such individual is not a security threat to the United States. The Inspector General of DHS shall review 20% of all such certifications each fiscal year. The term "covered refugee" is defined as any alien applying for refugee status who is: (1) a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, or (2) present in Iraq or Syria at any time while the application for refugee status is pending. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall take actions to ensure that each covered refugee receives a thorough background investigation prior to admission. A covered refugee may not be admitted until the FBI certifies that such covered refugee has received such an investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Family Cord Blood Banking Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat the cost of private umbilical cord blood or tissue, or placental blood or tissue, banking services as a medical care expense for purposes of the tax deduction for medical expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Meaningful Use Hardship Relief Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to create a blanket exception for providers from the application of certain negative payment adjustments for failing to comply, during the 2015 reporting period, with requirements related to the meaningful use of electronic health records. Under current law, providers may be exempted due to significant hardship on a case-by-case basis.
![Official portrait of Rep. Benishek, Dan [R-MI-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001271_200.jpg)