United States · United States Congress · 23 December 2019
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2019 This bill indefinitely extends Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients for individuals who do not have other coverage. Under current law, Medicare coverage is limited to 36 months following a transplant.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2019
This bill prohibits the Fish and Wildlife Service from awarding specified wildlife conservation grants to entities that fund or support certain persons or entities that are credibly alleged to have committed gross human rights violations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2019
Enhance Access to Support Essential Behavioral Health Services Act or the EASE Behavioral Health Services Act This bill removes restrictions that require the originating site (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) to be in a rural area, and allows the home of a beneficiary to serve as the originating site, for behavioral health telehealth services under Medicare. The bill also expands the scope of required guidance, studies, and reports to address the provision of such services under Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2019
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2019 This bill allows a physical therapist to receive payment under Medicare for services provided to the physical therapist's patients by another physical therapist through a qualifying temporary arrangement, regardless of the geographic area or population served. Currently, physical therapists may only receive payment with respect to such arrangements for services provided in medically underserved, rural, or health professional shortage areas.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2019
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2019 or the RPM Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls for vehicles that are not legal for operation on a street or highway and are used solely for competition.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2019
Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act This bill directs the President, when determining whether Russia is a country of particular concern for religious freedom under certain federal laws, to consider incidents occurring in the parts of Ukraine controlled by Russia or Russia-affiliated non-state groups. (The United States may take certain actions, such as withdrawing development assistance, against a country of particular concern for religious freedom.)
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2019
Senior Guardianship Social Security Protection Act of 2019 This bill requires the Social Security Administration to establish agreements with each state to share certain information on a monthly basis about the guardianship arrangements of individuals who are entitled to Social Security retirement benefits or Supplemental Security Income payments.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2019
Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2019 This bill establishes and modifies several requirements to address prescription drug prices under Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs. The bill generally limits payment amounts for drugs and biologics under Medicare medical services, reduces cost-sharing under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, modifies certain authorities and requirements under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, revises provisions relating to regulatory approval and commercial availability of generics and biosimilars, and establishes several reporting requirements for drug manufacturers with respect to drug prices.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2019
Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act of 2019 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of medical devices that are approved under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Breakthrough Devices Program. (Under the program, manufacturers work with the FDA to expedite the review and approval of certain medical devices that provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating human diseases or conditions.) The bill allows designated medical breakthrough devices to be temporarily covered under Medicare during a three-year transitional period. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must assign payment codes for such devices within three months of FDA approval. The CMS must also establish a process to allow for continued coverage after the transitional period has expired, taking into account any additional evidence or data the CMS deems necessary. The CMS must also provide for temporary and, where appropriate, permanent Medicare coverage of breakthrough devices for which there is no existing benefit category (i.e., classification).
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2019
Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act or the AIM HIGH Act This bill creates a commission to develop voluntary guidelines for postsecondary electronic instruction materials and related technologies. Specifically, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Secretary of Education must establish an independent commission to (1) develop and issue voluntary accessibility guidelines for postsecondary electronic instructional materials and related technologies, (2) develop a model framework for pilot testing such materials and technologies, and (3) produce an annotated list of information technology standards. The Department of Education must review and, as appropriate, update the voluntary guidelines, pilot testing framework, and information technology standards every five years.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2019
Luke and Alex School Safety Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Best Practices for use by state and local educational and law-enforcement agencies, institutions of higher education, health professionals, and the public. DHS shall, among other things collect clearinghouse data analytics, user feedback on the implementation of best practices and recommendations identified by the clearinghouse, and any evaluations conducted on these best practices and recommendations; and coordinate with the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Justice to assess and identify best practices and recommendations and establish an advisory board to provide feedback and propose additional recommendations. The bill specifies the criteria for best practices and recommendations of the clearinghouse, including evidence that the best practice or recommendation has had a significant effect on improving the health, safety, and welfare of persons in school settings. The bill provides for grant program review.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2019
This resolution reaffirms the commitment of the United States to Israel's security and expresses support for Israel's right to defend itself against terrorist groups. The resolution also expresses concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2019
This bill prohibits the use of funds made available to the Department of Defense beginning in FY2020 for the deployment of any strategic assets of the United States in the Republic of Turkey.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2019
K–9 Hero Act of 2019 This bill establishes a program for the Department of Justice to award grants to assist nonprofit organizations with the medical expenses of retired government working dogs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2019
Help Obtaining Presumption of Exoneration for Victims of Human Trafficking Act or the HOPE for Victims of Human Trafficking Act This bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that certain offenses were induced by coercion if the defendant establishes that he or she was a victim of human trafficking at the time of the offense.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 9930 Conroy Windermere Road in Windermere, Florida, as the "Officer Robert German Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2019
World War II Pacific War Heroes Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs Congress to make arrangements for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of the service of the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and Merchant Marine, as well as the citizen and noncitizen civilians who fought with the U.S. military, who were surrendered, captured, or abandoned to become prisoners of war of Japan during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2019
Improving Diagnosis in Medicine Act of 2019 This bill requires the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to provide grants for Research Centers of Diagnostic Excellence to support research in diagnostic quality, safety, and value and establishes the federal Interagency Council on Improving Diagnosis in Health Care within the Department of Health and Human Services. Research centers must use funds to conduct diagnostic safety and quality research, including high-impact research on novel solutions to reduce patient harm, and to support initiatives to improve diagnosis in medicine. Other activities may include developing and training the diagnostic research workforce and developing and validating measures to assess diagnostic errors.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2019
Safeguarding Medicare Access to Respiratory Therapy Act of 2019 This bill establishes certain requirements relating to Medicare coverage of ventilators. Specifically, the bill (1) excludes ventilators and other covered respiratory items, as specified, from Medicare's competitive acquisition program (in which rates are set through a competitive bidding program rather than by an established fee schedule); and (2) requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish a technical expert panel to review, and make recommendations regarding, national coverage determinations with respect to Medicare coverage of ventilators and other specified respiratory devices.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2019
Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act This bill (1) declares that Congress commits to deeming Puerto Rico to be a state of the United States if it chooses statehood; and (2) requires Puerto Rico to conduct a plebiscite, a vote of the people, on statehood in conjunction with the November 2020 election.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2019
Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019 This bill establishes a competitive grant program for up to 40 hospitals with emergency departments and certain on-site professionals to help connect patients in emergency departments who are at risk of suicide with treatment and mental health services. Grants may be used to train emergency department providers and establish certain policies and procedures related to the identification, assessment, and treatment of, and care coordination for, individuals who are at risk of suicide. In awarding the grants, the Department of Health and Human Services may give preference to specified types of hospitals, such as critical access hospitals and hospitals in areas with suicide rates higher than the national average.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2019
Global Child Thrive Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes for FY2020-FY2025 programs to provide assistance to orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries. The bill also requires the U.S. Agency for International Development to direct relevant executive branch agencies to incorporate early childhood development into current programs and promote inclusive early childhood development in partner countries. Such actions to promote early childhood development shall build on existing U.S. plans and strategies and aim to (1) prevent unnecessary family-child separation, (2) assist families with children with disabilities, and (3) help countries transition from child care protection systems that rely on residential care (such as orphanages and children's homes) to ones focused on family-based care.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2019
United States Public Health Service Modernization Act of 2019 This bill allows for the deployment of the Ready Reserve Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (Commissioned Corps) to serve in public health emergencies. Certain provisions related to compensation and leave without authority that apply to the Armed Forces shall also apply to officers of the Commissioned Corps or their beneficiaries.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2019
Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement Act of 2019 or READI Act This bill modifies how citizens receive emergency alerts through wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems. Specifically, the bill includes emergency alerts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a type of alert that mobile subscribers may not block from their devices (currently, only alerts from the President may not be blocked). FEMA must develop and issue guidance for how state, tribal, and local governments can participate in the integrated public alert and warning system. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must adopt regulations that encourage states to establish a State Emergency Communications Commission (SECC) and require each SECC to meet at least annually to review and update its Emergency Alert System Plan. The FCC must approve or disapprove the updated plan. The FCC shall also (1) establish a system to receive from FEMA or state, tribal, or local governments reports of false alerts under the Emergency Alert System (EAS) or the Wireless EAS to record such false alerts and examine their causes; (2) modify the EAS to provide for repeating messages while an alert remains pending; and (3) examine the feasibility of updating the EAS to enable or improve alerts provided through the internet, including through audio and video streaming services.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2019
VA Directly Returning Opioid Prescriptions Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that each VA medical center with an on-site pharmacy or a law enforcement officer has a physical location where patients may dispose of controlled substances medications.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2019
Opioid Prescription Verification Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with relevant agencies, to update pharmacist training materials to include information about how to verify the identity of individuals who pick up prescribed medications; it also permits the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to give preference, in awarding grants to states for overdose prevention, to states that maintain a prescription drug monitoring program and require dispensers of certain controlled substances to verify the identity of individuals who pick up prescribed medications.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2019
Timely ReAuthorization of Necessary Stem-cell Programs Lends Access to Needed Therapies Act of 2019 or the TRANSPLANT Act of 2019 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2025 the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, which provides support to patients who need a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant or umbilical cord blood transplant. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a periodic review of the science of using adult stem cells and birthing tissues in therapeutic treatments.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2019
Sexual Assault Victims Protection Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a series of activities relating to sexual assault evidence and treatment. Among other things, HHS must establish a task force to improve forensic evidence collection related to sexual assault, maintain a website with resources and best practices related to the treatment of individuals for sexual assault, and host an annual meeting to address gaps in health care relating to sexual assault. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must require Medicare-participating hospitals, in their community call plans relating to on-call coverage, to specifically delineate coverage responsibilities with respect to screening and treatment related to sexual assault.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2019
Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of State to consult with Congress before decreasing or increasing U.S. government engagement with another nation as a result of that nation's decision to strengthen or undermine ties with Taiwan. (Taiwan is self-governing, but China considers it a renegade province and has taken actions to encourage countries and international organizations to limit or cut off relations with Taiwan.) The bill states that the U.S. government should support Taiwan in strengthening its relationships with countries around the world.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2019
This resolution condemns the persecution of members of any faith and calls on foreign governments to recognize the right of Christians to practice their faith without fear of persecution.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2019
Honest Elections Act This bill modifies registration requirements for foreign agents who engage in political activities, requires that certain disclosures be made in online political communications, and prohibits a state from receiving certain election assistance funds if the state allows ballot harvesting or voting by noncitizens.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2019
This resolution supports the designation of Oxi Day in commemoration of Greece's refusal to submit to the Axis Powers during World War II and notes that this resistance likely led to the ultimate defeat of Nazi Germany. (Greece's Prime Minister at the time, Ioannis Metaxas, had responded to Italy's demand for surrender with the single word Oxi! or No! )
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2019
This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Vitiligo Awareness Day and recognizes the importance of providing support for individuals diagnosed with vitiligo. (Vitiligo is a condition in which skin color is lost in patches.)
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Countering Turkish Aggression Act of 2019 This bill directs the President to impose sanctions related to Turkey. The President shall impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on (1) specified officials of Turkey's government, such as the president and vice president of Turkey; (2) any foreign person that knowingly sells to, provides support to, or conducts a transaction with Turkey's armed forces; and (3) any foreign person that supplies goods or services that support petroleum production for use by Turkey's armed forces. The President may temporarily stop the application of such sanctions upon certifying to Congress that Turkey (1) is not operating in certain parts of Syria without U.S. support, and (2) has withdrawn its troops and Turkey-supported rebel groups from occupied areas. The President shall impose additional sanctions on Turkey based on Turkey's purchase of a surface-to-air defense system from Russia. No funds may be obligated or expended to transfer to Turkey's armed forces any U.S. defense articles, services, or technology.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act or the PACT Act This bill imposes sanctions and various restrictions related to Turkey's military invasion of northern Syria. The President shall impose visa- and asset-blocking sanctions on specific Turkish officials connected to the invasion, including Turkey's Minister of National Defense. The Department of State shall report to the President and Congress as to (1) other Turkish officials involved with the invasion; and (2) foreign persons that knowingly provided defense articles, services, or technology to Turkey that could be used in the invasion of northern Syria. Such foreign persons shall also be subject to visa- and asset-blocking sanctions. The President shall impose financial sanctions on the large Turkish state-owned bank known as Halk Bankasi or Halkbank and on any financial institutions that the State Department determines to have knowingly facilitated significant transactions for the Turkish Armed Forces or Turkey's defense industry related to the invasion. The President shall impose sanctions on Turkey's government pursuant to the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. A U.S. defense article, service, or technology may not be transferred to Turkey's government if it (1) is covered under the Arms Export Control Act, and (2) may be used by Turkey in military operations in northern Syria. The President may not exercise certain emergency waiver authority related to the Arms Export Control Act in relation to this prohibition. The bill calls for reports on (1) the national security impact of the invasion and, (2) the net worth of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his family.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
United States-Turkey Relations Review Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress an assessment of Turkey. The report shall include (1) an assessment conducted with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states as to Turkey's ability and willingness to fulfill its NATO obligations, (2) a review of the bilateral U.S.-Turkey relationship, and (3) an assessment of the posture of U.S. forces in Turkey and the surrounding region.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act of 2019 This bill requires the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to conduct a public education campaign to increase oral health literacy and awareness. The HRSA must design the campaign to focus on children, pregnant women, parents, older adults, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2019
Collecting and Analyzing Resources Integral and Necessary for Guidance for Social Determinants Act of 2019 or the CARING for Social Determinants Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance to help states address social determinants of health (e.g., socioeconomic factors) under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Veterans' Right to Breathe Act This bill provides a presumption of service connection to burn pit-exposed veterans for certain diseases. Under a presumption of service connection, specific conditions 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. A burn pit-exposed veteran is a veteran who was supporting a contingency operation on or after January 1, 1990, and was stationed at a location where an open burn pit (an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) was used.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Nation's Oldest Port National Heritage Area Act This bill establishes the Nation's Oldest Port National Heritage Area in Florida. Such heritage area shall include natural watersheds in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, and Flagler Counties. The Nation's Oldest Port Heritage Area Alliance, Inc., shall serve as the coordinating entity for the heritage area and shall develop a management plan for it.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
This resolution recognizes the challenges in addressing health outcomes among people with sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease. (Sickle cell disease refers to blood disorders resulting from abnormal red blood cells.) The resolution also (1) encourages the medical community to make individuals aware of their sickle cell trait status, (2) urges the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a public awareness campaign regarding the importance of individuals knowing their sickle-cell trait status and to expand access for screening and counseling, and (3) commits to ensuring equitable access to new treatments and supporting research on sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
End the Cyprus Arms Embargo Act of 2019 This bill modifies requirements for, and limits on, the transfer of defense articles and services to Cyprus. The Department of State shall generally not deny exports, re-exports, or transfers of defense articles or services to or from Cyprus if the request is made by or on behalf of Cyprus and if Cyprus is the end user of such articles or services. However, even if these conditions are met, the State Department may deny such a transfer based on credible human rights concerns. Furthermore, the existing policy to deny exports, re-exports, or transfers of articles on the U.S. Munitions List to Cyprus shall remain in effect unless the President periodically certifies to Congress that Cyprus is (1) cooperating with U.S. efforts to reform anti-money-laundering regulations and financial regulatory oversight, and (2) taking steps to deny Russian military vessels access to ports for refueling and servicing. The President may temporarily waive the export denial policy for U.S. national security interests.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2019
This resolution recognizes the work of scientists in developing vaccines, encourages increased public understanding about the importance of vaccines to prevent disease, and supports funding for vaccine research and education efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2019
Creating Hope Reauthorization Act This bill permanently reauthorizes a Food and Drug Administration program that awards priority review vouchers to manufacturers of drugs that treat rare pediatric diseases. (A priority review voucher entitles the voucher holder to priority review of a single human drug application.)
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Training Act of 2019 This bill requires the Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the Administration for Children and Families to award grants to nonprofits, state agencies, elementary and secondary schools for demonstration projects to train students, teachers, and school personnel how to better understand, recognize, prevent, and respond to human trafficking and the exploitation of children and youth. Such projects also must collect data about the number of human trafficking survivors served and develop procedures to coordinate with law enforcement and appropriate social service organizations. The OTIP must consult with the appropriate agencies to determine and prioritize funding for geographic areas with the highest prevalence of human trafficking and largest underserved youth populations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2019
Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2019 This bill establishes and modifies certain requirements relating to Medicare payments for ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services. Specifically, the bill (1) requires the payment system for ASC services to feature certain positive annual adjustments equivalent to those made with respect to hospital outpatient department (OPD) services; (2) revises quality reporting requirements to permit publicly available, side-by-side comparisons of quality measures for ASCs and OPDs in the same geographic area; and (3) requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), when excluding requested procedures from the list of those approved to be performed in ASCs, to cite specified reasons for doing so. With respect to excluding procedures from the approved list for ASCs, the CMS may not cite as a basis for exclusion that a procedure can only be reported using an unlisted surgical procedure code. (Physicians sometimes use unlisted codes when performing new procedures or services if no existing code is adequately descriptive.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act or the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a pilot program to assess the effectiveness of addressing post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder through a method where veterans train service dogs for veterans with disabilities.
![Official portrait of Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/117_rp_fl_12_bilirakis_gus_200.jpg)