United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2014
Recognizes National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges that children in the foster care system face. Encourages Congress to implement policy to minimize the number of children entering the foster care system, to improve the lives of children in the foster care system, and to maximize the number of children exiting foster care to the protection of safe, loving, and permanent families. Supports the designation of National Foster Care Month.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2014
Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of State to require the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) to use U.S. influence at the OAS to protect the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and strengthen the independent Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to protect human rights throughout the Western Hemisphere, especially in Venezuela. Directs the President to impose asset blocking and U.S. exclusion sanctions against any person, including a current or former official of the government of Venezuela or a person acting on behalf of such government, who has: (1) perpetrated or is responsible for directing acts of violence or human rights abuses against individuals participating in protests in Venezuela that began on February 12, 2014; (2) directed or ordered the arrest or prosecution of a person primarily because of the person's exercise of freedom of expression or assembly in relation to such protests; (3) knowingly assisted, sponsored, or provided significant financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, the commission of such acts; or (4) engaged in censorship against individuals or media outlets disseminating information in relation to such protests. Sets forth related penalty requirements. States that U.S. exclusion sanctions shall not apply if necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations or other applicable international obligations. Authorizes the President to waive sanctions if: (1) in the U.S. national security interests, or (2) conditions in Venezuela have improved with regard to respect for peaceful protest and basic human rights. Directs the President to transmit to Congress a list of persons who: (1) transfer or facilitate the transfer of goods or technologies that are likely to be used to commit serious rights abuses to Venezuela, to any entity organized under the laws of Venezuela, or to any national of Venezuela, for use in Venezuela; or (2) provide services with respect to such goods or technologies after their transfer to Venezuela. Directs the Secretary to submit comprehensive strategies to Congress: (1) promoting internet and information access freedom in Venezuela, and (2) outlining U.S. support for the citizens of Venezuela in seeking free elections and the development of an independent civil society. States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) support efforts to identify prisoners of conscience and cases of human rights abuses in Venezuela, and (2) offer refugee status or political asylum in the United States to political dissidents in Venezuela or assist in their relocation to other countries. Authorizes appropriations for assistance to civil society in Venezuela. Sunsets this Act two years after its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2014
Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a program to refinance the unpaid principal, accrued unpaid interest, and late charges on: (1) the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans (DLs) of qualified borrowers if the DLs were first disbursed or (in the case of Direct Consolidation Loans) applied for before July 1, 2013, and (2) the Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) of qualified borrowers as DLs. (FFELs were not disbursed after June 30, 2010.) Refinances the FFELs as Federal Direct Stafford, Unsubsidized Stafford, PLUS, or Consolidated Loans depending on the categorization of the FFEL as a Stafford, Unsubsidized Stafford, PLUS, or Consolidated Loan. Sets the interest rate on the refinanced loans, other than the Federal Direct Consolidation Loans, at the rate for the 12 months beginning on July 1, 2013, applicable to the DL's categorization and, in the case of Stafford Loans, applicable to a loan issued to an undergraduate student or a loan issued to a graduate student. Sets the interest on refinanced Consolidation Loans at the rate on Federal Direct PLUS Loans for the 12-month period beginning on July 1, 2013. Fixes the interest rate on such loans for the period of such loans. Directs the Secretary to establish eligibility requirements based on a borrower's income or debt-to-income ratio that take into consideration providing access to refinancing for borrowers with the greatest financial need. Imposes an administrative fee on the borrowers of such reissued loans that is based on the unpaid principal, and accrued unpaid interest and late charges, of their original loan. Requires the Secretary to establish a program to refinance the unpaid principal, accrued unpaid interest, and late charges on private education loans as Federal Direct Refinanced Private Loans if the private education loans were first disbursed to qualified borrowers before July 1, 2013, and were for their own postsecondary educational expenses. Sets the interest rate on Federal Direct Refinanced Private Loans at the rate applicable for the 12 months beginning on July 1, 2013, to: (1) Direct Stafford and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans issued to undergraduates if the private education loan was issued for undergraduate expenses, (2) Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans issued to graduate or professional students if the private education loan was issued for graduate or professional studies, or (3) Direct PLUS Loans if the private education loan was issued for undergraduate and graduate or professional studies. Fixes the interest rate on such loans for the period of such loans. Directs the Secretary to establish eligibility requirements based on a borrower's income or debt-to-income ratio that take into consideration providing access to refinancing for borrowers with the greatest financial need. Requires qualified borrowers of such loans to undergo loan counseling before their private education loan is refinanced. Imposes an origination fee on the borrowers of Federal Direct Refinanced Private Loans. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require an individual taxpayer whose adjusted gross income exceeds $1 million to pay a minimum tax rate of 30% of the excess of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income over the taxpayer's modified charitable contribution deduction for the taxable year (tentative fair share tax). Establishes the amount of such tax as the excess (if any) of the tentative fair share tax over the excess of: (1) the sum of the taxpayer's regular tax liability, the alternative minimum tax (AMT) amount, and the payroll tax for the taxable year; over (2) certain tax credits. Provides for a phase-in of such tax. Requires an inflation adjustment to the $1 million income threshold for taxable years beginning after 2015. Requires the Secretary to terminate this Act's refinancing programs when the net cost of carrying out the programs is equal to the Secretary's estimate of the amount of additional revenue generated during the 10-year period beginning on the date of this Act's enactment due to the fair share tax.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2014
Supports the ideals of World Malaria Day, including the target of ending malaria deaths by 2015. Recognizes the importance of reducing malaria to improve child and maternal health, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Commends the progress made toward reducing global malaria prevalence and deaths, particularly through the efforts of the President's Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Supports public-private partnerships to develop more effective and affordable tools for malaria diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination. Recognizes the goals to combat malaria in the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008. Supports continued U.S. leadership in bilateral, multilateral, and private sector efforts to combat malaria and to work with developing countries to create long-term strategies to increase ownership over malaria programs. Encourages members of the international community to sustain and scale up their support for efforts to combat malaria.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2014
Supports the people of Nigeria, especially the parents and families of the girls abducted by Boko Haram in Borno state. Condemns Boko Haram for its attacks on civilian targets, including schools, mosques, churches, villages, and agricultural centers. Encourages the government of Nigeria to strengthen efforts to protect children seeking an education and to hold those who conduct such attacks accountable. Commends U.S. efforts to hold terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram accountable, and supports U.S. offers to assist in the search for the abducted girls. Encourages the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USDA) to continue supporting initiatives that promote the human rights of women and girls in Nigeria.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2014
Expresses support for the designation of Health and Fitness Month and for efforts to educate Americans on the importance of a healthy and nutritious lifestyle.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2014
Marks the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education , which signaled the end of state-sanctioned segregation of schools in the United States, so that it is unlawful to deny access to public facilities on the basis of race.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2014
Insurance Capital Standards Clarification Act of 2014 - Amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act concerning establishment of minimum leverage and minimum risk-based capital requirements on a consolidated basis for a depository institution holding company or a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board). States that federal banking agencies shall not be required to subject any person to such minimum capital requirements, to the extent that such person either: (1) acts in its capacity as a regulated insurance entity regulated by a state insurance regulator, or (2) is a regulated foreign subsidiary engaged in the business of insurance (including a regulated foreign affiliate of such subsidiary). Exempts from any requirement to prepare holding company financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles any Board-supervised depository institution holding company or nonbank financial company that is also a person regulated by a state insurance regulator or a regulated foreign subsidiary (or a regulated foreign affiliate) that files its holding company financial statements using only Statutory Accounting Principles in accordance with state law.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2014
Supports the designation of Mental Health Month to remove the stigma associated with mental illness and to place emphasis on scientific findings regarding mental health recovery.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2014
Gold Medal Technical Corrections Act of 2014 - Amends federal law to authorize the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate (currently, the President) to present, on behalf of Congress, a gold medal to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his widow Coretta Scott King in recognition of their service to the nation. Requires, following award of the gold medal, that it be given to the Smithsonian Institution to be available for display as appropriate and made available for research. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian Institution shall make the gold medal available for display, particularly at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, or for appropriate loan to be displayed elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate locations associated with their lives. Amends federal law authorizing the award of a single congressional gold medal to honor collectively the Montford Point Marines, U.S. Marine Corps, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. Requires, following award of the gold medal, that it be given to the Smithsonian Institution to be available for display as appropriate and made available for research. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian shall make the gold medal available for display, particularly at the National Museum, or for appropriate loan to be displayed elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate locations associated with the Montford Point Marines.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2014
Protecting Educational Loans for Underserved Students Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish criteria for the Secretary of Education to use in determining whether the credit history of applicants for William D. Ford Federal Direct PLUS loans renders them ineligible for such loans. (Federal Direct PLUS loans are provided to graduate or professional degree students and the parents of dependent undergraduate students.) Directs the Secretary to consider an applicant to have an adverse credit history on the basis of his or her credit report, absent a determination that the applicant has extenuating circumstances, if : (1) the applicant is 90 or more days delinquent on the repayment of a debt exceeding $2,000; or (2) during the three years before the credit report date, the applicant has been subject to a default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off of a title IV debt. Requires applicants that have been subject to such actions to participate in loan counseling provided by the applicable institution of higher education before becoming eligible for Federal Direct PLUS loans. Prohibits the Secretary from: (1) denying a Federal Direct PLUS loan to an applicant for having debt that is unrelated to title IV loans and is in collection or has been charged off, provided the applicant participates in such loan counseling; or (2) using the applicant's lack of a credit history as a reason to deny a Federal Direct PLUS loan to such applicant. Requires the Secretary to retain a record of the Secretary's basis for determining that an applicant has extenuating circumstances that make the applicant eligible for a Federal Direct PLUS loan despite having an adverse credit history. Makes the Secretary's determination that an applicant does not have an adverse credit history effective for the two years following such determination.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2014
Democracy Restoration Act of 2014 - Declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution or facility. Provides for enforcement of, and remedies for violations of, this Act. Sets forth requirements for state and federal notification of individuals of the restoration of their voting rights pursuant to this Act. Prohibits any state, local government, or other person from receiving or using any federal grant amounts to construct or improve a place of incarceration unless that person has in effect a program to notify each U.S. citizen incarcerated in that person's jurisdiction, upon release from such incarceration, of that individual's rights under this Act. Prohibits this Act from being construed to prohibit a state from enacting any state law that affords the right to vote in any election for federal office on terms less restrictive than those terms established by this Act. Declares that the rights and remedies established by this Act shall be in addition to all other rights and remedies provided by law and shall not supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2014
Establishes for the Federal Railroad Administration a program for disadvantaged business enterprises, that is, small business concerns owned or controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (including women). Requires that at least 10% of federal funds for covered rail projects be expended on disadvantaged business enterprises. Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish: (1) a unified certification program that lists disadvantaged business enterprises; (2) minimum uniform criteria for certifying small business concerns; and (3) minimum requirements for covered rail project federal funding recipients to report to the Secretary information on minority-owned and women-owned business awards, commitments, and achievements.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2014
Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014 - States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) prevent Hezbollah's global logistics and financial network from operating in order to curtail funding of its domestic and international activities; and (2) utilize diplomatic, legislative, and executive avenues to combat Hezbollah's criminal activities in order to block that organization's ability to fund its global terrorist activities. Directs the President to report to Congress: (1) a list of satellite, broadcast, or other providers that knowingly transmit the content of al-Manar TV; and (2) the identity of those providers that have or have not been sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13224. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly: (1) facilitates the activities of Hezbollah or its agents, instrumentalities, affiliates, or successors; (2) facilitates the activities of a person acting on behalf of or owned or controlled by an agent, instrumentality, affiliate, or successor; (3) engages in money laundering to carry out such an activity; (4) facilitates a significant transaction or provides significant financial services to carry out such an activity, including services that involve a transaction of gold, silver, platinum, or other precious metals; or (5) facilitates any of these activities, conspires to facilitate or participate in such an activity, or is owned or controlled by a foreign financial institution that knowingly engages in such an activity. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe reporting, information sharing, and due diligence requirements for domestic financial institutions that maintain a correspondent account or payable-through account in the United States for a foreign financial institution. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such requirements if in the U.S. national security interests, and with congressional notification. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to identify to Congress every 180 days each foreign central bank that carries out an activity prohibited under this Act. Sets forth penalty requirements for specified violations under this Act. Directs the President to designate Hezbollah as: (1) a significant foreign narcotics trafficker if Hezbollah meets meets the criteria set forth under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, and (2) a significant transnational criminal organization if Hezbollah meets the criteria set forth under specified executive orders and statutes. Requires the President to report to Congress which of these criteria the President determines that Hezbollah has not met, if it does not. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress regarding Hezbollah's involvement in the trade in rough diamonds outside of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme. Declares that nothing in this Act shall apply to authorized U.S. intelligence activities. States that any requirement of this Act shall cease to be in effect 30 days after the President certifies to Congress that Hezbollah: (1) is no longer designated as a foreign terrorist organization; (2) is no longer listed in the Annex to Executive Order 13224 (blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit or support terrorism); and (3) poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2014
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2014 - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (SAA, 2008) to extend emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) payments for eligible individuals to weeks of employment ending on or before June 1, 2014. Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until May 31, 2014, requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC. Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and November 30, 2014, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (FSEUCA of 1970) against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.) Amends the FSEUCA of 1970 to postpone similarly from December 31, 2013, to May 31, 2014, termination of the period during which a state may determine its "on" and "off" indicators according to specified temporary substitutions in its formula. Amends the SAA, 2008 to appropriate funds out of the employment security administration account through the first five months of FY2015 to assist states in providing reemployment and eligibility assessment activities. Requires the provision of such activities to an individual, at a minimum, within a time period after he or she begins to receive Tier-1 EUC benefits, and if applicable, again within a time period after he or she begins to receive Tier-3 EUC benefits. Requires the Secretary of Labor to determine appropriate time periods. Specifies the purposes of the activities, namely to: better link the unemployed with the overall workforce system by bringing individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits in for personalized assessments and referrals to reemployment services; and provide them with early access to specific strategies that can help get them back into the workforce faster, including through: (1) the development of a reemployment plan, (2) provision of access to relevant labor market information, (3) provision of access to information about industry-recognized credentials that are regionally relevant or nationally portable, (4) provision of referrals to reemployment services and training, and (5) an assessment of the individual's on-going eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits. Amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to extend through May 31, 2014, the temporary increase in extended unemployment benefits. Makes a change in application of a certain requirement (nonreduction rule) to a state that has entered a federal-state EUC agreement, under which the federal government would reimburse the state's unemployment compensation agency making EUC payments to individuals who have exhausted all rights to regular unemployment compensation under state or federal law and meet specified other criteria. (Under the nonreduction rule such an agreement does not apply with respect to a state whose method for computing regular unemployment compensation under state law has been modified to make the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010, less than what would have been paid before June 2, 2010.) Declares that the nonreduction rule shall not apply to a state which has enacted a law before December 1, 2013, that, upon taking effect, would violate the nonreduction rule. Allows a state whose agreement was terminated, however, to enter into a subsequent federal-state EUC agreement on or after enactment of this Act if, taking into account this inapplicability of the nonreduction rule, it would otherwise meet the requirements for an EUC agreement. (Thus allows such a subsequent EUC agreement to permit payment of less than the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010.) Prohibits the use of federal funds to: (1) make payments of unemployment compensation to any individual whose adjusted gross income in the preceding year was at least $1 million, or (2) determine whether or not this prohibition applies to an individual. Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to: study the use of work suitability requirements to strengthen them to ensure that unemployment insurance benefits are being provided to individuals who are actively looking for work and truly want to return to the labor force; and brief Congress on the ongoing study, including preliminary recommendations for appropriate legislation and administrative action. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to revise the applicable percentages for determining minimum funding standards for single-employer defined benefit pension plans (funding stabilization). Exempts plans providing accelerated benefit distributions from the application of such standards. Amends ERISA, with respect to pension insurance premiums paid by a designated payor (i.e., the contributing sponsor or plan administrator for a single employer pension plan and the plan administrator for the multiemployer plan) to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Allows a designated payor to elect to prepay, during any plan year, the applicable PBGC flat dollar insurance premium due for up to five consecutive subsequent plan years specified in the election. Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to extend through FY2024 the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to collect customs user fees for the processing of certain merchandise. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that a bona fide volunteer providing firefighting and prevention services, emergency medical services, or ambulance services to a state or local government or tax-exempt organization shall not be counted in determining the number of full-time employees of an employer for purposes of the employer mandate to provide minimum essential health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Excludes services rendered as a bona fide volunteer to any governmental entity and any tax-exempt organization (specified employer) from the determination of the number of full-time employees of an employer for purposes of such mandate. Defines "bona fide volunteer" as an employee whose only compensation from a specified employer is in the form of: (1) reimbursement for (or reasonable allowance for) reasonable expenses incurred in the performances of volunteer services; or (2) reasonable benefits and nominal fees, customarily paid in connection with the performance of volunteer services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2014
Comprehensive Department of Veterans Affairs Performance Management and Accountability Reform Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in implementing the federal performance appraisal system for senior executives of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to annually issue the organizational performance requirements to be achieved by each executive. Requires at least half of the annual rating of each executive to be based on such requirements. Directs the Secretary to certify to the congressional veterans committees, annually, that such requirements are being utilized and that each executive's rating accurately reflects use of such requirements. Provides additional implementation requirements. Directs the Secretary to provide a detailed explanation to any executive who receives an annual rating lower than fully successful. Requires each executive who receives: (1) two annual ratings of less than fully successful to be removed from the Senior Executive Service; or (2) three consecutive ratings of the highest performance level to be given an opportunity to obtain a different position within the VA with more responsibility, if such a position is available. Requires the Secretary to report annually on the VA's senior executive performance appraisal system. Allows VA physician and dentist performance pay only to those who received a fully successful level of performance in their most recent appraisal. Directs the Secretary to report semiannually on health care trends to be used in determining VA physician and dentist recruitment and retention needs. Requires: (1) the establishment of a performance appraisal system for VA physicians and dentists; and (2) their performance to be evaluated based on goals and objectives specifically linked to improved health care outcomes and quality, as well as overall effectiveness in providing quality health care services. Requires each VA physician or dentist be provided a copy of his or her annual rating under the system, as well as an opportunity to respond and have the rating reviewed by the VA's Under Secretary for Health. Prohibits a VA physician or dentist who has not maintained an appropriate professional license from being paid. Directs the Secretary to report on the VA training program for senior executives.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2014
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the new markets tax credit, (2) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for such credit after 2013, and (3) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for such credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments initially made after the enactment of this Act).
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2014
Alzheimer's Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends the National Alzheimer's Project Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for each fiscal year through FY2025, to submit to the President for review and transmittal to Congress, after reasonable opportunity for comment (but without change) by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, an annual budget estimate (including regarding personnel needs) for the NIH initiatives under the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2014
Military Sexual Trauma Claims Administration Reform and Eligibility Act - Establishes a presumption, for the purpose of determining a veteran's eligibility for disability compensation, that a veteran's mental health condition was incurred in or aggravated by military sexual trauma if the veteran so certifies, despite a lack of evidence that such condition or trauma occurred during such service. Makes that presumption rebuttable. Defines "military sexual trauma" as psychological trauma that, in the judgment of a mental health professional, resulted from a physical assault or battery of a sexual nature or sexual harassment that occurred while the veteran was serving on active duty or active duty for training in the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2014
Recognizes the important work of the Meals On Wheels Association of America and its member programs in addressing senior hunger, increasing awareness of the need for senior nutrition programs, and in raising non-federal funds and soliciting volunteers to support these programs. Honors the Meals On Wheels Association of America and senior nutrition programs around the country. Encourages Members of Congress to support their local senior nutrition programs by participating in their local March For Meals events and delivering meals to home bound seniors in a community within their district or state.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2014
Stop Foreclosures Due to Congressional Dysfunction Act of 2014 - Requires the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to prohibit mortgagees of certain eligible mortgages from initiating a foreclosure during a specified six-month moratorium with respect to any of those mortgages owned, held, securitized, or guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Tolls the term of such mortgages during the moratorium, and requires deferral of any principal and interest payments due. Qualifies for this mortatorium only Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgages on a 1- to 4-family residence that is the principal residence of a mortgagor who: (1) was current on principal, interest, tax, and insurance payments at the start of the moratorium; (2) has received unemployment compensation during a certain period but exhausted all rights to it; and (3) as of the beginning of the moratorium has a ratio of debt to income on the mortgage greater than 40%.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2014
Fair Employment Protection Act of 2014 - Sets forth employer liability standards to be applied in employee harassment claims under specified provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Revised Statutes, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, employment discrimination laws relating to certain executive branch employees, and the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. Declares employers under such Acts liable for the acts of any individual whose harassment of an employee has created or continued an unlawful hostile work environment if, at the time of the harassment: (1) such individual was authorized by that employer to undertake or recommend tangible employment actions affecting the employee or to direct the employee's daily work activities, or (2) the negligence of the employer led to the creation or continuation of that hostile work environment (thus modifies the liability standards provided by the Supreme Court in Vance v. Ball State University , which limited the category of supervisors for whom an employer may be held vicariously liable to those individuals who have authority to take tangible employment actions).
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2014
Venezuelan Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act - Directs the Secretary of State to require the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) to use U.S. influence at the OAS to protect the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and strengthen the independent Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to protect human rights throughout the Western Hemisphere, especially in Venezuela. Directs the President to transmit to Congress a list of Venezuelan government officials or persons acting on behalf of that government who are responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses against citizens of Venezuela or their family members. Directs the President to transmit to Congress a list of persons who: (1) transfer or facilitate the transfer of goods or technologies that are likely to be used to commit serious rights abuses to Venezuela, to any entity organized under the laws of Venezuela, or to any national of Venezuela, for use in Venezuela; or (2) provide services with respect to such goods or technologies after their transfer to Venezuela. Directs the President to transmit to Congress a list of persons who have engaged in censorship or other activities with respect to Venezuela that: (1) prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly; or (2) limit access to print or broadcast media, including facilitation of intentional frequency manipulation. Imposes property, financial, and visa sanctions against a person listed pursuant to this Act. States that it should be U.S. policy to reduce petroleum imports from Venezuela to prevent its leader Nicolas Maduro from using petroleum profits to fund his regime's oppression and human rights violations. Directs the Secretary of State to submit comprehensive strategies to Congress to: (1) promote internet and information access freedom in Venezuela, and (2) ensure that the government of Venezuela will uphold democratic principles and is moving toward market-oriented economic systems. States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) support efforts to identify prisoners of conscience and cases of human rights abuses in Venezuela, and (2) offer refugee status or political asylum in the United States to political dissidents in Venezuela or assist in their relocation to other countries. Obligates specified amounts for assistance to civil society in Venezuela.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2014
Health Equity and Access under the Law for Immigrant Women and Families Act of 2014 or the HEAL Immigrant Women and Families Act of 2014 - Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act to extend Medicaid and CHIP coverage to aliens lawfully present in the United States. Makes individuals granted deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process eligible for: (1) health care exchanges and reduced cost sharing under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (2) premium subsidies under the Internal Revenue Code, and (3) Medicaid and CHIP.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2014
Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to the hospital readmission reduction program to exclude from the program admissions related to transplants, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), burns, trauma, psychosis, or substance abuse. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in applying requirements for the excess readmission ratio, to provide for a risk adjustment that will take into account a hospital's proportion of inpatients who are full-benefit dual eligible individuals (eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid under SSA title XIX) in order to ensure that hospitals that treat the most vulnerable populations are not unfairly penalized. Directs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to study the appropriateness of using a threshold of 30 days for readmissions under the program. Directs the Secretary, in promulgating regulations for the hospital readmission reduction program, to consider the use of V codes for potential exclusions of cases involving noncompliant patients in promulgating applicable regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2014
Lake Berryessa Recreation Enhancement Act of 2014 - Transfers the administrative jurisdiction over specified water and land that is within or adjacent to Lake Berryessa in California from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for administration as the Lake Berryessa Recreation Area. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to act in accordance with any existing agreement with any organization for the management of campgrounds and marinas located in the Area. Authorizes the Secretary to develop a management plan for the Area as a new document or by adopting the recreational use plan adopted by the Bureau of Reclamation on June 2, 2006. Declares that, nothing in this Act or any subsequent management plan shall impair the ability of the Bureau of Reclamation and its managing partners to operate, maintain, or manage Monticello Dam, Lake Berryessa, and other Solano Project facilities in accordance with that project's authorized purposes. Requires the Commissioner of Reclamation to continue to administer and operate the Dam and any power facility related to it. Authorizes the Secretary to establish, modify, charge, and collect recreation or concession fees at the Area in accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Permits the Secretary to retain such fees for purposes of managing the Area.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2014
Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into enhanced-use leases for excess property of the National Cemetery Administration that is unsuitable for burial purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2014
Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2014 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide per diem payments to eligible entities that assist homeless veterans to furnish care for dependents of such veterans. Conditions the receipt of a VA grant for a program to assist an eligible entity in providing services to homeless veterans on the recipient agreeing to meet the physical, privacy, safety, and security needs of such veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2014
West Hunter Street Baptist Church Study Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the historic West Hunter Street Baptist Church located at 775 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia, to evaluate the national significance of the Church and to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating such area as a unit of the National Park System.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2014
Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for trauma care programs through FY2019. Requires that not more than 50% of amounts remaining for a fiscal year after FY2014 (after allocation for administrative purposes or for improvement of emergency medical services in rural areas) be allocated for competitive grants to support pilot projects for emergency care and trauma systems. Requires the inclusion of standards and requirements of the American Burn Association in trauma care modifications of a state plan for providing emergency medical services.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2014
States that it should be the policy of the U.S. government to encourage and facilitate the following efforts concerning Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia: entry by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) into negotiations with the World Health Organization to develop a Global Alzheimer's and Dementia Action Plan; involvement of all other nations that have adopted national Alzheimer's and/or dementia plans or strategies; development of the foundation for a Global Alzheimer's Fund that would provide resources to support implementation of specific strategies of the Global Plan and assignment of a high-level person to lead and coordinate initiatives; investigation by the G8 nations of systems to monitor and provide care to persons with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia in developing countries to help build care delivery capacity; investigation by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) of the foreign aid implications of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and inform Congress of the need for possible changes to health care-related foreign assistance; and encouragement and facilitation of partnerships with the private sector, such as the current partnership between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and 10 pharmaceutical companies to identify new approaches to treat Alzheimer's and other medical conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2014
First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act - Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a congressional gold medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment, collectively, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such medal at a price sufficient to cover the costs of such medals.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2014
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal to the Freedom Riders in recognition of their contribution to civil rights, which inspired a movement to equality in interstate travel. Requires such medal to be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be available for display and research. Expresses the sense of Congress that the medal should be made available for display elsewhere, particularly at locations associated with the Freedom Riders.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 18640 NW 2nd Avenue in Miami, Florida, as the "Father Richard Marquess-Barry Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2014
Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include within the definition of "public safety officers," in order for them to receive death benefits under the Act, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees who are performing their official duties related to protecting the nation's transportation systems.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2014
Honors the contributions of school counselors to the success of students in our elementary and secondary schools. Encourages the observation of National School Counseling Week with ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the crucial role school counselors play in preparing students for fulfilling lives as contributing members of society.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2014
Federal Leadership in Energy Efficient Transportation Act of 2014 or the FLEET Act - Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to expand the definition of "energy or water conservation measure" under such Act to include, in the case of a contract in which the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is a party: (1) the purchase or lease of low emission and fuel efficient vehicles; (2) the upgrade of USPS vehicles to increase average fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions; or (3) the construction of infrastructure to support such vehicles, including electric vehicle charging stations. Directs the Postmaster General to develop guidelines for USPS vehicles that provide for specified carbon dioxide emissions and fuel economy standards.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2014
Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2014 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) establish and oversee a national system to accurately determine the incidence of sports-related concussions, and (2) begin implementation of such system within one year of this Act's enactment. Requires the data collected to include: the incidence of sports related concussions in individuals 5 through 21 years of age; demographic information of the injured individuals; pre-existing conditions of the injured individuals; the concussion history of the injured individuals; the use of protective equipment and impact monitoring devices; the qualifications of personnel diagnosing the concussions; and the cause, nature, and extent of the concussive injury. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Secretary of Defense (DOD), acting in coordination, to conduct or support: (1) research designed to establish metrics and markers of concussion diagnosis, prognosis, and recovery in youth and to inform the creation of guidelines for the management of short- and long-term sequelae of concussion in youth; (2) studies to assess short- and long-term cognitive, emotional, behavioral, neurobiological, and neuropathological consequences of concussions and repetitive head impacts over a life span; and (3) research on age- and sex-related biomechanical determinants of injury risk for concussion in youth. Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a scientific evaluation of the effectiveness of techniques, rules, and playing, practice, and training standards in reducing concussions and sequelae for sports and physical training at military service academies and for military personnel. Calls for the National Collegiate Athletic Association to undertake a scientific evaluation of the effectiveness of age-appropriate techniques, rules, and playing and practice standards in reducing sports-related concussions and sequelae. Requires: (1) the Director of NIH to maintain a national brain tissue and biological sample repository to collect, archive, and distribute material for research on concussions; (2) such Director and the Secretary of Defense to develop standards, best practices, and guidelines for the rules of play and training, respectively, for sports, athletic, and military training and engagement that are designed to prevent or reduce the incidence of concussions and that include standards for effective protective equipment and recommendations on impact-monitoring systems; and (3) the Director of CDC to develop and disseminate to the public information regarding concussions. Establishes a Concussion Research Commission, which shall study the programs and activities conducted pursuant to this Act and formulate systemic recommendations to increase knowledge about, and change the culture surrounding, concussions.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2014
National Commission on the Structure of the Army Act of 2014 - Establishes the National Commission on the Structure of the Army to undertake a comprehensive study of the structure of the Army to determine: (1) the proper force mixture of the active component and reserve component, and (2) how the structure should be modified to best fulfill mission requirements in a manner consistent with available resources. Directs the Commission to give particular consideration to evaluating a structure that: (1) meets current and anticipated requirements of the combatant commands; (3) achieves a cost-efficiency balance between the regular and reserve components, with a focus on fully burdened and lifecycle cost of Army personnel; (3) ensures that the regular and reserve components have the capacity needed to support homeland defense and disaster assistance missions in the United States; (4) provides for sufficient numbers of regular members of the Army to provide a base of trained personnel from which the personnel of the reserve components could be recruited; (5) maintains a peacetime rotation force to support operational tempo goals of 1:2 for regular members and 1:5 for members of the reserve components; and (6) maximizes and appropriately balances affordability, efficiency, effectiveness, capability, and readiness. Prohibits the use of any funds made available for FY2015 for the Army to: (1) divest, retire, or transfer, or prepare to divest, retire, or transfer, any aircraft of the Army assigned to units of the Army National Guard as of January 15, 2014; or (2) reduce personnel below the authorized end strength levels of 350,000 for the Army National Guard as of September 30, 2014.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2014
Pullman National Historical Park Act - Establishes the Pullman National Historical Park in Illinois as a unit of the National Park System to: (1) preserve and interpret for the benefit of future generations the significant labor, industrial, civil rights, and social history of the Park, the significant architectural structures in the Park, and the role of the Pullman community in the creation of the first national Labor Day holiday in the world; (2) coordinate preservation, protection, and interpretation efforts of the Park by the federal government, the state of Illinois, units of local government, and private and nonprofit organizations; and (3) coordinate appropriate management options necessary to ensure the protection, preservation, and interpretation of the many significant aspects of the Park. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to complete a general management plan for the Park.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2014
Recognizes the difficult challenges Black veterans faced when returning home after serving in the Armed Forces, their heroic military sacrifices, and their patriotism in fighting for equal rights and for the dignity of a people and a nation. Recognizes the need for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to continue to work to eliminate any health and benefit disparities for minority veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2014
Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 - Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with respect to the requirement that a federal court retain jurisdiction for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Expands the types of violations triggering the authority of a court to retain such jurisdiction to include certain violations of the Act as well as violations of any federal voting rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group. Excludes from the list of violations triggering jurisdiction retention authority any voting qualification or prerequisite which results in a denial or abridgement of the right to vote that is based on the imposition of a requirement that an individual provide a photo identification as a condition of receiving a ballot for voting in a federal, state, or local election. Revises requirements for determining which states and political subdivisions are covered or not covered by criteria for declaratory judgments that they have not used devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Subjects to the requirements for making such a determination any state (and all of its political subdivisions) during a calendar if 5 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 15 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). Specifies application of such new coverage requirements to any specific political subdivision if: (1) 3 or more voting rights violations occurred in it during the previous 15 calendar years; or (2) 1 or more voting rights violations occurred in it during the previous 15 calendar years and the subdivision had persistent, extremely low minority turnout during that period. Provides that, if a state obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote, the requirements for a new declaratory judgment generally will not apply, unless the new coverage requirements of this Act apply to the state solely on the basis of voting rights violations occurring after the declaratory judgment was issued. Prescribes transparency requirements, including reasonable public notice, regarding any changes to: (1) voting prerequisites, standards, or procedures; (2) polling place resources; or (3) demographics and electoral districts. Modifies authority to assign observers, including authorizing the assignment of observers to enforce bilingual election requirements. Revises requirements for injunctive relief, including its scope and the persons authorized to seek relief as well as the grounds for granting it.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2014
Student Loan Borrowers' Bill of Rights Act of 2013 - Removes educational loans from the list of debts that are non-dischargeable in bankruptcy. Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to reinstate the six-year statute of limitations on the recovery by: institutions of higher education (IHEs) of refund amounts owed by students on grants made, or work assistance awarded, under title IV; guaranty agencies of amounts owed on loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program; IHEs that have program participation agreements with the Secretary of Education of amounts owed under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program or Federal Perkins Loans program; and the federal government of amounts owed by students on grants made under title IV or amounts owed by borrowers on loans made under title IV that have been assigned to the Secretary. Prohibits the collection of amounts individuals owe the Department of Education under title IV of the HEA through: (1) offsets of social security, railroad retirement, or black lung benefits; (2) offsets of tax refunds; or (3) wage garnishment. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude discharged student loan debt from an individual's gross income. Excludes from gross income distributions from qualified tuition plans that are use to pay the interest or principal on student loans. Amends the HEA to make borrowers of PLUS loans made on behalf of dependent students under: the Direct Loan program eligible for income-contingent repayment plans, including plans based on the President's Pay As You Earn repayment initiative; the Direct Loan or FFEL programs eligible for income-based repayment plans that enable borrowers who have a partial financial hardship to make lower monthly payments; and the Direct Loan or FFEL programs eligible for loan forgiveness for service in areas of national need. Specifies the regulation to be used in determining whether individuals have an adverse credit history that disqualifies them from borrowing a Direct Plus loan (provided to graduate or professional students or the parents of dependent students). Prohibits evidence of an individual's default on a loan made, insured, or guaranteed under title IV of the HEA from being used in a federal or state proceeding involving the individual's professional or vocational license. Prohibits an IHE from blocking students' access to their student records at the IHE due to such students being in default on such loans. Directs the Secretary to cancel 50% of the balance of the interest and principal due on Direct loans that are not in default for borrowers who are employed in a public service job and make 60 monthly payments on such loans after October 1, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2014
Lymphedema Treatment Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to cover certain lymphedema compression treatment items as durable medical equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2014
Burial with Dignity for Heroes Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a program to make grants to eligible entities to provide for the cost of burials for homeless veterans who: (1) are eligible to be buried in national cemeteries, and (2) the Secretary determines have no next-of-kin.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2014
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor. Limits the minting of such coins to the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2017. Prescribes surcharges for coin sales, which shall be paid to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Inc., to help finance the construction of a new building and renovation of existing National Purple Heart Hall of Honor facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2014
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to extend emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) payments for eligible individuals to weeks of employment ending on or before April 1, 2014. Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until March 31, 2014, requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC. Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and September 30, 2014, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (FSEUCA of 1970) against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.) Amends the FSEUCA of 1970 to postpone similarly from December 31, 2013, to March 31, 2014, termination of the period during which a state may determine its "on" and "off" indicators according to specified temporary substitutions in its formula. Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to appropriate funds out of the employment security administration account through the first quarter of FY2015 to assist states in providing reemployment and eligibility assessment activities. Amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to extend through March 31, 2014, the temporary increase in extended unemployment benefits. Makes a change in application of a certain requirement (nonreduction rule) to a state that has: (1) entered a federal-state EUC agreement, under which the federal government would reimburse the state's unemployment compensation agency making EUC payments to individuals who have exhausted all rights to regular unemployment compensation under state or federal law and meet specified other criteria; and (2) enacted a law before December 1, 2013, that, upon taking effect, would violate the nonreduction rule. (Under the nonreduction rule such an agreement does not apply with respect to a state whose method for computing regular unemployment compensation under state law has been modified to make the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010, less than what would have been paid before June 2, 2010.) Declares that the nonreduction rule shall not apply to a state which has enacted a law before December 1, 2013, that, upon taking effect, would violate the nonreduction rule. Allows such a state, however, to enter into a subsequent federal-state EUC agreement on or after enactment of this Act if, taking into account this inapplicability of the nonreduction rule, it would otherwise meet the requirements for an EUC agreement. (Thus allows such a subsequent EUC agreement to permit payment of less than the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010.)
![Official portrait of Rep. Brown, Corrine [D-FL-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000911_200.jpg)