United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Improving Economic Sanctions Act of 2016 This bill establishes within the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence of the Department of the Treasury an Economic Sanctions Strategy, Coordination, and Planning Group. The group shall conduct contingency planning to enable the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to impose, monitor, and enforce a program of economic sanctions against a foreign country or entity pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The group shall: (1) review OFAC economic sanctions programs to identify specific problems with such programs and general problems with U.S. economic sanctions policy, and (2) create a strategy to improve such programs and policy. The Office of Terrorism and Financial Crimes shall coordinate the development of U.S. economic sanctions policy with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Commerce; the National Security Council; and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Declares that the House of Representatives disapproves of the final rule published by the Department of Labor relating to defining and delimiting the exemptions for executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Letter of Estimated Annual Debt for Students Act of 2016 or the LEADS Act of 2016 This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 by requiring institutions of higher education to provide to each student with education loans for attending the institution an estimate of student loan borrowing costs, including: (1) the cumulative balance of education loans owed by the student, (2) the amount of new education loans expected to be disbursed during the year, (3) the projected cumulative balance of education loans that will be owed by the student after the student graduates, and (4) projected monthly payments to repay the loans. The estimates must be given to students before each academic year succeeding the one for which a loan was first received.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Prostate Cancer Misdiagnosis Elimination Act of 2016 This bill specifies that, unless the physician ordering a DNA Specimen Provenance Assay (DSPA) test recommends otherwise, a DSPA test furnished with respect to a positive prostate cancer biopsy shall be deemed to be medically necessary for purposes of Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Protecting Girls' Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that it is critical to ensure that children, particularly girls, displaced by conflicts overseas are able to receive a quality education and that the educational needs of women and girls are considered in implementing U.S. foreign assistance policies and programs. The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) may advance programs that: provide safe, quality, primary and secondary education for displaced children; build the capacity of institutions in countries hosting displaced people to prevent displaced children from facing educational discrimination; and help increase the access of displaced children, especially girls, to educational, economic, and entrepreneurial opportunities. The State Department and USAID may: coordinate with multilateral organizations to work with foreign governments to implement programs and policies that collect data disaggregated by sex and age on displaced people; and work with domestic and foreign private sector and civil society organizations to promote safe, quality, primary and secondary education for displaced children.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act This bill prohibits a sanctuary jurisdiction from receiving grants under certain Economic Development Assistance Programs and the Community Development Block Grant Program. A sanctuary jurisdiction is a state or political subdivision that has a statute, policy, or practice in effect that prohibits or restricts: (1) information sharing about an individual's immigration status, or (2) compliance with a lawfully issued detainer request or notification of release request. A state or political subdivision that complies with a detainer is deemed to be an agent of the Department of Homeland Security and is authorized to take actions to comply with the detainer. The bill limits the liability of a state or political subdivision, or an officer or employee of such state or political subdivision, for actions in compliance with the detainer.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
Requires both chambers of Congress to assemble annually in the Hall of the House of Representatives to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General on the Government Accountability Office's audited financial statement of the accounts and associated activities of the executive branch, together with an analysis of the financial position and condition of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
This bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs temporary lodging facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, as the "Dr. Otis Bowen Veteran House."
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
Muhammad Ali Expansion Act This bill amends the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 to: (1) establish definitions for "fighter," "combat sport competition," and "mixed martial arts"; and (2) include individuals who fight in a professional mixed martial arts competition or other professional combat sport competition, such competitions, and the professional combat sports industry within the scope of such Act. The bill requires the Association of Boxing Commissions, within two years after enactment of this bill, to establish: (1) guidelines for minimum contractual provisions that should be included in bout agreements and mixed martial arts and other combat sport contracts, and (2) guidelines for objective and consistent written criteria for the ratings of mixed martial arts and other combat sports. The bill applies conflict of interest provisions that prohibit a promoter from having a financial interest in the management of a boxer, or a manager from having a financial interest in the promotion of a boxer, to fighters participating in a mixed martial arts or other combat sport competition scheduled for 11 minutes or more.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
This bill prohibits U.S. agency funds from being used until the earlier of the enactment date of an Act authorizing FY2017 appropriations for military activities of the Department of Defense (DOD) or January 1, 2017, for the transfer or release to or within the United States, its territories, or possessions or to any foreign country or entity of an individual detained at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "Individual detained at Guantanamo" means an individual located at Guantanamo as of October 1, 2009, who: (1) is not a U.S. national or a member of the Armed Forces, and (2) is in the custody or under the control of DOD or otherwise detained at Guantanamo.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Air Traffic Controller Hiring Improvement Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing air traffic controllers, to give preferential consideration to qualified individuals maintaining 52 consecutive weeks of experience involving the active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic certification or facility rating within 5 years of application while serving at an FAA air traffic control facility, a civilian or military air traffic control facility of the Department of Defense, or a tower operating under contract with the FAA. The FAA shall consider additional applicants by referring an approximately equal number of employees for appointment among two applicant pools. The number referred from each group shall not differ by more than 10%. Pool one shall consist of applicants who: have successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program and have received an appropriate recommendation or endorsement from such institution, are eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment and provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days of the announcement closing, are veterans eligible for veterans' benefits who maintain aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience, or are preference eligible veterans. Pool two shall consist of applicants who apply under a vacancy announcement recruiting from all U.S. citizens. The FAA: (1) may not use a biographical assessment when hiring, (2) must provide an individual who applied in response to a specified 2014 vacancy announcement and was disqualified as the result of a biographical assessment an opportunity to reapply under the revised hiring practices, and (3) must waive any maximum age limit for such reapplying applicants who met such requirement when they applied under such announcement. Otherwise, the maximum age limit for an original appointment as an air traffic controller under this bill shall be 35 years of age. The FAA shall consider directly notifying secondary schools and institutes of higher learning of a vacancy announcement for pool one applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2016
Commemorates the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. Congratulates the Indianapolis 500 for its contributions to international automobile racing. Commends the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and hundreds of racing teams, which work together each year to conduct a world-class race.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
Anti-Pyramid Promotional Scheme Act of 2016 This bill prohibits the establishment, operation, or promotion of a pyramid promotional scheme, which is defined as a plan or operation by which a person gives consideration (money or other thing of value) to a participant in the scheme for the right to receive compensation derived primarily from the participant's introduction of another person into the plan or operation rather than from the sale of products to ultimate users. The bill grants enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission and requires violations to be treated as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act of 2016 or the PADME Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a bid ceiling for durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs) under Medicare's competitive acquisition program, through which rates are set according to a bidding process rather than by an established fee schedule. Specifically, the bid ceiling for such an item shall not be less than the fee schedule amount that would otherwise be determined. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must use payment information from competitive acquisition programs to make payment adjustments for areas outside of such programs. The bill requires CMS, in making these adjustments, to account for stakeholder input. In addition, CMS must account for a comparison of competitive acquisition areas and other areas with respect to the following factors: average travel distance and cost associated with furnishing items and services, barriers to access, average delivery time, average volume of items and services furnished by suppliers, and number of suppliers. In addition, CMS shall delay by 15 months the full implementation of new Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment. On a monthly basis, CMS must publish on its website the results of the monitoring of health outcomes and Medicare beneficiaries' access to durable medical equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2016
Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1 silver coins in commemoration of Christa McAuliffe. The design of the coins shall bear an image of and the name of Christa McAuliffe on the obverse side and a design on the reverse side that depicts the legacy of McAuliffe as a teacher. Treasury may issue the coins from January 1-December 31, 2018. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of the coins shall be paid to the FIRST robotics program for the purpose of engaging and inspiring young people, through mentor-based programs, to become leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2016
Working to Integrate Networks Guaranteeing Member Access Now Act or the WINGMAN Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide an accredited, permanent congressional employee with read-only remote access to the electronic Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) claims records system of a represented veteran, regardless of whether the employee is acting under a power of attorney executed by the veteran. The VA shall ensure that access does not allow the employee to modify system data. An employee must complete the VA certification process required of agents or attorneys in order to have system access. Each Member of Congress who elects to have an employee participate in the system shall bear the certification cost, which shall be paid from the Member's representational allowance. Information access by an employee shall be deemed: (1) a covered disclosure requiring prior consent, with specified exceptions; and (2) a permitted disclosure relating to the privacy of individually identifiable health information. The VA may not recognize an employee for purposes of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of VA claims by reason of such system access. "Accredited, permanent congressional employee" means an employee of a Member of Congress who assists constituents with issues regarding federal departments or agencies. "Electronic VBA claims records system" means the VA system that provides claim status information, including information about medical records, compensation and pension exams records, rating decisions, a statement of the case and a supplementary statement of the case, a notice of disagreement, and Form-9.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from taking any further action on a proposed rule to change how Medicare pays for certain drugs that are typically not self-administered (such as some intravenous medications and chemotherapy drugs).
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act or the OPEN Government Data Act This bill requires government data assets made available by federal agencies (excluding the Government Accountability Office, the Federal Election Commission, and certain other government entities) to be published as machine-readable data. When not otherwise prohibited by law, the data must be available: (1) in an open format that does not impede use or reuse and that has standards maintained by a standards organization; and (2) under open licenses with a legal guarantee that the data be available at no cost to the public with no restrictions on copying, publication, distribution, transmittal, citing, or adaptation. If published government data assets are not available under an open license, the data must be considered part of the worldwide public domain. Agencies may engage with outside organizations and citizens to leverage public data assets for innovation in public and private sectors. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must oversee the completeness and public availability of an enterprise data inventory that agencies must develop to account for any data assets that they create, collect, control, or maintain. Agencies must: (1) make their enterprise data inventories available to the public on Data.gov, and (2) designate a point of contact to assist the public and respond to complaints about adherence to open data requirements. For privacy, security, confidentiality, or regulatory reasons, agencies may maintain a nonpublic portion of their inventories. The OMB's Office of Electronic Government is renamed the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer. Agencies are not required to publish notices in the Federal Register about information collection that is focused on gathering input about the performance of, or public satisfaction with, the agency's service if the collection is: (1) online and electronic, (2) voluntary with no benefit to the provider of the information, and (3) an extremely low burden that is typically completed in five minutes or less. But agencies must publish representative summaries of such information collections. The General Services Administration must maintain a single public interface online as a point of entry dedicated to sharing open government data with the public. The Chief Information Officers Council must work with the Office of Government Information Services and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to promote data interoperability and comparability of data assets across the government. The OMB must assess the extent of each agency's use of data assets to support decisionmaking, cost savings, and performance.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2016
Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Expansion and Modernization Act This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to revise the requirements for a practitioner to administer, dispense, or prescribe narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment in an office-based opioid treatment program. Currently, a practitioner must notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and certify that he or she is a qualifying physician (i.e., a state-licensed physician with certain expertise), has the capacity to refer patients for appropriate counseling and ancillary services, and will comply with a patient limit. The patient limit is how many patients the practitioner can treat under the office-based treatment program at one time. This legislation expands qualifying practitioners to include nurse practitioners and physician assistants who are licensed in a state, have expertise, and prescribe medications for opioid use disorder in collaboration with or under the supervision of a physician if required by state law. Additionally, it requires a qualifying practitioner to also certify that he or she will comply with reporting requirements and has the capacity to provide directly or by referral, or provide contact information of the nearest practitioner who can provide, all drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat opioid use disorder. Finally, the bill increases the patient limit for a qualifying physician who holds a specialized certification or completes specified training. A physician must additionally certify that he or she will maintain a diversion control plan and obtain written consent from each patient regarding available treatment options. HHS must update the treatment improvement protocol containing best practice guidelines for the treatment of opioid-dependent patients in office-based settings. HHS may recommend revoking or suspending the registration of a practitioner who fails to comply with the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2016
Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study access by underserved populations to general surgeons, including whether the health professional shortage area designation under the National Health Service Corps program accurately assesses adequacy of access or whether another measure or designation would be more appropriate. HHS must consider potential methodologies for designating surgical health professional shortage areas.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Free File Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to operate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File Program. The program must work with state government agencies to enhance and expand the use of the program, while continuing to: provide free commercial-type online individual income tax preparation and electronic filing services to the lowest 70% of taxpayers by income; provide all taxpayers (regardless of income) with a basic, online electronic fillable forms utility; and work with the private sector to provide the free tax preparation and electronic filing services. Treasury must work with the private sector through the program to identify and implement innovative new program features to improve and simplify the taxpayer's experience with completing and filing individual income tax returns. The IRS and members of the tax software and electronic industry involved in the program must support and promote improvements within the program by mutually testing, piloting, and offering innovative solutions to: simplify the tax system, reduce compliance and reporting burdens, increase tax return accuracy through financial data authentication, strengthen the tax system against fraud through cybersecurity collaboration, avoid duplication, and maximize the use of electronic technology.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 229 West Main Cross Street, in Findlay, Ohio, as the "Michael Garver Oxley Memorial Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
Expresses support for: (1) the designation of National Brain Tumor Awareness Month; (2) research to develop better treatments for brain tumors that will improve the quality of life and the long-term prognosis for those with brain tumors; and (3) those who are battling brain tumors and their families, friends, and caregivers. Encourages increased public awareness of brain tumors to honor individuals who are living with or who have lost their lives to brain tumors. Urges a collaborative public-private approach to brain tumor research.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
Recognizes the efforts of linemen in keeping the electrical power on and protecting public safety. Expresses support for the designation of National Lineman Appreciation Day.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2016
Improving Safe Care for the Prevention of Infant Abuse and Neglect Act This bill amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the national clearinghouse for information relating to child abuse, to maintain and disseminate information about the best practices relating to the development of plans of safe care for infants born affected by illegal substance abuse, withdrawal symptoms, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. A state plan submitted to HHS for a grant to improve its child protective services system must certify that it has a state law or statewide program relating to child abuse and neglect that includes a plan of safe care for such an infant to ensure its safety and well-being following release from the care of healthcare providers. Annual state data reports shall include the total number of such infants for whom a plan of safe care was developed, and for whom referrals are made for appropriate services, including services for the affected family or caregiver. HHS shall monitor the compliance of each grant-receiving state with applicable current law requirements, including required state policies and procedures regarding care of such infants.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2016
Healthy Inpatient Procedures Act of 2016 or the HIP Act This bill delays and suspends implementation of Medicare's Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model, which tests episode-based payment and quality measurement for care associated with hip and knee replacements. The bill also reduces and rescinds specified FY2017 and FY2018 funding that was appropriated for the Prevention and Public Health Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2016
Conscience Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to codify the prohibition against the federal government and state and local governments that receive federal financial assistance for health-related activities penalizing or discriminating against a health care provider based on the provider's refusal to be involved in, or provide coverage for, abortion. Health care providers include health care professionals, health care facilities, social services providers, health care professional training programs, and health insurers. The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Department of Justice (DOJ), must investigate complaints alleging discrimination based on an individual's religious belief, moral conviction, or refusal to be involved in an abortion. DOJ or any entity adversely affected by such discrimination may obtain equitable or legal relief in a civil action. Administrative remedies do not need to be sought or exhausted prior to commencing an action or granting relief. Such an action may be brought against a governmental entity.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2016
Public Employee Pension Transparency Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny tax benefits relating to bonds issued by a state or political subdivision during any period in which such state or political subdivision is noncompliant with specified reporting requirements for state or local government employee pension benefit plans. The bill requires plan sponsors of a state or local government employee pension benefit plan to file with the Secretary of the Treasury a report for each plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2017, setting forth: a schedule of the funding status of the plan; a schedule of contributions by the plan sponsor for the plan year; alternative projections for each of the next 60 plan years of the cash flows associated with the current plan liability; a statement of the actuarial assumptions used for the plan year; a statement of the number of plan participants who are retired or separated from service and are either receiving benefits or are entitled to future benefits and those who are active under the plan; a statement of the plan's investment returns; a statement of the degree to which unfunded liabilities are expected to be eliminated; a statement of the amount of pension obligation bonds outstanding; and a statement of the current cost of the plan for the plan year. The Secretary shall develop model reporting statements and create and maintain a public website, with searchable capabilities, for purposes of posting pension plan information required by this Act. The bill grants the United States an exemption from liability for any current or future shortfall in any state or local government employee pension plan.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act by revising the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) program. The bill delays the implementation of the ozone NAAQS that were published in 2015. The bill extends until: (1) October 26, 2024, the deadline for states to submit designations to implement the 2015 ozone NAAQS; and (2) October 26, 2025, the deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate state areas as attainment, nonattainment, or unclassifiable areas with respect to the 2015 ozone NAAQS. States must submit a state implementation plan (SIP) by October 26, 2026, to implement, maintain, and enforce the 2015 ozone NAAQS. The bill also changes the review cycle for criteria pollutant NAAQS from a 5-year review cycle to a 10-year review cycle. The EPA may not complete its next review of ozone NAAQS before October 26, 2025. The EPA may consider, as a secondary consideration, likely technological feasibility in establishing and revising NAAQS for a pollutant if a range of air quality levels for such pollutant are requisite to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety. Prior to establishing or revising NAAQS, the EPA must obtain advice from its scientific advisory committee regarding potential adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result from attaining and maintaining NAAQS. The EPA must publish regulations and guidance for implementing NAAQS concurrently with the issuance of a new or revised standard. New or revised NAAQS shall not apply to preconstruction permits for constructing or modifying a major emitting facility or major stationary source of air pollutants until those regulations and guidance have been published. The bill provides that in Extreme Ozone Nonattainment Areas, contingency measures are not required to be included in nonattainment plans. Technological achievability and economic feasibility must be taken into consideration in plan revisions for milestones for particulate matter nonattainment areas.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act This bill declares that the proposed or the final rule of the Department of Labor entitled "Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees" shall cease to have any force or effect. The rule revises the "white collar" exemption of executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer employees from minimum wage and maximum hour, or overtime, requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). If the proposed rule is a final rule on the date of enactment of this bill: Labor shall not enforce it based on conduct occurring before that enactment date, an employee shall not have any right of action against an employer for the employer's failure to comply with the final rule at any time before that enactment date, any regulations that were amended by the final rule shall be restored and revived as if the final rule had never taken effect, and nothing in this bill shall be construed to create a right of action for an employer against an employee for the recoupment of any payments made to the employee before the enactment of this bill that were in compliance with that final rule. Labor may promulgate any substantially similar rule only if it has completed certain required actions; but the rule shall not contain any automatic updates to the salary threshold for purposes of exemptions to minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under the FLSA. The requirement that definitions applicable for such exemptions be defined and delimited from time to time by Labor regulations shall be construed to: require Labor to issue a new rule through notice and comment rulemaking for each change in any salary threshold it has proposed; and exclude any rule that would result in changes to any salary threshold for multiple time periods, including through any automatic updating procedure. Labor may not promulgate any final rule that includes any revision to duties tests for exemption from minimum wage and maximum hours requirements unless specific regulatory text for the provision was proposed in the proposed rule.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2016
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has declared war on the United States; the Armed Forces are currently engaged in combat operations against ISIL; the United States has captured and detained individuals associated with ISIL and will likely capture and hold additional ISIL detainees; ISIL members captured by the United States during combat operations meet specified criteria for continued detention at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and all individuals captured by the United States during combat operations against ISIL who meet such criteria by their ISIL affiliation must be detained outside the United States and its territories and should be transferred to Guantanamo Bay.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2016
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016 or the RPM Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to allow the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls if the vehicle is used solely for competition.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act or the BRACE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for railroad track maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Carbon Capture Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for carbon dioxide sequestration, to: (1) make such credit permanent after 2015; (2) increase such credit after 2024 for a qualified facility originally placed in service after December 31, 2015; (3) allow such credit to a person who disposes of, or uses as a tertiary injectant, the carbon dioxide; and (4) modify the definition of "qualified facility" for purposes of eligibility for such credit to require not less than 150,000 metric tons (currently, 500,000 metric tons) to be captured at such a facility during the taxable year.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Federal Employee Rights Act This bill repeals current authority allowing the deduction of labor organization dues from employee pay and prohibits federal agencies, including executive, legislative, and judicial agencies, the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Regulatory Commission, and the government of the District of Columbia, from deducting any amount from the pay of an employee for the dues of a labor organization. The bill prohibits employee dues collected by a labor organization from being used for any purpose not directly related to the organization's collective bargaining activities without employee authorization. The bill requires a vote of more than 50% of all employees (not just employees who cast ballots) to approve union representation and extends this requirement to postal service employees. An employee may elect, in writing, to withhold personal information from a labor organization during organizing activity. The bill requires that all elections relating to labor representation, including elections involving postal service employees, have secret paper ballots.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
Reaffirms: (1) the right for the United States to use all available options, including military force, to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon; and (2) that it is U.S. policy to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon for the life of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) and afterward. Supports Israel's right to defend itself from nations and non-state actors that wish to do it harm. Calls on the Administration to provide Israel with military and intelligence support and cooperation to confront new threats to Israel's security by maintaining its strategic and qualitative military edge. Calls on United Nations member states to take all necessary measures to prevent the transfer of ballistic or cruise missile technology or technical assistance to Iran. Calls on the President to engage with Congress and international partners to ensure that the International Atomic Energy Agency receives the full yearly amount necessary to fulfill its JCPA verification responsibilities. Supports full funding for the Department of State's Coordinator for Iran Nuclear Implementation and for the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Remains committed to confronting the Iranian regime's destabilizing actions in the Middle East through increased cooperation with U.S. regional partners. Demands action by the Administration to raise Iran's recent ballistic missile testing with the Security Council and seek an appropriate response for Iran's disregard for Security Council Resolution 1929. Calls on the Iranian government to assist in the investigation of the disappearance of U.S. citizens within its borders. Condemns Iran's record of human rights violations and supports the Iranian people's pursuit of civil liberties. Reaffirms that nothing in the JCPA limits the ability of Congress to pass sanctions legislation to address future Iranian terrorism activities, ballistic or cruise missile development, human rights abuses, or to reauthorize existing sanctions that are not lifted under the JCPA. Calls on the Administration to keep Congress informed about how it will work with other P5+1 countries to respond to JCPA violations. Calls for the creation of a bipartisan Iran Study Group composed of senior and expert policy-makers to report to Congress on a broader Middle East strategy to counter Iran and leverage more constructive Iranian behavior.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2016
Commends the cooperative owners and the employees of the Farm Credit System for their continuing service in meeting the credit and financial-services needs of rural communities and agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2016
Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2016 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to direct the Drug Enforcement Administration to register an emergency medical services (EMS) agency as an entity authorized to dispense controlled substances, instead of registering the individual practitioners or medical directors of the agency. A registered EMS agency must be overseen by one or more medical directors. The bill specifies that an EMS practitioner who is employed by a registered EMS agency may administer controlled substances under a standing order issued by a medical director. The standing order does not have to be specific to an individual patient.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2016
Faster Care for Veterans Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to begin an 18-month pilot program in at least three Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) under which veterans use an Internet website to schedule and confirm appointments at VA medical facilities. The pilot program's duration may be extended and the number of VISNs may be increased.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2016
Iran Ballistic Missile Prevention and Sanctions Act of 2016 This bill directs the President to impose five or more sanctions with respect to a person (or an entity) that knowingly transfers to or from Iran advanced conventional weapons or ballistic missiles, or technology, parts, components, or technical information related to advanced conventional weapons or ballistic missiles. Sanctions may include: prohibitions on Export-Import Bank assistance, prohibitions on loans from U.S. financial institutions and other financial services, prohibitions on foreign exchange and other banking transactions, prohibitions on property transactions, prohibitions on exports and federal procurement, prohibitions on equity and debt investment, U.S. exclusion of corporate officers, and imposition of sanctions on principal executive officers. The President shall include a sanctioned person on the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. The President may, with prior congressional notice, waive the application of sanctions on a case-by-case basis if in the U.S. national security interests.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2016
Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that any executive order, memoranda, proclamation, or signing statement issued by the President that infringes on the powers and duties of Congress under article I, section 8 of the Constitution or the Second Amendment, or that would require the expenditure of federal funds not specifically appropriated for such executive action, is advisory only and has no force or effect unless enacted as law. The bill nullifies any such executive action and prohibits the use of appropriated funds to promulgate or enforce any such action. The following persons may bring a civil action in an appropriate U.S. district court to challenge the validity of any such executive action: (1) any Member or either or both chambers of Congress, (2) the highest governmental official of any state or political subdivision if the challenged action infringes on a power of such state under any congressional enactment or relevant treaty, and (3) any person aggrieved of the challenged executive action with respect to a liberty or property interest adversely affected directly by the executive action.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Vietnam Helicopter Crew Memorial Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to place in Arlington National Cemetery a memorial honoring helicopter pilots and crew members who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam era.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in December 2015, should not be signed, ratified, acceded to, or adopted by the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Establishes in the House of Representatives the Select Committee on Oversight of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to conduct comprehensive oversight and investigate compliance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and issue annual reports of its findings to the House regarding: all enrichment activities, including relevant limitations pertaining to uranium enrichment levels, centrifuge capacity, and related research and development; all international collaborative partnerships formed and the agreed upon research interests; all uranium stockpile levels, including enrichment levels as well as the amount and price of any excess uranium sold to international buyers; all International Atomic Energy Agency oversight activities relating to the JCPOA, including the effectiveness of relevant inspections into JCPOA tenants; compliance with all enacted international and domestic sanctions, including potential violations of relevant sanctions; all financial transactions including establishment of banking relationships, trade in gold and precious metals, and investment in Iran's oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors; all research and development of missile technology and the acquisition of relevant technology from international partners; and all acquisition of conventional weaponry by the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Resettlement REFORM (Re-Evaluation of Financing Our Refugee Mission) Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize a state to refuse without penalty to expend refugee resettlement assistance with respect to an alien who: is a national of a country that is a state sponsor of terrorism or a terrorist sanctuary, or has no nationality and the country in which the alien last habitually resided is a state sponsor of terrorism or a terrorist sanctuary. A state may not refuse to expend such funds with respect to an alien who is an Iraqi national (or spouse or children of one) who was employed by, or worked for the U.S. government in Iraq and has or is experiencing an ongoing serious threat because of such employment.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Transparency and Accountability of Failed Exchanges Act This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to require the Department of Health and Human Services, for certain states awarded a grant to establish a health insurance exchange, to report on how awarded amounts were used and rescind unobligated amounts. This applies to any state that terminates operation of its exchange or transfers operation to another entity. Such a state must provide to the General Services Administration any property acquired through the grant and refer matters involving fraud, waste, and abuse of funds issued pursuant to PPACA to the Department of Justice. Funds rescinded must be retained for federal budget deficit reduction.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Protecting Access through Competitive-pricing Transition Act of 2015 or the PACT Act of 2015 This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to modify provisions relating to payment for durable medical equipment (DME) under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. (DME includes certain medically necessary equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, and hospital beds.) With respect to DME furnished in areas that are not competitive acquisition areas, current regulations require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to phase in, over a two-year period, Medicare payment adjustments using information from competitive acquisition programs. (Through such programs, payment amounts for each area are determined based on competitive bids submitted by suppliers, rather than according to an established fee schedule.) The bill codifies this requirement and specifies that CMS shall adjust fee schedule amounts to the lesser of: (1) a specified percentage of the regional amount; and (2) the amount that would otherwise be determined according to the fee schedule, with specified adjustments. In determining Medicare payment adjustments for areas that are not competitive acquisition areas, CMS shall solicit stakeholder input and take into account several specified factors. CMS may not accept a bid under the competitive acquisition program unless the bidder: (1) meets applicable state licensure requirements; and (2) has submitted a cash deposit as a bond, as specified by the bill. CMS must establish a six-year market pricing demonstration project, under which auctions are conducted in eligible areas for the furnishing of market-priced DME items and services. The bill establishes project requirements related to auction design, contract terms, transparency, and monitoring.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule published on October 26, 2015, that revises the primary and secondary national ambient air quality standards for ozone.
![Official portrait of Rep. Bucshon, Larry [R-IN-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/115_rp_in_8_bucshon_larry_200.jpg)