United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2015
Health Savings Act of 2015 Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to health savings accounts (HSAs), to: (1) allow an additional tax deduction for amounts paid to the HSA of a taxpayer's child or grandchild; (2) allow a rollover of HSA funds to the child, parent, or grandparent of an account holder; (3) increase the maximum HSA contribution limit to match the amount of the deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under a high deductible health plan; and (4) expand the definition of an HSA compatible plan to include bronze, silver, and catastrophic plans on an insurance exchange. Amends the federal bankruptcy code to treat HSAs in the same manner as individual retirement accounts for purposes of determining exemptions from the bankruptcy estate.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2015
Resolves that, during consideration of the bill (H.R. 240) to provide FY2015 appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security, any motion pursuant to clause 4 of rule XXII (House and Senate relations) of the Rules of the House Representatives may be offered only by the Majority Leader or his designee. (Clause 4 makes a motion to dispose of any amendment privileged when the stage of disagreement has been reached on a bill or resolution with House or Senate amendments.)
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2015
Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2015 Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) to locate the Office on International Religious Freedom in the Office of the Secretary of State. Directs the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom to seek to coordinate religious freedom policies and religious engagement strategies across all U.S. programs, projects, and activities. Specifies additional foreign government actions violating religious freedom for the Ambassador's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, including a Special Watch List of countries or violent nonstate actors that have engaged in or tolerated such violations but do not yet meet the criteria for designation as countries of particular concern for religious freedom. Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to direct the Secretary to develop a curriculum for, and the Director of the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center to begin, mandatory training on religious freedom for all Foreign Service officers. Amends IRFA to require the Commission on International Religious Freedom to compile and make publicly available regularly updated lists of persons imprisoned, detained, disappeared, placed under house arrest, tortured, or subject to forced renunciations of faith by: (1) a foreign government recommended for designation as a country of particular concern for religions freedom, or (2) a violent nonstate actor. Extends the Commission's termination date. Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to direct the President to appoint in the National Security Council a Special Adviser for Global Religion Engagement and International Religious Freedom (in lieu of the Special Adviser to the President on International Religious Freedom) who shall assist the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom to coordinate executive branch international religious freedom policies and global religion engagement strategies. Establishes within the National Security Council: (1) the Interagency Policy Committee on Religious Freedom and Engagement; and (2) the Interagency Policy Committee on Religion, International Religious Freedom, and National Security. Amends IRFA to revise requirements, including reporting requirements, for presidential actions with respect to country and violent nonstate actor designations, in particular those countries on the Special Watch List. Declares the sense of Congress that: ongoing and persistent waivers for designated countries, especially those engaging in particularly severe violations of religious freedom, do not fulfill IRFA purposes; and the President, the Secretary, and other executive branch officials, in consultation with Congress, should seek to find ways to address existing violations, on a country-by-country basis, through specified actions. Repeals the automatic termination of a presidential designation after two years. States that it should be U.S. policy that violent nonstate actors should be eligible for designation as countries of particular concern and that specified presidential actions should apply to them or individual members of such groups. Makes funds available for FY2016-FY2021 for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund. Establishes in the State Department the Religious Freedom Defense Fund, to be administered by the Ambassador at Large. Authorizes the President to take specified actions against foreign persons: (1) responsible for committing or supporting systemic violations of religious freedom, or (2) supporting violence or terrorist acts targeting members of religious groups. Declares the sense of Congress about: (1) adoption of codes of conduct by U.S. institutions of higher education outside the United States, and (2) national security strategy to promote religious freedom through U.S. foreign policy.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2015
Protecting 2nd Amendment Rights Act of 2015 This bill prohibits any government entity from issuing or enforcing a regulation, or taking any other action, that would restrict or prohibit the manufacture, importation, or sale in the United States of any ammunition that is not subject to the restriction or prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2015
USPSTF Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the scope and responsibilities of the United States Preventive Services Task Force to require it to: (1) publish research plans to guide its review of scientific evidence relating to the effectiveness of preventive services; (2) make evidence reports and recommendations available for public comment; (3) establish a system for grading preventive care (Grades A, B, C, and D and a Grade I for insufficient information); and (4) convene a preventive services stakeholders board to provide feedback on Task Force activities and recommend preventive services and scientific evidence for the Task Force to review. Members of the Task Force and the preventive services stakeholders board are considered federal employees for purposes of disclosure and management of conflicts of interest. The Government Accountability Office must submit a report that: (1) lists current recommendations of the Task Force; (2) compares Task Force recommendations and recommendations of other federal health agencies, national medical professional societies, and patient and disease advocacy organizations; and (3) analyzes the impact of Task Force recommendations on public and private insurance coverage, access, and outcomes, including the impact on morbidity and mortality. This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the authority of HHS to make no payment for a preventive service that has not been graded by the Task Force.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2015
Legal Workforce Act Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish an employment eligibility verification system (EEVS), patterned after the E-Verify system. (Eliminates the current paper-based I-9 system.) Requires an employer to attest, during the verification period and under penalty of perjury, that the employer has verified that an individual is not an unauthorized alien by: (1) obtaining and recording the individual's social security account number, and (2) examining specified documents that establish such individual's identity and employment authorization. Requires an individual to attest that he or she is a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident, or an alien authorized to work in the United States. Establishes a phased-in EEVS participation deadline (six months to two years) for different categories of employers, including agricultural employers. Requires reverification of the following workers who have not been verified under E-verify: (1) federal, state, or local government employees; (2) certain employees who require a federal security clearance; and (3) certain employees assigned to work in the United States under a federal or state contract. Authorizes an employer to voluntarily reverify employees. (Requires any such reverification to be applied to all individuals so employed). Includes employment recruitment and referral within the scope of EEVS. Requires EEVS use by union halls and nonprofit employment agencies. Requires EEVS to provide employers with: (1) temporary verification or nonverification within 3 working days of an inquiry; and (2) in the case of nonverification, a final verification or nonverification within 10 working days. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) an employer utilizing a good faith defense, (2) preemption of state or local law, (3) employer penalties, and (4) worker remedies for EEVS errors. Provides for the establishment of programs to: (1) block the use of misused social security numbers, and (2) suspend or limit the use of Social Security numbers of victims of identity fraud. Requires an employer who uses the photo matching tool as part of the E-Verify system to match the photo tool photograph to both the photograph on the identity or employment eligibility document provided by the employee and to the face of the employee submitting the document. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a program under which parents or legal guardians may suspend or limit the use of the social security account number or other identifying information of a minor for the purposes of the employment eligibility verification system, and (2) establish an Identity Authentication Employment Eligibility Verification pilot program to provide employers with identity authentication and employment verification of enrolled new employees.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2015
Protection of Children Act of 2015 This bill amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to eliminate the special repatriation requirements for unaccompanied alien children (UAC) who are nationals or residents of a country contiguous to the United States. (The same removal requirements are applied to all UACs who are not victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons and who do not have a fear of returning to their country of nationality or last habitual residence.) An immigration officer who finds an inadmissible UAC at a land border or port of entry shall return the child to his or her country of nationality or of last habitual residence. (Such authority is now only discretionary.) The Department of State is authorized to negotiate agreements between the United States and other countries for the repatriation of children. (Under current law the State Department is required to negotiate agreements between the United States and countries contiguous to the United States for the repatriation of children.) An unaccompanied child who is not a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, and does not have a fear of returning to his or her country of nationality or last habitual residence, but who is: in removal proceedings shall have a hearing before an immigration judge within 14 days, in federal custody shall be transferred to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) custody within 30 days, and in HHS or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody shall have access to legal counsel at no cost to the government. HHS, before placing a child with an individual, shall provide DHS with the individual's name, Social Security number, date of birth, residence location, and immigration status, if known. DHS shall investigate the immigration status of the individual with whom the child is placed, and initiate removal proceedings if that individual is unlawfully present in the United States. Such requirements are applied to any unauthorized child apprehended on or after June 15, 2012. The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended with respect to: (1) special immigrant juvenile status, and (2) jurisdiction of asylum applications.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2015
Responsible Additions and Increases to Sustain Employee Health Benefits Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax exclusion for distributions from health flexible spending arrangements, to: (1) increase to $5,000, with an additional $500 for each additional employee dependent above two dependents, the maximum annual amount of funding for such plans, and (2) allow a carryforward into the next year for unused amounts in such plans.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2015
Chris Kyle Medal of Honor Act Authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor posthumously to Navy Seal Christopher Scott Kyle for acts of valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom, notwithstanding otherwise applicable time limitations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2015
Food and Drug Administration Safety Over Sequestration Act of 2015 This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to exempt certain Food and Drug Administration user fees from sequestration. Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2015
Flat Tax Act Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize an individual or a person engaged in business activity to make an irrevocable election to be subject to a flat tax (in lieu of the existing income tax provisions) of 19% for the first two years after an election is made, and 17% thereafter. Calculates taxable income for individual taxpayers by subtracting a basic standard deduction and an additional standard deduction for each dependent from the total of wages, retirement distributions, and unemployment compensation. Defines "business taxable income" to mean gross active income reduced by the cost of certain business inputs. Imposes an employer tax on the value of excludable compensation provided to employees not engaged in business activity of 19% for the first two years after an election is made under this Act and 17% thereafter. Repeals the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. Requires a two-thirds vote of the House of Representatives or the Senate to increase the flat tax rate proposed by this Act or to reduce the amount of the standard deduction or business-related deductions allowed by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2015
English Language Unity Act of 2015 Establishes English as the official language of the United States. Requires naturalization ceremonies and official functions of the U.S. government, subject to exceptions, to be conducted in English. Declares that all citizens should be able to read and understand generally the English language text of U.S. laws. Allows a person injured by a violation of this Act to obtain relief, including a declaratory judgment, in a civil action. Declares that English language requirements and workplace policies, whether in the public or private sector, shall be presumptively consistent with U.S. laws. Requires any ambiguity in U.S. laws to be resolved in accordance with the rights retained by the people and the powers reserved to states under the Bill of Rights. Directs the Department of Homeland Security to issue a proposed rule for uniform testing of the English language ability of candidates for naturalization based upon the principles that: (1) all citizens should be able to read and understand generally the English language text of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the laws of the United States; and (2) any exceptions to this standard should be limited to extraordinary circumstances, such as asylum.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2015
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to authorize a person who is not prohibited from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm under federal law, and who is carrying a valid, government-issued identification document containing that person's photograph and a valid permit issued by any state to carry a concealed firearm, to possess or carry a concealed handgun (other than a machine gun or destructive device) in any other state that permits residents to carry a concealed firearm, in accordance with the restrictions of that state. Makes presentation of facially valid documents prima facie evidence that the individual has a license or permit as required.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2015
Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2015 Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to repeal the prohibition against Medicare participation by physician-owned hospitals that do not have a provider agreement by August 1, 2010, which nonetheless allows their Medicare participation under a rural provider and hospital exception to a specified ownership or investment prohibition if they meet certain requirements. Amends the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA) to repeal provisions: (1) postponing from August 1, 2010, to December 31, 2010, the date by which physician-owned hospitals must have a provider agreement in order to participate in Medicare under a rural provider and hospital exception to the physician-ownership or -investment prohibition if they also meet certain requirements addressing conflicts of interest, bona fide investments, patient safety issues, and expansion limitations; and (2) modifying the expansion limitation imposed on such a rural hospital Restores related previous law amended or repealed by PPACA and HCERA as if PPACA or HCERA had not been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2015
Social Security Fairness Act of 2015 Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal the government pension offset requirement applicable to and reducing husband's and wife's insurance benefits, widow's and widower's insurance benefits, and divorced mother's and divorced father's insurance benefits with respect to federal, state, or local government employees who receive a government pension and did not pay Social Security taxes during their years of government service, and so did not earn entitlement to Social Security benefits for those years. Repeals also the windfall elimination requirement with respect to computation of an individual's primary insurance amount under which OASDI retirement or disability benefits are reduced if the individual receives a federal, state, or local government pension, did not pay Social Security taxes during the years of government service, and so did not earn entitlement to Social Security benefits for those years.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2015
Commends the international community, global and domestic health organizations, the private sector, school and community leaders, and faith-based organizations for bolstering global and domestic health through vaccination. Affirms vaccines save lives and are essential to public health, and economic and national security. Recognizes that the lack of vaccination can cause a public health crisis, and that there is no credible evidence to show that vaccines cause life-threatening or disabling diseases in healthy children or adults. Encourages a continued commitment to research to improve vaccines and develop new vaccines. Urges parents, in consultation with their health care provider, to follow the scientific evidence and consensus of medical experts in favor of timely vaccinations to protect their children and their community.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2015
Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act of 2015 Provides that for purposes of medical professional liability insurance or civil and criminal malpractice liability determinations, a physician or athletic trainer (covered sports medicine professional) who is authorized to practice medicine in a state (primary state) and who provides medical services to an athlete or athletic team in a state where such professional is not authorized to practice (secondary state) shall be deemed to have provided such medical services in the primary state, provided that prior to providing the covered medical services such professional has disclosed the nature and extent of such services to the entity that provides such professional with medical professional liability insurance in the primary state.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2015
Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to authorize a person who is not prohibited from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm under federal law, who is entitled and not prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence or who is carrying a valid state license or permit to carry a concealed weapon, and who is carrying a government-issued photographic identification document, to carry a concealed handgun (which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, other than a machine gun or destructive device) in any state in accordance with the restrictions of that state. Provides that in a state that allows the issuing authority for licenses or permits to carry concealed firearms to impose restrictions on the carrying of firearms by individual license or permit holders, an individual carrying a concealed handgun under this Act shall be permitted to carry it according to the same terms authorized by an unrestricted license or permit issued by such state.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2015
This bill repeals a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that imposes an annual fee on a health insurance provider based on its net premium income.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2015
Andrea Sloan Compassionate Use Reform and Enhancement Act or the Andrea Sloan CURE Act Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the sponsor of an “investigational drug” (which is a drug that is designated as a breakthrough therapy, fast track product, infectious disease product, or drug for a rare disease or condition) to submit to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and make available to the public the sponsor's policy on requests for expanded access to the unapproved drug, including the minimum criteria for considering or approving requests and the time needed to make a decision. Requires an investigational drug sponsor to explain a denied request for expanded access to the person who made the request. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an Expanded Access Task Force. Requires the Task Force and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate patient access to investigational drugs and make recommendations for improving access. Directs the FDA to finalize the draft guidance entitled “Expanded Access to Investigational Drugs for Treatment Use--Qs & As,” taking into account reports from the Task Force and GAO.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2015
Expresses support for: (1) the designation of Rare Disease Day; and (2) a national and global commitment to developing new treatments, diagnostics, and cures for rare diseases and disorders.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2015
Audit the Pentagon Act of 2015 This bill reduces discretionary spending by 0.5% for federal agencies that have either not submitted a financial statement for a fiscal year or have submitted a financial statement that has not received an unqualified or a qualified audit opinion by an independent external auditor. The bill excludes specified Department of Defense (DOD) accounts for personnel and the Defense Health Program from the reductions. The President may waive the reductions for any account by certifying that the cuts would harm national security or members of the Armed Forces who are in combat. The bill establishes reporting requirements for the Office of Management and Budget and DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2015
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 141 Paloma Drive in Floresville, Texas, as the "Floresville Veterans Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2015
Boys Town Centennial Commemorative Coin Act Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 350,000 $1 silver coins, and 300,000 half-dollar clad coins to commemorate the centennial of the founding of Father Flanagan's Boys Town. Requires the design of the coins to be emblematic of the 100 years of Boys Town, one of the largest nonprofit child care agencies in the United States. Permits issuance of such coins only between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017. Subjects all coin sales to specified surcharges, which shall be paid to Boys Town to carry out its cause of caring for and assisting children and families in underserved communities across America. Directs the Secretary to ensure that: (1) minting and issuing such coins will not result in any net cost to the federal government; and (2) no funds, including surcharges, will be disbursed to Boys Town until the total cost of designing and issuing all authorized coins is recovered by the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2015
Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to shield a health care professional from liability under federal or state law for harm caused by any act or omission if: (1) the professional is serving as a volunteer in response to a disaster; and (2) the act or omission occurs during the period of the disaster, in the professional's capacity as a volunteer, and in a good faith belief that the individual being treated is in need of health care services. Makes exceptions where: (1) the harm was caused by an act or omission constituting willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed; or (2) the professional rendered the health care services under the influence of alcohol or an intoxicating drug.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2015
Electronic Health Fairness Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit any patient encounter of an eligible professional occurring at an ambulatory surgical center from being treated as such an encounter in determining whether an eligible professional qualifies as a meaningful electronic health record (EHR) user. Terminates this prohibition three years after the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies EHR technology for the ambulatory surgical center setting.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2015
Huntington's Disease Parity Act of 2015 Directs the Commissioner of Social Security, for purposes of determining cognitive, behavioral, and physical disability under titles II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act (SSAct), to amend specified Listings of Impairments by providing medical and evaluation criteria for Huntington's Disease. Amends SSAct title II to waive the 24-month waiting period for coverage under the program under SSAct title XVIII (Medicare) for individuals diagnosed with Huntington's Disease.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2015
Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem a hospital or an emergency department and a physician or physician group of a hospital or emergency department to be an employee of the Public Health Service with liability protection provided by the United States for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing emergency and post-stabilization services on or after January 1, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2015
Life at Conception Act Declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Prohibits this Act from being construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2015
Access to Professional Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to exclude remuneration paid for licensed independent insurance producers from administrative costs for purposes of calculating the medical-loss ratio of a health insurance plan. Defines "independent insurance producer" to mean an insurance agent or broker, insurance consultant, benefit specialist, limited insurance representative, and any other person required to be licensed under state law to sell, solicit, negotiate, service, effect, procure, renew, or bind policies of insurance coverage or offer advice, counsel, opinions, or services related to insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2015
Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prescribe a single civil monetary penalty as an alternative sanction to those already established for compensation arrangements between a physician (or an immediate family member) and a person or entity that is in violation of the limitation on certain physician referrals (Stark Law) solely due to technical noncompliance. (The Stark law, or Stark Rule, prohibits physician referrals of certain health services for Medicare and Medicaid patients to a specified entity if the physician, or an immediate family member, has a financial relationship with that entity.) Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept the voluntary disclosure of a technically noncomplaint compensation arrangement by a person or entity in violation of the Stark Law under certain circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2015
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the caps on Medicare outpatient rehabilitation physical therapy services and speech-language pathology services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Email Privacy Act Amends the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 to prohibit a provider of remote computing service or electronic communication service to the public from knowingly divulging to a governmental entity the contents of any communication that is in electronic storage or otherwise maintained by the provider, subject to exceptions. Revises provisions under which the government may require a provider to disclose the contents of such communications. Eliminates the different requirements applicable under current law depending on whether such communications were: (1) stored for fewer than, or more than, 180 days by an electronic communication service; or (2) held by an electronic communication service as opposed to a remote computing service. Requires the government to obtain a warrant from a court before requiring providers to disclose the content of such communications regardless of how long the communication has been held in electronic storage by an electronic communication service or whether the information is sought from an electronic communication service or a remote computing service Requires a law enforcement agency, within 10 days after receiving the contents of a customer's communication, or a governmental entity, within 3 days, to provide a customer whose communications were disclosed by the provider a copy of the warrant and a notice that such information was requested by, and supplied to, the government entity. Allows the government to request delays of such notifications. Prohibits disclosure requirements that apply to providers from being construed to limit the government's authority to use an administrative or civil discovery subpoena to require: (1) an originator or recipient of an electronic communication to disclose the contents of such communication, or (2) an entity that provides electronic communication services to its employees or agents to disclose the contents of an electronic communication to or from such employee or agent if the communication is on an electronic communications system owned or operated by the entity. Allows the government to apply for an order directing a provider, for a specified period, to refrain from notifying any other person that the provider has been required to disclose communications or records. Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress regarding disclosures of customer communications and records under provisions: (1) as in effect before the enactment of this Act, and (2) as amended by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to repeal authority to restrict the export of: (1) coal, petroleum products, natural gas, or petrochemical feedstocks; and (2) supplies of materials or equipment necessary to maintain or further exploration, production, refining, or transportation of energy supplies, or for the construction or maintenance of energy facilities within the United States. Prohibits any federal official from imposing or enforcing any restriction on the export of crude oil. Requires the Secretary of Energy to study and make recommendations on the appropriate size, composition, and purpose of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Prevent Targeting at the IRS Act Amends the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 to expand existing grounds for termination of the employment of an Internal Revenue Service employee to include performing, delaying, or failing to perform (or threatening to perform, delay, or fail to perform) any official action (including any audit) with respect to a taxpayer for purpose of extracting personal gain or benefit or for a political purpose.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2015
Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2015 Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to replace the current windfall elimination provision (WEP) (that reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also have pension benefits from employment not covered by Social Security) for individuals who: (1) become eligible for old-age insurance benefits after 2016 or would attain age 62 after 2016 and become eligible for disability insurance benefits after 2016, (2) subsequently become entitled to such benefits, and (3) have earnings derived from noncovered service performed after 1977. Establishes a new formula for the treatment of noncovered earnings in determining Social Security benefits. Prescribes a second formula to modify the WEP for current beneficiaries. Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to recover overpayments from certain individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2015
Calls on the Department of State and the Administration to recognize officially the Taliban as a foreign terrorist organization. Requests the Secretary of State to designate the Taliban as a foreign terrorist organization and impose any and all applicable restrictions and sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2015
Health and Human Services Hiree Clarification Act Amends the Public Health Service Act to state that provisions authorizing the appointment of special consultants or authorizing individual scientists to receive fellowships do not authorize the designation, appointment, or employment of any special consultant, fellow, or other employee by an agency outside of the Department of Health and Human Services.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Access to Life-Saving Trauma Care for All Americans Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize grants for certain trauma centers and grants to states for trauma centers through FY2020. The categorization of certain trauma centers is revised. The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is given the authority to administer these grants.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize trauma care programs through FY2020. Grants for pilot projects of innovative models of emergency care and trauma systems can be allocated up to half of the remaining funds for trauma care after allocations for improvement of emergency medical services in rural areas and administrative purposes. State plans for emergency medical services are required to include the national standards and requirements of the American Burn Association for verified burn centers. The Department of Health and Human Services must update the model plan for designation of trauma centers and for triage, transfer, and transportation policies, taking into account standards from the American Burn Association.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 596) to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2015
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Protection Act This bill prohibits the President from modifying, terminating, abandoning, or transferring the lease with the government of Cuba by which the United States acquired 45 square miles of land and waters that currently contain Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, unless: (1) the President notifies Congress of the proposed lease change, and (2) afterwards Congress enacts a law authorizing the change.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2015
Equitable Access to Care and Health Act or the EACH Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the religious conscience exemption under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to exempt individuals who rely solely on a religious method of healing and for whom the acceptance of medical health services would be inconsistent with their religious beliefs from the requirement to purchase and maintain minimum essential health care coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
This bill repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Provisions of law amended by that Act are restored. This bill repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Provisions of law amended by that Act's health care provisions are restored. Specified committees of the House of Representatives must report legislation within each committee's jurisdiction with provisions that: foster economic growth and private sector job creation; lower health care premiums; preserve a patient's ability to keep their health plan; provide people with preexisting conditions access to affordable health coverage; reform the medical liability system to reduce unnecessary health care spending; increase the number of insured Americans; protect the doctor-patient relationship; provide states greater flexibility to administer Medicaid programs; expand incentives to encourage personal responsibility for health care coverage and costs; prohibit taxpayer funding of abortions and provide conscience protections for health care providers; eliminate duplicative government programs and wasteful spending; or do not accelerate the insolvency of entitlement programs or increase the tax burden on Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Medicare Beneficiary Preservation of Choice Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to repeal the allowance for disenrollment, between January 1 and March 15 of each year, only from an MedicareAdvantage plan to elect enrollment in the original Medicare fee-for-service program. Restores the option under previous law to elect to change from a MedicareAdvantage to the original Medicare fee-for-service plan, or from the original Medicare fee-for-service to a MedicareAdvantage plan, once a year during the first three months.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Timely Repatriation Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to publish a report every six months listing: (1) countries that have refused or unreasonably delayed repatriation of an alien who is a national of that country (the report must include the total number of such aliens) and countries that have an excessive repatriation failure rate, and (2) each country that was included in both the report preceding the current report and the current report (DHS may exclude a country if the total number of nonrepatriations outstanding is less than 10 for the preceding three-year period). The Department of State, with respect to a listed country: (1) may not issue visas to attendants, servants, and personal employees of such country's officials and employees who receive nonimmigrant status; and (2) shall reduce the number of visas available for such country's diplomats and officials/employees by 10% for each six months that a country is listed.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2015
Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2015 This bill prohibits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from: developing, finalizing, adopting, implementing, applying, administering, or enforcing the proposed rule entitled, "Definition of 'Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act," issued on April 21, 2014, or the proposed guidance entitled, "Guidance on Identifying Waters Protected By the Clean Water Act," dated February 17, 2012; or using the proposed rule or proposed guidance, any successor document, or any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance as the basis for any rulemaking or decision regarding the scope or enforcement of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act). The Army Corps and the EPA must withdraw the interpretive rule entitled, "Notice of Availability Regarding the Exemption from Permitting Under Section 404(f)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act to Certain Agricultural Conservation Practices," issued on April 21, 2014. The Army Corps and the EPA are required to consult with relevant state and local officials to develop recommendations for a regulatory proposal that would identify the scope of waters covered under the Clean Water Act and the scope of waters not covered.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2015
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2015 Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require physical therapists furnishing outpatient physical therapy services to use specified locum tenens arrangements for payment purposes in the same manner as such arrangements are used to apply to physicians furnishing substitute physicians services for other physicians. (Locum tenens [place holder], or substitute, physicians usually assume professional practices in the absence of a regular physician for reasons such as illness, pregnancy, vacation, or continuing medical education.)
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2015
Federal Exchange Data Breach Notification Act of 2015 This bill requires a health insurance exchange to notify each individual whose personal information is known to have been acquired or accessed as a result of a breach of security of any system maintained by the exchange as soon as possible but not later than 60 days after discovery of the breach. A violation of this requirement is an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2015
Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act of 2015 or the ACE Kids Act of 2015 Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act to allow a state, at its option, to elect to provide medical assistance for items and services furnished to eligible children with medically complex conditions enrolled in a Medicaid Children's Care Coordination (MCCC) program. Requires an MCCC program, among other things, to coordinate, integrate, and provide for the furnishing of the full range of MCCC program services to enrolled children, as well as designate pediatric care management services and pediatric focused care coordination and health promotion. Requires a state to enroll eligible children prospectively in an MCCC program through an initial 90-day assignment to a nationally designated children's hospital network, unless the child opts not to participate in any MCCC program.
![Official portrait of Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001248_200.jpg)