United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2018
Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2018 This bill establishes a grant program and requirements for the National Science Foundation and other federal science agencies to expand research on the causes and effects of sexual harassment affecting individuals in the scientific workforce, including students and trainees. The research must also examine policies to reduce the occurrences and negative consequences of such harassment.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2018
Get the Lead Out of Schools Act This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate a national primary drinking water regulation for schools and day care facilities that: (1) establishes a lead action level (a level of lead in drinking water that triggers additional actions to control lead contamination) of at least 15 parts per billion; (2) directs each public water system to sample for lead in the drinking water at schools and day care facilities if the EPA determines there is a risk that the lead in the drinking water will meet or exceed the action level; and (3) directs public water systems that serve schools or day cares that meet or exceed the action level to notify the local educational agency, the relevant local health agencies, the municipality, and the state as soon as practicable, but no later than five business days after the system receives the sampling results. The EPA must also establish a grant program for: (1) testing drinking water in schools and day care facilities for lead contamination, and (2) remediating lead contamination in such drinking water by replacing lead pipes and certain plumbing materials with lead-free material.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2018
Hurricane Florence Tax Relief Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow various tax credits, deductions, and modifications to existing rules for individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Florence. With respect to individuals and businesses in the affected areas, the bill: waives the 10% additional tax on early distributions from retirement plans for up to $100,000 in distributions made on or after September 13, 2018, and before January 1, 2020; permits individuals to recontribute funds to retirement plans if the funds were distributed for a home purchase in a Hurricane Florence disaster area that was cancelled on account of the hurricane; increases the limit and extends the repayment deadline for loans from retirement plans; allows an employee retention tax credit for a portion of the wages paid to an employee whose principal place of employment on specified dates was in a Hurricane Florence disaster zone; temporarily suspends the limitation on charitable contributions for relief efforts in the Hurricane Florence disaster area; modifies the rules for the deduction for personal casualty losses; and allows taxpayers to use earned income from the immediately preceding year for the purpose of determining earned income for the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2018
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Homeland Security Partnerships Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to issue a strategy to enhance partnerships with historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2018
Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program, which is a grant program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The program focuses on improving emergency health care for children who are seriously ill or injured.
United States · United States Congress · 24 August 2018
Aretha Franklin Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill instructs 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 in commemoration of Aretha Franklin in recognition of her outstanding artistic and historical significance to the culture of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Aim Higher Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize and revise federal financial aid programs for postsecondary education and institutions of higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Restoring Tax Credits for Affordable Housing Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the low-income housing credit, to increase: (1) the state housing credit ceiling used to allocate credits to states, and (2) the credit percentage.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act This bill establishes the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund and requires 50% of all energy development revenues for FY2019-FY2023 to be deposited into such fund. Amounts deposited in the fund must not exceed $1.3 billion for any fiscal year and must be used for meeting high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Stop the Tax Hike on Charities and Places of Worship Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the requirements for determining the unrelated business taxable income of tax-exempt organizations. The bill repeals a provision that requires unrelated business taxable income to be increased by the amount of expenses paid or incurred by a tax-exempt organization for certain fringe benefits for which a tax deduction is not allowed, including benefits relating to transportation, parking, or an on-premises athletic facility. The bill also increases the corporate tax rate from 21% to 22%.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2018
Integration of Baseball Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins in recognition and celebration of the 75th anniversary of the integration of the game of baseball. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges. All surcharges received by Treasury shall be distributed to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with the understanding that the Hall of Fame shall work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation to develop and operate education programs about the integration of the game of baseball and to preserve artifacts related to the integration of the game.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2018
Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to establish several programs and entities relating to public health emergency preparedness and response, including: an interagency advisory panel on health security, a dedicated unit within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address the needs of children during public health emergencies, a grant program to support the provision of services by military trauma teams at high-acuity trauma centers, and programs to address pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases. The bill also reauthorizes for FY2019-FY2023 and revises several other programs and entities relating to public health emergencies, including the National Disaster Medical System, the Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The bill also expands the responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the scope of the National Health Security Strategy. ASPR must also develop a strategy to reunify children and parents who were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under a specified immigration enforcement policy (i.e., the "zero-tolerance" policy) and submit weekly reports on the status and welfare of children awaiting reunification.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the federal government and is not subject to privatization.
United States · United States Congress · 3 July 2018
Requests the President and the Department of Health and Human Services to transmit to the House of Representatives copies of all documents and other communications concerning the health and welfare, including long-term implications, of children forcibly separated from their parents or guardians as a result of the President's "zero tolerance" policy.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
By the People Resolution Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should enact various reforms with respect to voter registration and protection, campaign-finance contribution limits and violations, and political advertisements.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Restoring Oversight for Members of Congress Act This bill requires agencies or managers that control access to federal facilities to provide immediate access to Members of Congress, excluding the Vice President, unless access is denied for national security reasons with congressional approval.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Family Unity Rights and Protection Act This bill requires the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, State, and Defense to ensure that alien children (i.e., children under the age of 18 removed from their parents or legal guardians at or near a port of entry or within 100 miles of the U.S. border pursuant to a zero tolerance policy for criminal illegal reentry) are reunited at the earliest possible date with their parents and guardians from whom they were separated. It also requires notification of parents and guardians of procedures for reuniting with such children and for the location of such children. The bill requires the creation of an electronic registry for information used to locate such alien children and their parents and guardians. The information in such registry may only be used for locating such children and may not be used in any criminal prosecution or other immigration proceeding. The bill also sets forth conditions on the termination of parental rights in immigration proceedings and requires the consolidation of asylum and immigration proceedings involving alien children.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Compassionate Calling and Immigrant Family Reunification Act of 2018 This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promulgate regulations to ensure access to voice service by any alien guardian who is detained or incarcerated under the immigration laws separately from the alien child of such guardian, and by the alien child, to facilitate communications between, and reunification of, such guardian and child. The FCC shall ensure access to voice service: (1) at the facility at which the alien guardian is detained or incarcerated and at the facility at which the alien child is detained, (2) at no charge to the guardian or child, and (3) until the guardian is reunited with the child. The Second Report and Order of the Commission in the matter of Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services (adopted October 22, 2015) shall apply, beginning on the date of this bill's enactment. The report adopts comprehensive reform of all aspects of inmate calling services.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Keep Families Together Act This bill prohibits an agent or contractor of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Health and Human Services from removing a child who is under the age of 18 and has no permanent immigration status from his or her parent or legal guardian at or near the port of entry or within 100 miles of the U.S. border unless: an authorized state court determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed; a state or county child welfare official with expertise in child trauma and development determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed because of abuse or neglect; or the Chief Patrol Agent or the Area Port Director authorizes separation based on a documented finding that the child is a trafficking victim or is at significant risk of becoming a victim, a strong likelihood exists that the adult is not the parent or legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. A child may not be removed from a parent or guardian unless an independent licensed child welfare expert authorizes the separation within 48 hours of such removal. An agency may not remove a child from a parent or legal guardian solely for the policy goals of deterring migration to the United States or of promoting immigration law compliance. The bill sets forth presumptions: (1) in favor of family and sibling unity and parental rights, and (2) that detention is not in the best interests of families and children. The bill limits the prosecution of asylum seekers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Recognizes the historical significance and supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
Campus Hunger Reduction Act of 2018 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to make institutions of higher education eligible for assistance under the Community Food Projects grant program that addresses the food needs of low-income individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
This bill specifies that an offense involving lynching is a hate crime act. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Reauthorization Act of 2018 or the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes through FY2023 and revises the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act. Among other changes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must publish its research report on its website. Additionally, the bill amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize certain educational programs about preterm birth to also include information relating to substance-use disorders, depression, and immunization.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2018 This bill establishes a series of programs and requirements relating to the health of minority populations, including provisions to improve data collection, health literacy, health workforce diversity, and overall access to health care.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2018
Reaffirms the House of Representatives' commitment to ensuring that American educational systems prepare all students for college and careers regardless of their race, color, or national origin.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2018
Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the deduction from gross income for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers, to: (1) increase from $250 to $500 the annual limit on the expenses that may be deducted, and (2) require the limit to be adjusted for inflation after 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2018
Jobs and Justice Act of 2018 This bill addresses a wide variety of domestic policy matters and focuses on economically distressed communities, opportunities for minorities and the disadvantaged, and civil rights enforcement. Included in the programs and requirements affected are those concerning: diversity in contracting; infrastructure development; areas of persistent poverty; job training for youth and older Americans; education of girls and minorities in STEM fields; the federal minimum wage; military family benefits; health care coverage and access; small business investment; commercial investment in underserved areas, including through tax benefits; housing, including affordability and homelessness programs, landlord-tenant matters, public housing, foreclosure mitigation, and discrimination; access to higher education, including through community college attendance; science, technology, and information security education; hate crimes; law enforcement officer conduct; law enforcement resources and administration; juvenile justice; sentencing procedures; voting rights and administration; prison administration; and firearms sales and possession.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2018
Offering Promising Persons Occupations Relevant To Upholding National Interests For Years Act of 2018 or the OPPORTUNITY Act of 2018 This bill revises the Cyber Scholarship Program of the Department of Defense (DOD). In awarding grants and scholarships under the program, DOD must give special consideration to minority-serving institutions of higher education (IHEs) and the students who attend such IHEs.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2018
The Solitary Confinement Study and Reform Act of 2018 This bill establishes the National Solitary Confinement Study and Reform Commission: (1) to study the impact of solitary confinement in correctional facilities on governments, communities, and social institutions; (2) to report findings; and (3) to recommend national standards to reduce the use of solitary confinement. The bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publish national standards to reduce solitary confinement in correctional facilities. The Bureau of Prisons must comply with the national standards immediately. A state or local government must certify compliance with the national standards to be eligible for DOJ-administered grant program funding to construct, maintain, or operate correctional facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that compensation of public school teachers should be comparable to other college graduates with years in the workforce where the teachers are employed.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2018
Securing Opioids and Unused Narcotics with Deliberate Disposal and Packaging Act of 2018 or the SOUND Disposal and Packaging Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize the Food and Drug Administration to require certain packaging and disposal technologies, controls, or measures to mitigate the risk of abuse or misuse of a drug or a class of drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2018
Opioid Minority Health Report to Congress Act of 2018 This bill requires the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities to report annually on the impact of the opioid epidemic on racial and ethnic minority groups, including the scope of the epidemic, whether expansion of coverage for medication-assisted treatment under the Medicare and Medicaid programs could decrease opioid use and overdose deaths, and the extent of participation by such groups in pain management clinical trials.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Animal Health and Innovation Act of 2018 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to expand the authority of the Food and Drug Administration to conditionally approve a new animal drug that (1) is intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition or address an unmet animal or human health need, and (2) a demonstration of effectiveness would require a complex or particularly difficult study or studies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2018
Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act This bill sets forth requirements and limitations with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel appointed by the Attorney General, or of another official appointed by the Attorney General who exercises a similar degree of independence from the Department of Justice (DOJ) chain of command. Specifically, a special counsel or other appointed official: may only be removed by the Attorney General or the most senior Senate-confirmed DOJ official, in certain circumstances; may only be removed for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or other good cause; must be provided written notice that specifies the reason for removal; and may file an action to challenge the removal not later than 10 days after notice was provided.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Veterans' Credit Protection Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct outreach to inform veterans of how to resolve credit issues caused by a delayed payment of a claim for emergency hospital care, medical services, or other emergency health care furnished through a non-VA provider. The Government Accountability Office shall conduct a study that evaluates the effectiveness of the Office of Community Care in providing timely payment of a proper invoice for such care by the required payment date.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Stephen Michael Gleason Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Stephen Michael Gleason.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Hemp Farming Act of 2018 This bill legalizes industrial hemp that has a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana) concentration of no more than 0.3% by removing it from schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. States and Indian tribes may regulate the production of hemp by submitting a plan to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bill also makes hemp producers eligible for the federal crop insurance program and certain USDA research grants.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2018
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and values of the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Fair Housing Act and the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, and (2) activities to celebrate the historical milestones represented by such anniversaries.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Correct the Census Count Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce, beginning with the 2020 decennial census, to attribute to an individual who is incarcerated in a correctional center as of the date on which such census is taken such individual's last place of residence before incarceration.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10926 Quality Drive in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the "Julius L. Chambers Civil Rights Memorial Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2018
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1234 Saint Johns Place in Brooklyn, New York, as the "Major Robert Odell Owens Post Office."