United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
American Pipeline Jobs and Safety Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prescribe minimum safety standards to require gas or hazardous liquid pipelines constructed or replaced after enactment of this bill to be made of steel that: (1) is produced in the United States, and (2) originates from (or in the case of recycled steel is combined with) iron ore and taconite mined and processed in the United States. DOT may waive such requirement if certain conditions are met. The bill requires DOT inspection and testing of intrastate gas pipelines not covered by a state pipeline safety program certification or a state pipeline safety agreement to include direct, pre-installation testing of such pipelines for quality verification.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Expanded & Improved Medicare for All Act This bill establishes the Medicare for All Program to provide all individuals residing in the United States and U.S. territories with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, dietary and nutritional therapies, prescription drugs, emergency care, long-term care, mental health services, dental services, and vision care. Only public or nonprofit institutions may participate. Nonprofit health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that deliver care in their own facilities may participate. Patients may choose from participating physicians and institutions. Health insurers may not sell health insurance that duplicates the benefits provided under this bill. Insurers may sell benefits that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery benefits. The bill sets forth methods to pay institutional providers and health professionals for services. Financial incentives between HMOs and physicians based on utilization are prohibited. The program is funded: (1) from existing sources of government revenues for health care, (2) by increasing personal income taxes on the top 5% of income earners, (3) by instituting a progressive excise tax on payroll and self-employment income, (4) by instituting a tax on unearned income, and (5) by instituting a tax on stock and bond transactions. Amounts that would have been appropriated for federal public health care programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), are transferred and appropriated to carry out this bill. The program must give employment transition benefits and first priority in retraining and job placement to individuals whose jobs are eliminated due to reduced clerical and administrative work under this bill. The Department of Health and Human Services must create a confidential electronic patient record system. The bill establishes a National Board of Universal Quality and Access to provide advice on quality, access, and affordability. The Indian Health Service must be integrated into the program after five years. Congress must evaluate the continued independence of Department of Veterans Affairs health programs.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment declaring that women shall have equal rights in the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction. The amendment prohibits the United States or any state from denying or abridging equal rights under the law on account of sex.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by appropriate legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections. This joint resolution declares that nothing in this amendment shall be construed to grant Congress or the states the power to abridge the freedom of the press.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights Act or the HER Act This bill states that foreign nongovernmental organizations shall not be ineligible for U.S. international development assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 solely on the basis of health or medical services provided by such organizations with non-U.S. government funds if such services do not violate the laws of the country in which they are being provided and would not violate U.S. federal law if provided in the United States. Such organizations also shall not be subject to requirements relating to the use of non-U.S. government funds for advocacy and lobbying activities other than those that apply to U.S. nongovernmental organizations receiving such assistance under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017 This bill prohibits the President from using the Armed Forces to conduct a first-use nuclear strike unless such strike is conducted pursuant to a congressional declaration of war expressly authorizing such strike. "First-use nuclear strike" means a nuclear weapons attack against an enemy that is conducted without the President determining that the enemy has first launched a nuclear strike against the United States or a U.S. ally.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Government By the People Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to establish a program for small individual donations to campaigns for public office and make other changes to campaign finance law. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) individual taxpayers a refundable tax credit of 50% of qualified congressional House campaign contributions (i.e., cash contributions by an individual to a candidate for the House of Representatives or a political committee established and maintained by a national political party, to be known as "My Voice Federal" contributions); and (2) individual taxpayers to designate a portion of any overpayment of tax as a contribution to the Freedom From Influence Fund. The Government by the People Oversight Commission, established by this bill, shall establish a voucher pilot program to provide voters with a $50 "My Voice Voucher" for making campaign contributions. The bill amends the FECA to establish a 6-1 matching program for small dollar contributions (up to $150) to a candidate for public office and sets forth eligibility, certification, and expenditure requirements for candidates. The bill permits unlimited coordinated party expenditures from small donor sources on behalf of publicly financed House candidates. The bill requires disclosure by all bundlers of bundled contributions (i.e., the practice of combining several small campaign contributions into one large contribution to avoid exceeding the limit on contributions), not just registered lobbyists. The bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to expand the access of candidates for public office to broadcasting.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2017
Markets and Trading Reorganization Act This bill establishes the Securities and Derivatives Commission as an independent regulatory body and transfers to the commission all functions, officers, and components of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The new commission shall establish the following principal divisions: (1) a Markets and Trading Division that has oversight of market conduct and utilities, the conduct of market professionals, and self-regulatory organizations with regard to such market professionals; (2) an Issuers and Financial Disclosures Division that has oversight of the issuance of securities; and (3) an Enforcement Division that enforces commission rules.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2017
Airplane Impacts Mitigation Act of 2017 or the AIM Act of 2017 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to enter into an agreement with an eligible institution of higher education to conduct a study of the health impacts of airplane flights on residents exposed to a range of noise and air pollution levels from such flights. The study shall: focus on residents in Boston, Chicago, New York, the northern California metroplex, Phoenix, and not more than three additional metropolitan areas that each contain at least one international airport; consider the health impacts on residents living partly or wholly within the land area underneath the flight paths most frequently used by aircraft flying below 10,000 feet; and consider only those health impacts that manifest during the physical implementation of the NextGen RNAV program on flights departing from or arriving at an international airport located in one of such metropolitan areas. An institution of higher education is eligible to conduct the study if it: has a school of public health that has participated in the FAA Center of Excellence for Aircraft Noise and Aviation Emissions Mitigation, has a Center for Environmental Health that receives funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, is located in one of the areas within the scope of the study, applies to the FAA in a timely fashion, demonstrates that it is qualified to conduct such a study, and agrees to submit its findings to the FAA within two years after entering into such an agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2017
Bailout Prevention Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Reserve Act to declare a borrower ineligible to borrow from any emergency lending program or facility unless the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) and all federal banking regulators with jurisdiction over the borrower certify that, at the time the borrower initially borrows under the program or facility, the borrower is not insolvent. Solvency shall be assessed by examining the last four months of relevant financial data and determining whether the fair value of the borrower's assets exceeds its liabilities, with appropriate adjustment for temporary illiquidity in the relevant markets. A borrower shall be deemed insolvent for such purposes if it is in bankruptcy, resolution under title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or any other federal or state insolvency proceedings, or is a bridge financial company or a bridge depository institution. A program shall be considered one with "broad-based eligibility" only if at least five companies are eligible to participate in the program in a significant manner. The annual interest rate for emergency lending must be at least 500 basis points greater than the cost of borrowing for the Treasury for a commensurate loan term. The Board may create an emergency lending program or facility that does not meet the broad-based eligibility requirement or the interest rate requirement, but only if Congress enacts into law a joint resolution of approval within 30 days. The bill reduces the timing of various reporting requirements of the Government Accountability Office and the Board from 1-2 years to 60 days.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2017
Leadership PAC Limitation Act This bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit the conversion of leadership PAC funds to personal use. A leadership PAC is a political action committee (other than a political committee of a political party) that is established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the candidate or an individual but which is not an authorized committee of the candidate or individual and not affiliated with an authorized committee of the candidate or individual.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2017
Fair Ratepayer Accountability, Transparency, and Efficiency Standards Act or the Fair RATES Act This bill amends the Federal Power Act to permit a party to seek a rehearing and subsequent judicial review of any rate change filed by a public utility that takes effect without the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issuing an order making such change effective. (Public utilities must give FERC and the public a 60-day notice before a proposed rate change can take effect.)
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2017
Investor Choice Act of 2017 This bill amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to prohibit a broker, dealer, funding portal, municipal-securities dealer, or investment adviser from entering into, modifying, or extending an agreement with a customer or client if that agreement: (1) mandates arbitration with respect to a future dispute between the parties; (2) restricts or limits the ability of the customer or client to select a forum for the resolution of such a dispute; or (3) restricts or limits the ability of the customer or client to pursue, in an individual capacity or on a class-action basis, a claim relating to such a dispute.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2017
Taiwan Travel Act This bill states that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) allow officials at all levels of the U.S. government to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2017
DREAMer Information Protection Act This bill: (1) prohibits information provided by an applicant for deferred action under the Department of Homeland Security's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program from being used for the purpose of immigration enforcement proceedings, and (2) shall take effect as if enacted on January 19, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2017
Ensure Fair Prices in Title Insurance Act of 2017 This bill amends the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 to exempt affiliated business arrangements from the prohibitions against kickbacks and unearned fees so long as no fee, kickback, or thing of value (including any return on ownership based on referrals paid for or received from an affiliated business arrangement) is paid or received pursuant to any agreement or understanding for referrals of business incident to or a part of a real estate settlement service involving a federally related mortgage loan. Persons who violate such Act shall be jointly and severally liable, upon a finding from a court of competent jurisdiction that such a violation occurred, to any party providing services substantially similar to settlement services in the same state where the violation occurred, and in an amount equal to attorneys' fees and court costs incurred in initiating an action. A court may grant, in addition to the principal remedies, either injunctive relief, restitution, or other appropriate equitable relief. The statute of limitations is extended from one year to three years for violation of the prohibitions against: (1) kickbacks and unearned fees, and (2) any requirement by a property seller involving a purchase assisted by a federally related mortgage loan that the buyer also purchase title insurance from any particular title company.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
This bill amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. No less than 1.5% of the annual authorized funding amount or $10 million, whichever is greater, shall be used for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy Act or the BRIDGE Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS): (1) shall grant a three-year provisional protected presence to a qualifying alien, (2) may not remove the alien from the United States unless such protected presence is rescinded, and (3) shall provide such alien with employment authorization. An alien is eligible for such protected presence and employment authorization if the alien: (1) was born after June 15, 1981; (2) entered the United States before attaining 16 years of age; (3) continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007; (4) was physically but unlawfully present in the United States on June 15; (5) on the date the alien files an application the alien is present in the United States, is enrolled in school or in an education program assisting students in obtaining a high school diploma, has graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school or a general educational development certificate, or is an honorably discharged U.S. Coast Guard or Armed Forces veteran; (6) has not been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors not occurring on the same date and not arising out of the same act; and (7) does not otherwise pose a threat to national security or a threat to public safety. The bill: (1) provides for confidentiality of application information, with certain national security and law enforcement exceptions; and (2) sets forth the criteria under which DHS may rescind protected presence. An alien granted protected presence is not considered to be unlawfully present in the United States during such period. An alien must be at least 15 years old, unless in removal proceedings, to apply for protected presence. DHS may provide for an application fee and for fee exemptions. DHS may not: (1) remove an alien who appears prima facie eligible for protected presence while the alien's application is pending, or (2) refer individuals whose cases have been deferred pursuant to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA) or who have been granted protected presence to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A DACA alien is deemed to have protected presence through the expiration date of his or her deferred action status.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
No Religious Registry Act of 2017 This bill prohibits U.S. government officers or employees from collecting information or utilizing a registry or database to classify or surveil on the basis of religious affiliation: (1) U.S. nationals, (2) aliens lawfully present in the United States, or (3) aliens who apply for a visa or seek admission to the United States or on whose behalf a petition under the immigration laws is submitted. The bill also prohibits studies related to the collection of such information or the establishment or utilization of such a registry or database. Nothing in such prohibition may be construed to prohibit the collection of information that is provided voluntarily, and from which personally identifiable information is removed, to be used strictly for statistical purposes that do not violate this bill. Federal entities are prohibited from: (1) awarding a contract to an entity to collect information or establish a registry that would violate this bill, or (2) purchasing information on religious affiliation from a nonfederal entity for such purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand Medicare coverage to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dental care.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Subsidy Reserve Act of 2017 This bill amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to require each nonbank financial company supervised by the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) and each bank holding company with total consolidated assets of at least $500 billion to establish and maintain a capital account called a "subsidy reserve." The amount in a company's subsidy reserve shall be based, according to a formula established by the FRB, on the financial benefit received by the company as a result of the expectation of shareholders, creditors, and counterparties that the federal government will shield them from losses in the event of the company's failure. The amount in a company's subsidy reserve may be taken into account for purposes of determining a company's compliance with regulatory capital requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
End Unnecessary Borrowing Act of 2017 This bill amends the National Housing Act with respect to the requirement that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) endeavor to ensure that the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMI Fund) attains a capital ratio of not less than 2% within 10 years after enactment of that requirement (November 5, 1990) and to ensure that the fund maintains at least that capital ratio at all times thereafter. The bill prohibits these requirements from being construed to authorize or require HUD to borrow any amounts to comply with the capital ratio requirement. Any HUD authority to borrow from the Treasury for the MMI Fund may be used only to the extent necessary to pay claims on mortgage insurance that is an obligation of such fund.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Let the GSEs Pay Us Back Act of 2017 This bill provides for the repayment of amounts previously borrowed by government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) from the Department of the Treasury. GSEs are financial services corporations created by Congress and include the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Under an existing Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, net income from the GSEs is directed to Treasury as a dividend but is not counted toward repayment of the GSEs' debt. The bill requires this agreement to be modified such that: (1) the amounts previously borrowed by the GSEs from Treasury shall be treated as a loan, in accordance with specified terms; and (2) payments made under the agreement by the GSEs to Treasury, including payments made prior to the agreement's modification, shall be treated as payments of principal and interest under such loan.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2017
Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2017 This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to allow the reporting of certain positive consumer-credit information to consumer reporting agencies. Specifically, a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development may report information related to a consumer's performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a dwelling or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. However, information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications service may be reported only to the extent that the information relates to payment by the consumer for such service or other terms of the provision of that service. Furthermore, an energy-utility firm may not report a consumer's outstanding balance as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of that plan. Specified provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act that establish civil liability with respect to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies shall not apply to any violation of the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2017
Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act of 2017 This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to revise the objectives of the civilian nuclear energy research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs of the Department of Energy (DOE) to emphasize research infrastructure and private sector participation. By December 31, 2017, DOE shall determine the mission need for a versatile reactor-based fast neutron source, which shall operate as a national user facility. DOE shall carry out a program for enhancing the capability to develop new reactor technologies through high-performance computation modeling and simulation techniques. DOE shall also carry out a program to: (1) enable the testing and demonstration of reactor concepts proposed and funded by the private sector, and (2) leverage the technical expertise of relevant federal agencies and national laboratories to minimize the time required to enable construction and operation of privately funded experimental reactors at national laboratories or other DOE-owned sites. Within 1 year of this bill's enactment, DOE must submit to Congress 2 specified alternative 10-year budget plans for civilian nuclear energy research and development by the DOE.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. The Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 is amended to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. The bill establishes a transition period during which a percentage of employment-based second and third preference (EB-2 and EB-3) immigrant visas are reserved as follows: for FY2017, 15% of such visas are allotted to natives of countries other than the two countries with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2011; for FY2018, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2012; and for FY2019, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2015. During the transition period, not more than 25% of the total number of the reserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. For FY2015-FY2017, not more than 85% of the unreserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. Amendments made by this bill shall apply beginning in FY2017.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Veteran Suicide Prevention Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to complete a publicly available review of the deaths of all covered veterans who died by suicide during the preceding five-year period. Such review shall include: the total number of veterans who died by suicide during the five-year period; a summary that includes age, gender, and race; a list of the medications prescribed to, and found in the systems of, such veterans at the time of their deaths, and a summary of medical diagnoses by VA physicians which led to the prescribing of such medications; the number of instances in which the veteran was concurrently on multiple medications prescribed by VA physicians; the percentage of veterans who were not taking any medication prescribed by a VA physician; the percentage of veterans with combat experience or trauma; Veterans Health Administration facilities with markedly high prescription and patient suicide rates; a description of VA policies governing the prescribing of medications; and recommendations to improve the safety and well-being of veterans. "Covered veteran" means any veteran who received VA hospital care or medical services during the five-year period preceding the veteran's death.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Credit Union Residential Loan Parity Act This bill amends the Federal Credit Union Act to allow a credit union to extend a member business loan with respect to a one- to four-family dwelling, regardless of whether the dwelling is the member's primary residence. Under current law, a member business loan may be extended with respect to such a dwelling only if it is the member's primary residence.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
Email Privacy Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to revise provisions that limit an electronic communication service (ECS) or remote communication service (RCS) provider from disclosing the contents of a wire or electronic communication that is in electronic storage. Additionally, it revises the standards for the government to compel an ECS or RCS provider to disclose contents of a wire or electronic communication or noncontent records or information pertaining to a subscriber or customer. An ECS or RCS provider may notify a subscriber or customer of the receipt of a warrant, court order, subpoena, or request, unless the government obtains an order for delayed notification. The bill revises the process for obtaining a delayed notification order and lengthens the maximum duration of a delayed notification order.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
Presidential Conflicts of Interest Act of 2017 This bill requires the President and Vice President to submit to Congress and the Office of Government Ethics a disclosure of financial interests. Among the contents of such disclosure, the President and Vice President shall: (1) include a detailed description of each financial interest of the President and Vice President, the spouse of the President and Vice President, or a minor child of the President and Vice President; and (2) include the tax returns filed by or on behalf of the President and Vice President for the three most recent taxable years. The President, the Vice President, the spouse of the President or Vice President, and any minor child of the President or Vice President must divest any financial interest posing a potential conflict of interest by transferring such interest to a qualified blind trust. Within a reasonable period of time after such financial interest is transferred to a qualified blind trust, the trustee of such trust shall: (1) sell the financial interest; and (2) use the proceeds from the sale of the financial interest to purchase conflict-free holdings. The Office of Government Ethics shall submit to Congress, the President, and the Vice President an annual report regarding the financial interests of such officials, their spouses, and any of their minor children. The Attorney General, the attorney general of any state, or any person aggrieved by a violation of divestiture requirements posing a potential conflict of interest may seek declaratory or injunctive relief if: (1) the Office of Government Ethics is unable to issue a report indicating whether the President or Vice President is in substantial compliance with such divestiture requirements; or (2) there is probable cause to believe the President or the Vice President has not complied with such requirements. The bill amends the federal criminal code to require the recusal of presidential appointees from decisions affecting the financial holdings of a President or the spouse of a President. Prohibitions pertaining to contracts entered into by Members of Congress are extended to contracts by the President or Vice President. The bill amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require the disclosure of tax returns by the incumbent President and presidential nominees of a major political party for the three most recent taxable years. The bill declares the sense of Congress that a violation of the divestiture requirements of this bill or the Ethics in Government in Government Act of 1978 by the President or the Vice President would constitute a high crime or misdemeanor.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
Shareholder Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require shareholder authorization with respect to certain political expenditures by an issuer. A violation of this requirement shall be considered a breach of fiduciary duty, and the officers and directors who authorized the expenditure shall be subject to joint and several liability. The Securities and Exchange Commission must direct the national securities exchanges and associations to prohibit the listing of any equity security of an issuer whose corporate bylaws do not require a board vote with respect to political expenditures in excess of $50,000. An issuer must, within 48 hours, make publicly available the individual votes of each board member with respect to such expenditures. The bill establishes various reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Protecting Our Democracy Act This bill establishes in the legislative branch the National Commission on Foreign Interference in the 2016 Election to examine any attempts or activities by the Russian government or other governments, persons or entities associated with such governments, or persons or entities within Russia to use electronic means to influence, interfere with, or sow distrust in elections for public office held in the United States in 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Condemns the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China, because it: (1) is a spectacle of extreme animal cruelty, (2) is a commercial activity not grounded in Chinese history, (3) is opposed by a majority of the Chinese people, and (4) threatens global public health. Urges: the government of China and the Yulin authorities to ban the killing and eating of dogs as part of Yulin's festival and to enforce China's food safety laws regulating the processing and sale of animal products and the 2011 Agriculture Ministry of China Regulation on the Quarantine of Dogs at the Place of Origin requiring one certificate for one dog on trans-provincial transport trucks, and the National People's Congress of China to enact an animal anticruelty law that bans the dog meat trade. Affirms the commitment of the United States to the protection of animals and to the progress of animal protection.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
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 · 5 January 2017
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017 This bill includes as part of the Republic of Vietnam its territorial seas for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Presidential Tax Transparency Act This bill amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require the President and certain candidates for President to disclose federal income tax returns for the three most recent taxable years in reports filed with either the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) or the Federal Election Commission (FEC), in the case of a candidate. The OGE or the FEC must make the disclosed tax returns publicly available after making appropriate redactions. If the income tax returns are not disclosed as required by this bill, the OGE or the FEC must request the returns from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the IRS, upon receiving a written request from the FEC or the OGE, to provide any income tax return that is required to be disclosed under this bill. The bill also establishes civil and criminal penalties for failing to file or falsifying income tax returns that are required to be disclosed pursuant to this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Victims of Agent Orange Relief Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of State shall provide assistance: (1) to address the health care needs of covered individuals, (2) to institutions in Vietnam that provide health care to such individuals, (3) to repair and rebuild substandard homes in Vietnam for covered individuals and their families, and (4) to remediate geographic areas of Vietnam that contain high levels of Agent Orange. A "covered individual" is defined as an individual who is a Vietnam resident and who: (1) is affected by health issues related to Agent Orange exposure which took place between January 1, 1961, and May 7, 1975; (2) lives or had lived in or near geographic areas in Vietnam that continue to contain high levels of Agent Orange; or (3) is the child or descendant of such an individual and is affected by such health issues. State and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall provide assistance to support research relating to health issues of individuals affected by Agent Orange. The Department of Health and Human Services shall: (1) make grants to appropriate public health organizations and Vietnamese-American organizations to conduct a broad health assessment of Vietnamese-Americans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange and their children or descendants; and (2) establish centers in U.S. locations where large populations of Vietnamese-Americans reside to provide assessment, counseling, and treatment for conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. The bill amends veterans benefits provisions to provide benefits to the children of male (currently only female) Vietnam veterans who are affected by certain birth defects. The VA shall require any health care provider with whom the VA enters into a contract for the provision of health care to such children to provide the VA access to the medical records of such children for research into the intergenerational effects of Agent Orange exposure.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Futures Investor Protection Act This bill establishes the Futures Investor Protection Corporation (FIPC) as a nonprofit membership corporation for all futures commission merchants registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In general, the FIPC's powers and duties shall mirror those of the Security Investors Protection Corporation (the nonprofit membership corporation for registered broker-dealers). In addition, the bill amends the Commodity Exchange Act to establish suitability rules with respect to recommendations by a futures commission merchant to a customer. The CFTC must review certain guidelines regarding proof of claims, as specified by the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Peace Corps Stamp Act This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue a Peace Corps Semipostal Stamp for 10 years to afford the public with a convenient way to help fund the Peace Corps' Global Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
This bill revises mandatory retirement requirements for members of the U.S. Capitol Police under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Capitol Police Board, at a member's request, shall exempt the individual from automatic separation requirements until he or she becomes age 60, if the member: (1) undergoes a physical examination during the six-month period ending on the day the member turns age 57, and (2) on the basis of the examination meets appropriate physical fitness criteria. (Currently, the Board, when in its judgement the public interest so requires, may exempt such a member from automatic separation until that member becomes 60 years of age.)
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
This bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reduce from $2,000 to $1,000 the maximum contribution that may be made to candidates for federal office for elections occurring after 2018. An increase to this reduced contribution level, based on increases in the price index, must be made in calendar years after 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Nothing Off Balance Sheet Act of 2017 This bill directs the Securities and Exchange Commission, in establishing accounting principles or standards under the securities laws, to require any person subject to those principles or standards to show all transactions on the person's balance sheet.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Keep Repos to Maturity on Balance Sheet Act of 2017 This bill requires the Securities and Exchange Commission, in establishing accounting principles or standards for purposes of the securities laws, to require that a repurchase-to-maturity transaction be treated as a secured borrowing in which the transferred asset serves as collateral. A "repurchase-to-maturity transaction" is one in which: (1) a financial asset is transferred in exchange for cash, other financial assets, or letters of credit; and (2) the transferor and transferee agree that the transferee may return or redeem the transferred asset upon the asset's maturity.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all businesses and residential customers.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Declares that a viable and sustainable two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Calls for the United States to continue to: support a durable and sustainable two-state solution; oppose, and if necessary, veto future United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel; and work with Israelis and Palestinians to create the conditions for successful final-status peace negotiations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Safe Freight Act of 2017 This bill prohibits the operation of a freight train or light locomotive engine used in the movement of freight unless it has a crew of at least two individuals, one of whom is certified by the Federal Railroad Administration as a locomotive operator and the other as a train conductor.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Summer Meals Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to redefine "areas in which poor economic conditions exist," where the summer food service program for children may operate, as areas in which at least 40% (currently, 50%) of the children have been determined to be eligible for free or reduced price school meals under the school lunch and breakfast programs. The bill reimburses service institutions (other than school food authorities) for up to one meal and one snack per child each day during after-school hours, weekends, and school holidays during the regular school calendar. (Currently, such institutions are reimbursed for meals and snacks served to children over the summer months or to children who are on vacation under a continuous school calendar.) The Department of Agriculture may award competitive grants to service institutions to increase participation in the summer food service program for children at congregate feeding sites through innovative approaches to limited transportation and mobile meal trucks. Service institutions that are participating in the summer food service program for children may serve up to three meals, or two meals and one snack, during each day of operation. (Currently, this option is reserved for camps and service institutions that serve meals primarily to migrant children.)
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Safeguard American Food Exports Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem equine (horses and other members of the equidae family) parts to be an unsafe food additive or animal drug. The bill prohibits the knowing sale or transport of equines or equine parts for human consumption.
![Official portrait of Rep. Capuano, Michael E. [D-MA-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001037_200.jpg)