United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2017
Stop the Asian Carp Now Act of 2017 This bill directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release for public comment the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study - Brandon Road interim report that was scheduled for release on February 27, 2017. (The interim report is a feasibility study that assesses the viability of establishing a single point to control the upstream transfer of aquatic nuisance species from the Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes Basin in the vicinity of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, Illinois.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
This bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require the Congressional Budget Office, upon receiving a request from Congress, to determine if legislation would reduce spending outside of the 10-year budget window through the use of preventive health and preventive health services.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act This bill expands the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to act as the lead agency for the purpose of coordinating all applicable federal authorizations and environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) with respect to authorizing a natural gas pipeline project under the Natural Gas Act. Federal, state, and local agencies involved in the environmental review process must defer to FERC's approved scope for a NEPA review. FERC must invite and designate the other participating agencies involved in the authorization process. A federal, state, or local agency may not participate if it informs FERC that it does not have the necessary authority or expertise, or does not intend to submit comments. An agency that is not designated may not conduct an environmental review unless it is legally required to do so and the agency requires information that FERC could not obtain through its NEPA review. The bill establishes a 90 day deadline to complete an authorization application for other authorizing agencies and requires concurrent reviews when multiple agencies are involved in the authorization process. If a federal or state agency considering an aspect of an application for authorization requires the person applying for such authorization to submit data, the agency must consider any such data gathered by aerial or other remote means that the person submits. FERC must track and publicly display on its website specific information related to the actions required to complete an authorization.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
Regulatory Certainty Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to limit the period during which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may prohibit the specification, or restrict the use, of an area as a disposal site for discharges of dredged or fill materials into waters of the United States to the period that: begins on the date that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides notice to the EPA that the Corps of Engineers has completed all procedures for processing an application for a permit for dredged or fill material and is ready to determine whether the permit should be issued, and ends on the date that the Corps of Engineers issues the permit. The Corps of Engineers must ensure that the period consists of at least 30 consecutive days. The Corps of Engineers may issue a permit for dredged or fill material only after the Corps of Engineers provides notice to the EPA.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2017
Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to expand the circumstances under which a drug may be compounded (manufactured at small scale) to allow pharmacists and physicians to compound drugs for administration to patients in an office or clinical setting, in accordance with state law. (Drugs that are compounded do not need to meet certain federal requirements regarding manufacturing, labeling, or approval.) Dietary supplements may be used in the compounding of a drug. The bill exempts from interstate distribution limits the dispensing of a compounded drug from the facility where it is compounded to a patient or health facility. The scope of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections of compounding pharmacies is limited to pertinent equipment, materials, containers, and labeling, which is the same scope as inspections of pharmacies. (Currently, the scope of inspections of compounding pharmacies is the same scope as inspections of drug manufacturers.) The bill eliminates the requirement for compounding pharmacies to register with the FDA as drug manufacturers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Stop the Importation and Trafficking of Synthetic Analogues Act of 2017 or the SITSA Act This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to establish a new, sixth schedule of controlled substances—schedule A. A drug or substance in schedule A has a chemical structure that is similar to, and an effect on the body that is similar to or greater than, a controlled substance in schedule I, II, III, IV, or V. The bill adds 13 synthetic fentanyl-related substances to schedule A. It also authorizes, and establishes procedures for, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to temporarily and permanently place a drug or substance in schedule A. The bill establishes criminal penalties for an individual who imports, exports, manufactures, distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute a schedule A substance. However, it explicitly prohibits criminal and civil penalties solely for possession of a schedule A controlled substance. The bill makes it unlawful to import, export, manufacture, distribute, dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a schedule A substance that is not clearly labeled. Finally, it establishes new, separate DEA registration requirements for manufacturers, distributors, and importers and exporters of schedule A substances.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow energy tax credits through 2021 for investments in: (1) qualified biogas property, or (2) qualified manure resource recovery property. The bill also permits new clean renewable energy bonds to be used for such properties. "Qualified biogas property" comprises a system that: (1) uses anaerobic digesters or other specified processes to convert biomass into a gas which is at least 52% methane, and (2) captures the gas for use as a fuel. The term includes property that cleans and conditions the gas for use as a fuel. "Qualified manure resource recovery property" comprises a system that uses specified processes to recover the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from a non-treated digestate or animal manure by reducing or separating at least 50% of the nutrients, excluding any reductions during the incineration, storage, composting, or field application of the non-treated digestate or animal manure. The term also includes certain processing equipment. The Department of the Treasury must enter into an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a study of biogas and report to Congress on the study.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2017 This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl in recognition of his acts of valor during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Horseracing Integrity Act of 2017 This bill establishes the Horseracing Anti-Doping and Medication Control Authority as an independent non-profit corporation with responsibility for developing and administering an anti-doping and medication control program for: (1) Thoroughbred, Quarter, and Standardbred horses that participate in horse races that have a substantial relation to interstate commerce, (2) such horse races, and (3) the personnel engaged in the care, training, or racing of such horses. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all horse racing anti-doping and medication control matters. The Authority and such FTC jurisdiction shall terminate if an interstate compact providing for services consistent with such program is established within five years after the program takes effect. The Authority may enter into agreements with state racing commissions to implement the program within their jurisdictions. Program elements shall include: anti-doping and medication control rules, lists of permitted and prohibited substances and methods, a prohibition on the administration of any such substance within 24 hours of a horse's next racing start, and testing and laboratory standards. The Authority shall: develop, maintain, and publish such lists; establish a list of anti-doping and medication control rule violations applicable to either covered horses or persons; establish standards and the process for laboratory accreditation and sample testing; and promulgate rules for anti-doping and medication control results management, for the disciplinary process for violation results management, and for imposing sanctions for violations. The bill sets forth civil enforcement provisions. Activities under this bill are funded by an assessment placed on state racing commissions based on the calculation of cost per racing starter.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Lawful Purpose and Self Defense Act This bill modifies the definition of "armor piercing ammunition" for purposes of federal firearms provisions to: (1) include a projectile that is designed and intended by the manufacturer or importer for use in a handgun; (2) exclude a projectile that is primarily intended by the manufacturer or importer to be used in a rifle or shotgun and a handgun projectile that is designed for hunting, recreational, or competitive shooting. This bill repeals a prohibition on assembling from imported parts a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun that is identical to one prohibited from importation as not being suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. This bill repeals the condition that the Attorney General must approve, as suitable for sporting purposes, the shipment of firearms or ammunition to members of the Armed Forces. The following categories of firearms or ammunition may be authorized for importation into the United States by the Attorney General: (1) ammunition that is not armor piercing; (2) a firearm or ammunition that is being brought in for the use of a federal, state, or local government agency; and (3) a firearm or ammunition that is being imported for the purpose of exportation. The definition of "destructive device" for purposes of federal firearms provisions excludes: (1) a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Department of the Treasury finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for lawful purposes, and (2) an antique or a rifle which the owner intends to use for sporting purposes. The bill authorizes certain temporary interstate transfers of firearms for lawful purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) specialty crops (fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture) are a vital part of agriculture in the United States, and (2) Congress should pass legislation funding programs that support specialty crops.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2017
Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 201 7 This bill provides for the incremental expansion of telehealth coverage under the Medicare program. Specifically, the bill expands the lists of: qualified telehealth originating and distant sites; qualified telehealth providers; and covered telehealth services. Additionally, the bill provides for coverage of remote patient-monitoring services for chronic health conditions. The bill also allows for a patient-specific waiver process of the required monthly face-to-face visit between an individual with end-stage renal disease and a qualified professional.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2017
Patient Safety and Toxicology Modernization Act of 2017 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration to issue and periodically update guidance on: (1) novel tools for testing the toxicology and efficacy of medications, and (2) three-dimensional human tissue models.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2017
American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative coins in recognition and celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Legion. Surcharges received from the sale of these coins shall be paid to the American Legion for costs related to promoting the importance of: (1) caring for those who have served, and those who are still serving, in the Armed Forces; and (2) maintaining patriotic values, strong families, and assistance for at-risk children.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2017
Empowering Law Enforcement to Fight Sex Trafficking Demand Act This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow grants under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program to be used for programs to combat human trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2017
Credit for Caring Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an eligible caregiver a new tax credit for 30% of the cost of long-term care expenses that exceed $2,000, up to $3,000 in a taxable year. The bill defines "eligible caregiver" as an individual who has earned income for the taxable year in excess of $7,500 and pays or incurs expenses for providing care to a spouse or other dependent relative with long-term care needs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2017
Federal Perkins Loan Program Extension Act of 2017 This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend the Federal Perkins Loans program through September 30, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2017
Volunteer Organization Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 to expand liability protections to volunteer nonprofit organizations for harm caused by an act or omission of a volunteer on behalf of the organization. The bill prohibits such liability protections from applying if the organization: (1) would be liable under laws governing the direct or vicarious liability of organizations, and (2) expressly authorized the specific conduct constituting the act or omission. The bill bars such an organization from liability for harm caused by the organization, or a volunteer acting on its behalf, if the act or omission was at the request of, or pursuant to an authorization by, a state, the United States, or another governmental subdivision, provided that: (1) the requesting or authorizing governmental entity would have been immune either from suit or from liability in damages if it had engaged in the acts or omissions itself or through employees or independent contractors; or (2) the governmental employee, agent, or contractor would have been immune either from suit or from liability in damages by virtue of immunity extended to individual governmental actors. The bill prohibits punitive damages from being awarded against a volunteer nonprofit organization for the actions of a volunteer within the scope of the volunteer's responsibilities to the organization unless the claimant establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the organization itself expressly authorized the volunteer's action with a conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2017
Facilitating Investments in Local Markets Act of 2017 or the FILM Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2018 provisions that allow the expensing of the costs of qualified film, television, and live theatrical productions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2017
Anti-Lunch Shaming Act of 2017 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish requirements for the treatment of a child who is a student at a school participating in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program and is unable to pay for a meal at the school. The bill applies to a child who either does not have funds to pay for a meal or has outstanding credit that was extended by a school food authority (SFA). A SFA may not permit public identification or stigmatization of the child, such as by requiring a wristband or hand stamp. The child also may not be required to: (1) perform chores or activities that are not required of students generally, or (2) dispose of food after it has been served to the child. Any communication related to outstanding credit must be directed to the child's parent or guardian. A child may be required to deliver a letter regarding outstanding credit that is addressed to a parent or guardian if the letter is not distributed to the child in a manner that stigmatizes the child. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress regarding several issues regarding the administration of the school meal programs.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2017
Chinese American World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the Chinese American Veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. The medal shall be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution, which is urged to make the medal available for display at other locations associated with such veterans or with World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith in recognition of their contributions to the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2017 or the PAWS Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year pilot program under which it provides grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after completing other evidence-based treatment. An organization that receives a grant shall provide for each participating service dog and veteran: coverage by a commercially available veterinary health insurance policy, hardware clinically determined to be required by the dog to perform the tasks necessary to assist the veteran, payments for travel expenses to obtain the dog, and travel expenses required to obtain a replacement service dog. To be eligible for a grant, an organization must: (1) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount to guarantee such benefits, (2) be certified by Assistance Dogs International, (3) provide one-on-one training for each service dog and recipient for 30 hours or more over 90 days or more, and (4) provide an in-house residential facility or other accommodations nearby in which service dog recipients stay for a minimum of 10 days while receiving at least 30 hours of training. The VA shall develop metrics to measure the improvement in psychosocial function and therapeutic compliance and changes independence on prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication of veterans participating in the program. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on the methodology used for the pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Food and Drug Administration Safety Over Sequestration Act of 201 7 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 · 2 May 2017
This bill authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), upon request, to extend for up to eight years the time period during which construction must commence on the Cannonsville Hydroelectric Project located on the West Branch of the Delaware River in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. (The City of New York was granted a construction license for the Cannonsville Hydroelectric Project on May 13, 2014.) Additionally, FERC may reinstate the construction license if it is expired.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2017
School-Based Respiratory Health Management Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to revise the conditions under which the Department of Health and Human Services, in making asthma-related grants, gives preference to a state. A preference is given to states that require elementary and secondary schools to have: (1) on the premises during operating hours at least one individual trained in the administration of rescue medications for allergies and reversible lower airway disorders, and (2) an allergies and reversible lower airway disorders management program. Currently, this preference is given to states that require schools to have on the premises an individual trained in the administration of epinephrine to a student having a severe allergic reaction. To be eligible for this preference, a state must have civil liability protections for trained individuals who administer rescue medications for allergies and reversible lower airway disorders.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2017
Main Street Revival Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a specified small business to pay its first-year employment taxes in four equal installments. The bill defines "specified small business" as any HUBZone business (a business operating in a historically underutilized business zone as defined by the Small Business Act) that is not reasonably expected to employ more than 25 full-time employees in its first year of operation.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2017
Supports: (1) the designation of National Small Business Week, (2) efforts to encourage consumers to shop locally, and (3) efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of locally owned small business on the U.S. economy. Honors the vital role of small business and entrepreneurs in the United States during such week. Recognizes: (1) the important role of the Small Business Administration as a valuable resource for the U.S. entrepreneur, (2) the importance of creating policies that promote a business friendly environment for small business owners free of unnecessary regulations, and (3) the National Small Business Person of the Year and the National Lender of the Year. Encourages young entrepreneurs to pursue their passions and create more start-up businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2017
Flags of Convenience Don't Fly Here Act This bill bars the Department of Transportation (DOT) from issuing a foreign air carrier permit or an exemption from certain air carrier certificate requirements to a person to provide foreign air transportation under the United States-European Union Air Transport Agreement of April, 2007, in a proceeding in which the applicability of Article 17 bis of such Agreement has been raised by an interested person, unless DOT: finds that issuing the permit or exemption would be consistent with the intent set forth in Article 17 bis of the agreement, that opportunities created by the agreement do not undermine labor standards or the labor-related rights and principles contained in the laws of the respective parties to the agreement; and imposes conditions on the permit or exemption necessary to ensure that the person complies with the intent of Article 17 bis . In carrying out such air carrier certificate requirements, DOT shall consider preventing entry of flag of convenience carriers into U.S. markets as being in the public interest and consistent with public convenience and necessity for safety in air transportation and air commerce. In formulating U.S. international air transportation policy, the Department of State and DOT shall develop a negotiating policy emphasizing the greatest degree of competition for a well-functioning air transportation system that eliminates specified discriminatory and unfair competitive practices faced by U.S. airlines in foreign air transportation, to include erosion of labor standards associated with flag of convenience carriers. A "flag of convenience carrier" is defined as a foreign air carrier that is established in a country other than the home country of its majority owner or owners in order to avoid the home country's regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Civil Rights Legacy of Medgar Wiley Evers 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 presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Myrlie Evers-Williams in recognition of the contributions and sacrifice that she and her husband, assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers, made in the fight for racial equality in the United States. Following its award, the medal shall be given to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, where it is to be available for display or for temporary loan to be displayed elsewhere.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2017
Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the accelerated depreciation (seven-year recovery period) of motorsports entertainment complexes.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Condemns hate crimes and any other form of racism, religious or ethnic bias, discrimination, incitement to violence, or animus targeting a minority in the United States. Affirms that the United States stands united in condemning hate and evil in all forms. Rejects hate-motivated crime as an attack on the fabric of society and the ideals of pluralism and respect. Calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to: (1) expeditiously investigate all credible reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against minorities in the United States, and (2) bring the perpetrators to justice. Encourages: (1) the Department of Justice and other federal agencies to work to improve the reporting of hate crimes and to emphasize the importance of the agencies' collection and reporting of data pursuant to federal law, and (2) the development of an interagency task force to collaborate on the development of effective strategies and efforts to detect and deter hate crime in order to protect minority communities. Calls on the executive branch to: (1) offer federal assistance that may be available for victims of hate crimes; and (2) enhance security measures and improve preparedness for religious institutions, places of worship, and other institutions that have been targeted because of their affiliation with any particular religious, racial, or ethnic minority in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Strengthen Employment And Seasonal Opportunities Now (SEASON) Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide, effective as if enacted on January 1, 2017, that a returning H-2B visa alien (temporary nonagricultural worker) who has already been counted toward the applicable numerical limitation during a fiscal year: (1) shall not again be counted toward such limitation during each succeeding consecutive fiscal year in which the alien is issued an H-2B visa or otherwise provided such status, but (2) shall be considered a returning worker. "Other temporary service or labor" for H-2B purposes means that an employer's need for labor will not exceed 1 year and is a seasonal (not to exceed 10 months), peak load, or intermittent need, unless it is a one-time occurrence not exceeding 3 years. An H-2B employer shall file an employee petition with the Department of Homeland Security. Additional filings with the Department of Labor are not required. H-2B employer requirements are set forth regarding: (1) petitions, (2) admissions and maximum stay in status, (3) housing, (4) enforcement, (5) transportation, (6) recruitment, (7) U.S. worker protections, and (8) wages. An H-2B worker shall not be entitled to: (1) tax credit assistance for a qualified health plan, and shall be subject to plan rules applicable to individuals not lawfully present in the United States; (2) the child tax credit; and (3) the earned income tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Kids Before Cons Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to limit waiver authority of the Department of Education (ED) under the Experimental Sites Initiative. Specifically, it prohibits ED from waiving statutory provisions that ban Pell Grant eligibility and federal financial aid for incarcerated students (e.g., as part of an experimental initiative to allow incarcerated students to receive Pell Grants for postsecondary education opportunities). The legislation also prohibits ED from awarding funds to an institution of higher education for providing such postsecondary education to incarcerated individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude services rendered by bona-fide volunteers providing firefighting and prevention services, emergency medical services, or ambulance services to a state or local government or a tax-exempt charitable organization from the category of services usually rendered by an employee of an applicable large employer subject to the mandate to provide minimum essential health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), thus exempting such employers from PPACA requirements with respect to such volunteers. The bill defines "bona fide volunteer" as an employee of any government entity and any tax-exempt charitable organization whose only compensation is in the form of: (1) reimbursement for (or reasonable allowance for) reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of volunteer services, or (2) reasonable benefits (including length-of-service awards) and nominal fees customarily paid by similar entities for the services of volunteers.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee Act This bill amends the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act to establish the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee to advise the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture on wildlife and habitat conservation, hunting, and recreational shooting. The advisory committee must advise the departments on policies or programs related to: implementing Executive Order No. 13443: Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation; conserving and restoring wetlands, agricultural lands, grasslands, forest, and rangeland habitats; promoting opportunities for and access to hunting and shooting sports on federal lands; recruiting and retaining new hunters and shooters; increasing public awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation and the benefits of recreational hunting and shooting; and encouraging coordination among the public, the hunting and shooting sports community, wildlife conservation groups, states, tribes, and the federal government. The bill also specifies requirements for membership, meetings, pay and expenses, administrative support, and annual reports to Congress. The advisory committee is exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The bill abolishes the existing Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council, effective on the date of the first meeting of the advisory committee established by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017 This bill permanently extends the Medicare-Dependent Hospital program (which provides increased payments to certain smaller, rural hospitals that serve a proportionally high number of Medicare patients) and the program for increased payments under Medicare for low-volume hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2017 This bill allows coverage, under Medicare, of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity furnished by providers other than primary care physicians and practitioners. Additionally, it allows coverage under Medicare's prescription drug benefit of drugs used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss management for individuals who are overweight.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Families of Fallen Servicemembers First Act This bill provides a permanent appropriation for the payment of death gratuities and related benefits to survivors of deceased members of the uniformed services during a period of lapsed appropriations. The bill provides the appropriations at the rate and under the conditions provided for the most recent fiscal year for which an Act making appropriations for the uniformed services has been enacted. The appropriations are provided during a period of lapsed appropriations, in which appropriations are unavailable due to the absence of the timely enactment of an Act or joint resolution providing appropriations or continuing appropriations for the death gratuity and related benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2017 This bill 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. This protection from liability does not apply if: (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 · 4 April 2017
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2017 This bill prohibits the federal government, and any state or local government that receives federal funding for any program that provides child welfare services under part B (Child and Family Services) or part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct), from discriminating or taking an adverse action against a child welfare service provider that declines to provide, facilitate, or refer for a child welfare service that conflicts with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. The bill bars such prohibition from applying to SSAct requirements that forbid state entities from denying or delaying adoption or foster care placements on the basis of an adoptive parent's or a child's race, color, or national origin. The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold 15% of the federal funds that a state or local government receives for such programs if the state or local government violates this bill. An aggrieved child welfare service provider may assert such an adverse action violation as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and to obtain all appropriate relief (including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs).
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Property Tax Reduction Act of 2017 This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to reduce federal Medicaid funding for certain states that require political subdivisions to contribute funds towards medical assistance. Specifically, the bill applies to states that received, for FY2016, disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments greater than six times the national average. (DSHs are hospitals that receive additional payment under Medicaid for treating a large share of low-income patients.) Excepted from the bill are contributions that: (1) are required from a political subdivision that has a population greater than 5 million and imposes a local income tax upon its residents, or (2) were required for administrative expenses as of January 1, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
ABLE Financial Planning Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax-free rollovers of amounts in qualified tuition programs (529 plans) to qualified ABLE programs. (Tax-favored ABLE [Achieving a Better Life Experience] accounts are designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for disability-related expenses.)
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
ABLE to Work Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt savings accounts for persons with a disability), to allow: (1) an ABLE account beneficiary to make additional contributions to an ABLE account equal to the lesser of such beneficiary's compensation or an amount equal to the federal poverty line for a one-person household, and (2) a retirement savings tax credit for contributions to an ABLE account.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2017
Larry Doby 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 presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2017 This bill allows Medicare payment for home health services ordered by a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, a certified nurse-midwife, or a physician assistant.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Big Cat Public Safety Act This bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit any person from breeding or possessing prohibited wildlife species (i.e., any live species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species). Breeding means facilitating propagation or reproduction (whether intentionally or negligently), or failing to prevent propagation or reproduction. The bill revises the list of entities that are exempt from Lacey Act prohibitions regarding those wildlife species to include: (1) certain entities that hold Class C licenses in good standing under the Animal Welfare Act, and (2) current owners of animals that were born before this bill's enactment if the animals are registered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those entities and owners may not allow direct contact between the public and the prohibited wildlife species. A person who knowingly violates the prohibition must be fined not more than $20,000, or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. The bill considers each violation to be a separate offense. The offense must be deemed to have been committed not only in the district where the violation first occurred, but also in any district in which the defendant may have taken or been in possession of the prohibited wildlife species. The bill extends forfeiture provisions to fish, wildlife, or plants that are bred or possessed.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2017 or the PAST Act This bill amends the Horse Protection Act to establish a new system for inspecting horses for soring, revise penalties for violations of the Act, and modify enforcement procedures. The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish requirements to license, train, assign, and oversee persons hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions to detect and diagnose sore horses. A license may not be issued to a person with conflicts of interest, and USDA must give preference to veterinarians. USDA may revoke a license for unsatisfactory performance. USDA must assign licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire the inspectors. An inspector must issue a citation for violations and notify USDA of violations. USDA must publish information on violations of this bill and disqualify a horse that is sore. The bill prohibits a person in any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction from causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning the horse. The bill prohibits the use of specified devices on a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse at a show, exhibition, sale, or auction. The bill increases the maximum criminal and civil liability penalties for certain violations. USDA may disqualify violators from specified activities related to horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act This bill establishes a comprehensive women's history museum within the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, to provide for: (1) the collection, study, and establishment of programs related to women's contributions that have influenced the direction of the United States; (2) collaboration with other Smithsonian museums and facilities, outside museums, and educational institutions; and (3) the creation of exhibitions and programs that recognize diverse perspectives on women's history and contributions. The bill establishes a council within the Smithsonian Institution to: (1) make recommendations to the Smithsonian's Board of Regents for the construction of the museum; (2) advise and assist the board on the administration and preservation of the museum; (3) recommend annual operating budgets for the museum; and (4) report annually to the board on the acquisition, disposition, and display of objects related to women's art, history, and culture. The council shall have sole authority to: (1) acquire artifacts for the museum's collections, (2) dispose of any part of the collections but only if funds generated are used for additions to the collections, (3) specify criteria for the use of the museum's collections and resources, and (4) preserve and maintain the collections. The museum's director may carry out educational and liaison programs in support of its goals.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2017
This bill revises provisions concerning military technicians (dual status), including by: (1) transferring authority to issue regulations regarding the employment, use, and status of such technicians from the Departments of the Army and the Air Force to the Department of Defense (DOD); and (2) requiring that such individuals be outside the competitive service and be appointed and administered by an adjutant general. An individual who becomes employed as such a technician while already a member of a reserve component of the armed forces shall not have to repay any enlistment, reenlistment, or affiliation bonus provided before such employment. The bill: (1) makes such technicians eligible for TRICARE, and (2) sets forth FY2018 end strengths for the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 is amended to reduce from 20% to 4.8% the percentage of technician positions filled in administration, clerical, finance, and office service occupations as of October 1, 2017, that DOD must convert to civilian positions. A governor or the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard may order a member of the National Guard to perform active Guard and Reserve duty in support of state missions. The bill modifies personnel management authorities of the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, including by requiring adjutants general to exercise the Chief's authority to employ, administer, and assign certain persons within their jurisdictions.
![Official portrait of Rep. Collins, Chris [R-NY-27]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001092_200.jpg)