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![Official portrait of Rep. Farr, Sam [D-CA-20]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/f000030_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
4,851 records where Rep. Farr, Sam [D-CA-20] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Vietnam Helicopter Crew Memorial Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to place in Arlington National Cemetery a memorial honoring helicopter pilots and crew members who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam era.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Expresses condolences for the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes. Declares that the House of Representatives: confirms its dedication to the rights and dignity of all citizens; denounces the increase of hate speech and hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim; and recognizes the positive contributions made by the U.S. Muslim community to U.S. society. Declares that the civil rights and liberties of all U.S. citizens, including Muslims in the United States, should be protected. Urges law enforcement authorities to work to prevent hate crimes and to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes. Reaffirms the inalienable rights of every citizen to live without fear and intimidation and to practice freedom of faith.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Castner Range National Monument Act This bill establishes the Castner Range National Monument in Texas. The Department of the Interior shall continue to provide historical and adequate access to private inholdings within the Monument's exterior boundaries. Interior shall: manage the Monument in a manner to conserve, protect, and enhance its natural resources and values; and develop a comprehensive management plan for the Monument's protection and management. Interior shall also establish a Castner Range National Monument Advisory Council to advise Interior with respect to the preparation and implementation of the management plan.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Assault Weapons Ban of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is: (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; or (4) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. Additionally, the bill does not prohibit, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The legislation amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to require law enforcement agencies to be notified when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a grandfathered SAW. It also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Recognizes the importance of the negotiations between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Commends Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who has demonstrated vision and leadership in seeking a negotiated settlement to end the conflict and lay the foundations for a sustainable peace. Calls on the negotiating parties to address the demands of victims of violence for truth, justice, meaningful reparations, and guarantees that the past violence will not be repeated. Urges President Barack Obama and his Administration to support these negotiations and to develop plans to support the Colombian people in building a just and lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2015
This bill amends: (1) the Department of Energy Organization Act to revise the definition of "minority" to mean any U.S. citizen who is an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Native American, or Alaska Native; and (2) the Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976 to revise the definition of "minority group members" (who own minority group enterprises) to mean U.S. citizens who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders, African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Alaska Natives.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Recognizes the 67th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the celebration of Human Rights Day. Supports the ideals of human rights and reaffirms the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Encourages all nations to continue working towards freedom, peace, and security which can be achieved only through democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
CLEANER Act of 2015 or the Closing Loopholes and Ending Arbitrary and Needless Evasion of Regulations Act of 2015 This bill amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to eliminate the exemption for waste derived from the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy from regulations governing the disposal of hazardous waste. Within a year of this bill's enactment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must: determine whether waste associated with oil, gas, or geothermal energy activities meet the criteria promulgated for the identification or listing of hazardous waste; identify or list as hazardous waste any of those wastes if they meet the identification or listing criteria; and promulgate regulations regarding standards applicable to generators, transporters, and owners and operators of facilities for the treatment, storage, or disposal of those wastes. The EPA may modify the regulation of those standards to consider the special characteristics of those wastes so long as the modified regulations protect human health and the environment. Within a year of this bill's enactment, the EPA must promulgate revisions of certain criteria concerning landfills and waste management practices of open dumping for facilities that may receive wastes that are: (1) associated with those activities, and (2) not identified or listed as hazardous waste. Those revisions must: protect human health and the environment, while allowing consideration of the practicable capability of such facilities; and require groundwater monitoring as necessary to detect contamination; establish criteria for the acceptable location of new or existing facilities; and provide for corrective action and financial assurance as appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Denounces the attacks on health care centers for women, providers of health care for women, and patients. Affirms that all women have the right to access reproductive health care services without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2015
Food Recovery Act of 2015 This bill amends the following to provide funding, expand tax deductions, and establish requirements to reduce food waste: the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act; the Internal Revenue Code; the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; the Solid Waste Disposal Act; and several agricultural laws. The bill expands and establishes federal grant and loan programs to: improve the nutritional health of children and raise awareness about food waste, improve cooperation between agricultural producers and emergency feeding organizations, assist schools in using food from farms that would otherwise go to waste and providing farms with compostable materials, and install facilities that include composting or anaerobic digesters that use food or crop waste to produce energy. Recipients of grants to install anaerobic digesters that use waste to produce energy must meet specified requirements regarding environmental laws and the distribution of certain food to hunger-serving organizations. USDA must: (1) establish an Office of Food Recovery to coordinate federal programs to measure and reduce food waste, and (2) study techniques for decreasing food waste and estimating the amount of food wasted by farms. The bill provides that composting is a conservation practice eligible for support under USDA's conservation programs. The bill extends and expands tax deductions for the donation of food to charitable organizations. "Sell-by" dates included on food labeling must indicate that the dates are only the manufacturer's suggestion and use uniform language. Companies that receive food service contracts with the federal government must donate surplus food to nonprofit organizations that assist food-insecure people.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Expresses support for: (1) equal rights and protections for all people, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; and (2) the designation of LGBT Equality Day. Acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure that people in the United States are free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2015
Declares that the House of Representatives shall: support the achievement of near zero greenhouse gas emissions nationally by January 1, 2050, through policies that shift the U.S. energy supply strategy from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and implement zero waste practices to end dependence on fossil fuels and to promote climate security, jobs, universal access to clean energy, national economic competitiveness, and national security; establish a national goal of deriving 50% of electricity from renewable sources by January 1, 2030; establish policies and programs to modernize the national infrastructure, transition toward full employment with new green jobs, and build a sustainable economy, focusing on historically unemployed or underemployed communities; provide educational and job training programs, transitional financial assistance, and job opportunities for displaced fossil fuel industry workers; provide retraining and re-employment opportunities in green jobs for military veterans; provide increased funding for educational, training, and job assistance programs for rural residents and for increased emergency preparation and assistance to rural communities damaged by the adverse impacts of climate change; help the people of the United States to establish resiliency to withstand the significant impacts of climate change; establish policies that capture and store carbon currently in the atmosphere by protecting forests and improving land and agricultural practices; support trade policies that maintain American labor and environmental standards; support tax incentives that promote the growth of green jobs; ensure universal access to clean energy for moderate- and low-income families; create policies or programs that result in net positive environmental and economic benefits in impacted communities, which shall receive at least 25% of revenues committed to or generated by the implementation of carbon reducing programs; phase out subsidies for fossil fuels; establish a national goal of doubling efficiency of existing buildings from 2015 levels by January 1, 2030; and support a policy to work with international organizations and other nations to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to set a goal to achieve near zero greenhouse gas emissions by January 1, 2050, through replacing fossil fuels with 100% renewable energy, conservation, and energy efficiency.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Condemns the November 12, 2015, terrorist attacks in Beirut, Lebanon, that resulted in the loss of at least 43 lives. Expresses condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed or injured in the attacks and expresses sympathies to those injured. Supports the government of Lebanon's efforts to bring to justice those involved in these terrorist attacks. Expresses readiness to continue assisting the Lebanese Armed Forces and people of Lebanon to respond to the growing terrorist threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and to provide continued support to refugee populations within Lebanon.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Flamethrowers? Really? Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to add flamethrowers to the list of items regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under the National Firearms Act. The bill prohibits the transfer, transportation, or possession of flamethrowers. Furthermore, current and retired law enforcement officers are prohibited from carrying the devices. The bill also provides enhanced penalties for using, carrying, or possessing a flamethrower during and in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Military and Veterans Education Protection Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require proprietary institutions of higher education to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than federal educational assistance, or risk becoming ineligible for title IV funding. Federal educational assistance includes title IV federal student aid and federal educational assistance for military personnel and veterans. Currently, this so-called 90/10 rule requires proprietary institutions to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV federal student aid, but it allows federal educational assistance for military personnel and veterans to count toward the 10%.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Trash Reduction Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require retailers to pay a $0.10 excise tax on each carryout bag provided to a consumer. A "carryout bag" means a bag of any material, commonly plastic or kraft paper, which is provided to a consumer at the point of sale to carry or cover purchases, merchandise, or other items. Reusable bags and certain other bags used for specified purposes are exempt from such tax. The bill allows retailers who establish a qualified plastic carryout bag recycling program a rebate for each recyclable bag used by the retailer. The bill establishes the Carryout Bag Trust Fund to hold tax revenues generated by this Act and directs the Department of the Treasury to make payments from such Trust Fund for the qualified plastic carryout bag recycling program and to the Land and Water Conservation Fund established by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965. The Government Accountability Office must study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of this Act in reducing the use of carryout bags and encouraging recycling of such bags.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
FAA Community Accountability Act of 2015 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in considering flight paths or procedures as part of the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, to limit negative impacts on the human environment near airports. The FAA may give preference to overlays of existing flight paths or procedures to ensure compatibility with land use. The FAA shall appoint an FAA Community Ombudsman for each of its regions to: act as a liaison with communities regarding problems related to the impact of commercial aviation on the human environment; monitor the impact of System implementation on communities near affected airports; make recommendations to address community concerns and improve the use of community comments in FAA decisionmaking; and report periodically on the impact of commercial aviation on the human environment and on FAA responsiveness to community concerns. The FAA, in implementing the System, may not treat the establishment or revision of a flight path or procedure as covered by a categorical exclusion if an Ombudsman or airport operator submits notification that: (1) extraordinary circumstances exist, or (2) the establishment or revision will have a significant adverse impact on the human environment near such airport. The FAA, before treating such establishment or revision as covered by a categorical exclusion, shall provide notice and an opportunity for comment to persons affected. The bill requires the FAA to: (1) reconsider a flight path or procedure established or revised after February 14, 2012, as part of the implementation of the System if an Ombudsman or airport operator submits written notification that the establishment or revision is resulting in a significant adverse impact on the human environment near the airport, (2) provide notice of such reconsideration and an opportunity for public comment, (3) assess the impacts on the human environment, and (4) report on comments received, assessment results, and changes to be made.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6531 Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys, California, as the "Marilyn Monroe Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
West Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Gun Violence Research Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to specifically include injuries from gun violence as a research subject for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nothing in the CDC's research authorization may be construed to authorize support for advocacy or promotion of gun control. The CDC must improve the National Violent Death Reporting System, particularly through the voluntary participation of additional states. Nothing in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may be construed to prohibit a health care provider from discussing guns or gun safety with a patient or reporting a patient's threat of violence.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires 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 the members of the Office of Strategic Services in recognition of their service and contributions during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument Act This bill establishes the Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument in Arizona. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to lands under their respective jurisdictions, shall manage the Monument to conserve, protect, and enhance its natural resources and values. Interior and USDA shall collaborate with the Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument Advisory Council (established by this Act) to develop a plan for the protection and management of the Monument.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Honors the historic role of Yitzhak Rabin for his service to the Israeli people and extends condolences to his family and the people of Israel on the twentieth anniversary of his death. Supports the close ties and special relationship between the United States and Israel. Supports community leaders and government officials who work to encourage Israeli-Palestinian coexistence and cooperation. Condemns all acts of terrorism. Reaffirms the commitment of the House of Representatives to building a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on two states for two peoples.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2015
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that a working families agenda is established to: raise the minimum wage, strengthen workers' right to organize, and protect workers from misclassification; provide workers with paid sick days, paid family leave, flexible and stable schedules, access to high-quality early learning opportunities, and affordable child care; and strengthen the law guaranteeing equal pay for equal work, ensure specified rights for pregnant workers, and ensure workers have explicit protections from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Declares the sense of the House furthermore that hearings and votes should be held on specified House bills, including H.R. 2150, the Raise the Wage Act, and H.R. 1439, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (FAMILY Act).
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015
Commemorates the life of Yitzhak Rabin and extends deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and the people of Israel on the 20th anniversary of Yitzhak Rabin's death. Supports the close ties and special relationship between the people and governments of the United States and Israel. Reaffirms the commitment of the House of Representatives to the process of building a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on two states for two peoples. Calls on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to quell the current outbreak of terrorism and violence, and to resume work toward a negotiated two-state solution.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015
Reducing Gun Violence in our Neighborhoods Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an additional tax of $100 on the sale of a firearm by a manufacturer, producer, or importer. Firearm purchases by federal, state, and local governments for law enforcement purposes are exempt from the additional tax. The bill establishes the Gun Violence Reduction and Mental Health Counseling Trust Fund at the Department of the Treasury. It transfers revenues from the additional tax into the trust fund to support the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. The Department of Justice (DOJ) must establish and newly manufactured firearms must meet a national standard for incorporating passive identification capability into all firearms sold in the United States. Passive identification capability means technology that: (1) enables identification by a mobile or fixed reading device, and (2) does not transmit an electronic monitoring or tracking signal. DOJ's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives must establish the National Database of Lost and Stolen Firearms. This bill amends the federal criminal code to require a gun owner to report a lost or stolen firearm to local law enforcement authorities within 48 hours of discovery. Local law enforcement authorities must transmit the report to the national database within seven days.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
This bill prohibits federal departments and agencies from including the Social Security account number of any individual on any document sent by mail unless the department or agency head determines that inclusion of that Social Security number on the document is necessary.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Student Loan Fair Prepayment Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require a student loan borrower's prepayment amount on a Federal Family Education Loan, Federal Direct Loan, or Federal Perkins Loan to be applied first toward outstanding fees and then, unless a borrower requests otherwise, in the following order: (1) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest interest rate, if multiple loans have different interest rates; and (2) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest balance, if multiple loans have the same interest rate. Additionally, it amends the Truth in Lending Act to require a borrower's prepayment amount on a private education loan to be applied first toward outstanding fees and then, unless a borrower requests otherwise, in the following order: (1) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest interest rate, if multiple loans have different interest rates; and (2) toward the principle due on the loan with the highest balance, if multiple loans have the same interest rate.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act This bill prohibits an executive agency from using the following terms in any rule, regulation, interpretation, publication, other document, display, or sign issued by the agency except to the extent that the term is used in quoting or reproducing text written by a source other than an officer or employee of the agency: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national, and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status. In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of various U.S. administrative bureaus and agencies, the term "foreign national" in federal law means any individual other than an individual who: (1) is a U.S. citizen; or (2) though not a U.S. citizen, owes permanent allegiance to the United States. Any reference in any federal statute, rule, regulation, executive order, publication, or other U.S. document to the term: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national is deemed to refer to the term "foreign national," and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status is deemed to refer to the term "undocumented foreign national." Conforming amendments are made to specified Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015
Seniors Deserve A Raise Act This bill requires cost-of-living increases in any benefit under title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act as well as military retirement and survivor benefits by any increase in the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly. In addition to any such increase, each such benefit shall be further increased by 2.9% on January 1, 2016, and shall remain in effect every year thereafter.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015
Offending Oil Polluters Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny any tax credit or deduction to an offending oil polluter. The bill defines "offending oil polluter" as any person who is responsible for a vessel or facility from which oil or a hazardous substance is discharged and any person who is a member of the same expanded affiliated group as the offending oil polluter. Specifically, the bill denies a tax benefit for any amount paid or incurred: (1) in connection with a discharge of oil or a hazardous substance, (2) for any attorney fees and court costs in connection with any legal action involving such discharge, (3) as a payment or restitution related to such discharge, and (4) for any costs or penalties required by federal law or certified in a settlement by a federal court. The bill requires the Department of the Treasury to conduct, and report on, an annual study to determine: (1) the revenue loss as a result of tax deductions allowed for cleaning up oil that is discharged after April 19, 2010, and (2) the amount of revenue savings resulting from this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015
Encourages the observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week. Acknowledges the importance of national wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution to local economies. Reaffirms the support of the House of Representatives for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Supports the designation of Earth Science Week. Expresses strong support for the goals and ideals of Earth Science Week and its aims to increase understanding of and interest in earth science at the local, state, national, and international levels. Recognizes the importance of education and public outreach efforts to ensure the U.S. public gains a better understanding and appreciation for the impact of the earth sciences on their daily lives. Encourages K-12 students to participate in local, state, and national events in connection with Earth Science Week and to get involved in the celebration by exploring artistic and academic applications of earth science.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Recognizes the celebration of Filipino American History Month as: a study of the advancement of Filipino Americans; and a time to renew efforts toward the research and examination of history and culture so as to provide an opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more about Filipino Americans, and to appreciate the historic contributions of Filipino Americans to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Establishes the House Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention to investigate and report on: the causes of mass shootings, methods to improve the federal firearms purchaser background check system, connections between access to firearms and dangerously mentally ill individuals, strengthening federal penalties for trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms, closing loopholes that allow some domestic abusers continued access to firearms, linkages between firearms and suicide, gun violence's effect on public health, the correlation between state gun violence prevention laws and the incidence of gun violence, the importance of having reliable and accurate information on gun violence and its toll on our nation, the implementation of effective gun violence prevention laws in accordance with the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and rates of gun violence in large metropolitan areas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2015 This bill directs the President to: establish a five-year strategy to achieve, with target countries and donors, the goal of ending preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths globally and ensure healthy and productive lives within a generation; and provide assistance to implement the strategy. The President shall designate a current U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employee serving in the Senior Executive Service or at the level of a Deputy Assistant Administrator or higher to serve concurrently as the Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator, who shall be responsible for: overseeing such strategy, and all U.S. government funds appropriated or used for international maternal and child health and nutrition programs. The U.S. government, through USAID and other relevant executive branch agencies, should identify and remove financial barriers to strengthen access to delivery systems for vulnerable and marginalized populations by leveraging public and private capital to expand delivery of interventions for maternal, newborn, and child health.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2015
This bill revises and reauthorizes the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act for 10 fiscal years after the bill's enactment. The bill adds requirements for the management of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, including requiring the U.S. Forest Service to: coordinate with the Environmental Protection Agency and state and local entities in managing the Basin; conduct forest management activities in the Basin in a manner that attains multiple ecosystem benefits, unless such activities would excessively increase the cost of any project; and establish and monitor post-program ground condition criteria for ground disturbance caused by forest management activities. The Forest Service may enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with government and other public and private entities to provide for fuel reduction, erosion control, reforestation, restoration, and similar activities in the Basin. The bill mandates priority programs in the Basin, including programs for fire risk reduction and forest management, invasive species management, and stormwater management. The bill requires relevant federal and state agencies, including the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and the states of California and Nevada, to develop and update an integrated multiagency assessment and monitoring plan to measure the effectiveness of the Agency's Environmental Improvement Program. The bill amends the Santini-Burton Act to authorize: (1) a donation from California to the Forest Service of lands administered by its agencies, and (2) a transfer from the Forest Service to Nevada of certain lands in the Basin.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2015
Cuba Agricultural Exports Act This bill amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to exempt from prohibitions against U.S. assistance to Cuba any exports under the market access program, the export credit guarantee program, and the foreign market development cooperator program, including any federal commodity promotion program obligations or expenditures of funds. This exemption shall not apply if the U.S. assistance recipient would be an entity controlled by the Cuban government, including the armed forces, the Ministry of the Interior, or any subdivision of either governmental entity. A person subject to U.S. jurisdiction may invest in the development of an agricultural business in Cuba if the Department of State and the Department of Agriculture jointly determine that the agricultural business: is not controlled by the government of Cuba, including the armed forces, the Ministry of the Interior, or any subdivision of either governmental entity; and does not traffic in property of persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction which was confiscated by Cuba on or after January 1, 1959. Certain language limiting financing of agricultural sales to Cuba is repealed.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Promoting Good Cyber Hygiene Act of 2015 This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish for the federal government, the private sector, and any individual or organization a list of voluntary best practices for effective and usable cyber hygiene to help protect information systems or devices against cybersecurity threats that include unauthorized access, alteration of information or code running on such systems or devices, and unauthorized denials of service. The Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with NIST and the Federal Trade Commission, must: (1) assess cybersecurity threats relating to mobile devices and the effect of such threats on the cybersecurity of the federal government's information systems and networks, and (2) submit recommendations for addressing such threats.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
California Minerals, Off-Road Recreation, and Conservation Act Specified off-highway vehicle recreation areas are designated or expanded in San Bernardino County, California. Certain wilderness areas in California are also designated or expanded, and specified study areas released from further study. The boundaries of Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve are revised. The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 is amended to revise the boundaries of Joshua Tree National Park and authorize a visitor center. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is revised to designate certain wild, scenic, and recreational rivers in California. There are established the Black Lava Butte and Flat Top Mesa Area of Critical Environmental Concern, the Mojave Trails Special Management Area, and the Sand to Snow National Monument Federal reversionary interests in certain land in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California are released. Certain requirements of the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 for specified California state school land are revised. Development of renewable energy generation facilities on Juniper Flats is prohibited. Specified land exchanges are authorized in the San Gorgonio Wilderness and other specified areas. Requirements are prescribed for conveyance of certain federal lands for the Apple Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area and to the city of Twentynine Palms, California. The Department of the Interior shall ensure that members of specified Indian tribes have access to designated areas for traditional cultural and religious purposes. Interior may accept landowner-requested deed restrictions on land donated to or acquired by the United States or, consistent with existing rights, create deed restrictions, easements, or other third-party rights relating to any public land necessary to fulfill certain mitigation requirements or to satisfy the conditions of a habitat conservation plan or general conservation plan. No extension or establishment of any national monument that would include any designated area may be undertaken by the President except by express authorization of Congress. A project to install and operate a fiberoptic cable by Inyo County, California, along a certain route shall be eligible for a categorical exclusion from requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Safety for Airports and Firefighters by Ensuring Drones Refrain from Obstructing Necessary Equipment Act of 2015 or the SAFE DRONE Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly operate a drone in a restricted area. A "restricted area" is an area that is: within a two-mile radius of a hub airport or an ongoing firefighting operation, or subject to a temporary flight restriction issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. The prohibition does not apply to government operations in response to a fire or emergency. Violators are subject to fines, up to one year in prison, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2015
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2015 This bill declares that it is the policy of the United States that the Arctic Ocean should be managed for the best interests of the people of the United States, including by keeping fossil fuels in the ground to avoid the dangerous impacts of climate change. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act is amended to prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing or renewing a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in the Arctic Ocean, including the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea Planning Areas.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
California Coastal National Monument Expansion Act This bill expands the boundary of the California Coastal National Monument to include specified federal lands in Humboldt, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo Counties in California. The Department of the Interior shall amend the Monument management plan for the long-term protection and management of the federal land so added. Interior may acquire nonfederal land or interests within or adjacent to the added federal land only through exchange, donation, or purchase from a willing seller. Interior must ensure the protection of Indian sacred sites and traditional cultural properties in the Monument and provide access by members of Indian Tribes for traditional cultural and customary uses. The Monument shall be managed as part of the National Landscape Conservation System. Interior shall establish an advisory council for each unit of the added federal land to advise on the implementation of the management plan. Certain rocks, pinnacles, reefs, and islands in the Pacific Ocean within a mile of the coast of Orange County, California, are made part of the California Coastal National Monument, and their current temporary reservation is repealed. Likewise repealed is the lighthouse reservation with respect to the San Juan and San Mateo Rocks and the two rocks in the vicinity of Laguna Beach, off the coast of Orange County.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
National Park Service Centennial Act This bill establishes the National Park Centennial Challenge Fund in the Treasury to finance signature projects and programs to enhance the National Park System (NPS) as it approaches its centennial in 2016. There is also established in the Treasury a Public Lands Centennial Fund. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture shall jointly establish a program under which funds from the Centennial Fund are made available to federal land or water management agencies to support projects that: enhance visitor services and outdoor recreational opportunities, restore lands and waters, repair facilities or trails, or increase energy and water efficiency. National Park Foundation Endowment Act The National Park Foundation shall establish the Second Century Endowment for the National Park Service. The National Park Service Second Century Fund is established in the Treasury. Interior shall undertake a broad program of the highest quality interpretation and education. The Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 is amended to increase from 25 to 30 the age limit for participants in the Public Lands Corps. This bill makes permanent the Volunteers in the Parks Program. Interior may establish a Visitor Services Management Authority (VSMA) to administer commercial visitor services programs and activities of the NPS, including the award and administration of commercial visitor facilities and services management contracts pursuant to this Act. A VSMA revolving fund is established for expenses necessary for the management, improvement, enhancement, operation, construction, and maintenance of commercial visitor services and facilities and payment of possessory interest and leasehold surrender interest.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Big Cat Public Safety Act This bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit any person from breeding or possessing any live animal of any 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 extends forfeiture provisions to fish, wildlife, or plants that are bred or possessed. The bill revises the list of entities that are exempt from Lacey Act prohibitions to include: institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums; certain facilities that have an active written contract with an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan or Taxon Advisory Group for breeding prohibited wildlife species; persons who do not allow the transportation and display of prohibited wildlife species off-site; current owners of animals that were born before this bill's enactment if the animals are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service within 180 days; and certain traveling circuses that hold Class C licenses under the Animal Welfare Act. Entities exempt from Lacey Act prohibitions must require that current owners and circuses not allow direct contact between the public and the prohibited wildlife species.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Amends Rule XXIII (Code of Official Conduct) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House from discharging and refusing to hire an individual or otherwise discriminate against them with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of their actual or perceived: race, color, religion, sex (including marital or parental status), disability, age, or national origin. Adds an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity to this list.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Esteems the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
Workplace Action for a Growing Economy Act or the WAGE Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to award back pay and additional liquidated damages equal to double the back pay, without any reduction, to any employee against whom an employer has discriminated with regard to hiring or because the employee has filed charges or given testimony or if the employer has committed an unfair labor practice resulting in the employee's discharge or other serious economic loss. Civil penalties are established for violations of posting requirements and any violations causing serious economic loss to employees. Whenever it is charged that an employer has engaged in an unfair labor practice that significantly interferes with, restrains, or coerces employees in the exercise of guaranteed rights and involves discharge or other serious harm to an employee, the preliminary investigation of the charge shall be made forthwith and given priority generally over all other cases. The U.S. district court shall: (1) have jurisdiction to grant injunctive relief or a temporary restraining order to protect the rights guaranteed, and (2) shall grant the relief requested unless the court concludes that there is no reasonable likelihood that the NLRB will succeed on the merits of the NLRB's claim. A person injured by an unfair labor practice may bring a civil action in the appropriate district court. Unauthorized aliens may be paid back pay under a court order directing reinstatement of an employee. In any case where the NLRB finds that an election to determine a collective bargaining representative should be set aside because the employer committed a violation or otherwise interfered with a fair election, it shall issue an order requiring the employer to collectively bargain with the labor organization. The NLRB shall dismiss any petition to represent a unit if in an election a majority of the valid votes cast in an appropriate unit have not been cast in favor of representation by the labor organization. The NLRB shall promulgate regulations requiring each employer to post and maintain, in conspicuous places, a notice setting forth the rights and protections afforded employees under such Act. Each order of the NLRB shall take effect 30 days after notice of an NLRB order is given, unless the NLRB directs otherwise. The NLRB shall apply to the district court in which an unfair labor practice or other subject of the order occurred for the enforcement of an order if any person or entity fails or neglects to obey it.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
Stop Civil Asset Forfeiture Funding for Marijuana Suppression Act of 2015 This bill prohibits the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund from being used for the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA's) Domestic Cannabis Suppression/Eradication Program or any substantially similar program. No property may be transferred to a federal or state and local agency for purposes pertaining to such a program. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that the DEA's marijuana prohibition policy is an inappropriate use of resources.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies Act or the CECIL Act This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to apply the Act's prohibitions on importing or exporting species listed as threatened or endangered to species proposed to be listed as well. The Government Accountability Office must conduct and submit a report on the results of a study of the effectiveness of trophy hunting in supporting international wildlife conservation efforts.