The world's political record
Person
![Official portrait of Rep. Grayson, Alan [D-FL-9]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/g000556_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
1,339 records where Rep. Grayson, Alan [D-FL-9] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through December 31, 2018, the income tax credit for new qualified fuel cell motor vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through December 31, 2017, the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through December 31, 2017, the income tax credit for new qualified fuel cell motor vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through December 31, 2018, the income tax credit for nonbusiness energy property.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
None of the Above Act Any individual casting a ballot in a general election for federal office shall be given the opportunity to cast a vote for "None of the Above" on a separate line after the names of all other candidates in the election. The effect of "None of the Above" receiving the greatest number of votes in elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate would be to require a special election and in elections for President and Vice President it would be to require a special general election.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend through 2018 the priority review voucher program for treatments for rare pediatric diseases. (A priority review voucher is a transferable voucher that entitles the holder to have a new drug or biological product application acted upon by the Food and Drug Administration within six months.)
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend through 2017 the priority review voucher program for treatments for rare pediatric diseases. (A priority review voucher is a transferable voucher that entitles the holder to have a new drug or biological product application acted upon by the Food and Drug Administration within six months.)
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2016
Coordinated Ocean Monitoring and Research Act This bill revises and reauthorizes through FY2019 the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009. The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a network of federal and regional entities that provide information about the nation's coasts and oceans, as well as the Great Lakes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must: (1) serve as the lead federal agency for the implementation of the IOOS, and (2) establish an IOOS Program Office to oversees daily operations and coordination of the IOOS. The bill outlines the requirements for NOAA as the lead agency. The bill establishes a process for regional associations to certify their regional coastal observing systems. The Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology of the National Science and Technology Council must: (1) conduct an Ocean Chemistry Coastal Community Vulnerability Assessment on ocean acidification within a year and every five years thereafter; and (2) develop a plan to deploy ocean acidification sensors prioritized by the threat to coastal economies and ecosystems, gaps in data on ocean acidification, and research needs. The National Science Foundation's research on ocean acidification must include research on: (1) impacts of multiple stressors on ecosystems exhibiting hypoxia (a dead zone that is depleted of oxygen), harmful algal blooms (rapid accumulation of algae), or sediment delivery; and (2) the effects of those impacts combined with changes in ocean chemistry.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2016
Patents for Humanity Program Improvement Act This bill allows the holder or successor of an acceleration certificate issued pursuant to the Patents for Humanity Program (a pilot awards program established by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office [USPTO] entitling awardees to accelerate certain USPTO proceedings for patented technologies addressing humanitarian needs among an impoverished population or for further research on humanitarian technologies) to transfer, including by sale, the entitlement to such certificate to another person.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2016
Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act of 2016 This bill eliminates the minimum continuous active duty service requirement for homeless veterans to receive certain benefits, including: (1) outreach, (2) rehabilitative services, (3) vocational counseling and training, (4) transitional housing assistance, (5) supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing, and (6) health care for homeless veterans with special needs. Homeless veterans are exempted from disqualification for such benefits because of discharge or dismissal from the Armed Forces under conditions other than honorable, except for discharge by reason of a general court-martial. "Veteran" is defined for purposes of such benefits as a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, regardless of length of service and who was discharged or released from service other than by a dishonorable discharge or by reason of a general court-martial. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall conduct related training and education for appropriate VA and grant recipient personnel. Services for which a homeless veteran receives a grant under the VA comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans may include furnishing care for a dependent under the veteran's care.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2016
Afghanistan Accountability Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress with respect to U.S. assistance and accountability in Afghanistanment. The bill states that it is U.S. policy: to conduct assistance programs that result in effective development outcomes for the people of Afghanistan while maintaining accountability for U.S. taxpayers; that all U.S. government agencies and entities working in Afghanistan coordinate plans to develop U.S. policy and assistance programming; to support the development of effective government of Afghanistan oversight institutions; to abide by resource commitments made as part of the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework; to provide incentivized assistance to Afghanistan's governing institutions based upon development outcomes and on-budget assistance based upon demonstrated capacity improvements; to support the development of democratic governing institutions in Afghanistan, promote the development of a growing private sector, and strengthen civil society; to support the Afghan efforts to build strong regional economic connectivity with the country's neighbors; to support programs that promote private sector job creation in Afghanistan; and that assistance programs in support of Afghan women and girls remain a U.S. priority. The Department of State shall develop an interagency strategy for U.S. assistance that is sustainable and is not counter-productive to combating corruption in Afghanistan. Such strategy should include: multi-year goals for targeted activities to strengthen selected Afghan official institutions and nongovernmental organizations to prevent and prosecute corruption, an operational plan incorporating all U.S. programming to implement anti-corruption goals, a summary of U.S. efforts to coordinate anti-corruption efforts with international donors, a focus on the development of governmental and nongovernmental Afghan capacity to ensure accountability and combat corruption, and an evaluation of Afghan civil society anti-corruption capacities. The President is authorized to provide technical and financial assistance to government of Afghanistan anti-corruption and audit institutions and Afghan civil society watchdog groups in support of anti-corruption priorities identified by the United States and Afghanistan. The State Department is authorized to provide support for efforts of the government of Afghanistan to improve oversight and accountability of the Afghan National Security Forces, including the Afghan national and local police, and strengthen Afghan civil society and investigative journalists to provide oversight of these institutions. The State Department shall, annually through 2024, submit a report listing each individual who the President determines: is a government of Afghanistan official, a senior associate, or close relative of such an official who is responsible for or complicit in ordering or directing acts of significant corruption, including the expropriation of private or public assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, bribery, or the facilitation or transfer of the proceeds of corruption to foreign jurisdictions; or has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of such an activity. The Government Accountability Office shall submit a report on civilian-military assistance efforts that: describes lessons learned from development programming in Afghanistan to include recommendations to improve coordination between U.S. development agencies and the Armed Forces; assesses the U.S. Agency for International Development's ability to advance development goals within Afghanistan operating alongside providers of U.S. military assistance; and assesses whether funding under the Commander's Emergency Response Program achieved the program's counterinsurgency goals and whether this program had any long term development impact, including any negative unintended consequences.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Fair Housing for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors Act of 2016 This bill amends the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination against or regarding survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault in: the sale or rental of housing and related activities, residential real estate-related transactions, and the provision of real estate brokerage services. This bill declares that nothing in the Act shall prohibit federal, state, or local government or other assistance or a preference program designed to assist or benefit domestic violence or sexual assault survivors in seeking, securing, or maintaining dwellings, shelters or any other form of housing. The Civil Rights Act of 1968 is amended to prohibit intimidation in fair housing tranactions regarding survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Honors the life and accomplishments of Jose Fernandez, a pitcher for the Miami Marlins who died in a boating accident with two of his friends, Emilio Macias and Eduardo Rivero. Offers condolences to their families and friends.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2016
Inclusive Campuses Act This bill amends title III (Institutional Aid) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions of higher education to use title III funds to establish resource centers on campus that provide support to and education about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Apollo I Memorial Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to construct in Arlington National Cemetery a memorial marker in honor of the three crew members of the mission that became known as the Apollo I mission who died during a launch rehearsal test on January 27, 1967, at the Kennedy Space Center.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act of 2016 This bill amends the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act to: reauthorize through FY2021 the Sex Offender Management Assistance program, reauthorize through FY2021 the activities of the U.S. Marshals Service to locate and apprehend sex offenders who violate sex offender registration requirements, reduce from 25 years to 15 years the required registration period for certain juvenile delinquent sex offenders who maintain a clean record, allow a state, Indian tribe, or territory to exempt from disclosure on a public website information about juvenile delinquent sex offenders, specify how to calculate the allocation of Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program funds for local governments after a state's JAG funds are reduced for failure to comply with sex offender registration and notification standards, and establish an alternative method for complying with the in-person verification requirement. It amends the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 to require the Department of Justice to include additional data in its annual report on the enforcement of sex offender registration requirements. The bill amends the federal criminal code to: modify the duties of probation and pretrial services officers to include, when directed by a court, supervision of a sex offender conditionally released from civil commitment subject to court-ordered compliance with a prescribed regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological treatment; and extend the statute of limitations for a minor victim of a federal sex offense to file a civil action to 10 years (currently 3 years) from the date such individual reaches age 18.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Expresses concern about: (1) widespread shortages of essential medicines and basic food products faced by the people of Venezuela and urges President Maduro to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and (2) the Venezuelan executive's lack of respect for the principle of separation of powers, its overreliance on emergency decree powers, and its subjugation of judicial independence. Expresses support for meaningful efforts towards a dialogue that leads to respect for Venezuela's constitutional mechanisms and resolves the country's political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis. Calls on: (1) the government of Venezuela to immediately release all political prisoners, to provide protections for freedom of expression and assembly, and to respect internationally recognized human rights; and (2) such government and security forces to respect the Constitution of Venezuela, including constitutional provisions that provide Venezuelan citizens with the right to peacefully pursue a fair and timely recall referendum for their president this year if they so choose. Stresses the urgency of strengthening the rule of law and increasing efforts to combat impunity and public corruption in Venezuela. Affirms the support of the House of Representatives for OAS Secretary General Almagro's invocation of Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and urges the OAS Permanent Council, which represents all of the organization's member states, to undertake a collective assessment of the constitutional and democratic order in Venezuela. Urges the President of the United States to provide full support for OAS efforts in favor of constitutional and democratic solutions to the political impasse, and to instruct appropriate federal agencies to hold officials of the Venezuelan government accountable for violations of U.S. law and abuses of internationally recognized human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Strengthening Social Security Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to prescribe special rules for the determination of taxable wages and self-employment income above the contribution and benefit base after 2016. Title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) is amended to: (1) increase from 90% to 95% over five years the first bend point factor used in determining the primary OASDI insurance amount; and (2) include surplus average indexed monthly earnings in the determination of such amounts. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall prepare and publish the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-EC) that indicates changes over time in expenditures for consumption which are typical for individuals in the United States who have attained early retirement age for purposes of an old-age, wife's, or husband's insurance benefit. The bill amends the SSAct to make the CPI-EC the applicable Consumer Price Index for computation of cost-of-living increases in OASDI benefits for such individuals. The bill revises OASDI benefits for a widow or widower to provide benefits at a level equal to at least 75% of the amount received prior to the death of a spouse. The bill prevents any decrease in the benefit level of supplemental security income recipients resulting from any increase in other social security benefits in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Eliminate So-Called Right-to-Work Legislation Nationwide Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to repeal the disclaimer that nothing in the law shall be construed as authorizing the execution or application of agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment in any state or territory in which such execution or application is prohibited by state or territorial law. (The bill preempts contrary state or territorial law to allow the execution or application of agreements requiring union membership.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
America's Call To Improve Opportunities Now for National Service Act or the ACTION for National Service Act This bill amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to reestablish the Corporation for National and Community Service as an independent executive agency called the National and Community Service Administration. An individual who successfully completes a term of full-time national service shall be entitled to a national service educational award equal to twice the amount of tuition for the institution of higher education where the individual is enrolled, not to exceed twice the average in-state tuition. Current law limits the award's value to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant that an individual is eligible to receive in the aggregate. Within the administration, the bill establishes an interagency working group to evaluate specified issues related to: (1) eligibility for tuition and student loan repayment assistance with regard to participation in certain national or volunteer service programs, (2) the advisability of granting federal hiring preference to certain volunteer program participants, and (3) methods for increasing the participation of seniors in national service programs. The National Service Foundation, a nonprofit corporation established by the bill, shall accept and administer gifts made in connection with the administration. The bill expresses support for the authorization of appropriations sufficient to provide, within 10 years, volunteer service opportunities for at least 1 million volunteers in full-time national service annually. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude AmeriCorps educational awards from gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Condemns the terrorist attack on the Pulse Orlando nightclub on June 12, 2016. Honors those who were killed and expresses hope for the recovery of those who were injured. Applauds the dedication and bravery of the law enforcement and counterterrorism officials who responded to the attack. Declares that the House of Representatives stands together with all people of the United States in the face of terror and hate. Reaffirms the commitment of the United States and its allies to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other terrorist groups at home and abroad and to address the threat posed by homegrown terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2016
Disability Integration Act of 2016 This bill prohibits states or local governments that provide institutional placements for individuals with disabilities who need long-term assistance with daily living activities or health-related tasks, and prohibits insurance providers that fund such long-term services, from denying community-based services that would enable such individuals, as an alternative to institutionalization, to live in the community and lead an independent life. States, local governments, or insurance providers may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by: (1) imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, waiting lists, or payment structures; (2) failing to provide a specific community-based service; or (3) requiring an individual to receive a service in a congregate or disability-specific setting. Community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. States, local governments, and public insurance providers must assess: (1) transportation barriers that prevent individuals from receiving services in integrated settings, and (2) the availability of integrated employment opportunities. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must issue regulations requiring states, local governments, or insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services as an alternative to institutional placement. State and local governments, in conjunction with housing agencies, must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Such regulations must also require states and local governments to begin implementing a transition plan to achieve the requirements of this Act within 12 years after its enactment. For 10 years after issuance of the regulations, HHS must determine annually whether each state is complying with the transition plan. If a state is complying, HHS must increase by five percentage points the federal medical assistance percentage for a state requesting an increase for expenditures on home and community-based services furnished under the state Medicaid plan under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, or a waiver of such plan, that are identified as: (1) improvements to ensure accessibility or self-directed receipt of such services, (2) funding shifts from institutional settings to integrated community-based services, or (3) environmental modifications for housing targeted toward the lowest income individuals. The bill provides for DOJ enforcement and allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Honors the life, work, and legacy of Elie Wiesel. Extends the deepest sympathies of the House of Representatives to the members of Wiesel's family. Reaffirms Wiesel's efforts to preserve the memory of those who perished and prevent the recurrence of another Holocaust, to combat hate and intolerance, and to never forget and also learn from the lessons of history.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2016
National Institute of Standards and Technology Improvement Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act regarding the functions of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the Department of Commerce, the membership of the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology, police protection of NIST buildings and plant facilities, and research fellowships (including the Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program). The NIST shall contract with: the National Academy of Sciences to review NIST laboratory programs; and the National Research Council to assess the technical quality and impact of the work conducted at NIST laboratories, and conduct additional assessments of NIST programs and projects that involve collaboration across NIST laboratories and centers and assessments of selected scientific and technical topics. The bill revises requirements for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Hollings Manufacturing Extension Centers to eliminate from Center activities the making of selective, short-term loans of advanced manufacturing equipment to small manufacturing firms with less than 100 employees. Center activities shall instead include facilitation of collaborations and partnerships between small and medium-sized manufacturing companies and community colleges and area career and technical education schools to help achieve mutual understanding. The bill repeals the six-year limitation on financial support Commerce may give to any Center created under the Partnership. A Center must: (1) undergo an independent review in its eighth year of operation, and (2) be placed on probation for one year if the evaluation is not positive. The bill requires each Center's advisory boards to institute a conflict of interest policy that ensures representation of local small and medium-sized manufacturers in the Center's region. The bill changes the membership on the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board. Under the competitive grant program, the NIST shall select proposals that will promote the transfer and commercialization of research and technology from institutions of higher education, national laboratories, and nonprofit research institutes. The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 is amended to repeal the limitation to 75% of the total program cost on the total amount of any grant or cooperative agreement to assist technology innovation activities under the Act. The bill expresses the sense of Congress concerning U.S.-Israeli cooperation with regard to basic scientific research.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2016
Freedom From Fear Act This bill reinstates repealed provisions of the federal criminal code that ban the manufacture, transfer, or possession of specified semiautomatic assault weapons.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2016
Customer Non-Discrimination Act This bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation in places of public accommodation. It defines: "sex" to include a sex stereotype, sexual orientation or gender identity, and pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; "sexual orientation" as homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality; and "gender identity" as gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms, or characteristics, regardless of the individual's designated sex at birth. The bill expands the categories of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide: exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; goods, services, or programs, including a store, a shopping center, an online retailer or service provider, a salon, a bank, a gas station, a food bank, a service or care center, a shelter, a travel agency, a funeral parlor, or a health care, accounting, or legal service; or transportation services. "Establishment" shall not be construed to be limited to a physical facility or place. Protections against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin must include protections against discrimination based on: (1) an association with another person who is a member of such a protected class; or (2) a perception or belief, even if inaccurate, that an individual is a member of such a protected class. The bill prohibits the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 from providing a claim, defense, or basis for challenging such protections. The bill prohibits denial of an individual's access to a shared facility (including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room) that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2016
Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish statutory rights for sexual assault survivors, including the right to: (1) receive a forensic medical examination at no cost; (2) have a sexual assault evidence collection kit (i.e., rape kit) preserved for the maximum applicable statute of limitations; (3) receive written notification prior to destruction or disposal of a rape kit; and (4) be informed of the rights and policies under this section. Additionally, it makes statutory crime victims' rights applicable to sexual assault survivors. The bill amends the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 to include information about sexual assault services, programs, and providers in the description of services provided to victims. The bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to authorize the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of Justice Programs to make grants to states to develop sexual assault survivors' rights and policies and to disseminate written notice of such rights and policies to medical centers, hospitals, forensic examiners, sexual assault service providers, law enforcement agencies, and other state entities. DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must establish a joint working group to develop, coordinate, and disseminate best practices regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of forensic evidence. For purposes of this bill, the term "sexual assault survivor" includes a legal representative acting on behalf of a deceased victim of sexual assault.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2016
Terrorist Screening Database Improvement Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit a firearms sale or transfer to an individual whose name appears in the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). The national instant criminal background check system (i.e., the NICS database) must notify the Department of Justice (DOJ) when a licensed gun dealer requests a background check on a prospective gun buyer whose name appears on the TSDB. DOJ must comply with notice requirements. An individual may bring a civil action in federal court seeking removal from the TSDB. Additionally, the NICS database must notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation if a licensed gun dealer requests a background check on a prospective gun buyer who is or has been under a federal terrorism investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
This bill amends the federal criminal code to require a licensed gun dealer to notify the national instant criminal background check system (i.e., the NICS database) of an explosive materials sale and the purchaser's identity. Additionally, it requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include in the NICS database information about an individual who is or has been under a federal terrorism investigation. A federal department or agency must submit to DOJ information about such individual. If a licensed gun dealer request a background check on a prospective gun buyer or provides notice of an explosive materials purchaser who is or has been under a federal terrorism investigation, then the NICS database must notify the appropriate division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
Condemns the June 12, 2016 attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Offers condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed and expresses hope for the recovery of those who were wounded. Applauds the bravery and dedication of the law enforcement officials, emergency medical responders, and others who offered their support and assistance. Declares that the House of Representatives stands together united against terrorism and hatred.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2016
Terminates the Select Investigative Panel of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2016
Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2016
LGBT Data Inclusion Act This bill requires federal agencies that collect information through a survey that includes demographic data (where subjects self-report information or a proxy provides information about the subject or responds for all persons in a household) to establish data standards that require: a determination of which existing data sets exclude information about sexual orientation and gender identity; an identification, and a use, of appropriate methods to include questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in surveys that facilitate categorization and voluntary participation and that preserve privacy and confidentiality; and a routine assessment of needed changes in survey methods related to asking such questions. Agencies that publish reports relying on survey demographic data must include information on sexual orientation and gender identity. Individuals shall not be: (1) required by this bill to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to an agency; or (2) subjected to fines or penalties for refusing to answer, or providing a false answer to, any survey question regarding gender identity or sexual orientation. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to permit the use of such collected information in a manner that would adversely affect an individual.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
No One Can Take Away Your Right to Vote Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to prohibit states from disqualifying individuals convicted of criminal offenses, but not incarcerated, except those convicted of murder, manslaughter, or sex crimes, from registering to vote or voting in elections for federal office.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Condemns the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China, because it: (1) is a spectacle of extreme animal cruelty, (2) is a commercial activity not grounded in Chinese history, (3) is opposed by a majority of the Chinese people, and (4) threatens global public health. Urges: the government of China and the Yulin authorities to ban the killing and eating of dogs as part of Yulin's festival and to enforce China's food safety laws regulating the processing and sale of animal products and the 2011 Agriculture Ministry of China Regulation on the Quarantine of Dogs at the Place of Origin requiring one certificate for one dog on trans-provincial transport trucks, and the National People's Congress of China to enact an animal anticruelty law that bans the dog meat trade. Affirms the commitment of the United States to the protection of animals and to the progress of animal protection.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Air Traffic Controller Hiring Improvement Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing air traffic controllers, to give preferential consideration to qualified individuals maintaining 52 consecutive weeks of experience involving the active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic certification or facility rating within 5 years of application while serving at an FAA air traffic control facility, a civilian or military air traffic control facility of the Department of Defense, or a tower operating under contract with the FAA. The FAA shall consider additional applicants by referring an approximately equal number of employees for appointment among two applicant pools. The number referred from each group shall not differ by more than 10%. Pool one shall consist of applicants who: have successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program and have received an appropriate recommendation or endorsement from such institution, are eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment and provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days of the announcement closing, are veterans eligible for veterans' benefits who maintain aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience, or are preference eligible veterans. Pool two shall consist of applicants who apply under a vacancy announcement recruiting from all U.S. citizens. The FAA: (1) may not use a biographical assessment when hiring, (2) must provide an individual who applied in response to a specified 2014 vacancy announcement and was disqualified as the result of a biographical assessment an opportunity to reapply under the revised hiring practices, and (3) must waive any maximum age limit for such reapplying applicants who met such requirement when they applied under such announcement. Otherwise, the maximum age limit for an original appointment as an air traffic controller under this bill shall be 35 years of age. The FAA shall consider directly notifying secondary schools and institutes of higher learning of a vacancy announcement for pool one applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Seller Finance Enhancement Act This bill amends the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 to exempt from certain licensing and registration requirements any person (other than a depository institution) who: (1) originates not more than 24 residential mortgage loans in a 12-month period, and (2) only originates residential mortgage loans for property owned by that person. For determining whether a residential mortgage loan meets minimum standards, the Truth in Lending Act is amended to prohibit the application to loans originated by such a person certain Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guidelines and regulations relating to ratios of total monthly debt to monthly income. The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of the Treasury shall study: the number of homes bought for under $150,000 or 60% of the median home value in a given community, whichever is lower, in the United States by utilizing seller financing; the number of such homes sold by licensed mortgage brokers; the potential number of such homes which could be sold but are not, because seller financiers are unwilling, or from a practical standpoint unable, to comply with mortgage broker rules; and the potential benefit to home values and wealth creation if more homes are able to be sold utilizing seller finance.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2016
Transparency in Taxpayer-Funded Discrimination Act This bill amends the Department of Education Organization Act to require the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to publish, on its website, the names of institutions of higher education (IHEs) that request and IHEs that receive religious exemptions from title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. (Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.) Additionally, the bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require an IHE that requests or receives a religious exemption from title IX to publish, on its website, certain information with respect to such exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
Reaffirms: that Israel is a major U.S. strategic partner, that it is U.S. policy and law to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge and self-defense capacity, and support of an Israeli tiered missile defense program. Urges finalization of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel. Supports a long-term Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel that increases the amount of aid from previous agreements and enhances Israel's military capabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Opioid and Heroin Abuse Crisis Investment Act of 2016 This bill appropriates funding for the activities in the bill. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services to enter into cooperative agreements with states to expand opioid treatment capacity, make services more affordable to those who cannot afford them, and help individuals seek treatment, successfully complete treatment, and sustain recovery. (Opioids are drugs with effects similar to opium, such as heroin and certain pain medications.) Funding must be allocated to states based on the severity of the opioid epidemic in the state and the strength of the state's strategy to respond. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology must expand efforts to support prescription drug monitoring programs and health information technology interoperability. The Bureau of Prisons must support drug treatment programs. The bill amends the Second Chance Act to require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help justice-involved individuals successfully reintegrate into the community. The bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to permit DOJ to support the development of residential and aftercare services for substance-involved inmates. DOJ must establish new heroin enforcement groups within the Drug Enforcement Administration to target, disrupt, and dismantle heroin trafficking organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2016
Working to Integrate Networks Guaranteeing Member Access Now Act or the WINGMAN Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide an accredited, permanent congressional employee with read-only remote access to the electronic Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) claims records system of a represented veteran, regardless of whether the employee is acting under a power of attorney executed by the veteran. The VA shall ensure that access does not allow the employee to modify system data. An employee must complete the VA certification process required of agents or attorneys in order to have system access. Each Member of Congress who elects to have an employee participate in the system shall bear the certification cost, which shall be paid from the Member's representational allowance. Information access by an employee shall be deemed: (1) a covered disclosure requiring prior consent, with specified exceptions; and (2) a permitted disclosure relating to the privacy of individually identifiable health information. The VA may not recognize an employee for purposes of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of VA claims by reason of such system access. "Accredited, permanent congressional employee" means an employee of a Member of Congress who assists constituents with issues regarding federal departments or agencies. "Electronic VBA claims records system" means the VA system that provides claim status information, including information about medical records, compensation and pension exams records, rating decisions, a statement of the case and a supplementary statement of the case, a notice of disagreement, and Form-9.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2016
Medical Leave for Disabled Veterans Act This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) to provide eligibility for specified medical/hospital care for an employee who: (1) has a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability rating of between 30% and 50% and at least 833 hours of service with the employer (from whom leave is requested) during the previous eight-month period, or (2) has a VA disability rating of 60% or higher and at least 625 hours of service with such employer during the previous 6-month period. Medical/hospital leave shall also be provided to an employee who is not covered by the above provision but who retired from the Armed Forces by reason of a service-connected disability: (1) rated at between 30% and 50% at retirement and who has at least 833 hours of service with such employer during the previous eight-month period, or (2) rated at 60% or higher at retirement and who has at least 625 hours of service with such employer during the previous 6-month period. (Under current law, employees of an FMLA-covered employer become eligible for medical leave after 12 months on the job and at least 1,250 hours of service with such employer during the previous 12-month period.) A employee must submit a certification to the employer from the VA or the Department of Defense, as appropriate, to be eligible for such adjustment.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
This bill extends the special survivor indemnity allowance of $310 a month through FY2018.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Transparency in Taypayer-Funded [ sic ] Discrimination Act This bill amends the Department of Education Organization Act to require the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to publish, on its website, the names of institutions of higher education (IHEs) that request and IHEs that receive religious exemptions from title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. (Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.) Additionally, the bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require an IHE that requests or receives a religious exemption from title IX to publish, on its website, certain information with respect to such exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
This bill bars the Department of Transportation (DOT) from issuing a foreign air carrier permit, or an exemption from certain economic regulations, to furnish foreign air transportation under the United States-European Union-Norway-Iceland Air Transport Agreement of June 21, 2011, unless DOT: finds that issuing the permit or exemption would be consistent with the intent of the parties, 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 parties' respective laws; and imposes conditions on the permit or exemption necessary to ensure that the foreign air transportation furnished complies with the intent of article 17 bis .
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
Zombie Property Relief Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to assess a specified fine against a mortgagee that has failed to maintain residential real property that is subject to a federally-related mortgage in foreclosure (nuisance property) until ownership has been transferred to a new owner and the deed for such property transfer has been recorded. The CFPB shall establish a system for reporting the existence of nuisance properties.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2016
Airplane Impacts Mitigation Act of 2016 or the AIM Act of 2016 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to enter into an agreement with an eligible institution of higher education to conduct a study of the health impacts of airplane flights on residents exposed to a range of noise and air pollution levels from such flights. The study shall: focus on residents in Boston, Chicago, New York, the northern California metroplex, Phoenix, and not more than three additional metropolitan areas that each contain at least one international airport; consider the health impacts on residents living partly or wholly within the land area underneath the flight paths most frequently used by aircraft flying below 10,000 feet; and consider only those health impacts that manifest during the physical implementation of the NextGen RNAV program on flights departing from or arriving at an international airport located in one of such metropolitan areas. An institution of higher education is eligible to conduct the study if it: has a school of public health that has participated in the FAA Center of Excellence for Aircraft Noise and Aviation Emissions Mitigation, has a Center for Environmental Health that receives funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, is located in one of the areas within the scope of the study, applies to the FAA in a timely fashion, demonstrates that it is qualified to conduct such a study, and agrees to submit its findings to the FAA within two years after entering into such an agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Expresses support for the designation of National Bladder Health Month.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2016
This bill provides FY2016 emergency supplemental appropriations to the Departments of State and Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases. The bill specifies permissible uses for the funds and designates the funds as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits. The bill provides appropriations to HHS for: the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit Project BioShield to be used to support the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or treat harm from any infectious disease that may pose a threat to the public health. (Under current law, Project BioShield supports only countermeasures against specific chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorist threats.) The bill temporarily increases from 55% to 65% the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage in the territories (Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands). The bill provides appropriations to the Department of State for: the Administration of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Bilateral Economic Assistance, International Security Assistance, and Multilateral Assistance. Unobligated balances of specified funds provided for the Ebola virus may be used to respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases.