United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Fair Lending for All Act This bill modifies provisions related to prohibited credit discrimination. The bill adds sexual orientation, gender identity, and an applicant's location based on zip code or census tract as classes protected against discrimination with respect to credit transactions. (Currently, discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or because an applicant receives public assistance.) The bill establishes criminal penalties for violations of prohibited credit discrimination. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is required to review loan applications for compliance with specified consumer laws and to establish an Office of Fair Lending Testing.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Improving Access to Homes for Heroes Act of 2019 This bill requires public housing agencies to consider the housing needs of veterans when creating their annual plans and housing strategies, the latter in consultation with agencies that serve veterans. Similarly, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must revise its regulations to require jurisdictions that receive funding from HUD to include information relating to veterans in their consolidated plans. HUD must also conduct an assessment of the housing needs of very low-income veteran families and report annually on its activities relating to veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2019 This bill distributes a payment of $25,000 to U.S. merchant marines who engaged in qualified service during World War II. To be eligible, an individual must apply for the benefit and must not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. The bill sets forth what constitutes qualified service, including time frame of service and licensing requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Students Voicing Opinions in Today's Elections (VOTE) Act This bill directs the Election Assistance Commission to carry out a pilot program providing funds, during FY2019, to local educational agencies (LEAs) for initiatives that provide 12th graders with voter registration information. LEAs must consult with their state and local election officials in developing the initiatives.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Original Living Wage Act This bill increases the federal minimum wage to the minimum hourly wage sufficient for a person working for 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, to earn an annual income 25.5% higher than the federal poverty threshold for a four-person household, with two children under age 18, and living in the 48 contiguous states. The Department of Labor shall determine the minimum wage rate by June 1, 2018, and review it every four years. Labor may not adjust the minimum wage to a lower rate.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act This bill requires federal employees and District of Columbia public employees furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about December 22, 2018, to be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for the period of such lapse as soon as practicable after such lapse ends.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment denying the President the power to grant himself a reprieve or pardon for an offense against the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting the President from granting a pardon or reprieve to himself or herself, to certain members of the President's family, to members of the President's administration, or to paid employees of the President's presidential campaign.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2018
Driver and Officer Safety Education Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to award grants to states that enact a commuter safety education program for educational and training programs concerning law enforcement practices during traffic stops and other in-person encounters.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2018
Expresses: (1) appreciation for the profound public service of former President George H.W. Bush, and (2) deep sympathy to the entire family of the former President.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2018
Recognizes the 112th anniversary of the founding of the American Jewish Committee. Honors the American Jewish Committee for its efforts regarding human rights worldwide, interfaith dialogue, and the promotion of Israel's security and place in the world.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2018
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, election as the first African American woman in Congress, and campaign to be the first African American to gain the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2018
Finds that no person should face violence or discrimination because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Honors the contributions of nonprofit organizations and community leaders working to advance tolerance, acceptance, equality, safety and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Americans. Reaffirms support for LGBTQ-inclusive hate crime prevention laws.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2018
Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2018 This bill establishes a grant program and requirements for the National Science Foundation and other federal science agencies to expand research on the causes and effects of sexual harassment affecting individuals in the scientific workforce, including students and trainees. The research must also examine policies to reduce the occurrences and negative consequences of such harassment.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2018
Consumers First Act This bill revises provisions related to the administration of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), including establishing requirements for staffing levels, political appointees, and the publication of consumer complaints regarding consumer financial products or services. The bill specifically states the duties of the Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity (under current law, these are delegated by the CFPB Director). It also adds the duty to implement enforcement and supervisory authority regarding the fair lending laws. Specified units, offices, and boards of the CFPB must perform their assigned duties and may not be renamed or reorganized. The bill amends all statutory references to the "Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection" to refer instead to the "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau." Membership and meeting requirements for the Consumer Advisory Board are also revised.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2018
Get the Lead Out of Schools Act This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate a national primary drinking water regulation for schools and day care facilities that: (1) establishes a lead action level (a level of lead in drinking water that triggers additional actions to control lead contamination) of at least 15 parts per billion; (2) directs each public water system to sample for lead in the drinking water at schools and day care facilities if the EPA determines there is a risk that the lead in the drinking water will meet or exceed the action level; and (3) directs public water systems that serve schools or day cares that meet or exceed the action level to notify the local educational agency, the relevant local health agencies, the municipality, and the state as soon as practicable, but no later than five business days after the system receives the sampling results. The EPA must also establish a grant program for: (1) testing drinking water in schools and day care facilities for lead contamination, and (2) remediating lead contamination in such drinking water by replacing lead pipes and certain plumbing materials with lead-free material.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2018
Lady Liberty Act of 2018 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct the President to set the number of post-FY2018 refugee admissions at not less than 110,000 persons per fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2018
Strengthening Minority-Serving Institutions Act of 2018 This bill permanently extends mandatory funding programs for historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions and increases the authorized funding levels for such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2018
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Homeland Security Partnerships Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to issue a strategy to enhance partnerships with historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2018
Water Technology Acceleration Act This bill provides support for developing and deploying emerging or innovative water technology, including by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out a grant program for accelerating the development of emerging or innovative water technologies that address pressing water challenges.
United States · United States Congress · 24 August 2018
Clean Slate Act of 2018 This bill requires courts to automatically seal records for certain arrests and nonviolent offenses involving marijuana. Additionally, the bill creates a mechanism to allow an individual to petition to seal criminal records for certain other nonviolent offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 24 August 2018
Aretha Franklin Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill instructs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Aretha Franklin in recognition of her outstanding artistic and historical significance to the culture of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 14 August 2018
Clean Slate Act of 2018 This bill requires courts to automatically seal records for certain arrests and nonviolent offenses involving marijuana. Additionally, the bill creates a mechanism to allow an individual to petition to seal criminal records for certain other nonviolent offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2018
This bill makes it unlawful for a person who is not a licensed gun dealer to transfer a firearm at a gun show. The prohibition does not apply to a transfer to a licensed manufacturer, importer, dealer, or collector. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018 This bill revises and reauthorizes through FY2023 various programs and activities under the Violence Against Women Act that seek to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Among other things, the bill also authorizes new programs, makes changes to federal firearms laws, and establishes new protections to promote housing stability and economic security for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act of 2018 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies regarding prices for drugs covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Current law prohibits the CMS from doing so.) The CMS must take certain factors into account during negotiations, including the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the drug, the financial burden on patients, and unmet patient needs. If the CMS is unable to negotiate the price of a drug, such drug is subject to competitive licensing in order to further its sale under Medicare, notwithstanding existing government-granted exclusivities. Additionally, for one year after a drug is provided under a competitive license, such drug is also subject to specified price limitations; if the drug is not offered at such prices, the drug is subject to additional licensing that furthers its sale under any federal program (e.g., Medicaid).
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Authorizes specified committees of the House of Representatives to intervene on behalf of the House in the case of Texas v. United States in order to defend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Authorizes the Office of General Counsel of the House, under the supervision of such committees, to represent them in the intervention.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2018
Integration of Baseball Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins in recognition and celebration of the 75th anniversary of the integration of the game of baseball. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges. All surcharges received by Treasury shall be distributed to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with the understanding that the Hall of Fame shall work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation to develop and operate education programs about the integration of the game of baseball and to preserve artifacts related to the integration of the game.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2018
Federal Jobs Guarantee Development Act of 2018 This bill requires the Department of Labor to establish a pilot program to provide grants to eligible entities (i.e., political subdivisions of states and Tribal entities with a high unemployment rate) for programs to guarantee employment to individuals residing in the areas served by such entities.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2018
Affirms U.S. commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Expresses agreement with the intelligence community's assessment concerning Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, and condemns President Trump for his efforts to undermine such assessment and for his failure to fulfill his duty to place U.S. interests first.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2018
Advancing Youth Enrollment Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the premium assistance tax credits that are available to taxpayers with household members who are 18-34 years old. (The credit is available to eligible individuals and families to subsidize the purchase of health insurance plans on an exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.) The bill allows increased tax credits for the taxpayers by reducing the maximum percentage of income that the taxpayers are required to pay for health insurance premiums. This percentage is used to calculate the amount of the credit.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the federal government and is not subject to privatization.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
By the People Resolution Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should enact various reforms with respect to voter registration and protection, campaign-finance contribution limits and violations, and political advertisements.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights are human rights and protected by the U.S. Constitution; (2) LGBTQ Pride Month should be celebrated; and (3) all Americans should be treated equally regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Nonprofit Property Protection Act This bill allows certain risk-retention groups that serve nonprofit organizations to offer additional types of commercial insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Family Unity Rights and Protection Act This bill requires the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, State, and Defense to ensure that alien children (i.e., children under the age of 18 removed from their parents or legal guardians at or near a port of entry or within 100 miles of the U.S. border pursuant to a zero tolerance policy for criminal illegal reentry) are reunited at the earliest possible date with their parents and guardians from whom they were separated. It also requires notification of parents and guardians of procedures for reuniting with such children and for the location of such children. The bill requires the creation of an electronic registry for information used to locate such alien children and their parents and guardians. The information in such registry may only be used for locating such children and may not be used in any criminal prosecution or other immigration proceeding. The bill also sets forth conditions on the termination of parental rights in immigration proceedings and requires the consolidation of asylum and immigration proceedings involving alien children.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2018 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2018 This bill expands the ban on election contributions by foreign nationals to include corporations subject to specified levels of ownership or control by foreign nationals. The bill also expands (1) reporting requirements related to campaign contributions, and (2) disclosure requirements related to the funding sources of political advertisements.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Keep Families Together Act This bill prohibits an agent or contractor of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Health and Human Services from removing a child who is under the age of 18 and has no permanent immigration status from his or her parent or legal guardian at or near the port of entry or within 100 miles of the U.S. border unless: an authorized state court determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed; a state or county child welfare official with expertise in child trauma and development determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed because of abuse or neglect; or the Chief Patrol Agent or the Area Port Director authorizes separation based on a documented finding that the child is a trafficking victim or is at significant risk of becoming a victim, a strong likelihood exists that the adult is not the parent or legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. A child may not be removed from a parent or guardian unless an independent licensed child welfare expert authorizes the separation within 48 hours of such removal. An agency may not remove a child from a parent or legal guardian solely for the policy goals of deterring migration to the United States or of promoting immigration law compliance. The bill sets forth presumptions: (1) in favor of family and sibling unity and parental rights, and (2) that detention is not in the best interests of families and children. The bill limits the prosecution of asylum seekers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Know the Lowest Price Act of 2018 This bill prohibits a health-benefits plan or pharmacy-benefits manager under Medicare or Medicare Advantage from restricting a pharmacy from informing an enrollee of any difference between the price of a drug under the plan and the price of the drug without health-insurance coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act This bill prohibits a health insurance plan or pharmacy benefits manager from restricting a pharmacy from informing an enrollee of any difference between the cost of a drug under the plan and the cost of the drug without health insurance coverage. (Such restrictions are commonly referred to as gag clauses.)
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Recognizes the historical significance and supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
Workers' Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2018 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act (NRLA) and related labor laws to extend protections to union workers. Specifically, it: revises the definition of "employee" and "supervisor" to prevent employers from removing employees from the protections of the labor laws, prohibits employers from interfering with certain rights granted to employees under the NLRA, expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of worker who strike or discrimination against them, imposes new penalties against employers who violate labor law requirements, allows workers to bring civil actions against employers for labor law violations and unfair labor practices, requires certain disclosures with respect to worker wages, and requires contractors seeking federal contracts over $500,000 to disclose labor law violations when applying for such contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
This bill specifies that an offense involving lynching is a hate crime act. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both.