United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Gun Owner Registration Information Protection Act This bill prohibits federal funding of, or support for, state databases that list (1) firearms lawfully owned or possessed, or (2) individuals who lawfully own or possess firearms.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Future in Logging Careers Act This bill exempts from child labor laws an employee between the ages of 16 and 18 years who is employed in an occupation that the Department of Labor finds to be particularly hazardous for the employment of children between such ages by a person who is a parent, or standing in the place of a parent of such employee, or by a timber harvesting employer or a mechanized timber harvesting employer owned or operated by such person.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
Cancer Drug Parity Act of 2019 This bill requires health plans that cover anticancer medications administered by a health care provider to provide no less favorable cost sharing for patient-administered anticancer medications. This requirement applies to medications that are (1) approved by the Food and Drug Administration; (2) medically necessary for the cancer treatment; and (3) clinically appropriate in terms of type, frequency, extent site, and duration. To comply with this requirement, health plans may not, with respect to anticancer medications (1) change or replace benefits to increase out-of-pocket costs, (2) reclassify benefits to increase costs, or (3) apply more restrictive limitations to orally administered medications than to intravenously administered or injected medications.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 201 9 This bill makes the new markets tax credit permanent. It also modifies the credit to (1) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for the credit after 2018, and (2) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax for the credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments initially made after 2018).
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2019
Agricultural Trucking Relief Act of 2019 This bill revises regulations related to the transportation of agricultural commodities. Specifically, the bill expands the definition of agricultural commodity to include (1) aquaculture, horticultural, and floricultural commodities; (2) fruits; (3) vegetables; (4) any non-human living animal and the products thereof; and (5) other agricultural products that are sensitive to temperature or climate and at risk of perishing in transit. Under current law, an agricultural commodity means any agricultural commodity, non-processed food, feed, fiber, or livestock.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2019
Peter, Ellie, and Grayson Victims of Illegal Criminal Entry Act of 2019 or the VOICES Act of 2019 This bill establishes new criminal offenses and penalties related to illegal reentry into the United States after deportation or removal. Specifically, the bill establishes new offenses for unlawfully reentering and subsequently committing an act that results in injury to or death of another person. A violator is subject to a 10- or 20-year mandatory minimum prison term. Additionally, with respect to a defendant convicted of any illegal reentry offense, the bill prohibits the concurrent service of the federal sentence with a state sentence, and the reduction of the federal sentence by the amount of time spent in state prison.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2019
Combating the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products Act This bill directs the Department of State to take various actions to combat the illicit tobacco trade. The State Department shall determine whether each foreign country is a major source, point of transit, or consumer of illicit tobacco products or their precursors. If a country meets this criteria and its government is actively engaging in or knowingly profiting from the illicit tobacco trade, it shall be designated as a country of concern. If a country meets this criteria but its government is not implicated in the illicit tobacco trade, it shall be designated as a focus country. The State Department may provide focus countries with law-enforcement training and assistance to build customs and border-security capacity. The State Department may not provide development assistance or security assistance to countries of concern, with an exception for U.S. national security interests. The President may impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on foreign persons who are responsible for or have materially assisted in the illicit tobacco trade. The President shall annually report to Congress as to sanctions imposed under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
This resolution expresses support for increased U.S. efforts to combat malnutrition among women and children and acknowledges the contributions of the U.S. Agency for International Development in addressing global nutritional needs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop and conduct an exercise related to the detection and prevention of terrorist and foreign fighter travel. The bill requires the national exercise program (a program to test and evaluate the national preparedness goal, National Incident Management System, National Response Plan, and other related plans and strategies) to include emerging threats.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
National Nurse Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to designate the Chief Nurse Officer of the Public Health Service as the National Nurse for Public Health. The position includes the authority to (1) provide leadership and coordination of Public Health Service nursing professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and other agencies of the Public Health Service, (2) conduct outreach and education, and (3) provide guidance and leadership for activities that will increase public safety and emergency preparedness. The National Nurse for Public Health must (1) participate in identification of national health priorities, (2) encourage volunteerism of nurses and strengthen the relationship between government agencies and health-related national organizations, and (3) promote the dissemination of evidence-based practice in educating the public on health promotion and disease prevention activities.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act of 2019 or the 911 SAVES Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget, by 30 days after the bill's enactment, to categorize public safety telecommunicators as a protective service occupation under the Standard Occupational Classification System.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2019
Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019 This bill waives Medicare coinsurance requirements with respect to colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of the code billed for a resulting diagnosis or procedure.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2019
Resident Education Deferred Interest Act or the REDI Act This bill makes student loan borrowers eligible for interest-free deferment on loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program if the borrowers are serving in medical or dental internships or residency programs.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2019
American Workers for Security Act of 2019 This bill requires iron or steel used to build a border wall with Mexico to be produced in the United States, with exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2019
This resolution declares that the House of Representatives (1) supports the U.S. Border Patrol, the Office of Field Operations, and Air and Marine Operations of the Department of Homeland Security; and (2) denounces calls for the Border Patrol to be defunded and abolished.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
Forest Recovery Act This bill modifies the tax deduction for casualty losses to establish special rules for losses of uncut timber. In the case of the loss of uncut timber from fire, storm, other casualty, or theft, the basis used for determining the amount of the deduction may not be less than the excess of (1) the fair market value of the uncut timber determined immediately before the loss was sustained, over (2) the salvage value of the timber. The rule applies only if (1) the timber was held for the purpose of being cut and sold, and (2) the uncut timber subject to the loss is reforested within five years of the loss. The bill also exempts casualty losses from uncut timber from the rule restricting the deduction for personal casualty losses to losses attributable to a federally declared disaster.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act This bill allows individual and corporate taxpayers a tax credit for cash contributions to tax-exempt scholarship-granting organizations for elementary and secondary education expenses. It imposes a cap of $5 billion on the amount of contributions that qualify for a tax credit. The bill directs the Department of Education, in coordination with the Department of the Treasury, to establish, host, and maintain a web portal that (1) lists all eligible scholarship-granting organizations; (2) enables contributions to such organizations; (3) provides information about the benefits of this bill; and (4) enables a state to submit and update information about its programs and scholarship-granting organizations, including information on student eligibility and allowable educational expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2019
Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act This bill expands the E-Verify program by requiring all employers to use it, and permanently reauthorizes the program. Currently, E-Verify use is voluntary for most employers, although some states mandate its use. All employers shall use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all recruited, referred, or hired individuals, including current employees who were never verified under the program. Failure to use E-Verify shall create a rebuttable presumption that the employer is violating immigration law. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shall generate weekly reports about individuals who have received a final non-confirmation of employment eligibility. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall use the report to enforce immigration laws. DHS shall establish a program to help certain small businesses verify employee eligibility. DHS shall also update E-Verify's design to help prevent and detect fraud and identity theft. The bill increases civil and criminal penalties for hiring unauthorized aliens. DHS shall debar repeat offenders and those criminally convicted from holding federal contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. The Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury, and DHS shall jointly establish a program to share information to help identify unauthorized aliens. The bill establishes the Employer Compliance Inspection Center within Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The center's duties include processing I-9 employment eligibility verification forms and ensuring compliance with employment eligibility laws. DHS shall report to Congress on ways to simplify procedures relating to I-9 forms, and on whether the I-9 process should be eliminated.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2019
Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2019 This bill delays reimposition of the annual fee on health insurers until 2022. Under current law, the annual fee for a health insurer is calculated based on the insurer's share of total premiums from the preceding year. The fee is suspended for 2019 (i.e., there is no fee based on premiums from 2018); reimposition is scheduled for 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment services for congenital anomalies and birth defects, such as reconstructive services and prosthetics. Coverage must include services that functionally improve, repair, or restore any body part that is medically necessary for normal bodily functions or appearance, as determined by the treating physician.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE-Safe Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 2019
Protect and Serve Act of 2019 This bill establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly assaulting a law enforcement officer causing serious bodily injury (or attempting to do so) in circumstances that affect interstate commerce. It imposes criminal penalties—a prison term of up to 10 years, a fine, or both—on a violator.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 2019
This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to treat a soybean crop as an eligible crop for payments under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) if market conditions have discouraged or prevented a producer of a soybean crop from harvesting the crop or entering the crop into the stream of commerce. (The MFP provides payments to producers with commodities that have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019 This bill modifies the tax treatment of certain alcoholic beverages to exclude the aging period from the production period for beer, wine, or distilled spirits for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period; reduce excise tax rates on beer and distilled spirits; permit the transfer of beer between bonded facilities without payment of tax; increase the amount of the small wine producer tax credit and expand the categories of producers covered by such credit; allow an adjustment to the producer credit for hard cider; and modify the alcohol content limitations that apply to certain wines for tax purposes. The Department of the Treasury must amend applicable regulations with respect to the use of wholesome products suitable for human consumption in the production of fermented beverages. The bill also increases funding for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 This bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China. The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2020-FY2022, by reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Employer Participation in Repayment Act of 2019 This bill expands the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to include payments of qualified education loans by an employer to either an employee or a lender.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2019
Phair Pricing Act of 2019 This bill requires that certain negotiated prices for covered drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit be disclosed at the point-of-sale. Specifically, negotiated prices offered under a prescription drug plan (PDP) must be disclosed at the point-of-sale; the disclosed price must include specified adjustments, payments, and fees that are negotiated with the pharmacy (e.g., dispensing fees) by the PDP sponsor or pharmacy benefit manager. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must establish certain quality measures for PDP sponsors to use when determining incentive payments and adjustments (e.g., performance payments) to pharmacies.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act This bill modifies the requirements for calculating taxable income to exclude from gross income payments received under the federally funded student loan repayment program for full-time faculty members of dental schools with programs in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the participation of dental providers and faculty in areas and schools receiving funding under the program.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2019
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must exercise in the event a child is born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. A health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as reasonably provided to another child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) immediately admit the child to a hospital. The bill also requires a health care practitioner or other employee to immediately report any failure to comply with this requirement to law enforcement. A person who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. Additionally, an individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder. The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive for conspiracy to violate these provisions, for being an accessory after the fact, or for concealment of felony. A woman who undergoes an abortion or attempted abortion may file a civil action for damages against an individual who violates this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2019
Free Speech Fairness Act This bill permits a tax-exempt organization to make certain statements related to a political campaign without losing its tax-exempt status. An organization may not lose its tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be deemed to have participated in, or intervened in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office, solely because of the content of any statement that (1) is made in the ordinary course of the organization's regular and customary activities in carrying out its exempt purpose, and (2) results in the organization incurring not more than de minimis incremental expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow's Needs Act This bill revises provisions of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act relating to the funding of wildlife conservation. Specifically, the bill adds new definitions, including a definition of hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment ; apportions to states revenues from taxes on pistols, revolvers, bows, and arrows at a rate not greater than 3% and not less than 1% of such revenues; removes the existing prohibition in the Act on public relations to allow spending by states for management of wildlife areas and promotion of hunting and recreational shooting; allows the use of grant funds for the enhancement of hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment; and expands the Multistate Conservation Grant program by providing $5 million exclusively for making hunter and recreational shooter recruitment project grants that promote a national hunting and shooting sport recruitment program, including related communication and outreach activities. The Fish and Wildlife Service shall review and evaluate the effects of funds used for hunter and recreational shooter recruitment on funds available for wildlife conservation.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Threat Assessment, Prevention, and Safety Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a Joint Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Task Force, which shall provide recommendations to Congress and DHS on the development and implementation of a national strategy for preventing targeted violence through behavioral threat assessment and management. The bill defines behavioral threat assessment and management as the systematic and evidence-based process of (1) identifying individuals whose behavior indicates a capacity for committing acts of violence, (2) investigating and gathering information from multiple sources to assess whether such individuals pose a threat, and (3) the subsequent management of such a threat. DHS shall (1) develop and implement the national strategy and provide information and training services related to it, and (2) award grants to establish community based units for implementing the national strategy.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Physician Pro Bono Care Act of 2019 This bill allows a tax deduction for direct primary care physicians who provide charity care. The care must be provided without expectation of reimbursement and to an individual enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). A "direct primary care physician" is a physician who provides primary care (1) to individuals who have paid a periodic subscription fee, and (2) in exchange for a fee that is published on a publicly available website of the physician. The bill also specifies that a physician is not liable under federal or state law for harm caused by an act or omission of the physician, or attending medical personnel supporting the physician, if the act or omission (1) occurs in the course of furnishing charity care, and (2) was not grossly negligent. The bill preempts laws of a state or a political subdivision of the state that are inconsistent with this provision, unless the laws provide greater protection from liability for a defendant.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act This bill allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 201 9 This bill repeals the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans). The repeal applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Cyber Diplomacy Act of 2019 This bill establishes the Office of International Cyberspace Policy within the Department of State. The Office's duties include advising the State Department on cyberspace issues. It shall also shall lead diplomatic efforts on issues relating to international cybersecurity, Internet access and freedom, and international cyber threats. The Office shall implement U.S. policy to work internationally to promote an open, interoperable, and secure Internet governed by a multi-stakeholder model. The bill also directs the President to devise a strategy related to U.S. engagement with foreign governments on international norms with respect to responsible state behavior in cyberspace.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
This resolution condemns the January 15, 2019, attack by the Al Qaeda-affiliated extremist group Al Shabaab in Nairobi, Kenya, that resulted in the loss of 21 lives. It honors the memory of Jason Spindler, a U.S. citizen killed in the attack, and expresses support for Kenya's efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for performing or attempting to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take a series of actions relating to palliative-care training. Specifically, HHS must provide support for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers. The centers must improve the training of health professionals in palliative care and establish traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced-education nursing degrees, social-work degrees, or advanced degrees in physician-assistant studies in palliative care. HHS may provide support to medical schools, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical-education programs for training physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine. HHS must (1) provide Palliative Medicine and Hospice Academic Career Awards to individuals to promote their career development, (2) support entities that operate a Palliative Care and Hospice Education Center, (3) support individuals in specified fields who are pursuing an advanced degree in palliative care or related fields, and (4) award grants to nursing programs to train individuals in providing palliative care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must provide for a national education and awareness campaign to inform patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care. The National Institutes of Health must expand national research programs in palliative care.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2019 This bill modifies provisions relating to federal funding for, and health insurance coverage of, abortions. Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions. Such restrictions extend to the use of funds in the budget of the District of Columbia. Additionally, abortions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. Historically, language has been included in annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions—such language is commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. Similar language is also frequently included in appropriations bills for other federal agencies and the District of Columbia. The bill makes these restrictions permanent and extends the restrictions to all federal funds (rather than specific agencies). The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for abortions. Currently, qualified health plans may cover abortion, but the portion of the premium attributable to abortion coverage is not eligible for subsidies.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Georgia Support Act This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress on various topics related to Georgia. The reports shall cover (1) U.S. security assistance to Georgia and an assessment of threats to the country's independence and its ability to defend itself, (2) cybersecurity cooperation between the United States and Georgia, and (3) a strategy to help Georgia expand its capabilities to combat Russian disinformation and propaganda. The President shall impose entry and property-blocking sanctions against foreign persons responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia that are occupied by Russia. The President shall also report to Congress every 180 days on such foreign persons.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Life at Conception Act This bill declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Fix the Immigration Loopholes Act This bill modifies immigration law provisions relating to unaccompanied alien minors and to asylum seekers. For certain unaccompanied inadmissible alien children, generally those not at risk of being trafficking victims nor having a fear of persecution, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall repatriate the child. Currently, only inadmissible unaccompanied aliens from neighboring countries are subject to repatriation, and DHS has discretion whether to repatriate. When HHS releases an unaccompanied child to an individual, it shall provide DHS with certain information about that individual, including Social Security number and immigration status. The bill amends the definition of "credible fear of persecution" to require that such fear can be established by statements that are more probable than not. The bill also imposes certain rules relating to credible fear interviews, including requirements for recordings and interpreters. If an alien is granted asylum because of fear of persecution in a country, the alien is deemed to have renounced asylum status by returning to that country, if there has been no change in the country's conditions. DHS may waive such renunciation if there was a compelling reason for the return. The bill expands the definition of a frivolous asylum application to include an application so insufficient in substance that it is clear that it was filed to delay removal or seek employment authorization. Any individual who knowingly and willfully makes materially false statements or uses fraudulent documents in asylum-related proceedings shall be fined or imprisoned up to 10 years, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
TRICARE Reserve Select Improvement Act This bill expands TRICARE Reserve Select eligibility to include members of the Selected Reserve who are enrolled or eligible to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Protecting Life and Integrity in Research Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from conducting or supporting any research that involves the use of human fetal tissue from an induced abortion. The bill also prohibits soliciting or acquiring a donation of human fetal tissue from an induced abortion, other than for purposes of an autopsy or burial. The bill applies requirements on the research of transplantation of fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes to research on fetal tissue in general.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
This resolution congratulates the American Farm Bureau Federation for its long tradition of advocacy for agriculture and rural America and for holding its 100th annual convention.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2019
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act of 2019 or the BRACE Act of 2019 This bill permanently extends the tax credit for railroad track maintenance. The extension applies to expenditures paid or incurred during tax years beginning after 2017. Assignments of miles of railroad track, including related expenditures, for tax years ending after 2017 must be treated as timely if they are made pursuant to a written agreement entered into within 90 days of the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act This bill requires the Department of Transportation to amend regulations on hours of service for commercial drivers who transport live covered animals (i.e., livestock, honey bees, insects, fish, and crawfish) within a 300 air-mile radius from where the on-duty time of the driver begins. The regulations must (1) exclude from the driver's on-duty time certain activities, such as loading or unloading a commercial motor vehicle; (2) change the driving time requirement to a maximum of not less than 15, and not more than 18, hours within a 24-hour period; (3) permit the driver to take one or more rest periods during the trip, which shall not be included in the calculation of the driving time; (4) require the driver, after completion of the trip, to take a rest break for a period that is five hours less than the maximum driving time; (5) exclude from the calculation of the driving time up to two additional hours, if the driver is within 150 air-miles of the point of delivery; and (6) make inapplicable the requirement that the driver take a 10-hour rest period before driving.