United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Health Care Choice Act of 2017 This bill repeals the health insurance and health coverage expansion requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and related provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Provisions of law amended or repealed by those provisions are restored. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to provide that the laws of a state designated by a health insurer (primary state) apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that insurer in any state (secondary state) if the coverage, states, and insurer comply with the conditions of this bill. Insurers are exempted from any secondary state's laws that would prohibit or regulate the operation of the insurer in that state. The primary state is given sole jurisdiction to enforce its covered laws in any secondary state. The Government Accountability Office must study the effect of this bill on specified health insurance issues.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Protect Family Farms and Businesses Act This bill prohibits proposed Internal Revenue Service regulations published on August 4, 2016, relating to restrictions on liquidation of an interest with respect to estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes from taking effect. The bill prohibits funds from being used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the proposed regulations or any substantially similar regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
This bill repeals a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that imposes an annual fee on a health insurance provider based on its net premium income.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2017 This bill states that it is U.S. policy: (1) to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel, and (2) that the U.S. Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem not later than January 1, 2019. The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 is amended to eliminate the President's authority to waive certain funding limitations for Department of State acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. Any official U.S. document that lists countries and their capital cities must identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The bill limits appropriations that may be obligated in FY2017 for State Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. Of the funds authorized to be appropriated for FY2017 and FY2018 for State Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad, necessary sums should be made available until expended only for construction and other costs associated with the establishment in Jerusalem of the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Protect Medical Innovation Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on the sale of a medical device by the manufacturer, producer, or importer.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Eastern Band Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act This bill takes specified lands and easements in Monroe County, Tennessee, into trust for the benefit of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. These lands include the Sequoyah Museum, the Chota Memorial, the Tanasi Memorial, and land to provide support for these properties and cultural programs. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) maintains its right to carry out river control and development on these lands, including temporarily and intermittently flooding certain lands. The bill specifies the structures that may be constructed with the TVA's consent on certain lands subject to flooding. The TVA must be compensated for lost hydropower capacity from future development of these lands. Gaming on these lands is prohibited.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit. It requires a majority roll vote of each chamber to increase revenue. It also requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Congress is authorized to waive these requirements when a declaration of war is in effect or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. A qualified individual must: (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid concealed carry permit issued by any state or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence. Additionally, the bill specifies that a qualified individual who lawfully carries or possesses a concealed handgun in another state: (1) is not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone, and (2) may carry or possess the concealed handgun in federally owned lands that are open to the public.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt 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, up to five years in prison, 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 · 3 January 2017
Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2017 This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete, within 12 months, an audit of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks. In addition, the bill allows the GAO to audit the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks with respect to: (1) international financial transactions; (2) deliberations, decisions, or actions on monetary policy matters; (3) transactions made under the direction of the Federal Open Market Committee; and (4) discussions or communications among Federal Reserve officers, board members, and employees regarding any of these matters.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking. A federal agency promulgating a rule must publish information about the rule in the Federal Register and include in its report to Congress and to the Government Accountability Office: (1) a classification of the rule as a major or nonmajor rule, and (2) a copy of the cost-benefit analysis of the rule that includes an analysis of any jobs added or lost. A "major rule" is any rule that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds results in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. A joint resolution of approval must be enacted within 70 session days or legislative days after the agency proposing a major rule submits its report on such rule to Congress in order for the rule to take effect. A major rule may take effect for 90 days without such approval if the President determines it is necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, for the enforcement of criminal laws, for national security, or to implement an international trade agreement. The bill sets forth the congressional approval procedure for major rules and the congressional disapproval procedure for nonmajor rules. A joint resolution addressing a report classifying a rule as a major rule must be introduced within three legislative days in the House of Representative and three session days in the Senate. The bill prohibits any amendments to, and provides for expedited consideration of, such a joint resolution. A court may review whether an agency has completed the necessary requirements under this bill for a rule to take effect. The bill limits the effect of a joint resolution of approval of a major rule. The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended to provide that any congressional approval procedure set forth in this bill affecting budget authority, outlays, or receipts shall be assumed to be effective unless it is not approved in accordance with this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Birthright Citizenship Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider a person born in the United States "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States for citizenship at birth purposes if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is: (1) a U.S. citizen or national, (2) a lawful permanent resident alien whose residence is in the United States, or (3) an alien performing active service in the U.S. Armed Forces. This Act shall not be construed to affect the citizenship or nationality status of any person born before the date of its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal, beginning with taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans).
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to require any health care practitioner who is present when a child is born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion to: (1) exercise the same degree of care as reasonably provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure that such child is immediately admitted to a hospital. The term "born alive" means the complete expulsion or extraction from his or her mother, at any stage of development, who after such expulsion or extraction breathes or has a beating heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut. Also, a health care practitioner or other employee who has knowledge of a failure to comply with these requirements must immediately report such failure to an appropriate law enforcement agency. An individual who violates the provisions of this bill is subject to a criminal fine, up to five years in prison, or both. An individual who commits an overt act that kills a child born alive is subject to criminal 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 · 3 January 2017
Health Savings Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to health savings accounts (HSAs), to: (1) allow an additional tax deduction for amounts paid to the HSA of a taxpayer's child or grandchild; (2) allow a rollover of HSA funds to the child, parent, or grandparent of an account holder; (3) increase the maximum HSA contribution limit to match the amount of the deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under a high deductible health plan; and (4) expand the definition of an HSA compatible plan to include bronze, silver, and catastrophic plans on an insurance exchange. The bill also amends the federal bankruptcy code to treat HSAs in the same manner as individual retirement accounts for purposes of determining exemptions from the bankruptcy estate.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment limiting Members of the House of Representatives to three terms and Members of the Senate to two terms.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2017 This bill modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo (without giving deference to the agency's interpretation) all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of: (1) constitutional and statutory provisions, and (2) rules made by agencies. No law may exempt such a civil action from the application of the amendments made by this bill except by specific reference to these provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334: undermined the long-standing U.S. position to oppose and veto Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel; undermines the prospect of Israelis and Palestinians resuming productive, direct negotiations; and contributes to the politically motivated acts of boycott, divestment from, and sanctions against Israel and represents a concerted effort to extract concessions from Israel outside of direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, which must be actively rejected. Such resolution characterizes Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as illegal and demands cessation of settlement activities. Declares that: any future measures taken in international or outside organizations to impose an agreement including the recognition of a Palestinian state will set back the cause of peace, harm the security of Israel, run counter to the enduring bipartisan consensus on strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship, and weaken support for such organizations; a sustainable peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians will come only through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties resulting in a Jewish, democratic state living next to a demilitarized Palestinian state in peace and security; the United States should work to facilitate direct negotiations between the parties without preconditions toward a peace agreement; and the U.S. government should oppose and veto future Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel. Declares that the House opposes Security Council Resolution 2334 and will work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. Calls for such resolution to be repealed or fundamentally altered.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the prohibition against churches and other tax-exempt organizations participating in political campaigns or supporting or opposing candidates for public office. The bill specifies that provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 are not invalidated or limited by the repeal.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Realizing Opportunity for Spouses in Employment Act or the ROSIE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the spouses of active duty members of the Armed Forces from being counted as employees to determine if an employer is an applicable large employer, with respect to health coverage requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Federal Sunset Act of 2017 This bill establishes the Federal Agency Sunset Commission to: (1) submit to Congress a schedule for review by the Commission, at least once every 12 years, of the abolishment or reorganization of each federal executive agency, including advisory committees; (2) review and evaluate the efficiency and public need for each agency using specified criteria; (3) recommend whether each agency should be abolished or reorganized; and (4) report to Congress on all legislation introduced that would establish a new agency or a new program to be carried out by an existing agency. The bill requires the abolishment of any agency within one year of the Commission's review unless the agency is reauthorized by Congress. The deadline for abolishing an agency may be extended for an additional two years by legislation enacted by a super majority of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Commission shall terminate on December 31, 2037. The Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Budget Office, in cooperation with the Congressional Research Service, shall prepare an inventory of federal programs within each agency, including the budget authority for each such program, to assist Congress and the Commission in carrying out the requirements of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Tax Code Termination Act This bill terminates the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 after December 31, 2021, except for self-employment taxes, Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes, and railroad retirement taxes. A two-thirds majority vote in Congress is required to change such termination date. The bill declares that any new federal tax system should be a simple and fair system that: (1) applies a low rate to all Americans, (2) provides tax relief for working Americans, (3) protects the rights of taxpayers and reduces tax collection abuses, (4) eliminates the bias against savings and investment, (5) promotes economic growth and job creation, and (6) does not penalize marriage or families. The new federal tax system must be approved by Congress in its final form by July 4, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2016
Realizing Opportunity for Spouses in Employment Act or the ROSIE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the spouses of active duty members of the Armed Forces from being counted as employees to determine if an employer is an applicable large employer, with respect to health coverage requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2016
Applauds the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) for 75 years of continuous service. Recognizes the critical emergency services, training support, and mission capabilities that the CAP offers state and national homeland security agencies, as well as the Armed Forces. Commends the more than 23,500 youth and 32,500 adult volunteers of the CAP.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2016
Unaffordable Care Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the requirement to maintain minimum essential health coverage an individual who: (1) resides in a location with fewer than two qualified health plans offered through an exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or (2) was covered under minimum essential coverage for the last month of the preceding year and the premium is at least 125% percent of the premium for that month.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Military Injury Surgical Systems Integrated Operationally Nationwide to Achieve ZERO Preventable Deaths Act or the MISSION ZERO Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to award grants to certain trauma centers to enable military trauma care providers and trauma teams to provide trauma care and related acute care at those trauma centers. Funds may be used to train and incorporate military trauma care providers into the trauma center, including expenditures for malpractice insurance, office space, information technology, specialty education and supervision, trauma programs, and state license fees. Grantees must allow the military trauma care providers to be deployed for military operations, training, or response to a mass casualty incident.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Expresses the sense of Congress that: a sustainable peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians will come only through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties; any widespread international recognition of a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood outside of the context of such a peace agreement would cause severe harm to the peace process and would likely trigger the implementation of penalties under provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 regarding limitations on assistance to support a Palestinian state and uses of funds for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza; efforts by outside bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, to impose an agreement are likely to set back the cause of peace; the U.S. government should continue to oppose and veto Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel; and the U.S. government should continue to support and facilitate the resumption of negotiations without preconditions toward a sustainable peace agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
Export Control Reform Act This bill requires all of the following items that are on the United States Munitions List and the import or export of which is controlled by the President under the Arms Export Control Act on the date of this bill's enactment to be transferred to the Commerce Control List of dual-use items in the Export Administration Regulations: non-automatic and semi-automatic firearms, including all rifles, carbines, pistols, revolvers, and shotguns; non-automatic and non-semi-automatic rifles, carbines, revolvers, or pistols of a caliber greater than .50 inches (12.7 mm) up to and including .72 inches (18.0 mm); ammunition for such firearms excluding caseless ammunition; silencers, mufflers, and sound and flash suppressors; rifle scopes; barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames), or complete breech mechanisms; and related components, parts, accessories, attachments, tooling, and equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Protect Family Farms and Businesses Act This bill prohibits proposed Internal Revenue Service regulations published on August 4, 2016, relating to restrictions on liquidation of an interest with respect to estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes from taking effect. The bill prohibits funds from being used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the proposed regulations or any substantially similar regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2016
Condemns: (1) the killing of peaceful protesters and excessive use of force by Ethiopian security forces; (2) the detention of journalists, students, activists and political leaders who exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression through peaceful protests; and (3) the abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation to stifle political and civil dissent and journalistic freedoms. Urges protesters in Ethiopia to refrain from violence. Calls on the government of Ethiopia to: end the use of excessive force by security forces; investigate the killings and excessive use of force that took place as a result of protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions; release dissidents, activists, and journalists who have been imprisoned for exercising constitutional rights; respect the right to peaceful assembly and guarantee freedom of the press; engage in open consultations with citizens regarding its development strategy; allow a United Nations rapporteur to conduct an independent examination of the state of human rights in Ethiopia; and investigate and report on the circumstances surrounding the September 3, 2016, shootings and fire at Qilinto Prison. Calls on such government to repeal proclamations that: can be used to harass or prohibit funding for organizations that investigate human rights violations, engage in peaceful political dissent, or advocate for greater political freedoms; prohibit those displaced from their land from seeking judicial redress; permit the detention of peaceful protesters and political opponents who legally exercise their rights to freedom of expression and association; and limit peaceful nonprofit operations in Ethiopia. Calls on: (1) the Department of State to review security assistance, and improve oversight of U.S. assistance, to Ethiopia; and (2) the U.S. Agency for International Development to lead efforts to develop a strategy to support improved democracy and governance in Ethiopia. Supports the peaceful efforts of the Ethiopian people to exercise their constitutional rights.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2016
Calls on: the President to apply U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty laws against nonmarket economy countries, the President to retain the status of any country currently designated as a nonmarket economy country until it meets certain criteria for treatment as a market economy country, nonmarket economy countries to eliminate all direct and indirect subsidies and other market-distorting government policies benefitting the production and export of goods to the United States, and such countries to enter into binding and enforceable agreements for removing excess production capacity and withdrawing state intervention in and control over their economies.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Second Amendment protects the individual right to keep and bear arms for self-defense and that such right is fully applicable to the states.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Cuban Airport Security Act of 2016 This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to report to Congress on specified aspects of security measures at each of Cuba's 10 international airports. The Government Accountability Office shall submit to Congress an audit of the report. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall establish agreements with the Government of Cuba to allow: the Federal Air Marshal Service to conduct missions on regularly scheduled passenger air flights between the United States and Cuba, and TSA inspectors to access all areas of last point of departure airports in Cuba to assess security. No agreement, dated on or after January 1, 2016, to expand air flights between the United States and Cuba may be permitted until the report and audit have been submitted and the agreements have been established. DHS (currently, the Department of Transportation [DOT]) shall assess the effectiveness of security standards at foreign airports and take other appropriate actions for those airports not maintaining effective security measures, including requesting DOT to suspend, without notice or a hearing, the right of an air carrier or foreign air carrier to provide foreign air transportation if passenger safety or security is threatened and the public interest requires an immediate suspension.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2016
This bill directs 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 to Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
Agency Accountability Act of 2016 This bill requires any agency that receives a fee, fine, penalty, or proceeds from a settlement to deposit the amount in the general fund of the Treasury. The funds may not be used unless the funding is provided in advance in an appropriations bill. Any amounts deposited during the fiscal year in which this bill is enacted may not be obligated during the fiscal year and must be used for deficit reduction. The bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require offsetting receipts and collections to be treated as revenue. (Offsetting receipts and collections are funds collected by agencies from other government accounts or from the public in businesslike or market-oriented transactions. Under current law, the collections are treated as negative budget authority and outlays rather than revenue and may be used to offset spending for budget enforcement purposes.) The requirements of the bill do not apply to the U.S. Postal Service or the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the USPTO must submit annually to Congress a report describing any fee, fine, penalty, or proceeds from a settlement collected by the USPTO during the previous year.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
This joint resolution declares that: Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to defining and delimiting the exemptions from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for executive, administrative, professionals, outside sales, and computer employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; and such rule shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2016
This bill redesignates as the "Nancy Reagan Memorial Park" the Gravelly Point Park located along the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington County, Virginia.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Small Business Health Care Relief Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and other laws to exempt qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) from certain requirements that apply to group health plans. A qualified small employer HRA is offered by employers that have fewer than 50 full-time employees and do not offer group health plans to any of their employees. A qualified small employer HRA must: be provided on the same terms to all eligible employees of the employer; be funded solely by the employer without salary reduction contributions; provide, after an employee provides proof of coverage, for the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses of the employee and family members; and limit annual payments and reimbursements to specified dollar amounts. HRAs that meet these requirements are not considered group health plans and are exempt from various requirements that apply to group health plans, including coverage and cost-sharing requirements. (Under current law, employers that sponsor group health plans that do not meet specified requirements are subject to an excise tax.) Coverage and payments under a qualified HRA are excluded from gross income, unless the employee does not have minimum essential coverage for the month in which the medical care was provided. Employers offering a qualified HRA must notify employees in advance regarding permitted benefits and report benefit information on W-2 forms and to health exchanges. The bill sets forth requirements for determining whether an employee covered under an HRA is also eligible for premium subsidies under PPACA.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Protecting Internet Freedom Act This bill prohibits the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information from allowing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's responsibility for Internet domain name system functions, including the authoritative root zone file and the performance of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions, to cease unless a federal statute enacted after enactment of this bill expressly grants the Assistant Secretary such authority. The Assistant Secretary must certify to Congress that the U.S. government has: (1) secured sole ownership of the .gov and .mil top-level domains, and (2) entered into a contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers that provides the U.S. government with exclusive control and use of those domains in perpetuity.
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 · 18 May 2016
Prohibiting the Usurpation of Bathroom Laws through Independent Choice School Act (PUBLIC School Act) of 2016 This bill declares that it shall not be unlawful under federal law for a state or local government to enact or enforce a policy regarding the use of sex-segregated bathrooms or locker rooms of educational institutions on the basis of gender identity. The bill prohibits the reduction or denial of federal financial assistance on the basis that a state or local government enacts or enforces such a policy.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2016
Care Veterans Deserve Act of 2016 This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to make the Veterans Choice Program permanent. Program eligibility is expanded to include veterans with a 50% service-connected disability. The VA shall contract with a national chain of walk-in clinics to provide hospital care and medical services in such clinics to veterans who are in the annual patient enrollment system. A veteran shall not be required to: (1) obtain pre-authorization for such care, or (2) pay a copayment to the clinic or to the VA. Such national chain shall establish an automated system to provide the VA with weekly information on veterans receiving hospital care or medical services. A covered health care professional may practice his or her health care profession at any location in any state, regardless of where such health care professional or the patient is located, if the health care professional is using telemedicine to treat an individual. Such treatment is permitted regardless of whether the professional or patient is located in a federally-owned facility. "Covered health care professional" means a health care professional who is: (1) authorized by the VA to provide health care, including a private health care professional who provides such care under a VA contract or agreement; and (2) licensed, registered, or certified in a state to practice his or her health care profession. The VA shall: extend the operating hours for each VA pharmacy to include weekday evenings until until 8:00 p.m., weekends, and federal holidays; and contract with qualifying physicians and nurses to work at VA medical facilities during nights and weekends. The VA may: (1) hire support staff in connection with such extended operating hours, and (2) provide for a a nongovernmental hospital organization best-practices peer review of each VA medical center.
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
Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act of 2016 or the PADME Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a bid ceiling for durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs) under Medicare's competitive acquisition program, through which rates are set according to a bidding process rather than by an established fee schedule. Specifically, the bid ceiling for such an item shall not be less than the fee schedule amount that would otherwise be determined. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must use payment information from competitive acquisition programs to make payment adjustments for areas outside of such programs. The bill requires CMS, in making these adjustments, to account for stakeholder input. In addition, CMS must account for a comparison of competitive acquisition areas and other areas with respect to the following factors: average travel distance and cost associated with furnishing items and services, barriers to access, average delivery time, average volume of items and services furnished by suppliers, and number of suppliers. In addition, CMS shall delay by 15 months the full implementation of new Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment. On a monthly basis, CMS must publish on its website the results of the monitoring of health outcomes and Medicare beneficiaries' access to durable medical equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2016
Food and Fuel Consumer Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act by revising the renewable fuel program, which requires transportation fuel to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must cap the total volume of ethanol blended into the transportation fuel supply at 9.7% of projected gasoline demand as determined by the Energy Information Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2016
Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to enter into a memorandum of understanding to: ensure that DOE has sufficient technical expertise to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative advanced reactor technology; ensure that the NRC has sufficient technical expertise to support the evaluation of requests for regulatory approval for advanced reactors; use computers and software codes to calculate the behavior and performance of advanced reactors based on mathematical models of their physical behavior; and ensure that the DOE maintains and develops the facilities to support the civilian nuclear industry's timely development and commercial deployment of safe, innovative reactor technology and ensuring that the NRC has access to such facilities, as needed. DOE must submit a report to Congress within 180 days evaluating activities intended to facilitate the testing and demonstration of advanced reactors on DOE land and facilities and the potential for DOE to test and demonstrate on private land. In addition, the NRC is required to develop a regulatory framework for licensing advanced nuclear reactors. This bill amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to require that the aggregate amount of fees collected by the NRC from licensees and certificate holders in a fiscal year be decreased by the amount of appropriations for activities related to the development of regulatory infrastructure for advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2016
Firearm Due Process Protection Act This bill amends the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act to establish a 60-day time limit for the Department of Justice to make a final disposition of a request to correct a record in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. With respect to violations of that limit, the bill establishes a private right to action.
![Official portrait of Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/h001067_200.jpg)