United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 This bill addresses certain health benefit and home loan programs for veterans. Specifically, the bill extends the presumption of service-connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide (e.g., Agent Orange) exposure to veterans who served (1) offshore of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or (2) in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities or diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. The bill extends eligibility for health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary allowance to children with spina bifida who have at least one veteran parent who may have been exposed to an herbicide agent while serving in Thailand between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Additionally, the bill revises the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan guaranty program to adjust loan fee rates and eliminate the limit on the amount of a loan for which the VA may provide a guaranty of 25%. Under current law, these loan guarantees are subject to a limit on loan size determined by Freddie Mac. The bill also waives loan fees for active duty Purple Heart recipients. The VA shall permit a VA-approved appraiser to make a housing loan appraisal based solely on information gathered by a person with whom the appraiser has entered into an agreement for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act This bill reaffirms the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation as trust land in Massachusetts. In addition, the bill requires actions, including actions pending in federal court, relating to the land to be dismissed.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act or the COAST Anti-Drilling Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from issuing a lease or other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, Straits of Florida, or Eastern Gulf of Mexico planning areas.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2019 This bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from issuing or renewing a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in the Arctic Ocean, including the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea Planning Areas.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
New England Coastal Protection Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from issuing a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas off the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecticut.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Low-Wage Federal Contractor Employee Back Pay Act of 2019 This bill requires the federal government to compensate employees of federal contractors that provide retail, food, custodial, or security services who are placed on unpaid leave as a result of a lapse in appropriations beginning in FY2019.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 This bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. The prohibition does not apply to certain firearm transfers, such as a gift between spouses in good faith.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Ban Toxic Pesticides Act of 2019 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cancel the registration of the pesticide chlorpyrifos under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The bill prohibits the sale and use of existing stock of chlorpyrifos. The bill requires the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos residue on food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Medicaid Patient Abuse Prevention Act This bill allows state Medicaid fraud control units to investigate complaints of patient abuse or neglect in additional settings. Specifically, the bill allows a unit to review complaints regarding Medicaid patients who are in noninstitutional or other settings. Currently, such units may review complaints regarding patients who are in Medicaid-funded health care facilities or certain board-and-care facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for admission into the United States of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The state shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. The bill applies current District of Columbia laws to the state and continues pending judicial proceedings. The state (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. The bill maintains (1) the District as the seat of the federal government, and (2) the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property. The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Emmett Till Antilynching Act 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.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Homeless Veteran Families Act This bill updates the Department of Veterans Affairs per diem payment calculation for entities furnishing services to homeless veterans to include funding for a minor dependent. The rate for per diem payments is the daily cost of care as estimated by the grant recipient or eligible entity. This bill would expand the per diem payment amount for a homeless veteran who has care of a minor dependent to the daily cost of care plus, for each minor dependent, an amount that equals 50% of such daily cost of care.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans. The commission shall examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. Among other requirements, the commission shall identify (1) the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, (2) forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and (3) lingering negative effects of slavery on living African-Americans and society.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
For the People Act of 2019 This bill addresses voter access, election integrity, election security, political spending, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration and voting access, makes Election Day a federal holiday, and limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill provides for states to establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions. The bill also sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, protecting the security of the voter rolls, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect the security and integrity of U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. This bill addresses campaign spending, including by expanding the ban on foreign nationals contributing to or spending on elections; expanding disclosure rules pertaining to organizations spending money during elections, campaign advertisements, and online platforms; and revising disclaimer requirements for political advertising. This bill establishes an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The system involves federal matching of small contributions for qualified candidates. This bill sets forth provisions related to ethics in all three branches of government. Specifically, the bill requires a code of ethics for federal judges and justices, prohibits Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, expands enforcement of regulations governing foreign agents, and establishes additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill also requires candidates for President and Vice President to submit 10 years of tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Social Security Fairness Act of 2019 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government job. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security survivors' benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receives government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act This bill sets forth requirements and limitations with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel appointed by the Attorney General, or of another official appointed by the Attorney General who exercises a similar degree of independence from the Department of Justice (DOJ) chain of command. Specifically, a special counsel or other appointed official may only be removed by the Attorney General or the most senior Senate-confirmed DOJ official, in certain circumstances; may only be removed for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or other good cause; must be provided written notice that specifies the reason for removal; and may file an action to challenge the removal not later than 10 days after notice was provided.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Democracy Restoration Act of 2019 This bill addresses the voting rights of persons convicted of a criminal offense and the restoration of their voting rights. The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence. The bill provides for enforcement of, and remedies for violations of, the bill. The bill sets forth requirements for state and federal notification of individuals of the restoration of their voting rights. The bill prohibits federal funding of construction or improvement of a place of incarceration unless U.S. citizens incarcerated in that jurisdiction are notified, upon release, of their voting rights.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to states that do the following: (1) require law enforcement officers to be trained on diversity and sensitivity, and (2) require an independent prosecutor to be appointed to investigate and prosecute an alleged offense involving the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer that results in a death or injury.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act of 2019 This bill requires federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to collect, compile, and submit data to the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Bureau of Justice Statistics on the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers. DOJ must reduce by 10% the allocation of funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for a state or local government that fails to substantially comply.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act of 2019 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), the Social Security Act (SSAct), and other federal laws to replace (1) references to "wife" or "husband" with references to "spouse"; and (2) references to "husband and wife" or "husband or wife" with references to "married couple" or " married person." For purposes of federal laws or regulations, "marriage" is defined as a legal union between two people as spouses. The bill eliminates a definition of "spouse" that refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. Requirements concerning compensation to a surviving wife after the disability or death of a person employed at a military, air, or naval base outside the United States are revised to make surviving spouses eligible for such compensation. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, provisions concerning the amount of leave available to a husband and wife employed by the same employer are revised to apply to a married couple employed by the same employer. Requirements under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 that make disability and death benefits payable to the wife or widow of a miner are revised to make the benefits payable to the spouse or surviving spouse of a miner. IRC provisions that require a divorced wife's gross income to include the income of any trust she is entitled to receive that would otherwise be includible in the gross income of her husband, or vice versa, are revised to apply to the gross income of individuals who are divorced from their spouse. The bill revises title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the SSAct to consolidate separate provisions for a wife's insurance benefits and a husband's insurance benefits into a single standard for a spouse's insurance benefits. Criminal penalties that currently apply to persons who threaten to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon a former President's wife or widow are revised to apply to threats made to a former President's spouse or surviving spouse.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Vote by Mail Act of 2019 This bill requires states to allow voting in federal elections to be by mail without additional conditions or requirements, except a deadline for returning the ballot. States must mail ballots to individuals registered to vote in a federal election not later than two weeks before the election. The U.S. Postal Service must carry ballots mailed by a state expeditiously and free of postage. This bill authorizes automatic voter registration of individuals through state motor vehicle authorities.
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 · 17 December 2018
Trauma-Informed Schools Act of 2018 This bill provides for the use of trauma-informed practices in public elementary and secondary schools and allows states to use certain federal funds to train teachers in such practices.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2018
Reproductive Rights are Human Rights Act of 2018 This bill directs the Department of State to include in its annual reports on human rights in countries receiving U.S. development and security assistance a discussion of the status of reproductive rights in each country, including whether a country has adopted policies to: (1) promote access to contraception, (2) provide services to ensure safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth, (3) expand or restrict access to safe abortion services, (4) prevent maternal deaths, and (5) prevent and treat sexually transmitted diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2018
Keeping All Students Safe Act This bill prohibits the use of seclusion and limits the use of physical restraint in federally funded elementary and secondary schools and Head Start agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2018
Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2018 This bill directs various U.S. government bodies to prepare reports on China's treatment of the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnic group. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall report to Congress on issues including the security threats caused by the Chinese government's reported crackdown on the Uyghur population in Xinjiang province. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall report on topics such as its efforts to protect ethnic Uyghurs and Chinese nationals in the United States from Chinese government intimidation. The U.S. Agency for Global Media shall report on media-related matters, including the reach of U.S. media into Xinjiang and assessments of Chinese propaganda strategies. The Department of State shall report on the scope of the reported crackdown in Xinjiang, including the number of detained individuals, an assessment of government surveillance in the province, and U.S. diplomatic efforts to address the crackdown.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2018
Restoring Justice for Workers Act This bill prohibits predispute arbitration agreements that require arbitration of an employment dispute. It allows a postdispute arbitration agreement if the employee enters into it voluntarily without coercion and is informed in writing of rights and protections under such agreement. An employer may not retaliate against an employee for refusing to enter into an agreement for arbitrating an employment dispute. The bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to make it an unfair labor practice to interfere with the right of an employee to collectively litigate employment disputes.
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 · 12 October 2018
Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act This bill funds through FY2090 the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Additionally, the bill modifies the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF): to allow claims to be filed until October 2089, to require VCF policies and procedures to be reassessed at least once every five years (currently, at least once annually), to require claimants to be paid for the amount by which a claim was reduced on the basis of insufficient funding, to remove the cap on noneconomic damages in special circumstances, and to adjust the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2018
Condemns the abuses committed by the government of Cameroon, security forces, and armed separatist groups. Urges all parties, including political opposition groups, to exercise restraint and to ensure that protests remain peaceful.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2018
Directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities in Yemen, except for Armed Forces engaged in operations authorized under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, within 30 days unless and until a declaration of war or specific authorization for such use has been enacted into law.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2018
Reaffirms the bipartisan commitment of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of refugees, including through U.S. resettlement for those who cannot return home. Urges President Trump and his administration to affirm the importance of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and to make a presidential determination for FY2019 that the admission of at least 110,000 refugees is justified. (Under the program, such determination establishes the overall admissions levels and regional allocations of all refugees for an upcoming fiscal year.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2018
This joint resolution nullifies a rule issued on August 3, 2018, by the Department of Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services regarding short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans. Short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans are plans that may only offer coverage for a limited amount of time under law and that are exempt from the market requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (e.g., coverage of individuals with preexisting conditions). The rule increases the maximum authorized duration of such plans from less than 3 months (including renewals) to an initial maximum duration of less than 12 months (with a total duration of up to 36 months, including renewals). The rule took effect October 2, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
No Guns for Abusers Act of 2018 This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants for state and local governments to implement procedures to remove firearms from individuals who are charged with or convicted of domestic violence or subject to a domestic violence protective order. Additionally, the bill sets forth the following requirements: the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) must report to Congress on best practices for implementing such procedures, the NIJ must contract with nongovernmental entities to study the comparative effectiveness of such procedures, and DOJ must submit federal legislative recommendations in accordance with the best practices.
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 · 26 July 2018
Comprehensive Care for Seniors Act of 2018 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to finalize a proposed rule regarding Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) by December 31, 2018. PACE is a program under Medicare and Medicaid that provides in-home and community services for certain individuals as an alternative to nursing home care. The proposed rule updates and revises application, enforcement, and other administrative requirements. The CMS published the proposed rule in August 2016; final action is expected in August 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act This bill establishes the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund and requires 50% of all energy development revenues for FY2019-FY2023 to be deposited into such fund. Amounts deposited in the fund must not exceed $1.3 billion for any fiscal year and must be used for meeting high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Funding Attorneys for Indigent Removal (FAIR) Proceedings Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the appointment of counsel, at government expense, for aliens in immigration proceedings and to automatically provide to such aliens a complete copy of the their immigration file in the possession of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS must also facilitate access to counsel and legal orientation programs for all aliens in DHS detention facilities. The bill also establishes the Immigration Counsel Account to collect fees for providing access to counsel when required or authorized by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act This bill requires: (1) state Medicaid programs to adopt a streamlined screening and enrollment process for eligible out-of-state providers and suppliers, and (2) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish a process for providers and suppliers to enroll simultaneously in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
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 · 24 July 2018
Marijuana Data Collection Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and relevant state agencies, to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences in order to study the effects of marijuana legalization in states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal or non-medicinal use.
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 · 19 July 2018
Secure America from Russian Interference Act of 2018 This bill sets forth provisions for countering specified subversive activities by the government of the Russian Federation against the United States and U.S. allies.
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.
![Official portrait of Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/56599139b7595009374f55c017465f0d_200.jpg)