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![Official portrait of Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_wi_3_kind_ron_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
4,385 records where Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2017
Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence Act of 2017 This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to extend through FY2022 and make appropriations for enhanced funding for the community health centers program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2017
Recognizes school principals' and assistant principals' contributions to the success of elementary and secondary students, and encourages the observation of National Principals Month in a manner that promotes awareness of the importance of school leadership in ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality education.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2017
Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2017 This bill establishes alternative protocols and sanctions for inadvertent technical noncompliance with the Stark Rule against self-referral under Medicare. "Technical noncompliance" means, with respect to a compensation arrangement, that: (1) the agreement is not signed by one or more parties to the arrangement, (2) the arrangement was a holdover arrangement for a period longer than is allowed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or (3) documentation of the arrangement contains specified identifying information but is otherwise insufficient to satisfy the writing requirement of an applicable exception.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2017
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit the application of Medicare competitive acquisition rates to complex, rehabilitative, manual wheelchairs and accessories. (A competitive bidding program has replaced the use of established fee schedule amounts to determine payments under Medicare for certain durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs.)
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2017
Major General Tim Lowenberg National Guard Cyber Defenders Act This bill allows certain military reserve components, including a reserve assigned or attached to a reserve component cyber civil support team, to perform duties to prepare for or respond to any emergency involving an attack or natural disaster impacting a computer, electronic, or cyber network. By September 30, 2022, each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands shall have an operational reserve component cyber civil support team composed of reserve component members of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2017
Expresses support for the designation of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Recognizes the importance of preventing childhood obesity and decreasing its prevalence in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2017
This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to modify the requirements for the federal crop insurance program. The bill: (1) limits the average rate of return for reinsured companies for the 2018 reinsurance year and each subsequent reinsurance year to 9.6% of retained premiums, and (2) eliminates the requirement that any renegotiated Standard Insurance Agreement (SRA) be budget-neutral. (The SRA is an agreement between the Department of Agriculture [USDA] and the private companies that administer the federal crop insurance program that specifies details such as administrative and operating expense reimbursements and risk sharing. Eliminating the budget neutrality requirement permits USDA to use the renegotiation of the SRA to achieve savings.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2017
Investing in 21st Century Schools Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to qualified zone academy bonds, to: (1) extend through 2020 the national limitation amount for such bonds, and (2) reduce from 10% to 5% of bond proceeds the required contribution amount for private businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2017
National Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax relief for federally-declared disasters in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. For individuals and businesses located in or investing in the affected areas, the bill allows: expensing of certain disaster expenses, increased deductions for charitable contributions for disaster relief, modifications to rules regarding the deduction of losses attributable to disasters, waivers of certain mortgage revenue bond requirements, an extension of the additional depreciation allowance for business property (bonus depreciation), an increased new markets tax credit limitation, penalty-free distributions from retirement plans, an additional tax exemption for individuals who are displaced, an exclusion from gross income for certain cancellations of indebtedness, a modified rule for determining the earned income of individuals for the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit, an increased rehabilitation tax credit for buildings, additional advance refundings of certain tax-exempt bonds, disaster area recovery bonds, additional low-income housing tax credit allocations, payments of disaster assistance to tax-exempt mutual ditch or irrigation companies without affecting their tax-exempt status, an exclusion from gross income for disaster mitigation payments received from state and local governments, a deduction for payments to a tax-exempt natural disaster fund, a five-year replacement period for property for purposes of the exclusion of gain from an involuntary conversion, a tax credit for a portion of the wages paid to employees, and an enhanced deduction for medical expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 25 August 2017
Fort McClellan Health Registry Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and maintain a special record to be known as the Fort McClellan Health Registry containing the name of each individual who, while serving in the Armed Forces, was stationed at Fort McClellan, Alabama, during the period beginning on January 1, 1935, and ending on May 20, 1999, and who: (1) applies for care or services from the VA; (2) files a claim for compensation on the basis of any disability which may be associated with such service; (3) dies and is survived by a spouse, child, or parent who files a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation on the basis of such service; (4) requests a health examination from the VA; or (5) receives such health examination and requests inclusion in the registry. The VA, upon request, shall provide such health examination, as well as consultation and counseling with respect to examination results. The VA shall: (1) notify individuals in the registry of significant developments in research on the health consequences of potential exposure to a toxic substance or environmental hazard related to service at Fort McClellan; and (2) carry out appropriate outreach activities with respect to such health examinations, consultation, and counseling.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2017
Free File Permanence Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to operate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File Program. The program must work with state government agencies to enhance and expand the use of the program, while continuing to: provide free commercial-type online individual income tax preparation and electronic filing services to the lowest 70% of taxpayers by income; provide all taxpayers (regardless of income) with a basic, online electronic fillable forms utility; and work with the private sector to provide the free tax preparation and electronic filing services. Treasury must work with the private sector through the program to identify and implement innovative new program features to improve and simplify the taxpayer's experience with completing and filing individual income tax returns. The IRS and members of the tax software and electronic industry involved in the program must support and promote improvements within the program by mutually testing, piloting, and offering innovative solutions to: simplify the tax system, reduce compliance and reporting burdens, increase tax return accuracy through financial data authentication, strengthen the tax system against fraud through cybersecurity collaboration, avoid duplication, and maximize the use of electronic technology. The Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee must report annually to Congress regarding the program, including website statistics, cybersecurity standards, demographic information, marketing and education efforts, simplifications and innovations, and state and local participation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2017
Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the process by which Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) issue and reconsider local coverage determinations (LCDs) that: (1) are new, (2) restrict or substantively revise existing LCDs, or (3) are otherwise specified in regulation. (MACs are private insurers that process Medicare claims within specified geographic areas.) Before such an LCD may take effect, the MAC issuing the determination must, with respect to each geographic area to which the determination applies: publish online a proposed version of the determination and other specified, related information; convene one or more public meetings to review the draft determination, receive comments, and secure the advice of an expert panel; post online a record of the minutes from each such meeting; provide a period for submission of written public comments; and post online specified information related to the rationale for the final determination. Upon the filing of an applicable request by an interested party with regard to the reconsideration of a specified LCD, the MAC that issued the determination shall: provide specified information related to whether the determination failed to correctly apply qualifying relevant evidence, exceeds the scope of its intended purpose, fails to apply as intended, or is otherwise erroneous; preserve the determination, modify the determination, or rescind the determination in part; and make publicly available a written description of such action. An interested party may appeal a reconsideration decision to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS shall appoint a Medicare Reviews and Appeals Ombudsman to carry out specified duties with regard to LCDs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Act This bill reauthorizes the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act through FY2023.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Healthcare Outcomes Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to replace the existing methodology for calculating Medicare payment adjustments for subsection (d) hospitals based on outcomes in readmissions and complications with a new methodology based on value-based outcomes in those and other areas. (In general, a "subsection (d) hospital" is an acute care hospital that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system.) Specifically, the bill: (1) establishes a methodology for determining a hospital's financial impact attributable to complications, readmissions, return emergency room visits, and post-acute care episode expenditures; and (2) requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to select methodologies for identifying potentially avoidable outcomes in those categories. Subject to both a ceiling and a floor, among other specified refinements, a hospital's payment adjustment factor for an applicable prospective period shall be based on the ratio of that financial impact to the aggregate amount of standardized payments made to the hospital with respect to that period. The CMS must ensure budget neutrality with respect to application of the payment adjustment factor across all subsection (d) hospitals. The CMS shall regularly report to hospitals and to the public on each hospital's performance with regard to potentially avoidable outcomes.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act of 2017 This bill provides a presumption of herbicide exposure as the service-connected cause of certain diseases notwithstanding that there is no evidentiary record of any such disease during a veteran's service period. The bill defines a "veteran" for purposes of this bill as an individual who, during active military, naval, or air service, served in or near the Korean demilitarized zone during the period beginning on September 1, 1967, and ending on August 31, 1971. The bill specifies such a disease as: (1) a listed disease that becomes manifest, or (2) any additional disease that the Department of Veterans Affairs determines warrants a presumption of service-connection by reason of a positive association with herbicide exposure and that manifests itself within a prescribed period.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act This bill aligns federal privacy standards for substance use disorder patient records more closely with standards under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2017 This bill limits the regulation of industrial hemp and research hemp under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Specifically, the bill excludes industrial hemp and research hemp from the definition of marijuana under the CSA. The Drug Enforcement Administration may conduct administrative inspections of places where industrial hemp or research hemp is produced, stored, distributed, or used.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Addiction Recovery for Rural Communities Act This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide financial assistance for the construction of facilities and systems in rural areas for substance-use disorder services. In selecting recipients of loans and grants to establish community facilities, USDA must give priority to developers of facilities that: (1) provide substance use disorder prevention, treatment, or recovery services; and (2) employ staff with expertise and training in identifying and treating individuals with substance-use disorders. In providing grants to establish individual and family health education programs, USDA must give priority to entities intending to use the funds for substance-use disorder education, treatment, and prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Home Visiting Works Act of 2017 This bill reauthorizes through FY2022 the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. In addition, the bill increases, from 3% to 6%, the percentage of program funds set aside for Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Finally, the bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to exempt the program from sequestration.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Rightsizing Pension Premiums Act of 2017 This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to: (1) modify the formula that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) uses to calculate the funded percentage of single-employer pension plans, and (2) reduce single-employer PBGC premiums for pension plans that are sponsored by certain small employers or have specified PBGC funded percentages. The bill also prohibits the budget effects of provisions that change PBGC premiums from being counted for the purposes of determining budget points of order for legislation in the House or the Senate. (The PBGC is a federal agency that insures the benefits of private sector, defined benefit pension plans. The PBGC is financed by insurance premiums paid by sponsors of the plans, investment income, assets from pension plans taken over by the PBGC, and recoveries from the companies formerly responsible for the plans.)
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Savannah Hope Stillbirth Child Tax Credit Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the child tax credit, to allow an additional $2,000 refundable tax credit for each birth by the taxpayer of a stillborn child during the taxable year.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2017
Furthering Access to Coordinated Treatment for Seniors Act of 2017 or the FACTS Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow Medicare prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors to access certain Medicare claims data. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must establish a process for PDP sponsors to request, beginning in plan year 2020, standardized extracts of claims data for Medicare hospital and medical services. PDP sponsors may use such data: (1) to optimize therapeutic outcomes through improved medication use, (2) to improve care coordination so as to prevent adverse health outcomes, or (3) for any other purpose determined appropriate by the CMS. PDP sponsors may not, however, use such data: (1) to inform coverage determinations; (2) to conduct retroactive reviews of medically accepted indications determinations; (3) to direct enrollment changes; (4) to inform marketing of benefits; or (5) for certain other purposes affecting the security of personal health information, as determined by the CMS.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2017
HVAC Expensing and Technology Act of 2017 or the HEAT Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow expensing and accelerated cost recovery for certain energy efficient heating and air-conditioning property. The bill applies to certain real property: (1) with respect to which depreciation (or amortization in lieu of depreciation) is allowable; (2) which is installed as part of the heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water systems; and (3) which is within the scope of specified standards of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2017
Campaign Transparency Act This bill eliminates the contribution amount threshold for reporting the identity of a person who contributes to political committees for federal elections. Currently, a person who contributes $200 or less per calendar year (or election cycle for authorized candidate committees) does not have to be identified by the committee in certain required reports.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2017
Dream Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel removal and grant lawful permanent resident status on a conditional basis to an alien who is inadmissible or deportable or is in temporary protected status who: (1) has been continuously physically present in the United States for four years preceding this bill's enactment; (2) was younger than 18 years of age on the initial date of U.S. entry; (3) is not inadmissible on criminal, security, terrorism, or other grounds; (4) has not participated in persecution; (5) has not been convicted of specified federal or state offenses; and (6) has fulfilled specified educational requirements. DHS shall cancel the removal of, and adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on a conditional basis, an alien who was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status unless the alien has engaged in conduct that would make the alien ineligible for DACA. DHS may not: (1) grant conditional permanent resident status without the submission of biometric and background data, and completion of background and medical checks; and (2) disclose or use information provided in applications filed under this bill or in DACA requests for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill prescribes the conditions under which DHS: (1) may terminate a person's conditional permanent resident status, and (2) shall adjust a person's conditional status to permanent resident status. The bill: (1) sets forth documentation requirements for establishing DACA eligibility, and (2) repeals the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2017
Fruit and Vegetables Access for Children Act This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to allow federal grant-funded fresh fruit and vegetable programs carried out by states to include canned, dried, frozen, or pureed fruits and vegetables.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2017
Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Bob Dole in recognition for his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2017
President John F. Kennedy Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 500,000 $1 silver coins in commemoration of President John F. Kennedy. The bill requires all sales of such coins to include a surcharge of $10 per coin, which shall be paid by Treasury to the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation to support the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2017
Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel, and Alternative Fuels Extension Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and modify the tax credits for biodiesel, renewable diesel, and alternative fuels. The bill extends through 2021: (1) the income tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel, (2) the excise tax credit for biodiesel mixtures, (3) the excise tax credit for alternative fuels, (4) the excise tax credit for alternative fuel mixtures, and (5) the payments that are equivalent to the excise tax credits for biodiesel mixtures and alternative fuels. Beginning in 2019, the bill phases down the credits for biodiesel, biodiesel mixtures, alternative fuels, and alternative fuel mixtures by reducing the credits by specified amounts.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2017
Water Advanced Technologies for Efficient Resource Use Act of 2017 This bill codifies the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense program, which identifies, labels, and promotes water efficient products, buildings, landscapes, and services. This bill also establishes a program to provide financial incentives for consumers to purchase and install residential water efficient products and services labeled under the WaterSense program. In order to meet procurement requirements for a water consuming product or service, federal agencies must purchase a WaterSense product or service, or a Federal Energy Management Program designated product. Agencies do not have to procure those products or services if they are not cost-effective, or not reasonably available. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of individual taxpayers any amount received under an incentive program for the purchase and installation of residential water efficient products and services.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Recognizes the importance, effectiveness, and need for trauma-informed care among existing federal programs and agencies. (Trauma-informed care takes into account a patient's history of trauma in the design of the patient's treatment.) Encourages the use of trauma-informed care within the federal government. Expresses support for the designation of National Trauma Awareness Month and National Trauma-Informed Awareness Day.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Oath of Exit Act This bill establishes a separation oath for members of the Armed Forces who are voluntarily separating from military service.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 This bill revises education and related benefits provided to veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors. The bill amends the Post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance program to: remove certain time restrictions on program use; increase assistance for reservists, guardsmen, dependents, and surviving spouses and dependents; provide full eligibility for Post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients and certain reservists and guardsmen; provide an extra academic years' worth of benefits for STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) degree candidates; establish a five-year pilot program for high technology courses; restore eligibility for service members whose school closes in the middle of a semester; authorize funding to improve claims processing; permit assistance to be used at certain institutions that are not institutions of higher education; and pro-rate the housing stipend for reservists called to active duty. The bill authorizes the Edith Nurse Rogers STEM Scholarship to help veterans complete STEM degrees. The Yellow Ribbon program is extended to Fry Scholarship recipients (surviving dependents of service members who died on active duty) and certain Purple Heart recipients. (The Yellow Ribbon program helps veterans pay for higher education tuition and fee costs not covered by the Post-9/11 program.) The bill: (1) extends the Advisory Committee on Education, (2) increases survivors' and dependents' educational assistance, and (3) extends funding for state educational program approving agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2017 This bill amends various provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including by: (1) expanding the types of actions that would justify a court retaining jurisdiction to prevent a state or political subdivision from using new devices to limit the right to vote; and (2) imposing notice requirements on a state or political subdivision that makes changes to voting procedures, polling-place resources, or district boundaries. The bill also changes the calculation for determining whether a state or political subdivision is subject to preclearance requirements (i.e., requirements for certain jurisdictions to receive preapproval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights).
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Do No Harm Act This bill makes the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) inapplicable to federal laws (or implementations of laws) that: protect against discrimination or the promotion of equal opportunity, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, Executive Order 11246 (concerning equal employment opportunity), the Violence Against Women Act, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) rules entitled "Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity"; require employers to provide wages, other compensation, or benefits, including leave; protect collective activity in the workplace; protect against child labor, abuse, or exploitation; or provide for access to, information about, referrals for, provision of, or coverage for, any health care item or service. Under current law, RFRA prohibits the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest when using the least restrictive means. The bill makes RFRA inapplicable to: (1) terms requiring goods, services, functions, or activities to be performed or provided to beneficiaries of government contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or awards; or (2) denials of a person's full and equal enjoyment of a government-provided good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation. To assert a RFRA claim or defense in a judicial proceeding, the government must be a party to the proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Critical Access and Rural Equity Act of 2017 or the CARE Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to specify that, for purposes of determining Medicare payment and reasonable costs for both inpatient and outpatient critical access hospital (CAH) services, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall recognize as allowable costs those related to specified emergency, diagnostic, anesthetist, community health, and off-campus clinical services. Furthermore, in determining payment and reasonable costs for both inpatient and outpatient CAH services, CMS shall not disallow payment to a CAH on the basis that such payment offsets the cost of a current permissible health care-related tax imposed on and paid by the CAH. CMS must make specified payment adjustments to account for such a tax. Generally, under current law, a facility must be located beyond a specified driving distance from another hospital or facility in order to be designated as a CAH. The bill specifies that this requirement does not apply with respect to a CAH's off-campus provider-based clinic. Current law further requires a facility to provide certain 24-hour emergency care services as a condition of designation as a CAH. The bill allows CMS to waive this requirement with respect to a facility that coordinates with a nearby facility or hospital that provides such services.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Preserving Taxpayers' Rights Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish new procedures and requirements for administrative appeals of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deficiency determinations. If the IRS determines that there is a deficiency with respect to a tax imposed, it may send a notice of deficiency to a taxpayer after: the taxpayer has been issued a letter of proposed deficiency that explains the basis for the determination of deficiency and provides an opportunity for administrative review in the IRS Office of Appeals; and either: (1) the time provided in the letter for requesting administrative review in the office has expired and the taxpayer has not made such a request, or (2) the office has officially concluded the administrative review process with respect to the deficiency. The bill includes exceptions to these requirements for frivolous tax positions and issues in cases designated for litigation. The IRS must permit a taxpayer to appeal a deficiency prior to issuing a deficiency notice if 60 or fewer days remain on the statute of limitations and the taxpayer agrees to extend the period for 12 months. The bill modifies appeals dispute resolution procedures. It also restricts the authority of the IRS to: (1) designate cases for litigation without permitting an appeal, or (2) offer settlement agreements that preclude an appeal. The bill modifies the authority of the IRS to issue a summons and limits the access that people outside of the IRS have to returns and return information acquired by a summons.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2017
Recognizes: (1) during National Youth Sports Week, the millions of youth in this nation benefitting from youth sports and the parents, volunteers, and local and national organizations that make youth sports in this country possible; and (2) the efforts to improve youth sports through promotion of Physical activity, Living healthy, Accessibility, Youth development, and Safety (P.L.A.Y.S.).
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2017
Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 201 7 This bill establishes lesser penalties for technical noncompliance with the Stark Rule against self-referral under Medicare. "Technical noncompliance" means, with respect to a compensation arrangement, that the arrangement: (1) is not set forth in writing, (2) is not signed by one or more parties, or (3) violates the rule due to the arrangement's expiration.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy services to beneficiaries with pre-diabetes or risk factors for developing type-2 diabetes.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Electronic Signature Standards Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Internal Revenue Service to publish guidance to establish uniform standards and procedures for the acceptance of practitioner signatures in digital or other electronic form for the purposes of: (1) disclosures of tax returns and return information to a designee of the taxpayer, and (2) any power of attorney executed by the taxpayer.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to include Indian tribal governments in an annual allocation of a national tax-exempt bond volume cap. The bill repeals provisions that limit an Indian tribal government's eligibility to issue tax-exempt bonds or to be exempt from specified excise taxes to transactions involving the exercise of an essential government function customarily performed by state and local governments. The bill amends the IRC and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to treat employee benefit or pension plans maintained by Indian tribes and domestic relations orders issued pursuant to tribal law in the same manner as plans maintained by states and domestic relations orders issued pursuant to state law. The bill treats tribal charities and foundations in the same manner as charities and foundations funded and controlled by other governmental entities for purposes of the tax-exempt status of, and deduction for contributions to, such organizations. The bill amends the Social Security Act to give Indian tribes or tribal organizations access to the Federal Parent Locator Service if they are eligible for a grant to operate a child support enforcement program. It makes those tribes and tribal organizations eligible to participate in the program that collects past-due support from individual tax refunds. An Indian tribal government may determine whether a child has special needs for the purpose of the tax credit for the adoption of a child with special needs.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Aiding Development of Vital Assets in Native Communities and Environments Act of 2017 or the ADVANCE Act This bill amends the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 to require the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to provide outreach and training with respect to the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) in low-income communities with a disproportionately low amount of low-income community investments by community development entities. (The NMTC is a non-refundable tax credit intended to encourage private capital investment in low-income communities. NMTCs are allocated by the CDFI Fund, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, using a competitive application process.) The CFDI Fund must also: (1) include in the application for the NMTC questions to determine and consider, as an innovative use or a comparable incentive in evaluating applications, the extent to which the applicant intends to make low-income community investments within Indian country; and (2) to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that at least one community development entity whose primary mission is to fund projects within or that directly benefit Indian country receives an allocation for each allocation round.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Recognizes National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Recognizes the rate at which individuals are affected by eating disorders and the inadequate rate at which such individuals seek treatment. Acknowledges that eating disorders can be successfully treated and that individuals with eating disorders can and do recover.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2017
Affirms the importance of Rib Mountain to Wisconsin's culture and economy. Recognizes the legend of Pual Bunyan as the embodiment of the frontier spirit. Requests the Department of the Interior to recognize the legendary burial site of Paul Bunyan by adding Rib Mountain to the National Register of Historic Places.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2017
Empowering Employees through Stock Ownership Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an employee to elect to defer, for income tax purposes, income attributable to certain stock transferred to the employee by an employer. The employee may defer the inclusion of income from the stock until the year that includes the earliest of the dates on which: the stock becomes transferable; the employee becomes an excluded employee; stock of the corporation becomes readily tradable on an established securities market; seven years have passed after the rights of the employee in the stock are transferable or are not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, whichever occurs earlier; or the employee revokes the election with respect to the stock. The stock must meet specified requirements and be transferred to the employee from an eligible corporation in connection with the performance of services as an employee. A corporation is eligible if: (1) no stock of the corporation or a predecessor is readily tradable on an established securities market during any preceding year; and (2) it has a written plan under which at least 80% of certain employees are granted stock options, or restricted stock units, with the same rights and privileges to receive qualified stock. Employees are excluded if they: (1) are a 1% owner, the chief executive officer, or the chief financial officer of the corporation or have been at any time during the 10 preceding calendar years; (2) are a family member of the specified individuals; or (3) have been one of the four highest compensated officers of the corporation during any of the 10 preceding taxable years.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2017
Invent and Manufacture in America Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the research tax credit, to allow an increased credit for qualified domestic manufacturers. A "qualified domestic manufacturer" is a taxpayer who has domestic production gross receipts that are more than 50% of total gross receipts.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2017
Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017 This bill amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to direct the Department of Energy (DOE) to initiate a program to consolidate and temporarily store commercial spent nuclear fuel during the development, construction, and operation of a permanent nuclear waste repository. The bill addresses federal land withdrawal and related management issues, including the permanent withdrawal of specific federal land for repository use by DOE, updating the Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing process and conditions for the repository, and limiting activities relating to developing a separate defense waste repository used for storing high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel derived from the atomic energy defense activities of DOE. DOE may enter into agreements to provide benefits to state, local, and Tribal governments that might host or be affected by facilities related to storing nuclear waste. The bill revises the method by which DOE funds its nuclear waste management activities though the collection and usage of the Nuclear Waste Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2017
Expresses support for: (1) equal rights and protections for all people, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; and (2) the designation of LGBT Equality Day on June 26 to commemorate Supreme Court decisions handed down on that day in 2003, 2013, and 2015. Acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure that people in the United States are free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2017
Student Loan Interest Deduction Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the maximum tax deduction for interest paid on any qualified education loan to $5,000 ($10,000 for married couples filing a joint tax return), and (2) repeal the limitation on such deduction based upon modified adjusted gross income.