United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2017
Commends the international community, health organizations, the private sector, school and community leaders, and faith-based organizations for bolstering health through vaccination. Recognizes that the lack of vaccination can cause a public health crisis and that there is no credible evidence that vaccines cause life-threatening or disabling diseases in healthy children or adults. Encourages a continued commitment to research to improve vaccines and develop new vaccines. Urges parents to follow the scientific evidence and consensus of medical experts in favor of timely vaccinations to protect their children and their community.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2017
Deborah Sampson Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a three-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of peer-to-peer assistance for women veterans who are separating or newly separated from the Armed Forces), with emphasis placed on women who suffered service-related sexual trauma or who are at risk of becoming homeless. Additionally, the VA shall: expand the women veterans call center to include a text messaging capability; establish a partnership with at least one nongovernmental organization to provide legal services to women veterans based upon their 10 highest unmet needs; retrofit VA medical facilities with fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the care of women veterans; ensure that each VA medical facility has at least one full-time or part-time women's health primary care provider; expand to 14 days VA post-delivery care services for women veterans who are receiving maternity care in a VA or VA-contracted facility; ensure that the women veteran manager program is supported at each VA medical center with a program manager and an ombudsman; collect, analyze, and publish data on each VA service or benefit program and disaggregate such data by sex and minority status; and publish an Internet website that serves as a centralized information source for women veterans' benefits and services. The bill makes funds available for: (1) primary care and emergency care clinicians' participation in the women veterans health care mini-residency program, and (2) organizations that focus on providing assistance to women veterans and their families. The bill: (1) provides for reintegration and readjustment services to veterans and family members in group retreat settings, and (2) expresses the sense of Congress that the VA's motto should be more inclusive.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2017
College Transparency Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the National Center for Education Statistics to establish a secure and privacy-protected data system that contains information about postsecondary students. Specifically, the data system must: evaluate student enrollment patterns, progression, completion, and post-collegiate outcomes, and higher education costs and financial aid at the student level; provide complete and customizable information for students and families making decisions about postsecondary education; reduce the requirements for reporting by colleges and universities; and link with other federal systems of data.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2017
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for job applicants or employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Specifically, the bill declares that it is an unlawful employment practice to: (1) fail to make reasonable accommodations to known limitations of such job applicants or employees, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on an entity's business operation; (2) deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations; (3) require such job applicants or employees to accept an accommodation that they choose not to accept, if such accommodation is unnecessary to perform the job; (4) require such employees to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to their known limitations; or (5) take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against an employee requesting or using such reasonable accommodations. The bill sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, and the rights and protections extended to presidential offices. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must provide examples of reasonable accommodations that shall be provided to affected job applicants or employees unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship. The bill prohibits state immunity under the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution from an action for a violation of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2017
Anti-Lunch Shaming Act of 2017 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish requirements for the treatment of a child who is a student at a school participating in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program and is unable to pay for a meal at the school. The bill applies to a child who either does not have funds to pay for a meal or has outstanding credit that was extended by a school food authority (SFA). A SFA may not permit public identification or stigmatization of the child, such as by requiring a wristband or hand stamp. The child also may not be required to: (1) perform chores or activities that are not required of students generally, or (2) dispose of food after it has been served to the child. Any communication related to outstanding credit must be directed to the child's parent or guardian. A child may be required to deliver a letter regarding outstanding credit that is addressed to a parent or guardian if the letter is not distributed to the child in a manner that stigmatizes the child. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress regarding several issues regarding the administration of the school meal programs.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2017
Supports designation of National Foster Care Month, and recognizes it as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges that children face in the foster care system.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2017
Chinese American World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the Chinese American Veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. The medal shall be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution, which is urged to make the medal available for display at other locations associated with such veterans or with World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2017 or the PAWS Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year pilot program under which it provides grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after completing other evidence-based treatment. An organization that receives a grant shall provide for each participating service dog and veteran: coverage by a commercially available veterinary health insurance policy, hardware clinically determined to be required by the dog to perform the tasks necessary to assist the veteran, payments for travel expenses to obtain the dog, and travel expenses required to obtain a replacement service dog. To be eligible for a grant, an organization must: (1) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount to guarantee such benefits, (2) be certified by Assistance Dogs International, (3) provide one-on-one training for each service dog and recipient for 30 hours or more over 90 days or more, and (4) provide an in-house residential facility or other accommodations nearby in which service dog recipients stay for a minimum of 10 days while receiving at least 30 hours of training. The VA shall develop metrics to measure the improvement in psychosocial function and therapeutic compliance and changes independence on prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication of veterans participating in the program. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on the methodology used for the pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Assisting Family Farmers through Insurance Reform Measures Act or the AFFIRM Act This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reduce federal crop insurance payments and disclose details regarding subsidies. The bill prohibits premium subsidies: (1) for additional coverage for any person or legal entity that has an average adjusted gross income that is greater than $250,000, (2) that exceed $40,000 per year for any person or legal entity, or (3) for policies that are based on the actual market price of an agricultural commodity at the time of harvest. The bill establishes an annual cap on total reimbursements for administrative and operating costs of crop insurance providers that begins at $900 million for 2018 and is adjusted for inflation in each subsequent year. The average rate of return for insurance providers is limited to 8.9% of retained premiums. The bill eliminates a requirement that any renegotiated Standard Insurance Agreement (SRA) be budget-neutral. (The SRA is an agreement between 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.) USDA must annually disclose to the public specified details regarding the recipients and amounts of federal crop insurance subsidies.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Seeking an End to Restrictions on Votive Employees Act or the SERVE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to specify that a retirement income account provided by a church or a convention or association of churches may cover: (1) a duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church in the exercise of his ministry, regardless of the source of his compensation; (2) an employee of a tax-exempt organization, whether a civil law corporation or otherwise, that is controlled by or associated with a church or a convention or association of churches; and (3) certain employees who have been separated from service with a church, a convention or association of churches, or an organization described above.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Military Spouse Hiring Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include the hiring of a qualified military spouse. (The WOTC permits employers who hire individuals who are members of a targeted group such as qualified veterans, ex-felons, or long-term unemployment recipients to claim a tax credit equal to a portion of the wages paid to those individuals.) A "qualified military spouse" is any individual who is certified by the designated local agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
United States Coast Guard Commemorative Coin Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue in commemoration of the U.S. Coast Guard: (1) $5 gold coins, (2) $1 silver coins, and (3) half-dollar clad coins. The design of such coins shall be emblematic of the traditions, history, and heritage of the Coast Guard and its role in securing the United States since 1790. The bill prescribes certain design requirements. The issuance of such coins is restricted to the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2020. The bill prescribes the sale price of the coins and coin surcharges. Surcharges shall be paid by Treasury to the National Coast Guard Museum Association to help finance the design, construction, operations, and maintenance of this museum. Treasury shall ensure that minting and issuing coins under this bill will not result in any net cost to the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2017
Equality Act This bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation in places of public accommodation. The bill defines: "sex" to include a sex stereotype, sexual orientation or gender identity, and pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; "sexual orientation" as homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality; and "gender identity" as gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms, or characteristics, regardless of the individual's designated sex at birth. The bill expands the categories of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide: exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; goods, services, or programs, including a store, a shopping center, an online retailer or service provider, a salon, a bank, a gas station, a food bank, a service or care center, a shelter, a travel agency, a funeral parlor, or a health care, accounting, or legal service; or transportation services. The bill prohibits "establishment" from being construed to be limited to a physical facility or place. The Department of Justice (DOJ) may bring a civil action if it receives a complaint from an individual who claims to be: denied equal utilization of a public facility owned, operated, or managed by a state (other than public schools or colleges) on account of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity; or denied admission to, or not permitted to continue attending, a public college by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity, thereby expanding DOJ's existing authority to bring such actions for complaints based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The bill revises public school desegregation standards to provide for the assignment of students without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill prohibits programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance from denying benefits to, or discriminating against, persons based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The bill prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity, subject to the same exceptions and conditions that currently apply to unlawful employment practices based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Employers must recognize individuals in accordance with their gender identity if sex is a bona fide occupational qualification that is reasonably necessary to the normal operation of that particular business or enterprise. The bill provides government employees with protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. DOJ may intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. Protections against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin shall include protections against discrimination based on: (1) an association with another person who is a member of such a protected class; or (2) a perception or belief, even if inaccurate, that an individual is a member of such a protected class. The bill prohibits the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 from providing a claim, defense, or basis for challenging such protections. The bill prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity. The bill amends Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and jury selection standards to add sexual orientation and gender identity as classes protected against discrimination under such laws.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2017
Partnerships to Advance Revolutionary Technology and Novel Entrepreneurial Research Act or the PARTNER Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the definition of "passive activity," for purposes of the passive loss tax rules, any qualified research activity carried on by a high technology research small business pass-thru entity. The bill defines "high technology research small business pass-thru entity" as any domestic pass-thru entity if: (1) more than 75% of the entity's expenditures are paid or incurred in connection with qualified research that involves a process of experimentation conducted by the entity, or (2) more than 50% of the entity's expenditures constitute qualified research expenses. A high technology research entity is a small business if such entity has 250 or fewer full-time employees. The entity may not have aggregate gross assets in excess of $150 million at any time during the taxable year.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2017
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to report on Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs mental health practices and services that could be adopted by law enforcement agencies. Additionally, DOJ's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services must report on programs to address the psychological health and well-being of law enforcement officers. The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to include establishing peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs within state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. DOJ must coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop educational resources for mental health providers regarding the culture of law enforcement agencies and therapies for mental health issues common to law enforcement officers. DOJ must also: (1) review existing crisis hotlines, recommend improvements, and research annual mental health checks; (2) examine the mental health and wellness needs of federal officers; and (3) ensure that recommendations, resources, or programs under this bill protect the privacy of participating officers.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2017
Health Equity and Access for Returning Troops and Servicemembers Act or the HEARTS Act This bill extends TRICARE eligibility to certain former members of the Armed Forces regardless of whether they enroll (as required under current law) in Medicare's supplementary medical insurance program. Specifically, the bill applies to former members who are: (1) younger than 65 years of age, (2) medically retired from the Armed Forces, and (3) entitled to Medicare hospital insurance benefits on the basis of their former entitlement to disability insurance benefits under the Social Security Act. Furthermore, these former members shall not be subject to late-enrollment penalties under Medicare's supplemental medical insurance program. The Department of Defense must coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services to: (1) identify former members to which the bill applies, (2) counsel those former members on the effects of declining to enroll in Medicare's supplemental medical insurance program, and (3) report to Congress on specified issues related to the bill's implementation.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2017
Social Security Disability Fairness Act of 2017 This bill allows an individual diagnosed with a terminal illness to receive disability payments under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program during the waiting period for such payments (which typically lasts five months). It also establishes a phased-in payment schedule for such payments. These provisions shall expire January 1, 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2017
Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of the Interior to develop and maintain a current, accurate multipurpose cadastre (inventory) of federal real property to assist with federal land management activities, including, but not limited to, resource development and conservation, agricultural use, active forest management, environmental protection, and use of real property. Interior may enter into cost-sharing agreements with states to include any nonfederal lands in this cadastre. The federal share of any such agreement shall be up to 50% of the total cost to a state for the development of a cadastre of the nonfederal lands. Interior shall report on: (1) existing executive agency real property inventories or any components of any cadastre; (2) consolidation of inventories and components; (3) the use of existing inventories and components of any cadastre; (4) cost savings that will be achieved; (5) a plan for implementation of this bill, including a cost estimate and the feasibility of using revenue from any authorized transactional activity to offset such costs; and (6) recommendations for legislation.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2017
Fishing Equipment Tax Relief Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from 10% to 3% the excise tax rate that applies to the sale of portable, electronically-aerated bait containers by the manufacturer, producer, or importer.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act This bill designates specified National Forest System lands, National Park System lands, and public lands in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness and as components or additions to existing components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bill also designates specified federal lands as biological connecting corridors and as special corridor management areas. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is amended to designate segments of specified rivers and creeks in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill designates specified areas as wildland recovery areas. The Department of Agriculture shall develop a wildland recovery plan for each recovery area. A specified panel of independent scientists shall study roadless lands greater than 1,000 acres that are within the National Forest System in the Wild Rockies bioregion in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, or Wyoming and that are not designated as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System for their role in maintaining biological diversity in the Northern Rockies and as part of the overall forest reserve system. Any new road construction or reconstruction or timber harvest is prohibited in those lands after the evaluation without an Act of Congress. Oil or gas leasing, mining, or other development which impairs the natural and roadless qualities of the land is also prohibited. The Department of the Interior may apply the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act in carrying out this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2017 This bill prohibits sexual orientation or gender identity conversion therapy from being provided in exchange for monetary compensation. It bars advertisements for such therapy that claim to: (1) change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, (2) eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender, or (3) be harmless or without risk. Individuals or entities shall not assist or facilitate a conversion therapy if they receive monetary compensation from any source in connection with providing such therapies. These prohibitions are inapplicable to practices or treatments that do not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity if they provide: (1) assistance to an individual undergoing a gender transition; or (2) acceptance, support, and understanding of clients or facilitation of clients' coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices. The Federal Trade Commission and states are provided authority to enforce against violations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Civil Rights Legacy of Medgar Wiley Evers 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 presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Myrlie Evers-Williams in recognition of the contributions and sacrifice that she and her husband, assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers, made in the fight for racial equality in the United States. Following its award, the medal shall be given to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, where it is to be available for display or for temporary loan to be displayed elsewhere.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Commends Holocaust education activists on their efforts to include Holocaust education in states' public school curricula. Urges more states to enact legislation mandating Holocaust education in their schools. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that more should be done to instill in the nation's future the promise that we will never forget the horrors of the Holocaust and must always work to prevent such atrocities from occurring in the future.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2017
Partner with Korea Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to create an E-4 treaty trader visa category for up to 15,000 nationals of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) each fiscal year who are coming to the United States solely to perform specialty occupation services and with respect to whom the Department of Labor has certified to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State that the intending employer has filed an attestation concerning U.S. worker protections with the Department of Labor.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2017
Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 201 7 This bill expands tax incentives and federal assistance for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) that are sponsored by S corporations. The bill provides additional tax incentives for ESOPs by (1) extending to all domestic corporations, including S corporations, provisions allowing deferral of tax on gain from the sale of employer securities to an ESOP; and (2) allowing a tax deduction for 50% of the interest received by a bank on loans to S corporation-sponsored ESOPs for the purchase of employer securities. The Department of the Treasury must establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations. The bill defines an "ESOP business concern" and allows such a concern to continue to qualify as a small business for the purposes of programs under the Small Business Act. An "ESOP business concern" is a business concern that was a small business concern eligible for a loan, preference, or other program under the Small Business Act before more than 49% of the business concern was acquired by an ESOP.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Microloan Modernization Act of 2017 This bill amends the Small Business Act to repeal the "25/75" rule under the Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program (assisting low-income individuals to start and operate a small business) that permits SBA-designated microloan intermediary lenders to expend up to 25% of the intensive marketing, management, and technical assistance grant funds they receive from the SBA to provide information and technical assistance to small business concerns that are their prospective borrowers. The total amount of loans outstanding and committed to any particular intermediary (excluding outstanding grants) from the SBA business loan and investment fund shall be increased from $5 million to $6 million for the remaining years of the intermediary's participation in the program. The SBA shall: compare the operations of a representative sample of eligible intermediaries that participate in the microloan program and of eligible intermediaries that do not, study the reasons why the latter do not participate, recommend how to encourage increased participation by intermediaries in the microloan program, and recommend how to decrease the associated costs for intermediary participation. The Government Accountability Office shall evaluate: SBA oversight of the microloan program, including oversight of participating intermediaries; and the specific processes the SBA uses to ensure program compliance by participating intermediaries and overall microloan program performance.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
America's Red Rock Wilderness Act This bill designates specified lands in the following areas of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) Great Basin, (2) Grand Staircase-Escalante, (3) Moab-La Sal Canyons, (4) Henry Mountains, (5) Glen Canyon, (6) San Juan-Anasazi, (7) Canyonlands Basin, (8) San Rafael Swell, and (9) Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin. The bill sets forth administrative requirements for: (1) the exchange of state-owned lands within such areas, (2) federal reservation of water rights, (3) measurement of setbacks for roads with wilderness, (4) authorized livestock grazing, and (5) withdrawal of such lands from disposition under certain public land laws.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Lifetime Income Disclosure Act This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require pension benefit statements to include a lifetime income disclosure at least once during any 12-month period. The disclosure must set forth the lifetime income stream equivalent of the total benefits accrued with respect to the participant or beneficiary. The "lifetime income stream equivalent of the total benefits accrued" is the amount of monthly payments the participant or beneficiary would receive if the total accrued benefits were used to provide lifetime income streams based on certain assumptions, including that the participant or beneficiary has a spouse of equal age and a single life annuity. The Department of Labor must issue a model lifetime income disclosure, assumptions that plan administrators may use in converting total accrued benefits into lifetime income stream equivalents, and related rules. No plan fiduciary, sponsor, or other person may be liable under ERISA solely due to the provision of lifetime income stream equivalents derived in accordance with the assumptions and related rules issued by Labor, including explanations contained in the model lifetime income disclosure.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Tribal Adoption Parity Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow Indian tribal governments to determine whether a child has special needs for the purposes of the adoption tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Recognizes that National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month provides an opportunity for sexual violence education and sexual assault prevention, treatment, and prosecution. Calls for: (1) acknowledging survivors and commending volunteers and professionals who assist them; (2) recognizing and applauding national and community organizations and private sector supporters; and (3) recognizing and applauding public safety, law enforcement, and health professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Equitable Student Aid Access Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise requirements governing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The bill increases the adjusted gross income threshold used to determine whether a student qualifies for an automatic zero expected family contribution (EFC) in the calculation of the student's financial need. A dependent student is eligible for an automatic zero EFC if the student's parents have adjusted gross income up to $30,000. An independent student with non-spouse dependents is eligible for a zero EFC if the student and spouse have adjusted gross income up to $30,000. The bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to allow students to use tax information from the year before the previous one in determining their financial aid eligibility. The Internal Revenue Service and ED must share available data pursuant to taxpayer consent. The bill requires the FAFSA application to be available to students by October 1, which is three months earlier than is currently required.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Growing and Reviving Rural Economies Through Transitioning HUBZone Redesignation Act of 2017 This bill amends the Small Business Act with respect to Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) located in qualified census tracts, qualified nonmetropolitan counties, or redesignated areas, which are census tracts or nonmetropolitan counties that cease to meet the ordinary criteria for the HUBZone program but are "redesignated" to qualify for it. The bill increases the length of time a census tract or nonmetropolitan county may be redesignated to qualify for HUBZone status from three years to seven years after the date on which the area ceased to meet the ordinary criteria.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017 This bill permanently extends the Medicare-Dependent Hospital program (which provides increased payments to certain smaller, rural hospitals that serve a proportionally high number of Medicare patients) and the program for increased payments under Medicare for low-volume hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2017 This bill allows coverage, under Medicare, of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity furnished by providers other than primary care physicians and practitioners. Additionally, it allows coverage under Medicare's prescription drug benefit of drugs used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss management for individuals who are overweight.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
This bill modifies the methodology used to calculate a manufacturer's average sales price for certain drugs covered under Medicare. Specifically, the bill excludes, from a manufacturer's average sales price calculation, customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise physician supervision requirements under the Medicare program for radiology services performed by advanced level radiographers. Specifically, with respect to a state that has established such requirements for those services, the bill aligns Medicare's requirements with state requirements. An "advanced level radiographer" is a radiographer who has obtained specified certification from either the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists or the Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit conduct, including bullying and harassment, that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to: (1) limit students' ability to participate in, or benefit from, school programs; or (2) create a hostile or abusive educational environment that adversely affects students' education. LEAs shall also provide: (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct, and report on, an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics shall collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Families of Fallen Servicemembers First Act This bill provides a permanent appropriation for the payment of death gratuities and related benefits to survivors of deceased members of the uniformed services during a period of lapsed appropriations. The bill provides the appropriations at the rate and under the conditions provided for the most recent fiscal year for which an Act making appropriations for the uniformed services has been enacted. The appropriations are provided during a period of lapsed appropriations, in which appropriations are unavailable due to the absence of the timely enactment of an Act or joint resolution providing appropriations or continuing appropriations for the death gratuity and related benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act This bill requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to lands under their respective jurisdictions, to ensure that all existing and future rights-of-way for electrical transmission and distribution facilities on such lands include requirements for utility vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities that: are developed in consultation with the holder of the right-of-way; enable the owner or operator of a facility to operate it in good working order and comply with federal, state, and local electric system reliability and fire safety requirements; and minimize the need for case-by-case or annual approvals, and instead provide for expedited review and approval, for routine vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities within existing electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way, as well as utility vegetation management activities necessary to control hazard trees within or adjacent to electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way. Interior and the USDA shall give facility owners and operators the option to submit to the appropriate agency a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan. Interior and the USDA shall apply its categorical exclusion process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to plans developed under this bill. (A "categorical exclusion" under NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and for which neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.)
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act This bill designates approximately 1,559,538 acres of land within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Paycheck Fairness Act This bill amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to: (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. The bill directs the Department of Labor to: (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. The bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Recognizes the significance of Equal Pay Day to illustrate the disparity between wages paid to men and women, and its impact on women, families, and the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2017
Larry Doby 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 presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of 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 · 30 March 2017
Rural Access to Hospice Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow payment under Medicare for certain services furnished to hospice patients by rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). With respect to a patient who elects to receive hospice care under Medicare, current law generally limits payment for services that are either duplicative of such care or related to the treatment of the individual's terminal illness. However, current law exempts from this limitation: (1) physicians' services furnished by an attending physician not employed by the hospice program; and (2) services provided or arranged by the hospice program. The bill expands this exemption with regard to rural health clinic and FQHC services. Specifically, the payment limitation shall not apply to such services that: (1) would otherwise be physicians' services if furnished by an individual unaffiliated with a rural health clinic or FQHC; and (2) are either arranged by the hospice program or furnished by an attending physician not employed by the hospice program.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2017 This bill allows Medicare payment for home health services ordered by a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, a certified nurse-midwife, or a physician assistant.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Big Cat Public Safety Act This bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit any person from breeding or possessing prohibited wildlife species (i.e., any live species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species). Breeding means facilitating propagation or reproduction (whether intentionally or negligently), or failing to prevent propagation or reproduction. The bill revises the list of entities that are exempt from Lacey Act prohibitions regarding those wildlife species to include: (1) certain entities that hold Class C licenses in good standing under the Animal Welfare Act, and (2) current owners of animals that were born before this bill's enactment if the animals are registered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those entities and owners may not allow direct contact between the public and the prohibited wildlife species. A person who knowingly violates the prohibition must be fined not more than $20,000, or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. The bill considers each violation to be a separate offense. The offense must be deemed to have been committed not only in the district where the violation first occurred, but also in any district in which the defendant may have taken or been in possession of the prohibited wildlife species. The bill extends forfeiture provisions to fish, wildlife, or plants that are bred or possessed.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2017 or the PAST Act This bill amends the Horse Protection Act to establish a new system for inspecting horses for soring, revise penalties for violations of the Act, and modify enforcement procedures. The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish requirements to license, train, assign, and oversee persons hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions to detect and diagnose sore horses. A license may not be issued to a person with conflicts of interest, and USDA must give preference to veterinarians. USDA may revoke a license for unsatisfactory performance. USDA must assign licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire the inspectors. An inspector must issue a citation for violations and notify USDA of violations. USDA must publish information on violations of this bill and disqualify a horse that is sore. The bill prohibits a person in any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction from causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning the horse. The bill prohibits the use of specified devices on a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse at a show, exhibition, sale, or auction. The bill increases the maximum criminal and civil liability penalties for certain violations. USDA may disqualify violators from specified activities related to horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act This bill establishes a comprehensive women's history museum within the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, to provide for: (1) the collection, study, and establishment of programs related to women's contributions that have influenced the direction of the United States; (2) collaboration with other Smithsonian museums and facilities, outside museums, and educational institutions; and (3) the creation of exhibitions and programs that recognize diverse perspectives on women's history and contributions. The bill establishes a council within the Smithsonian Institution to: (1) make recommendations to the Smithsonian's Board of Regents for the construction of the museum; (2) advise and assist the board on the administration and preservation of the museum; (3) recommend annual operating budgets for the museum; and (4) report annually to the board on the acquisition, disposition, and display of objects related to women's art, history, and culture. The council shall have sole authority to: (1) acquire artifacts for the museum's collections, (2) dispose of any part of the collections but only if funds generated are used for additions to the collections, (3) specify criteria for the use of the museum's collections and resources, and (4) preserve and maintain the collections. The museum's director may carry out educational and liaison programs in support of its goals.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2017
Hold Congress Accountable Act This bill requires a reduction in the annual rate of pay of a Member of Congress during a government shutdown equal to the product of one day's worth of pay under such annual rate and the number of 24-hour periods during which the government shutdown is in effect. Such reduction applies to days occurring after the date of the general election for federal office held in November 2018. For the 115th Congress, such amount of the pay of a Member of Congress shall be withheld due to a government shutdown, held in escrow until the last day of the 115th Congress, and released for payment to Members at that time.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2017
No Budget, No Pay Act This bill prohibits the payment of any pay to any Member of Congress (excluding the Vice President): (1) if both houses of Congress have not approved a concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year before October 1 of that fiscal year and have not passed all the regular appropriations bills for the next fiscal year by such date, or (2) until both houses of Congress approve such a budget resolution and pass all such appropriations bills. Retroactive pay is prohibited for such a period.
![Official portrait of Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_wi_3_kind_ron_200.jpg)