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![Official portrait of Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_fl_5_lawson_al_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
1,307 records where Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2018
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2018
Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act This bill requires federal employees furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about February 8, 2018, to be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for the period of such lapse as soon as practicable after such lapse ends.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2018
Honors the contributions of school counselors to the success of students in elementary and secondary schools. Encourages the observation of National School Counseling Week with ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the crucial role school counselors play in preparing students for fulfilling lives as contributing members of society.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 or the STOP School Violence Act of 2018 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to revise and reauthorize through FY2028 the Secure Our Schools grant program. This grant program provides grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribes to improve security, including the placement and use of metal detectors and other deterrent measures, at schools and on school grounds.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2018 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct an interagency study regarding research on lung cancer in women, access to lung cancer preventive services, and public awareness and education campaigns on lung cancer. The study must include a comprehensive report on research and knowledge gaps related to lung cancer in women in the federal government and recommendations for: (1) a research program that would encourage innovative approaches to eliminate knowledge gaps, (2) the development of a national lung cancer screening strategy with sufficient resources to expand access to screening, and (3) the development of a national public education and awareness campaign on lung cancer in women and the importance of early detection of lung cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Recognizes the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike. Honors the perseverance of the members of Union Local 1733 and the contribution of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in resolving the labor dispute.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2018
Honors the memory of Echol Cole, Robert Walker, and all the Memphis sanitation workers who struggled for economic justice and human dignity. Honors and remembers the extraordinary moral leadership of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Calls upon and encourages all Americans to remember all those who struggle for justice and to dedicate themselves to realizing the dream of Dr. King.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2018
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act This bill requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether a state substantially provides public safety officers or employees: the right to form and join a labor organization; recognition by public safety employers of the employees' labor organization, agreement to bargain with the organization, and reduction of any agreements to writing in a contract or memorandum of understanding; the right to bargain over hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment; and binding interest arbitration to resolve an impasse in collective bargaining negotiations. The bill makes the authority responsible for: (1) determining the appropriateness of units for labor representation; (2) supervising elections; (3) conducting hearings and resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; and (4) protecting the right of employees to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from doing so. An employer, public safety officer, or labor organization may not engage in a lockout, sickout, work slowdown, strike, or any other organized job action that will measurably disrupt the delivery of emergency services and is designed to compel an employer, public safety officer, or labor organization to agree to the terms of a proposed contract.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2018
SNAP Healthy Incentives Act of 201 8 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide a financial incentive for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) participants to purchase fruits and vegetables.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2018
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to enter into an agreement to obtain a statue of Shirley Chisholm. The committee may authorize the Architect of the Capitol to enter into the agreement as well as related contracts. The committee shall place the statue in a suitable permanent location in the U.S. Capitol.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2018
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 567 East Franklin Street in Oviedo, Florida, as the "Sergeant First Class Alwyn Crendall Cashe Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2018
Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act This bill requires federal employees furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about January 19, 2018, to be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for the period of such lapse as soon as practicable after such lapse ends.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2018
Expresses support and respect for Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations. Censures and condemns President Trump for his derogatory statements about Haiti and other countries at the January 11, 2018, White House meeting and calls on him to retract and apologize for such remarks.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2018
Change Order Transparency for Federal Contractors Act This bill amends the Small Business Act to require an agency, with respect to solicitations for the award of a construction contract anticipated to be awarded to a small business, to provide a notice to the prospective bidders and offerors along with the solicitation about the agency's: (1) policies or practices relating to the timely definitization of requests for an equitable adjustment, and (2) past performance in definitizing such requests.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2018
Small Business 7(a) Lending Oversight Reform Act of 2018 This bill amends the Small Business Act to provide statutory authority for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Credit Risk Management and the SBA Lender Oversight Committee. For FY2018 and each ensuing fiscal year, the SBA may, with congressional approval, increase the cap for general business loans if the cap will be reached within that fiscal year. An increase may only be implemented once each fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2018
Congratulates Keiser University in Florida on its 40th anniversary.
United States · United States Congress · 21 December 2017
National Law Enforcement Museum Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins that are emblematic of the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, and the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers throughout the history of the United States. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges, which shall be distributed to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2017
This bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs health care center located at 2181 Orange Avenue in Tallahassee, Florida, as the "Sergeant Ernest I. `Boots' Thomas VA Clinic."
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2017
Small Business Advanced Cybersecurity Enhancements Act of 2017 This bill amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration in coordination with the Department of Commerce to create a central small business cybersecurity assistance unit and small business cybersecurity assistance units in each small business development center. The units shall serve as the primary interface for small business concerns to receive and share cyber threat indicators and defensive measures with the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2017
Student Aid Enhancement Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify the calculation used to determine a dependent student's amount of need for financial assistance. Specifically, the bill excludes the income and assets of the dependent student in the calculation of the expected family contribution for the student.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2017
Gun Violence Research Act of 2017 This bill amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, with respect to the prohibition on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) using funds to advocate or promote gun control. The bill declares that this prohibition does not restrict HHS funding for research on mental health, gun violence, and how they intersect. The Surgeon General must report annually on the effects of gun violence on public health, including mental health, and the status of actions taken to address those effects. HHS must report on the effects of gun violence on public health in minority communities.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2017
Workplace Action for a Growing Economy Act or the WAGE Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to award back pay and additional damages to any employee whose rights under the NLRA have been violated by an employer; impose penalties upon an employer for failing to post a notice of the rights of their employees under the NLRA; impose penalties upon an employer whose violations of the NLRA result in the discharge of an employee or other serious economic harm to the employee; provide civil remedies, including restraining orders, and a private right of action for violations of the NLRA; require the NLRB to issue an order requiring collective bargaining when a majority of valid ballots have been cast in favor of union representation; prevent the classification of employees as supervisors for the purpose of denying such employees the protections of the NLRA; and expedite the establishment of initial collective bargaining agreements. The bill empowers the NLRB to enforce its own orders without petitioning a court for enforcement.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2017
Continuing Community Health and Medical Professional Programs to Improve Our Nation and Keep Insurance Delivery Stable Act of 2017 or the CHAMPION KIDS Act of 2017 This bill extends funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), community health centers, and other specified public health programs, and otherwise modifies provisions related to Medicaid, CHIP, and public health.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2017
SNAP Simplification for the Elderly Act This bill (1) extends the certification period for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for certain households, (2) expands the use of combined applications for SNAP and certain other benefits, and (3) requires the Department of Agriculture to carry out pilot projects to integrate the delivery of various benefits to certain low-income households.
United States · United States Congress · 28 November 2017
Directs the Committee on House Administration to issue regulations requiring Members, officers, and employees of the House of Representatives to complete a training program on workplace rights and responsibilities, including anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training, during each congressional session. Requires Members, officers, or employees to certify completion of such training within 90 days after a congressional session begins or within 90 days after beginning service during a session. (Sets forth a special rule requiring such training to be completed within 180 days after the beginning of the second session of the 115th Congress.) Directs the committee to issue regulations requiring that each House employing office post in a prominent location in its office and in each Member's congressional district office a statement of rights and protections provided to House employees under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, including procedures for responding to and adjudicating allegations of violations of such rights and protections.
United States · United States Congress · 28 November 2017
Surface Transportation and Public Area Security Act of 2017 This bill reauthorizes for FY2018-FY2022 (1) the public transportation security grant program, (2) the law enforcement reimbursement agreement program, (3) visible intermodal prevention and response teams, (4) explosives detection canine teams, and (5) surface transportation security inspectors. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall (1) establish a law enforcement officer reimbursement agreement program, and (2) increase by at least 200 the number of state and local law enforcement-led explosives detection canine teams trained and certified by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) dedicated to surface transportation security. DHS shall annually develop risk-based priorities based on risk assessments that consider threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences. The TSA may establish a task force to identify and develop an innovative technology or capability with the potential to enhance transportation security. DHS shall (1) prioritize the assignment of officers and intelligence analysts from the TSA and DHS to locations with participating fusion centers in jurisdictions with a high-risk surface transportation asset, (2) ensure there exists a national mechanism for an individual to report suspicious activity in a transportation facility, and (3) submit an assessment of threats to the transportation sector. A "fusion center" is a collaborative effort of two or more agencies that provide resources, expertise and information to the center with the goal of maximizing their ability to detect, prevent, investigate, and respond to criminal and terrorist activity. DHS shall (1) establish a working group to promote collaborative engagement between DHS and stakeholders to develop non-binding recommendations for enhancing security in public areas of transportation facilities, and (2) disseminate best practices to enhance security against the threat of a vehicle-based terrorist attack.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017
Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act This bill establishes the Pension Rehabilitation Administration within the Department of the Treasury and a related trust fund to make loans to certain multiemployer defined benefit pension plans. To receive a loan, a plan must be either in critical and declining status (including any plan with respect to which a suspension of benefits has been approved) or insolvent, if the plan became insolvent after December 16, 2014, and has not been terminated. Treasury must issue bonds to fund the loan program and transfer amounts equal to the proceeds to the trust fund established by this bill. The Pension Rehabilitation Administration may use the funds, without a further appropriation, to make loans, pay principal and interest on the bonds, or for administrative and operating expenses. The bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow the sponsor of a multiemployer pension plan that is applying for a loan under this bill to also apply to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) for financial assistance if, after receiving the loan, the plan will still become (or remain) insolvent within the 30-year period beginning on the date of the loan. The bill also appropriates to the PBGC the funds that are necessary to provide the financial assistance required by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2017
Supports the designation of room G2-24 of the Rayburn House Office Building as the "Stephen D. Vermillion, III, Room."
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2017
Flood Water Relief Act of 2017 This bill makes supplemental appropriations for the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control projects and storm damage reduction projects in disaster areas affected by flooding in Jacksonville, Florida.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2017
This bill nullifies a rule finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on November 13, 2017, that modifies payment under Medicare for certain drugs purchased through the 340B discount program.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2017
Veteran Treatment Court Coordination Act of 2017 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that veterans treatment courts are a successful program aimed at helping veterans charged with non-violent crimes receive the help and the benefits to which they are entitled. The Department of Justice (DOJ) shall establish a Veteran Treatment Court Program to provide assistance to state circuit court systems that have adopted or filed a notice of intent to establish such a program. The DOJ program shall include veterans treatment court grant programs carried out pursuant to laws establishing other incarceration alternatives programs.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2017
Veterans' Agricultural Apprenticeship Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a program to make direct loans to farmers and ranchers who will provide mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities for veterans to learn the skills necessary to become successful farmers or ranchers. USDA must carry out the program through agreements with state departments of agriculture that will: select veterans to participate in the program, secure established farmers and ranchers to provide the mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities, and make and administer direct loans to support the resulting mentorship and apprenticeship. The loans must be made without interest and may not exceed a term of one year. Of the amounts appropriated for FY2019-FY2023 for the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA must use $1 million for each of the fiscal years for the program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2017
Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2017 This bill modifies various provisions of federal firearms laws. Among other things, it does the following: prohibits certain firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check; and requires states to implement plans to improve the submission of mental health and criminal history records to the national instant criminal background check system.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2017
Recognizes and encourages the observance of Small Business Saturday. Supports efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of such businesses on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2017
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the people of the United States stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti and support efforts to help Haiti recover and develop into a prosperous democracy; (2) Haiti has not recovered from the natural and man-made disasters that prompted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate Haiti as a temporary protected status (TPS) country; (3) DHS should extend Haiti's TPS designation; (4) the Department of State should urge the United Nations to fulfill its pledge to treat and eliminate cholera, improve long-term access to clean water and sanitation, and assist victims; and (5) a prosperous and democratic Haiti will be better positioned to provide opportunities for its citizens, address crises, meet its obligations, and advance shared U.S.-Haiti interests and values.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2017
Dialysis Patient Access to Integrated-care, Empowerment, Nephrologists, Treatment, and Services Demonstration Act of 2017 or the Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act of 2017 This bill establishes a demonstration program for the provision of integrated care to Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Under the voluntary program, eligible participating providers may form organizations to offer ESRD integrated care models and serve as medical homes for program-eligible beneficiaries. Such a model: (1) shall cover medical and hospital services, other than hospice care, under Medicare; (2) must include benefits for transition into transplantation, palliative care, or hospice; and (3) may cover prescription drug benefits. An organization must offer at least one open network model but may also offer one or more preferred network models. An organization shall return savings achieved under the models to program-eligible beneficiaries. A beneficiary shall have the opportunity to: (1) opt out of the program, (2) make an assignment change into an open network model offered by a different organization, or (3) elect a preferred network model. The bill establishes requirements regarding: (1) benefits for program-eligible beneficiaries who are also eligible for Medicaid benefits, (2) program quality and reporting, (2) ESRD integrated care strategy, (3) program operation and scope, (4) beneficiary notification, and (5) payment. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission must, before 2025, submit to Congress an interim report on the program.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2017
Congressional Sexual Harassment Training Act This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to require each employing office under the Act to ensure that its covered employees enroll in the Office of Compliance's program of education that informs employees of the rights provided under the Act against sexual harassment: (1) within 60 days after first becoming an employee; (2) for existing employees, within 90 days after enactment of this bill; and (3) every two years.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2017
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the people of the United States stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti and support efforts to help Haiti recover and develop into a prosperous democracy; (2) Haiti has not recovered from the natural and man-made disasters that prompted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate Haiti as a temporary protected status (TPS) country; (3) DHS should extend Haiti's TPS designation; (4) the Department of State should urge the United Nations to fulfill its pledge to treat and eliminate cholera, improve long-term access to clean water and sanitation, and assist victims; and (5) a prosperous and democratic Haiti will be better positioned to provide opportunities for its citizens, address crises, meet its obligations, and advance shared U.S.-Haiti interests and values.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2017
Supports the goals and ideals of National Veterans Small Business Week. Celebrates the millions of people in the United States, especially veterans and their spouses, who benefit from Small Business Administration programs. Expresses appreciation for the continued service to the United States by the nation's veterans through small business ownership and entrepreneurship.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2017
Recognizes: the growth and importance of minority women-owned businesses; that minority women often work in low-paying jobs in the traditional workforce; that minority women entrepreneurs are paving the way for women-owned businesses and are an important segment to the U.S. domestic and world's global economy; and that, in order to sustain the U.S. economy, we must fully support and encourage the growth of minority women-owned businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2017
Condemns the harassment and violence targeted at students because of their racial, ethnic, religious, or sexual background, and affirms Congress's commitment to creating safe learning environments on college campuses.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2017
Environmental Justice Act of 2017 This bill requires agencies to address the disproportionate impact of environmental and human health hazards on communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities resulting from agencies' programs and policies. This bill provides statutory authority for: the interagency Federal Working Group on Environmental Justice, certain environmental justice requirements established under Executive Order 12898, a guidance titled "Environmental Justice Guidance Under the National Environmental Policy Act," a guidance titled "EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes: Guidance for Discussing Tribal Treaty Rights," the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program, and the Community Action for a Renewed Environment grant programs. The bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address potential cumulative impacts of pollutant discharges when issuing or renewing permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program. The bill amends the Clean Air Act to require the EPA to address potential cumulative impacts of a major stationary source of air pollutants when issuing or renewing permits for those sources. The bill states that the authorization to bring citizen suits under certain environmental laws does not preclude the right of an individual to bring a civil action for deprivation of implied rights under those laws or common law. The bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to allow a person aggrieved by the failure of a covered entity to comply with the Act to bring an action against the entity in a federal or state court for discriminatory practices.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2017
USS Indianapolis Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the House of Representatives and the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the crew of the USS Indianapolis, in recognition of their perseverance, bravery, and service. Following the award of the gold medal, it shall be given to the Indiana War Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana, where it will be displayed and made available for research. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that the Indiana War Memorial Museum should make the gold medal available for display elsewhere, particularly at other locations and events associated with the USS Indianapolis.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2017
This bill provides that the Department of Veterans Affairs per diem payment calculation for an entity receiving homeless veterans shelter grants for a homeless veteran who has care of a minor dependent while receiving services from such entity shall be the sum of the daily cost of care for the veteran plus, for each minor dependent, an amount that equals 50% of the veteran's daily cost of care.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2017
Creating Accountability Measures Protecting University Students Historically Abused, Threatened, and Exposed to Crimes Act or the CAMPUS HATE Crimes Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish measures to hold institutions of higher education accountable for hate crimes that occur on their campuses.
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2017
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1415 West Oak Street, in Kissimmee, Florida, as the "Borinqueneers Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2017
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2017 This bill directs the President to establish a five-year strategy to accelerate progress toward ending preventable child and maternal deaths within a generation and ensure healthy and productive lives for women and children. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) shall: (1) identify target countries with the greatest need and the highest burden of preventable child and maternal deaths, and (2) designate a current USAID employee serving in the Senior Executive Service or at the level of a Deputy Assistant Administrator or higher to serve concurrently as the Senior Coordinator for Child and Maternal Survival.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2017
This bill amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to revise the quorum requirement for the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States to require the lesser of three members or the number of members holding office on the board (currently, at least three members) for there to be a quorum.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2017
Supports the recognition of World Post Day, which acknowledges the importance and contributions of postal services.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2017
Honors the accomplishments of the nine historically black colleges and universities that celebrated their 150th anniversary during the week of September 24, 2017.