United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
Agency Accountability Act of 2016 This bill requires any agency that receives a fee, fine, penalty, or proceeds from a settlement to deposit the amount in the general fund of the Treasury. The funds may not be used unless the funding is provided in advance in an appropriations bill. Any amounts deposited during the fiscal year in which this bill is enacted may not be obligated during the fiscal year and must be used for deficit reduction. The bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require offsetting receipts and collections to be treated as revenue. (Offsetting receipts and collections are funds collected by agencies from other government accounts or from the public in businesslike or market-oriented transactions. Under current law, the collections are treated as negative budget authority and outlays rather than revenue and may be used to offset spending for budget enforcement purposes.) The requirements of the bill do not apply to the U.S. Postal Service or the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the USPTO must submit annually to Congress a report describing any fee, fine, penalty, or proceeds from a settlement collected by the USPTO during the previous year.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
This joint resolution declares that: Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to defining and delimiting the exemptions from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for executive, administrative, professionals, outside sales, and computer employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; and such rule shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2016
This bill amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to repeal the declaration that the deference that a court affords to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding its determination of the meaning or interpretation of any provision of a federal consumer financial law shall be applied as if the CFPB were the only agency authorized to apply, enforce, interpret, or administer the provisions of that law. In any judicial review of a CFPB agency action, the reviewing court shall determine the meaning or applicability of the terms of a CFPB agency action and decide de novo all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions, as well as CFPB rules. No law may exempt any civil action for judicial review from the application of this bill except by specific reference to it.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Stop Debt Collection Abuse Act of 2016 This bill amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to redefine: (1) "debt" to include any obligation or alleged obligation of a consumer to pay a loan, an overpayment, a fine, penalty, a fee, or other money owed currently or originally to a federal agency and that is at least 180 days past due; and (2) "debt collector" to include any person who regularly collects debts currently or originally owed or allegedly owed to a federal agency. A federal agency that is a creditor may sell or transfer a debt to a debt collector beginning 90 days after the obligation or alleged obligation becomes delinquent or defaults. The Act is further amended by making the collection of any amount (including any interest, fee, charge, or expense incidental to the principal obligation) an unfair practice unless: the amount is expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or permitted by law (as under current law); and in the case of a debt owed a federal agency as specified in this bill, the collection charge is reasonable in relation to actual collection costs, is authorized by a contract between the debt collector and the federal agency, and does not exceed 10% of the amount the debt collector collects. The Government Accountability Office shall study the use of debt collectors by federal, state, and local government agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2016
Article I Regulatory Budget Act This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and other laws to establish and enforce a federal regulatory budget. The President's annual budget submission must include an analysis of the cost of compliance with current and proposed federal regulations and proposals for complying with the levels and allocations established pursuant to this bill. The bill amends the Regulatory Flexibility Act to require agencies to provide additional analysis of the private sector costs for compliance with new regulations. An agency may not issue certain guidance documents setting forth policies or interpretations regarding statutory, regulatory, or technical issues unless it has provided notice and an opportunity for comment. A concurrent resolution on the budget must include levels for the federal regulatory cost for at least five years. The bill establishes a process for allocating the totals among congressional committees, agencies, programs, and major functional categories. The bill establishes procedures for enforcing the requirements, including: points of order which may be raised against legislation to enforce the allocations, subject to a waiver by Congress; private rights of action in federal court; and a requirement for appropriations legislation to include enforcement provisions. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) must submit: (1) a baseline projecting the federal regulatory cost over at least five years, (2) analysis of the federal regulatory cost of legislation reported by congressional committees, and (3) look-back reviews comparing CBO estimates with actual costs. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the CBO must submit jointly to the President and Congress an analysis of the cost and economic effects of federal regulations, including recommendations for improvements to the regulatory budgeting process. Federal agencies and the Government Accountability Office must provide reports and cost estimates for specified regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Air Traffic Controller Hiring Improvement Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing air traffic controllers, to give preferential consideration to qualified individuals maintaining 52 consecutive weeks of experience involving the active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic certification or facility rating within 5 years of application while serving at an FAA air traffic control facility, a civilian or military air traffic control facility of the Department of Defense, or a tower operating under contract with the FAA. The FAA shall consider additional applicants by referring an approximately equal number of employees for appointment among two applicant pools. The number referred from each group shall not differ by more than 10%. Pool one shall consist of applicants who: have successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program and have received an appropriate recommendation or endorsement from such institution, are eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment and provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days of the announcement closing, are veterans eligible for veterans' benefits who maintain aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience, or are preference eligible veterans. Pool two shall consist of applicants who apply under a vacancy announcement recruiting from all U.S. citizens. The FAA: (1) may not use a biographical assessment when hiring, (2) must provide an individual who applied in response to a specified 2014 vacancy announcement and was disqualified as the result of a biographical assessment an opportunity to reapply under the revised hiring practices, and (3) must waive any maximum age limit for such reapplying applicants who met such requirement when they applied under such announcement. Otherwise, the maximum age limit for an original appointment as an air traffic controller under this bill shall be 35 years of age. The FAA shall consider directly notifying secondary schools and institutes of higher learning of a vacancy announcement for pool one applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
Reaffirms: that Israel is a major U.S. strategic partner, that it is U.S. policy and law to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge and self-defense capacity, and support of an Israeli tiered missile defense program. Urges finalization of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel. Supports a long-term Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Israel that increases the amount of aid from previous agreements and enhances Israel's military capabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2016
Anti-Pyramid Promotional Scheme Act of 2016 This bill prohibits the establishment, operation, or promotion of a pyramid promotional scheme, which is defined as a plan or operation by which a person gives consideration (money or other thing of value) to a participant in the scheme for the right to receive compensation derived primarily from the participant's introduction of another person into the plan or operation rather than from the sale of products to ultimate users. The bill grants enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission and requires violations to be treated as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act of 2016 or the PADME Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a bid ceiling for durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs) under Medicare's competitive acquisition program, through which rates are set according to a bidding process rather than by an established fee schedule. Specifically, the bid ceiling for such an item shall not be less than the fee schedule amount that would otherwise be determined. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must use payment information from competitive acquisition programs to make payment adjustments for areas outside of such programs. The bill requires CMS, in making these adjustments, to account for stakeholder input. In addition, CMS must account for a comparison of competitive acquisition areas and other areas with respect to the following factors: average travel distance and cost associated with furnishing items and services, barriers to access, average delivery time, average volume of items and services furnished by suppliers, and number of suppliers. In addition, CMS shall delay by 15 months the full implementation of new Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment. On a monthly basis, CMS must publish on its website the results of the monitoring of health outcomes and Medicare beneficiaries' access to durable medical equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2016
Enhancing Opportunities for Medical Doctors Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to redistribute unused residency positions for which graduate medical education costs are paid under Medicare. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must: (1) reduce a hospital's resident limit by a specified amount if the hospital has unused residency positions and is not a rural hospital with fewer than 250 acute care inpatient beds, and (2) increase the resident limit for each qualifying hospital that applies for an increase. In aggregate, the number of increased positions shall equal the number of reduced positions. The bill establishes specified priorities, limitations, and capacity considerations with respect to redistribution.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2016
Technologies for Energy Security Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and modify the tax credits for residential energy efficient property and investments in energy property. The bill modifies the tax credit for residential energy efficient property to extend through 2021 the credits for expenditures for fuel cell property, small wind energy property, and geothermal heat pump property. For each extended credit, the bill phases out the current credit rate of 30% of expenditures by reducing it to 26% or 22%, depending on the date that the property is placed in service. The bill extends the tax credit for investments in energy property for the following property with construction that begins before January 1, 2022: fiber-optic solar energy property, fuel cell property, microturbine property, combined heat and power system property, small wind energy property, and thermal energy property. The bill phases out the current credit rate of 30% for investments in fuel cell property, small wind energy property, and fiber-optic solar energy property by reducing it to 26% or 22%, depending on the date that the property is placed in service.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2016
Working to Integrate Networks Guaranteeing Member Access Now Act or the WINGMAN Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide an accredited, permanent congressional employee with read-only remote access to the electronic Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) claims records system of a represented veteran, regardless of whether the employee is acting under a power of attorney executed by the veteran. The VA shall ensure that access does not allow the employee to modify system data. An employee must complete the VA certification process required of agents or attorneys in order to have system access. Each Member of Congress who elects to have an employee participate in the system shall bear the certification cost, which shall be paid from the Member's representational allowance. Information access by an employee shall be deemed: (1) a covered disclosure requiring prior consent, with specified exceptions; and (2) a permitted disclosure relating to the privacy of individually identifiable health information. The VA may not recognize an employee for purposes of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of VA claims by reason of such system access. "Accredited, permanent congressional employee" means an employee of a Member of Congress who assists constituents with issues regarding federal departments or agencies. "Electronic VBA claims records system" means the VA system that provides claim status information, including information about medical records, compensation and pension exams records, rating decisions, a statement of the case and a supplementary statement of the case, a notice of disagreement, and Form-9.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Transparent Insurance Standards Act of 2016 This bill specifies U.S. objectives regarding international insurance standards. The United States may not agree to, accept, establish, enter into, or consent to the adoption of a final international insurance standard with an international standard-setting organization or a foreign government, authority, or regulatory entity unless certain publication requirements and capital standards are met. Before U.S. adoption of any such international insurance standard the Department of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in consultation with the state insurance commissioners, shall analyze and report to Congress on the impact of the standard on U.S. consumers and markets and whether any changes in state law will result from such final standard. Congress shall have 90 days to approve or reject the final standard. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is amended to authorize the Independent Member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council to: perform specified consultant duties with international insurance supervisors, international financial stability counterparts, as well as Treasury; attend the Financial Stability Board of The Group of Twenty, and arrange for the attendance and participation at the Board of state insurance commissioners on matters related to insurance and financial stability; and attend, with the U.S. delegation, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and observe and participate at the OECD Insurance and Private Pensions Committee on those same matters. Parties representing the United States at the Financial Stability Board of the Group of Twenty on matters, and in meetings, related to insurance and financial stability shall consult with the state insurance commissioners and seek to include them in those meetings.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Guides and Outfitters Act or the GO Act This bill amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to specify the circumstances in which the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may: (1) issue special recreation permits for federal recreational lands and waters, and (2) charge a special recreation permit fee for them. Interior and USDA may issue special recreation permits: for specialized individual and group use of federal facilities and federal recreational lands and waters; to recreation service providers who conduct outfitting, guiding, and other recreation services on federal recreational lands and waters; and to recreation service providers who conduct recreation or competitive events, which may involve incidental sales on federal recreational lands and waters. Interior and USDA shall issue joint permits for the use of lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Interior shall publish guidelines for establishing recreation permit fees. Revenues from special recreation permits issued to recreation service providers shall be used to: (1) offset partially Interior's direct cost of administering permits, and (2) improve and streamline the permitting process. When reviewing and adjusting allocations for the use of priority use permits for special uses of federal recreational lands and water managed by the Forest Service USDA shall allocate to the permit holder a prescribed amount subject to a cap. USDA and Interior shall implement a program that authorizes temporary permits for new recreational uses of federal recreational lands and waters managed by the Forest Service or the BLM, respectively. A permit holder prohibited by a state from indemnifying the federal government shall be considered to be in compliance with Interior and USDA indemnification requirements if the permit holder carries the required minimum amount of liability insurance coverage or is self-insured for the same minimum amount. Interior and USDA shall revise certain: special land use and special recreation permit regulations to streamline the processes for the issuance and renewal of outfitter and guide special use permits, and cost recovery fee regulations to reduce costs and minimize the burden of cost recovery on small businesses and adverse impacts of cost recovery on jobs in the outfitting and guiding industry and on rural economies. If a holder of a special use permit for outfitting and guiding that authorizes priority use has requested renewal of the permit, USDA may grant one or more exiting permit extensions for additional items for up to five years altogether, as necessary to allow completion of the renewal process and avoid the interruption of services under the permit.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Over-The-Counter Contraceptives Act of 2016 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prioritize review of supplemental drug applications (applications to modify the approved use of a drug) for contraceptive drugs intended for routine use that would be available to individuals aged 18 and older without a prescription. The FDA must waive user fees for such supplemental drug applications. Any drug that is eligible for this priority review must be a prescription drug for individuals under age 18. This bill repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 to allow health savings accounts and health flexible spending accounts (HFSAs) to be used to pay for medicine without a prescription and to remove the limit on salary reduction contributions to a HFSA under a cafeteria plan, effective as if the provisions had never been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2016
Homeowner Information Privacy Protection Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study whether the data required to be published, made available, or disclosed under the final rule of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), entitled "Home Mortgage Disclosure (Regulation C)," in connection with other publicly available data sources, could allow for or increase the probability of: exposure of the identity of mortgage applicants or mortgagors through reverse engineering; exposure of mortgage applicants or mortgagors to identity theft or the loss of sensitive personal financial information; the marketing or sale of unfair, deceptive, or abusive products to mortgage applicants or mortgagors based on such data; personal financial loss or emotional distress resulting from the exposure of mortgage applicants or mortgagors to identity theft or the loss of sensitive personal financial information; and the potential legal liability facing the CFPB. The prior rule, also entitled "Home Mortgage Disclosure (Regulation C)," was issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) transferred authority over Regulation C from the Federal Reserve Board to the CFPB. The new final rule, issued by the CFPB, adds several new home mortgage reporting requirements and revises several existing ones, and also modifies Regulation C's institutional and transactional coverage. Depository institutions shall not be required to publish, disclose, or otherwise make available to the public, pursuant to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975, any data that was not so required on the day before the enactment of Dodd-Frank. The CFPB and the Financial Institutions Examination Council shall not publish, disclose, or otherwise make available to the public any such information from a depository institution.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Free File Act of 2016 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.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 This bill declares the sense of Congress that it should consider a miscellaneous tariff bill. The U.S. International Trade Commission shall: conduct a process, meeting specified requirements, for the submission and consideration of petitions for duty suspensions and reductions; and report to Congress on the effects of duty suspensions and reductions enacted pursuant to this Act on producers, purchasers, and consumers in the United States. The bill prescribes requirements for publication by specified congressional committees of a list of limited tariff benefits contained in a miscellaneous tariff bill.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
Grow Philanthropy Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of an individual who is at least 70-1/2 years of age up to $100,000 in distributions from an individual retirement plan to a donor-advised fund. (A donor-advised fund is a fund or account that is separately identified by reference to contributions of a donor or donors. The account is owned and controlled by a sponsoring charitable organization, while the donor retains advisory privileges with respect to the distribution and investment of funds in the account.)
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2016
Conscience Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to codify the prohibition against the federal government and state and local governments that receive federal financial assistance for health-related activities penalizing or discriminating against a health care provider based on the provider's refusal to be involved in, or provide coverage for, abortion. Health care providers include health care professionals, health care facilities, social services providers, health care professional training programs, and health insurers. The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Department of Justice (DOJ), must investigate complaints alleging discrimination based on an individual's religious belief, moral conviction, or refusal to be involved in an abortion. DOJ or any entity adversely affected by such discrimination may obtain equitable or legal relief in a civil action. Administrative remedies do not need to be sought or exhausted prior to commencing an action or granting relief. Such an action may be brought against a governmental entity.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act by revising the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) program. The bill delays the implementation of the ozone NAAQS that were published in 2015. The bill extends until: (1) October 26, 2024, the deadline for states to submit designations to implement the 2015 ozone NAAQS; and (2) October 26, 2025, the deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate state areas as attainment, nonattainment, or unclassifiable areas with respect to the 2015 ozone NAAQS. States must submit a state implementation plan (SIP) by October 26, 2026, to implement, maintain, and enforce the 2015 ozone NAAQS. The bill also changes the review cycle for criteria pollutant NAAQS from a 5-year review cycle to a 10-year review cycle. The EPA may not complete its next review of ozone NAAQS before October 26, 2025. The EPA may consider, as a secondary consideration, likely technological feasibility in establishing and revising NAAQS for a pollutant if a range of air quality levels for such pollutant are requisite to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety. Prior to establishing or revising NAAQS, the EPA must obtain advice from its scientific advisory committee regarding potential adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result from attaining and maintaining NAAQS. The EPA must publish regulations and guidance for implementing NAAQS concurrently with the issuance of a new or revised standard. New or revised NAAQS shall not apply to preconstruction permits for constructing or modifying a major emitting facility or major stationary source of air pollutants until those regulations and guidance have been published. The bill provides that in Extreme Ozone Nonattainment Areas, contingency measures are not required to be included in nonattainment plans. Technological achievability and economic feasibility must be taken into consideration in plan revisions for milestones for particulate matter nonattainment areas.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act This bill declares that the proposed or the final rule of the Department of Labor entitled "Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees" shall cease to have any force or effect. The rule revises the "white collar" exemption of executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer employees from minimum wage and maximum hour, or overtime, requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). If the proposed rule is a final rule on the date of enactment of this bill: Labor shall not enforce it based on conduct occurring before that enactment date, an employee shall not have any right of action against an employer for the employer's failure to comply with the final rule at any time before that enactment date, any regulations that were amended by the final rule shall be restored and revived as if the final rule had never taken effect, and nothing in this bill shall be construed to create a right of action for an employer against an employee for the recoupment of any payments made to the employee before the enactment of this bill that were in compliance with that final rule. Labor may promulgate any substantially similar rule only if it has completed certain required actions; but the rule shall not contain any automatic updates to the salary threshold for purposes of exemptions to minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under the FLSA. The requirement that definitions applicable for such exemptions be defined and delimited from time to time by Labor regulations shall be construed to: require Labor to issue a new rule through notice and comment rulemaking for each change in any salary threshold it has proposed; and exclude any rule that would result in changes to any salary threshold for multiple time periods, including through any automatic updating procedure. Labor may not promulgate any final rule that includes any revision to duties tests for exemption from minimum wage and maximum hours requirements unless specific regulatory text for the provision was proposed in the proposed rule.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2016
Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2016 This bill modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions and rules.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2016
Local Enforcement for Local Lands Act of 2016 This bill declares that, by September 30, 2017, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall terminate the Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations unit and cease using Forest Service employees to perform law enforcement functions on federal lands. Also by such date, the Department of the Interior shall terminate the Bureau of Land Management Office of Law Enforcement and cease using Interior employees to perform law enforcement functions on federal lands. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as limiting the authority of Interior or USDA to authorize an employee of the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management to carry a firearm for protection while in the field. For FY2018 and each fiscal year thereafter, Interior shall make a grant to each state, determined according to a specified formula, to permit the state, directly or through subgrants with units of local government in it, to maintain law and order on federal land, protect individuals and property on federal lands, and enforce federal law. Any state or local government receiving the grant or subgrant shall enter into an agreement with Interior or USDA, as appropriate. In any such agreement Interior or USDA must waive all civil claims against the state or local government, and indemnify that government and save it harmless from all claims by third parties for property damage or personal injury that may arise out of law enforcement functions performed under the agreement. A law enforcement officer of a state or local government performing law enforcement functions pursuant to such an agreement shall not, except in certain circumstances, be deemed a federal employee with respect to hours of work, compensation rates, leave, unemployment compensation, and federal benefits, among other things.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2016
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act This bill establishes a three-year reauthorization, rescission, and termination schedule for unauthorized programs funded through the annual appropriations process. The schedule applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year. After a program's authorization has expired, the bill limits the program's funding in the first year to 90% of the funds provided in the expiring year, reduces the limit to 85% for the second and third years, and terminates the program at the end of the third year. The bill enforces the limits by rescinding any funds that exceed the limit. The Office of Management and Budget must reduce discretionary spending limits by the amount of any rescissions. Programs that are reauthorized during the three-year period are exempt from the limits, rescissions, and termination if the reauthorization includes a provision limiting the authorization of appropriations period to no more than three years. The bill establishes the Spending and Accountability Commission to recommend a reauthorization schedule for discretionary spending programs and review all mandatory spending programs. The commission may recommend legislation to replace the funding limits and rescissions required by this bill with reductions in mandatory spending. The commission's reauthorization schedule must limit reauthorizations to three years, include the funding limits and rescissions established by this bill, and establish a mechanism for replacing the limitations and rescissions with reductions to mandatory spending programs. The House of Representatives must consider the proposal using expedited legislative procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2016
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from 100 miles to 50 miles the distance from home requirement for the tax deduction of the travel expenses of a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces. The bill requires the Department of Defense to report to Congress on the travel costs of members of reserve components.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2016
Preventing Overreach Within the Executive Rulemaking System Act of 2016 or the POWERS Act of 2016 This bill prohibits publication or service of a rule for 60 days following the date of the publication of the notice of proposed rulemaking for such rule. If, during such period, a House or Senate committee that has jurisdiction over the provision of law authorizing the rule submits written data, views, or arguments to the agency, it shall, within 10 days, publish a response in the Federal Register. (The period beginning on the date of such submission and ending on the date of such publication shall not count as part of the 60-day period during which publication or service of the rule is prohibited.) The 10-day response requirement shall not apply to a subsequent committee submission if the agency: (1) determines that such subsequent submission fails to address the content of such response or raises issues that were not raised in the initial submission or the response, and (2) notifies the committee of such determination.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2016
Utah Test and Training Range Encroachment Prevention and Temporary Closure Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior and the Air Force to enter into a memorandum of agreement for the continued management by Interior of approximately 625,643 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Utah in a manner that provides for its limited use by the Air Force. Under such Agreement the BLM shall continue to manage the BLM land, subject to use by the Air Force for: the preservation of the Utah Test and Training Range against encroachments incompatible with test and training requirements; the testing of advanced weapons systems, including hypersonic weapons, and the standoff distance for weapons; increased public safety for civilians accessing the BLM land; and other purposes related to meeting national security needs. If military operations, public safety, or national security require the temporary closure of the use of roads, trails, or other portions of the BLM land to the public, the Air Force may take necessary action to carry out such closure. The bill establishes the Utah Test and Training Range Community Resource Group to give input to Interior and the Air Force on matters involving public access to, use of, and management of the BLM land. Interior shall convey to the state of Utah, through the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration in Utah, BLM land in Box Elder, Millard, Juab, Tooele, and Beaver Counties, Utah, in exchange for non-federal land owned by Utah in Box Elder, Juab, and Tooele Counties. Upon conveyance, the non-federal land located: (1) within the Utah Test and Training Range shall be managed according to the memorandum of agreement, and (2) within the Cedar Mountains Wilderness shall be added to and administered as part of such Wilderness. Interior, respecting BLM land, and the Department of Agriculture, respecting Forest Service land, shall convey to Utah and to Box Elder, Juab, and Tooele Counties separate easements for motorized travel rights of way across the federal land for certain highways.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Reaffirms the House of Representatives' commitment to recovering all powers of the American people expressly delegated to the legislative branch in Article I of the Constitution. Reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the separation of powers through proper and thorough oversight of the executive branch and its departments and agencies. Declares its intent to reclaim legislative powers from executive departments and agencies, whether improperly claimed or previously granted. Reaffirms Congress's authority as delegated by the people to lay and collect taxes, pay debts, and provide for the common defense and general welfare. Reaffirms its authority on behalf of the people to make rules for the government and regulation of the armed forces.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Expresses concern about the disappearance of David Sneddon in Yunnan Province, China, in August 2004. Directs the Department of State and the intelligence community to continue joint investigations, coordinate investigations with the governments of China, Japan, and South Korea, and solicit information from regional affairs and law enforcement experts on plausible explanations for David Sneddon's disappearance. Encourages the State Department and the intelligence community to work with foreign governments known to have diplomatic influence with North Korea to better investigate the possibility of North Korea's involvement in David Sneddon's disappearance, and to seek his recovery. Requests the State Department and the intelligence community to continue to work with and inform Congress and David Sneddon's family on efforts to resolve David's disappearance.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Corporate Rate Equality and Trade Empowerment Jobs Act of 2016 or the Create Jobs Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to lower the rate of tax on the taxable income of corporations to the greater of: (1) 10%, or (2) the rate that is 5% below the average corporate income tax rate for Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries other than the United States. The bill also sets forth a procedure for a congressional joint resolution approving an increase in the corporate tax rate.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Combating BDS Act of 2016 This bill authorizes a state or local government to adopt and enforce measures to divest its assets from, or prohibit investment of its assets in: (1) an entity that such government determines, using credible information available to the public, engages in a commerce or investment-related boycott, divestment, or sanctions activity targeting Israel; or (2) an entity that owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, such an entity. Such government shall provide written notice to such an entity before applying such a measure. Such a measure by a state or local government is not preempted by any federal law or regulation. The bill applies to measures adopted by a state or local government before, on, or after the date of this Act's enactment. The bill amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to prohibit any person from bringing any civil, criminal, or administrative action against any registered investment company, or any officer or employee thereof, based solely upon such company divesting from, or avoiding investing in, securities issued by persons that such company determines, using credible information available to the public, engage in commerce or investment-related boycotts, divestments, or sanctions activities targeting Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
Recognizes the 146th anniversary of the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibits the government from denying a citizen the right to vote on the basis of race. Acknowledges the significance of the Fifteenth Amendment and continues to support its goals and ideals.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
State Sanctions Against Iranian Terrorism Act This bill amends the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to specify that a state may, in addition to limiting investment in Iran's energy sector, prohibit or limit any person from engaging in specified investment activities in Iran. A state may also enter into interstate compacts to prohibit or limit such financial activities. Enforcement of such measures may include the imposition of disclosure and transparency requirements. The description of "investment activities" is revised to: (1) reduce the threshold for financial involvement from $20 million to $10 million; and (2) include, in addition to the energy sector, involvement in a business enterprise in Iran, including an entity owned or controlled by the Iranian government. The bill declares that a state or local government measure authorized pursuant to the Act is: (1) authorized and not preempted by any federal law or regulation, or any policy, agreement, or exercise of waiver authority of the executive branch; and (2) is consistent with U.S. federal policy, including U.S. foreign policy. A state or local government may enforce a measure adopted before the enactment of this Act that: (1) provides for the divestment of state or local assets from, or prohibits the investment of those assets in, any person that engages in investment activities in Iran or other business activities in Iran identified in the measure; or (2) prohibits or limits any person from engaging in investment activities in Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2016
Servicemember Retirement Improvement Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow members of the Ready Reserve of a reserve component of the Armed Forces to make the maximum allowable contribution ($18,000 in 2016) to their Thrift Savings Plans without limiting the amount such members may contribute to a retirement plan based upon other employment. The bill also doubles the maximum allowable contribution amount to the Thrift Savings Plans of federal employees in the Ready Reserve.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2016
Faster Care for Veterans Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to begin an 18-month pilot program in at least three Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) under which veterans use an Internet website to schedule and confirm appointments at VA medical facilities. The pilot program's duration may be extended and the number of VISNs may be increased.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2016
One Subject at a Time Act This bill requires: (1) each bill or joint resolution to embrace no more than one subject, and (2) the subject to be clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title. The bill prohibits an appropriations bill from containing any general legislation or change of existing law requirement, if its subject is not germane to the subject of such bill. The bill also declares void: (1) an entire Act or joint resolution if its title addresses two or more unrelated subjects, (2) provisions in legislation not clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title, (3) appropriation provisions in legislation outside the relevant subcommittee's jurisdiction, and (4) provisions of appropriation bills not germane to their subject matter. Aggrieved persons and Members of Congress shall have the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against the enforcement of any law the passage of which did not conform to this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2016
Second Amendment Defense Act of 2016 This bill prohibits a federal government officer or employee from taking an action that limits an individual's conduct related to firearms or ammunition that is more restrictive than limitations in effect as of January 3, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2016
Historic Routes Preservation Act This bill requires that any person, including a state, local government, company, or individual, that asserts public acceptance of a right-of-way granted for the construction of highways over public lands must file a claim within a 25-year period. The bill sets forth a procedure for conclusively verifying, proving, and establishing the acceptance of such rights-of-way.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Guard and Reserve Equal Access to Health Act This bill directs the military department concerned to provide a physical examination to each requesting member of a reserve component who will not otherwise receive one through that department. The military department concerned shall: (1) provide such examination during the 90-day period before such member's scheduled date of separation, and (2) give the member a record of the examination. A member shall not be entitled to transitional health care benefits through his or her department solely by reason of being given such examination.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Water and Agriculture Tax Reform Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit tax-exempt mutual ditch or irrigation companies to earn income from dispositions of certain real property and stock interests without affecting their tax-exempt status, but requires that such income be used to pay the costs of operations, maintenance, and capital improvements of such a company.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2015 This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to authorize a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to furnish to a consumer reporting agency information relating to the performance of a consumer in making payments: (1) under a lease agreement for a dwelling, including a lease in which HUD provides subsidized payments; or (2) pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. Information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications services may be furnished to a consumer reporting agency only to the extent that such information relates to payment by the consumer for such services or other terms of the provision of such services, including any deposit, discount, or conditions for interruption or termination of service. An energy utility firm may not report payment information to a consumer reporting agency with respect to an outstanding balance of a consumer as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of such plan. The bill amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to make provisions regarding civil liability to consumers of persons for willful or negligent noncompliance with requirements imposed by such Act on credit reporting agencies inapplicable to any violation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Urges the President and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as a condition for approval of additional U.S. funding for the IAEA, to submit to Congress the text of all side agreements entered into between the IAEA and Iran with respect to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2015
Reaffirms: (1) the commitment of Congress to stopping Iran's sponsorship of terrorism and human rights violations; and (2) the legislative intent of Congress that the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 was enacted to deter illicit Iranian behavior, including sponsorship of terrorism and human rights violations. Supports state and local government sanctions targeting Iran's illicit activity, including divestment of assets from companies investing in Iran and prohibition of investment of state and local assets in any person engaging in investment activities in Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Fair Treatment for Families of Veterans Act This bill revises the effective date for reductions or discontinuances of Department of Veterans Affairs compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, and pensions by reason of marriage, remarriage, or death. The effective date is changed from the last day of the month before a marriage, remarriage, or death occurs to the last day of the month during which the event occurs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2015
Clean Up the Code Act of 2015 This bill repeals provisions of the federal criminal code relating to the: (1) transportation of water hyacinths; (2) unauthorized application of a theft prevention decal or device to a motor vehicle; (3) fraudulent display of the 4-H club emblem; (4) commercial use of the Swiss Confederation coat of arms; (5) unauthorized use of the "Smokey Bear" character or name, the "Woodsy Owl" character, name, or slogan, or the "Golden Eagle Insignia"; (6) interstate transportation of dentures; and (7) receipt of compensation after marriage by federal employees.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2015
Volcker Rule Relief Act of 2015 This bill amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 with respect to the prohibition ("Volcker Rule") against a banking entity's: (1) engaging in proprietary trading; or (2) acquiring or retaining any equity, partnership, or other ownership interest in, or sponsoring, hedge funds or private equity funds. "Banking entity" shall not include (and so the Volcker Rule shall not apply to) any entity that: is not predominantly engaged in financial activities, nor is a bank holding company or a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, nor a direct or indirect subsidiary of a bank holding company or a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board; or would be a banking entity solely owing to its control of such an entity. The bill also exempts from the Volcker Rule any banking entity with total consolidated assets of $10 billion or less.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Regulatory Reporting Act of 2015 This bill requires each federal agency, in consultation with the Department of Justice, to submit a report to Congress that lists each agency rule enforceable by criminal penalties. For each rule, the report must justify criminal penalties based on specified criteria.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Consumer Protection and Choice Act This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a deferred presentment transaction except as provided under this Act. A "deferred presentment transaction" is one in which currency or other payment is provided to a consumer in exchange for a consumer's check or other payment instrument and an agreement that such check or payment instrument shall be held for a deferment period prior to presentment, deposit, or redemption. If the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) determines that a state has in effect a law that provides for the licensing of deferred presentment providers and the regulation of deferred presentment transactions, and that meets the requirements specified by this Act, any CFPB regulations concerning such transactions and providers shall not apply in such state. Such a state law must: require a provider to be licensed by the state; establish a transaction database; require a provider to verify through such database that a consumer entering into such a transaction does not have an outstanding transaction; require a provider to report immediately to such database information about each transaction entered into and each transaction paid or settled; require that a transaction agreement be in writing and allow the consumer to rescind the agreement within the first 24 hours; require a transaction agreement to limit the interest and fees to no more that 10% of the transaction amount, the processing fee to $5, the transaction amount to $500, and the duration of the transaction to no less than 7 days and no more than 31 days; and allow a 60-day grace period after the contractual repayment date for a consumer to repay the amount due, subject to early termination if a consumer fails to complete a course with a consumer credit counseling agency. The bill makes these changes effective 24 months after enactment and prohibits the CFPB from establishing or enforcing any regulation governing deferred presentment transactions or payday loans during such period.
![Official portrait of Rep. Love, Mia B. [R-UT-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/115_rp_ut_4_love_mia_200.jpg)