United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
This bill specifies that certain Medicare payment rules applicable to imaging services shall apply to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry services used in bone mass scans beginning in 2019. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must establish national minimum payment amounts for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents and expresses support for the people of Iran who are engaged in legitimate and peaceful protests against the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
State of Modern Application, Research, and Trends of IoT Act or the SMART IoT Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to study the state of the internet-connected devices industry (commonly known as the Internet of Things or IoT) by (1) ascertaining which federal agencies have jurisdiction over entities in the industry, (2) describing such jurisdiction and agency expertise, and (3) surveying the entities to better understand their interaction with the relevant federal agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Care And Readiness Enhancement for Reservists Act of 2019 or the CARE for Reservists Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide counseling without referral to any member of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who has a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma. Such counseling may include a comprehensive individual assessment, and outpatient services shall also be available. The bill authorizes the VA to furnish mental health services to reservists. The bill also expands specified VA programs to include reservists for the provision of (1) comprehensive suicide prevention, and (2) mental health treatment for veterans who served in classified missions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Faster Treatments and Cures for Eye Diseases Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a pilot program that provides for a partial federal guarantee of specified bonds, the sale of which shall finance promising translational vision-impairment research with private investment. The Government Accountability Office must study this program and consider whether similar programs should be established for other areas of biomedical research.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2019 This bill revises provisions regarding certain forest management activities conducted by the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior. The bill establishes categorical exclusions from environmental review for activities such as responding to an infestation or protecting a municipal water supply. For certain forest management activities, including those developed through a collaborative process, an environmental review may compare the impact of the proposed activity only to the impact of taking no action.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Rural Access to Hospice Act of 2019 This bill allows federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health centers (RHCs) to receive payment under Medicare for hospice services. Currently, attending physicians who work for FQHCs and RHCs may provide hospice services only outside of FQHC or RHC work hours and must bill Medicare under their own provider numbers; FQHCs and RHCs may not receive payment under Medicare for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2019
Get Veterans a Doctor Now Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer a contingent physician's appointment to a person who, upon completion of a post-graduate training program, completes a residency program within two years after the VA offer. Eligibility requirements for a VA physician's appointment, including a contingency appointment, are revised to require completion of a residency program rather than an internship. At least annually, the VA must ensure that a recruiter or other similar official of each Veterans Integrated Service Network (regional VA health care administrative areas) visits each allopathic and osteopathic teaching institution with a graduate medical education program within the network to recruit individuals for the Veterans Health Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2019
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act This bill addresses the mine permitting process. Under the bill, projects that provide minerals vital to job creation, energy infrastructure, coastal resilience and restoration, American economic competitiveness, and national security must be considered to be infrastructure projects as described in Executive Order 13807, titled Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects and dated August 15, 2017. This order directed federal agencies to ensure that the environmental review and permitting process for infrastructure is coordinated, predictable, and transparent. The bill sets forth general requirements for an existing mineral exploration or mine permit application. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the Forest Service shall appoint a project lead for the mine permitting process to coordinate with other agencies to ensure that the agencies minimize delays, set and adhere to timelines for completion of the permitting process, set clear permitting goals, and track progress against goals. The requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 are satisfied if the BLM or the Forest Service determines that the agency issuing the permit will address specified factors, such as environmental impact, alternatives to issuance of the permit, or any irreversible and irretrievable commitment of resources that would be involved in the proposed action. Projects on National Forest System land shall be exempt from regulations that prohibit timber tree cutting and road construction in areas without roads.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2019
Know Your Vets Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to ensure that a separating or retiring member of the Armed Forces may elect to have DOD form DD-214 transmitted to the appropriate county veterans service officers (i.e., county, local, or tribal employees who assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs interactions). DOD must also maintain a database of such officers. Form DD-214 contains a member's record of service and information that may be used for veteran's benefits, retirement, employment, and veteran's organization membership.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2019
This resolution celebrates the 100th anniversary of the passage and ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, providing for women's suffrage. The resolution also reaffirms the desire of Congress to continue strengthening democratic participation.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act of 201 9 This bill establishes a three-year budgetary level reduction schedule with respect to unauthorized programs funded through the annual appropriations process. The term "budgetary level" refers to an allocation provided to the congressional appropriations committees under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by a congressional budget resolution or a deeming resolution. 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. For the first year after a program's authorization has expired, the bill requires the budgetary level to be reduced by 10% of the funds appropriated for the program in the expiring fiscal year. The bill then requires reductions of 15% in the second and third years before terminating the program at the end of the third unauthorized year. Programs that are reauthorized during the three-year period are exempt from the budgetary level reductions if the reauthorization contains a sunset provision limiting the authorization of appropriations period to no more than three years. The bill establishes the Spending and Accountability Commission to review all mandatory spending programs and submit to Congress a legislative proposal to establish an authorization cycle for discretionary spending programs. The commission may recommend legislation to replace the budgetary level reductions required by this bill with reductions in mandatory spending. The commission's reauthorization schedule must limit reauthorizations to three years, include the budgetary level reductions established by this bill, and establish a mechanism for replacing the budgetary level reductions with reductions to mandatory spending programs. The House of Representatives must consider the commission's proposal using specified expedited legislative procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and revises several programs and activities relating to newborn screening for genetic diseases. Among other things, the bill reauthorizes, and makes mandatory rather than discretionary, the Hunter Kelly Research Program at the National Institutes of Health as well as national surveillance activities conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Better Respiration through Expanding Access to Tele-Health Act or the BREATHE Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish a pilot program in which qualifying respiratory therapists may provide telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the program must allow respiratory therapists to provide telehealth disease management services (e.g., smoking cessation counseling) for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the Task Force on Outdoor Recreation for Veterans to report on and make recommendations regarding the use of public lands or other outdoor spaces for medical treatment and therapy for veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act of 2019 This bill prohibits private health insurance plans from imposing higher cost-sharing requirements on breast cancer diagnostic examinations than initial breast cancer screening examinations. Diagnostic examinations are generally required after an initial screening detects an abnormality and typically require additional mammogram images (e.g., x-rays).
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
This bill modifies the eligibility criteria for certain veterans to qualify for a preference in the federal hiring process. Specifically, an individual who is honorably discharged from active duty service is eligible for a veterans' preference, if the active duty service was performed for more than 180 total days (currently, consecutive days). Additionally, a retired member of the Armed Forces is eligible for a veterans' preference, even if the retiree (1) is not a disabled veteran and (2) retired at or above the rank of major or its equivalent.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 400,000 $1 silver coins that are emblematic of the women who played a vital role in rallying support for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Such coins may be issued during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020. All surcharges received from the sales of such coins shall be paid to the American Women's History Initiative of the Smithsonian Institution.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2019
Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the "Ghost Army," collectively, in recognition of its service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2019
Small Business Payment for Performance Act of 2019 This bill allows a small business performing a construction contract awarded by a federal agency to request an equitable adjustment if the agency's contracting officer directs a change in the contract's performance without the agreement of the small business. The agency must provide the small business with an interim partial payment to cover additional costs resulting from such a change, and the small business must pay a first tier subcontractor or supplier the portion of the partial payment that is attributable to additional costs incurred due to the change.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2019
21st Century NICS Act This bill modifies provisions governing the national instant criminal background check system (NICS). Specifically, it permits the NICS to query an additional database—the National Data Exchange—as part of a firearm-related background check.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2019
Protecting Access to Wheelchairs Act This bill excludes specified wheelchairs and associated accessories from Medicare's competitive acquisition program (in which rates are set through a competitive bidding program rather than by an established fee schedule).
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Scarlett’s Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act This bill establishes various programs for the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) to award grants to states, local agencies, and nonprofit organizations to address sudden unexpected infant and childhood deaths. The CDC must award grants to eligible applicants to (1) conduct comprehensive death scene investigations, (2) increase the rate of standardized autopsies, and (3) obtain informed consent from families to collect genetic or tissue samples for research into the causes of such deaths. The bill also provides grants for training medical examiners, and other appropriate personnel, about standardized investigative practices, including the infant or child's medical history, other circumstances surrounding the death. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the Department of Health and Human Services also must provide grants to states to develop the capacity for local governments to comprehensively review 100% of all infant and child deaths and maintain the National Fatality Review Case Reporting System. Further, the CDC must use such national reporting system to compile and make publicly available summary data about sudden unexpected infant and childhood deaths. The CDC also must revise its death investigation forms to align with the form used under the national reporting system. Additionally, the bill requires the ACF to award grants to (1) promote evidence-based best practices, (2) support prevention efforts, (3) provide safe-sleep products, and (4) support the provision of services to families who have had an infant or child die from a sudden unexpected death.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Concentrating on High-value Alzheimer's Needs to Get to an End Act of 2019 or the CHANGE Act of 2019 This bill modifies the requirements under Medicare for diagnosing and treating Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive impairments in older adults. Specifically, the bill expands the cognitive impairment detection benefit during annual wellness visits to require the use of validated detection tools and documentation of the results in the patient's medical record. Further, when a cognitive impairment is detected, the patient must be referred to an appropriate diagnostic service provider and other specified supports. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must implement Medicare policies that increase the identification and response to patients' Alzheimer's disease risk factors and incentivize providers to utilize high-quality cognitive impairment diagnosis practices. The Government Accountability Office also must conduct a study of policies that may accelerate progress in Alzheimer's disease research and enhance the quality of care for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, if it creates a presumption of service-connection between the occurrence of a disease and exposure to an herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam era at a military base in Thailand, such presumption must also apply to exposure at any military base in Thailand, regardless of where on the base the veteran was located or what military job specialty the veteran performed.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 201 9 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 · 9 April 2019
Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act This bill modifies provisions related to theft of firearms. Under current law, it is unlawful to steal a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer, or from their business premises. This bill broadens the scope of unlawful conduct to also prohibit stealing a firearm from a gun range that rents firearms or a shooting club. An attempt to commit an offense is subject to the same penalties as a substantive offense. The bill modifies these penalties by increasing the maximum prison term.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2019 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. Currently, coverage is provided only for services ordered by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Faith in Health Savings Accounts Act of 201 9 This bill modifies the requirements for health savings accounts (HSAs) to treat membership in a tax-exempt health care sharing ministry as coverage under a high deductible health plan for purposes of the tax deduction for contributions to an HSA.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Restoring Education And Learning Act of 2019 or the REAL Act of 2019 This bill restores Pell Grant eligibility for individuals incarcerated in a federal or state penal institution and for sex offenders subject to civil commitment following incarceration.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands Act of 2019 or the RURAL Act of 2019 This bill modifies the definition of income used to determine the tax-exempt status of a mutual or cooperative telephone or electric company to exclude certain government grants, contributions, and assistance. Specifically, the bill excludes from income (1) grants, contributions, and assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or by local, state, or regional governmental entities for disasters or emergencies; and (2) certain grants or contributions provided by a government entity for electric, communications, broadband, internet, or other utility facilities or services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2019
This resolution states that it is U.S. policy to (1) commemorate the Armenian Genocide, the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923; (2) reject efforts to associate the U.S. government with efforts to deny the existence of the Armenian Genocide or any genocide; and (3) encourage education and public understanding about the Armenian Genocide.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2019 This bill allows a refundable tax credit equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent of the taxpayer. "Qualified access technology" is hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats useable by blind individuals. The credit is limited to (1) costs that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,000 per blind individual in any period of three consecutive taxable years. The credit must be adjusted for inflation after 2020 and terminates after five years.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 the School-based Health Centers program and removes specified limitations on the receipt of additional or multiple funds under the program.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2019
Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and revises the Lifespan Respite Care Program, which supports state lifespan respite care services (i.e., services for family caregivers of children and adults with special needs). The bill requires each state agency that is awarded a grant under the program to report any data required by the Department of Health and Human Services for program monitoring and evaluation.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2019
Protect European Energy Security Act This bill requires the submission of certain reports to Congress related to Russia's construction of two natural gas pipelines, the Nord Stream 2 and Turk Stream. The Department of State shall report on (1) its efforts to promote energy security in Ukraine and the European Union and decrease their dependence on Russian energy sources, (2) its diplomatic efforts to oppose the pipelines, and (3) an estimate of European demand for natural gas from 2019 through 2023. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall report on the impact of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline on (1) U.S. interests and security objectives; (2) European energy security and defense posture; (3) Russian influence in Europe; and (4) Ukraine, including the impact of reductions in transit fees due to the pipeline.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
This resolution condemns attacks on education settings, including violence against schools, sexual violence against children in schools, and recruitment of children into armed forces from schools. The resolution affirms U.S. government commitments to support education services for children affected by conflict and calls on the U.S. government to monitor attacks on education settings and to provide support for the inclusion of refugee children in host-country education systems.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2019
Veterans Posttraumatic Growth Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a two-year pilot program to study the effectiveness of nonprofit post-traumatic growth programs to determine (1) the outcomes of such programs in contrast to traditional models of mental health care, (2) the possible integration of such nonprofit programs into VA mental health care programs, and (3) the budgetary impact of such integration. Post-traumatic growth is the positive psychological change that can result from struggling with traumatic events. The bill makes veterans who are not at immediate risk of attempting suicide and not participating in traditional mental health treatment eligible for such program.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Authorization Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish a cybersecurity advisory committee within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to consult on the development, refinement, and implementation of policies, programs, and security directives pertinent to the mission of CISA.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act This bill requires the directors of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit to the VA and Congress an annual pamphlet containing certain statistics (such as how many veterans were treated at each facility), as well as plans for improvements and descriptions of successes experienced by the facilities. The bill also requires the pamphlets to be made publicly available online and as hard copies at the medical facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Lymphedema Treatment Act of 2019 This bill includes certain lymphedema compression treatment items as covered durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Women's History and Nineteenth Amendment Centennial Quarter Dollar Coin Program Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue quarter-dollar coins in commemoration of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment granting women the right to vote. The design on the reverse of each coin shall be emblematic of the accomplishments and contributions of a prominent woman who was a resident of a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory. Such coins shall be issued in alphabetical order of the area represented, starting with the state of Alabama. Treasury shall initiate a program to promote collection of the coins and recognition of their subjects, and strike and make available for sale silver bullion coins that are the exact duplicates of the coins.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
SFC Brian Woods Gold Star and Military Survivors Act This bill expands benefits for survivors of members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, it provides commissary and exchange privileges to a remarried former spouse; provides continued eligibility for payment of an annuity to a spouse who remarries, including a surviving spouse who remarried before the age of 55 and before enactment of this bill; allows payment of necessary expenses for the transportation of a decedent's remains to two locations (if the second is a national cemetery); allows payment of financial assistance to civilian providers of child care or youth program services furnished to survivors of members who die in the line of duty while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training; and provides continued eligibility of a remarried surviving spouse for payment of veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation, including a surviving spouse who remarried before the age of 57 and before enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Wage Equity Act of 2019 This bill addresses pay discrimination in the workplace between men and women. Specifically, the bill allows an employer to base a wage differential determination on an employee's participation in a flexible work arrangement; protects employers who conduct a pay analysis audit to identify and correct pay discrimination from liability for damages relating to such discrimination; makes it an unlawful practice for an employer to rely on the wage history of a prospective employee for hiring and wage determination purposes unless the wage history is voluntarily provided by the prospective employee; makes it an unlawful practice for an employer to prohibit an employee from requesting wage information from another employee or from requesting information about wage differentials; authorizes the Department of Labor to establish a grant program for negotiation skills training for women and girls; and requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the causes and effects of pay disparities among men and women in the workplace and the impact on pay and opportunity for employees who leave the workforce for parental reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Save Community Newspaper Act of 2019 This bill allows community newspapers to elect to apply certain alternative minimum funding standards for single-employer defined benefit pension plans that meet specified requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Younger Onset Alzheimer's Act This bill makes individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease (i.e., individuals who experienced onset of the disease before age 60) eligible for certain federal grants and programs that support older adults. Under current law, these grants and programs serve only individuals 60 and older.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Supporting Children of the National Guard and Reserve Act This bill expands the military student identifier program to include students of parents who serve in reserve components of the Armed Forces, not just active duty members. The military student identifier program provides educators with information about the educational experience of children of members of the Armed Forces.
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