United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2016
Child Care Access Means Parents in School Reauthorization Act or the CCAMPIS Reauthorization Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise and permanently reauthorize the Child Care Access Means Parents in School grant program. The Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education must report to Congress on plans to better serve postsecondary students with dependents.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2016
Quality Care for Moms and Babies Act This bill amends part A (General Provisions) of title XI of the Social Security Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: identify and publish a recommended core set of maternal and infant quality measures for women and children, as specified by the bill; publish an initial core set of any such measures applicable to mothers and infants eligible under Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); establish a Maternal and Infant Quality Measurement Program; and establish an online clearinghouse of resources for entities working to improve maternity and infant care quality. HHS may make grants to eligible entities for: the development of new state and regional maternity and infant care quality collaboratives; expanded activities of existing collaboratives; and maternity and infant care initiatives within established state and regional quality collaboratives that are not focused exclusively on maternity care. Under current law, HHS must contract with a consensus-based entity to carry out specified duties regarding performance measurement. The bill requires such an entity to facilitate increased coordination and alignment between the public and private sector with respect to quality and efficiency measures.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2016
School-Based Asthma Management Program Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to add requirements that states must meet to receive a preference for asthma grants. (Currently, the preference is given to states that meet requirements regarding administration of epinephrine to students having severe allergic reactions.) To receive the preference, states must additionally: (1) provide civil liability protection to trained school personnel who administer asthma-related rescue medication to a student with asthma; and (2) require schools to permit trained school personnel to administer asthma-related rescue medication to students with asthma, maintain a supply of asthma-related rescue medication, and have a comprehensive asthma management program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Digital Security Commission Act of 2016 This bill establishes in the legislative branch the National Commission on Security and Technology Challenges to assess, and make recommendations for policy and practice concerning, the issue of multiple security interests in the digital world, including public safety, privacy, national security, and communications and data protection, both now and throughout the next 10 years. Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and Senate majority leader (eight members), the minority leaders in the House and the Senate (eight members), and the President (one member) from among U.S. citizens with significant knowledge and primary experience in: cryptography, global commerce and economics, federal law enforcement, state and local law enforcement, the consumer-facing technology sector, the enterprise technology sector, the intelligence community, and the privacy and civil liberties community.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2016 This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize the Act through FY2021. The bill sets forth requirements concerning Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Fund (SRF) projects, including mandates for the use of bond sales, mandates to produce goods in the United States, and mandates to provide prevailing wages to laborers and mechanics. The bill makes changes to provisions that states must include in their Intended Use Plans, including data on variances, exemptions, and persistent violations. The bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide additional assistance to public water systems that serve disadvantaged communities. The bill increases the portion of SRF funds that states may reserve to provide technical assistance to public water systems. Additionally, the bill increases the funds that may be reserved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. The EPA must: (1) study the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in drinking water sources, (2) establish requirements for electronic submission of compliance monitoring data by public water systems, (3) collect data on best practices for administration of SRF programs, (4) implement a certification program for effective water leak control technology, (5) develop a strategic plan for assessing and managing the risks of drought to drinking water, (6) establish a grant program to assist water systems in improving drinking water resiliency and sustainability, and (7) establish a grant program to remove lead service lines from public water systems.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month. Recognizes and honors the women and organizations in the United States that have fought for and continue to promote the teaching of women's history.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2016
Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appoint or provide counsel at government expense to aliens in removal proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall provide an alien in removal proceedings with all relevant documents in its possession, unless the alien has knowingly waived the right to such documents. In the absence of a waiver a removal proceeding may not proceed until the alien has received, and had time to review, the documents. DOJ may appoint or provide counsel to aliens in any INA proceeding. DHS shall ensure that aliens have access to counsel inside all immigration detention and border facilities. DOJ shall appoint counsel, at government expense if necessary, for an unaccompanied alien child or a particularly vulnerable individual. If DOJ has consolidated any such alien's case with that of any other alien, and that other alien does not have counsel, then the appointed counsel shall be appointed to represent the other alien as well. DHS shall: (1) facilitate access to counsel for all aliens detained in facilities under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and (2) establish procedures to ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all detained aliens, including aliens held in CBP facilities. DOJ shall develop and administer a two-year pilot program at not fewer than two immigration courts to grant access to legal information to non-detained aliens with pending asylum claims. DHS shall establish a pilot program to increase the court appearance rates of unaccompanied alien children and particularly vulnerable individuals by contracting with nongovernmental, community-based organizations to provide such aliens with case management services. The pilot program shall not be used to monitor individuals designated as unaccompanied alien children under the Homeland Security Act. If DOJ fails to appoint counsel for an unaccompanied alien child or vulnerable person: (1) no limitation pertaining to the filing of any motion to reopen the removal proceeding shall apply, and (2) the filing of such a motion shall stay the removal of the alien.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2016
Diabetic Eye Disease Prevention Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act (Medicare) to establish a demonstration project through which primary care practices may receive incentives for referring diabetic Medicare beneficiaries to local eye doctors for comprehensive dilated eye exams. The project must test the extent to which these incentives: (1) improve early detection and treatment of diabetes-related vision problems, (2) reduce the cost of Medicare services, and (3) achieve beneficiary satisfaction. The project shall identify for participation at least 100 primary care practices in at least 10 states that have high per capita costs of diabetes care for Medicare beneficiaries. Project costs shall be paid from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2016 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and maintain a voluntary patient registry to monitor, collect, and make available epidemiological information related to cancer incidence and trends among firefighters. The CDC should seek to include specified information in the registry, including the number and type of fire incidents attended by an individual. To collect information for the registry, the CDC may incorporate questions into existing public health surveys, questionnaires, and other databases. The CDC must: (1) encourage the inclusion in the registry of data on minority, female, and volunteer firefighters; and (2) seek feedback on the registry from nonfederal experts. The CDC must develop an approval process for making registry data available for research without a fee if findings or publications derived from the research are made public or available to stakeholders.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act or the BRACE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for railroad track maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an exclusion from gross income of the value of any water conservation and efficiency measure or water runoff management improvement (or any subsidy, rebate, or other amount for such a measure or improvement) received from a water department. A "water department" means any entity (including a public or private utility, the federal government, or a state or local government) engaged in the provision of water to the public through pipes or other conveyances or in the collection, treatment, management, or disposal of storm water or waste water generated by the public.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2016
Hate Crimes Prevention Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit firearm sale or transfer to and receipt or possession by an individual who has: (1) been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or (2) received an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence. It defines "misdemeanor hate crime" as a misdemeanor offense that has, as an element, that the conduct was motivated by hate or bias because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person. An "enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence" is an enhanced sentence imposed for a misdemeanor that is based, in whole or in part, on conduct motivated by hate or bias because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in recognition and celebration of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The coins shall be in the shape of a dome, and the design on the common reverse of the coins shall depict a basketball. Treasury shall hold a competition to determine the design of the common obverse of the coins, which shall be emblematic of the game of basketball. The bill requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by Treasury to the Hall to fund an endowment for its operations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Lake Berryessa Recreation Enhancement Act of 2016 This bill establishes as the Lake Berryessa Recreation Area specified land administered by the Bureau of Reclamation that is underlying or adjacent to Lake Berryessa in California, including any improvements. The bill transfers the administrative jurisdiction over the area from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior. Interior shall develop a management plan for the area and may establish guidelines and restrictions on recreational uses to ensure the safety and security of recreational users. Interior may also issue recreation concession permits, including at the area, to allow a third party to provide facilities and services to visitors on lands and waters managed by the BLM in support of outdoor recreational opportunities. Reclamation shall continue to administer and operate the Monticello Dam and any related facility, including any power facility.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act This bill authorizes the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to promulgate regulations to implement and enforce the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, done at Cape Town, South Africa, on February 2, 2001. This bill authorizes USFWS and NMFS to take action to conserve albatrosses and petrels, including to: reestablish albatrosses and petrels; prevent the introduction of, eradicate, or control invasive and nonnative species that have or may have an adverse effect on albatrosses and petrels; conserve, protect, and restore breeding sites; undertake measures for the conservation and protection of albatross and petrel habitat and other marine habitats that provide food for albatrosses and petrels; undertake scientific research to assess the effects of pollutants and marine debris on albatrosses and petrels; develop and implement measures to prevent, minimize, or mitigate the taking or disturbance of albatrosses and petrels in U.S. waters or by U.S. vessels; develop and undertake measures to minimize the bycatch of albatrosses and petrels; and share information on the conservation status of albatrosses and petrels, the threats facing albatrosses and petrels, and any actions taken under this bill. This bill prohibits the taking of an albatross or petrel without a permit, authorization, or exemption. USFWS, in consultation with NMFS, may authorize the taking of an albatross or petrel under exceptional circumstances or incidental to otherwise lawful activities. This bill gives the USFWS, the NMFS, and the Coast Guard authority to enforce this bill. This bill authorizes cooperation with other countries to achieve and maintain a favorable conservation status of albatrosses and petrels.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Families of Flint Act This bill provides support for Flint, Michigan in addressing lead in the city's drinking water and related issues. The bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by establishing a 10-year grant program to ensure that Flint's drinking water does not contain: (1) lead levels that threaten public health or the environment, or (2) other drinking water contaminants and pathogens that threaten public health. The bill also establishes specified grant programs for assisting Flint that are established within the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bill amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, by allowing states to use more than 20% of funds from Drinking Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants for addressing a threat to public health from heightened exposure to lead in a municipal drinking water supply if a federal or state emergency declaration has been issued for that threat. HHS must establish in Flint a Center of Excellence on Lead Exposure. The bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase the allowable participation period in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children for children residing in areas that are in a state of emergency. A state may elect to allow those children to participate in the program for a period that ends on the earlier of: (1) the child's tenth birthday (currently fifth), or (2) five years after the emergency (currently children may participate for a one-year period).
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Youth Access to Sexual Health Services Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to support the access of marginalized youth to sexual health services such as sexual health education and contraception. Marginalized youth are disadvantaged individuals under the age of 26. Grants may be awarded to state or local health or education agencies, public schools, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations. Grants may be used to: (1) provide sexual health information to marginalized youth, (2) promote effective communication regarding sexual health among marginalized youth, (3) promote and support opportunities for school-age parents, and (3) train individuals who work with marginalized youth to promote sexual health and the development of safe and supportive environments. Grants may not be used to provide access to health services that: (1) are medically unsound; (2) withhold sexual health-promoting or lifesaving information; (3) promote gender stereotypes; or (4) are insensitive or unresponsive to the needs of homosexual, bisexual, or transgender youth, sexually active youth, school-age parents, or survivors of sexual abuse or assault. Unobligated FY2017 appropriations for abstinence education are made available for these grants.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Commemorates Representatives Sam Johnson and John Lewis for their patriotic service and sacrifice to the country they love and for becoming the first ever recipients of the Congressional Patriot Award.
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
Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act This bill provides FY2016 supplemental appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address heroin and opioid drug abuse. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. For DOJ, the bill provides funds for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs. For HHS, the bill provides funds for: the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2016
Secure our Skies Act of 2016 This bill requires each air carrier providing passenger air transportation to provide flight attendants, pilots, and dispatchers who are employees or contractors of the carrier with training to combat human trafficking in the course of carrying out their duties. Such training shall cover: (1) common indicators of human trafficking, and (2) best practices for reporting suspected trafficking to law enforcement officers. To assist in such training, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation shall provide information, including the Blue Campaign training module, for use by air carriers. The Federal Aviation Administration shall report recommendations for improving the identification and reporting of human trafficking by air carrier personnel while protecting the civil liberties of passengers. The bill grants immunity to an air carrier for reporting any suspicious transaction relevant to a possible violation of law or regulation relating to human trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2016
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 · 13 January 2016
Food Waste Accountability Act of 2016 This bill amends the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 to require contractors who enter into contracts above $25,000 with a federal executive agency for the provision, service, or sale of food in the United States to submit annual reports on the weight of food that was disposed of by donation, composting, or discarding. The agency must submit such reports to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the OMB must then submit an annual report to Congress aggregating the information in the reports.
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 · 17 December 2015
Consumers Rebate to ban Emissions and Boost AlTernative Energy Act or the Consumers REBATE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose as of January 1, 2017, an excise tax on the production or importation of a taxable carbon substance (i.e., coal, oil, and natural gas), payable by the producer, miner, or importer of such substance. The tax does not apply to exports of a taxable carbon substance. The bill requires the Department of the Treasury to: (1) impose carbon equivalency fees on imports of goods containing or produced using a taxable carbon substance; and (2) make quarterly payments, from the amounts deposited pursuant to imposition of the carbon excise tax, to lawful residents of the United States with a valid social security number.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Assault Weapons Ban of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is: (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; or (4) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. Additionally, the bill does not prohibit, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The legislation amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to require law enforcement agencies to be notified when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a grandfathered SAW. It also amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2015
Police Agency Investigation Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to create within the Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Civil Rights Division an Office of Police Agency Investigations to investigate alleged patterns or practices of police conduct that violate constitutional rights. Additionally, it amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to include complying with a judgment or consent decree pursuant to a pattern-or-practice investigation. DOJ may award additional grants to COPS grant recipients to comply with such judgments or consent decrees.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Recognizes the 67th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the celebration of Human Rights Day. Supports the ideals of human rights and reaffirms the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Encourages all nations to continue working towards freedom, peace, and security which can be achieved only through democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2015
21st Century Power Grid Act This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a financial assistance program to carry out eligible projects related to the modernization of the electric grid, including the application of technologies to improve observability, advanced controls, and prediction of system performance on the distribution system and related transmission system inter-dependencies. To be eligible for financial assistance, a project shall: (1) be designed to improve the performance and efficiency of the future electric grid, while ensuring the continued provision of safe, secure, reliable, and affordable power, and provide new options for customer-owned resources; and (2) demonstrate secure integration and management of energy resources and secure integration and interoperability of communications and information technologies. An eligible project shall include the participation of a partnership consisting of two or more entities that: (1) may include any institution of higher education, a National Laboratory, a representative of a state or local government, a representative of an Indian tribe, or a federal power marketing administration; and (2) shall include an investor-owned electric utility, a publicly owned utility, a technology provider, a rural electric cooperative, a regional transmission organization, or an independent system operator. Each eligible project shall include: (1) the development of a cybersecurity plan written in accordance with guidelines developed by DOE; and (2) a privacy impact assessment that evaluates the project against the five core concepts in DOE's Voluntary Code of Conduct, commonly known as the DataGuard Energy Data Privacy Program, or the most recent revisions to DOE's privacy program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Denounces the attacks on health care centers for women, providers of health care for women, and patients. Affirms that all women have the right to access reproductive health care services without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment.
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
Expresses support for: (1) equal rights and protections for all people, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; and (2) the designation of LGBT Equality Day. Acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure that people in the United States are free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2015
Jumpstart VA Construction Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into partnership agreements with non-federal entities for the construction of major medical construction projects authorized by law. Each selected project shall be for construction of a new facility for which: (1) Congress has appropriated funds, (2) the design and development phase is complete, and (3) construction has not begun as of the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2015
Emergency Flood Response Act This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish and carry out a pilot program to assist flood response efforts at state and federal regional levels in response to a levee failure or potential levee failure. FEMA may award grants to up to 10 eligible entities to: (1) establish or maintain a flood emergency fund, and (2) ensure a unified command system organizational framework for emergency flood activities. An "eligible entity" is a levee maintaining agency or unit of local government that is responsible for emergency flood response efforts. Funds awarded under this bill may be used for emergency flood activities, including prompt emergency action to prevent levee failure, close levee breaks, make relief cuts and dewater flooded areas, and otherwise physically limit the extent, depth, and duration of flood waters in the event of a levee failure. Funds awarded may not be used if the emergency flood activity is required by law to be performed by the Corps of Engineers and the Corps immediately exercises its authority. FEMA shall ensure that, following an expenditure of funds from a grantee's flood emergency fund, the grantee will seek all available state and federal disaster assistance reimbursements for such expenditures and deposit the reimbursements in the fund. The federal share of the cost of a flood emergency activity carried out using grant funds made available under this Act may not exceed 50%.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Equity and Excellence in American Education Act of 2015 This bill authorizes the Department of Education (ED) to establish and administer several new grant programs. ED shall carry out the Equity and Excellence Initiative to provide grants to states to match each state's enhanced investment in meaningful educational opportunities for children who attend targeted schools. A "targeted school" is a public elementary or secondary school at which a specified percentage of students: (1) are eligible for free or reduced-priced lunch; (2) qualify as limited English proficient; or (3) are racial or ethnic minorities, Indian, or migratory. Schools may use these grant funds to implement systems-based reforms and initiatives to enhance student achievement. A state that receives grant funds must meet specified maintenance of effort requirements. If ED determines that a state has failed to invest sufficient resources to create meaningful educational opportunities for all children attending targeted schools in that state, ED is authorized, through the Educating Every Child Initiative, to make grants directly to local educational agencies for distribution to targeted schools. A state in which targeted schools receive grant funds must meet specified funding obligations with respect to those schools. ED is also authorized to establish the Equitable and Sustainable Fiscal Policy Program to provide technical assistance grants to support state fiscal reform efforts aimed at ensuring meaningful educational opportunities for all children. The bill establishes various reporting requirements for ED and for grant recipients. ED must develop accountability metrics to measure grant performance.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Supports the goals of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Honors those working domestically and internationally to eliminate violence against women and girls. Encourages the President to: address the needs of women and girls experiencing violence through funding for participatory survivor-led programs; prioritize protections for women and children in fragile and conflict zones; address increased rates of violence against marginalized women due to race, ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, and socioeconomic status; and increase opportunities for women and girls worldwide, including opportunities for education and economic participation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6531 Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys, California, as the "Marilyn Monroe Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
West Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Office of Strategic Services in recognition of their service and contributions during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to revise several provisions related to the child and adult care food program. Under current law: (1) an institution that provides child or day care under the program may be reimbursed for up to two meals and one supplement per day per child; and (2) a family or group day care home sponsoring organization may receive the same maximum reimbursement, but only with respect to a child maintained in a child care setting for at least eight hours per day. The bill eliminates this distinction between institutions and sponsoring organizations, and increases maximum reimbursement for both to: (1) two meals and one supplement or one meal and two supplements per day per child; or (2) three meals and one supplement or two meals and two supplements per day per child, for each child maintained in a child care setting for at least eight hours per day. A determination of a for-profit day care center's eligibility to participate in the program shall be in effect for six months. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must issue guidance and, as appropriate, regulations to assist in ensuring a fair and effective process for the identification, review, and correction of serious program deficiencies. USDA shall establish an advisory committee to examine the feasibility of reducing unnecessary or duplicative paperwork for those participating or seeking to participate in the program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Areawide Integrated Pest Management Act of 2015 or the AIPM Act of 2015 This bill amends the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to expand the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program to include grants to colleges, universities, and other entities for qualified areawide integrated pest management projects to prevent the spread of pests and invasive species. The bill establishes an areawide integrated pest management committee to consider stakeholder feedback and determine priorities for the projects. The projects must be implemented on a landscape scale or larger and include collaboration with specified federal, regional, state, and nongovernmental entities. The projects may prevent the spread of pests and invasive species through: prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression; educational programs; and physical, mechanical, cultural biologically-based, or chemical controls. A qualified project must: provide for significant benefits for the prevention, eradication, or management of pests and invasive species; provide for economic and environmental benefits to agriculture, individuals, wildlife, and the environment; address the annual priorities established by the integrated pest management committee; last no more than five years; establish a regional advisory committee to oversee the project; and involve the cooperative extension services in translating the results of research into practical information and tools to be shared. USDA must transfer to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture the authority for the Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument Act This bill establishes the Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument in Arizona. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to lands under their respective jurisdictions, shall manage the Monument to conserve, protect, and enhance its natural resources and values. Interior and USDA shall collaborate with the Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument Advisory Council (established by this Act) to develop a plan for the protection and management of the Monument.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Broadband Conduit Deployment Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to require states to evaluate the need for broadband conduit (fiber optic cables that support broadband or wireless facilities for broadband service) as part of any covered highway construction project (a project to construct a new highway or an additional lane or paved shoulder for an existing highway that receives funding under federal-aid highway provisions), in consultation with telecommunications providers. If the evaluation reveals a need in the next 15 years for broadband conduit beneath hard surfaces to be constructed by the project, the conduit shall be installed. DOT shall establish standards to carry out installation requirements that consider: the ability to accommodate broadband installation without impacting the safety, operations, and maintenance of the highway facility, its users, or others; population density in the area; the type of highway involved; and existing broadband access in the area. DOT shall ensure that: an appropriate number of broadband conduits are installed along such highway to accommodate multiple broadband providers, the size of conduit is consistent with industry best practices and sufficient to accommodate potential demand, hand holes and manholes for fiber access and pulling such conduit are placed at intervals consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit includes a pull tape and is capable of supporting fiber optic cable placement techniques consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit is placed at a depth consistent with industry best practices and cable separation requirements of electrical codes, and any requesting broadband provider has access to each broadband conduit installed on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis for a charge not to exceed a cost-based rate. DOT may waive the requirements of this Act upon determining that the waiver is appropriate based upon: a showing of undue burden, a determination that the installation of conduit beneath hard surfaces is not necessary based on the availability of existing broadband infrastructure, or a cost-benefit analysis.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Stop Outsourcing and Create American Jobs Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to develop and publish a list of countries that are tax havens for corporations. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the penalties on corporations for: (1) underpayment of tax involving an undisclosed foreign financial asset located in a tax haven country; (2) reportable transaction understatements involving transactions in a tax haven country; and (3) fraud, tax evasion, or false statements involving transactions in a tax haven country. The bill: (1) grants a preference in the award of federal contracts to contractors who have not engaged in outsourcing, and (2) defines "outsourcing" as the laying off of a U.S. worker from a job and the hiring or contracting for the same job to be performed in a foreign country. Revenues generated by this Act must be set aside for the reduction of the public debt.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2015 Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require registered securities issuers to disclose annually to the Securities and Exchange Commission and to shareholders: (1) the total number of employees domiciled in the United States and listed by number in each state (including those of consolidated subsidiaries); (2) the total number of such employees physically working in and domiciled in any country other than the United States, listed by number in each country; and (3) the percentage increase or decrease in such numbers from the previous reporting year. Exempts from such requirements: (1) certain new public companies, and (2) issuers with total annual gross revenues of less than $1 billion during the most recently completed fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Community-Based Gang Intervention Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should acknowledge and address social conditions such as poverty, homelessness, inadequate educational systems, and limited economic opportunities in developing a comprehensive gang violence reduction strategy. It amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to: (1) require the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to award grants to nonprofit community-based gang intervention agencies to provide services for reducing and stopping gang-related and gang-motivated violence and crime, (2) include representatives of community-based gang intervention agencies in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention advisory groups established by state plans, and (3) include community-based gang intervention and prevention activities in state and local grant programs for delinquency prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act of 2015 This bill amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, with respect to the detention of a juvenile status offender (a juvenile arrested for an offense that would not be a crime if committed by an adult) who violates a valid court order, to require the court placing such juvenile in detention to issue a written order that: (1) identifies the valid court order that has been violated; (2) specifies the factual basis for determining that there is reasonable cause to believe that the juvenile has violated such order; (3) includes findings of fact to support a determination that there is no appropriate less restrictive alternative available to placing the juvenile in a secure detention or correctional facility, with due consideration to the best interest of the juvenile; (4) specifies the length of time, not to exceed three days, that the juvenile may remain in such facility and includes a plan for the juvenile's release; and (5) may not be renewed or extended. It provides that a juvenile status offender may only be detained once in any six-month period. The bill eliminates, not later than one year after the enactment of this Act, the use of valid court orders to provide secure lockup of juvenile status offenders.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015
WIFIA Improvement Act This bill amends the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 to repeal provisions prohibiting any project receiving federal credit assistance under such Act from being financed from the proceeds of tax-exempt bonds.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Sentencing Reform Act of 2015 This bill permits a court to reduce the mandatory minimum prison term imposed on certain non-violent defendants convicted of a high-level first-time or low-level repeat drug offense (including unlawful import, export, manufacture, or distribution of, or possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance). The legislation expands safety valve eligibility to permit a court to impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum for certain non-violent, cooperative drug defendants with a limited criminal history. It reduces the enhanced mandatory minimum prison term for certain defendants who commit a high-level repeat drug offense, use a firearm in a crime of violence or drug offense after a prior conviction for such offense, or unlawfully possess a firearm after three or more prior convictions. It permits retroactive application of such reductions for defendants without a prior serious violent felony conviction, after a court considers certain factors. It also establishes a consecutive mandatory prison term for a defendant who commits a drug offense involving a detectable amount of heroin or fentanyl. The bill makes the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 retroactive to permit resentencing of a convicted crack cocaine offender sentenced before August 3, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Supports the designation of Earth Science Week. Expresses strong support for the goals and ideals of Earth Science Week and its aims to increase understanding of and interest in earth science at the local, state, national, and international levels. Recognizes the importance of education and public outreach efforts to ensure the U.S. public gains a better understanding and appreciation for the impact of the earth sciences on their daily lives. Encourages K-12 students to participate in local, state, and national events in connection with Earth Science Week and to get involved in the celebration by exploring artistic and academic applications of earth science.
![Official portrait of Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-9]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001166_200.jpg)