United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2019
Terminating the Extension of Rights Misappropriated Act of 2019 or the Term Act of 2019 This bill addresses double patenting with respect to drug-related patents. Specifically, the bill requires an owner of drug-related patents, if the owner lists more than one patent as covering a particular drug, to prove in certain proceedings that each patent covers a distinct invention. If the patent owner fails to do so, then the owner shall have disclaimed patent protection from all the listed patents after the first patent expires. This requirement shall apply to various proceedings challenging the validity of drug-related patents, as well as to infringement lawsuits filed by the patent owner against companies seeking Food and Drug Administration approval for generic or biosimilar versions of patented drugs. The bill also directs the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to review its examination procedures to prevent granting multiple patents for the same drug or biological product, unless the patents cover distinct inventions. The USPTO shall report to Congress its findings and recommendations from the review.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2019
Coast Guard Shore Infrastructure Improvement Act This bill addresses U.S. Coast Guard shore infrastructure. The bill directs the Coast Guard to (1) develop a plan to standardize its facility assessments; (2) establish shore infrastructure performance goals, measures, and baselines to track the effectiveness of maintenance and repair investments; (3) develop a process to routinely align its shore infrastructure portfolio with mission needs; (4) establish guidance for planning boards to document inputs, deliberations, and project prioritization decisions for infrastructure maintenance projects; (5) employ models for its infrastructure asset lines; (6) include details about competing project alternatives and report tradeoffs in congressional budget requests and related reports; and (7) explore the development of real property management expertise within its workforce.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2019
Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Labor to update the salary threshold applicable to bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees for purposes of determining eligibility for overtime pay. The bill adopts rulemaking promulgated by Labor in 2016 that established the threshold for exempting such employees from overtime requirements at the 40th percentile of earnings for full-time salaried employees in the lowest-wage census region. The bill also requires updates to the threshold amount every three years. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shall publish quarterly on its public website data on the weekly earnings of nonhourly, full-time salaried workers by census region.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2019
Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs to share contact information for suicide prevention resources with students. If IHEs distribute student identification cards, then they must include on the cards phone numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a campus mental-health center or program. If IHEs do not create such cards, then they must publish the numbers on the IHEs' websites.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2019
Mental Health Parity Compliance Act This bill revises the mental health parity rules to require private health insurance plans that offer both medical and mental health coverage to prepare a comparative analysis of nonquantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs). (NQTLs are limitations on the scope or duration of benefits for treatment, such as preauthorization requirements.) The comparative analysis must be available for the Department of Health and Human Services upon request and must include (1) a description of the NQTL and the specific services to which it applies, (2) the factors used to determine when the NQTL will apply, and (3) a description of how the NQTLs applicable to mental health or substance use disorder benefits are comparable to, and no more stringent than, the NQTLs applicable to medical or surgical benefits, among other information.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2019
Safe Sleep Act of 2019 This bill makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, or distribute inclined sleepers for infants. Specifically, inclined sleepers for infants are those that are designed for an infant up to one year old and have an inclined sleep surface of greater than 10 degrees.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2019
This resolution authorizes the House Committee on the Judiciary to initiate or intervene in federal judicial proceedings to enforce compliance with certain subpoenas issued to Attorney General William Barr and former White House Counsel Donald McGahn. Additionally, the resolution provides explicit authority for each congressional committee, if authorized by the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, to initiate or intervene in federal judicial proceedings to enforce compliance with congressional subpoenas.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2019
Homeownership for Dreamers Act This bill prohibits federal mortgage providers from limiting insurance eligibility on the basis of the mortgagor's participation in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
Jeanette Acosta Invest in Women's Health Act of 2019 This bill establishes, or authorizes to be established, a series of programs relating to cancer screenings for women. Among other things, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish demonstration programs that (1) support certain cancer-screening training for health care providers at family planning and community health centers, and (2) support increased co-testing of human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer among demographics that have disproportionate rates of cervical cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations for energy-efficiency materials to install in nonprofit buildings.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
Every Child Deserves a Family Act This bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or religion in the provision of child welfare programs and services by entities receiving federal funding. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must provide technical assistance to help states follow this requirement, including (1) guidance for bringing state laws into compliance, (2) developing training to increase cultural competency related to social identity, and (3) training for judges and attorneys involved in child welfare cases, among other supports. Additionally, HHS must establish the National Resource Center on Safety, Well-Being, Placement Stability, and Permanency for LGBTQ Children and Youth Involved with Child Welfare Services to provide training, technical assistance, and guidance to applicable state and local agencies and service providers. Further, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act may not be the basis for challenging the application or enforcement of this bill. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on states' compliance with the requirements of the bill no later than three years after enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
Biliteracy Education Seal and Teaching Act or the BEST Act This bill directs the Department of Education to award renewable two-year grants to states to establish or improve, and carry out, Seal of Biliteracy programs to recognize student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2019
Partnership Fund for Peace Act of 2019 This bill requires the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish the Partnership Fund for Peace for promoting economic development in Palestine and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Specifically, the bill directs the USAID to establish this fund to finance (1) small and medium-sized Palestinian entrepreneurs and companies in order to promote the private sector and create jobs in Palestinian territories, and (2) people-to-people peacebuilding programs that support reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis. An economic partnership, entrepreneur, or company requesting support from the fund must include a Palestinian entrepreneur or company as a partner. A people-to-people partnership requesting support from the fund must include a nonprofit organization that brings Palestinians and Israelis together for reconciliation or nonprofit organizations that further reconciliation between Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2019
Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2019 This bill authorizes and establishes procedures for federal courts to issue extreme risk protection orders. An extreme risk protection order is a federal court order that prohibits a person from purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm or ammunition. A family or household member, or a law enforcement officer, may petition for an extreme risk protection order with respect to an individual who poses a risk to themselves or others. The bill also expands the categories of persons who are prohibited from purchasing, shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving a firearm or ammunition. Specifically, it adds, as a new category, persons who are subject to an extreme risk protection order.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2019
STEM K to Career Act This bill provides for loan forgiveness and tax credits related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) education and addresses work-study for students employed in STEM fields. The bill requires the Department of Education to forgive student loan obligations of borrowers employed as full-time teachers of STEM in elementary or secondary schools in which the number of low-income children exceeds a certain percentage. Portions of the student loan debt, including interest, shall be forgiven on the basis of years of service, with 100% forgiven for five years of teacher service. The bill allows (1) an increased tax deduction for expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers for STEM education supplies; (2) a tax credit for the employment of STEM interns; and (3) a tax credit for employment of individuals who participated in an apprenticeship program in a STEM field, with the amount determined according to the degree of completion of the program. Beginning with FY2020, an institution of higher education must use at least 7% of federal work-study funds to compensate students employed in STEM fields.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2019
Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act This bill directs the Department of Education to cancel 15%, 15%, 20%, 20%, and 30% of the amount a borrower owes after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years of public service employment, respectively, on a federal student loan made after this bill's enactment. Currently, the loan is forgiven if the borrower is not in default and has made 120 monthly payments on such loan while employed as a public service employee.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2019
Woman on the Twenty Act This bill requires that all $20 Federal Reserve notes printed after December 31, 2022, prominently feature a portrait of Harriet Tubman on their front face. The bill also instructs the Department of the Treasury to release to the public by December 31, 2020, the preliminary design of the $20 Federal Reserve note that shall prominently feature a portrait of Harriet Tubman.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2019
Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2019 This bill revises provisions of the low-income housing tax credit and renames it as the affordable housing credit . The bill increases the per capita dollar amount of the credit and its minimum ceiling amount beginning in 2019 and extends the inflation adjustment for such amounts. The bill modifies tenant income eligibility requirements and the average income formula for determining such income. It also revises rules for student occupancy of rental units and tenant voucher payments and prohibits any refusal to rent to victims of domestic abuse. The bill further modifies the credit to establish a 4% minimum credit rate for certain housing projects, repeal the qualified census tract population cap, prohibit local approval and contribution requirements, increase the credit for certain projects designated to serve extremely low-income households, increase the credit for certain bond-financed projects designated by state agencies, eliminate the basis reduction for properties that receive certain energy-related tax benefits, and increase the population cap for difficult development areas (i.e., areas with high construction, land, and utility costs relative to area median gross income). The bill also includes Indian and rural areas as difficult development areas and modifies other requirements relating to casualty losses, acquisition credits, and foreclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2019
This concurrent resolution expresses support for the designation of National ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day to encourage parents to ask, before their child visits another home, whether there is an unlocked gun in the home.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1401 1st Street North in Winter Haven, Florida, as the "Althea Margaret Daily Mills Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Liver Illness Visibility, Education, and Research Act of 2019 This bill expands and coordinates activities related to the research of liver cancer and liver disease, including causes, prevention, detection, and treatment. Specifically, the National Cancer Institute must establish an inter-institute working group to coordinate efforts to cure liver cancer and liver disease, including research into such cases resulting from hepatitis B, and may award grants to develop preventative and diagnostic measures as well as support for experimental treatment options. The bill further establishes grant programs, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to support liver disease prevention services, diagnostics, and hepatitis tracking programs and to raise awareness about liver disease within high-risk communities. The renamed National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive, Kidney, and Liver Diseases also must prioritize programs addressing liver disease, including (1) establishing a national clearinghouse for patient data and (2) developing or expanding the centers for research of liver disease.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Women's Health Protection Act of 2019 This bill prohibits state or local governments from imposing certain restrictions on access to abortion services. Specifically, state or local government may not require unnecessary tests or procedures in connection with the provision of abortion services, the same health care provider who provides abortion services to perform such tests or procedures, providers to offer medically inaccurate information to patients before or during abortion services, providers to refrain from prescribing certain drugs, certain hospital facility transfer agreements, one or more medically unnecessary in-person visits, or patients to disclose the reason for seeking abortion services. The bill also prohibits limitations or requirements that both single out and impede access to abortion services based on a number of factors (e.g., restrictions that are reasonably likely to decrease the availability of abortion services in a state). A state or local government also may not prohibit abortions prior to fetal viability nor prohibit abortions after fetal viability in cases where the health care provider determines that continuing the pregnancy poses a risk to the patient's life or health. Additionally, the Department of Justice, individuals, or health care providers may bring a lawsuit to prospectively enjoin a limitation or restriction that is prohibited by this bill. The bill further requires the government defending such a limitation or restriction to show that (1) it significantly advances the safety of abortion services or patient health, and (2) such advancement cannot be met by a less-restrictive measure.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2019 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2019 This bill expands prohibitions and requires additional disclosures related to political spending. Specifically, foreign nationals are further restricted regarding their involvement in election related activity, including by prohibiting their participation in the decision-making process regarding an election expenditure. Existing foreign money prohibitions are expanded to prohibit disbursements for paid internet or digital communications. The Federal Election Commission must perform an audit after each election cycle to determine the incidence of illicit foreign money. In general, organizations making political expenditures must disclose donors who have contributed $10,000 or more during an election cycle. Certain of these organizations, including corporations, must also disclose their beneficial owners. The bill requires organizations to provide additional disclosures on certain political ads, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to partnerships between educational agencies and graduate institutions to increase the number of school-based mental-health services providers employed by low-income local educational agencies (LEAs). Grant funds may be used for specified purposes, including to provide student-loan forgiveness and tuition credits and to support recruitment, hiring, and training. In addition, ED shall establish a program to provide student-loan forgiveness for individuals who (1) are not, and have never been, participants in the grant program established by the bill; and (2) have been employed by low-income LEAs for five or more consecutive school years as mental-health services providers.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution Act of 2019 or the SHIELD Act of 2019 This bill establishes a new criminal offense related to the distribution of intimate visual depictions. Specifically, it makes it a crime to knowingly distribute (or intentionally threaten to distribute) an intimate visual depiction of an individual (1) with knowledge of or reckless disregard for the individual's lack of consent and reasonable expectation of privacy, and (2) without a reasonable belief that distributing the depiction touches a matter of public concern. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments, and Research Act of 2019 or the AFTER Act of 2019 This bill requires federal research facilities to facilitate the adoption or nonlaboratory placement of certain warm-blooded animals (e.g., dogs, cats, monkeys, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits) with animal rescue organizations, animal sanctuaries, animal shelters, or individuals. In order to be adopted or placed, the animals must (1) no longer be needed for research; (2) be suitable for release; (3) not be birds, rats, or mice.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
Ethan's Law This bill prohibits the improper storage of firearms. It also establishes grants to assist states and Indian tribes with implementing secure gun storage laws. Specifically, the bill makes it unlawful to store or keep any firearm on the premises of a residence if (1) an individual who is under the age of 18 is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the individual's parent or guardian, or (2) an individual residing at such residence is ineligible to possess a firearm. The bill establishes penalties for violations. Further, any firearm that is improperly stored is subject to seizure and forfeiture. The bill provides an exception for an individual who (1) keeps the firearm secure using a secure gun storage or safety device or in a location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure, or (2) carries the firearm on or in close proximity to the individual's person. Additionally, the Department of Justice must award grants to states and Indian tribes to implement secure gun storage laws that are functionally identical to the requirements established by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act This bill prohibits the use of exotic or wild animals in performances of a traveling animal act, such as a circus, carnival, or parade. The prohibition does not apply to zoos, aquariums, research facilities, wildlife sanctuaries, and other entities. The prohibition also does not apply to domestic animals or farm animals.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
This concurrent resolution expresses support for efforts to ensure that all women have access to comprehensive, preventative, and affordable health care services and are able to receive unbiased information about those services.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2019
Humane Retirement Act This bill requires animal care committees at entities that receive federal funds for biomedical or behavioral research to make reasonable efforts to find parties to adopt dogs and cats that have been retired from research. Prior to euthanizing, the animal care committee must assess the temperament of the dog or cat to determine whether it is suitable for adoption and, if so, make reasonable efforts to offer the dog or cat to an adopting party.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2019
AUMF Clarification Act This bill expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress has not authorized the use of military force against Iran. It further specifies that no previous authorization for the use of military force against anyone associated with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, may be construed to provide authorization for the use of such force against Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act of 2019 This bill alters funding provisions, and establishes additional reporting requirements, relating to the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, which is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The program supports training for primary-care-physician and dental residents at community-based clinics. The bill (1) establishes certain parameters for payments to approved and newly approved graduate medical-residency training programs, and (2) requires HRSA to publish a report regarding new and expanded programs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Tax Fairness for Tribal Youth Act of 2019 This bill treats certain payments made by Indian tribal governments to children as earned income of the child for the purposes of the kiddie tax (the tax on the unearned income of children). This has the effect of exempting the payments from the tax. The bill applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Protecting LGBTQ Youth Act This bill expands programs that prevent and treat child abuse and neglect to address issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Specifically, these programs include (1) research and reporting requirements, (2) providing technical assistance, (3) grants to states and local agencies to train child-welfare personnel, and (4) community-based prevention-service grants, among others.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Restoring Justice for Workers Act This bill prohibits predispute arbitration agreements that require arbitration of an employment dispute. It allows a postdispute arbitration agreement if the employee enters into it voluntarily without coercion and is informed in writing of rights and protections under such agreement. An employer may not retaliate against an employee for refusing to enter into an agreement for arbitrating an employment dispute.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for job applicants or employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Specifically, the bill declares that it is an unlawful employment practice to (1) fail to make reasonable accommodations to known limitations of such job applicants or employees, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on an entity's business operation; (2) deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations to an applicant or employee; (3) require such job applicants or employees to accept an accommodation that they do not want, if such accommodation is unnecessary to perform the job; (4) require such employees to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to their known limitations; or (5) take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against an employee requesting or using such reasonable accommodations. The bill sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies under various statutes that cover different types of employees in relation to such unlawful employment practices. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must provide examples of reasonable accommodations that shall be provided to affected job applicants or employees unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship. The bill prohibits state immunity under the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution from an action for a violation of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Savanna's Act This bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review, revise, and develop law enforcement and justice protocols to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The bill requires DOJ to take the following actions: provide training to law enforcement agencies on how to record tribal enrollment for victims in federal databases, develop and implement a strategy to notify the public of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, conduct specific outreach to tribes regarding the ability to publicly enter information through the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System or other non-law enforcement sensitive portal, develop regionally appropriate guidelines for response to cases of missing and murdered Native Americans, provide training and technical assistance to tribes and law enforcement agencies for implementation of the developed guidelines, and report statistics on missing and murdered Native Americans. The bill authorizes DOJ to provide grants for the purposes of (1) developing and implementing policies and protocols for law enforcement regarding cases of missing and murdered Native Americans, and (2) compiling and reporting data relating to missing and murdered Native Americans. Federal law enforcement agencies must modify their guidelines to incorporate the guidelines developed by DOJ. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall include gender in its annual statistics on missing and unidentified persons published on its website.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Disarm Hate Act The bill expands the categories of persons who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm. Specifically, it prohibits firearm sale or transfer to and receipt, possession, shipment, or transport by a person (1) who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or (2) who has received an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through December 31, 2027, provisions requiring the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special postage stamp for first-class mail that costs more than the regular first-class stamp to raise funds for breast cancer research.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
Asylum Seeker Protection Act This bill prohibits the use of funds to implement or enforce the Migrant Protection Protocols announced on December 20, 2018. (The protocol generally requires that aliens who are not clearly admissible arriving by land along the U.S.-Mexico border be returned to Mexico while their immigration proceedings are pending, rather than remain in the United States. The protocol applies to aliens seeking asylum but who have been assessed not to be more likely than not to face persecution or torture in Mexico.)
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
Special Diabetes Program Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 the Special Diabetes Program. The program is administered by the National Institutes of Health and focuses on research regarding the prevention and cure of type I diabetes.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Healthcare Services Act This bill prohibits advertisements that create the false impression that (1) a person or organization provides abortion services when they do not, or (2) they do not provide such services when they do. Abortion services include (1) surgical and non-surgical procedures to terminate pregnancy, or (2) providing referrals for such procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2019 This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit conduct, including bullying and harassment, that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to (1) limit students' ability to participate in, or benefit from, school programs; or (2) create a hostile or abusive educational environment that adversely affects students' education. LEAs shall also provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct, and report on, an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics shall collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Search and Rescue Dog Protection Act This bill requires search and rescue dogs to be treated in the same manner as service animals in the event of a federally declared major disaster or emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2019 This bill establishes an Advisory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence. Among other things, the advisory council must assess the needs of victims of gun violence and disseminate information about resources available to help victims of gun violence.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Home Health Payment Innovation Act of 2019 This bill makes a series of changes relating to payment and coverage of home health services under Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA). Specifically, the bill allows the home-confinement requirement (also known as the homebound requirement) for home health services to be waived under Medicare and MA. Currently, as a condition of eligibility for such services, a physician must certify that an individual has difficulty leaving home without assistance (e.g., a wheelchair, special transportation, or help from another person) due to an illness or injury. The bill also alters the payment methodology under the Medicare prospective payment system for home health services, including by eliminating the requirement that such methodology include certain behavioral assumptions regarding the implementation of specified changes to units of payment and case-mix adjustment factors.
![Official portrait of Rep. Mucarsel-Powell, Debbie [D-FL-26]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001207_200.jpg)