United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Incentives for our Nation's Veterans in Energy Sustainability Technologies or the INVEST Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the work opportunity tax credit for the hiring of a specified veteran who works in a field of renewable energy. Defines "specified veteran" as any veteran who is certified as: (1) having received a credential or certification from the Department of Defense (DOD) of a military occupational specialty or skill in a field of renewable energy or with respect to advanced manufacturing, machinist or welding, or engineering; (2) having completed a vocational degree in a field of renewable energy; or (3) having completed a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification with the United States Green Building Council.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1103 USPS Building 1103 in Camp Pendleton, California, as the "Camp Pendleton Medal of Honor Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2014
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Esteems the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2014
Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to award grants to eligible institutions to: (1) establish a master's or doctoral degree program in orthotics and prosthetics, or (2) expand upon an existing master's degree program in such area. Requires a grant priority for institutions in partnership with a medical center administered by the VA or a facility administered by the Department of Defense (DOD). Provides grant amounts of at least $1 million and up to $1.5 million. Defines as eligible institutions those either accredited by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education or demonstrating an ability to meet such accreditation requirements if receiving a grant. Requires the Secretary to award a grant to an institution with orthotic and prosthetic research and education experience to: (1) establish the Center of Excellence in Orthotic and Prosthetic Education; and (2) improve orthotic and prosthetic outcomes for veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and civilians by conducting orthotic and prosthetic-based research.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2014
Transparency in Policing Act of 2014 or the TIP Act of 2014 - Directs the Attorney General to conduct a study on the cost to state and local law enforcement agencies of purchasing and using body cameras. Conditions the receipt by a state or local law enforcement agency of federal funds from a grant program carried out by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the purchase of body cameras for use by the law enforcement officers employed by that agency. Authorizes the Attorney General to waive such requirement upon determining that compliance would create a hardship for such agency.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2014
Expresses the belief that: (1) a united, secure, and prosperous United Kingdom is important for U.S. national security priorities; and (2) diplomatic, economic, and military cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom is essential to U.S. national security Expresses deep friendship toward the Scottish people, and respects the right of the Scottish people to make their decision regarding their status in the September 18, 2014, referendum. Expresses a firm commitment to cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom toward a more peaceful and prosperous world.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all businesses and residential customers.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 73839 Gorgonio Drive in Twentynine Palms, California, as the "Colonel M.J. 'Mac' Dube, USMC Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Water in the 21st Century Act or W21 - Establishes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a WaterSense program to identify and promote water efficient products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services. Requires the EPA to identify other voluntary approaches to encourage recycling and reuse technologies to improve water efficiency or lower water use and to implement those approaches, if appropriate. Establishes a State Residential Water Efficiency and Conservation Incentives Program to provide financial incentives for consumers to purchase and install products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services labeled under the WaterSense program. Requires the EPA to make grants to owners or operators of water systems to address, mitigate, and adapt to any ongoing or forecasted impact of climate change on a region's water quality or quantity. Authorizes the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for water recycling, water infrastructure, enhanced energy efficiency in water systems, desalination projects, permanent water storage, and integrated water management in specified states. Authorizes the transfer of title to nonfederal entities of reclamation projects in need of rehabilitation that are authorized before enactment of this Act under certain conditions. Requires the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish an open water data system. Reauthorizes the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 and the Water Desalination Act of 1996 through FY2020. Requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, after receiving a request from a nonfederal sponsor, to review the operation of a reservoir and update the water control manual to incorporate improved weather and runoff forecasting methods, if appropriate. Directs the EPA to develop voluntary national drought resilience guidelines relating to preparedness planning and investments for water users and providers. Requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prepare a salmon drought plan for California.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to pay the fees charged by any governmental authority associated with obtaining the birth certificate or state residence identification card in order to obtain a replacement Social Security card for certain victims of domestic violence residing in a shelter and their dependents.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Federal Employee Pension Fairness Act - Repeals provisions requiring federal employees, including foreign service employees, who began service after 2012 to pay an increased contribution (4.4%) for funding their annuities under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) treat certain foreign corporations managed and controlled primarily in the United States as domestic corporations for U.S. tax purposes; and (2) revise rules for the taxation of inverted corporations (i.e., U.S. corporations that acquire foreign companies to reincorporate in a foreign jurisdiction with lower income tax rates than the United States).
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Social Security Act to expand the collection and analysis of data in programs of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Sets forth provisions to improve cultural competence in federal health care programs and services, including by establishing the Robert T. Matsui Center for Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Health Care. Requires the Secretary of HHS (Secretary) to engage in activities to improve health workforce diversity, including by: (1) establishing a working group and a technical clearinghouse; (2) awarding grants to academic institutions; (3) establishing a health and health care disparities education program; and (4) providing for scholarships, student loan repayment and loan forgiveness, and research fellowships. Health Empowerment Zone Act of 2014 - Provides for the establishment of health empowerment zones in communities that experience disproportionate disparities in health status and health care. Requires the Secretary to engage in activities to improve the quality of and access to health care, including by expanding access to health care and health care insurance for immigrants, designating centers of excellence at public hospitals and other health systems serving minority patients, increasing Medicaid payments to territories and to Native Hawaiian health centers, and providing for border health grants. Sets forth programs to reduce health disparities affecting minorities and rural residents. Establishes an Office of Minority Health in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sets forth provisions to improve health for women and children, including by expanding access to federal programs for immigrant women and children, creating public awareness campaigns, engaging in activities to eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes, and establishing programs to reduce teenage pregnancies, including contraception education and information programs, programs to support healthy adolescent development, maintaining a database of systematic reviews of maternity care, designating maternity care health professional shortage areas, and establishing a research center on optimal maternity outcomes. Directs the Secretary to develop a multisite gestational diabetes research project within the diabetes program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Requires pharmacies to provide in stock contraceptives to customers without delay. Expands Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapist services, mental health counselor services, and substance abuse counselor services. Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2014 - Requires the Secretary to implement the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Program to achieve a reduction of at least 25% in the mortality rate of lung cancer by 2020. Prostate Research, Outreach, Screening, Testing, Access, and Treatment Effectiveness Act of 2014 or the PROSTATE Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take action to address prostate cancer, including by establishing the Interagency Prostate Cancer Coordination and Education Task Force. Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2014 - Requires the Secretary to implement programs to address hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act of 2014 - Requires the Director of CDC to establish the National Acquired Bone Marrow Failure Disease Registry. Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to develop guidelines to screen minority patient populations which have a higher than average risk for many chronic diseases and cancers. Expands Medicaid to cover a beneficiary's routine medical costs when they are in an approved clinical trial. Requires the Secretary to expand HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention activities, including: (1) identification of issues that impede disease status awareness and retention in appropriate care, (2) research into treatment adherence strategies, (3) grants to public health agencies and faith-based organizations, (4) the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative, and (5) health workforce training for culturally competent care. Directs the Secretary to award grants for comprehensive sex education programs for adolescents. Eliminates a program that supports abstinence education. Permits community organizations to distribute sexual barrier protection devices (e.g., condoms) and to engage in sexually transmitted infection counseling and prevention education in federal correctional facilities. Stop AIDS in Prison Act - Requires the Bureau of Prisons to develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV testing, treatment, and prevention for inmates. Requires the Secretary to conduct research and other activities with respect to diabetes in minority populations and the prevention of lung disease. Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders Health Disparities Act - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand research addressing sleep health disparities. Requires the Director of CDC to expand activities regarding sleep disorders. Sets forth provisions regarding the use of health information technology to reduce health disparities, particularly in racial and ethnic minority communities. Prohibits discrimination in federal health care programs or research activities. Requires the Secretary to establish the Office of Health Disparities in the Office for Civil Rights and to establish civil rights compliance offices in each HHS agency that administers health programs. Directs the Secretary to establish a program at the National Center for Environmental Health on health impact assessment (the process of determining the potential effects of a policy, program, or project on health). Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to study the type and scope of health care services provided to racial and ethnic minorities affected by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling unit on April 20, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Survivor Outreach and Support Campus Act or the SOS Campus Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in the programs under title IV (Student Assistance) to designate an independent advocate for campus sexual assault prevention and response (Advocate) with experience in providing sexual assault victim services. Directs the Secretary of Education to prescribe regulations for IHEs to follow in appointing Advocates. Requires each Advocate to: (1) report to an individual outside the body responsible for investigating and adjudicating sexual assault complaints at the IHE, (2) submit to such individual an annual report summarizing how the resources supplied to the Advocate were used, and (3) represent the interests of each student victim even when they conflict with the IHE's interests. Directs each Advocate to: ensure that sexual assault victims at the IHE receive, with their consent, specified information and services; guide sexual assault victims who request assistance through the reporting, counseling, administrative, medical and health, academic accommodations, or legal processes of the IHE or local law enforcement; attend, at the request of a sexual assault victim, any administrative or IHE-based adjudication proceeding related to such assault as an advocate for the victim; maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the victim and any witness to such sexual assault, without notifying the IHE or any other authority of the identity of the victim or of any such witness or the alleged circumstances surrounding the reported sexual assault, unless otherwise required to do so by state law; and conduct a public information campaign to inform the students enrolled at the IHE of the existence of, contact information for, and services provided by the Advocate.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Healthy Climate and Family Security Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Department of the Treasury to establish for 2015 and thereafter a carbon trading program that caps the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from crude oil, coal, and natural gas by requiring crude oil refineries, petroleum importers, coal mines, and natural gas suppliers or processors to purchase carbon permits. Establishes a declining cap on the quantity of permits issued to reduce CO2 emissions until they are reduced to 80% below 2005 levels by 2050. Sets forth provisions concerning compliance with permit obligations, issuance of permits for carbon capture and sequestration, and permit auctioning, trading, banking, and borrowing. Establishes the Healthy Climate Trust Fund and appropriates auction proceeds and penalty payments to it. Returns Trust Fund amounts not used for administrative expenses (as a fraction of auction proceeds) to individuals with a valid Social Security number in the form of Healthy Climate Dividend Payments. Requires the Department of the Treasury to: (1) impose carbon equivalency fees to be collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on imports of carbon-intensive goods, and (2) give payments to exporters of comparable domestically produced carbon-intensive goods. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish a rule listing greenhouse gases (GHGs) that includes anthropogenically emitted (caused by human activity) gases that contribute to global warming but excludes CO2 emitted by the combustion of crude oil, coal, and natural gas and gases attributable to the production of animals for food. Directs the EPA to promulgate regulations to reduce such non-auction GHGs and ensure the regulation of all sources of them within 10 years.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Growing American Shipping Act of 2014 - Amends the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006 to expand the directive to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop and implement a program to promote the transportation of imports of liquefied natural gas to the United States on U.S.-flag vessels to include the promotion of the transportation of exports of the gas from the United States. Amends the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 to require DOT to give top priority to the processing of a license for liquefied natural gas facilities at a deepwater port that will supply the gas to be exported on U.S.-flag vessels in addition to the priority currently given to the processing of licenses for imports of the gas.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2014
English Learning and Innovation Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award renewable, competitive grants to states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and public charter schools or charter school management organizations to carry out activities that result in English learners becoming proficient in English so that they can access the knowledge needed to meet state academic content standards and be ready for postsecondary education and careers (innovation grants). Includes among those activities: (1) improving instructional programs, including through the use of dual-language or bilingual education; (2) ensuring that English learners are taught by effective teachers at schools administered by effective principals; (3) increasing the ability of the families of English learners to engage in their child's education and development; and (4) expanding best practices to other schools or LEAs. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive capacity building grants to states and LEAs that have experienced a significant increase in English learners for use in building their capacity to provide quality instruction to English learners and their parents and become competitive in applying for an innovation grant. Directs the Secretary to establish indicators to measure the success of this Act's grant programs. Requires this Act's grantees to: (1) develop, and submit for the Secretary's approval, quantifiable benchmarks for evaluating their grant activities; and (2) provide the Secretary with an annual report on their progress toward those benchmarks.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should issue a commemorative postage stamp honoring Maya Angelou.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2014
Schedules That Work Act - Grants an employee the right to request that his or her employer change the terms and conditions of employment relating to: the number of hours or times the employee is required to work or be on call; the location; the amount of notification he or she receives of work schedule assignments; and minimizing fluctuations in the number of hours the employee is scheduled to work on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Requires the employer, if the request is made, to engage in a timely, good faith interactive process with the employee that includes a discussion of potential schedule changes that would meet his or her needs. Outlines the process for either granting or denying a change. Requires the employer to grant a request, unless there is a bona fide business reason for denying it, if the request is made because of the employee's serious health condition, his or her responsibilities as a caregiver, or enrollment in a career-related educational or training program, or if a part-time employee requests such a change for a reason related to a second job. Authorizes an employer, if an employee requests a change for any other reason, to deny it for any reason that is not unlawful. Requires the employer to give the employee the reason for the denial, including whether it was a bona fide business reason. Outlines employer requirements for paying reporting time and split shift pay and for giving advance notice of work schedules to retail, food service, or cleaning employees, except for those in bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacities. Makes it unlawful for any employer or other person to: (1) interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise or the attempt to exercise any right of an employee specified in this Act; (2) retaliate against an individual for exercising his or her rights, or (3) interfere with proceedings or inquiries with respect to violation of an individual's rights. Sets forth administrative enforcement procedures and civil remedies for violation of these prohibitions. Directs the Secretary of Labor to give information and technical assistance to employers, labor organizations, and the general public concerning compliance with this Act. Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to study the impact of certain difficult scheduling practices on employees and employers. Makes this Act inapplicable to any employee covered by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement if its terms govern work scheduling practices.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2014
Breaking Addiction Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a five-year demonstration project under which payment may be made to each participating state for any medical assistance provided with respect to a qualified individual being treated for a substance use condition in a community-based institution for mental diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2014
Audit the Pentagon Act of 2014 - Requires, on March 2 of FY2015 and each subsequent fiscal year, a .5% reduction in the discretionary budget authority of a federal agency that is identified by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as required to have an audited financial statement: (1) that has not submitted a financial statement for the previous fiscal year, or (2) whose statement has not received either an unqualified or a qualified audit opinion by an independent external auditor. Excludes from such reduction accounts for military, reserve and National Guard personnel and the Defense Health Program account of the Department of Defense (DOD). Authorizes: (1) the Secretary of Defense to make such a reduction in the discretionary budget authority of any agency in a manner that minimizes any effect on national security, and (2) the President to waive a reduction in discretionary budget authority if such reduction would harm national security or members of the Armed Forces who are in combat. Requires a report to Congress listing required DOD reports that interfere with DOD's capacity to achieve an audit of its financial statements with an unqualified opinion. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) congressional defense committees and DOD should not endanger the nation's troops by reducing wounded warrior accounts or vital protection for members of the Armed Forces in harm's way, (2) the valuation of legacy assets by DOD should be simplified without compromising essential controls or generally accepted government auditing standards, and (3) this Act should not be construed to require or permit the declassification of accounting details about classified defense programs and DOD should ensure financial accountability in such programs. .
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1048 West Robinhood Drive in Stockton, California, as the "W. Ronald Coale Memorial Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 Admiral Callaghan Lane in Vallejo, California, as the "Philmore Graham Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2014
National Freight Network Trust Fund Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish the National Freight Network Trust Fund, from which expenditures shall be made to fund awards under the National Freight Network Grant Program. Appropriates to the Fund amounts equivalent to 5% of the import duties imposed under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. Establishes such Program in the Department of Transportation (DOT), under which the Secretary of Transportation shall make grants to states, regional or local transportation organizations, or port authorities to assist projects that improve the performance of the national freight network. Directs the Secretary to evaluate and select projects on a competitive basis by considering their potential to: generate national economic benefits, improve the performance of key corridors and gateways, reduce congestion, improve transportation safety, and enhance the network. Requires the Secretary to update the national freight network every five years.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2014
Constitutional Amendment - Authorizes Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. Grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by appropriate legislation. Allows them to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections. Declares that nothing in this amendment shall be construed to grant Congress or the states the power to abridge the freedom of the press.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2014
Supports the goals and ideals of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, now in its 40th year of continuous service. Recognizes the benefits the CDBG program has provided to urban, suburban, and rural communities. Acknowledges the importance of this federal grant program to states and local communities throughout the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2014
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act or the Clay Hunt SAV Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Secretary of Defense (DOD), at least annually, to each arrange for an independent third party evaluation of, respectively, the VA and DOD mental health care and suicide prevention programs. Requires a board reviewing the discharge or dismissal of a former member of the Armed Forces whose application for relief is based at least in part on post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury related to military operations or sexual trauma, to: (1) review the medical evidence from the VA or a civilian health provider that is presented by the former member; and (2) review the case, with a presumption of administrative irregularity, and place the burden on the VA or DOD to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that no error or injustice occurred. Directs the VA Secretary to publish an Internet website that serves as a centralized source to provide veterans with regularly updated information regarding all of the VA's mental health care services. Requires the VA Secretary and the DOD Secretary to enter into certain strategic relationships to facilitate: the mental health referrals of members of the reserve components who have a service-connected disability and are being discharged or released from the Armed Forces, timely behavioral health services for such members, communication when such members are at risk for behavioral health reasons, and the transfer of documentation for line-of-duty and fitness-for-duty determinations. Requires the VA Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to repay the education loans relating to psychiatric medicine that are incurred by individuals who: are eligible to practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or are enrolled in the final year of a residency program leading to a specialty qualification in psychiatric medicine, demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as a psychiatrist in the VHA, and agree to a period of obligated service with the VHA in the field of psychiatric medicine. Directs the VA Secretary to carry out a program, as part of the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program, under which the VA Secretary and an institution of higher education (IHE) agree to cover the full cost of charges not covered by post-9/11 educational assistance that are incurred by veterans who: (1) are pursuing an advanced degree in mental health at the IHE, and (2) intend to seek employment as a mental health professional in the VA. Allows the VA Secretary to cover up to 64% of those charges, if the school covers the remainder. Requires the DOD Secretary to submit to Congress a zero-based review of the staffing requirements for individual State National Guard Commands with respect to Directors of Psychological Health. Directs the VA Secretary to establish a pilot program at not less than five Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) to assist veterans transitioning from active duty and to improve the access of veterans to mental health services. Requires the pilot program at each VISN to include: (1) a community oriented veteran peer support network, and (2) a community outreach team for each medical center in such VISN.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2014
Protect Women's Health From Corporate Interference Act of 2014 - Affirms requirements, notwithstanding the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, that: (1) an employer that establishes or maintains a group health plan for its employees must provide coverage of a specific item or service for the employees or their dependents where the coverage is required under federal provisions or regulations pursuant to those provisions; and (2) group health plans sponsored by an employer or employee organization, and any health insurance coverage, must provide coverage required under the Public Health Service Act, including preventive health services. Authorizes the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury to modify regulations concerning coverage of contraceptive services by group health plans of religious employers consistent with the purposes and findings (regarding coverage of birth control services and the Supreme Court decisions in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Burwell ) of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2014
Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2014 - Prohibits the distribution of a food if its container is composed, in whole or in part, of bisphenol A (BPA) or can release BPA into food. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to grant one-year renewable waivers to a facility for a particular container if such facility: (1) demonstrates that it is not technologically feasible to replace BPA in the container or to use an alternative container that does not contain BPA, and (2) submits to the Secretary a plan and timeline for removing BPA from such container. Sets forth labeling requirements for a product granted a waiver. Requires the Secretary to promote and facilitate the use of BPA replacements. Prohibits replacement of BPA with substances that: (1) are known or are likely human carcinogens; (2) have been found by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic; (3) cause reproductive or developmental toxicity; or (4) are endocrine disrupting chemicals. Requires the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to review substances used in food containers in order determine whether there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to such substance, taking into consideration potential adverse effects from low-dose exposure and the effects on vulnerable populations and populations with high exposure. Sets forth remedial actions based on the Secretary's determination. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require a manufacturer or supplier of a food contact substance to notify the Secretary of the identity and intended use of any such substance prior to its introduction into interstate commerce and of its determination that: (1) no adverse health effects result from low-dose exposures to such substance; and (2) such substance has not been shown, after tests which are appropriate for the evaluation of the safety of food contact substances, to cause reproductive or developmental toxicity in humans or animals.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2014
Stop Corporate Expatriation and Invest in America's Infrastructure Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise rules for the taxation of inverted corporations (i.e., U.S. corporations that acquire foreign companies to reincorporate in a foreign jurisdiction with income tax rates lower than the United States) to provide that a foreign corporation that acquires the properties of a U.S. corporation or partnership after May 8, 2014, shall be treated as an inverted corporation and thus subject to U.S. taxation if, after such acquisition: (1) it holds more than 50% of the stock of the new entity (expanded affiliated group), or (2) the management or control of the new entity occurs primarily within the United States and the new entity has significant domestic business activities. Authorizes additional appropriations to the Highway Account and Mass Transit Account in the Highway Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2014
Bottled Water Quality Information Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue regulations requiring each bottled water manufacturer or distributor to annually prepare a report that includes the following: the manufacturer’s or distributor’s name and contact information; type of water source; a plainly worded definition of “Standard of Identity” and “Standard of Quality” as prescribed in current bottled water regulations; a brief description of primary treatment methods used; and test results for the water’s microbiological, physical, chemical, and radiological quality. Requires the Secretary to issue regulations requiring each bottled water label to include the following: the manufacturer’s or distributor’s name and contact information, a statement notifying consumers how to obtain the quality report required by this Act, and type of water source. Prescribes means by which refillable and reusable multiservice containers may fulfill this Act’s requirements. Preempts inconsistent state or local reporting or labeling requirements. Prohibits the distribution of bottled water products not in compliance with this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2014
Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to amend regulations concerning the height and dimensions of station antenna structures to prohibit a private land use restriction from applying to amateur service communications if the restriction precludes such communications, fails to accommodate such communications, or does not constitute the minimum practicable restriction on such communications to accomplish the legitimate purpose of the private entity seeking to enforce such restriction.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2014
Charitable Automobile Red-Tape Simplification Act of 2014 or the CARS Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax deduction for charitable contributions, to modify the substantiation rules for donations of qualified vehicles (i.e., motor vehicles manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways and boats or airplanes) to require: (1) a statement with respect to such qualified vehicles and a good faith estimate of their value at the time of donation; and (2) a contemporaneous written acknowledgement of the contribution by the donee organization, with information about the donor and the qualified vehicle.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2014
Protecting American Jobs and Exports Act - Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States through FY2021. Extends through FY2021 and gradually increases (with a specified exception) the Bank's aggregate outstanding loan, guarantee, and insurance authority. Extends through FY2021 Bank authority to provide financing for the export of nonlethal defense articles or services whose primary end use will be for civilian purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2551 Galena Avenue in Simi Valley, California, as the "Neil Havens Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2014
Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the accelerated depreciation (seven-year recovery period) of motorsports entertainment complexes.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2014
Creating Higher Education Affordability Necessary to Compete Economically Act or the Middle Class CHANCE Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the maximum Federal Pell Grant for award year 2014-2015 and adjust it each subsequent award year to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index. Directs the Secretary of Education to award an additional Pell Grant to an eligible student who: (1) has received a Pell Grant for an award year, and (2) is enrolled in a program of study for one or more additional payment periods during the same award year that are not otherwise covered by the Pell Grant. Limits the total amount of the Pell Grants awarded to such student for the award year to 150% of the maximum Pell Grant for such award year. Raises, from 12 semesters to 15 semesters, the period during which a student may receive Federal Pell Grants.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2014
Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act - Amends federal firearms provisions to expand the definition of: (1) "intimate partner" to include a dating partner or former dating partner; and (2) "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" to include a misdemeanor offense that has, as an element, the use or attempted use of force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon by a dating partner or former dating partner against the victim. Prohibits the sale or other disposition of a firearm or ammunition to, or the possession or receipt of a firearm by, a person who: (1) is subject to a court order, or an ex parte order, that restrains such person from harassing, stalking, threatening, or engaging in other conduct that would put an individual in reasonable fear of bodily injury, including an order issued at the request of an employer on behalf of its employee or at the request of an institution of higher education on behalf of its student, or from intimidating or dissuading a witness from testifying in court; or (2) has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of stalking under federal, state, territorial, or tribal law or of a crime that involves conduct that would be proscribed by prohibitions against stalking if committed within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2014
National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act of 2014 - Directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publish a national strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in trail maintenance. Requires the strategy to: (1) augment and support the capabilities of federal employees to carry out or contribute to trail maintenance; (2) provide opportunities for volunteers and partners to carry out trail maintenance in each region of the Forest Service; (3) address the barriers to increased volunteerism and partnerships; (4) prioritize increased volunteerism and partnerships in those regions with the most severe trail maintenance needs, and where backlogs are jeopardizing access to national forest lands; and (5) aim to increase trail maintenance by volunteers and partners by 100% within 5 years. Directs USDA to study opportunities to improve trail maintenance by addressing opportunities to use fire crews in trail maintenance activities. Deems a volunteer with a partner organization to be considered a federal employee for the purposes of civil claims relating to damage to, or loss of, personal property of a volunteer incident to volunteer services. Sets forth provisions for the selection of priority areas for increased trail maintenance accomplishments. Directs USDA to establish a pilot program to offset all or part of the land use fee for outfitting and guiding permits.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2014
Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2014 - Directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish a grant program to provide assistance to states that require compliant carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in dwelling units. Defines "compliant carbon monoxide alarm" as an alarm that complies with the American National Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms as well as the American National Standard for Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors. Permits states receiving grants to use such funds to: (1) purchase and install such alarms in dwelling units of low-income families or elderly persons, childcare facilities, public schools, senior centers, or student dwelling units owned by public universities; (2) train state or local fire code enforcement officials regarding compliance and installation; and (3) educate the public about the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2014
Toxic Exposure Research and Military Family Support Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: select a medical center in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to serve as the national center (Center) for the diagnosis, treatment, and research of health conditions of descendants (i.e., a biological child, grandchild, or great-grandchild) of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces that are related to that exposure; establish an advisory board to advise the center, to determine which health conditions result from exposure to toxic substances, and to study and evaluate cases of exposure of current and former members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances; and establish an Office of Extramural Research to conduct research on wounds, illnesses, injuries, and other conditions suffered by active members of the Armed Forces resulting from exposure to toxic substances and to assist the Advisory Board in considering claims of exposure to toxic substances. Requires the Center, in coordination with the National Birth Defect Registry, to track and research the genetic link between individuals who are exposed to Agent Orange and the medical conditions of their children. Extends eligibility for medical care and caregiver assistance to descendants of a veteran who was exposed to toxic substances while serving as a member of the Armed Forces if: (1) the descendant has a health condition resulting from exposure to toxic substances and is homebound due to such condition, and (2) the veteran has or had the same health condition. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to declassify documents (other than documents that would materially and immediately threaten national security) related to any known incident in which not less than 100 members of the Armed Forces were exposed to a toxic substance that resulted in at least one case of disability. Directs the VA Secretary, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the DOD Secretary to jointly conduct a national outreach and education campaign directed at members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their family members to communicate information on incidents of exposure to toxic substances, health conditions resulting form such exposure, and the potential long-term effects of such exposure.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2014
Promoting Healthy Minds for Safer Communities Act of 2014 - Title I: Strengthening and Improving Intervention Efforts - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program to award grants to states, political subdivisions, or nonprofit private entities for the expansion of mental health crisis assistance programs. Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise a community children and violence program to assist local communities and schools in applying a public health approach to mental health services, including by: (1) revising eligibility requirements for a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement; and (2) providing for comprehensive school mental health programs that are culturally and linguistically appropriate, trauma-informed, and age appropriate. Requires a comprehensive school mental health program funded under this Act to assist children in dealing with trauma and violence. Makes only a partnership between a local educational agency and at least one community program or agency that is involved in mental health eligible for such funding. Sets forth assurances required for eligibility, including that: (1) the local education agency will enter into a memorandum of understanding with at least one relevant community-based entity that clearly states how school-employed mental health professionals will be utilized and the responsibilities of each partner; (2) the program will include training of all school personnel, family members of children with mental health disorders, and concerned members of the community; and (3) the program will demonstrate the measures to be taken to sustain the program after funding terminates. Requires grantees to comply with the health information privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Requires the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to develop a fiscally appropriate process for evaluating grant program activities, including: (1) the development of guidelines for the submission of program data by recipients; and (2) the development of measures of outcomes to be applied by recipients in evaluating programs, to include student and family measures and local educational measures. Amends the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 to: (1) expand the assistance provided under such Act, and (2) reauthorize appropriations for FY2015-FY2019. Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to establish or expand: (1) veterans treatment court programs, which involve collaboration among criminal justice, veterans, and mental health and substance abuse agencies to provide qualified veterans (preliminarily qualified offenders who were discharged from the armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable) with intensive judicial supervision and case management, treatment services, alternatives to incarceration, and other appropriate services, including housing, transportation, job training, education, and assistance in obtaining benefits; (2) peer to peer services or programs to assist such veterans in obtaining treatment, recovery, stabilization, or rehabilitation; (3) practices that identify and provide treatment, rehabilitation, legal, transitional, and other appropriate services to such veterans who have been incarcerated; and (4) training programs to teach criminal justice, law enforcement, corrections, mental health, and substance abuse personnel how to identify and respond to incidents involving such veterans. Revises the definition of "preliminarily qualified offender" to include, in the case of a veterans treatment court program, an adult or juvenile accused of an offense who has been diagnosed with, or manifests obvious signs of, mental illness or a substance abuse disorder or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorder. Removes a requirement that the adult or juvenile be accused of a nonviolent offense. Requires preliminarily qualified offenders to be unanimously approved for participation in a collaboration program by, when appropriate, the relevant prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, probation or corrections official, judge, and representative from the relevant mental health agency. Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to enhance the capabilities of a correctional facility to: (1) identify and screen for mentally ill inmates; (2) plan and provide assessments of the clinical, medical, and social needs of inmates and appropriate treatment and services that address mental health and substance abuse needs; (3) develop, implement, and enhance post-release transition plans that coordinate services and public benefits, the availability of mental health care and substance abuse treatment services, alternatives to solitary confinement and segregated housing, and mental health screening and treatment for inmates placed in solitary confinement or segregated housing; and (4) train employees in identifying and responding to incidents involving inmates with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. Authorizes the Attorney General to: (1) award not more than six grants per year to applicants for the purpose of reducing the use of public services by mentally ill individuals who consume a significantly disproportionate quantity of public resources, and (2) make grants to provide support for programs that teach law enforcement personnel how to identify and respond to incidents involving persons with such disorders. Directs the Attorney General to give priority in awarding grants for adult or juvenile collaboration programs to applications that: (1) propose interventions that have been shown by empirical evidence to reduce recidivism, and (2) use validated assessment tools to target preliminarily qualified offenders with a moderate or high risk of recidivism and a need for treatment and services. Title II: Improving Mental Health Research - Directs the Secretary to expand research on self-directed and other-directed violence associated with mental illness. Title III: Understanding the Epidemic of Gun Violence - Requires the Secretary to expand: (1) the National Violent Death Reporting System to all 50 states, and (2) research and grants of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to address gun violence. Authorizes FY2015-FY2019 appropriations for CDC research and grants. Title IV: Mental Health and Access to Firearms - Amends federal criminal code prohibitions on the sale, purchase, transport, or possession of firearms or ammunition to: (1) specify that prohibitions with respect to persons committed to a mental institution apply to persons committed on an involuntary inpatient or involuntary outpatient basis, and (2) expand the prohibitions to persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. Expands the definition of: (1) "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" to include offenses by children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, or dating partners; and (2) "intimate partner" to include such individuals as well as parents and guardians. (Thus, adds such individuals to the categories of persons that may be prohibited from possessing or receiving guns under domestic violence laws.) Authorizes the Attorney General to reserve not more than 5% of Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds for grants to states that: (1) give state and local law enforcement the authority to seize firearms or ammunition from an individual pursuant to a warrant, where there is probable cause to believe the individual possessing such firearms or ammunition poses an elevated risk of harm to himself or herself or to another individual; or (2) temporarily prohibit an individual involuntarily hospitalized for mental illness on an emergency basis from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Directs the Attorney General to establish a system for the prompt notification of state and local enforcement agencies when the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) notifies a licensed dealer that an individual attempting to obtain a firearm is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or state law. Title V: Restoration - Amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to set forth requirements for persons adjudicated to have a mental disorder or committed to a mental institution to apply for relief (restoration of firearm ownership rights) after one year by submitting an opinion of a psychiatrist or licensed clinical psychologist in order to seek a determination by the adjudicating agency that the person no longer manifests the symptoms that elevate the risk of harm. Title VI: Submission of Mental Health Records to National Instant Criminal Background Check System - Requires the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics to report annually to Congress regarding the number of persons reported by each state to NICS who are prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm based on a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Reauthorizes the national criminal history improvement program for FY2015-FY2018. Requires the Attorney General to establish a four-year implementation plan for each state or Indian tribal government desiring a grant to improve the automation and transmittal to federal and state repositories of: (1) mental health records and criminal history dispositions, (2) records relevant to determining whether a person has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, (3) court orders, and (4) mental health adjudications or commitments. Requires each federal agency in possession of records relevant to a determination of whether a person is disqualified from possessing or receiving a firearm under specified circumstances to make such records, updated at least quarterly, available to the Attorney General for use in NICS background checks. Directs HHS, under HIPAA, to allow states to make information concerning persons adjudicated as a mental defective or those committed to mental institutions available for NICS.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2014
Condemns the mass shooting in Isla Vista, California, on May 23, 2014. Offers condolences to the Isla Vista and University of California, Santa Barbara, communities. Encourages a dialogue on all aspects of this tragedy, including the nation's mental health care system, anger, firearms laws, and harmful attitudes toward women. Honors the dedicated service of the law enforcement and emergency personnel who responded to, and who continue to investigate, the attack. Expresses a commitment to preventing such tragedies from happening again.
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 2014
Recognizes the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) as an important time to celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our nation's history. Recognizes that Asian American and Pacific Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2014
Curbing Abusive Marketing Practices with University Student Debit Cards Act or the CAMPUS Debit Cards Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each institution of higher education (IHE) that enters into a preferred banking arrangement with a financial institution to: develop a code of conduct regarding the preferred banking arrangement with which the IHE's officers, employees, and agents must comply that prohibits conflicts of interest and requires those individuals to act in the best interests of the IHE's students; publish that code prominently on the IHE's website; annually inform its officers, employees, and agents who have responsibilities regarding the preferred banking arrangement of the code's provisions; and effectively enforce the code. Requires that code of conduct, at a minimum, to prohibit: the IHE from entering into a revenue-sharing arrangement with any financial institution; the IHE's officers, employees, or agents who have responsibilities regarding the preferred banking arrangement or a financial institution from soliciting or receiving a gift from the financial institution; the IHE from requesting or accepting from any financial institution assistance with any office or department of the IHE; the IHE's officers, employees, or agents who have responsibilities regarding the preferred banking arrangement or a financial institution from accepting financial compensation from any financial institution pursuant to a service contract; the IHE from denying or unnecessarily delaying the disbursement of a title IV loan or grant on the basis of a student's selection of a particular financial institution; and the IHE's officers, employees, or agents who have responsibilities regarding the preferred banking arrangement or a financial institution from receiving anything of value from the financial institution for serving on its advisory board, commission, or group. Allows specified exceptions to such prohibitions. Requires IHEs that enroll students who receive title IV grants or loans to establish a system to disburse credit balances to students through electronic payments to a deposit account or a general-use prepaid card with the protections afforded under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Directs the Secretary to conduct a pilot program giving students the option to receive credit balances through the Treasury Direct Express system or another low-cost alternative. Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to require: IHEs or their alumni organizations or foundations to publicly disclose any agreement made with a financial institution to market a financial product, financial institutions to submit an annual report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) containing the terms and conditions of all agreements they make with IHEs or IHE alumni organizations or foundations relating to any financial product they offer to students at such IHEs, the CFPB to establish and maintain on its publicly available website a central repository of all agreements contained in such reports from financial institutions. Prohibits financial institutions from offering students any tangible or intangible item to induce them to apply, purchase, or obtain a financial product offered by the financial institution if the offer is made on or near the campus of an IHE or at an event sponsored by or related to an IHE. Directs the CFPB: (1) to conduct a study on the marketing of financial products to students enrolled in IHEs, and (2) if the study finds that financial products are not marketed to IHE students in a fair manner, to issue regulations to ensure that such products are marketed in a fair manner. Expresses the sense of Congress that financial products marketed to IHE students should be presented in a fair and neutral manner.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the United States should rapidly transition to a sustainable, secure water economy that prioritizes ecological flows; (2) all federal agencies whose missions include water should coordinate their efforts and collaborate with state and local water authorities; and (3) the United States should prioritize the assessment of the quality and quantity of surface water and groundwater resources and produce a national water census to address the inevitable challenges of Peak Water.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2014
Social Security and Marriage Equality Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act with respect to the determination of a valid marriage to account for marriages in jurisdictions other than a state. Authorizes the courts of any state to find that an OASDI benefit applicant and an insured individual were validly married in a jurisdiction other than a state at the time the applicant files a benefit application or, if the insured individual is dead, at the time the individual died.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2014
Military Opportunities for Mothers Act or the MOM Act - Requires military personnel who give birth to a child to be given 42 days of convalescent leave for use in connection with that birth. Allows military personnel up to 42 additional days of leave in connection with the birth of such child upon the expiration of the convalescent leave, but: makes them ineligible for basic pay for any day on which such additional leave is used, although they are to be considered to be on active duty for all other purposes; and their commanding officer may recall them from such leave when necessary to maintain unit readiness.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2014
Renewable Energy Jobs Act - Requires the Secretary of Labor to carry out a pilot program to train individuals for careers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries and award grants under the program to the five states with the highest installed alternative energy power capacity. Defines "renewable energy and energy efficiency industries" as the following industries: the energy-efficient building, construction, or retrofits industry; the renewable electric power industry, including the wind, solar, and geothermal energy industries; and the energy efficiency assessment industry that serves the residential, commercial, or industrial sectors.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2014
Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act of 2014 - Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require that the state plan under the Act certifies that the state has in effect and is enforcing a state law, or is operating a statewide program, relating to child abuse and neglect that includes provisions and procedures requiring: (1) identification and assessment of reports involving child trafficking, and (2) training child protective services workers about identifying and providing services for such children.
![Official portrait of Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-32]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_ca_32_napolitano_grace_200.jpg)