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![Official portrait of Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/o000168_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
2,039 records where Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
POLICE Act of 2016 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to include participation in active shooter training programs.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Authorizes the Speaker of the House of Representatives to initiate or intervene in civil actions on behalf of the House of Representatives in a federal court of competent jurisdiction to seek any appropriate relief regarding the failure of the President, the head of any department or agency, or any other executive branch officer or employee to act in a manner consistent with that official's duties under the Constitution and laws of the United States regarding the transfer of any individual detained at Guantanamo. Directs the Speaker to notify the House of a decision to initiate or intervene in any such civil action. States that the Office of the General Counsel of the House shall represent the House in any such civil action, and may employ outside counsel and other experts. Defines "individual detained at Guantanamo" as any individual located at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as of October 1, 2009, who: is not a U.S. citizen or a member of the Armed Forces; and is in the custody or under the control of the Department of Defense, or otherwise under detention at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Protect Against School Shootings Act or the PASS Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to permit active and retired law enforcement officers and persons who are legally allowed to carry a concealed firearm under state law to bring their firearms onto traditionally gun-free school grounds. Additionally, the bill permits such persons to discharge a firearm in defense of self or others, in a school zone.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Resist Executive Amnesty on Defense Installations Act or the READI Act This bill prohibits the use of a military installation to house any alien unlawfully present in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2016
Gold Star Families Voices Act This bill amends the Veterans' Oral History Project Act to require the veterans oral history program to include the collection of video and audio recordings of biographical histories by immediate family members of members of the Armed Forces who became missing in action or who died as a result of their wartime service.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Federal Employee Rights Act This bill repeals current authority allowing the deduction of labor organization dues from employee pay and prohibits federal agencies, including executive, legislative, and judicial agencies, the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Regulatory Commission, and the government of the District of Columbia, from deducting any amount from the pay of an employee for the dues of a labor organization. The bill prohibits employee dues collected by a labor organization from being used for any purpose not directly related to the organization's collective bargaining activities without employee authorization. The bill requires a vote of more than 50% of all employees (not just employees who cast ballots) to approve union representation and extends this requirement to postal service employees. An employee may elect, in writing, to withhold personal information from a labor organization during organizing activity. The bill requires that all elections relating to labor representation, including elections involving postal service employees, have secret paper ballots.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
Border Security Health Initiative Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to establish a program to decrease the number of Border Patrol agents who are removed from border security operations for the purpose of accompanying to medical treatment facilities ill or injured individuals interdicted by the Border Patrol. Such program shall place appropriate medical personnel from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at Border Patrol stations along the southwest border to ensure that Border Patrol agents are able to prioritize securing the international borders of the United States. The CBP, in coordination with the Chief Medical Officer of DHS, shall submit a report on implementation of such program, including a list of Border Patrol stations within which the program is operational, statistics on Border Patrol agent hours spent on border security operations that would have otherwise been spent accompanying ill or injured detainees to medical treatment facilities, and an estimation of efficiencies and cost savings from such program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2016
State Sanctions Against Iranian Terrorism Act This bill amends the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to specify that a state may, in addition to limiting investment in Iran's energy sector, prohibit or limit any person from engaging in specified investment activities in Iran. A state may also enter into interstate compacts to prohibit or limit such financial activities. Enforcement of such measures may include the imposition of disclosure and transparency requirements. The description of "investment activities" is revised to: (1) reduce the threshold for financial involvement from $20 million to $10 million; and (2) include, in addition to the energy sector, involvement in a business enterprise in Iran, including an entity owned or controlled by the Iranian government. The bill declares that a state or local government measure authorized pursuant to the Act is: (1) authorized and not preempted by any federal law or regulation, or any policy, agreement, or exercise of waiver authority of the executive branch; and (2) is consistent with U.S. federal policy, including U.S. foreign policy. A state or local government may enforce a measure adopted before the enactment of this Act that: (1) provides for the divestment of state or local assets from, or prohibits the investment of those assets in, any person that engages in investment activities in Iran or other business activities in Iran identified in the measure; or (2) prohibits or limits any person from engaging in investment activities in Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2016
Servicemember Retirement Improvement Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow members of the Ready Reserve of a reserve component of the Armed Forces to make the maximum allowable contribution ($18,000 in 2016) to their Thrift Savings Plans without limiting the amount such members may contribute to a retirement plan based upon other employment. The bill also doubles the maximum allowable contribution amount to the Thrift Savings Plans of federal employees in the Ready Reserve.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2016
State Health Flexibility Act of 2016 This bill amends the Social Security Act (SSAct) to replace federal requirements for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) with health care block grants to states. A state may use block grant funds to: (1) provide health care services to indigent individuals; (2) fund risk adjustment mechanisms for the purpose of subsidizing the cost of private health insurance for the high-risk population; and (3) support other welfare-related programs, as specified by the bill. In addition to repealing titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (CHIP) of the SSAct, the bill repeals: (1) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and (2) the Health Care and Educational Reconciliation Act of 2010. With respect to an alien not lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, a state may use grant funds to provide only emergency health care services, as specified by the bill. A state shall contract with an approved auditing entity for annual audits of its grant fund expenditures. The bill limits the authority of any federal agency to supervise a state's use of funds received under the block grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2016
Faster Care for Veterans Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to begin an 18-month pilot program in at least three Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) under which veterans use an Internet website to schedule and confirm appointments at VA medical facilities. The pilot program's duration may be extended and the number of VISNs may be increased.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2016
DC Personal Protection Reciprocity Act This bill declares that the prohibitions of the District of Columbia Official Code against carrying a pistol within the District either openly or concealed without a license under D.C. law shall not apply to an individual who is: not prohibited by federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm; carrying a valid license or permit for a concealed firearm issued under the law of a state; and carrying a valid identification document containing the individual's photograph. The Metropolitan Police Department, upon application by a person with a bona fide residence or place of business within the United States and a license to carry a concealed pistol under the law of any state or local government, shall issue that person a license to carry a concealed pistol within the District for up to two years from its date of issue, regardless of the applicant's reason for applying for the license. The bill repeals the condition on the permission for a non-D.C. resident who lives in a state that does not require a license to carry a concealed pistol to apply to the Metropolitan Police Department for a license to carry one within the District for up to two years. The condition repealed states that the non-resident may apply for a license to carry a concealed weapon only if the non-resident meets the same reasons and requirements a person must meet who has a bona fide residence or place of business in the District. The Metropolitan Police Department shall enter into reciprocity agreements with each other state that requires such an agreement in order to grant recognition to a license to carry a concealed firearm issued by that state.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2016
Iran Ballistic Missile Prevention and Sanctions Act of 2016 This bill directs the President to impose five or more sanctions with respect to a person (or an entity) that knowingly transfers to or from Iran advanced conventional weapons or ballistic missiles, or technology, parts, components, or technical information related to advanced conventional weapons or ballistic missiles. Sanctions may include: prohibitions on Export-Import Bank assistance, prohibitions on loans from U.S. financial institutions and other financial services, prohibitions on foreign exchange and other banking transactions, prohibitions on property transactions, prohibitions on exports and federal procurement, prohibitions on equity and debt investment, U.S. exclusion of corporate officers, and imposition of sanctions on principal executive officers. The President shall include a sanctioned person on the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. The President may, with prior congressional notice, waive the application of sanctions on a case-by-case basis if in the U.S. national security interests.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2016
Women Airforce Service Pilot Arlington Inurnment Restoration Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to ensure that the cremated remains of persons who served as Women's Air Forces Service Pilots are eligible for interment in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2016
Second Amendment Defense Act of 2016 This bill prohibits a federal government officer or employee from taking an action that limits an individual's conduct related to firearms or ammunition that is more restrictive than limitations in effect as of January 3, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Strengthening Access to Valuable Education and Retirement Support Act of 2015 or the SAVERS Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the tax on prohibited transactions: (1) the provision of investment advice by a fiduciary to a pension plan, plan participant, or beneficiary which is a best interest recommendation; and (2) any transaction, including a contract for service, between an investment provider and the advice recipient if no more than reasonable compensation is paid for such investment advice and certain disclosures are made with respect to the cost of such advice. For purposes of this bill, "investment advice" is a recommendation that relates to: (1) the advisability of acquiring, holding, disposing, or exchanging any moneys or other property of a pension plan (or Individual Retirement Account) by the plan, plan participants, or plan beneficiaries, including any recommendation regarding whether to take a distribution of benefits from the plan or any recommendation relating to a rollover or distribution from such plan; (2) the management of moneys or other property of the plan, including recommendations relating to the management of plan assets to be rolled over or otherwise distributed from the plan; or (3) the advisability of retaining or ceasing to retain a person who would receive a fee or other compensation for providing investment advice. Investment advice must be rendered pursuant to either: (1) a written acknowledgment that the person is a fiduciary with respect to the provision of the recommendation; or (2) a mutual agreement, arrangement, or understanding that may include limitations on scope, timing, and responsibility to provide ongoing monitoring or advice services. The bill defines "best interest recommendation" as a recommendation: (1) for which no more than reasonable compensation is paid; (2) that is provided by a person acting with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the prevailing circumstances that a prudent person would exercise based on information obtained from an advice recipient; and (3) where the person giving such advice places the interests of the plan or advice recipient above the person's interests. A best interest recommendation may include a recommendation that is based on a limited range of investment options or may result in variable compensation to the person providing the recommendation. The bill prohibits the Department of Labor from amending any rules or administrative positions regarding investment advice promulgated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the prohibited transaction provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, or other Labor regulations, and no such rules or administrative positions promulgated prior to the enactment date of this Act, but not effective on January 1, 2015, may become effective unless a bill or joint resolution specifically approving such rules or positions is enacted not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Affordable Retirement Advice Protection Act This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to define "investment advice," as it relates to fiduciary duties under such Act, as a recommendation that relates to: (1) the advisability of acquiring, holding, disposing, or exchanging any moneys or other property of a pension plan (or Individual Retirement Account) by the plan, plan participants, or plan beneficiaries, including any recommendation regarding whether to take a distribution of benefits from the plan or any recommendation relating to a rollover or distribution from such plan; (2) the management of moneys or other property of the plan, including recommendations relating to the management of plan assets to be rolled over or otherwise distributed from the plan; or (3) the advisability of retaining or ceasing to retain a person who would receive a fee or other compensation for providing investment advice. Investment advice must be rendered pursuant to either: (1) a written acknowledgment of the obligation of the investment advisor to act in accordance with fiduciary standards under ERISA; or (2) a mutual agreement, arrangement, or understanding that may include limitations on scope, timing, and responsibility to provide ongoing monitoring or advice services. The bill allows an exemption from ERISA prohibited transactions rules for investment advice: (1) for which no more than reasonable compensation is paid; or (2) that is based on a limited range of investment options or may result in variable income to the investment advisor if a clearly-stated notice is provided to the advice recipient that the same or similar investments may be available at a greater or lesser cost from other sources. The bill prohibits the Department of Labor from amending any rules or administrative positions regarding investment advice promulgated under ERISA and no such rules or administrative positions promulgated prior to the enactment date of this Act, but not effective on January 1, 2015, may become effective unless a bill or joint resolution specifically approving such rules or positions is enacted not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to search all public records, including Internet sites and social media profiles, to determine if an alien applying for admission to the United States is inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2015 This bill prohibits states or local governments from imposing any new discriminatory tax on or with respect to mobile services, mobile service providers, or mobile service property for five years after the enactment of this Act. A "new discriminatory tax" is a tax imposed on mobile services, providers, or property that is not generally imposed on other types of services or property, or that is generally imposed at a lower rate, unless such tax was imposed and actually enforced prior to the enactment date of this Act. The bill grants jurisdiction to federal district courts to provide injunctive and other appropriate relief to prevent, restrain, or terminate any acts in violation of this Act. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the impact of: (1) state and local taxes on mobile services, providers, or property on the costs consumers pay for mobile services; and (2) the prohibition in this Act against discriminatory mobile services taxes on such costs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Clean Air Implementation Act of 2015 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to require the review of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) in eight year intervals instead of five year intervals. The EPA may take into account the technological feasibility of attaining NAAQS when revising those NAAQS. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must: (1) report on the extent to which foreign sources of air pollution impact areas trying to achieve or maintain the NAAQS, (2) submit that report within 24 months, and (3) suspend the implementation of the 2015 rule regarding NAAQS for ozone until the EPA submits that report. Deadlines in that rule must be extended for a period that is equal to the amount of time it takes the EPA to submit that report. The EPA may take into account the technological feasibility of attaining NAAQS when establishing and revising those NAAQS.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
Transparency and Accountability of Failed Exchanges Act This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to require the Department of Health and Human Services, for certain states awarded a grant to establish a health insurance exchange, to report on how awarded amounts were used and rescind unobligated amounts. This applies to any state that terminates operation of its exchange or transfers operation to another entity. Such a state must provide to the General Services Administration any property acquired through the grant and refer matters involving fraud, waste, and abuse of funds issued pursuant to PPACA to the Department of Justice. Funds rescinded must be retained for federal budget deficit reduction.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2015
This bill amends: (1) the Department of Energy Organization Act to revise the definition of "minority" to mean any U.S. citizen who is an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Native American, or Alaska Native; and (2) the Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976 to revise the definition of "minority group members" (who own minority group enterprises) to mean U.S. citizens who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders, African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Alaska Natives.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2015
State Refugee Security Act of 2015 This bill directs the Office of Refugee Resettlement to notify the state agency responsible for coordinating the placement or resettlement of an alien refugee not later than 21 days before the alien's arrival in the state. No alien refugee shall be placed or resettled in a state if the governor certifies to the Office of Refugee Resettlement that it has failed, in the sole determination of the governor, to provide adequate assurance that such person does not present a security risk to the state.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Protecting Access through Competitive-pricing Transition Act of 2015 or the PACT Act of 2015 This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to modify provisions relating to payment for durable medical equipment (DME) under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. (DME includes certain medically necessary equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, and hospital beds.) With respect to DME furnished in areas that are not competitive acquisition areas, current regulations require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to phase in, over a two-year period, Medicare payment adjustments using information from competitive acquisition programs. (Through such programs, payment amounts for each area are determined based on competitive bids submitted by suppliers, rather than according to an established fee schedule.) The bill codifies this requirement and specifies that CMS shall adjust fee schedule amounts to the lesser of: (1) a specified percentage of the regional amount; and (2) the amount that would otherwise be determined according to the fee schedule, with specified adjustments. In determining Medicare payment adjustments for areas that are not competitive acquisition areas, CMS shall solicit stakeholder input and take into account several specified factors. CMS may not accept a bid under the competitive acquisition program unless the bidder: (1) meets applicable state licensure requirements; and (2) has submitted a cash deposit as a bond, as specified by the bill. CMS must establish a six-year market pricing demonstration project, under which auctions are conducted in eligible areas for the furnishing of market-priced DME items and services. The bill establishes project requirements related to auction design, contract terms, transparency, and monitoring.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Kari's Law Act of 2015 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require multi-line telephone systems to have a default configuration that allows users to directly initiate a call to 9-1-1 (without dialing any additional digit, code, prefix, or post-fix, including any trunk-access code such as the digit "9") from any station equipped with dialing facilities. Businesses installing such systems must configure the systems to provide a notification to a central location at the facility where the system is installed when a person at the facility initiates a call to 9-1-1 using the system, provided that the system is able to be so configured without an improvement to the hardware.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2015
Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to expand immunity from civil liability related to automated external defibrillator devices (AEDs), including by giving immunity to: (1) a person who owns, occupies, or manages the premises from which an AED is taken or at which an AED is used; and (2) the owner of an AED for any harm resulting from the use of the AED, unless the harm was caused by the failure of the owner to properly maintain the AED. This immunity applies regardless of whether: (1) the AED is marked with cautionary signage or registered with any government; or (2) the person who used the AED complied with signage, had received training on use of the AED, or was assisted or supervised, including by a licensed physician.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Guantanamo Transfer Prevention Act This bill prohibits the President from using Department of Defense (DOD) funds to transfer or release to or within the United States, its territories, or possessions Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who is not a U.S. citizen or member of the U.S. Armed Forces and is or was held on or after January 20, 2009, at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by DOD. Any contravening action by the President shall be without legal effect. No amounts authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for DOD for FY2016 may be used to: (1) close or abandon Guantanamo, (2) relinquish control of Guantanamo to Cuba, or (3) implement a material modification to the Treaty Between the United States of America and Cuba signed at Washington, DC, on May 29, 1934, that constructively closes Guantanamo.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Preventing Unionization of Revenue Service Employees Act or the PURSE Act This bill excludes employees of the Internal Revenue Service from provisions of federal personnel law allowing federal employees to organize, bargain collectively, and participate in labor organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2015
Medicare Established Provider Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a system for designating providers that represent a low risk of submitting fraudulent Medicare claims as "established providers" for purposes of applying for special treatment in the claim review process. To qualify as an established provider, a provider must demonstrate that, within a specified timeframe: (1) at least 90% of Medicare claims submitted by the provider were determined to be eligible for full or partial payment, and (2) the provider appealed at least 90% of all Medicare claims that were not initially determined to be eligible for payment. HHS may withhold payment for a Medicare claim made by an established provider only if a final determination has been made that the claim is ineligible for payment. If such a final determination is made, the provider shall repay such payment electronically and within a specified timeframe.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2015
Medicare Choices Empowerment and Protection Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish an Advance Directive Certification Program. Under the program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall grant accreditation to advance directive vendors that meet specified accreditation criteria. CMS shall establish procedures for an eligible beneficiary to register the adoption of a certified advance directive under the program. Beneficiary registration in the program shall be optional, but each eligible beneficiary who adopts and registers a certified advance directive shall receive a one-time incentive payment. CMS shall provide for related education and outreach.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2015
American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015 This bill requires that, in addition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) screening, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a background investigation before U.S. refugee admission. A "covered alien" is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who: is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. A covered alien: may not be admitted as a refugee until the FBI certifies to DHS and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that he or she has received a background investigation sufficient to determine whether the alien is a U.S. security threat; and may only be admitted to the United States after DHS, with the unanimous concurrence of the FBI and the DNI, certifies to Congress that he or she is not such a threat. The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct annual risk-based reviews of all certifications. DHS shall report monthly to Congress on the total number of admission applications for which a certification was made and the number of covered aliens for whom such a certification was not made for the preceding month. The report shall include for each covered alien for whom a certification was not made the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by the certification.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2015
States' Right of Refugee Refusal Act of 2015 This bill prohibits the Office of Refugee Resettlement or the federal agency administering refugee resettlement from resettling or coordinating placement of any refugee in a state whose government has communicated to the Office that the state government does not accede to such resettlement or placement.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
National Labor Relations Board Reform Act Amends the National Labor Relations Act to revise requirements with respect to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), and the process for appellate review. Increases NLRB membership from five to six. Requires three members to represent each of the two major political parties and, beginning January 1, 2020, each of the two members whose terms expire on the same date to represent a different major political party. Requires: (1) four NLRB members to constitute a quorum at all times, and (2) any NLRB determination to be approved by a majority of the members present. Specifies tenure, including staggered terms, of NLRB members. Sets forth judicial review procedures for any person subject to a complaint issued or authorized by the OGC. Sets the compensation rate for each NLRB member, in addition to the OGC, at level IV of the Executive Schedule and the Chairman of the NLRB, as under current law, at level III. Requires the NLRB to issue a final order reviewing an appeal of a report of an administrative law judge or decision of a regional director within one year after the report or decision; but if the NLRB does not issue a final order within that time, allows any party to the case to move to discharge it. Deems, upon such a motion, the report or the decision to be a final agency action. Prohibits the NLRB from taking further action on the matter. Reduces authorized appropriations to carry out the Act for each of the succeeding two fiscal years to 80% of the average amount authorized for the prior two fiscal years if, two years after enactment of this Act, the NLRB has failed to issue a final order on more than 90% of the cases pending on (or filed on or after) the date of enactment. Extends such reduced authorization of appropriations if after four years the NLRB has failed to issue a final order on more than 90% of the cases pending on (or filed on or after) the date that is two years after the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Assuring Law Enforcement Requests Are Timely Evaluated by the Department of Homeland Security Act of 2015 or the ALERTED Act of 2015 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, upon request by a federal, state, or local law enforcement official, to determine whether to issue a detainer to detain an alien arrested by such official for a violation of any law, not just one relating to controlled substances.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Emergency Citrus Disease Response Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a full deduction in the current taxable year of the cost of replanting lost or damaged citrus plants. The taxpayer must own an equity interest of at least 50% in such replanted plants and may deduct costs paid or incurred through 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Office of Strategic Services in recognition of their service and contributions during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2015 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to exclude carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride pollution from the scope of that Act. The bill declares that current law does not authorize or require the regulation of climate change or global warming and nullifies certain proposed rules relating to greenhouse gas and carbon pollution emissions. Before proposing or finalizing regulations or policies, the Environmental Protection Agency must analyze the net and gross impact of those regulations and policies on employment. Regulations and policies may not take effect if they have a negative impact on employment, unless they are approved by Congress and signed by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Charitable Automobile Red-Tape Simplification Act of 2015 or the CARS Act of 2015 This bill 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) with a claimed value exceeding $500 but not $2,500, 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 · 29 October 2015
Expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses and is not in the best interest of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015
Nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule published on October 23, 2015, that requires states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired electric generating units (EGUs). (Those EGUs convert fossil fuel energy to electric energy.)
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015
Nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule published on October 23, 2015, that establishes new source performance standards under the Clean Air Act for carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating units (EGUs) if the EGUs are newly constructed, modified, or reconstructed. (Those EGUs convert fossil fuel energy to electric energy.)
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2015
This bill authorizes the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, until December 31, 2017, to appoint qualified candidates to positions that would likely allow increased activities relating to pipeline safety without regard to federal examination, selection, and placement provisions. The Administration shall submit to Congress a report annually through 2017 on its efforts to hire women, minorities, and veterans as inspectors since January 1, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Alternative Ammunition Manufacturing Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to deem an application received on or after August 1, 2011, to exempt a projectile from classification as armor piercing ammunition to be approved if the Department of Justice (DOJ) does not disapprove it within 60 days after the later of the date the application is received or the date of this bill's enactment. DOJ shall provide an applicant with detailed findings of fact and the reasons for disapproving an application.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Hearing Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm silencers, and (2) treat any person who acquires or possesses a firearm silencer as meeting any registration or licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to such silencer. Any person who pays a tax on a silencer after October 22, 2015 may receive a refund of such tax. The bill amends the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Broadband Conduit Deployment Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to require states to evaluate the need for broadband conduit (fiber optic cables that support broadband or wireless facilities for broadband service) as part of any covered highway construction project (a project to construct a new highway or an additional lane or paved shoulder for an existing highway that receives funding under federal-aid highway provisions), in consultation with telecommunications providers. If the evaluation reveals a need in the next 15 years for broadband conduit beneath hard surfaces to be constructed by the project, the conduit shall be installed. DOT shall establish standards to carry out installation requirements that consider: the ability to accommodate broadband installation without impacting the safety, operations, and maintenance of the highway facility, its users, or others; population density in the area; the type of highway involved; and existing broadband access in the area. DOT shall ensure that: an appropriate number of broadband conduits are installed along such highway to accommodate multiple broadband providers, the size of conduit is consistent with industry best practices and sufficient to accommodate potential demand, hand holes and manholes for fiber access and pulling such conduit are placed at intervals consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit includes a pull tape and is capable of supporting fiber optic cable placement techniques consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit is placed at a depth consistent with industry best practices and cable separation requirements of electrical codes, and any requesting broadband provider has access to each broadband conduit installed on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis for a charge not to exceed a cost-based rate. DOT may waive the requirements of this Act upon determining that the waiver is appropriate based upon: a showing of undue burden, a determination that the installation of conduit beneath hard surfaces is not necessary based on the availability of existing broadband infrastructure, or a cost-benefit analysis.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
This bill prohibits federal departments and agencies from including the Social Security account number of any individual on any document sent by mail unless the department or agency head determines that inclusion of that Social Security number on the document is necessary.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2015
ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015 This bill requires the Disability Rights Section of the Department of Justice to develop a program to educate state and local governments and property owners on strategies for promoting access to public accommodations for persons with a disability. The program may include training for professionals to provide a guidance of remediation for potential violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The bill prohibits persons from, and subjects violators to a criminal fine for, sending demand letters or other pre-suit notifications alleging a violation of ADA public accommodation requirements if the notification does not specify the circumstances under which an individual was actually denied access. The notification must specify: (1) the address of property, (2) the specific ADA sections alleged to have been violated, (3) whether a request for assistance in removing an architectural barrier was made, and (4) whether the barrier was permanent or temporary. The bill also prohibits commencement of civil action based on the failure to remove an architectural barrier to access into an existing public accommodation unless: (1) the aggrieved person has provided to the owners or operators a written notice specific enough to identify the barrier, and (2) the owners or operators fail to provide the person with a written description outlining improvements that will be made to improve the barrier or they fail to remove the barrier or make substantial progress after providing such a description. The Judicial Conference of the United States must develop a model program to promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve such claims. The model program should include an expedited method for determining relevant facts related to such barriers and steps to resolve accessibility issues before litigation.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015
Securing Every Relevant and Vital Electronic Record Act of 2015 or the SERVER Act This bill prohibits the Secretary of a cabinet-level executive department from maintaining a private email server to conduct official government business. The Inspector General of each such department shall ensure compliance with such prohibition. A Secretary who violates such prohibition is subject to a fine and/or prison term and shall forfeit his or her office and be disqualified from holding any U.S. government office.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Sentencing Reform Act of 2015 This bill permits a court to reduce the mandatory minimum prison term imposed on certain non-violent defendants convicted of a high-level first-time or low-level repeat drug offense (including unlawful import, export, manufacture, or distribution of, or possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance). The legislation expands safety valve eligibility to permit a court to impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum for certain non-violent, cooperative drug defendants with a limited criminal history. It reduces the enhanced mandatory minimum prison term for certain defendants who commit a high-level repeat drug offense, use a firearm in a crime of violence or drug offense after a prior conviction for such offense, or unlawfully possess a firearm after three or more prior convictions. It permits retroactive application of such reductions for defendants without a prior serious violent felony conviction, after a court considers certain factors. It also establishes a consecutive mandatory prison term for a defendant who commits a drug offense involving a detectable amount of heroin or fentanyl. The bill makes the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 retroactive to permit resentencing of a convicted crack cocaine offender sentenced before August 3, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Safe Responsible Ethical Scientific Endeavors Assuring Research for Compassionate Healthcare Act or the Safe RESEARCH Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the use of tissue from a spontaneous or induced abortion in research conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). (A spontaneous abortion is the death of a fetus before the age of viability, also known as a miscarriage.) Research with human fetal tissue conducted or supported by the NIH must meet requirements, including informed consent requirements for the donor and researcher, currently applied only to research on the transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes.