United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2017
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day. Encourages: (1) clinicians to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral services; (2) the media to observe this day by educating clinicians about the important role they play in providing access to HIV/AIDS services and by educating clinicians and the public about the benefits of HIV testing; and (3) individuals to get tested for HIV and educate themselves about the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2017
Wounded Officers Recovery Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the Capitol Police Board to make payments from the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund to employees of the U.S. Capitol Police who have sustained serious line-of-duty injuries. The board is required to issue specific regulations governing the fund's use for making such payments. These regulations shall ensure that the payments are in addition to, and do not otherwise affect, other forms of compensation payable to the employee, including worker's compensation benefits. The bill requires amounts received by the board in response to the shooting incident at the practice for the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity on June 14, 2017, to be deposited into the fund.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2017
Declares that the House of Representatives has no confidence that President Trump is faithfully executing the office of President. Calls for President Trump to: release his tax returns; place his private business assets in a blind trust or divest from them; donate to the U.S. Treasury any personal profit from foreign patronage of hotels in which he has an ownership interest; refrain from taking any action that results in taxpayer money being spent on goods or services from businesses in which he has an ownership interest; seek congressional consent for any emoluments he has received from foreign countries; refrain from using Twitter inappropriately; support the First Amendment, support freedom of the press, refrain from calling reporting "fake news," refrain from posting video of himself wrestling with a press logo, and stop limiting full electronic press access to White House press briefings; promote democracy, freedom of the press, and human rights in foreign policy; unequivocally acknowledge that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and work to protect our electoral process from future foreign interference; refuse any offer to form a cybersecurity unit with the Russian government to protect the United States from election hacking; respect the independence of our nation's judicial branch; respect Members of Congress and refrain from using derogatory nicknames for them; and conduct foreign policy in a manner that reflects the U.S. traditional role as leader of the free world.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2017
Sustainable, Affordable, Fair, and Efficient (SAFE) National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2017 This bill amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to extend through FY2023 the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NFIP policy coverage limits for residential and nonresidential buildings are increased. NFIP premiums, surcharges, and fees may not be increased by more than 10% each year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must provide: (1) loans for mitigation projects, and (2) other financial assistance to qualified households for NFIP premium payments and mitigation projects. The limitation on Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage (offered by NFIP to cover the cost of flood mitigation measures on certain structures) is increased to $100,000 and ICC eligibility is expanded. This bill prevents the Department of the Treasury from charging interest to FEMA on amounts borrowed for NFIP through FY2023. This bill directs FEMA to revise: (1) directives related to the Write Your Own program, (2) specified elements of the claims process, (3) the appeals process for claims and flood map determinations, and (4) certain flood risk zones. FEMA must study business interruption coverage and participation rates in specified flood zones. This bill also makes changes to: (1) FEMA's mitigation assistance programs, (2) the usage and collection of specified surcharges and fees, (3) the scope of coverage available under NFIP, (4) requirements of NFIP engineers and adjusters, and (5) regulations relating to the disclosure of flood risks on rental property. This bill amends the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 to reauthorize through FY2023 the National Flood Mapping Program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2017
Applauds the United Nations General Assembly for uniting to honor President Mandela's contribution to international peace and freedom. Recognizes the global impact of President Mandela's legacy and commitment to nonviolence, respect, and dialogue. Supports the international community's recognition of United Nations Nelson Mandela International Day. Urges all U.S. citizens to reflect on the importance of peace, tolerance, democracy, human rights, and reconciliation in honor of Nelson Mandela International Day.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2017
President John F. Kennedy Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 500,000 $1 silver coins in commemoration of President John F. Kennedy. The bill requires all sales of such coins to include a surcharge of $10 per coin, which shall be paid by Treasury to the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation to support the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2017
Veteran Education Empowerment Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to make grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs for the establishment, maintenance, improvement, and operation of veteran student centers. A veteran student center is a dedicated space on a campus that provides students who are veterans or members of the Armed Forces with: (1) a lounge or meeting space for themselves, their spouses or partners, and veterans in the community; (2) a centralized office for veteran services that serves as a single point of contact to coordinate veterans support services; and (3) comprehensive academic and tutoring services to veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2017
Directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to transmit to the House of Representatives copies of any DHS document or communication that refers or relates to: a payment to a business owned or controlled by Donald J. Trump, the Trump Organization or any of its subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family in the past three years; an expenditure by DHS for services or goods from a business owned or controlled by Donald J. Trump, the Trump Organization or any of its subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family; costs to DHS associated with the protection of Donald J. Trump or any member of his family or the Trump Organization while on international travel that has not been documented by DHS as in furtherance of the U.S. government; and costs to DHS associated with Eric Trump's trips to Uruguay in January 2017, the Dominican Republic in February 2017, or the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in April 2017 or with trips by Donald Trump, Jr., and Eric Trump to the United Arab Emirates in February 2017or Canada in February 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2017
Calls upon: (1) Kenya to hold free and fair presidential elections in August 2017 and to condemn the use of hate speech and the incitement of violence by political candidates, the media, or any Kenyan citizens; (2) Kenyan citizens to peacefully participate in the general elections and seek to resolve any disputes over results through the legal system; and (3) Kenyan political candidates to respect the Electoral Code of Conduct and the Political Party Code of Conduct. Encourages: (1) Kenyan political parties, civil society, and the media to act responsibly with their parallel vote tabulations; (2) Kenyan civil society organizations to continue providing early warning and response measures to mitigate election-related violence and strengthen democratic processes; and (3) the Trump Administration to appoint an Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Commends the key role the faith-based community has played in ensuring a peaceful pre- and post-election environment through periodically convening the Multi-Sectoral Forum to deliberate on matters of governance, election management, and looming insecurity. Supports efforts by the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to assist election-related preparations in Kenya. Calls upon the United States and Kenya's other international partners to continue to support Kenya's efforts to address the remaining electoral preparation challenges and identify gaps in which additional resources or diplomatic engagement could make important contributions to the conduct of the elections.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2017 This bill amends various provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including by: (1) expanding the types of actions that would justify a court retaining jurisdiction to prevent a state or political subdivision from using new devices to limit the right to vote; and (2) imposing notice requirements on a state or political subdivision that makes changes to voting procedures, polling-place resources, or district boundaries. The bill also changes the calculation for determining whether a state or political subdivision is subject to preclearance requirements (i.e., requirements for certain jurisdictions to receive preapproval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights).
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Do No Harm Act This bill makes the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) inapplicable to federal laws (or implementations of laws) that: protect against discrimination or the promotion of equal opportunity, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, Executive Order 11246 (concerning equal employment opportunity), the Violence Against Women Act, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) rules entitled "Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity"; require employers to provide wages, other compensation, or benefits, including leave; protect collective activity in the workplace; protect against child labor, abuse, or exploitation; or provide for access to, information about, referrals for, provision of, or coverage for, any health care item or service. Under current law, RFRA prohibits the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest when using the least restrictive means. The bill makes RFRA inapplicable to: (1) terms requiring goods, services, functions, or activities to be performed or provided to beneficiaries of government contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or awards; or (2) denials of a person's full and equal enjoyment of a government-provided good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation. To assert a RFRA claim or defense in a judicial proceeding, the government must be a party to the proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2017
Anti-Voter Suppression Act This bill nullifies Executive Order 13799 (titled "Establishment of Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity") and specifies that no funds shall be made available by any act of Congress to the commission described in the order or to any similar commission established for studying voter fraud.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Restoring Confidence in America's Elections Act This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to: (1) prohibit the purchase or use in a federal election of an electronic voting system that does not produce a voter-verified paper record; (2) prohibit the imposition of conditions on voting by mail; (3) make mandatory the availability of early voting; and (4) require sufficient polling places, equipment, and resources to facilitate voting. The National Science Foundation shall make grants to: (1) study, test, and develop accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy; and (2) research the development of election-dedicated voting system software. Each state shall, except when the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the votes, manually audit federal election results, without advance notice to the precincts selected. The bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it unlawful for a chief state election administration official, unless such official or an immediate family member is a candidate, to take an active part in political management or in a political campaign for federal office over which such official has supervisory authority. The Department of Justice must initiate an investigation of an allegation of voter intimidation or suppression within 30 days of receiving such an allegation. The Election Assistance Commission shall award grants for the development of voting systems that produce a voter-verified paper record of each vote cast, are compatible with commodity accessibility devices, and are fully accessible for the use of individuals with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy services to beneficiaries with pre-diabetes or risk factors for developing type-2 diabetes.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Reform Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make certain amounts in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund available, without appropriation, to pay 100% of the eligible operations and maintenance costs of specified portions of the Saint Lawrence Seaway (a system of locks, canals, and channels in Canada and the United States that permits oceangoing vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes) as well as those assigned to commercial navigation of all U.S. harbors and inland harbors; rebates of certain tolls or charges on the seaway; and all expenses of administration relating to harbor maintenance tax incurred by the Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Commerce. The bill also amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to require allocation to certain donor ports and energy transfer ports of at least 20% of amounts made available each fiscal year from the trust fund, and the Department of the Army to make allocations equally between these types of ports.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
America's Call To Improve Opportunities Now for National Service Act or the ACTION for National Service Act This bill amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to reestablish the Corporation for National and Community Service as an independent executive agency called the National and Community Service Administration. An individual who successfully completes a term of full-time national service shall be entitled to a national service educational award equal to twice the amount of tuition for the institution of higher education where the individual is enrolled, not to exceed twice the average in-state tuition. Current law limits the award's value to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant that an individual is eligible to receive in the aggregate. Within the administration, the bill establishes an interagency working group to evaluate specified issues related to: (1) eligibility for tuition and student loan repayment assistance with regard to participation in certain national or volunteer service programs, (2) the advisability of granting federal hiring preference to certain volunteer program participants, and (3) methods for increasing the participation of seniors in national service programs. The National Service Foundation, a nonprofit corporation established by the bill, shall accept and administer gifts made in connection with the administration. The bill expresses support for the authorization of appropriations sufficient to provide, within 10 years, volunteer service opportunities for at least 1 million volunteers in full-time national service annually. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude AmeriCorps educational awards from gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Department of Education to provide grants to local educational agencies to encourage the ongoing development of programs and curricula for girls and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and prepare those students to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees and careers in such fields.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Recognizes National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Recognizes the rate at which individuals are affected by eating disorders and the inadequate rate at which such individuals seek treatment. Acknowledges that eating disorders can be successfully treated and that individuals with eating disorders can and do recover.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of Defense should review exceptions to citizenship, residency, and disqualification standards for enlistment in the Armed Forces to make a determination regarding the enlistment of aliens who possess an employment authorization document issued under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program established by the Department of Homeland Security on June 15, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Condemns the recent attack on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, that resulted in the death of Lt. Richard Collins III and other hate-motivated incidents. Acknowledges the efforts undertaken by university officials in responding to racism, extremism, and hate and creating safer campuses. Recognizes the persistent and growing threat posed by hate speech, efforts by extremist organizations to specifically target young people, and the normalization of these practices. Expresses that the House of Representatives remains committed to offering solutions that promote open, tolerant, and safe learning environments that fully respect diversity on college campuses.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2017
Expresses support for: (1) equal rights and protections for all people, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; and (2) the designation of LGBT Equality Day on June 26 to commemorate Supreme Court decisions handed down on that day in 2003, 2013, and 2015. Acknowledges the need for further legislation to ensure that people in the United States are free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2017
Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2017 This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to make appropriations for and extend indefinitely: (1) enhanced funding for the community health centers program and the National Health Service Corps, and (2) grants for federally qualified health centers and nurse-managed health centers to train family nurse practitioners to become primary care providers. The bill makes appropriations for capital projects under the community health centers program. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to make appropriations for and extend indefinitely a program that pays teaching health centers to establish or expand graduate medical residency training programs.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2017
Voter Empowerment Act of 2017 Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2017 This bill amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require states to make available online voter registration. The federal criminal code is amended to prohibit hindering, interfering with, or preventing voter registration. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 is amended to require states to promote access to voter registration and voting for individuals with disabilities. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must support pilot programs enabling individuals with disabilities to register and vote at their residences. The bill reauthorizes support for state and local governments to ensure voting access for individuals with disabilities. States must notify individuals convicted of a criminal offense under state law, upon release or upon sentence to probation, of their right to vote in federal elections. Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2017 This bill revises auditing requirements for voting systems. Voting systems must use individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballots. The National Science Foundation must support the study and development of accessible ballot voting and best practices to enhance the accessibility of voting for certain individuals. With exceptions, states must audit federal election results. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is amended to extend the guarantee of voting residency to family members of absent military personnel. The EAC must support poll-worker recruitment and training and develop materials for a model program. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is amended to prohibit a chief state election administration official, unless the official or a family member is a candidate, from taking part in political management or in a political campaign for federal office over which the official has supervisory authority. The EAC is reauthorized and its exemption from certain contracting requirements is repealed.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2017
Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2017 This bill states that it is U.S. policy to regard the prevention of genocide and other atrocity crimes as a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility. The President shall instruct the Department of State to establish a Mass Atrocities Task Force to strengthen State Department efforts and assist other agency efforts at atrocity prevention and response. The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to provide for the training of Foreign Service Officers in conflict and atrocity crimes prevention. The Director of National Intelligence is encouraged to include in his or her annual testimony to Congress on threats to U.S. national security: (1) a review of countries and regions at risk of atrocity crimes; and (2) specific countries and regions at immediate risk of atrocity crimes, including most likely pathways to violence, specific risk factors, potential perpetrators, and at-risk target groups. The bill establishes the Complex Crises Fund to enable the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to support programs and activities to prevent or respond to emerging or unforeseen foreign challenges and complex crises overseas, including potential atrocity crimes. Fund amounts may not be expended for lethal assistance or to respond to natural disasters.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2017
Calls for an end to the dog and cat meat industry. Urges the governments of China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, India, and all other nations to: (1) adopt and enforce laws banning the dog and cat meat trade, (2) increase efforts to prevent any leather or fur byproducts of such trade from entering international markets, and (3) use their food safety laws to crack down on the sale of dog and cat meat. Affirms the U.S. commitment to the protection of animals and to advancing the progress of animal protection around the world. Urges executive branch officials to include the dog and cat meat trade on the agenda for discussion with the officials of countries that have a dog or cat meat industry.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2017
Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow a representative official of an Indian tribe, with authorization from the governing body of the tribe, to request one or more polling places to be located on tribal lands. The state or political subdivision shall provide each requested polling place at no expense to the Indian tribe if certain criteria are met. A federal court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce constitutional voting guarantees, but also certain violations of the Act as well as of any federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Any state (and all of its political subdivisions) shall be subject to certain requirements for a 10-year period if: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years; or 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from such requirements unlessas specified. This bill prescribes transparency requirements regarding any changes to specified matters. Department of Justice authority to assign observers receives new extensions. Courts shall grant preliminary injunctive relief if a complainant raises a serious question whether the challenged covered practice violates the Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the hardship imposed upon the defendant by the relief will be less than the hardship on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2017
Stop Price Gouging Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on pharmaceutical companies that sell prescription drugs that are subject to price spikes that exceed the annual percentage increase in the medical care consumer price index detailed expenditure category for all urban consumers (U.S. city average). For each taxable prescription drug, the excise tax ranges from 50% to 100% of price spike revenue received by the company, depending on the size of the price spike and including an adjustment for revenue that is due solely to an increase in the cost of the inputs necessary to manufacture the drug. Pharmaceutical companies must submit specified data regarding drug prices and revenue to the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the IG must submit an assessment of the data to the Internal Revenue Service. HHS, upon the recommendation of the IG, may exempt certain drugs from the excise tax if: (1) a for-cause price increase exemption should apply; or (2) the drug has an average manufacturer price of not greater than $10 for a 30-day supply and is marketed by at least 3 other holders of applications approved under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The Government Accountability Office must examine: (1) how drug manufacturers and health plans establish initial launch prices for newly approved drugs, and (2) alternative methods that have been proposed for setting the price of new drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2017
This bill directs the United States Postal Service to issue and sell an Alzheimer's Disease Research Semipostal Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp must be transferred to the National Institutes of Health. The stamp must be made available to the public for six years.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2017
Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to make grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
American Arts Revival Act of 2017 This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make certain cultural workers, museum professionals, artistic professionals, arts and humanities professors, and music and arts educators eligible for student loan forgiveness.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
Schedules That Work Act This bill grants an employee the right to request that the employee's 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 the employee 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. The employer, if the request is made, shall engage in a timely, good faith interactive process with the employee that includes a discussion of potential schedule changes that would meet the employee's needs. The bill outlines the process for either granting or denying a change. The employer shall 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, the employee's 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. An employer, if an employee requests a change for any other reason, may deny it for any reason that is not unlawful. The employer shall give the employee the reason for the denial, including whether it was a bona fide business reason. The bill 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, or the Department of Labor's designated employees, except for those in bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacities. The bill 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 bill; (2) retaliate against an employee for exercising the rights granted employees by this bill; or (3) interfere with proceedings or inquiries with respect to violation of an individual's rights under this bill. The bill sets forth administrative enforcement procedures and civil remedies for violation of these prohibitions. Labor must give information and technical assistance to employers, labor organizations, and the general public concerning compliance with this bill. The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of the Census shall: (1) include in the Current Population Survey questions on, among other things, the amount of fluctuation in the number of hours the employee is scheduled to work on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis; and (2) conduct at regular intervals the Contingent Worker Supplement, the Work Schedules and Work at Home Supplement, and other relevant supplements to the Current Population Survey. This bill is inapplicable to any employee covered by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement if its terms govern work scheduling practices.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
Reaffirms: (1) the bipartisan commitment of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of refugees; and (2) the goals of World Refugee Day. Recognizes those who have risked their lives to provide life-saving assistance and to help protect people displaced by conflict. Calls upon the U.S. government to: uphold its international leadership role in responding to displacement crises with humanitarian assistance for, and protection of, the most vulnerable populations; work in partnership with the international community to find solutions to existing conflicts and to prevent new conflicts; continue to support the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to advance the work of nongovernmental organizations to protect refugees regardless of their country of origin or religious beliefs; and continue to mitigate, through humanitarian and development support, the burden placed on frontline refugee host countries that absorb the majority of the world's refugees.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2017
Expresses strong disapproval of the President's announcement to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change. Commends the group of states, cities, colleges and universities, businesses, investors, and individuals who have publicly expressed their support for such agreement. Urges the President to reverse his decision and maintain U.S. participation in such agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
Climate Change National Security Strategy Act of 2017 This bill requires the National Security Advisor and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to jointly establish an interagency Climate and National Security Working Group, which must develop an action plan on current and projected climate-related impacts on national security interests. Specified federal departments and agencies must each develop a plan that ensures that such impacts are identified and considered in the development and implementation of relevant national security doctrine, policies, and plans. The plans must be updated at least annually.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to modify federal consumer disclosure regulations to ensure that a reporting carrier: (1) discloses, upon the reasonable request of a consumer during the course of a reservation or ticketing discussion, the projected period between the actual wheels-off and wheels-on times for a reportable flight; and (2) displays on its public website information on such times for the most recent calendar month for a reportable flight. A "reporting carrier" is an air carrier that accounts for at least 1% of domestic scheduled-passenger revenues in the most recently reported 12-month period. A "reportable flight" is a nonstop flight to or from any airport within the 48 states that accounts for 1% of domestic scheduled-passenger enplanements in the previous calendar year.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
Mental Health in Schools Act of 2017 This bill 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. A comprehensive school mental health program funded under this bill must assist children in dealing with trauma and violence. The bill makes only certain partnerships that include a state educational agency and one or more educational agencies, with a local agency serving as lead partner, eligible for funding. They include public or private entities that use evidence-based intervention. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shall develop a fiscally appropriate process for evaluating grant program activities, including the development of: (1) guidelines for the submission of program data by recipients; and (2) outcome measures to be applied by recipients in evaluating programs, including student and family measures and local educational measures.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
Recognizes the historical significance and supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2017
Expresses that the House of Representatives: remembers the victims, their families, the survivors, and the community one year since the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States; acknowledges the scars are still fresh and the community is still recovering from this tragedy; offers support to the brave men and women of the emergency response teams, law enforcement agencies who responded to the scene of the shooting, and the medical personnel who treated victims and survivors; acknowledges the threat of homegrown terrorists and will work together to ensure such a tragedy is not repeated; stands united together against terrorism and hatred, and will not permit prejudice, violence, and fear to diminish the U.S. ideals of compassion, liberty, equality, and freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Better Education and Skills Training for America's Workforce Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits for: (1) qualified training expenses paid with respect to U.S.-based positions for job trainees who have been unemployed for at least 90 days before enrolling in a training program and have not been employed by the taxpayer during the two-year period before the trainee was hired, and (2) investment in a qualified job training partnership between a private business and an institution of higher education or a labor organization. The bill defines "qualified training expenses" as an eligible trainee's qualified tuition costs, which may include costs for books and enrollment in a training program at an institution of higher education that may include a single course, multiple courses, or a combination of work training and study and that is reasonably necessary for employment with the taxpayer. It terminates the credit for qualified training expenses of job trainees after December 31, 2028. The bill also: (1) requires the Department of the Treasury to establish a Qualified Job Training Partnership program to consider and award certifications for qualified investments eligible for credits to qualified job training partnerships, and (2) authorizes Treasury to make grants to individuals who make an investment in a qualified job training partnership, in lieu of a tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
America Votes Act of 2017 This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to permit an individual required to present identification as a condition of voting in a federal election to meet the requirement by presenting a sworn written statement attesting to the individual's identification and that he or she is registered to vote in the election. An individual desiring to vote by mail may submit such a statement with the ballot. States with an identification requirement shall: (1) prepare a pre-printed version of the statement which includes a blank space for an individual to provide a name and signature, (2) make copies of the pre-printed version available at polling places, (3) include a copy of the pre-printed version with each ballot transmitted to an individual who desires to vote by mail, and (4) include the use of a sworn written statement in voting information posted at polling places. A state is prohibited from requiring an individual who presents or submits such a sworn written statement to cast a provisional ballot in the election. This bill does not apply to first-time voters registering by mail.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Automatic Voter Registration Act This bill amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require state motor vehicle authorities, upon receiving certain identifying information with respect to an individual requesting motor vehicle authority services, to transmit the information to the state election official. The state election official shall then notify the individual that unless the individual declines to be registered to vote in federal elections in the state, the individual shall be automatically registered unless the individual does not meet voter registration eligibility requirements or is already registered to vote. A state may not use any identifying information regarding an individual's citizenship status for any purpose other than determining whether the individual is eligible to vote in federal elections.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 30 East Somerset Street in Raritan, New Jersey, as the "Sergeant John Basilone Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Aviation Funding Stability Act This bill requires that, beginning October 1, 2017, receipts and disbursements of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund shall not be subject to: (1) any sequestration order; (2) apportionment; (3) appropriation; and (4) any legal requirement, directive, or other provision of law of or related to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The bill authorizes funding for the Federal Aviation Administration Operations account. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shall be exempt from any order or other requirement of the OMB. The Federal Aviation Management Advisory Council shall assess the performance of the air traffic control system and the FAA's policy and strategic decisions regarding the system's operation and modernization, and make recommendations. In any fiscal year between 2018 and 2030, there is authorized to be appropriated from the trust fund such sums as necessary to bring any air traffic control facility of the FAA into acceptable condition. The FAA shall: (1) develop and implement a revised system governing all of its acquisitions, including incorporating private-sector best practices for major capital investments in information technology and telecommunications; (2) make changes to its personnel management system to improve the productivity, cost effectiveness, and technical proficiency of that part of its workforce not represented by a labor organization; (3) jointly develop a staffing standard with the exclusive bargaining representative of air traffic controllers; and (4) develop internal policies and procedures to organize personnel assignments in a manner that facilitates open communication and collaboration.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2017
Humane Cosmetics Act This bill prohibits testing cosmetics on animals, effective on the date that is one year after enactment of this bill. No cosmetic may be sold or transported if the final product or any component was developed or manufactured using animal testing after that date, effective three years after enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2017
Veteran Small Business Tax Credit Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a new business-related tax credit for the start-up expenses of a veteran-owned small business. The allowable amount of such credit is 15% of start-up expenditures that do not exceed $80,000. The credit is allowed to any individual (or the surviving spouse of such individual) who: (1) has served on active duty in the Armed Forces, and (2) has not been discharged or released from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2017
Amends Rule XI (Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business) of the Rules of the House of Representatives. Requires the Speaker, whenever a moment of silence related to a tragedy in the United States or its territories involving gun violence occurs on the floor of the House, to announce on the next legislative day the standing committee (or subcommittee) designated to hold a hearing on the event.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2017 This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl in recognition of his acts of valor during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or the Healthy MOM Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act and Internal Revenue Code to require health insurers, health insurance exchanges, and group health plans to offer a special enrollment period to pregnant individuals. The special enrollment period offered by an insurer or exchange must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the insurer or exchange. The special enrollment period offered by a group health plan must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the plan or is confirmed by a health care provider. Coverage offered by a group health plan or health insurer that covers dependents must provide coverage for maternity care to all covered individuals. The Office of Personnel Management must ensure that eligible pregnant women are allowed to enroll in federal employee health benefit plans outside of the open enrollment period. This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to revise the range in which a state must establish a maximum level of family income for pregnant women and infants to be eligible for Medicaid. The upper limit of the range is eliminated and the lower limit is set to the level in place, or specified in an amendment to a state plan, on January 1, 2014.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Act of 2017 This bill establishes in the Environmental Protection Agency an Office of Environmental Justice. The office must create an environmental justice grant program that empowers and educates communities that are affected by local environmental or public health issues to understand those issues and identify ways to address them at the local level.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Executive Office of Environmental Justice Act of 2017 This bill establishes in the Executive Office of the President an Office of Environmental Justice, which must: complete and publish online environmental justice assessments of executive orders and discuss the assessments with the President before the executive orders are signed, review progress being made on implementing environmental justice policies at certain agencies, coordinate community and stakeholder outreach, and ensure that the goals of Executive Order 12898 relating to federal actions to address environmental justice in minority populations and low-income populations are being actively implemented through science-based regulations in the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the bill expands the membership of the Domestic Policy Council to include a representative from the office.
![Official portrait of Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b760fa371f50c3ff96e1ee3ad53ef9ac_200.jpg)