United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2013
National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial Act - Authorizes the National Desert Storm Memorial Association to establish a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia to commemorate and honor those who, as members of the Armed Forces, served on active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm or Operation Desert Shield. Prohibits the use of federal funds to pay any expense to establish the commemorative work.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2013
Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Reauthorization Act or STOP Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program to reduce underage drinking for FY2014-FY2018. Revises reporting requirements for state programs on underage drinking. Specifies additional requirements for the development of the national media campaign to prevent underage drinking. Directs the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to make grants to professional pediatric provider organizations to increase effective practices, including the screening of children and adolescents for alcohol use, to reduce the prevalence of alcohol use among individuals under the age of 21, including college students. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collect data and conduct or support new research on underage drinking that improves and conducts public health surveillance of alcohol use and alcohol-related conditions in states among individuals between age 18 and 20 by increasing the use of surveys, such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, to monitor binge and excessive drinking and related harms.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2013
Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 Reauthorization Act of 2013 or the TRIA Reauthorization Act of 2013 - Amends the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 to extend the Terrorism Insurance Program until December 31, 2019 (under current law the Program expires on December 31, 2014). Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to collect all required terrorism loss risk-spreading premiums for any act of terrorism that occurs on or after January 1, 2012, by September 30, 2024 (currently, by September 30, 2017).
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2013
Patients' Access to Treatments Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish cost-sharing limits for health plans that cover prescription drugs and use a formulary or other tiered cost-sharing structure. Prohibits such a health plan from imposing cost-sharing requirements, including co-payment and co-insurance, applicable to prescription drugs in a specialty drug tier that exceed the dollar amount of cost-sharing requirements applicable to prescription drugs in a non-preferred brand drug tier. Applies the non-preferred brand drug tier for which beneficiary cost-sharing is lowest, if a formulary used by the health plan contains more than one non-preferred brand drug tier. Defines: (1) "non-preferred brand drug tier" as a category of prescription drugs within a tier in a formulary for which beneficiary cost-sharing is greater than tiers for generic drugs or preferred brand drugs, and that are not included within a specialty drug tier; and (2) "specialty drug tier" as a category of prescription drugs within a tier in a formulary for which beneficiary cost-sharing is greater than tiers for generic drugs, preferred brand drugs, or non-preferred drugs in the plan's formulary.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2013
Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to ban the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a semiautomatic assault weapon, including: a semiautomatic rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and has any one of the following characteristics: (1) a pistol grip; (2) a forward grip; (3) a folding, telescoping, or detachable stock; (4) a grenade or rocket launcher; (5) a barrel shroud; or (6) a threaded barrel; a semiautomatic rife or pistol with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds; a semiautomatic pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and has any one of the following characteristics: (1) a threaded barrel, (2) a second pistol grip, (3) a barrel shroud; (4) the capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip, or (5) a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm; a semiautomatic shotgun that has any one of the following characteristics: (1) a folding, telescoping, or detachable stock; (2) a pistol grip; (3) a fixed magazine that can accept more than five rounds; (4) the ability to accept a detachable magazine; (5) a forward grip; or (6) a grenade or rocket launcher; a shotgun with a revolving cylinder; firearms that are specifically listed as prohibited by this Act and copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon; all belt-fed semiautomatic firearms; any combination of parts from which any such prohibited firearm can be assembled; and the frame or receiver of a prohibited rifle or shotgun. Excludes from such ban any semiautomatic assault weapon that: (1) is lawfully possessed on the date of enactment of this Act (grandfathered weapon); (2) is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (3) has been rendered permanently inoperable; (4) is an antique firearm; or (5) is used for law enforcement or security purposes or for testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General. Identifies, by make and model, firearms that are specifically exempted from the ban imposed by this Act. Requires the Attorney General to establish and maintain a record of the make, model, and date of manufacture of any semiautomatic assault weapon which the Attorney General is made aware has been used in relation to a crime under federal or state law. Makes it unlawful to: (1) import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a large capacity ammunition feeding device (generally, a device that can accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition); or (2) store or keep any grandfathered semiautomatic weapon that may become accessible by an individual who is prohibited from receiving or possessing such a weapon. Requires identification markings (i.e., serial number and the date of manufacture) on semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices. Provides for the seizure and forfeiture of prohibited large capacity ammunition feeding devices. Makes it unlawful for an unlicensed individual to transfer a grandfathered semiautomatic weapon to another unlicensed individual, unless a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer: (1) has first taken custody of the weapon for the purpose of complying with existing background check requirements; and (2) upon taking custody, complies with all firearms requirements as if the licensee were transferring the weapon from the licensee's inventory to the unlicensed transferee. Sets forth exceptions. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow the use of Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to pay compensation to individuals who surrender semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2013
Directs 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 commemorate the lives of Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley (children who lost their lives in the September 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, an incident recognized as a catalyst for the civil rights movement). Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such medals, with amounts received from the sale to be deposited in the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2013
Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the portion of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) known as the Equal Pay Act to revise remedies for, enforcement of, and exceptions to prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages. Revises the exception to the prohibition for a wage rate differential based on any other factor other than sex. Limits such factors to bona fide factors, such as education, training, or experience. States that the bona fide factor defense shall apply only if the employer demonstrates that such factor: (1) is not based upon or derived from a sex-based differential in compensation, (2) is job-related with respect to the position in question, and (3) is consistent with business necessity. Makes such defense inapplicable where the employee demonstrates that: (1) an alternative employment practice exists that would serve the same business purpose without producing such differential, and (2) the employer has refused to adopt such alternative practice. Revises the prohibition against employer retaliation for employee complaints. Prohibits retaliation for inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing the wages of the employee or another employee in response to a complaint or charge, or in furtherance of a sex discrimination investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, or an investigation conducted by the employer. Makes employers who violate sex discrimination prohibitions liable in a civil action for either compensatory or (except for the federal government) punitive damages. States that any action brought to enforce the prohibition against sex discrimination may be maintained as a class action in which individuals may be joined as party plaintiffs without their written consent. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to seek additional compensatory or punitive damages in a sex discrimination action. Requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to train EEOC employees and affected individuals and entities on matters involving wage discrimination. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for negotiation skills training programs for girls and women. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Education to issue regulations or policy guidance to integrate such training into certain programs under their Departments. Directs the Secretary to conduct studies and provide information to employers, labor organizations, and the general public regarding the means available to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to collect from employers pay information data regarding the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in the enforcement of federal laws prohibiting pay discrimination. Directs: (1) the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to continue to collect data on woman workers in the Current Employment Statistics survey, (2) the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to use specified types of methods in investigating compensation discrimination and in enforcing pay equity, and (3) the Secretary to make accurate information on compensation discrimination readily available to the public. Directs the Secretary and the Commissioner [ sic ] of the EEOC jointly to develop technical assistance material to assist small businesses to comply with the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2013
Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act of 2013 - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit any person from knowingly attending an animal fighting venture or causing a minor (a person under the age of 18) to attend such a venture. Subjects any person who: (1) knowingly attends such venture to a fine and/or imprisonment for up to a year for each violation, and (2) knowingly causes a minor to attend such venture to a fine and/or imprisonment for up to three years for each violation.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2013
Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act - Amends federal military retired pay provisions to: (1) permit veterans with a service-connected disability of less than 50% to concurrently receive both retired pay and disability compensation; (2) eliminate provisions requiring a phase-in between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2013, of concurrent receipt of retired pay and disability compensation; (3) eliminate a phase-in of concurrent receipt of retired pay and disability compensation for disabled veterans determined to be individually unemployable; and (4) require a limited reduction in retired pay for qualified disability retirees with less than 20 years of retirement-creditable service.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2013
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 - Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) to add or expand definitions of several terms used in such Act. Modifies or expands grant conditions under such Act, including requirements relating to: (1) nondisclosure of personally identifying information or other client information, (2) information sharing between grantees and subgrantees, (3) civil rights and nondiscrimination, (4) audits, and (5) nonprofit organizations. Requires the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a biennial conferral process with state and tribal coalitions, technical assistance providers, and other key stakeholders on the administration of grants and related matters. Requires the Attorney General to authorize in writing expenditures for DOJ conferences that exceed $20,000. Title I: Enhancing Judicial and Law Enforcement Tools to Combat Violence Against Women - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize appropriations for FY2014-FY2018 for grants to: (1) combat violent crime against women (STOP grants); and (2) encourage governmental entities to implement policies, training programs, and best practices for recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of domestic violence and violent sex crimes. Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 to expand the availability of competent pro bono legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and to authorize appropriations for such assistance for FY2014-FY2018. Revises the grant programs for supporting families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to such families and to train court personnel in assisting such families. Extends through FY2018 the authorization of appropriations for: (1) the training of probation and parole officers to manage sex offenders, and (2) the Court-Appointed Special Advocate program. Amends the federal criminal code with respect to the crime of stalking to prohibit the use of any interactive computer or electronic communication service to stalk victims. Revises and reauthorizes through FY2018 the grant program for outreach strategies targeted at adult or youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations. Title II: Improving Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking - Amends VAWA to extend through FY2018 grant programs to: (1) assist states, Indian tribes, and U.S. territories to establish, maintain, and expand rape crisis centers and other programs to assist victims of sexual assault; and (2) assist victims of domestic violence and other sexual assault crimes in rural areas. Amends the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 to extend through FY2018 the authorization of appropriations for grants to end violence against women with disabilities. Amends VAWA to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the grant program to end elder abuse, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, exploitation, and neglect, and to provide training for law enforcement agencies to better serve victims of abuse in later life. Directs the Attorney General in awarding grants to end elder abuse to give priority to proposals for serving culturally specific and underserved populations. Title III: Services, Protection, and Justice for Young Victims of Violence - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) include tribal or territorial sexual assault coalitions in the grant program for rape prevention and education, and (2) extend through FY2018 the authorization of appropriations for grants for rape prevention and education programs conducted by rape crisis centers. Establishes a minimum allocation of grant funding for states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and each U.S. territory. Amends VAWA to replace certain grant programs for the protection of young victims of violent crimes with a program requiring the Attorney General, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Secretary of Education, to award grants to enhance the safety of youth and children who are victims of, or exposed to, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and to prevent future violence. Amends the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 to revise, expand, and reauthorize through FY2018 the grant program for combating violent crimes on college campuses. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand requirements for the disclosure of campus security policies and crime statistics by institutions of higher education to require education programs to: (1) promote the awareness of rape and other violent sex crimes, (2) require disclosure of disciplinary proceedings involving rape and other violent sex crimes and the standard of evidence that will govern such proceedings, and (3) establish procedures for the protection of the confidentiality of crime victims. Title IV: Violence Reduction Practices - Amends the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 to authorize appropriations for FY2014-FY2018 for grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to academic institutions and organizations to conduct research that examines best practices for reducing and preventing violence against women and children. Amends VAWA to authorize the Attorney General, in consultation with the HHS Secretary and the Secretary of Education, to award grants to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by taking a comprehensive approach that focuses on youth, children exposed to violence, and men as leaders and influencers of social norms (SMART Prevention grants). Title V: Strengthening the Healthcare System's Response to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking - Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize, revise, and consolidate grant programs that address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Permits grant funds to be used for the development, expansion, and implementation of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Revises requirements for training and education grants. Title VI: Safe Homes for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking - Amends VAWA with respect to housing protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Revises eligibility requirements for transitional housing assistance grants for child victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking to specify that any victims are eligible and extends the authorization of appropriations for such grants, but at decreased levels, for FY2014-FY2018. Extends the authorization of appropriations, but also at decreased levels, for FY2014-FY2018 for: (1) collaborative grants to increase the long-term stability of victims, and (2) grants to combat violence against women in public and assisted housing. Title VII: Economic Security for Victims of Violence - Amends VAWA to extend through FY2018 the authorization of appropriations for the grant program to establish and operate a national resource center on workplace responses to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence. Title VIII: Protection of Battered Immigrants - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) expand the definition of nonimmigrant U-visa (victims of certain crimes) to include victims of stalking; (2) make a child of an alien who was a self-petitioner under VAWA eligible for lawful permanent resident status under such alien's petition; (3) exclude from the public charge bar to admission an alien who is a VAWA self-petitioner, a U-visa applicant, or a battered spouse or child; (4) extend the conditions under which the hardship waiver of the two-year waiting period for permanent resident status may be granted to a battered alien spouse; and (5) expand the scope of criminal-related information that must be disclosed by a U.S. citizen petitioning for a nonimmigrant K-visa (alien fiancee or fiance); Amends the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 to require DHS to: (1) conduct a background check of the National Crime Information Center's Protection Order Database on each K-visa petitioner, and (2) include any appropriate information in the criminal background information provided to the alien fiance/fiancee. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to authorize the DHS Secretary (in addition to the Attorney General) to disclose information relating to aliens who are victims of domestic violence to law enforcement officials for law enforcement purposes in a manner that protects the confidentiality of such information. Authorizes the Attorney General and the Secretaries of Homeland Security and State to disclose such information to national security officials to be used solely for a national security purpose. Requires the Attorney General and the Secretaries of Homeland Security and State to provide guidance to officers and employees of their respective departments regarding such disclosures of information. Title IX: Safety for Indian Women - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: (1) include sex trafficking as a target of the grants to Indian tribal governments to combat violent crime against Indian women, and (2) expand the purposes for which the Attorney General may award domestic violence and sexual assault prevention grants to Indian tribal coalitions. Amends the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 to include the Secretary of the Interior, in addition to the HHS Secretary and the Attorney General, as a participant in consultations with Indian tribes regarding the administration of tribal funds and programs, enhancement of Indian women's safety, and federal response to violent crimes against Indian women. Gives Indian tribes criminal jurisdiction over domestic violence, dating violence, and violations of protective orders that occur on their lands. Makes that jurisdiction concurrent with federal and state jurisdiction. Requires Indian tribes prosecuting crimes of violence to: (1) prove that the defendant has requisite ties to the Indian tribe; (2) provide defendants the right to an impartial jury trial; and (3) notify a defendant of his or her rights, including the right to file a writ of habeas corpus in federal court. Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) increase maximum penalties for assault convictions; and (2) impose criminal penalties on individuals who commit an assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner and who assault such spouse or partner by strangling or suffocating. Reauthorizes appropriations for the national tribal sex offender registry and the tribal protection order registry for FY2014-FY2018. Title X: Safer Act - Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting Act of 2013 or the SAFER Act of 2013 - Amends the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to authorize the Attorney General to make Debbie Smith grants under such Act to states or local governments to: (1) conduct audits of samples of sexual assault evidence that are awaiting testing, provided such governments submit an audit plan that includes a good-faith estimate of the number of such samples; and (2) ensure that the collection and processing of DNA evidence by law enforcement agencies from crimes is carried out in an appropriate and timely manner and in accordance with specified protocols and practices. Requires not less than 5% but not more than 7% of Debbie Smith grant funds distributed in FY2014-FY2017 to be awarded for such purposes if sufficient applications to justify such amounts are received by the Attorney General, provided such awards do not decrease funds for other distribution requirements. Requires the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to: (1) develop and publish a description of protocols and practices for the accurate, timely, and effective collection and processing of DNA evidence, which shall address appropriate steps in the investigation of cases that might involve DNA evidence; and (2) make available technical assistance and training to support states and local governments in adopting and implementing such protocols and practices. Requires the Attorney General to submit to Congress an annual report on: (1) grants awarded to states and local governments, (2) the number of deadline extensions granted by the Attorney General, and (3) the processing status of the samples of sexual assault evidence identified in Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reports. Requires, for each fiscal year through FY2018, that not less than 75% of Debbie Smith grant amounts be awarded to carry out for inclusion in the Combined DNA Index System DNA analyses of samples collected under applicable legal authority and of samples collected from crime scenes and to increase the capacity of state or local government laboratories to carry out DNA analyses. Requires the DOJ Inspector General to conduct audits of grant recipients to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Sunsets specified provisions of this Act regarding Debbie Smith grants for auditing sexual assault evidence backlogs on December 31, 2018. Title XI: Other Matters - Amends the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act to allow a prisoner in federal custody to bring a suit against the United States for a mental or emotional injury if such injury resulted from the commission of a sexual act (currently, requires a prior showing of a physical injury). Amends the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 to direct the DHS Secretary to publish a final rule adopting national standards for the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of rapes and sexual assaults in detention facilities against aliens detained for a violation of U.S. immigration law. Requires the HHS Secretary to publish a similar final rule for the protection of unaccompanied alien children in custodial facilities. Amends the Communications Act of 1934, with respect to obscene or harassing telephone calls, to: (1) remove the intent to annoy requirement in the definition of such crime; and (2) include any specific person as an intended victim of such crime (currently, any person at the called number or who receives the communication). Amends VAWA to extend through FY2018 the grant programs for: (1) improving and implementing processes for entering data on stalking and domestic violence into crime information databases, and (2) appointing victim/witness counselors for the prosecution of sex crimes and domestic violence crimes. Amends the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations for FY2014-FY2018 for child abuse and neglect technical assistance and training programs for judicial personnel and attorneys practicing in juvenile and family courts.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2013
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that: (1) the rights protected by the Constitution are intended to be the rights of natural persons; and (2) the words "people," "person," or "citizen" as used in the Constitution do not include corporations, limited liability companies, or other corporate entities established by the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state, and that such corporate entities are subject to such regulation as the people, through their elected state and federal representatives, deem reasonable and are otherwise consistent with the powers of Congress and the states. Prohibits this Amendment from limiting the rights of freedom of speech, the press, exercise of religion, association, and all such other unalienable rights of the people.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2013
Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of two gold medals to the First Special Service Force (a joint American-Canadian volunteer unit), collectively, in recognition of their World War II service. Directs one such gold medal to be given to the Smithsonian Institution and the other to the First Special Service Force Association in Helena, Montana. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates with proceeds deposited in the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund. Declares that medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of specified coins and currency provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2013
Mental Health First Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), to award grants to initiate and sustain mental health first aid training programs. Requires such a program to include: (1) core live training courses on the skills, resources, and knowledge necessary to assist individuals in crisis to connect with appropriate local mental health care services; (2) training on mental health resources, including the location of community mental health centers in the state and local community; and (3) training on action plans and protocols for referral to such resources. Sets forth the categories of individuals to be trained under the program, including emergency services personnel and other first responders, police officers and law enforcement personnel, teachers and school administrators, human resources professionals, faith community leaders, nurses and other primary care personnel, students enrolled in school, parents of students, veterans, and other individuals, audiences or training populations as appropriate. Requires such programs to train individuals to accomplish: (1) safe de-escalation of crisis situations, (2) recognition of the signs and symptoms of mental illness, and (3) timely referral to mental health services in the early stages of developing mental disorders. Requires the Secretary, in awarding grants, to: (1) ensure that grants are equitably distributed among the geographical regions of the United States, and (2) pay particular attention to the mental health training needs of populations and target audiences residing in rural areas.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2013
Rate of Average Time Execution Act of 2013 or RATE Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Reserve Act to direct the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to collect, publish, and keep current a set of indices, meeting specified criteria, that report the rate for dollar-denominated loans of various maturities.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2013
Safe Skies Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act, to modify a specified Department of Transportation (DOT) final rule relating to flightcrew member duty and rest requirements so that the requirements under that rule apply to all-cargo flightcrew members to the same extent they apply to air passenger flightcrew members.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2013
Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act - Declares the policy of the United States concerning protection and preservation of the wilderness ecosystem of the Arctic coastal plain. Designates specified lands within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2013
Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act - Repeals certain provisions which require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military retired pay or who would be entitled to retired pay except for being under 60 years of age. Prohibits requiring repayment of certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund. Repeals the optional authority of (and instead requires) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. Directs the Secretary concerned to restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to a surviving child or children of a member.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2013
Disclosure of Information on Spending on Campaigns Leads to Open and Secure Elections Act of 2013 or DISCLOSE 2013 Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to redefine the term "independent expenditure" as an expenditure by a person that, when taken as a whole, expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, or is the functional equivalent of express advocacy because it can be interpreted by a reasonable person only as advocating the election or defeat of a candidate, taking into account whether the communication involved mentions a candidacy, a political party, or a challenger to a candidate, or takes a position on a candidates, qualifications, or fitness for office. Expands the period during which certain communications are treated as electioneering communications. Prescribes: (1) disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities; and (2) disclaimer requirements for campaign-related disbursements and for certain communications. Requires any communication transmitted through radio or television to include an individual or organizational disclosure statement, together with: (1) the Top Two Funders List of the persons providing the largest and second largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a radio communication, and (2) the Top Five Funders List of the five persons providing the largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a television communication. Repeals the prohibition against political contributions by individuals age 17 or younger. Requires a covered organization which submits regular, periodic reports to its shareholders, members, or donors on its finances or activities to include in each report, in a clear and conspicuous manner, the information included in the statements it has filed about campaign-related disbursements the organization has made during the period covered by the report. Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require semiannual reports on certain election campaign contributions filed with the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives by registered lobbyists (or persons or organizations required to register as lobbyists) to contain: (1) the amount of any independent expenditure of $1,000 or more made by each such person or organization, along with the name of each candidate being supported or opposed and the amount spent supporting or opposing that candidate; and (2) the amount of any electioneering communication of $1,000 or more made by such person or organization, along with the name of the candidate referred to in the communication and whether the communication involved was in support of or in opposition to the candidate.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2013
Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to require the licensing of ammunition dealers. Prohibits any person except a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer from: (1) selling ammunition, with an exception for a sale of ammunition to a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer; or (2) engaging in the business of importing or manufacturing ammunition, or in the course of such business, from shipping, transporting, or receiving ammunition. Prohibits a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer from: (1) transferring ammunition to a person without verifying the person's identity by examining a valid identification document containing a photograph of such person; or (2) selling or delivering any ammunition (currently, any armor-piercing ammunition) to any person unless the licensee notes in his records the person's name, age, and place of residence, if the person is an individual, or the person's identity and principal and local places of business, if the person is a business entity. Applies prohibitions applicable to the shipping or transport of firearms, and record-keeping requirements applicable to the importation, production, shipment, receipt, sale, or other disposition of firearms, to ammunition. Requires each licensee to: (1) prepare a report of multiple sales or other dispositions whenever the licensee sells or otherwise disposes of more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition to an unlicensed person at one time or during any five consecutive business days; and (2) forward such report to the specified office and to the department of state police, the state law enforcement agency, or the local law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the sale took place by the close of business on the day the multiple sale occurs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2013
Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit: (1) the transfer or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, except for such a device lawfully possessed within the United States on or before the date of this Act's enactment; and (2) the importation or bringing into the United States of such a device. Exempts: (1) the transfer or possession of such a device by a federal, state, or local agency or law enforcement officer; (2) certain transfers to licensees under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954; (3) possession of such a device transferred to an individual upon retirement from a law enforcement agency if such individual is not otherwise prohibited from receiving ammunition; and (4) the manufacture, transfer, or possession of such a device by a licensed manufacturer or importer for authorized testing or experimentation purposes. Sets penalties for violations. Requires a large capacity ammunition feeding device manufactured after this Act's enactment to be identified by a serial number that clearly shows that the device was manufactured after such enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2013
Fix Gun Checks Act of 2013 - Amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 (NICS Act) to modify the periods during which penalties are applicable to states that do not make certain records pertaining to firearms eligibility electronically available to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICBCS). Repeals provisions authorizing the Attorney General to waive certain penalties if a state provides substantial evidence that it is making a reasonable effort to provide such records. Directs the Attorney General to publish, and make available on a publicly accessible website, an annual report that ranks states by the ratio of number of records submitted by each state to the estimated total number of available records of the state. Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to: (1) require the head of each federal agency to submit to the Attorney General, biannually, a written certification indicating whether the agency has provided pertinent information contained in any agency record demonstrating that a person falls within a category of persons prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law; and (2) include a federal court as a federal department or agency, and require the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to perform the functions of a department or agency head, for purposes of such Act. Amends the federal criminal code to define the terms "adjudicated as a mental defective" and "committed to a mental institution" for purposes of federal firearms provisions. Prohibits an individual so adjudicated before the effective date of this Act from applying for relief from disability under the NICS Act on the basis that the individual does not meet the requirements under such definition. Prohibits a person who is not a licensed firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer from transferring a firearm to, or receiving a firearm from, another unlicensed person, except: (1) through a licensed dealer, which shall conduct a background check through the NICBCS; and (2) after inspecting a permit that confirms that such background check has been conducted. Specifies exceptions, including for: (1) the transfer of a bona fide gift between immediate family members; (2) a transfer that occurs by operation of law or by an executor or trustee because of the death of another person; (3) a temporary transfer that occurs in the home of the unlicensed transferee who believes that possession of the firearm is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to the transferee; and (4) certain temporary transfers without the transfer of title at a shooting range, at a shooting competition, or while hunting, fishing, or trapping. Prohibits an unlicensed transferee from receiving a firearm from an unlicensed transferor if the licensed dealer through which the transfer is made receives a notification from the NICBCS that the transfer is prohibited. Sets forth requirements for a licensed dealer that assists in such transfer, including requirements to: (1) notify the transferor and transferee of compliance with background check requirements and of the receipt of any notification from the NICBCS that a transfer is prohibited, and (2) report to the Attorney General on such a transfer and on transfers of two or more pistols and/or revolvers to the same unlicensed transferee during any five consecutive business days. Permits such dealer to assess a processing fee.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2012
Declares that the House of Representatives has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye, a Senator from Hawaii. Declares that when the House adjourns on December 19, 2012, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Inouye.
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2012
Excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any amount received from the Aurora Victim Relief Fund established by the tax-exempt Community First Foundation, if such amount is paid on account of the mass shooting at the Century 16 Cinema in Aurora, Colorado, on July 20, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2012
Equitable Access to Care and Health Act or the EACH Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to minimum essential health care coverage requirements added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to allow an additional religious exemption from such requirements for individuals whose sincerely held religious beliefs would cause them to object to medical health care provided under such coverage. Defines "medical health care" to mean voluntary health treatment by or supervised by a medical doctor that would be covered under minimum essential coverage that: (1) includes voluntary acute care treatment at hospital emergency rooms, walk-in clinics, or similar facilities; and (2) excludes treatment not administered or supervised by a medical doctor, physical examinations or treatment required by law or third parties, and vaccinations.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2012
Directs 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 Malala Yousufzai in recognition of her devoted service to education, justice, and equality in Pakistan.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2012
Stewart Lee Udall Congressional Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration of Stewart Lee Udall, in recognition of his contributions to the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2012
Attracting the Best and Brightest Act of 2012 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make up to 50,000 visas available to qualified immigrants who: (1) possess a graduate degree at the level of master's or higher in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM degree) from a qualifying U.S. research institution of higher education; (2) have an employment offer from a U.S. employer in a field related to such degree; (3) are the subject of an approved labor certification; and (4) will receive a wage for such employment that is at least the actual wage paid by the employer to all other individuals with similar experience and qualifications. Makes unused STEM visas available for other employment-based visa categories. Requires: (1) employers of foreign STEM graduates to submit a job order for the position with the appropriate state workforce agency, (2) such agency to post the position on its website for at least 30 days, and (3) employers to demonstrate that the total amount of compensation to be paid to a foreign STEM graduate meets or exceeds the total amount of compensation paid by the employer to all other employees with similar experience and qualifications working in the same occupational classification. Requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make available on its website specified information regarding foreign STEM employers, the number of aliens granted STEM status, and their occupations. Repeals such STEM and related provisions two years after enactment of this Act. Eliminates the foreign residency requirement for certain foreign students. States that a determination of whether an alien is a child for purposes of: (1) a petition for immigrant status or a petition for adjustment of refugee status to immigrant status shall be made using the alien's age on the date on which the petition is filed with DHS, and (2) a petition for nonimmigrant admission or an application for adjustment of status from nonimmigrant to conditional (fiance) immigrant shall be made using the alien's age on the date on which the petition is filed with DHS to classify such alien's parent as the fiance of a U.S. citizen. States that the permanent priority date for any family- or employment-based petition shall be the date on which the petition is filed with DHS (or the Secretary of State, if applicable), unless such filing was preceded by the filing of a labor certification with the Secretary of Labor, in which case that date shall constitute the priority date. States that an alien who is the beneficiary of a family- or employment-based petition that was approvable when filed shall retain such petition's priority date in the consideration of any subsequently filed family- or employment-based petition.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2012
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of the Olympic movement. Congratulates the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams for their accomplishments during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, England.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2012
Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2012 - Amends the federal criminal code to require the licensing of ammunition dealers. Prohibits any person except a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer from: (1) selling ammunition, with an exception for a sale of ammunition to a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer; or (2) engaging in the business of importing or manufacturing ammunition, or in the course of such business, from shipping, transporting, or receiving ammunition. Prohibits a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer from: (1) transferring ammunition to a person without verifying the person's identity by examining a valid identification document containing a photograph of such person; or (2) selling or delivering any ammunition (currently, any armor-piercing ammunition) to any person unless the licensee notes in his records the person's name, age, and place of residence, if the person is an individual, or the person's identity and principal and local places of business, if the person is a business entity. Applies prohibitions applicable to the shipping or transport of firearms, and record-keeping requirements applicable to the importation, production, shipment, receipt, sale, or other disposition of firearms, to ammunition. Requires each licensee to: (1) prepare a report of multiple sales or other dispositions whenever the licensee sells or otherwise disposes of more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition to an unlicensed person at one time or during any five consecutive business days; and (2) forward such report to the specified office and to the department of state police, the state law enforcement agency, or the local law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the sale took place by the close of business on the day the multiple sale occurs.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2012
Condemns the atrocities that occurred in Aurora, Colorado, on July 20, 2012. Offers condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed and expresses hope for the rapid and complete recovery of the wounded. Applauds the hard work and dedication exhibited by the hundreds of officials and others who offered their support and assistance. Honors the resilience of the community of Aurora and Colorado.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2012
Patient Centered Quality Care for Life Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to convene a Patient-Centered Health Care and Quality of Life Stakeholder Strategic Summit to: (1) analyze key health system barriers to providing patient-centered health care that integrates symptom management and other aspects of coordinated or palliative care; and (2) identify strategic solutions for collectively addressing quality of life concerns for the rapidly expanding population of patients and survivors facing serious, complex, and chronic illness in the United States and for the families of such patients and survivors. Requires the Secretary to establish a Summit Steering Committee, which shall draft a summary report detailing Summit recommendations for a national strategic action agenda to improve patient-centered care and quality of life. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a national quality of life education and awareness grants program initiative for seriously ill patients, their families, and health professionals who treat them for the purposes of encouraging an increased demand for and delivery of integrated and patient-centered care for managing their pain and symptoms and improving their quality of life. Requires the Director to award competitive grants to develop new and expand existing information, resources, and communication materials about symptom management and other aspects of patient-centered care as an integral part of quality care for serious illnesses. Directs the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish a health care professional workforce training grants program initiative for purposes of promoting and enhancing symptom assessment and management, communications skills, coordinated patient-centered care, and other quality of life focused clinical core competencies across all clinical specialties that serve seriously ill patients and patients with multiple or complex chronic diseases. Requires the Secretary: (1) to update and expand the September 2002 HRSA report, titled "The Supply, Demand and Use of Palliative Care Physicians in the United States"; (2) to establish a Quality of Life Cross-Agency Advisory Committee to assist the CDC and HRSA in conducting the national quality of life education and awareness initiative and the health care professional workforce training initiative and to disseminate initiative findings for cross agency implementation of best practices; and (3) acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to develop and implement a strategy to be applied across NIH institutes and centers that is in accordance with the Advisory Committee's recommendations to expand national research programs in symptom management, palliative, psychosocial, and survivorship care.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2012
Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants or contracts for the establishment or operation of Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers that: (1) improve the training of health professionals in palliative care; (2) develop and disseminate curricula relating to the palliative treatment of the complex health problems of individuals with serious or life-threatening illnesses; (3) support the training and retraining of faculty to provide instruction in palliative care; (4) support continuing education of health professionals who provide palliative care to patients with serious or life-threatening illness; (5) provide students with clinical training in palliative care in long-term care facilities, home care, hospices, chronic and acute disease hospitals, and ambulatory care centers; (6) establish traineeships for individuals who are preparing for advanced education nursing degrees in palliative care nursing, home care, hospice, long-term care, or other nursing areas that specialize in palliative care; and (7) do not duplicate the activities of existing education centers funded under such Act. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to, and enter into contracts with: (1) schools of medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical education programs to provide support for projects that fund the training of physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine; and (2) eligible nurse practitioner, midwifery, nurse anesthesia, and advanced nurse education programs to meet the costs of palliative care and hospice career incentive awards. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to provide Palliative Medicine and Hospice Academic Career Awards to eligible individuals to promote their career development as academic hospice and palliative care physicians; (2) award grants or contracts to entities that operate a Palliative Care and Hospice Education Center; (3) award grants or contracts to advanced practice nurses, clinical social workers, pharmacists, chaplains, or students of psychology pursuing an advanced degree in palliative care or related fields to foster greater interest among a variety of health professionals in entering the field of palliative care; and (4) award grants to schools of nursing, health care facilities, or programs leading to certification as a certified nurse assistant to develop and implement programs and initiatives to train and educate individuals in providing palliative care in health-related educational, hospice, home, or long-term care settings.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2012
Expresses: (1) disapproval of the fact that our U.S. Olympic uniforms were made overseas, and (2) support for U.S. manufacturers and their ability to compete in the global marketplace in both price and quality. Urges the U.S. Olympic Committee to pledge to use American designers and manufacturers for Olympic uniforms in the future.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2012
Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the Federal Credit Union Act to declare that certain federal agencies ("covered agencies") shall not be deemed to have waived any confidentiality applicable to information by either transferring such information to, or permitting it to be used by, another covered agency or specified federal agencies. Includes among "covered agencies": (1) the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), (2) state bank and financial company supervisors, and (3) certain licensing and registry systems established under the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008. Defines "confidentiality" to include any work-product, attorney-client, or other privilege recognized under federal or state law. Shields also from the waiver of confidentiality any information submitted by a person to either a federal banking agency, the CFPB, a state bank supervisor, or foreign banking authority in the course of its supervisory or regulatory process.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2012
Victory for Veterans Stamp Act of 2012 - Directs the Postal Service to issue a special stamp, to be called the Victory for Veterans Stamp, at a cost of 25 cents each. Makes such Stamp invalid for postage. Requires Stamp sale proceeds to be used as follows: (1) one-third for funding Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) veterans' vocational rehabilitation programs, (2) one-third to the general fund of the Treasury for deficit reduction, and (3) one-third for the Postal Service for modernization and fiscal administration. Requires such Stamp to be made available to the public within six months after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2012
Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Extension Act of 2012 - Extends through FY2019 the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to use power revenues collected pursuant to the Colorado River Storage Project Act for annual base funding of endangered fish recovery implementation programs for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins. Sets forth restrictions with respect to the indirect cost recovery rate for any transfer of funds to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from another federal agency for the purpose of funding any activity associated with such programs. Prohibits the use of federal funds to cover expenses incurred by an employee or detailee of the Department of the Interior to travel to any location (other than the field office to which that individual is otherwise assigned) to advocate, lobby, or attend meetings that advocate or lobby for such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2012
Supports the XIX International AIDS Conference and the goal of bringing renewed awareness of, and commitment to, addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in the United States and abroad. Recognizes that continued U.S. commitment to HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment programs is crucial to protecting global health and commits to supporting a stronger global response to HIV/AIDS. Encourages public and private sector development of innovative therapies and advances in clinical treatment for HIV/AIDS.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2012
Small Business Lending for Jobs Act of 2012 - Directs federal banking agencies to focus upon: (1) facilitating credit availability to customers of insured depository institutions, and (2) using regulatory policies and procedures that promote credit availability in a safe and sound manner in order to assist insured depository institutions to provide such credit and thus encourage business development and employment. Prohibits federal banking agencies from requiring or pressuring insured depository institutions to provide particular kinds of credit or on particular terms. Directs each federal banking agency to report to Congress an implementation plan addressing such foci. Establishes the Credit Availability Council to coordinate federal banking agency efforts in facilitating credit availability to insured depository institution customers. Authorizes an insured depository institution with assets of less than $10 billion, for purposes of capital calculation under the Financial Institutions Examination Council's Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income, to choose to amortize any loss or write-down, on a quarterly straight-line basis over a seven-year period, which it has incurred with respect to: (1) a loan secured by commercial real estate, or (2) other real estate owned. Directs the federal banking agencies to promulgate regulations permitting an insured depository institution to include all of its allowance for loan and lease losses when computing capital for purposes of satisfying risk-based capital requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2012
Recognizes and commends the nation's Catholic sisters, whose inspiring legacy of service continues to enrich our nation. Honors the contributions of Catholic sisters to this country. Stands in solidarity with Catholic sisters' mission to work toward a more just society for all of God's people.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2012
Rural Hospital Access Act of 2012 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend through FY2013: (1) the current methodology for payment to subsection (d) hospitals for inpatient hospital services furnished to individuals under the Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital (MDH) program, and (2) increased payments under the Medicare program for low-volume hospitals (with under 1,600 annual discharges). (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.) Directs the Comptroller General to study such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2012
Civil Liberties Act of 2012 - Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (such Act) to provide that, in the case of a person detained in the United States pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force or such Act, disposition under the law of war shall occur immediately upon custody and shall only mean transfer for trial and proceedings by a court established under article III of the Constitution or an appropriate state court. Requires such trial and proceedings to have all due process provided under the Constitution. Prohibits any person detained, captured, or arrested in the United States or a U.S. territory or possession from being transferred to the custody of the Armed Forces for detention under the Authorization for Use of Military Force or such Act. Repeals the requirement of detention in military custody pending disposition under the law of war for individuals determined to be a member or part of al Qaeda or an associated force who has participated in planning or carrying out an attack or attempted attack against the United States or its coalition partners.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2012
National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial Act - Authorizes the National Desert Storm Memorial Association to establish a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia to commemorate and honor those who, as members of the Armed Forces, served on active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm or Operation Desert Shield. Prohibits the use of federal funds to pay any expense to establish the commemorative work.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2012
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) repeal the excise tax on medical devices; (2) exclude from the gross receipts of major integrated oil companies (defined as companies with an average daily worldwide production of crude oil of at least 500,000 barrels and gross receipts in excess of $1 billion), for purposes of the tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities, receipts from the production, transportation, or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any primary product thereof; and (3) prohibit the use of the last-in, first-out (LIFO) accounting method by major integrated oil companies.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2012
Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2011 [ sic ] - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to revise requirements for the audit capacity of voting systems, particularly those for a permanent paper record. Requires the voting system to require the use of an individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked and made available for inspection by the voter before the voter's vote is cast and counted, and which shall be counted by hand or read by an optical scanner or other counting device. Requires the voting system to provide the voter with an opportunity to correct any system-made error in the voter-verified paper ballot before it is permanently preserved. Requires each paper ballot used to be: (1) suitable for a manual audit, and (2) counted by hand in any recount or audit conducted with respect to any federal election. Sets forth a special rule for treatment of disputes when paper ballots have been shown to be compromised. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to make grants to eligible entities to study, test, and develop accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Specifies additional voting system requirements and prohibitions. Requires the NSF Director to make grants to eligible entities to conduct research on the development of election-dedicated voting system software. Makes available additional funding to enable states to meet the costs of the requirements imposed by this Act. Provides for complaints to the Attorney General by persons aggrieved by violations of HAVA. Requires each state to administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice to the precincts selected, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. Makes an exception from this requirement for elections in which the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the vote total. Prescribes requirements for determination of the number of ballots counted under the audit. Prescribes the process for administering audits. Requires the Election Auditor of a state, as soon as practicable after the completion of an audit, to submit the results to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for publication. Prohibits certification of the results of any election until completion of audits. Provides for payments to states for the costs of conducting audits. Exempts from this Act any election for which a recount under state law will commence before certification of the election results. Repeals the EAC's exemption from certain federal government contracting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2012
Password Protection Act of 2012 - Amends the federal criminal code to subject to a fine any employer who knowingly and intentionally: (1) compels or coerces any person to provide the employer with a password or similar information to access a protected computer not owned by such employer; or (2) discharges, disciplines, discriminates, or threatens to take such actions, against any person who fails to authorize access to such computer, has filed a complaint or instituted a proceeding regarding such action, or testified or is about to testify in any such proceeding. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction to grant equitable relief in a civil action, if the court believes that the information sought to be obtained is relevant to protecting the intellectual property, a trade secret, or confidential business information of the party seeking relief. Exempts an employer's actions from such prohibition if: (1) the employer discharges or disciplines an individual for good cause; (2) a state enacts a law that specifically waives such prohibition with respect to a particular class of state or agency employees and the employer's action relates to an employee in such class; or (3) an executive agency, military department, or other executive branch entity specifically waives the prohibition with respect to a particular class of employees who may have access to classified information.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2012
Veterans' Job Corps Act - Authorizes the President to establish and operate a Veterans' Job Corps to employ veterans and veterans' widows or widowers who are otherwise unemployed in the construction, maintenance, and carrying on of public works in connection with: (1) the forestation of U.S. or state lands; (2) the prevention of forest fires, floods, and soil erosion; (3) public safety; (4) plant pest and disease control; and (5) the construction, maintenance, or repair of paths, trails, and fire-lanes in National Park System units and other public lands. Directs the President to employ individuals in the Corps in the following order of preference: (1) unemployed veterans, and (2) widows or widowers who are eligible for unemployment compensation immediately before employment in the Corps. Authorizes the President to provide individuals employed in the Corps with housing, necessary subsistence, clothing, medical attendance and hospitalization, a cash allowance, and transportation to and from the places of employment. Prohibits the employment in the Corps of an individual convicted of a felony or a veteran who was discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2012
Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act of 2012 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise requirements for payments for physician's services to eliminate the sustainable growth rate system from the formula for determination of the fee schedules for such services. Sets at 0.0 the 2013 update to the single conversion factor in such formula. Includes the program of Osteopathic Continuous Certification of the American Osteopathic Association as a Maintenance of Certification Program with respect to any plan of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to integrate reporting on quality measures with reporting requirements relating to the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR). Establishes updates for separate primary care and other service categories beginning January 1, 2014, as well as separate conversion factors and separate updates through 2017 for each service category. Directs the Secretary, through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, to: (1) expand testing of each payment and service delivery model in at least three geographic regions; and (2) include analysis of average implementation costs, per physician, in evaluations of models in phase 1 testing. Directs the Comptroller General to study the evaluations of each model tested. Directs the Secretary to release to the public a comprehensive list of such health care delivery models identified as likely to: (1) reduce spending without reducing quality of care, or (2) improve the quality of patient care without increasing spending. Requires the Secretary to inform physicians, nurse practitioners, group practices, and institutions employing Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) providers on how best to transition to alternative health care delivery and payment models aimed at improving the coordination, quality, and efficiency of health care. Freezes the physician fee schedule for 2018 by requiring 0.0 updates to the relevant conversion factors. Directs the Secretary to: (1) contract and agree with regional extension centers to provide guidance and assistance on how physicians may transition to implementation of alternative health care delivery models identified as representating best practices; and (2) make certain funding available to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Care Technology to award grants and incentive payments under a competitive process to regional extension centers and other qualified entities for such activities. Requires the Office to: (1) establish a process for the competitive selection of regional extension centers (and other qualified entities) in the third quarter of 2014; and (2) authorize the initial distribution of funds to such centers and entities. Prescribes updates to conversion factors for 2019-2022, but freezes them again beginning in 2023. Requires the Secretary to consider certain factors in determining the growth rates to be recognized beginning with 2019 for alternative payment and delivery models. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the impact on spending and on access to services under Medicare resulting from changes to the Medicare delivery and payments systems, including those made by this Act. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Graham-Rudman-Hollings Act), with respect to adjustments to discretionary spending limits in sequestration reports, to prescribe FY2013-FY2021 levels for overseas contingency and related activities for appropriations Acts. Requires any amount of budget authority for overseas contingency operations and related activities for such fiscal years in excess of such levels to be counted, in determining whether a breach has occurred in the security category and the nonsecurity category, on a proportional basis to the total spending for overseas contingency operations in those respective categories.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2012
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - Declares it an unlawful employment practice for employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, and other specified entities to: (1) not make reasonable accommodations to known limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions of job applicants or employees, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on such an entity's business operation; (2) deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations; (3) require such job applicants or employees to accept an accommodation that they choose not to accept; or (4) require such employees to take leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to their known limitations. Sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, and the rights and protections extended to presidential offices. Directs the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to issue regulations to carry out this Act, including the identification of reasonable accommodations addressing known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
![Official portrait of Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000593_200.jpg)