United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2017
Waiving Hindrances to Economic Enterprise and Labor Act or the WHEEL Act This bill amends the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) to modify the definition of "covered driver" for purposes of a commercial driver pilot program to mean an individual between the ages of 18 and 21 who: (1) holds a valid commercial driver's license; (2) has a driving record without citations, violations, or other safety infractions; and (3) has received a certification of completion of a training program or similar qualification demonstrating skill and aptitude with respect to the operation of a commercial motor vehicle. (Current law limits participation to individuals between such ages who are members or former members of the Armed Forces or reserve components, and who are qualified in a Military Occupational Specialty to operate a commercial motor vehicle or similar vehicle.)
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2017
Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a national network of state-based prescription drug monitoring programs under which VA health care providers shall query such network to support the safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances to patients who: (1) receive a prescription for a controlled substance for a period of 90 days or longer, and (2) are not receiving palliative care or enrolled in hospice care. Under such memorandum of understanding, VA health care providers practicing in: (1) a participating state shall query such network in accordance with the agreement between that state's prescription drug monitoring program and such network, and (2) a nonparticipating state shall query the network through the drug monitoring program of the closest participating state.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2017
No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to disqualify from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life an individual who uses such a vehicle in committing a felony involving a severe form of human trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the J-1 visa programs, specifically the Summer Work Travel, Au Pair, Camp Counselor, and Intern and Trainee programs, are vital to the U.S. economy and national interest; and (2) Congress should continue to monitor the administration of such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2017
Air Ambulance Quality and Accountability Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to modify standards and payment for air-ambulance services under the Medicare Program. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall establish minimum standards that must be met by air-ambulance suppliers and providers as a condition of their participation in Medicare. These standards must address: (1) scope of practice, training, and clinical capability; (2) medical equipment and vehicle attributes; (3) documentation; (4) medical direction and oversight; (5) reporting of specified events; (6) patient safety and infection control; (7) clinical quality-management and performance-improvement programs; and (8) particular populations. An air-ambulance provider or supplier that is accredited by an HHS-approved organization shall be deemed to be in compliance with these standards. HHS must establish an air-ambulance quality-reporting and performance program under which Medicare payment is determined according to a specified performance-based formula. Performance measures shall address patient safety, clinical quality, and over-triage. An air-ambulance provider or supplier must, subject to suspension of payment under Medicare, annually submit specified cost data to HHS. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission shall report to Congress on whether changes should be made with regard to reimbursement of air-ambulance providers and suppliers under Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2017
Save American Workers Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to change the definition of "full-time employee" for purposes of the employer mandate to provide minimum essential health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act from an employee who is employed on average at least 30 hours of service a week to an employee who is employed on average at least 40 hours of service a week.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2017
Common Sense Opportunities Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Department of Education (ED) to inform each entity operating programs under the federal TRIO programs (programs designed to identify and provide services for students from disadvantaged backgrounds) of the status of their application for continued funding at least four months (currently eight) prior to the expiration of the funding. The bill establishes a process for applicants to resubmit an application for a grant or contract for higher education resources or student assistance when the application contains a technical error. The bill prohibits ED from rejecting an application solely because it contains a technical error, unless ED notifies the applicant of the error and the applicant does not correct it by the resubmission deadline. ED must submit an annual report that: (1) identifies each entity that received a grant or contract for higher education resources or student assistance and indicates the amount of the grant or contract; and (2) identifies each entity that applied for, but did not receive, such grant or contract and indicates the reason for the rejection of the application. ED must set forth the information separately for each state and local educational agency in the report.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2017
Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2017 or the RAISE Family Caregivers Act This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and make publicly available a National Family Caregiving Strategy that identifies recommended actions for recognizing and supporting family caregivers in a manner that reflects their diverse needs. HHS shall convene a Family Caregiving Advisory Council to advise the department on recognizing and supporting family caregivers. The council shall terminate after five years.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2017
Senior Safe Act of 2017 This bill extends immunity from liability to certain individuals who, in good faith and with reasonable care, disclose the suspected exploitation of a senior citizen to a regulatory or law-enforcement agency. Specifically, this immunity shall apply to certain credit-union, depository-institution, investment-adviser, broker-dealer, transfer-agency, insurance-company, and insurance-agency employees who have received specified training related to identifying and reporting the suspected exploitation of a senior citizen. Similarly, the employing financial institution shall not be liable with respect to disclosures made by such employees.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2017
Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence Act of 2017 This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to extend through FY2022 and make appropriations for enhanced funding for the community health centers program.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2017
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit the application of Medicare competitive acquisition rates to complex, rehabilitative, manual wheelchairs and accessories. (A competitive bidding program has replaced the use of established fee schedule amounts to determine payments under Medicare for certain durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2017
Recognizes the importance of accreditation of cancer programs by the American College of Surgeons to ensure patient access to high quality, comprehensive cancer care.
United States · United States Congress · 29 August 2017
Extends the deepest sympathies of the House of Representatives to the families and friends of fallen Marines Lance Corporal Ruben Velasco of West Covina, California, Corporal Nathaniel Ordway of Wichita, Kansas, and Captain Benjamin Cross of Bethel, Maine, in their bereavement.
United States · United States Congress · 18 August 2017
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), upon request, to provide headstones and markers for the unmarked graves of spouses (including surviving spouses) and children (including unmarried adult children at the VA's discretion) of veterans who are buried in tribally-owned cemeteries.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2017
Military Sexual Assault Victims Empowerment Act or the Military SAVE Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), through the Office of Community Care, to carry out a three-year pilot program of hospital care and medical services for eligible veterans at non-VA health care providers to treat physical and psychological injuries or illnesses that, in the judgment of a VA mental health professional, resulted from sexual assault or battery or sexual harassment while the veteran was serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training. The program shall be carried out at not more than five locations, at least one of which shall be a rural location, based upon criteria including: (1) distance from a military installation, (2) city size, and (3) rates of sexual assault and rape. An eligible veteran may elect to participate in the pilot program. The VA may not restrict a participant's ability to choose the non-VA health care provider. The bill: (1) sets forth payment provisions for current and new non-VA providers, and (2) provides for program data collection and analysis.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2017
Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the process by which Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) issue and reconsider local coverage determinations (LCDs) that: (1) are new, (2) restrict or substantively revise existing LCDs, or (3) are otherwise specified in regulation. (MACs are private insurers that process Medicare claims within specified geographic areas.) Before such an LCD may take effect, the MAC issuing the determination must, with respect to each geographic area to which the determination applies: publish online a proposed version of the determination and other specified, related information; convene one or more public meetings to review the draft determination, receive comments, and secure the advice of an expert panel; post online a record of the minutes from each such meeting; provide a period for submission of written public comments; and post online specified information related to the rationale for the final determination. Upon the filing of an applicable request by an interested party with regard to the reconsideration of a specified LCD, the MAC that issued the determination shall: provide specified information related to whether the determination failed to correctly apply qualifying relevant evidence, exceeds the scope of its intended purpose, fails to apply as intended, or is otherwise erroneous; preserve the determination, modify the determination, or rescind the determination in part; and make publicly available a written description of such action. An interested party may appeal a reconsideration decision to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS shall appoint a Medicare Reviews and Appeals Ombudsman to carry out specified duties with regard to LCDs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Guaranteed COLA Act This bill directs the General Services Administration (GSA) to sell buildings owned by the federal government that are not utilized. GSA must identify all such buildings and sell them not later than five years after they have been identified. The bill exempts buildings that have been set aside for preservation or historic purposes. The bill requires the net revenues from the sale of such buildings to be made available to increase the cost-of-living adjustments to: (1) social security retirement benefits, and (2) retirement benefits for members and former members of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Promoting Affordable Childcare for Everyone Act or the PACE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for expenses for household and dependent care services necessary for gainful employment (known as the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit), to: (1) make the credit refundable, (2) increase the rate for the credit, and (3) require the dollar amounts for such credit to be adjusted for inflation after 2017. The bill also increases the amount of employer-provided dependent care assistance which may be excluded from the gross income of an employee and requires the increased exclusion amount to be adjusted for inflation after 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act of 2017 This bill provides a presumption of herbicide exposure as the service-connected cause of certain diseases notwithstanding that there is no evidentiary record of any such disease during a veteran's service period. The bill defines a "veteran" for purposes of this bill as an individual who, during active military, naval, or air service, served in or near the Korean demilitarized zone during the period beginning on September 1, 1967, and ending on August 31, 1971. The bill specifies such a disease as: (1) a listed disease that becomes manifest, or (2) any additional disease that the Department of Veterans Affairs determines warrants a presumption of service-connection by reason of a positive association with herbicide exposure and that manifests itself within a prescribed period.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act This bill generally requires, with specified exceptions, electronic prescribing under the Medicare prescription drug benefit with respect to covered drugs that are controlled substances.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017
Border Security for America Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) construct and operate infrastructure and technology to deter and detect illegal border activity in high traffic areas, (2) deploy the most practical and effective technology to achieve situational awareness and operational control of the border, (3) deploy additional capabilities to specified border sectors or regions, (4) submit a plan for evaluating and using independent verification and validation resources for border security technology, (5) establish a National Border Security Advisory Committee, (6) submit a southern border threat analysis, (7) implement the Border Security Deployment Program, (8) establish a biometric exit data system, and (9) begin eradicating the carrizo cane plant and any salt cedar along the Rio Grande River. The bill provides for: (1) U.S. Border Patrol personnel increases and infrastructure improvements, including forward base upgrades along the southern border; and (2) National Guard and Department of Defense border assistance. The bill: (1) prohibits federal agency restrictions on U.S. Customs and Border Protection activities on federal land within 100 miles of the border, (2) requires increases in immigration and law enforcement personnel and agricultural specialists, (3) authorizes appropriations for specified immigration purposes, and (4) requires electronic passport screening and biometric matching at airports of entry. The Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010 is amended to provide for hiring flexibility. Operation Stonegarden is established as a DHS program to provide border security grants. This bill authorizes DHS to construct new ports of entry along the northern and southern borders.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2017
Save Local Business Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide that a person may be considered a joint employer in relation to an employee only if such person directly, actually, and immediately, and not in a limited and routine manner, exercises significant control over the essential terms and conditions of employment (including hiring employees, discharging employees, determining individual employee rates of pay and benefits, day-to-day supervision of employees, assigning individual work schedules, positions, and tasks, and administering employee discipline).
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2017
Canadian Snowbird Visa Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to admit into the United States as a nonimmigrant visitor for a period not to exceed 240 days during any single 365-day period a Canadian citizen who: (1) is at least 50 years old, (2) maintains a Canadian residence and owns a U.S. residence or has rented a U.S. accommodation for the duration of such stay, (3) is not inadmissible or deportable, (4) will not engage in employment or labor for hire in the United States other than for a non U.S.-based person or entity by whom the Canadian citizen was employed in Canada or for whom the Canadian citizen performed services in Canada, and (5) will not seek any form of assistance or benefit under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. The spouse of such person may be admitted under the same terms except that he or she is not required to separately satisfy the residence/housing requirements. The bill grants a person so admitted nonresident alien tax status.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2017
Fruit and Vegetables Access for Children Act This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to allow federal grant-funded fresh fruit and vegetable programs carried out by states to include canned, dried, frozen, or pureed fruits and vegetables.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2017
Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Extension Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and expand funding through FY2020 for graduate medical education programs at teaching centers (which train medical residents in primary care specialties). The bill allows funds to be used for maintaining, expanding, and establishing graduate medical residency programs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2017
Declares that the House of Representatives: supports the designation of National Month for Renters to draw attention to the U.S. rental affordability crisis; urges a national effort involving all levels of government, the private sector, and the philanthropic community to expand the supply of affordable rental homes to meet demand; and recognizes the adverse economic and social impact that unaffordable rents have on families and communities and that expanding access to affordable rental homes will help stabilize families and communities, promote equality of opportunity, and support greater economic growth and prosperity.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2017
This joint resolution nullifies a rule submitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding arbitration agreements. (The rule regulates the use of arbitration agreements in contracts for specific consumer financial products and services. It prohibits the use of a predispute arbitration agreement to prevent a consumer from filing or participating in certain class action suits. The rule also requires consumer financial product and service providers to furnish the CFPB with particular information regarding arbitrations.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2017
Honors the patriotism of, and contributions to the United States by, generations of veterans service organizations. Commends members of such organizations for their dedicated service to, and support of, members of the Armed Forces. Calls on the people of the United States to follow the example of such organizations by volunteering support and services to those who have served this country.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2017
Honors the patriotism of, and contributions to the United States by, generations of veterans service organizations. Commends members of such organizations for their dedicated service to, and support of, members of the Armed Forces. Calls on the people of the United States to follow the example of such organizations by volunteering support and services to those who have served this country.
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 · 13 July 2017
Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 This bill revises education and related benefits provided to veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors. The bill amends the Post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance program to: remove certain time restrictions on program use; increase assistance for reservists, guardsmen, dependents, and surviving spouses and dependents; provide full eligibility for Post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients and certain reservists and guardsmen; provide an extra academic years' worth of benefits for STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) degree candidates; establish a five-year pilot program for high technology courses; restore eligibility for service members whose school closes in the middle of a semester; authorize funding to improve claims processing; permit assistance to be used at certain institutions that are not institutions of higher education; and pro-rate the housing stipend for reservists called to active duty. The bill authorizes the Edith Nurse Rogers STEM Scholarship to help veterans complete STEM degrees. The Yellow Ribbon program is extended to Fry Scholarship recipients (surviving dependents of service members who died on active duty) and certain Purple Heart recipients. (The Yellow Ribbon program helps veterans pay for higher education tuition and fee costs not covered by the Post-9/11 program.) The bill: (1) extends the Advisory Committee on Education, (2) increases survivors' and dependents' educational assistance, and (3) extends funding for state educational program approving agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2017
Critical Access and Rural Equity Act of 2017 or the CARE Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to specify that, for purposes of determining Medicare payment and reasonable costs for both inpatient and outpatient critical access hospital (CAH) services, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall recognize as allowable costs those related to specified emergency, diagnostic, anesthetist, community health, and off-campus clinical services. Furthermore, in determining payment and reasonable costs for both inpatient and outpatient CAH services, CMS shall not disallow payment to a CAH on the basis that such payment offsets the cost of a current permissible health care-related tax imposed on and paid by the CAH. CMS must make specified payment adjustments to account for such a tax. Generally, under current law, a facility must be located beyond a specified driving distance from another hospital or facility in order to be designated as a CAH. The bill specifies that this requirement does not apply with respect to a CAH's off-campus provider-based clinic. Current law further requires a facility to provide certain 24-hour emergency care services as a condition of designation as a CAH. The bill allows CMS to waive this requirement with respect to a facility that coordinates with a nearby facility or hospital that provides such services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2017
Taxpayer-Funded Pension Disclosure Act This bill deems the pension record of an annuitant under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System a record for purposes of the disclosure requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and requires its disclosure. A pension record does not include information regarding a medical condition of the annuitant or any information identifying a designated beneficiary.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2017
VA Acquisition Workforce Improvement and Streamlining Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement certain training curricula and certification programs for specified logistics, construction, or facilities management employees of VA or the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The VA may develop: (1) curricula in a manner that provides such training in person, over a website, or by another federal agency; and (2) certification programs in a manner that uses either one level of certification or more than one level as appropriate for different grades of the General Schedule. The VA shall prioritize the use of acquisition internship programs to hire employees in entry-level, acquisition positions. The VA shall develop a plan to reduce duplication and increase efficiencies of the VA's acquisition functions in a manner that achieves cost savings necessary to carry out such training, certification, and acquisition internship programs. The VA shall determine whether to: (1) consolidate or abolish certain service area and program contacting activity offices and transfer their functions to certain other VA or VHA facilities; and (2) consolidate specified functions of the VA's Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction and the VHA's Procurement and Logistics Office into one such office.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Financial Stability Oversight Council Insurance Member Continuity Act This bill amends the Financial Stability Act of 2010 to modify the term of the independent member with insurance expertise of the Financial Stability Oversight Council to allow the current member to continue to serve in the event of a delay in the naming of a successor by the end of the member's six-year term. In such a case, the independent member may continue to serve until 18 months after the end of the term or until a successor is confirmed, whichever is earlier.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Food Stamp Integrity Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to revise the rules for disqualifying individuals from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program). The bill permanently disqualifies individuals who have been found guilty of offenses or misconduct, including: fraud or misrepresentation with respect to SNAP; the trading of a controlled substance, firearms, ammunition, or explosives for benefits; terrorism; defrauding the federal government, a state, or a unit of local government; obtaining cash by destroying food purchased with benefits and collecting deposits for containers; or selling food purchased with benefits. An individual who is delinquent in paying child support may not receive benefits unless a court allowed a payment delay or the individual is complying with a payment plan. If a household requests a third replacement Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card in a one-year period, a state may: (1) require the head of the household to appear in person for an interview before issuing an additional card, and (2) terminate participation of the household for one year if a fifth card is requested in a one-year period. The bill modifies the work requirements and eliminates certain exemptions and waivers from the requirements. If an able-bodied adult without dependents fails to meet the work requirements for 3 months in a 48-month period (36 months under current law), they are ineligible for SNAP for the remainder of the 48-month period, or until they comply.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2017
Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2017 or the BTU Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to include 30% of qualified biomass fuel property expenditures for property placed in service before 2022 in the residential energy efficient property tax credit. A "qualified biomass fuel property expenditure" is an expenditure for property which uses the burning of biomass fuel (a plant-derived fuel available on a renewable or recurring basis) to heat a dwelling used as a residence, or to heat water for use in such dwelling, and which has a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75%. The bill also allows: (1) a 15% energy tax credit until 2022 for investment in open-loop biomass heating property, including boilers or furnaces that operate at thermal output efficiencies of at least 65% and provide thermal energy in the form of heat, hot water, or steam for space heating, air conditioning, domestic hot water, or industrial process heat; and (2) a 30% credit until 2022 for investment in such property that operates at a thermal output efficiency of at least 80%.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2017
Technical Education and Career Help (TEACH) Act This bill amends title II (Teacher Quality Enhancement) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants under the Teacher Quality Partnership grant program to be used for secondary school career and technical education teacher preparation programs. The grant program provides funds to partnerships of high-need local educational agencies, high-need schools or early education programs, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) to train current and prospective teachers and school leaders. The bill requires the career and technical education teacher preparation programs to: be available to mid-career professionals or recent graduates of an IHE who have expertise in a program area in which there is a career and technical education teacher shortage; allow individuals to obtain initial licensure and the basic skills required for entry into the education profession, with the option of earning a bachelor's or master's degree; and allow teachers who do not have subject matter expertise in a career and technical education field that is in demand in the local or regional economy to receive the technical skills training they need to teach those skills in a classroom setting. It directs the Department of Education to establish performance measures for the career and technical education teacher preparation programs.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2017
Help All Americans Save for College Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the tax treatment of qualified tuition programs (known as 529 plans) and ABLE accounts. (Tax-favored ABLE [Achieving a Better Life Experience] accounts are designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for disability-related expenses.) The bill excludes employer contributions to an employee's 529 plan or ABLE account from the gross income of an individual, certain employment taxes, and taxes on self-employment earnings. The exclusions are limited to the lesser of: (1) the compensation includible in the individual's gross income for the year, or (2) $5,000 ($10,000 in the case of a joint return) for each dependent of the taxpayer who is the designated beneficiary of a 529 plan. The bill also allows an individual to deduct up to $5,000 of the aggregate contributions of the individual to a 529 plan and an ABLE account. The bill revises the 10% additional tax for distributions from a 529 plan or an ABLE account that are not used for qualified purposes to change the rate to the greater of: (1) 10%, or (2) the highest rate of income tax applicable to the taxpayer.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2017
Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) cover marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services under Medicare, (2) exclude such services from the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system, and (3) authorize marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to develop discharge plans for post-hospital services.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2017
Justin Smith Morrill Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Justin Smith Morrill, a United States Senator from Vermont, for his lasting contributions to higher education opportunity for all Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
This bill amends the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 to temporarily allow loan originators that meet specified requirements to continue to originate loans after moving: (1) from one state to another, or (2) from a depository institution to a non-depository institution.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
Save Rural Hospitals Act This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to increase payments to, and modify various requirements regarding, rural health care providers under the Medicare program. Among other provisions, the bill: (1) reverses cuts to reimbursement of bad debt for critical access hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals, as well as alters certain requirements with regard to CAHs; (2) extends payment levels for low-volume hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals (MDHs); (3) reinstates revised diagnosis-related group payments to MDHs and sole community hospitals (SCHs), as well as reinstates hold harmless treatment for hospital outpatient services for SCHs; (4) delays the application of penalties for a rural hospital's failure to become a meaningful electronic health record user; (5) makes permanent increased Medicare payments for ground ambulance services in rural areas; (6) alters certain supervision requirements for therapeutic hospital outpatient services; (7) modifies requirements related to the use and payment of recovery audit contractors; and (8) establishes a program under which rural hospitals meeting specified requirements may be eligible for enhanced payment for qualified outpatient services. In addition, the bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to eliminate Medicare sequestration for rural hospitals. The bill also amends title XIX (Medicaid) of SSAct to extend Medicaid primary care payments. With respect to both the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the bill eliminates disproportionate share hospital payment reductions for rural hospitals. The bill also amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize several competitive grant programs to assist eligible rural hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
Road to Recovery Act This bill provides for coverage, under Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, of inpatient services in a residential substance use disorder treatment facility with respect to an individual under 65 years of age.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
This bill amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to authorize Federal Home Loan Banks to make investments related to rural infrastructure development. Federal Home Loan Banks may purchase investment-grade securities from nonmember lenders that are organized as cooperatives, have received financing from the Federal Financing Bank, and have experience providing loans to cooperatives eligible to receive loans from the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
Heavy Truck, Tractor, and Trailer Retail Federal Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the 12% excise tax on the retail sale of heavy trucks and trailers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act or the REACH Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify campus security reporting requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs. Specifically, an IHE must disclose hazing incidents that were reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies in its annual security report. In addition, each IHE must provide students with an educational program on hazing, which includes information on hazing awareness, hazing prevention, and the IHE's policies on hazing. Hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a student, or a former student, of an IHE against another student, that: (1) was committed in connection with an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, any organization that is affiliated with the IHE; and (2) contributes to a substantial risk of physical injury, mental harm, or degradation or causes physical injury, mental harm or personal degradation.
![Official portrait of Rep. Poliquin, Bruce [R-ME-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/115_rp_me_2_poliquin_bruce_200.jpg)