United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to: (1) complete, within 12 months of enactment, the required audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board) and of the Federal Reserve Banks; and (2) submit to Congress, within 90 days of audit completion, a detailed report of audit findings and conclusions. The bill repeals certain limitations placed upon audits of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit any person from performing or attempting to perform an abortion except in conformity with this Act's requirements. Requires the physician to first determine the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child, or reasonably rely upon such a determination made by another physician, by making inquiries of the pregnant woman and performing such medical examinations and tests as a reasonably prudent physician would consider necessary. Prohibits the abortion from being performed if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater, except: (1) where necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, excluding psychological or emotional conditions; or (2) where the pregnancy is the result of rape, or the result of incest against a minor, if the rape has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency, or if the incest has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency or to a government agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse or neglect. Permits a physician to terminate a pregnancy under such an exception only in the manner that provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive, unless that manner would pose a greater risk than other available methods would pose of the death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, excluding psychological or emotional conditions, of the pregnant woman. Subjects individuals who violate this Act to a fine, imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. Bars prosecution of a woman upon whom an abortion is performed in violation of this Act for violating or conspiring to violate this Act. Defines "abortion" to mean the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device to intentionally kill an unborn child or to intentionally terminate a pregnancy with an intention other than: (1) after viability, to produce a live birth and preserve the life and health of the child; or (2) to remove a dead unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on medical device manufacturers and importers.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services under which a physician must certify that a patient may reasonably be expected to be discharged or transferred to a hospital within 96 hours after admission to the critical access hospital.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act Amends the Natural Gas Act to direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve or deny a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a prefiled project within 12 months after receiving a complete application that is ready to be processed. Defines "prefiled project" as a project for the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a natural gas pipeline with respect to which a prefiling docket number has been assigned by FERC pursuant to a prefiling process established by FERC for the purpose of facilitating the formal application process for obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity. Requires the agency responsible for issuing any federal license, permit, or approval regarding the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a project for which a certificate is sought to approve or deny issuance of the certificate within 90 days after FERC issues its final environmental document regarding the project. Requires FERC to grant an agency request for a 30-day extension of the 90-day time period if the agency demonstrates that it cannot otherwise complete the process required to approve or deny the license, permit, or approval, and therefore will be compelled to deny it. Authorizes FERC, in granting such an extension, to offer technical assistance to the agency in order to address conditions preventing completion of the application review. Declares that, if the agency fails to approve or deny issuance of a permit, license, or approval within the prescribed time-frame, the license, permit, or approval shall take effect upon expiration of 30 days after the period's end. Directs FERC to incorporate into the terms of a license, permit, or approval any conditions proffered by the agency that FERC does not find to be inconsistent with the final environmental document.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment prohibits total outlays for any fiscal year from exceeding one-fifth of the economic output of the United States, unless two-thirds of each house of Congress provides a specific increase in outlays above this amount. The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit or to increase revenue. It also requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Congress is authorized to waive these requirements when a declaration of war is in effect or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
FairTax Act of 2015 This bill is a tax reform proposal that imposes a national sales tax on the use or consumption in the United States of taxable property or services in lieu of the current income and corporate income tax, employment and self-employment taxes, and estate and gift taxes. The rate of the sales tax will be 23% in 2017, with adjustments to the rate in subsequent years. There are exemptions from the tax for used and intangible property, for property or services purchased for business, export, or investment purposes, and for state government functions. Under the bill, family members who are lawful U.S. residents receive a monthly sales tax rebate (Family Consumption Allowance) based upon criteria related to family size and poverty guidelines. The states have the responsibility for administering, collecting, and remitting the sales tax to the Treasury. Tax revenues are to be allocated among: (1) the general revenue, (2) the old-age and survivors insurance trust fund, (3) the disability insurance trust fund, (4) the hospital insurance trust fund, and (5) the federal supplementary medical insurance trust fund. No funding is allowed for the operations of the Internal Revenue Service after FY2019. Finally, the bill terminates the national sales tax if the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution (authorizing an income tax) is not repealed within seven years after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Tax Code Termination Act Terminates the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 after December 31, 2019, except for self-employment taxes, Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes, and railroad retirement taxes. Requires a two-thirds majority vote in Congress to change such termination date. Declares that any new federal tax system should be a simple and fair system that: (1) applies a low rate to all Americans, (2) provides tax relief for working Americans, (3) protects the rights of taxpayers and reduces tax collection abuses, (4) eliminates the bias against savings and investment, (5) promotes economic growth and job creation, and (6) does not penalize marriage or families. Requires that the new federal tax system be approved by Congress in its final form by July 4, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2014
Security and Fairness Enhancement for America Act of 2014 or the SAFE for America Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the diversity immigrant program.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2014
Clean Air, Strong Economies Act - Prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from lowering its national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone until at least 85% of counties that are in nonattainment areas (counties that are exceeding the limit) have attained the standard. Requires the EPA, in promulgating a primary or secondary NAAQS for ozone, to: only consider a county to be a nonattainment area on the basis of direct air quality monitoring (rather than modeling); take into consideration feasibility and cost; and include in the regulatory impact analysis for the proposed and final rule at least one analysis that does not include any calculation of benefits resulting from reducing emissions of any pollutant other than ozone.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Empowering Our Veterans Act of 2014 - Prohibits the appropriation of funds, or the obligation or expenditure of funds by Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), for any VA alternative energy generation project unless the funds for such project have been specifically authorized by law. Directs the Secretary to transfer all unobligated funds that were appropriated to the VA before this Act's enactment for an alternative energy generation project to the VA's account funding veterans' medical care.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Firefighter Equipment Protection Act of 2014 - Codifies a national security exemption from emissions regulations for excess personal property of the Department of Defense (DOD) that is transferred under specified DOD property transfer programs to a firefighting agency in a state or to another state agency.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2014
American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act - Division A: Energy and Commerce - Northern Route Approval Act - Declares that a presidential permit shall not be required for a certain pipeline application filed by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to the Department of State for the Keystone XL pipeline (including the Nebraska reroute evaluated in the Final Evaluation Report issued by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and approved by the Nebraska governor). Deems a certain final environmental impact statement issued by the Secretary of State, coupled with such Final Evaluation Report, to satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act. Deems the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary in this Act, unless otherwise indicated) to have issued a written opinion that the Keystone XL pipeline project will neither jeopardize the American burying beetle, nor destroy or adversely modify its critical habitat. Requires the Secretary of the Army to issue by a specified deadline certain permits under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Rivers and Harbors Appropriations Act of 1899 for pipeline construction, operation, and maintenance. Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from prohibiting or restricting any activity or use of an area authorized under this Act. Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act - Amends the Natural Gas Act to direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve or deny a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a prefiled project within 12 months after receiving a complete application that is ready to be processed. Requires the agency responsible for issuing any federal license, permit, or approval regarding the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a project to approve or deny the certificate within 90 days after FERC issues its final environmental document. Declares that, if the agency fails to approve or deny a permit, license, or approval within the prescribed time-frame, the license, permit, or approval shall take effect upon expiration of 30 days after the period's end. North American Energy Infrastructure Act - Declares a certificate of crossing under this Act to be a prerequisite for construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of a cross-border segment of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric transmission facility at the national boundary of the U.S. for the import or export of oil, natural gas, or electricity to or from Canada or Mexico. Amends the Natural Gas Act to declare that a FERC order is not required for the export or import of natural gas to or from Canada or Mexico. Amends the Federal Power Act to repeal the requirement that the transmission of electric energy to a foreign country necessitates prior FERC authorization. Declares that no Presidential permit shall be necessary for the construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric transmission facility, including any cross-border segment. Energy Consumers Relief Act of 2014 - Prohibits EPA from promulgating a final rule governing production, supply, distribution, or use of energy that is estimated to impose aggregate costs of more than $1 billion if the Department of Energy (DOE) determines that it will cause significant adverse effects to the economy. Requires EPA, before promulgating such a final rule, to report on: (1) an estimate of the total costs and benefits of the rule, (2) an estimate of the increases in energy prices that may result from the rule, and (3) a detailed description of the employment effects that may result from the rule. Directs DOE to: (1) determine whether such rule will increase consumer energy prices, or impact fuel diversity of the nation's electricity generation portfolio or electric reliability; (2) cause an adverse effect on energy supply, distribution, or use; and (3) determine whether the rule will cause significant adverse effects to the economy. Prohibits EPA from using the social cost of carbon in any cost-benefit analysis relating to an energy-related rule estimated to cost more than $1 billion unless a federal law is enacted authorizing such use. Electricity Security and Affordability Act - Prohibits EPA from issuing, implementing, or enforcing any rule under the Clean Air Act that establishes a performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions from a new source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit unless the rule meets specified requirements of this Act. Requires EPA to separate sources fueled with coal and natural gas into separate categories. Prohibits EPA from setting a standard based on the best system of emission reduction for new sources within a fossil-fuel category unless the standard meets certain criteria. Precludes from taking effect, unless a federal law is enacted specifying an effective date, any EPA rule or guideline that: (1) establishes any performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions from a modified or reconstructed source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit, or (2) applies to greenhouse gas emissions from such an existing source. Nullifies specified proposed rules for Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units that are issued before enactment of this Act. Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act - Directs DOE to issue a decision on an application to export natural gas within 30 days after the later of: (1) the conclusion of the review to site, construct, expand, or operate the liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities required by NEPA; or (2) the date of enactment of this Act. Deems any NEPA review to be concluded: (1) 30 days after publication of a required Environmental Impact Statement; (2) 30 days after DOE publication of a Finding of No Significant Impact if the project needs an Environmental Assessment; and (3) upon a determination by the lead agency that an application is eligible for a categorical exclusion pursuant to NEPA regulations. (A "categorical exclusion" under NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a federal agency in implementing environmental regulations and for which, therefore, neither an environmental assessment [EA] nor an environmental impact statement [EIS] is required.) Confers exclusive jurisdiction upon the U.S. Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the LNG export facility will be located regarding any civil action for the review of: (1) a DOE order regarding the application, or (2) DOE failure to issue a final decision on the application. Amends the Natural Gas Act to require DOE to require, as a condition for approval to export LNG, that the applicant make public disclosure of the export's specific destination. Division B: Natural Resources Committee - Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to direct the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary in this Act) to implement a leasing program that includes at least 50% of the available unleased acreage within each outer Continental Shelf (OCS) planning area considered to have the largest undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources. Sets the production goal as an increase by 2032 of at least: (1) 3 million barrels of oil produced daily, and (2) 10 billion cubic feet of natural gas produced daily. Directs the Secretary to: (1) submit to Congress a new proposed oil and gas leasing program for the five-year period from July 15, 2015, to July 15, 2021, and (2) approve a final oil and gas leasing program by July 15, 2016. Directs the Secretary to conduct offshore oil and gas Lease Sale 220 on the OCS offshore Virginia within one year after enactment of this Act. Directs the Secretary to conduct a lease sale within two years after enactment of this Act for areas off the coast of South Carolina with the most geologically promising hydrocarbon resources and constituting at least 25% of the leasable area within the South Carolina offshore administrative boundaries. Directs the Secretary to offer for sale by December 31, 2015, leases of tracts in the Santa Maria and Santa Barbara/Ventura Basins of the Southern California OCS Planning Area. Allocates 37.5% of the amount of new federal leasing revenues to coastal states affected by the leases under which those revenues are received by the U.S. Prescribes an allocation schedule for coastal states within 200 miles of the leased tract. Establishes in the Department of the Interior: (1) an Under Secretary for Energy, Lands, and Minerals; (2) an Assistant Secretary of Ocean Energy and Safety; (3) an Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Management; (4) a Bureau of Ocean Energy; (5) an Ocean Energy Safety Service; and (6) an Office of Natural Resources Revenue. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a National Offshore Energy Safety Academy as an agency of the Ocean Energy Safety Service, and (2) an Outer Continental Shelf Energy Safety Advisory Board. Abolishes the Minerals Management Service. Establishes in the Treasury the Ocean Energy Enforcement Fund as depository for non-refundable fees collected from the operators of facilities subject to inspection. Redefines the OCS to include all submerged lands lying within the U.S. exclusive economic zone and the Continental Shelf adjacent to any U.S. territory. Directs the Secretary to promulgate rules regarding the revenue streams contemplated by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, including the timing and methods of disbursements of certain funds under such Act. Prescribes requirements for judicial review of any action or decision by a federal official regarding the issuance of an energy lease. Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act - Directs the Secretary to encourage the use of U.S. workers and equipment manufactured in the U.S. in all construction related to mineral resource development under this Act. Streamlining Permitting of American Energy Act of 2014 - Amends the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) to direct the Secretary to decide whether to issue a permit to drill within 30 days after receiving a permit application, with specified allowable deadline extensions. Deems a permit application approved if the Secretary has not made a decision by 60 days after its receipt. Directs the Secretary to collect: (1) a single $6,500 permit processing fee per application; and (2) a $5,000 documentation fee to accompany each protest for a lease, right of way, or application for permit to drill. Requires the Secretary to establish a Federal Permit Streamlining Project in every Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field office responsible for permitting energy projects on federal land. Prescribes procedures for judicial review of an agency action affecting leasing federal lands for energy activities. Requires the Secretary to provide matching funding of up to 50% for joint projects with states to conduct oil and gas resource assessments on federal lands with significant oil and gas potential. Providing Leasing Certainty for American Energy Act of 2014 - Requires the Secretary, in conducting lease sales under the MLA, to offer for sale at least 25% of the annual nominated acreage not previously made available for lease. Shields such acreage from protest or the test of extraordinary circumstances. Amends the MLA to prohibit the Secretary from: (1) withdrawing any covered energy project without finding a violation of lease terms by the lessee; (2) delaying indefinitely issuance of project approvals, drilling and seismic permits, and rights of way for activities under a lease; or (3) cancelling or withdrawing any lease parcel after a competitive lease sale has occurred and a winning bidder has made the last payment for the parcel. Declares without force or effect BLM Instruction Memorandum 2010-117 (which establishes a process to ensure orderly, effective, timely, and environmentally responsible leasing of oil and gas resources on federal lands). Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security Act or the PIONEERS Act - Deems the final regulations regarding oil shale management published by the BLM on November 18, 2008, to satisfy all legal and procedural requirements. Deems the November 17, 2008, BLM Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments/Record of Decision for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources to Address Land Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to satisfy all legal and procedural requirements. Directs the Secretary to hold, within 180 days after enactment of this Act, a lease sale that offers for lease additional ten parcels for research, development, and demonstration of oil shale resources under terms offered in specified bid solicitations. Requires the Secretary, by January 1, 2016, to hold at least five separate commercial lease sales, in multiple lease blocs, in areas of at least 25,000 acres, which: (1) have been nominated through public comment, and (2) are considered to have the most potential for oil shale development. Planning for American Energy Act of 2014 - Amends the MLA to direct the Secretary to publish a Quadrennial Federal Onshore Energy Production Strategy to direct federal land energy development and department resource allocation. Directs the Secretary to determine a domestic strategic production objective for the development of energy resources. Expresses the sense of Congress that federally recognized Indian tribes may elect to set their own production objectives as part of such strategy. National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act - Amends the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 to require the mandatory program of competitive leasing of oil and gas in the National Petroleum Reserve (NPR) to include at least one lease sale annually in areas deemed most likely to produce commercial quantities of oil and natural gas each year in the period 2014-2024. Directs the Secretary to ensure permits according to a specified timeline for all surface development activities, including pipelines and roads construction, to: (1) develop and bring into production areas within the NPR that are subject to oil and gas leases, and (2) transport oil and gas from and through the NPR to existing transportation or processing infrastructure on the North Slope of Alaska. Directs the Secretary to ensure that any federal permitting agency issue permits for construction for transportation of oil and natural gas under existing federal oil and gas leases with drilling permits within 60 days after enactment of this Act. Requires approval of drilling permits under new federal oil and gas leases within six months after submission of a permit request to the Secretary. Nullifies the February 21, 2013, Record of Decision, including its integrated activity plan and environmental impact statement. Requires the Secretary to assess all technically recoverable fossil fuel resources within the NPR, including conventional and unconventional oil and natural gas. BLM Live Internet Auctions Act - Amends the MLA to authorize the Secretary to conduct onshore oil and gas lease sales, within seven days, through Internet-based live bidding methods. Native American Energy Act - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to allow either the Secretary, an affected Indian tribe, or a certified third-party appraiser under contract with the Indian tribe to appraise Indian land or trust assets involved in a transaction requiring the Secretary's approval. Amends NEPA to make the environmental impact statement for major federal action on Indian lands available for review and comment only to the affected Indian tribe and individuals residing within the affected area. Prescribes requirements for judicial review of energy-related actions. Amends the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to direct the Secretary to enter into agreements with Indian tribes to carry out demonstration projects that promote biomass energy production on Indian forest land and in nearby communities by providing tribes with reliable supplies of woody biomass from federal lands. Amends the Long-Term Leasing Act to authorize the Navajo Nation to enter into commercial or agricultural leases of up to 99 years on their restricted lands without the Secretary's approval if they are executed under tribal regulations approved by the Secretary. Permits the Navajo Nation to enter into mineral resource leases on their restricted lands without the Secretary's approval if they are executed under approved tribal regulations and do not exceed 25 years, though they may include a renewal option for one additional term not exceeding 25 years. Prohibits any Department of the Interior rule regarding hydraulic fracturing used in oil and gas development or production, from having any effect on land held in trust or restricted status for Indians, except with the express consent of its Indian beneficiaries. Directs the Secretary to establish an Office of Energy Employment and Training. Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs Act - Amends the Water Conservation and Utilization Act (WCUA) to authorize the Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to enter into 40-year leases of power privileges for electric power generation in connection with any project constructed under such Act. Requires the Bureau to apply its categorical exclusion process under NEPA to small conduit hydropower under WCUA, excluding siting of associated transmission facilities on federal lands. Central Oregon Jobs and Water Security Act - Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to modify the boundary of the Crooked River, Oregon. Requires the developer for any hydropower development at Bowman Dam to analyze any impacts to the Outstanding Remarkable Values of the Wild and Scenic River that may be caused by such development and propose impact mitigationas part of any license application submitted to FERC. Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act - Amends the MLA to prohibit the Department of the Interior from enforcing any federal regulation, guidance, or permit requirement regarding hydraulic fracturing (including any component of that process), relating to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities on or under any land in any state that has regulations, guidance, or permit requirements for that activity. Extends that prohibition, with an exception, to land held either in trust or restricted status for the benefit of Indians. Requires the Department to recognize and defer to state regulations, permitting, and guidance for hydraulic fracturing relating to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities on federal land. Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to examine the economic benefits of domestic shale oil and gas production resulting from hydraulic fracturing. EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Improvement Act - Requires EPA to adhere to prescribed requirements when conducting its study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America - Amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to require state programs for regulation of surface coal mining to incorporate the necessary rule concerning excess spoil, coal mine waste, and buffers for perennial and intermittent streams published by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Division C: Judiciary - Responsibly and Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 2014 or the RAPID Act - Authorizes a project sponsor, upon the request of a lead agency, to prepare any document required for environmental review if the agency furnishes oversight and independently evaluates, approves, and adopts the document before taking action on it. Prohibits requiring more than one EIS and one EA for a project, except for supplemental environmental documents prepared under NEPA or pursuant to court order. Requires the lead agency to prepare the EIS or EA. Prohibits the lead agency from using the social cost of carbon in any environmental review or environmental decision making process. Requires the Council on Environmental Quality and each federal agency to amend NEPA implementing regulations to implement this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2014
Reforming CFPB Indirect Auto Financing Guidance Act - Declares without force or effect Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Bulletin 2013-02 (Indirect Auto Lending and Compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act), published March 21, 2013. Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to direct the CFPB, when proposing and issuing guidance primarily related to indirect auto financing, to: provide for a public notice and comment period before issuing the guidance in final form; make publicly available all information relied on by the CFPB; redact any information exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act; consult with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Justice (DOJ); and study the costs and impacts of the guidance to consumers and women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt aircraft management services from the excise tax on transportation of persons and property. Defines "aircraft management services" as scheduling, flight planning, weather forecasting, operation of flights, obtaining insurance, maintenance, storage and fueling of aircraft, hiring, training and provision of pilots and crew, establishing and complying with safety standards, and such other services necessary to support flights.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Condemns: (1) all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred or violent attacks as an acceptable expression of disapproval over political events, and (2) the comparison of Israel to Nazis perpetrating a Holocaust or genocide. Applauds those foreign leaders, especially in France, Italy, and Germany, who have condemned anti-Semitic acts, and calls on those who have yet to take firm action against anti-Semitism in their countries to do so. Reaffirms support for the mandate of the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. Supports Holocaust educational programs at home and abroad. Urges the Secretary of State to: maintain the fight against anti-Semitism as a U.S. foreign policy priority, urge governments to ensure that adequate laws are in place to punish anti-Semitic violence and hate crimes as well as establish mechanisms to investigate and punish perpetrators, continue U.S. reporting on anti-Semitism as a human rights and religious freedom issue, provide training for diplomatic and law enforcement personnel posted abroad to report on anti-Semitic incidents, deepen engagement with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and support its specialized efforts to monitor and address anti-Semitism, and oppose efforts to prevent any individual from exercising his or her religion without fear of prosecution or violence.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2014
Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Muslim Brotherhood has met the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization, and (2) the Secretary of State should so designate it. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress the reasons why if he does not designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization within 60 days. Directs the President to subject to sanctions any person in the United States or subject to U.S. jurisdiction who knowingly provides material support or resources to the Muslim Brotherhood or its affiliates, associated groups, or agents. Prohibits the Secretary from issuing any visa to, and directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to deny U.S. entry to, any member or representative of the Muslim Brotherhood or its affiliates, associated groups, or agents. Requires any U.S. financial institution that knowingly has possession of or control over funds in which the Muslim Brotherhood or its affiliates, associated groups, or agents have an interest to: (1) retain possession of or control over the funds, and (2) report the funds to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2014
Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2014 - Amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to direct the Secretary of State to negotiate agreements between the United States and other countries for the repatriation of children. Requires that such agreements protect children from severe forms of trafficking in persons and provide for their safe removal and repatriation. (Current law provides separate procedures for unaccompanied alien children from countries that are or are not contiguous to the United States.) Subjects all children who do not make a claim of asylum or fear of persecution to initial screening and expedited removal. (Maintains the exception for Cuban children arriving by air.) Prohibits the government from bearing any expense of counsel for any person in a removal or related appeal proceedings. Adds an additional requirement in order to establish a credible fear of persecution claim in an asylum interview. Limits humanitarian and public interest parole authority. Prohibits the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) from using parole authority for an alien who is ineligible for refugee status. Authorizes the DHS Secretary to designate groups as criminal street gangs. Requires detention for anyone found inadmissible or deportable for criminal street gang membership. Bars individuals found inadmissible or deportable for such membership from asylum, temporary protected status, or special immigrant juvenile status. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to revise the definition of "unaccompanied alien child." Prohibits an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) from applying for asylum if such child: (1) may be removed to a safe third country, or (2) has not applied for asylum within one year after arrival in the United States. Provides for additional immigration judges and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attorneys. National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) from restricting specified U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activities on federal land within 100 miles of an international land border to: (1) execute search and rescue operations, and (2) prevent unlawful U.S. entries through the international land borders of the United States. Directs the Secretary of State to suspend all foreign assistance to certain countries that refuse to: (1) negotiate a child repatriation agreement, or (2) accept from the United States repatriated unaccompanied alien children who are nationals or residents of the sending country. Permits the use of foreign assistance for repatriation and reintegration purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2014
Transparent Report of Alien Children's Safety Act of 2014 - Directs the Attorney General to report monthly to Congress through March 30, 2017, on: the number of aliens unlawfully present in the United States who have appeared before an immigration judge pursuant to removal proceedings; a state-by-state breakdown of the number of aliens unlawfully present in the United States who have appeared before an immigration judge for removal proceedings, who, in the case of unaccompanied alien children, have been placed in each state pending such proceedings, who have failed to appear after receiving written notice of a required appearance at such proceedings, and who are under 18 years old and have failed to appear after receiving written notice of a required appearance at such proceedings; and a state-by-state breakdown of the number of aliens unlawfully present in the United States who have failed to appear after receiving written notice of a required appearance at such proceedings, and who have failed to make two or more such appearances.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2014
Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014 - Prohibits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from: developing, finalizing, adopting, implementing, applying, administering, or enforcing the proposed rule entitled, "Definition of 'Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act," issued on April 21, 2014, or the proposed guidance entitled, "Guidance on Identifying Waters Protected By the Clean Water Act," dated February 17, 2012; or using the proposed rule or proposed guidance, any successor document, or any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance as the basis for any rulemaking or decision regarding the scope or enforcement of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act). Requires the Army Corps and the EPA to withdraw the interpretive rule entitled, "Notice of Availability Regarding the Exemption from Permitting Under Section 404(f)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act to Certain Agricultural Conservation Practices," issued on April 21, 2014. Requires the Army Corps and the EPA to consult with relevant state and local officials to develop recommendations for a regulatory proposal that would identify the scope of waters covered under the Clean Water Act and the scope of waters not covered.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2014
Agricultural Conservation Flexibility Act of 2014 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw the interpretive rule issued on March 25, 2014, entitled, "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of the Army Interpretive Rule Regarding the Applicability of the Clean Water Act Section 404(f)(1)(A)." Prohibits the Corps and the EPA from using the interpretive rule, or any substantially similar rule or guidance, as the basis for any rulemaking, decision, or action regarding the scope or enforcement of the Clean Water Act. Provides that the use of rule or a substantially similar rule or guidance as the basis for any rule, decision, or action is grounds for vacating the rule, decision, or action. Requires soil and water conservation practices to be treated as normal farming, silviculture, and ranching activities under permits for non-prohibited discharges of dredged or fill material. Prohibits such practices from being treated as a new use of an area of navigable waters, an impairment of the flow or circulation of navigable waters, or a reduction in the reach of such waters under those permits. Applies this Act to activities occurring on or after March 25, 2014.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2014
Condemns the kidnapping and murder of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach by terrorists associated with Hamas and the murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir by extremists. Commends Israeli authorities for acting swiftly to apprehend the killers of Mohammed Abu Khdeir and expects that the murderers will be punished to the full extent of the law. Calls on the Hamas-backed Palestinian Authority (PA) to cooperate with the Israeli government to apprehend the murderers of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach and bring them to justice. Calls on Hamas to halt its attacks on Israel and stop provoking Israel into a conflict. Urges the PA to sever ties with Hamas until it recognizes Israel's right to exist and renounces terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2014
Reaffirms the support of the House of Representatives for Israel's right to defend itself and its citizens. Condemns the unprovoked rocket fire at Israel and calls on Hamas to cease all rocket and other attacks against Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2014
Justina's Law - Prohibits the use of federal funds to conduct or support treatment or research involving a ward of the state in which the individual's health is subjected to greater than minimal risk with no or minimal prospect of direct benefit.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2014
Commonsense Legislative Exceptional Events Reforms Act of 2014 - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the requirements for regulations that govern the review and handling of air quality monitoring data influenced by exceptional events. (The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] may exclude monitored exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards from consideration when designating an area as nonattainment, redesignating an area as nonattainment, or reclassifying an existing nonattainment area to a higher classification if a state demonstrates that an exceptional event caused the exceedances.) Requires the criteria used to determine if an exceptional event was demonstrated to be specific in order to minimize the discretion of the EPA in approving or disapproving the demonstration. Requires the EPA to make a determination within 90 days after the submission of a petition by a state of an exceptional event demonstration. Considers the demonstration approved if the EPA does not make a determination by that deadline. Requires a determination to be based on a preponderance of the evidence and to accord substantial deference to the findings of the state exceptional event demonstration. Establishes an appeal process for reviewing a disapproval of a demonstration.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2014
Condemns and disapproves of the Obama administration's failure to comply with the lawful 30-day statutory reporting requirement in releasing the five senior Taliban members from detention at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Expresses concern over: (1) national security implications that may arise from the Taliban members' release; and (2) the repercussions of negotiating with terrorists, and the risk that such negotiations may further encourage hostilities and the abduction of Americans. Stipulates that further violations of appropriate law are unacceptable. Declares misgivings about the prospect of any similar transfers from Guantanamo, even if undertaken pursuant to statutory requirements. States that the Obama administration's release of the five detainees has burdened unnecessarily the trust in the administration's commitment and ability to work with the legislative branch, and therefore works against the best interest of the people of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2014
Guantanamo Bay Detainee Transfer Suspension Act of 2014 - Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds to transfer or release any covered detainee at the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Guantanamo) to the custody or control of such individual's country of origin, any other foreign country, or any other foreign entity until the earlier of 90 days after the submittal to Congress of a report required by this Act or 180 days after this Act's enactment, except pursuant to an order issued by a court or competent tribunal of the United States having lawful jurisdiction. Makes a U.S. officer or employee liable in his or her individual capacity for a civil penalty of $10,000 for each covered detainee transferred or released in violation of such prohibition. Prohibits the U.S. government from providing representation to, or retaining or reimbursing private counsel for the representation of, such officer or employee. Authorizes a person to bring a civil action for a violation of such prohibition in the name of the government, subject to specified requirements. Requires the Secretary to submit a report regarding the risk that the five detainees transferred from Guantanamo to Qatar on May 31, 2014, would reengage in terrorist activity after transfer. Prohibits the transfer or release of a covered detainee from Guantanamo to a foreign country without the President's express written authorization. Defines a "covered detainee" as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who: (1) is not a U.S. citizen or a member of the U.S. Armed Forces; (2) is or was held on January 20, 2009, at Guantanamo by the Department of Defense (DOD); and (3) is held as of the date of enactment of this Act at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2014
Regulatory Agency Demilitarization Act - Prohibits a federal agency from purchasing or using a firearm. Excludes the Departments of Defense (DOD), Justice (DOJ), and Homeland Security (DHS), the military departments, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the U.S. Capitol Police, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Directs the Comptroller General to submit a report to Congress annually that includes: information regarding each federal agency that has specialized units that receive special tactical or military-style training or use hard-plated body armor, shields, or helmets and that respond to high-risk situations that fall outside the capabilities of regular law enforcement officers; a description of each such unit; a description of the training and weapons of each such unit; the criteria for activating each such unit and how often each such unit was activated for each of the previous ten years; the annual cost of equipping and operating each such unit; and any other information that is relevant to understanding the usefulness and justification for the units. Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to repeal provisions authorizing law enforcement powers for an Inspector General, any Assistant Inspector General for Investigations under an Inspector General, and any special agent supervised by such an Assistant Inspector General.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the government of Mexico should release U.S. Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi and provide for his return to the United States so he can receive appropriate medical assistance, and (2) the President should utilize the full powers and authorities of his office to secure Sgt. Tahmooressi's release.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2014
Reaffirms the commitment of the House of Representatives to the First Amendment to the Constitution, as written, and the protections it affords to the American people that are vital to the nation's democracy.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: students and families should maintain the right and responsibility of determining where to enroll for postsecondary education; the federal government, in conjunction with states and accreditors, has a responsibility and the tools to ensure that the significant taxpayer funds that are invested in student aid each year are appropriately spent; the federal government could play a positive role in making information regarding postsecondary education available to prospective students; the Administration should work collaboratively with the higher education community to make that information more consumer friendly and accessible to students and their families; and the Administration's proposal to rate postsecondary institutions through an oversimplified federal rating system will lead to less choice, diversity, and innovation and should be rejected.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2014
Protection and Accountability Regulatory Act of 2014 - Nullifies the following proposed rules of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): (1) Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, (2) Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, and (3) Carbon Pollution Standards for Modified and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units. Prohibits the Administrator of the EPA from issuing or implementing for five years any rule that is substantially similar to the proposed rules unless a federal law is enacted specifically authorizing such a rule.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2014
Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into contracts with such non-VA facilities as may be necessary to furnish hospital care and medical services to veterans who: have waited longer than the wait-time goals of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) (as of June 1, 2014) for an appointment for hospital care or medical services in a VA facility; have been notified by a VA facility that an appointment for hospital care or medical services is not available within such wait-time goals; or reside more than 40 miles from the VA medical facility, including a community-based outpatient clinic, that is closest to their residence. Allows eligible veterans who opt for hospital care or medical services in a non-VA facility to receive such care or services through the completion of the episode of care, but for no longer than 60 days. Directs the Secretary, to the extent that appropriations are available to the VHA for medical services, to reimburse non-VA facilities with which the VA does not have such a contract for providing hospital care and medical services to such veterans, if such care and services cannot be provided within the VHA's wait-time goals in a facility with which the VA has a contract. Sets the reimbursement rate for such care or services at the greatest of the VA, Medicare, or TRICARE (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed care program) payment rate for such care or services. Terminates the Secretary's authority to contract with or reimburse non-VA facilities for the provision of such care and services two years after this Act's enactment. Directs the Secretary to enter into a contract or contracts with a private entity or entities with experience in VHA and private delivery systems and in health care management to conduct an independent assessment of the hospital care and medical services furnished in VA facilities. Prohibits the Secretary from paying awards and bonuses to VA employees for FY2014-FY2016.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2014
Clean Air Fairness Act of 2014 - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise provisions concerning implementation plans for national primary and secondary ambient air quality standards. Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from promulgating a federal implementation plan for a state related to national ambient air quality standards until the EPA: (1) promulgates a final rule identifying the emission reductions necessary to meet interstate transport of air emissions requirements, and (2) provides states at least two years to revise their state implementation plans (SIPs). (A federal implementation plan is created due to the failure of an SIP to contain adequate provisions prohibiting emissions activity which will contribute significantly to nonattainment in, or interfere with maintenance by, another state with any national ambient air quality standard.) Prohibits a state from being subjected to penalties for an inadequate SIP until these conditions are met. Prohibits the EPA from promulgating, implementing, or enforcing a federal implementation plan due to the failure of an SIP to comply with the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule unless the EPA: (1) takes into consideration the Supreme Court's decision in Environmental Protection Agency et al. v. EME Homer City Generation, L.P., et al. , (2) publishes a final notice indicating the EPA's intent to enforce the rule , and (3) provides states with at least two years from the publication date to revise their SIPs. Prohibits a state from being subject to penalties for the failure of a SIP to comply with the rule until these conditions are met.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2014
Promoting New Manufacturing Act - Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish on its website: the total number of preconstruction permits issued annually under the Clean Air Act's New Source Review Program for the construction or modification of a major emitting facility or major stationary source (any stationary facility or source of air pollutants which directly emits, or has the potential to emit, 100 tons per year or more of any air pollutant); the percentage of permits issued within one year of the application; and the average length of time for the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board to decide appeals of decisions to grant or deny a permit. Requires the EPA to publish concurrently regulations and guidance for implementing any final rule establishing or revising a national ambient air quality (NAAQ) standard. Prohibits a NAAQ standard from applying to the review and disposition of a permit application until the EPA has met this requirement. Requires the EPA to submit annually a report on actions to expedite the process for review of preconstruction permits.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2014
Empower Employees Act - Prohibits federal agencies, including executive, legislative, and judicial agencies, the United States Postal Service (USPO), the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), and the government of the District of Columbia, from deducting labor organization fees from the salaries of their employees.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2014
Modifies the definition of "antique firearm" under the federal criminal code and the Internal Revenue Code to cover any firearm manufactured in or before the calendar year that is 100 years before the year in which a determination is made as to whether the firearm is an antique firearm (currently, any firearm manufactured in or before 1898).
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2014
Condemns the charge of apostasy and adultery of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag in Sudan and her sentence of 100 lashes and the death penalty. Calls for the release from prison of Ibrahim, her 20-month-old son, and newborn daughter. Urges the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize granting Ibrahim asylum or refugee status. Encourages U.S. efforts to support religious freedom within Sudan, including by requiring before normalizing relations or lifting certain sanctions that Sudan abide by international standards of freedom of religion or belief. Recognizes that every individual should have the opportunity to practice his or her religion without fear of discrimination. Reaffirms the commitment of the United State to end religious discrimination and to pursue policies that guarantee the basic human rights of all individuals. Encourages the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue their support for religious freedom initiatives.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2014
Every Child is a Blessing Act of 2014 - Prohibits recovery of damages in certain civil actions based on a claim that, but for the conduct of the defendant, a child, once conceived, would not or should not have been born. Makes such prohibition applicable to claims based on a child's disability, defect, abnormality, race, sex, or other inborn characteristic. Bars such prohibition from being construed to: (1) provide a defense against charges of intentional misrepresentation in state proceedings regulating the professional practices of health care providers and practitioners; (2) provide a defense in any criminal action, including cases of rape or incest; or (3) limit damages in cases where the conduct of the defendant caused personal injury or death to the child or gestational mother.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2014
Affirms that all children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent family. Recognizes the importance of ensuring that international adoptions of all children are conducted in an ethical and transparent manner. Expresses concern over the impact on children and families caused by the suspension of exit permit issuance within the Democratic Republic of Congo. Requests that the Congolese government resume processing adoption cases and issuing exit permits, prioritize the processing of intercountry adoptions which were initiated before the suspension, and expedite the adoption processing of medically fragile children. Encourages continued cooperation between the Department of State and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve the intercountry adoption process and ensure the welfare of all children adopted from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2014
Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2014 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and oversee a National Autism Spectrum Disorder Initiative to implement a strategic plan for the conduct and support of research into the disorder and minimize duplication by HHS programs of other federal research activities. Extends through FY2019: (1) the developmental disabilities surveillance and research program; (2) the autism education, early detection, and intervention program; and (3) the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Adds members appointed by the Speaker and the minority leader of the House of Representatives, and the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to study the demographics and needs of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, make policy recommendations, and include a survey of public and private stakeholders on the needs of adults with such a disorder, the services and resources available, and the effectiveness of the services and resources.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2014
Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act of 2014 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make the following entities, programs, and courses eligible for funding under title IV if they are accredited by an authorized accreditation authority in a state that has an alternative accreditation agreement with the Secretary of Education: institutions that provide postsecondary courses; postsecondary apprenticeship programs; and postsecondary education courses or programs provided by institutions of postsecondary education, nonprofit organizations, or for-profit organizations or businesses. Lists the items to be included in a state's alternative accreditation agreement with the Secretary, including the standards those entities, programs, and courses must meet to receive and maintain their accreditation. Requires that agreement to include the state's assurance that only entities, programs, and courses that provide credits toward a postsecondary certification, credential, or degree (as defined by the state in the agreement) will be accredited. Establishes the formula for determining the administrative cost allowance for: (1) the entities, programs, and courses that are accredited through the alternative accreditation system and that administer the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant programs in accordance with the agreement; and (2) states that will administer those programs for such entities, programs, and courses in accordance with the agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2014
Authorizes the President to use all necessary force against those nations, organizations, or persons that planned, authorized, committed, or aided the September 11, 2012, terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by them.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2014
Reaffirms that it is U.S. policy to support the Republic of Moldova's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. Supports the Strategic Dialogue as a means to strengthen relations between the Republic of Moldova and the United States and enhance the democratic, economic, rule of law, and security reforms being implemented by the Republic of Moldova. Encourages the President and the Department of State to enhance U.S. cooperation with the government of Moldova and civil society organizations. Affirms the Republic of Moldova's sovereign right to determine its own partnerships free of external coercion and affirms Moldova's right to associate with the European Union (EU) or any regional organization. Calls upon the Government of Russia to: (1) withdraw its military forces from within the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Moldova, (2) refrain from economic threats, and (3) cease actions that support separatist movements in Moldova. Supports confidence-building measures between the government of Moldova and the authorities in the Transnistria region in order to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Affirms that lasting stability and security in Europe is a key U.S. priority that can only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all European countries is respected.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2014
Marks the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education , which signaled the end of state-sanctioned segregation of schools in the United States, so that it is unlawful to deny access to public facilities on the basis of race.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2014
Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish premarket notification requirements for a bioengineered organism intended for a food use or application. Defines “bioengineered organism” to mean a plant or any part of a plant which contains genetic material that has been modified through in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques when such modification could not otherwise be obtained using conventional breeding techniques. Sets forth exceptions if: (1) the bioengineered organism is used for development or testing conducted to generate data and information that could be used in a premarket biotechnology notification or other regulatory submission; (2) a processing aid or enzyme produced from the bioengineered organism is intended to be used to produce food; or (3) food produced from, containing, or consisting of the bioengineered organism is intended to be fed to an animal from which food is intended to be produced or derived. Directs the developer of a bioengineered organism to submit a premarket biotechnology notification to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) at least 210 days before the organism is first introduced into interstate commerce for a food use or application. Requires such notification to include: (1) the basis for the determination that food produced from, containing, or consisting of that bioengineered organism is as safe for use by humans or animals as comparable marketed foods without the bioengineered organism, and (2) whether any other federal agency is conducting or has conducted any review of the bioengineered organism and the status or conclusions of any such review. Requires the Secretary to determine whether such food is as safe as food made without the bioengineered organism. Requires public disclosure of the premarket notification. Authorizes the Secretary to require the label of such food to disclose a material difference between food produced from, containing, or consisting of a bioengineered organism and its comparable marketed food, as necessary to protect health and safety or to prevent the label or labeling of such food from being false or misleading. Makes these requirements applicable 30 days after enactment of this Act, regardless of whether relevant regulations or guidance have been finalized or issued. Preempts any state or local requirement respecting a bioengineered organism intended for a food use or application, or food produced from, containing, or consisting of a bioengineered organism. Sets forth standards for any food label that contains claims that bioengineering was or was not used in the production of the food. Preempts any state and local labeling requirements with respect to bioengineered food. Requires the Secretary to issue regulations setting standards for a natural claim on food labels. Preempts any state or local regulations that are not identical to the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2014
Recognizes the 63rd annual observance of the National Day of Prayer. Encourages people of the United States to pray together and reaffirm the importance of prayer in the nation's heritage. Expresses support for the continued annual recognition of such Day.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2014
Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014 - States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) prevent Hezbollah's global logistics and financial network from operating in order to curtail funding of its domestic and international activities; and (2) utilize diplomatic, legislative, and executive avenues to combat Hezbollah's criminal activities in order to block that organization's ability to fund its global terrorist activities. Directs the President to report to Congress: (1) a list of satellite, broadcast, or other providers that knowingly transmit the content of al-Manar TV; and (2) the identity of those providers that have or have not been sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13224. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly: (1) facilitates the activities of Hezbollah or its agents, instrumentalities, affiliates, or successors; (2) facilitates the activities of a person acting on behalf of or owned or controlled by an agent, instrumentality, affiliate, or successor; (3) engages in money laundering to carry out such an activity; (4) facilitates a significant transaction or provides significant financial services to carry out such an activity, including services that involve a transaction of gold, silver, platinum, or other precious metals; or (5) facilitates any of these activities, conspires to facilitate or participate in such an activity, or is owned or controlled by a foreign financial institution that knowingly engages in such an activity. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe reporting, information sharing, and due diligence requirements for domestic financial institutions that maintain a correspondent account or payable-through account in the United States for a foreign financial institution. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such requirements if in the U.S. national security interests, and with congressional notification. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to identify to Congress every 180 days each foreign central bank that carries out an activity prohibited under this Act. Sets forth penalty requirements for specified violations under this Act. Directs the President to designate Hezbollah as: (1) a significant foreign narcotics trafficker if Hezbollah meets meets the criteria set forth under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, and (2) a significant transnational criminal organization if Hezbollah meets the criteria set forth under specified executive orders and statutes. Requires the President to report to Congress which of these criteria the President determines that Hezbollah has not met, if it does not. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress regarding Hezbollah's involvement in the trade in rough diamonds outside of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme. Declares that nothing in this Act shall apply to authorized U.S. intelligence activities. States that any requirement of this Act shall cease to be in effect 30 days after the President certifies to Congress that Hezbollah: (1) is no longer designated as a foreign terrorist organization; (2) is no longer listed in the Annex to Executive Order 13224 (blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit or support terrorism); and (3) poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies.
![Official portrait of Rep. Pompeo, Mike [R-KS-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000602_200.jpg)