United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2016
Preventing Investment in Terrorist Regimes Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the rules that apply to income derived from foreign countries designated as sponsors of international terrorism or with whom the United States does not have diplomatic relations. The bill: (1) disallows a foreign tax credit for taxes paid to any country on income derived from one of the countries subject to the rules, (2) denies a deduction for the disallowed foreign tax credits, (3) doubles the tax rate on income derived from the countries subject to the rules, (4) and expands the definition of income derived from the countries. The bill also eliminates the authority of the President to waive the denial of foreign tax credits with respect to taxes paid or accrued to a country that the Department of State has designated as a foreign country that repeatedly provides support for international terrorism. (Under current law, a waiver is permitted if the President determines that it is in the national interest of the United States and will expand trade and investment opportunities for U.S. companies in the country.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2016
Honoring Hometown Heroes Act This bill authorizes the governor of a state, territory, or possession of the United States or the Mayor of the District of Columbia to proclaim that the U.S. flag shall be flown at half-staff in the event of the death of a first responder (public safety officer) working in such jurisdiction who dies while serving in the line of duty.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2016
Family First Prevention Services Act of 2016 This bill amends Part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct) regarding: (1) mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services and in-home parenting skill-based programs, (2) foster care maintenance payments for children with parents in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse, and (3) payments for evidence-based kinship navigator programs. Part B (Child and Welfare Services) of SSAct title IV is amended regarding: (1) time limits for family reunification services for children in foster care or returning home, (2) grants for the development of an electronic interstate case-processing system to expedite the interstate placement of children in foster care or guardianship or for adoption, and (3) targeted grants to increase the well-being of children affected by substance abuse. The Department of Health and Human Services shall identify reputable model standards for the licensing of foster family homes. SSAct title IV part B is amended regarding tracking and preventing child maltreatment. SSAct title IV part E is amended regarding: (1) kinship guardianship assistance and prevention services, (2) foster care maintenance payments program and limited federal financial participation, and (3) assessment and judicial documentation of the need for placement of a child in a qualified residential treatment program. SSAct title IV part B is amended regarding procedures and protocols a state has established to ensure that children in foster care placements are not inappropriately diagnosed with mental illness, other emotional or behavioral disorders, medically fragile conditions, or developmental disabilities, and as a result placed in settings that are not foster family homes. SSAct title IV part E is amended regarding children in foster care who have been placed in a child care institution or other setting that is not a foster family home. SSAct title IV part B to reauthorize through FY2021: (1) the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program, (2) promotion of safe and stable families programs, (3) funding reservations for monthly caseworker visits and regional partnership grants, and (4) funding for state courts. SSAct title IV part E is amended to: (1) revise the John H. Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program and related programs, and (2) reauthorize the adoption and legal guardianship incentive programs through FY2021. SSAct title IV part B is amended to delay the adoption assistance phase-in. The Government Accountability Office shall study the extent to which states comply with certain SSAct requirements relating to the effects of phasing out the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program income eligibility requirements for adoption assistance payments.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Small Business Health Care Relief Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and other laws to exempt qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) from certain requirements that apply to group health plans. A qualified small employer HRA is offered by employers that have fewer than 50 full-time employees and do not offer group health plans to any of their employees. A qualified small employer HRA must: be provided on the same terms to all eligible employees of the employer; be funded solely by the employer without salary reduction contributions; provide, after an employee provides proof of coverage, for the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses of the employee and family members; and limit annual payments and reimbursements to specified dollar amounts. HRAs that meet these requirements are not considered group health plans and are exempt from various requirements that apply to group health plans, including coverage and cost-sharing requirements. (Under current law, employers that sponsor group health plans that do not meet specified requirements are subject to an excise tax.) Coverage and payments under a qualified HRA are excluded from gross income, unless the employee does not have minimum essential coverage for the month in which the medical care was provided. Employers offering a qualified HRA must notify employees in advance regarding permitted benefits and report benefit information on W-2 forms and to health exchanges. The bill sets forth requirements for determining whether an employee covered under an HRA is also eligible for premium subsidies under PPACA.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Reform Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make certain amounts in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund available, without appropriation, for expenditures to pay: 100% of the eligible operations and maintenance costs of specified portions of the Saint Lawrence Seaway as well as those assigned to commercial navigation of all U.S. harbors and inland harbors; rebates of certain tolls or charges on the Seaway; and all expenses of administration relating to harbor maintenance tax incurred by the Department of the Treasury, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Commerce. The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 is amended to: require allocation to certain donor ports and energy transfer ports of at least 20% of amounts made available each fiscal year from the Trust Fund, and authorize the Department of the Army to make the allocations equally between these kinds of ports. A "donor port" is a port, subject to the harbor maintenance fee, located in a state in which more than 2 million cargo containers were unloaded from or loaded on to vessels in FY2012, whose total amount of collected harbor maintenance taxes comes to less than $15 million annually, and which received less than 25% of the total amount of harbor maintenance taxes collected at that port in the previous five fiscal years. An "energy transfer port" is one, also subject to the harbor maintenance fee, through which more than 40 million tons of cargo were transported in FY2012, and at which energy commodities constituted more than 25% of all commercial activity by tonnage in that fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2016
Daniel J. Evans Olympic National Park Wilderness Act This bill amends the Washington Park Wilderness Act of 1988 to redesignate the Olympic Wilderness as the "Daniel J. Evans Wilderness."
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Air Traffic Controller Hiring Improvement Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing air traffic controllers, to give preferential consideration to qualified individuals maintaining 52 consecutive weeks of experience involving the active separation of air traffic after receipt of an air traffic certification or facility rating within 5 years of application while serving at an FAA air traffic control facility, a civilian or military air traffic control facility of the Department of Defense, or a tower operating under contract with the FAA. The FAA shall consider additional applicants by referring an approximately equal number of employees for appointment among two applicant pools. The number referred from each group shall not differ by more than 10%. Pool one shall consist of applicants who: have successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program and have received an appropriate recommendation or endorsement from such institution, are eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment and provide a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty within 120 days of the announcement closing, are veterans eligible for veterans' benefits who maintain aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience, or are preference eligible veterans. Pool two shall consist of applicants who apply under a vacancy announcement recruiting from all U.S. citizens. The FAA: (1) may not use a biographical assessment when hiring, (2) must provide an individual who applied in response to a specified 2014 vacancy announcement and was disqualified as the result of a biographical assessment an opportunity to reapply under the revised hiring practices, and (3) must waive any maximum age limit for such reapplying applicants who met such requirement when they applied under such announcement. Otherwise, the maximum age limit for an original appointment as an air traffic controller under this bill shall be 35 years of age. The FAA shall consider directly notifying secondary schools and institutes of higher learning of a vacancy announcement for pool one applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Dust Off Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the presentation of a single gold medal in honor of the Dust Off crews (helicopter air ambulance crews) of the Vietnam War in recognition of their heroic military service. It is the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should also make such medal available for display elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations associated with the Vietnam War, and that preference should be given to locations affiliated with the Smithsonian.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Housing for Homeless Students Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to qualify low-income building units that provide housing for homeless students and veterans who are full-time students for the low-income housing tax credit. To qualify for the credit, the student must have been a homeless child or youth during any portion of the seven-year period prior to occupying the housing unit and the veteran must have been homeless for a similar five-year period.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2016
Stop Taxing Death and Disability Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of an individual the discharge of student loans or private education loans due to the death or disability of the student. The bill also amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Department of Education (ED) to discharge the liability on loans that parents received on behalf of a student who: (1) has become permanently and totally disabled, or (2) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to a physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or has lasted or is expected to last continuously for at least 60 months. (Under current law, ED is required to discharge the loans to parents if the student dies.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2016
Legacy IRA Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax exclusion for distributions from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for charitable purposes. The bill increases from $100,000 to $400,000 the annual limit on the aggregate amount of distributions for charitable purposes that may be excluded from the gross income of a taxpayer. The bill permits tax-free distributions from IRAs to a split-interest entity until December 31, 2020. A split-interest entity is exclusively funded by charitable distributions and includes: a charitable remainder annuity trust, a charitable remainder unitrust, or a charitable gift annuity. A charitable gift annuity must commence fixed payments of at least 5% no later than one year from the date of funding. A distribution to a split-interest entity may only be treated as a qualified charitable distribution if: (1) no person holds an income interest in the entity other than the individual for whose benefit the account is maintained, the spouse of such individual, or both; and (2) the income interest in the entity is nonassignable. The bill limits the exclusion annually to: $100,000 for distributions to charitable organizations, and $400,000 for distributions to split-interest entities. Tax-free distributions to a split-interest entity may be made when the account beneficiary attains age 65. (Under current law, the beneficiary must attain the age of 70-1/2 for IRA distributions to a charitable organization.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2016
Technologies for Energy Security Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and modify the tax credits for residential energy efficient property and investments in energy property. The bill modifies the tax credit for residential energy efficient property to extend through 2021 the credits for expenditures for fuel cell property, small wind energy property, and geothermal heat pump property. For each extended credit, the bill phases out the current credit rate of 30% of expenditures by reducing it to 26% or 22%, depending on the date that the property is placed in service. The bill extends the tax credit for investments in energy property for the following property with construction that begins before January 1, 2022: fiber-optic solar energy property, fuel cell property, microturbine property, combined heat and power system property, small wind energy property, and thermal energy property. The bill phases out the current credit rate of 30% for investments in fuel cell property, small wind energy property, and fiber-optic solar energy property by reducing it to 26% or 22%, depending on the date that the property is placed in service.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2016
Honoring Emergency Response Officers Benefits Reform Act of 2016 or the HERO Benefits Reform Act of 2016 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to establish, with respect to a public safety officer's death benefits, a rebuttable presumption that: (1) the officer acted properly at the time of injury or death, and (2) specified limitations on the officer's benefits do not apply. The bill also extends such benefits to fire police officers and fire investigators. In addition, with respect to an appeal of a determination to deny such benefits, the bill: (1) specifies that the standard of review shall be de novo (without deference to the determination), and (2) establishes certain exceptions to administrative exhaustion limitations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2016
Probation Officer Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the federal criminal code to authorize a probation officer to arrest a person (i.e., a person other than the probationer) without a warrant if there is probable cause to believe the person forcibly assaulted or obstructed a probation officer engaged in the performance of official duties.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2016
Investing in Opportunity Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the designation of opportunity zones in low-income communities and to provide tax incentives for investments in the zones, including deferring the recognition of capital gains that are reinvested in the zones. Governors may submit nominations for a limited number of opportunity zones to the Department of the Treasury for certification and designation. Governors must give particular consideration to areas that: are currently the focus of mutually reinforcing state, local, or private economic development initiatives to attract investment and foster startup activity; have demonstrated success in geographically targeted development programs such as promise zones, the new markets tax credit, empowerment zones, and renewal communities; and have recently experienced significant layoffs due to business closures or relocations. Treasury must designate zones if a governor fails to submit nominations within a specified period of time. The bill defines opportunity funds as any investment vehicle organized as a corporation or a partnership to invest in opportunity zones that holds at least 90% of its assets in opportunity zone assets. Taxpayers may temporarily defer the recognition of capital gains that are invested in opportunity zones or opportunity funds. Investments that are held for at least five years are eligible for capital gains tax reductions or exemptions, depending on how long the investment is held. Treasury must report to Congress on the opportunity zone incentives enacted in this bill, including an assessment of opportunity fund investments at the national and state levels.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2016
Philanthropic Enterprise Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the holdings of a private foundation in any business enterprise that meet specified requirements relating to exclusive ownership, minimum distribution of net operating income for the charitable purpose (all profits to charity distribution requirement), and independent operation (not controlled by a substantial contributor or family members) from the excise taxes on excess business holdings.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Free File Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to operate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File Program. The program must work with state government agencies to enhance and expand the use of the program, while continuing to: provide free commercial-type online individual income tax preparation and electronic filing services to the lowest 70% of taxpayers by income; provide all taxpayers (regardless of income) with a basic, online electronic fillable forms utility; and work with the private sector to provide the free tax preparation and electronic filing services. Treasury must work with the private sector through the program to identify and implement innovative new program features to improve and simplify the taxpayer's experience with completing and filing individual income tax returns. The IRS and members of the tax software and electronic industry involved in the program must support and promote improvements within the program by mutually testing, piloting, and offering innovative solutions to: simplify the tax system, reduce compliance and reporting burdens, increase tax return accuracy through financial data authentication, strengthen the tax system against fraud through cybersecurity collaboration, avoid duplication, and maximize the use of electronic technology.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 This bill declares the sense of Congress that it should consider a miscellaneous tariff bill. The U.S. International Trade Commission shall: conduct a process, meeting specified requirements, for the submission and consideration of petitions for duty suspensions and reductions; and report to Congress on the effects of duty suspensions and reductions enacted pursuant to this Act on producers, purchasers, and consumers in the United States. The bill prescribes requirements for publication by specified congressional committees of a list of limited tariff benefits contained in a miscellaneous tariff bill.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
Wine Excise Tax Modernization Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify excise taxes and tax credits that apply to wine. The bill expands the small wine producer tax credit to include anyone who produces wine in or imports wine into the United States. It also sets forth: (1) rates for the credit based on the amount of wine which is removed during the year for consumption or sale, and (2) adjustments to the credit for hard cider. The bill increases: (1) the percentage of alcohol by volume limitation for taxation of a still wine, and (2) the carbonation limitation for taxation as still wine. It reduces the excise tax rates on: (1) champagne and other sparkling wines, and (2) artificially carbonated wines.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2016
Protecting Lives Using Surplus Equipment Act of 2016 This bill invalidates any regulation, rule, guidance, recommendation, or policy issued after May 15, 2015, that limits the sale or donation of excess federal property to state and local law enforcement agencies unless enacted by Congress. Additionally, it prohibits the use of federal funds to implement such regulation, rule, guidance, recommendation, or policy. Property that was recalled or seized on or after May 15, 2015, must be returned, replaced, or reissued to the state or local law enforcement agency.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2016
Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase III Act This bill expands the purposes of the Yakima River Basin Water Conservation Program to include: protection, mitigation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife and the recovery and maintenance of self-sustaining harvestable populations of fish and other aquatic life, both anadromous and resident species, in the Yakima River Basin; improving the reliability of municipal, industrial, and domestic water supply and use purposes, especially during drought years; implementation of the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan to realize water savings of not less than 85,000 acre feet; encouraging an increase in the use of water transfers, leasing, markets, and other voluntary transactions among public and private entities to enhance water management in the Yakima River Basin; improving the resilience of the ecosystems, economies, and communities in the Basin as they face drought and other changes; and authorizing and implementing the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan as Phase III of the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project. The bill directs the Conservation Advisory Group to provide recommendations to advance the purposes and programs of the Yakima River Basin Enhancement Project. Water acquisition efforts may continue as needed to provide water to be used by the Yakima Project Manager for instream flow purposes and to allow voluntary water acquisitions to provide improved instream flows for anadromous and resident fish and other aquatic life. The bill modifies authorities for Yakima Basin Water Projects, including for the development of additional storage capacity at Lake Cle Elum and the enhancement of water supplies for Yakima Basin Tributaries. The Yakima Indian Nation is redesignated as the Yakama Nation. The Department of the Interior may conduct studies to evaluate measures to further Yakima Project purposes on tributaries to the Yakima River. The bill directs Interior to: implement the Integrated Plan as Phase III of the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project, subject to feasibility studies, environmental reviews, cost-benefit analyses, and available appropriations; implement an initial development phase of the Integrated Plan and develop plans for the intermediate and final development phases of the Integrated Plan; complete upstream and downstream fish passage facilities at Cle Elum Reservoir and another Yakima Project reservoir; negotiate long-term agreements for a pump plan and associated facilities to access and deliver inactive storage at Kachess Reservoir and a conveyance system to allow water transfers from Keechelus Reservoir to Kachess Reservoir ("K to K Pipeline"); participate in, provide funding for, and accept non-federal financing for water conservation projects intended to conserve 85,000 acre feet of water and for aquifer storage and recovery projects; conduct studies, feasibility analyses and environmental reviews of fish passage, water supply, conservation, habitat restoration projects, and other alternatives for the initial and future phases of the Integrated Plan; coordinate with and assist the state of Washington in implementing a robust water market to enhance water management in the Yakima River Basin; enter into cooperative agreements with, or make grants to, the Yakama Nation, the state of Washington, or other entities subject to a 50% non-federal cost-sharing requirement; and retain authority and discretion over the management of project supplies to optimize operational use and flexibility to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and treaty rights of the Yakama Nation. Interior, in conjunction with the state of Washington and in consultation with the Yakama Nation, must report, not later than five years after enactment of this bill, on the development and implementation of the Integrated Plan.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2016
Outdoor Recreation's Economic Contributions Act of 2016 or the Outdoor REC Act of 2016 This bill directs the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce to assess and analyze the outdoor recreation economy of the United States and the effects attributable to it on the overall U.S. economy. In conducting the assessment, the Bureau may consider employment, sales, contributions to travel and tourism, and other appropriate contributing components of the outdoor recreation economy.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Digital Security Commission Act of 2016 This bill establishes in the legislative branch the National Commission on Security and Technology Challenges to assess, and make recommendations for policy and practice concerning, the issue of multiple security interests in the digital world, including public safety, privacy, national security, and communications and data protection, both now and throughout the next 10 years. Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and Senate majority leader (eight members), the minority leaders in the House and the Senate (eight members), and the President (one member) from among U.S. citizens with significant knowledge and primary experience in: cryptography, global commerce and economics, federal law enforcement, state and local law enforcement, the consumer-facing technology sector, the enterprise technology sector, the intelligence community, and the privacy and civil liberties community.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2016
Permits the Congressional Fire Services Institute and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to sponsor the 3rd Annual Fallen Firefighters Congressional Flag Presentation Ceremony as a free public event on the Capitol grounds on September 28, 2016, to honor the firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2015. Authorizes the Capitol Police Board to allow the sponsor, as part of the event, to use traditional, hand-held fire equipment, such as axes and Pulaski tools, and any other fire equipment that the Board determines can be used in a safe manner and will not cause damage to the Capitol grounds or harm to any individual.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise physician supervision requirements under the Medicare program for radiology services performed by advanced level radiographers. Specifically, with respect to a state that has established such requirements for those services, the bill aligns Medicare's requirements with state requirements. An "advanced level radiographer" is a radiographer who has obtained specified certification from either the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists or the Certification Board for Radiology Practitioner Assistants.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act or the BRACE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for railroad track maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
POLICE Act of 2016 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to include participation in active shooter training programs.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2016
This bill makes eligible for TRICARE health care benefits certain National Guard members (and dependents) who are performing disaster response duty, if the performance of such a duty immediately follows a period in which the member served on full-time additional National Guard duty. "Disaster response duty" means duty performed by a member of the National Guard in state status pursuant to an emergency declaration by the state governor (or, for the District of Columbia, by the mayor) in response to a disaster or in preparation for an imminent disaster.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Combating BDS Act of 2016 This bill authorizes a state or local government to adopt and enforce measures to divest its assets from, or prohibit investment of its assets in: (1) an entity that such government determines, using credible information available to the public, engages in a commerce or investment-related boycott, divestment, or sanctions activity targeting Israel; or (2) an entity that owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, such an entity. Such government shall provide written notice to such an entity before applying such a measure. Such a measure by a state or local government is not preempted by any federal law or regulation. The bill applies to measures adopted by a state or local government before, on, or after the date of this Act's enactment. The bill amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to prohibit any person from bringing any civil, criminal, or administrative action against any registered investment company, or any officer or employee thereof, based solely upon such company divesting from, or avoiding investing in, securities issued by persons that such company determines, using credible information available to the public, engage in commerce or investment-related boycotts, divestments, or sanctions activities targeting Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Education for All Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) it is in the U.S. national security interest to promote universal basic education in developing countries; and (2) an educated citizenry contributes to economic growth, strengthened democratic institutions, the empowerment of women and girls, and decreased extremism. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to state that it is U.S. policy to work with foreign countries and international and civil society organizations to achieve sustainable quality universal basic education by: (1) assisting developing countries and nongovernmental and multilateral organizations to provide all children with a quality basic education, and (2) promoting education as the foundation for community development. The President, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), shall develop a comprehensive U.S. strategy to promote quality universal basic education. The President shall give assistance priority to foreign countries in which there is the greatest need and opportunity to expand universal access and to improve learning outcomes, and in which the assistance can produce a substantial, measurable impact on children and educational systems. Priority should also be considered in countries where there are chronically underserved and marginalized populations, or populations affected by conflict or crisis. USAID shall designate a Senior Coordinator of United States Government Actions to Provide Basic Education Assistance, who shall have primary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all U.S. government resources and international activities to promote quality universal basic education.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Modernizing the Interstate Placement of Children in Foster Care Act This bill amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require the procedures a state must have in effect for the orderly and timely interstate placement of children to include a centralized electronic case processing system. Grants are authorized for development of a centralized electronic system to expedite the interstate placement of children in foster care, guardianship, or adoptive homes. Discretionary funding shall be continued through FY2017 to promote safe and stable families. The Department of Health and Human Services shall reserve $5 million of the amount made available for such grants for FY2017, which reserved amount shall remain available through FY2021.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2016
Amplifying Local Efforts to Root out Terror Act of 2016 or the ALERT Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide training at state and major urban area fusion centers for the purpose of administering community awareness briefings and related activities in furtherance of its efforts to counter violent extremism, identify and report suspicious activities, and increase awareness of and more quickly identify terrorism threats, including the travel or attempted travel of individuals from the United States to support a foreign terrorist organization abroad. (A "fusion center" serves as a focal point within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial and private sector partners.) The bill directs DHS to assess its efforts to support countering violent extremism at the state, local, tribal, and territorial levels. Such assessment shall include: a cataloging of DHS efforts to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in countering violent extremism; a review of cooperative agreements between DHS and such governments relating to countering violent extremism; and an evaluation of DHS plans and any potential opportunities to better support such governments that are in furtherance of DHS's countering violent extremism objectives and consistent with all relevant constitutional, legal, and privacy protections. DHS shall notify Congress of the number of employees of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments with security clearances sponsored by DHS, including a detailed list of the agencies that employ such employees, the level of clearance held, and whether such employees are assigned as representatives to state and major urban area fusion centers.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2016
Servicemember Retirement Improvement Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow members of the Ready Reserve of a reserve component of the Armed Forces to make the maximum allowable contribution ($18,000 in 2016) to their Thrift Savings Plans without limiting the amount such members may contribute to a retirement plan based upon other employment. The bill also doubles the maximum allowable contribution amount to the Thrift Savings Plans of federal employees in the Ready Reserve.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Vietnam Helicopter Crew Memorial Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to place in Arlington National Cemetery a memorial honoring helicopter pilots and crew members who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam era.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Strengthening Access to Valuable Education and Retirement Support Act of 2015 or the SAVERS Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the tax on prohibited transactions: (1) the provision of investment advice by a fiduciary to a pension plan, plan participant, or beneficiary which is a best interest recommendation; and (2) any transaction, including a contract for service, between an investment provider and the advice recipient if no more than reasonable compensation is paid for such investment advice and certain disclosures are made with respect to the cost of such advice. For purposes of this bill, "investment advice" is a recommendation that relates to: (1) the advisability of acquiring, holding, disposing, or exchanging any moneys or other property of a pension plan (or Individual Retirement Account) by the plan, plan participants, or plan beneficiaries, including any recommendation regarding whether to take a distribution of benefits from the plan or any recommendation relating to a rollover or distribution from such plan; (2) the management of moneys or other property of the plan, including recommendations relating to the management of plan assets to be rolled over or otherwise distributed from the plan; or (3) the advisability of retaining or ceasing to retain a person who would receive a fee or other compensation for providing investment advice. Investment advice must be rendered pursuant to either: (1) a written acknowledgment that the person is a fiduciary with respect to the provision of the recommendation; or (2) a mutual agreement, arrangement, or understanding that may include limitations on scope, timing, and responsibility to provide ongoing monitoring or advice services. The bill defines "best interest recommendation" as a recommendation: (1) for which no more than reasonable compensation is paid; (2) that is provided by a person acting with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the prevailing circumstances that a prudent person would exercise based on information obtained from an advice recipient; and (3) where the person giving such advice places the interests of the plan or advice recipient above the person's interests. A best interest recommendation may include a recommendation that is based on a limited range of investment options or may result in variable compensation to the person providing the recommendation. The bill prohibits the Department of Labor from amending any rules or administrative positions regarding investment advice promulgated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the prohibited transaction provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, or other Labor regulations, and no such rules or administrative positions promulgated prior to the enactment date of this Act, but not effective on January 1, 2015, may become effective unless a bill or joint resolution specifically approving such rules or positions is enacted not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Affordable Retirement Advice Protection Act This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to define "investment advice," as it relates to fiduciary duties under such Act, as a recommendation that relates to: (1) the advisability of acquiring, holding, disposing, or exchanging any moneys or other property of a pension plan (or Individual Retirement Account) by the plan, plan participants, or plan beneficiaries, including any recommendation regarding whether to take a distribution of benefits from the plan or any recommendation relating to a rollover or distribution from such plan; (2) the management of moneys or other property of the plan, including recommendations relating to the management of plan assets to be rolled over or otherwise distributed from the plan; or (3) the advisability of retaining or ceasing to retain a person who would receive a fee or other compensation for providing investment advice. Investment advice must be rendered pursuant to either: (1) a written acknowledgment of the obligation of the investment advisor to act in accordance with fiduciary standards under ERISA; or (2) a mutual agreement, arrangement, or understanding that may include limitations on scope, timing, and responsibility to provide ongoing monitoring or advice services. The bill allows an exemption from ERISA prohibited transactions rules for investment advice: (1) for which no more than reasonable compensation is paid; or (2) that is based on a limited range of investment options or may result in variable income to the investment advisor if a clearly-stated notice is provided to the advice recipient that the same or similar investments may be available at a greater or lesser cost from other sources. The bill prohibits the Department of Labor from amending any rules or administrative positions regarding investment advice promulgated under ERISA and no such rules or administrative positions promulgated prior to the enactment date of this Act, but not effective on January 1, 2015, may become effective unless a bill or joint resolution specifically approving such rules or positions is enacted not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
Youth Exchange Support Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from $50 to $400 per month the amount of the charitable contribution tax deduction for taxpayers who provide housing and support to a student enrolled in an educational program. This increased amount is adjusted for inflation for taxable years beginning after 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2015
Individual Assistance Improvement Act of 2015 This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to submit to Congress an annual report on recommendations for improving federal assistance for small states and rural areas under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and additional resources required for such improvements. In measuring the severity, magnitude, and impact of a disaster and evaluating the need for assistance to individuals under that Act, FEMA shall not apply, with respect to a rural area, the factor relating to concentration of damages. FEMA shall provide the governor or the chief executive of an Indian tribal government with documentation related to a major disaster declaration decision within 25 days after such individual requests that documentation, including: (1) an analysis of the factors that it considered in making the decision, and (2) its rationale. The Government Accountability Office shall conduct a comprehensive review of: (1) FEMA's damage assessment processes for major disaster declarations, and (2) the teams that carry out such processes. FEMA shall conduct a study, biennially, to: (1) compare the average amount of individual assistance provided per person for each major disaster declared during the five most recently completed fiscal years, the average damages realized per individual for each disaster, and the average damages realized per individual for each event where a request for a major disaster declaration was denied during the five most recently completed fiscal years; and (2) collect the data needed to update a table relating to the average amount of individual assistance by state.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Community-Based Independence for Seniors Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a Community-Based Institutional Special Needs Plan demonstration program through which up to five eligible Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations shall provide home and community-based care to eligible Medicare beneficiaries. For purposes of the demonstration program, an eligible Medicare beneficiary is ineligible for Medicaid and unable to perform two or more activities of daily living. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall establish payment rates for eligible MA plans under the demonstration program. Such payment rates are capped but shall be in addition to payments otherwise made to MA organizations with respect to such plans. CMS shall also: (1) help to educate eligible Medicare beneficiaries on the availability of the program, and (2) provide for program evaluation by an independent third party.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2015
Expresses disfavor regarding Executive Order 13688 (Federal Support for Local Law Enforcement Equipment Acquisition), issued by President Obama on January 16, 2015. (Executive Order 13688 established an interagency working group to recommend improvements to the process through which state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies acquire controlled equipment [e.g., firearms or military-style equipment] from the federal government through excess equipment transfers, asset forfeiture, and grants.)
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2015
This bill makes permanent the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Of the appropriations from the LWCF: (1) at least 40% shall be used collectively for federal purposes for certain land and water acquisitions (as currently); (2) at least 40% shall be used collectively to provide financial assistance to states for LWCF purposes and for outdoor recreation, for the Forest Legacy Program, for cooperative endangered species grants, and for the American Battlefield Protection Program; and (3) at least 1.5% or $10 million, whichever is greater, shall be used for projects that secure recreational public access to federal public land for hunting, fishing, or other recreational purposes. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture shall consider the acquisition of conservation easements and other similar interests in land where it is appropriate and feasible, taking specified considerations into account. The bill establishes a National Park Service Critical Maintenance and Revitalization Conservation Fund in the Treasury for the deposit of specified amounts from revenues due and payable to the United States under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Amounts deposited in the Fund shall: (1) be used only for the high priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service that support critical infrastructure and visitor services, and (2) be available for expenditure only after amounts are appropriated for such purposes. Amounts in the Fund shall not be used for acquiring land.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2015
Bring the Ancient One Home Act of 2015 This bill directs the Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers to transfer the human remains known as Kennewick Man or the Ancient One that are part of archaeological collection number 45BN495 to the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation on the condition that such Department disposes of and repatriates the remains to the Indian tribes and band referred to in the letter from Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt to Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera relating to the human remains, dated September 21, 2000. The Corps of Engineers shall be responsible for any costs associated with the transfer.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2015
Small Businesses Add Value for Employees Act of 2015 or the SAVE Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to employer-established simple individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and pension plans, to: repeal restrictions on rollovers from simple IRAs to qualified retirement plans; allow employers to elect to terminate simple IRAs at any time during the year; repeal the increased 25% penalty on premature distributions from simple IRAs within the first two plan years; allow additional nonelective employer contributions to simple IRAs not exceeding 10% of compensation; establish automatic deferral IRAs to permit the automatic enrollment of employees earning at least $5,000 in a preceding year; establish secure deferral arrangements for automatically enrolling employees at 6% of pay with annual increases; allow small employers a new tax credit for the cost of adopting safe harbor requirements for secure deferral arrangements; allow a transfer of unused benefits in a flexible spending arrangement to a qualified retirement or eligible deferred compensation plan; increase the tax credit for small employer pension plan startup costs; and establish multiple small employer retirement plans that provide for automatic employee contributions. The bill requires: (1) the Department of the Treasury to promulgate regulations regarding the timing of notices to participants in automatic contribution pension plans; (2) the Office of Financial Education of Treasury to develop and implement an outreach plan to educate small businesses on the types and benefits of available retirement plans; (3) Treasury and the Department of Labor to develop recommendations for small businesses to improve retirement outcomes; and (4) Treasury, in consultation with the Department of Education, to develop age-appropriate financial literacy curricula for elementary and secondary schools. The bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to: (1) exempt IRAs that permit payroll deductions from additional pension plan requirements, (2) require disclosures relating to lifetime income from pension plans and annuities, and (3) set forth safe harbor criteria for the selection of an annuity contract and an insurer.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2015
Child Protection Improvements Act of 2015 This bill amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to direct the Department of Justice to: (1) establish policies and procedures to streamline the process of obtaining national criminal history background checks on covered individuals, and (2) establish a criminal history review program to provide covered entities with reliable and accurate information on the criminal history of a covered individual. It defines "covered entity" as any business or organization that provides, or licenses, certifies, or coordinates individuals or organizations to provide care, care placement, supervision, treatment, education, training, instruction, or recreation to vulnerable populations including elderly persons, disabled persons, and children. It defines "covered individual" as an individual who: (1) has, seeks to have, or may have unsupervised access to vulnerable populations served by a covered entity; (2) is employed by or volunteers with, or seeks to be employed by or volunteer with, a covered entity; or (3) owns or operates, or seeks to own or operate, a covered entity.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Ensuring Continued Operations and No Other Major Incidents, Closures, or Slowdowns Act or the ECONOMICS Act This bill amends the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 to direct the President to appoint a board of inquiry within 10 days after any of the following events occur: the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the monthly Import or Export Vessel Value decreased by 20% or more in any one month from the previous month in any one of the four metric identification regions into which each U.S. maritime port shall be classified; a slow-down or a threatened or actual strike or lock-out takes place at four or more port facilities in any one of the four metric identification regions; or a slow-down or a threatened or an actual strike or lock-out occurs in which the total number of employees actively involved at the affected port facilities in any one of the four metric identification regions, is 6,000 or greater. The Department of Transportation shall classify the nation's maritime ports as belonging to one of these four metric identification regions: (1) West Coast, (2) East Coast, (3) Gulf Coast, and (4) Great Lakes. A board of inquiry must report to the President within 10 days after its appointment on whether the slow-down or threatened or actual strike or lock-out contributed to the occurrence of the event. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics shall collect the following data relating to activity at port facilities in the United States: (1) the average number of lifts per hour of containers by crane, (2) the average cargo container dwell time, (3) the average truck times at ports, and (4) the average rail time at ports. The Bureau shall report to Congress recommendations on whether such conditions exist requiring the appointment of such a board.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Office of Strategic Services in recognition of their service and contributions during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Charitable Automobile Red-Tape Simplification Act of 2015 or the CARS Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax deduction for charitable contributions, to modify the substantiation rules for donations of qualified vehicles (i.e., motor vehicles manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways and boats or airplanes) with a claimed value exceeding $500 but not $2,500, to require: (1) a statement with respect to such qualified vehicles and a good faith estimate of their value at the time of donation; and (2) a contemporaneous written acknowledgement of the contribution by the donee organization, with information about the donor and the qualified vehicle.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015
Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for the rehabilitation of buildings and historic structures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit, up to $750,000, for projects with rehabilitation expenditures not exceeding $3.75 million, for which no credit was allowed in either of the 2 prior taxable years (smaller projects); (2) allow the transfer of tax credit amounts for smaller projects; (3) treat a building as substantially rehabilitated if rehabilitation expenditures exceed the greater of 50% of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000 (currently, the greater of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000); (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax; and (5) set forth special rules for the tax treatment of tax-exempt use property and functionally-related historic structures.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015
Stolen Identify [ sic ] Refund Fraud Prevention Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) require returns relating to employee wage statements, payment of wages in the form of group-term life insurance, and any payments required to be reported on Form 1099-MISC with respect to non-employee compensation to be filed on or before February 15 of the year following the calendar year to which such returns relate; (2) require the Department of the Treasury to notify a taxpayer of an unauthorized use of the identity of such taxpayer and any criminal charges relating to such unauthorized use; (3) require a taxpayer identifying number on W-2 forms instead of a Social Security number; and (4) impose a criminal penalty on any person who willfully misappropriates another person's taxpayer identity. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shall: (1) ensure that taxpayers who have been adversely affected by identity theft have a centralized point of contact at the IRS, (2) implement a program to allow a taxpayer who has filed an identity theft affidavit to elect to prevent the processing of any tax return submitted in an electronic format by the taxpayer or a person purporting to be the taxpayer, and (3) report biannually to congressional tax committees on taxpayer identity theft and tax refund fraud and actions taken to combat it. The bill amends the Social Security Act to allow the IRS access to information in the National Directory of New Hires for the sole purpose of identifying and preventing fraudulent tax return filings and claims for tax refunds.
![Official portrait of Rep. Reichert, David G. [R-WA-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/r000578_200.jpg)