United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2015
Safe and Secure Drinking Water Act of 2015 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and publish within 90 days a health advisory including recommendations on: (1) the level of microcystins (toxins produced by freshwater cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae) in drinking water that is safe for human consumption; (2) feasible treatment techniques and other means for achieving a safe level; and (3) standardized procedures for testing for microcystins in drinking water. Until the EPA makes a determination on whether to regulate microcystins in drinking water, it must report on: (1) the status of the determination, (2) the steps taken by the EPA to promote testing of drinking water for microcystins in areas that have been affected by harmful algal blooms, and (3) an analysis of available treatment techniques and other means for addressing microcystins in drinking water. The EPA must submit the report within 120 days and every year thereafter.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2015
Half in Ten Act of 2015 Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services a Federal Interagency Working Group on Reducing Poverty, which shall develop a National Strategy to reduce the number of persons living in poverty in America in half within 10 years after release of the 2014 Census Report on Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2015 This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for FY2016-FY2020. The Initiative must prioritize and carry out programs and projects for Great Lakes protection and restoration, including: (1) the remediation of toxic substances and areas of concern; (2) the prevention and control of invasive species and their impacts; (3) the protection and restoration of near-shore health and the prevention and mitigation of nonpoint source pollution (water pollution that comes from many diffuse sources, such as pollution on the ground picked up by rain or snow); and (4) habitat and wildlife protection and restoration. Funding made available to implement the Initiative may not be used for any water infrastructure activity (other than a green infrastructure project that improves habitat and other ecosystem functions in the Great Lakes) for which funding is made available under the clean water or drinking water state revolving fund program. Federal agencies must maintain the base level of funding for their Great Lakes activities without regard to funding under the Initiative and identify new activities to support the environmental goals of the Initiative.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2015 Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per country numerical limitation for family based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. Amends the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. Sets forth the following transition period for employment-based second and third preference (EB-2 and EB-3) immigrant visas: for FY2015, 15% of such visas allotted to natives of countries other than the two countries with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2011; for FY2016, 10% of such visas allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2012; and for FY2017, 10% of such visas allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2015. Sets forth the following per country distribution rules: (1) for transition period visas, not more than 25% of the total number of EB-2 and EB-3 visas for natives of a single country; and (2) for non-transition period visas, not more than 85% of EB-2 and EB-3 visas for natives of a single country. Provides that the amendments made by this Act will take place as if enacted on September 30, 2014, and shall apply beginning in FY2015.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Keeping Guns from High Risk Individuals Act Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit the sale or other disposition of a firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person: (1) has been convicted of a crime of violence in the previous 10 years; (2) is under age 25 and has been adjudicated as having committed an offense that would have been a crime of violence if committed by an adult; (3) has been convicted on 2 separate occasions in any period of 3 consecutive years in the last 10 of an offense that has the possession or distribution of alcohol or a controlled substance as an element; or (4) has been convicted of stalking. Prohibits any such person from: (1) shipping or transporting in interstate or foreign commerce, or possessing in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition; or (2) receiving any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Firearm Safety Act of 2015 Amends the Consumer Product Safety Act to remove from the definition of "consumer product" the exclusion for any article sold by a manufacturer, producer, or importer that would be subject to a firearms sales tax under the Internal Revenue Code for pistols, revolvers, and other firearms, including shells and cartridges, thereby permitting the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue safety standards for such articles.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Requires the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service to report annually to Congress on the effects of gun violence on public health and the status of actions taken to address those effects.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act or the Small BREW Act Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the rate of the excise tax on beer produced within or imported into the United States for brewers who produce not more than 6 million barrels of beer a year.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2015
Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act or the TIME Act Directs the Secretary of Labor to discontinue issuing to any new profit or non-profit or governmental entity special wage certificates (which permit individuals with disabilities, including individuals employed in agriculture, to be paid at lower than minimum wages). Prescribes requirements for a three-year phase-out of all certificates. Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to repeal authority and requirements for the issuance of such certificates three years after enactment of this Act. Requires revocation of any certificates remaining at that time.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2015
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act or the Clay Hunt SAV Act Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to arrange for an independent third party evaluation, to be conducted by September 30, 2018, and each fiscal year thereafter, of the VA's mental health care and suicide prevention programs. Directs the Secretary to survey the VA's websites and information resources to publish a website that serves as a centralized source to provide veterans with information regarding the VA's mental health care services. Requires the Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to repay the education loans relating to psychiatric medicine that are incurred by individuals who: are eligible to practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or are enrolled in the final year of a residency program leading to a specialty qualification in psychiatric medicine; demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as a psychiatrist in the VHA; and agree to a period of two or more years of obligated service with the VHA in the field of psychiatric medicine. Limits the loan repayment to no more than $30,000 for each year an individual performs such obligated service. Directs the Secretary to establish a three-year pilot program at not less than five Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) to assist veterans transitioning from active duty and to improve the access of veterans to mental health services. Requires the pilot program at each VISN to include: (1) a community oriented veteran peer support network carried out in partnership with an entity that has experience in peer support programs, and (2) a community outreach team for each medical center in such VISN. Authorizes the Secretary to collaborate with nonprofit mental health organizations to prevent suicide among veterans. Requires the Secretary and any such organization to exchange training sessions and best practices. Directs the Secretary to select a VA Director of Suicide Prevention Coordination to undertake any collaboration with nonprofit mental health organizations. Extends for one year combat veterans' eligibility for VA hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for illnesses that have not been medically proven to be attributable to their service, provided they: (1) were discharged or released from active duty between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2011, and (2) did not enroll to receive such care during the five-year period of eligibility following their discharge or release.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2015
Respect for Marriage Act Amends the Defense of Marriage Act to repeal a provision that prohibited a state, territory, possession, or Indian tribe from being required to recognize any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a same sex marriage. Amends the federal rules of construction added by such Act concerning the definitions of "marriage" and "spouse" to provide that, for purposes of any federal law in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered married if that individual's marriage is valid in the state where the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside any state, if the marriage is valid in the place where entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a state. Removes the definition of "spouse" (currently, a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife).
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Veteran's I.D. Card Act Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to issue a veteran's identification card to any veteran who requests such card and is neither entitled to military retired pay nor enrolled in the VA system of patient enrollment. Requires such card, among other things, to: (1) display their name and photograph, and (2) serve as proof that the veteran honorably served in the Armed Forces and has a DD-214 form or other official document in their personnel file that describes their military service. Directs the Secretary to charge a card fee. States that such card shall not serve as proof of entitlement to any benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Close the Floodgates Act Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, to repeal certain limits on separate contributions by persons or multicandidate political committees to political committees of a national political party which are not the authorized political committees of any candidate. Specifies those contributions used to defray expenses for: a presidential nominating convention; the construction, purchase, renovation, operation, and furnishing of party headquarters buildings; and the preparation for and the conduct of election recounts, contests, and other legal proceedings.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to Malala Yousufzai in recognition of her devoted service to education, justice, and equality in Pakistan.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the President should declassify a 28-page section of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 2001, and (2) the families of the victims and the people of the United States deserve answers about the events and circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2014
Guarding Our Great Lakes Act - Requires the Chief of Engineers, the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and each other applicable federal agency to take actions to prevent the transfer of aquatic invasive species, with a focus on Asian carp species, through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Illinois River. Directs the Chief to: (1) construct measures to prevent the upstream transfer of swimming aquatic invasive species through the Lock and Dam; and (2) submit a cost estimate for, and schedule for completion of, measures to be constructed. Requires the Director of the USFWS to implement all appropriate measures in compliance with applicable state and federal law around the Lock and Dam to prevent the upstream and downstream transfer of swimming and floating aquatic invasive species, with a focus on Asian carp species. Authorizes the Chief, the Director of the USFWS, and the Director of the USGS to acquire real estate to carry out this Act. Directs the EPA Administrator, acting through the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, to coordinate with the governor of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to carry out engineering and construction of flood mitigation and water quality measures on the Chicago Area Waterway System related to permanent prevention of the transfer of aquatic nuisance species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. Permits the federal share of the cost of a project to be up to 100%.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2014
Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 - Directs the President to impose three or more specified sanctions against: Rosoboronexport; an entity owned by the government of the Russian Federation or controlled by its nationals that transfers or manufactures or sells defense articles transferred to, Syria or into the territory of a specified country without its government's consent; or a person that knowingly sponsors or provides financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, such an entity. Directs the President to impose three or more specified sanctions against a person that makes a significant investment in a special Russian crude oil project. Authorizes the President to impose additional licensing requirements or other restrictions on the export of items for Russia's energy sector. Directs the President to impose specified sanctions on Gazprom if it is withholding significant natural gas supplies from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries, or further withholds significant natural gas supplies from countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, or Moldova. Sets forth sanctions against a foreign person, including executive officers of an entity, relating to: Export-Import Bank of the United States assistance, executive agency procurement, arms and dual-use item exports, U.S. property transactions, banking transactions, investing in or purchasing equity or debt instruments, and U.S. entry prohibition or visa revocation. Excludes import sanctions from the authority to block and prohibit U.S. property transactions. Authorizes the President to impose a prohibition on the opening, and a prohibition or the imposition of strict conditions on the maintaining, in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly engages in significant transactions involving sanctioned persons. Authorizes the President to provide Ukraine with defense articles, services, and training. Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary) to submit a plan to Congress to meet the need for protection of and assistance for internally displaced persons in Ukraine. Directs the President to use U.S. influence at United Nations (U.N.) voluntary agencies to support assistance for internally displaced persons in Ukraine. Urges the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to assist Ukrainian defense sector entities reorient exports from Russian Federation customers to alternative markets in the Ukrainian defense sector that have already significantly reduced exports to and cooperation with Russian defense sector entities. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to work with Ukrainian officials to develop an emergency energy assistance plan to help Ukraine address the potentially severe heating fuel and electricity shortages facing Ukraine in 2014 and 2015. Directs the Secretary to work with Ukrainian officials to increase energy security by helping Ukraine reduce its dependence on natural gas imported from the Russian Federation. Directs: the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to prioritize support for investments to increase energy efficiency, develop domestic oil and natural gas reserves, and develop renewable energy sources in Ukraine; and the President to use U.S. influence to encourage the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other international financial institutions to invest in and stimulate private investment in such projects. Directs the Secretary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to: (1) strengthen democratic civil society in Ukraine, (2) support independent media outlets, and (3) counter government corruption and improve accountability. Directs the Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors to submit to Congress a plan for increasing and maintaining the quantity of Russian-language broadcasting into the countries of the former Soviet Union in order to counter Russian Federation propaganda. Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve and strengthen democratic institutions and political and civil society organizations in the Russian Federation, and (2) expand uncensored Internet and independent media access. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) hold the Russian Federation accountable for being in violation of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and (2) demand that the Russian Federation eliminate the military systems that constitute such violation. States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as an authorization for the use of military force.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2014
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2014 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for FY2015-FY2019. Requires that the Initiative carry out programs and projects for Great Lakes protection and restoration. Directs the Initiative to prioritize programs and projects, including: (1) the remediation of toxic substances and areas of concern; (2) the prevention and control of invasive species and their impacts; (3) the protection and restoration of near-shore health and the prevention and mitigation of nonpoint source pollution (water pollution that comes from many diffuse sources, such as pollution on the ground picked up by rain or snow); and (4) habitat and wildlife protection and restoration. Prohibits funding made available to implement the Initiative from being used for any water infrastructure activity (other than a green infrastructure project that improves habitat and other ecosystem functions in the Great Lakes) for which funding is made available under the clean water or drinking water state revolving fund program. Requires federal agencies to maintain the base level of funding for their Great Lakes activities without regard to funding under the Initiative and identify new activities to support the environmental goals of the Initiative.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers Act or the Keep Our PACT Act - Appropriates for each of FY2015-FY2024 an amount that equals the difference between: (1) the amount appropriated for FY2015 for school improvement programs under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and (2) a specified amount for the applicable fiscal year or the full amount authorized to be appropriated for such fiscal year for such programs, whichever is higher. Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to reauthorize and make appropriations for the grant program to assist states and outlying areas in providing special education and related services to children with disabilities. Sets the amount to be authorized and the amount to be appropriated for each fiscal year from FY2015-FY2023 as the greater of: (1) a specified amount, or (2) a specified percentage of an amount determined pursuant to a formula that multiplies the number of children receiving special education services by the average per-pupil expenditure in public elementary and secondary schools. Authorizes and appropriates funds for FY2024 and each subsequent fiscal year equal to the greater of a specified amount or 40% of the amount determined using such formula. Requires the amounts appropriated by this Act and its amendments to be expended consistent with pay-as-you-go requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Political Intelligence Transparency Act of 2014 - Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) to require the disclosure of political intelligence activities, particularly relating to information useful for analyzing securities or commodities markets. Requires political intelligence consultants or their employing organizations to register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, and make quarterly reports on political intelligence activities. Requires any person or entity that makes an oral or written political intelligence contact with a covered legislative branch or executive branch official on the official's request to: (1) state whether such person or entity is registered under the LDA, (2) identify the client on behalf of whom the contact is made, and (3) state whether such client is a foreign entity, and make any related disclosures. Amends the federal criminal code to subject to a fine or imprisonment, or both, certain former officers, employees, and elected officials of the executive and legislative branches who knowingly make any communication to or appearance before any officer or employee of a federal or District of Columbia agency or court in violation of certain permanent or temporary restrictions, and with the intent to gain information for use in analyzing securities or commodities markets, or in informing investment decisions in these markets. Excludes from such prohibition any communication made by a representative of a media organization to gather and disseminate news and information to the public.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Bridge to a Clean Energy Future Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2015 the following energy-related tax provisions: the tax credits for residential energy efficiency improvements, alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures, two-wheeled plug-in electric vehicles, second generation biofuel production, biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel mixtures, producing electricity using Indian coal facilities, the construction of energy-efficient new homes, and new qualified fuel cell motor vehicles; the enhanced depreciation allowance for second generation biofuel plant property; the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings; the excise tax credit for alternative fuels and fuels involving liquefied hydrogen; and tax deferral rules for sales or dispositions of qualified electric utilities. Extends through 2016, the tax credit for producing electricity using wind, biomass, geothermal, landfill gas, trash, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy facilities. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a program to consider and award certifications for qualified investments eligible for the advanced energy project tax credit. Limits the amount of credits that may be allocated under such program to not more than $5 billion (the 2013 allocation amount). Authorizes the Secretary to make direct payments to a taxpayer in lieu of a tax credit. Extends the energy tax credit to solar energy, fuel cell, microturbine, combined heath and power system, small wind energy, and thermal energy properties the construction of which begins before January 1, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Creating American Prosperity through Preservation Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax credits for building rehabilitation expenditures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit for projects involving $7.5 million or less in rehabilitation expenditures, (2) provide for an additional 2% credit amount for a building that is a qualified energy efficient rehabilitated building (increased energy efficiency of 30% or more), (3) change the placed-in-service requirement for non-historic rehabilitated buildings from before 1936 to 50 years prior to the year in which qualified rehabilitation expenditures are taken into account, and (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2014
Employee Benefits Protection Act of 2014 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require the mandatory summary description of a group health plan to declare: (1) whether the plan permits either the plan sponsor or any participating employer to unilaterally modify or terminate plan benefits affecting employees, retirees, and beneficiaries; and (2) when and to what extent plan benefits are fully vested with respect to these individuals. Presumes that retiree health benefits cannot be modified or terminated as of the date an employee retires or completes 20 years of service with the employer. Allows this presumption to be overcome only upon a showing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the employee, before becoming a plan participant, was made aware, in clear and unambiguous terms, that the plan allowed for such a modification or termination of benefits. Amends the National Labor Relations Act to make it an unfair labor practice for a labor organization and employer to enter into a contract or agreement to modify a previous agreement in a manner that results in a reduction or termination of retiree health insurance benefits, if the modification occurs after the retiree's retirement date. Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to report to Congress on strategies used by corporations to avoid obligations to pay promised employee and retiree benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2014
Access to Contraception for Women Servicemembers and Dependents Act of 2014 - Expands the TRICARE health care program managed by the Department of Defense (DOD) to entitle additional female beneficiaries and dependents to care related to the prevention of pregnancy. (Currently, such care is limited to certain female members of the uniformed service or a reserve component performing active duty or certain servicewomen performing inactive-duty training.) Prohibits cost-sharing from being imposed or collected for such pregnancy prevention care, including for any method of contraception provided through a facility of the uniformed services, the TRICARE retail pharmacy program, or the national mail-order pharmacy program. Provides for such pregnancy prevention care to include all methods of contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling. Directs the DOD Secretary to: (1) ensure that every military treatment facility has a sufficient stock of a broad range of FDA-approved methods of contraception to dispense to any women members of the Armed Forces and female covered beneficiaries who receive care through such facility; (2) disseminate clinical practice guidelines and decision support tools to DOD-employed health care providers; (3) ensure that women members of the Armed Forces have access to contraception counseling during health care visits; and (4) establish an education program for all members of the Armed Forces, including both men and women members, consisting of a uniform standard curriculum on family planning. Requires questions regarding family planning services and counseling to be incorporated into DOD health surveys. Requires every military treatment facility, upon request, to provide emergency contraception, or information about FDA-approved methods of emergency contraception, to any woman who: (1) states to personnel that she is a victim of sexual assault or is accompanied by another individual who states that the woman is a victim of sexual assault, or (2) is reasonably believed to be a survivor of sexual assault.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2014 - Directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promulgate a rule requiring liquid nicotine containers to be designed with special packaging that is difficult for children under five years of age to open or to obtain harmful contents from.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Expresses support for: (1) the designation of a Small Business Saturday, (2) efforts to encourage consumers to shop locally, and (3) efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2014
Authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to Henry Johnson for acts of valor during World War I for which he was previously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2014
Safe and Secure Drinking Water Act of 2014 - Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and publish within 90 days a health advisory including recommendations on: (1) the level of microcystins (toxins produced by freshwater cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae) in drinking water that is safe for human consumption; (2) feasible treatment techniques and other means for achieving a safe level; and (3) standardized procedures for testing for microcystins in drinking water. Directs the EPA, until it makes a determination on whether to regulate microcystins in drinking water, to report within 120 days and every year thereafter on: (1) the status of the determination, (2) the steps taken by the EPA to promote testing of drinking water for microcystins in areas that have been affected by harmful algal blooms, and (3) an analysis of available treatment techniques and other means for addressing microcystins in drinking water.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2014
Postal Jobs Protection Act of 2014 - Prohibits mail processing facilities operating as of September 1, 2014, from being closed or consolidated prior to December 31, 2015.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2014
Corporate Fair Share Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit the tax deduction of the interest expense of a U.S. corporation that is a member of a financial reporting group (a group that prepares consolidated financial statements according to accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards) to: (1) the amount of interest on indebtedness of the corporation includible in the corporation's gross income for the taxable year plus its proportionate share of the group's net interest expense in the taxable year; or (2) 10% of the corporation's adjusted taxable income, if the corporation fails to substantiate its proportionate share of interest expense. Exempts a corporation that is predominantly engaged in the active conduct of a banking, financing, or similar business or that has less than $5 million of net interest expense for the taxable year.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2014
Putting America First Corporate Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include in subpart F income (income of a controlled foreign corporation earned outside the United States that is not tax deferred): (1) a shareholder's pro rata share of the average of certain U.S. and foreign property held by a controlled foreign corporation as of the close of each quarter of a taxable year, and (2) the income of a controlled foreign corporation derived from any foreign country.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of door delivery for all businesses and residential customers.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Campus Accountability and Safety Act - Amends provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act to require institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in title IV (Student Assistance) programs to include in their annual campus security reports provided to current and prospective students and employees: the memorandum of understanding that this Act requires IHEs to enter into with local law enforcement agencies (and update every two years) to clearly delineate responsibilities and share information about certain serious crimes, including sexual violence, occurring against students or other individuals on campus; and specified information regarding the disposition of sexual offense cases by the IHE. Requires the crime statistics that IHEs are to compile and provide in such reports to be compiled in accordance with: definitions used by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 for the offenses of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking; and definitions for other offenses that are available under the National Incident-Based Reporting System or the Uniform Crime Reporting Program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or, if not available there, that are provided by the Secretary of Education. Prohibits the statistics for such other crimes from identifying the victims or persons accused of such crimes. Requires IHEs to provide new students and employees with a statement that identifies domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as crimes which will be reported and with respect to which, based on the victim's wishes, the IHE will cooperate with local law enforcement. Directs the Secretary to develop and administer through an online portal a standardized, online, and annual survey of students regarding their experiences with sexual violence and harassment. Omits survey responses from the annual crime statistics IHEs must report, but requires the Secretary to publish survey information that includes campus-level data for each school on the Department of Education's website annually. Requires the Department to make publicly available guidance regarding the intersection of the campus security and crime statistics reporting requirements under title IV and requirements under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Authorizes the Secretary to impose a civil penalty upon IHEs that fail to carry out campus security and crime statistics reporting requirements. Requires each IHE that receives federal funding to establish a campus security policy that includes: the designation of one or more confidential advisors at the IHE to whom victims of crime can report anonymously or directly; authorization for the IHE to provide an online reporting system to collect anonymous disclosures of crimes; provision on the IHE's website of the telephone number and URL for a hotline providing information to sexual violence victims and the name and location of the nearest medical facility where an individual may have a rape kit administered by a trained sexual violence forensic nurse, including information on transportation options and reimbursement for a visit to such facility; and an amnesty clause for any student who, in good faith, reports sexual violence to a responsible employee, with respect to a student conduct violation revealed in the course of such a report. Amends the Education Amendments of 1972 to require the Secretary to establish a title IX website that includes: the name and contact information for the title IX coordinator at each IHE, including a brief description of the coordinator's role and the roles of other officials who may be contacted regarding sexual harassment; and the Department's pending investigations and the actions it has taken regarding all title IX complaints and compliance reviews related to sexual harassment. Requires each IHE to employ an individual who shall complete minimum training requirements and be responsible for: (1) reporting cases of sexual harassment to the title IX coordinator; and (2) providing students and employees who report having been a victim of sexual harassment on or off campus with a written explanation of their rights and options. Requires each individual who is involved in implementing an IHE's grievance procedures to have training or experience in handling sexual violence complaints and the operations of the IHE's grievance procedures. Sets forth minimum training requirements. Requires each IHE that receives federal funding to establish and carry out a uniform process for disciplinary proceedings relating to claims of sexual violence that shall not vary based on the status or characteristics of a student involved in the process. Authorizes: (1) the Secretary or the Attorney General (DOJ) to impose a civil penalty on IHEs that violate or fail to carry out title IX requirements regarding sexual violence, and (2) individuals to file a complaint regarding such a violation with the Department's Office for Civil Rights. Amends the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 to: (1) increase the minimum grant that may be provided to IHEs to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campuses; and (2) authorize the use of such grants to train campus personnel in conducting victim-centered, trauma-informed (forensic) interviews.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
CHIP Extension and Improvement Act of 2014 - Revises and extends through FY2019 at generally increased levels the program under title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA), and adjusts CHIP allotment requirements accordingly, including the rebasing and growth factor update rules for computing state allotments. Makes appropriations for certain allotments. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make payments to shortfall states from the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund in each of FY2016-FY2019. Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to minimum essential coverage for a targeted pregnant low-income woman under CHIP, to exclude from such coverage, at a woman's option, pregnancy-related assistance. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to ensure continuity of care for children who: (1) are undergoing an active course of treatment; and (2) involuntarily change coverage under health insurance, the state plan under Medicaid (SSA title XIX), or the state child health plan under CHIP during such course of treatment for any reason. Amends SSA title XIX to allow a state Medicaid plan to provide that an adult determined eligible for Medicaid benefits shall remain eligible for those benefits until the end of a period (not to exceed 12 months) following the determination. Makes permanent the express lane option and the CHIP outreach and enrollment grant program. Gives states the option to extend express lane Medicaid eligibility to adults. Makes permanent the program of grants to conduct outreach and enrollment efforts designed to increase the enrollment and participation of eligible children under CHIP. Requires each contract with a managed care entity under Medicaid to require the provision of and payment for language services for enrolled individuals who are limited English proficient. Prescribes additional cost-sharing requirements under CHIP. Amends SSA titles XIX and XXI to cover preventive services for children or pregnant women without cost-sharing. Amends SSA title XIX to cover newly approved vaccines within 30 days after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices approves them. Treats CHIP-eligible children as federally vaccine-eligible children. Extends Medicaid coverage of primary care services through calendar 2019, and expands the types of physicians and health care practitioners eligible for reimbursement for providing such services. Amends SSA title XI to extend the pediatric quality measures program through calendar 2019. Revises the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP, or federal matching rate) for activities related to pediatric quality measures. Extends the technical assistance provided to states in adopting and utilizing certain core sets of child health measures to assistance in building their data collection infrastructures as well. Revises requirements for initial core measures. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the core set of child health quality measures. Modifies and extends through FY2019: (1) the demonstration projects for improving the quality of children's health care and the use of health information technology, and (2) funding for childhood obesity demonstration projects. Amends SSA title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) to extend funding through FY2019 for maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting programs. Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to extend through calendar 2019 the Pediatric Accountable Care Organization Demonstration Project. Amends SSA title XIX to cover therapeutic foster care services.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Social Security Act to expand the collection and analysis of data in programs of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Sets forth provisions to improve cultural competence in federal health care programs and services, including by establishing the Robert T. Matsui Center for Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Health Care. Requires the Secretary of HHS (Secretary) to engage in activities to improve health workforce diversity, including by: (1) establishing a working group and a technical clearinghouse; (2) awarding grants to academic institutions; (3) establishing a health and health care disparities education program; and (4) providing for scholarships, student loan repayment and loan forgiveness, and research fellowships. Health Empowerment Zone Act of 2014 - Provides for the establishment of health empowerment zones in communities that experience disproportionate disparities in health status and health care. Requires the Secretary to engage in activities to improve the quality of and access to health care, including by expanding access to health care and health care insurance for immigrants, designating centers of excellence at public hospitals and other health systems serving minority patients, increasing Medicaid payments to territories and to Native Hawaiian health centers, and providing for border health grants. Sets forth programs to reduce health disparities affecting minorities and rural residents. Establishes an Office of Minority Health in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sets forth provisions to improve health for women and children, including by expanding access to federal programs for immigrant women and children, creating public awareness campaigns, engaging in activities to eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes, and establishing programs to reduce teenage pregnancies, including contraception education and information programs, programs to support healthy adolescent development, maintaining a database of systematic reviews of maternity care, designating maternity care health professional shortage areas, and establishing a research center on optimal maternity outcomes. Directs the Secretary to develop a multisite gestational diabetes research project within the diabetes program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Requires pharmacies to provide in stock contraceptives to customers without delay. Expands Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapist services, mental health counselor services, and substance abuse counselor services. Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2014 - Requires the Secretary to implement the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Program to achieve a reduction of at least 25% in the mortality rate of lung cancer by 2020. Prostate Research, Outreach, Screening, Testing, Access, and Treatment Effectiveness Act of 2014 or the PROSTATE Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take action to address prostate cancer, including by establishing the Interagency Prostate Cancer Coordination and Education Task Force. Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2014 - Requires the Secretary to implement programs to address hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act of 2014 - Requires the Director of CDC to establish the National Acquired Bone Marrow Failure Disease Registry. Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to develop guidelines to screen minority patient populations which have a higher than average risk for many chronic diseases and cancers. Expands Medicaid to cover a beneficiary's routine medical costs when they are in an approved clinical trial. Requires the Secretary to expand HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention activities, including: (1) identification of issues that impede disease status awareness and retention in appropriate care, (2) research into treatment adherence strategies, (3) grants to public health agencies and faith-based organizations, (4) the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative, and (5) health workforce training for culturally competent care. Directs the Secretary to award grants for comprehensive sex education programs for adolescents. Eliminates a program that supports abstinence education. Permits community organizations to distribute sexual barrier protection devices (e.g., condoms) and to engage in sexually transmitted infection counseling and prevention education in federal correctional facilities. Stop AIDS in Prison Act - Requires the Bureau of Prisons to develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV testing, treatment, and prevention for inmates. Requires the Secretary to conduct research and other activities with respect to diabetes in minority populations and the prevention of lung disease. Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders Health Disparities Act - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand research addressing sleep health disparities. Requires the Director of CDC to expand activities regarding sleep disorders. Sets forth provisions regarding the use of health information technology to reduce health disparities, particularly in racial and ethnic minority communities. Prohibits discrimination in federal health care programs or research activities. Requires the Secretary to establish the Office of Health Disparities in the Office for Civil Rights and to establish civil rights compliance offices in each HHS agency that administers health programs. Directs the Secretary to establish a program at the National Center for Environmental Health on health impact assessment (the process of determining the potential effects of a policy, program, or project on health). Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to study the type and scope of health care services provided to racial and ethnic minorities affected by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling unit on April 20, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Disabled Public Safety Officers Fairness Act of 2014 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for payment of disability benefits to public safety officers who became permanently and totally disabled prior to the enactment of such Act. Allows a public safety officer seeking a benefit on the basis of having been permanently and totally disabled as the direct result of a catastrophic injury sustained in the line of duty before the enactment of such Act to file a claim during the same period that would be applicable to an officer disabled after the date of enactment, except that in lieu of such a period beginning on the date of the injury it shall begin on the date of the enactment of this Act. Applies this Act to any public safety officer alive on or after enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2014
Authorizes the Secretary of State to facilitate the U.S. readmission and participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and to pay related annual membership expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2014
Healthy Housing Council Act of 2014 - Establishes in the executive branch an independent Interagency Council on Healthy Housing. Requires the Council to: (1) review federal programs and services that provide housing, health, energy, or environmental services to families and individuals; (2) monitor, evaluate, and recommend improvements in programs and services administered, funded, or financed by federal, state, and local agencies; (3) recommend ways to reduce duplication among federal programs and services; and (4) ensure collaboration among and within agencies in the provision and availability of such programs and services. Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to report to Congress an analysis of the same issues as, and updating the findings and conclusions of, the GAO report to the Ranking Minority Member of the House Committee on Government Reform of January 1999 entitled "Lead Poisoning: Federal Health Care Programs Are Not Effectively Reaching At-Risk Children" (GAO/HEHS-99-18).
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2014
Supporting Afterschool STEM Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an afterschool STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant program awarding competitive grants to afterschool or STEM networks to: develop quality standards for STEM programming in afterschool programs and provide those programs with technical assistance in implementing such standards, work with state education stakeholders to define and promote appropriate measurable outcomes for afterschool programs that include STEM content, provide technical assistance to afterschool programs to start or grow their afterschool STEM efforts and define appropriate learning outcomes for such efforts, coordinate professional development for afterschool program educators, help afterschool program providers form strategic partnerships to advance STEM learning in afterschool programs, create and disseminate tool kits to afterschool programs wanting to form partnerships and incorporate STEM professionals as mentors and role models, and provide technical assistance to federally funded STEM researchers and professionals who wish to engage with afterschool programs. Defines: (1) an "afterschool program" as a structured program offered for elementary, middle, or secondary school students when school is not in session, such as before or after school, on the weekend, or during the summer; and (2) an "afterschool or STEM network" as a coalition that fosters partnerships and provides support to afterschool program providers and STEM education providers. Includes as goals of the grant program: (1) to support the development and delivery of high-quality STEM education to populations underrepresented in STEM fields, and (2) to provide hands-on learning and exposure to STEM research facilities and businesses through in-person or virtual distance-learning experiences. Requires the Director to provide each recipient of a STEM research grant who is under the Director's authority with information on opportunities to engage with students in out-of-school-time programs, such as through mentorships.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2014
Ukraine Security Assistance Act of 2014 - Authorizes the the President to provide Ukraine with specified defense articles, services, and training. Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to conduct or complete an ongoing assessment of the capabilities and needs of Ukraine's armed forces, and provide it to Congress. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: provide Ukraine with appropriate intelligence and other information to determine the location, strength, and capabilities of the military and intelligence forces of the Russian Federation located on Ukraine's eastern border and within its territorial borders, including Crimea; take steps to ensure that such intelligence information is protected from further disclosure; and report to Congress detailing such disclosure. States that during the period in which Ukraine meets specified democratic government and security cooperation criteria it shall be treated as a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally. Directs the President to increase: (1) military-to-military interactions of the U.S. Armed Forces with the armed forces of Ukraine, and (2) U.S. and NATO security assistance to Ukraine. Directs the Secretary of State to seek to enter into negotiations with Ukraine to establish new, or strengthen existing, bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation agreements, including agreements related to cyber defense cooperation.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should issue a commemorative postage stamp honoring Maya Angelou.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2014
Providing Opportunities for Savings, Transactions, and Lending Act of 2014 or the POSTAL Act of 2014 - Expands the specific powers of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to include the provision of basic financial services, including: (1) small-dollar loans; (2) checking accounts, interest-bearing savings accounts, and services relating to international money transfers, each of which may be provided by the USPS alone or in partnership with depository institutions and credit unions; (3) other basic financial services as appropriate in the public interest; and (4) the creation of a Postal Card that allows users to engage in such financial services.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2014
Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act of 2014 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a creditor from extending credit to a consumer under an open end consumer credit plan (credit card) for which the fee and interest rate exceeds 36%. Sets forth criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Empowers state Attorneys General to enforce this Act. Revises requirements for a periodic statement for each billing cycle with respect to where the total finance charge exceeds 50 cents for a monthly or longer billing cycle, or the pro rata part of 50 cents for a billing cycle shorter than monthly. Requires inclusion of the fee and interest rate, displayed as "FAIR," instead of the total finance charge expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR).
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2014
Amends the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 to direct the House Committee on Ethics to conduct ongoing ethics training and awareness programs for Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner of the House of Representatives (Members). Requires the ethics training program to be completed by: (1) new Members within 60 days after commencing service; and (2) Members serving on or after noon, January 3, 2015, during each session of a Congress, beginning with the 1st session of the 114th Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2014
Constitutional Amendment - Authorizes Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. Grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by appropriate legislation. Allows them to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections. Declares that nothing in this amendment shall be construed to grant Congress or the states the power to abridge the freedom of the press.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2014
Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act of 2014 - Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to condition eligibility to receive a state grant for child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment programs on inclusion in the state plan of a certification by the governor that the state has in effect and is enforcing a state law, or is operating a statewide program, that includes provisions and procedures to: (1) identify and assess reports involving children who are sex trafficking victims (and which may also involve children who are victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons), (2) train representatives of the state child protective services about identifying and assessing such children, and (3) identify services and procedures for appropriate referral to address the needs of such children. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report to Congress on: (1) the specific type and prevalence of severe forms of trafficking in persons to which children have been subjected who are identified for services or intervention under the placement, care, or supervision of state, Indian tribe, or tribal organization child welfare agencies; (2) the practices and protocols utilized by states to identify and serve children who are, or are at-risk of becoming, victims of trafficking; and (3) any barriers in federal laws or regulations that may prevent identification and assessment of children who are such victims.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 90 Cornell Street in Kingston, New York, as the "Staff Sergeant Robert H. Dietz Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2014
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act or the Clay Hunt SAV Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Secretary of Defense (DOD), at least annually, to each arrange for an independent third party evaluation of, respectively, the VA and DOD mental health care and suicide prevention programs. Requires a board reviewing the discharge or dismissal of a former member of the Armed Forces whose application for relief is based at least in part on post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury related to military operations or sexual trauma, to: (1) review the medical evidence from the VA or a civilian health provider that is presented by the former member; and (2) review the case, with a presumption of administrative irregularity, and place the burden on the VA or DOD to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that no error or injustice occurred. Directs the VA Secretary to publish an Internet website that serves as a centralized source to provide veterans with regularly updated information regarding all of the VA's mental health care services. Requires the VA Secretary and the DOD Secretary to enter into certain strategic relationships to facilitate: the mental health referrals of members of the reserve components who have a service-connected disability and are being discharged or released from the Armed Forces, timely behavioral health services for such members, communication when such members are at risk for behavioral health reasons, and the transfer of documentation for line-of-duty and fitness-for-duty determinations. Requires the VA Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to repay the education loans relating to psychiatric medicine that are incurred by individuals who: are eligible to practice psychiatric medicine in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or are enrolled in the final year of a residency program leading to a specialty qualification in psychiatric medicine, demonstrate a commitment to a long-term career as a psychiatrist in the VHA, and agree to a period of obligated service with the VHA in the field of psychiatric medicine. Directs the VA Secretary to carry out a program, as part of the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program, under which the VA Secretary and an institution of higher education (IHE) agree to cover the full cost of charges not covered by post-9/11 educational assistance that are incurred by veterans who: (1) are pursuing an advanced degree in mental health at the IHE, and (2) intend to seek employment as a mental health professional in the VA. Allows the VA Secretary to cover up to 64% of those charges, if the school covers the remainder. Requires the DOD Secretary to submit to Congress a zero-based review of the staffing requirements for individual State National Guard Commands with respect to Directors of Psychological Health. Directs the VA Secretary to establish a pilot program at not less than five Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) to assist veterans transitioning from active duty and to improve the access of veterans to mental health services. Requires the pilot program at each VISN to include: (1) a community oriented veteran peer support network, and (2) a community outreach team for each medical center in such VISN.
![Official portrait of Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-25]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000480_200.jpg)