United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2017
Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2017 This bill states that it is U.S. policy to regard the prevention of genocide and other atrocity crimes as a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility. The President shall instruct the Department of State to establish a Mass Atrocities Task Force to strengthen State Department efforts and assist other agency efforts at atrocity prevention and response. The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to provide for the training of Foreign Service Officers in conflict and atrocity crimes prevention. The Director of National Intelligence is encouraged to include in his or her annual testimony to Congress on threats to U.S. national security: (1) a review of countries and regions at risk of atrocity crimes; and (2) specific countries and regions at immediate risk of atrocity crimes, including most likely pathways to violence, specific risk factors, potential perpetrators, and at-risk target groups. The bill establishes the Complex Crises Fund to enable the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to support programs and activities to prevent or respond to emerging or unforeseen foreign challenges and complex crises overseas, including potential atrocity crimes. Fund amounts may not be expended for lethal assistance or to respond to natural disasters.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2017
Calls for an end to the dog and cat meat industry. Urges the governments of China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, India, and all other nations to: (1) adopt and enforce laws banning the dog and cat meat trade, (2) increase efforts to prevent any leather or fur byproducts of such trade from entering international markets, and (3) use their food safety laws to crack down on the sale of dog and cat meat. Affirms the U.S. commitment to the protection of animals and to advancing the progress of animal protection around the world. Urges executive branch officials to include the dog and cat meat trade on the agenda for discussion with the officials of countries that have a dog or cat meat industry.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2017
Patients' Access to Treatments Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to establish cost sharing limits for health plans that cover prescription drugs and use a formulary or other tiered cost sharing structure. Such health plans may not impose higher cost sharing requirements, including copayment and coinsurance, for specialty drugs than for other prescription drugs in a nonpreferred brand name drug tier. If a health plan's formulary contains more than one nonpreferred brand name drug tier, the tier with the lowest cost sharing applies.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2017
This bill directs the United States Postal Service to issue and sell an Alzheimer's Disease Research Semipostal Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp must be transferred to the National Institutes of Health. The stamp must be made available to the public for six years.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2017
Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to make grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2017
Road to Recovery Act This bill provides for coverage, under Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, of inpatient services in a residential substance use disorder treatment facility with respect to an individual under 65 years of age.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2017
Patients First Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct and support basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, testing, and human clinical use of stem cells that may result in improved understanding of, or treatments for, diseases and other adverse health conditions, provided that the techniques will not involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; (2) the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a living human embryo; or (3) the use of any stem cell the derivation or provision of which would be inconsistent with this bill. HHS must issue guidelines to ensure that any research (including any clinical trial) supported under this bill: (1) is clearly consistent with the standards established in this bill, if conducted using human cells; and (2) is prioritized in terms of potential for near-term clinical benefit in human patients. HHS must report on peer reviewed stem cell research proposals that were not funded.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Combating BDS Act of 2017 This bill allows a state or local government to adopt and enforce measures to divest its assets from, prohibit investment of its assets in, or restrict contracting with: (1) an entity that 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 measures are not preempted by federal law. A state or local government that seeks to adopt or enforce such measures shall comply with specified requirements related to notice, timing, and opportunity for comment. In addition, the bill amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to prohibit a person from bringing any civil, criminal, or administrative action against a registered investment company based solely upon that company's divestment from securities issued by a person that engages in a commerce- or investment-related boycott, divestment, or sanctions activity targeting Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 30 East Somerset Street in Raritan, New Jersey, as the "Sergeant John Basilone Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2017
Humane Cosmetics Act This bill prohibits testing cosmetics on animals, effective on the date that is one year after enactment of this bill. No cosmetic may be sold or transported if the final product or any component was developed or manufactured using animal testing after that date, effective three years after enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2017 This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl in recognition of his acts of valor during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Expresses appreciation to the European Union (EU) for the progress made in countering Hizballah since the EU designated Hizballah's military wing as a terrorist organization. Supports: (1) U.S.-EU cooperation in thwarting Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities; and (2) transcontinental efforts within Europe to share intelligence information among police and security services to facilitate greater cooperation in tracking, apprehending, and prosecuting terrorists, foreign fighters, and potential offenders. Encourages the EU, in tandem with the United States, to implement sanctions against Hizballah-affiliated terrorists. Urges the EU to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization and increase pressure on the group, including through: better cross-border cooperation among EU members, issuing arrest warrants against Hizballah members and supporters, freezing Hizballah's assets, and prohibiting fund raising activities in support of Hizballah.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act This bill directs the Department of Labor to implement a program to: (1) train and periodically retrain relevant Labor personnel to detect and assist law enforcement in preventing human trafficking during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities, and (2) ensure that such personnel regularly receive current information on matters related to the detection of human trafficking. Labor shall report annually to Congress regarding the effectiveness of the training, the number of Labor employees who have completed such training, and the number of of human trafficking cases referred to Labor personnel.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Veteran Overmedication Prevention Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to review the deaths of all covered veterans who died by suicide during the last five years, regardless of whether information relating to such deaths has been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A "covered veteran" is any veteran who received VA hospital care or medical services during the five-year period preceding the veteran's death. The review shall include: the total numbers of veterans who died by suicide, violent death, or accidental death; the percentage of such veterans with combat experience or related trauma; each veteran's age, gender, race, and ethnicity; a list of medications and substances prescribed to such veterans; a summary of medical diagnoses that led to such prescriptions in cases of anxiety and depressive disorders; the number of instances in which such a veteran was concurrently on multiple prescribed medications; the number of such veterans who were not taking any prescribed medication; the percentage of such veterans treated for anxiety or depressive disorders who received a non-medication first-line treatment compared to the percentage who received medication only; descriptions of how the VA determines and updates clinical practice guidelines for prescribing medications and of VA efforts to maintain appropriate staffing levels for mental health professionals; an analysis of VA's use of systematically measuring pain scores during clinical encounters and how that relates to the number of veterans concurrently on multiple prescribed medications; identification of VA medical facilities with markedly high prescription rates and suicide rates for treated veterans; an analysis of VA programs that collaborate with state Medicaid agencies and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; an analysis of VA medical center collaboration with medical examiners' offices or local jurisdictions to determine veteran mortality and cause of death; identification of a best practice model to collect and share veteran death certificate data; a description of how data relating to death certificates of veterans is collected, determined, and reported by the VA; an assessment of any apparent patterns based on the review; and recommendations to improve the safety and well-being of veterans. The VA shall ensure that such data is compiled in a manner that allows it to be analyzed across all data fields for purposes of informing and updating VA clinical practice guidelines.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the rights to peacefully assemble and freely express one's views are essential to American democracy; and (2) the United States should take steps to strengthen free press and civil society freedoms in countries such as Turkey. Calls for: (1) any Turkish security official who directed or participated in efforts by Turkish security forces to suppress peaceful protests outside of the Turkish Ambassador's residence in Washington, DC on May 16, 2017, to be charged and prosecuted under U.S. law; (2) the Secret Service and the Diplomatic Security Service of the Department of State to review such incident and confirm with the Turkish National Police the standards expected by visiting security details; (3) the State Department to request the waiver of immunity of any Turkish security detail official who engaged in assault in the United States prior to such individual's release from custody; and (4) the State Department to review its security procedures to mitigate the likelihood of such an incident in the future. Declares that U.S. respect for free speech requires U.S. officials to speak out against such incidents.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2017
Condemns the violence and persecution in Chechnya. Calls on: Chechen officials to cease the abduction, detention, and torture of individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation and hold accountable those involved in perpetrating such abuses; the government of the Russian Federation to protect the human rights of all its citizens, condemn the violence and persecution, investigate such crimes in Chechnya, and hold accountable those involved in perpetrating such abuses; and the U.S. government to continue to condemn the violence and persecution in Chechnya and demand the release of individuals wrongfully detained. Affirms that the rights to freedom of assembly, association, and expression and freedom from extrajudicial detention and violence are universal human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2017
Calls on the President and the Department of State to: (1) make the repeal of blasphemy, heresy, or apostasy laws a priority in the bilateral relationships of the United States with all countries that have such laws; and (2) designate countries that enforce such laws as "countries of particular concern for religious freedom" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. Urges the governments of countries that: (1) enforce such laws to amend or repeal such laws; and (2) have prosecuted, imprisoned, and persecuted people on charges of blasphemy, heresy, or apostasy to release such people unconditionally and ensure their safety. Encourages the President and the State Department to oppose: (1) any efforts by international or multilateral fora to create an international anti-blasphemy norm, and (2) any attempts to expand the international norm on incitement to include blasphemy or defamation of religions. Supports United Nations efforts to combat intolerance, discrimination, or violence against persons based on religion or belief without restricting expression.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2017
Huntington's Disease Parity Act of 2017 This bill amends title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to waive, for individuals diagnosed with Huntington's Disease, the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage. Current law generally applies this waiting period to individuals deemed eligible for OASDI benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2017
American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative coins in recognition and celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Legion. Surcharges received from the sale of these coins shall be paid to the American Legion for costs related to promoting the importance of: (1) caring for those who have served, and those who are still serving, in the Armed Forces; and (2) maintaining patriotic values, strong families, and assistance for at-risk children.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2017
This bill designates as "Liu Xiaobo Plaza" the area between the intersections of International Drive Northwest and Van Ness Street Northwest and International Drive Northwest and International Place Northwest in Washington, DC.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2017
Expresses the sense of Congress that: the atrocities committed by totalitarian regimes under the banner of communism should be recognized and condemned, the contributions of dissidents in the fight against communist oppression should be recognized and celebrated, and federal agencies and institutions should support the establishment of a prospective museum to memorialize the victims of communism.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2017
Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should be a global leader in promoting the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts; and (2) the political participation and leadership of women in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining democratic institutions. The President, by one year after this bill's enactment and four years thereafter, shall submit to Congress and make public a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, which shall: be aligned with other countries' plans to improve the participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision-making institutions; include goals and evaluation plans to ensure strategy effectiveness; and include a specific implementation plan from each relevant federal agency. The President is urged to promote women's participation in conflict prevention. The Department of State and the Department of Defense shall ensure that specified personnel receive training in conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution and on other related topics. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development may establish guidelines for overseas U.S. personnel to consult with appropriate stakeholders regarding U.S. efforts to: (1) prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and (2) enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. The State Department is urged to work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to increase the participation of women in international peacekeeping operations.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2017
Disability Integration Act of 2017 This bill prohibits states or local governments that provide institutional placements for individuals with disabilities who need long-term assistance with daily living activities or health-related tasks, and prohibits insurance providers that fund such long-term services, from denying community-based services that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. States, local governments, or insurance providers may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by: (1) imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, waiting lists, or payment structures; (2) failing to provide a specific community-based service; or (3) requiring an individual to receive a service in a congregate or disability-specific setting. Community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. States, local governments, and public insurance providers must assess: (1) transportation barriers that prevent individuals from receiving services in integrated settings, and (2) the availability of integrated employment opportunities. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must issue regulations requiring states, local governments, or insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. State and local governments, in conjunction with housing agencies, must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Such regulations must also require states and local governments to begin implementing a transition plan to achieve the requirements of this bill within 12 years after its enactment. For 10 years after issuance of the regulations, HHS must determine annually whether each state is complying with the transition plan. If a state is complying, HHS must increase by five percentage points the federal medical assistance percentage for a state requesting an increase for expenditures on home and community-based services furnished under the state Medicaid plan under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, or a waiver of such plan, that are identified as: (1) improvements to ensure accessibility or self-directed receipt of such services, (2) funding shifts from institutional settings to integrated community-based services, or (3) environmental modifications for housing targeted toward the lowest income individuals. The bill provides for DOJ enforcement and allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2017
Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017 This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include community centers, including tax-exempt houses of worship, as "private nonprofit facilities" for purposes of disaster relief and emergency assistance eligibility under such Act. A church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other house of worship, and a private nonprofit facility operated by a religious organization, are eligible for federal contributions for the repair, restoration, and replacement of facilities damaged or destroyed by a major disaster, without regard to the religious character of the facility or the primary religious use of the facility. This bill is applicable to the provision of assistance in response to a major disaster or emergency declared on or after October 28, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2017
Chinese American World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the Chinese American Veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. The medal shall be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution, which is urged to make the medal available for display at other locations associated with such veterans or with World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith in recognition of their contributions to the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Faith in Health Savings Accounts Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat membership in a tax-exempt health care sharing ministry as coverage under a high deductible health plan for purposes of the tax deduction for contributions to a health savings account.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2017
Welcomes the leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the United States for the meetings with the Secretary of State and members of Congress and affirms the meeting as the first of regular U.S.-ASEAN meetings. Supports: (1) the elevation of the U.S.-ASEAN relationship to a strategic partnership; and (2) efforts by U.S. partners and allies in ASEAN to enhance maritime capability and maritime domain awareness, protect unhindered access to and use of international waterways in the Asia-Pacific region, counter piracy, disrupt illicit maritime trafficking activities, and enhance the maritime capabilities of countries or regional organizations to respond to emerging threats to maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region. Recommits the United States to ASEAN centrality and to helping to build a politically cohesive, economically integrated, and socially responsible ASEAN community. Reaffirms: (1) the enhancement of U.S.-ASEAN economic engagement, and (2) the U.S. commitment to continue joint efforts with ASEAN to halt human smuggling and trafficking in persons. Encourages the President to communicate to ASEAN leaders the importance of protecting human rights, strengthening civil society, safeguarding freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, and the free flow of information and ideas, and promoting open and transparent government.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2017
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 259 Nassau Street, Suite 2 in Princeton, New Jersey, as the "Dr. John F. Nash, Jr. Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2017
Promoting Equality and Accountability at the United Nations Act of 2017 This bill amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to withhold U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and funding for the United Nations Human Rights Council or the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) unless the Department of State certifies to Congress that such agencies have no connections to terrorism, anti-American, anti-Israel, or anti-Semitic rhetoric, human trafficking, or abuses of human rights or religious freedoms. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that responsibility for the Palestinian refugees should be fully transferred to the OHCHR. The bill reaffirms that it is U.S. law to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for certain contributions regarding Palestinian status at the United Nations (U.N.). It shall be U.S. policy to: (1) repeal Resolution A/HRC/31/L.38, which requests the OHCHR to establish a database of entities involved with settlements, and (2) oppose recognition of a Palestinian state by any U.N. entity prior to the achievement of a final peace agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians. The United States shall: (1) not make any U.S. government official available to serve as a representative to any U.N. agency that has granted full state membership to any organization that does not have the internationally recognized attributes of statehood; and (2) use it's influence to work toward the reduction of anti-Semitic language and anti-Israel resolutions in the U.N. and its agencies, programs, and funds.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2017
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2017 This bill authorizes local educational agencies to establish programs to educate children on the dangers of severe forms of trafficking in persons. Diplomatic or consular posts shall designate an employee to receive information from any person who was a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons while in the United States. The Department of Health and Human Services may carry out a Human Trafficking Victims Reintegration Through Employment Program. Department of Justice (DOJ) victim services grants may be used for programs that provide trauma-informed care or long-term housing for: (1) youth transitioning from foster care, and (2) women or girls in underserved populations. Airlines that contract with the federal government shall provide personnel with training in recognizing human trafficking incidents. Federal Acquisition Institute curricula for the acquisition workforce shall include a course on the law relating to human trafficking and government contracting. The United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking Council is extended to September 30, 2020. The bill sets forth agency actions to prevent funding of human trafficking. DOJ law enforcement grants may be used to designate at least one prosecutor for cases of severe forms of trafficking in persons. Civil damages awarded in an action brought for slavery or trafficking in persons are excluded from gross income. The Secretary of the Treasury and the United States Trade Representative are included in the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking. The bill provides for transparency in U.S. Agency for International Development anti-trafficking expenditures. The bill authorizes appropriations through FY2021 for: (1) specified anti-trafficking programs and entities, and (2) U.S. Customs and Border Protection for on-site anti-trafficking training for airport and airline personnel.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2017
Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit conducting geological or geophysical activities in support of oil, gas, or methane hydrate exploration and development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. The geological and geophysical activities are described in a final programmatic environmental impact statement by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management entitled "Atlantic OCS Proposed Geological and Geophysical Activities, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Planning Areas."
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2017
Flags of Convenience Don't Fly Here Act This bill bars the Department of Transportation (DOT) from issuing a foreign air carrier permit or an exemption from certain air carrier certificate requirements to a person to provide foreign air transportation under the United States-European Union Air Transport Agreement of April, 2007, in a proceeding in which the applicability of Article 17 bis of such Agreement has been raised by an interested person, unless DOT: finds that issuing the permit or exemption would be consistent with the intent set forth in Article 17 bis of the agreement, that opportunities created by the agreement do not undermine labor standards or the labor-related rights and principles contained in the laws of the respective parties to the agreement; and imposes conditions on the permit or exemption necessary to ensure that the person complies with the intent of Article 17 bis . In carrying out such air carrier certificate requirements, DOT shall consider preventing entry of flag of convenience carriers into U.S. markets as being in the public interest and consistent with public convenience and necessity for safety in air transportation and air commerce. In formulating U.S. international air transportation policy, the Department of State and DOT shall develop a negotiating policy emphasizing the greatest degree of competition for a well-functioning air transportation system that eliminates specified discriminatory and unfair competitive practices faced by U.S. airlines in foreign air transportation, to include erosion of labor standards associated with flag of convenience carriers. A "flag of convenience carrier" is defined as a foreign air carrier that is established in a country other than the home country of its majority owner or owners in order to avoid the home country's regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Condemns the government of Iran's state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights. Urges the President and the Department of State to: (1) condemn the Iranian government's continued violation of human rights and demand the immediate release of prisoners held solely on account of their religion, and (2) impose sanctions on Iranian officials and other individuals directly responsible for serious human rights abuses.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Restoring the Patient's Voice Act of 2017 This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require a group health plan to establish an exception to medication step-therapy protocol in specified cases. A medication step-therapy protocol establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs are covered by a group health plan or a health insurance issuer. To warrant an exception to the protocol, at least one of the following circumstances must be met: (1) the treatment is contraindicated, (2) the treatment is expected to be ineffective, (3) the treatment will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction to the individual, (4) the treatment is expected to decrease the individual's ability either to perform daily activities or occupational responsibilities or adhere to the treatment plan, or (5) the individual is stable based on the prescription drugs already selected. The bill requires a group health plan to implement a clear process for an individual to request an exception to the protocol. The process shall be readily available on the website of the group health plan and must list the requirements for a request and any necessary forms and contact information. Requests shall be granted no later than three days after receipt of the request. In certain cases where the life, health, and ability of the individual are jeopardized by the protocol, the request shall be granted no later than 24 hours after receipt of the request.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Condemns the decisions by the Venezuelan Supreme Court on March 28, 2017, and March 29, 2017, stripping the opposition legislators of their parliamentary immunity, seizing power from the National Assembly, and nullifying all legislative actions. Recognizes the decision by such court on April 1, 2017, to restore the opposition legislators' parliamentary immunity and the National Assembly's legislative powers. Urges the government of Venezuela to heed the calls of the international community to: (1) hold free, fair, and open elections; (2) release all political prisoners, including U.S. citizens; and (3) immediately accept international humanitarian assistance only through nongovernmental organizations. Calls for Organization of American States (OAS) member states to continue all efforts, including the consideration of a potential suspension of Venezuela from the OAS, if such government fails to take such actions. Encourages the President of the United States to prioritize a resolution of the political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, including through bilateral, targeted sanctions against individuals in the Venezuelan government responsible for the deterioration of democratic institutions and the rule of law.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to specify that, for the purpose of a health savings account, an abortion is not a qualified medical expense unless: (1) the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest; or (2) the woman suffers from a physical disorder, injury, or illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
CPI for Seniors Act of 2017 This bill directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics to prepare and publish a monthly index, to be known as the "Consumer Price Index for Seniors," that indicates changes in expenditures typical for U.S. consumers aged 62 or older.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Carbon Capture Improvement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the issuance of tax-exempt facility bonds for the financing of qualified carbon dioxide capture facilities. A "qualified carbon dioxide capture facility" is any equipment installed in an industrial carbon dioxide facility that satisfies specified capture and storage requirements and: (1) is used for the capture, treatment and purification, compression, transportation, or on-site storage of carbon dioxide produced by the industrial carbon dioxide facility; or (2) is integral or functionally related and subordinate to a gasification process that converts a product from coal, petroleum residue, biomass, or other materials which are recovered for their energy or feedstock value into a synthesis gas composed primarily of carbon dioxide and hydrogen for direct use or subsequent chemical or physical conversion.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) of 2017 This bill directs the President to instruct the U.S. Executive Director at each international financial institution to use U.S. influence to oppose any loan for the government of Nicaragua's benefit, other than for basic human needs or to promote democracy, unless the Department of State certifies that Nicaragua is taking effective steps to: hold free elections overseen by credible domestic and international electoral observers; promote democracy and an independent judicial system and electoral council; strengthen the rule of law; respect the right to freedom of association and expression; combat corruption, including investigating and prosecuting corrupt government officials; and protect the right of political opposition parties, journalists, trade unionists, human rights defenders, and other civil society activists to operate without interference. The Department of the Treasury shall submit to Congress a report assessing: (1) the effectiveness of the international financial institutions in enforcing applicable program safeguards in Nicaragua, and (2) the effects of specified constitutional and election concerns in Nicaragua on long-term prospects for positive development outcomes there. The President may waive such requirements in the U.S. national interest. The bill requires: (1) the President to direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States to use U.S. influence to advocate for an Electoral Observation Mission to be sent to Nicaragua in 2017, and (2) the State Department to report on the involvement of senior Nicaraguan government officials in acts of public corruption or human rights violations.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act of 2017 This bill amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to provide that the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism shall have the rank of ambassador and be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Special Envoy shall: (1) be a person of recognized distinction in the field of combating anti-Semitism or religious freedom; (2) serve as the primary advisor to, and coordinate efforts across, the U.S. government relating to monitoring and combating anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic incitement in foreign countries; and (3) report directly to the Secretary of State.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2017 This bill allows coverage, under Medicare, of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity furnished by providers other than primary care physicians and practitioners. Additionally, it allows coverage under Medicare's prescription drug benefit of drugs used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss management for individuals who are overweight.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of State to submit an annual, publicly-available report to Congress that includes: (1) a list of individuals holding specified senior Chinese leadership positions at the national and subnational levels; and (2) an assessment of the level of access Chinese authorities granted U.S. diplomats, journalists, and tourists to Tibetan areas in China. Such assessment shall include: a comparison with the level of access granted to other areas of China, a comparison between the levels of access granted to Tibetan and non-Tibetan areas in relevant provinces, a comparison of the level of access in the reporting year and the previous year, and a description of the measures that impede the freedom to travel in Tibetan areas. Listed persons shall be ineligible for a visa to enter or to be present in the United States if specified restrictions on foreign travelers entering Tibetan areas remain in effect, subject to a national interests waiver. Expresses the sense of Congress that the State Department, when granting Chinese diplomats access to parts of the United States, should take into account the extent to which China grants U.S. diplomats access to parts of China, including the Tibetan areas.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2017 This bill prohibits the federal government, and any state or local government that receives federal funding for any program that provides child welfare services under part B (Child and Family Services) or part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct), from discriminating or taking an adverse action against a child welfare service provider that declines to provide, facilitate, or refer for a child welfare service that conflicts with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. The bill bars such prohibition from applying to SSAct requirements that forbid state entities from denying or delaying adoption or foster care placements on the basis of an adoptive parent's or a child's race, color, or national origin. The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold 15% of the federal funds that a state or local government receives for such programs if the state or local government violates this bill. An aggrieved child welfare service provider may assert such an adverse action violation as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and to obtain all appropriate relief (including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs).
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
ABLE Financial Planning Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax-free rollovers of amounts in qualified tuition programs (529 plans) to qualified ABLE programs. (Tax-favored ABLE [Achieving a Better Life Experience] accounts are designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for disability-related expenses.)
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
ABLE to Work Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt savings accounts for persons with a disability), to allow: (1) an ABLE account beneficiary to make additional contributions to an ABLE account equal to the lesser of such beneficiary's compensation or an amount equal to the federal poverty line for a one-person household, and (2) a retirement savings tax credit for contributions to an ABLE account.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
ABLE Age Adjustment Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to qualified ABLE programs, to increase the age threshold for eligibility for such programs from 26 to 46. (Tax-favored ABLE [Achieving a Better Life Experience] accounts are designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for disability-related expenses.)
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Paycheck Fairness Act This bill amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to: (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. The bill directs the Department of Labor to: (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. The bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2017
Larry Doby Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill 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 in honor of Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2017
Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to specify that communications decency provisions protecting providers or users of interactive computer services from liability for the private blocking or screening of offensive material shall not be construed to impair the enforcement of, or limit availability of victim restitution or civil remedies under, state or federal criminal or civil laws relating to sexual exploitation of children or sex trafficking. The bill amends the federal criminal code to specify that the violation for benefiting from "participation in a venture" engaged in sex trafficking of children, or by force, fraud, or coercion, includes knowing or reckless conduct by any person or entity and by any means that furthers or in any way aids or abets the violation. A provider of an interactive computer service that publishes information provided by an information content provider with reckless disregard that the information is in furtherance of a sex trafficking offense shall be subject to a criminal fine or imprisonment for not more than 20 years.
![Official portrait of Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000522_200.jpg)