United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2012
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that any deal on taxes and spending to replace the Budget Control Act of 2011 should: (1) not cut Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security benefits; (2) contain serious revenue increases, including closing corporate tax loopholes and increasing individual income tax rates for the highest earners; (3) significantly reduce defense spending to focus the U.S. Armed Forces on combating 21st century risks; and (4) promote economic growth and expanded economic opportunity by including strong levels of job-creating federal investments in areas such as infrastructure and education, and by promoting private investment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2012
Truth in Trials Act - Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) allow any person on trial for a federal marijuana-related offense to introduce evidence that the alleged marijuana-related activities were performed in compliance with state law regarding the medical use of marijuana, (2) allow an affirmative defense to a marijuana prosecution that the alleged marijuana-related activities complied with state law regarding the medical use of marijuana, (3) limit the criminal liability of persons convicted of federal marijuana-related offenses, (4) require the preservation and return (if a defendant is acquitted) of property seized in connection with a marijuana prosecution, and (5) prohibit the seizure of plants grown or stored under a physician's recommendation or by order of a state or municipal agency in accordance with state law regarding the medical use of marijuana.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2012
American Clothing for American Olympians Act - Requires the U.S. Olympic Committee to ensure that all goods to be donated or supplied to any amateur athlete, coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or official of the U.S. Olympic team, the Paralympic team, or the Pan-American team are substantially made in the United States, to the extent the goods are available in the United States. Defines "substantially made in the United States" to mean that the cost of the foreign products used in the materials in such goods constitutes less than 50% of the cost of all the products used in such materials. Requires the Committee's quadrennial report on its operations to include data on the sources of the goods donated or supplied and a description of the steps taken to ensure the goods are substantially made in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2012
Help Separated Families Act of 2012 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to: (1) require state child protection standards to ensure that the immigration status alone of a parent, legal guardian, or relative shall not disqualify the parent, legal guardian, or relative from being a placement for a child; and (2) require the state procedures for criminal records checks to require the state to accept foreign identification documents as sufficient identification for purposes of initiating a criminal records check or a fingerprint-based check. Expresses the sense of Congress that the child welfare agency of a state, or of any county or other political subdivision of a state, should grant a waiver of any requirement which would prevent the placement of a child with a relative of the child, on the basis of a minor legal infraction, if the relative would otherwise be considered eligible for such a placement. Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to notify relatives seeking placement of a child that their immigration status will not be questioned, except to the extent necessary in determining eligibility for relevant services or programs. Prohibits a state or local government agency from filing for termination of parental rights in foster care cases based on the removal of the parent from the United States or the parent's involvement in an immigration proceeding, unless: (1) the state (or local agency) has made reasonable efforts to notify of the intention to file such a petition any parent of the child who has been removed from the United States, and any adult relative of the child, including through the diplomatic or consular offices of the country to which the parent was removed, and to reunify the child with any such parent or relative; or (2) the parent is unfit or unwilling to be a parent of the child.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2012
Expresses: (1) disapproval of the fact that our U.S. Olympic uniforms were made overseas, and (2) support for U.S. manufacturers and their ability to compete in the global marketplace in both price and quality. Urges the U.S. Olympic Committee to pledge to use American designers and manufacturers for Olympic uniforms in the future.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2012
Families Flying Together Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to issue regulations directing each air carrier to: (1) establish a policy to ensure that a family that purchases tickets for a flight is seated together during that flight, and (2) make the policy available to the public on the air carrier's website. Defines "family" to mean a grouping of individuals that, at a minimum, includes: (1) a child age 12 years or younger; and (2) an individual age 18 years or older and responsible for accompanying that child, including a parent or legal guardian of that child.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2012
Victory for Veterans Stamp Act of 2012 - Directs the Postal Service to issue a special stamp, to be called the Victory for Veterans Stamp, at a cost of 25 cents each. Makes such Stamp invalid for postage. Requires Stamp sale proceeds to be used as follows: (1) one-third for funding Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) veterans' vocational rehabilitation programs, (2) one-third to the general fund of the Treasury for deficit reduction, and (3) one-third for the Postal Service for modernization and fiscal administration. Requires such Stamp to be made available to the public within six months after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2012
Recognizes the Islamic faith as one of the great world religions. Acknowledges the onset of Ramadan and expresses deepest respect to Muslims in the United States and throughout the world on this significant occasion.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2012
Student Veteran Academic Counseling Enhancement Act or Student Veteran ACE Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to make educational counseling available to students pursuing an approved program of education while using educational assistance provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires the Secretary to: (1) assign one educational counselor per 100 of such students in a geographical area, and (2) provide adequate opportunities for such counseling to such students in remote areas. Requires a student who is a veteran to receive such counseling, unless the student specifically declines, while allowing non-veteran students to elect to receive such counseling. Outlines counselor responsibilities, including assistance with applications for such educational assistance, as well as academic counseling and transition assistance. Requires each student to attend at least one counseling session per quarter, semester, or term, unless such attendance would place an undue hardship on the student. Requires an annual report from the Secretary to the congressional veterans committees on such counseling. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense to provide individualized, one-on-one educational counseling to an individual considering pursuing a program of education with assistance furnished through the VA or the Department of Defense (DOD), unless such individual declines. Outlines counseling elements. Repeals the fiscal year funding limit ($6 million) for VA contract educational and vocational counseling. Requires the Secretary to establish a system to collect, process, and track complaints submitted by individuals enrolled in VA programs of education and reporting instances of fraud, waste, and abuse by the educational institutions with respect to benefits and services provided.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2012
WIPA and PABSS Continuation of Services Act of 2012 - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act to repeal the expired authorization of appropriations for (and thus continue services under) the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program and the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2012
Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the National Taxpayer Advocate, to publish a summary statement of taxpayer rights and obligations. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to develop, expand, or continue volunteer income tax assistance programs to assist low-income taxpayers. Allows tax preparation program grant recipients to use grant funds to provide services related to financial literacy, asset development, and the establishment of savings accounts. Increases the grant funding for low-income taxpayer clinics. Requires the Secretary to: (1) prescribe regulations for the regulation of tax return preparers not otherwise regulated and to regulate the conduct of enrolled agents in their practice before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); (2) require the annual registration of refund delivery product facilitators; and (3) furnish to the public the identity of any person who is an enrolled agent, attorney, or certified public accountant on file with the IRS, who is a tax return preparer, or who is registered as a refund delivery product facilitator. Applies the penalty for understatements of taxpayer liability by tax return preparers to tax submissions other than tax returns or claims for refunds. Prohibits the Secretary from filing a notice of lien with respect to any taxpayer unless: (1) the lien attaches to distrainable property, (2) the Secretary determines that the benefit to the government of filing outweighs the harm to the taxpayer and that the filing will not jeopardize the taxpayer's ability to comply with the internal revenue laws and to continue to secure funding to maintain business operations, (3) the Secretary notifies the taxpayer that the Secretary has determined to file such notice, and (4) the taxpayer is afforded an opportunity to appeal that determination. Requires the Secretary to consider specified factors in making such determination, including the amount due, the value of the taxpayer's equity in or rights to property, the taxpayer's compliance history, and the effect of the lien filing on the taxpayer's ability to obtain financing, generate future income, and pay current and future tax liabilities. Prohibits persons licensed to practice before the Department of the Treasury from directly or indirectly offering or providing audit insurance. Authorizes the National Taxpayer Advocate to issue Taxpayer Advocate directives for granting relief to taxpayers. Expresses the sense of Congress that the IRS should take specified steps within two years to improve service to taxpayers. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) award demonstration project grants to provide accounts in federally insured depository institutions to taxpayers who do not currently have an account with a financial institution; (2) study the feasibility of, and establish a pilot program on, delivering tax refunds on debit cards or other electronic means for taxpayers who do not have access to financial accounts or institutions; (3) identify legislative and administrative changes that would enable the IRS to receive and process information reporting documents before it processes tax returns; and (4) assess the effectiveness of collection alternatives, especially offers in compromise, on long-term tax compliance. Requires de novo review in U.S. Tax Court of any determination by the IRS with respect to a claim for equitable innocent spouse relief.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2012
Supports the XIX International AIDS Conference and the goal of bringing renewed awareness of, and commitment to, addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in the United States and abroad. Recognizes that continued U.S. commitment to HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment programs is crucial to protecting global health and commits to supporting a stronger global response to HIV/AIDS. Encourages public and private sector development of innovative therapies and advances in clinical treatment for HIV/AIDS.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2012
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) strongly opposes commercial whaling; (2) supports the use of all appropriate measures to end commercial whaling in any form; (3) seeks to strengthen conservation and management measures to facilitate the conservation of whale species and populations; (4) urges the President and the international community to modernize the International Whaling Commission by expanding the participation of civil society, improving transparency, and supporting efforts to improve its effectiveness; and (5) supports ongoing research efforts to understand, prevent, or mitigate threats to whales and their habitat.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2012
Advancing Agricultural Floodplain Management Act of 2012 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to jointly establish a task force to analyze the challenges faced by agricultural areas and rural communities designated as having special flood hazards for purposes of the national flood insurance program. Terminates the task force 120 days after it submits its report to Congress as required by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2012
Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2012 - Considers a person a spouse, for purposes of military personnel policies and military and veterans' benefits, if the marriage of the individual is valid in the state in which 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 in which the marriage was entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a state. Includes as a state the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. territories and possessions.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2012
Global Conservation Act of 2012 - Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to audit, and report to Congress on, existing U.S. international conservation policies and programs to determine the extent to which such programs are: (1) addressing natural resource challenges to ensure healthy and sustainable supplies of water, wildlife, fish, forests, plants, and other critical resources; (2) advancing U.S. foreign policy priorities in areas such as security, democratization, sustainable food production, and clean water; (3) enhancing economic and wildlife conservation benefits derived from properly managed international hunting and angling tourism; (4) addressing poaching, illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife trafficking; and (5) establishing more effective policies and processes for executive branch agencies engaged in international conservation. Directs the President: (1) to establish the Interagency Working Group on Global Conservation; and (2) through such Working Group, to establish the International Conservation Strategy to strengthen the capacity of the United States to collaborate with other countries, international organizations, the private sector, and private voluntary organizations to conserve natural resources and enhance biodiversity. Requires the Strategy to provide a comprehensive plan of action that identifies specific and measurable benchmarks, goals, and time frames. Requires the Working Group to ensure that the Strategy is appropriate to local needs and conditions and incorporates the views of partner countries. Establishes the Global Conservation Public Advisory Board to: (1) advise the Working Group on matters related to U.S. international conservation policies and programs and the implementation of the Strategy; and (2) ensure that the best scientific, policy, economic security, and business expertise are reflected in U.S. international conservation strategies and policies. Prohibits any provision in this Act from being construed as restricting, limiting, or otherwise impairing: (1) properly managed recreational hunting and angling, or (2) the ability of any foreign jurisdiction or authority to authorize regulated programs supporting wildlife for local consumption and commercialization. Urges the President to work with foreign assistance donor countries to: (1) develop a comprehensive international conservation assistance strategy consistent with the United States International Conservation Strategy, (2) identify multilateral mechanisms to coordinate international action, and (3) agree on a timetable for achieving the goals of the United States International Conservation Strategy.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2012
Wind Powering American Jobs Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2013 the tax credit for the production of electricity from wind facilities and the energy tax credit for investment in wind facilities, and (2) limit the foreign tax credit and tax deferrals for amounts paid or accrued by a major integrated oil company that is a dual capacity taxpayer. Defines "dual capacity taxpayer" as a person who is subject to a levy of a foreign country or U.S. possession and receives (or will receive) directly or indirectly a specific economic benefit from such county or possession.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2012
Hire Now Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow certain employers a tax credit for 10% of the excess (if any) of the wages and compensation paid to their employees in 2012 over the amount of such wages paid in 2011, up to a maximum amount of $5 million; (2) prohibit major integrated oil companies from using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) accounting method; and (3) deny major integrated oil companies a tax deduction for intangible drilling and development costs.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2012
Commends Rotary International and others for their efforts in vaccinating children around the world against polio and for the tremendous strides made toward eradicating the disease. Encourages the United States and the international community to remain committed to the elimination of polio.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2012
Amends the African Growth and Opportunity Act to extend through FY2015 the third-country fabric rule granting duty-free treatment of apparel articles wholly assembled, or knit-to-shape and wholly assembled, or both, in one or more lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries, regardless of the country of origin of the fabric or the yarn used to make such articles. Revises the term "sub-Saharan African country" to include the Republic of South Sudan (South Sudan) under such Act. Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to modify textile and apparel rules of origin for the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Amends the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 to renew, for three years, the President's authority to ban the import of Burmese products. Approves the renewal of certain import restrictions contained in the Act. Deems this resolution a renewal resolution which shall take effect upon its enactment or July 26, 2012, whichever occurs first. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require estimated tax payments which are otherwise due in the third quarter of 2017 for corporations with assets of at least $1 billion to be 100.25% of such amount. Requires the next required installment to be appropriately reduced to reflect the amount of this increase. Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to extend certain customs users fees for the processing of merchandise entered into the United States from August 2, 2021, to October 22, 2021, and other specified customs users fees from December 8, 2020, to October 29, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2012
Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Terrorism Act of 2012 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials responsible for counterterrorism and addressing the threat of violent extremism, to: (1) develop guidance, outreach, training, and programs in furtherance of national counterterrorism policy; and (2) develop and distribute to state, local, and tribal authorities courses and materials that comply with the Grant Programs Directorate Information Bulletin No. 373 or successor bulletin for integration into the curricula for recruits and recurrent training for experienced law enforcement officers. Requires guidance for homeland security grant programs to inform recipients that expenditures on any training, programs, presentations, and speakers regarding counterterrorism that includes information about violent extremism, homegrown violent extremism, or domestic violent extremism that is acquired from an entity other than DHS must be approved in advance by DHS's Chief Privacy Officer and the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Directs DHS's Inspector General to: (1) regularly review expenditures of homeland security grant programs by state, local, and tribal authorities on training, programs, presentations, and speakers that are not acquired through the Secretary regarding counterterrorism, violent extremism, homegrown violent extremism, and domestic violent extremism; and (2) evaluate whether each expenditure is consistent with national counterterrorism priorities and constitutional civil rights and civil liberties, including prohibiting racial, ethnic, and religious profiling.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2012
Equal Employment Opportunity Restoration Act of 2012 - Amends the federal judicial code to permit one or more members of a group seeking relief for discriminatory employment practices under specified provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, equal rights laws under the Revised Statutes, or the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 to sue on behalf of all members of the group if the representative party shows, by a reasonable inference, that: (1) members of the group are so numerous that their joinder is impracticable; (2) claims of the representative party are typical of the claims of the group the representative party seeks to represent and the representative party and the representative party's counsel will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the group; and (3) members of the group are, or have been, subject to an employment practice that has adversely affected or is adversely affecting a significant portion of the group's members. (Thus establishing a new standard for employees bringing group actions for certain employment discrimination, notwithstanding the Supreme Court decision in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes , which required "convincing proof of a companywide discriminatory pay and promotion policy" as a prerequisite to class certification.) Permits a representative party to challenge a subjective employment practice covered by any of the above-referenced employment statutes in a group action filed under this Act to the same extent as the party may challenge any other employment practice covered by such a statute in such an action. Defines a "subjective employment practice" as: (1) an employer's policy of leaving personnel decisions to the unguided discretion of supervisors, managers, and other employees with authority to make such personnel decisions; or (2) an employment practice combining such a subjective employment practice with other types of personnel decisions. Prohibits the fact that individual supervisors, managers, or other employees with authority to make personnel decisions may exercise discretion in different ways in applying a subjective employment practice under such a statute from precluding a representative party from filing a corresponding group action. Allows a representative party to elect to proceed in a group action under this Act or in a class action under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2012
TIGER Grants for Job Creation Act - Makes supplemental appropriations of $500 million for each of FY2013 and FY2014 for the Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program for national infrastructure investment projects for states, local governments, and transit agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2012
Invest in America Now Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2012 the 100% bonus depreciation allowance for business assets; (2) increase the amount of alternative minimum tax (AMT) credits that corporate taxpayers may elect to accelerate in a taxable year in lieu of claiming bonus depreciation; and (3) deny major integrated oil companies a tax deduction for income attributable to the domestic production, transportation, or distribution of oil, natural gas, and primary products thereof.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2012
Recognizes the 40th anniversary of title IX (prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, including high school and college sports) and its groundbreaking influence for females throughout the United States. Affirms equal gender treatment of males and females. Declares that the House of Representatives strives to work towards a time when females can achieve true equality in athletics, education, and employment.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2012
Appalachian Communities Health Emergency Act or the ACHE Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct or support comprehensive studies on the health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining on individuals in the surrounding communities. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), upon receipt of a report on study results, to publish a determination of whether such mining presents any health risks to individuals in those communities. Defines "mountaintop removal coal mining" as surface coal mining that uses blasting with explosives in the steep slope regions of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia. Prohibits issuance of an authorization for any mountaintop removal coal mining project (or expansion), under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, until and unless the Secretary publishes a determination that such mining does not present any health risk to individuals in the surrounding communities. Imposes requirements for continuous monitoring of air, noise, and water pollution and frequent monitoring of soil until a determination by the Secretary is made. Assesses a one-time fee upon persons that conduct such mining projects, sufficient to cover the federal cost of the health studies and pollution monitoring required by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2012
Supports the designation of National Reunification Month. Honors the efforts of those who work to advance outcomes for children in the child welfare system. Encourages child welfare agencies, courts, schools, businesses, media, religious institutions, and civic service organizations to recognize National Reunification Month. Recognizes that substantial progress has been made by federal, state, tribal, and local child welfare policymakers. Reaffirms the importance of title IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act and other programs that provide support to vulnerable families, and invest in prevention and reunification services.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2012
State Secrets Protection Act - Amends the Federal Rules of Evidence to declare that, in any civil action brought in federal or state court, the government has a privilege to refuse to give information and to prevent any person from giving information only if the government shows that public disclosure of the information that the government seeks to protect would be reasonably likely to cause significant harm to the national defense or the diplomatic relations of the United States. Requires the court to take steps, which may include in camera and ex parte hearings and other security procedures, to protect sensitive information that comes before it. Sets forth the court's authority regarding the participation of counsel, appointment of a guardian ad litem to represent an absent litigant's interests, and the disclosure of information when it presents a risk of harm. Provides for court-ordered presentation of adequate or nonprivileged substitutes (redacted copies, summary of information, stipulation of facts) for privileged information. Allows the government to: (1) assert the privilege in connection with any claim in a civil action to which it is a party, or (2) intervene in a civil action to which it is not a party in order to do so. Provides that once the government has asserted the privilege, and before the court makes any determinations, the court shall: (1) undertake a preliminary review of the information in question, and (2) provide the government an opportunity to seek protective measures under this Act. Establishes procedures and a standard for assessing the privilege claim. Requires the court, if it determines that the privilege is not validly asserted, to issue appropriate orders regarding the disclosure of the information to a nongovernmental party and its admission at trial, with the right to an interlocutory appeal for any such orders. Prohibits such disclosure or admission if the privilege is determined valid. Grants the courts of appeal jurisdiction of an appeal from a decision or order of a district court determining that the state secrets privilege is not validly asserted, sanctioning a refusal to provide an adequate or nonprivileged substitute, or refusing protective steps sought by the government pending the resolution of the claim of state secrets privilege.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2012
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits construction of the Constitution as forbidding Congress or the states from: (1) imposing content-neutral limitations on private campaign contributions or independent political campaign expenditures; or (2) enacting systems of public campaign financing, including those designed to restrict the influence of private wealth by offsetting campaign spending or independent expenditures with increased public funding.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2012
Recognizes and commends the nation's Catholic sisters, whose inspiring legacy of service continues to enrich our nation. Honors the contributions of Catholic sisters to this country. Stands in solidarity with Catholic sisters' mission to work toward a more just society for all of God's people.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2012
Regrets the passage of legislation that adversely affected people of Chinese origin in the United States because of their ethnicity. States that nothing in this resolution may be construed or relied on to authorize or support any claim, including but not limited to constitutionally based claims, claims for monetary compensation or claims for equitable relief against the United States or any other party, or serve as a settlement of any claim against the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2012
Yosemite National Park Boundary Expansion Act of 2012 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire the approximately 1,575 acres of identified land that is adjacent to Yosemite National Park in California for addition to the Park. Permits an acquisition of such land to be made by donation, purchase from a willing seller, or exchange and revises the boundary of the Park to reflect the acquisition. Requires the Secretary to administer any acquired land as part of the Park.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2012
International Violence Against Women Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of State to designate an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. Directs the Secretary to develop a comprehensive strategy to identify countries with significant levels of violence against women and girls that have the government or nongovernmental organizational capacity to implement gender-based violence prevention and response program activities. Authorizes assistance for such countries and urges that 10% of such assistance go to community-based and women's nongovernmental organizations in recipient countries. Authorizes the Secretary to provide guidance to the Secretary of Defense (DOD) on how to: (1) incorporate training on prevention and response into the basic training curricula of foreign military forces and judicial officials, and (2) ensure that U.S. assistance to units involved in regional or multilateral peacekeeping operations includes such training. Directs the Secretary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to ensure that: (1) assistance made available for humanitarian relief, conflict mitigation, and post-conflict reconstruction prevents and responds to violence against women and girls; and (2) assistance made available for disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation provides protection in demobilization and transit centers and essential medical care and psychosocial support. Directs the Secretary to: (1) identify critical or widespread incidents of violence against women and girls in situations of armed conflict; (2) determine emergency response measures; and (3) brief Congress, upon request, on the implementation of such emergency response measures.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2012
Graduate Success Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to pay the interest that accrues on unsubsidized Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) and Direct Loans (DLs) that are deferred due to a student borrower's lack of full-time employment. Requires the Secretary to pay the interest that accrues on Federal Consolidation Loans that are in deferment due to a borrower's lack of full-time employment, provided the application for such a loan is received on or after this Act's enactment. Directs the Secretary to pay the interest that accrues on FFELs and DLs that are subject to income-based repayment provisions and are in deferment due to a borrower's lack of full-time employment. Limits these interest-free deferment periods to those occurring on or after this Act's enactment and covering no more than three years of full-time unemployment.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2012
Access to Papers Leads to Uninterrupted Scholars Act or the A Plus Act - Amends provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 that prohibit the Department of Education from funding educational agencies or institutions that release student educational records (or personally identifiable information other than certain directory information) to any individual, agency, or organization without written parental consent. Expands the list of organizations exempt from such prohibitions (thereby permitting the educational agencies or institutions participating in a Department of Education program to release records or identifiable information to such organizations without parental consent) to include: (1) organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, child welfare agencies to improve educational outcomes for students in foster care; and (2) state or local child welfare agencies or tribal organizations responsible for a student's placement and care. Permits the release of such records and information without additional notice to parents and students when a parent is a party to a child welfare court proceeding and a court order has already been issued in the context of that proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2012
Acknowledges scientific findings confirming that climate change is happening and that human activities are a primary cause. Recognizes that climate change poses unacceptable risks to the health, safety, and welfare of current and future generations of the United States. Accepts responsibility to safeguard the welfare of the people of the United States and acknowledges that such welfare is best protected by policies that: (1) reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency; (2) shift power supply strategy from oil, coal, and natural gas to wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels; (3) capture and store carbon by planting and greening of urban landscapes and improving land and forest management practice; and (4) help people prepare for and withstand the significant impacts of climate change. Pledges that the House of Representatives will promptly introduce and enact legislation to achieve such goals.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2012
Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2012 - Authorizes any person, entity, or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to propose the regulation of nonnative wildlife taxa. Requires FWS to determine whether the proposal should be approved within 180 days. Requires FWS to promulgate regulations to: (1) specify the criteria for regulating a nonnative taxon as an Injurious I taxon or Injurious II taxon that is injurious to humans, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, wildlife, or wildlife resources; (2) establish a process for assessing and analyzing the risks of taxa that may have been imported into or found in interstate commerce; and (3) designate a wildlife taxon that was previously designated as injurious by statue or the Secretary of the Interior as an Injurious I or Injurious II taxon. Requires the Secretary, five years after enactment of this Act, to: (1) define the phrase “non-native wildlife taxa novel to the United States”; (2) establish a process to ensure that all such taxa are thereafter reviewed by FWS to determine whether they should be regulated as Injurious I or Injurious II taxa prior to allowing their importation; and (3) seek to avoid, in promulgating such regulation, creating a new incentive for animal importers to import novel taxa prior to the effective date of such regulation. Requires FWS, prior to designating a taxon as an Injurious I or Injurious II taxon, to prepare a risk determination. Authorizes FWS to immediately and temporarily designate a nonnative wildlife taxon as Injurious I if an emergency exists because such unregulated taxon poses an imminent threat of harm to individuals in, or wildlife of, the United States or to the U.S. economy or environment. Requires FWS to: (1) establish an electronic, publicly available database that describes all quantities of imports of all live wildlife and the regulatory status of such wildlife; (2) monitor and report on the identities and quantities of nonnative wildlife taxa being imported; and (3) make more rapid determinations on proposals for regulation of importations or shipments of injurious mammals, birds, fish, amphibia, and reptiles under the Lacey Act by requiring the Secretary to forego time-consuming optional administrative steps that are not essential and byauthorizing the Secretary to forego economic impact analyses. Gives the Secretary the primary authority to prevent the importation of, and interstate commerce in, wildlife pathogens and harmful parasites. Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations to impose import restrictions to prevent the importation of, and commerce in, such pathogens and parasites. Establishes exemptions to such requirement. Prohibits any person from: (1) importing or knowingly possessing such an Injurious I or Injurious II taxon, or the descendant of such an animal, that was imported in violation of this Act; (2) engaging in interstate commerce for or knowingly possessing such an animal that was transported in interstate commerce in violation of this Act; and (3) releasing any such taxon into the wild. Sets forth exemptions from such prohibitions. Authorizes FWS to issue permits to qualified institutions to authorize actions otherwise prohibited for such taxon. Establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Requires the Secretary to adopt a fee to be charged on imported live wildlife shipments. Establishes the Injurious Wildlife Prevention Fund to carry out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2012
Disaster Declaration Improvement Act - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue a revised rule governing factors to consider in evaluating a governor's request for a major disaster declaration to require: (1) the "estimated cost of assistance" to be considered equally with the other five factors described in the rule; and (2) the "evaluation of localized impacts" to include consideration of the budgetary resources available to local and state governments to respond to and recover from such disaster and the impact of the disaster on a small city or a census-designated place with a population of less than 25,000 or a medium city with a population of less than 250,000 if either is located within a large county with a population of more than 1 million and in a large state with a population of more than 5 million if the level of financial damage in such city exceeds 10% of the city's general fund or $100 per capita of the census-designated place or city.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2012
Protecting Victims on Campus Act of 2012 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise provisions that require each institution of higher education (IHE) participating in a title IV (Student Assistance) program to comply with certain crime reporting requirements. Requires IHEs to provide students and employees with a list of the titles, in each department of the IHE, of each individual who is a campus security authority to whom they should report specified criminal offenses. Includes criminal offenses involving minors that are reported to campus security authorities or the local police among the criminal offenses that are to be included in: (1) the annual campus security report provided to current and prospective students and employees, and (2) the timely reports to the campus community on crimes considered to be a threat to the community. Requires the personally identifiable information of victims to be kept confidential when IHEs are making timely reports to the campus community on crimes considered to be a threat to the community. Requires IHEs, in carrying out their obligation to make such timely reports, to: (1) designate an individual to serve as campus security authority coordinator, and (2) provide for the training of that coordinator and the campus security authorities. Directs the Secretary of Education, when imposing civil penalties on IHEs for substantial violations of the crime reporting requirements, to distinguish between IHEs that intentionally violated those requirements and those whose violations are attributable to institutional neglect. Requires the Secretary to provide each IHE that is to be investigated for violating such reporting requirements with a timeline of the investigation and a preliminary report that includes the reasons for the investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2012
National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Park Service (NPS). Authorizes the issuance of coins under this Act only for a one-year period, beginning on January 1, 2016. Requires all sales of coins minted under this Act to include a surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar clad coin. Requires all of the surcharges received from the sale of such coins to be paid to the National Park Foundation for projects and programs to help preserve and protect resources under the stewardship of the NPS and to promote public enjoyment and appreciation of those resources. Prohibits the surcharges paid to the Foundation from being used for land acquisition.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2012
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to permit the use of grant funds under the Urban Area Security Initiative or under the State Homeland Security Grant Program for training conducted in conjunction with a national laboratory or research facility.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2012
Levee Vegetation Review Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of the Army to undertake a comprehensive review of the Corps of Engineers policy guidelines on vegetation management for levees in order to determine whether current federal policy is appropriate for all regions of the United States. Requires the Secretary to examine the guidelines in view of factors including: (1) the varied interests and responsibilities in managing flood risks; (2) preserving, protecting, and enhancing natural resources; (3) protecting the rights of Native Americans pursuant to treaties and statutes; and (4) factors that promote and allow for consideration of potential variances from national guidelines on a regional or watershed basis. Directs Corps of Engineers Regional Integration Teams representing districts, divisions, and headquarters, in consultation with state and federal resources agencies and with participation by local agencies, to recommend to the Chief of Engineers vegetation management policies for levees that conform with state and federal laws and other applicable requirements. Directs the Secretary to: (1) solicit and consider the views of the National Academy of Engineering on the engineering, environmental, and institutional considerations underlying the guidelines; and (2) revise the guidelines based on the results of the review and report to Congress. Requires the revised guidelines to: (1) provide a practical process for approving regional or watershed variances from the national guidelines, and (2) be incorporated into a proposed manual.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2012
Voter Empowerment Act of 2012 - Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2012 - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) to require each state to make available official public websites for online voter registration. Authorizes automated voter registration of certain individuals and establishes other initiatives to promote voter registration, such as same day registration and voter registration of individuals under 18 years of age. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit hindering, interfering with, or preventing voter registration. Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to establish requirements for states to promote access to voter registration and voting for individuals with disabilities, including a single office for providing related information. Directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to make grants to eligible states to conduct pilot programs enabling individuals with disabilities to register to vote and vote privately and independently at their own residences (including by telephone). Amends HAVA to reauthorize the program of grants to state and local governments to assure voting access for individuals with disabilities. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit state or local election officials from preventing an individual from registering or voting in any federal election (voter caging), or from permitting a formal challenge under state law to an individual's registration status or eligibility to vote, if the basis for such decision is evidence consisting of: (1) a voter caging document or voter caging list, (2) an unverified match list, (3) an error or omission on voter application or registration documents that is not material to an individual's eligibility to vote, or (4) any other evidence so designated by the Commission. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit a person, including an election official, from knowingly and willfully attempting to or depriving or defrauding the residents of a state of their free and fair exercise of the right to vote by the communication of election-related information that is known by the person to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent. Increases the penalty for voter intimidation. Declares that the right of an individual U.S. citizen to vote in any federal election shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless he or she is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution at the time of the election. Prescribes enforcement of this right by public or private civil action. Requires each state to notify in writing any individual convicted of a criminal offense under state law, upon release from state custody or upon sentence to probation, that he or she has the right to vote in a federal election and so may register to vote. Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2012 - Amends HAVA to revise requirements for the audit capacity of voting systems, particularly those for a permanent paper record. Requires the voting system to require the use of an individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked and made available for inspection by the voter before the voter's vote is cast and counted, and which shall be counted by hand or read by an optical character recognition device or other counting device. Requires the voting system to provide the voter with an opportunity to correct any system-made error in the voter-verified paper ballot before it is permanently preserved. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to make grants to eligible entities to study, test, and develop accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Prescribes requirements for: (1) publication of poll tapes, (2) treatment of ballots cast at early voting sites and of absentee ballots, and (3) the counting of provisional ballots that will be treated as votes. Prescribes laboratory conflict-of-interest requirements and prohibitions. Requires the NSF Director to make grants to eligible entities to conduct research on the development of election-dedicated voting system software. Requires each state, except when the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the votes, to administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice to the precincts selected, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. Requires the Election Auditor of a state, as soon as practicable after the completion of an audit, to submit the results to EAC for publication. Prohibits certification of the results of any election until completion of audits. Amends HAVA to: (1) add requirements for counting provisional ballots, (2) require each state to allow early voting and facilitate the ability of voters to vote by mail. Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to extend the guarantee of voting residency to family members of absent military personnel. Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) with respect to pre-election reports on availability and transmission of absentee ballots. Revises the 45-day absentee ballot transmission rule. Permits: (1) use of a single absentee ballot application for subsequent elections, and (2) application of the UOCAVA to Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. Entitles to leave a federal employee who serves as a poll worker. Directs the EAC to: (1) make a grant to each eligible state for poll-worker recruitment and training, and (2) develop materials for a model state poll worker training program. Amends HAVA to make available to any person aggrieved by a violation of uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements the option to file a complaint with the Attorney General or pursue a private right of action to enforce such requirements. Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it unlawful for a chief state election administration official, unless he or she or a family member is a candidate, to take an active part in political management or in a political campaign for federal office over which such official has supervisory authority. Amends the NVRA to treat universities as voter registration agencies. Amends the HAVA to establish minimum notification requirements on behalf of voters affected by polling place changes. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) coordinate the establishment of a state-based response system for responding to questions and complaints from individuals voting or seeking to vote, or registering to vote or seeking to, in federal elections; (2) establish and operate a toll-free telephone service to connect directly to such response system; and (3) appoint a Voter Hotline Task Force. Amends HAVA to: (1) reauthorize and extend the EAC, and (2) repeal its exemption from certain government contracting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2012
Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2011 [ sic ] - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to revise requirements for the audit capacity of voting systems, particularly those for a permanent paper record. Requires the voting system to require the use of an individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked and made available for inspection by the voter before the voter's vote is cast and counted, and which shall be counted by hand or read by an optical scanner or other counting device. Requires the voting system to provide the voter with an opportunity to correct any system-made error in the voter-verified paper ballot before it is permanently preserved. Requires each paper ballot used to be: (1) suitable for a manual audit, and (2) counted by hand in any recount or audit conducted with respect to any federal election. Sets forth a special rule for treatment of disputes when paper ballots have been shown to be compromised. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to make grants to eligible entities to study, test, and develop accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Specifies additional voting system requirements and prohibitions. Requires the NSF Director to make grants to eligible entities to conduct research on the development of election-dedicated voting system software. Makes available additional funding to enable states to meet the costs of the requirements imposed by this Act. Provides for complaints to the Attorney General by persons aggrieved by violations of HAVA. Requires each state to administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice to the precincts selected, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. Makes an exception from this requirement for elections in which the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the vote total. Prescribes requirements for determination of the number of ballots counted under the audit. Prescribes the process for administering audits. Requires the Election Auditor of a state, as soon as practicable after the completion of an audit, to submit the results to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for publication. Prohibits certification of the results of any election until completion of audits. Provides for payments to states for the costs of conducting audits. Exempts from this Act any election for which a recount under state law will commence before certification of the election results. Repeals the EAC's exemption from certain federal government contracting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2012
Rebuilding American Manufacturing Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers engaged in domestic manufacturing in the United States a tax deduction equal to 43% of the lesser of their domestic manufacturing income or their taxable income for the taxable year (thus effectively reducing their income tax rate from 35% to approximately 20%). Limits the amount of such deduction to 25% of such taxpayer's qualifying domestic investment (defined as the sum of the taxpayer's W-2 wages and certain allowable tax deductions, excluding any amounts not properly allocable to the taxpayer's domestic manufacturing gross receipts).
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2012
School Lunch Improvements for Children's Education Act or SLICE Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to implement an interim or final rule regarding the school lunch and child nutrition programs that: (1) requires the crediting of tomato paste and puree as a vegetable serving based on the volume of tomato paste or puree served, (2) implements science-based sodium reduction targets, and (3) establishes a whole grain requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2012
Supports the designation of Foster Children's Day in the United States to recognize the unique needs an experiences of foster children and to provide an opportunity for federal, state, and local government, private organizations, and the general public to engage in charitable efforts which acknowledge that these foster children are important and loved.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2012
Update and Streamline REIT Act of 2012 or US REIT Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax treatment of real estate investment trusts (REITs), to: (1) modify safe harbor rules for avoiding penalties for prohibited sales of rental and timber properties by REITs by allowing three-year averaging of sales proceeds for such properties, (2) repeal the preferential dividend rule for dividend payments to shareholders of publicly-offered REITs, (3) revise REIT income and assets tests to allow treatment of publicly-offered REIT debt instruments and personal property leased or mortgaged in connection with REIT real property as real estate assets, (4) make permanent the treatment of gain from sales of timber property and mineral royalties as qualifying REIT income, and (5) revise the calculation of REIT earnings and profits to avoid duplicate taxation of REIT shareholders.
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