United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2019
Pipeline Security Act This bill revises the duties of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to include securing pipelines and pipeline facilities against cybersecurity threats, acts of terrorism, and other acts that jeopardize the physical security or cybersecurity of the pipelines or facilities. Specifically, the bill (1) establishes a pipeline security section within the TSA, and (2) directs the TSA to develop a personnel strategy for enhancing operations within such section.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2019
Joint Task Force to Combat Opioid Trafficking Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a joint task force to enhance border security operations to detect, interdict, disrupt, and prevent narcotics such as fentanyl and other synthetic opioids from entering the United States. DHS shall report to Congress as to whether it will establish such a task force. If such a task force is established, DHS shall periodically report to Congress on issues such as what additional resources are needed to detect and prevent narcotics from entering the United States. The bill also authorizes DHS joint task forces to engage with and receive assistance from outside DHS, including private sector organizations and federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial entities.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2019
Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop and conduct a collective-response-to-terrorism exercise that includes managing cascading effects on critical infrastructure, such as an extreme cold-weather event caused by a polar vortex.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2019
TSA Reaching Across Nationalities, Societies, and Languages to Advance Traveler Education Act or the TRANSLATE Act This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to develop a plan to ensure that TSA material disseminated in major airports is better understood by people accessing such airports, including by foreign language speakers and people with vision or hearing impairments.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2019
Short-Term Detention Standards Act This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to make every effort to ensure that apprehended individuals are given access to appropriate temporary shelter, bathrooms and shower facilities, water, appropriate nutrition, hygiene, personal grooming items, and sanitation needs. Currently, CBP is only required to make every effort to provide food and water.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2019
Bill's Promise Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on how individuals on federal pretrial release are monitored.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2019
Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2019 This bill expands Medicare coverage of chiropractic services to include all services provided by chiropractors, rather than only subluxation corrections through manual manipulation of the spine.
United States · United States Congress · 5 July 2019
Appraisal Reform Act of 2019 This bill revises provisions related to real estate appraisals. Specifically, the bill adds trainee appraisers to the National Registry of Appraisers, allows the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council's Appraisal Subcommittee to adjust annual registry fees for appraisal management companies, requires the disclosure of appraisal fees in the case of an appraisal coordinated by an appraisal management company, allows nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to receive certain grants, and adds a designee of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Appraisal Subcommittee.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2019
Federally Requiring Earned Education-debt Discharges for Vets Act or the FREED Vets Act This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to automatically discharge loans under the Federal Family Education Loan program for certain borrowers who are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Specifically, ED must automatically discharge a veteran borrower's loan when the Department of Veterans Affairs has assigned the borrower a rating of total disability for a service-connected disability or has determined the borrower to be unemployable due to a service-connected condition, determine whether a state might impose a tax liability for the discharge of such a loan, and provide the borrower with a notification related to potential tax liability and an opportunity to opt out of such loan discharge.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2019
Greg LeMond 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 to Greg LeMond, in recognition of his contributions to the nation as an athlete, activist, role model, and community leader.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2019
National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality Act of 2019 or the NO HATE Act This bill establishes various grants within the Department of Justice for states and units of local government to improve law enforcement activities to address hate crimes, including by improving the reporting of hate crime data to relevant national systems. It also allows a court to order, as a penalty for a violation of a federal hate crime statute, a defendant to participate in educational classes or community service related to the community harmed by the defendant's offense as part of a supervised release.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2019
Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2019 This bill establishes a new criminal civil rights violation for lynching. Specifically, a person who conspires to commit certain civil rights offenses (e.g., a hate crime act) is subject to criminal penalties.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2019
Improve Well-Being for Veterans Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to award grants for a period of three years to eligible entities for the provision of suicide prevention services to veterans and their families. Under the bill, eligible entities include tribally designated housing entities, community-based organizations, and other private entities that meet certain requirements. Entities must submit an application to receive financial assistance that includes a description of the services they propose to provide, among other elements. The bill requires the VA to equitably distribute grants across geographic regions and areas with the most need. Additionally, the VA shall give preference to entities that are experienced in providing suicide prevention services. Entities receiving funding must notify service recipients that funding is wholly or partially from the VA.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2019
Protecting People From Surprise Medical Bills Act This bill makes a series of changes relating to health care costs and billing practices. Among other things, the bill applies in-network cost-sharing requirements to certain emergency and related non-emergency services that are provided out-of-network; requires health insurers to include in-network and out-of-network deductibles, as well as out-of-pocket maximum limitations, on enrollee insurance cards; requires health insurers to provide online and print directories of in-network health care providers; and prohibits health care providers from billing individuals for services more than a year after such services are provided.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2019
This resolution (1) supports the efforts of state securities regulators to promote capital investment and educate investors, and (2) urges collaboration between the Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities regulators.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2019
Stopping Bad Robocalls Act This bill updates various policies and regulations relating to robocalls. Specifically, the bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect consumer privacy as it relates to robocalls. The FCC must update regulations involving certain robocalls that are exempt from criminal liability to include specific requirements identifying classes of parties who may make such calls, parties who may be called, and how many times they may be called. Additionally, the bill removes the requirement that a citation be issued prior to a forfeiture penalty being imposed in cases where violations involving illegal robocalls have been intentional and where inaccurate caller identification information has been provided. The bill also implements a three-year statute of limitation for such violations requiring notice, and a four-year statute of limitation where an intentional violation has occurred. The FCC must promulgate regulations to address requirements for effective call authentication technology as well as to establish a process to streamline the ways in which a private entity may voluntarily share with FCC information relating to an illegal call or text or for calls with misleading or inaccurate caller identification information. Finally, the bill requires the FCC to ensure robocall blocking services provided on an opt-out basis are provided free of cost with transparency and redress options for consumers and callers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2019
Republic of Texas Legation Memorial Act This bill authorizes the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to establish the Republic of Texas Legation Memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia to commemorate and honor those individuals who, as representatives of the Republic of Texas, served in the District of Columbia as diplomats to the United States and made possible the annexation of Texas as the 28th state of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2019
JROTC Cyber Training Act This bill directs the Department of Defense to implement a program to prepare Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps students for careers in computer science and cybersecurity. The program may include such elements as internships and cooperative research opportunities, funding for training of instructors, activities to improve the quality of training in these fields, and informal education.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2019
Traveling Parents Screening Consistency Act of 2019 This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to review implementation of requirements regarding screening by the Transportation Security Administration of baby formula, breast milk, purified deionized water for infants, and juice on airlines.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2019
This resolution condemns the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and expresses sympathy for the victims' relatives. It also expresses concern for the continuing 25-year-long delay in the proper resolution of the case and supports accountability for the attack, including the Iranian and Hezbollah operatives involved.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2019
This resolution expresses support for the people of Sudan and their right to peacefully assemble and express their demands for political change. It condemns the government of Sudan's use of violence and arbitrary detention against peaceful protesters, and calls for an immediate transfer of power by the military to an inclusive, civilian-led government.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2019
Taxpayer First Act This bill revises requirements for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding its organizational structure, customer service, enforcement procedures, cybersecurity and identity protection, management of information technology, and use of electronic systems. The bill includes provisions that establish the IRS Independent Office of Appeals to resolve federal tax controversies without litigation; require the IRS to develop comprehensive customer service and IRS personnel training strategies; exempt certain low-income taxpayers from payments required to submit an offer-in-compromise; modify certain tax enforcement procedures and requirements; establish requirements for responding to Taxpayer Advocate Directives; establish a Community Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Matching Grant Program; require the IRS to give public notice of the closure of taxpayer assistance centers; modify procedures for whistle-blowers; establish requirements for cybersecurity and identity protection; provide notification to taxpayers of suspected identity theft; require the appointment of a Chief Information Officer who shall develop and implement a multiyear strategic plan for IRS information technology needs; modify requirements for managing IRS information technology; expand electronic filing of tax returns; prohibit the rehiring of certain IRS employees who were removed for misconduct; require mandatory e-filing by tax-exempt organizations and notice before revocation of tax-exempt status for failure to file; and increase penalties for failure to file tax returns. The bill also requires the IRS to implement an Internet platform for Form 1099 filings, a fully automated program for disclosing taxpayer information for third-party income verification using the Internet, and uniform standards and procedures for accepting electronic signatures.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2019
75th Anniversary of the End of World War II Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 500,000 $1 coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The coins shall be emblematic of the sacrifices made by millions of people of the United States 75 years ago in bringing an end to World War II. The design on each coin shall represent the World War II Victory Medal, which was awarded to all 16 million U.S. military personnel who served from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946. The bill requires all sales of such coins include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by Treasury to the congressionally designated National WWII Museum to fund its educational mission of telling the story of the U.S. experience in World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2019
Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2019 This bill repeals specified limitations, for purposes of Medicare participation, on self-referrals by newly constructed or expanded physician-owned hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2019
This resolution calls on the United States and North Korea to reunited Korean-American divided family members with their immediate relatives as a humanitarian policy of immediate concern.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2019
Expanding Investment in Small Businesses Act of 2019 This bill directs the Securities and Exchange Commission to report on (1) the limitiation on shares of an individual company that a diversified investment company may own, and (2) the limitation's impact on capital formation.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2019
Protecting American Lives Act This bill imposes requirements related to state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts and increases criminal penalties for certain removed aliens who reenter the United States. A state or local government jurisdiction shall be ineligible for certain federal law enforcement grants if the jurisdiction has a statute, policy, or practice (1) to not comply with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detainer requests, or (2) prohibiting the jurisdiction's law enforcement officers from assisting with federal immigration law enforcement. (A detainer is a DHS request that a jurisdiction hold an alien in its custody until that alien can be transferred to federal custody.) Compliance with a detainer request shall be an action under color of federal authority for immunity and liability purposes in a civil action. A state or local jurisdiction shall timely inform DHS about an alien believed to be inadmissible or deportable in the jurisdiction's custody. DHS shall reimburse each jurisdiction for reasonable costs incurred from this requirement. The bill imposes a minimum imprisonment term of five years for certain aliens who without authorization reenter the United States after being removed or denied admission. Such an alien shall be criminally fined, imprisoned, or both. It shall be unlawful for a state or local jurisdiction to discriminate against a law enforcement officer for complying with a detainer request.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2019
Homeland Security for Children Act This bill requires the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to review and incorporate into DHS policy feedback from organizations representing the needs of children. The bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify and integrate the needs of children into activities to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against the risk of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, including by appointing a technical expert to coordinate such integration.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2019 This bill requires the President, in consultation with relevant federal agencies, to develop a strategy to secure and protect U.S. fifth and future generations (5G) systems and infrastructure. Such strategy shall (1) ensure the security of 5G mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure within the United States; (2) assist mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries in maximizing the security of 5G systems and infrastructure; and (3) protect the competitiveness of U.S. companies, privacy of U.S. consumers, and integrity of standards-setting bodies against political influence.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2019
This resolution expresses support for the leaders of the peaceful Tiananmen pro-democracy demonstrations in the spring of 1989 in Beijing, and expresses sympathy and solidarity with the families of those killed, tortured, and imprisoned for their participation. It also calls on the Chinese government to (1) support a full and transparent accounting of its violent suppression of the protests, (2) cease censoring information about the massacre, and (3) allow the protesters to return to China without risk of retribution.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2019
Homebuyer Assistance Act of 2019 This bill modifies requirements for appraisers of Federal Housing Administration-insured mortgages. Currently, an appraiser must be certified by certain state or national entities. The bill removes the national entities from the list of approved certification entities and allows an appraiser to be state-licensed rather than state-certified to meet requirements. The bill also provides specified educational requirements for appraisers.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2019
I mproving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to permit a Member of Congress to use a VA facility to meet with constituents during normal business hours.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Our Obligation to Recognize American Heroes (OORAH) Act of 2019 This bill authorizes jurisdiction over certain Iranian assets so that judgments against Iran for the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, may be collected by the victims' families. Specifically, the bill establishes personal jurisdiction for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York over Iranian funds held outside the United States by any foreign securities intermediary.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Better Military Housing Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop and implement a plan to address health, safety, and quality issues at privatized military housing. DOD shall provide a tenant entering into a tenancy agreement for such a housing unit information on tenant rights; expectations regarding reporting by tenants and landlords of maintenance, health, or safety issues relating to the unit; a comprehensive accounting of the rights and responsibilities relating to maintenance; and a comprehensive maintenance, repair, and remediation history of the unit. At least annually, the DOD Inspector General shall inspect the oversight of privatized military housing at no fewer than 15 randomly selected installations. Additionally, DOD shall study ways to improve privatized military housing and the oversight and execution of contracts in order to improve housing conditions for Armed Forces members and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2019
Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2019 This bill makes the provision of physical therapy services a profession eligible for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program. The NHSC Loan Repayment Program assists specified health care professionals to repay eligible student loans in exchange for providing services in areas with limited access to health care.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
VA Newborn Emergency Treatment Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish transportation in connection with the receipt of covered health care services for a newborn child of a woman veteran (and the child's parents). The bill expands covered health care services to include services furnished at health care facilities other than the facility where the child was delivered. Under the bill, the VA may furnish more than seven days of health care services and transportation to such services if a child is in need of additional care. Expenses incurred for transportation furnished in order for a newborn child of a veteran to receive health care services prior to the enactment of this bill may be waived or reimbursed to the veteran by the VA.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2019
Transit Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act This bill prohibits the awarding of a contract to an entity for the procurement of rolling stock for use in public transportation if the manufacturer of the rolling stock is (1) incorporated or has manufacturing facilities in the United States; and (2) is owned or controlled by an entity based in a country that is identified as a nonmarket economy country, was identified by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as a priority foreign country (e.g., a country that does not protect intellectual property rights), and is subject to monitoring by the USTR. This includes the People's Republic of China. Any recipient of financial assistance for public transportation that operates a rail fixed guideway service must certify that is will not award any contract for the procurement of rail rolling stock for use in public transportation to a manufacturer of rolling stock that is described by this bill. A recipient that operates a rail fixed guideway public transportation system must certify that it has a written plan for identifying and reducing cybersecurity risks.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Law Enforcement Training for Mental Health Crisis Response Act of 2019 This bill directs the Office of Justice Programs within the Department of Justice to award grants to law enforcement agencies for behavioral health crisis response training.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2019
Feeding Hungry Students in Schools Act of 2019 This bill revises program requirements under the National School Lunch Program regarding food donations to allow schools participating in the program to donate food through a charitable organization official who is directly affiliated with the school and the local educational agency serving such school. A charitable organization official may not receive donated food unless they have received a food safety certification, or other applicable certification, from the state health department in the state such food is donated in. The food donated by a school may be received, stored, and distributed on the campus of such school.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
This resolution condemns the government of Turkey's stated plan to acquire a missile defense system from Russia and expresses support for a U.S. government offer to sell an alternative system to Turkey instead. The resolution also calls for terminating Turkey's participation in the industrial program supporting the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter if it acquires the Russian missile system.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2019
This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents and expresses support for the people of Iran who are engaged in legitimate and peaceful protests against the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Purple Heart Freedom to Work Act This bill increases the monthly income limit that is used to determine whether certain Purple Heart recipients are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Specifically, when making such determinations with respect to Purple Heart recipients who are entitled to SSDI benefits based on combat-related injuries, the Social Security Administration must use the limit that applies to individuals who are blind rather than the lower limit that applies to other SSDI recipients. In addition, the bill phases out SSDI benefits for these Purple Heart recipients, with benefits reduced by $1 for every $4 of earnings in excess of the limit.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Stop Senior Scams Act This bill establishes a Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Council, which shall create model educational materials to educate employees of retailers, financial-services companies, and wire-transfer companies on how to identify and prevent scams that affect seniors.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
Search and Rescue Dog Protection Act This bill requires search and rescue dogs to be treated in the same manner as service animals in the event of a federally declared major disaster or emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2019
This resolution strongly condemns the government of Cameroon's abuses in the country's Anglophone regions, including the use of violence and violations of press freedoms. It urges the government to initiate dialogues with separatist groups and civil society, follow through on initiatives developed to address various grievances, and comply with international human rights standards. The resolution also urges separatist groups to immediately stop committing human rights abuses and end their incitement of violence and hate speech.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2019
This bill expands the definition of a whistleblower with regard to securities law violations. Specifically, the bill extends protections from retaliation to individuals who assist in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation of these violations or who make disclosures that are required or protected under any law subject to the SEC's jurisdiction. Currently, these protections apply only to individuals who report information directly to the SEC.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Fentanyl Sanctions Act This bill establishes programs to address illicit opioid trafficking and imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities involved in such activities. The President shall impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities identified as opioid traffickers or those that own, control, or supply opioid precursors. The sanctions include bans on (1) receiving loans, (2) foreign exchange transactions, (3) property transactions, and (4) certain investments that fall under U.S. jurisdiction. The President may waive sanctions on certain parties for national security and humanitarian concerns. The President shall report to Congress about the implementation of such sanctions and also on cooperative efforts with Mexico and China to combat illicit opioid trafficking. The bill establishes the Commission on Synthetic Opioid Trafficking, which shall develop a strategy to combat the flow of synthetic opioids into the United States. The commission shall report on various topics including the scope of illicit trafficking in other countries and the deficiencies in other countries' regulation of pharmaceutical and chemical production. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) shall establish a program to assist in enforcement efforts and sanctions against illicit opioid traffickers, with a focus on illicit finance. ODNI shall periodically report to Congress about the intelligence community's counter-narcotics efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 This bill removes the requirement that a health care practitioner apply for a separate waiver through the Drug Enforcement Administration to dispense certain narcotic drugs (e.g., buprenorphine) for maintenance or detoxification treatment (i.e., substance use disorder treatment). Further, the bill directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct a national campaign to educate health care practitioners and encourage them to integrate substance use disorder treatment into their practices.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 and revises the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 to expand services for preventing and treating child abuse. Specifically, the bill establishes requirements concerning collecting and exchanging data about child abuse and neglect. For instance, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to (1) establish uniform national standards for tracking and reporting child fatalities and near-fatalities resulting from maltreatment, and (2) develop an electronic interstate data exchange system that allows states to share information from their child abuse and neglect registries with other states. In addition, the bill addresses child abuse and neglect related to families impacted by substance use disorders, racial bias in the child protective services system, and child sexual abuse. Finally, the bill requires HHS to examine unregulated custody transfers and make recommendations for preventing, identifying, and responding to such transfers.
