United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2017
Allocation for Music Producers Act or the AMP Act This bill amends federal copyright law to require a collective designated by the Copyright Royalty Judges to implement a policy providing for the acceptance of instructions (referred to as a "letter of direction") from a person who owns the exclusive right to publicly perform a sound recording by means of a digital audio transmission, or from a recording artist of a such a sound recording, to distribute a portion of royalty payments to a producer, mixer, or sound engineer who was part of the creative process behind the sound recording. The collective must adopt special procedures for a producer, mixer, or sound engineer to receive a portion of royalties for recordings fixed before November 1, 1995, by certifying that a reasonable effort has been made to obtain a letter of direction from an artist who owns the right to receipts payable with respect to the sound recording.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2017
Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2017 This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to terminate the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). Under PPACA, the IPAB is tasked with developing proposals to reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2017
Farm Regulatory Certainty Act This bill amends the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 to specify that animal waste, manure, and fertilizer are excluded from the Act's requirements if the waste, manure, or fertilizer originates from or is utilized by an agricultural operation. Citizen suits may not be brought under the Act against an agricultural operation if federal or state legal and enforcement actions are already underway.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017 This bill repeals existing caps on Medicare payment for certain outpatient physical-therapy services and speech-language pathology services. Under current law, annual payment for such services is capped at $1,980 in 2017, with specified percentage increases to that limit in subsequent years.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act This bill amends the National Trails System Act to designate a trail of approximately 2,400 miles extending from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, as the Route 66 National Historic Trail. The trail shall be administered by the National Park Service in a manner that respects and maintains its idiosyncratic nature.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule entitled, "Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs under the Clean Air Act." The rule addresses safety at facilities that use and distribute hazardous chemicals. It was published on January 13, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2017
National Right-to-Work Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to repeal those provisions that permit employers or labor organizations, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment (including provisions permitting railroad carriers to require, pursuant to such an agreement, payroll deduction of union dues or fees as a condition of employment).
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2017
This joint resolution initiates the process to terminate the Independent Medicare Advisory Board, which issues annual recommendations for reducing growth in Medicare expenditures. Under current law, the enactment of a such a joint resolution is required in order to terminate the board.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2017
This joint resolution nullifies the “Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 ” rule finalized by the Social Security Administration on December 19, 2016. The rule implements a plan to provide to the National Instant Criminal History Background Check System the name of an individual who meets certain criteria, including that benefit payments are made through a representative payee because the individual is determined to be mentally incapable of managing them. (Current law prohibits firearm sale or transfer to and purchase or possession by a person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2017
Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax treatment of certain alcoholic beverages, to: exclude the aging period from the production period for beer, wine, or distilled spirits for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period; reduce excise tax rates on beer and distilled spirits; modify the small wine producer tax credit to increase the amount of the credit, expand the producers that are covered, and specify an adjustment for hard cider; modify the alcohol content limitations that apply to certain wines for tax purposes; specify definitions for "mead" and "low alcohol by volume wine;" modify requirements for records, statements, and returns for certain breweries; and permit the transfer of beer between bonded facilities without payment of tax. The Department of the Treasury must amend applicable regulations with respect to the use of wholesome products suitable for human consumption in the production of fermented beverages.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2017
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act or the BRACE Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for railroad track maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Reaffirms the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Expresses respect for the decision of the June 23, 2016, referendum to leave the European Union and recognizes that it will not diminish the bond between the governments and people of the United States and the United Kingdom. Supports bilateral and free trade discussions between the two countries. Calls upon the U.S. Trade Representative to begin negotiations with the United Kingdom for a new U.S.-United Kingdom North Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2017
Declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2017
Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt traditional large and premium cigars from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and from user fees assessed on tobacco products by the FDA.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for a physician to knowingly perform an abortion: (1) without determining whether the fetus has a detectable heartbeat, (2) without informing the mother of the results, or (3) after determining that a fetus has a detectable heartbeat. It provides an exception for an abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical (but not psychological or emotional) disorder, illness, or condition. A physician who performs a prohibited abortion is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2017
Student Loan Opportunity Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax-exempt private activity bond financing, to: (1) eliminate a provision that restricts nonprofit scholarship funding corporations that acquire student loan notes to notes incurred under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (thus allowing such corporations to access tax-exempt financing for other types of student loans), and (2) expand the operations of such corporations to include performing student assistance related activities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2017
Synthetic Drug Awareness Act of 2017 This bill requires the Surgeon General to report to Congress on the public health effects of the increased use since January 2010 by individuals who are 12 to 18 years old of drugs developed and manufactured to avoid control under the Controlled Substances Act (e.g., synthetic marijuana, also known as "spice," and synthetic amphetamines, also known as "bath salts").
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. The Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 is amended to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. The bill establishes a transition period during which a percentage of employment-based second and third preference (EB-2 and EB-3) immigrant visas are reserved as follows: for FY2017, 15% of such visas are allotted to natives of countries other than the two countries with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2011; for FY2018, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2012; and for FY2019, 10% of such visas are allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2015. During the transition period, not more than 25% of the total number of the reserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. For FY2015-FY2017, not more than 85% of the unreserved EB-2 and EB-3 visas shall be allotted to natives of a single country. Amendments made by this bill shall apply beginning in FY2017.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Red River Gradient Boundary Survey Act This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to commission a survey to identify the South Bank boundary line with respect to land along a specified 116-mile stretch of the Red River in Oklahoma and Texas (the affected area). The survey shall: adhere to the gradient boundary survey method; span the length of the affected area; be conducted by surveyors who are licensed and qualified to conduct official gradient boundary surveys, and selected by and operating under the direction of the Texas General Land Office and the Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office (the offices); and be completed within two years of enactment of this bill. The BLM shall submit the survey to the offices for approval and, within 60 days of receiving it, they shall determine whether to approve it. Surveys of individual parcels in the affected area shall be conducted according to the requirements for the survey of the South Bank boundary line. A survey of such a parcel shall be approved or disapproved by the offices within 60 days of receipt. The survey for identifying the South Bank boundary line and any survey of an individual parcel shall not be submitted to the BLM for approval. After a survey for an individual parcel has been approved, the offices shall submit to the BLM: a notice of the approval of such survey, and a copy of such survey and any field notes related to the parcel.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
This bill allows the first person, and only such person, appointed as Secretary of Defense after the enactment of this bill to be a person who is, on the date of appointment, at least three years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of the Armed Forces. (Under current law, an individual may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from such active duty.)
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Default Prevention Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to borrow to pay the principal and interest on certain obligations if the debt of the United States exceeds the statutory limit. If the debt limit is exceeded, Treasury must issue obligations solely for the payment of the principal and interest on debt held by the public or the Social Security trust funds. Obligations issued under this bill may not be used to compensate Members of Congress. If Treasury exercises authority provided by this bill, it must submit to Congress a report that includes an accounting of: (1) the principal on mature obligations and interest that is due or accrued, and (2) obligations issued under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
Hearing Protection Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm silencers, and (2) treat any person who acquires or possesses a firearm silencer as meeting any registration or licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to such silencer. Any person who pays a transfer tax on a silencer after October 22, 2015, may receive a refund of such tax. The bill amends the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Protecting American Families' Retirement Advice Act This bill delays for two years the effective date of the Department of Labor rule published on April 8, 2016, relating to the definition of the term "fiduciary" and the conflict of interest rule with respect to retirement investment advice. (The rule defines who is a fiduciary with respect to pension and retirement plans. Under current law, a person who provides investment advice has a fiduciary obligation that requires the person to provide advice in the sole interest of plan participants and beneficiaries. The rule changes the definition of "investment advice" to treat people who provide investment advice to pension and retirement plans for a fee or other compensation as fiduciaries in a wider array of advice relationships.)
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2700 Cullen Boulevard in Pearland, Texas, as the "Endy Nddiobong Ekpanya Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Protect Medical Innovation Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on the sale of a medical device by the manufacturer, producer, or importer.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Route 66 Centennial Commission Act This bill establishes the Route 66 Centennial Commission to honor Route 66 on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. The Department of Transportation shall prepare a plan on the preservation needs of Route 66.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit. It requires a majority roll vote of each chamber to increase revenue. It also requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Congress is authorized to waive these requirements when a declaration of war is in effect or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. A qualified individual must: (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid concealed carry permit issued by any state or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence. Additionally, the bill specifies that a qualified individual who lawfully carries or possesses a concealed handgun in another state: (1) is not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone, and (2) may carry or possess the concealed handgun in federally owned lands that are open to the public.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking. A federal agency promulgating a rule must publish information about the rule in the Federal Register and include in its report to Congress and to the Government Accountability Office: (1) a classification of the rule as a major or nonmajor rule, and (2) a copy of the cost-benefit analysis of the rule that includes an analysis of any jobs added or lost. A "major rule" is any rule that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds results in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. A joint resolution of approval must be enacted within 70 session days or legislative days after the agency proposing a major rule submits its report on such rule to Congress in order for the rule to take effect. A major rule may take effect for 90 days without such approval if the President determines it is necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, for the enforcement of criminal laws, for national security, or to implement an international trade agreement. The bill sets forth the congressional approval procedure for major rules and the congressional disapproval procedure for nonmajor rules. A joint resolution addressing a report classifying a rule as a major rule must be introduced within three legislative days in the House of Representative and three session days in the Senate. The bill prohibits any amendments to, and provides for expedited consideration of, such a joint resolution. A court may review whether an agency has completed the necessary requirements under this bill for a rule to take effect. The bill limits the effect of a joint resolution of approval of a major rule. The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended to provide that any congressional approval procedure set forth in this bill affecting budget authority, outlays, or receipts shall be assumed to be effective unless it is not approved in accordance with this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Red River Gradient Boundary Survey Act This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to commission a survey to identify the South Bank boundary line with respect to land along a specified 116-mile stretch of the Red River in Oklahoma and Texas (the affected area). The survey shall: adhere to the gradient boundary survey method; span the length of the affected area; be conducted by surveyors who are licensed and qualified to conduct official gradient boundary surveys, and selected by and operating under the direction of the Texas General Land Office and the Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office (the offices); and be completed within two years of enactment of this bill. The BLM shall submit the survey to the offices for approval and, within 60 days of receiving it, they shall determine whether to approve it. Surveys of individual parcels in the affected area shall be conducted according to the requirements for the survey of the South Bank boundary line. A survey of such a parcel shall be approved or disapproved by the offices within 60 days of receipt. The survey for identifying the South Bank boundary line and any survey of an individual parcel shall not be submitted to the BLM for approval. After a survey for an individual parcel has been approved, the offices shall submit to the BLM: a notice of the approval of such survey, and a copy of such survey and any field notes related to the parcel.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2016
Directs the Secretary of the Senate to make specified technical corrections in the enrollment of S. 2943 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017).
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Pre-Claims Undermine Seniors' Health Act of 2016 or the PUSH Act of 2016 This bill delays the Medicare demonstration for pre-claim review of home health services and requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to report on such pre-claim review. Specifically, CMS shall delay or suspend the demonstration by the later of: (1) one year after either the bill's enactment or the demonstration's scheduled start-date, as applicable; or (2) six months after CMS submits its report.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Establishes an ad hoc Joint Committee on the Organization of the Congress to make a full and complete study of the organization, operations, functions, and relevant interactions of the Members of Congress and to make recommendations that serve specified objectives. Requires the committee to include in its report to both chambers at the end of a congressional session recommendations for its continuation or designation of a similar entity to continue the pursuit of improvements in the congressional process.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit Medicare Prescription Drug Plan sponsors from retroactively reducing payment on clean claims submitted by pharmacies. (A "clean claim" is a Medicare claim that is free of defects such as incomplete documentation.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2016
Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act This bill declares that it shall be the policy of the U.S. government not to pay ransom or release prisoners for the purpose of securing the release of U.S. citizens taken hostage abroad. The U.S. government is prohibited from providing promissory notes (including currency) issued by the U.S. government or by a foreign government to the government of Iran. The conduct of a transaction or payment in connection with a claim settlement agreement brought before the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal (established on January 19, 1981) may be made only: (1) on a case-by-case basis pursuant to a specific license by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, and (2) in a manner that does not contradict such promissory note prohibition. The President must publish a list of such transactions or payments. Such promissory note prohibition and licensing requirement shall remain in effect until the President certifies that: (1) a preliminary or final rule providing for Iran's designation as a jurisdiction of primary money laundering concern has been rescinded, and (2) the Department of State has removed Iran from the list of countries that have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. The President shall: (1) submit, every 180 days for 3 years, a report that evaluates each outstanding claim before the tribunal; and (2) provide notice prior to conducting a transaction or payment from the U.S. government to the government of Iran in connection with a claim settlement agreement. Nothing in this bill shall: (1) apply to activities subject to the non-covert intelligence reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947, or (2) be construed to authorize any U.S. government payment to the government of Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Veterans Transplant Coverage Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) provide for an operation on a live donor to carry out a transplant procedure for an eligible veteran notwithstanding that the live donor may not be eligible for VA health care, and (2) provide for such an operation at a VA or a non-VA facility. The VA shall furnish to such a donor any care or services that may be required before and after conducting with such procedure.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2016
Iran Accountability Act of 2016 This bill prescribes requirements for mandatory sanctions with respect to: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), its agents, and persons or entities it owns; Mahan Air; Iran's support of terrorism and money laundering; Iran's human rights abuses; certain Iranian individuals, including the Supreme Leader of Iran and the President of Iran; persons who conduct transactions with or on behalf of certain Iranian individuals; persons that support or are involved in Iran's ballistic missile program; and financial institutions that engage in certain transactions on behalf of persons involved in human rights abuses or that export sensitive technology to Iran. The Department of the Treasury must establish and publish in the Federal Register an IRGC watch list. The bill prescribes prohibitions against Iran's access to the U.S. financial system. The bill authorizes the Department of State to provide assistance to individuals and entities working in Iran to promote the rule of law and economic opportunity. The Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992 is amended to cover ballistic missiles and related technology. The President is directed to: (1) designate within the State Department a Special Coordinator on Human Rights and Democracy in Iran; and (2) report on U.S. citizens, including dual citizens, detained by Iran or related groups. The bill requires Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Voice of America to increase programing services to Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2016
Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow energy tax credits through 2020 for investments in: (1) qualified biogas property, or (2) qualified manure resource recovery property. The bill also permits new clean renewable energy bonds to be used for such properties. "Qualified biogas property" comprises a system that: (1) uses anaerobic digesters or other specified processes to convert biomass into a gas which is at least 52% methane; and (2) captures the gas for use as a fuel. The term includes property that cleans and conditions the gas for use as a fuel. "Qualified manure resource recovery property" comprises a system that uses specified processes to recover the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from a non-treated digestate or animal manure by reducing or separating at least 50% of the nutrients, excluding any reductions during the incineration, storage, composting, or field application of the non-treated digestate or animal manure. The term also includes certain processing equipment. The Department of the Treasury must enter into an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a study of biogas and report to Congress on the study.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2016
Food and Fuel Consumer Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act by revising the renewable fuel program, which requires transportation fuel to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must cap the total volume of ethanol blended into the transportation fuel supply at 9.7% of projected gasoline demand as determined by the Energy Information Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2016
Working to Integrate Networks Guaranteeing Member Access Now Act or the WINGMAN Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide an accredited, permanent congressional employee with read-only remote access to the electronic Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) claims records system of a represented veteran, regardless of whether the employee is acting under a power of attorney executed by the veteran. The VA shall ensure that access does not allow the employee to modify system data. An employee must complete the VA certification process required of agents or attorneys in order to have system access. Each Member of Congress who elects to have an employee participate in the system shall bear the certification cost, which shall be paid from the Member's representational allowance. Information access by an employee shall be deemed: (1) a covered disclosure requiring prior consent, with specified exceptions; and (2) a permitted disclosure relating to the privacy of individually identifiable health information. The VA may not recognize an employee for purposes of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of VA claims by reason of such system access. "Accredited, permanent congressional employee" means an employee of a Member of Congress who assists constituents with issues regarding federal departments or agencies. "Electronic VBA claims records system" means the VA system that provides claim status information, including information about medical records, compensation and pension exams records, rating decisions, a statement of the case and a supplementary statement of the case, a notice of disagreement, and Form-9.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Free File Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to operate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File Program. The program must work with state government agencies to enhance and expand the use of the program, while continuing to: provide free commercial-type online individual income tax preparation and electronic filing services to the lowest 70% of taxpayers by income; provide all taxpayers (regardless of income) with a basic, online electronic fillable forms utility; and work with the private sector to provide the free tax preparation and electronic filing services. Treasury must work with the private sector through the program to identify and implement innovative new program features to improve and simplify the taxpayer's experience with completing and filing individual income tax returns. The IRS and members of the tax software and electronic industry involved in the program must support and promote improvements within the program by mutually testing, piloting, and offering innovative solutions to: simplify the tax system, reduce compliance and reporting burdens, increase tax return accuracy through financial data authentication, strengthen the tax system against fraud through cybersecurity collaboration, avoid duplication, and maximize the use of electronic technology.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 This bill authorizes FY2017 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation. The bill authorizes appropriations to DOD for: Procurement, including aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, space procurement, and other procurement; Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; Operation and Maintenance; Working Capital Funds; the Joint Urgent Operational Needs Fund; Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction; Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities; the Defense Inspector General; the Defense Health Program; the Armed Forces Retirement Home; and Overseas Contingency Operations. The bill also authorizes the FY2017 personnel strengths for active duty and reserve forces and sets forth policies regarding: military personnel, compensation and other personnel benefits, acquisition policy and management, civilian personnel matters, and matters relating to foreign nations. Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 The bill authorizes FY2017 appropriations and sets forth policies for Military Construction for the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, defense agencies, international programs, Guard and Reserve Forces, and Base Realignment and Closure Activities.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3130 Grants Lake Boulevard in Sugar Land, Texas, as the "LCpl Garrett W. Gamble, USMC Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act This bill declares that the proposed or the final rule of the Department of Labor entitled "Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees" shall cease to have any force or effect. The rule revises the "white collar" exemption of executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer employees from minimum wage and maximum hour, or overtime, requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). If the proposed rule is a final rule on the date of enactment of this bill: Labor shall not enforce it based on conduct occurring before that enactment date, an employee shall not have any right of action against an employer for the employer's failure to comply with the final rule at any time before that enactment date, any regulations that were amended by the final rule shall be restored and revived as if the final rule had never taken effect, and nothing in this bill shall be construed to create a right of action for an employer against an employee for the recoupment of any payments made to the employee before the enactment of this bill that were in compliance with that final rule. Labor may promulgate any substantially similar rule only if it has completed certain required actions; but the rule shall not contain any automatic updates to the salary threshold for purposes of exemptions to minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under the FLSA. The requirement that definitions applicable for such exemptions be defined and delimited from time to time by Labor regulations shall be construed to: require Labor to issue a new rule through notice and comment rulemaking for each change in any salary threshold it has proposed; and exclude any rule that would result in changes to any salary threshold for multiple time periods, including through any automatic updating procedure. Labor may not promulgate any final rule that includes any revision to duties tests for exemption from minimum wage and maximum hours requirements unless specific regulatory text for the provision was proposed in the proposed rule.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2016
Acquisition Agility Act This bill requires all major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs) initiated after October 1, 2018, to be designed and developed with a modular open system architecture, which is an integrated business and technical strategy that: employs system interfaces between a major system platform (such as a ship, airplane, or ground vehicle) and its major system components; ensures that major system interfaces comply with widely supported and consensus-based standards; and allows components to be incrementally added, removed, or replaced throughout the platform's life cycle. Program capabilities development and acquisition weapon system design shall address modular open system architecture. Each military department shall: coordinate with the other military departments, the defense agencies, defense and other private sector entities, and national standards-setting organizations with respect to the development of platform interfaces and standards; ensure that interfaces incorporate commercial standards; and ensure that sufficient systems engineering, development expertise, workforce training, and budgeting resources are made available. An MDAP initiated after October 1, 2018, shall include only technical development that the milestone decision authority (a designated individual with overall program responsibility) determines would not delay a program's fielding target. Each military department shall establish or appoint an oversight board or group to manage prototype weapon system components and other technologies and subsystems. A prototype project shall: (1) be completed within three years; (2) be selected in a merit-based process; (3) be funded through contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transactions; and (4) be funded initially for not more than $5 million. Specified weapon system component or technology prototype projects (including projects that address a high war fighter priority) may be selected for a follow-on production contract or other transaction without competitive procedures. Special funding transfers are authorized. The Department of Defense (DOD) shall assign program cost and fielding targets when MDAPs are initiated. The military department concerned shall ensure that supporting MDAP cost and fielding documents are realistic before being submitted for Joint Requirements Oversight Council approval. The United States shall have unlimited rights to use technical data pertaining to an external interface, or to release such data to persons outside the government or permit its use by such persons, in the case of an interface that is developed: (1) with a mix of federal and private funds, or (2) exclusively with private funds. The United States shall negotiate for data rights when items or processes are developed with a mix of federal and private funds, except if DOD determines that negotiations would not be practicable. Deferred ordering by the United States of technical data from a private contact partner is limited to: (1) the later of five years after acceptance of the last contract item, or the date of contract termination; and (2) technical data generated in the performance of the contract.
![Official portrait of Rep. Thornberry, Mac [R-TX-13]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000238_200.jpg)