United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
Chemical Assessment Improvement Act This bill modifies procedures related to specified chemical assessments performed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Specifically, chemical hazard identification and dose response assessments, currently performed by the Integrated Risk Information System program, must be performed by the appropriate EPA program office.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
Recognizes the significance of the parsonage allowance to the nation's religious and spiritual communities, and supports its continued retention in the Internal Revenue Code.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Efficient Drug Disposal Act of 2018 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to exempt certain solid waste incinerators from performance standards, including emission requirements. Specifically, incinerators used by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to destroy contraband or household pharmaceuticals are exempt from these requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2018
American Space Situational Awareness and Framework for Entity Management Act or the American Space SAFE Management Act This bill declares that it is U.S. policy to encourage the coordination of public and private sector science and technology activities to improve space situational awareness and space traffic management. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) must submit a national civil space situational awareness and space traffic management science and technology plan to carry out this policy. NASA shall establish a Center for Civil Space Situational Awareness and Space Traffic Management Science and Technology Excellence at a U.S. academic institution or institutions. The Department of Commerce shall establish a civil situational awareness program to furnish situational awareness services and information to, and obtain space situational awareness data and information from, specified eligible entities, including a state, a U.S. commercial entity, the government of a foreign country, or a foreign commercial entity. Commerce shall establish a civil space traffic coordination pilot program to facilitate communication, coordination, negotiation, and resolution among domestic and international civil spacecraft operators (including governmental and private entities operating those spacecraft) to improve the safety of spaceflight. Commerce must submit a report on the role that Commerce, including of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall have in the development of civil space traffic coordination standards to promote innovation and U.S. competitiveness.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2018
National Quantum Initiative Act This bill directs the President to implement a National Quantum Initiative Program to, among other things, establish the goals and priorities for a 10-year plan to accelerate the development of quantum information science and technology applications. The bill defines "quantum information science" as the storage, transmission, manipulation, or measurement of information that is encoded in systems that can only be described by the laws of quantum physics. The National Science and Technology Council shall establish a Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science, including membership from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to guide program activities. The President must establish a National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee to advise the President and subcommittee on quantum information science and technology research and development. NIST shall carry out specified quantum science activities and convene a workshop to discuss the development of a quantum information science and technology industry. The National Science Foundation shall: carry out a basic research and education program on quantum information science and engineering, and award grants for the establishment of Multidisciplinary Centers for Quantum Research and Education. The Department of Energy (DOE) shall carry out a basic research program on quantum information science. The Office of Science of DOE shall establish and operate National Quantum Information Science Research Centers to conduct basic research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs in quantum information science and technology.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2018
National Institute of Standards and Technology Reauthorization Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) through FY2019. NIST shall carry out specified quantum information science and technology activities and convene a workshop to discuss the development of quantum information science. NIST shall: enhance and expand its guidance and assistance to federal agencies in helping them to effectively use its Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity; expand fundamental and applied research to address key questions related to the measurement of privacy, security, and vulnerability of software tools and communications networks; and implement the recommendations in the December 2017 Road Mapping Workshop Report on Overcoming Barriers to Adoption of Composites in Sustainable Infrastructure. NIST shall continue to: support the development of artificial intelligence and data science; and conduct research on the expanded connectivity, interoperability, and security of interconnected systems and other aspects of the Internet of things. The bill grants NIST the authority to appoint scientific, engineering, and professional personnel regardless of the civil service laws to carry out research and development that requires the services of personnel who are specially qualified.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2018
Censures and condemns Maxine Waters, Representative of California's 43rd Congressional District, for her reactions to the policies of the Trump Administration on June 23, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2018
History and Tradition Protection Act of 2018 This bill provides that, regarding a civil action for deprivation of rights under color of law, the remedies with respect to a claim shall be limited to injunctive and declaratory relief where the deprivation consists of a violation of a prohibition in the Constitution against the establishment of religion. No fees shall be awarded in proceedings in vindication of civil rights with respect to such a claim concerning the actions of states and localities. With regard to a claim brought against the United States or a federal official acting in his or her official capacity, the bill prohibits the award of reasonable fees and expenses of attorneys to the prevailing party.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2018
Condemns and censures Maxine Waters, Representative of California's 43rd Congressional District, for conduct that condones public violence and incites public discord. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that she should immediately resign from office.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2018
Middle Class Savings Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the tax brackets that apply to taxes on capital gains. The bill aligns the thresholds with the brackets for the regular income tax rates enacted in P.L. 115-97 (commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act).
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
LEOSA Reform Act This bill allows certain authorized retired and off-duty law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in a school zone, on public property, or in a national park.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
I-14 Expansion and Improvement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to include additional routes within The Central Texas Corridor, a high priority corridor on the National Highway System, and to include The Central Louisiana Corridor and The Central Mississippi Corridor as high priority corridors on such system. The bill extends the Central Texas Corridor eastward following highways LA 8, LA 28, and US 84 in Louisiana through Leesville, Fort Polk, Alexandria, Pineville and Vidalia, where it would cross the Mississippi River.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
Expresses support for the designation of Juneteenth Independence Day. Recognizes the historical significance and supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2018
Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act This bill requires the Department of Transportation to amend regulations on hours of service for commercial drivers who transport live covered animals (i.e., livestock, honey bees, insects, fish, and crawfish) within a 300 air-mile radius from where the on-duty time of the driver begins. The regulations must: (1) exclude from the driver's on-duty time certain activities, such as loading or unloading a commercial motor vehicle; (2) change the driving time requirement to a maximum of not less than 15, and not more than 18, hours within a 24-hour period; (3) permit the driver to take one or more rest periods during the trip, which shall not be included in the calculation of the driving time; (4) require the driver, after completion of the trip, to take a rest break for a period that is five hours less than the maximum driving time; (5) exclude from the calculation of the driving time up to two additional hours, if the driver is within 150 air-miles of the point of delivery; and (6) make inapplicable the requirement that the driver take a 10-hour rest period before driving.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
Protecting Rational Incentives in Newsprint Trade Act of 2018 or the PRINT Act This bill directs the Department of Commerce to conduct a study of, and to report to Congress regarding, the economic well-being, health, and vitality of the newsprint industry and the local newspaper publishing industry in the United States, including an assessment of: the trends in demand for newsprint and traditional printed newspapers, in demand for digital or online consumption of news, and in the U.S. pulp and paper industry and the effect of declining demand for newsprint on the health of such industry; measures undertaken by printers and newspaper publishers to reduce costs in response to increased costs for newsprint in the United States, and whether such measures have harmed local news coverage or reduced employment in the newspaper and publishing industries; whether measures undertaken by publishers and printers to reduce costs have harmed local businesses that advertise in local newspapers; and the global production capacity for newsprint in light of the declining demand for newsprint. Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission may not give effect to an affirmative determination in an antidumping or countervailing duty investigation relating to imports of uncoated groundwood paper until the President certifies that he has received the report and has concluded that giving effect to the determination is in the economic interest of the United States. Until such time as the President issues the certification, the administering authority shall order a rate of zero for deposits posted in such an investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
Palestinian Authority Educational Curriculum Transparency Act This bill directs the Department of State to report annually to Congress on curricula used in schools controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA) or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the West Bank and Gaza, including determinations of whether: (1) violent or intolerant content toward other nations or ethnic groups has been removed; (2) the PA and UNRWA are reforming such curricula to conform with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization standards; and (3) the PA or UNRWA is using U.S. assistance to fund dissemination of such curricula. The State Department shall make such reports publicly available.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2018
This joint resolution condemns the actions taken by Hamas in Gaza, supports Israel's right to defend itself, and urges the United Nations and U.S. allies to support Israel in its self-defense against Hamas. The joint resolution reaffirms U.S. concern with the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza caused by Hamas.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2018
Recognizes that the national debt is a threat to national security and that deficits are unsustainable, irresponsible, and dangerous. Commits to restoring regular order to the appropriations process and immediately passing a balanced budget.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2018 This bill requires the Department of Education when reviewing whether there has been a violation of title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance) based on an individual's actual or perceived shared Jewish ancestry or Jewish ethnic characteristics to consider the definition of "anti-Semitism" as part of its assessment of whether a practice was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. For purposes of this bill, the definition of "anti-Semitism" is the definition set forth by the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism of the Department of State in the Fact Sheet issued on June 8, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
National Innovation Modernization by Laboratory Empowerment Act or the NIMBLE Act This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to delegate signature authority to the nonmilitary national laboratories for certain agreements. Activity under such an agreement must have a total cost of less than $1 million (including the contributions of the national laboratory and the cost share of the contractor). Agreements must fall within the scope of: a strategic plan for the laboratory that has been approved by DOE, or the most recent congressionally approved budget for DOE activities that are to be carried out by the laboratory.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
ARPA-E Act of 2018 This bill amends the America COMPETES Act to require the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) in the Department of Energy (DOE) to overcome the long-term and high-risk technological barriers in the development of transformative science and technology solutions to address energy, environmental, economic, and national security challenges. (Currently, ARPA-E must overcome barriers in the development of energy technologies.) The bill expands the goals of ARPA-E to include the development of energy technologies that: provide transformative solutions to improve management of radioactive waste, improve the efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of energy production, and address other challenges within the mission of DOE. The bill expands the responsibility of ARPA-E to accelerate novel early-stage research to include nonenergy research. ARPA-E must: include a strategic vision roadmap in each annual report on energy technology projects or advanced technology projects, and ensure that it does not fund an advanced technology project unless the prospective grantee has demonstrated that it has sufficiently attempted to secure private financing or that such project is not independently commercially viable. Specified categories of proprietary information collected by ARPA-E from award recipients shall be considered privileged and confidential and not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
Department of Energy Science and Innovation Act of 2018 This bill authorizes various scientific research activities, programs, and initiatives in the Department of Energy (DOE). The bill states that the mission of DOE's Office of Science shall be the delivery of scientific discoveries, capabilities, and major scientific tools to transform the understanding of nature and to advance energy, economic, and national security. The bill provides statutory authority for the Office of Science's basic energy sciences program, construction and operation of user facilities, Advanced Scientific Computing Research program, and Science Laboratories Infrastructure Program. DOE shall provide for specified upgrades to or construction of basic energy sciences research infrastructure. DOE shall carry out a Solar Fuels Research Initiative and a Electricity Storage Research Initiative. The Office of Science shall: carry out specified research programs; ensure the access of U.S. researchers to the most advanced accelerator facilities and research capabilities in the world, including the Large Hadron Collider; and assess the potential of fusion energy projects supported by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2018
Coastal Texas Protection Act This bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the completion of the feasibility studies for flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, and ecosystem restoration in the coastal areas of Texas.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2018
Water Resources Development Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes, deauthorizes, and modifies various projects under the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 and the National Dam Safety Program Act and provides for specified studies. The bill extends the National Levee Safety Program and the National Dam Safety Program through FY2023. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shall issue guidance on the use of mitigation banks (sites where resources such as wetlands or streams are restored, established, enhanced, or preserved to compensate for the impact of authorized activity) to meet specified goals. Before developing implementation guidance for certain water resources development laws, the Corps of Engineers shall: (1) inform nonfederal stakeholders of the intent to develop guidance, and (2) provide an opportunity for such stakeholders to provide input and recommendations. The Corps of Engineers shall enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to study: (1) the ability of the Corps to carry out its statutory missions and responsibilities, and (2) improving the Corps's project delivery processes. The bill extends the nonfederal implementation pilot program through FY2023. The Corps of Engineers must develop a list of water resources development projects to deauthorize. A water resources development project, or separable element thereof, authorized by this bill is deauthorized after 10 years unless: (1) funds have been obligated for construction or a postauthorization study, or (2) the authorization has been modified by a subsequent Act of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2018
Putting Our First-Responders First Act of 2018 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow first responders to exclude from gross income certain service-connected disability payments received as part of a pension or annuity after reaching the age of retirement. The bill applies to law enforcement officers, employees in fire protection activities, and individuals who provide out-of-hospital emergency medical care.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Improving Transparency in TANF through Data Act This bill expands data and reporting requirements for states under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018 This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) require the labels of fuel pumps that dispense E15 fuel (fuel that contains 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline) to include additional details, such as warning information; and (2) implement a public education campaign concerning the risks associated with the improper use of E15 fuel in vehicles, engines, and equipment, such as boats, lawnmowers, and snowmobiles.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses and is not in the best interest of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Protecting the Dignity of Unborn Children Act of 2018 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to recklessly dispose of or abandon fetal remains in a landfill or in any navigable waters of the United States. The term "fetal remains" means any part (except a cremated part) of a deceased human fetus following an abortion. A violator is subject to a fine, up to three years in prison, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Celebrates the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel. Encourages equitable treatment of Israel in international fora and the diplomatic recognition of Israel from governments worldwide. Reiterates support for a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian settlement leading to a two-state solution.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2018
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through FY2019. The bill authorizes NASA programs, activities, and reports, including those regarding the International Space Station (ISS); launch, crew, and cargo vehicle critical path redundancy; space suits; earth observation; land remote sensing data collection; Landsat systems; the Goddard Institute for Space Studies; in-space nuclear fission power; civil supersonic transportation research; unmanned aircraft systems research; commercially provided space products and services; commercial in-space infrastructure; and NASA-funded institutes. NASA shall: continue the operation of the ISS; establish a research office at the Johnson Space Center to build upon its expertise in human space flight missions for future challenges; partner with private sector and philanthropic organizations to search for technosignatures, such as radio transmissions, in the search for life's origin and future in the universe; establish the 21st Century Aeronautics Research Capabilities Initiative; more effectively and efficiently share its electromagnetic spectrum with U.S. nongovernmental entities operating or proposing to operate space objects; and restrict contracting with contractors who have a history of poor performance on space contracts. The bill extends NASA's authority to lease nonexcess properties through 2020. The National Space Council shall publish a report that relates the strategic national importance of space to the inherent risk of exploring and using it.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2018
Recognizes Estonia's, Latvia's, and Lithuania's 100th anniversary of independence, the 27th anniversary of their independence from the Soviet Union, and their political, economic, social, and military progress. Reiterates support for the European Deterrence Initiative as a means to enhance deterrence and increase military capabilities on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's eastern flank.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Stephen Michael Gleason 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 award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Stephen Michael Gleason.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Ending the Fentanyl Crisis Act of 2018 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to modify the drug quantity thresholds that trigger a mandatory minimum prison term for a defendant who manufactures, distributes, imports, exports, or possesses with intent to distribute fentanyl. Specifically, the bill reduces from 400 to 20 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 100 to 5 grams the fentanyl analogue quantity that trigger a 10-year or 20-year mandatory minimum prison term for high-level first-time or repeat offenders. It also reduces from 40 to 2 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 10 to 0.5 grams the fentanyl analogue quantity that trigger a 5-year or 10-year mandatory minimum prison term for low-level first-time or repeat offenders. Additionally, the bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to increase the availability of chemical screening devices and dedicate the appropriate number of personnel to interdict fentanyl and other substances that are unlawfully imported into the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Never Again Education Act This bill authorizes the Holocaust Education Assistance Program Fund for the Department of Education (ED) to: (1) award grants to eligible entities to carry out Holocaust education programs, and (2) conduct periodic regional workshops to provide teachers with technical assistance on how to incorporate Holocaust education within state and local education standards. The fund may accept donations and in-kind contributions. ED shall: (1) create and maintain a Holocaust education program website containing resources for middle grades and high schools; and (2) establish the Holocaust Education Advisory Board to advise on developing application criteria for the fund's grants, advise on content for the Holocaust education program website, and lead efforts to solicit donations for the fund.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2018
Municipal Infrastructure Savings and Transparency Act This bill grants an engineer for a public agency that receives funds from the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , or the Department of Agriculture (USDA), in accordance with state and local procurement requirements, maximum flexibility to select appropriate construction materials that meet the performance requirements of a public contract and that allows open and free competition among suppliers of construction materials, notwithstanding federal procurement requirements. A state or local government may not prohibit or restrict any such engineer from using a particular construction material. The Department of Transportation, the EPA, the Corps of Engineers, and USDA shall establish an interagency task force which shall issue a comprehensive report on federally-funded infrastructure projects.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2018
Supports: (1) U.S.-Israel cooperation to counter Iran's destabilizing activities, (2) enhancing Israel's deterrence capabilities, (3) including Israel in the first tier of countries receiving strategic trade authorization, and (4) the U.S. declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2018
This bill designates: (1) the federal building and U.S. courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the "George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse," and (2) the jury room located in that courthouse as the "Marcel C. Notzon II Jury Room."
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2018
Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2018 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt, from specified requirements and restrictions under that Act and other laws, the provision of certain unapproved, investigational drugs to a terminally ill patient who has exhausted approved treatment options and is unable to participate in a clinical trial involving the drugs. The manufacturer or sponsor of an eligible investigational drug must publish annual summaries on any use of the drug in accordance with these provisions. The bill limits the liability of a sponsor, manufacturer, licensed physician, clinical investigator, or hospital that provides, or declines to provide, an eligible investigational drug to an eligible patient in accordance with the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2018
Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2018 This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Department of Education to establish a program to provide children with parents on active duty in the uniformed services with funds for specified educational purposes. Children of active duty service members who reside in a local education agency that receives payments under the Impact Aid Program or who reside within the boundaries of a federal military installation are eligible to receive funds.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
Calls for the international community to demand that North Korea dismantle its labor camp system and for North Korea to cease human rights abuses and release political prisoners.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2018
United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018 This bill extends Military Financing Program grants for Israel through FY2023. The Department of Defense shall conduct a joint assessment with Israel regarding: (1) precision guided munitions needed by Israel in a sustained armed confrontation with Hezbollah and other armed groups and terrorist organizations, and (2) related U.S. assistance and resupply planning. The President may utilize the Special Defense Acquisition Fund to transfer precision guided munitions and related defense articles and services to reserve stocks for Israel. Authorities for loan guarantees and the war reserves stockpile for Israel are extended through FY2023. The Department of Homeland Security shall establish a seven-year grant program with Israel to support: (1) cybersecurity research and development, and (2) commercialization of cybersecurity technology. The U.S. Agency for International Development may enter into memoranda of understanding with Israel to advance common goals on energy, agriculture and food security, democracy, economic growth, education, and health. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall continue to work with the Israel Space Agency to pursue peaceful space exploration and science initiatives. The President may enter into a cooperative project agreement with Israel to carry out research and joint production of defense articles and services to detect and destroy unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones) that threaten the United States or Israel. The bill states that it is U.S. policy to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2018
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Economic Exclusion Act This bill expands sanctions against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The President shall report to Congress regarding: foreign and domestic supply chains that significantly aid the IRGC; Iranian state-owned entities that provide support to terrorist entities, including Mahan Air; and foreign persons owned or controlled by the IRGC, including companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange or companies with a value in excess of $100 million. The bill states that it is U.S. policy to prevent Iran's membership in the World Trade Organization and similar international bodies as long as Iran remains a state sponsor of terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2018
USA Workforce Tax Credit Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits for charitable contributions to certain nonprofit organizations with the exclusive purpose of providing: (1) workforce development and apprenticeship training, or (2) scholarships for elementary and secondary education expenses of students from households with income that does not exceed 200% of the median gross income. The bill limits the credits to specified amounts for individuals and corporations. It also: (1) imposes a tax on workforce development, apprenticeship training, and scholarship granting organizations that fail to distribute a specified portion of their receipts; and (2) establishes a $2 billion annual volume cap for the tax credits allowed under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
Deterring and Defeating Rocket and Missile Threats to Israel Act of 2018 This bill authorizes the President to provide assistance to Israel, under jointly agreed-upon exceptional circumstances, for procurement of missile defense systems (including the Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow systems) and missile defense development.