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397 records where Ron Wright is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2019
This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Odessa, Texas, as the "Wilson and Young Medal of Honor VA Clinic."
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2019
Nuclear Powers America Act of 201 9 This bill allows a tax credit for investments in qualified nuclear energy property placed in service before January 1, 2026. The credit applies to any amounts paid or incurred for refueling or other specified expenditures for a nuclear power plant for which an application for license renewal was or will be submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission before January 1, 2026.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Health for Each American Less fortunate Through Help from medical professionals In Every Rural and impoverished area Act of 2019 or the HEALTHIER Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award two-year grants to states that adopt laws permitting the provision of specified volunteer health care services. Such laws must require that volunteer health care services are (1) administered by a health care provider that is licensed in another state, (2) within the scope of practice of such provider, and (3) provided to a rural or impoverished area within the state receiving the grant.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Protect Medical Innovation Act of 201 9 This bill repeals the excise tax on the sale of a medical device by the manufacturer, producer, or importer.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Exposing the Financing of Human Trafficking Act This bill modifies the minimum standard for foreign government action toward the elimination of human trafficking. Specifically, an assessment of whether a government has made serious and sustained efforts to eliminate severe forms of trafficking shall include consideration as to whether the government vigorously investigates, seeks to prevent, and prosecutes financial crimes associated with such trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Restoring Education And Learning Act of 2019 or the REAL Act of 2019 This bill restores Pell Grant eligibility for individuals incarcerated in a federal or state penal institution and for sex offenders subject to civil commitment following incarceration.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2019
Freedom for Families Act This bill modifies requirements for health savings accounts (HSAs) to (1) exclude from gross income HSA distributions paid or distributed during a period of qualified caregiving, (2) allow participation in an HSA without enrollment in a high deductible health plan, and (3) increase the contribution limit for HSAs.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2019
Global Fragility Act This bill directs the Department of State to establish the interagency Global Fragility Initiative to stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent violence globally, and establishes funds to support such efforts. The State Department shall devise a plan for the initiative, including its organizational structure and goals. The State Department shall lead in foreign policy, diplomatic, and political efforts. The U.S. Agency for International Development shall lead in development, humanitarian, and non-security policies. Other departments and agencies, including the Department of Defense, shall provide support as necessary. The State Department shall select priority countries and regions that are particularly at risk, and report to Congress 10-year plans for each. Each plan shall include information including descriptions of goals, plans for reaching such goals, and benchmarks for measuring progress. The State Department shall report to Congress every two years about the initiative's progress. The Government Accountability Office shall consult Congress every two years about opportunities to assess the initiative and recommend improvements. The bill creates the Stabilization and Prevention Fund to support efforts to stabilize conflict-affected areas, including areas at risk from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or other terrorist organizations. The bill establishes the Complex Crises Fund to support programs to address emerging, unforeseen, or complex challenges abroad.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2019
Strategy To Oppose Predatory Organ Trafficking Act or the STOP Organ Trafficking Act This bill authorizes the Department of State to deny issuing a passport to, or to revoke an already-issued passport belonging to, an individual who has been convicted of certain offenses related to acquiring, receiving, receiving, or transferring human organs. The bill expands protections against severe forms of trafficking in persons to include trafficking for the purpose of removing a person's organs. The bill defines such trafficking to include the use of coercion, abduction, or fraud to recruit, transport, or harbor a person for the purpose of removing that person's organs. The State Department shall annually report to Congress on human trafficking conducted for organ tracking purposes, including descriptions of the sources and methods associated with such trafficking, State Department activities to address such trafficking, and activities by other countries to address such trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2019 This bill prohibits a person or organization from performing, facilitating, or assisting in the performance of an abortion on an unemancipated minor under age 18 without first complying with parental notification requirements, subject to exceptions. It establishes penalties—a fine, up to one year in prison, or both—for each willful violation. A parent who is required to be notified of an abortion of an unemancipated minor may bring an action in federal district court to prohibit the abortion.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Energy Diplomacy Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of State to establish an Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources position. The bill also directs the State Department to ensure there are sufficient personnel dedicated to handling energy-related issues, such as (1) formulating policies to advance U.S. energy security interests, (2) providing analysis of the national security implications of global energy and environmental developments, and (3) coordinating energy-related activities with other federal agencies. The Coordinator for International Energy Affairs position in the State Department shall be eliminated.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act This bill more closely aligns the federal privacy standards for substance use disorder (SUD) patient records with the standards under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Specifically, the bill authorizes the disclosure of SUD patient records without a patient's written consent to: (1) a covered entity for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations, as long as the disclosure is made in accordance with HIPAA; and (2) a public health authority, as long as the content of the disclosure meets HIPAA standards regarding de-identified information. Current law authorizes disclosure of SUD patient records without a patient's written consent only to medical personnel in a medical emergency, to specified personnel for research or program evaluations, or pursuant to a court order. The bill also repeals and replaces criminal penalties for certain violations involving SUD patient records with the HIPAA civil penalty structure. It also applies HIPAA criminal penalties to wrongful disclosures of SUD patient records. In addition, the bill expands the current prohibition against using SUD patient records in criminal proceedings to include any use in specified federal, state, and local criminal and civil actions. The bill prohibits certain discrimination based on the release of SUD information under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of State to review its guidance governing U.S.-Taiwan relations and to reissue such guidance to the relevant executive branch departments and agencies. It also directs the State Department to report to Congress on the results of the review and on the implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act, which states that it is U.S. policy to allow and encourage engagement between U.S. and Taiwanese officials. The bill states that Taiwan is an important part of U.S. strategy in the region and urges the United States to conduct regular transfers of defense articles to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act or the TRACED Act This bill implements a forfeiture penalty for violations (with or without intent) of the prohibition on certain robocalls. The bill also removes an annual reporting requirement for enforcement relating to unsolicited facsimile advertisements. The bill requires voice service providers to develop call authentication technologies. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) shall promulgate rules establishing when a provider may block a voice call based on information provided by the call authentication framework, but also must establish a process to permit a calling party adversely affected by the framework to verify the authenticity of their calls. The FCC shall also initiate a rulemaking to help protect a subscriber from receiving unwanted calls or texts from a caller using an unauthenticated number. This bill requires the Department of Justice and the FCC to assemble an interagency working group to study and report to Congress on the enforcement of the prohibition of certain robocalls. Specifically, the working group will look into how to better enforce against robocalls by examining issues like the types of laws, policies, or constraints that could be inhibiting enforcement. The bill requires the FCC to initiate a proceeding to determine whether its policies regarding access to number resources could be modified to help reduce access to numbers by potential robocall violators.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Second Chance at Life Act of 2019 This bill requires abortion providers administering chemical abortions to provide specified information about the possibility of reversing the effects of such procedure. Specifically, a patient must be informed at least 24 in advance that (1) reversing a chemical abortion may be possible after administering the first drug of a two-drug procedure and (2) additional information about chemical abortions is available through the Department of Health and Human Services. Further, after the first drug is administered, the physician must provide written discharge instructions to the patient that state it may be possible to reverse the abortion procedure before the second drug is taken, among other information. Such information also must be conspicuously posted inside the office or waiting area of clinics that provide chemical abortions. Abortion providers are not required to provide such information in the event that an abortion is necessary to save the life of a patient who is endangered due to a complication resulting from a pregnancy.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
This resolution affirms that the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances will remain cornerstones of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. It encourages increasing engagement between the United States and Taiwan and states that the President should conduct regular transfers of defense articles to Taiwan. (The United States made the Six Assurances to Taiwan in 1982, stating that it will not pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China and that it has not agreed to consult with China prior to any arms sales to Taiwan.)
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Authorization Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish a cybersecurity advisory committee within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to consult on the development, refinement, and implementation of policies, programs, and security directives pertinent to the mission of CISA.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Break the Chain Act This bill makes various changes related to family-sponsored immigration, such as narrowing the definition of what constitutes an immediate relative and lowering the annual numerical cap on certain classes of family-sponsored visas. The alien parents of U.S. citizens shall not qualify for visas for immediate relatives , which are not subject to any direct numerical limits. Currently, the spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of citizens are considered immediate relatives. The bill also reduces the baseline annual cap for family-sponsored visas from 480,000 to 87,934, and revises the methods for calculating the cap. Currently, the 480,000 cap may be adjusted depending on various factors but shall not be less than 226,000. A spouse or child of a sponsoring alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence shall be subject to the family-sponsored visa cap. The bill revises the rules for determining whether an alien is a child for the purposes of family-sponsored immigration, and establishes that an alien who is married or turns 25 years old prior to a visa becoming available for issuance shall not qualify as a child. The bill creates a nonimmigrant classification for alien parents of adult U.S. citizens, which authorizes such alien parents for admission into the United States for an initial five-year period. Such alien parents shall not be authorized for employment or to receive any public benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act This bill requires the directors of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit to the VA and Congress an annual pamphlet containing certain statistics (such as how many veterans were treated at each facility), as well as plans for improvements and descriptions of successes experienced by the facilities. The bill also requires the pamphlets to be made publicly available online and as hard copies at the medical facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Lymphedema Treatment Act of 2019 This bill includes certain lymphedema compression treatment items as covered durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) the United States should support the safe return of displaced indigenous people of the Nineveh Plain and Sinjar to their ancestral homeland; and (2) the Iraqi Security Forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga should work to more fully integrate all communities, including religious minority communities, to counter current and future terrorist threats.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
No Sanctuary for Criminals Act of 2019 This bill bars any government entity or individual from prohibiting or restricting a government entity, official, or other personnel from (1) complying with immigration laws, (2) cooperating with immigration enforcement, (3) making inquiries to an individual to obtain immigration-related information, or (4) complying with immigration-related informational inquiries from federal law enforcement entities. States or local entities that fail to comply with such a bar shall be ineligible for certain federal funds and grants for at least one year. (Such provisions expand on current provisions barring a government entity or official from prohibiting or restricting a government entity or official from exchanging certain information with federal immigration officials.) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may issue a detainer as to an individual in federal or state custody if DHS has probable cause to believe the individual is an inadmissible or deportable alien. (Currently, the statute allows immigration officials to issue a detainer for an individual who has been arrested for violating a controlled substance-related law if such officials have reason to believe the individual is violating immigration laws. Current DHS policy allows for the issuance of detainers in other situations as well, though this policy has been called into question by a federal district court, and this bill would provide statutory authority for the current policy.) A victim of a felony (or certain close relatives) for which an alien has been convicted and sentenced for at least one year may sue each state or local government entity or official if the defendant (1) refused to honor an immigration-law related detainer and released the alien from custody prior to the crime, or (2) has a policy of not complying certain immigration enforcement-related laws.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
New Parents Act of 2019 This bill allows parents to use a portion of their Social Security benefits for up to three months of paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child. To receive the parental leave benefit, parents must choose to either increase their retirement age or temporarily receive a reduction in Social Security benefits upon retirement, as specified.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Wage Equity Act of 2019 This bill addresses pay discrimination in the workplace between men and women. Specifically, the bill allows an employer to base a wage differential determination on an employee's participation in a flexible work arrangement; protects employers who conduct a pay analysis audit to identify and correct pay discrimination from liability for damages relating to such discrimination; makes it an unlawful practice for an employer to rely on the wage history of a prospective employee for hiring and wage determination purposes unless the wage history is voluntarily provided by the prospective employee; makes it an unlawful practice for an employer to prohibit an employee from requesting wage information from another employee or from requesting information about wage differentials; authorizes the Department of Labor to establish a grant program for negotiation skills training for women and girls; and requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the causes and effects of pay disparities among men and women in the workplace and the impact on pay and opportunity for employees who leave the workforce for parental reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Younger Onset Alzheimer's Act This bill makes individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease (i.e., individuals who experienced onset of the disease before age 60) eligible for certain federal grants and programs that support older adults. Under current law, these grants and programs serve only individuals 60 and older.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
No Federal Funding to Benefit Sanctuary Cities Act This bill prohibits a sanctuary jurisdiction from receiving federal financial assistance. The term "sanctuary jurisdiction" means a state or local government that prohibits or restricts (1) information sharing about an individual's immigration status, or (2) compliance with a lawfully issued detainer request or notification of release request. The bill authorizes a state or local government to comply with a detainer and limits the liability of a state or local government for complying with the detainer.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
Fair and Open Competition Act or FOCA Act This bill prohibits federal construction contracts or controlling documents for federally supported construction projects from requiring or prohibiting project labor agreements. Such documents also may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder or contractor who signs or refuses to sign a project labor agreement. An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
Employee Rights Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to (1) make it an unlawful labor practice for a labor organization to interfere (currently, also restrain or coerce) with the rights of employees to organize and collectively bargain; (2) require union recertification after a turnover in the workforce exceeding 50% of the bargaining unit; (3) require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to give 14 days advance notice before a hearing investigating an election petition; and (4) require an employer to provide the NLRB with a list consisting only of employee names and addresses of all eligible voters within seven days after an NLRB determination of the appropriate bargaining unit or an agreement on eligible voters. The bill (1) grants union and nonunion employees the right to vote by secret ballot on whether to ratify a collective bargaining agreement or engage in a strike, (2) prohibits the use of union dues for any purpose not directly related to collective bargaining, (3) prohibits a strike without the consent of a majority of all represented employees determined by secret ballot, and (4) prohibits the use or threat of force or violence to obtain the right to represent employees. .
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act of 2019 This bill imposes sanctions targeting Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and any affiliate or successor groups. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list of each foreign person or instrumentality that knowingly assists, provides significant support or services to, or is involved in a significant transaction with a senior member or supporter of any of the targeted groups. The President shall impose two or more sanctions on the named persons. Specifically, such a person may be (1) denied credit and services from the Export-Import Bank, (2) barred from purchasing certain controlled defense articles, (3) denied exports of items on the U.S. Munitions List, (4) prevented from receiving exports of certain goods or technology controlled for national security reasons, (5) prohibited from receiving financing of more than $10 million from any U.S. financial institution, or (6) subject to property-blocking restrictions. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list of foreign governments that have repeatedly provided material support for the targeted groups' terrorist activities. The President shall bar such governments from receiving for one year (1) U.S. assistance, or (2) exports of controlled munitions. The Department of Treasury shall instruct U.S. leadership of international financial institutions to oppose the provision of assistance to an identified government for one year. The bill provides for certain exceptions and waivers, such as for transactions that would serve U.S. national interests. The President shall report to Congress and periodically provide briefings on other specified topics related to the targeted groups, such as where such groups secure financing and surveillance equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
United States-Israel Cooperation Enhancement and Regional Security Act This bill authorizes various joint research and cooperation programs between the United States and Israel, reauthorizes security assistance to Israel, and establishes reporting requirements regarding various related issues. The bill authorizes the Department of State to work with Israel on research and development to establish directed energy capabilities. It authorizes through FY2024 cooperative projects involving the United States, Israel, and developing countries to identify and address sustainability challenges related to water resources, agriculture, and energy storage. The bill authorizes through FY2022 (1) activities of the U.S.-Israel Energy Center; (2) cooperation with and assistance to Israel related to security, explosives detection, and cybersecurity; (3) activities related to the U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund; and (4) activities to establish a cooperative program with Israel to develop health technologies. The State Department shall establish a grant program to support cybersecurity research and development and commercialization of cybersecurity technology open to joint ventures involving U.S. and Israeli entities. The President shall establish contingency plans to provide Israel with necessary defense articles and services and assess plans to assist and supply Israel with munitions in the event of a sustained armed confrontation with Hezbollah. The bill authorizes the President to (1) waive export control requirements and immediately transfer defense articles to Israel in response to an existing or imminent military threat, and (2) transfer precision guided munitions to Israel as necessary for legitimate self-defense. The bill extends through FY2024 security assistance and loan guarantees for Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2019
This resolution opposes the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) and other efforts targeting Israel, and states that BDS undermines the possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution urges both sides to return to direct negotiations and expresses support for a solution resulting in the state of Israel existing alongside a democratic Palestinian state.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2019
Help Ensure Responders Overdosing Emerge Safely Act of 2019 or the HEROES Act of 2019 This bill allows naloxone and similar substances to be made available for personal use to (1) first responders under the firefighters grants program, and (2) law enforcement officers under the public safety and community policing (COPS on the Beat) grants program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2019
Countering the Chinese Government and Communist Party's Political Influence Operations Act This bill directs the Department of State to devise a long-term strategy to counter the Chinese government's political influence operations. The strategy shall seek to counter the ruling Chinese Communist Party's campaigns to corrupt democratic countries and undermine democratic institutions, both in the United States and elsewhere. It shall also seek to increase awareness of such campaigns and help other countries develop the capacity to counter them. The strategy shall also ensure that Chinese nationals living in the United States, as well as Chinese Americans and members of the Uyghur and Tibetan diaspora, are protected against malign political influence operations, such as surveillance and intimidation. The State Department shall also report to Congress about Chinese government efforts to exert influence in the United States and in U.S. partner countries, and suggestions for countering such efforts. The report shall address issues including attempts to (1) influence government institutions and officials, (2) undermine democratic institutions and freedom of speech, and (3) suppress public information.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
This resolution condemns all forms of violence against children and urges the United States to implement a comprehensive strategy to combat child abuse globally.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Jobs and Opportunity with Benefits and Services for Success Act This bill renames the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program as the Jobs and Opportunity with Benefits and Services (JOBS) program, reauthorizes the program through FY2024, and makes changes relating to work requirements for beneficiaries. States providing aid under the program shall create an individual opportunity plan for each beneficiary. States shall impose work requirements on all work-eligible beneficiaries, and shall reduce benefits for noncompliance. (Currently, individual plans are optional under TANF, and states have discretion as to whether to reduce benefits for noncompliant individuals.) States providing aid shall meet annual performance targets related to the number of beneficiaries who exit the program and find unsubsidized employment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall reduce grants to states that fail to meet such targets. States shall provide data related to beneficiary employment and wages to HHS, which shall be publicly available. The bill modifies various limitations on the use of funds for various purposes, and establishes that at least 25% of funds from various grants shall be spent on core activities. Certain existing laws relating to monitoring and recovering improper benefits payments shall apply to the JOBS program. The bill eliminates programs providing (1) supplemental grants for population increases, (2) bonuses for high performance states, (3) welfare-to-work grants, and (4) contingency funds for state welfare programs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
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 two-thirds roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment also prohibits total outlays for any fiscal year from exceeding 18% of the economic output of the United States unless two-thirds of each chamber of Congress provides a specific increase in outlays above this amount, requires a three-fourths roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit, requires a two-thirds roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase revenue, requires the President to transmit to Congress a proposed balanced budget each year and prohibits the President from being compensated if the requirement is not met, and requires Congress to consider and approve a balanced budget each year and prohibits Members of Congress from being compensated if the requirement is not met. Congress may 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. The amendment prohibits a court from entering an order in any action that results in an increase in the collection of revenue.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
This resolution reaffirms the United States' commitment to supporting democracy and human rights both domestically and internationally. The resolution also calls on the U.S. government to uphold all relevant international human rights agreements ratified by the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
Violence Against Women Extension Act of 2019 This bill extends through March 31, 2020, 19 grant programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent legislation and administered by the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
Furthering American Security by Tempering Environmental Regulations Act or the FASTER Act This bill specifies that the Department of Homeland Security may waive requirements concerning environmental review or endangered or threatened species in order to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads at U.S. borders.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
This resolution reaffirms U.S. support for Morocco and condemns actions taken by Iran and Hezbollah that promote instability in the region. The resolution also calls for a peaceful agreement to ending the Western Sahara conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
USA Workforce Tax Credit Act This bill allows 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 · 13 March 2019
No Assistance for Assad Act This bill bars assistance for stabilization or reconstruction activities for any part of Syria controlled by the Syrian government or associated forces. The restrictions do not apply to assistance for (1) certain projects administered by local organizations, (2) projects to meet basic human needs such as drought relief, and (3) activities related to Syrian compliance with certain weapons treaties. The restrictions apply through FY2024 and shall be lifted if the President certifies to Congress that various criteria have been met, such as that the Syrian government (1) is no longer using Syrian airspace to target civilian populations, (2) is no longer cutting off international aid to besieged areas, and (3) is releasing all political prisoners. The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development shall report to Congress on the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Syria. The report shall address (1) the challenges in accessing areas controlled by the Syrian government, (2) the roles of U.S. allies and partners in ensuring access to various areas, and (3) how assistance is being monitored and evaluated.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2019
This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Deaf History Month. It also recognizes the contributions of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress on specified Mexican drug cartels and determine whether they qualify as foreign terrorist organizations under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The State Department shall explain in detail its reasoning if it concludes that any of the specified cartels do not qualify. The report shall analyze the Reynosa/Los Metros faction of the Gulf Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
This resolution (1) recognizes Girl Scouts of the United States of America on its 107th birthday; and (2) applauds Girl Scouts for providing girls with a safe, inclusive, all-girl space where they can hone their skills and develop leadership abilities.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2019
Peter, Ellie, and Grayson Victims of Illegal Criminal Entry Act of 2019 or the VOICES Act of 2019 This bill establishes new criminal offenses and penalties related to illegal reentry into the United States after deportation or removal. Specifically, the bill establishes new offenses for unlawfully reentering and subsequently committing an act that results in injury to or death of another person. A violator is subject to a 10- or 20-year mandatory minimum prison term. Additionally, with respect to a defendant convicted of any illegal reentry offense, the bill prohibits the concurrent service of the federal sentence with a state sentence, and the reduction of the federal sentence by the amount of time spent in state prison.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of State to prioritize assistance to develop energy infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe, in particular for projects involving the European Commission and governments in the region. Assistance shall include political and diplomatic support and funding assistance. Projects eligible for such assistance include infrastructure for natural gas, electricity transmission, and renewable energy. The State Department shall give preference to projects that (1) link the energy systems of two or more countries in the region, (2) have been identified by the European Commission as integral for regional energy security, (3) are expected to enhance energy market integration, (4) can attract other sources of funding, and (5) can potentially use U.S. goods and services. The President shall report to Congress annually about U.S. assistance provided under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2019
This resolution expresses support for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program (a next-generation jet fighter program) and finds that the program is imperative to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
Timely Review of Infrastructure Act This bill authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to address insufficient compensation of its personnel without regard to civil service laws. FERC must consult with the Office of Personnel Management when making a determination of the appropriate compensation for its personnel.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
Increasing Access to a Secure Retirement Act of 2019 This bill specifies optional measures that a fiduciary for a pension plan may take in selecting an insurer for a guaranteed retirement income contract to assure that the fiduciary meets the prudent man standard of care required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). A "guaranteed retirement income contract" is an annuity contract for a fixed term or a contract (or provision or feature thereof) which provides guaranteed benefits annually (or more frequently) for at least the remainder of the life of the participant or joint lives of the participant and the participant's designated beneficiary as part of a defined contribution plan.