United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2014
Authorizes the President to use all necessary force against those nations, organizations, or persons that planned, authorized, committed, or aided the September 11, 2012, terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by them.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2014
Thanks and promotes the teaching profession by encouraging students, parents, school administrators, and public officials to participate in teacher appreciation events during National Teacher Day.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2014
Insurance Capital Standards Clarification Act of 2014 - Amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act concerning establishment of minimum leverage and minimum risk-based capital requirements on a consolidated basis for a depository institution holding company or a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board). States that federal banking agencies shall not be required to subject any person to such minimum capital requirements, to the extent that such person either: (1) acts in its capacity as a regulated insurance entity regulated by a state insurance regulator, or (2) is a regulated foreign subsidiary engaged in the business of insurance (including a regulated foreign affiliate of such subsidiary). Exempts from any requirement to prepare holding company financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles any Board-supervised depository institution holding company or nonbank financial company that is also a person regulated by a state insurance regulator or a regulated foreign subsidiary (or a regulated foreign affiliate) that files its holding company financial statements using only Statutory Accounting Principles in accordance with state law.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2014
World War I Memorial Act of 2014 - Designates the Liberty Memorial of Kansas City at America's National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the National World War I Museum and Memorial. Redesignates Pershing Park in the District of Columbia as the National World War I Memorial (Memorial). Authorizes the World War I Centennial Commission (Commission) to plan, develop, and execute ceremonies to recognize the above designation and redesignation and to enhance the General Pershing Commemorative Work by constructing appropriate sculptural and other elements on the Memorial. Amends the World War I Centennial Commission Act to: (1) allow for completion of construction at the Memorial after termination of the Commission, and (2) revise provisions concerning Commission members and pay rates. Prohibits any federal funds from being obligated or expended for the designation, establishment, or enhancement of a memorial or commemorative work by the Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2014
Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014 - States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) prevent Hezbollah's global logistics and financial network from operating in order to curtail funding of its domestic and international activities; and (2) utilize diplomatic, legislative, and executive avenues to combat Hezbollah's criminal activities in order to block that organization's ability to fund its global terrorist activities. Directs the President to report to Congress: (1) a list of satellite, broadcast, or other providers that knowingly transmit the content of al-Manar TV; and (2) the identity of those providers that have or have not been sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13224. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly: (1) facilitates the activities of Hezbollah or its agents, instrumentalities, affiliates, or successors; (2) facilitates the activities of a person acting on behalf of or owned or controlled by an agent, instrumentality, affiliate, or successor; (3) engages in money laundering to carry out such an activity; (4) facilitates a significant transaction or provides significant financial services to carry out such an activity, including services that involve a transaction of gold, silver, platinum, or other precious metals; or (5) facilitates any of these activities, conspires to facilitate or participate in such an activity, or is owned or controlled by a foreign financial institution that knowingly engages in such an activity. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe reporting, information sharing, and due diligence requirements for domestic financial institutions that maintain a correspondent account or payable-through account in the United States for a foreign financial institution. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such requirements if in the U.S. national security interests, and with congressional notification. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to identify to Congress every 180 days each foreign central bank that carries out an activity prohibited under this Act. Sets forth penalty requirements for specified violations under this Act. Directs the President to designate Hezbollah as: (1) a significant foreign narcotics trafficker if Hezbollah meets meets the criteria set forth under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, and (2) a significant transnational criminal organization if Hezbollah meets the criteria set forth under specified executive orders and statutes. Requires the President to report to Congress which of these criteria the President determines that Hezbollah has not met, if it does not. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress regarding Hezbollah's involvement in the trade in rough diamonds outside of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme. Declares that nothing in this Act shall apply to authorized U.S. intelligence activities. States that any requirement of this Act shall cease to be in effect 30 days after the President certifies to Congress that Hezbollah: (1) is no longer designated as a foreign terrorist organization; (2) is no longer listed in the Annex to Executive Order 13224 (blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit or support terrorism); and (3) poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2014
Wood Stove Regulatory Relief Act of 2014 - Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for an eight-year period, from finalizing, issuing, implementing, or enforcing rules under the Clean Air Act applicable to any new source of air pollutants that is a residential wood heater, a residential hydronic heater, a forced-air furnace, or a residential masonry heater unless the rules comply with this Act. Prohibits the Administrator from setting particulate matter emission limits below a specified threshold for adjustable rate wood heaters, single burn rate wood heaters, pellet heaters/stoves, residential hydronic heaters, and forced-air furnaces. Phases in requirements for complying with emission limits. Sets forth provisions requiring third-party testing of compliance with emission limits.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2014
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) all telephone service providers must appropriately complete calls to all areas of the United States regardless of the technology used by such providers, and (2) no entity may unreasonably discriminate against telephone users in rural areas. Declares that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should: (1) pursue entities whose violations of FCC rules contribute to a lack of quality telecommunications services in rural areas, (2) impose enforcement actions to discourage such uncompleted calls and unreasonable discrimination, and (3) establish a definitive solution to such discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2014
Alzheimer's Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends the National Alzheimer's Project Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for each fiscal year through FY2025, to submit to the President for review and transmittal to Congress, after reasonable opportunity for comment (but without change) by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services, an annual budget estimate (including regarding personnel needs) for the NIH initiatives under the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2014
Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act of 2014 or the SAVE Act of 2014 - Prohibits knowingly benefitting financially from, receiving anything of value from, or distributing advertising that offers a commercial sex act in a manner that violates federal criminal code prohibitions against sex trafficking of children or of any person by force, fraud, or coercion. Subjects violators to a fine, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. Grants U.S. courts extra-territorial jurisdiction over such an offense if an alleged offender is a U.S. national or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence or if an alleged offender is present in the United States, irrespective of the offender's nationality.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2014
Farmer Identity Protection Act - Prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or any EPA contractor or cooperator, from disclosing the information of any owner, operator, or employee of a livestock operation provided to EPA by a livestock producer or a state agency in accordance with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or any other law, including: (1) names; (2) telephone numbers; (3) e-mail addresses; (4) physical addresses; (5) global positioning system coordinates; or (6) other information regarding the location of the owner, operator, livestock, or employee. Prescribes criteria for such a disclosure, however, in a statistical or aggregate form without specifically identifying information.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2014
Disability Insurance Protection and Fraud Prevention Act of 2014 - Requires the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration to increase the number of cooperative disability investigative (CDI) units to 54 and distribute them equally among the most densely populated areas. Prohibits the Commissioner of Social Security, in determining whether an individual is under a disability for insurance benefit payment purposes, from considering: (1) an individual as approaching advanced age unless he or she has attained age 58; (2) an individual as having attained advanced age unless he or she has attained age 61; and (3) the individual's inability to communicate in English as a vocational factor. Amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to eliminate consideration of the combined effect of impairments in disability determinations. Makes appropriations for continuing disability reviews for FY2014-FY2018. Directs the Commissioner to assess for Congress after FY2018 the amount of savings attained as a result of such appropriations in the federal disability program under SSA title II and the SSI program. Requires the Commissioner to describe for Congress the designs of: (1) a disability demonstration program, (2) a state demonstration program to revise specified existing funding streams for specific populations to improve outcomes and reduce participation in SSI or Social Security disability insurance, and (3) a demonstration program that encourages employers to reduce the incidence of disability among their employees by 20% through a voluntary program that provides the employers with a tax credit if their employees do not file for Social Security disability insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2014
Contracting Data and Bundling Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop and implement a plan to improve the quality of data reported on bundled and consolidated contracts in the federal procurement data system. Requires the plan to: (1) describe the roles and responsibilities of the Administrator, the Directors of the Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, the Small Business Procurement Advisory Council, the Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the Administrator of the General Services Administration, the senior procurement executives, and Chief Acquisition Officers in implementing the plan and contributing to the required annual report; (2) make necessary changes to policies and procedures, including personnel training procedures, on proper identification and mitigation of contract bundling and consolidation; (3) establish consequences for failure to properly identify contracts as bundled or consolidated; (4) establish requirements for periodic and statistically valid data verification and validation; and (5) assign clear data verification responsibilities. Directs the SBA Administrator to provide to the House and Senate small business committees annually certification of the accuracy and completeness of data reported on bundled and consolidated contracts. Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to: (1) initiate a study on the effectiveness of the plan that assesses whether contracts were accurately labeled, and (2) report to the small business committees on study results and on how to improve the quality of data reported on bundled and consolidated contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2014
Greater Opportunities for Small Business Act of 2014 - Amends the Small Business Act to require subcontracting plans for certain contracts with federal agencies exceeding a specified amount to include a minimum percentage goal of at least 40% for the utilization of small businesses as subcontractors. Increases from 23% to 25% the minimum government-wide percentage goal for participation by small businesses in the total value of all procurement contracts awarded as prime contracts for each fiscal year. Repeals a requirement under which first tier subcontracts (contracts in which a subcontractor has a subcontract directly with the prime contractor) awarded to small businesses by management and operating contractors sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE) are considered toward the annually established agency and government-wide goals for procurement contracts awarded. Delays the effective date of the 40% goal until the Small Business Administration (SBA) has promulgated any regulations necessary, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation has been revised, to implement specified provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 concerning the standards for determining whether a prime contractor has attained small business subcontracting percentage goals.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2014
Local Organization Cooperative Agreement for Land and Facility Maintenance Act of 2014 or the LOCAL Act of 2014 - Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 to authorize the Secretary of the Army to permit a non-federal public or private entity that has entered into a cooperative agreement for the operation and management of recreation facilities and natural resources at civil works projects under the Secretary's jurisdiction to collect user fees for the use of developed recreation sites and facilities, whether developed or constructed by such entity or the Department of the Army. Permits such an entity to retain up to 100% of the fees collected and use them for operation, maintenance, and management at the recreation site where they were collected.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2014
Home Heating Emergency Assistance Through Transportation Act of 2014 or HHEATT Act of 2014 - Declares that a covered emergency exemption from federal motor carrier safety regulations issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shall remain in effect until May 31, 2014, unless the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) determines that the emergency for which the exemption was provided ends before that date. Defines "covered emergency exemption" as one issued or extended between February 5, 2014, and the date of enactment of this Act to effect regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations directly assisting the delivery of propane and home heating fuels. States that nothing in this Act may be construed to prohibit the FMCSA from issuing or extending a covered emergency exemption beyond May 31, 2014, under other federal law.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2014
Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) remove any individual from the Senior Executive Service upon determining that such individual's performance warrants such removal, and (2) remove such individual from federal service or transfer the individual to a General Schedule position at any grade the Secretary deems appropriate. Requires: (1) the Secretary to notify the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees within 30 days after removing such an individual, and (2) such removal to be done in the same manner as the removal of a professional staff member employed by a Member of Congress. .
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2014
SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) end and remove sustainable growth rate (SGR) methodology from the determination of annual conversion factors in the formula for payment for physicians' services, (2) establish an update to the single conversion factor for 2014 through 2018 of 0.5%, (3) freeze the update to the single conversion factor at 0.00% for 2019 through 2023, and (4) establish an update of 1% for health professionals participating in alternative payment models (APMs) and an update of 0.5% for all other health professionals after 2023. Directs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to report to Congress on the relationship between: (1) physician and other health professional utilization and expenditures (and their rate of increase) of items and services for which Medicare payment is made; and (2) total utilization and expenditures (and their rate of increase) under Medicare parts A (Hospital Insurance), B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), and D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program). Directs MEDPAC to report to Congress on: (1) the payment update for professional services applied under Medicare for 2014 through 2018; (2) the effect of such update on the efficiency, economy, and quality of care provided under such program; (3) the effect of such update on ensuring a sufficient number of providers to maintain access to care by Medicare beneficiaries; and (4) recommendations for any future payment updates for professional services under such program to ensure adequate access to care is maintained for Medicare beneficiaries Revises and consolidates components of the three specified existing performance incentive programs into a merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is directed to establish, under which MIPS-eligible professionals (excluding most Alternative Payment Model [APM] participants) receive annual payment increases or decreases based on their performance. Applies the MIPS program to payments for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2018. Requires specified incentive payments to be made to eligible partial qualifying APM participants. Directs the Secretary to make available on the Physician Compare website of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) certain information, including information regarding the performance of MIPS-eligible professionals. Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to evaluate the MIPS program. Requires GAO to submit to Congress a report that: (1) compares the similarities and differences in the use of quality measures under the original Medicare fee-for-service programs, the Medicare Advantage (MA) program under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice), selected state Medicaid programs, and private payer arrangements; and (2) make recommendations on how to reduce the administrative burden involved in applying such quality measures. Directs GAO to report to Congress on: (1) whether entities that pool financial risk for physician services can play a role in supporting physician practices in assuming financial risk for treatment of patients; and (2) the transition to an APM of professionals in rural areas, health professional shortage areas, or medically underserved areas. Establishes the Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee to make recommendations to the Secretary on physician-focused payment models. Requires the Secretary to study: (1) the application of federal fraud prevention laws related to APMs; (2) the effect of individuals' socioeconomic status on quality and resource use outcome measures for individuals under Medicare; and (3) the impact of risk factors, race, health literacy, limited English proficiency (LEP), and patient activation, on quality and resource use outcome measures under Medicare. Directs the Secretary to: (1) post on the CMS Internet website a draft plan for the development of quality measures to assess professionals, (2) establish new Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes for chronic care management services, and (3) conduct an education and outreach campaign to inform professionals who furnish items and services under Medicare part B and Medicare part B enrollees of the benefits of chronic care management services. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) collect and use information on the resources directly or indirectly related to physicians' services in the determination of relative values under the Medicare physician fee schedule; and (2) establish or adjust practice expense relative values using cost, charge, or other data from suppliers or service providers. Revises and expands factors for identification of potentially misvalued codes. Sets an annual target for relative value adjustments for misvalued services. Phases-in of significant relative value unit (RVU) reductions. Directs GAO to study the processes used by the Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) to make recommendations to the Secretary regarding relative values for specific services under the Medicare physician fee schedule. Makes Metropolitan Statistical Areas in California fee schedule areas for Medicare payments. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to promote the use of appropriate use criteria for certain imaging services furnished by ordering professionals and furnishing professionals, and (2) make publicly available on the CMS Physician Compare website specified information with respect to eligible professionals. Expands the kinds and uses of data available to qualified entities for quality improvement activities. Directs the Secretary to provide Medicare data to qualified clinical data registries to facilitate quality improvement or patient safety. Permits continuing automatic extensions of a Medicare physician and practitioner election to opt-out of the Medicare physician payment system into private contracts. Directs the Secretary to: (1) make publicly available through an appropriate publicly accessible website information on the number and characteristics of opt-out physicians and practitioners; and (2) report to Congress recommendations to amend existing fraud and abuse laws, through exceptions, safe harbors, or other narrowly targeted provisions, to permit gainsharing or similar arrangements between physicians and hospitals that improve care while reducing waste and increasing efficiency. Declares it a national objective to achieve widespread exchange of health information through interoperable certified electronic health record (EHR) technology nationwide by December 31, 2017, as a consequence of a significant federal investment in the implementation of health information technology through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR programs. Directs the Secretary to study the feasibility of establishing mechanisms that includes aggregated results of surveys of meaningful EHR users on the functionality of certified EHR products to enable such users to compare directly the functionality and other features of such products. Requires GAO studies on the use of telehealth under federal programs and on remote patient monitoring services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2014
Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2014 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services under which a physician must certify that a patient may reasonably be expected to be discharged or transferred to a hospital within 96 hours after admission to the critical access hospital.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2014
Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that a bona fide volunteer providing firefighting and prevention services, emergency medical services, or ambulance services to a state or local government or a tax-exempt organization shall not be counted in determining the number of full-time employees of an employer for purposes of the employer mandate to provide health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2014
Amends the definition of a "dependent" who is eligible for enrollment under the TRICARE Program of members and former members of the Armed Forces (members) to include a child or custodial dependent who is under age 26 (currently, under age 21). Allows for the continuation until age 26 of dependent medical and dental contract coverage when a member dies while on active duty for a period of more than 30 days. Expresses the sense of Congress that any increase in expenditures of funds by reason of the enactment of this Act should be fully offset by reducing expenditures of funds for U.S. foreign assistance programs other than programs for Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2014
Declares that it is the policy of Congress that our fuel supply needs to be diverse and one method of diversification is the use of natural gas as a fuel source in long haul trucks. Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to appoint representatives from DOE, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Commerce, Members of Congress, state governments, and private sector individuals to evaluate: (1) barriers to transition from diesel fuel to natural gas in long haul trucks (commercial vehicles with a 26,000 pound or greater gross vehicle weight rating); (2) environmental benefits, as well as other benefits and drawbacks, of using natural gas in such trucks; (3) the expected price differential between traditional diesel oems and natural gas oems; (4) concerns of the participating representatives appointed by the Secretary of using natural gas in long haul trucks; and (5) the effect of using natural gas in such trucks on the Highway Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2014
Natural Gas Long Haul Truck Competitiveness Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to issue regulations to allow natural gas vehicles to exceed any federal weight limitations to operate on the Interstate Highway System by an amount equal to the weight of the vehicle attributable to the natural gas tank and fueling system, less the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2014
Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to designate natural gas fueling corridors in the United States for long haul truck traffic. Requires the Secretary, in designating these corridors, to: (1) seek to establish an interconnection of natural gas fueling stations across the United States that will serve the highest possible volume of long haul truck traffic; (2) take into consideration the location of existing natural gas fueling stations, with the goal of having them located no more than 200 miles apart in such corridors; and (3) provide public notice and an opportunity for comment.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2014
National Commission on the Structure of the Army Act of 2014 - Establishes the National Commission on the Structure of the Army to undertake a comprehensive study of the structure of the Army to determine: (1) the proper force mixture of the active component and reserve component, and (2) how the structure should be modified to best fulfill mission requirements in a manner consistent with available resources. Directs the Commission to give particular consideration to evaluating a structure that: (1) meets current and anticipated requirements of the combatant commands; (3) achieves a cost-efficiency balance between the regular and reserve components, with a focus on fully burdened and lifecycle cost of Army personnel; (3) ensures that the regular and reserve components have the capacity needed to support homeland defense and disaster assistance missions in the United States; (4) provides for sufficient numbers of regular members of the Army to provide a base of trained personnel from which the personnel of the reserve components could be recruited; (5) maintains a peacetime rotation force to support operational tempo goals of 1:2 for regular members and 1:5 for members of the reserve components; and (6) maximizes and appropriately balances affordability, efficiency, effectiveness, capability, and readiness. Prohibits the use of any funds made available for FY2015 for the Army to: (1) divest, retire, or transfer, or prepare to divest, retire, or transfer, any aircraft of the Army assigned to units of the Army National Guard as of January 15, 2014; or (2) reduce personnel below the authorized end strength levels of 350,000 for the Army National Guard as of September 30, 2014.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2014
Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014 - Requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standards and definitions in effect on January 1, 2010, for determining whether an organization qualifies for tax-exempt status as an organization operated exclusively for social welfare to apply to such determinations after enactment of this Act. Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from issuing, revising, or finalizing any regulation (including proposed regulations), revenue ruling, or other guidance not limited to a particular taxpayer relating to such standards and definitions. Terminates this Act one year after its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2014
Electricity Security and Affordability Act - Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing, implementing, or enforcing any proposed or final rule under the Clean Air Act that establishes a performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions from any new source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit unless the rule meets specified requirements of this Act. Requires the Administrator to separate sources fueled with coal and natural gas into separate categories. Prohibits the Administrator, however, from setting a standard based on the best system of emission reduction for new sources within the coal category unless it has been achieved on average for at least one continuous 12-month period (excluding planned outages) by each of at least 6 units within the category. Requires each such unit to: (1) be located at a different electric generating station in the United States, (2) be representative of the operating characteristics of electric generation at its location, and (3) be operated for the entire 12-month period on a full commercial basis. Prohibits the use of any results obtained from a demonstration project in setting the standard. Requires the Administrator, in separating sources fueled with coal into a separate category, to establish a separate subcategory for new sources that are fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating units using coal with an average heat content of 8300 or less British Thermal Units (BTUs) per pound. Prohibits the Administrator, in issuing any rule establishing performance standards for greenhouse gas emissions from new sources in such subcategory, from setting a standard based on the best system of emission reduction unless the standard has been achieved on average for at least one continuous 12-month period (excluding planned outages) by each of at least 3 units within such subcategory that meets the unit requirements specified by this Act for the coal category. Precludes from taking effect, unless a federal law is enacted specifying an effective date, any EPA rule or guideline that: (1) establishes any performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions from a modified or reconstructed source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit, or (2) applies to greenhouse gas emissions from such an existing source. Nullifies the force and effect of specified proposed rules (or similar successor proposed or final rules) for Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units that are issued before enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2014
Pat Summitt Congressional Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to Pat Summitt in recognition of her career in women's team sports and her courage in speaking out about her battle with Alzheimer's disease. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such medal at a price sufficient to cover the cost of both the gold and bronze medals.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2014
Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the Medicare durable medical equipment face-to-face encounter documentation requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2013
General Aviation Pilot Protection Act of 2013 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue or revise FAA medical certification regulations to ensure that an individual may operate as a pilot of a covered aircraft without regard to any medical certification or proof of health requirement otherwise applicable under federal law if the flight meets certain criteria and the individual: (1) possesses a valid state driver's license, (2) complies with applicable medical requirements associated with that license, (3) is transporting five or fewer passengers, and (4) is operating under visual flight rules. Defines "covered aircraft" as an aircraft that: (1) is not authorized under federal law to carry more than six occupants, and (2) has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of no more than 6,000 pounds.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2013
Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that a qualified emergency services volunteer shall not be counted in determining the number of full-time employees of an employer for the purpose of shared responsibility requirements for employers with respect to health coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Defines "qualified emergency services volunteer" as a bona fide volunteer performing fire fighting and prevention services, emergency medical services, or ambulance services.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2013
School Nutrition Fairness Act - Requires official White House meals and meals served at White House or Department of Agriculture (USDA) cafeterias to comply with the nutrition requirements for meals served under the school lunch and breakfast programs. Defines an "official meal" as a lunch or dinner served at an official White House function and funded by annual appropriation Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2013
Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 500,000 $1 silver coins emblematic of the fight against breast cancer. Instructs the Secretary to select the design for the coins based upon the winning design from a juried, compensated design competition following certain specifications. Restricts the period of coin issuance to the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2018. Requires all sales of such coins to include a surcharge of $10 per coin. Prescribes a surcharge distribution formula.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2013
Monuments Men Recognition Act of 2013 - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the presentation of a single congressional gold medal in commemoration of the Monuments Men (men and women who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives [MFA] Section under the Allied Armies during World War II) in recognition of their heroic role in the preservation, protection, and restitution of monuments, works of art, and artifacts of cultural importance during and following the War. Requires the Medal's display at the Smithsonian Institution. Expresses the sense of Congress that the medal should be made available for display elsewhere, particularly at locations associated with the Monuments Men and that preference should be given to locations affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. Permits the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2013
Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to implement or enforce a requirement providing for the screening, testing, or treatment of airmen or air traffic controllers for sleep disorders (including obstructive sleep apnea) only if it is adopted pursuant to a rulemaking proceeding. Applies this Act only to a requirement adopted on or after November 1, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2013
Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2013 - Prohibits any person or organization in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or who solicits or accepts federal funds, from performing, permitting facilities to be used to perform, or assisting in the performance of an abortion on an unemancipated minor unless: (1) written notification is provided to the parents of the minor informing them that an abortion has been requested, unless there is clear and convincing evidence of physical abuse of the minor by such parent; (2) there is compliance with a 96-hour waiting period after any required notice has been received by the parents; and (3) there is compliance with any injunction granted by a federal district court if a notified parent initiates a judicial intervention process to enjoin the abortion. Prescribes penalties of not more than a $100,000 fine and/or imprisonment for not more than one year for each willful violation. Provides for an exception from such parental notification requirements if a physician (other than the physician with principal responsibility for making the decision to perform the abortion) determines that: (1) a medical emergency exists that would result in the minor's death if her condition were not immediately treated, even though the treatment may result in the death of her unborn child; (2) parental notification is not possible as a result of the emergency; and (3) certifications regarding compliance with such rules and the reasons upon which such determinations are based have been entered in the minor's medical records. Requires parental notification through certified mail or personal delivery. Defines "parent" to include any legal guardian of an unemancipated minor. Authorizes a notified parent to bring an action in federal court which shall enjoin the abortion: (1) until the court's judgment is final, or (2) permanently unless the court determines that granting such relief would be unlawful. Prohibits this Act from being construed to preempt any state law that establishes, implements, or continues in effect greater parental notification requirements or intervention rights regarding abortion.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2013
Teacher Tax Deduction Enhancement Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend until 2020 the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school educators (i.e., teachers, instructors, counselors, principals, or aides); (2) increase to $500 the allowable amount of such deduction for full-time educators (working at least 900 hours during the school year); and (3) allow such tax deduction for educators in preschool programs.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2013
Expresses support for: (1) the designation of a Small Business Saturday, (2) efforts to encourage consumers to shop locally, and (3) efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2013
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2013 - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require physical therapists furnishing outpatient physical therapy services to use specified locum tenens arrangements for payment purposes in the same manner as such arrangements are used to apply to physicians furnishing substitute physicians services for other physicians. (Locum tenens [place holder], or substitute, physicians usually assume professional practices in the absence of a regular physician for reasons such as illness, pregnancy, vacation, or continuing medical education.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2013
True Understanding of the Economy and Safety Act or TRUE Safety Act - Directs the Comptroller General (GAO), after the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports to Congress on an hours of service field study, to assess the methodology followed by the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) in carrying out the efficacy of the restart rule ("Hours of Service of Drivers") published on December 27, 2011, which applies to operators of commercial motor vehicles of property subject to maximum DOT driving time requirements. Requires the assessment to evaluate the extent to which that methodology meets the requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) that: (1) the data collected is representative of the drivers subject to the restart rule, (2) the methodology is statistically valid, and (3) the study followed the FMCSA plan for the "Scheduling and Fatigue Recovery Project." Directs GAO to assess the Regulatory Impact Analysis that accompanied the final 2011 restart rule. Nullifies the 2011 restart rule until six months after the study report required by this Act has been submitted to Congress. Prohibits the Secretary from applying the restart rule if the conclusions of the field study completed pursuant to MAP-21 do not support or concur with the conclusions of the laboratory study on which the rule was based.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2013
Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to delay until 2016 the imposition of the annual fee on health insurance providers. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to issue guidance directing covered entities to return any amounts collected from consumers or other sources that were attributed to the annual fee that was scheduled to be imposed for 2014 and 2015.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2013
Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a final rule to advance the safety and continued development of small airplanes by reorganizing the certification requirements to streamline the approval of safety advancements. Requires the final rule to meet certain consensus-based standards and FAA Part 23 Reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Committee objectives, including: (1) establishment of a regulatory regime for small airplane safety; (2) the establishment of broad, outcome-driven objectives that will spur small plane innovation and technology adoption; (3) the replacement of current, prescriptive requirements under Part 23 with performance-based regulations; and (4) the use of FAA-accepted consensus standards to clarify how Part 23 safety objectives may be met using specific small plane safety designs and technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2013
Defending Rural Access to Long Term Acute Care Act of 2013 - Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from applying to certain long-term care (LTC) hospitals operating in a single-hospital metropolitan statistical area (MSA) special (Medicare threshold) payment (adjustment) policies and regulations for: (1) LTC hospitals within hospitals and satellites of LTC hospitals, or (2) any such LTC hospitals and satellites that discharged patients under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act who were admitted from a hospital not located in the same building or on the same campus as the LTC hospital or satellite.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2013
Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013 - Permits a health insurance issuer that has in effect health insurance coverage in the individual market as of January 1, 2013, to continue offering such coverage for sale during 2014 outside of a health care exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Treats such coverage as a grandfathered health plan for purposes of an individual meeting the requirement to maintain minimum essential health coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2013
Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2013 - Requires each communication funded by a federal agency for advertising or educational purposes to clearly state: (1) in the case of a printed communication, including mass mailings, signs, and billboards, that the communication is printed and published at taxpayer expense; and (2) in the case of a communication transmitted through radio, television, or the Internet, that the communication is produced and disseminated at taxpayer expense. Requires any such printed communication, including e-mails, to be of sufficient size to be clearly readable, to be set apart from the other contents of the communication, and to be printed with a reasonable degree of color contrast between the background and the printed statement. Exempts from such requirements: (1) information in a solicitation for offers for a federal contract; and (2) advertisements for employment opportunities, not including advertising materials developed for use in recruiting and retaining personnel for the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2013
Designates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center in Bay Pines, Florida, as the "C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center."
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2013
United Nations Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act of 2013 - Directs the President to use U.S. influence at the United Nations (U.N.) on a wide variety of issues, including to shift the funding mechanism for the regular budget of the U.N. from an assessed to a voluntary basis. Withholds up to 50% of nonvoluntary U.S. contributions to the regular budget of the U.N. unless the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that 80% of the total regular budget of the U.N. is apportioned on a voluntary basis. Requires the annual congressional budget justification to include a detailed itemized request in support of the U.S. contribution to the regular budget of the U.N. Sets forth requirements for the Secretary of State with respect to oversight of U.S. contributions to the U.N. and their use by U.N. entities. Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of a U.S. contribution to any U.N. entity unless the entity has provided the Secretary with a transparency certification and is in compliance with it. Prohibits the use of funds made available: (1) for international organizations for any purpose other than an assessed U.S. contribution to a U.N. entity or other international organization; (2) for international organizations and programs for any purpose other than a voluntary U.S. contribution to a U.N. entity or other international organization; and (3) for international peacekeeping activities for any purpose other than a U.S. contribution to U.N. peacekeeping activities, to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), or to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Directs the Secretary to withhold from the regular budget of the U.N. an amount equal to the amount of U.S. overpayments to the U.N. States that it is U.S. policy to oppose any proposals on expansion of the U.N. Security Council that would: (1) diminish U.S. influence on the Security Council, or (2) include veto rights for new Security Council members. Expresses the sense of Congress that any U.N. definition of terrorism should not be used to undermine peaceful, pro-freedom, pro-democracy movements against authoritarian rule. Directs the Secretary to use U.S. influence at the U.N. to ensure: (1) Taiwan's participation in relevant U.N. entities, and (2) that no representative of a country designated as a Tier 3 country under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 shall preside as chair or president of any U.N. entity. Directs the Secretary to withhold U.S. contributions from any U.N. entity that recognizes a Palestinian state or upgrades the status of the Palestinian observer mission at the U.N., the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Palestinian Authority (PA), or any other Palestinian administrative organization or governing entity before achievement of a final peace agreement with Israel. Provides that until the Secretary makes a specified certification to Congress: (1) the Secretary shall withhold from a U.S. contribution to a regular budget of the U.N. an amount equal to the amount that would be allocated for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), (2) the Secretary shall not make a voluntary contribution to UNHRC, and (3) the United States shall not run for a UNHRC seat. Directs the Secretary to withhold from a U.S. contribution to a regular budget of the U.N. an amount equal to the amount that would be allocated for: (1) the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and (2) any other U.N. Special Procedures used to display bias against the United States or Israel or to provide support for any member state which is subject to U.N. Security Council sanctions, under a Security Council-mandated human rights investigation, has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism, or is a country of particular concern for religious freedom. States that it is U.S. policy to oppose any legitimization of the Goldstone Report and to lead a diplomatic campaign supporting its revocation. Directs the Secretary to withhold from the U.S. contribution to the regular budget of the U.N. an amount that is equal to the percentage of such contribution that would be or has been expended by the U.N. for any part of the Goldstone Report process. Prohibits funds from being used for U.S. participation in any part of the Durban III process. Withholds U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) or to any successor or related entity unless the Secretary makes specified certifications to Congress. Prohibits any U.S. contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from being used to support Technical Cooperation program assistance to any country, including North Korea, that: (1) has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism; or (2) is in breach of, or under investigation for breach of, obligations regarding its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or any relevant U.N. Security Council resolution. Directs the Secretary to withhold from the U.S. voluntary contribution to the IAEA an amount proportional to that spent by the IAEA in 2007-2008 on Technical Cooperation program assistance to such countries. Directs the President to use U.S. influence at the IAEA to make Iran and Syria ineligible to receive any nuclear material, technology, equipment, or assistance from any member state. Sets forth U.S. policy regarding reform of U.N. peacekeeping operations. Directs the President to use U.S. influence at the U.N. to oppose the creation of new, or expansion of existing, U.N. peacekeeping operations until the Secretary certifies to Congress that specified peacekeeping reforms have been adopted by the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations or the General Assembly.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2013
Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act - Directs: (1) the Secretary of the military department concerned to award the Purple Heart to members of the Armed Forces (members) who were killed or wounded in the attack at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009; and (2) the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to award the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom to civilian employees and contractors of DOD who were killed or wounded in such attack. Deems, for purposes of all applicable federal benefit laws, regulations, and policies: (1) such members to have been killed or wounded in a combat zone as the result of an enemy act; and (2) such employees to have been killed or wounded by hostile action while serving with the Armed Forces in a contingency operation and to have been killed or wounded in a terrorist attack. Excludes any member whose death or wound was the result of willful misconduct. Applies such provisions to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other psychological injuries that were a a result of such attack.
![Official portrait of Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/g000546_200.jpg)