United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to revise administrative and judicial dispute resolution procedures for initiating and resolving claims by employees alleging that employing offices have violated their CAA rights and protections, including protections against sexual harassment. The bill revises CAA provisions, including to: eliminate CAA counseling requirements and make mediation an employee's option before filing a claim with the Office of Compliance (OOC) alleging the violation; require current and former Members of Congress to reimburse the Treasury for compensatory damages included in an award or settlement resulting from the Member's alleged act of discrimination or retaliation; require referral to congressional ethics committees of final disposition of claims alleging CAA violations by Members of Congress and senior staff of employing offices; require non-congressional legislative offices that violate CAA requirements to reimburse the Treasury for resulting award or settlement payments; extend CAA nondiscrimination requirements and remedies to uncompensated legislative branch interns, detailees, and fellows; and provide OOC and CAA resources and services to employees outside of the Washington, DC area. The bill applies CAA rights and protections to the China Review Commission, the Congressional-Executive China Commission, the Helsinki Commission, the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development, and their employees. Non-congressional CAA employing offices must develop programs to train and educate employees about their CAA rights and protections and available procedures to consider alleged CAA violations. The bill renames the OOC the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act or the PACE Act This bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit the sponsoring or exhibiting of animal fights involving live birds (such as cockfights). Under current law, the fights are unlawful only if they take place in states or U.S. territories or possessions that have banned it.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Rural Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reauthorize through FY2023 and modify the Department of Agriculture Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. (The program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in rural areas.) The bill modifies the program to: increase from $100,000 to $200,000 the maximum amount of financing from a revolving loan fund that may be made available to an entity for water and wastewater projects, authorize loans for local utilities with experience delivering water or wastewater programs to provide service to unserved and underserved rural communities, increase the population ceiling that applies to certain loans, and provide mandatory funding for applications that are pending when this bill is enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Seeds for the Future Act This bill amends the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure that at least $50 million of USDA grant funding is used each year for competitive research grants that support the development of public cultivars. A "cultivar" is a variety of plant that has been intentionally selected for use in cultivation because of its improved characteristics. A "public cultivar" is the commercially available uniform end product of a publicly funded breeding program that has been sufficiently tested to demonstrate improved characteristics and stable performance. The bill also amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish a public cultivar research activities coordinator within USDA to coordinate research activities relating to the breeding of public cultivars.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2018 or the PAST Act This bill amends the Horse Protection Act to establish a new system for inspecting horses for soring, revise penalties for violations of the Act, and modify enforcement procedures. The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish requirements to license, train, assign, and oversee persons hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions to detect and diagnose sore horses. A license may not be issued to a person with conflicts of interest, and USDA must give preference to veterinarians. USDA may revoke a license for unsatisfactory performance. USDA must assign licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire the inspectors. An inspector must issue a citation for violations and notify USDA of violations. USDA must publish information on violations of this bill and disqualify a horse that is sore. The bill prohibits a person in any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction from causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning the horse. The bill prohibits the use of specified devices on a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse at a show, exhibition, sale, or auction. The bill increases the maximum criminal and civil liability penalties for certain violations. USDA may disqualify violators from specified activities related to horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Recognizes that the health of the patient should always come first and that the patient should be able to rely on their health care providers for medically accurate and evidence-based information about the full range of available health care options, including information about access to safe and legal abortion. Opposes efforts seeking to limit access to reproductive health care options.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections for Separated Children Act or the HELP Separated Children Act This bill sets forth Department of Homeland Security apprehension procedures with respect to children involved in immigration enforcement actions, including detention center access to courts, welfare agencies, and consular officials.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Organic Farmer and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 This bill modifies Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements and procedures for imported organic agricultural products. The bill modifies requirements and procedures regarding: exclusions from certification; documentation, traceability, and data collection; the accreditation program; the investigation process; and data organization and access. The bill also requires USDA and the Department of Homeland Security to jointly establish an interagency working group to facilitate coordination and information sharing regarding imports of organically produced agricultural products.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
Do No Harm Act This bill makes the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) inapplicable to federal laws (or implementations of laws) that: protect against discrimination or the promotion of equal opportunity, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, Executive Order 11246 (concerning equal employment opportunity), the Violence Against Women Act, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) rules entitled "Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity"; require employers to provide wages, other compensation, or benefits, including leave; protect collective activity in the workplace; protect against child labor, abuse, or exploitation; or provide for access to, information about, referrals for, provision of, or coverage for, any health care item or service. Under current law, RFRA prohibits the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest when using the least restrictive means. The bill makes RFRA inapplicable to: (1) terms requiring goods, services, functions, or activities to be performed or provided to beneficiaries of government contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or awards; or (2) denials of a person's full and equal enjoyment of a government-provided good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation. To assert a RFRA claim or defense in a judicial proceeding, the government must be a party to the proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 or VA MISSION Act of 2018 This bill consolidates Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community care programs, revises other VA health care programs and facilities provisions, and makes appropriations for veterans care. The bill establishes the Veterans Community Care Program to furnish hospital care, medical services, and extended care services through certain non-VA providers to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system or otherwise entitled to VA care. The VA may enter agreements with non-VA providers to furnish veterans with care that is otherwise not feasibly available. The VA shall: (1) establish standards for VA health care quality and for non-VA care in areas of VA expertise, (2) prohibit rehiring previously-removed VA providers, (3) provide prompt payment to providers, and (4) establish opioid prescribing practices for non-VA providers. The Veterans Choice Program is terminated after one year. The bill establishes the Center for Innovation for Care and Payment. The VA may: (1) provide care for the live donor of a transplant for a veteran, and (2) carry out a Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program and other actions to recruit health care professionals. The VA family caregiver program is expanded. The Office of Management and Budget shall review each enhanced-use facility lease. The bill establishes pilot programs for medical scribes, mobile deployment teams for underserved facilities, and graduate medical education. The bill extends VA pension reductions for Medicare-covered veterans in nursing homes.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
This bill delays by one year (to January 1, 2020) the Medicaid federal matching rate reduction that is scheduled to take effect for states that fail to require an electronic visit verification system for personal care services (services that help certain individuals with basic needs of daily life).
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2018
Congressional Accountability and Harassment Reform Act This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to revise procedures for initiating, investigating, and resolving claims by employees alleging that employing offices have violated their CAA rights and protections, including protections against discrimination and sexual harassment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2018
Disclosing Pharmaceutical Company Windfall Profits Act of 2018 This bill amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require pharmaceutical companies to make certain public disclosures, including disclosures related to taxation, compensation, dividends, and spending on research and development.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2018
Disaster Housing Assistance Act This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to enter into an agreement or agreements with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish a temporary program that provides long-term rental housing assistance to eligible families affected by a major disaster during 2017, including with respect to Hurricane Maria. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress by January 20, 2020, on the results of the program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
National Law Enforcement Museum Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins that are emblematic of the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, and the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers throughout the history of the United States. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges, which shall be distributed to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Made in America Act of 2018 This bill expands Buy America requirements to require certain materials used in projects funded by various federal infrastructure grant and loan programs to be produced in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2018
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act This bill requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether a state substantially provides public safety officers or employees: the right to form and join a labor organization; recognition by public safety employers of the employoees' labor organization, agreement to bargain with the organization, and reduction of any agreements to writing in a contract or memorandum or understanding; the right to bargain over hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment; and binding interest arbitration to resolve an impasse in collective bargaining negotiations. The bill makes the authority responsible for: (1) determining the appropriateness of units for labor representation; (2) supervising elections; (3) conducting hearings and resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; and (4) protecting the right of employees to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from doing so. An employer, public safety officer, or labor organization may not engage in a lockout, sickout, work slowdown, strike, or any other organized job action that will measurably disrupt the delivery of emergency services and is designed to compel an employer, public safety officer, or labor organization to agree to the terms of a proposed contract.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2018
Music Modernization Act This bill makes various changes to copyright law related to sound recordings, including providing protection for sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972, creating a system for paying royalties to producers and sound engineers, and establishing a statutory blanket license for digital music services. The blanket license allows music services to distribute sound recordings covered by the license without negotiating for the rights for each individual recording, as long as the music service complies with the license's requirements, such as paying the required royalties.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2018
Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs Act of 2018 or the SIREN Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes through FY2023 and revises the Rural Emergency Medical Service Training and Equipment Assistance Program, which is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2018
Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act This bill includes veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands anytime from 1977 through 1980 as radiation exposed veterans for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs presumption of service-connection for specified cancers. These veterans thereby become eligible for the same health care and other benefits given to service members who were involved in active nuclear tests. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2018
Thanks the teachers of the United States and promotes the teaching profession by encouraging students, parents, school administrators, and public officials to participate in National Teacher Appreciation Week.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2018
Workplace Democracy Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act and related labor laws to preserve workers' rights to join labor organizations and engage in collective bargaining. Specifically, it prohibits employers from classifying employees as independent contractors or supervisors to avoid employee participation in union activities; allows the National Labor Relation Board to certify a union, without a secret election, if it receives the consent of the majority of eligible workers; requires employers to begin negotiating with a new union within 10 days of its certification; prohibits coercion of employees to to participate in campaign activities unrelated to their job duties; requires employers to make disclosures of anti-labor organization activities; and repeals provisions allowing states to prevent labor organizations from collecting dues from nonunion workers who benefit from union representation (right to work laws.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2018
National Guard Promotion Accountability Act This bill permits the date of promotion of a commmissioned officer of the National Guard to be backdated, after federal recognition is granted, to the date such officer's promotion was published by the state. The bill requires the Departments of the Army and the Air Force to report to Congress on delay in publication of scrolls indicating promotions of commissioned National Guard officers. The Departments of the Army and of the Air Force shall each undertake a comprehensive review of their policies and procedures for the federal recognition promotions of Army or Air Force National Guard commissioned officers.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Next Generation in Agriculture Act This bill modifies several Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and policies to provide additional assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers. The bill includes provisions that reauthorize and modify the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, create a permanent National Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinator and an Agricultural Youth Coordinator within USDA, establish a next generation agriculture technology challenge competition to provide an incentive for the development of innovative mobile technology that removes barriers to entry in the marketplace for beginning farmers and ranchers, and modify the definitions used for the Federal Crop Insurance Program to specify that a beginning farmer or rancher includes a farmer or rancher who has not farmed for more than 10 years (currently 5 years).
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Affirms a commitment to elevate the voices, leadership, and needs of disenfranchised and underserved communities in the effort to end sexual violence and support survivors of sexual violence.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day to honor and remember workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace. Recognizes the importance of strengthening worker health and safety standards.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Calls for the international community to demand that North Korea dismantle its labor camp system and for North Korea to cease human rights abuses and release political prisoners.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Search Now, Inspect for Fentanyl Act of 2018 or the SNIFF Act This bill requires a U.S. Postal Service employee at an international service center who has been properly trained to inspect the contents of a package that originated outside the United States and is addressed to a U.S. location to inspect the contents of such package, without obtaining a search warrant, if there is probable cause to believe that such package contains illicit materials, including matter that is nonmailable. Such requirement shall not apply if the employee believes that inspecting the contents of such a package would pose a risk of personal injury to the employee or other individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Restricting Entrance and Strengthening the Requirements on Import Controls for Trafficking of Illicit Drugs Act or the RESTRICT Illicit Drugs Act This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to transfer any packages of illegally imported drugs it receives to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The FDA may (1) debar a person from importing drugs into the United States if they have been convicted of a drug import related felony, and (2) refuse admission of an article imported by someone who is debarred, except that a counterfeit drug must be refused.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Creating Quality Technical Educators Act of 2018 This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants under the Teacher Quality Partnership grant program to be used for secondary school career and technical education teacher preparation programs. The grant program provides funds to partnerships of high-need local educational agencies, high-need schools or early education programs, and institutions of higher education to train current and prospective teachers and school leaders.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2018
Made in America Shipbuilding Act of 2018 This bill: (1) prohibits an executive agency from entering into a contract for the acquisition, construction, or conversion of a vessel unless the vessel is to be constructed or converted in the United States, and (2) lists components that may be procured for vessels only if manufactured in the United States. An agency may waive such limitation upon determining that: (1) application of the limitation would increase the cost of the overall acquisition by more than 25% or cause unreasonable delays to be incurred, would result in the existence of only one domestic source for the item, or is not in U.S. national security interests; or (2) satisfactory quality items manufactured by a domestic entity are not available or domestic production of such items cannot be initiated without significantly delaying the project. An agency may not (with exceptions) enter into a contract: (1) for the procurement of end items or components for ships that contain a specialty metal not melted or produced in the United States; and (2) for the construction of a vessel unless the steel, iron, aluminum, and manufactured products to be used in the construction are produced in the United States. If a court or federal agency determines that a person intentionally affixed a label bearing a "Made in America" inscription to specified products sold in or shipped to the United States that were not made domestically, that person shall be debarred from contracting with the government for at least five years.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2018
Tax Fairness for Workers Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an above-the-line deduction for union dues and expenses. (An above-the-line deduction is subtracted from gross income and is available whether or not a taxpayer itemizes other deductions.) The bill also reinstates the miscellaneous itemized deduction for unreimbursed expenses attributable to the performance of services as an employee. (Under current law, all miscellaneous itemized deductions are suspended through 2025.)
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2018
Facilitating Accessible Resources for Mental health and Encouraging Rural Solutions For Immediate Response to Stressful Times Act or the FARMERS FIRST Act This bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants to state departments of agriculture, state cooperative extension services, and nonprofit organizations for cooperative programs to establish farm and ranch stress assistance networks. The networks must provide stress assistance programs to farmers and ranchers, including counseling and support through: telephone helplines and websites, training for advocates for affected individuals, support groups, outreach services and activities, and home delivery of assistance for farm residents who are homebound. USDA must coordinate with the Department of Health and Services (HHS) to establish the grant program and a National Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to coordinate the stress assistance programs on a national scale. USDA and HHS must also establish an advisory committee to report on the state of behavioral and mental health in farmers and ranchers.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Choose Medicare Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish public health plans that are available on health insurance markets, subject to specified requirements; the bill also makes a series of changes related to health insurance costs, including alterations to cost-sharing provisions and the authority to negotiate prices under the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Repeated Objectionable Bothering of Consumers on Phones Act or the ROBOCOP Act This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) require providers of text messaging or voice services, for no additional charge, to enable technology that verifies the accuracy of caller ID information; (2) require providers to offer subscribers optional free robocall-technology blocking technology; and (3) provide an exemption process for subscribers originating a call if there is a need to provide misleading or inaccurate information (such as a call to conduct an activity of a domestic violence shelter or medical practice). The bill allows private actions to enjoin or recover damages for violations of the FCC's caller identification technology standards. States may bring civil actions for a pattern or practice of a failure to provide such technology or options. The bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for persons within or outside the United States, with the intent to cause harm, to intentionally interfere with call-blocking technology. The FCC must report on whether the requirements of this bill have reduced unwanted calls to consumers.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Business of Insurance Regulatory Reform Act of 2018 This bill amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to revise the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) over activities regulated by a state insurance regulator. The CFPB may not enforce the Act against any person regulated by a state insurance regulator and offering a consumer financial product or service, to the extent that person is engaged in the business of insurance. If a person engaged in the business of insurance is regulated by a state insurance regulator but otherwise subject to the Act, the CFPB must construe its authority narrowly.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Robocall Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934: to lengthen the statute of limitations from two years to three years for pursuing caller identification information violations (known as "spoofing"), to lengthen the statute of limitations from one year to three years for pursing automated telephone equipment violations (known as "robocalls"), and to authorize the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to impose forfeiture penalties without first sending a citation regarding the charged violation against persons not licensed by the FCC who violate prohibitions on the use of automated telephone equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable John Melcher, Senator from Montana. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 18, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator Melcher.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 2018
Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 This bill establishes a series of programs and requirements relating to opioid use, including programs to support pain management research, training for first responders, treatment and recovery centers, awareness campaigns, and controlled substance regulation.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Hemp Farming Act of 2018 This bill legalizes industrial hemp that has a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana) concentration of no more than 0.3% by removing it from schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. States and Indian tribes may regulate the production of hemp by submitting a plan to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bill also makes hemp producers eligible for the federal crop insurance program and certain USDA research grants.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow a hospice employee or emergency medical services professional to handle controlled substances in the residence of a hospice patient to assist with the disposal of controlled substances: (1) that are expired, or (2) that are unused after the patient's death.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Recognizes the tragic fourth anniversary of the Chibok girls kidnapping and calls for the release of all Boko Haram captives, especially the remaining Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu. Acknowledges U.S. and Nigerian efforts to defeat Boko Haram. Requests that the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development create a plan to address the needs of women and girls adversely impacted by extremism and conflict. Commends the swift enactment of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2018
Recognizes: (1) the significance of April 11-April 17, 2018, as Black Maternal Health Week; and (2) that black women experience high, disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Daniel K. Akaka, Senator from Hawaii. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 10, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator.