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![Official portrait of Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001267_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
3,848 records where Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2017
Medicare Care Coordination Improvement Act of 2017 This bill exempts certain alternative payment models under Medicare from the general prohibition on physician self-referrals (also known as the Stark law).
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2017
Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act of 2017 This bill permits amounts awarded under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for essential assistance, hazard mitigation, repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities, federal assistance to individuals and households, and public assistance program alternative procedures to be used to build, repair, restore, reconstruct, or replace an energy system or building as a result of a major disaster or emergency designated by the President during calendar year 2017 in a manner that: is more resilient and more efficient; provides continuous flow of power to facilities critical to public health, safety, and welfare; maximizes the use of clean energy resources and energy storage technologies; and promotes lower energy bills. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): (1) shall designate a representative to coordinate with private entities interested in donating energy system technologies and services for such purposes following a major disaster or emergency, (2) is encouraged to coordinate with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Homeland Security in designating such representative, and (3) is encouraged to consult with the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding DOD's experience in building resilient power systems. Each National Laboratory, in coordination with DOE programs that provide assistance to states and industry, must make technical assistance available to federal, state, and local agencies and private entities interested in: (1) developing plans or providing guidance on the design of a resilient and efficient energy system or building; and (2) building, repairing, restoring, reconstructing, or replacing an energy system or building following a major disaster or emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2017
Designates November 4, 2017, as National Bison Day.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2017
American Family Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the child tax credit, to: (1) make the credit fully refundable, (2) increase the amount of the credit and allow an additional credit for children who are under six years of age, (3) require the amount of the credit to be adjusted annually for inflation after 2017, and (4) require the Department of the Treasury to establish a program for making advance payments of the credit on a monthly basis.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2017
Background Check Expansion Act This bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. The prohibition does not apply to certain firearm transfers, such as a gift between spouses in good faith.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2017
Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships as corporations, to expand the definition of "qualifying income" for such partnerships (known as master limited partnerships) to include income and gains from renewable and alternative energy generation projects (in addition to fossil fuel-based energy generation projects) and related infrastructure for transportation or storage, including energy derived from thermal resources, waste, renewable fuels and chemicals, energy efficient buildings, gasification, and carbon capture in secure geological storage.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2017
Honest Ads Act This bill expands source disclosure requirements for political advertisements by (1) establishing that paid internet and paid digital communications may qualify as “public communications” or “electioneering communications” that may be subject to such requirements, and (2) imposing additional requirements relating to the form of such source disclosures and the information contained within. The bill also requires certain online platform companies to maintain publicly available records about qualified political advertisements that have been purchased on their platforms.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2017
Protect Access to Birth Control Act This bill nullifies interim final rules issued by the Department of Labor, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Health and Human Services that allow employers with religious or moral objections to be exempt from the requirement in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to cover contraceptive services without cost-sharing.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2017
This bill prohibits any federal agency funds, resources, or fees from being used to implement or enforce Executive Order 13780 and the presidential proclamation of September 24, 2017. Among the order's major provisions are restrictions on the entry of nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen and additional limitations on refugee admissions to the United States. The proclamation revised such order to include entry restrictions on nationals from Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela, and remove such restrictions on nationals of Sudan. The proclamation additionally provides for enhanced U.S. vetting capacities.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2017
Medicare-X Choice Act of 2017 This bill amends the Social Security Act to create the Medicare Exchange health plan, which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must offer in certain individual health insurance exchanges in 2020 and offer in all individual health insurance exchanges by 2023. Any individual who is a resident of a state where the plan is offered and who is not eligible for Medicare benefits may enroll in the plan. CMS must offer the plan in the small group market in all areas for 2024. The plan must meet the same requirements, including essential health benefits, as health insurance exchange plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Health care providers enrolled under Medicare or under a state Medicaid plan shall also be participating providers for the plan and shall be reimbursed at Medicare rates. The bill eliminates the restriction on the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2017
Condemns the attack at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 1, 2017, and honors the memory of the victims killed. Expresses hope for the recovery of those injured, and applauds the efforts of law-enforcement and counterterrorism officials and emergency-medical and healthcare professionals in response to the attack.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2017
Multilateral Aid Review Act of 2017 This bill establishes a United States Multilateral Aid Review to assess the value of U.S. government investments in multilateral entities. The President shall establish an interagency Multilateral Review Task Force to review U.S. participation in multilateral entities and report to Congress. The bill establishes the United States Multilateral Aid Review Peer Review Group to assist the task force.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2017
Wildfire Mitigation Assistance Act This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President, whether or not a major disaster is declared, to provide hazard mitigation assistance in any area or related area affected by a fire for which fire management assistance was provided under such Act. The President may establish a minimum amount of hazard mitigation assistance to be provided for a wildfire or fire complex. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shall submit an annual report on projects carried out, and funding provided, pursuant to this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2017
Pollution Transparency Act The heads of federal agencies in making certain rulemaking or procurement decisions must consider the costs of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions as specified in the bill. The bill establishes the Interagency Working Group on the Costs of Greenhouse Gases to evaluate, at least once every five years, the method of calculating the cost of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The bill also establishes the Costs of Greenhouse Gases Scientific Review Committee. The 10 members of the committee must be selected by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and represent relevant scientific fields. The committee must make recommendations to the working group regarding revisions to the greenhouse gas calculation method.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2017
This bill amends the federal judicial code to increase from seven to nine the total number of U.S. district court judgeships for the District of Colorado. The President must appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, two additional judges for that judicial district.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2017
Designates October 5, 2017, as Energy Efficiency Day.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2017
Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a trigger crank, a bump-fire device, or any part, combination of parts, component, device, attachment, or accessory that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun. The bill does not prohibit, with respect to such firearm accessories, the importation or manufacture for, sale or transfer to, or possession by a federal, state, or local government. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2017
Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017 This bill amends various provisions of law and sets forth new provisions: to reduce mandatory minimum prison terms for certain nonviolent repeat drug offenses; to establish a mandatory sentencing enhancement for a drug offense involving heroin or fentanyl; to broaden the existing safety valve to permit a sentence below the mandatory minimum for certain nonviolent, cooperative drug offenders with a limited criminal history; to create a new safety valve for certain nonviolent, cooperative defendants convicted of a high-level first-time or low-level repeat drug offense; to create new mandatory minimum prison terms, including for interstate domestic violence that results in a victim's death and for providing goods or services to terrorists; to make the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 retroactive to permit resentencing of a convicted crack cocaine offender sentenced before August 3, 2010; to require the Bureau of Prisons to expand recidivism reduction programs and productive activities to all eligible prisoners; to lengthen prerelease custody for prisoners who successfully complete such programs; to develop the Post-Sentencing Risk and Needs Assessment System; to create reentry demonstration projects in judicial districts; to require presentence investigation reports to include certain information such as substance abuse history, military service, and veteran status; to permit a court to reduce a life prison term imposed on a defendant convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a juvenile; to establish a process to seal and expunge certain records of juvenile nonviolent offenses; to prohibit juvenile solitary confinement, except in limited circumstances; to make permanent and modify eligibility for an elderly offender early release pilot program; and to establish the National Criminal Justice Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2017
American Prairie Conservation Act This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to modify provisions, known as sodsaver provisions, that reduce benefits under the Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop insurance and noninsured crop disaster assistance programs for farmers who plant crops on native sod. The bill also amends the Agriculture Act of 2014 to extend the requirement for USDA to submit annual reports to Congress regarding cropland acreage.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2017
Voluntary Protection Program Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) voluntary protection program, under which management, labor, and OSHA establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2017
Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits for: (1) energy storage technologies, and (2) battery storage technology. The bill expands the tax credit for investments in energy property to include equipment that: (1) receives, stores, and delivers energy using batteries, compressed air, pumped hydropower, hydrogen storage (including hydrolysis), thermal energy storage, regenerative fuel cells, flywheels, capacitors, superconducting magnets, or other technologies identified by the Internal Revenue Service; and (2) has a capacity of at least five kilowatt hours. The bill also expands the tax credit for residential energy efficient property to include expenditures for battery storage technology that: (1) is installed on or in connection with a dwelling unit located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer, and (2) has a capacity of at least three kilowatt hours.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2017
End the Threat of Default Act This bill repeals the public debt limit, which applies to most debt held by the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2017
Wildfire Disaster Funding Act This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require specified adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2017-FY2026 to accommodate appropriations for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of the Interior. If USDA or Interior determines that supplemental appropriations are necessary for wildfire suppression operations, the bill requires the relevant department to submit to Congress a request for the funding and a plan for obligating the funds. The bill also requires the President's budget to include the average costs for wildfire suppression over the previous 10 years.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2017
Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2017 This bill modifies requirements related to the mining of hardrock minerals on federal land, including to (1) prohibit the United States from issuing a patent for any mining claim, millsite, or tunnel site unless a patent application was filed with the Department of the Interior by September 30, 1994; (2) subject production of all locatable minerals from any mining claim to a reasonable royalty established by Interior; (3) require an exploration permit and mining operations permit for non-casual mining operations; (4) establish the Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund for the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by past hardrock minerals and mining activities; and (5) establish civil penalties for violation of surface management or operation requirements and related regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2017
Strong Families Act of 2017 This bill amends title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) of the Social Security Act to reauthorize through FY2022, and otherwise revise, the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. Under current law, grantees were required, after three years of program implementation, to demonstrate improvement in specified benchmark areas. The bill requires grantees to continue to track and demonstrate, on a triennial basis, improvement in applicable benchmark areas. A grantee that fails to do so must develop and implement a corrective action plan, subject to approval by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS shall terminate a program grant made to a grantee that implements such a plan but continues to fail to demonstrate improvement. As a condition for receiving grant funds under the program, a state must review and update its statewide needs assessment by October 1, 2020. A grantee may use a portion of program grant funds to support a "pay-for-outcomes initiative" (a performance-based grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, awarded by a public entity, in which a commitment is made to pay for improved outcomes that result in social benefit and public-sector cost savings). HHS must designate data-exchange standards applicable to the program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2017
Keep Kids' Insurance Dependable and Secure Act of 2017 or the KIDS Act of 2017 This bill amends titles XI (General Provisions), XIX (Medicaid), and XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act to extend funding for CHIP through FY2022 and otherwise revise provisions related to CHIP and Medicaid. The bill also extends funding through FY2022 for: the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund, the Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project, the Pediatric Quality Measures Program, and specified outreach and enrollment grants. In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2022: the qualifying-states option (which allows states that provided coverage to now CHIP-eligible children prior to CHIP's enactment to continue to provide such coverage), and the express-lane eligibility option (which allows states to use eligibility findings from other public benefit programs to determine children's eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP). Beginning in FY2020, the bill allows state child-health plans to adopt more restrictive eligibility standards with respect to children in families whose income exceeds 300% of the poverty line. Current law provides states with an enhanced Federal Matching Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for child-health assistance through FY2019. The bill maintains the enhanced FMAP in FY2020, but halves the percentage-point increase.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2017
Recognizes: (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15, 2017, through October 15, 2017; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2017
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Pete V. Domenici, former member of the U.S.Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns September 13, 2017, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Domenici.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2017
Designates the week beginning on September 18, 2017, as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2017
Energy Technology Maturation Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a funding program to facilitate the commercialization of energy and related technologies that exhibit promising commercial potential and are developed at DOE facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2017
Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting Act of 2017 or the SAFER Act of 2017 This bill amends the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2004 to require the Department of Justice (DOJ), in providing information about the role of forensic nurses to certain health-related entities, to provide information about the role of both adult and pediatric forensic nurses. DOJ must also provide additional information on the need for pediatric sexual assault nurse examiners in responding to the abuse of both children and adolescents. Additionally, the bill amends the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to reauthorize through FY2022 the requirement for DOJ to allocate a certain percentage of funds under the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program for grants to audit backlogged rape kits.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2017
This joint resolution condemns the racist violence and domestic terror attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, and rejects white nationalism, white supremacy, and neo-Nazism sentiments as antithetical to U.S. values. Congress offers condolences to the families of those who died in Charlottesville and sympathy and support for those injured, and expresses support to the Charlottesville community. Congress urges the President and the Administration to speak out against hate groups and use all available resources to address the growing prevalence of domestic hate groups.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2017
Coal Community Empowerment Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize tax incentives and grants for areas impacted by employment in coal mines. Coal Community Zones are counties that either: (1) lost at least 50 coal mining jobs from 2011-2015 out of a total of not more than 20,000 employed workers in 2011, or (2) had at least 5% of their employment in coal mining on average from 2011-2015. For taxpayers located in or investing in the zones, the bill allows: additional tax-exempt bonds, an employment tax credit for hiring individuals in the zones, additional expensing for business property, a deduction for building or revitalizing a commercial building, the elimination of capital gains taxes on certain gains that are invested in zones, and additional new markets tax credits to finance projects in the zones. The Department of Labor and the Department of Education must jointly establish grant programs for: individual support accounts to fund education and training costs that will prepare individuals in zones for long-term, high-wage employment; the development, revamping, improvement, or expansion of education and training programs for zones in in-demand industry sectors or occupations or industries in local demand; and programs for businesses to provide in-house training and future employment to individuals in zones.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2017
Medicare Home Infusion Therapy Access Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to temporarily provide for transitional Medicare payment with respect to certain home infusion services furnished on or after January 1, 2019. Under current law, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services is required to establish a permanent payment system with respect to such services furnished on or after January 1, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2017
Designates July 29, 2017, as Paralympic and Adaptive Sport Day. Supports the inclusive goals, ideals, and values of the International Paralympic Movement. Acknowledges the contributions and sacrifices of members of the Armed Forces who sustained a traumatic injury and impairment while serving the United States. Promotes a more inclusive society for all individuals with impairments through paralympic and adaptive sports.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017
Honors the heroism of Boatswain's Mate Second Class Joseph Leon George in saving the lives of six sailors on December 7, 1941. Urges the U.S. Navy to consider revisiting decorating and honoring the heroism of Joseph Leon George in saving the lives of six sailors on December 7, 1941.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2017 This bill directs the President to: establish a five-year strategy to achieve, with target countries and donors, the goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths globally and ensure healthy and productive lives by 2030; and provide assistance to implement the strategy. The President shall designate a current U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employee serving in the Senior Executive Service or at the level of a Deputy Assistant Administrator or higher to serve concurrently as the Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator, who shall be responsible for: overseeing such strategy, and all U.S. government funds appropriated or used for international maternal and child health and nutrition programs. Strategy grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements shall include targets for increased implementation of high-impact, evidence-based interventions and strengthening health systems. The President shall report to Congress annually for six years regarding progress made toward achieving the strategy and ending preventable child and maternal deaths.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017
75th Anniversary of the End of World War II Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 500,000 $1 coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The coins shall be emblematic of the sacrifices made by millions of people of the United States 75 years ago in bringing an end to World War II. The design on each coin shall represent the World War II Victory Medal, which was awarded to all 16 million U.S. military personnel who served from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946. The bill requires all sales of such coins include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by Treasury to the congressionally designated National WWII Museum to fund its educational mission of telling the story of the U.S. experience in World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017
Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to change provisions that refer to married couples to make such provisions equally applicable to legally married same sex couples.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017
Forest Service Flexible Partnerships Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to lease as an administrative site, for consideration that is at least the market value of the site: any facility or improvement that was acquired or is used for the administration of the National Forest System (NFS); any federal land associated with such a facility or improvement that was acquired or is used for the administration of Forest Service activities and underlies or abuts such facility or improvement; or per fiscal year, no more than 10 isolated, undeveloped parcels no larger than 40 acres each. The bill makes the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 applicable to the leasing of administrative sites, subject to an exception. Cash consideration for an administrative site shall be available to USDA to pay: necessary and incidental costs incurred in acquiring, improving, maintaining, reconstructing, or constructing a facility or improvement for the NFS and the lease of such site; and reasonable commissions or fees for brokerage services obtained regarding the lease.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2017
Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to: (1) negotiate drug prices under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, and (2) institute a price structure for the reimbursement of drugs covered under the benefit.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2017
Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act or the B-CROP Act This bill amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to include grants in the Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides loans and loan guarantees for broadband telecommunications services in rural areas. In making grants, loans, or loan guarantees under the program, USDA must give the highest priority to applicants that offer to provide broadband service to the greatest proportion of unserved rural households or rural households that do not have the minimum acceptable level of residential broadband service. USDA must then give priority to projects to serve rural communities that: have fewer than 10,000 permanent residents, are experiencing out-migration, have a high percentage of low-income residents, and are isolated from other significant population centers. A grant may not exceed 50% of the development cost of the project. USDA may increase the limit to 75% for projects that serve a remote or low-income area that does not have access to broadband service from any provider. USDA must: (1) provide technical assistance and training to entities that are eligible for the loans, loan guarantees, or grants; and (2) use a specified portion of the appropriations provided for the program for this purpose. The bill sets forth reporting requirements for recipients of the grants, loans, or loan guarantees.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2017
Community Solar Consumer Choice Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a program to expand community solar options to: (1) individuals, particularly individuals that do not have regular access to onsite solar, including low- and moderate-income individuals; (2) businesses; (3) nonprofit organizations; and (4) states and local and tribal governments. Community solar is a solar power plant, through which the benefits of the electricity produced is shared by electricity customers. In carrying out the program, DOE must: (1) provide technical assistance to states and local and tribal governments for projects to increase community solar; (2) assist such governments in the development of new and innovative financial and business models that leverage competition in the marketplace in order to serve community solar subscribers; and (3) use national laboratories to collect and disseminate data that assists private entities in the financing of, subscription to, and operation of community solar projects. The bill encourages the federal government to participate in community solar projects, including by subscribing to community solar facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2017
Fair Elections Now Act This bill establishes the Fair Elections Fund, which shall provide funding to Senate candidates who meet specified conditions and agree to abide by certain requirements, such as limits on types of campaign funding sources and a minimum number of appearances in public debates. The bill also (1) revises provisions related to broadcasts of Senate campaign advertisements, (2) provides a tax credit for individuals who make certain types of Senate campaign contributions, and (3) imposes a tax on certain U.S. government contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2017
Recognizes the role of Latinos in protecting and preserving U.S. land, water, and wildlife. Supports the engagement of Latinos in environmental protection and conservation efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2017
Bob Dole Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Bob Dole in recognition for his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesman.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2017
Dream Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel removal and grant lawful permanent resident status on a conditional basis to an alien who is inadmissible or deportable or is in temporary protected status who: (1) has been continuously physically present in the United States for four years preceding this bill's enactment; (2) was younger than 18 years of age on the initial date of U.S. entry; (3) is not inadmissible on criminal, security, terrorism, or other grounds; (4) has not participated in persecution; (5) has not been convicted of specified federal or state offenses; and (6) has fulfilled specified educational requirements. DHS shall cancel the removal of, and adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on a conditional basis, an alien who was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status unless the alien has engaged in conduct that would make the alien ineligible for DACA. DHS may not: (1) grant conditional permanent resident status without the submission of biometric and background data, and completion of background and medical checks; and (2) disclose or use information provided in applications filed under this bill or in DACA requests for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill prescribes the conditions under which DHS: (1) may terminate a person's conditional permanent resident status, and (2) shall adjust a person's conditional status to permanent resident status. The bill: (1) sets forth documentation requirements for establishing DACA eligibility, and (2) repeals the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2017
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2017 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to ban campaign contributions and expenditures by corporations that are controlled, influenced, or owned by foreign nationals. The bill redefines the term "independent expenditure" to include an expenditure that is the functional equivalent of express advocacy because it can be interpreted by a reasonable person only as advocating the election or defeat of a candidate. The bill expands the period during which certain communications are treated as electioneering communications. The bill prescribes disclosure requirements for campaign-related disbursements by corporations, labor organizations, and other entities, including a political committee with an account established for the purpose of accepting donations or contributions that do not comply with the contribution limits or source prohibitions under FECA.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2017
Industrial Hemp Water Rights Act This bill specifies that the owner of an absolute or conditional water right, or an entity that receives or distributes water contracted from the federal government, may use or sell the water for the cultivation of industrial hemp if the growth or cultivation of industrial hemp is otherwise authorized under the laws of the state in which the use occurs. The bill applies regardless of whether the water has passed through a federal water project.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2017
Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to: state that the term "intimate partner" includes a dating partner and any other person subject to a protection order under state domestic or family violence law; and expand the term "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" to include the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, by a current or former intimate partner. The bill makes it a crime to knowingly sell or dispose of a firearm to a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. It also makes it a crime for such convicted stalker to receive or possess a firearm.