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![Official portrait of Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000711_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
9,405 records where Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2014
Designates Thursday, February 13, 2014, as $2.13 Day. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the cash wage that an employer is required to pay a tipped employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) should be increased to 70% of the federal minimum wage for a FLSA covered nonexempt employee.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2014
California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2014 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of the Interior (Secretaries), in response to the declaration of a state of drought emergency in California, to provide the maximum quantity of water supplies possible to Central Valley Project (CVP) and Klamath Project agricultural, municipal and industrial, and refuge service and repayment contractors, State Water Project contractors, and any other locality or municipality in California by approving, consistent with applicable laws: (1) any project or operations to provide additional water supplies if there is any possible way the Secretaries can do so, unless the project or operations constitute a highly inefficient way of providing additional water supplies; and (2) any projects or operations as quickly as possible based on available information to address the emergency conditions. Sets forth actions to be taken to increase water supply, including: (1) ensuring that the Delta Cross Channel Gates remain open to the greatest extent possible, (2) requiring the Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service to recommend revisions to operations of the CVP and the California State Water Project, (3) adopt a 1:1 inflow to export ratio for the increased flow of the San Joaquin River, (4) require the Director and the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation to complete all requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 necessary to make final permit decisions on water transfer requests, and (5) make WaterSMART grant funding administered by the Bureau of Reclamation available for eligible projects on a priority and expedited basis. Authorizes financial assistance under the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 for projects to increase water supply. Requires federal agency heads to consult with the Council on Environmental Quality to develop alternative arrangements to comply with NEPA. Directs the EPA to prioritize projects under state water pollution control revolving funds to provide water to areas at risk of having an inadequate supply of water for public health and safety purposes. Requires the Commissioner of Reclamation to provide water supply planning assistance in preparation for and in response to dry, critically dry, and below normal water year types, upon request, to CVP or Klamath Project contractors or other reclamation project contractors in California, including contractors who possess contracts for refuge water supplies or who deliver refuge water supplies. Reauthorizes: (1) the Calfed Bay-Delta Act, (2) the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991, and (3) the Secure Water Act. Amends the Klamath Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2000 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to take actions to reduce water consumption or demand or to restore ecosystems in the Klamath Basin watershed, including tribal fishery resources held in trust. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture emergency supplemental appropriations to provide: (1) drought assistance to agricultural producers and for mitigation activities related to drought and wildfire hazards, (2) emergency community water assistance grants to address impacts of drought, and (3) grants to assist low-income migrant and seasonal farm workers affected by drought and for forest restoration. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to expand federal emergency assistance to provide for disaster unemployment, emergency nutrition, and crisis counseling assistance. Designates this Act as an emergency requirement for budgetary purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2014
Commends the U.S. representatives on their leadership on United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution (UNHRC) 22/1 which promotes reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka. Calls on the United States and the international community to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to evaluate reports of war crimes and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka. Urges the Government of Sri Lanka to: (1) allow access for media, international aid agencies, and human rights groups into all regions of the country and to detention sites; and (2) end its media restrictions. Calls upon the President to develop a comprehensive policy towards Sri Lanka that reflects U.S. interests, including respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law, economic interests, and security interests.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2014
Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into an enhanced-use lease for buildings 205 and 208 of the West Los Angeles Medical Center, California, for the provision of long-term therapeutic housing for homeless veterans who require assisted living or other similar forms of care. Exempts such buildings from a provision authorizing the Secretary to transfer property under an enhanced-use lease to the lessee. Requires the Secretary to: (1) review such lease at least once during each two-year period in which it is in effect, including by assessing the leasing party and determining whether such lease should continue; and (2) submit a report.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2014
Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014 - Amends federal veterans provisions to revise or add provisions concerning medical services and other benefits provided to veterans and/or their dependents through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) relating to the following areas: survivor and dependent matters, including benefits for children of certain veterans born with spina bifida; education matters, including the approval of courses for purposes of the All-Volunteer Force and the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance programs; the expansion and extension of certain health care benefits, including immunizations, chiropractic care, treatment for traumatic brain injury, and wellness promotion; health care administration, including extension of the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program, and complementary and alternative medicine; mental health care, including an education program and peer support program for family members and caregivers of veterans with mental health disorders; dental care eligibility and expansion, including a program of education to promote dental health in veterans; health care related to sexual trauma, including appropriate counseling and treatment and a screening mechanism to detect incidents of domestic abuse; reproductive treatment and services, including fertility counseling as well as adoption assistance for severely wounded veterans; major medical facility leases; veterans' employment training and related services; veterans' employment, including within the federal government and as first responders; career transition services; employment and reemployment rights of members of the Armed Forces after active duty service; small business matters, including contracting and subcontracting participation goals with federal departments and agencies; administrative matters, including regional support centers for Veterans Integrated Service Networks; the revision of claims based on military sexual trauma as well as claims for dependency and indemnity compensation; jurisdictional matters, including with respect to the Board of Veterans' Appeals and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; the revision of certain rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, including protections with respect to the expiration of professional licenses, a prohibition on the denial of credit or the termination of residential leases due to military service, and the temporary protection of surviving spouses under mortgage foreclosures; and outreach and miscellaneous matters, including: (1) repeal of the provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 that reduces the cost-of-living adjustment to the retirement pay of members of the Armed Forces under age 62, and (2) the accounting for discretionary accounts designated for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2014
Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act of 2014 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or each state exercising primary enforcement responsibility for public water systems to carry out a state chemical storage facility source water protection program. Requires such a program to provide for oversight and inspection of each covered chemical storage facility in accordance with minimum requirements, described in this Act, to prevent the release of chemicals into the water supply in watersheds with public water systems that rely on surface water, including a covered chemical storage facility located pursuant to a source water quality assessment (carried out upon state modification of monitoring requirements). Defines "covered chemical storage facility" as a facility at which a chemical is stored and the Administrator or state determines that a release from the facility poses a risk of harm to a public water system. Deems a state program and its requirements, for purposes of primary enforcement responsibility, to be part of the national primary drinking water regulations and requires that they be implemented and enforced in accordance with the procedures applicable to such responsibility. Authorizes the issuance of orders by the Administrator to carry out this Act. Sets forth requirements concerning: (1) liability of a facility owner or operator for costs of response actions, (2) pre-transfer inspections of facilities, and (3) information for public water systems regarding emergency response plans and chemical inventories. Authorizes an owner or operator of a public water system to commence, or to petition the Administrator to commence, a civil action for equitable relief to address possible imminent and substantial endangerment to the health of persons supplied by the water system. Provides a special rule to expedite the Administrator's response to a petition in emergency situations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2014
Repeals a provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 that reduces the cost-of-living adjustment to the retirement pay of members of the Armed Forces under age 62.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2014
Restore Honor to Service Members Act - Requires appropriate military record correction boards or discharge review boards to review the discharge characterization of any former members of the Armed Forces requesting a review who were discharged because of their sexual orientation. Permits such boards to change a characterization to honorable if such characterization is any characterization except honorable. Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to ensure that any such changes are carried out consistently and uniformly across the military departments using specified criteria, including that: (1) the original discharge was based on the policy of Don't Ask Don't Tell (as in effect before it was repealed pursuant to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010) or a similar earlier policy; and (2) the discharge characterization will be changed if, with respect to the original discharge, there were no aggravating circumstances, such as misconduct, that would have independently led to any discharge characterization except honorable. Prohibits "aggravating circumstances" from including: (1) an offense of sodomy committed by the member against a consenting person of the same sex; or (2) statements, consensual sexual conduct, or consensual acts relating to sexual orientation or identity, or the disclosure of such statements, conduct, or acts, that were prohibited at the time of discharge but that became permitted after such discharge. Directs the Secretary of each military department to ensure that oral historians of the department: (1) review discharges between World War II and September 2011 based on sexual orientation, and (2) receive oral testimony of individuals who personally experienced discrimination and discharge because of actual or perceived sexual orientation so that such testimony may serve as an official record of such discriminatory policies and their impact on American lives. Requires the reissuance of specified military personnel records and discharge forms in a manner that shall not reflect the sexual orientation of the member.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2014
Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) implementation of the United States National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP) is paramount in improving the lives of women around the world and increasing global stability and prosperity, (2) Congress is committed to advancing NAP principles, and (3) the President should ensure NAP's implementation and coordinate with the international community to reaffirm global commitments to implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. States that it is U.S. policy to implement NAP. Directs the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to: (1) integrate gender goals into diplomatic and development efforts, and into agency guidance and contracting; (2) include gender in strategic and budget planning processes; and (3) review existing U.S. policies and programs on women and girls in foreign countries from a gender perspective. Directs the heads of federal departments and agencies to ensure that NAP's tenets are incorporated into all programs related to: (1) conflict prevention, (2) humanitarian and disaster response, (3) conflict mediation, (4) peacekeeping, (5) post-conflict reconstruction, (6) institution building, and (7) democracy promotion. Urges the Secretary to promote the inclusion of women in coordination and consultation with international partners. Directs the Secretary, the Administrator, the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and representatives of other federal agencies to implement NAP and ensure relevant personnel training. Directs the Secretary to facilitate the efforts of partner governments to improve women's participation in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace-building, transitional processes, and decision making institutions in conflict-affected environments. Directs the Secretary and the Administrator to establish guidelines for overseas U.S. personnel to consult with specified stakeholders regarding U.S. efforts to: (1) prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and (2) enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring women's meaningful participation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2014
Urges the Department of State to renegotiate with the government of Iraq the provisions of the original agreement that was signed between the National Archives and Records Administration and the Coalition Provisional Authority in order to ensure that the Iraqi Jewish Archive be kept in a place where its long-term preservation can be guaranteed. Recognizes that: (1) the Iraqi Jewish Archive should be housed in a location that is accessible to scholars and to Iraqi Jews and their descendants, and (2) the agreement was signed before knowing the Archive's complete history. Reaffirms the U.S. commitment to cultural property under international law and to ensuring justice for victims of ethnic and religious persecution.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2014
Designates the first week of April 2014 as National Asbestos Awareness Week. Urges the Surgeon General to warn and educate people about asbestos exposure, which may be hazardous to their health.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2013
Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2013 - Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), with regard to sequestration adjustments, to require any adjustments in enacted appropriations for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of the Interior for a fiscal year, to be the amount of additional new budget authority provided for wildfire suppression operations in the appropriations Act, but not to exceed $2.689 billion in such authority in each of FY2014-FY2021. Defines "additional new budget authority" as the amount specified in an appropriations Act for a fiscal year to pay for wildfire suppression operations, but only to the extent such authority exceeds 70% of the average costs for wildfire suppression operations over the previous 10 years. Prescribes requirements for any request by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture for supplemental appropriations necessary for wildfire suppression operations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 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 · 18 December 2013
Condemns the senseless and appalling shooting carried out at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 1, 2013. Offers the Senate's deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of deceased Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Officer Gerardo Hernandez. Honors the dedicated public service of TSA Officers Gerardo Hernandez, James Speer, and Tony Grisby and sends its hope for a quick recovery to the other victims of the horrific attack. Remains committed to preventing similar tragedies from happening again.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2013
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to extend emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) payments for eligible individuals to weeks of employment ending on or before April 1, 2014. Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until March 31, 2014, requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC. Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and September 30, 2014, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (FSEUCA of 1970) against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.) Amends the FSEUCA of 1970 to postpone similarly from December 31, 2013, to March 31, 2014, termination of the period during which a state may determine its "on" and "off" indicators according to specified temporary substitutions in its formula. Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to appropriate funds out of the employment security administration account through the first quarter of FY2015 to assist states in providing reemployment and eligibility assessment activities. Amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to extend through March 31, 2014, the temporary increase in extended unemployment benefits. Makes a change in application of a certain requirement (nonreduction rule) to a state that has entered a federal-state EUC agreement, under which the federal government would reimburse the state's unemployment compensation agency making EUC payments to individuals who have exhausted all rights to regular unemployment compensation under state or federal law and meet specified other criteria. (Under the nonreduction rule such an agreement does not apply with respect to a state whose method for computing regular unemployment compensation under state law has been modified to make the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010, less than what would have been paid before June 2, 2010.) Declares that the nonreduction rule shall not apply to a state which has enacted a law before December 1, 2013, that, upon taking effect, would violate the nonreduction rule. Allows a state whose agreement was terminated, however, to enter into a subsequent federal-state EUC agreement on or after enactment of this Act if, taking into account this inapplicability of the nonreduction rule, it would otherwise meet the requirements for an EUC agreement. (Thus allows such a subsequent EUC agreement to permit payment of less than the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010.)
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2013
Pro Football Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5-gold coins, 400,000 $1-silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins emblematic of the game of professional football. Requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to help finance the construction of a new building and the renovation of existing Pro Football Hall of Fame facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2013
Equal Employment for All Act of 2013 - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit a current or prospective employer from using a consumer report or an investigative consumer report, or from causing one to be procured, for either employment purposes or for making an adverse action, if the report contains information that bears upon the consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing, or credit capacity. Makes exceptions to such prohibition when: (1) the consumer applies for, or currently holds, employment that requires a national security clearance; or (2) a consumer report is otherwise required by law.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2013
American Fighter Aces 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 the American Fighter Aces, collectively, in recognition of their heroic military service and defense of the nation's freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2013
Honors the life, accomplishments, and legacy of former South African President Nelson Mandela. Extends condolences to the members of his family and his fellow citizens. Requests: (1) the Secretary of State to communicate these expressions of honor and condolence to Nelson Mandela's family and to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, and (2) the President to identify an appropriate and lasting U.S. government program to honor Nelson Mandela's legacy.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2013
Humane Short Term Custody Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to prescribe regulations establishing standards for short-term custody of individuals by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that provide for basic minimums of care at all CBP facilities that hold individuals in custody, including Border Patrol stations, ports of entry, checkpoints, forward operating bases, secondary inspection areas, and short-term custody facilities. Requires: (1) that such regulations be fully consistent with national standards under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, and (2) annual facility inspections.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2013
Earthquake Insurance Affordability Act of 2013 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to guarantee holders of debt against loss of principal or interest, or both, on debt issued by eligible state programs designed to: (1) promote the availability of private capital to provide liquidity and capacity to state earthquake (specifically, residential property) insurance programs, and (2) expedite the payment of claims under such programs and better assist financial recovery from significant earthquakes. Prescribes operational requirements for eligible state programs which include an established earthquake insurance program that: (1) offers residential property insurance coverage for insured losses to property, contents, and additional living expenses; (2) is prohibited from requiring insurers to pool resources to provide property insurance coverage for earthquakes; (3) is based upon the best available scientific information for assessing the risk of earthquake frequency, severity, and loss; and (4) incorporates the sum of the modeled expected loss, risk financing costs, loss adjustment expense, and any other expenses necessary to operate the state program. Includes among such operational requirements that the state: (1) has in effect and enforces, or the appropriate local governments within the state have in effect and enforce, nationally recognized building, seismic-design, and safety codes and consensus-based standards; and (2) has taken actions to establish an insurance rate structure that takes into account measures to mitigate insured losses. Directs the Secretary to establish procedures for annual certification of an eligible state program. Restricts to $3 billion, including interest, the aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt obligations guaranteed by the Secretary. Makes appropriations to satisfy debt guarantee commitments. Requires the Secretary, upon request of an eligible state program, to provide such debt guarantees. Restricts to $1.5 billion the amount of a debt guarantee that an eligible state program receives to secure or provide claim-payment capacity for paying the insured losses and loss adjustment expenses from all events relating to a single earthquake. Pledges the full faith and credit of the United States to the payment of all guarantees issued under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2013
Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require private educational lenders to disclose to borrowers at least 30 days before the first fully amortized payment on their loan is due: certain information concerning the terms of the loan, the date on which the first payment is due, the name of the lender and servicer and certain contact information, and a description of alternative repayment plans. Requires private educational lenders to disclose to borrowers who become 30 days delinquent on their loan: the date on which the loan will be charged-off or assigned to collections, including the consequences of those actions; the minimum payment that the borrower must make to avoid the loan being charged off or assigned to collection; the minimum payment that the borrower must make to bring the loan current; and a statement informing the borrower that paying less than the minimum could result in the loan being charged off or assigned to collection. Requires a private educational lender, when a borrower becomes 60 days delinquent or provides notice that he or she is having difficulty making payment, to: complete a full review of the loan and make a reasonable effort to determine if the borrower is eligible for an alternative repayment plan or servicemember or veteran benefits related to private education loans, inform the borrower about alternative repayment plans and benefits for which the borrower may be eligible, and give the borrower at least 30 days to apply for such a plan or benefit. Requires private educational lenders in all these situations to notify the borrower that a Servicemember and Veterans Liaison is available to answer inquiries about servicemember and veteran benefits related to private education loans. Provides that if such a borrower notifies a private educational lender that a long-term alternative repayment plan is not needed, the lender may provide the borrower with information about forbearance or deferment options instead. Requires lenders to establish a process that enables borrowers to provide such notice. Requires the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to develop and issue model forms to allow borrowers to compare their private education loan repayment plan with alternative repayment plans and forbearance and deferment options. Establishes a student loan borrower bill of rights under the Truth in Lending Act and the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). Imposes specified notification and payment transfer and receipt obligations on transferors and transferees of student loans if the transfer of those loans results in a change of the party to whom the borrower must direct communications or send payments. Prohibits student loan servicers from imposing late payment fees or finance charges on borrowers whose late payment is due to a change in the servicer's mailing address, office, or payment handling procedures. Requires private education loan servicers, absent alternative instructions from the borrower, to apply payments first to the interest and fees a borrower owes on the payment due date and then to the principal of the borrower's private education loan that bears the highest interest rate. Considers a private education loan to be rehabilitated if the borrower: (1) makes 9 payments of amounts owed on the loan within 20 days of the due date for 10 consecutive months, or (2) otherwise brings the loan current after it has been charged-off. Requires student loan servicers to: (1) designate an employee who is specially trained on servicemember and veteran benefits to act as the servicemember and veterans liaison responsible for answering inquiries from servicemembers and veterans, and (2) provide servicemembers and veterans with a toll-free number to access that liaison. Prohibits student loan lenders or servicers from charging-off or reporting a student loan as delinquent, assigned to collection, or charged-off to a credit reporting agency if the borrower is on active duty in a combat zone. Requires student loan servicers to make available to borrowers: (1) through a secure website or in writing upon request, their loan history; and (2) upon request and at no charge, copies of the original loan documents. Requires the Director of the CFPB to promulgate rules requiring student loan servicers to establish error resolution procedures. Requires consumer credit information that is required to be disclosed to borrowers under the Truth in Lending Act to be available at no charge to such borrowers. Requires the Director of the CFPB, under the HEA, to issue rules: (1) requiring lenders and servicers to contact borrowers who may be eligible to have their student loans discharged by the Secretary of Education and to provide them with information and a streamlined process for doing so, and (2) for the application of student loan payments in a manner that best benefits borrowers and is compatible with existing repayment options. Amends the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program to require eligible lenders to provide borrowers, before repayment, when they are having difficulty making payments, and when they are delinquent, a statement that: (1) they may be entitled to servicemember and veteran benefits, and (2) a Servicemember and Veterans Liaison is available to answer their inquiries about those benefits. Requires eligible lenders, under the FFEL program, and the Secretary, under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program, to inform borrowers of alternative repayment options and offer to enroll them in alternative repayment plans. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require a lender, before issuing a private education loan for a student attending an institution of higher education (IHE), to obtain the IHE's certification of: (1) the student's enrollment status, (2) the student's cost of attendance, and (3) the difference between that cost and the student's estimated financial assistance. Eliminates the requirement that such lenders obtain a self-certification form from the private education loan applicant. Allows a lender to issue such a loan without a certification if the relevant IHE does not notify the lender, within 15 business days of the creditor's request for such certification, that it refuses to issue the certification or that it needs more time to comply with the request. Requires private educational lenders to: (1) send loan statements to borrowers at least once every three months a student is enrolled at an IHE; (2) notify the relevant IHE, in writing, of the loan amount and the student to whom it applies no later than the date funds are issued; and (3) submit an annual report to the CFPB containing information the CFPB requires concerning private student loans. Amends the HEA to require IHEs, before providing lenders with certifications or notice of their refusal to do so, to determine whether students have exhausted their options for assistance under title IV (Student Assistance) of the HEA and notify borrowers of: (1) the availability of such assistance, (2) their ability to choose their own private educational lender, (3) the impact of the proposed private education loan on their eligibility for other financial assistance, and (4) their right to accept or reject a private education loan within 30 days of the lender's approval of their application and to cancel the loan within 3 business days of its consummation. Prohibits an IHE from providing a private lender with a certification unless: (1) the loan provides the borrower with alternative repayment plans, including loan consolidation or refinancing; and (2) loan liability is cancelled upon the death or disability of the borrower or co-borrower. Treats lenders that receive a certification from an IHE as being in a preferred lender arrangement with that IHE.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2013
Condemns the political violence in Bangladesh and urges political leaders to engage in a dialogue toward free and credible elections. Supports ongoing efforts by United Nations (U.N.) Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco to foster political dialogue in Bangladesh. Urges: (1) the government of Bangladesh to ensure judicial independence, end harassment of human rights activists, and restore the independence of the Grameen Bank; and (2) political leaders in Bangladesh to ensure the safety and access of election observers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2013
Designates November 30, 2013, as Small Business Saturday. Expresses support for efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of such businesses on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2013
Teaching Health Center Reauthorization Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to appropriate funds for FY2016-FY2020 for the program of payments to teaching health centers that operate graduate medical education programs. Allows funds that were unexpended at the end of a fiscal year to be used in subsequent fiscal years. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) annually report a compilation of the data provided to the Secretary concerning residency training, and (2) establish a minimum per resident per year payment amount for all approved teaching health center graduate medical education positions under the program that is not less than the amount as of January 1, 2013, and ensure that not less than that amount is provided to all such programs for all approved positions. Authorizes appropriations for FY2013-FY2020 for grants to teaching centers for the establishment of new accredited or expanded primary care residency programs.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2013
Calls on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to: (1) strongly oppose Russia's discriminatory law against the freedom of expression for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons as inconsistent with Russia's international obligations and with the value of the Olympic movement; (2) insist, as a condition of holding the planned Olympic Games in Sochi, that the Government of the Russian Federation provide unconditional assurance that no one involved or affiliated with the Olympic Games will have their human rights, including their right to free expression, violated due to their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or expression of support for LGBT human rights; (3) insist that venders and contractors have LGBT nondiscrimination policies in place for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and for all future Olympic Games or other Olympic events; (4) call on the Russian Federation to allow a Pride House that has the mission of celebrating diversity and inclusiveness through sport and raising awareness of LGBT discrimination and criminalization; and (5) amend its charter to state that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is not compatible with the Olympic Games. Urges the United States Olympic Committee to intervene and assist the IOC in establishing such objectives.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2013
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013 - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to extend emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) payments for eligible individuals to weeks of employment ending on or before January 1, 2015. Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until December 31, 2014, requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC. Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and June 30, 2015, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (FSEUCA of 1970) against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.) Amends the FSEUCA of 1970 to postpone similarly from December 31, 2013, to December 31, 2014, termination of the period during which a state may determine its "on" and "off" indicators according to specified temporary substitutions in its formula. Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to appropriate funds out of the employment security administration account through FY2015 to assist states in providing reemployment and eligibility assessment activities. Amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to extend through December 31, 2014, the temporary increase in extended unemployment benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2013
Minimum Wage Fairness Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to increase the federal minimum wage for employees to: (1) $8.20 an hour beginning on the first day of the sixth month after the enactment of this Act, (2) $9.15 an hour beginning one year after the date of such initial increase, (3) $10.10 an hour beginning two years after such date, and (4) the amount determined by the Secretary of Labor (based on increases in the Consumer Price Index) beginning three years after such date and annually thereafter. Increases the federal minimum wage for tipped employees to $3.00 an hour for one year beginning on the first day of the sixth month after the enactment of this Act. Provides a formula for subsequent annual adjustments of the minimum wage for tipped employees until it equals 70% of the wage in effect under FLSA for other employees. Directs the Secretary of Labor, 60 days before any increase in the minimum wage, to publish it in the Federal Register and on the Department of Labor's website. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through taxable years beginning before 2017: (1) the increase to $500,000 of the expensing allowance for business assets, including computer software; and (2) the treatment of qualified real property (i.e., leasehold improvement property, restaurant property, and retail improvement property) as depreciable business property.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2013
Recognizes the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and commends the Committee for its valuable work around the world.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2013
Fair Playing Field Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the classification of workers for employment tax purposes, to: (1) repeal the prohibition against issuance of regulations and guidance by the Secretary of the Treasury on workers' employment tax status (i.e., as an employee or as an independent contractor) enacted by the Revenue Act of 1978; (2) direct the Secretary to issue regulations and other guidance to clarify the proper employment status of workers for employment tax purposes; (3) prohibit a retroactive assessment of employment tax, except with respect to certain skilled workers, for tax periods after December 31, 1978, and before a specified reclassification date for worker misclassifications, unless the taxpayer had no reasonable basis for not treating a worker as an employee; (4) require taxpayers who hire independent contractors on a regular and ongoing basis to provide such contractors with notice of their federal tax obligations, the labor and employment law protections that do not apply to them, and their right to seek a status determination from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and (5) eliminate reduced penalty provisions for failure to withhold income taxes for taxpayers who lack a reasonable basis for treating a worker as other than an employee (i.e., as an independent contractor). Provides that for purposes of determining whether a registered representative of a securities broker-dealer is an employee for employment tax purposes, no weight shall be given to instructions from a service recipient which are imposed only in compliance with investor protection standards. Makes this rule applicable to services performed by a broker-dealer after December 31, 1997.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2013
Women's Health Protection Act of 2013 - Makes the following limitations and requirements concerning abortion services unlawful and prohibits their imposition or application by any government: a requirement that a medical professional perform specific tests or follow specific medical procedures, unless generally required in the case of medically comparable procedures; a limitation on an abortion provider's ability to delegate tasks, other than one applicable to medically comparable procedures; a limitation on an abortion provider's ability to prescribe or dispense drugs based on her or his good-faith medical judgment, other than one generally applicable; a limitation on an abortion provider's ability to provide abortion services via telemedicine, other than one generally applicable; a requirement or limitation concerning the physical plant, equipment, staffing, or hospital transfer arrangements of facilities where abortions are performed, or the credentials, hospital privileges, or status of personnel at such facilities that is not otherwise imposed where medically comparable procedures are performed; a requirement that, prior to obtaining an abortion, a woman make medically unnecessary visits to the provider of abortion services or to any individual or entity that does not provide such services; and a requirement or limitation that prohibits or restricts medical training for abortion procedures, other than one generally applicable to medically comparable procedures. Makes unlawful a measure or action that restricts the provision of abortion services, or the facilities that provide them, that is similar to any of those described above if it singles out abortion services or make abortion services more difficult to access and does not significantly advance women's health or the safety of abortion services. Provides standards for the making of a prima facie case in a civil action challenging such restrictions and factors to be considered by a court in determining whether a measure or action impedes access to abortion services. Makes the following other restrictions on the performance of abortion unlawful and prohibits their imposition or application by any government: a prohibition or ban prior to fetal viability; a prohibition after fetal viability when, in the good-faith medical judgment of the treating physician, continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the woman's life or health; a restriction that limits a woman's ability to obtain an immediate abortion when a health care professional believes, based on good-faith medical judgment, that delay would pose a risk to the woman's health; and a prohibition or restriction on obtaining an abortion prior to fetal viability based on a woman's reasons or perceived reasons or that requires her to state her reasons before obtaining an abortion prior to fetal viability. Requires courts to liberally construe the provisions of this Act. Authorizes the Attorney General or an individual or entity aggrieved by (or a health facility or medical professional adversely affected by) a violation of this Act, to commence a civil action for injunctive relief. Preempts any provision enacted by a state or subdivision having the force of law that conflicts with any provision of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2013
Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2013
Safe Skies Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act, to modify a specified Department of Transportation (DOT) final rule relating to flightcrew member duty and rest requirements so that the requirements under that rule apply to all-cargo flightcrew members to the same extent they apply to air passenger flightcrew members.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2013
Mourns the loss of life resulting from Typhoon Yolanda (Typhoon Haiyan). Expresses: (1) deepest condolences to the victims' families, and (2) solidarity with the survivors and all those who lost loved ones or otherwise been affected by the tragedy. Supports efforts of: (1) the government of the Philippines to coordinate humanitarian and reconstruction assistance; and (2) the U.S. government, the international community, relief agencies, and private citizens to assist the governments and peoples of the Philippines and the surrounding region.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 2013
Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers Act of 2013 or the POST Act of 2013 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require proprietary institutions of higher education to derive at least 15% of their revenue from sources other than federal funds or become ineligible for title IV funding. (Currently, the 90/10 rule requires these schools to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV or become ineligible for title IV funding.) Defines "federal funds" as federal financial assistance provided through a grant, contract, subsidy, loan, guarantee, insurance, or other means to a proprietary institution, including federal financial assistance that is provided to an institution on behalf of a student or to a student to attend the institution. Excludes monthly housing stipends provided under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance program from consideration as federal funds. Limits what a proprietary institution may treat as revenue to the school in calculating whether it derives at least 15% of its revenue from non-federal funds.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2013
Article 32 Reform Act - Revises requirements relating to an Article 32 investigative hearing under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to require a judge advocate to conduct a preliminary hearing prior to referring a charge or specification to a general court-martial for trial. Requires such judge advocate to have a grade equal to or higher than the grade of the trial counsel and any defense counsel who is representing the accused at the preliminary hearing. Limits the preliminary hearing to the purpose of determining whether there is probable cause to believe an offense has been committed and whether the accused committed it. Requires the judge advocate conducting the preliminary hearing to prepare a report that includes: (1) a determination as to the court-martial jurisdiction over the offense and the accused, (2) a determination as to probable cause, (3) a consideration of the form of charges, and (4) a recommendation as to the disposition of the case. Allows a victim of the alleged offense to decline to testify at the preliminary hearing. Requires the preliminary hearing to be recorded by a court reporter or by a suitable recording device.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2013
Congratulates Oracle Team USA for winning the 34th America's Cup.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2013
Enhanced Security Clearance Act of 2013 - Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM): (1) to implement the enhanced security clearance system (i.e., the database established by OPM under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004) within one year after enactment of this Act; and (2) not less than twice every five years, to review, using such system, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of information relating to the security clearance or access to classified information of each individual who is appointed to a position that requires such a clearance or access (covered individual). Requires such security clearance system to: (1) integrate information from various sources, including government and commercial data sources, the major consumer reporting agencies, and social media; and (2) include relevant information on individuals who are being considered for, or have been appointed to, a position that requires access to classified information. Exempts from the reporting requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act any communication made in connection with the granting, denial, review, or revocation of a federal security clearance or access to classification of a covered individual.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2013
Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act - Establishes the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children in the Office of Tribal Justice of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Requires the President and Members of Congress serving in specified leadership positions to appoint to the Commission individuals who have significant experience and expertise in Indian affairs and the matters to be studied by the Commission. Requires the Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of federal, state, local, and tribal programs that serve Native children, including an evaluation of: the impact of concurrent jurisdiction on child welfare systems; barriers Indian tribes and Native Hawaiians face in applying, reporting on, and using existing public and private grant resources; obstacles to nongovernmental financial support for programs benefitting Native children; issues relating to the validity and statistical significance of data on Native children; barriers to the development of sustainable, multidisciplinary programs designed to assist high-risk Native children and their families, as well as any examples of successful program models and use of best practices; and barriers to interagency coordination on programs benefitting Native children. Directs the Commission to use the results of the study and analyses of existing federal data relating to Native children to: develop plans and goals for federal policy relating to Native children in the short-, mid-, and long-term, which shall be informed by the development of accurate child well-being measures; recommend modifications and improvements to programs that serve Native children at the federal, state, and tribal level that would integrate the cultural strengths of Native communities and improve those programs; recommend improvements to the collection of data regarding Native children and the programs that serve them; and identify models of successful federal, state, and tribal programs in the areas studied by the Commission. Requires the Commission to submit a report to the President, Congress, and the White House Council on Native American Affairs on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations for appropriate legislative and administrative action.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2013
Pay Our Bills Act - Authorizes an extension of the presidential authority to modify the public debt ceiling (subject to enactment of a congressional joint resolution of disapproval). Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow an additional amount required to meet existing commitments if the President certifies to Congress that the public debt is within $100 billion of the current limit and that further borrowing is required. (The debt limit was $16.699 trillion before its suspension in the Continuing Appropriations Act, FY2014 [P.L. 113-46].) Authorizes Congress to use current requirements for expedited consideration of the joint resolution. Increases the debt limit by the certified amount if the time for disaproval has lapsed without enactment of the joint resolution. Suspends the debt limit for the period beginning on the date on which the President submits such a certification to Congress and ending on the earlier of: 15 calendar days after Congress receives the certification, or enactment of a joint resolution disapproving the President's exercise of authority for the debt limit under that certification. Increases the debt limit, effective on the day after the certification is submitted, to the extent that: the face amount of public debt obligations and those whose principal and interest are guaranteed by the U.S. government (except guaranteed obligations held by the Secretary) outstanding on the day after such date exceeds the face amount of such obligations outstanding on the date the President certifies Congress. Excludes from such formula any obligation whose issuance was not necessary to fund a commitment that required payment before the day after the certification is submitted to Congress. Prohibits the debt limit from being increased if a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted within 15 days after receipt by Congress (in session or not) of a presidential certification that the public debt is within $100 billion of the current limit. Provides for expedited consideration of such a joint resolution in the House and Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2013
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal in commemoration of the contributions of Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, two former Navy SEAL members who sacrificed their lives on September 11, 2012, while serving as part of a U.S. diplomatic security detachment in Libya.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2013
Supports the goals of World Polio Day. Commends the international community and others for their efforts in vaccinating children around the world against polio. Condemns terrorist and militant groups that murder health care workers who are striving to save the lives of children around the world, and urges governments to strengthen the protection of such workers. Encourages continued funding by the United States and international donors to the global effort to rid the world of polio.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2013
Expresses the Senate's support for Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of after-school programs held on October 17, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2013
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Rod Grams, former Member of the United States Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on October 9, 2013, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Grams.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2013
Offers: (1) condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the innocent victims killed or wounded during the violence that took place at the Washington Navy Yard on September 16, 2013; and (2) support and hope for all the individuals who were wounded and discomforted by the mass shooting. Recognizes the difficult healing and recovery process that lies ahead for the affected communities. Honors the courageous and professional service of: (1) the uniformed men and women of the Navy and other members of the U.S. Armed Forces; (2) all civilian employees who provide support for the Armed Forces; and (3) the law enforcement personnel, emergency responders, and medical professionals who responded to and assisted victims of that shooting. Remains committed to preventing the occurrence of similar tragedies.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2013
Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act - Provides for compensation of federal employees furloughed due to any lapse in appropriations that begins on or about October 1, 2013, for the period of such lapse in appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2013
Designates the week of September 23 through September 29, 2013, as National Estuaries Week. Acknowledges the importance of estuaries to sustaining employment in the United States and the nation's economic well-being and prosperity. Expresses the intent of the Senate to continue working to understand, protect, and restore U.S. estuaries.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2013
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15, 2013, through October 15, 2013. Esteems the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2013
Recognizes the achievements and goals of Hispanic-serving institutions across the United States. Designates the week beginning September 15, 2013, as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2013
Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2013 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program to provide grants to owners or operators of water systems for programs or projects to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions of a U.S. region, and (2) give priority to owners or operators of water systems that are at the greatest and most immediate risk of facing significant negative impacts due to changing hydrologic conditions. Requires the Administrator to ensure that the list of grant applications funded includes a substantial number that propose to utilize innovative approaches that meet at least one of these goals: (1) promote more efficient water use, water conservation, water reuse, or recycling; (2) use decentralized, low-impact development technologies and nonstructural approaches, including practices that use, enhance, or mimic the natural hydrological cycle or protect natural flows; (3) reduce stormwater runoff or flooding by protecting or enhancing natural ecosystem functions; (4) modify, upgrade, enhance, or replace existing water system infrastructure in response to changing hydrologic conditions; (5) improve water quality or quantity for agricultural and municipal uses, including through salinity reduction; and (6) provide multiple benefits, including to water supply enhancement or demand reduction, water quality protection or improvement, increased flood protection, and ecosystem protection or improvement.