United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
This bill establishes the Commission to End Russian Interference in United States Elections as an independent commission to examine Russian cyber operations and attempts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. national election. The commission must examine attempts by the Russian government, governments or other entities associated with or collaborating with Russia, or persons or entities in Russia to: access, alter, or tamper with voting systems, voter roll information, the Donald J. Trump and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign organizations, and the Democratic and the Republican national committees, congressional campaign committees, and governors associations; promote propaganda relevant to any election for public office held in the United States during 2016; and use electronic means to influence, interfere with, or sow distrust in such elections. The commission must: (1) report on evidence developed by federal agencies; (2) build upon investigations of executive branch, congressional, or independent entities; and (3) make a full accounting of interference attempts and the U.S. response, and government preparedness, to defend against such interference. The commission may receive classified information and issue subpoenas. The commission must report to the President and Congress with conclusions and recommendations on preventing a reoccurrence of such interference.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
Calls upon President-elect Donald J. Trump to: (1) follow the precedent established by prior Presidents and convert his assets to conflict-free holdings, adopt blind trusts, or take other equivalent measures to ensure compliance with the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution; and (2) not use the powers or opportunities of his position as President-elect or President of the United States for any purpose related to the Trump Organization. Declares that in the absence of such actions or specific authorization by Congress, Congress regards dealings that Donald Trump, as President, may have through his companies with foreign governments or entities owned or controlled by foreign governments to be potential violations of such clause.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2016
Declares that the Senate: (1) extends its deepest condolences and gratitude to the family of John Glenn; and (2) honors his legacy and life, commitment to the United States, and service to the Senate and the United States. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on December 10, 2016, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late John Glenn.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2016
Declares that the Senate, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: pays tribute to the members of the Armed Forces and civilians who died in the attack, honors the men and women of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in defense of freedom and liberty during World War II, acknowledges the peaceful and mutually beneficial U.S-Japan relationship, and appreciates Japan's efforts as one of the most reliable security partners of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2016
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the President should: (1) ensure the affordability and feasibility of the Department of Defense and Department of Energy plan for modernizing U.S. nuclear weapons by reevaluating and modifying proposals for programs to modernize such weapons and their delivery systems to ensure that such proposals focus on refurbishment to ensure security, safety, and efficiency of existing weapons and delivery systems; and (2) prioritize planned programs so that the United States retains a nuclear arsenal robust enough to meet deterrence needs and so that such programs do not jeopardize other economic investments and security expenditures appropriate to U.S. needs in the 21st century.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More Act of 2016 or the RECLAIM Act of 2016 This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to make specified funds available to the Department of the Interior for each of FY2017-FY2021 for distribution to states and Indian tribes to promote economic revitalization, diversification, and development in economically distressed communities through the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by coal mining carried out before August 3, 1977. The bill prescribes general requirements for projects to reclaim abandoned mine lands and waters that are likely to create favorable conditions for the economic development of the project site or promote the general welfare through economic and community development of the area in which the project is conducted. Any such project shall be located in a community affected by a recent decline in mining. A state or Indian tribe that receives funds under this bill may retain a portion of them as necessary to supplement its acid mine drainage abatement and treatment fund for future operation and maintenance costs for the treatment of acid mine drainage associated with individual projects.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Strengthening American Transportation Security Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the personnel system used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provides insufficient workplace protections for its workforce and such personnel should be entitled to protections under the civil service system applicable to all federal employees. The bill repeals personnel authorities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Transportation governing the conditions of employment for TSA employees, thus making TSA employees subject to the personnel management system applicable to all other federal employees. Within 60 days after the enactment of this bill or an earlier date set by DHS: (1) all TSA personnel management policies, directives, letters, and guidelines and any DHS human resources management system shall cease to be effective with respect to TSA employees; and (2) TSA employees shall become subject to labor provisions applicable to other federal transportation employees. The bill sets forth transition rules that protect the pay rates and other rights of TSA employees. DHS shall consult with the labor organization certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority to carry out the conversion of TSA employees and positions to the civil service system. The provisions of this bill do not affect the prohibitions against disloyalty and asserting the right to strike against the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2016
Promoting More American Manufacturing Jobs Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to specify rules for applying the deduction for income from domestic production activities to contract manufacturing or production arrangements. In a contract manufacturing or production arrangement, a person contracts with one or more unrelated persons for the manufacture, production, growth, or extraction of an item of qualifying production property (tangible personal property, computer software, and sound recordings) or film. The qualifying production property must be manufactured, produced, grown, or extracted in whole or significant part within the United States. In an arrangement in which any person makes a substantial contribution through the activities of its employees within the United States to the manufacture, production, growth, or extraction of qualifying production property: (1) the person shall be treated as engaging in the activity, and (2) the domestic production gross receipts of the person shall include the gross receipts received under the arrangement for the activities. The Internal Revenue Service must prescribe regulations that include specified factors for determining a substantial contribution. A person with an economic risk of loss of more than 50% of the direct material costs necessary to the manufacture, production, growth, or extraction of the qualifying production is deemed to make a substantial contribution. The parties to an arrangement may agree in writing to: (1) make only one person eligible for the deduction, or (2) apply the rules retroactively to tax years in which only one person claimed the deduction.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2016
Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2016 This bill requires the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees, and the Federal Judicial Center to jointly develop and periodically update recommendations regarding the judicial expertise that is required to oversee the bankruptcy process for financial companies and other specified issues related to the bankruptcy process. After the recommendations are submitted, the U.S. Supreme Court must issue a rule that provides for the orderly appointment of a bankruptcy judge or district court judge with expertise in the resolution of financial companies under the federal bankruptcy code to oversee a bankruptcy case involving a financial company. The bill amends the federal bankruptcy code to permit specified financial regulators to raise, appear, and be heard on any issues in a bankruptcy case or proceeding in which the debtor is a financial company. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation must nominate five disinterested individuals to serve as trustees for a financial company debtor. The U.S. trustee must appoint one of the nominees as a trustee, and the trustee is exempt from the requirements for residency or an office in the judicial district where the case is pending. The Office of Financial Research must submit to Congress a report summarizing and evaluating various analytical works that examine bankruptcy policies. The report must address the effectiveness of the bankruptcy code, a bridge company study, a financing and liquidity study, and a master netting agreement study. It must also include recommendations regarding any legislative or regulatory changes that could address gaps or vulnerabilities identified.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2016
Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2016 This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to prohibit predispute arbitration agreements with consumers (i.e., agreements to arbitrate any future disputes between parties instead of pursuing the claims in court) from being valid or enforceable in disputes related to credit card accounts or personal bank accounts that are not subject to a final judgment by a court if the credit card or bank account was not issued in response to a request or application for that account. The bill excludes from this prohibition accounts held by a financial institution pursuant to a bona fide trust agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2016
Recognizes November 17, 2016, as World Prematurity Day. Expresses support for efforts to: (1) reduce the impact of preterm births by improving maternal health, and (2) advance the care and treatment of infants who are born preterm. Honors individuals working to reduce the number of preterm births.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2016
Recognizes November 2016 as World Prematurity Month. Expresses support for efforts to: (1) reduce the impact of preterm births by improving maternal health, and (2) advance the care and treatment of infants who are born preterm. Honors individuals working to reduce the number of preterm births.
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2016
Calls upon President-elect Donald J. Trump to: (1) follow the precedent established by prior Presidents and convert his assets to conflict-free holdings, adopt blind trusts, or take other equivalent measures to ensure compliance with the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution; and (2) not use the powers or opportunities of his position as President-elect or President of the United States for any purpose related to the Trump Organization. Declares that in the absence of such actions or specific authorization by Congress, Congress regards dealings that Donald Trump, as President, may have through his companies with foreign governments or entities owned or controlled by foreign governments to be potential violations of such clause.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month, including encouraging individuals to fight diabetes through public awareness about prevention and treatment options and enhancing education about the disease; and (2) decreasing the prevalence of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes in the United States through increased research, treatment, and prevention. Recognizes the importance of early detection, awareness of the symptoms, and the risk factors that often lead to the development of diabetes.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) it is in the U.S. national interest to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad; (2) there is a need to ensure the security of European Jewish communities, including synagogues, schools, and cemeteries; and (3) the United States should continue to emphasize the importance of combating anti-Semitism in multilateral bodies. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 is amended to require the Department of State's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom to include, for each European country in which threats or attacks against Jewish persons, schools, and religious institutions are particularly significant, a description of: the security challenges and needs of European Jewish communities and European law enforcement agencies; U.S. efforts to partner with European law enforcement agencies and civil society groups to combat anti-Semitic incidents; educational programming and public awareness initiatives that impart values of pluralism and tolerance, showcase the positive contributions of Jews, and pay special attention to population segments that exhibit a high degree of anti-Semitic animus; and efforts by European governments to adopt and apply a working definition of anti-Semitism.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2016
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. (Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder than can lead to pain, anemia, infections, and stroke.) Encourages people to hold events and activities to raise awareness of preventive care programs, treatments, and other patient services for those suffering from sickle cell disease.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2016
Expresses support for the preventive services that Planned Parenthood Federation of America doctors, nurses, and staff provide to patients. Recognizes that Planned Parenthood is a safety net provider that reaches medically underserved people. Declares that Planned Parenthood should not be defunded, attacked, or discriminated against for being a women's health care provider.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Young Child Tax Credit Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers a new refundable tax credit based on the number of their qualifying children under the age of three and the taxpayer's adjusted gross income. Advance payments of credit amounts shall be made to taxpayers each month.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat the charging of an electric vehicle provided on or near the business premises of the employer as a qualified transportation fringe benefit that is excluded from an employee's gross income. The bill limits the benefit to $175 per month (adjusted for inflation) and specifies requirements for the electric vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
This bill requires air carriers to provide a 10-hour rest period to a flight attendant who is scheduled to a duty period of up to 14 hours. Current regulations generally mandate a nine-hour rest period but allow an eight-hour rest period under certain circumstances. Air carriers must comply with specified fatigue risk management plan requirements, subject to civil penalties.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Receiving Electronic Statements To Improve Retiree Earnings Act This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the electronic delivery of pension plan documents required to be furnished to a plan participant, beneficiary, or other individual. The system for furnishing such a document must: (1) be designed to result in effective access to the document, (2) permit the recipient to select the electronic means through which the document is received or request paper documents, and (3) protect the confidentiality of personal information. An annual paper notice must be provided describing the selection of electronic means for furnishing documents and any election that has been made to receive paper documents. An electronically furnished document must be prepared and furnished in a manner that is consistent with the style, format, and content requirements for the document. It must also include a notice that apprises the individual of the significance of the document when it is not otherwise reasonably evident as transmitted. The bill specifies that: (1) documents may continue to be furnished electronically under laws, regulations, or guidance prescribed by the Department of Labor or the Department of the Treasury prior to enactment of this bill; and (2) the departments may prescribe additional methods for furnishing documents.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Modernizing American Manufacturing Bonds Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to qualified small issue bonds for manufacturing purposes, to: (1) expand the definition of "manufacturing facility" to include a facility which is used in the creation or production of intangible property and which is functionally related and subordinate to a facility located on the same site and financed with not more than 25% of bond proceeds, and (2) increase from $10 million to $30 million the maximum bond limitation.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
No Vote No Recess Resolution Prohibits the Senate, between September 27, 2016, and the end of the 114th Congress, from adjourning, remaining adjourned, or recessing for more than two days and convening solely in a pro forma session unless, by the beginning of the adjournment or the pro forma session, it has taken action on any presidential nomination for a position as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court by: holding a hearing and a vote on the nomination in the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and holding a confirmation vote on it in the full Senate. Prescribes procedures for Senate adjournments and recesses during such period. Prohibits the Presiding Officer from entertaining a request to suspend the operation of this resolution by unanimous consent or motion. States that nothing in this resolution shall be construed in a manner that is inconsistent with S. Res. 296 (108th Congress) or any other Senate emergency procedures or practices.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2016
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15, 2016, through October 15, 2016. 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 · 22 September 2016
Recognizes that the intent of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 included the presumption that veterans who served in the Armed Forces in the bays, harbors, and territorial seas of the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, were exposed to Agent Orange. Expresses the intent that such veterans who served in those areas and other areas exposed to Agent Orange who have been diagnosed with connected medical conditions should be equally recognized for such exposure through equitable benefits and coverage. Calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge such intent, rescind specified parts of the VA Adjudication Procedure Manual M21-1 pertaining to developing claims based on herbicide exposure in Vietnam, and reissue guidance extending presumptive coverage for Agent Orange exposure to such veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Medicare Affordability and Enrollment Act of 2016 This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to: establish an annual limit on out-of-pocket expenditures for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries; expand income-eligibility for cost-sharing and, with respect to beneficiaries consequently eligible for cost-sharing, establish a federal medical assistance percentage of 100% under Medicaid; limit the amount of coinsurance or copayment required of low-income beneficiaries; eliminate the two-year waiting period for Medicare coverage with respect to individuals with disabilities; allow beneficiaries residing in U.S. territories to be eligible for certain premium and cost-sharing subsidies available to other beneficiaries under the Medicare prescription drug benefit; and modify other provisions related to special rules for beneficiaries in Puerto Rico, income and resource determinations, and enrollment procedures. The bill also amends the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 to extend funding for specified beneficiary outreach and education activities.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Youth Access to Sexual Health Services Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to support the access of marginalized youth to sexual health services such as sexual health education and contraception. Marginalized youth are disadvantaged individuals under the age of 26. Grants may be awarded to state or local health or education agencies, public schools, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations. Grants may be used to: (1) provide sexual health information to marginalized youth, (2) promote effective communication regarding sexual health among marginalized youth, (3) promote and support opportunities for school-age parents, and (3) train individuals who work with marginalized youth to promote sexual health and the development of safe and supportive environments. Grants may not be used to provide access to health services that: (1) are medically unsound; (2) withhold sexual health-promoting or lifesaving information; (3) promote gender stereotypes; or (4) are insensitive or unresponsive to the needs of homosexual, bisexual, or transgender youth, sexually active youth, school-age parents, or survivors of sexual abuse or assault. Unobligated FY2017 appropriations for abstinence education are made available for these grants.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Restraining Excessive Seizure of Property through the Exploitation of Civil Asset Forfeiture Tools Act or the RESPECT Act This bill revises the authority and procedures that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) uses to seize property that has been structured to avoid Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) reporting requirements. The IRS may only seize property it suspects has been structured to avoid BSA reporting requirements if the property was derived from an illegal source or the funds were structured for the purpose of concealing the violation of a criminal law or regulation other than structuring transactions to evade BSA reporting requirements. Within 30 days of seizing property, the IRS must: (1) make a good faith effort to find all owners of the property, and (2) notify the owners of the post-seizure hearing rights established by this bill. The IRS may apply to a court for one 30-day extension of the notice requirement if it can establish probable cause of an imminent threat to national security or personal safety. If the owner of the property requests a court hearing within 30 days after the date on which notice is provided, the property must be returned unless the court holds a hearing within 30 days after notice is provided and finds that there is probable cause to believe that the property was derived from an illegal source or the funds were structured to conceal the violation of a criminal law or regulation other than a structuring violation. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income any interest received from the federal government in connection with an action to recover property seized by the IRS pursuant to a claimed violation of the structuring provisions of the BSA.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Designates October 30, 2016, as a national day of remembrance for U.S. nuclear weapons program workers, including uranium miners, millers, and haulers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
National Veterans Memorial and Museum Act This bill designates the Veterans Memorial and Museum currently being constructed in Columbus, Ohio, as the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Expresses support for efforts to build on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by ensuring that individuals have access to a public health insurance option.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Department of Veterans Affairs Appeals Modernization Act of 2016 This bill amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits appeals process to permit a claimant to request: a review of the agency of original jurisdiction's decision by a higher-level adjudicator within the agency based on the original evidence; or a Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) review under which no BVA hearing is requested and no additional evidence may be submitted or under which a BVA hearing is requested and the appellant requests an opportunity to submit additional evidence at, and within 90 days of, the hearing (for which the BVA shall maintain two separate dockets). (The term "agency of original jurisdiction" means the activity which entered the original determination with regard to a claim for veterans benefits.) The bill prescribes additional information that must be included in the notice of a denied benefit. A finding favorable to a claimant is binding on all subsequent VA adjudicators unless clear and convincing evidence is shown to the contrary. If a claim is denied the claimant may, within one year after the agency of original jurisdiction issues a decision with respect to such claim: (1) file a request for higher-level review, (2) file a supplemental claim, or (3) file a notice of disagreement. The BVA may remand a claim to the agency to obtain a corrective advisory medical opinion. The VA shall provide for expedited treatment by the agency of original jurisdiction of any claim that is remanded by the BVA. The bill revises effective dates of awards provisions. The bill repeals a provision authorizing the BVA to secure an independent medical expert's opinion when warranted by the medical complexity or controversy involved in an appeal case. The VA's duty to assist a claimant shall not apply: (1) once the claimant is provided notice of the agency's initial decision, and (2) to higher-level agency or BVA review. The VA is not required to send notice for a supplemental claim or to readjudicate a claim that has been disallowed except when new and relevant evidence is presented or secured (currently such provision applies to reopening such claim). A claimants's notice of disagreement must set out specific allegations of error of fact or law. The BVA is authorized to dismiss an appeal that fails to do so.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Designates the week of September 12, 2016, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week. Commends direct support professionals for being integral to long-term support and services for individuals with disabilities. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the successful implementation of the public policies affecting individuals with disabilities depends on the dedication of direct support professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
This bill requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, acting as chair of the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, to appoint a coordinator to work with appropriate governments to address harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2016
Voter Empowerment Act of 2015 Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2015 Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) to require states to make available websites for online voter registration. Authorizes automated voter registration of certain individuals and establishes other initiatives to promote voter registration, such as same-day registration and voter registration of individuals under 18 years of age. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit hindering, interfering with, or preventing voter registration. Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to establish requirements for states to promote access to voter registration and voting for individuals with disabilities, including a single office for providing related information. Directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to make grants for pilot programs enabling individuals with disabilities to register to vote and vote privately and independently at their own residences. Reauthorizes the program of grants to state and local governments to assure voting access for individuals with disabilities. Prohibits state or local election officials from preventing an individual from registering or voting in any federal election (voter caging), or from permitting a formal challenge under state law to an individual's registration status or eligibility to vote. Prohibits a person from knowingly and willfully attempting to or depriving or defrauding the residents of a state of the right to vote by the communication of election-related information that is known to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent. Increases the penalty for voter intimidation. Declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any federal election shall not be denied or abridged because of a criminal conviction unless he or she is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution at the time of the election. Requires each state to notify an individual convicted of a criminal offense under state law, upon release from state custody or upon sentence to probation, of the right to vote in a federal election. Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2015 Revises requirements for the audit capacity of voting systems, particularly those for a permanent paper record. Requires the voting system to require the use of an individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked and made available for inspection by the voter before the vote is cast and counted, and which shall be counted by hand or read by an optical character recognition device or other counting device. Requires the system to provide an opportunity to correct any system-made error in the voter-verified paper ballot before it is permanently preserved. Requires the National Science Foundation to make grants for the study and development of accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, those whose primary language is not English, and those with difficulties in literacy. Requires each state, except when the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the votes, to administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. Prohibits certification of election results until completion of audits. Adds requirements for counting provisional ballots. Requires each state to allow early voting and facilitate voting by mail. Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to extend the guarantee of voting residency to family members of absent military personnel. Revises absentee ballot procedures concerning applications, transmission, and overseas voters. Entitles to leave a federal employee who serves as a poll worker. Directs the EAC to make grants for poll-worker recruitment and training and develop materials for a model program. Makes available to any person aggrieved by a violation of uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements the option to file a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) or pursue a private right of action. Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it unlawful for a chief state election administration official, unless he or she or a family member is a candidate, to take an active part in political management or in a political campaign for federal office over which such official has supervisory authority. Treats universities as voter registration agencies. Establishes minimum notification requirements regarding voters affected by polling place changes. Directs DOJ to: (1) coordinate the establishment of a state-based response system for responding to questions and complaints from individuals voting or seeking to vote, or registering to vote or seeking to, in federal elections; (2) establish and operate a toll-free telephone service to connect directly to such response system; and (3) appoint a Voter Hotline Task Force. Makes NVRA and HAVA requirements applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Reauthorizes and extends the EAC and repeals its exemption from certain contracting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Condemns the attack on police officers that occurred in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, 2016. Expresses the belief that an attack upon a police officer is an affront to the rule of law and the promise of justice, domestic tranquility, common defense, and general welfare and the blessings of liberty secured by the Constitution. Offers condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed and expresses hope for the quick and complete recovery of those who were wounded. Applauds the bravery and dedication of the law enforcement officials, emergency medical responders, and others who offered their support and assistance. Declares that the Senate stands united against violence and hatred and in support of the police officers who work to keep the country safe.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow energy tax credits through 2020 for investments in: (1) qualified biogas property, or (2) qualified manure resource recovery property. The bill also permits new clean renewable energy bonds to be used for such properties. "Qualified biogas property" comprises a system that: (1) uses anaerobic digesters or other specified processes to convert biomass into a gas which is at least 52% methane, and (2) captures the gas for use as a fuel. The term includes property that cleans and conditions the gas for use as a fuel. "Qualified manure resource recovery property" comprises a system that uses specified processes to recover the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from a non-treated digestate or animal manure by reducing or separating at least 50% of the nutrients, excluding any reductions during the incineration, storage, composting, or field application of the non-treated digestate or animal manure. The term also includes certain processing equipment. The Department of the Treasury must enter into an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a study of biogas and report to Congress on the study.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and modify the tax credit for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration. The bill modifies the credit to: allow certain new industrial facilities or equipment to qualify for the credit if construction begins before January 1, 2024; allow qualified projects to claim the credit for 12 years, beginning on the date the equipment was originally placed in service; increase the separate credit amounts, with respect to projects placed in service upon or after the enactment of this bill, that apply to captured CO2 that is: (1) disposed of in secure geological storage, and (2) used as a tertiary injectant in an enhanced oil or natural gas recovery project and disposed of in secure geological storage; expand the purposes for which captured CO2 may be used; establish separate CO2 capture thresholds based on whether the facility is an electricity generating facility or used for other purposes; specify that the 75 million metric ton cap on the CO2 that may qualify for the credit applies only to projects placed in service before the enactment of this bill; and allow the credit to be transferred from the entity that owns and uses the capture equipment to the entity that disposes of or uses the CO2.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Strategies to Address Antibiotic Resistance Act or the STAAR Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to revise provisions regarding the Antimicrobial Resistance Task Force. The Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria must provide advice, information, and recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must carry out activities to collect data on antibiotic resistance, including assessing conditions and outcomes related to antibacterial resistance and working with others to obtain human antibiotic drug consumption data. The CDC must establish Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance and Laboratory Network sites, including to monitor antibiotic-resistant bacteria, describe and respond to outbreaks, and evaluate resistance testing methods. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases must maintain: (1) a Clinical Trials Network on Antibacterial Resistance, and (2) a leadership group to advance a clinical research agenda to address antibacterial resistance. The CDC must work with state and local health departments to support efforts by groups of health care facilities to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The CDC and the epicenters participating in the Prevention Epicenters Program must work with others to: (1) evaluate prevention programs and interventions to limit infections in health care facilities, and (2) facilitate research on the prevention and control of resistant organisms. The CDC must use research from the epicenters to create and disseminate educational materials for use in health care facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Supports: (1) the immediate termination of the Select Investigative Panel of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and (2) rescinding any unspent funds and making them available to the Department of Health and Human Services for efforts to combat Zika for women and children.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2016
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: all sides to the conflict in Yemen should abide by international obligations to protect civilians, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian relief, respect cease-fires, and work toward a political settlement; U.S.-supported Saudi military operations in Yemen should take all feasible precautions to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and should increase prioritization of targeting of designated foreign terrorist organizations; the Houthi-Saleh forces should cease indiscriminate shelling of areas inhabited by civilians and should allow free access by humanitarian relief organizations seeking to deliver aid to civilian populations; and a reconstruction and stabilization plan should be developed alongside a negotiated political framework, with robust financing from the international community, including Gulf Cooperation Council countries that have pledged to fund Yemen's post-conflict reconstruction.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Designates September 2016 as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Energy Tax Fairness Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax credit for investment in energy property to include qualified high-efficiency linear generator property. A stationary linear generator power plant is an integrated system consisting of translators, cylinders, electricity generating equipment, and associated balance of plant components which converts a fuel or waste heat into electricity for stationary applications. Qualified high-efficiency linear generator property is a stationary linear generator power plant which has: (1) a nameplate capacity of less than 2,000 kilowatts, and (2) an electricity-only generation efficiency of greater than 30%. For high-efficiency linear generator property that is placed in service during the taxable year, the credit for the year may not exceed $1,500 for each 0.5 kilowatt of capacity of the property.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2016
Extends condolences to the family of Elie Wiesel, an award-winning author who helped the world understand the horrors of the Holocaust and gave a voice to those who suffered and perished in Nazi death camps. Honors Wiesel's lifelong commitment to advancing human dignity, freedom, and respect throughout the world. Expresses continued support for human rights and protection of religious liberty. Expresses admiration for Wiesel's legacy as an example and advocate of the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of evil.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2016
Independence at Home Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a permanent Independence at Home Medical Practice Program, under which a primary care practice shall be accountable for: (1) providing comprehensive, coordinated, continuous, and accessible care to applicable Medicare beneficiaries at home; and (2) coordinating health care across all treatment settings. Subject to meeting specified quality performance standards, a participating practice is eligible to receive an incentive payment under the program if actual expenditures for applicable beneficiaries are less than the estimated spending target established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS shall terminate a program agreement with a participating practice if the practice: (1) for the third of three consecutive years under the program, will not receive an incentive payment; or (2) fails to meet a minimum number of quality performance standards established by CMS. The bill extends the existing Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Program pending implementation of the permanent program. In addition, the bill removes the limit on the number of beneficiaries that may participate in the demonstration program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2016
Pediatric Research Improvement Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to revise the Pediatric Research Initiative to require collaboration with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and require establishment of a National Pediatric Research Network comprised of pediatric research consortia. The National Institutes of Health must award funding to entities supporting pediatric research consortia. Supported consortia must, upon request, provide assistance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for patient registries and other surveillance systems.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2016
Seniors Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to extend, through 2018, the rule that permits individuals who are 65 and older to deduct certain medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income. (Under current law, the rule that reduces the 10% threshold for the medical expense deduction to 7.5% if a taxpayer or a taxpayer's spouse is 65 or older expires at the end of 2016.) The bill also expresses the sense of the Senate that the reduction in revenues resulting from this bill should be offset by an appropriate amendment to the IRC.
![Official portrait of Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000944_200.jpg)