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 · 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 · 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
Coast Guard Quality of Life Act - Amends the duties and responsibilities of the Coast Guard with respect to former and current Coast Guard members and their families, including authorities relating to medical care reimbursements, flag officer retirement processing, cancellation of members' debts, child care programs and facilities, education and training, housing choices, and qualifications for post-service careers. Directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, in lieu of current requirements relating to the reimbursement of medical or dental care that the Department of Defense (DOD) or a military department has provided to a member or former member of the Coast Guard or an eligible dependent, to transfer from funds appropriated for Coast Guard operating expenses an amount determined by the Board of Actuaries to represent the value of care that the DOD or a military department is to provide during the fiscal year in which funds are made available. Authorizes the Secretary, when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service of the Navy, to determine whether a flag officer being processed for retirement by reason of age or length of service should, by reason of unfitness to perform duties, be retired because of physical disability, placed on the temporary disability retired list, or separated with severance pay. Permits the Secretary to make such determinations without approval by the DOD Secretary or the recommendation of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. Allows a person's indebtedness to the United States to be remitted or cancelled if it was incurred while the person was serving as an active duty Coast Guard member and the cancellation or remission is in the best interest of the United States. Authorizes the Commandant of the Coast Guard to: (1) establish a program to support the well-being of Coast Guard active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel and their families; (2) provide tuition assistance to an eligible spouse of a member of the Coast Guard; and (3) establish, within any Coast Guard unit, a youth sponsorship initiative to help integrate into new communities the dependent children of Coast Guard members. Revises health and safety standards and inspection requirements for Coast Guard child development centers, including by requiring the establishment of: (1) a means for individuals to report suspected violations at such centers or in a family home daycare, (2) a training program for center employees, and (3) parent boards to coordinate parent participation. Makes specialized training and correspondence courses available to eligible spouses of active duty members. Authorizes the Commandant to make textbooks, manuals, and other materials available to Coast Guard personnel and eligible spouses of active duty members participating in training or courses of instruction. Prohibits remoteness or driving distance from a hospital from being used as the policy basis for preventing a member with a dependent with special medical needs (such as diabetes, asthma, or moderate disabilities) from residing in a particular area, unless the Commandant has determined that such needs cannot be sufficiently met with appropriate services while residing in such area. Expands the Coast Guard's authority to acquire or construct housing to include the acquisition, building, renovation, or improvement of child development center facilities. Directs the Commandant to promote awareness among Coast Guard personnel regarding post-service use of Coast Guard training, education, and experience as qualifying experience for merchant mariner credentials. Requires sea service letters to be provided to eligible members, at their request, on or before the member's retirement or separation date. Prohibits a committee within the Coast Guard that advises or assists the Coast Guard in the performance of any function that affects members of military families and that includes in its membership a retired Coast Guard member or a member of a military family from being considered an advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act solely because of such membership.
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 · 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
Strong Start for America's Children Act - Directs the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to allot matching grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs), childhood education program providers, or consortia of those entities to implement high-quality prekindergarten programs for children from low-income families. Allots grants to states based on each state's proportion of children who are age four and who are from families with incomes at or below 200% of the poverty level. Defines "high-quality prekindergarten programs" as those that: serve children who are 3 or 4 by the eligibility determination date or have attained the legal age for state-funded prekindergarten; require staff to have high qualifications, which for teachers include specified alternative requirements that all involve possessing a bachelor's degree; maintain a maximum class size of 20 children and a child-to-instructional staff ratio that does not exceed 10 to 1; offer a full-day program; provide developmentally appropriate, evidence-based curricula and learning environments that are aligned with state early learning and development standards; offer teachers salaries comparable to those earned by kindergarten through grade 12 teachers; provide for ongoing monitoring and program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement; offer accessible comprehensive services for children, including specified minimum services; provide high-quality professional development for all staff; meet education performance standards under the Head Start Act; and maintain evidence-based health and safety standards. Conditions states' grant eligibility on demonstrating to the Secretary that they: (1) have or will establish early learning and development standards, (2) have or will develop the ability to link prekindergarten data with their elementary and secondary school data, (3) offer state-funded kindergarten for children, and (4) have established a State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care. Allows states to reserve up to 20% of their grant funds over the first four years of their grant for prekindergarten quality improvement activities, including support for teachers seeking a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a closely-related field. Authorizes states to apply to the appropriate Secretary to use up to 15% of their grant for subgrants to high-quality early childhood education and care programs for infants and toddlers whose family income is at or below 200% of the poverty level. Requires state to develop, implement, and make publicly available performance measures and targets for their grant activities. Prohibits state grantees from requiring any child to participate in any federal, state, local, or private early childhood education program. Limits the use of assessments funded by the grant program. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a process to provide Head Start program services to children who are younger than age four in states or regions that provide four-year-olds whose family income is at or below 200% of the poverty level with sustained access to high-quality prekindergarten programs. Directs the Secretary to award competitive, matching, capacity-building grants to states that assure the Secretary that they will use their grant to become eligible, within three years of receiving the grant, for this Act's grants for high-quality prekindergarten programs. Amends the Head Start Act to direct the Secretary of HHS to make grants to Early Head Start agencies to partner with center-based or family child care providers, particularly those that receive support under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBGA), to assist those providers in meeting applicable Head Start and Early Head Start program performance standards. Authorizes those partnerships to serve children through age three. Directs the Secretary of HHS to give Early Head Start program grant priority to Early Head Start agencies that agree to enter into such partnerships with center-based or family child care providers. Amends the CCDBGA to require states to: (1) ensure that the funding they receive for child care services under the Community Services Block Grant Act and the program of block grants for social services under the Social Security Act is subject to the requirements and limitations of the CCDBGA; (2) provide children with assistance under the CCDBGA for at least 12 months before redetermining their eligibility, provided their family income does not exceed 85% of the state median income for their family size; and (3) use the CCDBGA's funding to supplement, not supplant, other public funding for child care services and activities. Authorizes the Secretary of HHS to: (1) reserve a specified amount of Child Care and Development Block Grant program funds, in fiscal years in which program funding exceeds a specified amount, for formula grants to states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations to improve the quality of child care programs and services; and (2) carry out demonstration and pilot projects designed to develop and implement strategies and practices useful in supporting the needs of low-income families in-need of, or receiving, child care services. Reauthorizes appropriations under the Child Care and Development Block Grant program for FY2014-FY2023. Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding the need for Congress to continue providing resources to the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program to support the work of states in helping at-risk families voluntarily receive home visits from nurses and social workers.
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 · 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 · 10 October 2013
Amends the Department of Defense Survivor Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 (P.L. 113-44) to make appropriations, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for death gratuities and related benefits for survivors of deceased military service members of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2014, and for other purposes, such amounts as may be necessary, at a rate of operations as provided for FY2013 in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2013 (division D of P.L 113-6), for the "Operating Expenses" account for continuing such death gratuities and survivor benefits with respect to members of the Coast Guard when not in the service of the Navy that are not otherwise specifically provided for in this joint resolution or the Pay Our Military Act (P.L. 113-39) and for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were made available by the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2013. (Currently, such continuing appropriations for death gratuities and survivor benefits are provided only with respect to deceased military service members of the Department of Defense [DOD].) Revises the title of such resolution so that it is cited as the Armed Forces Survivor Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014.
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 · 17 September 2013
Maritime Goods Movement Act for the 21st Century - Directs the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to impose a Maritime Goods Movement User Fee of 0.125% on all commercial cargo (except a U.S. export) that: (1) is unloaded from or loaded on a commercial vessel at a U.S. port, or (2) enters a U.S. point of entry. Prescribes a special rule prohibiting the imposition of such fee on: (1) cargo (except crude oil with respect to Alaska) loaded on a vessel in a mainland U.S. port and transported for use or consumption in Alaska, Hawaii, or any U.S. possession; (2) cargo loaded on a vessel in Alaska, Hawaii, or any U.S. possession and transported for use or consumption in the U.S. mainland, Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. possession; (3) the unloading of such cargo in Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. possession, or U.S. mainland, respectively; or (4) cargo loaded on a vessel in Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. possession and unloaded in the state or U.S. possession in which loaded, or passengers transported on U.S.-flag vessels operating solely within Alaskan or Hawaiian waters and adjacent international waters. Prohibits imposition of such fee on: (1) on the United States or any U.S. agency, or (2) a nonprofit organization or cooperative for cargo intended for use in humanitarian or development assistance overseas. Makes available up to $10 million of fees collected during any fiscal year for administrative expenses of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Transportation (DOT). Makes certain fee allocations for: (1) harbor maintenance programs; (2) low-use ports; and (3) super donor ports to carry out projects or activities under a competitive grant for maritime improvement projects for movement of goods, as well as for other specified maritime improvement projects for movement of international maritime cargo. Defines "super donor port" as a port for which average expenditures in the 5 previous fiscal years: (1) from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, for fiscal years beginning before enactment of this Act, are less than 10% percent of the total average amount of harbor maintenance taxes collected through landings at the port in such fiscal years; or (2) from the amounts collected for the Maritime Goods Movement User Fee, for fiscal years starting after enactment of this Act, are less than 10% of the total average amount of such fees collected through landings at the port. Establishes a Competitive Grant Program for Goods Movement. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the harbor maintenance tax. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent application of requirements that locally prevailing wages (Davis-Bacon Act) be paid to various classes of laborers and mechanics working on harbor maintenance improvement projects.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2013
Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income, for income tax purposes, the value of an Indian general welfare benefit. Defines "Indian general welfare benefit" as any payment made or services provided to or on behalf of a member of an Indian tribe under an Indian tribal government program if: (1) such program is administered under specified guidelines and does not discriminate in favor of members of the governing body of the Indian tribe; and (2) the program benefits are available to any tribal member, are for the promotion of general welfare, are not lavish or extravagant, and are not compensation for services. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) establish a Tribal Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary on the taxation of Indians, (2) establish and require training and education for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) field agents on federal Indian law and the implementation of this Act, and (3) suspend audits and examinations of Indian tribal governments and members of Indian tribes and waive any interest or tax penalties related to the exclusion from gross income of Indian general welfare benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2013
School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act, with respect to asthma-related grants for child health services, to give an additional preference to a state that allows self-administration of asthma and anaphylaxis medication and makes a certification concerning the adequacy of the state's civil liability protection law to protect trained school personnel who may administer epinephrine to a student reasonably believed to be having an anaphylactic reaction. Requires elementary and secondary schools in such a state to: (1) permit trained personnel to administer epinephrine to a student reasonably believed to be having such a reaction, (2) maintain a supply of epinephrine in a secure location that is easily accessible to trained personnel for such treatment, and (3) have in place a plan for having on the school premises during operating hours one or more designated personnel trained in administration of epinephrine.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Captive Primate Safety Act - Amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to add nonhuman primates to the definition of "prohibited wildlife species" for purposes of the prohibition against the sale or purchase of such species in interstate or foreign commerce. Makes it unlawful for a person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase a live animal of any prohibited wildlife species in interstate or foreign commerce (i.e., for pet trade purposes). Modifies exceptions to such prohibition, including by making it inapplicable to a person who is: (1) a licensed and inspected person who does not allow direct contact between the public and prohibited wildlife species, and (2) transporting a single primate of the genus Cebus that was obtained from and trained by a charitable organization to assist a permanently disabled individual with a severe mobility impairment. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations of the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation Equitable Compensation Act - Establishes the Spokane Tribe of Indians Recovery Trust Fund (Fund). Requires payments from the Fund to the Spokane Business Council in compensation for the use of tribal lands for the generation of hydropower from the Grand Coulee Dam. Requires the Council to prepare a plan for the use of those payments to promote: (1) economic development; (2) infrastructure development; (3) educational, health, recreational, and social welfare objectives of the Tribe and its members; or (4) any combination of those activities. Directs the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration to make specified settlement payments to the Tribe. Allows payments made to the Council or Tribe to be used or invested by the Council in the same manner and for the same purposes as other Spokane Tribal governmental funds. Provides that the deposit of amounts in the Fund extinguishes all monetary claims that the Tribe may have against the United States to a fair share of the annual hydropower revenues generated by the Grand Coulee Dam project for the past and continued use of the Tribe's land to produce hydropower at Grand Coulee Dam.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
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 in honor of President Shimon Peres of Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and revise a grant program for screening, counseling, and other services related to heritable disorders. Extends a grant program to evaluate the effectiveness of screening, counseling, or health care services in reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by heritable disorders in newborns and children. Expands the program to include evaluation of follow-up care for newborns and their families after screening and diagnosis. Directs the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children to provide a priority review of a human drug application with respect to a nomination to the recommended uniform screening panel. Requires the Advisory Committee to meet in person at least four times each calendar year with at least two meetings in person. Extends the clearinghouse for newborn screening information. Expands the duties of the clearinghouse to include: (1) maintaining current data on the number of conditions for which screening is conducted in each state; and (2) disseminating available evidence-informed guidelines related to diagnosis, counseling, and treatment with respect to conditions detected by newborn screening. Extends requirements for the Secretary to provide for quality assurance of laboratories involved in screening newborns and children for heritable disorders. Extends the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Newborn and Child Screening. Authorizes the Secretary to have the Hunter Kelly Newborn Screening Research Program to: (1) provide research and data for newborn conditions under review by the Advisory Committee to be added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel; and (2) conduct pilot studies on conditions recommended by the Advisory Committee to ensure that screenings are ready for nationwide implementation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Oil Spill Technology and Research Act of 2013 - Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to replace provisions establishing the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research with provisions establishing a Federal Oil Spill Research Committee for the same purpose. Requires the Committee to: (1) submit to Congress within 180 days and update every five years a report on the state of oil discharge prevention and response capabilities; (2) establish an oil pollution research and development program that provides for research, development, and demonstration of technologies and methods that are effective in preventing, detecting, responding to, mitigating, and restoring damage from oil discharges and that protect the environment; and (3) submit a plan for the implementation of such program to Congress within 180 days after submitting such report. Requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to: (1) designate a Chairperson from among committee members, and (2) manage a program of competitive grants to universities or research institutions for conducting such program. Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require vessel and facility response plans for responding to a worst case discharge of oil or a hazardous substance to: (1) be updated at least every five years and resubmitted for approval upon each update; (2) require the use of the best available technology and methods to contain and remove a worst-case discharge and to mitigate or prevent a substantial threat of such a discharge; and (3) include investments in research relating to oil discharges, risk assessment, and development of technologies for oil discharge response and prevention. Requires: (1) the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating to establish a program for the formal evaluation and validation of oil pollution containment and removal methods and technologies, and (2) each technology and method validated to be included in the comprehensive list of discharge removal resources maintained through the Coast Guard's National Response Unit.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Improving the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Rate Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the the minimum low-income housing tax credit rate for new buildings that are not federally subsidized, and (2) establish a minimum 4% low-income housing tax rate for existing buildings that are not federally subsidized.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2013 or the PAST Act - Amends the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe regulatory requirements for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to license, train, assign, and oversee persons who are to be hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions and are qualified to detect and diagnose sore horses or otherwise inspect horses at such events. (The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness.) Prohibits issuing a license to any person unless such person is free from conflicts of interest. Requires the Secretary, in issuing such licenses, to give a preference to persons who are licensed or accredited veterinarians. Replaces the current horse inspector appointment process under which the management of a horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction appoints inspectors with a new process requiring the Secretary to assign USDA-licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire such inspectors. Requires the Secretary to publish on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's website information on violations of such Act. Directs the Secretary to disqualify a horse the Secretary determines is sore for specified minimum time periods that increase after the first, second, and third instance. Prohibits a person in any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction from: (1) showing or exhibiting any horse that is sore; (2) entering any horse that is sore for the purpose of showing or exhibiting the horse; (3) selling, auctioning, or offering for sale any horse that is sore; (4) causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, auctioning, or offering for sale the horse; and (5) allowing any such activity with respect to a horse that is sore by the owner of that horse. Expands a list of activities designated as unlawful conduct under such Act to include a prohibition on showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse with: (1) an action device; or (2) a weighted shoe, pad, wedge, hoof band, or other device or material if it is constructed to artificially alter the gait of such horses and is not strictly protective or therapeutic. Defines "action device" as any boot, collar, chain, roller, or other device that encircles or is placed upon the lower extremity of the leg of a horse in a manner that it can: (1) rotate around the leg or slide up and down the leg, so as to cause friction; or (2) strike the hoof, coronet band, fetlock joint, or pastern of the horse. Excludes from such term soft rubber or soft leather bell boots or quarter boots that are used as protective devices. Increases the maximum criminal penalties and maximum civil liability penalties for certain HPA violations. Expands the categories of activities the Secretary may disqualify a violator of such Act from participating in to include: (1) transporting or arranging for the transportation of a horse to or from a show, exhibition, sale, or auction; (2) personally giving instructions to an exhibitor; or (3) being knowingly present in a warm-up area, inspection area, or other area that spectators are not permitted. Permits the Secretary to permanently disqualify a person with at least three violations after notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2013
Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2013 - Amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (Act) to allow Indian housing block grant recipients to use income that is realized from program income without restriction. Applies tribal prevailing wage laws to the administration of all federal funding for projects funded in part under that Act. Deems compliance with the environmental review requirements of the Indian housing block grant projects to satisfy any other federal environmental review requirements imposed on agencies involved in the projects. Reauthorizes appropriations for the block grants through FY2018. Makes an exception to the requirement that housing assisted under the Act remain affordable for the useful life of the property if: (1) a family or household member subsequently takes over ownership of a unit, or (2) certain limited improvements are made to a privately owned unit. Allows rental housing made available to a current tenant for conversion to a homebuyer or lease-purchase unit to be purchased by the tenant if the unit is made available for occupancy by a low-income family at the time of initial occupancy. Applies lease termination notification requirements to any project or program funded in part under the Act. Repeals a program allowing Indian tribes to use a portion of the block grants for housing activities wholly self-determined by the Indian tribe. Prohibits affordable housing that is developed, acquired, or assisted under the block grant program from exceeding by more than 20% the total development cost maximum cost for all housing assisted under an affordable housing activity, without the approval of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize the Secretary to implement a rental assistance and supportive housing demonstration program, in conjunction with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), for the benefit of Indian veterans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness and who are residing on or near Indian lands. Amends the Act to clarify that the 50-year limit on the lease of trust or Indian restricted lands for housing purposes does not affect any authority to lease those lands that is conferred pursuant to any other law in effect before, on, or after the enactment of that limit. Reauthorizes appropriations, through FY2018, for the provision of training and technical assistance to Indian housing authorities and tribally designated housing entities. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to give a preference in the allocation of low-income tax credits to projects which are located in Indian areas and for which the entity applying for the credit is: (1) an Indian tribe or tribally designated housing entity, (2) wholly owned or controlled by an Indian tribe or tribally designated housing entity, or (3) a subrecipient of funding under the Act. Amends the Act to treat a tribally designated housing entity as a community-based development organization for purposes of the Indian Community Development Block Grant program. Repeals the provision of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2008 that prohibits the use of funds under that Act for the benefit of the Cherokee Nation unless the Temporary Order and Temporary Injunction issued on May 14, 2007, by the District Court of the Cherokee Nation remains in effect or there is a settlement agreement which ends litigation among the adverse parties. Reauthorizes the Native Hawaiian Homeownership Act through FY2018. Allows all funds provided under a grant made pursuant to this Act to be used to meet matching or cost participation requirements under any other federal or nonfederal program.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2013
Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2013 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to extend through December 31, 2020: (1) the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) program, and (2) the reemployment trade adjustment assistance (RTAA) program. Makes funds available through FY2020, and for the period beginning October 1-December 31, 2020 (first quarter of FY2021) for training of adversely affected workers, employment and case management services, and job search expenses and relocation expenses. Reauthorizes appropriations: (1) through December 31, 2020, for the TAA program for workers; and (2) through FY2020, and for the first quarter of FY2021, for the TAA program for firms and farmers. Amends the Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011 to declare that TAA program requirements in effect as of February 13, 2011, under the Trade Act of 1974 shall apply to petitions for certification to apply for TAA for workers, firms, and farmers that are filed before January 1, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2013
21st Century Glass-Steagall Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to prohibit an insured depository institution from: (1) being or becoming an affiliate of any insurance company, securities entity, or swaps entity; (2) being in common ownership or control with any insurance company, securities entity, or swaps entity; or (3) engaging in any activity that would cause the insured depository institution to qualify as an insurance company, securities entity, or swaps entity. Prohibits any individual who is an officer, director, partner, or employee of any securities entity, insurance company, or swaps entity, except in specified circumstances, from serving simultaneously as an officer, director, employee, or other institution-affiliated party of any insured depository institution. Makes certain technical and conforming amendments to the Banking Act of 1933 and the Revised Statutes of the United States to limit the business of national banks to receiving deposits, extending credit, discounting and negotiating evidences of debt, loaning money on personal security, engaging in coin and bullion exchange, and investing in investment securities. Limits the purchase and sale of investment securities and stock by a national banking association to the accounts of customers, but in no case for its own account. Prohibits an association from underwriting any issue of securities or stock. Prohibits a national banking association from investing in structured or synthetic products, defined as financial instruments in which a return is calculated based on the value of, or by reference to the performance of, a security, commodity, swap, other asset, or an entity, or any index or basket composed of such items. Amends the Home Owners' Loan Act to repeal the authority of federal savings associations to invest in, redeem, or hold shares or certificates issued by any open-end management investment company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) if their portfolios are restricted by the management company's investment policy solely to investments that a federal savings association by law or regulation may deal in. Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 with respect to prohibitions against bank holding company ownership or control of voting share interests in nonbanking organizations. Revises exemptions from such prohibitions in the case of nonbanking organizations thewhose activities are so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident to them. Specifies activities of a nonbanking organization that shall not be considered closely related to banking, and so disqualify a bank holding company from owning or controlling voting share interests in such an organization. Includes among such nonbanking activities: (1) serving as an investment advisor to an investment company, (2) agency transactional services for customer investments, (3) investment transactions as principal, and (4) management consulting and counseling activities. Exempts from application of the prohibitions against nonbanking activities, with respect to a bank holding company, the purchase, as an end user, of swaps to hedge against certain exposures, including changes in either interest rates or in the value of currency. Prohibits a bank holding company from engaging in the business of a securities or a swaps entity, including: (1) dealing or making markets in securities, repurchase agreements, exchange traded and over-the-counter swaps, and structured or synthetic products; (2) engaging in proprietary trading; (3) owning, sponsoring, or investing in a hedge fund, or private equity fund, or any other fund which exhibits the characteristics of a fund that takes on proprietary trading activities or positions; (4) holding ineligible securities or derivatives; and (5) engaging in either market-making or prime brokerage activities. Requires the appropriate federal regulatory agency to pursue certain actions to enforce this Act. Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to repeal provisions (of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) that: (1) permit a financial holding company to engage in activities that are either financial in nature or constitute expanded financial activities, (2) prescribe corrective actions for financial holding companies that fail to meet certain requirements, (4) authorize certain financial holding companies to retain limited nonfinancial activities and affiliations, and (5) authorize certain financial holding companies to own or control shares of a company engaged in activities related to the trading, sale, or investment in commodities and underlying physical properties that were not previously permissible for bank holding companies. Amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to repeal the authority of national banks to control or hold an interest in financial subsidiaries. Amends the International Banking Act of 1978 to repeal the permission granted certain foreign banks to continue to engage in nonbanking activities in the United States. Revises bankruptcy law to repeal the prohibition against staying, avoiding, or limiting the exercise of a contractual right of financial entities to either liquidate, terminate, or accelerate the following financial instruments: a securities contract, a repurchase agreement, a swap agreement, a master netting agreement, and across contracts. Repeals requirements for the timing of damage measurement in connection with such financial instruments, including commodity contracts and forward contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2013
Charitable Agricultural Research Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a tax deduction for a charitable contribution to an agricultural research organization directly engaged in the continuous active conduct of agricultural research, and (2) make prohibitions against expenditures to influence legislation applicable to such organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2013
Revitalizing the Economy of Fisheries in the Pacific Act or the REFI Pacific Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce (upon receipt of such assurances as the Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United States) to issue a loan to refinance the existing debt obligation funding the fishing capacity reduction program for the West Coast groundfish fishery implemented under the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2003. Requires such loan to have a maturity that expires 45 years after the date of issuance. Permits the Secretary to extend the loan under specified conditions if there is an outstanding balance after such period. Prohibits the fee with respect to such loan from exceeding 3% of the ex-vessel value of the harvest from each fishery for which the loan is issued. Sets forth requirements for direct loan interest rates, subloans, and the calculation of the ex-vessel landing fee to be collected for payment of such loan.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2013 - Amends the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 to revise the membership requirements for the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia. Requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, acting through the Task Force, to: (1) establish and maintain a national harmful algal bloom and hypoxia program, and (2) develop and submit to Congress a comprehensive research plan and action strategy to address marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. Establishes additional Task Force functions, including: (1) expediting the interagency review process; and (2) promoting the development of new technologies for predicting, monitoring, and mitigating harmful algal bloom and hypoxia conditions. Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to have primary responsibility in administering the Program. Establishes the Under Secretary's duties, including administering merit-based, competitive grant funding to: (1) maintain and enhance baseline monitoring programs established by the Program, (2) support the Program's projects, and (3) address the research and management needs and the Action Strategy's priorities. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) research the ecology and impacts of freshwater harmful algal blooms; (2) forecast and monitor event response to freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes, rivers, estuaries, and reservoirs; and (3) ensure that activities carried under this Act focus on new approaches to addressing freshwater harmful algal blooms and are not duplicative of existing research and development programs authorized by this Act or any other law. Requires the collection of monitoring and observation data under this Act to comply with all data standards and protocols developed pursuant to the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009. Requires the Administrator, through the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, to report to appropriate congressional committees and the President on the progress made by activities directed by the Task Force and carried out or funded by EPA and other state and federal partners toward attainment of the goals of the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan 2008 within 12 months after this Act's enactment and biennially thereafter. Requires the Task Force to: (1) submit within 18 months to Congress and the President an integrated assessment that examines the causes, consequences, and approaches to reduce hypoxia and harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes; and (2) develop and submit to Congress a plan, based on such assessment, for reducing, mitigating, and controlling such hypoxia and blooms.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend the 3.4% interest rate on Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2013, to Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2014. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify rules for required distributions from tax-exempt pension plans to an employee who dies before such employee's entire interest is distributed to require such interest to be distributed within five years after the death of such employee, subject to exceptions for an eligible designated beneficiary and surviving spouse of such employee. Defines "eligible designated beneficiary" to include a disabled or chronically-ill individual. Exempts from such modification a binding annuity contract in effect on the enactment date of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Preventing Antibiotic Resistance Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require an applicant for approval of a new animal drug that is a medically important antimicrobial to demonstrate that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health due to the development of antimicrobial resistance attributable to the nontherapeutic use of the drug. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to refuse approval if the applicant fails to make such a demonstration. Defines “medically important antimicrobial” as a drug intended for use in food-producing animals and composed wholly or partly of: (1) any kind of specified antibiotics, including penicillin and tetracycline; or (2) a drug from an antimicrobial class that is listed on the World Health Organization’s list of critically important antimicrobials. Requires the Secretary to withdraw approval for the nontherapeutic use in food-producing animals of a medically important antimicrobial marketed for human use unless the Secretary makes a final written determination that, based on either the application holder's demonstration or an HHS risk analysis, there is a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health due to the development of antimicrobial resistance attributable to the drug's nontherapeutic use. Requires the Secretary to rescind approval of an exemption for investigational use of, or of approval of a new drug application for, a medically important antimicrobial for its nontherapeutic use in a food-producing animal two years after the exemption is granted or the application for approval is submitted. Exempts from this requirement any drugs for which there has been found a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health. Prohibits the administration of a medically important antimicrobial (including by means of animal feed) to a food-producing animal for nonroutine disease control unless there is a significant risk that a disease or infection present on the premises will be transmitted to the food-producing animal. Requires the administration of the antimicrobial to be: (1) necessary to prevent or reduce the risk of transmission; (2) for the shortest duration possible to prevent or reduce the risk of transmission; and (3) at a scale no greater than the barn, house, or pen level and to the fewest animals possible to prevent or reduce the risk of transmission.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2013
Respect for Marriage Act - Amends the Defense of Marriage Act to repeal a provision that prohibited a state, territory, possession, or Indian tribe from being required to recognize any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a same sex marriage. Amends the federal rules of construction added by such Act concerning the definitions of "marriage" and "spouse" to provide that, for purposes of any federal law in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered married if that individual's marriage is valid in the state where the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside any state, if the marriage is valid in the place where entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a state. Removes the definition of "spouse" (currently, a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife).
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2013
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable William Dodd Hathaway, former member of the United States Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns June 26, 2013, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Hathaway.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2013
Honors the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses during National Small Business Week beginning June 17, 2013. Applauds the efforts and achievements of small business owners and their employees. Recognizes the work of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its resource partners in providing assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Recognizes the importance of ensuring that: (1) guaranteed loans, including microloans and venture capital, are made available to all qualified small businesses; (2) management assistance programs delivered by SBA resource partners are recognized for providing invaluable counseling services to entrepreneurs; (3) SBA small business disaster assistance is provided in a timely and efficient manner; (4) affordable Internet access is available to all people in the United States so that small businesses can utilize such access; (5) regulatory relief is provided to small businesses through the reduction of duplicative or unnecessary regulatory requirements; and (6) leveling the playing field for small business contracting opportunities remains a primary focus.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2013
Real Estate Investment and Jobs Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from 5% to 10% the allowable ownership interest in real estate investment trust (REIT) stock for purposes of tax exemptions allowed by the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act relating to foreign investment in United States real property interests.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2013
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal in honor of the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers, in recognition of its pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and many acts of valor in the face of adversity. Requires the medal to be given to the Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian) for display. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian shall make the medal available for display elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations associated with the 65th Infantry Regiment, including locations in Puerto Rico.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2013
Constitutional Amendment - Grants Congress and the states the power to regulate the raising and spending of money and in-kind equivalents with respect to federal and state elections, respectively.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2013
National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Park Service (NPS). Authorizes the issuance of coins under this Act only for a one-year period, beginning on January 1, 2016. Requires all sales of coins minted under this Act to include a surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar clad coin. Requires all of the surcharges received from the sale of such coins to be paid to the National Park Foundation for projects and programs to help preserve and protect resources under the stewardship of the NPS and to promote public enjoyment and appreciation of those resources. Prohibits the surcharges paid to the Foundation from being used for land acquisition.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2013
Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require alignment of updates for ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services under a revised prospective payment system (PPS) with updates for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services. Revises requirements for the reporting and applying of quality measure data by ASCs and hospital OPDs. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an ASC value-based purchasing program under which each ASC that the Secretary determines meets (or exceeds) performance standards established, with respect to selected quality measures, for the performance period for a calendar year is eligible for shared savings in the form of a payment increase determined according to a specified formula. Revises requirements for the composition of the expert outside advisory panel the Secretary is required to consult during the annual review of the clinical integrity of the groups and payment weights in the PPS for hospital OPD services. Requires the panel to include suppliers subject to the PPS as well as at least one ASC representative. Requires the Secretary, when excluding from a final rule updating ASC lists a procedure whose inclusion was requested during the public comment period, to cite in the final rule specific criteria based on which the procedure was excluded. Requires the Secretary also to identify the peer reviewed research or the evidence upon which the exclusion is based if certain of those criteria are cited for it. Prohibits the Secretary from using or citing as a criterion or a basis for an exclusion that the procedure can only be reported using a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) unlisted surgical procedure code.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2013
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the new markets tax credit, (2) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for such credit after 2013, and (3) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for such credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments initially made before January 1, 2014).
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2013
Designates October 30, 2013, as a national day of remembrance for U.S. nuclear weapons program workers, including uranium miners, millers, and haulers.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2013
Child Sex Trafficking Data and Response Act of 2013 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require state plans for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that for each child over whom the state has responsibility for placement, care, or supervision, the state agency shall: (1) identify and document in agency records each child identified as a victim of sex trafficking, including severe forms of trafficking in certain persons; and (2) report immediately, within 24 hours, any information on missing or abducted children to the law enforcement authorities for entry into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Requires such plans also to contain a regularly updated description of the specific measures the state agency has taken to protect and provide services to child victims of sex trafficking, including efforts to coordinate with state law enforcement, juvenile justice, and social service agencies such as runaway and homeless youth shelters to serve that population. Requires the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) to provide comprehensive national information with respect to the aggregate number of children in foster care identified as victims of sex trafficking. Amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 to require any law enforcement agency that entered a missing child report into the NCIC to notify the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of each report received relating to a child reported missing from a foster care family home or childcare institution. Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require that the state plan under the Act certifies that the state has in effect and is enforcing a state law, or is operating a statewide program, relating to child abuse and neglect that includes provisions and procedures requiring: (1) identification and assessment of all reports involving child victims of sex trafficking, and (2) training child protective services workers about identifying and providing comprehensive services for such children. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report to Congress on issues related to identifying, and providing services for, victims of labor trafficking within the child welfare system.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2013
Local Taxpayer Relief Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to make permanent amendments made to the Impact Aid program (which compensates local educational agencies [LEAs] for the financial burden of federal activities affecting their school districts) by the Impact Aid Improvement Act of 2012 that: require the valuation of the federal property located within the boundaries of an LEA by calculating the valuation, for property tax purposes, of all property within the LEA's boundaries and then multiplying that value by the proportion of that property that is federal property; alter the formula for determining the foundation payments due LEAs for federal ownership of property when appropriations for a fiscal year are insufficient to provide them with full compensation; alter the formula for determining the payments due LEAs for eligible federally-connected children who are displaced from federal property or Indian lands due to housing renovation or rebuilding; and direct the Secretary of Education to complete Impact Aid payments to eligible LEAs within three fiscal years of their appropriation. (Such amendments are currently set to expire on January 2, 2015.) Alters the formula for determining the payments due LEAs for eligible federally-connected children. Includes not only children in average daily attendance, but also those enrolled pursuant to a state open enrollment policy. Continues an LEA's eligibility for such payments while activities associated with military base closures and realignments or force structure changes or relocations are ongoing. Allows the calculation of such payments using current student counts instead of prior fiscal year data when LEAs experience a specified influx of new federally-connected students due to federal activities or the closure of an LEA that was receiving Impact Aid due to federally-connected children. Requires the Secretary to allow LEAs to count their federally-connected children using the date they register their students for the fiscal year for which their application is filed. Alters the formula for determining the construction payments due LEAs that are eligible for other Impact Aid payments. Divides 80% of the construction funds evenly between LEAs impacted by military dependent children and LEAs impacted by children residing on Indian lands, with the remainder reserved for emergency repair and modernization grants to LEAs serving Indian lands or experiencing a specified influx of new students due to federal activities. Alters the formula for determining whether a state's plan for equalizing assistance to its LEAs will except it from the prohibition on state aid to LEAs being affected by Impact Aid payments. Requires new LEAs applying for Impact Aid to have boundaries established by state law and the authority to tax or receive an imputed local tax. Reauthorizes appropriations for the Impact Aid program through FY2017.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2013
Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 - Prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates. Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination. Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct made unlawful under this Act. Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them. Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail. Authorizes the Attorney General to institute a civil action in any appropriate U.S. district court for a violation of this Act. Deems a state's receipt of federal educational assistance for a program to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity for conduct prohibited under this Act regarding such program.
![Official portrait of Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c000127_200.jpg)