United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 Better Buildings Act of 2015 This bill requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to: (1) develop and publish model leasing provisions to encourage building owners and tenants to use greater cost-effective energy efficiency and water efficiency measures in commercial buildings, and (2) develop policies and best practices to implement the measures for the realty services provided by the GSA to federal agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) to develop a voluntary Tenant Star program within the Energy Star program to recognize tenants of spaces in commercial buildings that voluntarily achieve high levels of energy efficiency. The EPA may develop a voluntary program to recognize commercial building owners and tenants that use high-performance energy efficiency measures in the design and construction of leased spaces. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act is amended to prescribe additional energy conservation standards for grid-enabled water heaters for use as part of an electric thermal storage or demand response program, which is a program that enables customers to reduce or shift their power use during peak demand periods. Energy Efficient Government Technology Act The EISA is amended also to require: (1) each federal agency to coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the EPA to develop an implementation strategy for the maintenance, purchase, and use of energy-efficient and energy-saving information technologies; (2) DOE to maintain a data center energy practitioner program that leads to the certification of energy practitioners qualified to evaluate the energy usage and efficiency opportunities in federal data centers; and (3) DOE to establish an open data initiative to make information about federal data center energy usage available and accessible in a manner that encourages data center innovation, optimization, and consolidation. DOE must maintain, and if necessary create, a database for storing and making available public energy-related information on commercial and multifamily buildings.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2015 Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promulgate regulations within 180 days permitting individuals to import a prescription drug purchased from an approved Canadian pharmacy that: is dispensed by a pharmacist licensed in Canada; is purchased for personal use in quantities not greater than a 90-day supply; is filled using a valid prescription issued by a physician licensed to practice in the United States; and has the same active ingredient or ingredients, route of administration, dosage form, and strength as a prescription drug approved under the FFDCA. Sets forth exceptions, including for controlled substances and biological products. Establishes a certification process for approving Canadian pharmacies. Requires HHS to publish a list of approved Canadian pharmacies.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2015
Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) from providing a grant or any funds to a state, county, town, township, Indian tribe, municipality, or other local government for any program to: (1) check motorcycle helmet use, or (2) create motorcycle checkpoints that specifically target motorcycle operators or motorcycle passengers.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2015
Repay Act of 2015 Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a simplified income-driven repayment program for students who become new borrowers of William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans (DLs) on or after July 1, 2015. Sets a student's annual repayment obligation under the program at: 10% of the borrower's discretionary income (gross income that exceeds 150% of the federal poverty level) that is less than $25,000, adjusted for inflation; plus 15% of the borrower's discretionary income that is equal to or greater than $25,000, adjusted for inflation. Directs the Secretary to cancel the outstanding balance on a DL under the repayment program if the borrower: for 20 years made monthly payments under the program or was in deferment due to economic hardship and had a DL principal balance at the outset of the repayment period that did not exceed a specified amount; or for 25 years made monthly payments under the program or was in deferment due to economic hardship and had a DL principal balance at the outset of the repayment period that exceeded a specified amount. Requires the Secretary to offer borrowers of DLs made on or after July 1, 2015, the following repayment plans: (1) a fixed repayment plan (currently referred to as a standard repayment plan), or (2) a simplified income-driven repayment plan, but this plan is only available to student borrowers. Authorizes the Secretary to provide an alternative repayment plan to a borrower of a DL made on or after July 1, 2015, if the borrower demonstrates that these repayment options do not accommodate the borrower's exceptional circumstances. Continues to allow borrowers of DLs to accelerate, without penalty, their repayment of such loans. Makes public service employees who make 120 monthly payments on their DL under a simplified income-driven repayment plan eligible for the public service employee loan forgiveness program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income debt the Secretary discharges on a borrower's subsidized Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) or DL due to the borrower's death or disability. Directs the Secretary to require servicers of FFELs and DLs to: (1) provide borrowers with information regarding their loan repayment options, and (2) offer to enroll borrowers in alternative plans for which they are eligible. Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to: (1) study the feasibility of simplifying the process for enrolling in, and verifying annual eligibility for, this Act's simplified income-driven repayment program; and (2) provide recommendations for the efficient administration of income-based repayment programs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2015
End Pay Discrimination Through Information Act This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit an employer from discriminating against an employee who inquires about, discusses, or discloses the wages of the employee or another employee. This protection does not apply to an employee who has access to wage information as part of the employee's essential job functions, unless the disclosure is in response to a sex discrimination complaint or charge, or in furtherance of a sex discrimination investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2015
Gestational Diabetes Act or the GEDI Act Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a multisite gestational diabetes research project within the diabetes program of the CDC to expand and enhance surveillance data and public health research on gestational diabetes. Requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand and intensify public health research on gestational diabetes, including; (1) developing and testing novel approaches for improving postpartum testing or screening and for preventing type 2 diabetes in women with a history of gestational diabetes, and (2) conducting research to further understanding of the factors and health systems that influence the risk of gestational diabetes and the development of type 2 diabetes in women with a history of gestational diabetes. Requires the CDC to: (1) award grants for demonstration projects to reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes, the recurrence of such disease in subsequent pregnancies, and the development of type 2 diabetes in women with a history of gestational diabetes; and (2) work with state and Indian tribal-based diabetes prevention and control programs assisted by the CDC to encourage postpartum follow-up after gestational diabetes to reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes and its recurrence, the development of type 2 diabetes in at-risk women, and related complications.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2015
Government Neutrality in Contracting Act Directs the head of any federal agency that awards or obligates funds for any construction contract, or that awards grants, provides financial assistance, or enters into cooperative agreements for construction projects, to ensure that bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents do not: (1) require or forbid a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor to enter into or adhere to agreements with a labor organization with respect to that construction project or another related construction project; or (2) otherwise discriminate against such a party because it did or did not become a signatory or otherwise adhere to such an agreement. Allows exemptions to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve national security. Allows additional exemptions for certain projects. Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act with respect to the applicable federal contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Keystone XL Pipeline Act Authorizes TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to construct, connect, operate, and maintain the pipeline and cross-border facilities specified in an application filed by TransCanada Corporation to the Department of State on May 4, 2012. Deems the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement regarding the pipeline issued by the Secretary of State in January 2014 to fully satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and any law that requires federal agency consultation or review, including the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Maintains in effect any applicable federal permit or authorization issued before enactment of this Act. Grants original and exclusive jurisdiction, except for review in the Supreme Court, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit over any civil action for the review of a federal agency action regarding the pipeline and related facilities. Declares that this Act does not alter any federal, state, or local process or condition in effect on the date of enactment of this Act that is necessary to secure access from an owner of private property to construct the pipeline and cross-border facilities. Makes this Act effective January 1, 2015.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Forty Hours is Full Time Act of 2015 Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the employer mandate to provide health care coverage, to: (1) modify the formula for calculating the number of full-time employees employed by an applicable large employer subject to the mandate; and (2) define a "full-time employee" as an employee who is employed on average at least 40 hours per week (currently, 30 hours).
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Wildlife Trafficking Enforcement Act of 2015 This bill applies provisions of the federal criminal code concerning money laundering and racketeering to wildlife trafficking violations of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the African Elephant Conservation Act, and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, if the endangered or threatened species of fish or wildlife, products, items, or substances involved in the violation and relevant conduct have a total value of more than $10,000. Violators would be subject to increased fines and years of imprisonment. The amounts generated from penalties for those wildlife violations must be used for the benefit and conservation of impacted species.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Edward W. Brooke, III, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on January 6, 2015, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Brooke.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2015
Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to add a provision to exempt any employee with coverage under a health care program administered by the Department of Defense, including the TRICARE program, or by the Veterans Administration, from classification as an eligible employee of an applicable large employer for purposes of the employer mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide such employees with minimum essential health care coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2014
State Trade and Export Promotion Utilization Program for American Small Businesses Act or the STEP UP for American Small Businesses Act - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Associate Administrator for International Trade within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a State Trade and Export Promotion Grant Program. Authorizes the Associate Administrator to make competitive grants to states to carry out export promotion programs to increase: (1) the number of eligible small businesses that export (including rural small businesses and small businesses owned and controlled by women and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals), as well as (2) the value of their exports. Amends the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to require the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) to include one or more members appointed by the President who are representatives of state trade promotion agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2014
Derivatives End-Users Clarification Act - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to revise the treatment of affiliate transactions that may be exempt from clearing requirements to authorize such an exemption only if the affiliate enters into the swap to hedge or mitigate the commercial risk of the person that is not a financial entity (as under current law), on the condition that an appropriate credit support measure or other mechanism shall be used if the hedge or mitigation of commercial risk is addressed by entering into: (1) a swap with either a swap dealer or major swap participant, or (2) a security-based swap with a security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant. Applies this subtitle only to swaps or security-based swaps entered into after enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2014
Designates December 13, 2014, as Wreaths Across America Day. Honors the Wreaths Across America project, the Patriot Guard Riders, the trucking industry, and all of the volunteers and donors involved in the tradition of placing remembrance wreaths at national cemeteries and veterans' memorials. Recognizes the service and sacrifices made by veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2014
Phone Scam Prevention Act of 2014 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require voice communications service providers to offer subscribers the option to designate a list of approved telephone numbers for which calls originating from those numbers are permitted to connect directly with the subscriber's telephone and other customer premises equipment. Requires providers to ensure that any call for termination that is not from a number on the subscriber's list is processed according to the subscriber's preferences, including by limiting or disabling the ability of an incoming call to connect with the subscriber's equipment. Exempts government and public interest calls from being subject to a subscriber's preferences. Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop authentication standards for providers to validate caller information so that subscribers may obtain secure assurances of a call's origin, including the calling party's number and identification. Extends the prohibition on the provision of inaccurate caller identification information to persons outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States. Expands the definition "caller identification information" to include text messages. Revises caller identification requirements to make standards applicable to voice communications using resources from the North American Numbering Plan (currently, the requirements apply to telecommunications or IP-enabled voice services).
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2014
Extends the time period during which both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and any state with a state permit program are prohibited from requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) for a vessel that is less than 79 feet in length or a fishing vessel for any discharge: (1) of effluent from properly functioning marine engines, or of laundry, shower, and galley sink wastes; or (2) that is incidental to the normal operation of those vessels. Ends the prohibition on December 18, 2015, instead of December 18, 2014. (This prohibition does not apply with respect to garbage discharged overboard, other discharges when the vessel is operating in a capacity other than as a means of transportation, ballast water [water held in ships to increase stability] discharges, or any discharge that contributes to a violation of a water quality standard or poses an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2014
Adding Ebola to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to add filoviruses, a family of viruses that includes the Ebola virus, to the list of tropical diseases under the priority review voucher program, which awards vouchers to sponsors of human drug applications that are approved to prevent or treat tropical diseases. (A voucher entitles the holder to have a future human drug application acted upon by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within six months.) Changes the process by which infectious diseases that do not significantly impact developed nations and disproportionately affect poor and marginalized populations can be designated as tropical diseases from rulemaking to order of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Allows priority review vouchers to be transferred between sponsors of human drug applications any number of times. Reduces from 365 days to 90 days the advance notice required before submitting a human drug application subject to a priority review voucher.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Super Pollutants Act of 2014 - Establishes requirements for agencies to evaluate, mitigate, reduce, and report on the following short-lived climate pollutant emissions (non-carbon dioxide pollutants that contribute to global warming even though they stay in the atmosphere for only a short time): black carbon (soot emissions that absorb sunlight, reduce the reflectivity of snow and ice when deposited on them, and generate heat), methane, and high global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons (high-GWP HFC). Requires the President to establish the Interagency Task Force on Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Mitigation to address these pollutants through an action plan. Directs the Department of State to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce black carbon emissions from international shipping. Requires the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to prioritize black carbon mitigation activities as part of aid distribution activities. Requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate the availability of high-GWP HFC alternatives. Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit the manufacture of any uncharged hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 air-conditioning condensing equipment for residential use. Requires the EPA to determine whether the sale of R-134a automotive air-conditioning recharge kits to consumers represents an environmentally significant source of high-GWP HFC emissions. Requires the State Department, the DOE, the EPA, and the Department of Commerce to provide other countries with technical guidance on containing emissions from gas drilling, landfills, coal mining, and agriculture. Directs the EPA to establish an inspection and maintenance program for equipment that has high leak rates of methane gas.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Social Security Garnishment Modernization Act of 2014 - Exempts an inflation-adjusted $9,000 each year of an individual's benefits under the Social Security Act from being used by the Department of Education to offset the amount the individual owes on a defaulted student loan under title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2014 - Directs the President to establish an interagency Sustainable Chemistry Program to promote and coordinate federal sustainable chemistry research, development, demonstration, technology transfer, commercialization, education, and training activities. Directs the President to establish an Interagency Working Group that includes representatives from specified federal agencies to oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the Program. Requires the Interagency Working Group to establish an Advisory Council on Sustainable Chemistry to make recommendations to it and provide it with advice and assistance. Requires participating agencies to report to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Program activities and appropriations. Requires the Interagency Working Group to submit a report to Congress, as well as to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Instructs the Interagency Working Group to lead agencies in awarding grants to institutions of higher education to establish partnerships with companies across the value chain in the chemical industry to: (1) create collaborative research, development, demonstration, technology transfer, and commercialization programs; and (2) train students and retrain professional scientists and engineers in the use of sustainable chemistry concepts and strategies. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to contract with the National Research Council to assess the current status of sustainable chemistry research in the United States. Directs the Interagency Working Group to produce a national strategy for sustainable chemistry that provides a framework for advancing sustainable chemistry research.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources, to allow a taxpayer to elect the application of such credit to open-loop biomass and trash facilities during the period beginning after December 31, 2013, and ending before January 1, 2016 (in lieu of the 10-year period after the facilities are originally placed in service). Limits the aggregate period during which a taxpayer can claim a tax credit with respect to a facility to 10 years.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Designates September 23, 2014, as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Recognizes that there are cost-effective falls prevention programs and policies. Commends the Falls Free Coalition and others for their efforts to increase awareness of falls prevention. Urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Administration for Community Living, and others to continue developing, evaluating, and promoting interventions and programs to prevent falls.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Designates the week of September 20-September 27, 2014, 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 · 18 September 2014
Commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Commends the work of the individuals and organizations involved in building and maintaining the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Congratulates sailors of the U.S. Submarine Force upon the completion of 4,000 ballistic missile submarine deterrent patrols. Honors and thanks the crews and their families for their dedication and sacrifice.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Expresses the sense of the Senate that legislation regarding Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Service Contracts or that may lead to their use by the federal government should receive congressional scoring treatment making it more likely that the legislation will be scored as budget neutral. Supports allowing future discretionary spending savings to be counted against the mandatory spending attributed to entering into the contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2014
Designates the week beginning on October 12, 2014, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. Acknowledges the importance of national wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution to local economies. Reaffirms the support of the Senate for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Repay Act of 2014 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a simplified income-driven repayment program for students who become new borrowers of William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans (DLs) on or after July 1, 2015. Sets a student's annual repayment obligation under the program at: 10% of the borrower's discretionary income (gross income that exceeds 150% of the federal poverty level) that is less than $25,000, adjusted for inflation; plus 15% of the borrower's discretionary income that is equal to or greater than $25,000, adjusted for inflation. Directs the Secretary to cancel the outstanding balance on a DL under the repayment program if the borrower: for 20 years made monthly payments under the program or was in deferment due to economic hardship and had a DL principal balance at the outset of the repayment period that did not exceed a specified amount; or for 25 years made monthly payments under the program or was in deferment due to economic hardship and had a DL principal balance at the outset of the repayment period that exceeded a specified amount. Requires the Secretary to offer borrowers of DLs made on or after July 1, 2015, the following repayment plans: (1) a fixed repayment plan (currently referred to as a standard repayment plan), or (2) a simplified income-driven repayment plan, but this plan is only available to student borrowers. Authorizes the Secretary to provide an alternative repayment plan to a borrower of a DL made on or after July 1, 2015, if the borrower demonstrates that these repayment options do not accommodate the borrower's exceptional circumstances. Continues to allow borrowers of DLs to accelerate, without penalty, their repayment of such loans. Makes public service employees who make 120 monthly payments on their DL under a simplified income-driven repayment plan eligible for the public service employee loan forgiveness program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income debt the Secretary discharges on a borrower's subsidized Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) due to the borrower's death or disability. Directs the Secretary to require servicers of FFELs and DLs to: (1) provide borrowers with information regarding their loan repayment options, and (2) offer to enroll borrowers in alternative plans for which they are eligible.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2014
Apprenticeship and Jobs Training Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business-related tax credit for up to $5,000 for the training of a qualified individual in a qualified apprenticeship program. Defines a "qualified individual" as an individual who: (1) is an apprentice participating in a qualified apprenticeship program, (2) has been employed in such a program for a period of at least seven months that ends within the taxable year, and (3) is not a highly compensated employee or a seasonal worker. Defines a "qualified apprenticeship program" as a program that: (1) provides qualified individuals with on-the-job training and instruction for a qualified occupation (i.e., a skilled trade occupation in a high-demand mechanical, technical, health care, or technology field); (2) is registered with the Office of Apprenticeship of the Department of Labor; and (3) maintains records relating to the qualified individual. Allows a premature distribution, without penalty, from a tax-qualified retirement plan to an employee who is serving as a mentor. Defines a "mentor" as a working individual who: (1) has attained age 55; (2) works reduced hours and engages in mentoring activities for at least 20% of such hours; and (3) is responsible for the training and education of employees or students in an area of expertise for which such individual has a professional credential, certificate, or degree.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2014
Amends the federal charter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to describe the organization as a national association of veterans (currently, an association of men) who, as soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen, served this Nation in wars, campaigns, and expeditions on foreign soil or in hostile waters. Expands its purpose of assisting widows to that of assisting surviving spouses.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2014
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable James M. Jeffords, former member of the United States Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns September 9, 2014, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Jeffords.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2014
Designates September 2014 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 · 31 July 2014
Improving Access to Social Security Services Act - Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to prohibit the Commissioner of Social Security from imposing any reduction in public access on a Social Security Administration field or hearing office without a public comment period meeting specified deadlines, including at least one public hearing. Requires each field office to provide services necessary for: (1) Social Security number printout services until August 1, 2015, and (2) benefit verification letter services until October 1, 2015. Directs the Commissioner to conduct an outreach campaign to notify Social Security beneficiaries and other interested parties of plans to phase out such services and their online availability. Requires each office that ceases to offer, or reduces the availability of, such services to give notice to key local organizations whose members or patrons may be affected by such cessation or reduction. Requires the Commissioner to establish a system providing live-chat assistance for online users of the Administration website. Directs the Commissioner to establish: (1) a process whereby an eligible individual may apply for a reduction or waiver of Administration service fees, and (2) an automated notification system to alert Social Security beneficiaries of changes made to their information for direct deposit to a financial institution of their Social Security benefits. Prohibits any person from displaying another individual's Social Security number to the general public without the individual's affirmatively expressed consent, or selling or purchasing that number without such consent. Directs the Attorney General to study all uses of Social Security numbers permitted, required, authorized, or excepted under any federal law. Prohibits any person from obtaining an individual's Social Security number for purposes of locating or identifying the individual with the intent to physically injure, harm, or use the identity of the individual for any illegal purpose. Amends SSA title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) to prescribe criminal sanctions for the knowing and willful display, sale, or purchase of a Social Security number without meeting the prerequisites for consent. Extends to any electronic communication the prohibitions, subject to criminal penalties, relating to references to Social Security or Medicare. Authorizes a private cause of action in state court for injunctive relief or up to $500 in actual damages by any individual aggrieved by a violation of this Act or any of its amendments. Subjects any person the Attorney General determines has violated any provisions of this Act to a civil penalty of up to: (1) $5,000 for each violation, and (2) $50,000 if the violation has occurred with such frequency as to constitute a general business practice.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to select a medical center in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to serve as the national center for research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants (i.e., a biological child, grandchild, or great-grandchild) of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces that are related to that exposure. Requires the national research center to employ at least one licensed clinical social worker to coordinate the access of individuals to appropriate federal, state, and local social and health care programs and to handle case management. Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory board to: (1) advise the national research center, (2) determine which health conditions in the descendants of individuals who were exposed to toxic substances while serving in the Armed Forces result from such exposure for purposes of determining those descendants' eligibility for VA medical care, and (3) study and evaluate claims of service-related exposure to toxic substances by current and former members of the Armed Forces. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to declassify documents (other than documents that would materially and immediately threaten national security) related to any known incident in which not less than 100 members of the Armed Forces were exposed to a toxic substance that resulted in at least one case of disability. Directs the Secretary, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the DOD Secretary to jointly conduct a national outreach and education campaign directed at members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their family members to communicate information on: (1) incidents of exposure to toxic substances, health conditions resulting form such exposure, and the potential long-term effects of such exposure; and (2) the national research center.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Housing for Homeless Students Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to qualify low-income building units that provide housing for full-time students who were homeless youth or homeless veterans during a five-year period prior to occupying a low-income housing unit for the low-income housing tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
World War I American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) mint and issue $1 silver coins to commemorate the centennial of the involvement of the United States in World War I, and (2) hold a competition and provide compensation for its winner to design the obverse and reverse of the coins. Requires the design of such coins to be emblematic of the centennial of the involvement of the United States in World War I. Permits the Secretary to issue such coins only during the period beginning on January 1, 2018, and ending on December 31, 2018. Subjects the coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin, payable by the Secretary to the World War I Centennial Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Designates the week of September 7, 2014, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week. Identifies direct support professionals as 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 · 30 July 2014
Military SAFE Standards Act - Requires sexual assault forensic examiners (SAFEs) for the Armed Forces to be members of the Armed Forces and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who are physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants, or registered nurses. Permits an independent duty corpsman or equivalent to be assigned as a SAFE if the assignment of such a physician, assistant, or nurse is impracticable. Directs the DOD and DHS Secretaries to: (1) assign at least one SAFE at each military medical treatment facility in the United States and overseas; or (2) enter into agreements with facilities with appropriate resources for the provision of sexual assault forensic examinations for the Armed Forces. Requires at least one SAFE to be assigned to each naval vessel. Requires the Secretary concerned to establish a SAFE certification program that includes training in sexual assault forensic examinations.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Medicare CGM Access Act of 2014 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide Medicare coverage of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices furnished to a CGM qualified individual. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a fee schedule and ensure that CGM qualified individuals are furnished with appropriate device components.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Access to Contraception for Women Servicemembers and Dependents Act of 2014 - Expands the TRICARE health care program managed by the Department of Defense (DOD) to entitle additional female beneficiaries and dependents to care related to the prevention of pregnancy. (Currently, such care is limited to certain female members of the uniformed service or a reserve component performing active duty or certain servicewomen performing inactive-duty training.) Prohibits cost-sharing from being imposed or collected for such pregnancy prevention care, including for any method of contraception provided through a facility of the uniformed services, the TRICARE retail pharmacy program, or the national mail-order pharmacy program. Provides for such pregnancy prevention care to include all methods of contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling. Directs the DOD Secretary to: (1) ensure that every military treatment facility has a sufficient stock of a broad range of FDA-approved methods of contraception to dispense to any women members of the Armed Forces and female covered beneficiaries who receive care through such facility; (2) disseminate clinical practice guidelines and decision support tools to DOD-employed health care providers; (3) ensure that women members of the Armed Forces have access to contraception counseling during health care visits; and (4) establish an education program for all members of the Armed Forces, including both men and women members, consisting of a uniform standard curriculum on family planning. Requires questions regarding family planning services and counseling to be incorporated into DOD health surveys. Requires every military treatment facility, upon request, to provide emergency contraception, or information about FDA-approved methods of emergency contraception, to any woman who: (1) states to personnel that she is a victim of sexual assault or is accompanied by another individual who states that the woman is a victim of sexual assault, or (2) is reasonably believed to be a survivor of sexual assault.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Reaffirms the Senate's commitment to promoting and protecting religious freedom around the world and providing relief to minority groups facing persecution. Calls on the Department of State to work with the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi government, neighboring countries, the diaspora community in the United States, and other key stakeholders for those seeking safety and protection from religious persecution in Iraq. Requests the addition of a Special Representative for Religious Minorities to be included in Iraq's government. Urges the President to ensure timely visa processing for Iraq's minority groups fleeing religious persecution.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2014
United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress that Israel is a major U.S. strategic partner. Amends the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 to extend authority to transfer certain obsolete or surplus Department of Defense (DOD) items to Israel. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to extend authority to make additions to foreign-based defense stockpiles for use as war reserve stocks through FY2015. Directs the President to take steps to make Israel eligible for the strategic trade authorization exception to the requirement for a license for the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of an item subject to certain export controls. Authorizes the President to carry out U.S.-Israel cooperative activities and to provide assistance for cooperation in the fields of energy, water, homeland security, agriculture, and alternative fuel technologies. Directs the President to report to Congress regarding U.S.-Israel cyber cooperation. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) should designate Israel as a visa waiver program county when Israel meets certain program requirements. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to authorize the Secretary of Energy to: enter into cooperative agreements supporting dialogue and planning involving international partnerships between the Department of Energy (DOE), including DOE National Laboratories, and the government of Israel and its ministries, offices, and institutions; and establish a joint United States-Israel Center based in an area of the United States with offshore energy development expertise to develop academic cooperation in energy innovation technology and engineering, water science, technology transfer, and analysis of geopolitical implications of new natural resource development. Extends, and expands the scope of covered energy, under the grant program to support U.S.-Israel research, development, and commercialization of renewable energy or energy efficiency.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2014
Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2014 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to: (1) modernize the integrated U.S. public alert and warning system to help ensure that under all conditions the President, federal agencies, and state, tribal, and local governments can alert and warn the civilian population in areas endangered by natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters or threats to public safety; and (2) implement such system to disseminate timely and effective warnings and homeland security information. Directs the Administrator to: (1) establish common alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, and operating procedures for the system; (2) include in such system the capability to adapt the distribution and content of communications on the basis of geographic location, risks, and multiple communication technologies and to alert, warn, and provide equivalent information to individuals with disabilities, access and functional needs, or limited English proficiency; (3) ensure that specified training, tests, and exercises for such system are conducted and that the system is resilient, secure, and can withstand external attacks; and (4) conduct public education efforts and a general market awareness campaign about the system. Requires the system to: (1) be designed to adapt to and incorporate future technologies for communicating directly with the public, provide alerts to the largest portion of the affected population feasible, and improve the ability of remote areas to receive alerts; (2) promote local and regional public and private partnerships to enhance community preparedness and response; (3) provide redundant alert mechanisms; and (4) protect individual privacy. Directs the Administrator to establish the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Subcommittee to develop and submit recommendations for an integrated public alert and warning system to the National Advisory Council, which shall report the recommendations it approves to agencies represented on the Subcommittee and to specified congressional committees.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2014
Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act - Reauthorizes the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act through FY2019, generally at FY2009 levels. Modifies the Basic Center Grant (BCG) Program (for short-term emergency shelter and family reunification services to runaway and homeless youth) to require local centers to provide safe shelter and services, including trauma-informed services, for runaway and homeless youth, and (if appropriate) services for their families, including individuals they identify as family. Extends the maximum stay in a BCG shelter from 21 to 30 days, and requires a shelter to provide suicide prevention services. Allows shelter services to include: (1) trauma-informed and gender-responsive services for runaway or homeless youth, including victims of trafficking in persons or sexual exploitation; and (2) an assessment of family engagement in support and reunification (if appropriate), interventions, and services for parents or legal guardians of such youth, or individuals they identify as family. Revises plan applicant record keeping requirements. Requires plan applicants to: (1) provide age, gender, and culturally and linguistically appropriate services to runaway youth; and (2) assist youth in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Revises the Transitional Living Grant (TLG) Program (for longer-term residential services, life skills, education, and employment support to older homeless youth) to require information and counseling services in basic life skills to be age, gender, and linguistically appropriate. Requires TLG plan applicants to provide suicide prevention services, counseling to homeless youth, and aftercare services. Requires a TLG plan to ensure proper referral of homeless youth to mental health services, including programs providing comprehensive services to victims of trafficking in persons or sexual exploitation. Requires plan applicants to provide age, gender, and culturally and linguistically appropriate services that address the needs of homeless and street youth. Revises plan applicant record keeping requirements. Revises requirements for the coordination of activities among federal agencies, grants for technical assistance and training, and grants for research, evaluation, demonstration, and service projects. Revises the sexual abuse prevention program to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to public agencies (as well as nonprofit private agencies, as under current law) to provide street-based services to runaway and homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to, or are at risk of being subjected to, sexual abuse, violence, trafficking in persons, or sexual exploitation. Prohibits any person in the United States, on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability, from being excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subject to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part under such Act, or funded with amounts appropriated for grants, cooperative agreements, or other assistance administered by the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of HHS.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2014
Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act - Authorizes each member state under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (the multistate agreement for the administration and collection of sales and use taxes adopted on November 12, 2002) to require all sellers not qualifying for a small-seller exception (applicable to sellers with annual gross receipts in total U.S. remote sales not exceeding $1 million) to collect and remit sales and use taxes with respect to remote sales under provisions of that Agreement, but only if changes to such Agreement made after the enactment of this Act are not in conflict with the minimum simplification requirements of this Act (providing for a single state entity for all tax administration, audits, and returns of remote sales sourced to the state). Defines "remote sale" as a sale of goods or services into a state in which the seller would not legally be required to pay, collect, or remit state or local sales and use taxes unless provided by this Act. Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to extend until November 1, 2024: (1) the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce, and (2) the exemption from such ban for states that generally imposed and actually enforced a tax on internet access prior to October 1, 1998.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2014
Affirms that all children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent family. Recognizes the importance of ensuring that international adoptions of all children are conducted in an ethical and transparent manner. Expresses concern over the impact on children and families caused by the suspension of exit permit issuance within the Democratic Republic of Congo. Requests that the Congolese government resume processing adoption cases and issuing exit permits, prioritize the processing of intercountry adoptions which were initiated before the suspension, and expedite the adoption processing of medically fragile children. Encourages continued cooperation between the Department of State and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve the intercountry adoption process and ensure the welfare of all children adopted from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
![Official portrait of Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001035_200.jpg)