United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2019
This bill addresses the process of business registration by a spouse accompanying a service member deployed away from the state of residence. The accompanying spouse shall not be deemed to have (1) lost a residence or domicile in the state, (2) acquired a residence or domicile in another state, or (3) become a resident in or of any other state. The spouse may elect to use the same residence as the member regardless of the date of marriage. The bill authorizes the Department of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Council of State Governments to assist with funding for interstate compacts on licensed occupations in order to alleviate burdens associated with relicensing when members make a permanent change of duty station to another state.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2019
Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act This bill treats certain military survivor benefits that are received by children as earned income of the child for the purposes of the kiddie tax (the tax on the unearned income of children). This has the effect of exempting the benefits from such tax.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2019
Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 201 9 This bill shields health care professionals from liability under federal or state law for harm caused by an act or omission while (1) the professional is serving as a volunteer in response to a disaster; and (2) such act or omission occurs during the period of the disaster, in the state where the disaster has been declared, in the professional's capacity as a volunteer, during the course of providing a service for which the professional is licensed or certified, and with a good faith belief that the individual being treated is in need of health care services. This protection from liability does not apply if (1) the harm was caused by an act or omission constituting willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed; or (2) the professional rendered the health care services under the influence of alcohol or an intoxicating drug.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2019
National Law Enforcement Museum Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins that are emblematic of the National Law Enforcement Museum in the District of Columbia and of the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers throughout the history of the United States. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges, which shall be distributed to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2019
Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the Task Force on Outdoor Recreation for Veterans to report on and make recommendations regarding the use of public lands or other outdoor spaces for medical treatment and therapy for veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 400,000 $1 silver coins that are emblematic of the women who played a vital role in rallying support for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Such coins may be issued during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020. All surcharges received from the sales of such coins shall be paid to the American Women's History Initiative of the Smithsonian Institution.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2019
This resolution condemns the April 21, 2019, terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka and declares that the Senate stands with the government of Sri Lanka in bringing peace and security to the citizens of Sri Lanka, particularly the religious communities of that nation.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2019
This resolution declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Richard G. Lugar, former Senator from Indiana.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2019
This bill transfers administrative jurisdiction from the Department of the Interior to the Department of the Army over the 16.09-acre parcel of federal land in Arlington, Virginia, adjacent to and comprising Memorial Avenue from the western side of the Route 110 overpass, west to and including the hemicycle used by the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. Such land shall be administered as part of Arlington National Cemetery. The bill also transfers administrative jurisdiction from Army to Interior over the 1.04-acre parcel of federal land in Arlington adjacent to the Chaffee parking lot, comprising one structure, and bounded on the northeast by Sherman Drive. Such land shall be included within the boundary of Arlington House and the Robert E. Lee Memorial, and administered by Interior as part of such memorial. The land transfers of this bill shall be made without reimbursement nor consideration. The use of a bicycle trail or recreational access in the transferred lands may continue after transfer.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2019
Venezuelan Contracting Restriction Act This bill prohibits an executive agency from entering into a contract for the procurement of goods or services with any person that has business operations with an authority of the Venezuelan government that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the U.S. government. (The United States recognizes Juan Guaido as interim President of the legitimate government of Venezuela.)
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2019
Rural Access to Hospice Act of 2019 This bill allows federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health centers (RHCs) to receive payment under Medicare for hospice services. Currently, attending physicians who work for FQHCs and RHCs may provide hospice services only outside of FQHC or RHC work hours and must bill Medicare under their own provider numbers; FQHCs and RHCs may not receive payment under Medicare for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2019
Equal Campus Access Act of 2019 This bill prohibits funding for any public institution of higher education (IHE) that denies to religious student organizations any right, benefit, or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the IHE because of the religious beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or standards of conduct of the religious student organization.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Protect Act This bill adds, among other provisions, requirements to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 for private health insurance plans with respect to preexisting conditions, guaranteed enrollment, and discrimination based on health-related factors. Specifically, the bill prohibits private health insurance plans from (1) limiting or excluding benefits covering preexisting conditions; (2) denying enrollment to employers or individual applicants, subject to specified limits; (3) establishing rules for eligibility based on an individual's health status; or (4) requiring an individual to a pay higher premium than similarly situated individuals enrolled in the plan based the individual's health status. Additionally, the bill prohibits plans from collecting genetic information in connection with issuing health insurance and provides requirements for workplace wellness programs connected to health insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2019
Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy Act or the RAISE Act This bill eliminates the diversity visa program, replaces employment-based immigration programs with a points-based system, and imposes various limits on various types of immigration. Aliens that reach the minimum number of points may apply for a points-based visa. Points are awarded for various characteristics including age, English language proficiency, education level, and investments made in the United States. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall periodically invite the highest scoring applicants to petition for visas. The bill limits eliminates various preference allocations (visa categories subject to various annual caps) for family-sponsored immigrant visas, such as those for the adult children of U.S. citizens. Only the spouses and children of U.S. citizens shall qualify as immediate relatives , whereas currently parents also qualify (visas for immediate relatives are not subject to direct numerical caps). The bill creates a nonimmigrant visa for such alien parents. The bill reduces the baseline annual cap for family-sponsored visas from 480,000 to 88,000 and revises the methods for calculating the cap. It also imposes a limit of 50,000 refugees admitted in any fiscal year. An alien who received needs-based public benefits shall not be naturalized as a U.S. citizen until the individual who signed the affidavit of support for the alien has reimbursed the federal government for such benefits. The bill imposes various reporting requirements related to the points-based system.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Duck Boat Safety Enhancement Act of 2019 This bill directs the U.S. Coast Guard to implement regulations related to the safety of amphibious passenger vessels, including during severe weather emergencies. Operators of amphibious passenger vessels are required to provide reserve buoyancy for such vessels through passive means, including watertight compartmentalization, built-in flotation, or other means, to ensure that such vessels remain afloat and upright in the event of flooding, including when carrying a full complement of passengers and crew. The bill sets forth requirements for vessels that are not in compliance with the regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Fentanyl Sanctions Act This bill establishes programs to address illicit opioid trafficking and imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities involved in such activities. The President shall impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities identified as opioid traffickers or those that own, control, or supply opioid precursors. The sanctions include bans on (1) receiving loans, (2) foreign exchange transactions, (3) property transactions, and (4) certain investments that fall under U.S. jurisdiction. The President may waive sanctions on certain parties for national security and humanitarian concerns. The President shall report to Congress about the implementation of such sanctions and also on cooperative efforts with Mexico and China to combat illicit opioid trafficking. The bill establishes the Commission on Synthetic Opioid Trafficking, which shall develop a strategy to combat the flow of synthetic opioids into the United States. The commission shall report on various topics, including the scope of illicit trafficking in other countries and the deficiencies in other countries' regulation of pharmaceutical and chemical production. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) shall establish a program to assist in enforcement efforts and sanctions against illicit opioid traffickers, with a focus on illicit finance. ODNI shall periodically report to Congress about the intelligence community's counter-narcotics efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Working Families Flexibility Act of 2019 This bill revises requirements for the receipt of compensatory time off for private sector employees. Specifically, the bill authorizes private employers to provide compensatory time off to their employees at a rate of one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime compensation is required, prohibits an employee from accruing more that 160 hours of compensatory time, requires an employer to give their employees a 30-day notice before discontinuing compensatory time, prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's right to or not request compensatory time off in lieu of payment of overtime compensation or from requiring an employee to use such compensatory time, and imposes penalties on employers who violate the compensatory time requirements set forth by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands (RURAL) Act This bill modifies the definition of income used to determine the tax-exempt status of a mutual or cooperative telephone or electric company to exclude certain government grants, contributions, and assistance. Specifically, the bill excludes from income (1) grants, contributions, and assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or by local, state, or regional governmental entities for disasters or emergencies; and (2) certain grants or contributions provided by a government entity for electric, communications, broadband, internet, or other utility facilities or services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
The resolution affirms that the Israeli-American community has contributed immensely to the society and culture of the United States and condemns all forms of discrimination that aim to marginalize or disenfranchise members of such community.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Supporting and Treating Officers In Crisis Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes for FY2020-FY2024 and revises Department of Justice grants to provide family support services to law enforcement personnel. Among other changes, the bill allows grants to support additional services such as suicide prevention and mental health programs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Retirement Security Flexibility Act of 201 9 This bill modifies the nondiscrimination requirements that apply to certain employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plans that include automatic contribution arrangements.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Strengthening Financial Security Through Short-Term Savings Accounts Act of 2019 This bill allows employers to enroll employees in short-term savings accounts that are funded using automatic contributions deducted from participating employees' wages. For each pay period, the employer must transfer to the account an amount equal to the percentage of the employee's compensation or a fixed amount, as determined by the employer. Employees may elect to adjust, stop, or pause their contributions. The balance in an account may not exceed $10,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) and must be made readily available to the employee at any time.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Refund to Rainy Day Savings Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to establish and implement a Refund to Rainy Day Savings Program to permit a taxpayer to defer payment on 20% of a tax refund to be deposited into a Treasury account, accumulate interest, and disbursed to the taxpayer in six months. The bill also reauthorizes the Assets for Independence (AFI) federal matched savings program through FY2024 and requires appropriations for the program to be reserved for general research and evaluation, grants for AFI innovation projects to expand the availability of matched savings accounts to low-income individuals, and a three-year matched savings account pilot program established by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to encourage savings by low-income taxpayers. Under the pilot program, HHS may provide grants to qualified entities to match funds saved by low-income taxpayers under the Refund to Rainy Day Savings Program. Qualified entities for the pilot program include nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies or tribal governments applying with a nonprofit organization, sites that offer free tax assistance under certain Internal Revenue Service programs, and certain low-income credit unions and community development financial institutions. HHS must (1) contract with an independent research organization to evaluate the pilot program, and (2) report annually to Congress on the progress and outcomes of the pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act This bill prohibits the sale of food that contains poppy seeds with potentially harmful levels of morphine, codeine, or other alkaloid compounds.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2019
Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act This bill prohibits Medicare prescription drug plan sponsors from retroactively reducing payment on clean claims submitted by pharmacies. (A clean claim is a Medicare claim that is free of defects such as incomplete documentation.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2019
This bill releases to the State of Arkansas a reversionary interest in and to the surface estate of the land constituting Camp Joseph T. Robinson, consisting of approximately 141.52 acres.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited Act This bill authorizes each military department to carry out a program to award scholarships to Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps members to assist them in obtaining private pilot's licenses through approved institutions of higher education. The bill also requires a report on the results of an assessment of the Air Force aviation training program known as the "JROTC Flight Academy, Chief of Staff Private Pilot Scholarship Program," conducted in 2018 and 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act This bill requires certain issuers of securities to establish that they are not owned or controlled by a foreign government. Specifically, an issuer must make this certification if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is unable to audit specified reports because the issuer has retained a foreign public accounting firm not subject to inspection by the board. Furthermore, if the board is unable to inspect the issuer's public accounting firm for three consecutive years, the issuer's securities are banned from trade on a national exchange.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Providing Officers With Electronic Resources Act or the POWER Act This bill authorizes the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to make grants to law enforcement agencies to purchase a chemical screening device and to train personnel to use, and interpret data collected by, such device.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2019 This bill allows a state or federal correctional facility to operate a jamming system to interfere with cellphone signals within inmate housing facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2019 This bill requires the President, in consultation with relevant federal agencies, to develop a strategy to secure and protect U.S. fifth and future generations (5G) systems and infrastructure. Such strategy shall (1) ensure the security of 5G mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure within the United States; (2) assist mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries in maximizing the security of 5G systems and infrastructure; and (3) protect the competitiveness of U.S. companies, privacy of U.S. consumers, and integrity of standards-setting bodies against political influence.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to Rosie the Riveter (i.e., any female individual who held employment or volunteered in support of the war efforts during World War II), in recognition of their contributions to the United States and the inspiration they have provided to ensuing generations. The medal shall be displayed at the National Museum of American History, which is urged to make the medal available for display at other locations associated with Rosie the Riveter.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Senate Cybersecurity Protection Act This bill authorizes the Senate Sergeant at Arms to provide cybersecurity assistance to protect the personal accounts and personal technology devices of Senators and certain Senate staff.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2019
Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019 This bill directs the President to review the Department of State's guidance on diplomatic practice with Taiwan and to reissue such guidance to the relevant executive branch departments and agencies. It also directs the President to report to Congress on the results of the review and on the implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act, which states that it is U.S. policy to allow and encourage engagement between U.S. and Taiwanese officials. The Department of Defense shall make efforts to include Taiwanese forces in bilateral and multilateral military exercises to bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities. The bill states that Taiwan is an important part of U.S. strategy in the region and urges the United States to conduct regular transfers of defense articles to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Transit Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act This bill prohibits the awarding of a contract to an entity for the procurement of rolling stock for use in public transportation if the manufacturer of the rolling stock is (1) incorporated or has manufacturing facilities in the United States; and (2) is owed or controlled by an entity based in a country that is identified as a nonmarket economy country, was identified by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as a priority foreign country (e.g., a country that does not protect intellectual property rights), and is subject to monitoring by the USTR. This includes the People's Republic of China. Any recipient of financial assistance for public transportation that operates a rail fixed guideway service must certify that it will not award any contract for the procurement of rail rolling stock for use in public transportation to a manufacturer of rolling stock that is described by this bill. A recipient that operates a rail fixed guideway public transportation system must certify that it has a written plan for identifying and reducing cybersecurity risks.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2019 This bill concerns the review by the Department of Education (ED) of certain alleged violations of title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. For alleged violations based on an individual's actual or perceived shared Jewish ancestry or Jewish ethnic characteristics, ED must consider the definition of anti-Semitism as part of its assessment of whether a practice was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. For purposes of this bill, the definition of anti-Semitism includes the definition set forth by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Restoring Investment in Improvements Act This bill confirms that the applicable recovery period for qualified improvement property (nonresidential real estate) for depreciation purposes is 15 years under the modified accelerated cost recovery system (MACRS) and 20 years under the alternative depreciation system (ADS).
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Merrill's Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), commonly known as Merrill's Marauders, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma (Myanmar) during World War II. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be displayed and made available for research.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Protecting Children Through Eliminating Visa Loopholes Act This bill requires an alien who seeks to qualify for a nonimmigrant visa as the fiance or spouse of a U.S. citizen to be at least 18 years old, and the sponsoring U.S. citizen must also be at least 18 years old. The bill also establishes that the terms "spouse," "wife," and "husband" shall not apply to any individual less than 18 years old for the purposes of the immigration and nationality laws.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
This resolution commemorates the 75th anniversary of the United Negro College Fund. It also celebrates the fund's successes in supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as underrepresented students.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
National POW/MIA Flag Act The bill changes the days on which the POW/MIA flag is required to be displayed at specified locations to all days on which the U.S. flag is displayed. (Current law requires the POW/MIA flag to be displayed only on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and Veterans Day.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to provide children with parents on active duty in the uniformed services with funds to pay educational expenses. Specifically, ED shall establish a tax-exempt Military Education Savings Account for dependent children of parents in the uniformed services for the payment of the children's educational expenses. Funds in the savings account may be used for, among other things, the cost of attendance at a private elementary or secondary school or institution of higher education, private tutoring, or costs associated with an apprenticeship or other vocational training program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2019
Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 201 9 This bill repeals the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans). The repeal applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.
![Official portrait of Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001095_200.jpg)