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![Official portrait of Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001095_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
2,336 records where Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2018
Reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as the foundation of transatlantic security and defense. Encourages all NATO countries to fulfill their defense commitments as agreed upon at the NATO 2014 Wales Summit.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Restore Our Parks Act This bill: (1) establishes the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund, and (2) requires 50% of all energy development revenues for FY2019-FY2023 to be deposited into such fund. Amounts deposited in the fund must not exceed $1.3 billion for any fiscal year and must be used for meeting high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Burn Pits Accountability Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the military departments to evaluate whether each member of the Armed Forces has been (1) based or stationed where an open air burn pit was used to dispose of waste, or (2) exposed to toxic airborne chemicals. Members located where an open burn pit was used or exposed to toxic airborne chemicals must be enrolled in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, unless the member elects not to enroll. The evaluations must be included in periodic health assessments, physical exams conducted immediately prior to separation from active duty, and deployment assessments. DOD must share the results of the evaluations with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Countering the Chinese Government and Communist Party's Political Influence Operations Act This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress regarding the political influence operations of the government and Communist Party of China affecting the United States and up to five of its most impacted allies and partners.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to arrange for the award of a single gold medal to the U.S. Army Ranger veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated wartime service. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2018
Servicemembers Improved Transition through Reforms for Ensuring Progress Act of 2018 or the SIT-REP Act of 2018 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to require educational institutions, in order to be eligible for educational payments, to adopt policies that prohibit penalizing student veterans for late VA assistance payments.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2018
Student Empowerment Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax-exempt distributions from qualified tuition programs (known as 529 plans) to be used for additional educational expenses in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school. (Under current law, distributions in connection with an elementary or secondary school are limited to tuition for a public, private, or religious school.) The bill allows the distributions to be used for additional educational expenses, including: curriculum and curricular materials, books or other instructional materials, online educational materials, tutoring or educational classes outside the home, testing fees, fees for dual enrollment in an institution of higher education, and educational therapies for students with disabilities. Distributions may also be used for the purposes above in connection with a homeschool (whether treated as a homeschool or a private school under state law).
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2018
Keep Families Together and Enforce the Law Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend protective custody over alien children under age 18 who are accompanied by a parent and apprehended at the border or are seeking admission to the United States at a port of entry. DHS must temporarily house an alien child under age 18 in a family residential center during the pendency of civil or criminal proceedings. DHS must increase the number of available beds in family residential centers. The Department of Justice must increase the number of immigration judge teams to conduct prioritized proceedings for accompanied alien children and families apprehended at the southwest border or who are seeking admission to the United States at a port of entry.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2018 This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to delay until 2021 the reimposition of the annual fee on certain health insurance providers based on market share. Under current law, the fee is suspended for 2019 and is scheduled to be reimposed in 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2018
Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2018 This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to allow the reporting of certain positive consumer-credit information to consumer reporting agencies. Specifically, a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development may report information related to a consumer's performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a dwelling or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. However, information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications service may be reported only to the extent that the information relates to payment by the consumer for such service or other terms of the provision of that service. Furthermore, an energy-utility firm may not report a consumer's outstanding balance as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of that plan. Specified provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act that establish civil liability with respect to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies shall not apply to any violation of the bill. The Government Accountability Office must report on the consumer impact of such reporting.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2018
Cooperate with Law Enforcement Agencies and Watch Act of 2018 This bill limits a financial institution's liability for maintaining a customer account in compliance with a written request by a federal, state, tribal, or local law enforcement agency. A federal or state agency may not take an adverse supervisory action against a financial institution with respect to maintaining an account consistent with such a request.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2018
Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2018 This bill amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to exempt certain privately held, non-custody brokers and dealers from specified audit report requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Integrated Missile Defense Act of 2018 This bill addresses U.S. missile defense capabilities in response to nuclear threats from North Korea under the regime of Kim Jong-un. It urges or directs the Missile Defense Agency to accelerate the fielding of 20 additional ground-based interceptors with Redesigned Kill Vehicles (RKVs) at Missile Field 4 at Fort Greely, Alaska, and mate the RKVs with the newest booster technology; ensure the development and deployment of persistent space-based sensor architecture; plan a fully interoperable and integrated air and missile defense architecture; accelerate its hypersonic missile defense program and deploy such program in conjunction with a persistent space-based missile defense sensor program; seek to establish missile defense capabilities with allies and trusted partners of the United States; and pursue an increasingly rigorous testing regime and prioritize discrimination capabilities to improve missile defense effectiveness against current and future threats from countries hostile to the United States. .
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Condemns the attack at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, on May 18, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2018
Honors the 70th anniversary of the reactivation in 1948 of the 3d Infantry Regiment of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
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 Washington, DC, and 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 · 16 May 2018
Designates the week of May 13-May 19, 2018, as National Police Week.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2018
Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018 This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to authorize their personnel to act to mitigate the threat that unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones) poses to the safety or security of facilities or assets, through a risk-based assessment. DHS may take actions to: detect, identify, monitor, and track the drone, without prior consent; warn the drone's operator; disrupt control of the drone, without prior consent; seize or exercise control of the drone; confiscate the drone; or use reasonable force to disable, damage, or destroy the drone. Any drone seized by DHS or DOJ is subject to forfeiture to the United States. DHS shall: (1) evaluate the threat from drones to U.S. critical infrastructure and to domestic large hub airports; and (2) assess the threat of vehicular terrorism and its activities to support emergency response providers and the private sector to prevent, mitigate, and respond to vehicular terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Providing Officers With Electronic Resources Act or the POWER Act This bill authorizes the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to make grants to law enforcement agencies to purchase a chemical screening device and to train personnel to use, and intercept data collected by, such device.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2018
Honors the life and contribution to the United States of Barbara Bush and extends sympathies to her family.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2018
Designates April 21-April 29, 2018, as National Park Week. Encourages the people of the United States and the world to visit U.S. national parks.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable John Melcher, Senator from Montana. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 18, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator Melcher.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2018
Agriculture Creates Real Employment Act or the ACRE Act This bill reduces environmental requirements for agricultural producers, including requirements concerning the takings of certain birds at farms or aquaculture facilities, exports of certain sea urchins and sea cucumbers, discharges of pesticides, the use of information and data collected in accordance with certain environmental laws, or oil pollution on farms.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2018
Stephen Michael Gleason Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Stephen Michael Gleason.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Daniel K. Akaka, Senator from Hawaii. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 10, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Extends deepest condolences and gratitude to the family of Zell Bryan Miller, the former governor and Senator of Georgia. Honors his legacy and life, his commitment to the people of Georgia and the United States, and his service to the Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 10, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Miller.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2018
Ending the Fentanyl Crisis Act of 2018 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to modify the drug quantity thresholds that trigger a mandatory minimum prison term for a defendant who manufactures, distributes, imports, exports, or possesses with intent to distribute fentanyl. Specifically, the bill reduces from 400 to 20 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 100 to 5 grams the fentanyl analogue quantity that trigger a 10-year or 20-year mandatory minimum prison term for high-level first-time or repeat offenders. It also reduces from 40 to 2 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 10 to 0.5 grams the fentanyl analogue quantity that trigger a 5-year or 10-year mandatory minimum prison term for low-level first-time or repeat offenders. Additionally, the bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to increase the availability of chemical screening devices and dedicate the appropriate number of personnel to interdict fentanyl and other substances that are unlawfully imported into the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and printed in the Congressional Record on December 6, 2017, relating to indirect auto lending and compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The rule provides guidance for compliance with fair lending requirements for third-party auto lenders.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to modify regulations relating to hours of service requirements for drivers to ensure that the definition of `agricultural commodity' includes fish, whether or not used for food.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
National Aviation Cadet Museum of the United States Recognition Act This bill recognizes the Aviation Cadet Museum in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, as the National Aviation Cadet Museum of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2018
Foreign Influence Transparency Act This bill amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to limit the exemption from foreign agent registration with the Department of Justice for a person engaging in activities in furtherance of religious, scholastic, academic, or scientific pursuits or of the fine arts to only those activities that do not promote a foreign government's political agenda. The Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended to require institutions to report to the Department of Education a gift or contract from a foreign source whose annual value is $50,000 or more. The fair market value of in-kind-gifts is included in such limit. (Currently, a report is due if the annual value is $250,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with a foreign source.) A report shall: (1) include the contents of any such contracts, and (2) make such contents available for public disclosure.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2018
First Amendment Defense Act This bill prohibits the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person on the basis that such person speaks or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that: (1) marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman or two individuals as recognized under federal law, or (2) sexual relations outside marriage are improper. The bill defines "person" as any person regardless of religious affiliation, except publicly traded for-profit entities; federal employees acting within the scope of their employment; federal for-profit contractors acting within the scope of their contract; or hospitals and other health care entities with respect to visitation, recognition of a designated representative for health care decisions, or refusal to provide medical treatment necessary to cure an illness or injury.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2018
Preserving Access to Cost Effective Drugs Act or the PACED Act This bill prohibits patent owners from asserting tribal sovereign immunity as a defense in certain proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including patent validity challenge proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The prohibition also applies to court actions and proceedings before the International Trade Commission. Sovereign immunity for foreign states shall apply in the PTAB as it applies in federal court.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2018
Improving Choices in Health Care Coverage Act This bill requires a health insurance issuer that offers short-term, limited-duration insurance to renew the coverage at the option of the individual.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2018
Condemns the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2018
This joint resolution extends the sympathies of Congress to the family of the Reverend William "Billy" F. Graham, Jr., and honors his life, his ministry, and his contributions to North Carolina, the United States, and the moral and religious life of millions of individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
Recognizes the strategic importance of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the importance of the renegotiation of the Compact of Free Association with the United States and encourages a continued commitment to improve census data to better serve citizens of the republic living in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2018
Honors the dedication and courage of the Buffalo Soldiers and recognizes their legacy. Recognizes the contributions that the Buffalo Soldiers have made to the National Park System and to military history in the United States and throughout the world.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2018
Clarifying Commercial Real Estate Loans This bill amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to specify that a federal banking agency may not subject a depository institution to higher capital standards with respect to a high-volatility commercial real-estate (HVCRE) exposure unless the exposure is an HVCRE acquisition, development, or construction (ADC) loan. An HVCRE ADC loan is a one that: (1) is secured by land or improved real property; (2) has the purpose of providing financing to acquire, develop, or improve the real property such that the property becomes income-producing; and (3) is dependent upon future income or sales proceeds from, or refinancing of, the real property for the repayment of the loan. An HVCRE ADC loan does not include financing for a one- to four-family residential property, agricultural land, real property that would qualify as an investment in community development, existing income-producing real property secured by a mortgage, or certain commercial real-property projects. Furthermore, such a loan does not include any loan made prior to January 1, 2015. A depository institution may reclassify a loan as a non-HVCRE ADC loan if the depository institution is satisfied that: (1) the acquisition, development, or improvement of real property being financed by the loan is complete; and (2) the cash flow being generated by the real property is sufficient to support the debt service and expenses of the real property.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2018
Defending U.S. Government Communications Act This bill prohibits federal agencies from procuring or obtaining, renewing or extending a contract to obtain or procure, or entering into a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service with telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system that is from Huawei Technologies Company, ZTE Corporation, or an entity reasonably believed to be owned or controlled by China.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2018
Eric's Law This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings. If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2018
Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury, in furtherance of efforts to prevent the financing of terrorism, money laundering, or related illicit finance and to make financial institutions' required compliance with sanctions more easily understood, to submit within 270 days and annually thereafter for the next two years a report regarding: the funds or other assets held in U.S. and foreign financial institutions that are directly or indirectly controlled by specified Iranian officials; any equity interest such official has in an entity on Treasury's list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons or in any other sanctioned entity; how such funds, assets, or equity interests were acquired and used; new methods used to evade anti-money laundering and related laws, including recommendations to improve techniques to combat illicit uses of the U.S. financial system by such officials. recommendations for revising U.S. economic sanctions against Iran to prevent Iranian officials from using funds or assets to develop and procure ballistic missile technology and commit human rights abuses; the effectiveness of U.S. economic sanctions against Iran and how Treasury assesses such effectiveness; and recommendations for improving Treasury's ability to develop and enforce additional economic sanctions against Iran if so ordered by the President. The unclassified portion of the report shall be made available to the public and posted on Treasury's website in downloadable English, Farsi, Arabic, and Azeri versions.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2018
Designates the week of January 21-January 27, 2018, as National School Choice Week. Encourages all parents to learn more about the educational options available.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2018
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2018
Calls for honoring the 232nd anniversary of the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on Religious Freedom Day, January 16, 2018. Affirms that: religious freedom includes the right of individuals of any faith and individuals of no faith to live, work, associate, and worship in accordance with their beliefs; all people of the United States can be unified in supporting religious freedom because it is a fundamental human right; and the American people will remain forever unshackled in matters of faith.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2018
Condemns the government of Iran for: (1) funding terrorist organizations and activities; (2) oppression of its citizens; and (3) suppression of communication through interference with internet applications such as Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, and Twitter. Reaffirms: (1) the U.S. commitment to promoting the freedoms of speech and assembly as universal rights, and (2) U.S. support for the citizens of Iran to establish a freely elected democratic system.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2017
Military Reserve Jobs Act of 2017 This bill establishes tiered hiring preferences for members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces. The bill grants: (1) a 2-point preference to current members of a reserve component who have completed at least 6 years of service in a reserve component and were credited with at least 50 retirement points in each year of service, and (2) a 3-point preference to current members of a reserve component who have completed a least 10 years of service and were credited with at least 50 retirement points in each year of service. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on federal employment opportunities for members of a reserve component and the impact of this bill on the hiring of reservists and veterans by the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2017
Security, Enforcement, and Compassion United in Reform Efforts Act or the SECURE Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to achieve situational awareness and operational control of the U.S. southern border and to deter and detect illegal activity in high traffic areas. The bill authorizes National Guard and Department of Defense support to secure such border. DHS shall establish: (1) a National Border Security Advisory Committee, (2) the Integrated Border Enforcement Team program, (3) Tunnel Task Forces, and (4) a biometric exit data system to complete the required integrated biometric entry and exit data system. The bill provides for: (1) additional border control and immigration personnel, (2) reimbursement to state and local prosecutors for federally initiated immigration-related criminal cases, (3) expansion of biometric technology and data, and (4) immigration detention capacity increases. Operation Stonegarden is established in DHS. DHS shall reinstate and operate the Secure Communities immigration enforcement program. DHS may construct new ports of entry along the northern and southern borders. The bill revises provisions regarding: (1) alien apprehension and detention, (2) nonimmigrant admissions, (3) parole authority, (4) sanctuary jurisdictions, (5) unaccompanied alien children, (6) human smuggling and trafficking, (7) drug trafficking and crimes of violence committed by illegal aliens, (8) visa and passport security, (9) background checks, (10) status adjustment, (11) naturalization, (12) asylum, (13) terrorists, (14) expedited removal, (15) immigration-related crimes and penalties, and (16) DHS positions in U.S. territories.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017
Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify procedures for determining the amount of mandatory restitution in child pornography cases. Additionally, the bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984: to direct courts to impose additional assessments on persons convicted of child pornography offenses; and to establish a Child Pornography Victims Reserve, within the Crime Victims Fund, where the additional assessments must be deposited.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017
Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to allow institutions with less than $10 billion in assets to waive ability-to-repay requirements for certain residential-mortgage loans. Other mortgage-lending provisions related to appraisals, mortgage data, employment of loan originators, manufactured homes, and transaction waiting periods are also modified. The bill amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to exempt banks with assets valued at less than $10 billion from the "Volcker Rule," which prohibits banking agencies from engaging in proprietary trading or entering into certain relationships with hedge funds and private-equity funds. Certain banks are also exempted by the bill from specified capital and leverage ratios, with federal banking agencies directed to promulgate new requirements. The bill amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to reduce inspection requirements and environmental-review requirements for certain smaller, rural public-housing agencies. Provisions relating to enhanced prudential regulation for financial institutions are modified, including those related to stress testing, leverage requirements, and the use of municipal bonds for purposes of meeting liquidity requirements. The bill requires credit reporting agencies to provide credit-freeze alerts and includes consumer-credit provisions related to senior citizens, minors, and veterans.