United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2018
Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018 This bill requires the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to: (1) commence establishing a collection of civil rights cold case records, (2) commence preparing and publishing the subject guidebook and index to the collection, and (3) establish criteria for transmitting copies of civil rights cold case records to NARA, to include required metadata. All civil rights cold case records transmitted to NARA for disclosure to the public shall be included in the collection, available to the public for inspection and copying by 60 days after the record's transmission to NARA, and prioritized for digitization by NARA. The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board is established as an independent agency of impartial private citizens. The records of the review board shall not be destroyed, with an exception.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2018
Transportation Empowerment Act This bill proposes the return to the states of discretionary authority and fiscal responsibility for national surface transportation systems not within the purview of the federal government. It imposes a funding limitation on transportation programs and projects based upon availability of funding through the Highway Trust Fund. The bill also provides funding for certain core highway programs for FY2019-FY2023, including the federal-aid highway program, emergency relief, the federal lands access program, and the highway research and development program. It adjust amounts in the Highway Trust Fund and the tax rates on gasoline and special motor fuels to support such core programs. The bill repeals provisions relating to metropolitan transportation planning and congestion mitigation and air quality improvement. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) require the return of excess tax receipts to states for surface transportation programs, and (2) reduce tax rates on gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and special fuels. The provisions of this bill shall apply only if the Office of Management and Budget certifies that it is deficit neutral.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2018 This bill specifies that an offense involving lynching is a criminal civil rights violation. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both.
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 · 25 June 2018
Condemns the violence perpetrated against the citizens of Nicaragua by the Ortega regime and affiliated armed groups, and calls on the government of Nicaragua to enact constitutional and legal reforms to better protect its citizens. Calls on the President to impose sanctions against any person responsible for gross violations of human rights or acts of significant corruption in Nicaragua.
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 · 19 June 2018
Protect Kids and Parents Act This bill requires that a child of alien parents or legal guardians who are asylum applicants must be detained in the same facility. A "child" is defined as an individual who has not reached the age of 18, has no permanent immigration status, and was in the custody and presence of a parent or legal guardian when the parent or legal guardian was detained for illegally entering the United States. The bill also: directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to increase the total number of immigration judges and Board of Immigration staff attorneys; directs Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase the total number of DHS personnel who process asylum applications; requires DOJ and DHS to establish procedures for expedited consideration and processing of asylum applications; requires expedited removal of asylum applicants whose applications have been denied; establishes a strong presumption in favor of family unity; requires DHS to publish guidance for locating separated children; and requires the Government Accountability Office to study, and report on, the prosecution of asylum seekers between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
Designates June 19, 2018, as Juneteenth Independence Day. Recognizes the historical significance and supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
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 · 4 June 2018
This bill requires the Department of State to submit a report to Congress that: (1) identifies Chinese officials responsible for the imprisonment of political prisoners; and (2) determines whether such officials are designated under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and, if not, a justification for why not.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act of 2018 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to make three changes to provisions governing civil claims for damages resulting from an act of international terrorism. First, the bill narrows the limitation on such claims that occur during an act of war. Current law bars claims for international terrorism that occur during an armed conflict between military forces. This bill specifies that designated foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists are not military forces. Second, the bill makes available any asset of a terrorist party seized or frozen under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act for the satisfaction of court-awarded judgments against the terrorist party. Third, it allows federal courts to exercise personal jurisdiction over a foreign non-state defendant that accepts benefits from the United States (e.g., foreign assistance).
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to revise administrative and judicial dispute resolution procedures for initiating and resolving claims by employees alleging that employing offices have violated their CAA rights and protections, including protections against sexual harassment. The bill revises CAA provisions, including to: eliminate CAA counseling requirements and make mediation an employee's option before filing a claim with the Office of Compliance (OOC) alleging the violation; require current and former Members of Congress to reimburse the Treasury for compensatory damages included in an award or settlement resulting from the Member's alleged act of discrimination or retaliation; require referral to congressional ethics committees of final disposition of claims alleging CAA violations by Members of Congress and senior staff of employing offices; require non-congressional legislative offices that violate CAA requirements to reimburse the Treasury for resulting award or settlement payments; extend CAA nondiscrimination requirements and remedies to uncompensated legislative branch interns, detailees, and fellows; and provide OOC and CAA resources and services to employees outside of the Washington, DC area. The bill applies CAA rights and protections to the China Review Commission, the Congressional-Executive China Commission, the Helsinki Commission, the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development, and their employees. Non-congressional CAA employing offices must develop programs to train and educate employees about their CAA rights and protections and available procedures to consider alleged CAA violations. The bill renames the OOC the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.
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 · 24 May 2018
Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act This bill rescinds approximately $15 billion in budget authority over 2018-2028 that was proposed to be rescinded by the President under procedures included in the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. (A rescission is legislation enacted by Congress that cancels the availability of previously enacted budget authority before the authority would otherwise expire. Under current law, the President may propose rescissions to Congress, which must be enacted into law to take effect. Congress may rescind all, part, or none of the amounts proposed by the President. If Congress does not pass rescission legislation within 45 days of continuous session of Congress, the President must make the funds available.) The bill rescinds budget authority from specified programs and accounts within: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development. the Department of Transportation, the Department of the Treasury, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Railroad Retirement Board.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2018
Stop Higher Education Espionage and Theft Act of 2018 This bill establishes a process for designating foreign actors as foreign intelligence threats to higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2018
Congressional Accountability and Harassment Reform Act This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to revise procedures for initiating, investigating, and resolving claims by employees alleging that employing offices have violated their CAA rights and protections, including protections against discrimination and sexual harassment.
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
Coastal Texas Protection Act This bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the completion of the feasibility studies for flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, and ecosystem restoration in the coastal areas of Texas.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Congratulates the students, families, teachers, administrators, and staff of public charter schools across the United States for: (1) making ongoing contributions to public education, (2) making impressive strides in closing the academic achievement gap in U.S. schools, and (3) improving and strengthening the public school system. Expresses support for the ideals and goals of the 19th annual National Charter Schools Week.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Defending Elections against Trolls from Enemy Regimes Act or DETER Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make an alien who is seeking to engage in, or has engaged in, improper interference in a U.S. election inadmissible. Improper interference in a U.S. election is conduct by an alien that: (1) violates federal criminal, voting rights, or campaign finance law, or is under the direction of a foreign government; and (2) interferes with any general or primary federal, state, or local election or caucus, including a candidate's campaign or a ballot measure.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
Saving America's Vulnerable and Endangered Species Act or the SAVES Act This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, as appropriate, from listing a living nonnative species as a threatened or endangered species.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
This bill designates the federal building and U.S. courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the "George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse."
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2018
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Don and Deyon Stephens, founders of Mercy Ships.
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 · 17 April 2018
Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act of 2018 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the adjusted basis of certain assets (including common stock in a C corporation and tangible property used in a trade or business) to be indexed for inflation for the purpose of determining the gain or loss of a taxpayer (other than a corporation) who has held the asset for more than three years. The bill sets forth rules for applying the inflation adjustment to: short sales; regulated investment companies; real estate investment trusts; other pass-through entities, including partnerships, S corporations, and common trust funds; dispositions between related persons; and improvements to property or contributions of capital. The Internal Revenue Service may disallow an adjustment if any person transfers cash, debt, or any other property to another person for the principal purpose of securing or increasing the adjustment allowed by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2018
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent several tax provisions that were enacted in 2017 and are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The bill makes permanent provisions that reduce individual tax rates, modify the taxation of the unearned income of children, allow a deduction for qualified business income of pass-through entities, increase the standard deduction, increase and modify the child tax credit, increase the limitation for certain charitable contributions, allow additional contributions to ABLE accounts (tax-favored accounts designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for disability-related expenses), allow certain members of the Armed Forces in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt to receive combat zone tax benefits, reduce the adjusted gross income threshold for the medical expense deduction, exclude from gross income discharges of student loan debt due to the death or disability of the student, repeal the deduction for personal exemptions, limit individual deductions for state and local taxes, limit the mortgage interest deduction, double the estate and gift tax exemption amount, increase the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individuals, and repeal or limit several other deductions and exclusions. The bill also modifies (1) the capital gains tax brackets, and (2) the tax filing requirements for married taxpayers.
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 · 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 joint resolution nullifies the rule finalized by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on November 17, 2017, regarding payday, vehicle title, and other high-cost installment loans.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2018
This bill directs federal agencies to carry out an assignment program to allow participating states to assume certain responsibilities of the agency regarding the effect of undertaking a highway project on any historic property within the state.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2018
This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to direct the Department of Transportation (DOT) to carry out an assignment program to allow participating states to assume certain responsibilities of DOT with respect to agency actions applicable to highway projects within the state.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2018
This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to allow a state that has assumed the environmental review responsibilities of the Department of Transportation under the surface transportation project delivery program to apply to the Environmental Protection Agency to administer an individual and general permit program for discharging dredge and fill material into navigable waters.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2018
Observes International Parental Child Abduction Month, April 1-May 1, 2018, to raise awareness of, and opposition to, international parental child abduction.
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 · 8 March 2018
Recognizes March 10, 2018, as Tibetan Rights Day and calls on the Department of State to fully implement the provisions of the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2018
School Safety and Mental Health Services Improvement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow state and local educational agencies to use certain federal funds for activities related to school safety, including: (1) infrastructure improvements to prevent, mitigate, or respond to incidents of school violence; and (2) professional development for school personnel in mental-health awareness, crisis response, and other programs designed to reduce and prevent school violence. The bill also amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the programs for which the Department of Health and Human Services may provide financial support to assist local communities in helping children deal with violence. Such programs may include those designed to provide mental-health and substance-use disorder assessments, crisis-intervention training, counseling, treatment, and referral. The President must convene an interagency task force to address school safety.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2018
Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes grant programs, creates new criminal offenses, and makes several other changes related to the sale, transfer, and possession of firearms. Among other things, the bill does the following: modifies and reauthorizes grants under the NICS Act Record Improvement Program, modifies and reauthorizes the Secure Our Schools grant program, removes certain restrictions on interstate firearms transactions, and creates stand-alone criminal offenses for trafficking in firearms and straw purchasing of firearms.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2018
United States and Israel Space Cooperation Act This bill directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to continue to work with the Israel Space Agency in identifying and cooperatively pursuing peaceful space exploration and science initiatives in areas of mutual interest, taking all appropriate measures to protect sensitive information, intellectual property, trade secrets, and economic interests of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018 This bill extends security assistance to Israel. Specifically, it extends: foreign military financing assistance to Israel through FY2028, loan guarantees through FY2023, and authority for the war reserves stockpile through FY2023. The President may: enter into a cooperative agreement with Israel for research and joint production of anti-drone defense articles; conduct a joint assessment with Israel regarding which precision guided munitions Israel needs in a sustained armed confrontation with Hezbollah, Hamas, or other groups; and transfer precision guided munitions and defense articles to such stockpile. The bill directs the Department of Defense to provide for the rapid acquisition and deployment of precision guided munitions for U.S. counterterrorism missions or to assist an ally under missile threat from a terrorist organization or a country that supports international terrorism. The President shall report to Congress describing the steps taken to include Israel in the list of countries eligible for the strategic trade authorization exception. Such exception allows a controlled item to be exported without a transaction-specific license. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall continue to work with the Israel Space Agency to pursue peaceful space exploration and science initiatives. The bill also requires the periodic reports on Israel's qualitative military edge to include information about Israel's ability to defend itself from regional state and non-state actors and from drone, cyber, and asymmetric threats.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 or the STOP School Violence Act of 2018 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to revise and reauthorize through FY2028 the Secure Our Schools grant program.
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