United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court or U.S. district court to permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising to the public of court proceedings over which that judge presides, except when it would constitute a violation of the due process rights of any party. Upon the request of any witness in a trial proceeding other than a party, a district court must order the face and voice of the witness to be disguised or otherwise obscured to render the witness unrecognizable to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding. The presiding judge in a trial proceeding must inform each witness who is not a party of the right to make such request. A presiding judge may obscure the face and voice of an individual if good cause is shown that photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising such features would threaten the individual's safety, the court's security, the integrity of future or ongoing law enforcement operations, or the interest of justice. The bill prohibits a presiding judge from permitting the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of any juror in a trial proceeding, or of the jury selection process. The bill terminates a district court's authority under this bill three years after its enactment. The Judicial Conference of the United States must promulgate mandatory guidelines that a presiding judge must follow for obscuring certain vulnerable witnesses. The bill prohibits any audio pickup or broadcast of conferences which occur in a court proceeding between attorneys and their clients, co-counsel of a client, adverse counsel, or counsel and the presiding judge, if the conferences are not part of the official record of the proceedings.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
American Innovation Act This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require certain adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2017-FY2021 to accommodate increases in appropriations for agencies that perform basic science research. Adjustments are required for the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy Office of Science, Department of Defense science and technology programs, National Institute of Standards and Technology Scientific and Technical Research and Services, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate. The bill also requires annual appropriations for each of the programs and agencies referenced in this bill to be at least the amount appropriated in FY2016. The bill exempts appropriations provided pursuant to this bill from sequestration. Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
American Cures Act This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require certain adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2017-FY2021 to accommodate increases in appropriations for agencies that perform biomedical research. Adjustments are required for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense health program, and the Department of Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research program. The bill also requires annual appropriations for each of the programs and agencies referenced in this bill to be at least the amount appropriated for FY2016. The bill exempts appropriations provided pursuant to this bill from sequestration. Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
Healthy Families Act This bill requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to permit each employee to earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. The bill authorizes small employers with fewer than 15 employees to provide the same paid sick time, but allows them to opt out. Any small employer that opts out shall provide at least 56 hours of unpaid sick time to each employee per calendar year. The bill declares that an employer shall not be required to permit an employee to earn more than 56 hours of paid sick time in a calendar year, unless the employer chooses to set a higher limit. Employees may use such time to: (1) meet their own medical needs; (2) care for the medical needs of certain family members (including a domestic partner or the domestic partner's parent or child); or (3) seek medical attention, assist a related person, take legal action, or engage in other specified activities relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's exercise of such rights. The Commissioner of Labor Statistics must compile information annually on paid sick time and the Comptroller General shall study related matters. The bill declares that nothing in this bill shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies. The Department of Labor shall exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority for employees covered by this bill, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. The same authority is granted to the Library of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, the Office of Compliance, and the Merit Systems Protection Board for employees under their jurisdictions. The bill authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
Jury Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection Act of 2017 or the Jury ACCESS Act This bill amends the federal judicial code to prohibit the exclusion of citizens from service as a grand or petit juror in U.S. district courts or the Court of International Trade on account of sexual orientation or gender identity (thereby expanding the current prohibition against exclusion on account of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status).
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the Canadian government should not allow a permanent nuclear waste repository to be built within the Great Lakes Basin, (2) the President and the Secretary of State should take appropriate action to work with the Canadian government to prevent a permanent nuclear waste repository from being built there, and (3) the President and the Secretary of State should work together with their Canadian government counterparts on a safe and responsible solution for the long-term storage of nuclear waste.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2017
Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development Act or the READ Act This bill amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to state that it shall be U.S. policy to work with partner countries, other donors, multilateral institutions, the private sector, and nongovernmental and civil society organizations (including faith-based organizations) to promote basic education through programs that: (1) respond to the needs and capacities of developing countries to improve literacy and other basic skills; (2) strengthen educational systems, expand access to safe learning environments (including by breaking down barriers to basic education for women and girls), and support the engagement of parents in their children's education; (3) promote education as a foundation for economic growth; and (4) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of basic education programs in partner countries. The President shall: (1) seek to improve the effectiveness of assistance by coordinating relevant executive branch efforts, (2) ensure that assistance is aligned with U.S. foreign policy and economic interests, and (3) submit to Congress by October 1, 2017, a comprehensive FY2018 through FY2022 strategy to promote basic education in partner countries. The bill establishes within the U.S. Agency for International Development the position of Senior Coordinator of United States International Basic Education Assistance, who shall have primary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of U.S. government resources and activities relating to the promotion of international basic education.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2017
Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act of 2017 This bill amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 to require a program under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides chiropractic care and services to veterans through Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and clinics to be carried out at: (1) no fewer than 75 medical centers by December 31, 2018, and (2) all medical centers by December 31, 2020. Chiropractic examinations and services are included within required VA medical, rehabilitative, and preventive health care services.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2017
This bill rescinds the provisions of Executive Order 13780, entitled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." Among the order's major provisions are restrictions on the entry of nationals from six countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) and additional limitations on refugee admissions to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2017
Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of 2017 This bill expands eligibility for the family caregiver program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include members of the Armed Forces or veterans who are seriously injured or who became ill on active duty prior to September 11, 2001 (currently, limited to service after September 11, 2001). Services to caregivers of veterans under such program are expanded to include child care services, financial planning services, and legal services. The bill terminates the support program for caregivers of covered veterans on October 1, 2022, except that any caregiver activities carried out on September 30, 2022, shall be continued on and after October 1, 2022. The bill authorizes the transfer of entitlement to post 9/11 education assistance to family members by veterans who are retired for a physical disability or who are seriously injured veterans in need of family caregiver services, without regard to length-of-service requirements. The VA is authorized to pay monthly special compensation to seriously injured or ill veterans in need of personal care services and to their caregivers. Flexible work schedules or telework are authorized for federal employees who are caregivers of veterans. The Public Health Service Act is amended to designate a veteran participating in the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers as an adult with a special need for purposes of the lifespan respite care program. An interagency working group is established in the executive branch to review and report on policies relating to the caregivers of veterans and members of the Armed Forces. The VA shall provide for studies on members of the Armed Forces who commenced service after September 11, 2001, and veterans who have incurred a serious injury or illness, including a mental health injury, and their caregivers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2017
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2017 This bill amends title VII (Graduate and Postsecondary Improvement Programs) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish, as part of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) program, the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program. It authorizes the Department of Education, under the FIPSE program, to award Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), or consortia of IHEs, to provide and expand study abroad opportunities for undergraduate students.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2017
Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 201 7 This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to amend the rules concerning the factors it considers when evaluating a governor's request for a major disaster declaration to provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the need for public assistance: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to the estimated cost of the assistance (10%), localized impacts (40%), insurance coverage in force (10%), hazard mitigation (10%), recent multiple disasters (10%), programs of other federal assistance (10%), and economic circumstances (10%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of both the local economy of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate) and the state economy (including the unemployment rate). Such rules must provide that, with respect to the evaluation of the severity, magnitude, and impact of the disaster and the evaluation of the need for assistance to individuals: (1) specific weighted valuations shall be assigned to concentration of damages (20%), trauma (20%), special populations (20%), voluntary agency assistance (10%), insurance (20%), average amount of individual assistance by state (5%), and economic considerations (5%); and (2) FEMA shall consider the economic circumstances of the affected area (including the local assessable tax base and local sales tax, median income, and poverty rate). Such rules are applicable to any disaster for which a governor requested a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and was denied on or after January 1, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2017
Encourages the people of the United States to join in a national effort to salute AmeriCorps members and alumni and raise awareness about the importance of national and community service. Acknowledges the accomplishments of AmeriCorps members, alumni, and community partners and recognizes the important contributions made by members and alumni to the lives of the people of the United States. Encourages individuals of all ages to consider opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2017
Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act This bill amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Funds deposited into the LWCF may be spent without being subject to the appropriations process. These funds are in addition to amounts made available by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 or otherwise appropriated from the LWCF. The President shall submit to Congress specified details regarding the allocation of funds provided by this bill. Congress may provide for alternate allocations using specified procedures. At least 1.5% of the annual authorized funds shall be used for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2017
American Law Enforcement Heroes Act of 2017 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include as an allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services program prioritizing the hiring and training of veterans as career law enforcement officers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2017
Supports the goals of International Women's Day. Recognizes that the empowerment of women is linked to a country's potential to generate economic growth, sustainable democracy, and inclusive security. Recognizes individuals in the United States and around the world, including women human rights defenders and civil society leaders, who have worked to ensure that women are guaranteed equality and basic human rights. Recognizes the unique cultural, historical, and religious differences throughout the world and urges the U.S. government to act with respect and understanding toward legitimate differences when promoting any policies. Reaffirms the commitment to: (1) end discrimination and violence against women and girls, and ensure their safety and welfare; (2) pursue policies that guarantee the basic human rights of women and girls worldwide; and (3) promote women's participation in every aspect of society and community. Supports sustainable global development that seeks to achieve gender equality.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2017
Court Legal Access and Student Support (CLASS) Act of 2017 This bill makes procedures for the enforcement of arbitration agreements inapplicable to an enrollment agreement between a student and an institution of higher education (IHE). The bill also amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to forbid an IHE that participates in federal student aid programs, including work-study programs, from requiring a student to agree to any restriction on the student's ability to pursue a claim, individually or with others, against it in court.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2017
Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2017 This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to prohibit predispute arbitration agreements with consumers (i.e., agreements to arbitrate any future disputes between parties instead of pursuing the claims in court) from being valid or enforceable in disputes related to credit card accounts or personal bank accounts that are not subject to a final judgment by a court if the credit card or bank account was not issued in response to a request or application for that account. The bill excludes from this prohibition accounts held by a financial institution pursuant to a bona fide trust agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2017
Restoring Statutory Rights and Interests of the States Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Arbitration Act to invalidate arbitration agreements between parties in certain commercial contracts or transactions if they require arbitration of a claim for damages or injunctive relief brought by an individual or small business arising from the alleged violation of a federal or state statute, the U.S. Constitution, or a state constitution, unless the written agreement to arbitrate is entered into by both parties after the claim has arisen and pertains solely to an existing claim. The grounds upon which a contract with an arbitration agreement is revocable shall include federal or state statutes or court findings that prohibit an agreement to arbitrate if the agreement is unconscionable, invalid because there was no meeting of the minds, or otherwise unenforceable as a matter of contract law or public policy. A court, rather than an arbitrator, shall determine whether an arbitration agreement is enforceable.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2017
Safety Over Arbitration Act of 2017 This bill prohibits the use of arbitration whenever a contract between an individual and another party requires arbitration to resolve a claim or controversy alleging facts relevant to a hazard to public health or safety unless all parties to the controversy consent in writing after the controversy arises. If arbitration is elected with the consent of all parties, the arbitrator must provide the parties to such contract with a written explanation of the factual and legal basis for any award or other outcome, which shall not be made under seal by the arbitrator or a court.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2017
This bill designates the area between the intersections of 16th Street, NW and Fuller Street, NW and 16th Street, NW and Euclid Street, NW in Washington, DC as "Oswaldo Paya Way."
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2017
Arbitration Fairness Act of 2017 This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute. The validity and enforceability of an agreement to arbitrate shall be determined by a court, under federal law, rather than an arbitrator, irrespective of whether the party resisting arbitration challenges the arbitration agreement specifically or in conjunction with other terms of the contract containing such agreement. Nothing in this bill applies to arbitration provisions in a contract between an employer and a labor organization or between labor organizations, except that no such arbitration provision shall have the effect of waiving the right of an employee to seek judicial enforcement of a right arising under the U.S. Constitution, a state constitution, a federal or state statute, or related public policy.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2017
Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse Act of 2017 This bill amends the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to extend the duty to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, to certain adults who are authorized to interact with minor or amateur athletes at a facility under the jurisdiction of a national governing body. A national governing body is an amateur sports organization that is recognized by the International Olympic Committee. An individual who is required, but fails, to report suspected child sex abuse is subject to criminal penalties. Additionally, the bill amends the federal criminal code to revise civil remedy provisions for a victim of a human trafficking offense or federal sex offense. Among other things, it changes the civil statute of limitations to 10 years from the date the victim discovers the violation or injury (currently, 10 years from the date the cause of action arose). The bill also extends the statute of limitations for a minor victim of a federal sex offense to file a civil action to 10 years (currently, 3 years) from the date such individual reaches age 18. Finally, the bill amends the Amateur Sports Act of 1978: (1) to authorize national governing bodies to develop training, practices, policies, and procedures to prevent the abuse of minor or amateur athletes; and (2) to require national governing bodies to develop and enforce policies, mechanisms, and procedures to prevent, report, and respond to the abuse of minor or amateur athletes.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2017
Congratulates the people of Greece as they celebrate the 196th anniversary of the independence of Greece. Supports the principles of democratic governance to which the people of Greece are committed. Notes Greece's important role in the wider European region and in the community of nations since gaining its independence 196 years ago.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2017
Parental Bereavement Act of 2017 or the Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger Act This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to entitle an eligible employee to up to 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period because of the death of a son or daughter. Such an employee may substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay. The bill applies the same leave entitlement to federal employees.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid vapor pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. The bill applies the Reid vapor pressure requirements that are applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with more than 10% ethanol. Thus, the waiver given to E10 gasoline, which allows an increase in the Reid Vapor Pressure volatility, is extended to gasoline blended with more than 10% ethanol.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
This bill nullifies the Federal Highway Administration's and the Federal Transit Administration's rule published on December 20, 2016, that revises transportation planning regulations with regard to the alignment of planning regulations with statutory provisions relating to the establishment of metropolitan planning area boundaries and the designation of metropolitan planning organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
State Cyber Resiliency Act This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to administer a State Cyber Resiliency Grant Program to assist state, local, and tribal governments in preventing, preparing for, protecting against, and responding to cyber threats. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may award states with planning and biennial implementation grants under the program to: adopt cybersecurity best practices; mitigate talent gaps in government workforces; protect public safety answering points, emergency communications, and continuity of communications during catastrophic disruption; mitigate threats to critical infrastructure or key resources; coordinate with neighboring states or countries, National Guard units, or information sharing and analysis organizations; and establish scholarships or apprenticeships to provide financial assistance to state residents pursuing cybersecurity education who commit to working for state government. The bill sets forth requirements for distribution of awarded amounts to local and tribal governments within states and for consultation with local and regional officials. The Committee for Cyber Resiliency Grants is established to: (1) promulgate guidance for states to develop applications for such cyber resiliency grants; (2) provide DHS and states with recommendations regarding the approval of state plans or applications; and (3) evaluate, and report to Congress regarding, the progress of states in implementing plans.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2017 This bill requires a business that employs 50 or more call center employees, excluding part-time employees, or 50 or more call center employees who in the aggregate work at least 1,500 hours per week, exclusive of overtime, to notify the Department of Labor at least 120 days before relocating such center outside of the United States. Violators are subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day. Labor must make publicly available a list of all such employers that relocate a call center. It may remove from the list an employer that has relocated the call center from a location outside the United States to a location inside the United States. Employers must remain on the list for up to three years after each relocation. An employer is ineligible for federal grants or federal guaranteed loans for five years after being added to the list, except where the employer demonstrates that a lack of such loan or grant would threaten national security, result in substantial job loss in the United States, or harm the environment. Federal or state executive agencies or military departments, when awarding a civilian or defense-related contract, must give preference to a U.S. employer that does not appear on the list. Businesses that initiate or receive a customer service communication must require each of their employees or agents participating in the communication to disclose their physical location at the beginning of each such communication unless all involved employees or agents are located in the United States. The bill exempts any communication: (1) initiated by a consumer if the consumer knows or reasonably should know that the employee or agent is located outside the United States, or (2) related to the provision of emergency services. Upon request, businesses must transfer a customer to a customer service agent who is physically located in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may exclude certain classes or types of business entities or customer service communications from the requirements of this bill under exceptionally compelling circumstances. The bill sets forth authority for the FTC to enforce against violations.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
Women's Health Protection Act of 2017 This bill prohibits any government from imposing on abortion services: a requirement that a medical professional perform specific tests or medical procedures; a requirement that the same clinician who performs a patient's abortion also perform additional tests, services or procedures; a limitation on an abortion provider's ability to prescribe or dispense drugs or provide services via telemedicine; a requirement or limitation concerning the physical plant, equipment, staffing, or hospital transfer arrangements of facilities where abortions are performed, or the credentials, hospital privileges, or status of personnel at those facilities; a requirement that, prior to obtaining an abortion, a patient make medically unnecessary in-person visits to any individual or entity; a limitation on medical training for abortion procedures; a prohibition prior to fetal viability, including a prohibition on a particular abortion procedure; a prohibition after fetal viability when continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the woman's life or health; a restriction on a woman's ability to obtain an immediate abortion when a delay would pose a risk to the woman's health; or a restriction on obtaining an abortion prior to fetal viability based on a woman's reasons or perceived reasons or that requires her to state her reasons before obtaining an abortion. A measure or action that is similar to a requirement or limitation listed above is prohibited if it singles out abortion services or makes abortion services more difficult to access and does not significantly advance women's health or the safety of abortion services.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover certain lymphedema compression treatment items as durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
Designates March 2, 2017, as Read Across America Day. Honors Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) for his success in encouraging children to discover the joy of reading. Honors the 20th anniversary of Read Across America Day. Encourages parents to read with their children for at least 30 minutes on Read Across America Day.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2017
Finds that the promised actions outlined by President Trump at his January 11, 2017, press conference are inadequate and insufficient to ensure compliance with the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Calls upon President Trump to: (1) follow the precedent established by prior Presidents and convert his assets to conflict-free holdings, adopt blind trusts, or take other equivalent measures; and (2) not use the powers or opportunities of his position as President for any purpose related to the Trump Organization. Declares that in the absence of express affirmative authorization by Congress, Congress regards dealings that President Trump may have through his companies with foreign governments or entities owned or controlled by foreign governments to be potential violations of such clause.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2017
Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to replace the authorization for a National Congenital Heart Disease Surveillance System with a requirement for the Department of Health and Human Services, regarding congenital heart disease, to enhance and expand research and surveillance infrastructure, and to plan and implement a public outreach and education campaign. (Congenital heart disease is a condition caused by a heart defect that is present at birth.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must conduct: (1) a study of congenital heart disease, from birth to adulthood, that considers health care utilization, demographic factors, and outcomes; and (2) an awareness, outreach, and education campaign regarding congenital heart disease. Data from the study must be made available to the public. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute must report on its ongoing research efforts regarding congenital heart disease, future plans for such research, and areas of greatest need for such research.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
This bill: (1) designates the area between the intersections of Wisconsin Avenue and Davis Street and Wisconsin Avenue and Edmunds Street in northwest Washington, DC as "Boris Nemtsov Plaza," and (2) redesignates the address of 2650 Wisconsin Avenue in northwest DC as "1 Boris Nemtsov Plaza."
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Recognizes the historical significance of: (1) February 19, 1942, as the date on which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which restricted the freedom of Japanese Americans; and (2) February 19, 1976, as the date on which President Gerald Ford issued Presidential Proclamation 4417, which formally terminated such executive order. Expresses support for the goals of the Japanese American community in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness about the unjust measures taken to restrict the freedom of Japanese Americans during World War II. Expresses the sense that: (1) such Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of upholding justice and civil liberties for all people of the United States and to oppose hate, xenophobia, and bigotry; and (2) policies that discriminate against any individual based on the actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion of that individual would be a repetition of the mistakes of Executive Order 9066 and contrary to U.S. values. Recognizes the positive contributions that people of every race, ethnicity, religion, and national origin have made to the United States. Confirms the dedication of the Senate to the rights and dignity of all people of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on U.S. history and to commemorate the contributions of African Americans. Calls for the United States to: (1) honor the contribution of pioneers who helped to ensure its legacy; and (2) move forward as a nation "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2017
Designates February 2017 as Career and Technical Education Month. Expresses support for the goals and ideals of such month. Honors the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Hughes Vocational Education Act of 1917. Recognizes the importance of career and technical education in preparing a well-educated and skilled workforce. Encourages educators, counselors, and administrators to promote career and technical education as an option for students.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Improvement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to revise requirements for the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program. (The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty.)
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act of 2017 or the ACE Kids Act of 2017 This bill allows a state Medicaid program or child health plan to provide coordinated care through enhanced pediatric health homes (EPHHs) for children who have complex medical conditions. Pursuant to an agreement with a state, an EPHH offers: (1) comprehensive pediatric care management, (2) care coordination and health promotion, (3) comprehensive transitional care, (4) patient and family support, (5) referrals to community and social support services, (6) the use of health information technology to link services, and (7) coordination of access to the full range of pediatric specialty and subspecialty medical services. In general, an EPHH must enroll any eligible child who requests enrollment. A child who opts to enroll shall have the option to disenroll from the EPHH and instead receive covered services under the state Medicaid program or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Each state shall develop a methodology for payment to EPHHs under the state plan. The bill establishes requirements related to data collection and quality assurance. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall issue guidance to states on best practices for ensuring that children with complex medical conditions receive prompt care from out-of-state providers when medically necessary. The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission must report to Congress and the CMS on specified information related to children with complex medical conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act This bill expands the definition of "law enforcement officer" under provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to include: (1) federal employees not otherwise covered whose duties include the investigation or apprehension of suspected or convicted criminals and who are authorized to carry a firearm; (2) Internal Revenue Service employees whose duties are primarily the collection of delinquent taxes and the securing of delinquent returns; (3) U.S. Postal Inspection Service employees; (4) Department of Veterans Affairs police officers; and (5) certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are seized-property specialists with duties relating to custody, management, and disposition of seized and forfeited property. The bill deems service performed by an incumbent law enforcement officer on or after the enactment date of this bill to be service performed as a law enforcement officer for retirement purposes. The past service of such incumbents shall be treated as service performed by a law enforcement officer for retirement purposes only if a written election is submitted to the Office of Personnel Management within five years after the enactment of this bill or before separation from government service, whichever is earlier. An incumbent who makes an election before the enactment of this bill may pay a deposit into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund to cover prior service. A law enforcement officer shall not be subject to mandatory separation under CSRS or FERS during the three-year period beginning on the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act of 2017 This bill provides that a child shall be eligible for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) until the child's 26th birthday, regardless of the child's marital status. Before January 1, 2018, this bill shall not apply to a child who is eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored health care plan.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017 This bill includes as part of the Republic of Vietnam its territorial seas for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
This bill rescinds Executive Order 13768, entitled "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States." Among other things, that order raises questions regarding whether, and to what extent, federal agencies will withhold federal grant funds that would have otherwise been awarded to jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with a federal statute that bars states and localities from restricting sending or receiving information to or from federal immigration authorities (sanctuary jurisdictions).
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2017 or ERRPA This bill prohibits racial profiling by a federal, state, local, or tribal law enforcement agency or agent. The term "racial profiling" includes the practice of relying on actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identify, or sexual orientation in making a routine or spontaneous law enforcement decision. The Department of Justice (DOJ), or an individual injured by racial profiling, may bring a civil action to enforce the prohibition. The bill requires federal law enforcement agencies to maintain policies and procedures to eliminate racial profiling, including training on racial profiling issues, the collection of data, and procedures for handling complaints. Additionally, a state or unit of local government that receives grant funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program or Community Oriented Policing Services program must maintain policies and procedures to eliminate racial profiling, including training on racial profiling issues, the collection of data, and participation in an administrative complaint procedure or independent audit program. DOJ must withhold or reduce grant funds from a state or unit of local government that fails to comply. The bill authorizes grants to develop and implement: (1) programs to collect data on the percentage of stops and searches in which a law enforcement officer finds drugs, a gun, or something else that leads to an arrest; and (2) best practice devices and systems to eliminate racial profiling. DOJ must report annually on racial profiling by law enforcement agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2017
Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2017 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and maintain a voluntary registry of firefighters to collect history and occupational information that can be linked to existing data in state cancer registries. The registry must be used to improve monitoring of cancer among firefighters and to collect and publish epidemiological information regarding cancer among firefighters. The CDC should seek to include specified information in the registry, including the number and type of fire incidents attended by an individual. To collect information for the registry, the CDC may incorporate questions into existing public health surveys, questionnaires, and other databases. The CDC must: (1) develop a strategy to maximize participation in the registry; (2) develop guidance for states and firefighting agencies regarding the registry; (3) encourage inclusion in the registry of data on minority, female, and volunteer firefighters; and (4) seek feedback on the registry from nonfederal experts. The CDC must develop a process for making registry data available for research without a fee if findings or publications from the research are made public or available to stakeholders.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2017
Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act of 2017 or the STOP Act of 2017 This bill amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to make the Postmaster General the consignee (i.e., the entity financially responsible for the receipt of a shipment) for merchandise, excluding documents, imported through the mail into the United States. The Postmaster General must designate licensed customs brokers to file required documents or information for such shipments. The bill amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to impose a customs user fee on postal shipments or any other item valued at $2,000 or less arriving at an international mail facility. The bill amends the Trade Act of 2002 to direct the Department of the Treasury to require the Postmaster General to provide for the advanced electronic transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection of certain information for all postal shipments by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), including postal shipments it receives from foreign postal operators. The Postmaster General: shall be liable for civil penalties for postal shipment violations committed by a foreign postal operator or the USPS; may be directly or indirectly responsible for discrepancies resulting from omissions made or false information provided by a foreign postal operator or the USPS; and shall ensure that all costs and penalties associated with complying with this bill are recouped from foreign shippers, foreign postal operators, or U.S. ultimate consignees.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2017
Same Day Registration Act This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require states with a voter registration requirement to make same-day voter registration available at the polling place on any day voting is permitted.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2017
Russia Sanctions Review Act of 2017 This bill provides that the following executive orders, as in effect on January 1, 2017, and any sanctions imposed pursuant to such orders, shall remain in effect: (1) Executive Order 13694 (relating to blocking property of certain persons engaging in significant malicious cyber-enabled activities); (2) Executive Orders 13660, 13661, and 13662 (relating to blocking property of certain persons contributing to the situation in Ukraine); and (3) Executive Order 13685 (relating to blocking property of certain persons and prohibiting certain transactions with respect to the Crimea region of Ukraine). Before taking any action to waive or otherwise limit the application of sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation, the President shall submit to specified congressional committees a report that: (1) describes the proposed action; and (2) certifies that the Russian government has ceased ordering or supporting acts intended to undermine Ukraine's peace, security, stability,sovereignty, or territorial integrity and has ceased cyber attacks against the U.S. government and U.S. persons and entities. During the 120-day period following a report's submission: (1) the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs shall review such report and certification, and (2) the President may not take action to waive or otherwise limit the application of such sanctions. The President may not take action to waive or otherwise limit the application of sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation: (1) for 12 days after the date of passage by both Houses of Congress of a congressional joint resolution disapproving such action, (2) for 10 days after the the President vetoes such joint resolution, and (3) if such joint resolution is enacted as provided for by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Military Widow's Tax Elimination Act of 2017 This bill repeals certain provisions which require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military retired pay or who would be entitled to such pay, except for being under 60 years of age. The Department of Defense is prohibited from recouping certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund. The bill requires (current law authorizes) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. The Secretary concerned shall restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to the surviving child or children of a member.
![Official portrait of Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000563_200.jpg)