United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Preserving America's Battlefields Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program and expands the purposes of the American Battlefield Preservation Program to include the preservation and protection of nationally significant battlefields of not only the Civil War but also the American Revolution and the War of 1812, and the enhancement of visitors' experiences at those battlefields.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies regarding prices for drugs covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Current law prohibits the CMS from doing so.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 This bill addresses certain health benefit and home loan programs for veterans. Specifically, the bill extends the presumption of service-connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide (e.g., Agent Orange) exposure to veterans who served (1) offshore of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or (2) in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities or diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. The bill extends eligibility for health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary allowance to children with spina bifida who have at least one veteran parent who may have been exposed to an herbicide agent while serving in Thailand between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Additionally, the bill revises the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan guaranty program to adjust loan fee rates and eliminate the limit on the amount of a loan for which the VA may provide a guaranty of 25%. Under current law, these loan guarantees are subject to a limit on loan size determined by Freddie Mac. The bill also waives loan fees for active duty Purple Heart recipients. The VA shall permit a VA-approved appraiser to make a housing loan appraisal based solely on information gathered by a person with whom the appraiser has entered into an agreement for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act This bill reaffirms the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation as trust land in Massachusetts. In addition, the bill requires actions, including actions pending in federal court, relating to the land to be dismissed.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
La Paz County Land Conveyance Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of the Interior, after receiving a request from La Paz County, Arizona, to convey to the county 5,935 acres of specified federal land. Interior shall exclude from such conveyance any federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources. The federal land is withdrawn from the operation of U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Cottonwood Land Exchange Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture, upon request by Yavapai County, Arizona, to convey to the county 80 acres of land within Coconino National Forest in exchange for 369 acres of county land.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Retired Pay Restoration Act This bill allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability. Under current law, only individuals with service-connected disabilities rated at 50% or more receive both without offset. Individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability shall be eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Child Tax Credit Equity for Puerto Rico Act of 2019 This bill modifies the rules for the refundable portion of the child tax credit to (1) allow residents of Puerto Rico to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit on the same basis as U.S. taxpayers, and (2) allow residents of Puerto Rico with one or two children to claim the refundable portion of the credit on the same basis as residents with three or more children.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Presidential Tax Transparency Act of 2019 This bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for President and Vice President to disclose federal income tax returns for the ten most recent taxable years. The returns must be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which must make the returns publicly available after redacting information that is necessary for protecting against identity theft, such as Social Security numbers. If the tax returns are not disclosed to the FEC as required by this bill, the Internal Revenue Service must provide the returns to the FEC upon receiving a written request from the FEC.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 This bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. The prohibition does not apply to certain firearm transfers, such as a gift between spouses in good faith.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Ban Toxic Pesticides Act of 2019 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cancel the registration of the pesticide chlorpyrifos under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The bill prohibits the sale and use of existing stock of chlorpyrifos. The bill requires the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos residue on food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Guam Supplemental Security Income Equality Act This bill extends the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to Guam. (When Congress created the SSI program in 1972, it excluded Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.) The Social Security Administration may waive or modify statutory requirements relating to the provision of benefits as necessary to adapt the program to Guam.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
This resolution expresses concern about the capture and detention of journalist Austin Tice near Damascus, Syria. It encourages the Department of State, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and other U.S. government entities to engage with Syria to facilitate Tice's safe release.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for admission into the United States of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The state shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. The bill applies current District of Columbia laws to the state and continues pending judicial proceedings. The state (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. The bill maintains (1) the District as the seat of the federal government, and (2) the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property. The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Homeless Veteran Families Act This bill updates the Department of Veterans Affairs per diem payment calculation for entities furnishing services to homeless veterans to include funding for a minor dependent. The rate for per diem payments is the daily cost of care as estimated by the grant recipient or eligible entity. This bill would expand the per diem payment amount for a homeless veteran who has care of a minor dependent to the daily cost of care plus, for each minor dependent, an amount that equals 50% of such daily cost of care.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
For the People Act of 2019 This bill addresses voter access, election integrity, election security, political spending, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration and voting access, makes Election Day a federal holiday, and limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill provides for states to establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions. The bill also sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, protecting the security of the voter rolls, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect the security and integrity of U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. This bill addresses campaign spending, including by expanding the ban on foreign nationals contributing to or spending on elections; expanding disclosure rules pertaining to organizations spending money during elections, campaign advertisements, and online platforms; and revising disclaimer requirements for political advertising. This bill establishes an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The system involves federal matching of small contributions for qualified candidates. This bill sets forth provisions related to ethics in all three branches of government. Specifically, the bill requires a code of ethics for federal judges and justices, prohibits Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, expands enforcement of regulations governing foreign agents, and establishes additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill also requires candidates for President and Vice President to submit 10 years of tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act of 2019 or the CARERS Act of 2019 This bill removes restrictions on, and creates new protections for, conduct and activities related to medical marijuana that are authorized by state law. Among other things, the bill does the following: eliminates regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act for producing, possessing, distributing, dispensing, administering, testing, recommending, or delivering medical marijuana in compliance with state law; establishes a new, separate registration process to facilitate medical marijuana research; and authorizes health care providers employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to make recommendations to veterans regarding participation in state marijuana programs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Social Security Fairness Act of 2019 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government job. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security survivors' benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receives government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Phoenix VA Congressional Oversight Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a pilot program in Arizona, including at the VA's Phoenix health care system, to improve the ability of Members of Congress to assist constituents with VA medical benefits issues. The VA must establish a dedicated congressional relations team to assist congressional members and committees with casework issues at each VA health care system location in Arizona.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Veterans Jobs Opportunity Act This bill allows a new business-related tax credit for the start-up expenses of a veteran-owned small business in an underserved community. The allowable amount of such credit is 15% of start-up expenditures that do not exceed $80,000. To be eligible for the credit, the small business must (1) be owned and controlled by one or more veterans or spouses of veterans, and (2) have a principal place of business in an underserved community. An "underserved community" is any area located within (1) a HUBZone (as defined by the Small Business Act), (2) an empowerment zone or an enterprise community, (3) an area of low income or moderate income (as recognized by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council), or (4) a county with persistent poverty (as classified by the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture).
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2019 This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to states that do the following: (1) require law enforcement officers to be trained on diversity and sensitivity, and (2) require an independent prosecutor to be appointed to investigate and prosecute an alleged offense involving the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer that results in a death or injury.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act of 2019 This bill requires federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to collect, compile, and submit data to the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Bureau of Justice Statistics on the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers. DOJ must reduce by 10% the allocation of funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for a state or local government that fails to substantially comply.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act of 2019 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), the Social Security Act (SSAct), and other federal laws to replace (1) references to "wife" or "husband" with references to "spouse"; and (2) references to "husband and wife" or "husband or wife" with references to "married couple" or " married person." For purposes of federal laws or regulations, "marriage" is defined as a legal union between two people as spouses. The bill eliminates a definition of "spouse" that refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. Requirements concerning compensation to a surviving wife after the disability or death of a person employed at a military, air, or naval base outside the United States are revised to make surviving spouses eligible for such compensation. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, provisions concerning the amount of leave available to a husband and wife employed by the same employer are revised to apply to a married couple employed by the same employer. Requirements under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 that make disability and death benefits payable to the wife or widow of a miner are revised to make the benefits payable to the spouse or surviving spouse of a miner. IRC provisions that require a divorced wife's gross income to include the income of any trust she is entitled to receive that would otherwise be includible in the gross income of her husband, or vice versa, are revised to apply to the gross income of individuals who are divorced from their spouse. The bill revises title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the SSAct to consolidate separate provisions for a wife's insurance benefits and a husband's insurance benefits into a single standard for a spouse's insurance benefits. Criminal penalties that currently apply to persons who threaten to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon a former President's wife or widow are revised to apply to threats made to a former President's spouse or surviving spouse.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2018
Telecommunications Denial Order Enforcement Act This bill directs the President to impose penalties on telecommunications companies domiciled in China, including Huawei and ZTE, that violate U.S. export controls or sanctions. Chinese subsidiaries of foreign companies are excluded from the bill. The bill also prohibits executive agencies from reducing any penalty imposed on a Chinese telecommunications company for violating a sanction or export control, unless the President certifies that the company has not violated U.S. law for at least one year and is fully cooperating with investigations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 November 2018
Weekends Without Hunger Act This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to provide commodities, on a competitive basis, to public or private nonprofit institutions to provide nutritious food to at-risk children on weekends and during extended school holidays throughout the year (At-risk children are children who are eligible to receive free or reduced price meals under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2018
Restoring the Public Trust Act This bill sets forth provisions to (1) prohibit the personal enrichment of federal employees, (2) reduce conflicts of interest in the federal government, (2) require Presidents and certain presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns, (3) require the disclosure of certain White House visitor and employee records, and (4) modify the procedures for nominating or changing the status of an inspector general.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2018
Native American Voting Rights Act of 2018 This bill updates the voting rights of Native American and Alaska Native voters. These updates include, but are not limited to: expanding the types of facilities that can be used as voter registration agencies, increasing polling site accessibility, providing enforcement power to citizens and attorneys general, requiring approval for actions like moving a polling place, validating certain tribal identification for voting or registering, and expanding requirements for bilingual voting accessibility. The bill establishes a Native American voting task force grant program for the purpose of increasing voter outreach, education, registration, turnout, and accessibility for Native American communities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2018
Recognizes and accepts the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in the special report on the impacts of global warming. Expresses the sense that immediate action by Congress and the Administration is needed to reduce greenhouse gases.
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2018
Finds that no person should face violence or discrimination because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Honors the contributions of nonprofit organizations and community leaders working to advance tolerance, acceptance, equality, safety and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Americans. Reaffirms support for LGBTQ-inclusive hate crime prevention laws.
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2018
Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act This bill funds through FY2090 the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Additionally, the bill modifies the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF): to allow claims to be filed until October 2089, to require VCF policies and procedures to be reassessed at least once every five years (currently, at least once annually), to require claimants to be paid for the amount by which a claim was reduced on the basis of insufficient funding, to remove the cap on noneconomic damages in special circumstances, and to adjust the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2018
Giving Increased Resources to Learning Students Act or the GIRLS Act This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow states to use Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants to supply menstrual hygiene products to students.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2018
Lady Liberty Act of 2018 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct the President to set the number of post-FY2018 refugee admissions at not less than 110,000 persons per fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2018
Directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities in Yemen, except for Armed Forces engaged in operations authorized under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, within 30 days unless and until a declaration of war or specific authorization for such use has been enacted into law.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2018
Strengthening Minority-Serving Institutions Act of 2018 This bill permanently extends mandatory funding programs for historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions and increases the authorized funding levels for such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2018
Reaffirms the bipartisan commitment of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of refugees, including through U.S. resettlement for those who cannot return home. Urges President Trump and his administration to affirm the importance of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and to make a presidential determination for FY2019 that the admission of at least 110,000 refugees is justified. (Under the program, such determination establishes the overall admissions levels and regional allocations of all refugees for an upcoming fiscal year.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2018
United States Territorial Relief Act of 2018 This bill establishes a process under which Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories may terminate certain debts if they meet eligibility criteria. The bill allows territories to terminate their public, unsecured debt if they meet two of three criteria: the population of the territory has decreased by more than 5% over 10 years, the territory received major federal disaster assistance, and the territory's per capita debt exceeds $15,000. The bill also provides funding that a special master must allocate to certain creditors whose debts were discharged under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2018
Recognizes: (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2018
Fracking Disclosure and Safety Act This bill establishes requirements governing oil or gas operations, including by (1) reestablishing requirements governing the use of hydraulic fracturing under oil and gas leases for federal lands; and (2) eliminating certain exemptions for oil and gas operations from environmental requirements, such as requirements concerning stormwater runoff, hazardous air pollutants, solid waste disposal, and drinking water sources.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2018
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). The bill eliminates the requirement that the funds which are deposited into the LWCF remain in there until appropriated by Congress to carry out the purposes of the 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 detailed account, program, and project allocations as part of the President's annual budget submission. 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 · 7 September 2018
Full Military Honors Act of 2018 This bill provides full military honors for the funeral of an eligible veteran who: is first interred or inurned in Arlington National Cemetery on or after enactment of this bill, was awarded the medal of honor or the prisoner-of-war medal, and is not entitled to full military honors because of such veteran's grade.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2018
Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act This bill extends tribal jurisdiction over certain crimes. Specifically, the bill extends tribal jurisdiction over: violence committed against a child by a caregiver; violence against law enforcement officers involved in preventing, investigating, arresting, or prosecuting a person for domestic violence, dating violence, or child violence; attempted dating violence or domestic violence; or threatened dating violence or domestic violence. In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2022 grants to tribal governments to support exercising jurisdiction and conducting proceedings related to crimes of domestic violence, including the crimes added to tribal jurisdiction by this bill.
![Official portrait of Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c6870f487cf4bc9a568d8afbe61d754b_200.jpg)