United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, half-dollar clad, and proof silver coins in recognition and celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first manned landing on the moon. Treasury may issue coins minted under this bill for only a one-year period, beginning January 1, 2019. All sales of these coins shall include a surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, $5 per half-dollar clad coin, and $50 per proof silver coin. All of the surcharges received from the sale of such coins shall be paid as follows: one-half to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum's "Destination Moon" exhibit; one-quarter to the Astronauts Memorial Foundation; and one-quarter to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, to aid its missions by providing college scholarships for the very best and brightest students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2016
Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to make foreign facilities that are located offshore and outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) liable for removal costs and damages that result from oil spills that reach (or threaten to reach) U.S. navigable waters, adjoining shorelines, or the EEZ. Specifically, the following parties may be held liable: (1) the owners or operators of the foreign facilities, including facilities located in, on, or under any land within foreign countries; and (2) the holders of a right of use and easement granted under applicable foreign law for the area in which the facility is located.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2016
Veterans First Act TITLE I--PERSONNEL AND ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS This bill establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection. The VA is required to develop criteria to promote supervisory protection of whistle-blowers. The bill revises VA authority to remove certain employees or senior VA executives for reasons of misconduct or performance. TITLE II--HEALTH CARE MATTERS Jason Simcakoski Memorial Act The bill establishes the Veterans Expedited Recovery Commission to examine the VA's therapy model for treating mental health illnesses. The VA shall require additional information about a prospective health care employee from the medical board of each state in which the health care provider holds or has held a medical license. The VA family caregiver program is expanded. The bill establishes a VA advisory committee on caregiver policies. The VA shall revive the Intermediate Care Technician Pilot Program. The VA may place a veteran requesting nursing home care in a medical foster home that meets appropriate VA standards. The bill sets forth requirements for VA hospitals with emergency departments to provide appropriate examination and stabilizing treatment for emergency medical conditions and women in labor. The VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) shall jointly update the VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain. The VA shall expand its Opioid Safety Initiative. The bill establishes the VA Office of Patient Advocacy. The VA shall ensure that payments are made promptly to non-VA health care providers. If the VA is unable to furnish certain hospital, medical, or extended care at VA facilities or under other authorized contracts or sharing agreements, it may enter into a Veterans Care Agreement with an eligible provider to furnish such care. The bill authorizes the VA to carry out specified major medical facility projects in California, Maryland, Kentucky, and Washington. The VA shall: (1) adopt the Federal Drug Administrations's unique device identification system to identify biological implants for use in VA medical procedures; (2) expand research and integration of complementary and integrative health services into veterans health care services; and (3) carry out a three-year program to assess the feasibility of integrating complementary and alternative medicine services for veterans with mental health conditions, chronic pain conditions, and other chronic conditions. TITLE III--DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND PENSION The VA may pay burial and funeral expenses and other benefits to a survivor of a veteran who has not filed a formal claim if the record contains sufficient evidence to establish the survivor's entitlement to such benefits. The bill increases the special monthly pension for living Medal of Honor recipients. The Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 is amended to extend VA authority to provide for persons other than VA employees (i.e., contract physicians) to conduct medical disability examinations of applicants for VA benefits. The VA shall carry out a five-year disability claims appeals pilot program. TITLE IV--EDUCATION Any member of the Armed Forces who died between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2005, is deemed to have died on January 1, 2006, in order to make that member's surviving spouse eligible for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship. VA educational assistance payments for a veteran who was forced to discontinue a course or who did not receive credit toward completion of an education program because of a permanent school closure shall not be charged against the individual's educational assistance entitlement or counted against the aggregate assistance period. The bill revises the process for electing Post-9/11 educational benefits. TITLE V--EMPLOYMENT AND TRANSITION Each state director for veterans' employment and training shall coordinate activities with the state's departments of labor and veterans affairs. TITLE VI--HOMELESS VETERANS The bill includes as a homeless veteran, for purposes of VA benefits, a veteran or veteran's family fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in their current housing situation. The VA shall shall carry out case management services to improve the retention of housing by: (1) veterans who were previously homeless and who are transitioning to permanent housing, and (2) veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless. The VA shall establish the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans. This bill eliminates the minimum continuous active duty service requirement for homeless veterans to receive certain benefits. Homeless veterans are exempted from disqualification for such benefits because of a discharge or dismissal from the Armed Forces under conditions other than honorable, except for a discharge by reason of a general court-martial. TITLE VII--UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS The bill extends the temporary expansion of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. TITLE VIII--BURIAL BENEFITS The VA may, in lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker to certain deceased individuals, furnish a medallion or other device to be attached to a headstone or marker furnished at private expense. TITLE IX--OTHER MATTERS The VA may carry out specified leases at the VA's West Los Angeles Campus in Los Angeles, California.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2016
This bill amends the Indian Long-Term Leasing Act to expand the land of the Pueblo of Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh pueblo that may be leased for up to 99 years with the approval of the Department of the Interior, from lands held in trust, to all of the lands of the Pueblo of Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh pueblo.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Robert F. Bennett, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on May 9, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Bennett.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Conrad Ray Burns, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on May 9, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Burns.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes Act or the ECHO Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration, to study technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models and the ability of those models to improve patient care and provider education. (Such models connect specialists to primary care providers through videoconferencing to facilitate case-based learning, dissemination of best practices, and evaluation of outcomes.) The Government Accountability Office must report on such models and HHS support for such models.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
This bill makes certain Department of Defense funds for state drug interdiction and counter-drug activities available for obligation or expenditure for at least three fiscal years.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
Recognizes the historic struggle of the people of Mexico for independence and freedom, which Cinco de Mayo commemorates. Encourages the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
Designates May 21, 2016, as Kids to Parks Day. Recognizes the importance of outdoor recreation and the preservation of open spaces to the health and education of young people of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
This bill provides FY2016 emergency supplemental appropriations to the Departments of State and Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases. The bill specifies permissible uses for the funds and designates the funds as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits. The bill provides appropriations to HHS for: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit Project BioShield to be used to support the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or treat harm from any infectious disease that may pose a threat to the public health. (Under current law, Project BioShield supports only countermeasures against specific chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorist threats.) The bill temporarily increases from 55% to 65% the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage in the territories (Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands). The bill provides appropriations to the Department of State and Other International Programs for: the Administration of Foreign Affairs, Global Health Programs, International Security Assistance, Multilateral Assistance, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Unobligated balances of specified funds provided for the Ebola virus may be used to respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2016
Testing, Removal, and Updated Evaluations of Lead Everywhere in America for Dramatic Enhancements that Restore Safety to Homes, Infrastructure, and Pipes Act of 2016 or the True LEADership Act of 2016 This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish grant programs to assist communities and states fund projects that reduce lead in drinking water. The bill establishes a mandatory reporting requirement for states to report elevated levels of lead in children's blood to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to direct the EPA to promulgate lead and copper pipe regulations that would set household action levels for lead and copper in drinking water. The EPA must develop a process to protect and improve the drinking water of minority, tribal, and low-income communities. Additionally, the EPA must establish a voluntary school and child care lead testing grant program. The bill creates a new tax credit for homeowners to invest in eliminating lead hazards. Additionally, the bill revises how the Department of Housing and Urban Development deals with lead in homes. The EPA must establish a grant program to accelerate the testing, deployment and commercialization of new drinking water technologies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is authorized to provide funding from its disaster relief fund in response to a major incident of lead contamination in drinking water. The bill creates a grant program for local educational agencies to assist children that have been affected by lead poisoning.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week. Recognizes the efforts of public health professionals, governments, Indian tribes, and individuals in preventing disease and injury. Encourages increased efforts and resources to improve the health of people in the United States to create the healthiest nation in one generation through greater opportunities to improve community health and by strengthening the public health system.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers Reform and Improvement Act of 2016 This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to codify the establishment of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The FLETC must be headed by a director who reports to the DHS Secretary. The bill sets forth functions of the director and training responsibilities of the FLETC. Additionally, it codifies existing contracting, purchasing, and spending authorities of the FLETC. Individuals who attend FLETC training must reside in FLETC housing, to the extent practicable.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
Directed Energy Weapon Systems Acquisition Act of 2016 This bill amends the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 to state that, if supplies or support services are urgently needed to eliminate a deficiency in directed energy weapon systems, the Department of Defense (DOD) may use specified rapid acquisition procedures to acquire and deploy needed offensive or defensive directed energy weapon systems capabilities, supplies, and associated support services. "Directed energy weapon system" means military action using highly focused sound, electromagnetic, or particle-beam energy to incapacitate, damage, or destroy enemy equipment, facilities, or personnel. The bill redesignates DOD's High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office as the Joint Directed Energy Program Office. The Office shall: (1) develop a strategic plan for development and transition of directed energy weapons capabilities, and (2) use new and revised DOD policies to accelerate the development and transition of directed energy capabilities toward fielding.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2016
Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic Lending Act of 2016 or the SAFE Lending Act of 2016 This bill amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) to declare that a remotely created check may only be issued by a person specifically designated in writing by the consumer to the insured depository institution at which the consumer maintains the account from which the check is drawn. A remotely created check is a paper or electronic check that: is not created by the financial institution that holds the customer account from which the check is to be paid; and does not bear a signature applied, or purported to be applied, by the account holder. A consumer may revoke authorization for remotely created checks at any time. The bill prohibits issuance of any payment order in response to a consumer's exercise of federal consumer financial rights. Any voluntary electronic fund transfer to repay a small-dollar consumer credit transaction shall be treated as preauthorized under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). The TILA is amended to require registration with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by any small-dollar lender that facilitates, brokers, arranges, or gathers applications for small-dollar consumer credit (of up to $5,000, adjusted for inflation) extended pursuant to an open-end, non-open-end, or other CFPB-determined credit plan meeting specified criteria. Small-dollar consumer credit transactions must comply with state law where the consumer resides. The EFTA is amended to: declare unlawful overdraft fees charged on a general-use prepaid card; and authorize the CFPB to prohibit fees for declined transactions involving such a card. The TILA is further amended to prohibit a person from certain activities, including distributing sensitive personal financial information, in connection with a small-dollar consumer credit transaction, if that person ("lead generator") does not itself grant the credit directly to the consumer. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall study: (1) the availability of capital on Indian reservations, and (2) the impact on tribal economic opportunity and wealth of small-dollar consumer credit extensions to tribal members through Internet and non-Internet means.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2016
Recognizes the accomplishments and example of Cesar Estrada Chavez, pledges to promote his legacy, and encourages the people of the United States to commemorate his legacy and to always remember his rallying cry, "Si, se puede!", which is Spanish for "Yes, we can!", as a symbol of unity and hope for each individual who seeks justice.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Dam Repairs and Improvements for Tribes Act of 2016 or the DRIFT Act of 2016 This bill requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to establish a program to address the deferred maintenance needs of certain Indian dams that create risks to safety, natural resources, or cultural resources and impede the management and efficiency of Indian dams. The High-Hazard Indian Dam Safety Deferred Maintenance Fund and the Low-Hazard Indian Dam Safety Deferred Maintenance Fund are established to pay for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of such dams. The funds are terminated at the end of FY2037. The BIA must: develop programmatic goals and prioritization criteria before expending funds; prioritize dams that serve more than one tribe or highly populated Indian communities; consult with landowners served by a dam before expending funds, except in emergencies; ensure that, each year, every dam in need of critical maintenance receives funding; request that tribes report on dams on their land; report on each dam under BIA jurisdiction; and establish a flood plain management pilot program to provide guidance to tribes on best practices for the mitigation and prevention of floods. The Department of the Interior must establish a Tribal Safety of Dams Committee. The bill amends the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 to revise the tribal partnership program, including to permit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide assistance for any activity relating to the feasibility, planning, design, or construction of a water resources development project. The bill amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to extend to tribes the waiver of cost-sharing requirements for studies and projects.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to identify: certain severance payments to veterans with combat-related injuries paid after January 17, 1991, from which DOD withheld amounts for tax purposes, and the individuals to whom such severance payments were made. DOD shall provide each such veteran with: notice of the amount of improperly withheld severance payments, and instructions for filing amended tax returns to recover such amount. The period for filing a related claim with the Internal Revenue Service for a credit or refund is extended beyond the three-year limitation to the date that is one year after DOD provides the veteran with the information required by this Act. DOD shall ensure that amounts are not withheld for tax purposes from DOD severance payments to individuals when such payments are not considered gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2016 This bill requires the National Science Foundation to award competitive grants to enable eligible entities to carry out the activities specified below in order to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). An eligible entity that receives a grant shall use grant funds to carry out one or more of the following activities designed to increase the participation of women or minorities underrepresented in science and engineering, or both: online workshops, mentoring programs that partner STEM professionals with students, internships for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields, outreach programs providing elementary and secondary school students with opportunities to increase their exposure to STEM fields, and programs to increase the recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Medicaid Program Integrity Enhancement Act of 2016 This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require a state Medicaid agency to establish a process by which a provider may appeal a decision by the agency to suspend payment to the provider on the basis of credible fraud allegations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must revise specified regulations related to such suspensions in order to comply with due process requirements established by the bill. Specifically, a state Medicaid agency may not suspend payment until the agency: (1) consults with the state's Medicaid fraud control unit or, if the state has no such unit, with the state's attorney general; (2) certifies that it has considered whether the suspension will jeopardize beneficiary access and whether there is good cause not to suspend payment; and (3) furnishes the provider with the agency's reasons for finding no such good cause. Furthermore, the agency must periodically evaluate whether there is good cause to discontinue a suspension for which an investigation is pending. With specified exceptions, such good cause shall be deemed to exist if the investigation remains unresolved after a suspension has been in effect for 18 months. CMS must also revise specified regulations to provide that an allegation of fraud shall be considered credible only if the allegation has indications of reliability and the state Medicaid agency: (1) has reviewed all allegations, facts, and evidence carefully; (2) acts judiciously on a case-by-case basis; and (3) has considered the potential impact a payment suspension may have on beneficiary access to care.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Designates March 2016 as National Women's History Month. Recognizes the celebration of such month as a time to reflect on the contributions that women have made to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2016
Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require employers engaged in commerce, or in the production of goods for commerce, to make certain disclosures to employees about their employment, including a paystub corresponding to work the employee performed during the applicable pay period, and make final payments to a terminating employee for uncompensated hours the employee has worked. An employer shall compensate an employee at the rate specified in an employment contract or other employment agreement, including a collective bargaining agreement, that specifies a rate of pay higher than the minimum wage rate. The bill revises penalty requirements to: increase to double the amount of unpaid wages or unpaid overtime compensation the damages an employer must pay for violating minimum wage or maximum hour rules, plus interest; increase to treble damages the penalty for retaliatory discrimination against or discharge of a whistleblowing employee; repeal the requirement that an employee consent in writing to become a party plaintiff in an action to recover damages from an employer for all such violations; prohibit waiver of the right to bring an action, including a collective action, by an employee as a condition of employment or in a pre-dispute arbitration agreement; and direct the Department of Labor to refer any case involving a covered offender to the Department of Justice for prosecution. In the event that an employee requests an inspection of his or her records for accuracy of wage payments, the employer shall give the employee a copy of the records covering a period of up to five years prior to the request. The Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 is amended to: increase the statute of limitations for causes of action under that Act, the Walsh-Healy Act, or the Bacon-Davis Act with respect to unpaid wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or damages; and deem the statute of limitations tolled for such an action between notification of an employer that an investigation or enforcement action has begun to notification to the employer that the matter has been officially resolved. Acting through the Wage and Hour Division, Labor shall award grants to assist eligible entities in enhancing the enforcement of wage and hour laws. The Government Accountability Office shall identify successful programs carried out by such grants, especially elements, policies, or procedures that can be replicated by other grant-receiving programs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2016
Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow's Needs Act of 2016 This bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to make it one of the purposes of the Act to extend financial and technical assistance to the states for the promotion of hunting and recreational shooting. The bill also prescribes a formula for the allocation of funds apportioned to a state that may be used for any activity or project to recruit or retain hunters and recreational shooters. Amounts apportioned to the states from any taxes on pistols, revolvers, bows, and arrows may be used for hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment. The funds apportioned to a state for wildlife restoration management may be used for related public relations. If a state has not used all of the tax revenues apportioned to it for firearm and bow hunter education and safety program grants, it may use its remaining apportioned funds for the enhancement of hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment. Up to $5 million of the revenues covered into wildlife restoration fund in the Treasury from any tax imposed for a fiscal year on the sale of certain bows, arrows, and archery equipment shall be available to the Department of the Interior exclusively for making hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment grants that promote a national hunting and shooting sport recruitment program, including related communication and outreach activities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2016
San Juan County Settlement Implementation Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to retire any coal preference right lease application for which it has made an affirmative commercial quantities determination by: issuing bidding rights in exchange for relinquishment of the application, and making a payment to the relevant state of 50% of the dollar amount of any bidding right subsequently used in lieu of any monetary bonus in a coal lease sale or of rental or royalty under a federal coal lease. Interior shall make such payments from amounts that would otherwise be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts under the Mineral Leasing Act. The bill declares such bidding rights fully transferable to any other person. The bill cancels specified land selections made by the Navajo Nation pursuant to the Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act of 1974. Subject to specified exclusions, the Navajo Nation may make new land selections to replace those canceled. The bill designates approximately 7,242 acres of land as the Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness and incorporates approximately 2,250 acres of specified federal land into the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2016
Pueblo de Cochiti Self-Governance Act This bill amends the Act of August 26, 1992, to ratify modifications to the settlement agreement between the Pueblo de Cochiti of New Mexico and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In accordance with the amended agreement, the tribe assumes legal and financial responsibility for the operation and maintenance of a drainage system.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2016
Global Respect Act The President shall submit to Congress a list of each foreign person that the President determines is responsible, or acted as an agent, for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against an individual in a foreign country based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. A listed foreign person shall be ineligible to enter or be admitted to the United States. Any visa issued for such person is revoked. The Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security shall waive this prohibition if in U.S. national security interests or if necessary for compliance with the Agreement between the United Nations (U.N.) and the United States regarding the U.N. Headquarters. Congressional notification before any such waiver is required. The Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor shall designate a senior officer or officers to track violence, criminalization, and restrictions on fundamental freedoms in foreign countries based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to include information on sexual orientation or gender identity violence or restrictions in the annual country reports on human rights practices.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2016
Urges the United States to: (1) establish a national goal of 50% clean and carbon-free electricity by 2030, and (2) enact legislation to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2016
Biotechnology Food Labeling Uniformity Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require food that contains an ingredient from a genetically modified organism (GMO) to be labeled as genetically engineered. A food is exempt from this requirement if GMO ingredients account for less than 0.9% of the food's weight. A food is not subject to this requirement solely because: (1) a genetically engineered vaccine was used at any point in the production of the food, or (2) it was produced using a processing aid or enzyme that was produced from a GMO. The labeling requirements of this bill preempt state and local labeling requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Digital Security Commission Act of 2016 This bill establishes in the legislative branch the National Commission on Security and Technology Challenges to assess, and make recommendations for policy and practice concerning, the issue of multiple security interests in the digital world, including public safety, privacy, national security, and communications and data protection, both now and throughout the next 10 years. Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and Senate majority leader (eight members), the minority leaders in the House and the Senate (eight members), and the President (one member) from among U.S. citizens with significant knowledge and primary experience in: cryptography, global commerce and economics, federal law enforcement, state and local law enforcement, consumer-facing technology sector, enterprise technology sector, the intelligence community, and the privacy and civil liberties community.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Medicare Mental Health Access Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand the definition of "physician," for purposes of the Medicare program, to include a clinical psychologist with respect to the furnishing of qualified psychologist services. The bill excludes a clinical psychologist, in 2017 and 2018, from certain negative payment adjustments for failing to be a meaningful electronic health records user.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2016
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for railroad track maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2016
Acknowledges the lifetime of service of Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Commends his 29-year tenure on the Court and extends sympathy to his family and friends on his death.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2016
Dine College Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of the Interior to conduct a survey and study of all capital projects and facility needs of Dine College, a tribal community college in the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Interior must report the results and include views or recommendations submitted by the college or the Navajo Nation and Interior's recommendations. Prior to the survey and study, Dine College must identify for Interior renovations and repairs necessary to meet health and safety standards and other requirements. Interior must make grants to Dine College for construction, operation, and maintenance activities. Amounts made available to Dine College under this bill are treated as non-federal, private funds for the purposes of any federal law that requires the use of non-federal or private funds.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2016 This bill states that it is U.S. policy to regard the prevention of mass atrocities and genocide as a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility. The President may establish an interagency Atrocities Prevention Board, which shall: (1) ensure that atrocities and the risk of atrocities throughout the world are adequately considered and addressed, and (2) oversee the development and execution of policies and tools to enhance the capacity of the United States to prevent and respond to atrocities. The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to provide for the training of Foreign Service Officers in conflict and atrocity prevention. The bill establishes in the Treasury the Complex Crises Fund to enable the U.S. Agency for International Development to support programs and activities to prevent or respond to emerging or unforeseen foreign challenges and complex crisis overseas, including potential mass atrocities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appoint or provide counsel at government expense to aliens in removal proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall provide an alien in removal proceedings with all relevant documents in its possession, unless the alien has knowingly waived the right to such documents. In the absence of a waiver a removal proceeding may not proceed until the alien has received, and had time to review, the documents. DOJ may appoint or provide counsel to aliens in any INA proceeding. DHS shall ensure that aliens have access to counsel inside all immigration detention and border facilities. DOJ shall appoint counsel, at government expense if necessary, for an unaccompanied alien child or a particularly vulnerable individual. DHS shall: (1) facilitate access to counsel for all aliens detained in facilities under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and (2) establish procedures to ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all detained aliens, including aliens held in CBP facilities. DOJ shall develop and administer a two-year pilot program at not fewer than two immigration courts to grant access to legal information to non-detained aliens with pending asylum claims. DHS shall establish a pilot program to increase the court appearance rates of unaccompanied alien children and particularly vulnerable individuals by contracting with nongovernmental, community-based organizations to provide such aliens with case management services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Marlow Cook, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on February 4, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Cook.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2016
Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act or the CONNECT for Health Act This bill amends titles XI (General Provisions) and XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand and modify the use of telehealth and remote patient monitoring services under Medicare. The bill establishes a telehealth and remote patient monitoring services "bridge" demonstration waiver program, through which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall waive certain limitations as a condition of Medicare payment to eligible providers of telehealth services. CMS shall also waive such limitations as a condition of Medicare payment for telehealth services with respect to providers participating in qualifying alternative payment models. With regard to individuals with certain chronic conditions, telehealth services shall be covered under Medicare as medical and other health services, rural health clinic services, or federally qualified health center (FQHC) services, as the case may be. A Medicare beneficiary determined to have end stage renal disease (ESRD) and receiving home dialysis may elect to receive certain required monthly ESRD-related visits via telehealth if the beneficiary receives an in-person examination at least once every three months. For purposes of Medicare payment for telehealth services: (1) a rural health clinic or FQHC may serve as a distant site whose clinician furnishes such services, and (2) certain requirements for originating sites shall not apply with respect to specified stroke-related services or to specified Native American health service facilities. A Medicare Advantage (MA) plan may use telehealth services to provide benefits under the original Medicare fee-for-service program option. Specified limitations are waived with regard to such services furnished under an MA plan.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2016
Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act This bill prohibits a state that has been redistricted after an apportionment from being redistricted again until after the next apportionment of Representatives, unless the state is ordered by a court to conduct such a subsequent redistricting in order to: (1) comply with the U.S. Constitution, or (2) enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Redistricting must be conducted through a plan developed by the independent redistricting commission established in the state, or if such plan is not enacted into law, the redistricting plan selected by the state's highest court or developed by a U.S. district court. The bill prescribes requirements for: (1) establishment of a state independent redistricting commission (including provisions for holding each of its meetings in public and maintaining a public Internet website); (2) development of a redistricting plan (including soliciting and considering public comments) and its submission to the state legislature (with public notice of plans at least seven days prior to such submission); (3) selection of a plan, under specified conditions, by the state's highest court or the U.S. district court for the district in which the capital of the state is located; (4) special rules for redistricting conducted under a federal court order; and (5) Election Assistance Commission payments to states for carrying out redistricting.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2016
Safe Academic Facilities and Environments for Tribal Youth Act or the SAFETY Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to carry out a Tribal School Construction Demonstration Program to award grants to Indian tribes for the construction of replacement tribal schools. The program provides additional funding and opportunities for tribes to construct schools. Tribes on the Interior priority list for construction of tribal schools receive the highest priority for a grant under this program. This bill amends the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 to revise the grant program for construction at tribal colleges and universities. The bill eliminates the requirements for Interior to identify the need for construction and tribal colleges and universities to provide matching funds. Restrictions on grant amounts and the use of constructed facilities are removed. This bill amends the Housing Act of 1949 to authorize the Department of Agriculture to award grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal housing entities for the construction or renovation of housing in rural areas for educators at Indian schools and schools where at least 25% of the students are Indian. The Bureau of Indian Education and the Office of Management and Budget must develop a 10-year plan to bring up to good condition certain Bureau of Indian Education school facilities. The Government Accountability Office must report on Impact Aid for construction provided to local education agencies impacted by military dependent children and children who reside on Indian lands.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Dale Bumpers, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on January 11, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Bumpers.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
This bill directs the Department of State to: (1) develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and at other related activities, and (2) instruct INTERPOL Washington to request observer status for Taiwan in INTERPOL and urge INTERPOL members to support Taiwan's observer status and participation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
This bill provides FY2016 supplemental appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address heroin and opioid drug abuse. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. For DOJ, the bill provides funds for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs. For HHS, the bill provides funds for: the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2015
21st Century Visa Vetting Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to search open source information, including Internet sites and social media postings, of an alien who applies for a visa to enter the United States to determine if the alien is inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Federal Bureau of Investigation Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2015 This bill revises whistle-blower protections for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employee or job applicant who discloses wrongdoing to an appropriate official. Specifically, it prohibits an FBI or Department of Justice (DOJ) employee from taking or failing to take a personnel action (e.g., demotion) with respect to an FBI employee or applicant because of a protected disclosure. A protected disclosure is a disclosure of information to an appropriate official which an employee or applicant reasonably believes evidences: (1) a violation of a law, rule, or regulation; or (2) waste, fraud, or abuse. The bill specifies the appropriate recipients of a protected disclosure, including a supervisor in an employee's direct chain of command. Finally, it sets forth procedures for filing, investigating, adjudicating, and reviewing whistle-blower retaliation complaints.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2015
Defeat ISIS and Protect and Secure the United States Act of 2015 This bill directs the President to designate a person to coordinate federal government and international partner efforts to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The President may prohibit, or impose strict conditions on, the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction for ISIS. The Director of National Intelligence shall review each intelligence sharing agreement between the United States and a foreign country experiencing a significant ISIS threat or participating in the anti-ISIS coalition. The President shall: (1) design programs to counter violent extremism abroad; and (2) develop as part of the National Strategy for Counterterrorism a comprehensive strategy to counter ISIS propaganda, including through online activities. The Department of State shall make counterterrorism funding available for programs that strengthen governance and security in fragile nation states that share a border with a country that ISIS or other violent extremists have threatened to destabilize or delegitimize. The President may give technical and operational assistance for the European Union and its member states to: (1) improve border management, including migrant screening; and (2) enhance intelligence sharing. The bill authorizes funds for emergency and life-saving assistance, including care of internally displaced persons in Syria and Iraq and mitigation of the outflow of refugees to Lebanon and Jordan. Visa Waiver Program Security Enhancement Act The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended to revise the visa waiver program, requiring use of machine-readable, electronic passports in order to participate in the program. Federal criminal law is amended to prohibit known or suspected terrorists from purchasing a gun. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall: review training for transportation security officers who operate airport security checkpoints and conduct baggage screening, review airport security to identify insider threat vulnerabilities in aviation, convene a working group of private sector screening technology users to foster public-private partnerships, and encourage maximum coordination with international counterparts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall give TSA names and identifying information from the terrorist screening database to permit TSA to administer the credential vetting program for individuals with unescorted access to sensitive transportation environments. DHS shall create a grant program to assist airports in carrying out construction necessary to address attack scenarios and mitigate insider threats. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 is amended to prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from granting a commercial license to any individual who is: (1) listed in the FBI terrorist screening database; or (2) convicted of any terrorism-related offense under any federal, state, or local law. The Administrator for Nuclear Security shall develop a strategy to enhance the security of all high activity radiological sources. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended to establish an Office for Community Partnerships to lead DHS efforts to counter violent extremism. The Department of Justice (DOJ), through the Office of Justice Programs, may award grants to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education to identify causes of violent extremism and related phenomena. The National Research Council shall study cryptographic technologies and national cryptography policy. DHS shall give technical assistance to state, local, tribal, territorial, private sector, and nongovernmental partners to develop response plans for active shooter incidents in publicly accessible spaces. DOJ may award grants to develop antiterrorism training and technical assistance programs for state, local, and tribal law enforcement.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Biodiesel Tax Incentive Reform and Extension Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through March 31, 2016, the income tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel and the excise tax credit for biodiesel fuel mixtures, (2) allow through 2018 a new income and excise tax credit equal to $1.00 for each gallon of biodiesel produced, and (3) provide for an increased credit for small biodiesel producers.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2015
Denounces the attacks on health care centers for women, providers of health care for women, and patients. Affirms that all women have the right to access reproductive health care services without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment.
![Official portrait of Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/h001046_200.jpg)