United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2014
Freeing Americans from Inequitable Requirements Act of 2014 or the FAIR Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the individual mandate to purchase health care coverage, to delay such requirement from taking effect until the Secretary of the Treasury submits to Congress a certification that the employer mandate to provide health care coverage for employees is being applied and administered without any administratively created exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2014
Condemns the Russian military seizure of the Ukrainian Crimea and demands the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces except as allowed for by treaty. Demands the release of besieged Ukrainian security forces in Crimea, and warns that failure to do so or any additional military action against other areas of Ukraine will lead to significant consequences in the Russian Federation's relations with the United States and those nations who share our views. Urges the President to use all appropriate economic elements of U.S. national power in coordination with U.S. allies to protect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and economic integrity. Urges the President to use economic and diplomatic measures, including calibrated sanctions, against those responsible for the seizure of Crimea. Urges the President to propose to G-8 nations to suspend the Russian Federation, and to propose to our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to suspend operation of the NATO-Russia Council and suspend the Russian Federation's military and diplomatic representation at NATO. Condemns the economic coercion pursued by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania, and other countries in the region in order to obstruct closer ties between the European Union (EU) and the countries of the Eastern Partnership. Supports assisting Ukraine and U.S. allies in the region in gaining energy security. Encourages governments in Europe to take similar and coordinated actions to make it clear to the government of the Russian Federation that violating the territorial integrity of sovereign nations will have significant consequences. Calls for the acceptance of a credible international observer mission in Crimea and other parts of Ukraine. Calls on the Russian Federation to engage in a political dialogue with Ukraine on a political and diplomatic path that respects Ukrainian sovereignty and the Crimea's historic and ethnic makeup. Supports efforts by the government of Ukraine to: (1) bring to justice those responsible for the acts of violence related to the anti-government protests that began on November 2013, and (2) recover Ukrainian state funds stolen by former President Yanukovych and others. Calls upon the leadership of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to reconsider its decision to place World Cup 2018 matches in Russia.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2014
Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act - Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) from providing a grant or any funds to a state, county, town, township, Indian tribe, municipality, or other local government for any program to: (1) check motorcycle helmet use, or (2) create motorcycle checkpoints that specifically target motorcycle operators or motorcycle passengers.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2014
Ashland Breakwater Light Transfer Act - Adjusts the boundary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin to include the Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light Addition at the end of the breakwater on Chequamegon Bay, Wisconsin. Declares that Congress does not intend for the designation of that property to create a protective perimeter or buffer zone around its boundary. Permits retention of rights to use a portion of Lakeshore land and facilities by: (1) the Army Corps of Engineers for breakwater maintenance, and (2) the Coast Guard for federal aids to navigation. Directs the National Park Service (NPS), Coast Guard, and Army Corps of Engineers to cooperate in their operations so as to not lower the standards evolved for the operation of NPS units, federal aids to navigation, and harbor maintenance under federal law respecting the Lakeshore. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into agreements with the city of Ashland, the county of Ashland, and the county of Bayfield, Wisconsin, for the purpose of cooperative law enforcement and emergency services within the boundaries of the Lakeshore.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2014
Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) remove any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from a Senior Executive Service position upon determining such individual's performance warrants removal, and (2) remove such individual from the civil service or appoint the individual to a General Schedule position at any grade that the Secretary deems appropriate. Requires: (1) the Secretary to notify the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees within 30 days after removing such an individual, and (2) such removal to be done in the same manner as the removal of a professional staff member employed by a Member of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2014
Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014 - Requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standards and definitions in effect on January 1, 2010, for determining whether an organization qualifies for tax-exempt status as an organization operated exclusively for social welfare to apply to such determinations after enactment of this Act. Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury, or any delegate of the Secretary, from issuing, revising, or finalizing any regulation (including proposed regulations), revenue ruling, or other guidance not limited to a particular taxpayer relating to such standards and definitions. Terminates this Act one year after its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2014
Disapproves and nullifies the rule submitted by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relating to new source performance standards for emissions of carbon dioxide for new affected fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating units.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2014
Directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and the Director of National Intelligence, to report to Congress regarding information and intelligence sharing with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and NATO countries on compliance issues related to the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty).
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2014
Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2013 - Requires each communication funded by a federal agency for advertising or educational purposes to clearly state: (1) in the case of a printed communication, including mass mailings, signs, and billboards, that the communication is printed and published at taxpayer expense; and (2) in the case of a communication transmitted through radio, television, or the Internet, that the communication is produced and disseminated at taxpayer expense. Requires any such printed communication, including e-mails, to be of sufficient size to be clearly readable, to be set apart from the other contents of the communication, and to be printed with a reasonable degree of color contrast between the background and the printed statement. Exempts from such requirements: (1) information in or relating to a solicitation for offers for a federal contract or applications or submissions of a bid or proposal for a federal grant or other means of funding under a federal program; and (2) advertisements for employment opportunities, not including advertising materials developed for use in recruiting and retaining personnel for the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2014
Removing Limitations on Insurance Effectiveness and Flexibility Act of 2013 or the ReLIEF Act - Allows catastrophic health plans described in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be considered as providing essential health benefits by removing certain enrollment eligibility restrictions (concerning age and certification of exemption from the Internal Revenue Code requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage). Deems coverage under such a plan to meet the Internal Revenue Code requirement that an individual maintain minimum essential coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2014
Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code to authorize a person who is not prohibited from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm under federal law, who is entitled and not prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence or who is carrying a valid state license or permit to carry a concealed weapon, and who is carrying a government-issued photographic identification document, to carry a concealed handgun (which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, other than a machine gun or destructive device) in any state in accordance with the restrictions of that state. Provides that in a state that allows the issuing authority for licenses or permits to carry concealed firearms to impose restrictions on the carrying of firearms by individual license or permit holders, an individual carrying a concealed handgun under this Act shall be permitted to carry it according to the same terms authorized by an unrestricted license or permit issued by such state.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2013
Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Iran must not be allowed to develop or maintain nuclear weapon capabilities; (2) Iran does not have an inherent right to enrichment and reprocessing capabilities under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; (3) the imposition of sanctions under this Act is triggered by Iran's violations of any interim or final agreement regarding its nuclear program; (4) if Israel takes military action in self-defense against Iran's nuclear weapons program the United States should provide Israel with diplomatic, military, and economic support; and (5) the United States should continue to impose sanctions on Iran and its terrorist proxies. States that it is U.S. policy to seek to ensure that all countries reduce their purchases of crude oil, lease condensates, fuel oils, and other unfinished oils from Iran or of Iranian origin to a de minimis level within one year. Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 to authorize a country that purchased petroleum from Iran or of Iranian origin during the one-year period preceding enactment of this Act to continue to receive a sanction exception only if the country reduces its purchases of Iranian or Iranian origin petroleum: (1) to a de minimis level within one year; or (2) by at least 30% during the one-year period beginning on the date of enactment, if it also is expected to reduce such purchases to a de minimis level within two years, or the President determines that the country has reduced its purchases to a de minimus level. Amends the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 to include the construction, engineering, and mining sectors of Iran within the scope of sanctions. Designates as entities of proliferation concern entities that operate special economic zones, free economic zones, and entities in strategic sectors (in lieu of certain current entities). Directs the President to block the property of: (1) entities in strategic sectors, and (2) entities that operate special economic zones or free economic zones. Defines "strategic sector" as: (1) the energy, shipping, shipbuilding, and mining sectors of Iran; (2) the construction and engineering sectors of Iran with exceptions for schools and hospitals; and (3) any other sector the President determines to be of strategic importance to Iran. Amends the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 to exclude from U.S. entry: (1) an individual who engages in sanction evasion activities for or on behalf of the government of Iran, (2) an individual acting on behalf of the government of Iran who is involved in corrupt activities of that government or the diversion of humanitarian goods, or (3) a senior official who was involved in the activities of an entity designated for sanctions in connection with Iran's proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or Iran's support for international terrorism. Expands the list of designated senior officials of the government of Iran. Directs the President to block the U.S. or U.S.- controlled property and property transfers of: (1) specified senior officials, and (2) family members who received such property from a listed official. Directs the President to prohibit the opening, and prohibit or impose strict conditions on the maintaining in the United States, of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducted or facilitated a significant currency transaction (or did so through another person) with or on behalf of the Central Bank of Iran or another Iranian sanctioned financial institution, or with a person that is involved in the strategic sectors or economic zones of Iran. Authorizes the President to impose sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act against any other person that knowingly conducts or facilitates such a currency transaction. Excludes from such sanctions any transactions for: (1) the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine or medical devices to Iran; or (2) the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Iran. Expresses the sense of Congress that, if sanctions are imposed pursuant to this Act and Iran continues to pursue an illicit nuclear weapons program, Congress should pursue additional sanctions against Iran. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President has been engaged in diplomatic efforts to ensure that sanctions are imposed multilaterally to restrict Iran's access to the global financial system; (2) the European Union (EU) is to be commended for strengthening the multilateral sanctions regime against Iran; (3) the President and the EU must continue to address any judicial, administrative, or other decisions in their respective jurisdictions that might weaken the sanctions regime; and (4) restrictions on Iran's access to global specialized financial messaging services should be maintained. Amends the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to include goods, services, and technologies that will be sold or transferred to a strategic sector of Iran in the list of goods, services, or technologies diverted to Iranian end-users or Iranian intermediaries. Authorizes the President to: (1) impose restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance or measures authorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act with respect to a country designated as a Destination of Diversion Concern if the President determines that such restrictions would prevent the diversion of goods, services, and technologies to Iranian end-users or Iranian intermediaries; or (2) prohibit the issuance of an export license to such a country for certain defense articles or services. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President's FY2015 budget should prioritize resources for the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Department of State dedicated to the enforcement of sanctions against Iran, and (2) the appropriate Senate and House of Representatives committees should prioritize such resources during consideration of authorization and appropriations legislation in future fiscal years. Authorizes the President to suspend the application of sanctions under this Act for a 180-day period if the President certifies to Congress every 30 days during such period that: (1) Iran is complying with and verifiably implementing the Joint Plan of Action, (2) Iran is engaged in good faith negotiations toward a final agreement to terminate its non-civilian use nuclear activities, (3) the United States is working toward a final agreement to dismantle Iran's illicit nuclear infrastructure and permit verification and inspections of suspect facilities, (4) any sanctions relief is reversible and proportionate to Iranian measures to terminate its illicit nuclear program and related weaponization activities, (5) Iran has not directly or through a proxy carried out an act of terrorism against the United States or U.S. persons or property, (6) Iran has not conducted certain ballistic missile tests, and (7) suspension of sanctions is vital to U.S. national security interests. Authorizes and sets forth the conditions with regard to such suspension of sanctions for: (1) renewal of sanction suspensions, (2) termination of sanction suspensions, and (3) presidential waiver of sanctions reinstatement. Authorizes the President, unless a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted, to suspend the application of sanctions imposed under this Act for a one-year period if the President certifies to Congress that the United States and its allies have reached a final and verifiable agreement with Iran that will: (1) dismantle Iran's illicit nuclear infrastructure, (2) bring Iran into compliance with all United Nations (U.N.) Security Council resolutions related to Iran's nuclear program and resolve all issues of concern with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), (3) permit continuous on-site inspection and monitoring of all suspect facilities in Iran, (4) require Iran's full compliance with the Agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and (5) require Iran's implementation of measures that include IAEA verification of Iran's centrifuge manufacturing facilities and uranium mines and mills. Authorizes and sets forth the conditions for renewal of such sanction suspensions. Authorizes the President to make an exception from the imposition of sanctions for reconstruction assistance or economic development for Afghanistan if in the U.S. national interest and if notice is provided to Congress. States that nothing in this Act: (1) authorizes or requires the President to impose sanctions relating to the importation of goods, (2) shall apply to authorized U.S. intelligence activities, (3) shall be construed to apply to certain natural gas projects, or (4) shall be construed as a declaration of war or an authorization of the use of force against Iran. Eliminates specific refugee set-asides for nationals of the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania who are current, active members of the Ukrainian Catholic Church or the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Extends the period of eligibility for refugee status determinations for certain aliens from the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Extends the period of eligibility for status adjustment from a parolee who was denied refugee status to a lawfully admitted permanent resident for certain aliens from the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Vietnam, Laos, or Cambodia.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2013
Keeping Our Promise to Our Military Heroes Act - Repeals the provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 that reduces the cost-of-living adjustment to the retirement pay of members of the Armed Forces under age 62. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require taxpayers who are claiming the refundable portion of the child tax credit to include their social security number on their tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2013
Monuments Men Recognition Act of 2013 - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the presentation of a single congressional gold medal in commemoration of the Monuments Men (men and women who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives [MFA] Section under the Allied Armies during World War II) in recognition of their heroic role in the preservation, protection, and restitution of monuments, works of art, and artifacts of cultural importance during and following the War. Requires the Medal's display at the Smithsonian Institution. Expresses the sense of Congress that the medal should be made available for display elsewhere, particularly at locations associated with the Monuments Men and that preference should be given to locations affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. Permits the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2013
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) retirees from the Armed Forces should not unfairly bear the burden of excessive government spending, (2) military retirees earned the benefits they were promised upon entering the military and it is the duty of the Senate to protect them, and (3) the Senate should seek alternatives to the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 regarding the annual adjustment of retired pay and retainer pay amounts for retired members of the Armed Forces under age 62.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2013
American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to the American Fighter Aces, collectively, in recognition of their heroic military service and defense of the nation's freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2013
Honors the life, accomplishments, and legacy of former South African President Nelson Mandela. Extends condolences to the members of his family and his fellow citizens. Requests: (1) the Secretary of State to communicate these expressions of honor and condolence to Nelson Mandela's family and to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, and (2) the President to identify an appropriate and lasting U.S. government program to honor Nelson Mandela's legacy.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2013
Supports the sovereign right of the people of Ukraine to chart an independent and democratic future for their country. Urges U.S. and European leaders to work together to support a peaceful and democratic resolution to the current crisis that moves Ukraine toward a future in the Euro-Atlantic community and a long-term solution to Ukraine's economic crisis. Encourages demonstrators and members of the opposition and civil society in Ukraine to avoid violence and engage in a dialogue of national reconciliation. Urges all political parties to refrain from hate speech or actions of an anti-Semitic or other character which further divide the Ukrainian people. Condemns the decision by Ukrainian authorities to use violence against peaceful demonstrators and calls for those responsible to be brought to justice and all detained nonviolent demonstrators to be released. States that in the event of further state violence against peaceful protestors the President and Congress should consider whether to apply targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, against individuals responsible for ordering or carrying out the violence.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2013
Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act or the GONE Act - Directs the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to submit to Congress and the head of each federal agency a report that: (1) lists each covered grant account held by the federal government, (2) recommends which of such grants should be immediately closed, and (3) explains why any covered grant account that has been expired for more than 90 days has not been closed out. Requires each federal agency head that manages a covered grant account recommended for closure in such report to close such account not later than 180 days after the report is submitted. Defines "covered grant account" as a grant account in a federal agency payment management system that has a zero balance for more than 180 days and for which the grant award period has expired.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2013
Designates November 30, 2013, as Small Business Saturday. Expresses support for efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of such businesses on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2013
Security Clearance Accountability, Reform, and Enhancement Act - Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to: (1) terminate or place on administrative leave an OPM employee if the Director determines that such employee was intentionally involved in misconduct affecting the integrity of the background investigations of OPM, including falsification of a background investigation report, fraud relating to such report, or other serious misconduct that compromises the integrity of a background investigation report; and (2) debar or suspend an individual employed or contracted by a person under contract with OPM if the Director determines that such individual was intentionally involved in similar misconduct. Directs the President to review and update guidance for agencies that shall be used to: (1) determine whether a position requires its occupant to have a security clearance; (2) implement such guidance, including quality controls; and (3) review (at least every five years) and, if necessary, revise the designation of a position as requiring its occupant to have access to classified information or secure government facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2013
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to provide additional energy conservation standards applicable to grid-enabled water heaters (those intended for use as part of an electric thermal storage or demand response program). Requires annual reports from: (1) manufacturers of such water heaters regarding the quantity of the products shipped each year, and (2) utilities and other demand response and thermal storage program operators regarding the quantity of products activated for their programs. Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to publish analyses of data collected from such reports and to establish procedures to prevent product diversion if sales of the products exceed by at least 15% the quantity activated for use in the demand response and thermal storage programs annually. Maintains the standards and publication procedures established by this Act until the Secretary determines that such water heaters do not require a separate efficiency requirement. Requires the Secretary to consider the impact of EPCA electric water heater standards on thermal storage and demand response programs, including on energy savings, electric bills, electric reliability, integration of renewable resources, and the environment. Makes unlawful, with respect to grid-enabled water heaters not used as part of an electric thermal storage or demand response program, the knowing and repeated distribution of activation keys, enabling of full operation of the products, or removing or making illegible their labels.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2013
Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose an additional penalty of $5,000 on any person or entity convicted of crimes relating to: (1) peonage, slavery, and trafficking in persons; (2) sexual abuse; (3) sexual exploitation and other abuse of children; (4) transportation for illegal sexual activity; or (5) human smuggling in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Establishes in the Treasury the Domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund into which such penalties shall be deposited and which shall be used in FY2015-FY2019 to award grants or enhance victims' programming under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005, and the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. Allots funds to provide services for child pornography victims. Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make a determination, based on credible evidence, that a covered individual (i.e., a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident) has been a victim of a severe form of trafficking. Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 to authorize the Attorney General to award block grants to develop, improve, or expand comprehensive domestic child trafficking deterrence programs to rescue and restore the lives of trafficking victims, while investigating and prosecuting offenses involving child trafficking. Amends the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to include human trafficking and the production of child pornography within the definition of child abuse for purposes of such Act. Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) increase restitution for victims of human trafficking; (2) set forth provisions for combating aggravated human trafficking racketeering; (3) allow state and local prosecutors to obtain wiretap warrants in state courts for investigations into human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and child pornography production; (4) increase penalties for offenses involving enticement into slavery, sex trafficking of children, child exploitation, and repeat sex offenders; and (5) revise the definition of the crime of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct to facilitate prosecutions of such crime. Directs the Attorney General to ensure that all task forces and working groups within the Innocence Lost National Initiative engage in activities, programs, or operations to increase the investigative capabilities of law enforcement personnel in the detection, investigation, and prosecution of persons who patronize or solicit children for sex. Requires the Attorney General to audit grants awarded under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005. Imposes limits on the use of Department of Justice (DOJ) funds for DOJ conferences involving more than $20,000.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2013
Union Tax Fairness Act of 2013 - Requires that the payments to an applicable reinsurance entity for any plan year beginning in the three-year period beginning January 1, 2014, required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be applied equally to all health insurance issuers and third party administrators (on behalf of group health plans). Prohibits such payments from being waived on behalf of any such issuer, administrator, or group health plan.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2013
Employee Rights Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to make it an unlawful labor practice for a labor organization or its agents to interfere with the rights of employees to organize and select representation to collectively bargain. Adds a requirement that representatives be selected by secret ballot in an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by a majority of the employees in a unit. Defines "majority" for purposes of determining the majority of employees in an election to mean the majority of all employees in the unit, and not the majority of employees voting in the election. Requires the NLRB, in cases where an existing certified or voluntarily recognized bargaining unit experiences turnover, expansion, or alteration by merger of more than 50% of the unit's employees, to conduct a secret paper ballot among the unit employees: (1) between the 120th day and 110th day before the collective bargaining agreement's expiration or before the end of three years, if there is an agreement between the labor organization and the employer; or (2) within 30 days, if there is no agreement between such parties. Requires the NLRB to decide, before the election of a labor organization as the exclusive collective bargaining representative of all employees of an appropriate unit, whether such unit shall be the employer unit, craft unit, plant unit, or subdivision unit. Requires the NLRB to give 14 days advance notice before a hearing when it is investigating an election petition if it has reasonable cause to believe that a question of representation affecting commerce exists. Revises the requirement that the NLRB direct an election by secret ballot, and certify its results, whenever it finds upon the record of such a hearing that a question of representation exists. Adds a requirement that the NLRB also review all post-hearing appeals before finding that such a question exists. Requires an employer to provide the NLRB a list consisting only of employee names and home addresses of all eligible voters within 7 days after an NLRB determination of the appropriate unit or following any agreement between the employer and the labor organization regarding eligible voters. Prohibits an election after the filing of a petition unless and until: (1) a hearing is conducted before a qualified hearing officer on any and all material, factual issues regarding jurisdiction, statutory coverage, appropriate unit, unit inclusion or exclusion, or eligibility of individuals; and (2) the issues are resolved by a regional Director, subject to appeal and review, or by the NLRB. Declares that election results shall not be final nor any labor organization be certified as a bargaining representative unless the NLRB has ruled on: (1) each pre-election issue not resolved before the election; and (2) the NLRB conducts a hearing and resolves each issue pertaining to the conduct or results of the election. Makes any labor organization found to have interfered with, restrained, or coerced employees in the exercise of their rights to form or join a labor organization or to refrain from forming or joining (including the filing of a decertification petition) liable for lost wages and unlawfully collected union dues and fees, if any, and an additional amount as liquated damages. Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (Landrum-Griffin Act) to permit an election by secret ballot to be conducted through votes cast by electronic ballot cast in the privacy of a voting booth. Requires every employee in a bargaining unit represented by a labor organization, regardless of membership status, to have the same right as members to vote by secret ballot to ratify a collective bargaining agreement with, or to engage in, a strike or refusal to work of any kind against their employer. Prohibits the use of an employee's union dues for any purpose not directly related to the labor organization's collective bargaining, unless that employee authorizes such expenditure in writing. Prohibits a strike without the consent of a majority of all unit employees affected, determined by a secret ballot vote conducted by a neutral, private organization chosen by agreement between the employer and the labor organization. Requires each labor organization to make the independently verified annual audit report of its financial condition and operations available to all of its members and represented nonmembers. Makes it unlawful for a person to use force or violence, or threaten the use of force or violence, to restrain, coerce, or intimidate a person, or attempt to, in order to obtain from any person any right to represent employees, compensation, or other term or condition of employment. Subjects persons who willfully violate such prohibitions to both civil and criminal penalties.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2013
Transportation Empowerment Act - Declares the purposes of the Act, including returning maximum discretionary authority and fiscal responsibility to the states for all elements of the national surface transportation systems (excluding the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways). Prescribes a limitation on funding of transportation programs and projects carried out under this Act. Authorizes appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2015-FY2019 for specified core programs under the federal-aid highway program, including: (1) metropolitan transportation planning, (2) emergency relief for highways and roads, (3) the federal lands transportation program, and (4) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) administrative expenses. Authorizes a state to transfer and use excess federal-aid highway funds for any surface transportation project (including mass transit and rail). Limits federal assistance to states for highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation to bridges on the federal-aid highway system. Repeals the authorization of federal assistance to states for historic bridges. Repeals the transportation alternatives program. Declares that, beginning with FY2014, a highway construction or improvement project shall not be considered a federal project: (1) unless and until a state expends federal funds for the construction portion of such project, (2) solely by reason of the state expenditure of federal funds before the construction phase of the project (including for any environmental document or design work), or (3) upon state reimbursement to the federal government of the federal costs of such projects. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make amounts in the HTF available for expenditure for core highway programs through FY2020. Requires the Secretary of Treasury to transfer from the HTF amounts equivalent to motorboat and aviation fuel taxes collected before October 1, 2022, to: (1) the Land and Water Conservation Fund, (2) the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, and (3) the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. Requires the Secretary to pay from the HTF into the general fund of the Treasury amounts equivalent to the floor stocks refunds made before July 1, 2023. Prescribes a motor fuel tax rate schedule for financing of core highway programs. Terminates, on September 30, 2014, the authority of the Secretary to make certain transfers to the Mass Transit Account. Directs the Secretary, on October 1, 2014, to transfer all amounts in the Mass Transit Account to the Highway Account. Authorizes appropriations out of the HTF (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2015-FY2019 for the highway research and development program. Directs the Secretary to allocate to the states for surface transportation projects (including mass transit and rail) any excess highway tax receipts appropriated to the HTF in FY2016-FY2019. Reduces the excise taxes imposed on: (1) gasoline from 18.3 cents to 3.7 cents, (2) diesel fuel or kerosene from 24.3 cents to 5.0 cents, and (3) diesel-water fuel emulsion from 19.7 cents to 4.1 cents. Requires credits or refunds of certain floor stocks taxes on liquids imposed before October 1, 2019. Declares that this Act shall become effective only if the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) certifies that it is deficit neutral.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2013
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit any person from performing or attempting to perform an abortion except in conformity with this Act's requirements. Requires the physician to first determine the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child, or reasonably rely upon such a determination made by another physician, by making inquiries of the pregnant woman and performing such medical examinations and tests as a reasonably prudent physician would consider necessary. Prohibits the abortion from being performed if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater, except: (1) where necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, excluding psychological or emotional conditions; or (2) where the pregnancy is the result of rape, or the result of incest against a minor, if the rape has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency, or if the incest has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency or to a government agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse or neglect. Permits a physician to terminate a pregnancy under such an exception only in the manner that provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive, unless that manner would pose a greater risk than other available methods would pose of the death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, excluding psychological or emotional conditions, of the pregnant woman. Subjects individuals who violate this Act to a fine, imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. Bars prosecution of a woman upon whom an abortion is performed in violation of this Act for violating or conspiring to violate this Act. Defines "abortion" to mean the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device to intentionally kill an unborn child or to intentionally terminate a pregnancy with an intention other than: (1) after viability, to produce a live birth and preserve the life and health of the child; or (2) to remove a dead unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2013
Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to: (1) disclose to a consumer all information (and their sources) held by the CFPB with respect to that consumer, including any person or other federal department or agency to which the CFPB disclosed the information; and (2) truncate in the disclosure the first five digits of the consumer's Social Security number (or similar identification number), if the consumer so requests and the CFPB has received appropriate proof of the requester's identity. Permits consumers to request such a disclosure: (1) online, with a link prominently displayed on the CFPB website; (2) via U.S. mail; and (3) via a toll-free telephone number.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2013
Disapproves and nullifies final regulations submitted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that provide guidance to individual taxpayers on the liability under section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code for the shared responsibility payment for not maintaining minimum essential health care coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2013
Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to authorize private employers to provide compensatory time off to private employees at a rate of 1 1/2 hours per hour of employment for which overtime compensation is required. Authorizes an employer to provide compensatory time only if it is in accordance with an applicable collective bargaining agreement or, in the absence of such an agreement, an agreement between the employer and employee. Prohibits an employee from accruing more than 160 hours of compensatory time. Requires an employee's employer to provide monetary compensation, after the end of a calendar year, for any unused compensatory time off accrued during the preceding year. Requires an employer to give employees 30-day notice before discontinuing compensatory time off. Prohibits an employer from intimidating, threatening, or coercing an employee in order to: (1) interfere with the employee's right to request or not to request compensatory time off in lieu of payment of monetary overtime compensation, or (2) require an employee to use such compensatory time. Makes an employer who violates such requirements liable to the affected employee in the amount of the compensation rate for each hour of compensatory time accrued, plus an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, reduced for each hour of compensatory time used. Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to report to Congress every three years on: (1) the extent to which employers provide compensatory time off and employees opt to receive it; (2) the number of complaints filed by an employee with the Secretary of Labor alleging a violation of the requirements as well as enforcement actions commenced by the Secretary on behalf of an aggrieved employee; (3) the disposition of such complaints and actions; and (4) any unpaid wages, damages, penalties, injunctive relief, or other remedies sought by the Secretary in connection with such actions.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2013
If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep it Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to prohibit anything in the Act from being construed to require an individual to terminate coverage under a group health plan or health insurance coverage in which the individual was enrolled during any part of the period beginning on the date of enactment of PPACA (March 23, 2010) and ending on December 31, 2013. Allows: (1) continuation of coverage under a group health plan or health insurance in which an individual was enrolled during any part of such period, regardless of whether the individual renews such coverage; (2) family members of the individual to join coverage under such a plan that is renewed; (3) new employees to join a group health plan that provides coverage during any part of such period; and (4) continuation of coverage maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that was ratified before the end of such period.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2013
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Rod Grams, former Member of the United States Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on October 9, 2013, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Grams.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2013
Offers: (1) condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the innocent victims killed or wounded during the violence that took place at the Washington Navy Yard on September 16, 2013; and (2) support and hope for all the individuals who were wounded and discomforted by the mass shooting. Recognizes the difficult healing and recovery process that lies ahead for the affected communities. Honors the courageous and professional service of: (1) the uniformed men and women of the Navy and other members of the U.S. Armed Forces; (2) all civilian employees who provide support for the Armed Forces; and (3) the law enforcement personnel, emergency responders, and medical professionals who responded to and assisted victims of that shooting. Remains committed to preventing the occurrence of similar tragedies.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2013
Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act or RAISE Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to declare that neither its prohibition against interference by an employer with employees' right to bargain collectively, nor the terms of a collective bargaining agreement entered into between employees and an employer after enactment of this Act, shall prohibit an employer from paying an employee higher wages, pay, or other compensation than the agreement provides for.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2013
Audit the Pentagon Act of 2013 - Provides that Department of Defense (DOD) financial statements shall cease to be covered by specified DOD financial reporting requirements upon the issuance of an unqualified audit opinion (UAO) on such statements. Provides that if DOD obtains a UAO on its statement of budgetary resources for any fiscal year after FY2014, the limitation on the total amount of authorizations that the Secretary of Defense may transfer pursuant to general transfer authority in the national interest in the succeeding fiscal year shall be $8 billion. Sets forth thresholds for the reprogramming of funds that shall apply to increases or decreases to the program base amount for a procurement or research program or an operation and maintenance or military personnel budget activity for a military department, defense agency, or defense field activity that obtains a UAO on its statement of budgetary resources. Requires additional qualifications and responsibilities of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and certain other DOD financial management officials if DOD fails to obtain a UAO on its general fund statement of budgetary resources for FY2015 by December 31, 2015. Provides that if DOD fails to obtain a UAO on its general fund statement of budgetary resources for FY2018 by December 31, 2018, the reprogramming authority provided above will cease to apply. Requires, effective as of April 1, 2019, the reorganization of the position of DOD Chief Management Officer, with added qualifications and responsibilities. Transfers jurisdiction of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service from DOD to the Department of the Treasury and requires the Secretary of the Treasury to administer such Service. Provides that if a military department fails to obtain a UAO on its financial statements: (1) for FY2018 by December 31, 2018, the reprogramming authority provided above will cease to apply; and (2) for any fiscal year after 2017, amounts available to that department may not be obligated for a weapon or weapon system or platform being acquired under a major defense acquisition program for any activity beyond Milestone B approval not already obtained. Directs the Secretary of Defense to amend the acquisition guidance of DOD to place specific limits on the procurement of any enterprise resource planning business system, including a three-year limit on its total procurement time from initial obligation of funds to full deployment and sustainment.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2013
Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act - Directs: (1) the Secretary of the military department concerned to award the Purple Heart to members of the Armed Forces (members) who were killed or wounded in the attack at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009; and (2) the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to award the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom to civilian employees and contractors of DOD who were killed or wounded in such attack. Deems, for purposes of all applicable federal benefit laws, regulations, and policies: (1) such members to have been killed or wounded in a combat zone as the result of an enemy act; and (2) such employees to have been killed or wounded by hostile action while serving with the Armed Forces in a contingency operation and to have been killed or wounded in a terrorist attack. Excludes any member whose death or wound was the result of willful misconduct. Applies such provisions to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other psychological injuries that were a result of such attack.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2013
No Exemption for Washington from Obamacare Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to extend the requirement for participation in the American Health Benefit Exchange (a state health insurance exchange created by PPACA) to the President, Vice-President, executive branch political appointees, and employees of congressional committees and leadership offices of Congress (currently, this requirement applies to Members of Congress and their staff). Prohibits any government contribution to or subsidy for the health insurance coverage of such officials and employees.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2013
Expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should establish a joint select committee to investigate and report on the attack on the U.S. diplomatic facility and American personnel in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2013
Delays for one year the effective date of any provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or of any health care provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2011 that were scheduled to take effect on or after January 1, 2014. Suspends for one year, beginning January 1, 2014, any tax or tax increase imposed by such provisions if the tax or increase takes effect before that date.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2013
Fairness for American Families Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), to delay until 2015 the requirement that individuals maintain minimal essential health care coverage. Authority for Mandate Delay Act - Amends PPACA to delay until 2015 enforcement of requirements that large employers offer their full-time employees the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential coverage. Delays the effective date of related reporting requirements for such employers and for providers of minimum essential coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2013
Union Bailout Prevention Act of 2013 - Declares that no refundable premium assistance tax credits (subsidies) for coverage under a qualified health plan under the Internal Revenue Code, or reductions in cost-sharing under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), shall be permitted with respect to an individual for health insurance coverage provided pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement involving one or more employers (Taft-Hartley plan). Amends PPACA to exclude Taft-Hartley plans from the meaning of "qualified health plan."
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act - Revises the railroad safety risk reduction program. Extends from December 31, 2015, to December 31, 2020, the deadline for submission to the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) by each Class I railroad carrier and each entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation of a plan for implementing a positive train control (PTC) system on certain of its tracks. Authorizes the Secretary to extend the implementation deadline, upon application, in one-year increments, if specified circumstances exist. Directs the Secretary to revise federal regulations requiring a Class II or III railroad (including a tourist or excursion railroad) to equip its locomotives with an onboard PTC system to operate in PTC territory. Extends for five years the time for such railroad to meet the deadline for equipping its locomotives with a PTC system.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Exchange Verification of Eligibility to Receive Income-Related Funds for Individuals or the Requiring E-VERIFI Act - Declares that no premium tax credits or reductions in cost-sharing for the purchase of qualified health benefit plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) shall be permitted until the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) certifies to Congress that there is in place a program that successfully and consistently verifies, consistent with PPACA requirements, the household income and coverage requirements of individuals applying for such credits and cost-sharing reductions.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act - Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
States that: (1) the federal government should take no action to redeem, assume, or guarantee any state debt; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury should report to Congress any negotiations to engage in actions that would result in an outlay of federal funds on behalf of state creditors.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013
Smarter Sentencing Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to direct the court to impose a sentence for specified controlled substance offenses without regard to any statutory minimum sentence if the court finds that the criminal history category for the defendant is not higher than category two. (Currently, the court may disregard the statutory minimum if the defendant does not have more than one criminal history point.) Authorizes a court that imposed a sentence for a crack cocaine possession or trafficking offense committed before August 3, 2010, on motion of the defendant, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, the attorney for the government, or the court, to impose a reduced sentence as if provisions of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 were in effect at the time such offense was committed. Amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (CSIEA) to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, possessing, importing, or exporting specified controlled substances. Directs the Commission to review and amend its guidelines and policy statements applicable to persons convicted of such an offense under the CSA and CSIEA to ensure consistency with this Act and to consider specified factors, including: (1) its mandate to formulate guidelines to minimize the likelihood that the federal prison population will exceed federal prison capacity, (2) fiscal implications of changes, (3) relevant public safety concerns, (4) the intent of Congress that penalties for violent and serious drug traffickers who present public safety risks remain appropriately severe, and (5) the need to reduce and prevent racial disparities in sentencing. Requires the Attorney General to report on how the reduced expenditures on federal corrections and cost savings resulting from this Act will be used to help reduce overcrowding, increase investment in law enforcement and crime prevention, and reduce recidivism.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013
Enumerated Powers Act - Requires each Act of Congress, bill, resolution, conference report, or amendment to contain a concise explanation of the specific constitutional authority relied upon as the basis for enacting each portion of the measure. Permits a statement of constitutionality, to the extent that a measure limits or abolishes any federal activity, spending, or power overall, to cite the 9th or the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Declares that invoking one or more specified parts of the following clauses in a statement of constitutionality is not sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Act: (1) the enumerated spending clause; (2) the necessary and proper clause; or (3) the commerce clause for any purpose other than the regulation of the buying and selling of goods or services, or their transportation, across boundaries with foreign nations, across state lines, or with the Indian tribes. Declares that failure to comply with this requirement shall give rise to a point of order in either chamber.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013
Recognizes the anniversary of and condemns the shooting on August 5, 2012, at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Condemns hatred and acts of violence towards racial and religious groups. Calls for renewed efforts to end the violence. Honors the memory of Suveg Singh Khattra, Satwant Singh Kaleka, Ranjit Singh, Sita Singh, Paramjit Kaur, and Prakash Singh, who died in the shooting. Commends the heroism of first responders and members of the community who placed their lives in danger to prevent the death of more innocent people. Stands with those who plan to gather in Oak Creek on August 2-August 5, 2013, to memorialize the lives lost and to continue healing as a community.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2013
Improper Payments Agency Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2013 - Amends the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012 to require the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) to: (1) establish and maintain the National Deaths Registry to provide information relating to the deaths of individuals for the purpose of supporting the Do Not Pay Initiative and otherwise preventing, identifying, or recovering improper payments; (2) enter into cooperative agreements with federal agencies, including Inspectors General, and states, local and tribal governments to provide information in the Registry to such agencies and entities to prevent and recover improper payments; and (3) implement procedures for identifying and correcting errors in the Registry. Directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to identify each agency that operates or maintains a database relating to federal beneficiaries and annuity recipients. Requires each agency to establish: (1) a data matching procedure to compare agency information with information in the Registry, and (2) a procedure for prompt reporting to the Commissioner of information relating to the death of a recipient of federal benefits or a retirement annuity. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to report to Congress on data analytics performed as part of the Do Not Pay Initiative and the metrics used in determining whether the analytic and investigatory efforts have reduced improper payments or awards. Directs OMB to convene a task force of agencies to: (1) identify ways to improve the sharing of information relating to deaths of individuals receiving a federal retirement annuity, (2) share best practices for identifying deceased annuitants, and (3) report to Congress on such efforts. Requires the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to provide agencies access to information on delivery addresses, including Commercial Mail Receiving Agency lists of known locations of commercial mail boxes, for purposes of improved detection, prevention, and recovery of improper payments.
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