United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2019
Eliminating Corporate Shadow Banking Act of 2019 This bill provides for the regulation of industrial loan companies by the Federal Reserve. Industrial loan companies must comply with specified reporting, examination, and ownership requirements. (Industrial loan companies may generally provide services similar to depository institutions, but their parent holding company may be a nonfinancial, commercial firm.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2019
National Purple Heart Honor Mission Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the mission of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. The bill limits the issuance of such coins to the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2022. The bill prescribes surcharges for coin sales, which shall be paid to the National Purple Heart Honor Mission, Inc., to support the mission of such organization, including capital improvements to the National Purple Heart Honor Mission facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2019
This resolution designates November 4–8, 2019, as National Veterans Small Business Week, expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Veterans Small Business Week, celebrates the millions of people in the United States—especially veterans and their spouses—who benefit from Small Business Administration programs, and expresses appreciation for the continued service of the nation's veterans through small business ownership and entrepreneurship.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2019
This bill prohibits an immediate relative of certain senior U.S. government officials from having an ownership interest of 5% or more in a Ukrainian entity. It also prohibits such a relative from being a board member, consultant, employee, or independent contractor of a Ukrainian entity. Specifically, this prohibition shall apply to the immediate relatives of (1) the President, (2) the Vice President, (3) the head of any executive department, (4) an individual in a cabinet-level position, or (5) a Member of Congress. The bill provides for civil penalties and imprisonment for a violation and authorizes the Department of Justice to seek an injunction to stop the prohibited conduct.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2019
Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act This bill makes several modifications to the federal budget process, including the procedures for considering congressional budget resolutions and adjusting the debt limit. Among other modifications, the bill includes provisions that require biennial congressional budget resolutions, instead of the annual budget resolutions required under current law; retain the existing annual appropriations process; require a budget resolution to specify a target for the ratio of the debt held by the public to the gross domestic product (GDP) for each year covered by the resolution; require the debt-to-GDP target to be enforced using a mandatory reconciliation process that requires deficit reduction legislation to be considered using expedited legislative procedures; provide for automatic adjustments of the debt limit and statutory discretionary spending limits to conform to the levels in the budget resolution; modify the procedures for considering budget resolutions in the Senate; allow budget resolutions that have bipartisan support and meet specified requirements to be considered in the Senate using expedited procedures; rename the Committee on the Budget of the Senate as the Committee on Fiscal Control and the Budget of the Senate; and expand reporting requirements for congressional committees, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Government Accountability Office.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2019
This resolution recognizes October 2019 as National Women's Small Business Month, honoring the role of women small business owners and entrepreneurs and encouraging the support and creation of women-owned small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2019
American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2019 This bill addresses the use and regulation of fluorinated compounds in products and manufacturing, including by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to establish specified production and consumption baselines for the phase-down of specified fluorinated compounds.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2019
This resolution declares that (1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Kay Hagan, former Member of the Senate; and (2) when the Senate adjourns on October 30, 2019, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the Honorable Kay Hagan.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2019
This resolution urges the House of Representatives (1) before proceeding any further with its impeachment investigation into President Trump, to vote to initiate a formal impeachment inquiry; (2) to provide President Trump with due process, including the ability to confront his accusers, call witnesses on his behalf, and have a basic understanding of the accusations against him that would form any basis for impeachment; and (3) to provide members of the minority with the ability to participate fully in all proceedings and have equal authority to issue subpoenas and other compulsory process.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2019
This bill requires each chief state election official to disclose to the Election Assistance Commission the identity of any foreign national known by that official to have (1) physically handled either ballots used in an election for federal office or voting machines, (2) had unmonitored access to a storage facility or centralized voting-tabulation location used to support an election, or (3) had unmonitored access to election-related information or communications technology. It also requires the official to make the disclosure within 30 days of becoming aware of such activity.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2019
The resolution designates the week beginning on October 13, 2019, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. The resolution also acknowledges the importance of national wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution to local economies. Finally, the resolution reaffirms the support of the Senate for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
Improving Laundering Laws and Increasing Comprehensive Information Tracking of Criminal Activity in Shell Holdings Act or the ILLICIT CASH Act This bill expands disclosure requirements regarding the ownership of corporations and sets forth additional requirements regarding anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism programs (known as AML-CFT programs). Corporations must disclose their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The bill defines a beneficial owner as an individual who (1) exercises substantial control over a corporation or limited liability company, (2) owns 25% or more of the interest in a corporation or limited liability company, or (3) receives substantial economic benefits from the assets of a corporation or limited liability company. The bill also generally expands and revises existing AML-CFT provisions, including by compelling foreign banks to comply with subpoenas for records and allowing fines for foreign banks that fail to comply, establishing a financial institution liaison at FinCEN, initiating a review of thresholds for currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports, and expanding the regulation of digital currencies. The bill also requires increased communication and data sharing between law enforcement, financial regulators, and financial institutions. The bill provides statutory authority for the Securities and Exchange Commission to seek disgorgement (i.e., repayment) as a remedy for unjust enrichment that a person gained through a securities law violation. The bill also revises administrative requirements of FinCEN, including by revising the pay scale of employees.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
Disaster Assistance Simplification Act This bill addresses the interaction of disaster recovery relief assistance provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Specifically, the bill prohibits HUD and recipients of HUD disaster relief grants from (1) considering whether an applicant for assistance rejected a separate disaster loan from the SBA, or (2) reducing the amount of assistance by the amount of a rejected SBA loan.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2019
Safe Step Act This bill requires a group health plan to establish an exception to medication step-therapy protocol in specified cases. A medication step-therapy protocol establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs are covered by a group health plan or a health insurance issuer. A request for such an exception to the protocol must be granted if (1) an otherwise required treatment has been ineffective, (2) such treatment is expected to be ineffective and delaying effective treatment would lead to irreversible consequences, (3) such treatment will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction to the individual, (4) such treatment is expected to prevent the individual from performing daily activities or occupational responsibilities, (5) the individual is stable based on the prescription drugs already selected, or (6) there are other circumstances as determined by the Employee Benefits Security Administration. The bill requires a group health plan to implement and make readily available a clear process for an individual to request an exception to the protocol, including required information and criteria for granting an exception. The bill further specifies timelines under which plans must respond to such requests.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2020 This bill provides FY2020 appropriations for several federal departments and agencies, including the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary, the District of Columbia, and several independent agencies. The independent agencies funded in the bill include the Administrative Conference of the United States, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Election Assistance Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Election Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, the Federal Trade Commission, the General Services Administration, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Office of Government Ethics, the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Special Counsel, the Postal Regulatory Commission, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Selective Service System, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Postal Service, and the U.S. Tax Court. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
This resolution (1) supports the designation of the week of September 11-September 17 as Patriot Week; and (2) recognizes that each generation should renew the spirit of the nation based on the first principles, historical figures, founding documents, and symbols of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2019
SFC Richard Stayskal Military Medical Accountability Act of 2019 This bill allows claims to be brought against the United States for damages relating to the personal injury or death of a member of the Armed Forces arising out of a negligent or wrongful act or omission in providing medical, dental, or related health care functions at a military medical treatment facility. However, the bill does not apply to care provided at a medical treatment location deployed in an area of armed combat.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2019
This resolution congratulates the Eastbank All-Stars from River Ridge, Louisiana, on winning the 73rd Little League Baseball World Series Championship.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
Conservation Of America's Shoreline Terrain and Aquatic Life Act or the COASTAL Act This bill addresses the distribution of revenues collected from oil and gas leasing on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the Alaska OCS. Specifically, the bill increases the revenue Gulf states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) receive from certain federal oil and leases in the Gulf of Mexico and eliminates the revenue sharing cap; exempts from sequestration payments of such revenue to Gulf states; and allocates revenue from energy development in the Alaska OCS to Alaska for specified purposes, including mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2019 This bill establishes the National Criminal Justice Commission. The commission must conduct a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system; make recommendations for criminal justice reform; and disseminate findings and guidance to the federal government and to state, local, and tribal governments.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
Unclaimed Savings Bond Act of 2019 This bill establishes requirements and procedures for the Department of the Treasury to transfer ownership of matured, unredeemed savings bonds and related records to states.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2019
This resolution calls for the international community to demand that North Korea dismantle its labor camp system and for North Korea to cease human rights abuses and release political prisoners.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
This concurrent resolution commemorates, on December 16, 2019, the 75th anniversary of World War II's Battle of the Bulge. The resolution also recognizes the valiant efforts of the Allied Forces and expresses remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the Allied victory in the European Theater.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
Jurists United to Stop Trafficking Imitation Child Exploitation Act of 2019 or the JUSTICE Act of 2019 This bill broadens the prohibition on importation or transportation of obscene materials. Specifically, the bill makes it a crime to import, or knowingly use a common carrier or interactive computer service to transport, a child sex doll.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
Medicaid Accountability Act This bill establishes and expands certain requirements relating to Medicaid asset verification programs and other eligibility determinations. Specifically, the bill requires state Medicaid programs to verify the assets of all Medicaid applicants and recipients for purposes of determining Medicaid eligibility, rather than only of applicants or recipients who are aged, blind, or disabled. The bill also requires U.S. territories to implement asset verification programs. Such requirements must be fully implemented by FY2024. The bill also requires state Medicaid programs to apply a resource eligibility test whenever an income eligibility determination is required, based on resource limitations under the Supplemental Security Income program (currently, states are prohibited from using resource tests).
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2019
This bill revises eligibility requirements under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to require certain household assets (e.g., available cash, stock, savings bonds, mutual funds) to be considered when making a categorical eligibility determination for SNAP benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019 This bill establishes safeguards to protect amateur athletes from abuse, including sexual abuse, by coaches and employees in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sports. The bill establishes (1) legislative mechanisms by which Congress can dissolve the Board of Directors of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and decertify national governing bodies; and (2) a duty of care that USOPC owes to amateur athletes, including protecting athletes by requiring it to ensure that any allegation of child abuse of an amateur athlete who is a minor is immediately reported to law enforcement. The bill revises duties of the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the pursuit of abuse claims by the U.S. Center for Safe Sport, confidentiality, and retaliation against an employee or member for disclosing information or seeking assistance in mediation. The USOPC and the national governing bodies shall not interfere in or attempt to influence the outcome of an investigation. The center shall report to Congress within 72 hours of an attempt to interfere in, or influence the outcome of, an investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2019
Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Negro National League, a professional baseball league that was formed in response to African-American players being banned from baseball's major leagues. The design of the coins shall be emblematic of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and its mission to promote tolerance, diversity, and inclusion. All surcharges from sales of these coins shall be paid to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2019
Main Street Growth Act This bill allows for the registration of national venture securities exchanges for the purpose of trading the securities of certain small companies, such as startups and emerging growth companies. Individuals and existing national securities exchanges may apply to the Securities and Exchange Commission for approval to register such an exchange, or to register a listing tier within an existing exchange. The bill sets forth requirements for these venture exchanges, including required disclosures, trading limits, and trading privileges.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2019
Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act of 2019 This bill prohibits employers from retaliating against certain employees who report criminal antitrust violations to the federal government. Among other things, the bill sets forth provisions that authorize an employee to seek relief by filing a complaint with the Department of Labor or to bring an action in U.S. district court if the individual alleges discharge or other discrimination by an employer who violates the prohibition against retaliation.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2019
Phair Relief Act of 2019 This bill establishes and otherwise modifies requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), particularly with respect to the disclosure of certain drug pricing information. Among other things, the bill (1) requires PBMs to pass on a minimum percentage of negotiated rebates, discounts, or price concessions to plan sponsors; (2) temporarily requires negotiated prices for covered drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to be provided at the point-of-sale; and (3) requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish certain quality measures for determining pharmacy incentive payments.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2019
This bill prohibits the Export-Import Bank from providing financing to a person with seriously delinquent tax debt or for a project in which any participant has seriously delinquent tax debt.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2019
Commercial Fishing and Aquaculture Protection Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Commerce to provide compensation to commercial fishermen and farm-raised (aquaculture) fish producers for losses due to algae bloom, freshwater intrusion, adverse weather, bird depredation, disease, and other conditions. Commerce must provide payments to eligible fishermen and aquaculture producers based on a formula if their actual total gross revenue for a given year falls below 85% of the average total gross revenue for the previous three years.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2019
This resolution honors John Paul Stevens, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Specifically, the resolution commends his decades of service, acknowledges his enormous contributions, and extends sympathies to his family and friends.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2019
This resolution commends U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for their service at the southern border and calls on Congress to pass legislation to manage migrant flow.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2019
Regional Ocean Partnership Act This bill provides a mechanism for coastal states to participate in a Regional Ocean Partnership with one or more other coastal states that share a common ocean or coastal area. Specifically, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may designate a partnership as a Regional Ocean Partnership if it (1) is established to coordinate the management of coastal resources, (2) focuses on the environmental issues affecting the ocean and coastal areas of the coastal states participating in the partnership, (3) does not have a regulatory function, and (4) is not duplicative of an existing Regional Ocean Partnership. A Regional Ocean Partnership may use provided federal funds to award grants and enter into contracts for certain purposes, including to monitor the water quality and living resources of multistate ocean and coastal ecosystems.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2019
Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to expand the information it publishes in its inventory of agency programs. The inventory must include information such as links to program performance reviews and details regarding financial assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2019
State Flood Mitigation Revolving Fund Act of 2019 This bill permits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide capitalization grants to states. These grants must establish revolving funds to address flood risks. Revolving funds may be used to provide (1) financial assistance to participants in the National Flood Insurance Program, including homeowners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and local governments; or (2) support for leveraged loans or state bonds. Financial assistance may be used for elevation projects, flood-proofing activities, relocation or removal of buildings, environmental restoration, acquiring property, obtaining protective easements, and other activities identified by FEMA. States must annually submit to FEMA a plan that identifies the intended uses of the state loan fund. States may provide additional subsidies to low-income homeowners and recipients of financial assistance in low-income areas.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2019
National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2019 This bill generally revises the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and reauthorizes the program through FY2024. The bill addresses NFIP coverage, cost, and availability, including by generally prohibiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from raising certain premiums, surcharges, and fees more than 9% a year for five years; revising flood insurance coverage limits; establishing the Affordability Assistance Fund to provide financial assistance to low income households through vouchers, grants, or premium credits; and revising standards and certification requirements for flood insurance rate maps. The bill also revises administrative provisions of NFIP, including by allowing for the continuous operation of NFIP during a lapse in appropriations, and prohibiting the Department of the Treasury from charging FEMA interest for NFIP debt for five years. The bill sets forth requirements for Write Your Own companies related to reimbursements, agent commissions, and penalties for underpayment of claims. (A Write Your Own company writes and services federal standard flood insurance policies in its own name.) The bill establishes a state revolving fund for flood mitigation activities and also provides for loans, grants, and other incentives regarding mitigation.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2019
Spurring Small Business Innovation Act This bill establishes the Regional High-Growth Collaborative Pilot Program to provide specialized resources for starting and scaling small businesses in high-growth industries. The program shall be a five-year, two-phase program to establish one regional high-growth collaborative in each of the 10 regions of the Small Business Administration. Each collaborative shall establish connections between small businesses in technology industries and other entities to provide small businesses with assistance and training related to technology and innovation. Following the program's expiration, the Government Accountability Office shall report on the program's impact and effectiveness.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2019
Small Business Disaster Recovery Improvement Act This bill requires the Small Business Administration to provide a designated percentage of disaster loan program funding that is available in a given year to assist the disaster recovery and growth of small businesses in an area where the President has declared a major disaster.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2019
National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act of 2019 This bill extends for an additional four years the exemption from the means test under Chapter 7 bankruptcy for qualifying members of an Armed Forces reserve component or the National Guard. Currently, the exemption expires on December 19, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2019
National Flood Insurance Program Consultant Accountability Act of 2019 This bill allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to terminate certain contracts under the National Flood Insurance Program on the basis of detrimental conduct to the program by a "covered entity" (an attorney, law firm, consultant, or third-party company that provides certain services under the contract). Specifically, on such basis, FEMA may terminate a contract between a covered entity and a "Write Your Own" company (a property and casualty company that writes and services federal standard flood insurance policies in its own name). FEMA shall establish a process for a covered entity to appeal such a termination. Neither FEMA nor a Write Your Own company is required to make an early-termination payout to a covered entity with respect to a contract terminated under the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2019
This resolution condemns nonconsensual organ harvesting of prisoners in China and calls on China to immediately cease the persecution and imprisonment of Falun Gong practitioners. (Falun Gong is a religious practice that is denounced by the Chinese government.)
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2019
Support Technology and Research for Our Nation's Growth and Economic Resilience Patents Act of 2019 or the STRONGER Patents Act of 2019 This bill makes several patent-related changes, including with respect to how the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) conducts administrative patent validity reviews. When deciding inter partes reviews (IPRs) and post-grant reviews (PGRs), the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) shall give patent claim terms their ordinary and customary meanings as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art (the same standard used in court). If a court has already construed a patent claim, the USPTO shall consider that construction. The bill makes various changes relating to such proceedings, such as by (1) raising the burden of proof to invalidate a patent claim; (2) establishing that a challenged patent claim is presumed valid; (3) imposing standing requirements as to who may file an IPR or PGR, where none currently exist except for some timing requirements; (4) restricting when multiple challenges may be filed against the same patent; and (5) limiting IPRs and PGRs when a court or the International Trade Commission has ruled on the obviousness or novelty of the same patent claims. This bill also (1) makes it easier to get an injunction after a court finding of the infringement of a valid patent, by a presumption that further infringement would cause irreparable injury and the remedies available at law are inadequate; (2) authorizes the USPTO to keep and spend the fees that it collects; and (3) makes bad faith patent demand letters an unfair or deceptive act in violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2019
Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2019 This bill provides a private right of action against state and local jurisdictions with certain policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts, and contains additional provisions related to such jurisdictions. Currently, such cooperation is generally not required. An individual (or certain relatives of such an individual) who is the victim of any felony for which an alien has been arrested, convicted, or sentenced to a prison term of at least one year may sue a state or local jurisdiction if the jurisdiction failed to comply with (1) certain Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requests related to arresting and detaining aliens, and (2) a DHS request to detain the alien in question or provide a notification about the release of the alien. A jurisdiction that accepts certain federal grants may not assert immunity in such a civil action. A jurisdiction (or employee of a jurisdiction) that complies with certain DHS detainer requests shall be deemed to be acting as an agent of DHS. A complying jurisdiction or employee of the jurisdiction shall not be liable in any lawsuit relating to compliance with such requests. In a lawsuit against an employee of the jurisdiction, the United States shall be substituted in as the defendant, and remedies shall be limited to provisions for bringing tort claims against the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2019
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to commemorate Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith, four Americans killed in the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. (Stevens was the U.S. Ambassador to Libya at the time, Smith was an officer in the Foreign Service, and Doherty and Woods were both government contractors and former Navy SEALs.) After the medal has been awarded, it shall be given to the Central Intelligence Agency Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2019
Understanding and Studying American Civics Act of 2019 or the USA Civics Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 and revises the American History for Freedom grant program. The bill renames the program as the American Civics Education Program. The bill authorizes the Department of Education to award grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) once every three years to establish or strengthen academic programs to promote American political thought and history; the history, achievements, and impact of American representative democracy and constitutional democracies globally; and the means of participation in political and civic life. Currently, such grants are awarded to IHEs for three years and are focused on traditional American history and the history and achievements of Western civilization. IHEs may use grants to support additional activities, such as collaborating with federal or state humanities programs and using open educational resources.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2019
FAST Fix Act of 2019 This bill modifies provisions governing the administration of the Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) program. Specifically, the bill encourages FAST program grants to be awarded to small businesses in underperforming states by (1) requiring the Small Business Administration to give priority and special consideration to such applicants, and (2) authorizing the SBA to provide additional assistance to such applicants. The bill defines underperforming states as being the 18 states that receive the fewest Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer awards. Additionally, the bill removes the limit on the number of proposals that may be submitted for inclusion in the FAST program to provide services in any one state. The bill also lowers the matching requirements for the bottom tier of FAST recipients, sets limits on the amount of each award, and extends the period for distribution of grants to two years.
![Official portrait of Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/k000393_200.jpg)