United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2018
Turkey International Financial Institutions Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to: oppose the extension by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development of loans or financial or technical assistance to Turkey or to any entity for a project in Turkey, and work with other donor countries to develop a lending policy with Turkey that advances human rights. Treasury may waive the IFC restriction for projects to diversify Turkey's energy resources and lessen its dependence on Russian or Iranian oil or gas. Such restrictions: shall terminate after the President certifies to Congress that Turkey is no longer arbitrarily detaining or denying freedom of movement to U.S. citizens (including dual citizens) or locally employed staff of the U.S. mission to Turkey, and shall not apply to loans or financial or technical assistance for humanitarian purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2018
Commemorates the lives, careers, and service of the five victims of the Capital Gazette shooting in Annapolis, Maryland. Honors the survivors of the attack and the families of the victims and pledges continued support for their recovery. Thanks law enforcement officers and other emergency first responders for their heroic actions. Reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to defending the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2018
Reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as the foundation of transatlantic security and defense. Encourages all NATO countries to fulfill their defense commitments as agreed upon at the NATO 2014 Wales Summit.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2018
Servicemembers Improved Transition through Reforms for Ensuring Progress Act of 2018 or the SIT-REP Act of 2018 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to require educational institutions, in order to be eligible for educational payments, to adopt policies that prohibit penalizing student veterans for late VA assistance payments.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2018
Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2019 Provides FY2019 appropriations to the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary, the District of Columbia, and several independent agencies. Department of the Treasury Appropriations Act, 2019 Provides appropriations to the Department of the Treasury, including the Internal Revenue Service. Executive Office of the President Appropriations Act, 2019 Provides appropriations to the Executive Office of the President and Funds Appropriated to the President. Judiciary Appropriations Act, 2019 Provides appropriations to the judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court, other federal courts, administrative offices, and the U.S. Sentencing Commission. District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2019 Provides appropriations to the District of Columbia, including Federal Funds and District of Columbia Funds. Provides appropriations to independent agencies, including: 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, the Federal Trade Commission, the General Services Administration, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Fund, the Merit Systems Protection Board, Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Credit Union 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. Sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2018
Student Empowerment Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax-exempt distributions from qualified tuition programs (known as 529 plans) to be used for additional educational expenses in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school. (Under current law, distributions in connection with an elementary or secondary school are limited to tuition for a public, private, or religious school.) The bill allows the distributions to be used for additional educational expenses, including: curriculum and curricular materials, books or other instructional materials, online educational materials, tutoring or educational classes outside the home, testing fees, fees for dual enrollment in an institution of higher education, and educational therapies for students with disabilities. Distributions may also be used for the purposes above in connection with a homeschool (whether treated as a homeschool or a private school under state law).
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2018
Keep Families Together and Enforce the Law Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend protective custody over alien children under age 18 who are accompanied by a parent and apprehended at the border or are seeking admission to the United States at a port of entry. DHS must temporarily house an alien child under age 18 in a family residential center during the pendency of civil or criminal proceedings. DHS must increase the number of available beds in family residential centers. The Department of Justice must increase the number of immigration judge teams to conduct prioritized proceedings for accompanied alien children and families apprehended at the southwest border or who are seeking admission to the United States at a port of entry.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 This bill establishes in the executive branch a Federal Acquisition Security Council. The Office of Management and Budget shall designate a senior-level official to serve as the chairperson of the council. The council shall perform functions that include developing: (1) criteria and processes for assessing threats and vulnerabilities relating to supply chain risk posed by the acquisition of information technology to national security and the public interest, and (2) standards and measures for supply chain risk management. The chairperson shall report annually to Congress on the council's activities. Any agency that makes information technology available for procurement by other agencies shall: identify information technology products made available to other agencies that pose the greatest risk to national security or the public interest; complete a risk assessment of such products; in each case in which the agency identifies a significant supply chain risk posed by information technology, make the risk assessment available to all agencies through the council and develop a plan to mitigate that risk; and develop a vetting process for conducting supply chain risk assessments regarding prospective providers of information technology and make the process available to all agencies. The Department of Homeland Security may: (1) assist agencies in conducting risk assessments and implementing mitigation requirements for information technology, and (2) provide such additional guidance or tools as necessary to support actions taken by agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
Federal Personal Property Management Act of 2018 This bill requires the executive agencies and the General Services Administration (GSA) to carry out the following activities with respect to federal personal property management. Each executive agency, in accordance with guidance from the GSA, must annually inventory and assess capitalized personal property in identifying excess property under the agency's control. Capitalized personal property items include those recorded on an agency's general ledger records as major investments or assets. Each agency must also regularly inventory and assess accountable personal property under its control. GSA may establish separate thresholds for acquisitions of personal property for which affected agencies shall capitalize and for which they shall establish and maintain property records in a centralized system.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
Modernizing Congressional Reporting Act of 2018 This bill requires federal agencies to submit reports, written communications, and other information to Congress in an electronic format, unless Congress requests a physical document.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act This bill rescinds approximately $15 billion in budget authority over 2018-2028 that was proposed to be rescinded by the President under procedures included in the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. (A rescission is legislation enacted by Congress that cancels the availability of previously enacted budget authority before the authority would otherwise expire. Under current law, the President may propose rescissions to Congress, which must be enacted into law to take effect. Congress may rescind all, part, or none of the amounts proposed by the President. If Congress does not pass rescission legislation within 45 days of continuous session of Congress, the President must make the funds available.) The bill rescinds budget authority from specified programs and accounts within: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development. the Department of Transportation, the Department of the Treasury, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Railroad Retirement Board.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Patients First Act of 2018 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct and support basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, testing, and human clinical use of stem cells that may result in improved understanding of, or treatments for, diseases and other adverse health conditions, provided that the techniques will not involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; (2) the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a living human embryo; or (3) the use of any stem cell the derivation or provision of which would be inconsistent with this bill. HHS must issue guidelines to ensure that any research (including any clinical trial) supported under this bill: (1) is clearly consistent with the standards established in this bill, if conducted using human cells; and (2) is prioritized in terms of potential for near-term clinical benefit in human patients. HHS must report on peer reviewed stem cell research proposals that were not funded.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act This bill requires the Department of Transportation to amend regulations on hours of service for commercial drivers who transport livestock or insects within a 300 air-mile radius from where the on-duty time of the driver begins.The regulations must: (1) exclude from the driver's on-duty time certain activities, such as loading or unloading a commercial motor vehicle; (2) change the driving time requirement to a maximum of not less than 15, and not more than 18, hours within a 24-hour period; (3) permit the driver to take one or more rest periods during the trip, which shall not be included in the calculation of the driving time; (4) require the driver, after completion of the trip, to take a rest break for a period that is five hours less than the maximum driving time; (5) exclude from the calculation of the driving time any additional driving to the point of delivery if the driver is within 150 air-miles of the point of delivery; and (6) make inapplicable the requirement that the driver take a 10-hour rest period before driving.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2018
No Budget, No Vacation Act This bill prohibits Congress from recessing, adjourning, considering other matters, or spending funds on official travel beginning on August 1 of each year until both chambers have passed a congressional budget resolution and all of the regular appropriations bills for the next fiscal year. The bill also sets forth requirements for regular quorum calls in the Senate until the budget and appropriations process has been completed.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
National Law Enforcement Museum 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 that are emblematic of the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC, and the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers throughout the history of the United States. All sales of such coins shall include specified surcharges, which shall be distributed to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc., for educational and outreach programs and exhibits.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Congratulates the students, families, teachers, administrators, and staff of public charter schools across the United States for: (1) making ongoing contributions to public education, (2) making impressive strides in closing the academic achievement gap in U.S. schools, and (3) improving and strengthening the public school system. Expresses support for the ideals and goals of the 19th annual National Charter Schools Week.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2018
Expresses support for the designation of National Foster Care Month and for the designation of May 31, 2018, as National Foster Parent Appreciation Day.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2018
Music Modernization Act This bill makes various changes to copyright law related to sound recordings, including providing protection for sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972, creating a system for paying royalties to producers and sound engineers, and establishing a statutory blanket license for digital music services. The blanket license allows music services to distribute sound recordings covered by the license without negotiating for the rights for each individual recording, as long as the music service complies with the license's requirements, such as paying the required royalties.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2018
This bill prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds to transfer an F-35 aircraft or related intellectual property or technical data to Turkey unless the President certifies to Congress that Turkey is not: (1) degrading North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) interoperability or member country security or exposing NATO assets to hostile actors; (2) seeking to import or purchase defense articles from a U.S.-sanctioned foreign country; or (3) wrongfully or unlawfully detaining U.S. citizens.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable John Melcher, Senator from Montana. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 18, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator Melcher.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Daniel K. Akaka, Senator from Hawaii. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 10, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2018
Extends deepest condolences and gratitude to the family of Zell Bryan Miller, the former governor and Senator of Georgia. Honors his legacy and life, his commitment to the people of Georgia and the United States, and his service to the Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns April 10, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Miller.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
Celebrates the successes of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women and the contributions they have made in the United States. Recognizes the importance of supporting equity, providing safety, and upholding their interests.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and printed in the Congressional Record on December 6, 2017, relating to indirect auto lending and compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The rule provides guidance for compliance with fair lending requirements for third-party auto lenders.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to require each director of a VA medical facility to submit a plan to improve such facility in such a fashion as would result in the facility obtaining a VA five-star rating.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
Secure Elections Act This bill gives the Department of Homeland Security primary responsibility within the federal government for sharing information about election cybersecurity incidents, threats, and vulnerabilities with federal entities and election agencies. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) shall establish an advisory panel of independent experts to develop guidelines on election cybersecurity, including standards for procuring, maintaining, testing, auditing, operating, and updating election systems. The EAC shall award election system cybersecurity and modernization grants to states and election agencies to implement the advisory panel's guidelines. Grants shall be awarded to: (1) remediate vulnerabilities identified by a cybersecurity evaluation, (2) replace electronic voting systems that are not optical scanners that read paper ballots, and (3) reimburse states for statistical audits of ballots in close federal elections.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2018
Designates April 2018 as Second Chance Month to promote awareness of unnecessary legal and social barriers that prevent an individual with a criminal record from becoming a productive member of society.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2018
Equitable Access to Care and Health Act or the EACH Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the religious conscience exemption under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to exempt individuals who rely solely on a religious method of healing and for whom the acceptance of medical health services would be inconsistent with their religious beliefs from the requirement to purchase and maintain minimum essential health care coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2018
Continued Support for the Iranian People Act of 2018 This bill states that it is U.S. policy to: (1) condemn the government of Iran's violations of its citizens' human rights and freedoms of religion and speech, (2) support their fight for freedom and prosperity, and (3) work with international allies and partners to monitor and respond to protests in Iran in a manner that supports human rights and democratic aspirations and deters the Iranian government from committing acts of oppression against its citizens. The Department of State shall: (1) work with social media companies to build an archive of social media communications to and from protesters in Iran, and (2) work with social media and telecommunications companies and Internet service providers to develop a strategy to prevent the Iranian government from shutting down Internet access and blocking social media access.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018 This bill extends security assistance to Israel. Specifically, it extends: foreign military financing assistance to Israel through FY2028, loan guarantees through FY2023, and authority for the war reserves stockpile through FY2023. The President may: enter into a cooperative agreement with Israel for research and joint production of anti-drone defense articles; conduct a joint assessment with Israel regarding which precision guided munitions Israel needs in a sustained armed confrontation with Hezbollah, Hamas, or other groups; and transfer precision guided munitions and defense articles to such stockpile. The bill directs the Department of Defense to provide for the rapid acquisition and deployment of precision guided munitions for U.S. counterterrorism missions or to assist an ally under missile threat from a terrorist organization or a country that supports international terrorism. The President shall report to Congress describing the steps taken to include Israel in the list of countries eligible for the strategic trade authorization exception. Such exception allows a controlled item to be exported without a transaction-specific license. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall continue to work with the Israel Space Agency to pursue peaceful space exploration and science initiatives. The bill also requires the periodic reports on Israel's qualitative military edge to include information about Israel's ability to defend itself from regional state and non-state actors and from drone, cyber, and asymmetric threats.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2018
Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 or the STOP School Violence Act of 2018 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to revise and reauthorize through FY2028 the Secure Our Schools grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2018
This joint resolution extends the sympathies of Congress to the family of the Reverend William "Billy" F. Graham, Jr., and honors his life, his ministry, and his contributions to North Carolina, the United States, and the moral and religious life of millions of individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2018
National FFA Organization's Federal Charter Amendments Act This bill revises the charter of the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America). Such revisions include (1) making it a purpose of the organization to be an integral component of agricultural education, and (2) removing the Secretary of Education as the chair of the National FFA Board of Directors.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2018
Recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on U.S. history and to commemorate the contributions of African Americans. Calls for the United States to: (1) honor the contribution of pioneers who helped to ensure its legacy; and (2) move forward as a nation "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2018
Commends human rights defenders for their critical work, condemns threats to them, and welcomes the imposition of sanctions by the President on December 21, 2017, and under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, with respect to human rights abusers and corrupt actors.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2018
Fair Agricultural Reporting Method Act or the FARM Act This bill amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to exempt air emissions from animal waste at a farm from specified release notification requirements, recordkeeping requirements, and associated penalties.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2018
Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Act of 2018 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the child tax credit, to allow the credit to be used for an unborn child if the child is born and issued a Social Security number before the due date for the tax return (without regard to extensions) for the taxable year. The bill defines an "unborn child" as a member of the species homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb. If a child is not taken into account for the credit for the year immediately preceding the year of the child's birth, the bill doubles the amount of the credit allowed for the year of the birth.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2018
Designates the week of January 21-January 27, 2018, as National School Choice Week. Encourages all parents to learn more about the educational options available.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2018
Earmark Elimination Act of 2018 This bill establishes a point of order in the Senate against considering legislation that includes an earmark. Under the bill, an "earmark" is a congressionally directed spending item, tax benefit, or tariff benefit targeted to a specific recipient or group of beneficiaries. The point of order may be waived by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn. If the point of order is successfully raised and sustained, the earmark shall be stricken from the legislation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2018
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
![Official portrait of Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000575_200.jpg)