United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2018
Extreme Risk Protection Order and Violence Prevention Act of 2018 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to establish a new grant program to help states and Indian tribes carry out laws that authorize and establish procedures for a family or household member, or law enforcement officer, to petition a court for an extreme risk protection order with respect to an individual who poses a significant danger to themselves or others. An extreme risk protection order is a state or tribal court order that prohibits an individual from purchasing, possessing, receiving, or having control or custody of a firearm. Additionally, the bill amends the federal criminal code to expand the categories of prohibited persons (i.e., persons barred from receiving or possessing a firearm or ammunition) to include persons who are subject to a court order that restrains them from possessing and purchasing a firearm.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2018
Appalachia Opportunity Grants Act of 2018 This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize the Department of Agriculture to award grants for units of local government in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States to convene groups of public and private entities to collaborate in carrying out regional projects to accomplish positive economic and community impacts in the region. A regional project carried out by a collaborative group must: (1) involve at least two municipalities that share a border; and (2) complete a specific activity that has a goal of job creation, expansion of the capacity of post-secondary education, growth of tourism, improving public health, or upgrading regional infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2018
Encourages the people of the United States to join in a national effort to salute AmeriCorps members and alumni and raise awareness about the importance of national and community service. Acknowledges the accomplishments of AmeriCorps members, alumni, and community partners and recognizes the important contributions made by members and alumni to the lives of the people of the United States. Encourages individuals of all ages to consider opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2018
Support Our Military Spouses Act This bill amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to permit the spouse of a servicemember to elect to use the same residence as the servicemember for purposes of taxation and voting, regardless of the date on which the marriage of the spouse and the servicemember occurred.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2018
Opioid Quota Reform Act This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to require the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to consider additional factors—the impact on overall public health and rates of diversion, abuse, and overdose deaths—in setting and adjusting production and manufacturing quotas for fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, and hydromorphone. Additionally, if the DEA increases the production quota of fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, or hydromorphone, then it must explain why the public health benefits of increasing the quota outweigh the consequences of potential diversion.
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 · 7 March 2018
National Park Restoration Act This bill establishes the National Park Restoration Fund in the Treasury to be made available to the Department of the Interior for priority deferred maintenance needs that support critical infrastructure and visitor services of the National Park Service. Funds deposited through FY2027 are calculated according to a formula that uses as a factor the total amount of energy development revenues due and payable to the federal government. Interior may not use amounts in the fund to acquire lands. Interior shall submit to Congress a list of the projects for which amounts from the fund are allocated, including a summary of each project.
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
DEA Enforcement and Authority Act of 2018 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to modify enforcement authorities of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The bill modifies the required elements of an order to show cause issued by the DEA before it denies, revokes, or suspends a registration for a CSA violation. Specifically, it eliminates the requirement for an order to show cause to notify the registrant of the opportunity to submit a corrective action plan. Additionally, the bill modifies the standard of review for an immediate suspension order. Currently, the DEA may immediately suspend the registration of a controlled substances manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser to prevent imminent danger to the public health and safety. This bill lowers the standard for determining imminent danger to the public health and safety—from substantial likelihood of an immediate threat of harm to probable cause that harm will occur.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2018
Military Hunger Prevention Act This bill excludes the value of a housing allowance for a member of a uniformed service from any income, assets, or resources calculation for determining eligibility for any federal program issuing benefits for nutrition assistance (including the family subsistence supplemental allowance 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 · 27 February 2018
Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act of 2018 This bill delays required compliance with specified emission rules applicable to kilns. Specifically, the bill delays national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for brick and structural clay products manufacturing or clay ceramics manufacturing until the earlier of: two years after final judicial review, or December 26, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission entitled "Restoring Internet Freedom." The rule published on February 22, 2018: (1) restores the classification of broadband Internet access service as a lightly-regulated "information service"; (2) reinstates private mobile service classification of mobile broadband Internet access service; (3) requires Internet service providers to disclose information about their network management practices, performance characteristics, and commercial terms of service; and (4) eliminates the Internet Conduct Standard and the bright-line rules.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
CARA 2.0 Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes through FY2023 and revises several programs relating to opioid- and substance-use disorder prevention and treatment, including awareness campaigns and training programs for first responders; the bill also establishes several requirements relating to opioid prescribing practices, such as an initial three-day supply limit for certain opioids.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2018
Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to deny the transfer of a firearm or explosive, or the issuance of an explosives license or permit, to known or suspected terrorists. Specifically, DOJ may deny a transfer to, or deny a license or permit for, an individual who is included on the No Fly list or the Selectee list. The No Fly and Selectee lists are subsets of the Terrorist Screening Database—the U.S. government's consolidated database of individuals known or reasonably suspected to be involved in terrorist activities. DOJ and federal, state, and local law enforcement must be notified immediately of requests to transfer a firearm or explosive to a person who is, or in the last five years was, identified on the database. The bill establishes a judicial review process for appealing a denial by DOJ.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2018
Opioid Response Enhancement Act This bill amends the 21st Century Cures Act to reauthorize through FY2023 a program of grants to states and tribal entities to carry out activities addressing the opioid epidemic. It allows states and tribal entities to use the grants to carry out public health-related activities addressing other substance abuse that is a substantial or similar public health threat to the opioid epidemic.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2018
Families of Fallen Servicemembers First Act This bill provides a permanent appropriation for the payment of death gratuities and related benefits to survivors of deceased members of the uniformed services during a period of lapsed appropriations. The bill provides the appropriations at the rate and under the conditions provided for the most recent fiscal year for which an Act making appropriations for the uniformed services has been enacted. The appropriations are provided during a period of lapsed appropriations, in which appropriations are unavailable due to the absence of the timely enactment of an Act or joint resolution providing appropriations or continuing appropriations for the death gratuity and related benefits.
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 · 7 February 2018
Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service, and Important Contributions to Society Act or the CLASSICS Act This bill provides federal copyright protection for sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972, specifically the right to make digital transmissions. Currently, pre-1972 recordings are only covered by state law. Pre-1972 recordings will fall within the existing compulsory license system for digital transmissions, which currently only cover post-1972 recordings. The bill preempts claims under state and common law for digital transmission of pre-1972 recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2018
Veterans' Second Amendment Rights Restoration Act of 2018 This bill sets forth procedures and conditions for the adjudication of veterans as mentally incompetent. Specifically, the bill requires the federal government to prove by clear and convincing evidence that a person is a danger to himself, herself, or others in order for a person to be adjudicated as mentally defective. Veterans must be provided certain notice, including written notice of the effect the ruling may have on their ability to own and possess firearms. For an administrative competency proceeding to be initiated, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must first determine (1) that a veteran requires the assignment of a fiduciary due to a finding of mental incompetency, and (2) the VA has a reasonable basis that the person may be a danger to himself, herself, or others.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2018
Carryover Equity Act of 2018 This bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to allow 1890 land-grant colleges and universities (historically black colleges and universities that were established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890 and receive funding from the Department of Agriculture) to carry over all extension funding into the succeeding fiscal year. (Under current law, the institutions are prohibited from carrying over more than 20% of the funds received in any fiscal year.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Securing Required Funding for Water Infrastructure Now Act or the SRF WIN Act This bill amends the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA) to allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide additional financial assistance (e.g., low-interest loans) through FY2023 to state infrastructure financing authorities for drinking water state revolving funds (SRFs) and clean water SRFs to carry out certain water and wastewater infrastructure projects. For projects funded under this bill, the EPA: (1) must expedite their application and review process, (2) may provide up to 100% of the project costs, and (3) must provide financial assistance based on need and give equal consideration to drinking water projects and wastewater projects. Total financial assistance provided under this bill may not exceed $7 billion per state. The bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA to provide financial assistance under WIFIA to carry out projects for flood damage reduction, storm damage reduction, environmental restoration, or navigation improvement to certain waterways. Under current law, such financial assistance may be provided to only pilot projects.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Safe Freight Act This bill prohibits the operation of a freight train or light locomotive engine used in the movement of freight unless it has a crew of at least two individuals, one of whom is certified by the Federal Railroad Administration as a locomotive operator and the other as a train conductor.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2018 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct an interagency study regarding research on lung cancer in women, access to lung cancer preventive services, and public awareness and education campaigns on lung cancer. The study must include a comprehensive report on research and knowledge gaps related to lung cancer in women in the federal government and recommendations for: (1) a research program that would encourage innovative approaches to eliminate knowledge gaps, (2) the development of a national lung cancer screening strategy with sufficient resources to expand access to screening, and (3) the development of a national public education and awareness campaign on lung cancer in women and the importance of early detection of lung cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Accountability in Department of Veterans Affairs Scheduling and Consult Management Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to evaluate and monitor its processes of making health care appointments and scheduling at both VA facilities and non-VA facilities. The Government Accountability Office shall review such VA compliance and data veracity.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2018
Stronger Medical Workforce for Veterans Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop criteria to designate VA medical centers, ambulatory care facilities, and community based outpatient clinics as underserved facilities. The VA must commence a pilot program to assess the feasibility of providing individuals with tuition and loan repayment incentives to work at underserved facilities. The VA must also ensure that clinical staff working at Vet Centers (community-based counseling centers that provide veterans with post-deployment social and psychological services) are eligible to participate in the VA education debt reduction program. The bill directs the VA and the Surgeon General to enter into a memorandum of understanding to assign at least 500 Public Health Service commissioned officers to the VA.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2018
This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to establish a program that awards grants for workforce development in the water or wastewater utility sector.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2018
Congratulates the University of Charleston men's soccer team for winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Men's Soccer Championship. Recognizes the athletic program at that university for its achievement in both sports and academics.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2018
Pay Our Military Act of 2018 This bill provides FY2018 appropriations for military pay and death benefits during any period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2018 are not in effect. In the event of a government shutdown, the bill provides continuing appropriations for: pay and allowances to members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components, who perform active service (including drill) during the period; payments of death benefits for individuals who die during the period; and pay and allowances to civilian personnel or contractors of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) who are providing support to members of the Armed Forces and payments in connection with death benefits. The appropriations provided by this bill are available until the earlier of: (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) September 30, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2018
No Government No Pay Act of 2018 This bill prohibits Members of Congress from being paid during a government shutdown, beginning with the 116th Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2018
Small Business Credit Availability Act This bill amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to reduce the required asset-coverage ratio applicable to a Business Development Company (BDC) from 200% to 150% if: (1) the BDC makes specified disclosures on its website and to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); and (2) the modified asset-coverage ratio is approved by the required majority of the BDC's directors, general partners, or shareholders (as applicable). The SEC must allow BDCs to use securities offering and proxy rules that are available to other issuers.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2018
Protecting Veterans from Predatory Lending Act of 2018 The bill establishes mortgage loan protections for veterans. A refinanced home loan may not be guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) unless: (1) a specified minimum time period has passed between the original loan and the refinancing; and (2) the lender complies with provisions related to fee recoupment, mortgage interest rates, and net tangible benefit tests. The National Housing Act is amended to prohibit the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) from guaranteeing a new refinanced VA loan until the later of: (1) 210 days after the first loan payment, or (2) the sixth monthly loan payment.
United States · United States Congress · 21 December 2017
Federal Employee Fair Treatment Act of 201 7 This bill requires federal employees furloughed or required to work during a lapse in appropriations beginning on or after December 22, 2017, to be compensated for the period of the lapse on the earliest date possible after the lapse ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates. Employees required to work during the lapse in appropriations may use leave. The bill addresses a lapse in appropriations scheduled to occur if FY2018 appropriations legislation is not enacted prior to the expiration of the continuing resolution that currently funds federal agencies through December 22, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2017
Financial Institutions Examination Fairness and Reform Act This bill amends the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Act of 1978 to: set deadlines for final examination reports and exit interviews of a financial institution by a federal financial regulatory agency, and establish the Office of Independent Examination Review to adjudicate appeals and investigate complaints from financial institutions concerning examination reports. The bill also requires the establishment of an independent internal agency appellate process at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for the review of supervisory determinations made at institutions supervised by the CFPB.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2017
Skylar's Law This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a national endangered missing advisory communications network—the EMA Network—to support regional and local search efforts for missing individuals. The EMA Network must operate in coordination with the AMBER Alert communications network (i.e., the communications network that supports search efforts for abducted children).
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2017
This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue and sell an Alzheimer's Disease Research Semipostal Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp must be transferred to the National Institutes of Health for medical research relating to Alzheimer's disease. The stamp must be made available to the public for six years. Any limitation relating to whether more than one semipostal stamp may be offered for sale at the same time shall not apply to the stamp issued under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2017
Beneficiary Respiratory Equipment Access and Transparency to Home Ventilator Care Act of 201 7 or the BREATH Act of 201 7 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish by January 1, 2018, policies and standards for determining the appropriate use of certain ventilators under the Medicare program. The CMS may delay such establishment until January 1, 2020, for certain ventilators furnished to individuals with specified medical diagnoses. Subject to budget neutrality requirements, the bill increases the Medicare payment rate for such ventilators for 2018 and subsequent years.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017
Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to allow institutions with less than $10 billion in assets to waive ability-to-repay requirements for certain residential-mortgage loans. Other mortgage-lending provisions related to appraisals, mortgage data, employment of loan originators, manufactured homes, and transaction waiting periods are also modified. The bill amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to exempt banks with assets valued at less than $10 billion from the "Volcker Rule," which prohibits banking agencies from engaging in proprietary trading or entering into certain relationships with hedge funds and private-equity funds. Certain banks are also exempted by the bill from specified capital and leverage ratios, with federal banking agencies directed to promulgate new requirements. The bill amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to reduce inspection requirements and environmental-review requirements for certain smaller, rural public-housing agencies. Provisions relating to enhanced prudential regulation for financial institutions are modified, including those related to stress testing, leverage requirements, and the use of municipal bonds for purposes of meeting liquidity requirements. The bill requires credit reporting agencies to provide credit-freeze alerts and includes consumer-credit provisions related to senior citizens, minors, and veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017
Butch Lewis Act of 2017 This bill establishes the Pension Rehabilitation Administration within the Department of the Treasury and a related trust fund to make loans to certain multiemployer defined benefit pension plans. To receive a loan, a plan must be either in critical and declining status (including any plan with respect to which a suspension of benefits has been approved) or insolvent, if the plan became insolvent after December 16, 2014, and has not been terminated. Treasury must issue bonds to fund the loan program and transfer amounts equal to the proceeds to the trust fund established by this bill. The Pension Rehabilitation Administration may use the funds, without a further appropriation, to make loans, pay principal and interest on the bonds, or for administrative and operating expenses. The bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow the sponsor of a multiemployer pension plan that is applying for a loan under this bill to also apply to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) for financial assistance if, after receiving the loan, the plan will still become (or remain) insolvent within the 30-year period beginning on the date of the loan. The bill also appropriates to the PBGC the funds that are necessary to provide the financial assistance required by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017
Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to modify and increase funding for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). (The RCPP operates through several USDA conservation programs to provide funding for partners to join in efforts with producers to increase the restoration and sustainable use of soil, water, wildlife, and related natural resources on regional or watershed scales. The RCPP includes the purposes and functions of several conservation programs such as the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative.) The bill modifies the RCPP to: increase mandatory funding and revise the requirements for distributing funds, allow in-kind support to count toward a partner's matching contribution, allow partners to apply for a funding renewal of a partnership agreement, authorize USDA to provide information and feedback to applicants throughout the application process, authorize grants for partners to directly operate conservation projects, authorize USDA to advance funding to partners for technical assistance for project development and outreach activities, require USDA to make publicly available the amounts available for technical assistance under a partnership agreement, limit USDA costs for technical assistance to costs specific and necessary to carry out the objectives of the partnership agreement, modify the criteria for a critical conservation area, and revise the requirements for prioritizing applications.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2017
Fix NICS Act of 2017 This bill amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to require each federal agency and department, including a federal court, to: certify whether it has provided to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) disqualifying records of persons prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm, and establish and substantially comply with an implementation plan to maximize record submissions and verify their accuracy. The bill amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to: direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a state implementation plan, including benchmarks, to maximize the automation and submission of mental health and criminal history records to the NICS; waive the grant match requirement under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) for a state that complies with its implementation plan; reauthorize through FY2022 the NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP); establish, as a priority area for NARIP grant funding, a domestic abuse and violence prevention initiative; and create a funding preference under the NARIP program for states that establish an implementation plan and use grant funds to upload felony conviction and domestic violence records. It amends the Crime Identification Technology Act of 1998 to reauthorize through FY2022 the NCHIP program. If a state complies with its implementation plan, then the federal share of an NCHIP grant may exceed 90% of program costs.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2017
Andrew White Veterans Community Care Opioid Safety Act This bill establishes a process to ensure safe opioid prescribing practices by non-Department of Veterans Affairs providers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2017
Commemorates the christening of the United States Naval Ship Hershel "Woody" Williams and its mission to support mine countermeasures, counter-piracy operations, maritime security, and humanitarian and crisis response operations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2017
Targeted Opioid Funding Act This bill amends the 21st Century Cures Act to require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in awarding grants to address the opioid crisis, to give preference to states with high mortality rates associated with opioid use disorders. This preference is in addition to the existing preference given to states with a high prevalence of opioid use disorders. Grants must be at least $5 million.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2017
Department of Veterans Affairs Provider Accountability Act This bill provides that when the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) brings a major adverse action against certain Veterans Health Administration medical employees the VA shall transmit to the National Practitioner Data Bank and the applicable state licensing board the employee's name and the reason for such action. The VA may not enter into a settlement agreement regarding a claim by a VA employee under which it would be required to conceal a serious medical error or purge a negative record from an employee's personnel file. Such provision shall not apply to a negative record if the VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection and the Office of Special Counsel jointly certify that the negative record is not legitimate.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2017
Declares that the Senate joins the Small Business Administration in recognizing and encouraging the observance of Small Business Saturday on November 25, 2017. Supports 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.
![Official portrait of Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001183_200.jpg)