United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2016 This bill states that it is U.S. policy to regard the prevention of mass atrocities and genocide as a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility. The President may establish an interagency Atrocities Prevention Board, which shall: (1) ensure that atrocities and the risk of atrocities throughout the world are adequately considered and addressed, and (2) oversee the development and execution of policies and tools to enhance the capacity of the United States to prevent and respond to atrocities. The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to provide for the training of Foreign Service Officers in conflict and atrocity prevention. The bill establishes in the Treasury the Complex Crises Fund to enable the U.S. Agency for International Development to support programs and activities to prevent or respond to emerging or unforeseen foreign challenges and complex crisis overseas, including potential mass atrocities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Civic Duty Act This bill amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 to repeal the exemption of elected legislative branch officials from serving on grand or petit juries.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Treating Small Airports with Fairness Act of 2016 This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct, and provide all necessary staff and equipment for, security screening at any airport that lost commercial air service on or after January 1, 2013, if the airport operator submits: (1) a request for the TSA to conduct such screening, and (2) written confirmation of a commitment from a commercial air carrier that it desires to resume service at the airport within one year. The TSA shall ensure that the process of implementing security screening at such an airport is complete by the later of: (1) 90 days after the operator of the airport submits a request, or (2) the date on which the carrier intends to resume service.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2016
Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appoint or provide counsel at government expense to aliens in removal proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall provide an alien in removal proceedings with all relevant documents in its possession, unless the alien has knowingly waived the right to such documents. In the absence of a waiver a removal proceeding may not proceed until the alien has received, and had time to review, the documents. DOJ may appoint or provide counsel to aliens in any INA proceeding. DHS shall ensure that aliens have access to counsel inside all immigration detention and border facilities. DOJ shall appoint counsel, at government expense if necessary, for an unaccompanied alien child or a particularly vulnerable individual. DHS shall: (1) facilitate access to counsel for all aliens detained in facilities under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and (2) establish procedures to ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all detained aliens, including aliens held in CBP facilities. DOJ shall develop and administer a two-year pilot program at not fewer than two immigration courts to grant access to legal information to non-detained aliens with pending asylum claims. DHS shall establish a pilot program to increase the court appearance rates of unaccompanied alien children and particularly vulnerable individuals by contracting with nongovernmental, community-based organizations to provide such aliens with case management services.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2016
Child Care Access to Resources for Early-learning Act or the Child CARE Act This bill amends title IV part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act to make appropriations for FY2017-FY2021 to the Department of Health and Human Services for allotments to states to: expand access to high-quality child care for infants and toddlers from low-income families who do not receive child care funded through the Child Care and Development (CCD) Fund, and increase the quality of such care for infants and toddlers who do receive child care funded through the CCD Fund. The state shall reserve at least 80% of funds for direct services provided through grants, contracts, or certificates, to expand access to high-quality child care for infants and toddlers and to increase parental options for and access to such care. The state shall use the cost of a mandatory triennial high-quality child care study to ensure that for all infant and toddler child care slots: (1) the child care is of sufficient quality, (2) the care providers are supported along a career pathway to achieve higher levels of training and education, and (3) the provider rates are sufficient. The state shall also ensure that all infant and toddler child care providers participating in CCD Fund-supported activities meet certain quality standards by the end of FY2026. The state shall: (1) identify underserved geographic areas and special populations; and (2) develop and implement a plan to increase the availability of high-quality child care in such areas and populations, especially those which are hard-to-serve. The state shall reserve certain funds to carry out specified activities to increase the quality of child care programs for infants and toddlers in eligible families. An Indian tribe or tribal organization that receives a grant through an allotment for Indian and Native Hawaiian Child Care shall use the grant funds to provide, by the end of FY2026, access to high-quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate child care for infants and toddlers for eligible families in the tribal community. The Internal Revenue Code is amended to revise rules for the taxation of inverted corporations (i.e., U.S. corporations that acquire foreign companies to reincorporate in a foreign jurisdiction with income tax rates lower than the United States) to provide that a foreign corporation that acquires the properties of a U.S. corporation or partnership after February 10, 2016, shall be treated as an inverted corporation and so subject to U.S. taxation if, after such acquisition, it holds more than 50% of the stock of the new entity (expanded affiliated group).
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Marijuana Advertising in Legal States Act of 2016 or the MAILS Act This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to modify the application of a provision that limits advertisements with respect to certain controlled substances. Currently, it is a crime to knowingly place a written advertisement in a newspaper, magazine, handout, or other publication for the purpose of receiving, buying, or distributing a schedule 1 controlled substance (e.g., marijuana). This legislation declares that the prohibition does not apply with respect to an advertisement for a marijuana-related activity that complies with state law.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Marlow Cook, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on February 4, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Cook.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2016
Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act This bill prohibits a state that has been redistricted after an apportionment from being redistricted again until after the next apportionment of Representatives, unless the state is ordered by a court to conduct such a subsequent redistricting in order to: (1) comply with the U.S. Constitution, or (2) enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Redistricting must be conducted through a plan developed by the independent redistricting commission established in the state, or if such plan is not enacted into law, the redistricting plan selected by the state's highest court or developed by a U.S. district court. The bill prescribes requirements for: (1) establishment of a state independent redistricting commission (including provisions for holding each of its meetings in public and maintaining a public Internet website); (2) development of a redistricting plan (including soliciting and considering public comments) and its submission to the state legislature (with public notice of plans at least seven days prior to such submission); (3) selection of a plan, under specified conditions, by the state's highest court or the U.S. district court for the district in which the capital of the state is located; (4) special rules for redistricting conducted under a federal court order; and (5) Election Assistance Commission payments to states for carrying out redistricting.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2016
Congratulates the Farm Credit System (FCS) on its 100th anniversary and commends the service of the cooperative owners and employees of the FCS in helping to meet the credit and financial services needs of rural communities and agriculture. (The FCS is a network of borrower-owned lending institutions that operates as a government-sponsored enterprise to provide credit and other services to agricultural producers and farmer-owned agricultural and aquatic cooperatives. It also makes loans for agricultural processing and marketing activities, rural housing, farm-related businesses, rural utilities, and companies involved in international agricultural trade.)
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2016
American Savings Account Act of 2016 This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to establish a new retirement option for all employees and self-employed individuals to be known as the American Savings Account Fund. This fund operates in a manner similar to the Thrift Savings Fund, which is available to federal employees. The bill establishes an American Savings Account Board of Directors to establish policies for fund investment and management. The Board shall select or establish a list of investment funds and options similar to those in the Thrift Savings Fund, among which participants may choose. The Board shall establish an American Savings Account Fund Advisory Council to advise the Board on matters relating to investment policies. The American Savings Account Fund is tax-exempt and contributions to, or distributions from, it are excludible from gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2016
Women Airforce Service Pilot Arlington Inurnment Restoration Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of the Army to ensure that the cremated remains of persons who served as Women's Air Forces Service Pilots are eligible for inurnment in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Dale Bumpers, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on January 11, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Bumpers.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
This bill directs the Department of State to: (1) develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and at other related activities, and (2) instruct INTERPOL Washington to request observer status for Taiwan in INTERPOL and urge INTERPOL members to support Taiwan's observer status and participation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2015
This bill provides FY2016 supplemental appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address heroin and opioid drug abuse. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. For DOJ, the bill provides funds for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs. For HHS, the bill provides funds for: the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2015
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal in commemoration of Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith in recognition of their contributions to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Clean Energy Worker Just Transition Act This bill prescribes eligibility requirements and procedures for the award of temporary adjustment assistance to a group of workers of adversely affected coal-related or coal-dependent or similar energy industries who are totally or partially separated, or threatened with total or partial separation, because of the low cost of competing alternative forms of energy. Such assistance shall include temporary additional unemployment compensation, health insurance premium subsidy tax credits, training and support for employment, as well as additional pension benefits. The bill establishes in the Treasury the Clean Energy Workers Trust Fund, appropriations to which shall include the increase in revenues resulting from certain revisions to the rules for taxation of inverted corporations (U.S. corporations that acquire foreign companies to reincorporate in a foreign jurisdiction with income tax rates lower than the U.S. rates). The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) is amended to revise such rules to treat as an inverted domestic corporation subject to U.S. taxation any foreign corporation that acquires the properties of a U.S. corporation or partnership after May 8, 2014, if, after the acquisition: (1) more than 50% (by vote or value) of the stock of the new entity (expanded affiliated group) is held by former shareholders or partners of the domestic corporation or partnership, or (2) the management or control of the expanded affiliated group occurs primarily within the United States and the group has significant domestic business activities. The bill creates a tax credit for hiring certified adversely affected energy industry workers. The Department of Labor shall provide full information to workers about the adjustment assistance available under this Act. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 is amended to transfer specified excess funds derived from coal mine operator-paid reclamation fees to the trustees of the 1974 UMWA Pension Plan for use solely to pay pension benefits required under such Plan. Workplace Democracy for a Clean Energy Future This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board to certify without an election an individual or labor organization as the exclusive representative of the employees in a unit appropriate for bargaining if a majority of the employees has signed valid authorizations designating the individual or labor organization specified in a properly filed petition as their bargaining representative and no other individual or labor organization is currently certified or recognized as the exclusive representative of any of the employees in the unit. The Board shall develop guidelines and procedures for the designation by employees of a bargaining representative. The bill prescribes deadlines for critical turns in collective bargaining to establish an initial agreement upon the request of an individual or labor organization that has been newly organized or certified as a representative. The bill also creates a Community Need-Based Economic Transition Assistance Program, coordinated by the Department of Commerce, for counties or Indian tribes in which at least 35 certified adversely affected workers reside. The Appalachian Regional Commission shall award grants to such counties to support economic development planning and implementation activities in them. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement shall award grants to eligible counties for reclamation of abandoned coal mine land sites and associated polluted waters. The Environmental Protection Agency shall: (1) award eligible counties capitalization grants to establish a drinking water treatment revolving loan fund; and (2) provide those counties long-term, low-interest loans for large water infrastructure projects not otherwise eligible for funding from a state revolving loan fund. The Department of Agriculture shall provide such counties loans and loan guarantees under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to expand access to, and the quality of, broadband service across the rural United States. Commerce shall award them grants under the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. The Department of Energy shall award these counties grants for electricity delivery and energy reliability activities to modernize the electric grid.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
American Clean Energy Investment Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend and modify tax provisions relating to energy. TITLE I--REDUCING CARBON POLLUTION AND CREATING JOBS BY TRANSITIONING TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCES This title makes permanent: (1) the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources, (2) the energy tax credit, and (3) the qualifying advanced energy project credit. The Department of the Treasury must provide grants to tax-exempt organizations for investment in specified energy property, including qualified fuel cell property, solar property, qualified small wind energy property, geothermal property, qualified microturbine property, combined heat and power system property, and geothermal heat pump property. The title expands the energy tax credit to allow a 30% credit for investment in offshore wind energy facilities. TITLE II--SAVING CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES MONEY BY PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY This title makes permanent the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings and updates the energy standard applicable to such buildings. Also made permanent are the tax credits for new energy efficient homes, for nonbusiness energy property, and for residential energy efficient property. TITLE III--HELPING AMERICANS MOVE BEYOND OIL This title: (1) eliminates the phaseout of the applicable percentage for the tax credit for investment in new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles, (2) makes permanent the credit for two and three-wheeled plug-in electric vehicles, (3) increases the dollar limitation on the battery capacity for such vehicles from $5,000 to $7,500, and (4) makes the personal tax credit allowed for investment in such vehicles refundable. The title makes permanent: (1) the tax credit for investment in hybrid medium and heavy-duty trucks, and (2) the parity at $250 of the tax exclusion for employer-provided mass transit and parking benefits. The title extends through 2022: (1) the second generation biofuel producer credit, and (2) the income and excise tax credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel, (3) the special depreciation allowance for second generation biofuel plant property, and (4) the tax credit for alternative vehicle refueling property expenditures. New income and excise tax credits at $1.00 per gallon are allowed for the production of biodiesel and an increased credit is allowed for small biodiesel producers.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Protection of Social Security Benefits Restoration Act This bill amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to prohibit the application of, and repeal authority for, administrative offsets to Social Security, railroad retirement, and black lung benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Stonewall National Historic Site Establishment Act This bill establishes the Stonewall National Historic Site in New York as a unit of the National Park System. The boundary of the Historic Site shall be identical to that of the Stonewall National Historic Landmark. The Department of the Interior may enter into an agreement with New York City, New York, delineating the respective roles and responsibilities of the National Park Service and New York City in operating, maintaining, and interpreting the Historic Site. Interior shall prepare a general management plan for the Historic Site.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2015
Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act This bill directs the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking to: identify countries of concern regarding the supply, poaching, or transit of wildlife and wildlife products; collaborate with the national wildlife service of a country of concern to analyze the threats to wildlife in that country, and to prepare a strategic plan with recommendations for addressing wildlife crime; coordinate efforts to implement strategic plans among federal agencies and non-federal partners; and coordinate with stakeholders qualified to provide assistance regarding anti-poaching activities, law enforcement efforts, and strategies to reduce illicit trade and reduce consumer demand for illegally traded wildlife and wildlife products. The Task Force shall terminate five years after enactment of this Act. The Department of State may provide defense articles, services, and training to security forces of a country of concern to counter wildlife trafficking and poaching. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, with respect to countries of concern, may: provide assistance to carry out strategic plan recommendations, including improving the effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement; design and implement programs to increase the investigational capacity of wildlife law enforcement and customs and border security officers and to combat the transnational trade in illegal wildlife; and take actions to strengthen international cooperation and partnerships to combat the global wildlife crime crisis. The State Department may also provide support in countries of concern to the development and replication of community-owned wildlife conservancies and community-based conservation programs. It is the sense of Congress that the United States should continue to work with foreign countries, including China, Thailand, and Vietnam to combat global wildlife trafficking. The State Department should implement agreements with China and initiate negotiations with Thailand and Vietnam aimed at reducing demand for ivory and rhinoceros horn (Vietnam), and eliminating illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products. It is the sense of Congress that efforts to find funds to carry out this Act should not result in an increase in amounts authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year to provide additional funds for overseas contingency operations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2015
Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover certain lymphedema compression treatment items as durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2015
This bill amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to designate a specified portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2015
Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal HIV Discrimination Act of 2015 or the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act of 2015 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that federal and state laws, policies, and regulations regarding people living with HIV/AIDS should: (1) not place unique or additional burdens on such individuals solely as a result of their HIV status; and (2) demonstrate a public health-oriented, evidence-based, medically accurate, and contemporary understanding of HIV transmission, health implications, treatment, and the impact of punitive HIV-specific laws, policies, regulations, and judicial precedents and decisions on public health and on affected people, families, and communities. The bill directs: (1) the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Defense (DOD) to initiate a national review of federal (including military) and state laws, policies, regulations, and judicial precedents and decisions regarding criminal and related civil commitment cases involving people living with HIV/AIDS; and (2) DOJ to transmit to Congress and make publicly available the results of such review with related recommendations. DOJ and HHS must: (1) develop and publicly release guidance and best practice recommendations for states, and (2) establish an integrated monitoring and evaluation system to measure state progress. DOJ, HHS, and DOD must transmit to the President and Congress any proposals necessary to implement adjustments to federal laws, policies, or regulations. The bill prohibits this Act from being construed to discourage the prosecution of individuals who intentionally transmit or attempt to transmit HIV to another individual.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Visa Waiver Program Firearms Clarification Act of 2015 The bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the eligibility of certain foreign nationals to purchase and possess firearms in the United States. Current law prohibits firearm sale or transfer to or possession by a foreign national (i.e., alien) who is: (1) unlawfully present in the United States, or (2) lawfully present under a nonimmigrant visa (e.g., tourist visa). The prohibitions do not apply in certain circumstances. This bill expands the prohibition to bar firearm sale or transfer to or possession by a foreign national who was lawfully admitted to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. The prohibitions do not apply to a foreign national lawfully admitted under the Visa Waiver Program if that foreign national is a government official or law enforcement officer, or possesses a hunting license. Additionally, such foreign national may apply for a Department of Justice waiver to allow firearm possession.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Supporting Working Moms Act of 2015 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to extend the requirement that certain employers provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child to bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity employees or outside salesmen who are exempt from federal labor laws that limit the number of hours in a workweek.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2015
Prepaid Card and Mobile Account Consumer Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to extend its coverage to spending accounts (deposit accounts) established by a consumer at an insured depository institution or credit union: to which recurring electronic fund transfers (EFTs) may be made, at the consumer's direction; and from which payments may be made, at the consumer's direction, through the use of a card, code, or device ( prepaid cards). Any similar deposit account operated or managed by a financial institution, or any other person, shall be treated as a spending account subject to the Act if its funds: (1) are pooled with the funds of a person other than the one who established the account, or (2) are held in a name other than that of the person who established the account. The bill excludes from coverage by the Act any: demand deposit, savings deposit, or other asset account established primarily for personal, family, or household purposes; account held by a financial institution pursuant to a bona fide trust agreement; nonreloadable general-use prepaid card in an amount under $250; and general-use prepaid card solely associated with a certain kind of health plan, any qualified transportation fringe, any health savings account or any other healthcare benefit account, or other specified kinds of cards. The bill requires spending accounts to be structured to provide and maintain separate deposit insurance coverage for the funds of each consumer under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or National Credit Union Administration regulations. Any person that receives funds in connection with an EFT to a spending account must: (1) transfer them, within one business day after funds are activated, to an account at an insured depository institution or credit union; and (2) credit the spending account in an amount equal to the amount of such funds. The bill waives the requirement to give a consumer a periodic statement if a financial institution, among other things, grants the consumer access to the account balance through a readily available telephone line, the Internet, text messaging, or at an electronic terminal or other device (e.g., automated teller machine [ATM]) allowing the consumer to make a balance inquiry. The bill prohibits the charging of fees for services required to meet these requirements, other than $1 for an optional written statement. The bill specifies other fees which may and may not be charged in connection with a spending account. No person may offer or provide a spending account that has a credit feature or that can be linked to a credit account that is automatically repaid from the spending account. The bill prohibits the issuance of cards or other means of access for receipt of EFTs of wages or government benefits unless the recipient has first been offered the option of receiving funds in a form selected from among a set of alternatives specified by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), including at least one option for direct deposit, cash, or check. The CFPB shall establish an implementation plan and timeline for a prepaid card research study to determine if any differences exist for both the short- and long-term economic well-being of consumers at different income levels who use spending accounts versus those who use traditional bank accounts for their primary means of making financial transactions. The Expedited Funds Availability Act is amended to declare that funds deposited in an account by the transmission of an image of a check using a mobile device or computer shall be available on the same schedule as a check deposited at an ATM.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2015
Condemns the brutal attacks on the people of Paris that resulted in the death of at least 129 people, including one U.S. citizen, through shootings, hostage-taking, and suicide bombings of civilian targets. Expresses the Senate's condolences and deepest sympathies for the victims and their family members. Renews the solidarity of the people and government of the United States with the people and government of France. Pledges support for the government of France to pursue justice against those involved in these attacks and to prevent future attacks.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2015
Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a Docs-to-Doctors Program to recruit individuals separating from the Armed Forces who served in a health care capacity in the Armed Forces. The VA shall: (1) implement a uniform credentialing process for certain health care employees of the Veterans Health Administration; and (2) provide full practice authority to advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and such other licensed VA health care professionals as consistent with their education, training, and certification.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2015
Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2015 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant automatic citizenship to all qualifying children adopted by a U.S. citizen parent, regardless of the date on which the adoption was finalized. An individual born outside of the United States who was adopted by a U.S. citizen parent shall automatically become a U.S. citizen when the following conditions have been fulfilled: the individual was adopted by a U.S. citizen before the individual reached age 18, the individual was physically present in the United States in the citizen parent's legal custody pursuant to a lawful admission before the individual reached age 18, the individual never acquired U.S. citizenship before the enactment of this Act, and the individual was lawfully residing in the United States on the date of enactment of this Act. An individual who meets such criteria, except for lawfully residing in the United States on the date of enactment of this Act, shall automatically become a U.S. citizen on the date on which the individual is physically present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission. A visa may not be issued to such an individual unless: the individual was subjected to a criminal background check; and the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State coordinated with law enforcement agencies to ensure that appropriate action is taken regarding any unresolved criminal activity.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Fred Thompson, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on November 5, 2015, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the former Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Fair Playing Field Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the classification of workers for employment tax purposes, to: repeal the prohibition against issuance of regulations and guidance by the Department of the Treasury on workers' employment tax status (i.e., as an employee or as an independent contractor) enacted by the Revenue Act of 1978; direct Treasury to issue regulations and other guidance to clarify the proper employment status of workers for employment tax purposes; prohibit a retroactive assessment of employment tax, except with respect to certain skilled workers, for tax periods after December 31, 1978, and before a specified reclassification date for worker misclassifications, unless the taxpayer had no reasonable basis for not treating a worker as an employee; exempt certain individuals who perform professional services from treatment as employees for employment tax purposes; require taxpayers who hire independent contractors on a regular and ongoing basis to provide such contractors with notice of their federal tax obligations, the labor and employment law protections that do not apply to them, and their right to seek a status determination from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and eliminate reduced penalty provisions for failure to withhold income taxes for taxpayers who lack a reasonable basis for treating a worker as other than an employee (i.e., as an independent contractor). The IRS Commissioner must issue reports each fiscal year providing information and data on worker classification as an employee or an independent contractor.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2015
Seniors And Veterans Emergency Benefits Act or the SAVE Benefits Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to disburse a payment equal to 3.9% of the average amount of annual benefits to certain individuals (except prisoners, fugitive felons, or aliens) who are entitled to a specified benefit under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA), an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, a veterans benefit, or are eligible for a cash benefit under SSA title XVI (Supplemental Security Income), including a special benefit for individuals who perform substantial gainful activity despite severe medical impairment. A refundable income tax credit is allowed for the first taxable year beginning in 2015 in an amount equal to $581 for certain eligible government retirees who do not receive such a payment. The Internal Revenue Code is amended, with respect to the $1 million limitation on the deductibility of employee compensation, to: eliminate the exemption from that limitation for compensation payable on a commission basis or upon the attainment of a performance goal; extend the limitation to any individual who is a current or former officer, director, or employee of a publicly-held corporation; and apply the limitation to all publicly-held corporations required by the Securities and Exchange Commission to register securities and provide periodic reports to their investors.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Keep It in the Ground Act of 2015 This bill states as U.S. policy that: (1) federal land and waters should be managed for the benefit of the people of the United States to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change and to promote a rapid transition to a clean energy economy; and (2) the government should pursue management of federal land and waters for the benefit of the people of the United States by not issuing any new lease or renewing any nonproducing lease for coal, oil, or natural gas in any such land or waters. The bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing a new lease, renewing, reinstating, or extending any nonproducing lease under such Act, or issuing any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other fossil fuel in the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, or any other area of the outer Continental Shelf. Interior shall: (1) cancel any lease issued under such Act before the date of enactment of this Act in the Beaufort Sea, Cook Inlet, or Chukchi Sea; and (2) not conduct any lease sale, enter into any new lease, reoffer for lease any land covered by an expiring lease, or renew, reinstate, or extend any nonproducing lease in existence before such date for onshore fossil fuels, including coal, oil, tar sands, oil shale, and gas on land subject to the Mineral Leasing Act. Interior may exempt any provision of this Act if it determines that there is an imminent national security threat and that issuing an exemption would significantly reduce such threat, but only for as long as the threat persists. Interior may allow a nonproducing lease to be renewed or extended if: (1) the nonproducing lease contract was signed before enactment of this Act, and (2) Interior determines that giving effect to any provision of this Act is likely to lead to a court ruling that there was a material breach of the contract. Such a renewal or extension shall be for the shortest time practicable under the terms of the contract.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2015
Help Americans Never Get Unwanted Phone Calls Act of 2015 or the HANGUP Act This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 to repeal provisions that authorize the use of automated telephone equipment to call cellular telephones for the purpose of collecting debts owed to the U.S. government.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Designates the week beginning November 8, 2015, as National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week and expresses support for its goals and ideals. Encourages the continued support of nurse-managed health clinics so that they may continue to serve as health care workforce development sites for the next generation of primary care providers.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2015
Recognizes and encourages the observance of Small Business Saturday on November 28, 2015. Expresses support for efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of such businesses on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2015
Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or the Healthy MOM Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act and Internal Revenue Code to require health insurers, health insurance exchanges, and group health plans to offer a special enrollment period to pregnant individuals. The special enrollment period offered by an insurer or exchange must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the insurer or exchange. The special enrollment period offered by a group health plan must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the plan or is confirmed by a health care provider. Coverage offered by a group health plan or health insurer that covers dependents must provide coverage for maternity care to all covered individuals. The Office of Personnel Management must ensure that eligible pregnant women are allowed to enroll in federal employee health benefit plans outside of the open enrollment period. This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to revise the range in which a state must establish a maximum level of family income for pregnant women and infants to be eligible for Medicaid. The upper limit of the range is eliminated and the lower limit is set to the level in place, or specified in an amendment to a state plan, on January 1, 2014.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015
Real Time Transparency Act of 2015 This bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to revise the requirement of a 48-hour notification of a campaign contribution of $1,000 or more to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and certain other officials by the principal campaign committee of a candidate for federal office. (Currently, a candidate's principal campaign committee is required to give a written 48-hour notification to the Secretary of the Senate or the FEC, and the Secretary of State, as appropriate, after the receipt of any contribution of $1,000 or more by any authorized committee of such candidate after the 20th day, but more than 48 hours before, any election.) This requirement, with certain additions, shall now apply to any political committee, not just a candidate's principal campaign committee, regarding cumulative contributions (instead of single contributions) of $1,000 or more from any contributor during a calendar year. A report shall now be made only to the FEC. Any amount transferred by a joint fundraising committee established by a candidate's authorized committee to any other authorized committee of that candidate shall be treated as a contribution by the joint fundraising committee to such authorized committee (and thus subject to the 48-hour notification requirement). Senate candidates must file designations, statements, and reports directly with the FEC (instead of via the Secretary of the Senate, as currently required).
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015
Commemorates the life of Yitzhak Rabin and extends deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and the people of Israel on the 20th anniversary of Yitzhak Rabin's death. Supports the close ties and special relationship between the people and governments of the United States and Israel. Reaffirms the Senate's commitment to the process of building a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on two states for two peoples. Calls on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to quell the current outbreak of terrorism and violence, and to resume work toward a negotiated two-state solution.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Senate supports efforts to: (1) provide childcare assistance to each working family that needs it; (2) make childcare affordable; (3) ensure that childcare is available so that parents in the 24-hour economy can access high-quality care; (4) guarantee that each family eligible for childcare receives it by creating a system that expands with need; (5) improve the quality of childcare; and (6) provide sufficient federal, state, and local investment to ensure resources for high-quality jobs and affordable childcare.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Promoting Access and Retention Through New Efforts to Require Shared Higher Investments in Postsecondary Success Act or the PARTNERSHIPS Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a state-federal partnership to promote state investment in public higher education. The bill directs the Department of Education to award annual block grants to states that increase public higher education operating support on a per student basis, using a specified formula. As a condition of receiving grants, states must use grant funds to reduce tuition costs and support the enrollment of low-income students in state public educational institutions. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) expand and make permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit; (2) increase the amount of the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance programs and make such exclusion available to the spouses and dependents of employees; (3) allow tax exclusions for the discharge of certain public interest student loans, repayments of student loans by tax-exempt organizations, and student loans subject to an income-based or income contingent repayment plan; (4) allow a full exclusion from gross income of Federal Pell Grants; and (5) repeal the requirement that distributions from a qualified tuition plan (529 plan) be aggregated for purposes of determining the amount includible in taxpayer income.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2015
Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins (to be made of "pink gold" containing at least 75% gold), 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the fight against breast cancer. Treasury shall: select the design for the coins based upon the winning design from a juried, compensated design competition following certain specifications; and issue the coins only during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2018. All such coin sales must include the following surcharges: $35 per $5 gold coin, $10 per $1 dollar silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar coin. The Treasury shall pay received surcharges promptly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation according to a specified distribution formula.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Offers condolences to the families and friends of individuals who were murdered by an armed gunman on the Umpqua Community College campus in Roseburg, Oregon, on October 1, 2015. Expresses hope for the swift and complete recovery of individuals who were wounded by the gunman. Applauds the swift response and professional conduct of the first responders and investigating officers. Remains committed to reducing the likelihood of this kind of event happening again.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Department of Veterans Affairs Provider Equity Act This bill includes podiatrists within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) definition of physician, and increases their pay grade to match other VA physician compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015
West Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015
Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) prevent 2016 increases to Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles for enrollees, and (2) authorize federal funding to offset the corresponding reduction in aggregate monthly premiums. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must annually determine the monthly actuarial rate upon which Part B premiums and deductibles are based. The bill temporarily freezes that rate at the 2015 level for enrollees, effectively preventing increases to premiums and deductibles for those enrollees in 2016. (Current law already protects Part B enrollees whose benefits are deducted from their Social Security benefits from premium increases that would result in a smaller Social Security check.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2015
Middle East Refugee Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2016 This bill provides $1 billion in FY2016 supplemental appropriations to the Department of State's Migration and Refugee Assistance account for expenses to respond to the refugee crisis resulting from conflict in the Middle East, including costs associated with the resettlement of refugees in the United States. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. Prior to using funds provided by this bill, the State Department must submit to Congress a report including specified details regarding the refugees who have fled Syria and Iraq, the costs associated with resettlement, and the proposed uses of funds provided by this bill. The State Department may transfer funds provided by this bill to other federal agencies for the purpose of assisting in the resettlement in the United States of refugees fleeing conflict in the Middle East, subject to congressional notification requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2015
Workplace Democracy Act This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to certify without an election an individual or labor organization as the exclusive representative of the employees in a unit appropriate for bargaining if a majority of the employees has signed valid authorizations designating the individual or labor organization specified in a properly filed petition as their bargaining representative and no other individual or labor organization is currently certified or recognized as the exclusive representative of any of the employees in the unit. The NLRB shall develop guidelines and procedures for the designation by employees of a bargaining representative. Deadlines are prescribed for critical turns in collective bargaining to establish an initial agreement upon the request of an individual or labor organization that has been newly organized or certified as a representative. The first meeting shall convene within 10 days after the employer receives a request. Either party to a negotiation may, 90 days after commencement, notify the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service of the existence of a dispute and request mediation. The Service shall refer the dispute to an arbitration board if the parties are not brought to agreement within 30 days after the request for mediation.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2015
Alaskan Pollock and Golden King Crab Labeling Act This bill declares the acceptable market name of Gadus chalcogrammus is "pollock" and the acceptable market name of Lithodes aequispinus is "golden king crab." This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow the sale of pollock labeled "Alaskan pollock" or "Alaska pollock" only if the pollock was harvested in the exclusive economic zone or state waters adjacent to Alaska.
![Official portrait of Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001176_200.jpg)