United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
Recovering America's Wildlife Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to transfer $1.3 billion of revenues from energy and mineral development on federal lands to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Subaccount of the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Fund and revises requirements governing the uses of and distributions from the fund.
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 · 28 June 2018
Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2018 This bill specifies that an offense involving lynching is a criminal civil rights violation. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Restore Our Parks Act This bill: (1) establishes the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund, and (2) requires 50% of all energy development revenues for FY2019-FY2023 to be deposited into such fund. Amounts deposited in the fund must not exceed $1.3 billion for any fiscal year and must be used for meeting high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Burn Pits Accountability Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the military departments to evaluate whether each member of the Armed Forces has been (1) based or stationed where an open air burn pit was used to dispose of waste, or (2) exposed to toxic airborne chemicals. Members located where an open burn pit was used or exposed to toxic airborne chemicals must be enrolled in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, unless the member elects not to enroll. The evaluations must be included in periodic health assessments, physical exams conducted immediately prior to separation from active duty, and deployment assessments. DOD must share the results of the evaluations with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to arrange for the award of a single gold medal to the U.S. Army Ranger veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated wartime service. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Privacy Notification Technical Clarification Act This bill amends the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to exempt a vehicle financial company, under specified circumstances, from the requirement to annually disclose its privacy policies to consumers. A vehicle financial company shall be exempt from such requirement if: (1) the company has not changed its privacy policies since its last disclosure, (2) the current policy is available on its website and via mail, (3) notice is provided to customers regarding availability of the company's privacy policies, and (4) the company gives customers the ability to opt out of having personal information disclosed to third parties.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services must immediately establish an interagency Office for Locating and Reuniting Children with Parents.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Expresses support for the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Recognizes that LGBTQ rights are human rights and protected by the U.S. Constitution and international treaties. Encourages the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month in June.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2018 This bill requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to make a determination as to whether a state substantially provides for certain rights and responsibilities applicable to public employees, such as granting such employees the right to form or join a labor organization and to bargain collectively, and if the state does not substantially provide for such rights and responsibilities, then such state shall be subject to nationwide standards prescribed by the FLRA to protect public employee rights. No employer, emergency services employee, or law enforcement officer may engage in a lockout, strike, or any other organized job action of which a reasonably probable result is a measurable disruption of the delivery of emergency or public safety services. No labor organization may violate or attempt to violate this prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2018 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2018 This bill expands the ban on election contributions by foreign nationals to include corporations subject to specified levels of ownership or control by foreign nationals. The bill also expands (1) reporting requirements related to campaign contributions, and (2) disclosure requirements related to the funding sources of political advertisements.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2018
Transportation Worker Identification Credential Accountability Act of 2018 This bill prohibits the U.S. Coast Guard from: (1) implementing the rule titled "Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)-Reader Requirements," and (2) proposing or issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking for a rule that would require the use of biometric readers for biometric transportation security cards. These prohibitions end 60 days after the Department of Homeland Security submits to Congress an assessment of the transportation security card program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2018
Supporting Useful Career Counseling in Elementary and Secondary Schools (SUCCESS) Act of 2018 This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to direct the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to enable institutions of higher education or other entities that provide state-recognized elementary and secondary school counseling credentials to: consult with state or local boards to assess local and regional employment needs and trends; develop best practices for training school counselors to provide career counseling based on those trends; and implement curricula, training modules, or materials to train school counselors based on those best practices. ED shall publish and disseminate the best practices. The Government Accountability Office shall report on school counselor certification requirements and the impact of those requirements on the availability of effective career counseling.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2018
Designates June 19, 2018, as Juneteenth Independence Day. Recognizes the historical significance and supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2018
Workers' Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2018 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act (NRLA) and related labor laws to extend protections to union workers. Specifically, it: revises the definition of "employee" and "supervisor" to prevent employers from removing employees from the protections of the labor laws, prohibits employers from interfering with certain rights granted to employees under the NLRA, expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of worker who strike or discrimination against them, imposes new penalties against employers who violate labor law requirements, allows workers to bring civil actions against employers for labor law violations and unfair labor practices, requires certain disclosures with respect to worker wages, and requires contractors seeking federal contracts over $500,000 to disclose labor law violations when applying for such contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2018
Protecting American Votes and Elections Act of 2018 This bill requires voting systems for federal elections to produce paper ballots that the voter may inspect for errors before the vote is cast. The bill also (1) requires the paper ballot to be suitable for manual audits, (2) prescribes approved methods for such audits, (3) revises accessibility requirements related to the bill's paper ballot requirements, and (4) directs the National Science Foundation to make grants to eligible entities to study and develop mechanisms to address various voting issues.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2018
Commemorates the victims killed in the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016. Honors the survivors of the attack and pledges continued support for their recovery.
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 · 7 June 2018
Keep Families Together Act This bill prohibits an agent or contractor of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Health and Human Services from removing a child who is under the age of 18 and has no permanent immigration status from his or her parent or legal guardian at or near the port of entry or within 100 miles of the U.S. border unless: an authorized state court determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed; a state or county child welfare official with expertise in child trauma and development determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed because of abuse or neglect; or the Chief Patrol Agent or the Area Port Director authorizes separation based on a documented finding that the child is a trafficking victim or is at significant risk of becoming a victim, a strong likelihood exists that the adult is not the parent or legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. An agency may not remove a child from a parent or legal guardian solely for the policy goals of deterring migration to the United States or of promoting immigration law compliance. The bill sets forth presumptions: (1) in favor of family and sibling unity and parental rights, and (2) that detention is not in the best interests of families and children. The Government Accountability Office shall conduct a study of the prosecution of asylum seekers.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
International Human Rights Defense Act of 2018 This bill establishes in the Department of State a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex) Peoples who shall serve as the principal State Department advisor regarding human rights for LGBTI people and represent the United States in diplomatic matters relevant to the human rights of LGBTI people. The special envoy shall periodically provide Congress with a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTI people. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development may provide assistance to prevent and respond to such activities against LGBTI people. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to require that annual country reports on human rights practices include information on criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2018
Big Cat Public Safety Act This bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit any person from breeding or possessing prohibited wildlife species (i.e., any live species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species). Breeding means facilitating propagation or reproduction (whether intentionally or negligently), or failing to prevent propagation or reproduction. The bill revises the list of entities that are exempt from Lacey Act prohibitions regarding those wildlife species to include: (1) certain entities that hold Class C licenses in good standing under the Animal Welfare Act, and (2) current owners of animals that were born before this bill's enactment if the animals are registered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those entities and owners may not allow direct contact between the public and the prohibited wildlife species. A person who knowingly violates the prohibition must be fined not more than $20,000, or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. The bill extends forfeiture provisions to fish, wildlife, or plants that are bred or possessed.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Sec. 2) This bill reauthorizes for FY2019-FY2023 grants for local and regional children's advocacy centers (CACs), as well as for technical assistance and training. CACs coordinate a multidisciplinary response to child abuse. The bill adds a new finding specifying the need for state chapters of CAC networks (1) to help local communities coordinate their multidisciplinary services, and (2) to provide oversight of, and training and technical assistance in, the effective delivery of evidence-informed programming. It modifies grants for regional CACs, including to add, as a new program objective, collaboration with state chapters; and to require regional CACs to assist local CACs, multidisciplinary teams, and state chapters, in addition to communities. It also modifies grants for local CACs, including to add, as a new grant purpose, promoting the effective delivery of the evidence-informed Children's Advocacy Model and the multidisciplinary response to child abuse; to allow grants to support direct services for victims of human trafficking, in addition to victims of child pornography; and to require a portion of grants to be distributed to state chapters. The Department of Justice must report annually on efforts to monitor and evaluate the program activities of regional CACs and the extent to which both urban and rural populations are served by the regional CAC program. (Sec. 3) The bill provides immunity from civil and criminal liability under federal, state, and local law for people who make good-faith reports of child abuse or neglect or who provide related information or assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
TAA for Automation Act of 2018 This bill amends the Trade Act of 1974 to modify eligibility requirements for trade adjustment assistance for workers whose jobs are affected by automation.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Integrated Missile Defense Act of 2018 This bill addresses U.S. missile defense capabilities in response to nuclear threats from North Korea under the regime of Kim Jong-un. It urges or directs the Missile Defense Agency to accelerate the fielding of 20 additional ground-based interceptors with Redesigned Kill Vehicles (RKVs) at Missile Field 4 at Fort Greely, Alaska, and mate the RKVs with the newest booster technology; ensure the development and deployment of persistent space-based sensor architecture; plan a fully interoperable and integrated air and missile defense architecture; accelerate its hypersonic missile defense program and deploy such program in conjunction with a persistent space-based missile defense sensor program; seek to establish missile defense capabilities with allies and trusted partners of the United States; and pursue an increasingly rigorous testing regime and prioritize discrimination capabilities to improve missile defense effectiveness against current and future threats from countries hostile to the United States. .
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act or the PACE Act This bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit the sponsoring or exhibiting of animal fights involving live birds (such as cockfights). Under current law, the fights are unlawful only if they take place in states or U.S. territories or possessions that have banned it.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2018
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2018 or the PAST Act This bill amends the Horse Protection Act to establish a new system for inspecting horses for soring, revise penalties for violations of the Act, and modify enforcement procedures. The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish requirements to license, train, assign, and oversee persons hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions to detect and diagnose sore horses. A license may not be issued to a person with conflicts of interest, and USDA must give preference to veterinarians. USDA may revoke a license for unsatisfactory performance. USDA must assign licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire the inspectors. An inspector must issue a citation for violations and notify USDA of violations. USDA must publish information on violations of this bill and disqualify a horse that is sore. The bill prohibits a person in any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction from causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning the horse. The bill prohibits the use of specified devices on a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse at a show, exhibition, sale, or auction. The bill increases the maximum criminal and civil liability penalties for certain violations. USDA may disqualify violators from specified activities related to horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions.
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
Secure Airport Public Spaces Act of 2018 This bill allows airports to: (1) use passenger facility charge revenue for projects to enhance security of areas of an airport outside of areas screened by the Transportation Security Administration that are directly and substantially related to the movement of passengers and baggage, and (2) install security cameras in the public area of the interior and exterior of the airport terminal as part of the airport improvement program.
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 · 25 April 2018
Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act This bill amends the Securities Act of 1933 to modify the definition of "accredited investor" for purposes of participating in private offerings to include: an individual whose net worth or joint net worth with their spouse exceeds $1 million (adjusted for inflation), excluding from the calculation of their net worth their primary residence and a mortgage secured by that residence in certain circumstances; an individual whose income over the last two years exceeded $200,000 (adjusted for inflation) or joint spousal income exceeded $300,000 (adjusted for inflation) and who has a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year; an individual who holds previously purchased securities, if the issuer believes that the individual met such income requirements at the time of purchase and would continue to do so; an individual who is licensed as a broker or investment advisor by certain entities; and an individual determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to have qualifying education or experience. (Certain unregistered securities may be offered only to accredited investors.) The SEC is directed to revise the definition of "accredited investor" in Regulation D (which exempts certain offerings from SEC registration requirements) to conform to changes in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 This bill provides for the promotion of U.S. values and diplomatic, security, and economic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. It includes statements of policy and measures concerning security assistance and alliances; the U.S. relationship with China, India, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; the U.S. military presence in the region, as well as the pursuit of arms control; security partnerships in southeast Asia; the commitment to Taiwan; a strategy regarding North Korea; trade agreements and facilitation; and the promotion of human rights and democracy in the region.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Calls for the international community to demand that North Korea dismantle its labor camp system and for North Korea to cease human rights abuses and release political prisoners.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2018
Small Business Advanced Cybersecurity Enhancements Act of 2018 This bill amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration in coordination with the Department of Commerce to create a central small business cybersecurity assistance unit and small business cybersecurity assistance units in each small business development center. The units shall serve as the primary interface for small business concerns to receive and share cyber threat indicators and defensive measures with the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2018
Maritime Authorization and Enhancement Act for Fiscal Year 2019 This bill reauthorizes for FY2019 programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT) associated with maintaining the United States merchant marine, including the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), state maritime academies, the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Program, U.S. Maritime Administration operations and programs, the ship disposal program, and the maritime guaranteed loan program. The bill addresses (1) DOT jurisdiction over the USMMA; (2) the USMMA policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; (3) implementation of recommendations for the USMMA Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program; (4) electronic records on mariner availability to meet national security needs; (5) small shipyard grants; (6) domestic ship recycling facilities; (7) USMMA cadet Sea Year training needs; (8) the national maritime strategy; (9) the DOT Office of Inspector General report on the financial controls and protections included in its policies and procedures for approving loan applications under the Federal Ship Financing Program; (10) multi-year contracts for the procurement of vessels within the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Program; (11) the use of state academy training vessels; (12) DOT authority to issue war risk insurance; and (13) the comprehensive study of the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Seaway navigation system.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018 This bill authorizes the Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program within the Department of Justice. The purpose of the grant program is to foster and improve partnerships to create safer neighborhoods through sustained reductions in crimes by (1) developing and executing comprehensive strategic plans, (2) developing evidence-based intervention and prevention initiatives, and (3) collecting data on outcomes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2018
Robocall Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934: to lengthen the statute of limitations from two years to three years for pursuing caller identification information violations (known as "spoofing"), to lengthen the statute of limitations from one year to three years for pursing automated telephone equipment violations (known as "robocalls"), and to authorize the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to impose forfeiture penalties without first sending a citation regarding the charged violation against persons not licensed by the FCC who violate prohibitions on the use of automated telephone equipment.
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 · 11 April 2018
Stephen Michael Gleason Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Stephen Michael Gleason.
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.