United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2017
America's Red Rock Wilderness Act of 2017 This bill designates specified lands in the following areas of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) Great Basin, (2) Grand Staircase-Escalante, (3) Moab-La Sal Canyons, (4) Henry Mountains, (5) Glen Canyon, (6) San Juan-Anasazi, (7) Canyonlands Basin, (8) San Rafael Swell, and (9) Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin. The bill sets forth administrative requirements for: (1) the exchange of state-owned lands within such areas, (2) federal reservation of water rights, (3) measurement of setbacks for roads with wilderness, (4) authorized livestock grazing, and (5) withdrawal of such lands from disposition under certain public land laws.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2017
New Hope and Opportunity through the Power of Employment Act or the New HOPE Act This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to require state leadership activities funded by the Act to include consulting and coordinating with other state agencies for the identification, consolidation, or elimination of licenses or certifications that pose an unnecessary barrier to entry for aspiring workers and provide limited consumer protection.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2017
American Renewable Fuel and Job Creation Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify and extend: (1) the income tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel used as fuel, and (2) the excise tax credit for biodiesel fuel mixtures. The bill: (1) makes the credits available to domestic producers of the fuels rather than the policy under current law of providing a mixture credit to the blender of the fuel, (2) increases the income tax credit for certain small biodiesel producers, and (3) extends the credits through 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Condemns the government of Iran's state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights. Urges the President and the Department of State to: (1) condemn the Iranian government's continued violation of human rights and demand the immediate release of prisoners held solely on account of their religion, and (2) impose sanctions on Iranian officials and other individuals directly responsible for serious human rights abuses.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Procurement Fraud Prevention Act This bill directs the General Services Administration to establish procedures to ensure that any notice regarding registration of a small business concern in a procurement system contains information about cost-free federal procurement technical assistance services that are available through the Small Business Administration, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers of the Defense Logistics Agency, the Department of Commerce, and other federal agencies and programs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2017
Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act This bill allows the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation to establish the National Global War on Terrorism Memorial as a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia to commemorate and honor the members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2017
Expresses the sense of the Senate: (1) in remembrance of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2017; (2) that the President should work toward an Armenian-Turkish relationship that includes Turkey's full acknowledgment of the facts about the Armenian Genocide; and (3) that the President should ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the U.S. record relating to the Armenian Genocide.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2017
Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017 This bill: (1) condemns the violence and human rights violations carried out by the Syrian government and pro-government forces; (2) urges all parties to halt civilian attacks; and (3) calls on the President to support efforts to ensure accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed during the conflict. The Department of State shall report to Congress on war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in Syria. The State Department shall: (1) complete a study of the feasibility of potential transitional justice mechanisms for Syria (including a hybrid tribunal) to address war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide perpetrated in Syria beginning in March 2011; and (2) include in the report on such study recommendations on which transitional justice mechanisms the U.S. government should support, why, and what type of support should be offered. The State Department may provide assistance to entities that: (1) identify suspected perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide; (2) collect evidence of crimes; (3) conduct criminal investigations or protect witnesses; or (4) build Syria's investigative, enforcement, and judicial capacities. The State Department also may provide assistance to support the creation and operation of transitional justice mechanisms. The bill includes in the State Department's Rewards for Justice program information leading to the arrest or conviction of perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in Syria beginning in March 2011. The bill calls for the State Department to advocate that the United Nations Human Rights Council annually extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic until the commission has completed its investigation of alleged violations of international human rights laws in Syria beginning in March 2011.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2017
Recognizes the 100th anniversary of the official entry of the United States into World War I on April 6, 1917. Expresses gratitude and appreciation to the members of: (1) the Armed Forces who participated in World War I operations alongside the countries of the Triple Entente, and (2) the Allied Forces who participated such operations alongside France from 1914 until the end of the war. Commends centenary commemorations to honor people from France, the United States, and all countries involved in such war that aim to make future generations aware of the acts of heroism and sacrifice performed by the Armed Forces and the Allies. Recognizes: (1) efforts undertaken by France to preserve the memory and celebrate the legacy of the involvement of the United States during World War I, and (2) plans by the French people to celebrate such anniversary and the 100th anniversary of the Armistice of November 11, 1918. Encourages all countries involved in World War I to participate in the centennial of the Armistice.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2017
Make It in America Act This bill directs the Office for Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) to promulgate specified regulations to standardize and simplify how federal agencies comply with, report on, and enforce the Buy American Act, including rules to ensure that a project is not disaggregated for purposes of avoiding the applicability of such requirements. The bill: (1) directs the OFPP to issue rules to evaluate domestic content in a "manufactured end product," (2) requires domestic component costs to exceed 75% before manufactured materials are considered manufactured "substantially all" from U.S. materials, (3) excludes contract start-up costs from a domestic offer in comparisons of offers between domestic and nondomestic entities, (4) prohibits agencies from determining that the acquisition costs of U.S. materials is unreasonable unless it would increase overall acquisition cost by more than 25%, and (5) applies Buy American requirements to materials for use outside the United States that are not needed on an urgent basis or that are acquired on a regular basis. An agency may not determine that sufficient material is not mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States unless: (1) domestic production cannot be initiated without significantly delaying the project; and (2) sufficient substitutable material is not mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States. The bill: (1) revises reporting requirements regarding total federal agency acquisitions of materials acquired from entities that mine, produce, or manufacture them outside the United States; and (2) requires the U.S. International Trade Commission to submit an industry analysis of the capabilities of the domestic information technology and semiconductor industry to supply the federal government with domestically manufactured information technology systems.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2017
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the National Sea Grant College Program is: (1) important to improving the economy, health, stewardship, and preparedness of the United States; (2) an exceptional example of effective partnerships between federal, state, and local governments; and (3) a valuable investment for the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2017
Congressional Oversight to Start Taxpayer Savings Resolution or the COST Savings Resolution Requires each standing committee of the Senate (except the Committee on Appropriations) with jurisdiction, after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports annually to Congress on federal programs, agencies, offices, and initiatives with duplicative goals and activities, to conduct hearings on the report's recommendations for consolidation and elimination of the program, agency, office, or initiative. Requires each standing committee of the Senate (except the Committee on Appropriations) with jurisdiction over any agency or program area on a High Risk List published by the GAO to conduct hearings on the vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or need for transformation, of the agency or program area. Authorizes committees to hold joint hearings for any program, agency, office, initiative, or program area over which more than one standing committee has jurisdiction.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
African Growth and Opportunity Act and Millennium Challenge Act Modernization Act or the AGOA and MCA Modernization Act This bill directs the President to establish a website for the collection and dissemination of information regarding the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The Department of State is urged to encourage eligible sub-Saharan African countries to use the benefits available under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The President is urged to: facilitate trans-boundary trade among eligible sub-Saharan African countries; provide training for business and government trade officials on accessing AGOA benefits; provide capacity building for African entrepreneurs and trade associations on production strategies, quality standards, and market development; provide capacity building training to promote product diversification and value-added processing; and provide capacity building and technical assistance funding to help African businesses and institutions comply with U.S. counter-terrorism policies. The Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 is amended to permit an eligible country that has entered into a Millennium Challenge Compact to enter into one additional compact under specified conditions. The bill establishes, beginning with FY2013, new assistance criteria for a low-income or a lower-middle-income candidate country eligible to enter into a Millennium Challenge Compact with the United States. The Millennium Challenge Corporation shall: (1) before selecting a compact country, provide the Board of Directors with information regarding the country's treatment of civil society; and (2) submit an assessment of the feasibility of developing partnerships at the subnational level within candidate countries.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2017 or the Fair Chance Act This bill prohibits: (1) federal agencies and federal contractors from requesting that applicants for employment disclose criminal history record information before receiving a conditional offer of employment, and (2) agencies from requiring an individual or sole proprietor who submits a bid for a contract to disclose criminal history record information regarding that individual or sole proprietor before determining the apparent awardee. The bill: (1) sets forth positions to which such prohibitions shall not apply, such as positions for which prior consideration of criminal history record information is otherwise required by law, positions with law enforcement and national security duties, and positions requiring access to classified information; and (2) requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Department of Defense (DOD) to issue regulations identifying additional positions with respect to which the prohibition shall not apply, giving due consideration to positions that involve interaction with minors, access to sensitive information, or managing financial transactions, consistent with relevant federal civil rights laws. The OPM, the Office of Compliance, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the GSA, and DOD must: (1) establish procedures for submitting complaints about, and taking actions against, agency employees and contractors for violating such prohibitions and for appealing such an action; and (2) issue regulations to implement this bill. The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council shall revise the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the requirements of this bill. The Bureau of Justice Statistics, in coordination with the Bureau of the Census, must: (1) design and initiate a study on the employment of individuals who are released from federal prison after completing a term of imprisonment for a federal criminal offense, and (2) report to Congress at specified intervals.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
AFG and SAFER Program Reauthorization Act of 2017 This bill amends the the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to: (1) repeal the expiration dates of, and to reauthorize through FY2023, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program, the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) Program; and (2) authorize the use of AFG Program grants, instead of SAFER Program grants, to provide specialized training to first responders on how to recognize and properly intervene with individuals with mental illness.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct critical monitoring, scientific assessments, and research in support of fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin between the United States and Canada. In support of the fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin, the USGS Great Lakes Science Center shall: (1) execute a comprehensive, multi-lake, freshwater fisheries science program; (2) work cooperatively with regional, state, tribal, and local governments; and (3) consult with interested groups, including academia and Canadian agencies. To protect and improve the Great Lakes, the USGS Great Lakes Science Center may provide: deep-water ecosystem research, fish behavior and habitat reports, fish population assessments, invasive species research, use of biological equipment and laboratory capabilities necessary to support fishery management decisions, and studies that assess impacts on Great Lakes Fishery resources.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
Campus Accountability and Safety Act This bill addresses sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other violence and harassment on the campuses of colleges and universities. The bill amends provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act to expand reporting requirements included in the annual campus security report provided to current and prospective students and employees. Specifically, the report must include information about: (1) the institutions coordination with local law enforcement about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking occurring against its students or against other individuals on its campus; (2) statistics about certain criminal offenses reported to campus security authorities or local police, including rape, fondling, incest, and statutory rape; and (3) information about how the institution is addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Department of Education (ED) must administer and publish the campus-level results of a biannual survey of students regarding their experiences with domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Each institution must establish a campus security policy that meets certain requirements with respect to: (1) assisting survivors; (2) training individuals who are involved in implementing the student grievance procedures or who are responsible for interviewing survivors; and (3) establishing a uniform process for student disciplinary proceedings relating to any claims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking or a sexual misconduct policy violation against a student. ED and the Department of Justice may impose civil penalties for failure to meet certain requirements under this bill. The bill also authorizes grants to address these issues.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2017
This bill authorizes FY2018-FY2023 appropriations for the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention to conduct or support research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of State to submit an annual, publicly-available report to Congress that includes: (1) a list of individuals holding specified senior Chinese leadership positions at the national and subnational levels; and (2) an assessment of the level of access Chinese authorities granted U.S. diplomats, journalists, and tourists to Tibetan areas in China. Such assessment shall include: a comparison with the level of access granted to other areas of China, a comparison between the levels of access granted to Tibetan and non-Tibetan areas in relevant provinces, a comparison of the level of access in the reporting year and the previous year, and a description of the measures that impede the freedom to travel in Tibetan areas. Listed persons shall be ineligible for a visa to enter or to be present in the United States if specified restrictions on foreign travelers entering Tibetan areas remain in effect, subject to a national interests waiver. Expresses the sense of Congress that the State Department, when granting Chinese diplomats access to parts of the United States, should take into account the extent to which China grants U.S. diplomats access to parts of China, including the Tibetan areas.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
This bill amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to designate approximately 1,559,538 acres of land within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Paycheck Fairness Act This bill amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to: (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation provisions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination matters. The bill directs the Department of Labor to: (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. This bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2017
Recognizes that the intent of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 included the presumption that veterans who served in the Armed Forces in the bays, harbors, and territorial seas of the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, served in Vietnam for all purposes under the Agent Orange Act of 1991. Expresses the intent that such veterans who served in those areas and other areas exposed to Agent Orange who have been diagnosed with connected medical conditions should be equally recognized for such exposure through equitable benefits and coverage as those who served in the inland rivers and on the Vietnamese land mass. Calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to review its policy that excludes presumptive coverage for Agent Orange exposure for such veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2017
Larry Doby 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 presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of Larry Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017 This bill directs the Small Business Administration to develop partnership agreements that provide for: development of high-quality training for small businesses related to domestic and international protection of intellectual property, leveraging of training materials already developed for the education of inventors and small businesses, and participation of a nongovernmental organization. These agreements must also provide training: through electronic resources, including Internet-based webinars; and at physical locations, including a small business development center (SBDC) and the headquarters or a regional office of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The bill amends the Small Business Act to require services at an SBDC to include training, in person or through a website, relating to: domestic and international intellectual property protections, and how those protections should be considered in the business plans and growth strategies of small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2017 This bill makes it illegal to possess, buy, sell, or transport shark fins or any product containing shark fins. A person may possess a shark fin that was lawfully taken consistent with a license or permit under certain circumstances. Penalties are imposed for violations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The maximum civil penalty for each violation shall be $100,000, or the fair market value of the shark fins involved, whichever is greater.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the process by which Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) issue and reconsider local coverage determinations (LCDs) that: (1) are new, (2) restrict or substantively revise existing LCDs, or (3) are otherwise specified in regulation. (MACs are private insurers that process Medicare claims within specified geographic areas.) Before such an LCD may take effect, the MAC issuing the determination must, with respect to each geographic area to which the determination applies: publish online a proposed version of the determination and other specified, related information; convene one or more public meetings to review the draft determination, receive comments, and secure the advice of an expert panel; post online a record of the minutes from each such meeting; provide a period for submission of written public comments; and post online specified information related to the rationale for the final determination. Upon the filing of an applicable request by an interested party with regard to the reconsideration of a specified LCD, the MAC that issued the determination shall: provide specified information related to whether the determination failed to correctly apply qualifying relevant evidence, exceeds the scope of its intended purpose, fails to apply as intended, or is otherwise erroneous; preserve the determination, modify the determination, or rescind the determination in part; and make publicly available a written description of such action. An interested party may appeal a reconsideration decision to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS shall appoint a Medicare Reviews and Appeals Ombudsman to carry out specified duties with regard to LCDs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act of 2017 This bill amends titles XI (General Provisions) and XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish: (1) a telehealth service model, and (2) Medicare payment rules with respect to certain services tested under the model. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shall test Medicare coverage of expanded telehealth services, as defined by the bill, in conjunction with existing models that test the use of accountable care organizations, bundled payments, and other coordinated care models under Medicare. CMS must: (1) establish a methodology for determining the amounts of payment for such services, and (2) provide for evaluations of the service model by an independent entity. CMS shall expand the application of a service tested under the model if: (1) the required evaluation demonstrates that the service either reduced Medicare spending without reducing the quality of care or improved the quality of care without increasing spending, and (2) the Chief Actuary of CMS certifies that such expansion would reduce net program spending. A service that meets these requirements is defined by the bill as a "certified enhanced telehealth service." Medicare payment for a certified enhanced telehealth service shall equal 80% of the lesser of: (1) the actual charge for the service, or (2) the amount determined using the payment methodology established under the test model. CMS shall pay for such services without regard to a Medicare beneficiary's location or area of residence.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2017
Improving Access to Maternity Care Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to identify maternity care health professional target areas, which are areas within health professional shortage areas that have a shortage of maternity care health professionals, for purposes of assigning maternity care health professionals to those areas. HRSA must collect and publish data comparing the availability of and need for maternity care health services in health professional shortage areas and areas within those areas.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2017
Save Our Seas Act of 2017 or the SOS Act of 2017 This bill amends the Marine Debris Act to revise the Marine Debris Program to require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to work with: (1) other agencies to address both land- and sea-based sources of marine debris, and (2) the Department of State and other agencies to promote international action to reduce the incidence of marine debris. The bill also revises the program by allowing NOAA to make sums available for assisting in the cleanup and response required by severe marine debris events. NOAA must prioritize assistance for activities that respond to a severe marine debris event in: (1) a rural or remote community, or (2) a habitat of national concern. The bill urges the President to: (1) work with foreign countries that contribute the most to the global marine debris problem in order to find a solution to the problem; (2) study issues related to marine debris, including the economic impacts of marine debris; and (3) encourage the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to consider the impact of marine debris in relevant future trade agreements. The Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee must expand to include a senior official from the State Department or from the Department of the Interior. This bill reauthorizes for FY2018-FY2022: (1) the Marine Debris Program, (2) an information clearinghouse on marine debris, and (3) enforcement of laws about discarded marine debris from ships.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2017
Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act or the OPEN Government Data Act This bill requires open government data assets made available by federal agencies (excluding the Government Accountability Office and certain other government entities) to be published as machine-readable data. When not otherwise prohibited by law, and to the extent practicable, public data assets and nonpublic data assets maintained by the federal government must be available: (1) in an open format that does not impede use or reuse and that has standards maintained by a standards organization; and (2) under open licenses with a legal guarantee that the data be available at no cost to the public with no restrictions on copying, publishing, distributing, transmitting, citing, or adapting. If published government data assets are not available under an open license, the data must be considered part of the worldwide public domain. Agencies may engage with outside organizations and citizens to leverage public data assets for innovation in public and private sectors. Agencies must: (1) make their enterprise data inventories available to the public on Data.gov, and (2) designate a point of contact to assist the public and respond to complaints about adherence to open data requirements. For privacy, security, confidentiality, or regulatory reasons, agencies may maintain a nonpublic portion of their inventories. The General Services Administration must maintain a single public interface online as a point of entry dedicated to sharing open government data with the public. The Office of Management and Budget must develop and maintain an online repository of tools, best practices, and schema standards to facilitate the adoption of open data practices.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2017
Trauma-Informed Care for Children and Families Act of 2017 This bill establishes: (1) the Interagency Task Force on Trauma-Informed Care; (2) the National Law Enforcement Child and Youth Trauma Coordinating Center; (3) the Native American Technical Assistance Resource Center to provide trauma-informed technical assistance; and (4) Medicaid demonstration projects to test innovative, trauma-informed approaches for delivering early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services to eligible children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must encourage states to collect and report data on adverse childhood experiences. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, and other laws to revise or establish provisions related to trauma, including provisions regarding the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, Performance Partnership Pilots, health professional shortage areas, and training of school personnel, court personnel, and health care providers. The Department of Education may award grants for the improvement of trauma support services and mental health care for children in educational settings.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2017
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable tax credit equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or any dependent of the taxpayer. "Qualified access technology" is hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats useable by blind individuals. The credit is limited to: (1) costs that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,500 per blind individual in any period comprising three consecutive taxable years. The credit is also subject to limits based on modified adjusted gross income and adjustments for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2017
Condemns the Russian Federation's occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine, continued aggression in eastern Ukraine, and efforts to intimidate and coerce nations in Eastern Europe from strengthening their ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union. Calls on the Russian Federation to: end its support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine, withdraw its military presence there, and allow Ukraine to regain control of its internationally recognized borders. provide greater access to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission to ensure credible international monitoring of compliance with the Minsk agreement; and engage in dialogue with the government of Ukraine in coordination with key international partners to come to an agreement that respects Ukraine's sovereignty, ensures regional stability, and puts both nations on the path towards a permanent cease-fire. Urges the President: in coordination with U.S. allies, to stand by Ukraine, condemn continued Russian aggression, and use all possible tools to combat Russian belligerence; to continue U.S. support for the Ukrainian economy and civil society; and not to agree to any final settlement of the conflict in Ukraine without the consent of its government. Encourages U.S. allies in Europe to continue coordinated efforts to counter Russian aggression.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2017
Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017 This bill directs the Departments of State, Defense, and Treasury and the Director of National Intelligence to submit a strategy every two years for deterring conventional and asymmetric Iranian activities that threaten the United States and key allies in the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond. The President shall impose asset blocking and U.S. exclusion sanctions against any person that materially contributes to: (1) Iran's ballistic missile or weapons of mass destruction programs, or (2) the sale or transfer to Iran of specified military equipment or the provision of related technical or financial assistance. The President shall impose against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated foreign persons sanctions with respect to blocking property of, and prohibiting transactions with, foreign persons who commit or support terrorism. The President may impose asset blocking sanctions against any person identified by the State Department as responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against certain individuals in Iran. The bill requires specified existing sanctions against persons for materially contributing to Iran's ballistic missile program or for supporting Iran's acts of international terrorism to continue until 90 days after the President certifies that such activities ceased during the immediately preceding three-month period. The bill exempts certain humanitarian and national security activities from sanctions. The President may temporarily waive the imposition or continuation of sanctions under specified circumstances. The bill sets forth reporting requirements with respect to: (1) persons contributing to Iran's ballistic missile program, (2) U.S.-European Union sanctions coordination, (3) U.S. citizens detained by Iran, and (4) each use of the waiver authority.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2017
Israel Anti-Boycott Act This bill declares that Congress: (1) opposes the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution of March 24, 2016, which urges countries to pressure companies to divest from, or break contracts with, Israel; and (2) encourages full implementation of the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 through enhanced, governmentwide, coordinated U.S.-Israel scientific and technological cooperation in civilian areas. The bill amends the Export Administration Act of 1979 to declare that it shall be U.S. policy to oppose: requests by foreign countries to impose restrictive practices or boycotts against other countries friendly to the United States or against U.S. persons; and restrictive trade practices or boycotts fostered or imposed by an international governmental organization, or requests to impose such practices or boycotts, against Israel. The bill prohibits any U.S. person engaged interstate or foreign commerce from supporting: any request by a foreign country to impose any boycott against a country that is friendly to the United States and that is not itself the object of any form of boycott pursuant to United States law or regulation, or any boycott fostered or imposed by any international governmental organization against Israel or any request by any international governmental organization to impose such a boycott. The bill amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to include as a reason for the Export-Import Bank to deny credit applications for the export of goods and services between the United States and foreign countries, opposition to policies and actions that are politically motivated and are intended to penalize or otherwise limit commercial relations specifically with citizens or residents of Israel, entities organized under the laws of Israel, or the government of Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2017
United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a grant program to support cybersecurity research and development, and the demonstration and commercialization of cybersecurity technology, in accordance with the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the State of Israel on Cooperation in Science and Technology for Homeland Security Matters, done at Jerusalem, dated May 29, 2008, or a successor agreement. Grants may be awarded for social science research and technology intended to identify, protect against, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity threats. To be eligible for a grant, a project must be a joint venture between: (1) for-profit, nonprofit, or academic entities (including U.S. national laboratories) in the United States and Israel; or (2) the governments of the United States and Israel. Grants shall be awarded only for projects considered unclassified by both the United States and Israel. DHS must require cost sharing of at least 50% from nonfederal sources for grant activities, but it may reduce the nonfederal percentage if necessary on a case-by-case basis. DHS must establish an advisory board to monitor the impartial scientific and technical merit method by which grants are awarded and provide periodic reviews of the actions taken to carry out the program. The grant program terminates seven years after this bill's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2017
Making Education Affordable Act This bill amends title VII (Graduate and Postsecondary Improvement Programs) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize through FY2018 the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) program. The bill also authorizes new grants under the FIPSE program. Specifically, the Department of Education may award grants to institutions of higher education for dual or concurrent enrollment programs or early college high school programs that allow high school students to earn college credits.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2017
Honor Our Commitment Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish mental and behavioral health care to individuals who: served in the active military, naval, or air service for more than 180 days and were deployed in a theater of combat operations, in support of a contingency operation, or or in an area at a time during which hostilities occurred in that area for more than 30 days; were discharged or released from such service, by reason of committing a covered offense, under conditions other than honorable but not dishonorable or by court-martial; and either were diagnosed by a qualified mental health care provider with a mental or behavioral health condition before committing such offense; or are diagnosed with such a condition after committing such offense but before the expiration of five years after the later of the date of enactment of this bill or the date the individual is discharged or released from service, if a provider certifies such condition may have led to such offense and if the VA determines such individual had such condition at the time of the offense. The VA: (1) may furnish initial mental health screenings within five years after this bill's enactment or five years after the date of discharge or release from service, at no cost to the individual; and (2) shall notify each eligible individual about eligibility for covered mental and behavioral health care within 180 days of discharge or release from active service.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2017
Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide support for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers. These centers must improve the training of health professionals in palliative care and establish traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced education nursing degrees, social work degrees, or advanced degrees in physician assistant studies in palliative care. HHS may provide support to schools of medicine, schools of osteopathic medicine, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical education programs for training physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine. HHS must: (1) provide Palliative Medicine and Hospice Academic Career Awards to individuals to promote their career development; (2) support entities that operate a Palliative Care and Hospice Education Center; (3) support advanced practice nurses, social workers, physician assistants, pharmacists, chaplains, or students of psychology pursuing an advanced degree in palliative care or related fields; and (4) award grants to schools of nursing, health care facilities, or programs leading to certification as a nurse assistant to train individuals in providing palliative care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must provide for a national education and awareness campaign to inform patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care. The National Institutes of Health must expand national research programs in palliative care.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2017
HUBZone Investment Protection Act This bill amends the Small Business Act with respect to Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) located in qualified census tracts, qualified nonmetropolitan counties, or redesignated areas, which are census tracts or nonmetropolitan counties that cease to meet the ordinary criteria for the HUBZone program but are "redesignated" to qualify for it. The bill increases the length of time a census tract or nonmetropolitan county may be redesignated to qualify for HUBZone status from three years to seven years after the date on which the area ceased to meet the ordinary criteria.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2017
Deborah Sampson Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a three-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of peer-to-peer assistance for women veterans (including those who are separating or newly separated from the Armed Forces), with emphasis placed on women who suffered service-related sexual trauma or who are at risk of becoming homeless. Additionally, the VA shall: expand the women veterans call center to include a text messaging capability; establish a partnership with at least one nongovernmental organization to provide legal services to women veterans based upon their 10 highest unmet needs; retrofit VA medical facilities with fixtures, materials, and other outfitting measures to support the care of women veterans; ensure that each VA medical facility has at least one full-time or part-time women's health primary care provider; expand to 14 days VA post-delivery care services for women veterans who are receiving maternity care in a VA or VA-contracted facility; ensure that the women veteran manager program is supported at each VA medical center with a program manager and an ombudsman; collect, analyze, and publish data on each VA service or benefit program and disaggregate such data by sex and minority status; and publish an Internet website that serves as a centralized information source for women veterans' benefits and services. The bill makes funds available for: (1) primary care and emergency care clinicians' participation in the women veterans health care mini-residency program, and (2) organizations that focus on providing assistance to women veterans and their families. The bill: (1) provides for reintegration and readjustment services to veterans and family members in group retreat settings, and (2) expresses the sense of Congress that the VA's motto should be more inclusive.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2017
Affirms that the U.S.-Israel economic partnership has benefitted both countries and is a foundational component of the strong alliance. Recognizes that science and technology innovation present promising new frontiers for U.S.-Israel economic cooperation, particularly in light of widespread drought, cybersecurity attacks, and other major challenges impacting the United States. Encourages the President to regularize and expand forums of economic dialogue with Israel and foster public and private sector participation. Supports the exploration of new agreements with Israel, including in the fields of energy, water, agriculture, medicine, neurotechnology, and cybersecurity.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act or the PACT Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to revise and expand provisions with respect to animal crushing. It retains existing criminal offenses that prohibit knowingly creating or distributing an animal crush video using interstate commerce. The bill also adds a new provision to criminalize an intentional act of animal crushing. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to seven years, or both. It provides additional exceptions for conduct, or a video of conduct, including conduct that is: (1) medical or scientific research, (2) necessary to protect the life or property of a person, (3) performed as part of euthanizing an animal, or (4) unintentional.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
Healthy Families Act This bill requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to permit each employee to earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. The bill authorizes small employers with fewer than 15 employees to provide the same paid sick time, but allows them to opt out. Any small employer that opts out shall provide at least 56 hours of unpaid sick time to each employee per calendar year. The bill declares that an employer shall not be required to permit an employee to earn more than 56 hours of paid sick time in a calendar year, unless the employer chooses to set a higher limit. Employees may use such time to: (1) meet their own medical needs; (2) care for the medical needs of certain family members (including a domestic partner or the domestic partner's parent or child); or (3) seek medical attention, assist a related person, take legal action, or engage in other specified activities relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's exercise of such rights. The Commissioner of Labor Statistics must compile information annually on paid sick time and the Comptroller General shall study related matters. The bill declares that nothing in this bill shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies. The Department of Labor shall exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority for employees covered by this bill, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. The same authority is granted to the Library of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, the Office of Compliance, and the Merit Systems Protection Board for employees under their jurisdictions. The bill authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2017
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the Canadian government should not allow a permanent nuclear waste repository to be built within the Great Lakes Basin, (2) the President and the Secretary of State should take appropriate action to work with the Canadian government to prevent a permanent nuclear waste repository from being built there, and (3) the President and the Secretary of State should work together with their Canadian government counterparts on a safe and responsible solution for the long-term storage of nuclear waste.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2017
This bill rescinds the provisions of Executive Order 13780, entitled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." Among the order's major provisions are restrictions on the entry of nationals from six countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) and additional limitations on refugee admissions to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2017
Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of 2017 This bill expands eligibility for the family caregiver program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include members of the Armed Forces or veterans who are seriously injured or who became ill on active duty prior to September 11, 2001 (currently, limited to service after September 11, 2001). Services to caregivers of veterans under such program are expanded to include child care services, financial planning services, and legal services. The bill terminates the support program for caregivers of covered veterans on October 1, 2022, except that any caregiver activities carried out on September 30, 2022, shall be continued on and after October 1, 2022. The bill authorizes the transfer of entitlement to post 9/11 education assistance to family members by veterans who are retired for a physical disability or who are seriously injured veterans in need of family caregiver services, without regard to length-of-service requirements. The VA is authorized to pay monthly special compensation to seriously injured or ill veterans in need of personal care services and to their caregivers. Flexible work schedules or telework are authorized for federal employees who are caregivers of veterans. The Public Health Service Act is amended to designate a veteran participating in the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers as an adult with a special need for purposes of the lifespan respite care program. An interagency working group is established in the executive branch to review and report on policies relating to the caregivers of veterans and members of the Armed Forces. The VA shall provide for studies on members of the Armed Forces who commenced service after September 11, 2001, and veterans who have incurred a serious injury or illness, including a mental health injury, and their caregivers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2017
Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) 100% expensing in a current taxable year of the cost of automated fire sprinkler system retrofit property, as defined by this bill; and (2) accelerated depreciation (i.e., a 15-year recovery period) of automated fire sprinkler system retrofit property that has a certain classification by the National Fire Protection Association and is installed in a building or structure that was placed in service before the sprinkler system and has an occupiable story that is greater than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. "Automated fire sprinkler system retrofit property" does not include any sprinkler system required to be installed under state or local law due to the degree of additions or improvements made to a building or structure.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2017
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.
![Official portrait of Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000595_200.jpg)