United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2016
Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2016 This bill reauthorizes for FY2016-FY2021 the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 1990 and revises requirements for: (1) funding requests to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for proposals and regional projects that restore the fish and wildlife resources and habitat of the Great Lakes Basin, and (2) cost-share requirements for the proposals and projects. The bill renames: (1) the Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office as the Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, and (2) the Upper Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office as the Upper Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2016
Designates the week of May 15-May 21, 2016, as National Police Week. Expresses support for law enforcement officers across the United States for their efforts to build safer and more secure communities. Recognizes: (1) the need to ensure that law enforcement officers have the equipment, training, and resources necessary to protect their health and safety; and (2) the members of the law enforcement community for their selfless acts of bravery. Honors and remembers law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2016
Supports designation of National Foster Care Month, and recognizes it as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges that children face in the foster-care system.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Robert F. Bennett, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on May 9, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Bennett.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2016
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Conrad Ray Burns, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on May 9, 2016, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator Burns.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
Pension Fund Integrity Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require salary reductions for certain employees of systemically important multiemployer pension plans that are in critical or declining status and that reduce participant benefits. When a benefit suspension is in effect, any compensation paid to employees of a plan that exceeds the amounts specified in this bill is a prohibited transaction that is subject to a tax to be paid by the plan sponsor. If a plan is in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status, payments for lobbying and political expenses for any person other than an employee of the plan are prohibited transactions and subject to a tax to be paid by the plan sponsor.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
Timber Innovation Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a performance-driven research and development program to advance tall wood building construction in the United States. "Tall wood building" means a building designed to be over 85 feet high and constructed with large panelized wood construction (mass timber), including cross-laminated timber, nail laminated timber, glue laminated timber, laminated strand lumber, and laminated veneer lumber. USDA shall for FY2017-FY2021 carry out an annual competition for a tall wood building design in accordance with the requirements for prize competitions carried out under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980. In carrying out a wood innovation grant program, USDA may make a wood innovation grant to one or more specified eligible entities in order to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies in the development of innovative wood products for tall wood building construction. USDA shall carry out a program of education and technical assistance for mass timber applications. USDA shall collaborate and partner with one or more nonfederal entities, including governments of other countries, to: enhance tall wood building commercialization of the United States, develop technical assistance related to tall wood building commercialization, and carry out the program.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2016
Honors May 1-7, 2016, as National Small Business Week. Celebrates the contributions of small businesses and entrepreneurs in every U.S. community. Recognizes the importance of the Small Business Administration as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs in the United States. Supports efforts to increase awareness of the value of small businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2016
Investing in Opportunity Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the designation of opportunity zones in low-income communities and to provide tax incentives for investments in the zones, including deferring the recognition of capital gains that are reinvested in the zones. Governors may submit nominations for a limited number of opportunity zones to the Department of the Treasury for certification and designation. Governors must give particular consideration to areas that: are currently the focus of mutually reinforcing state, local, or private economic development initiatives to attract investment and foster startup activity; have demonstrated success in geographically targeted development programs such as promise zones, the new markets tax credit, empowerment zones, and renewal communities; and have recently experienced significant layoffs due to business closures or relocations. Treasury must designate zones if a governor fails to submit nominations within a specified period of time. The bill defines opportunity funds as any investment vehicle organized as a corporation or a partnership to invest in opportunity zones that holds at least 90% of its assets in opportunity zone assets. Taxpayers may temporarily defer the recognition of capital gains that are invested in opportunity zones or opportunity funds. Investments that are held for at least five years are eligible for capital gains tax reductions or exemptions, depending on how long the investment is held. Treasury must report to Congress on the opportunity zone incentives enacted in this bill, including an assessment of opportunity fund investments at the national and state levels.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2016
SEC Small Business Advocate Act of 2015 This bill amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to establish within the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) an Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation. The Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation shall: assist small businesses and small business investors in resolving significant problems they may have with the SEC or with self-regulatory organizations; identify areas in which such businesses and investors would benefit from changes in SEC regulations or the rules of such organizations; identify problems that small businesses have with securing access to capital, including any unique challenges faced by minority-owned and women-owned small businesses; analyze the potential impact on such businesses and investors of proposed SEC regulations and proposed rules that are likely to have a significant economic impact on small businesses and small business capital formation; conduct outreach to such businesses and investors to solicit views on relevant capital formation issues; propose to the SEC changes in its regulations or orders, and propose to Congress legislative, administrative, or personnel changes, to mitigate problems identified and to promote the interests of such businesses and investors; consult with the Investor Advocate on such proposals and advise the Investor Advocate on small business-related issues; and be responsible for planning, organizing, and executing the annual Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation. The bill also establishes the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, which shall provide the SEC with advice on SEC rules, regulations, and policies regarding its mission of protecting investors, maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation, as they relate to: capital raising by emerging, privately held small businesses and publicly traded companies with less than $250 million in public market capitalization through securities offerings; trading in the securities of such businesses and companies; and public reporting and corporate governance requirements of such businesses and companies. The SEC shall assess the Committee's recommendations and disclose any action it intends to take with respect to such recommendations.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act or the OPEN Government Data Act This bill requires government data assets made available by federal agencies (excluding the Government Accountability Office, the Federal Election Commission, and certain other government entities) to be published as machine-readable data. When not otherwise prohibited by law, the data 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, publication, distribution, transmittal, citing, or adaptation. 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. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must oversee the completeness and public availability of an enterprise data inventory that agencies must develop to account for any data assets that they create, collect, control, or maintain. 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 OMB's Office of Electronic Government is renamed the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer. Agencies are not required to publish notices in the Federal Register about information collection that is focused on gathering input about the performance of, or public satisfaction with, the agency's service if the collection is: (1) online and electronic, (2) voluntary with no benefit to the provider of the information, and (3) an extremely low burden that is typically completed in five minutes or less. But agencies must publish representative summaries of such information collections. 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 Chief Information Officers Council must work with the Office of Government Information Services and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to promote data interoperability and comparability of data assets across the government. The OMB must assess the extent of each agency's use of data assets to support decisionmaking, cost savings, and performance.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Microloan Program Modernization Act of 2016 This bill amends the Small Business Act to repeal the "25/75" rule under the Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program (assisting low-income individuals to start and operate a small business) that permits SBA-designated microloan intermediary lenders to expend up to 25% of the intensive marketing, management, and technical assistance grant funds they receive from the SBA to provide information and technical assistance to small business concerns that are their prospective borrowers. The total amount of loans outstanding and committed to any particular intermediary (excluding outstanding grants) from the SBA business loan and investment fund shall be increased from $5 million to $6 million for the remaining years of the intermediary's participation in the program. The SBA shall: compare the operations of a representative sample of eligible intermediaries that participate in the microloan program and of eligible intermediaries that do not, study the reasons why the latter do not participate, recommend how to encourage increased participation by intermediaries in the microloan program, and recommend how to decrease the associated costs for intermediary participation. The Government Accountability Office shall evaluate: SBA oversight of the microloan program, including oversight of participating intermediaries; and the specific processes the SBA uses to ensure program compliance by participating intermediaries and overall microloan program performance.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Inclusive Outreach Improvement Act of 2016 This bill amends the Small Business Act to empower the Small Business Administration (SBA) to coordinate with participating federal agencies on efforts to increase outreach and awards under each of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs to small business concerns owned and controlled by women and socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns. Each federal agency required to establish an SBIR or an STTR program shall enhance its program by extending an outreach program to small business concerns, especially those owned and controlled by women and socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns. The SBA shall modify its STTR policy directive to enhance these outreach efforts. The SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 is amended to require the Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee to meet at least twice a year, and if it discusses outreach and technical assistance activities to increase the participation of underrepresented small business concerns to invite to the meeting a representative of the Minority Business Development Agency as well as relevant stakeholders that advance the interests of small business concerns owned and controlled by women and socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns. The SBA shall establish a Diversity and STEM Workforce Development Pilot Program under which a federal agency participating in the SBIR program or STTR program may make a $15,000 per fiscal year grant to one or more eligible entities for the costs of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics internships.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Veterans' Disability Compensation Automatic COLA Act This bill provides that whenever there is an increase in benefit amounts payable under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs shall increase by the same percentage the amounts payable as veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2016
Expresses support for the designation of the week of May 1-May 7, 2016, as Public Service Recognition Week. Commends public servants, government employees, and members of the uniformed services for their public service and honors those who have given their lives in service. Calls upon a new generation to consider a career in public service as an honorable profession. Encourages efforts to promote public service careers at every level of government.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2016
Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2016 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; and the headquarters or a regional office of the United States Patent and Trade Office. The bill amends the Small Business Act to require services at a small business development center 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 · 25 April 2016
GAO Access and Oversight Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to obtain federal agency records required to discharge the GAO's duties (including audit, evaluation, and investigative duties), including through bringing civil actions to require an agency to produce a record. No provision of the Social Security Act shall be construed to limit, amend, or supersede the GAO's authority to: (1) obtain information or inspect records about an agency's duties, powers, activities, organization, or financial transactions; or (2) obtain other agency records that the GAO requires to discharge its duties. Agency statements on actions taken or planned in response to GAO recommendations must be submitted to: (1) the congressional committees with jurisdiction over the pertinent agency program or activity, and (2) the GAO.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
Small Business Transforming America's Regions Act of 2016 This bill amends the Small Business Act to include in the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program a qualified area designated by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in response to a petition by the governor of a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory. The SBA may designate in response to such a petition only a tract that: has a median household income less than 70% of the state median household income; has an unemployment rate at least 120% percent of the average U.S. or state unemployment rate, whichever is less; or meets other SBA criteria. The SBA shall establish procedures to: ensure that it accepts petitions from all states each fiscal year, and give an interested governor technical assistance before a petition is filed.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
Getting Results through Enhanced Accountability and Transparency Act of 2016 This bill requires that the Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) annual report on its routine investigations to identify programs, agencies, offices, and initiatives with unnecessarily duplicative goals and activities aggregate separately estimates of related costs for instances of actual and potential unnecessary duplication and other potential cost savings and revenue collection. When executive agencies (with certain exceptions) conduct their systemic review of operations on a continuing basis, the purpose of their reviews must include: (1) improving agency performance toward their mission, (2) informing learning and decision-making processes, (3) assessing opportunities to improve coordination within the agency and with other agencies, and (4) identifying employees who cause their units to be outstanding toward achieving the agency's mission. Chief operating officers' responsibilities are expanded to include: (1) improving evaluation and risk management; (2) addressing crosscutting program and management issues, including opportunities to improve coordination and address unnecessary duplication, using an enterprise risk management approach; (3) overseeing agency-specific efforts to improve management of mission-oriented components and units; and (4) coordinating with mission-related components, units, and support functions at their agency and the major components of their agency. The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) federal government performance plan submitted with each budget must provide plans to address management challenges concerning unnecessary duplication. Agency performance plans for each program activity set forth in the budget must include planned actions and performance goals for resolving such challenges. The OMB's federal government priority goals must include mission support for financial, human capital, information technology, procurement, and real estate management. The OMB must consider GAO recommendations when developing or adjusting such goals. Performance improvement officers must collaborate with the heads of agency components and mission support functions when they advise on strategic planning. Their advice must include performance evaluation and risk management. The Performance Improvement Council's (PIC's) functions are expanded to include: (1) resolving government-wide issues relating to coordination and unnecessary duplication; (2) facilitating the exchange of performance improvement practices with state and local governments and other nonfederal stakeholders; and (3) coordinating with interagency mission support councils. PIC must also publish annual reports describing its structure, budgets, funding, staffing, and activities. The chief operating officers of agencies must publish all of the plans and reports produced for Congress with citations to the relevant statutory requirements. Agencies must submit to Congress statements regarding the actions they have taken in response to recommendations in the GAO's: (1) annual report on unnecessarily duplicative goals and activities; and (2) High Risk list of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. Executive agencies' internal accounting and administrative controls and the OMB's guidelines for evaluating such controls must address the management of high-priority enterprise risks.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
This bill provides FY2016 emergency supplemental appropriations to the Departments of State and Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases. The bill specifies permissible uses for the funds and designates the funds as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits. The bill provides appropriations to HHS for: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit Project BioShield to be used to support the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or treat harm from any infectious disease that may pose a threat to the public health. (Under current law, Project BioShield supports only countermeasures against specific chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorist threats.) The bill temporarily increases from 55% to 65% the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage in the territories (Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands). The bill provides appropriations to the Department of State and Other International Programs for: the Administration of Foreign Affairs, Global Health Programs, International Security Assistance, Multilateral Assistance, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Unobligated balances of specified funds provided for the Ebola virus may be used to respond to the Zika virus and other infectious diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2016
Urges the working group established by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany to recognize the imperative to fund immediately and fully the medical, mental health, and long-term care needs of surviving Holocaust victims, with full transparency and accountability, to ensure all funds for Holocaust victims from the Federal Republic of Germany are administered efficiently, fairly, and without delay. Urges the Federal Republic of Germany also to reaffirm its commitment to fulfill its moral responsibility to Holocaust victims by: ensuring that each Holocaust victim receives all of the prescribed medical care, home care, mental health care, and other vital services necessary to live in dignity; and providing, without delay, additional financial resources to address the unique needs of Holocaust victims.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2016
Condemns the: killings of peaceful protesters and excessive use of force by Ethiopian security forces; arrest of journalists, students, activists and political leaders who exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression through peaceful protests; and abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation to stifle political and civil dissent and journalistic freedoms. Urges protesters in Ethiopia to refrain from violence. Calls on the government of Ethiopia to: halt the use of excessive force by security forces; investigate the killings and excessive use of force that took place as a result of protests in the Oromia region; release dissidents, activists, and journalists who have been jailed for exercising constitutional rights; respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and guarantee freedom of the press and mass media; and repeal proclamations that can be used to prohibit funding for organizations that investigate human rights violations, engage in peaceful political dissent, or advocate for greater political freedoms or proclamations that prohibit or otherwise limit those displaced from their land from seeking judicial redress. Calls on: (1) the Department of State to improve oversight of U.S. assistance, and review security assistance, to Ethiopia; and (2) the U.S. Agency for International Development to lead efforts to develop a strategy to support improved democracy and governance in Ethiopia. Supports the peaceful efforts of the Ethiopian people to exercise their constitutional rights.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2016
Buy American Act of 2016 This bill directs the the Department of Defense (DOD), in the case of athletic footwear needed by members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps upon their initial entry into the Armed Forces, to: (1) furnish such footwear directly instead of providing a cash allowance to the service members to purchase such footwear, and (2) comply with American source requirements in procuring such footwear. A cash allowance may be provided for the purchase of footwear that is medically required to meet a service member's unique physiological needs that cannot be met with footwear furnished by DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2016
Testing, Removal, and Updated Evaluations of Lead Everywhere in America for Dramatic Enhancements that Restore Safety to Homes, Infrastructure, and Pipes Act of 2016 or the True LEADership Act of 2016 This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish grant programs to assist communities and states fund projects that reduce lead in drinking water. The bill establishes a mandatory reporting requirement for states to report elevated levels of lead in children's blood to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to direct the EPA to promulgate lead and copper pipe regulations that would set household action levels for lead and copper in drinking water. The EPA must develop a process to protect and improve the drinking water of minority, tribal, and low-income communities. Additionally, the EPA must establish a voluntary school and child care lead testing grant program. The bill creates a new tax credit for homeowners to invest in eliminating lead hazards. Additionally, the bill revises how the Department of Housing and Urban Development deals with lead in homes. The EPA must establish a grant program to accelerate the testing, deployment and commercialization of new drinking water technologies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is authorized to provide funding from its disaster relief fund in response to a major incident of lead contamination in drinking water. The bill creates a grant program for local educational agencies to assist children that have been affected by lead poisoning.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2016
Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act This bill directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to: improve the nation's ability to prepare, avoid, mitigate, respond to, and recover from potentially devastating impacts of space weather events; coordinate the activities of the National Space Weather Program Council members; and develop an integrated strategy for solar and solar wind observations beyond the lifetime of current assets. The National Science and Technology Council shall establish an interagency working group on space weather. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shall: secure reliable secondary capability for near real-time coronal mass ejection imagery; and develop requirements and a plan for follow-on space-based observations for operational purposes. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Air Force shall each: maintain ground-based observations of the sun; and provide space weather data by means of ground-based facilities, including solar observatories. NOAA and the Air Force shall conduct a survey to prioritize the needs of space weather forecast users. The NSF, NOAA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall pursue multidisciplinary research in subjects regarding solar physics, space physics, and space weather. NASA shall seek to implement missions meeting science objectives identified in National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Solar and Space Physics Decadal surveys. NASA, the NSF, NOAA, and the Air Force shall: develop a mechanism to transition NASA and NSF research findings, models, and capabilities to NOAA and the Department of Defense space weather operational forecasting centers; and enhance coordination between research modeling centers and forecasting centers. NASA and the NSF shall support the development of technologies and instrumentation to improve space weather forecasting lead-time and accuracy. NASA and the NSF shall: make space weather related data obtained for scientific research available to space weather forecasters and operations centers, and support model development and applications to space weather forecasting. The Space Weather Interagency Group shall develop benchmarks for measuring solar disturbances. NOAA shall inform the Department of Homeland Security about space weather hazards to protect national critical infrastructure from space weather events. The National Security Council shall develop mechanisms to protect national security assets from space weather threats.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2016
Recognizes 4-H as a vital organization for training the next generation for national leadership, congratulates the National 4-H Council on its "Grow True Leaders" campaign, and supports the council's efforts to grow and diversify the 4-H program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2016
Designates April 2016 as Financial Literacy Month to raise public awareness about the importance of personal financial education in the United States and the serious consequences that may result from a lack of understanding about personal finances.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act This bill revises the functions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by establishing new transparency and accountability measures on the commission's budget and fee structure and developing the regulatory framework necessary to enable the licensing of advanced nuclear reactors. The bill amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to remove amounts appropriated for the Advanced Reactor Program from the NRC's fee recovery requirement. The NRC must ensure that the collection of fees is equal to their budget authority. The NRC may collect fees through: (1) fees for services that specifically benefit a particular person or entity, and (2) annual fees to fund regulatory costs. The bill places a cap on the amount of the annual fee that may be charged to an operating reactor. The NRC must also establish stages within the licensing process for reactors and implement risk-informed performance-based licensing evaluation techniques and guidance. Research and test reactor licensing must also be developed. In addition, the NRC must complete a rulemaking by the end of 2023 to establish a technology-inclusive regulatory framework for licensing advanced nuclear reactors. The Department of Energy must establish the Advanced Nuclear Energy Cost-Share Grant Program to make cost-share grants to applicants for the purpose of funding a portion of the NRC pre-application and application review fees.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2016
States Achieve Medicaid Expansion (SAME) Act of 2016 This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) to every state that expands Medicaid coverage for individuals who are newly eligible under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Under current law, the enhanced FMAP is equivalent to 100% in 2014 through 2016, 95% in 2017, 94% in 2018, 93% in 2019, and 90% thereafter. The bill retains this enhanced FMAP, but bases it on a term of years rather than on specific dates. The bill applies retroactively.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
STEM Opportunities Act of 2016 This bill directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish a STEM Inclusion Interagency Working Group which shall focus on the creation of a more diverse and inclusive STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce. The National Science Foundation (NSF) shall strengthen the goals and activities of the ADVANCE (Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers) program to focus on increasing the recruitment, retention, and success of all women in STEM, including minorities and persons with disabilities. The NSF shall: award a grant for the establishment of at least one Center for Excellence for Inclusion in STEM; collect institution-level data on the demographics of STEM faculty at different types of institutions of higher education; award grants to institutions of higher education (or their consortia) to implement or expand evidence-based reforms for recruiting, retaining, and advancing students, fellows, trainees, and faculty from underrepresented groups in STEM; and administer three specified Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring to recognize annually outstanding mentoring in STEM fields in primary, secondary, and higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2016
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Improvement Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to direct the Department of Commerce, through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to convert the current program for creation and support of regional centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology into one for creation and support of manufacturing extension centers for the transfer of manufacturing technology and best business practices, to be known as the Hollings Manufacturing Extension (HME) Partnership, and reauthorized for FY2017-FY2020. Each Hollings Manufacturing Extension Center may be affiliated with an institution of higher education or a state or local government, as well as with a U.S.-based nonprofit institution (or consortium of such institutions) as under current law. Authorized Center activities that currently include selective, short-term loans of advanced manufacturing equipment to small manufacturing firms shall be replaced by facilitation of collaborations and partnerships between small and medium-sized manufacturing companies and community colleges and area career and technical education schools. The bill repeals the current six-year limit on federal financial assistance to a Center, allowing open-ended assistance through a cooperative agreement. Commerce shall appoint a panel to review and evaluate each Center receiving financial assistance during its third and eighth years of operation, but the Department shall review a Center directly during its fifth year of operation. Each Center shall establish a board to oversee its operations. The bill establishes a Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board. The NIST shall establish within the HME Partnership: a program of competitive awards for a participating Center, or a consortium of Centers, to develop projects to solve new or emerging manufacturing problems; and an innovation services initiative to assist small and medium-sized manufacturers in improving profitability through the reduction of energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental waste.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2016
United States Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Act of 2016 This bill deems as active military service for Department of Veterans Affairs purposes any service as a member of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps between July 1, 1943, and December 15, 1945 (qualified service). The Department of Defense shall issue an honorable discharge within one year to each person whose qualified service warrants one. Retroactive benefits shall not be paid to persons as a result of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2016
Charities Helping Americans Regularly Throughout the Year Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify several tax provisions affecting charitable contributions and tax-exempt organizations. The bill excludes from the gross income of an individual who is at least 70-1/2 years of age up to $100,000 in distributions from an individual retirement plan to a donor-advised fund (DAF). (A DAF is a fund or account that is separately identified by reference to contributions of a donor or donors. The account is owned and controlled by a sponsoring charitable organization, while the donor retains advisory privileges with respect to the distribution and investment of funds in the account.) Sponsors of DAFs must disclose in their returns specified details regarding: (1) policies on inactive or dormant funds, and (2) average aggregate contributions to and grants made from the funds during the most recent three-year period. The bill reduces from 2% to 1% the excise tax on the investment income of private foundations and eliminates a provision that reduces the rate to 1% if a foundation meets certain distribution requirements. Tax-exempt organizations must file their returns in electronic form, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must make the returns available to the public in a machine readable format as soon as practicable. The IRS may delay the requirement for up to two years for certain small organizations. The IRS may determine the standard mileage rate for deducting the cost of using a passenger automobile for charitable purposes (currently set by statute at 14 cents per mile), and the rate may not be less than the rate for medical purposes (19 cents per mile for 2016). The bill exempts certain philanthropic business holdings from the tax on excess business holdings of private foundations if a foundation meets requirements for exclusive ownership, donating all profits to charity, and independent operation.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2016
Recognizes the accomplishments and example of Cesar Estrada Chavez, pledges to promote his legacy, and encourages the people of the United States to commemorate his legacy and to always remember his rallying cry, "Si, se puede!", which is Spanish for "Yes, we can!", as a symbol of unity and hope for each individual who seeks justice.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2016
Designates the week beginning April 24, 2016, as National Industrial Assessment Center Week. (Those centers are university-led programs funded by the Department of Energy that provide energy efficiency assessments to small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises for improving energy efficiency and reducing water usage and waste.)
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2016
In the Red Act of 2016 This bill authorizes and appropriates specified funds to the Department of Education (ED) for FY2016-FY2025 and each succeeding year for grants: (1) to waive tuition and fees for eligible students at community colleges, and (2) to waive or reduce tuition and fees for low-income students at four-year historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. It amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct ED to establish a program to refinance outstanding federal student loans for borrowers of Direct Loan program loans disbursed before July 1, 2016, and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program loans. (FFELs were not disbursed after June 30, 2010.) The bill modifies, for academic year 2018-2019 and succeeding years, the calculation of the mandatory add-on amount used to determine the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award. It also amends various provisions of the Internal Revenue Code to, among other things: (1) expand the expenses eligible for the American Opportunity Tax Credit to include the amount of a Federal Pell Grant used to pay for living expenses; and (2) include, as a qualified scholarship excludible from gross income, any amount received as a Federal Pell Grant. Finally, the bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal royalty relief for: (1) deep gas wells in shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and (2) deep water oil and gas leases in the central and western Gulf of Mexico.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2016
Lead in Drinking Water Disaster Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the President, upon request of a governor of a state, to declare a major disaster relating to lead contamination of drinking water from a public water system. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must promulgate regulations to carry out such authority within 60 days of this Act's enactment. In the case of such a declared major disaster, the federal coordinating officer appointed under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act shall ensure that the coordination of administration of relief required under such Act includes coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and any other relevant agency.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2016
State and Local Cyber Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) national cybersecurity and communications integration center (NCCIC) to assist state and local governments with cybersecurity by: upon request, identifying system vulnerabilities and information security protections to address unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of information collected or maintained by, or information systems used or operated by, state or local governments or other organizations or contractors on their behalf; providing via a web portal updated resources and guidelines related to information security; coordinating through national associations to implement information security tools and policies to ensure the resiliency of state and local information systems; providing training on cybersecurity, privacy, and civil liberties; providing requested technical assistance to deploy technology that continuously diagnoses and mitigates cyber threats and to conduct threat and vulnerability assessments; coordinating vulnerability disclosures under standards developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and ensuring that state and local governments are aware of DHS resources and other federal tools to ensure the security and resiliency of federal civilian information systems. The NCCIC's privacy and civil liberties training must include: (1) reasonable limits on the receipt, retention, use, and disclosure of information associated with specific persons that is not necessary for cybersecurity purposes; (2) data integrity standards requiring the prompt removal and destruction of obsolete or erroneous names and personal information that is unrelated to the risk or incident information; (3) safeguards and confidentiality protections for cyber threat indicators and defensive measures, including information that is proprietary or business-sensitive that may be used to identify specific persons from unauthorized access or acquisition; and (4) methods to ensure that information obtained from efforts to address cybersecurity risks and incidents is used only for such purposes or as specifically authorized by law.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2016
Congratulates the people of Greece as they celebrate the 195th anniversary of the independence of Greece. Supports the principles of democratic governance to which the people of Greece are committed. Notes Greece's important role in the wider European region and in the community of nations since gaining its independence 195 years ago.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2016
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016 or the RPM Act of 2016 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to allow the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls if the vehicle is used solely for competition.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2016
Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for the rehabilitation of buildings and historic structures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit, up to $750,000, for projects with rehabilitation expenditures not exceeding $3.75 million, for which no credit was allowed in either of the two immediately preceding taxable years (small projects); (2) allow the transfer of tax credit amounts for small projects; (3) treat a building as substantially rehabilitated if rehabilitation expenditures exceed the greater of 50% of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000 (currently, the greater of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000); (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax; and (5) limit the application of disqualified lease rules to tax-exempt use property.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2016
Expresses concern over the prosecution and conviction of former President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives without due process. Urges the government of the Maldives to: (1) redress this injustice, (2) release all political prisoners, and (3) ensure due process and freedom from political prosecution for all the people of the Maldives.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2016
Global Respect Act The President shall submit to Congress a list of each foreign person that the President determines is responsible, or acted as an agent, for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against an individual in a foreign country based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. A listed foreign person shall be ineligible to enter or be admitted to the United States. Any visa issued for such person is revoked. The Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security shall waive this prohibition if in U.S. national security interests or if necessary for compliance with the Agreement between the United Nations (U.N.) and the United States regarding the U.N. Headquarters. Congressional notification before any such waiver is required. The Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor shall designate a senior officer or officers to track violence, criminalization, and restrictions on fundamental freedoms in foreign countries based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended to include information on sexual orientation or gender identity violence or restrictions in the annual country reports on human rights practices.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2016
Higher Education Unmanned Aircraft Systems Modernization Act This bill amends the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to authorize an institution of higher education to operate an unmanned aircraft system within the United States without the specific approval of, and without registering the system with, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) if: the institution has adopted a policy to ensure safe operation of such systems, which shall include the designation of a point of contact at the institution for review and approval of such operation and the requirement that such operation be conducted under the supervision of an operator in command; the point of contact has confirmed that the proposed operation is for educational or research purposes, is in accordance with applicable policies of the institution regarding safety, training or supervision requirements, privacy, and prior notice and permission, and will occur under the supervision of an operator in command; the system is operated not higher than 400 feet above ground level and in a manner that will not create a hazard to persons or property, is marked with the identification and contact information of the owner, does not survey, create a nuisance on, or overfly private property without the permission of the property owner, gives right of way to, and avoids flying in the proximity of, full-scale aircraft, and is operated at a site that is of sufficient distance from populated areas to protect the safety of persons and property; and the institution notifies and obtains permission, at least annually, from air traffic control or the airport manager (for small facilities) when the system will be operated within five statute miles of an airport around which the airspace is designated as class B or class C airspace, within two statute miles of any other airport or heliport, or within airspace designated as restricted or prohibited. If an unmanned aircraft system operated by an institution of higher education is involved in any incident resulting in personal injury or property damage (other than to the system, to property of the institution, or to individuals directly involved in the system's operation), the point of contact shall report the incident to the FAA within 10 days.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2016
Congratulates National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Scott Kelly for: the historic achievement in completing a one-year mission in space; and a successful return to Earth, the United States, and his family. Recognizes that: the one-year mission of Scott Kelly contributed to research on the effects of long-duration space flight on the human body and mind, and continuing studies of human health are critical to future human exploration of space. Applauds the contributions of the one-year journey in space of Scott Kelly to the scientific progress of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2016
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 · 29 February 2016
Digital Security Commission Act of 2016 This bill establishes in the legislative branch the National Commission on Security and Technology Challenges to assess, and make recommendations for policy and practice concerning, the issue of multiple security interests in the digital world, including public safety, privacy, national security, and communications and data protection, both now and throughout the next 10 years. Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and Senate majority leader (eight members), the minority leaders in the House and the Senate (eight members), and the President (one member) from among U.S. citizens with significant knowledge and primary experience in: cryptography, global commerce and economics, federal law enforcement, state and local law enforcement, consumer-facing technology sector, enterprise technology sector, the intelligence community, and the privacy and civil liberties community.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2016
Recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on U.S. history and to commemorate the contributions of African Americans. Calls for the United States to: (1) honor the contribution of pioneers who helped to ensure its legacy; and (2) move forward as a nation "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
![Official portrait of Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000595_200.jpg)