United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2014
Infectious Disease Hospital Hubs Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in an emergency or significant potential emergency which involves a specific infectious disease that requires the isolation and specialized treatment of patients, to award grants to states to improve surge capacity at hospitals designated by the state and enhance community and hospital preparedness. Allows HHS to award additional grants to compensate designated hospitals for unreimbursed costs for treating infectious disease patients or for damages for lost business activity or lost services attributable to the treatment of those patients.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2014
Combat Human Trafficking Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code, with respect to sex trafficking of children, to: (1) subject to criminal prosecution buyers, as well as sellers, of commercial sex involving sex trafficking victims; (2) provide that in prosecutions of sex trafficking crimes, the government is not required to prove that a sex trafficking defendant knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that a victim was under age 18; (3) equalize the period of supervised release for sex trafficking offenders convicted of conspiracy; (4) expand wiretap authority for investigating crimes related to sex trafficking, including slavery, involuntary servitude, and forced labor; (5) grant crime victims the right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea agreement or deferred prosecution agreement; and (6) require an appellate court to apply ordinary standards of review in reviewing appeals filed by crime victims. Requires the Director of Justice Statistics in the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prepare and report annually on: (1) the rates of arrests by state law enforcement officers for sex trafficking crimes involving buyers of commercial sex involving sex trafficking victims, and (2) prosecutions and convictions for such crimes in state courts. Directs the Attorney General to ensure that DOJ anti-human trafficking training programs, including programs for federal, state, or local law enforcement officers, include technical training on effective methods for investigating and prosecuting buyers of commercial sex involving sex trafficking victims.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2014
Unfunded Mandates Accountability Act of 2014 - Revises rulemaking requirements under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) to: (1) require federal agencies to prepare and publish in the Federal Register an initial and final regulatory impact analysis prior to promulgating any proposed or final rule that may have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more (adjusted for inflation); (2) make consideration of the least burdensome alternative to a rule mandatory and require the selection of the least costly, most cost-effective, or least burdensome alternative; (3) extend UMRA requirements to independent regulatory agencies; and (4) expand judicial review of agency rulemaking. Exempts from UMRA requirements rules that concern monetary policy proposed or implemented by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Open Market Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2014
Amends federal shipping law to extend through October 31, 2028, the exemption of certain vessels from the requirement that U.S. passenger vessels having berth or stateroom accommodations for at least 50 passengers be constructed of fire-retardant materials in order to be granted a certificate of inspection. Continues to apply this exemption only to vessels in operation before January 1, 1968, which operate only within the Boundary Line (the dividing point between inland waters and high seas). Requires the owner or managing operator of an exempt vessel to: notify crew members that the vessel does not comply with applicable fire safety standards due primarily to the wooden construction of passenger berthing areas, and make annual structural alterations to at least 10% of vessel areas that are not constructed of fire-retardant materials. Requires any noncombustible material requirements prescribed by the Coast Guard (with which an exempt vessel is still required to comply) to be consistent with the preservation of a vessel's historic integrity in areas carrying or accessible to passengers or generally visible to the public.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2014
Adding Ebola to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to add filoviruses, a family of viruses that includes the Ebola virus, to the list of tropical diseases under the priority review voucher program, which awards vouchers to sponsors of human drug applications that are approved to prevent or treat tropical diseases. (A voucher entitles the holder to have a future human drug application acted upon by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within six months.) Changes the process by which infectious diseases that do not significantly impact developed nations and disproportionately affect poor and marginalized populations can be designated as tropical diseases from rulemaking to order of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Allows priority review vouchers to be transferred between sponsors of human drug applications any number of times. Reduces from 365 days to 90 days the advance notice required before submitting a human drug application subject to a priority review voucher.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4000 Leap Road in Hilliard, Ohio, as the "Master Sergeant Shawn T. Hannon, Master Sergeant Jeffrey J. Rieck and Veterans Memorial Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 25 South Oak Street in London, Ohio, as the "London Fallen Veterans Memorial Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2014
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 715 Shawan Falls Drive in Dublin, Ohio, as the "Lance Corporal Wesley G. Davids and Captain Nicholas J. Rozanski Memorial Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
On the Job Training Act - Amends title III (Grants to States for Unemployment Compensation Administration) of the Social Security Act, with respect to grants to states by the Secretary of Labor for reemployment demonstration projects, to allow grants to up to 10 states per year instead of a maximum of 10 states altogether. Allows a designee of a state governor, instead of only the governor, to apply for such a grant. Requires any project to be commenced by December 31, 2017. Allows direct disbursements under a project to employers who hire individuals receiving unemployment compensation to include disbursements promoting retention. Requires the Secretary of Labor to: (1) approve completed grant applications in the order of receipt; (2) determine, before approving an application, whether its assurances are credible that the project would not result in increased costs to the state's account in the Unemployment Trust Fund; and (3) disapprove any application making assurances determined not credible. Revises requirements for termination of a project to require the Secretary to: (1) notify a state in writing with sufficient detail describing any violation of the substantive terms or conditions of a project justifying its termination, and (2) determine that the state has not taken action to correct the violation within 90 days after notification. Authorizes appropriations for FY2015-FY2020 for additional payments to states for the administrative costs of demonstration projects. Directs the Secretary to evaluate the impact of each demonstration project, using existing data sources and methodology appropriate to determine project effects, including the effect on individual skill levels, earnings, and employment retention.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Creating Quality Technical Educators Act of 2014 - Amends title II (Teacher Quality Enhancement) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants under the Teacher Quality Partnership grant program to be used for secondary school career and technical education teacher preparation programs. (The grant program provides funds to partnerships of high-need local educational agencies [LEAs], high-need schools or early education programs, and institutions of higher education [IHEs] to train current and prospective teachers and school leaders.) Requires the career and technical education teacher preparation programs to: be available to mid-career professionals or recent graduates of an IHE who have expertise in a program area in which there is a career and technical education teacher shortage; allow individuals to obtain initial licensure and the basic skills required for entry into the education profession, with the option of earning a bachelor's or master's degree; and allow teachers who do not have subject matter expertise in a career and technical education field that is in demand in the local or regional economy to receive the technical skills training they need to teach those skills in a classroom setting. Requires each partnership to select program participants based on the career and technical education program needs of any high-need LEAs in the partnership. Requires each program participant to undergo specified pre-classroom training that is followed by: (1) mentoring from an experienced teacher for at least two years, and (2) continuing professional development coursework over the course of three years. Requires program participants to: (1) be provided a one-year living stipend or salary while they undergo preservice training, and (2) serve as a full-time career and technical education teacher in a high-need LEA in the partnership for at least three academic years immediately after their successful completion of the pre-classroom training. Directs the Secretary of Education to establish performance measures for the career and technical education teacher preparation programs.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Retirement Security Preservation Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to nondiscrimination requirements for tax-exempt employee pension, profit-sharing, and stock bonus plans, to include protections for older, longer service participants in such plans, including the grandfathering of such participants under defined benefit plans.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Commemorates the importance of the 100th anniversary of the passenger pigeon extinction, our natural heritage, the sustainability of our ecosystem, and the conservation of our nation's wildlife.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Commends the work of the individuals and organizations involved in building and maintaining the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Expresses the sense of the Senate that legislation regarding Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Service Contracts or that may lead to their use by the federal government should receive congressional scoring treatment making it more likely that the legislation will be scored as budget neutral. Supports allowing future discretionary spending savings to be counted against the mandatory spending attributed to entering into the contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2014
Expresses the sense of the Senate that all U.S. representatives to the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) should oppose certain proposed IAIS procedures and make all appropriate efforts to ensure that proper transparency is restored if the IAIS adopts them.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2014
Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to convene a Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force to develop: (1) best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication, and (2) a strategy for disseminating such best practices. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to: states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to expand educational efforts to prevent abuse of opioids, heroin, and other substances of abuse, understand addiction as a chronic disease, and promote treatment and recovery; organizations that have received a grant under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 to implement comprehensive community-wide strategies that address local drug crises; states, local governments, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations for treatment alternative to incarceration programs for individuals who have come into contact with the criminal justice system, have a substance use disorder, mental illness, or both, and have been approved for participation in such a program; state, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies to create a pilot law enforcement program to prevent opioid and heroin overdose death and to expand or make available disposal sites for unwanted prescription medications; states, local governments, and Indian tribes to implement medication assisted treatment programs through their criminal justice agencies; states, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes for educational programs for incarcerated offenders; state substance abuse and criminal justice agencies, jointly, to address the use of opioids and heroin among pregnant and parenting female offenders in a state to promote public safety, public health, family permanence, and well-being; establish or expand veterans treatment court programs, peer to peer services or programs for qualified veterans, practices that identify and provide treatment, rehabilitation, legal, and transitional services to incarcerated veterans, and training programs to teach criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse personnel how to identify and appropriately respond to incidents involving veterans; and states to prepare a comprehensive plan for and implement an integrated opioid abuse response initiative. Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to award grants to enable state substance abuse agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes or tribal organizations that have a high rate of, or have had a rapid increase in, the use of heroin or other opioids to expand activities, including medication assisted treatment, for the treatment of addiction in the geographical areas affected. Authorizes the Recovery Branch of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to award grants to: (1) enable high schools and colleges with substance abuse recovery programs and nonprofit organizations to provide substance abuse recovery support services to high school and college students, to help build communities of support for young people in recovery, and to encourage initiatives designed to help young people achieve and sustain recovery; and (2) enable recovery community organizations to develop, expand, and enhance recovery services. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the Secretary of Education from including any question about the conviction of an applicant for the possession or sale of illegal drugs on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. Directs the HHS Secretary to establish a bipartisan Task Force on Recovery and Collateral Consequences to: (1) identify collateral consequences for individuals with drug convictions who are in recovery for a substance use disorder, and (2) determine whether such consequences unnecessarily delay such individuals from resuming their personal and professional activities. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to direct the Attorney General to report annually on how grants awarded under such Act are used for family-based substance abuse treatment programs that serve as alternatives to incarceration for custodial parents to receive treatment and services as a family.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2014
United States Optimal Use of Trade to Develop Outerwear and Outdoor Recreation Act or the U.S. OUTDOOR Act - Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to provide for the duty-free treatment of certain recreational performance outerwear. Establishes the Sustainable Textile and Apparel Research Fund (STAR Fund). Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to impose and collect, with specified exceptions, a fee of 1.5% of the appraised value of imported recreational performance outerwear and to deposit amounts collected into the STAR Fund. Requires the Secretary of Commerce to make quarterly distributions from the STAR Fund to one or more appropriate organizations to conduct applied research, development, and education activities to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. businesses in clean, eco-friendly apparel, other textile and apparel products, and sewn-product design and manufacturing.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 - Directs the President to impose three or more sanctions under this Act against: Rosoboronexport; any person that knowingly makes a significant investment in a special Russian crude oil project; or any entity owned by the government of the Russian Federation or controlled by its nationals that transfers or brokers the transfer to, or manufactures or sells defense articles transferred to, Syria or into the territory of a specified country without its government's consent. Defines "specified country" as Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, or any other country of significant concern for purposes of this Act, such as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and the Central Asia republics. Authorizes the President, through the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce or the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury, to impose additional licensing requirements or other restrictions on the export of items for Russia's energy sector. Directs the President to impose sanctions under this Act on Gazprom if it is withholding significant natural gas supplies from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries, or further withholds significant natural gas supplies from countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, or Moldova. Sets forth sanctions against a foreign person, including executive officers of an entity, relating to: Export-Import Bank of the United States assistance, executive agency procurement, arms and dual-use item exports, U.S. property transactions, banking transactions, investing in or purchasing equity or debt instruments, and U.S. entry prohibition or visa revocation. Authorizes the President to waive the application of sanctions, or waive sanctions for a specific transaction, for purposes of U.S. national security, and with congressional notification. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to designate Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova as major non-NATO allies for purposes of that Act and the Arms Export Control Act. Provides assistance to Ukraine for: (1) the military, defense, energy, and civilian sectors; and (2) internally displaced persons. Directs the Secretary of State to work with Ukrainian officials to help Ukraine reduce its dependence on natural gas imported from the Russian Federation. Directs the Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors to submit to Congress a plan for increasing the quantity of Russian-language broadcasting into the countries of the former Soviet Union in order to counter Russian Federation propaganda. Requires such plan to prioritize broadcasting into Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova by the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2014
Designates November 29, 2014, as Small Business Saturday. Expresses support for efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of such businesses on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2014
Great Lakes and Fresh Water Algal Bloom Information Act - Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create an online database of research and information on the causes and corrective actions being taken with regard to algal blooms in the Great Lakes, their tributaries, and other surface fresh waters. Requires NOAA to include relevant chemical, physical, and biological data that have been collected by an accredited university, association or organization, research group, federal agency, state, or local government in the United States or Canada. Declares that this Act does not authorize NOAA to require the submission of additional data.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2014
Safe and Secure Drinking Water Protection Act of 2014 - Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and publish within 180 days a health advisory including recommendations on: (1) the level of microcystins (toxins produced by freshwater cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae) in drinking water that is safe for human consumption; (2) feasible treatment techniques and other means for achieving a safe level; and (3) standardized procedures for testing for microcystins in drinking water. Directs the EPA to report with 180 days and every year thereafter on: (1) the status of the determination, (2) the steps taken by the EPA to promote testing of drinking water for microcystins in areas that have been affected by harmful algal blooms, and (3) an analysis of available treatment techniques and other means for addressing microcystins in drinking water.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2014
EPS Service Parts Act of 2014 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to exempt external power supplies (EPS) for four years from energy conservation standards established by the Department of Energy in 2014. (EPS convert household electric current into direct current or lower-voltage alternating current to operate a consumer product such as a laptop computer or smart phone.) Applies this exemption to service parts or spare parts for products that were manufactured before February 10, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2014
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable James M. Jeffords, former member of the United States Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns September 9, 2014, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Jeffords.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2014
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt aircraft management services from the excise tax on transportation of persons and property. Defines "aircraft management services" as scheduling, flight planning, weather forecasting, operation of flights, obtaining insurance, maintenance, storage and fueling of aircraft, hiring, training and provision of pilots and crew, establishing and complying with safety standards, and such other services necessary to support flights.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Propane Supply and Security Act of 2014 - Directs the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to publish weekly inventory data on propane storage and propane markets, including pricing data for residential customers in states that voluntarily choose to participate in the State Heating Oil and Propane Program (SHOPP) of the EIA. Directs the Administrator to publish data on storage at: (1) major market centers, and (2) the regions reported in specified weekly and monthly inventory data. Directs the Administrator to work with the states participating in SHOPP to develop a comparable program to collect data on wood pellets, firewood, and other biomass. Directs the Secretary of Energy to lead federal and state emergency response efforts regarding propane supply emergencies in any state or region characterized by either sudden increases in consumer prices for propane, or propane supply shortages that threaten public safety or livestock safety. Amends the Propane Education and Research Act of 1996 to direct the Propane Education and Research Council to develop for propane distributors and consumers training programs on strategies to mitigate negative effects of future propane price spikes. Directs the Secretary to study the effectiveness and feasibility of establishing propane storage facilities operated separately from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Authorizes the Secretary to submit to Congress and the President a plan describing such regional propane reserve. Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to include within the storage facility loan program funding for propane storage and handling facilities used for drying and heating. Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to study facilities appurtenant to propane pipelines that are not subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to determine: (1) whether the nonjurisdictional nature of the facilities is injurious to shippers or consumers; and (2) whether the facilities can be placed under FERC jurisdiction or, if not, whether changes in law to place them under FERC jurisdiction are in the public interest.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) create an exception to Medicare secondary payer requirements for certain workers' compensation settlement agreements, and (2) provide for the satisfaction of such requirements through use of qualified Medicare set-asides under such agreements.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Housing for Homeless Students Act of 2014 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to qualify low-income building units that provide housing for full-time students who were homeless youth or homeless veterans during a five-year period prior to occupying a low-income housing unit for the low-income housing tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
World War I American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) mint and issue $1 silver coins to commemorate the centennial of the involvement of the United States in World War I, and (2) hold a competition and provide compensation for its winner to design the obverse and reverse of the coins. Requires the design of such coins to be emblematic of the centennial of the involvement of the United States in World War I. Permits the Secretary to issue such coins only during the period beginning on January 1, 2018, and ending on December 31, 2018. Subjects the coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin, payable by the Secretary to the World War I Centennial Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2014
Designates the week of September 7, 2014, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week. Identifies direct support professionals as integral to long-term support and services for individuals with disabilities. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the successful implementation of the public policies affecting individuals with disabilities depends on the dedication of direct support professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Honor Those Who Served Act of 2014 - Authorizes the following persons to request a headstone or marker to be furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to commemorate an eligible decedent: the decedent's next of kin; a person authorized in writing by the decedent's next of kin to make such request; a personal representative authorized in writing by the decedent to make such request; in the case of a decedent for which no such person may be identified, a state veterans service agency, a military researcher, a local historian, or a genealogist or other person familiar with the research sources and methods necessary to prove the identity of the decedent; or in the case of a decedent who is a veteran who served on active duty in the Armed Forces at least 75 years before the date on which the headstone or marker is requested, any person (subject to a request by the decedent's next of kin to change the placement of, or to remove, such headstone or marker). Permits the last two categories of persons to request emblems of belief for such a headstone or marker only when such a person can provide sufficient evidence regarding the decedent's religious beliefs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2014
Reaffirms the Senate's commitment to promoting and protecting religious freedom around the world and providing relief to minority groups facing persecution. Calls on the Department of State to work with the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi government, neighboring countries, the diaspora community in the United States, and other key stakeholders for those seeking safety and protection from religious persecution in Iraq. Requests the addition of a Special Representative for Religious Minorities to be included in Iraq's government. Urges the President to ensure timely visa processing for Iraq's minority groups fleeing religious persecution.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2014
United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress that Israel is a major U.S. strategic partner. Amends the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 to extend authority to transfer certain obsolete or surplus Department of Defense (DOD) items to Israel. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to extend authority to make additions to foreign-based defense stockpiles for use as war reserve stocks through FY2015. Directs the President to take steps to make Israel eligible for the strategic trade authorization exception to the requirement for a license for the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of an item subject to certain export controls. Authorizes the President to carry out U.S.-Israel cooperative activities and to provide assistance for cooperation in the fields of energy, water, homeland security, agriculture, and alternative fuel technologies. Directs the President to report to Congress regarding U.S.-Israel cyber cooperation. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) should designate Israel as a visa waiver program county when Israel meets certain program requirements. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to authorize the Secretary of Energy to: enter into cooperative agreements supporting dialogue and planning involving international partnerships between the Department of Energy (DOE), including DOE National Laboratories, and the government of Israel and its ministries, offices, and institutions; and establish a joint United States-Israel Center based in an area of the United States with offshore energy development expertise to develop academic cooperation in energy innovation technology and engineering, water science, technology transfer, and analysis of geopolitical implications of new natural resource development. Extends, and expands the scope of covered energy, under the grant program to support U.S.-Israel research, development, and commercialization of renewable energy or energy efficiency.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2014
Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2014 - Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to redefine "homeless," "homeless individual," or "homeless person." Modifies requirements relating to an individual or family who will imminently lose their housing, including housing they own, rent, or live in without paying rent. Revises criteria for unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other federal statutes to require that they: are certified as homeless by the director or designee of a program funded under any other federal statute; or have been certified by a director of a program funded under this Act or a director of a public housing agency (PHA) as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, which shall include: (1) temporarily sharing the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or other similar reason; or (2) living in a room in a motel or hotel. Requires the information provided to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from a collaborative applicant about project sponsors in a community-wide homeless management information system (HMIS) to be made publicly available on HUD's website in aggregate, non-personally identifying reports, and updated at least annually. Prohibits the Secretary, in awarding grants for continuum of care programs, from considering or prioritizing the specific homeless populations intended to be served by the applicant if the applicant demonstrates that the project: (1) would meet the priorities identified in the applicant's plan, and (2) is cost-effective in meeting the overall goals and objectives identified in that plan. Repeals certain requirements regarding collaborative applicants. Modifies requirements for selection criteria for the award of grants through a national competition between geographic areas. Requires annual reports to Congress on housing assistance for the homeless to include data: (1) required to be made publicly available in the HMIS report, and (2) on programs funded under other specified federal statutes.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2014
Recognizes the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, which occurred during World War II and serves as a symbol of heroism and the power of the human spirit.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2014
Encourages corporate, academic, and social entities to: (1) develop an internal rule modeled after a successful business practice, such as the Rooney Rule (requires every National Football League team with a coach or general manager opening to interview at least one minority candidate) or the RLJ Rule (encourages companies to voluntarily establish a best practices policy to identify minority candidates and vendors by implementing a plan to interview at least two qualified minority candidates for managerial openings at the director level and above and to interview two qualified minority businesses before approving a vendor contract) and, in accordance with title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, adapt that rule to specifications that will best fit the procedures of the individual entity; and (2) institute the individualized Rooney Rule or RLJ Rule to ensure that the entity will always consider candidates from underrepresented populations before making a final decision when searching for a business vendor or filling a leadership position.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2014
Federal Duck Stamp Act of 2014 - Amends the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act to increase the price of duck stamps, which are required to hunt migratory waterfowl, from $15 to $25. Authorizes the Department of the Interior to reduce the price of stamps for a hunting year if the increase in the stamp price resulted in a reduction in revenues deposited in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. Establishes a subaccount in the Fund to be used by Interior to acquire easements for the conservation of migratory birds. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer all amounts in excess of $15 from the sale of each stamp to the subaccount. Requires Interior to include in an annual report of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission an assessment of the status of wetlands conservation projects for migratory bird conservation purposes, including an accounting of all expenditures made for acquisition of federal lands.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2014
Preserving Religious Freedom and a Woman's Access to Contraception Act - Prohibits employers from restricting employees from purchasing any drug or medical device regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Repeals sections of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 to: (1) allow health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending accounts to be used to pay for non-prescription drugs; and (2) remove the annual limit for salary reduction contributions to a health flexible spending arrangement under a cafeteria plan.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2014
Affirms that all children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent family. Recognizes the importance of ensuring that international adoptions of all children are conducted in an ethical and transparent manner. Expresses concern over the impact on children and families caused by the suspension of exit permit issuance within the Democratic Republic of Congo. Requests that the Congolese government resume processing adoption cases and issuing exit permits, prioritize the processing of intercountry adoptions which were initiated before the suspension, and expedite the adoption processing of medically fragile children. Encourages continued cooperation between the Department of State and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve the intercountry adoption process and ensure the welfare of all children adopted from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2014
Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2014 - Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to revise the requirements for the plan of a state seeking federal assistance for career and technical education programs. Requires the state plan to describe how the eligible state agency will ensure the quality of any program of study culminating in an industry-recognized certificate, credential, or license. Requires state agency leadership activities to support career academies which: implement a college and career ready curriculum at the secondary education level integrating rigorous academic, technical, and employability contents; include experiential or work-based learning for secondary school students, in collaboration with local and regional employers; include opportunities for secondary school students to earn postsecondary credit while in secondary school; and establish and maintain ongoing partnerships between the local educational agency, business and industry, and institutions of higher education, or postsecondary vocational institutions, including local government. Requires the local plan for career and technical education programs to describe: (1) how the eligible recipient of assistance will assess local needs related to career and technical education as part of the local plan development process, and (2) how this needs assessment will be updated annually, especially on progress toward specific elements leading to high-quality implementation of career and technical education programs of study. Authorizes the local use of funds for improving such programs to support career academies.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2014
Reaffirms the support of the Senate for Israel's right to defend its citizens and ensure Israel's survival. Condemns the unprovoked rocket fire at Israel and calls on Hamas to cease all rocket and other attacks against Israel. Calls on Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to dissolve the unity governing arrangement with Hamas and condemn the attacks on Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2014
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Alan John Dixon, former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns July 7, 2014, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Dixon.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2014
Competitive Service Act of 2014 - Authorizes an appointing authority (i.e., a federal agency appointing an individual to a position in the competitive service) other than the appointing authority that requested the certificate of eligibles for filling a position in the competitive service to select an individual from that certificate for appointment to a position that is: (1) in the same occupational series as the position for which the certification of eligibles was issued, and (2) at a similar grade level as the original position.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2014
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Howard H. Baker, Jr., former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns June 26, 2014, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Baker, Jr.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2014
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2014 - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (SAA, 2008) to extend emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) payments for eligible individuals to weeks of employment ending on or before five months after enactment of this Act. Amends the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act to extend until five months after enactment of this Act requirements that federal payments to states cover 100% of EUC. Amends the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 to exempt weeks of unemployment between enactment of such Act and 11 months after enactment of this Act from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (FSEUCA of 1970) against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law provides for payment of regular compensation to an individual for his or her first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.) Amends the FSEUCA of 1970 to postpone similarly from December 31, 2013, to five months after enactment of this Act, termination of the period during which a state may determine its "on" and "off" indicators according to specified temporary substitutions in its formula. Amends the SAA, 2008 to appropriate funds out of the employment security administration account through FY2015 to assist states in providing reemployment and eligibility assessment activities. Requires the provision of such activities to an individual, at a minimum, within a time period after he or she begins to receive Tier-1 EUC benefits, and if applicable, again within a time period after he or she begins to receive Tier-3 EUC benefits. Requires the Secretary of Labor to determine appropriate time periods. Specifies the purposes of the activities, namely to: better link the unemployed with the overall workforce system by bringing individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits in for personalized assessments and referrals to reemployment services; and provide them with early access to specific strategies that can help get them back into the workforce faster, including through: (1) the development of a reemployment plan, (2) provision of access to relevant labor market information, (3) provision of access to information about industry-recognized credentials that are regionally relevant or nationally portable, (4) provision of referrals to reemployment services and training, and (5) an assessment of the individual's on-going eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits. Amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to extend through December 31, 2014, the temporary increase in extended unemployment benefits. Makes a change in application of a certain requirement (nonreduction rule) to a state that has entered a federal-state EUC agreement, under which the federal government would reimburse the state's unemployment compensation agency making EUC payments to individuals who have exhausted all rights to regular unemployment compensation under state or federal law and meet specified other criteria. (Under the nonreduction rule such an agreement does not apply with respect to a state whose method for computing regular unemployment compensation under state law has been modified to make the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010, less than what would have been paid before June 2, 2010.) Declares that the nonreduction rule shall not apply to a state which has enacted a law before June 30, 2014, that, upon taking effect, would violate the nonreduction rule. Allows a state whose agreement was terminated, however, to enter into a subsequent federal-state EUC agreement on or after enactment of this Act if, taking into account this inapplicability of the nonreduction rule, it would otherwise meet the requirements for an EUC agreement. (Thus allows such a subsequent EUC agreement to permit payment of less than the average weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid on or after June 2, 2010.) Prohibits the use of federal funds to: (1) make payments of unemployment compensation to any individual whose adjusted gross income in the preceding year was at least $1 million; or (2) determine whether or not this prohibition applies to them. Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to: study the use of work suitability requirements to strengthen them to ensure that unemployment insurance benefits are being provided to individuals who are actively looking for work and truly want to return to the labor force; and brief Congress on the ongoing study, including preliminary recommendations for appropriate legislation and administrative action. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to revise the applicable percentages for determining minimum funding standards for single-employer defined benefit pension plans (funding stabilization). Exempts plans providing accelerated benefit distributions from the application of such standards. Amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to extend through FY2024 the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to collect customs user fees for the processing of certain merchandise.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2014
Hospital Readmissions Program Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in determining a hospital's excess readmission ratio for purposes of making payments for discharges starting in FY2016, to risk adjust readmissions to account for patient socioeconomic status.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2014
Expresses: (1) sympathy to all those affected by the flooding in the Western Balkans for the terrible loss of life and massive destruction; and (2) solidarity with the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the Republic of Serbia. Supports humanitarian and reconstruction assistance provided by relief agencies and the international community. Commends: (1) local authorities, first responders and rescue personnel, NGOs, volunteers, and everyday citizens for their efforts to organize and deliver disaster relief; and (2) U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), for their efforts. Urges additional assistance by other nations and organizations to alleviate the difficult circumstances and suffering of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, and the Republic of Serbia.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2014
Designates June 19, 2014, as Juneteenth Independence Day. Recognizes the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day and supports the continued nationwide celebration of such Day as an opportunity to learn more about the past and to better understand the experiences that have shaped the United States. Recognizes that the observance of the end of slavery is a part of the history and heritage of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2014
Safeguarding Classrooms Hurt by ObamaCare's Obligatory Levies - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude any elementary or secondary school, state or local educational agency, and institution of higher education from the definition of "applicable large employer" for purposes of the employer mandate to provide health care coverage for employees.
![Official portrait of Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000449_200.jpg)