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![Official portrait of Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000148_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
9,581 records where Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act - Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Password Protection Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to subject to a fine any employer who knowingly and intentionally: (1) compels or coerces any person to provide the employer with a password or similar information to access a protected computer not owned by such employer; or (2) discharges, disciplines, discriminates, or threatens to take such actions, against any person who fails to authorize access to such computer, has filed a complaint or instituted a proceeding regarding such action, or testified or is about to testify in any such proceeding. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction to grant equitable relief in a civil action, if the court believes that the information sought to be obtained is relevant to protecting the intellectual property, a trade secret, or confidential business information of the party seeking relief. Exempts an employer's actions from such prohibition if: (1) the employer discharges or disciplines an individual for good cause; (2) the employer complies with federal or state laws or regulations governing brokers, dealers, and investment advisers; (3) a state enacts a law that specifically waives such prohibition with respect to a particular class of state or agency employees and the employer's action relates to an employee in such class; or (4) an executive agency, military department, or other executive branch entity specifically waives the prohibition with respect to a particular class of employees who may have access to classified information.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2013
Expresses appreciation to David Schiappa and his family. Commends him for his outstanding and faithful service to the Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2013 or the PAST Act - Amends the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe regulatory requirements for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to license, train, assign, and oversee persons who are to be hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions and are qualified to detect and diagnose sore horses or otherwise inspect horses at such events. (The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness.) Prohibits issuing a license to any person unless such person is free from conflicts of interest. Requires the Secretary, in issuing such licenses, to give a preference to persons who are licensed or accredited veterinarians. Replaces the current horse inspector appointment process under which the management of a horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction appoints inspectors with a new process requiring the Secretary to assign USDA-licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire such inspectors. Requires the Secretary to publish on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's website information on violations of such Act. Directs the Secretary to disqualify a horse the Secretary determines is sore for specified minimum time periods that increase after the first, second, and third instance. Prohibits a person in any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction from: (1) showing or exhibiting any horse that is sore; (2) entering any horse that is sore for the purpose of showing or exhibiting the horse; (3) selling, auctioning, or offering for sale any horse that is sore; (4) causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, auctioning, or offering for sale the horse; and (5) allowing any such activity with respect to a horse that is sore by the owner of that horse. Expands a list of activities designated as unlawful conduct under such Act to include a prohibition on showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse with: (1) an action device; or (2) a weighted shoe, pad, wedge, hoof band, or other device or material if it is constructed to artificially alter the gait of such horses and is not strictly protective or therapeutic. Defines "action device" as any boot, collar, chain, roller, or other device that encircles or is placed upon the lower extremity of the leg of a horse in a manner that it can: (1) rotate around the leg or slide up and down the leg, so as to cause friction; or (2) strike the hoof, coronet band, fetlock joint, or pastern of the horse. Excludes from such term soft rubber or soft leather bell boots or quarter boots that are used as protective devices. Increases the maximum criminal penalties and maximum civil liability penalties for certain HPA violations. Expands the categories of activities the Secretary may disqualify a violator of such Act from participating in to include: (1) transporting or arranging for the transportation of a horse to or from a show, exhibition, sale, or auction; (2) personally giving instructions to an exhibitor; or (3) being knowingly present in a warm-up area, inspection area, or other area that spectators are not permitted. Permits the Secretary to permanently disqualify a person with at least three violations after notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013
Computer Science Education and Jobs Act of 2013 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to define "computer science" as the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including the study of computing principles, computer hardware, software design, computer applications, and the impact of computers on society. Makes computer science a core academic subject. Includes computer science teachers in professional development activities. Requires the Secretary of Education to give a priority in awarding advanced placement incentive program grants to entities focused on expanding access to advanced placement computer science programs. Requires state plans for school improvement to describe how the state will consider including computer science in its academic standards, accountability system, and assessments. Requires computer science teachers to be highly qualified by the end of the 2015-2016 school year. Includes computer science in the program awarding grants to partnerships between states, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and high-need local educational agencies to: (1) train and recruit mathematics and science teachers, and (2) develop more rigorous science and mathematics curricula. Authorizes the Secretary to award five-year grants to IHEs to: (1) develop courses that prepare undergraduate students to teach elementary and secondary school computer science, and (2) develop and fund teacher mentoring programs to support new computer science teachers. Amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to include informatics and computer science majors and professionals in the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (the Program recruits and prepares science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become mathematics and science teachers).
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2013
Medicare Ambulance Access Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend through December 31, 2018, certain temporary increases in rates (add-on payments) for ground and super rural ambulance services.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2013
Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the Prison Ship Martyr's Monument in Fort Greene Park in the New York City borough of Brooklyn as a unit of the National Park System.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2013
Holocaust Rail Justice Act - Grants U.S. district courts original jurisdiction over any civil action for damages for personal injury or death that: (1) arose from the deportation of persons to Nazi concentration camps between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1944, and (2) is brought by or on behalf of such person against a railroad that owned or operated the trains on which the persons were deported and that was organized as a separate legal entity. Declares that: (1) no law limiting the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts shall preclude any such action, and (2) no such action shall be barred because a statute of limitations has expired. Makes this Act applicable to any action pending on or commenced after January 1, 2002. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress on the status of access to wartime records and archives concerning the wartime activities of any such railroad that engaged in the deportation of such persons to Nazi concentration camps.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2013
American Parks American Products Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Interior or the Archivist of the United States to ensure that the items offered for sale in gift shops or visitor centers in units of the National Park System or of the National Archives and Records Administration, respectively, are U.S.- produced.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2013
Child Protection Improvements and Electronic Life and Safety Security Systems Act of 2013 - Amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to direct the Attorney General to: (1) establish policies and procedures to streamline the process of obtaining state and national criminal history background checks on covered individuals, and (2) establish a criminal history review program to provide covered entities with reliable and accurate information on the criminal history of a covered individual. Defines "covered entity" as any business or organization that provides, or licenses, certifies, or coordinates individuals or organizations to provide, care, care placement, supervision, treatment, education, training, instruction, or recreation to children. Defines "covered individual" as an individual who: (1) has, seeks to have, or may have unsupervised access to vulnerable populations (i.e., elderly, disabled, and children) served by a covered entity; (2) is employed by or volunteers with, or seeks to be employed by or volunteer with, a covered entity; (3) owns or operates, or seeks to own or operate, a covered entity; or (4) is an employer or employee in the electronic life and safety security systems industry.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2013
Designates the first Wednesday in September 2013 as National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day. Expresses support for the goals and ideals of that Day to raise public awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease. Recognizes the need for additional research to find a cure.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2013
Protecting Our Youth from Dangerous Synthetic Drugs Act of 2013 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to include in the definition of a "controlled substance analogue" a substance designated as such by the Controlled Substance Analogue Committee (established by this Act). Directs the Attorney General to establish such Committee as an interagency committee headed by the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and comprised of scientific experts in the fields of chemistry and pharmacology from DEA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and any other federal agency determined by the Attorney General to be appropriate. Requires the Committee to designate, and establish and maintain a list of, controlled substance analogues determined to be similar to a schedule I or II controlled substance in either chemical structure or predictive effect on the body in such a manner as to make it likely that the substance will, or can be reasonably expected to, have a potential for abuse. Directs the Administrator to publish a description of each designation made by the Committee. Amends the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to prohibit the importation of any controlled substance analogue except pursuant to such notification or declaration as the Attorney General may prescribe. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and, if appropriate, amend the federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements to ensure that they provide adequate penalties for any offense involving the unlawful manufacturing, importing, exporting, or trafficking of controlled substance analogues and similar offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2013
Synthetic Abuse and Labeling of Toxic Substances Act of 2013 or the SALTS Act - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that, in determining whether a controlled substance analogue was intended for human consumption, the following factors may be considered: (1) the marketing, advertising, and labeling of the substance; (2) the known efficacy or usefulness of the substance for the marketed, advertised, or labeled purpose; (3) the difference between the price at which the substance is sold and the price at which the substance it is purported to be or advertised as is normally sold; (4) the diversion of the substance from legitimate channels and the clandestine importation, manufacture, or distribution of the substance; and (5) whether the defendant knew or should have known that the substance was intended to be consumed by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or any other immediate means. Declares that evidence that a substance was not marketed, advertised, or labeled for human consumption shall not by itself be sufficient to establish that the substance was not intended for human consumption.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2013
Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise conditions of and limitations on payment for home health care services. Allows payment for home health services to Medicare beneficiaries by: (1) a nurse practitioner, (2) a clinical nurse specialist working in collaboration with a physician in accordance with state law, (3) a certified nurse-midwife, or (4) a physician assistant under a physician's supervision.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2013
Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians Act or HELLPP Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to include podiatrists as physicians in order to cover their services under the Medicaid program. Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to revise requirements for coverage of therapeutic shoes for individuals with diabetes regarding the processes of: (1) documentation by a physician of, and certification of a comprehensive plan of care related to, the diabetic condition; (2) prescription by a podiatrist or other qualified physician upon a finding of the medical necessity for the therapeutic shoes, including findings communicated to a certifying doctor of medicine or osteopathy of certain related foot conditions; and (3) fitting and supplying the shoes. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to subject to the continuing levy upon property and property rights, for collection of unpaid taxes, any payments made to a Medicaid provider or supplier.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2013
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the Russian Federation's willingness to shelter Edward Snowden is negatively impacting bilateral relations with the United States; (2) the Russian Federation should turn Edward Snowden over to U.S. authorities so he can stand trial in the United States; (3) the President should consider options, including recommending a different location for the September 2013 G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, should the Russian Federation continue to shelter Mr. Snowden; and (4) the United States should consider all economic and diplomatic options when pursuing Mr. Snowden.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2013
Repeals provisions of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2009, and the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2012, authorizing the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to direct the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to sell all real and personal property and transportation assets of the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility at Plum Island, New York.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2013
Servicemember's Electronic Health Records Act of 2013 - Amends the Wounded Warrior Act to require the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs, in implementing electronic health record systems that provide for the full interoperability of personal health care information between the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to ensure that: (1) a health data authoritative source that can be accessed by multiple providers and that standardizes the input of new medical information is created by the Departments within 180 days, (2) the ability of patients of both Departments to download their medical records is achieved within 180 days, (3) full interoperability of personal health care information between the Departments is achieved within one year, (4) acceleration of the exchange of real-time data between the Departments is achieved within one year, (5) the upgrade of the graphical user interface to display a joint common graphical user interface is achieved within one year, and (6) current members of the Armed Forces and their dependents may elect to receive an electronic copy of their health care records beginning not later than June 30, 2015. Requires the Secretaries to assess the feasibility and advisability of establishing a secure, remote, network-accessible computer storage system (commonly referred to as cloud storage) to: (1) provide members of the Armed Forces and veterans the ability to upload their health care records, and (2) allow DOD and VA medical providers of the Departments to access such records.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Veterans Conservation Corps Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a veterans conservation corps to assist veterans in the transition from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life and to employ veterans: (1) in conservation, resource management, and historic preservation projects on public lands; (2) in maintenance and improvement projects for cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the National Cemetery Administration; and (3) as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and disaster relief personnel. Requires priority to be given to the employment of veterans who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Requires, as part of the veterans conservation corps: (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to award grants under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to hire veterans as firefighters; (2) the Attorney General to award grants under the public safety and community policing grant program (COPS ON THE BEAT grant program) under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to hire veterans as law enforcement officers; and (3) the DHS Secretary to provide funds to increase participation by veterans in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Corps program. Authorizes the VA Secretary to transfer amounts to carry out the corps to the Attorney General, the Chief of Engineers, and the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, DHS, and Interior. Directs the VA Secretary to establish a steering committee to establish selection criteria for, and provide advice to the VA Secretary on, the awarding of assistance under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend the 3.4% interest rate on Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2013, to Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2014. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify rules for required distributions from tax-exempt pension plans to an employee who dies before such employee's entire interest is distributed to require such interest to be distributed within five years after the death of such employee, subject to exceptions for an eligible designated beneficiary and surviving spouse of such employee. Defines "eligible designated beneficiary" to include a disabled or chronically-ill individual. Exempts from such modification a binding annuity contract in effect on the enactment date of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Reauthorization Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize through FY2018 cancer research programs under the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008. Replaces the current pediatric cancer research and awareness grant program carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) with a comprehensive children's cancer biorepositories program. Authorizes the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to make awards to eligible applicants to build upon existing initiatives to collect biospecimens and clinical and demographic information (including date of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, and patient's gender, race, and ethnicity) for at least 90% of all children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer in Comprehensive Children's Cancer Biorepositories for the purpose of achieving a better understanding of the cause of such cancers and the effects of treatments. Permits award amounts to be used to: (1) acquire, preserve, and store high quality, donated biospecimens and associated clinical and demographic information on children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer in the United States; (2) maintain a secure searchable database for scientists and qualified health care professionals to research such biospecimens and data; and (3) make available and distribute such biospecimens and data to researchers and professionals for peer-reviewed research. Revises the national childhood cancer registry grant program to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to award grants to state cancer registries to enhance and expand infrastructure to track the epidemiology of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults. Requires a Comptroller General (GAO) report regarding the barriers to conducting pediatric studies of oncologic therapies in applications for new drugs or biological products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including recommendations to improve development and access to new therapies as well as assessments of: (1) the feasibility of requiring studies for a pediatric oncologic indication if the therapeutic target of a drug or biologic product for an adult oncologic indication is highly relevant to any pediatric cancer to which it could apply, and (2) the impact of altering the current exemption for orphan drug designations relating to rare diseases or conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to: (1) redesignate the Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking as the Bureau to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, and (2) provide for an Assistant Secretary to head the Bureau.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2013
Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to expand, intensify, and coordinate the Institute's activities with respect to scleroderma, with particular emphasis on: (1) research focused on the etiology of scleroderma and the development of new treatment options, (2) clinical research to evaluate new treatment options, (3) basic research on the relationship between scleroderma and secondary conditions, (4) establishment of scleroderma patient registries, and (5) support for training of new clinicians and investigators with expertise in scleroderma. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to carry out an educational campaign to increase public awareness of scleroderma.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2013
Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to include as a purpose of such Act to achieve the goals established in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan (Action Plan), the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (Strategy), and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978 (Agreement) through: (1) improved organization and definition of mission on the part of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); (2) the funding of grants, contracts, and interagency agreements for protection, restoration, and pollution control in the Great Lakes area; and (3) improved accountability. Expands the duties of the Great Lakes National Program Office to include coordinating with the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force (Task Force), established by this Act. Requires the Administrator of EPA to establish the Great Lakes Advisory Board to provide advice and recommendations to the Administrator on matters pertaining to Great Lakes restoration and protection. Finds that the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (Initiative), which commenced in 2010, is designed to: (1) identify programs and projects that are strategically selected to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem and to implement the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy; (2) be based on the work of the Task Force; and (3) represent the government's commitment to significantly advancing Great Lakes protection and restoration. Requires the Initiative to prioritize work done by non-federal partners using funding made available for the Great Lakes for priority areas for each fiscal year, such as: (1) the remediation of toxic substances and areas of concern, (2) the prevention and control of invasive species and their impacts, (3) the protection and restoration of near-shore health and the prevention and mitigation of nonpoint source pollution, and (4) habitat and wildlife protection and restoration. Requires that: (1) Initiative funds be used to strategically implement federal projects and projects carried out in coordination with states, Indian tribes, municipalities, institutions of higher education, and other organizations; and (2) Initiative projects be carried out on multiple levels, including local, Great Lakes-wide, and Great Lakes basin-wide. Prohibits funding made available to implement the Initiative from being used for any water infrastructure activity (other than a green infrastructure project that improves habitat and other ecosystem functions in the Great Lakes) that is implemented using funds made available under the clean water or drinking water state revolving fund program. Requires federal agencies to: (1) maintain the base level of funding for their Great Lakes activities, and (2) identify new activities to support the environmental goals of the Initiative. Authorizes appropriations for the Initiative for FY2014-FY2018. Establishes the Task Force to: collaborate with Canada, provinces of Canada, and binational bodies involved in the Great Lakes region regarding policies, strategies, projects, and priorities for the Great Lakes System; coordinate the development of federal policies, strategies, projects, and priorities for addressing the restoration and protection of the System consistent with the Agreement, the Strategy, and the Action Plan; assist in the appropriate management of the System; develop goals for the System that focus on outcomes such as cleaner water, improved public health, sustainable fisheries, and biodiversity and ensure that federal policies, strategies, projects, and priorities support measurable results and are consistent with the Strategy and Action Plan; exchange information regarding policies, strategies, projects, and activities of the agencies represented on the Task Force relating to the System, the Strategy, the Agreement, and the Action Plan; coordinate government action associated with the System; seek input from nongovernmental organizations, states, and local and tribal governments; ensure coordinated scientific and other research associated with the System; provide assistance and support to agencies represented on the Task Force in activities relating to the System; establish annual priorities with respect to Great Lakes protection and restoration, consistent with priorities for the Strategy and the Agreement; review and update such Strategy and Action Plan every five years in coordination with specified entities; and report on what actions have and have not been implemented with respect to the recommendations made by the Board and the Great Lakes' mayors, the governors, and tribal leaders. Requires the Administrator to submit to Congress annually a comprehensive report on the overall health of the Great Lakes, including a description of the achievements in implementing the Agreement, a list of the Initiative's accomplishments, and recommendations for streamlining work of advisory and coordinating committees. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit to Congress, annually, a financial report certified by each agency that has budget authority for Great Lakes restoration activities that contains: (1) an interagency budget crosscut report, (2) a detailed accounting of all funds received and obligated by all federal agencies and state agencies using federal funds for Great Lakes restoration activities during the current and previous fiscal years, (3) a budget for the proposed projects to be carried out in the subsequent fiscal year, and (4) a listing of projects to be undertaken in the subsequent fiscal year. Authorizes appropriations for: (1) remediation of sediment contamination in areas of concern in the Great Lakes, and (2) the Great Lakes Program.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2013
Respect for Marriage Act - Amends the Defense of Marriage Act to repeal a provision that prohibited a state, territory, possession, or Indian tribe from being required to recognize any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a same sex marriage. Amends the federal rules of construction added by such Act concerning the definitions of "marriage" and "spouse" to provide that, for purposes of any federal law in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered married if that individual's marriage is valid in the state where the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside any state, if the marriage is valid in the place where entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a state. Removes the definition of "spouse" (currently, a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife).
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2013
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable William Dodd Hathaway, former member of the United States Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns June 26, 2013, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Hathaway.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2013
Commemorates the relaunching of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan and commends the staff, volunteers, and trustees of Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea for their efforts to preserve and protect the maritime heritage of the United States. Supports the Museum's plan to reinterpret the Charles W. Morgan as a vessel of scientific and educational exploration. Recognizes the Charles W. Morgan as the "Ambassador to Whales," dedicated to advancing the public's understanding of species conservation.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2013
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the tax deduction for charitable contributions of qualified wild game meat by the processing fees paid with respect to such contributions, and (2) exclude from the gross income of meat processors processing fees paid by a charitable organization for the processing of donated wild game meat. Defines "qualified wild game meat" as the meat of any animal typically used for human consumption but only if: (1) such animal is killed in the wild by the individual making the charitable contribution and is hunted or taken in accordance with all state and local laws, (2) the meat is processed for human consumption by a licensed processor, and (3) the meat is apparently wholesome as determined by regulations under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2013
Mortgage Forgiveness Tax Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2015 the exclusion from gross income of income attributable to the discharge of indebtedness on a principal residence.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2013
Honors the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses during National Small Business Week beginning June 17, 2013. Applauds the efforts and achievements of small business owners and their employees. Recognizes the work of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its resource partners in providing assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Recognizes the importance of ensuring that: (1) guaranteed loans, including microloans and venture capital, are made available to all qualified small businesses; (2) management assistance programs delivered by SBA resource partners are recognized for providing invaluable counseling services to entrepreneurs; (3) SBA small business disaster assistance is provided in a timely and efficient manner; (4) affordable Internet access is available to all people in the United States so that small businesses can utilize such access; (5) regulatory relief is provided to small businesses through the reduction of duplicative or unnecessary regulatory requirements; and (6) leveling the playing field for small business contracting opportunities remains a primary focus.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2013
Recognizes the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day (June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved African Americans were free) and supports the continued nationwide celebration of such Day 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 · 18 June 2013
Real Estate Investment and Jobs Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from 5% to 10% the allowable ownership interest in real estate investment trust (REIT) stock for purposes of tax exemptions allowed by the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act relating to foreign investment in United States real property interests.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2013
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal in honor of the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers, in recognition of its pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and many acts of valor in the face of adversity. Requires the medal to be given to the Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian) for display. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Smithsonian shall make the medal available for display elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations associated with the 65th Infantry Regiment, including locations in Puerto Rico.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2013
Constitutional Amendment - Grants Congress and the states the power to regulate the raising and spending of money and in-kind equivalents with respect to federal and state elections, respectively.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2013
Designates the first Wednesday in September 2013 as National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day. Expresses support for the goals and ideals of that Day to raise public awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease. Recognizes the need for additional research to find a cure.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2013
National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Park Service (NPS). Authorizes the issuance of coins under this Act only for a one-year period, beginning on January 1, 2016. Requires all sales of coins minted under this Act to include a surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar clad coin. Requires all of the surcharges received from the sale of such coins to be paid to the National Park Foundation for projects and programs to help preserve and protect resources under the stewardship of the NPS and to promote public enjoyment and appreciation of those resources. Prohibits the surcharges paid to the Foundation from being used for land acquisition.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2013
Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2013 - Amends the Higher Education Opportunity Act to refer to the Secretary of Education's model institution of higher eduction (IHE) financial aid offer form as the standard form. Requires the standard form to include certain additional items, such as: (1) information concerning work study assistance, including its dependence on the availability of employment opportunities; (2) the disclosure that federal student loans offer generally more favorable terms and repayment options than private education loans; (3) the deadline for and a summary of the financial aid acceptance process; (4) the academic period covered by the offer and whether the aid is based on full-time or part-time enrollment; and (5) the IHE's most recent cohort default rate compared to the national average cohort default rate, if more than 30% of the school's students take out student loans. Requires more detailed information to be included on the form. Includes among those details, with respect to federal education loans, information: (1) identifying the type and amount of loan recommended for the applicable student; (2) clearly indicating that such loans need to be repaid; (3) disclosing the student's right to borrow less than the recommended amount; (4) detailing the interest rates, fees, expected monthly repayment amounts, and sums to be paid over the life of such loans (assuming a ten-year repayment plan); and (5) disclosing the student's possible eligibility for longer repayment terms and that longer repayment terms may result in the student paying more over the life of such loans. Requires that certain steps be taken to improve the clarity of the form and provide recipients with access to additional information. Directs the Secretary, before finalizing the standard form, to submit it to consumer testing among students, their families, IHEs, secondary school and postsecondary counselors, and nonprofit consumer groups. Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each IHE receiving federal financial assistance under the Act to use the standard form in providing written or electronic financial aid offers to students enrolled in, or accepted for enrollment in, the IHE.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2013
Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act - Amends the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 to: (1) delay the repeal date of such Act for 10 years, and (2) extend the prohibitions against undetectable firearms in such Act to specified firearm receivers and ammunition magazines. Prohibits the manufacture, importation, sale, shipment, delivery, possession, transfer, or receipt of any receiver for a rifle or handgun, or of any ammunition magazine, that: (1) is manufactured by a person who is not a licensed manufacturer, (2) is not as detectable as the Receiver Security Exemplar or the Magazine Security Exemplar by walk-through metal detectors, or (3) does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of a receiver or an ammunition magazine when subjected to inspection by airport x-ray machines. Defines "Receiver Security Exemplar" and "Magazine Security Exemplar" as objects fabricated at the direction of the Attorney General that are: (1) constructed, respectively, of 3.7 ounces of material type 17-4 PH stainless steel in a shape resembling the lower receiver for a rifle or handgun, or of 1 ounce of material type 17-4 PH stainless steel in a shape resembling an ammunition magazine; and (2) suitable for testing and calibrating metal detectors. Directs the Attorney General to promulgate regulations to permit the manufacture, importation, sale, shipment, delivery, possession, transfer, or receipt of receivers or magazines that were previously prohibited but that become as detectable as their respective Exemplars in view of advances in weapons detection technology.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2013
Creating American Prosperity through Preservation Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax credits for building rehabilitation expenditures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit for projects involving $7.5 million or less in rehabilitation expenditures, (2) provide for an additional 2% credit amount for a building that is a qualified energy efficient rehabilitated building (increased energy efficiency of 30% or more), (3) change the placed-in-service requirement for non-historic rehabilitated buildings from before 1936 to 50 years prior to the year in which qualified rehabilitation expenditures are taken into account, and (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2013
Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act or FRAC Act - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to repeal the exemption from restrictions on underground injection of fluids or propping agents granted to hydraulic fracturing operations relating to oil and natural gas production activities under such Act. Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to allow the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prescribe regulations that authorize a state, one year after such regulations are promulgated, to seek primary enforcement responsibility for hydraulic fracturing operations for oil and natural gas without seeking to assume primary enforcement responsibility for other types of underground injection control wells, including underground injection control wells that inject brine or other fluids that are brought to the surface in connection with oil and natural gas production or any underground injection for the secondary or tertiary recovery of oil or natural gas. Requires: (1) state underground injection programs to direct a person conducting hydraulic fracturing operations to disclose to the state (or the Administrator if the Administrator has primary enforcement responsibility in such state) the chemicals and proppants intended for use in underground injections before the commencement of such operations and the chemicals actually used after the end of such operations; and (2) a state or the Administrator to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the disclosed information and make it available to the public. Requires the applicable person using hydraulic fracturing, when a medical emergency exists and the proprietary chemical formula of a chemical used in such hydraulic fracturing is necessary for medical diagnosis, treatment, or emergency response to disclose such formula or the specific chemical identity of a trade secret chemical to the state, the Administrator, a first responder, or healthcare practitioner upon request, regardless of the existence of a written statement of need or a confidentiality agreement. Authorizes such person to require the execution of such statement and agreement as soon as practicable. Authorizes first responders or healthcare practitioners to share any information disclosed with other persons if the information is medically necessary, but prohibits such personnel from making such information publicly available.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2013
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the new markets tax credit, (2) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for such credit after 2013, and (3) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for such credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments initially made before January 1, 2014).
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2013
Ending Secret Law Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that each decision, order, or opinion ("decision," for purposes of this Act) issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review that includes significant construction or interpretation of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) provisions concerning access to business records and the targeting of persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States to acquire foreign intelligence information should be declassified in a manner consistent with the protection of national security, intelligence sources and methods, and other properly classified and sensitive information. Amends FISA provisions concerning access to business records and the targeting of persons reasonably believed to be located outside the United States to require the Attorney General, with exceptions, to declassify and make publicly available decisions concerning certain surveillance orders required for inclusion in a semiannual report to Congress. Requires release to the public of unclassified summaries and reports if the Attorney General determines that a decision may not be declassified. Requires the Attorney General, in cases in which an unclassified summary may not be made available, to make publicly available an unclassified report on the status of the internal deliberations and process regarding the declassification by executive branch personnel of such decisions, including estimates of the number of decisions that will be declassified or remain classified.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2013
Commuter Benefits Equity Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to equalize and increase to $245, with a cost-of-living adjustment after 2013, the tax exclusion for both transportation and parking fringe benefits. Authorizes agencies to establish a program involving such benefits in lieu of transit passes to encourage commuting by federal employees by means other than single-occupancy motor vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2013
Fallen Firefighters Assistance Tax Clarification Act of 2013 - Treats payments made on or after December 24, 2012, and before December 31, 2013, by a tax-exempt organization on behalf of any firefighter who died or was injured as a result of the ambush of firefighters responding to an emergency on December 24, 2012, in Webster, New York, as related to the purpose or function forming the basis of such organization's tax-exempt status, if such payments are made in good faith using a reasonable and objective formula which is consistently applied.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2013
Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) make public and report biannually to Congress on international monetary policy and currency exchange rates; and (2) appear, if requested, before certain congressional committees to testify regarding such reports. Prescribes report contents, including: (1) an analysis of currency market developments and the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the currencies of major economies and trading partners of the United States, (2) a review of the economic and monetary policies of major economies and trading partners of the United States and an evaluation of how such policies impact currency exchange rates, and (3) a list of currencies designated as fundamentally misaligned currencies. Instructs the Secretary to: (1) analyze semiannually the prevailing real effective exchange rates of foreign currencies; (2) determine whether any such currency is in fundamental misalignment; and (3) designate it for priority action if the issuing country engages in specified behavior, including excessive and prolonged official or quasi-official accumulation of foreign assets for balance of payments purposes. Prescribes procedures for: (1) negotiations and consultations; and (2) actions in response to failure, including persistent failure, to adopt appropriate policies, or take identifiable action to eliminate the fundamental misalignment. Requires the Secretary, before the United States approves a proposed change in the governance arrangement of any international financial institution, to determine whether any member of the international financial institution that would benefit from the proposed change, in the form of increased voting shares or representation, has a currency designated for priority action. Requires U.S. opposition to the proposed change if the Secretary renders an affirmative determination. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930, for purposes of an antidumping investigation or review, to require an adjustment in the price used to establish export (and constructed export) prices, in the case of a fundamentally misaligned currency designated for priority action, by reducing such price by the percentage by which the domestic currency of the producer or exporter is undervalued in relation to the U.S. dollar. Requires the administering authority, upon the filing of a petition by an interested party, to initiate a countervailing duty investigation or review to determine whether currency undervaluation by the government of, or any public entity within, a foreign country is providing, directly or indirectly, a countervailable subsidy to its exporters or products. Requires the same kind of countervailing duty investigation upon the designation of a foreign currency as a fundamentally misaligned currency for priority action. Declares that the fact that such a subsidy is also provided in circumstances not involving export shall not, for that reason alone, mean it cannot be considered export contingent and actionable under a countervailing duty and antidumping duty proceeding. Declares that the amendments made by this Act shall apply to goods from Canada and Mexico. Adds as a factor the administering authority must take into account in determining whether a foreign country is a nonmarket economy country the question of whether its currency is designated, or has been designated at any time over the five years before review of any nonmarket economy status, for priority action under this Act. Establishes the Advisory Committee on International Exchange Rate Policy. Repeals the Exchange Rates and International Economic Policy Coordination Act of 1988.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2013
Servicemembers and Veterans Prescription Drug Safety Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) and the Attorney General (AG) to jointly carry out a program under which a member of the Armed Forces (member), an individual receiving or entitled to military retired or retainer pay, a dependent-beneficiary of a member, or any person lawfully entitled to dispose of the property of any of such individuals may deliver a personal-use controlled substance (the prescription medication of a deceased individual) for disposal at a facility to be specified by the Secretary and the AG. Requires the Secretary and AG, in implementing the program, to develop appropriate guidelines and procedures to prevent the diversion, misuse, theft, or loss of such delivered substances. Directs the Secretary and the AG to jointly carry out a program under which a veteran, a veteran's spouse or dependent, a person in receipt of medical services at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility, or any person lawfully entitled to dispose of the property of any of such individuals may deliver such a controlled substance for disposal at a specified facility, subject to the same guidelines and procedures with respect to such delivered substances.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2013
Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 - Prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates. Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination. Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct made unlawful under this Act. Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them. Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail. Authorizes the Attorney General to institute a civil action in any appropriate U.S. district court for a violation of this Act. Deems a state's receipt of federal educational assistance for a program to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity for conduct prohibited under this Act regarding such program.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2013
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Frank R. Lautenberg, a Senator from New Jersey. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on June 4, 2013, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2013
Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to direct the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of the Management Conference of the Long Island Sound Study to conduct or commission studies to strengthen the implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Long Island Sound. Requires the studies to include: (1) environmental impacts on the Sound watershed; and (2) planning initiatives that identify areas most suitable for various activities in order to reduce conflicts among uses, reduce environmental impacts, facilitate compatible uses, or preserve critical ecosystem services. Requires the Office to: (1) develop and implement strategies to increase education and awareness about the ecological health and water quality of the Sound; and (2) monitor progress toward meeting the goals, actions, and schedules of the Plan. Revises the limit on the federal share for certain grants for projects and studies to help implement the Plan. Increases the limit for grants other than citizen involvement and education grants. Requires the Office's Director to submit a report that includes: (1) an assessment of the progress in implementing the Plan, (2) an assessment of the key ecological attributes that reflect the health of the ecosystem of the Sound watershed, (3) a description of substantive modifications to the Plan, (4) recommendations to improve progress in restoring and protecting the Sound watershed, (5) priority actions for implementing the Plan, and (6) a description of the means for coordinating federal funding and actions with the Long Island Sound states and other entities. Requires the President to submit, with the annual budget, information regarding each federal agency involved in the protection and restoration of the Sound watershed. Requires the EPA Administrator to coordinate the actions of federal agencies to improve the water quality and living resources of the watershed. Requires a federal agency that owns or occupies real property, or carries out activities, within the Sound watershed to: (1) participate in regional and subwatershed planning, protection, and restoration activities; and (2) ensure that the property and activities are consistent with the Plan. Amends the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act of 2006 to reauthorize the Long Island Sound Stewardship Advisory Committee through 2018 and exempts the Advisory Committee or any board, committee, or other group established under this Act from the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Extends through FY2018 the authorizations to the EPA for the implementation of the Management Conference of the Long Island Sound Study, the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act of 2006, the Long Island Sound Grants, and Long Island Sound Stewardship Grants.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2013
Older Americans Act Amendments of 2013 - Reauthorizes the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA) and funding for its programs for FY2014-FY2018. Revises OAA to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals, HIV-positive individuals, individuals with Alzheimer's disease, veterans, and Holocaust survivors, among others, within the status of greatest social need caused by noneconomic factors. Requires the Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (in the Administration on Aging [AOA] of the Department of Health and Human Services [HHS]) to collect, analyze, and report on best practices related to screening for elder abuse. Requires the Assistant Secretary for Aging of the AOA to assist states with the development of the Home Care Consumer Bill of Rights and Plan for Enforcement (required by this Act). Requires the AOA to work with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Secretary of Labor to identify and address personnel shortages in the field of aging. Establishes an Advisory Committee to Assess, Coordinate, and Improve Legal Assistance Activities to study the legal services activities assistance system for older individuals. Requires the Secretary of Labor, through the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), to revise, improve, and report to Congress on the Experimental Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E). Amends OAA to express the sense of the Senate that the amount appropriated under OAA for FY2014 and each subsequent year should be at least $2.675 billion (reflecting a 12% increase over FY2010 levels). Authorizes states to enter into cooperative arrangements with Federally Qualified Health Centers for services for the elderly. Reauthorizes appropriations for FY2014-FY2018 for supportive services, congregate nutrition services, home-delivered nutrition services, disease prevention and health promotion services, and family caregiver support. Requires area agencies on aging (AAAs) to develop area plans that provide for modernization of multipurpose senior centers, including a plan to use the skills and services of older adults in paid and unpaid work at such centers. Requires AAA area plans also to: (1) include evidence-based behavioral health services, chronic self-care management programs, and falls prevention programs; (2) describe efforts to increase public awareness of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and (3) describe outreach efforts to veterans and coordination of services under OAA with those provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires a state plan, among other things, to: (1) assure an adequately funded State Long-Term Care Ombudsman programprovided with adequate funding; and (2) provide legal assistance through an integrated legal assistance delivery system; and (3) describe efforts for outreach to veterans eligible for OAA services under the Act. Increases from 185% to 200% of the poverty line the self-declared income level of individuals who may be solicited for voluntary contributions for certain services they receive. Includes among supportive services covered by grants to states evidence-based chronic condition self-care management, evidence-based falls prevention programs, screening for elder abuse and neglect, and falls prevention screening. Requires the meals provided under a state nutrition project to be adjusted and appropriately funded, to the maximum extent practicable, to meet any special health-related or other dietary needs of program participants, including needs based on religious, cultural, or ethnic requirements. Declares that older adults should receive the clinical preventive services covered under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Revises caregiver and care recipient requirements for the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to make grants to states to assess the needs of family caregivers for targeted support services. Requires the services of AAAs or AAA contractors to include Ombudsman efforts to support family and caregiver councils in long-term care facilities, as well as facilitate and support the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. Directs the Assistant Secretary to award grants to carry out or establish: (1) projects to support and promote modern multipurpose senior center models which yield multiservice, multigenerational centers for older individuals, their families, and others to gain needed skills, resources, and connections for continuum of care and quality of life; and (2) a demonstration program on care coordination and service delivery redesign for older individuals with chronic illness or at risk of institutional placement. Directs the HHS Secretary to award competitive grants to or contract with eligible entities to fund the employment costs of professionals who will: (1) coordinate with the provision of medically recommended dental care to eligible individuals by volunteer dentists; and (2) verify the medical, dental, and financial needs of individuals who may be eligible for free medically recommended dental care. Directs the Secretary to award a grant to or enter into a cooperative agreement with a public or private nonprofit entity to establish a National Resource Center on Family Caregiving. Revises the purposes of the Older American Community Service Employment Program to further the goal of economic security, grow local economies, and improve the quality of life of local communities. Directs the Assistant Secretary and the Secretary of Labor to study the feasibility of transferring the Senior Community Service Employment Program to the AOA from the Department of Labor. Reauthorizes funding for grants for Native Americans for FY2014-FY2018. Requires the Assistant Secretary to ensure that education and public awareness activities under OAA title XI (Allotments for Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection Activities) are fully integrated with OAA programs. Authorizes appropriations for the State Home Care Ombudsman Program, and authorizes the Assistant Secretary to award competitive grants to states for such programs. Requires a state to have a Home Care Consumer Bill of Rights and a Plan for Enforcement. Requires the state Home Care Consumer Bill of Rights to address a home care consumer's right to: (1) basic safety; (2) information access; (3) choice, participation, and self-determination; and (4) redress of grievances. Revises requirements for: (1) state long-term care ombudsman programs; (2) prevention of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and (3) state legal assistance development. Amends OAA to require state agencies to carry out a Home Care Ombudsman Program within the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Amends the Public Health Service Act to include geriatrics and gerontology as primary health services.