United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2019
This resolution honors the life and memory of Jereima "Jeri" Bustamante and encourages the recipients of the Jereima Bustamante Memorial Scholarship to carry on her legacy.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2019
Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands (RURAL) Act This bill modifies the definition of income used to determine the tax-exempt status of a mutual or cooperative telephone or electric company to exclude certain government grants, contributions, and assistance. Specifically, the bill excludes from income (1) grants, contributions, and assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or by local, state, or regional governmental entities for disasters or emergencies; and (2) certain grants or contributions provided by a government entity for electric, communications, broadband, internet, or other utility facilities or services.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Supporting and Treating Officers In Crisis Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes for FY2020-FY2024 and revises Department of Justice grants to provide family support services to law enforcement personnel. Among other changes, the bill allows grants to support additional services such as suicide prevention and mental health programs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2019
Disaster Opportunity Zones Act This bill allows a certain number of population census tracts comprising a low-income community within a qualified disaster zone to be designated as additional opportunity zones. An opportunity zone is an economically distressed community where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. Currently, opportunity zones have been designated in parts of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. The bill defines qualified disaster zone as that portion of the Hurricane Florence disaster area; the Hurricane Michael disaster area; the Mendocino and Carr wildfire disaster area; and the Camp, Woolsey, and Hill wildfire disaster area that is determined by the President to warrant federal government assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2019
This resolution recognizes the 75th anniversary of the amphibious landing of the allied forces on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at Normandy, France, during World War II. The resolution expresses appreciation to the members of the U.S. Armed Forces who participated in the operations, thanks the young people of Normandy and the United States for their involvement in events celebrating the anniversary of the Normandy landings, recognizes the efforts of France and the people of Normandy to preserve the world heritage represented by the Normandy beaches and the sunken material remains of the landings by inscribing these on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and requests the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the 75th anniversary.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2019
Transparent Drug Pricing Act of 2019 This bill establishes several requirements relating to the prices of prescription drugs. For example, state Medicaid drug-use review programs must require pharmacists to disclose an individual's out-of-pocket cost for a prescription drug, and the price without health insurance, at the point-of-sale. Additionally, health insurers must publish the co-payment amount for each covered prescription drug prior to the annual open-enrollment period. The bill also temporarily prohibits the retail list price of drugs and biologics from exceeding the lowest retail list price among Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, or Germany.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2019
Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act This bill requires certain issuers of securities to establish that they are not owned or controlled by a foreign government. Specifically, an issuer must make this certification if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is unable to audit specified reports because the issuer has retained a foreign public accounting firm not subject to inspection by the board. Furthermore, if the board is unable to inspect the issuer's public accounting firm for three consecutive years, the issuer's securities are banned from trade on a national exchange.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Space Frontier Act of 2019 The bill revises provisions relating to commercial space launch license applications and experimental permits. The Department of Transportation shall consolidate across federal agencies requirements to protect the public health and safety, safety of property, national security interests, and foreign policy interests of the United States relevant to any commercial space vehicle into a single application set that satisfies those requirements and expedites the coordination of commercial space services. NASA is authorized to establish a low-Earth orbit commercialization program. The bill revises and sets forth provisions relating to nongovernmental Earth observation activities. NASA must ensure that the International Space Station remains a viable and productive facility capable of potential U.S. use through at least FY2030.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2019
Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 This bill directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to Rosie the Riveter (i.e., any female individual who held employment or volunteered in support of the war efforts during World War II), in recognition of their contributions to the United States and the inspiration they have provided to ensuing generations. The medal shall be displayed at the National Museum of American History, which is urged to make the medal available for display at other locations associated with Rosie the Riveter.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2019
This resolution opposes the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) and other efforts targeting Israel, and states that BDS undermines the possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution urges both sides to return to direct negotiations and expresses support for a solution resulting in the state of Israel existing alongside a democratic Palestinian state.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Small Scale LNG Access Act of 2019 This bill provides that an application for the exportation of natural gas that does not exceed 51.75 billion cubic feet per year shall be deemed consistent with the public interest and granted by the Federal Power Commission without modification or delay. Applications for exportation of natural gas to any nation subject to sanctions imposed by the United States may not be expedited.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Transit Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act This bill prohibits the awarding of a contract to an entity for the procurement of rolling stock for use in public transportation if the manufacturer of the rolling stock is (1) incorporated or has manufacturing facilities in the United States; and (2) is owed or controlled by an entity based in a country that is identified as a nonmarket economy country, was identified by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as a priority foreign country (e.g., a country that does not protect intellectual property rights), and is subject to monitoring by the USTR. This includes the People's Republic of China. Any recipient of financial assistance for public transportation that operates a rail fixed guideway service must certify that it will not award any contract for the procurement of rail rolling stock for use in public transportation to a manufacturer of rolling stock that is described by this bill. A recipient that operates a rail fixed guideway public transportation system must certify that it has a written plan for identifying and reducing cybersecurity risks.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2019 This bill concerns the review by the Department of Education (ED) of certain alleged violations of title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. For alleged violations based on an individual's actual or perceived shared Jewish ancestry or Jewish ethnic characteristics, ED must consider the definition of anti-Semitism as part of its assessment of whether a practice was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. For purposes of this bill, the definition of anti-Semitism includes the definition set forth by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2019
Restoring Investment in Improvements Act This bill confirms that the applicable recovery period for qualified improvement property (nonresidential real estate) for depreciation purposes is 15 years under the modified accelerated cost recovery system (MACRS) and 20 years under the alternative depreciation system (ADS).
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Merrill's Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), commonly known as Merrill's Marauders, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma (Myanmar) during World War II. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be displayed and made available for research.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act This bill modifies the bar against U.S. courts enforcing or validating trademarks that were confiscated by the Cuban government. The bill prohibits U.S. courts from enforcing or validating such confiscated trademarks if the mark had been used in connection with a confiscated business or asset. Currently, the prohibition applies only if the confiscated trademark is being asserted in the United States by a Cuban national. Under the bill, the prohibition shall not apply if the original trademark owner, or a successor, has expressly consented to the enforcement action. The prohibition shall apply only if the entity asserting the trademark rights knew or should have known, when it acquired the rights, that the mark was the same or substantially similar to one connected to a confiscated business or asset.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
Cancer Drug Parity Act of 2019 This bill requires health plans that cover anticancer medications administered by a health care provider to provide no less favorable cost sharing for patient-administered anticancer medications. This requirement applies to medications that are (1) approved by the Food and Drug Administration; (2) medically necessary for the cancer treatment; and (3) clinically appropriate in terms of type, frequency, extent site, and duration. To comply with this requirement, health plans may not, with respect to anticancer medications (1) change or replace benefits to increase out-of-pocket costs, (2) reclassify benefits to increase costs, or (3) apply more restrictive limitations to orally administered medications than to intravenously administered or injected medications.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
This resolution commemorates the 75th anniversary of the United Negro College Fund. It also celebrates the fund's successes in supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as underrepresented students.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2019
This resolution urges the government of Iran to assist in locating Robert Levinson and provide all available information related to his disappearance. (Robert Levinson is a Central Intelligence Agency operative who has been missing since 2007.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
Child Tax Credit Equity for Puerto Rico Act of 2019 This bill modifies the rules for the refundable portion of the child tax credit to (1) allow residents of Puerto Rico to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit on the same basis as U.S. taxpayers, and (2) allow residents of Puerto Rico with one or two children to claim the refundable portion of the credit on the same basis as residents with three or more children.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2019
Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to provide children with parents on active duty in the uniformed services with funds to pay educational expenses. Specifically, ED shall establish a tax-exempt Military Education Savings Account for dependent children of parents in the uniformed services for the payment of the children's educational expenses. Funds in the savings account may be used for, among other things, the cost of attendance at a private elementary or secondary school or institution of higher education, private tutoring, or costs associated with an apprenticeship or other vocational training program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2019
Sunshine Protection Act of 2019 This bill makes daylight savings time the new, permanent standard time. States with areas exempt from daylight savings time may choose the standard time for those areas.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2019
Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019 This bill waives Medicare coinsurance requirements with respect to colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of the code billed for a resulting diagnosis or procedure.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2019
SFC Sean Cooley and SPC Christopher Horton Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program Resolution This resolution establishes in the Senate the Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program under which certain family members of a member of the Armed Forces who is a hostile casualty or died from a training-related injury may serve a 12-month fellowship in the office of a Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2019
Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Roddie Edmonds in recognition of his achievements and heroic actions during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
"Six Triple Eight" Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (commonly known as the "Six Triple Eight") in recognition of their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and contributions to increase the morale of personnel stationed in the European theater of operations during World War II. The medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution and made available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act This bill allows individual and corporate taxpayers a tax credit for cash contributions to certain scholarship-granting and workforce training organizations. It imposes a cap of $10 billion on the sum of contributions that qualify for a tax credit under this bill. The bill requires the Department of Education, in coordination with the Departments of the Treasury and Labor, to establish, host, and maintain a web portal that (1) lists all eligible scholarship-granting and workforce training organizations; (2) enables contributions to such organizations; (3) provides information about the benefits of this bill; and (4) enables a state to submit and update information about its programs and educational organizations, including information on student eligibility and allowable educational expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
Military Widow's Tax Elimination Act of 2019 This bill modifies the Department of Defense's Survivor Benefit Plan and how it operates in relation to other benefits. The plan currently provides a monthly annuity (based on a percentage of a service member's retirement pay) to an eligible beneficiary upon the death of the service member. Currently, if a surviving spouse is also entitled to dependency and indemnity compensation, the annuity paid under the plan will be reduced. The bill repeals certain provisions that require the offset of the plan annuity from amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation. Under current law, upon the request of the surviving spouse, the military branch concerned is authorized to pay an annuity to the service member's dependent children instead of to the surviving spouse. The bill restores the annuity to an eligible spouse who previously elected to transfer payment to a dependent child.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2019
Banning Lobbying and Safeguarding Trust Act or the BLAST Act This bill revises the post-employment lobbying ban on former Members and elected officers of Congress. Specifically, it imposes a permanent ban on lobbying contacts by a former Member of the U.S. Senate (currently, a two-year ban), a former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (currently, a one-year ban), or a former elected officer of the House or Senate (currently, a one-year ban).
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2019
This resolution recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on U.S. history and to commemorate the contributions of African Americans. It calls for the United States to (1) honor the contribution of pioneers who helped to ensure its legacy; and (2) move forward as a nation "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2019 This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit annual reports to Congress that include specified details regarding certain federally funded projects that are (1) more than five years behind schedule, or (2) have expenditures that are at least $1 billion more than the original cost estimate for the project. The reports must also be posted on the OMB website and included with the President's budget.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief, 2019 This bill provides FY2019 supplemental appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for expenses related to the consequences of recent wildfires, hurricanes, volcanos, earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural disasters. The funding provided by this bill is designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. The bill includes appropriations for the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, the Government Accountability Office, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE-Safe Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2019
This bill establishes that it is U.S. policy to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. References to "Israel" in future acts of Congress relating to appropriations or foreign commerce shall be interpreted to include the Golan Heights.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2019
Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act This bill funds through FY2090 the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Additionally, the bill modifies the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF): to allow claims to be filed until October 2089, to require VCF policies and procedures to be reassessed at least once every five years (currently, at least once annually), to require claimants to be paid for the amount by which a claim was reduced on the basis of insufficient funding, to remove the cap on noneconomic damages in certain circumstances, and to adjust the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill includes certain lymphedema compression treatment items as covered durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
EAGLES Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes the National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) within the U.S. Secret Service. It reauthorizes the functions of NTAC through FY2023 and expands them to include the establishment of a national program on targeted school violence prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2019
This resolution commemorates the victims killed in the attack on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and offers condolences to the families, loved ones, and friends of the victims. The resolution (1) honors the survivors and pledges continued support for their recovery, (2) recognizes the strength and resilience of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School community, and (3) expresses gratitude to the emergency medical and health care professionals of the Parkland community for their efforts in responding to the attack and caring for the victims and survivors.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2019
Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act or the PACT Act This bill revises and expands criminal provisions with respect to animal crushing. It retains existing criminal offenses that prohibit knowingly creating or distributing an animal crush video using interstate commerce. The bill also adds a new provision to criminalize an intentional act of animal crushing. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to seven years, or both. It provides additional exceptions for conduct, or a video of conduct, including conduct that is (1) medical or scientific research, (2) necessary to protect the life or property of a person, (3) performed as part of euthanizing an animal, or (4) unintentional.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2019
President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush Coin Act This bill requires the issuance of $1 coins bearing the image of President George H.W. Bush for a one-year period beginning on January 1, 2019, and bullion coins bearing the image of Barbara Bush during that same period.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2019
End Plush Retirements Act This bill allows future Members of the House of Representatives to opt out of the Federal Employees Retirement System, an option currently available to Members of the House who began serving before September 30, 2003, and all Senators. In addition, it permits Members of Congress who opt out to continue to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2019
End Pensions in Congress Act or the EPIC Act This bill excludes future Members of Congress from the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and requires Members currently enrolled in FERS or the Civil Service Retirement System to opt in to continue their enrollment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2019
Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019 This bill modifies the tax treatment of certain alcoholic beverages to exclude the aging period from the production period for beer, wine, or distilled spirits for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period; reduce excise tax rates on beer and distilled spirits; permit the transfer of beer between bonded facilities without payment of tax; increase the amount of the small wine producer tax credit and expand the categories of producers covered by such credit; allow an adjustment to the producer credit for hard cider; and modify the alcohol content limitations that apply to certain wines for tax purposes. The Department of the Treasury must amend applicable regulations with respect to the use of wholesome products suitable for human consumption in the production of fermented beverages. The bill also increases funding for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must exercise in the event a child is born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. A health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as reasonably provided to another child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) immediately admit the child to a hospital. The bill also requires a health care practitioner or other employee to immediately report any failure to comply with this requirement to law enforcement. A person who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. Additionally, an individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder. The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive for conspiracy to violate these provisions, for being an accessory after the fact, or for concealment of felony. A woman who undergoes an abortion or attempted abortion may file a civil action for damages against an individual who violates this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Sarah's Law This bill directs U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. ICE shall make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which such alien was charged or convicted. It shall provide the victim, or the closest living relative of a deceased victim, with information about such alien, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act This bill requires biennial budget resolutions, appropriations bills, and government strategic and performance plans, instead of the annual budget process required under current law. The bill specifies that budget biennium is the two consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of any odd-numbered year. The Office of Management and Budget must report to Congress on the impact and feasibility of changing the definition of a fiscal year and the budget process based on that definition to a two-year fiscal period.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
CBO Show Your Work Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to make available to Congress and the public each fiscal model, policy model, and data preparation routine that the CBO uses to estimate the costs and other fiscal, social, or economic effects of legislation. For each estimate of the costs and other fiscal effects of legislation, the CBO must also disclose, in a manner sufficient to permit replication by individuals not employed by the CBO, the data, programs, models, assumptions, and other details of the computations used to prepare the estimate. For data that may not be disclosed, the CBO must make available to Congress and the public a complete list of all data variables for the data; descriptive statistics for all data variables for the data, to the extent that the descriptive statistics do not violate the rule against disclosure; a reference to the statute requiring that the data not be disclosed; and contact information for the individual or entity who has unrestricted access to the data.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Threat Assessment, Prevention, and Safety Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a Joint Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Task Force, which shall provide recommendations to Congress and DHS on the development and implementation of a national strategy for preventing targeted violence through behavioral threat assessment and management. The bill defines behavioral threat assessment and management as the systematic and evidence-based process of (1) identifying individuals whose behavior indicates a capacity for committing acts of violence, (2) investigating and gathering information from multiple sources to assess whether such individuals pose a threat, and (3) the subsequent management of such a threat. DHS shall (1) develop and implement the national strategy and provide information and training services related to it, and (2) award grants to establish community based units for implementing the national strategy.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
This bill directs the Department of State to include additional information in its annual reports concerning Taiwan's participation at the World Health Organization's World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer. The report shall describe changes and improvements to the State Department's plan to support Taiwan's observer status at the WHA, following any meetings at which Taiwan did not participate under such status. (China has opposed Taiwan's participation, based on its position that Taiwan is part of China and not a separate country.)