United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2019
Savanna's Act This bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review, revise, and develop law enforcement and justice protocols to address missing and murdered Indians. The bill requires DOJ to take the following actions: provide training to law enforcement agencies on how to record tribal enrollment for victims in federal databases, develop and implement a strategy to notify citizens of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, conduct specific outreach to Indian tribes regarding the ability to publicly enter information through the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System or other non-law enforcement sensitive portal, develop guidelines for response to cases of missing and murdered Indians, provide training and technical assistance to Indian tribes and law enforcement agencies for implementation of the developed guidelines, and report statistics on missing and murdered Indians. Federal law enforcement agencies must modify their guidelines to incorporate the guidelines developed by DOJ. The FBI shall include gender in its annual statistics on missing and unidentified persons published on its website.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2019
This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment Act or the SURVIVE Act This bill requires the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime to make grants to Native American tribes for programs and services for crime victims, such as domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, child abuse programs, child advocacy centers, elder abuse programs, medical care, legal services, relocation, and transitional housing. In addition, the bill makes 5% of the Crime Victims Fund available for these grants.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Retired Pay Restoration Act This bill authorizes the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability. Under current law, only veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 50% or more receive both without offset. Individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability shall be eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 This bill requires the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make arrangements for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps (commonly known as the "Hello Girls").
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2019
Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act of 2019 or the BRACE Act of 2019 This bill permanently extends the tax credit for railroad track maintenance. The extension applies to expenditures paid or incurred during tax years beginning after 2017. Assignments of miles of railroad track, including related expenditures, for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, and before January 1, 2019, must be treated as effective as of the close of such taxable year if they are made pursuant to a written agreement entered into within 90 days of the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act or the TRACED Act This bill implements a forfeiture penalty for violations (with or without intent) of the prohibition on certain robocalls. The bill also removes an annual reporting requirement for enforcement relating to unsolicited facsimile advertisements. The bill requires voice service providers to develop call authentication technologies. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) shall promulgate rules establishing when a provider may block a voice call based on information provided by the call authentication framework, but also must establish a process to permit a calling party adversely affected by the framework to verify the authenticity of their calls. The FCC shall also initiate a rulemaking to help protect a subscriber from receiving unwanted calls or texts from a caller using an unauthenticated number. This bill requires the Department of Justice and the FCC to assemble an interagency working group to study and report to Congress on the enforcement of the prohibition of certain robocalls. Specifically, the working group will look into how to better enforce against robocalls by examining issues like the types of laws, policies, or constraints that could be inhibiting enforcement. The bill requires the FCC to initiate a proceeding to determine whether its policies regarding access to number resources could be modified to help reduce access to numbers by potential robocall violators.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2019 This bill delays reimposition of the annual fee on health insurers until 2022. Under current law, the annual fee for a health insurer is calculated based on the insurer's share of total premiums from the preceding year. The fee is suspended for 2019 (i.e., there is no fee based on premiums from 2018); reimposition is scheduled for 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act This bill modifies the requirements for calculating taxable income to exclude from gross income civil damages, restitution, or other monetary awards (including compensatory or statutory damages and restitution imposed in a criminal matter) awarded to victims of peonage, slavery, or human trafficking.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
TRICARE Reserve Improvement Act This bill expands TRICARE Reserve Select eligibility to include members of the Selected Reserve who are enrolled or eligible to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019 This bill appropriates funding to provide compensation to certain employees of contractors who lost pay or leave due to the lapse in appropriations that began on December 22, 2018. Each agency subject to such lapse shall adjust the price of any contract for which the contractor was ordered to suspend, delay, or stop work as a result of the lapse. The agency shall compensate the contractor for reasonable costs incurred to (1) provide compensation, at an employee's standard rate of compensation, to any employee who was furloughed or laid off, or who was not working, who experienced a reduction of hours, or who experienced a reduction in compensation, as a result of the lapse, for the period of the lapse; or (2) restore paid leave taken by any employee during the lapse, if the contractor required employees to use paid leave as a result of the lapse. The maximum amount of weekly compensation of an employee for which an adjustment may be made may not exceed the lesser of the employee's actual weekly compensation or $965.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Youth Financial Learning Act This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants, on a competitive basis, to state educational agencies to integrate financial literacy education into public secondary schools.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Department of Veterans Affairs Contract, Leadership, and Ensuring Accountability and Reform Act of 2019 or the VA CLEAR Act of 2019 This bill addresses oversight of financial processes of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and also requires implementation of systems for maintaining specified records. Among other elements, the bill requires the VA to include specified elements in contracts it enters for services (e.g., measurable metrics to ascertain the performance of the provider of the service), submit a justification and plan for contracts for services that would incur an obligation of more than $2 billion, contract with a third party to review and audit the VA's financial processes and provide recommendations for improvement, and submit a justification for requests for supplemental appropriations. Additionally, the Inspector General of the VA and the Government Accountability Office must complete a review of a contract for services that would result in the VA incurring an obligation of more than $2 billion. The bill authorizes the Inspector General of the VA, in the performance of the functions assigned to such office, to subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses. Finally, the bill requires the VA to implement a centralized system to maintain and record completed reviews of administrative investigation boards, and the Veterans Health Administration must implement a centralized system for tracking instances where the VA has referred a clinician to a state's licensing board because of behavior or clinical outcomes.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019 This bill provides for a Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to the U.S. Merchant Mariners of World War II, in recognition of their service during World War II. Following the award of the medal, it shall be given to the American Merchant Marine Museum, where it shall be available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
This resolution authorizes the Senate Legal Counsel to represent the Senate in Texas v. United States , including to intervene as a party in the matter and any appellate or related proceedings, and to defend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
Medical Expense Savings Act This bill makes permanent the reduction in the adjusted gross income threshold that must be exceeded before a taxpayer is allowed to claim an itemized tax deduction for medical expenses. (In 2017, the threshold was temporarily reduced from 10% to 7.5% for 2017 and 2018. This bill makes the 7.5% threshold permanent.)
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
Creating a Reliable Environment for Veterans' Dependents Act of 2019 This bill addresses funding for care of dependents of homeless veterans. Grant recipients under the Department of Veterans Affairs comprehensive service program for homeless veterans receive per diem payments for services furnished to homeless veterans. The bill provides that furnishing care for a dependent in the care of a homeless veteran (who is receiving services from a grant recipient) may count as a service for which grant recipients can receive per diem payments.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
Jobs and Premium Protection Act This bill repeals the annual fee on health insurers. Under current law, the fee is suspended for 2019 and is scheduled to be reimposed in 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
This resolution declares that (1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable John Chester Culver, former Member of the Senate; and (2) when the Senate adjourns on January 10, 2019, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the Honorable John Chester Culver.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Udall Park Land Exchange Completion Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to convey without consideration, to the city of Tucson, Arizona, the reversionary interest of the United States in and to an approximately 172.8-acre parcel of land owned by the city for the purpose of unencumbering the title to such land to enable its economic development.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
La Paz County Land Conveyance Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of the Interior, after receiving a request from La Paz County, Arizona, to convey to the county 5,935 acres of specified federal land. Interior shall exclude from such conveyance any federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources. The federal land is withdrawn from the operation of U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Cottonwood Land Exchange Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture, upon request by Yavapai County, Arizona, to convey to the county 80 acres of land within Coconino National Forest in exchange for 369 acres of county land.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
No Budget, No Pay Act This bill prohibits Members of Congress from being paid in a fiscal year until both chambers approve the budget resolution and pass all regular appropriations bills for that fiscal year. Retroactive pay is prohibited for such a period.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
American Miners Act of 2019 This bill transfers certain funds to provide pension and health benefits for retired coal miners who have been affected by issues such as coal company bankruptcies. The Department of the Treasury must transfer additional funds to the 1974 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Pension Plan to pay pension benefits required under that plan if the annual limit on transfers under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 exceeds the amount required to be transferred for existing obligations of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund. The bill also increases the annual limit on transfers from $490 million to $750 million. The bill also adds miners affected by 2018 coal company bankruptcies to the group whose retiree health benefits are taken into account in determining the amount that Treasury must transfer under current law to the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan. Additionally, the bill (1) reduces the minimum age for in-service distributions under certain retirement plans, and (2) extends the increased rates for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund excise tax.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2018
Expresses: (1) appreciation for the profound public service of former President George H.W. Bush, and (2) deep sympathy to the entire family of the former President.
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2018
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 special circumstances, and to adjust the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2018
Drought Relief through Innovative Projects Act or the DRIP Act This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to award grants to qualified partnerships to: (1) remove non-native plant species that contribute to drought conditions, and (2) replace the non-native plant species with native plant species. A "non-native plant species" is a plant species that: (1) is non-native (or alien) to an ecosystem; and (2) when introduced to the ecosystem causes, or is likely to cause, economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health. A "qualified partnership" is a partnership between: (1) at least one flood control district; and (2) at least one city, county, township, town, borough, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a state.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the House should revise its procedures for consideration of legislation and amendments by adopting proposals to: encourage and reward consensus-driven governing, foster the passage of member initiatives that solve constituent priorities, increase accountability and transparency, and elect a Speaker who is representative of the entire body.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2018
Protecting the Health and Wellness of Babies and Pregnant Women in Custody Act or the Pregnant Women in Custody Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for prisoners who are pregnant or in postpartum recovery. Additionally, it requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to include, in the National Prison Statistics Program and Annual Survey of Jails, statistics on the health needs of incarcerated pregnant women. A Bureau of Prisons facility must provide appropriate services and programs to address the health and safety needs of women inmates related to pregnancy and childbirth. The Government Accountability Office must study the services and protections for pregnant incarcerated women in state and local correctional settings.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2018
Cyber Ready Workforce Act This bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants to workforce intermediaries (entities that facilitate the establishment of registered apprenticeship programs and that may partner with a business or community-based organization, or specified other partners) to support the creation, implementation, and expansion of such programs in cybersecurity.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2018
Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act This bill amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The bill eliminates the requirement that the funds which are deposited into the LWCF remain in there until appropriated by Congress to carry out the purposes of the LWCF. Funds deposited into the LWCF may be spent without being subject to the appropriations process. These funds are in addition to amounts made available by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 or otherwise appropriated from the LWCF. The President shall submit to Congress detailed account, program, and project allocations as part of the President's annual budget submission. At least 1.5% of the annual authorized funds shall be used for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2018
Access to Capital Creates Economic Strength and Supports Rural America Act or the ACCESS Rural America Act This bill increases the shareholder registration threshold for issuers receiving support through federal universal service support mechanisms, which provide communication services to underserved areas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2018
Protect Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act of 2018 This bill amends the National Housing Act to repeal waiting period requirements for guarantees provided by the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Specifically, Ginnie Mae may guarantee a security backed by a refinanced Department of Veterans Affairs housing loan without a waiting period.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2018
Border Tunnel Task Force Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Department of Homeland Security to establish border tunnel task forces in jurisdictions in which such task forces can contribute to border security missions after evaluating: (1) whether the areas in which they would be established are significantly impacted by cross-border threats; and (2) the availability of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement resources to participate in such task forces. The purpose of the task forces is to enhance and integrate border security efforts for addressing and reducing cross-border tunnel related threats and violence by facilitating collaboration among law enforcement agencies and enhancing information sharing among such agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2018
Black Mountain Range and Bullhead City Land Exchange Act of 2018 This bill directs the Department of the Interior, upon request by Bullhead City, Arizona, to convey to to the city 345.2 acres of specified federal land in exchange for 1,100 acres of city-owned land in the Black Mountain Range. The lands acquired by Interior shall be, upon acquisition, automatically and permanently withdrawn from appropriation and disposal under the public land laws and specified laws regarding geothermal resources.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2018
Full Military Honors Act of 2018 This bill provides full military honors for the funeral of an eligible veteran who: is first interred or inurned in Arlington National Cemetery on or after enactment of this bill, was awarded the medal of honor or the prisoner-of-war medal, and is not entitled to full military honors because of such veteran's grade.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2018
Empowering Financial Institutions to Fight Human Trafficking Act of 2018 This bill allows a qualified nonprofit organization to share information with financial institutions and other authorities regarding possible human trafficking or related money laundering activities. The Department of the Treasury must determine which financial institutions are eligible to receive this information. Nonprofit organizations, financial institutions, and other authorities shall not be held liable for sharing this information in compliance with specified regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2018
Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act This bill extends tribal jurisdiction over certain crimes. Specifically, the bill extends tribal jurisdiction over: violence committed against a child by a caregiver; violence against law enforcement officers involved in preventing, investigating, arresting, or prosecuting a person for domestic violence, dating violence, or child violence; attempted dating violence or domestic violence; or threatened dating violence or domestic violence. In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2022 grants to tribal governments to support exercising jurisdiction and conducting proceedings related to crimes of domestic violence, including the crimes added to tribal jurisdiction by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2018
Supports renaming the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, after Senator John McCain in recognition of his long support for NATO.
United States · United States Congress · 21 August 2018
Amends Rule XXV (Limitations on Outside Earned Income and Acceptance of Gifts) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House from serving as an officer or member of the board of any publicly held or publicly regulated corporation, financial institution, or business entity. Specifies that this prohibition shall not apply, however, to uncompensated service as an officer or member of the board of an organization that is either tax-exempt or principally available to Members or employees of the House.
United States · United States Congress · 10 August 2018
Threat Assessment, Prevention, and Safety Act of 2018 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish within itself a Joint 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 threat assessment and management. The task force shall make recommendations relating to the most effective use of existing government infrastructure, workforce, and experience, unit support, training, and school violence prevention. The bill defines "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 to assess whether such individuals pose a real threat; and (3) the subsequent management of such a threat. DHS shall develop and implement the national strategy and provide information and training services related to it. The bill directs DHS to award grants to governmental and educational entities and nongovernmental organizations to establish community based units for implementing the national strategy.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Finding Orphan-disease Remedies With Antifungal Research and Development Act of 2018 or the FORWARD Act of 2018 This bill establishes a series of programs and requirements relating to certain fungal disease research and treatment, including a grant program to support research on Valley Fever.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2018
Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act This bill establishes the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund and requires 50% of all energy development revenues for FY2019-FY2023 to be deposited into such fund. Amounts deposited in the fund must not exceed $1.3 billion for any fiscal year and must be used for meeting high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2018
Protect Election Systems from Foreign Control Act This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require state and local governments to ensure that vendors who provide, support, or maintain any component of a voting system used in a federal election are solely owned and controlled by citizens, unless the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants the vendor a waiver. Vendors must disclose any sourcing of parts from outside the United States or material changes in ownership or control. The Federal Election Commission and DHS shall publish cybersecurity best practices for vendors. Voting systems and vendor information technology infrastructure must be developed and maintained in a manner consistent with the best practices. Vendors must report suspected security incidents.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
FinCEN Improvement Act of 2018 This bill amends the duties of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). FinCEN must work with tribal law enforcement agencies, protect against terrorism regardless of origin, and coordinate internationally on matters involving emerging technology and virtual currency.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2018
Assistance for Firms Harmed by Tariffs on Exports Act This bill provides financial assistance to companies harmed by retaliatory foreign tariffs. It expands the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program, which currently provides such assistance to companies adversely affected by competing imported goods and services. Companies that have seen a significant decrease in sales of exported goods or services, in whole or in part as a result of tariffs imposed by foreign countries in response to U.S. tariff increases, may petition the Department of Commerce for trade adjustment assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2018
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the federal government and is not subject to privatization.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2018
Get Reinvesting in Opportunities for Workers American Jobs Act of 2018 or the GROW American Jobs Act of 2018 This bill provides statutory authority for the SelectUSA program within the Department of Commerce. The program shall aim to facilitate business investments in the United States, help coordinate federal activities to increase the impact of federal resources supporting such investments, and maximize the impact of its assistance on job creation and economic growth.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2018
Improving Strategies to Counter Weapons Proliferation Act This bill requires the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report on the usage of financial activity data collected by FinCEN related to weapons proliferation.
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