United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act This bill extends tribal jurisdiction over the following crimes: 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 grants to tribal governments for exercising tribal criminal jurisdiction for those crimes through FY2024.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act of 2019 This bill alters funding provisions, and establishes additional reporting requirements, relating to the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, which is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The program supports training for primary-care-physician and dental residents at community-based clinics. The bill (1) establishes certain parameters for payments to approved and newly approved graduate medical-residency training programs, and (2) requires HRSA to publish a report regarding new and expanded programs.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
This bill permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The greater of 1.5% of the annual authorized funding amount or $10 million 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 · 31 January 2019
Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2019 This bill allows Medicare payment for home health services ordered by a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, a certified nurse-midwife, or a physician assistant. Currently, coverage is provided only for services ordered by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2019 This bill allows hospitals and critical access hospitals to receive payment under Medicare for each resident that receives training in a rural training location, in accordance with specified criteria and limitations.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2019
Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2019 This bill provides for coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services under Medicare. It also excludes such services from the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system, and authorizes marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to develop discharge plans for post-hospital services.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Tribal School Federal Insurance Parity Act This bill allows schools that receive grants under the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 to participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits program.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019 This bill specifies that certain Medicare payment rules applicable to imaging services shall apply to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry services used in bone mass scans beginning in 2019. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must establish national minimum payment amounts for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Fred Korematsu 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 posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Fred Korematsu, in recognition of his contributions to civil rights, his loyalty and patriotism to the United States, and his dedication to justice and equality. The medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution and will be available for display and research, and can be loaned, as appropriate, for display elsewhere.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Spotlight Act This bill repeals an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revenue procedure (Rev. Proc. 2018-38) that exempts certain tax-exempt organizations that are not 501(c)(3) organizations from the requirement to report the names and addresses of substantial contributors (persons who contribute more than $5,000 per year) on information returns that are filed with the IRS. The bill requires tax-exempt organizations that fall under sections 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), and 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (e.g., social welfare organizations, labor organizations, business leagues) to disclose the names and addresses of all substantial contributors on their returns. The bill also eliminates the authority of the IRS to provide exceptions to the disclosure requirements for tax-exempt organizations. This provision does not apply to determinations made by the IRS before July 16, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2019
Paycheck Fairness Act This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex. It amends equal pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to (1) restrict the use of the bona fide factor defense to wage discrimination claims, (2) enhance nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) make it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increase civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. The bill directs the Department of Labor to: (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace is established for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. The bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act This bill revises a grant program administered by the Administration for Native Americans at the Department of Health and Human Services to preserve Native American languages. The minimum number of enrollees in educational programs funded by grants is reduced from 10 to 5 enrollees in Native American language nests, which provide instruction through the use of a Native American language for children under the age of 7 and their parents. For survival schools, which are programs striving for fluency in a Native American language and proficiency in other academic fields, the minimum number of enrollees is reduced from 15 to 10. The bill increases the maximum duration of grants. The program is reauthorized through FY2024.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2019
Tribal HUD-VASH Act of 2019 This bill provides statutory authority for the Tribal HUD-VASH program, which provides rental assistance and supportive services to Native American veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and living in or near an area where a tribe or tribally designated housing entity provides assistance for affordable housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is directed to use at least 5% of rental assistance amounts under the HUD-VASH program, which provides housing assistance to homeless veterans, for the Tribal HUD-VASH program. The Tribal HUD-VASH program shall be carried out in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). HUD and the VA shall consult with tribal organizations regarding the program's design and may make program modifications after consulting with tribal organizations. Program grants shall be made to entities eligible for Native American housing assistance block grants. HUD may make renewal grants to entities that have received prior program grants.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2019
Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act This bill allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by a physician.
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
Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act This bill authorizes advance appropriations for several covered appropriations accounts of (1) the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education within the Department of the Interior, and (2) the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. The advance appropriations provide new budget authority that first becomes available for the first fiscal year after the budget year. The covered accounts within the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education include (1) Operation of Indian Programs, (2) Contract Support Costs, and (3) the Indian Guaranteed Loan Program Account. The covered accounts within the Indian Health Service include (1) Indian Health Services, and (2) Contract Support Costs. The bill also requires the President's budget and the supporting documents submitted to Congress to include detailed estimates related to the advance appropriations.
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 · 17 January 2019
VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a clinical trial of the effects of medical-grade cannabis on the health outcomes of covered veterans diagnosed with chronic pain, and also those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Covered veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA patient enrollment system for hospital care and medical services.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 201 9 This bill expands tax incentives and federal assistance for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) that are sponsored by S corporations. The bill extends to all domestic corporations, including S corporations, provisions allowing deferral of tax on gain from the sale of employer securities to an ESOP. The Department of the Treasury must establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations. The bill defines an "ESOP business concern" and allows such a concern to continue to qualify as a small business for the purposes of programs under the Small Business Act. An "ESOP business concern" is a business concern that was a small business concern eligible for a loan, preference, or other program under the Small Business Act before more than 49% of the business concern was acquired by an ESOP.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2019
This resolution (1) recognizes that land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) have certain strategic characteristics, and (2) opposes efforts to unilaterally reduce the size of the ICBM force of the United States or delay the implementation of the next-generation ground-based strategic deterrent program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2019
Stop Senior Scams Act This bill establishes a Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Council, which shall create model educational materials to educate employees of retailers, financial-services companies, and wire-transfer companies on how to identify and prevent scams that affect seniors.
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
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
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
Stop Taxing Our Potential Act of 201 9 This bill prohibits a state from imposing on a person obligations related to collecting or paying a sales tax, use tax, or similar tax unless the person had a physical presence in the state during the calendar quarter with respect to which the obligation is imposed. A person is physically present if the person's business activities in the state include maintaining a commercial or legal domicile in the state; owning, holding, leasing, or maintaining certain property in the state; having one or more employees, agents, or independent contractors in the state who provide on-site design, installation, or repair services on behalf of the remote seller; having one or more employees, exclusive agents or exclusive independent contractors present in the state who engage in activities that substantially assist the person to establish or maintain a market in the state; or maintaining an office in the state at which three or more employees are regularly employed. The bill specifies certain activities and agreements that indicate a de minimis physical presence that is excluded from the definition of "physical presence." The bill also specifies that U.S. district courts have original jurisdiction over civil actions to enforce this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2019 This bill expands the categories of persons who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm or ammunition. Specifically, it prohibits firearm sale or transfer to and receipt, possession, shipment, or transport by a person who has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of stalking.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2019
Disability Integration Act of 2019 This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life. Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives. The bill requires the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue regulations requiring government entities and insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. Government entities must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy. Regulations shall also (1) require government entities and insurance providers to perform self-evaluation on current services, policies, and practices and concerning compliance with requirements of this bill; and (2) require government entities to submit a transition plan. HHS must determine annually whether each government entity is complying with the transition plan and must increase funding for those in compliance. The bill allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of its requirements.
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
Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act This bill allows a state to use federal funds to cover a higher percentage of the costs for the construction and expansion of public target ranges. Specifically, a state may use specified federal grant funds to pay up to 90% of such costs (rather than 75%, as under current law). Additionally, amounts provided for these purposes shall remain available for five fiscal years (rather than two, as under current law).
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2019
Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes for FY2020-FY2024 and makes appropriations for the Community Health Center Fund, which provides enhanced funding for the community health center program and the National Health Service Corps.
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
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 · 9 January 2019
Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act This bill withdraws specified National Forest System land in the Custer Gallatin National Forest in Park County, Montana, identified on the map titled "Emigrant Crevice Proposed Withdrawal Area," dated November 10, 2016, from (1) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; and (2) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing. Any land within the withdrawal area that is acquired by the federal government after enactment of this bill must be immediately withdrawn in accordance with this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Restoration Act of 2019 This bill extends federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. The bill makes the tribe and its members eligible for services and benefits provided to federally recognized tribes and their members, without regard to the existence of a reservation or the location of the residence of any member. The service area of the tribe is considered to be the area comprised of Blaine, Cascade, Glacier, and Hill Counties, Montana. The tribe must submit a membership roll to the Department of the Interior as a condition of receiving recognition, services, and benefits. The tribe must maintain the membership roll. Interior must take into trust for the benefit of the tribe 200 acres of land within the tribe's service area to be used for a tribal land base.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Natural Resources Management Act This bill sets forth provisions regarding various programs, projects, activities, and studies for the management and conservation of natural resources on federal lands. Specifically, the bill addresses, among other matters land conveyances, exchanges, acquisitions, withdrawals, and transfers; national parks, monuments, memorials, wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, historic and heritage sites, and other conservation and recreation areas; wildlife conservation; helium extraction; small miner waivers of claim maintenance fees; wildland fire operations; the release of certain federal reversionary land interests; boundary adjustments; the Denali National Park and Preserve natural gas pipeline; fees for medical services in units of the National Park System; funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund; recreational activities on federal or nonfederal lands; a national volcano early warning and monitoring system; federal reclamation projects; and search-and recovery-missions. In addition, the bill reauthorizes the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation Program and the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2019
Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act This bill directs the Department of Defense to provide chiropractic health care services and benefits through the TRICARE program to uniformed service members who are not on active duty and to uniformed service retirees. (Active duty members of the uniformed services are currently eligible for chiropractic services and benefits through the Chiropractic Health Care Program.)
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 This bill requires employees of the federal government or a District of Columbia public employer who are furloughed or required to work during a lapse in appropriations beginning on or after December 22, 2018, to be compensated for the period of the lapse. The employees must be compensated on the earliest date possible after the lapse ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates. Employees required to work during the lapse in appropriations may use leave.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2019
Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2019 This bill exempts traditional large and premium cigars from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and from user fees assessed on tobacco products by the FDA.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2018
Authorizes the Senate Legal Counsel to represent the Senate in Texas v. United States , including to intervene as a party in the matter and related proceedings, and to defend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2018
Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act of 2018 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a team of experts to report to Congress addressing issues in the implementation of educational housing assistance for veterans. Specifically, the team will address issues with the payment of educational housing stipends to eligible veterans, as a result of amendments made to the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, commonly known as the Forever GI Bill. Among other things, changes made to the act affected the calculation of the housing stipend amount based on campus location.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2018
Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2018 This bill repeals the 96-hour physician-certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services under Medicare. Under current law, as a condition for Medicare payment for such services, a physician must certify that a patient may reasonably be expected to be discharged or transferred to a hospital within 96 hours after admission to the critical access hospital.
![Official portrait of Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000464_200.jpg)