United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2018
Declares that the Senate: (1) notes with deep sorrow and solemn mourning the death of former President George H.W. Bush, (2) extends heartfelt sympathy to former President George W. Bush and the entire family of former President George H.W. Bush, and (3) honors and expresses deep appreciation for former President George H.W. Bush's outstanding and important service to his country. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on December 5, 2018, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of former President George H.W. Bush.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2018
Authorizes a Senator, officer, or employee of the Senate to: (1) collect nonmonetary donations of clothing, toys, food, and housewares for charitable purposes related to serving persons in need during the holiday season, if the charitable purposes do not otherwise violate any rule or regulation of the Senate or of federal law; and (2) work with a nonprofit organization with respect to the delivery of such donations.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2018
Condemns: (1) the anti-Semitic attack at the Tree of Life synagogue building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2018, in which 11 innocent people were killed and 6 were injured, and (2) rising anti-Semitism. Honors the memory of the victims and expresses the hope that their memory may be a blessing to their families and community. Reaffirms the commitment of the United States to condemn anti-Semitism, protect the right of people in the United States to freely exercise their religious beliefs, and ensure their safety and security.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 2018
Prohibiting Incentives for Corporations that Kickout Employees Tax (PICKET) Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 35% for corporations participating in a labor lockout during the taxable year. A "labor lockout" is a dispute involving a work stoppage, wherein an employer withholds work from its employees in order to gain a concession from them. The bill also denies certain tax deductions and credits for remuneration (including wages or other benefits) paid by the taxpayer to a temporary replacement worker during a labor lockout.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 2018
Native American Voting Rights Act of 2018 This bill updates the voting rights of Native American and Alaska Native voters. These updates include, but are not limited to: expanding the types of facilities that can be used as voter registration agencies, increasing polling site accessibility, providing enforcement power to citizens and attorneys general, requiring approval for actions like moving a polling place, validating certain tribal identification for voting or registering, and expanding requirements for bilingual voting accessibility. The bill establishes a Native American voting task force grant program for the purpose of increasing voter outreach, education, registration, turnout, and accessibility for Native American communities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2018
Common Sense Opportunities Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify provisions concerning the federal TRIO programs (programs designed to identify and provide services for students from disadvantaged backgrounds), including to prohibit the Department of Education (ED) from rejecting an application for student assistance solely because it contains a technical error, unless ED notifies the applicant of the error and the applicant does not correct it by the resubmission deadline.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2018
Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 This bill amends and reauthorizes through FY2023 the Museum and Library Services Act and provides funding for library services and technology through FY2023. The bill expands the definition of "library" and "museum" to include a tribal library or museum and expands the services museums are authorized to provide. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the 21st Century Museum Professional Program established by this bill, may enter into arrangements with museum, museum consortia and associations, institutions of higher education, and other entities for projects to: increase the number of students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds enrolled in graduate and undergraduate museum-related programs; recruit future museum professionals from such backgrounds; develop new or enhance current professional development and retention programs for museum professionals and the museum workforce; and support and conduct research, needs assessments, pilot programs, and evaluation of education and professional development programs to recruit, prepare, educate, and retain the next generation of museum professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2018
This bill reinstates and extends the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine and regulate diseases that warrant a presumption of service connection after exposure to a herbicide agent. Under a presumption of service connection, specific diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits may then be awarded.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2018
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of the Treasury rule (Rev. Proc. 2018-38) that modifies the requirements for information returns filed by certain tax-exempt organizations. The Treasury rule exempts certain tax-exempt organizations that are not 501(c)(3) organizations from the requirement to report the names and addresses of their contributors on returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The organizations must continue to collect and keep the information to make it available to the IRS upon request.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2018
Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2018 This bill extends and otherwise revises specified Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs and services, including those related to health care, benefits, and homeless veteran reintegration. TITLE I--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY Subtitle A--Health Care Matters (Sec. 101) The bill extends through FY2020 copayment guidelines for hospital care and nursing home care. (Sec. 102) The bill extends through FY2020 VA authority to provide nursing home care to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. (Sec. 103) The bill removes appropriations limitations on family caregiver assistance for veterans. (Sec. 104) The bill makes permanent the authority of the VA to recover from a third party the costs of care for a non-service-connected disability. (Sec. 105) VA authority to transfer real property is extended through FY2020. (Sec. 106) The bill extends through FY2020 a pilot program for providing child care for veterans receiving health care. (Sec. 107) The bill extends through FY2020 the VA's grant authority for programs related to rural veteran transportation in connection with the provision of medical care. (Sec. 108) The bill extends through FY2020 a pilot program related to reintegration and counseling in retreat settings for women veterans. (Sec. 109) The bill extends through FY2019 an initiative to assess the feasibility of paying actual travel expenses in connection with veterans receiving care from VA centers. Subtitle B--Benefits Matters (Sec. 121) The bill makes permanent the authority of the VA to assist certain veterans with difficulty ambulating in acquiring and adapting housing with special features. (Sec. 122) The bill extends through FY2020 grants to encourage the development of new assistive technologies for specially adapted housing. (Sec. 123) The bill makes permanent the authority of the VA to guarantee certain mortgage-backed securities. (Sec. 124) The bill makes permanent provisions related to calculating the value of foreclosed property. (Sec. 125) The bill extends through FY2019 the VA's authority regarding property management. (Sec. 126) The bill makes permanent the authority of the VA to provide rehabilitation and vocational benefits for members and former members of the armed services with severe injuries or illnesses. (Sec. 127) The bill extends through FY2020 the agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to research associations between diseases and certain chemical compounds in herbicides. Subtitle C--Homeless Veterans Matters (Sec. 141) The bill extends through FY2020 a program for homeless veteran reintegration. (Sec. 142) The bill extends through FY2020 a reintegration program for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children. (Sec. 143) This bill extends through FY2020 referral and counseling services for veterans at risk for homelessness transitioning from institutional living. (Sec. 144) This bill extends through FY2020 programs providing outreach services and other assistance to homeless veterans and veterans with severe mental illness. (Sec. 145) The bill increases the amounts authorized to be appropriated in FY2018 and FY2019 for financial assistance for entities that support very low-income veteran families in permanent housing. (Sec. 146) The bill extends through FY2020 grant programs for homeless veterans with special needs. (Sec. 147) The bill extends through FY2022 the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans. Subtitle D--Other Matters (Sec. 161) The bill extends through FY2020 the authority to transport individuals to and from VA facilities. (Sec. 162) The bill extends through FY2019 the authority for operation of the VA's regional office in Manila, Philippines. (Sec. 163) The bill extends through FY2020 authorization of appropriations for the VA to provide monthly assistance allowances to specified veterans participating in Olympic programs. (Sec. 164) The bill extends through 2020 the VA's reporting requirement regarding equitable relief. (Sec. 165) The bill extends through FY2020 the authorization of appropriations for the Adaptive Sports Program for disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 166) The bill: (1) extends through FY2022 the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans, and (2) requires the committee to report on relevant VA activities every other year rather than every year. TITLE II--IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (Sec. 201) The bill provides that modifications to contracts under the Veterans Community Care Program are not subject to specified bid requirements. (Sec. 203) Veterans Care Agreement coverage is expanded to any individual eligible for services through the VA. (The Veterans Care Agreement is a program that provides third-party health care if health care is not feasibly available from a VA facility.) (Sec. 204) The VA is allowed (currently, required) to deduct overpayments from payments owed to a health care entity. The VA may also use other means to collect overpayments. (Sec. 205) The bill expands eligibility for specified mental health services to veterans eligible for, but not enrolled in, VA health care. (Sec. 206) The bill expands the network of prescription drug monitoring programs accessible to VA health care providers to include state and regional programs not a part of the national network. (Sec. 207) The bill eliminates reporting requirements related to activities contracted out by the VA. (Sec. 208) The VA must complete additional reporting regarding the availability of opioid receptor antagonists (e.g., naloxone). (Sec. 209) The bill expands certain health care assessment reports to include the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. (Sec. 210) The bill authorizes a specified medical facility project in West Los Angeles, California. (Sec. 211) The bill extends a veterans medical school scholarship program to the entering class of 2020. TITLE III--OTHER MATTERS (Sec. 301) An educational institution providing educational benefits to veterans must charge in-state tuition rates for certain veterans entitled to rehabilitation as a condition of the institution's participation in certain VA education benefit programs. (Sec. 302) The bill revises conflict of interest restrictions for VA employees related to educational institutions. Specifically, the bill removes advance notice and hearing requirements regarding conflict waivers, limits the restrictions to those VA employees working on education benefit programs, and reduces the punishment for such activity. (Sec. 303) The bill revises VA authority to enter into certain leases at the West Los Angeles, California, campus. Specifically, in the case of previous mismanagement, the VA may not enter into a new lease or land-sharing agreement until the VA certifies compliance with certain audit reports or evaluations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2018
Strengthening Minority-Serving Institutions Act of 2018 This bill permanently extends mandatory funding programs for historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions and increases the authorized funding levels for such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2018
Native American Suicide Prevention Act of 2018 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require a state or state-designated entity receiving support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for development and implementation of a statewide youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategy to agree to collaborate with each of the state's federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and Native Hawaiian health care systems regarding the strategy.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2018
Expresses the sense of the Senate 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 in whole or in part.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2018
Seasonal Airport Parity Act This bill allows designated nonhub commercial service airports receiving scheduled air carrier service for fewer than six months annually (i.e., seasonal airports) to receive minimum apportionments of funds available to sponsors of primary airports. The airport must have passenger boardings of at least 8,000 in the calendar year used to calculate the apportionment.
United States · United States Congress · 28 August 2018
This joint resolution nullifies a rule by the Department of Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services regarding short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans. Short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans are plans that may only offer coverage for a limited amount of time under law and that are exempt from the market requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (e.g., coverage of individuals with preexisting conditions). The rule increases the maximum authorized duration of such plans from less than 3 months (including renewals) to an initial maximum duration of less than 12 months (with a total duration of up to 36 months, including renewals). The rule takes effect October 2, 2018.
United States · United States Congress · 28 August 2018
Guarantee Access to Arts and Music Education Act of 2018 or the GAAME Act of 2018 This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to specify that Title I funds (which support the instructional needs of students from low-income families) may be used for arts and music programs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 August 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable John Sidney McCain, III, a Senator from Arizona. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on August 27, 2018, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 16 August 2018
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Paul Laxalt, former Member of the Senate. Extends deepest condolences and gratitude to his family. Honors Paul Laxalt's legacy, life, service to the Senate, and commitment to the people of Nevada and the United States. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on August 16, 2018, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Paul Laxalt.
United States · United States Congress · 15 August 2018
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States: (1) condemns all forms of violence against children globally, (2) recognizes the impact of violence upon the healthy development of children, and (3) should develop a strategy for ending such violence.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2018
Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of: one Congressional Gold Medal to Katherine Johnson, in recognition of her service to the United States as a mathematician; one Congressional Gold Medal to Dr. Christine Darden, for her service to the United States as an aeronautical engineer; and two Congressional Gold Medals in commemoration of the lives of Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, in recognition of their service to the United States during the Space Race.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2018
VA Hiring Enhancement Act This bill negates enforcement of a noncompete agreement that an applicant for a physician's position in the Veterans Health Administration has entered into with a non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility, entity, or individual. The bill requires a physician to have completed residency training prior to being appointed to a VA position but authorizes the VA to offer contingent appointments to physicians in training for up to two years prior to completion of such training.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2018
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitor Center Extension Act This bill extends the authority for the construction of a visitor center at or near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
Improving Rural Access to Power Act of 2018 This bill amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to authorize Federal Home Loan Banks to purchase certain securities from cooperatives that: (1) have certain investment experience involving the Rural Utilities Service, and (2) have received financing from the Federal Financing Bank.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2018
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 information must also be made available to the public. 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 · 25 July 2018
Department of Veterans Affairs Tribal Advisory Committee Act of 2018 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs to advise the VA on matters relating to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native American veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2018
Commemorates the lives, careers, and service of the five victims of the Capital Gazette shooting in Annapolis, Maryland. Honors the survivors of the attack and the families of the victims and pledges continued support for their recovery. Thanks law enforcement officers and other emergency first responders for their heroic actions. Reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to defending the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2018
Designates July 13, 2018, as Collector Car Appreciation Day. Recognizes that the collection and restoration of historic and classic cars is an important part of preserving the technological achievements and cultural heritage of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2018
Stop Taxing Our Potential Act of 2018 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 · 28 June 2018
Expresses support for the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Recognizes that LGBTQ rights are human rights and protected by the U.S. Constitution and international treaties. Encourages the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month in June.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2018
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2018 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2018 This bill expands the ban on election contributions by foreign nationals to include corporations subject to specified levels of ownership or control by foreign nationals. The bill also expands (1) reporting requirements related to campaign contributions, and (2) disclosure requirements related to the funding sources of political advertisements.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2018
Securing All Livestock Equitably Act of 2018 or the SALE Act of 201 8 This bill amends the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 to require all livestock purchased by a dealer in cash sales and all inventories of, or receivables or proceeds from, such livestock to be held by the dealer in a trust until all unpaid cash sellers of the livestock have been paid. The bill exempts from the requirement any dealer whose average annual purchases of livestock do not exceed $250,000. A dealer and cash seller may voluntarily waive the requirement using a written agreement that meets specified requirements. The bill also specifies requirements regarding enforcement, preserving a trust, notifying lien holders, and purchasing or transferring livestock that is subject to a trust.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2018
"Hello Girls" Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2018 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 · 25 June 2018
Servicemembers Improved Transition through Reforms for Ensuring Progress Act of 2018 or the SIT-REP Act of 2018 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to require educational institutions, in order to be eligible for educational payments, to adopt policies that prohibit penalizing student veterans for late VA assistance payments.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2018
Help Encourage a Lifetime of Public Service Act This bill makes first responders and certain farmers or ranchers eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and eliminates interest on federal student loans of certain borrowers employed in the public service sector.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2018
Expanded SUTA Act of 2018 This bill amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to expand the Department Agriculture (USDA) Substantially Underserved Trust Area (SUTA) authority to: (1) include all programs administered by the USDA rural development mission area, and (2) specify that USDA may use the authority for certain communities within former Indian reservations. (Under current law, the SUTA authority is limited to certain programs administered by the USDA Rural Utilities Service. The authority permits USDA to modify or waive certain requirements and procedures for loans and grants in order to improve the availability of programs in communities on trust land [e.g., land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans] that have a high need for the benefits of an eligible program.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2018
Designates June 2018 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month and June 27, 2018, as National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day. Expresses support for efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD), as well as the medical community, to educate members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, their families, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic stress. Expresses support for efforts by the VA and DOD to foster cultural change around the issue of post-traumatic stress. Welcomes the efforts of the VA's National Center for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and local Vet Centers to assist veterans suffering from the effects of this injury. Encourages U.S. Armed Forces commanders to support appropriate treatment of Armed Forces personnel who suffer from post-traumatic stress.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Honors the achievements of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 in democratizing higher education and affirms Congress's responsibility to ensure that veterans educational assistance endures as an honorable investment of public dollars.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2018
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2018 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 2018, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Each such increase shall be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2018
Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a working group to: (1) identify obstacles to safe, humane, and market-efficient transport of livestock, insects, and agricultural commodities; and (2) develop guidelines and recommended regulatory or legislative actions to improve the safe, humane, and efficient transport of livestock, insects, and agricultural commodities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2018
Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2018 This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to allow the reporting of certain positive consumer-credit information to consumer reporting agencies. Specifically, a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development may report information related to a consumer's performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a dwelling or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. However, information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications service may be reported only to the extent that the information relates to payment by the consumer for such service or other terms of the provision of that service. Furthermore, an energy-utility firm may not report a consumer's outstanding balance as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of that plan. Specified provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act that establish civil liability with respect to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies shall not apply to any violation of the bill. The Government Accountability Office must report on the consumer impact of such reporting.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
Modernizing Congressional Reporting Act of 2018 This bill requires federal agencies to submit reports, written communications, and other information to Congress in an electronic format, unless Congress requests a physical document.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2018
Keep Families Together Act This bill prohibits an agent or contractor of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Health and Human Services from removing a child who is under the age of 18 and has no permanent immigration status from his or her parent or legal guardian at or near the port of entry or within 100 miles of the U.S. border unless: an authorized state court determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed; a state or county child welfare official with expertise in child trauma and development determines that it is in the child's best interests to be removed because of abuse or neglect; or the Chief Patrol Agent or the Area Port Director authorizes separation based on a documented finding that the child is a trafficking victim or is at significant risk of becoming a victim, a strong likelihood exists that the adult is not the parent or legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect. An agency may not remove a child from a parent or legal guardian solely for the policy goals of deterring migration to the United States or of promoting immigration law compliance. The bill sets forth presumptions: (1) in favor of family and sibling unity and parental rights, and (2) that detention is not in the best interests of families and children. The Government Accountability Office shall conduct a study of the prosecution of asylum seekers.
![Official portrait of Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000464_200.jpg)