United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
American Future Healthcare Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to health savings accounts (HSAs), to: repeal the requirement that an individual making a tax deductible contribution to an HSA be covered by a high deductible health care plan; increase the maximum HSA contribution level; allow Medicare eligible individuals to contribute to an HSA; allow HSAs to be used to purchase health insurance; provide a cost-of-living adjustment for the limits on additional contributions for individuals 55 or older (catch-up contributions); require the cost-of-living adjustments to be indexed to the CPI medical care component (the medical care component for the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department of Labor); and allow a rollover of HSA amounts to a Medicare Advantage Medical Savings Account (MSA).
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2017
Credit Union Residential Loan Parity Act This bill amends the Federal Credit Union Act to allow a credit union to extend a member business loan with respect to a one- to four-family dwelling, regardless of whether the dwelling is the member's primary residence. Under current law, a member business loan may be extended with respect to such a dwelling only if it is the member's primary residence.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
IRGC Terrorist Designation Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization and should be so designated by the Department of State. State shall submit to Congress: (1) a detailed report on whether the IRGC meets such criteria; and (2) if State determines the IRGC doe not meet such criteria, a detailed justification as to which criteria have not been met.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to eliminate the August 7, 2017, sunset date for the Veterans Choice Program, which would allow the program to operate until all of the money in the Veterans Choice Fund is expended.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2017
Hearing Protection Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm silencers, and (2) treat any person who acquires or possesses a firearm silencer as meeting any registration or licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to such silencer. Any person who pays a transfer tax on a silencer after October 22, 2015, may receive a refund of such tax. The bill amends the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2017 or the RPM Act of 2017 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to allow the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls if the vehicle is used solely for competition.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
State Health Flexibility Act of 2017 This bill amends the Social Security Act (SSAct) to replace federal requirements for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) with health care block grants to states. A state may use block grant funds to: (1) provide health care services to indigent individuals; (2) fund risk adjustment mechanisms for the purpose of subsidizing the cost of private health insurance for the high-risk population; and (3) support other welfare-related programs, as specified by the bill. In addition to repealing titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (CHIP) of the SSAct, the bill repeals: (1) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and (2) the Health Care and Educational Reconciliation Act of 2010. With respect to an alien not lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, a state may use grant funds to provide only emergency health care services, as specified by the bill. A state shall contract with an approved auditing entity for annual audits of its grant fund expenditures. The bill limits the authority of any federal agency to supervise a state's use of funds received under the block grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
This bill amends the federal criminal code to revise provisions related to the interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition. An individual may transport a firearm between two places (e.g., states) where it is legal to possess, carry, or transport the firearm. During transport, the firearm must be unloaded and secured or securely stored. Additionally, an individual may transport ammunition, or a detachable magazine or feeding device, between two places where it is legal to possess, carry, or transport the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device. During transport, the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device must not be loaded into a firearm and must be securely stored. This bill prohibits the arrest or detention of an individual for a state or local firearm or ammunition violation unless there is probable cause to believe the individual failed to comply with the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2017
Requires both chambers of Congress to assemble annually in the Hall of the House of Representatives to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General on the Government Accountability Office's audited financial statement of the accounts and associated activities of the executive branch, together with an analysis of the financial position and condition of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017 This bill includes as part of the Republic of Vietnam its territorial seas for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Health Care Choice Act of 2017 This bill repeals the health insurance and health coverage expansion requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and related provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Provisions of law amended or repealed by those provisions are restored. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to provide that the laws of a state designated by a health insurer (primary state) apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that insurer in any state (secondary state) if the coverage, states, and insurer comply with the conditions of this bill. Insurers are exempted from any secondary state's laws that would prohibit or regulate the operation of the insurer in that state. The primary state is given sole jurisdiction to enforce its covered laws in any secondary state. The Government Accountability Office must study the effect of this bill on specified health insurance issues.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2017
Protect Family Farms and Businesses Act This bill prohibits proposed Internal Revenue Service regulations published on August 4, 2016, relating to restrictions on liquidation of an interest with respect to estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes from taking effect. The bill prohibits funds from being used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the proposed regulations or any substantially similar regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
Guides and Outfitters Act or the GO Act This bill amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to specify the circumstances in which the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may: (1) issue special recreation permits for federal recreational lands and waters, and (2) charge a special recreation permit fee for them. Interior and USDA may issue special recreation permits: for specialized individual and group use of federal facilities and federal recreational lands and waters; to recreation service providers who conduct outfitting, guiding, and other recreation services on federal recreational lands and waters; and to recreation service providers who conduct recreation or competitive events, which may involve incidental sales on federal recreational lands and waters. Interior and USDA shall issue joint permits for the use of lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Interior shall publish guidelines for establishing recreation permit fees. Revenues from special recreation permits issued to recreation service providers shall be used to: (1) offset partially Interior's direct cost of administering permits, and (2) improve and streamline the permitting process. When reviewing and adjusting allocations for the use of priority use permits for special uses of federal recreational lands and water managed by the Forest Service USDA shall allocate to the permit holder a prescribed amount subject to a cap. USDA and Interior shall implement a program that authorizes temporary permits for new recreational uses of federal recreational lands and waters managed by the Forest Service or the BLM, respectively. A permit holder prohibited by a state from indemnifying the federal government shall be considered to be in compliance with Interior and USDA indemnification requirements if the permit holder carries the required minimum amount of liability insurance coverage or is self-insured for the same minimum amount. Interior and USDA shall revise certain: special land use and special recreation permit regulations to streamline the processes for the issuance and renewal of outfitter and guide special use permits, and cost recovery fee regulations to reduce costs and minimize the burden of cost recovery on small businesses and adverse impacts of cost recovery on jobs in the outfitting and guiding industry and on rural economies. If a holder of a special use permit for outfitting and guiding that authorizes priority use has requested renewal of the permit, USDA may grant one or more existing permit extensions for additional items for up to five years altogether, as necessary to allow completion of the renewal process and avoid the interruption of services under the permit.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
Recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel Act This bill states that it is U.S. policy to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should recognize the sovereign status of an undivided Jerusalem as Israel's capital, (2) recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and transferring the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv will signal U.S. commitment to Israel, (3) the President and the Department of State should affirm as a matter of U.S. policy that Jerusalem must remain Israel's undivided capital, (4) the President should implement the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and begin the process of relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and (5) U.S. officials should refrain from actions that contradict U.S. law on this subject. The bill states that any official U.S. government document that lists countries and their capital cities should identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The President shall relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by January 1, 2019. The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 is amended to eliminate the President's authority, effective January, 1, 2018, to waive certain funding limitations for State Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
American Health Care Reform Act of 2017 This bill repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective January 1, 2018. The bill restores provisions amended by the repealed provisions. This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax standard deduction for health insurance. Provisions regarding health savings accounts (HSAs) are revised, including to raise contribution limits and to expand the products and services that may be paid for using an HSA. Group health plans may vary premiums and cost-sharing based on participation in a wellness program. This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide grants to states for high risk health insurance pools. Individual health insurance coverage is governed by the laws of a state designated by the health insurance issuer. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services must publish Medicare claims and payment data. This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for association health plans, which are group health plans sponsored by certain business associations. Veterans with certain service-related disabilities or who have been awarded a medal of honor must be provided access to medical services though specified entities other than the Department of Veterans Affairs. Independent medical review panels must review health care lawsuits in which the defendant alleges adherence to clinical practice guidelines. Federal courts have jurisdiction over health care lawsuits. This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to revise non-security discretionary spending limits.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2017
Healthcare Tax Relief and Mandate Repeal Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the requirements added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that: (1) individuals purchase and maintain minimum essential health care coverage, and (2) employers who have a workforce of 50 or more full-time employees provide health insurance coverage for their employees.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Protect Medical Innovation Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on the sale of a medical device by the manufacturer, producer, or importer.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. A qualified individual must: (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid concealed carry permit issued by any state or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence. Additionally, the bill specifies that a qualified individual who lawfully carries or possesses a concealed handgun in another state: (1) is not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone, and (2) may carry or possess the concealed handgun in federally owned lands that are open to the public.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2017 This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete, within 12 months, an audit of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks. In addition, the bill allows the GAO to audit the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks with respect to: (1) international financial transactions; (2) deliberations, decisions, or actions on monetary policy matters; (3) transactions made under the direction of the Federal Open Market Committee; and (4) discussions or communications among Federal Reserve officers, board members, and employees regarding any of these matters.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Gaining Responsibility on Water Act of 2017 This bill requires the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project in California to be operated pursuant to the water quality standards and operational constraints described in the "Principles for Agreement on the Bay-Delta Standards Between the State of California and the Federal Government" dated December 15, 1994. The Department of the Interior shall cease any action to implement the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. The Bureau of Reclamation shall complete specified feasibility studies for water storage projects in California. Interior is directed, in the operation of the CVP, to adhere to California's water rights laws governing water rights priorities and to honor water rights senior to those held by the United States. Interior, in the operation of the Trinity River Division of the CVP, shall not make releases from Lewiston Dam in excess of specified volumes for each water-year type. Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall recognize: (1) congressional opposition to the violation of private property rights by the California State Water Resources Control Board in its proposal to require a minimum percentage of unimpaired flows in the main tributaries of the San Joaquin River; and (2) the need to provide reliable water supplies to municipal, industrial, and agricultural users across the state. The Bureau of Reclamation is established as the lead agency for purposes of coordinating all reviews, permits, licenses, or other approvals or decisions required under federal law to construct qualifying water projects. Reclamation shall identify, as early as practicable upon receipt of an application for a qualifying project, any federal agency that may have jurisdiction over a review, permit, license, approval, or decision required for a qualifying project. Interior must convert certain existing water service contracts between the United States and water users' associations to repayment contracts, upon the request of the contractor, to allow for the prepayment of such contracts. The bill amends the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 to authorize Interior to develop additional project benefits through the construction of new or supplementary works. Neither Interior nor USDA may condition or withhold issuance or renewal of any land use permit based on federal limitations or encumbrances or otherwise infringe on state water rights.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking. A federal agency promulgating a rule must publish information about the rule in the Federal Register and include in its report to Congress and to the Government Accountability Office: (1) a classification of the rule as a major or nonmajor rule, and (2) a copy of the cost-benefit analysis of the rule that includes an analysis of any jobs added or lost. A "major rule" is any rule that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds results in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. A joint resolution of approval must be enacted within 70 session days or legislative days after the agency proposing a major rule submits its report on such rule to Congress in order for the rule to take effect. A major rule may take effect for 90 days without such approval if the President determines it is necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, for the enforcement of criminal laws, for national security, or to implement an international trade agreement. The bill sets forth the congressional approval procedure for major rules and the congressional disapproval procedure for nonmajor rules. A joint resolution addressing a report classifying a rule as a major rule must be introduced within three legislative days in the House of Representative and three session days in the Senate. The bill prohibits any amendments to, and provides for expedited consideration of, such a joint resolution. A court may review whether an agency has completed the necessary requirements under this bill for a rule to take effect. The bill limits the effect of a joint resolution of approval of a major rule. The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended to provide that any congressional approval procedure set forth in this bill affecting budget authority, outlays, or receipts shall be assumed to be effective unless it is not approved in accordance with this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
New IDEA Act or the New Illegal Deduction Elimination Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny a tax deduction for wages and benefits paid to or on behalf of an unauthorized alien. The bill also extends to six years the period for assessing and collecting underpayments of tax due to deductions claimed for wages paid to unauthorized aliens. The Social Security Administration (SSA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of the Treasury must jointly establish a program to share information that may lead to the identification of unauthorized aliens. Treasury must provide information to DHS and the SSA regarding employers who paid nondeductible wages to unauthorized aliens and the aliens to whom such wages were paid. The bill amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to: (1) make permanent the E-Verify Program for verifying the employment eligibility of alien workers, (2) apply such program to current employees in addition to new hires, (3) establish a rebuttable presumption that employers who participate in the E-Verify Program and obtain confirmation of identity and employment eligibility have not violated hiring requirements under such Act, and (4) allow employers participating in the E-Verify Program to make a conditional offer of employment pending final verification of the identity and employment eligibility of the job applicant.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Sarah's Law This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the detention of an alien: (1) who was not inspected and admitted into the United States, who held a revoked nonimmigrant visa (or other nonimmigrant admission document), or who is deportable for failing to maintain nonimmigrant status; and (2) who has been charged in the United States with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall make reasonable efforts to: obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which such alien was charged or convicted; and provide the victim, or a parent, guardian, spouse, or closest living relative of a deceased victim, with information about such alien, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal, beginning with taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans).
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Preventing Overreach Within the Executive Rulemaking System Act of 2017 or the POWERS Act of 2017 This bill prohibits publication or service of a rule for 60 days following the date of the publication of the notice of proposed rulemaking for such rule. If, during such period, a House or Senate committee that has jurisdiction over the provision of law authorizing the rule submits written data, views, or arguments to the agency, it shall, within 10 days, publish a response in the Federal Register. (The period beginning on the date of such submission and ending on the date of such publication shall not count as part of the 60-day period during which publication or service of the rule is prohibited.) The 10-day response requirement shall not apply to a subsequent committee submission if the agency: (1) determines that such subsequent submission fails to address the content of such response or raises issues that were not raised in the initial submission or the response, and (2) notifies the committee of such determination.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting the U.S. government from increasing its debt except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the membership of each house of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Require Evaluation before Implementing Executive Wishlists Act of 2017 or the REVIEW Act of 2017 This bill prohibits a final agency rule from being published or taking effect until the agency submits the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), and the OIRA makes a determination as to whether the rule is a high-impact rule. The bill defines a "high-impact rule" as a rule that may impose an annual cost on the economy of at least $1 billion. An agency shall postpone the effective date of a high-impact rule until the final disposition of all actions seeking judicial review of the rule.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334: undermined the long-standing U.S. position to oppose and veto Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel; undermines the prospect of Israelis and Palestinians resuming productive, direct negotiations; and contributes to the politically motivated acts of boycott, divestment from, and sanctions against Israel and represents a concerted effort to extract concessions from Israel outside of direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, which must be actively rejected. Such resolution characterizes Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as illegal and demands cessation of settlement activities. Declares that: any future measures taken in international or outside organizations to impose an agreement including the recognition of a Palestinian state will set back the cause of peace, harm the security of Israel, run counter to the enduring bipartisan consensus on strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship, and weaken support for such organizations; a sustainable peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians will come only through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties resulting in a Jewish, democratic state living next to a demilitarized Palestinian state in peace and security; the United States should work to facilitate direct negotiations between the parties without preconditions toward a peace agreement; and the U.S. government should oppose and veto future Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues or that are one-sided and anti-Israel. Declares that the House opposes Security Council Resolution 2334 and will work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. Calls for such resolution to be repealed or fundamentally altered.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Tax Code Termination Act This bill terminates the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 after December 31, 2021, except for self-employment taxes, Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes, and railroad retirement taxes. A two-thirds majority vote in Congress is required to change such termination date. The bill declares that any new federal tax system should be a simple and fair system that: (1) applies a low rate to all Americans, (2) provides tax relief for working Americans, (3) protects the rights of taxpayers and reduces tax collection abuses, (4) eliminates the bias against savings and investment, (5) promotes economic growth and job creation, and (6) does not penalize marriage or families. The new federal tax system must be approved by Congress in its final form by July 4, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
This joint resolution nullifies the Stream Protection Rule finalized by the Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement on December 20, 2016. The rule addresses the impacts of surface coal mining operations on surface water, groundwater, and the productivity of mining operation sites.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 2017
Disapproves of: (1) United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, adopted on December 23, 2016; and (2) President Obama and his administration's failure to veto such resolution. (The resolution reaffirms that settlements established by Israel in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, constitute a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to a two-state solution and comprehensive peace.) Calls for the U.S. government to oppose and veto Security Council resolutions that are one-sided and anti-Israel. Affirms the commitment of the House of Representatives: (1) to Israel, and (2) to work with future Presidents to strengthen the U.S. alliance with Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2016
No Funding for Sanctuary Campuses Act This bill amends title IV (Student Aid) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make an institution of higher education (IHE) that is a sanctuary campus ineligible for funds under title IV. It defines the term "sanctuary campus." The Department of Homeland Security must transmit to the Department of Education and publish in the Federal Register notice of a determination that an IHE is a sanctuary campus. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that providing in-state tuition to an alien who lacks lawful immigration status in the United States creates an incentive for illegal immigration and encourages and induces aliens to come to, enter, or reside in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2016
This bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system at 5901 East 7th Street, Long Beach, California, as the "Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center."
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2016
Veterans Earned Their Bonus Act or the VET Bonus Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Army from recouping a bonus or similar benefit that was provided to a member of the California Army National Guard between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2010, unless the Army proves, after a hearing opportunity, that the member knowingly: (1) participated in fraud or misrepresentation to receive the bonus or benefit, or (2) failed to satisfy the service requirement upon which the bonus or benefit was conditioned. A member shall be presumed to have acted in good faith in procuring the bonus or benefit and to have satisfied the service requirement. The Army shall: (1) reimburse a member for any amount previously recouped, plus interest; (2) notify each consumer reporting agency that any debt and recoupment measures linked to the bonus or benefit were not valid; and (3) provide financial assistance to a member who is facing financial hardship because of the recoupment measures.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
ACT to Improve VA Timing and Efficiency or the ACTivate Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) seek to award contracts to private entities to assist with scheduling and managing appointments for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system, and (2) ensure that such private entity assistance augments the VA's scheduling and appointment process.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to make an alien, other than a lawful permanent resident, who is identified in the terrorist screening database inadmissible or deportable on terrorist grounds. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the unanimous concurrence of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Department of State, may grant an individual a national security waiver to enter the United States temporarily as a nonimmigrant. An identified alien shall be ineligible for asylum, withholding or cancellation of removal, voluntary departure, adjustment of status, or acquisition of legal permanent residency through the registry provisions. DHS shall revise specified regulations implementing the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to: (1) exclude identified aliens from the protection of such regulations, and (2) make such aliens ineligible for withholding or deferral of removal under INA. The bill provides that, with respect to an alien who has not been granted a waiver under this bill and who either is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence or has been granted conditional resident status: (1) DHS shall determine inadmissibility or deportability and issue an order of removal for an identified alien; and (2) in the case of an alien not issued an order of removal, DHS may determine inadmissibility or deportability and issue an order of removal based upon terrorist activity. Such expedited proceedings shall include specified protections for the alien in removal.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
Export Control Reform Act This bill requires all of the following items that are on the United States Munitions List and the import or export of which is controlled by the President under the Arms Export Control Act on the date of this bill's enactment to be transferred to the Commerce Control List of dual-use items in the Export Administration Regulations: non-automatic and semi-automatic firearms, including all rifles, carbines, pistols, revolvers, and shotguns; non-automatic and non-semi-automatic rifles, carbines, revolvers, or pistols of a caliber greater than .50 inches (12.7 mm) up to and including .72 inches (18.0 mm); ammunition for such firearms excluding caseless ammunition; silencers, mufflers, and sound and flash suppressors; rifle scopes; barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames), or complete breech mechanisms; and related components, parts, accessories, attachments, tooling, and equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 560 East Pleasant Valley Road, Port Hueneme, California, as the "U.S. Naval Construction Battalion 'Seabees' Fallen Heroes Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Protect Family Farms and Businesses Act This bill prohibits proposed Internal Revenue Service regulations published on August 4, 2016, relating to restrictions on liquidation of an interest with respect to estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes from taking effect. The bill prohibits funds from being used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the proposed regulations or any substantially similar regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Condemns the government of Iran for the 1988 massacre of political prisoners and for denying the evidence of crimes against humanity. Urges: (1) the Administration and U.S. allies to condemn the massacre and pressure the Iranian government to provide detailed information to the victims' families about their loved ones and their final resting places; and (2) the United Nations (U.N.) Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran and the U.N. Human Rights Council to create a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the massacre, gather evidence, identify the perpetrators, and bring them to justice.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Protection from Insurance Exchange Monopolies Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the requirement to maintain minimum essential health coverage any individual residing in a county with fewer than two health insurance issuers offering qualified health plans on an exchange.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
United States and Israel Space Cooperation Act This bill directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to continue to work with the Israel Space Agency in identifying and cooperatively pursuing peaceful space exploration and science initiatives in areas of mutual interest.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2016
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 830 Kuhn Drive in Chula Vista, California, as the "Jonathan 'J.D.' De Guzman Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Emergency Forest Restoration Act This bill allows the Department of Agriculture (USDA), regarding National Forest System lands, or the Department of the Interior, regarding public lands, to develop and carry out a forest management activity on lands of the department concerned in a state when the activity's primary purpose is to address an insect or disease infestation that has been declared an emergency by the state governor. With specified exceptions, a categorical exclusion shall be available to USDA or Interior for these purposes. A "categorical exclusion" is an exception to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for a project or activity relating to the management of National Forest System lands or public lands that would otherwise be considered a major federal action. Beginning in FY2018, USDA shall identify the amount of funds, if any, appropriated in the previous fiscal year pursuant to the authorization of appropriations specified in this bill. Within five years of the end of the fiscal year in which an identification is made, USDA shall sell an amount of timber the sale of which is sufficient to recoup the identified amount and any associated costs. The bill prescribes requirements for the deposit of sales proceeds.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Taxpayers Before Insurers Act This bill rescinds specified departmental management funds from the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) unless HHS deposits into the Treasury specified funds derived from contributions collected under the Transitional Reinsurance Program. The rescission is required unless HHS deposits into the Treasury: (1) $2 billion for each of calendar years 2014 and 2015 within 45 days of enactment of this bill, and (2) $1 billion for 2016 by March 1, 2017. (The Transitional Reinsurance Program was created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PPACA] to stabilize premiums in the individual health insurance market by partially reimbursing insurers for high-cost enrollees. Health insurance issuers and certain group health plans make contributions to the program, and reinsurance payments are made to issuers for enrollees in certain individual market plans with claim costs within a specified level. Portions of the reinsurance contributions are allocated for the reinsurance payment pool, administrative expenses, and the Treasury.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Hunting, Education, and Recreational Development Act or the HEARD Act This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to dispose of federal lands under their respective jurisdictions by offering them for sale or exchange to units of local government in accordance with this bill. Before the offering of lands for sale or exchange, states or the unit of local government in whose jurisdiction the lands are located may elect to obtain any such lands for local public purposes pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. Interior or USDA, as appropriate, shall retain the elected lands for conveyance to such states or unit of local government in accordance with that Act. The bill prescribes requirements for disposition of the gross proceeds of the sales of lands under this bill, including that: 15% be paid to the state where the sale takes place to be used to supplement the education of students in kindergarten through grade 12, to supplement public support of institutions of public higher education, and to supplement state agricultural and natural resource agencies; and 10% of such proceeds be deposited in a special account to be created in the Treasury which may be used for the acquisition of recreational beneficial lands and interests (providing an opportunity for hunting, recreational fishing, recreational shooting, recreational off-highway vehicles, or other recreational purposes, or to achieve better management of public lands through consolidation of federal ownership).
![Official portrait of Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001177_200.jpg)