United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in recognition and celebration of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The coins shall be in the shape of a dome, and the design on the common reverse of the coins shall depict a basketball. Treasury shall hold a competition to determine the design of the common obverse of the coins, which shall be emblematic of the game of basketball. The bill requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by Treasury to the Hall to fund an endowment for increased operations and educational programming.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Protecting the Rights Of Towns against federal Eforcement contrary to Constitutional Tenets for Immigration Act of 2017 or the PROTECT Immigration Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that the authority to inquire about or verify immigration or citizenship status and to investigate, apprehend, arrest, or detain an individual for a violation of such Act is restricted to immigration officers and authorized employees of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and subject to limits set forth in other provisions of law. DHS authority to enter into written agreements with a state or state subdivision to perform immigration-related investigations, apprehensions, or detentions of aliens in the United States is eliminated. The bill exempts from the restriction under this bill DOJ authority to enter into other state and local agreements: (1) in the event of an actual or imminent mass influx of aliens representing urgent circumstances; and (2) with respect to immigration-related detentions in non-federal facilities, including personnel and facilities construction. The bill also exempts from such restriction state and local enforcement authority to arrest and detain certain previously-deported illegal aliens who have been convicted of a felony.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that the Act's regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties do not apply to with respect to marijuana. It removes marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols from schedule I. (A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that: has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act.) Additionally, it eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who imports, exports, manufactures, distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute marijuana. The bill does, however, make it a crime to knowingly ship or transport marijuana into a state where its receipt, possession, or sale is prohibited. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act or the RACE for Children Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to expand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for sponsors of certain drugs and biological products for adult cancer to assess the use of their medications in pediatric populations. (Currently, applications for FDA approval of new medications or new uses of medications must include pediatric assessments of safety and effectiveness for claimed indications, with exceptions.) The pediatric assessment for medications, including orphan drugs, that are used to treat cancer in adults and target a molecule germane to pediatric cancer must assess the safety and effectiveness of the medication for pediatric cancer. The bill limits waivers of pediatric assessments for medications that target a molecule germane to a pediatric cancer for which there is a need for additional treatment options. The FDA may require the sponsor of an approved medication that targets a molecule germane to pediatric cancer to complete a pediatric assessment if: (1) the medication is used for a substantial number of pediatric cancer patients, or (2) there is reason to believe the medication would have a meaningful therapeutic benefit over existing therapies for pediatric cancer patients. The FDA committee that reviews requests for pediatric studies must implement a plan to achieve earlier submission of pediatric studies. (Currently, completion of pediatric clinical studies requested by the FDA extends the patents or marketing exclusivity period for a medication by six months, with exceptions.) The FDA must act within 120 days on proposed pediatric study requests and proposed amendments to requests.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Orphan Products Extension Now Accelerating Cures and Treatments Act of 2017 or the OPEN Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to extend by six months the exclusivity period for a drug or biological product approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when the product is additionally approved to prevent, diagnose, or treat a new indication that is a rare disease or condition (also known as an orphan disease). HHS may revoke an extension if the application submitted to the FDA for the new indication contained an untrue material statement. HHS must notify the public of products that receive this extension and patents related to those products. Products may receive only one extension under this bill. Extensions under this bill are in addition to other extensions. The bill applies only to products approved after enactment of this bill for a new indication that is a rare disease or condition.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
Repeal of the Authorization for Use of Military Force This bill declares that Congress finds that the Authorization for Use of Military Force (P.L. 107-40) has been used to justify an open-ended authorization for the use of military force and such an interpretation is inconsistent with the authority of Congress to declare war and make all laws for executing powers vested by the Constitution in the U.S. government. The bill repeals the Authorization for Use of Military Force, effective 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2017
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Edwin Cole "Ed" Bearss in recognition of his contributions to the preservation of American Civil War history and his continued efforts to bring our nation's history alive for new generations through his interpretive storytelling.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2017
Social Security Fairness Act of 2017 This bill amends title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal the "government pension offset" and the "windfall elimination provision." Under current law, those provisions reduce OASDI benefits for individuals who receive a pension based on earnings in government employment that was not covered under the Social Security program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act of 2017 or the FAST Act of 2017 This bill specifies that, under Medicare, telehealth services include telehealth-eligible stroke services provided to an individual soon after the onset of acute-stroke symptoms. Certain originating-site requirements applicable to telehealth services under Medicare shall not apply with respect to such stroke services.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to revise the list of permissible sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities to include dogs and cats obtained: (1) from a licensed dealer, (2) from a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that meets specified requirements, (3) by donation from a person who bred and raised the dog or cat or owned it for not less than one year, or (4) from a research facility licensed by the Department of Agriculture. The requirements pertaining to sources apply to dogs and cats obtained through sales, donations, or offers. Monetary penalties are established for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Recognizes the importance of establishing a national Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. Encourages all people to reflect on the importance of political leadership and vigilance and on the values of justice and civil rights during times of uncertainty and emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Recognizes the historical significance of February 19, 1942, the date Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Roosevelt, restricting the freedom of Japanese Americans, German Americans, and Italian Americans, and legal resident aliens through required identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal property, and incarceration. Expresses support for the goals of the Japanese American, German American, and Italian American communities in recognizing a National Day of Remembrance to increase public awareness of such events.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Stopping Mass Hacking Act This bill repeals an amendment to rule 41 (Search and Seizure) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure that took effect on December 1, 2016. The amendment allows a federal magistrate judge to issue a warrant to use remote access to search computers and seize electronically stored information located inside or outside that judge's district in specific circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Redistricting Reform Act of 2017 This bill prohibits a state that has been redistricted after an apportionment of Members of the House of Representatives based on the results of the census from being redistricted again until after the next apportionment, unless the state is ordered by a court to conduct redistricting in order to comply with the Constitution or the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Redistricting must be conducted in accordance with a plan established by a state independent redistricting commission or, if such a plan is not established, in accordance with a redistricting plan established by a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. This bill sets forth provisions relating to: (1) the establishment and procedures of state independent redistricting commissions, including requirements for commissions to hold their meetings in public and maintain a public website; (2) the development and publication of preliminary redistricting plans; (3) the establishment of a redistricting plan by a three-judge panel and redistricting conducted under a federal court order; and (4) Election Assistance Commission payments to states for carrying out redistricting. This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to bring a civil action to enforce this bill. The action must be given expedited consideration.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2017 This bill amends title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period for disability insurance benefits for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord). Under current law, individuals must wait five months after becoming disabled before their disability insurance benefit payments can begin.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
ACO Assignment Improvement Act of 2017 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish additional requirements for assigning Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries to accountable care organizations (ACOs) under the Medicare shared savings program. Under current law, the program enables ACOs to receive payments for savings stemming from care coordination and management. The bill requires the basis for assignment to reflect beneficiaries' utilization of not only primary care services provided by ACO physicians, but also those provided by other ACO practitioners. Other ACO practitioners include physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse-midwives, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and registered dieticians or nutrition professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Social Security Expansion Act This bill amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to: (1) increase the primary insurance amount for all eligible beneficiaries, beginning in 2023; (2) revise computation of cost-of-living adjustments to use the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers; and (3) increase the special minimum primary insurance amount for lifetime low earners based on years in the workforce. This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) apply employment and self-employment taxes to remuneration up to the contribution and benefit base and to remuneration in excess of $250,000, and (2) increase the tax rate on investment gain from 3.8% to 10% and allocate specifed amounts of such tax revenue to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders Research Enhancement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the National Institutes of Health to expand, intensify, and coordinate its activities with respect to functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders (FGIMDs), including by: expanding basic and clinical research into FGIMDs by implementing the research recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases, providing support for the establishment of centers of excellence on FGIMDs, supporting innovative approaches to educating health care providers and patients regarding strategies that improve patient-provider relationships and care, directing the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to provide the necessary funding for the continued expansion and advancement of the FGIMDs research portfolio, and directing NIDDK and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to expand research into FGIMDs that impact children. The Department of Health and Human Services may engage in public awareness and education activities to increase understanding and recognition of FGIMDs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Inclusive Prosperity Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose an excise tax on the transfer of ownership in certain securities (covered transaction), including any share of stock in a corporation, any partnership or beneficial interest in a partnership or trust, any note, bond, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (excluding tax-exempt municipal bonds), or derivative financial instruments; (2) impose a penalty on taxpayers who fail to include a covered transaction on their tax return or information statement; and (3) allow an individual taxpayer whose modified adjusted gross income does not exceed $50,000 ($75,000 for married taxpayers filing joint returns) a tax credit for the amount of tax paid on covered transactions.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2017
Condemns the permanent position of Steve Bannon on the National Security Council (NSC). Urges: (1) President Trump to remove Bannon from the NSC, and (2) Congress to expend any necessary resources to protect U.S. national security and remove Bannon from such position.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2017
Weekend Voting Act This bill amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to change the timing for regularly scheduled elections for the House of Representatives, Senate, and electors of the President and Vice President to the first Saturday and Sunday after the first Friday in November. Each state shall by law establish the hours of operation for polling places. This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the holding of elections over a weekend should be carried out in a manner which does not interfere with religious practices and should result in cost savings to the taxpayer.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2017
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the new markets tax credit, (2) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for such credit after 2016, and (3) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax for such credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments initially made after 2016).
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2017
Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act This bill exempts veterans from Department of Veteran Affairs medical copayments for medication or hospital care and medical services related to preventive health services. The bill includes in the definition of preventive health services: (1) evidence-based items or services that have an A or B rating in the recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force; (2) immunizations that have a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to the individual involved; and (3) with respect to women, such additional preventive care and screenings not otherwise described in (1) as provided for in guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2017
American Savings Account Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a new retirement option for all employees and self-employed individuals to be known as the American Savings Account Fund. This fund operates in a manner similar to the Thrift Savings Fund, which is available to federal employees. The bill establishes an American Savings Account Board of Directors to establish policies for fund investment and management. The board shall select or establish a list of investment funds and options similar to those in the Thrift Savings Fund, among which participants may choose. The board shall establish an American Savings Account Fund Advisory Council to advise the board on matters relating to investment policies. The American Savings Account Fund is tax-exempt and contributions to, or distributions from, it are excludible from gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2017
Condemns: (1) the killing of peaceful protesters and excessive use of force by Ethiopian security forces; (2) the detention of journalists, students, activists and political leaders who exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression through peaceful protests; and (3) the abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation to stifle political and civil dissent and journalistic freedoms. Urges: (1) protesters in Ethiopia to refrain from violence and from encouragement or acceptance of violence in demonstrations, and (2) all armed factions to cease their conflict with the Ethiopian government and engage in peaceful negotiations. Calls on the government of Ethiopia to: lift the state of emergency; end the use of excessive force by security forces; investigate the killings and excessive use of force that took place as a result of protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions; release dissidents, activists, and journalists who have been imprisoned for exercising constitutional rights; respect the right to peaceful assembly and guarantee freedom of the press; engage in open consultations with citizens regarding its development strategy; allow a United Nations rapporteur to conduct an independent examination of the state of human rights in Ethiopia; address the grievances brought forward by representatives of registered opposition parties; hold accountable those responsible for killing, torturing, and detaining innocent civilians who exercised their constitutional rights; and investigate and report on the circumstances surrounding the September 3, 2016, shootings and fire at Qilinto Prison, the deaths of persons in attendance at the annual Irreecha festivities at Lake Hora near Bishoftu on October 2, 2016, and the ongoing killings of civilians over several years in the Somali Regional State by police. Calls on such government to repeal proclamations that: can be used to harass or prohibit funding for organizations that investigate human rights violations, engage in peaceful political dissent, or advocate for greater political freedoms; prohibit those displaced from their land from seeking judicial redress; permit the detention of peaceful protesters and political opponents who legally exercise their rights to freedom of expression and association; and limit peaceful nonprofit operations in Ethiopia. Calls on: (1) the Department of State to review security assistance and improve oversight of U.S. assistance to Ethiopia; (2) the U.S. Agency for International Development to lead efforts to develop a strategy to support improved democracy and governance in Ethiopia; and (3) the State Department, in cooperation with the Department of the Treasury, to apply appropriate sanctions on foreign persons or entities responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against any nationals in Ethiopia;. Supports the peaceful efforts of the Ethiopian people to exercise their constitutional rights.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2017
Russia Sanctions Review Act of 2017 This bill provides that the following executive orders, as in effect on January 1, 2017, and any sanctions imposed pursuant to such orders, shall remain in effect: (1) Executive Order 13694 (relating to blocking property of certain persons engaging in significant malicious cyber-enabled activities); (2) Executive Orders 13660, 13661, and 13662 (relating to blocking property of certain persons contributing to the situation in Ukraine); and (3) Executive Order 13685 (relating to blocking property of certain persons and prohibiting certain transactions with respect to the Crimea region of Ukraine). Before taking any action to waive or otherwise limit the application of sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation, the President shall submit to specified congressional committees a report that: (1) describes the proposed action; and (2) certifies that the Russian government has ceased ordering or supporting acts intended to undermine Ukraine's peace, security, stability,sovereignty, or territorial integrity and has ceased cyber attacks against the U.S. government and U.S. persons and entities. During the 120-day period following a report's submission: (1) the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs shall review such report and certification, and (2) the President may not take action to waive or otherwise limit the application of such sanctions. The President may not take action to waive or otherwise limit the application of sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation: (1) for 12 days after the date of passage by both Houses of Congress of a congressional joint resolution disapproving such action, (2) for 10 days after the the President vetoes such joint resolution, and (3) if such joint resolution is enacted as provided for by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2017
Supports the goals and ideals of Engineers Week to increase understanding of, and interest in, engineering and technology careers. Recognizes that engineering education is a critical component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2017
Same Day Registration Act of 2017 This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require states with a voter registration requirement to make same-day voter registration available at the polling place on any day voting is permitted.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2017
Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2017 This bill waives Medicare coinsurance requirements with respect to colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of the code billed for a resulting diagnosis or procedure.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2017
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into an agreement or a contract with each state home to pay for adult day health care for a veteran eligible for, but not receiving, nursing home care. The veteran must need such care specifically for a service-connected disability or the veteran must have a service-connected disability rated 70% or more. Payment under each agreement or contract between the VA and a state home must equal 65% of the payment that the VA would otherwise pay to the state home if the veteran were receiving nursing home care.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2017
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide an individual in any removal, exclusion, or deportation proceeding or inspection (excluding primary inspections as defined by Department of Homeland Security policies) with a right to representation (at no expense to the government) by counsel of such individual's choosing, including remote counseling if counsel cannot personally meet with the individual. A person held or detained at a port of entry may not submit a valid Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status or Withdrawal of Application for Admission if such person has been denied access to counsel. The bill extends the right to be accompanied, represented, and advised by counsel or other qualified representative before a government agency to any person subject to a proceeding, examination, holding, or detention. The holding or detention of individuals at a port of entry or at any holding or detention facility overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall: (1) be limited to the briefest term and the least restrictive conditions practicable, (2) be consistent with the rationale for such holding or detention; and (3) shall include access to food, water, and rest room facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2017
Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2017 This bill allows federal employees to substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay for either the birth of a child or the placement of a child for adoption or foster care. It makes available for any of the 12 weeks of leave an employee is entitled to for such purposes: (1) six administrative weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth or placement involved, and (2) any accumulated annual or sick leave. The Office of Personnel Management may promulgate regulations to increase the amount of paid parental leave available to such an employee to a total of 12 administrative workweeks. Such regulations must consider certain factors, including benefit and cost to the federal government. The bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow the same substitution for covered congressional employees, Government Accountability Office (GAO) employees, and Library of Congress employees. Service in the National Guard or the Reserves by employees of the executive branch, Congress, the GAO, or the Library of Congress shall count as service for purposes of determining eligibility to take or substitute leave as allowed under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2017
Federal Executive Accountability Act of 2017 This bill requires the President to appoint an Inspector General of the Executive Office of the President. Such Inspector General shall be under the authority, direction, and control of the President with respect to audits, investigations, or the issuance of subpoenas that require access to information concerning the identity of a confidential source, an intelligence or counterintelligence matter, and an undercover operation. The President may prohibit such Inspector General from carrying out any audit or investigation or issuing any subpoena upon determining that such prohibition is necessary to prevent the disclosure of any such information. The bill amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to require the Inspector General established by this bill to include the following additional information in its required semiannual report to the head of its establishment: a description of corrective action completed on each significant recommendation; a certification of whether such Inspector General has had full and direct access to all information relevant to the performance of its functions; a description of any audit, inspection, or evaluation occurring during the reporting period in which such Inspector General could not obtain relevant information due to an exercise of presidential power; and any recommendations regarding efficiency in the administration of programs and operations undertaken by the President and the detection and elimination of fraud, waste, and abuse. Such Inspector General shall carry out two evaluations of the Executive Office of the President to: (1) assess whether applicable classification procedures have been followed within such office; and (2) identify policies and procedures that may be contributing to persistent misclassification of material within such office.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2017
Directs the Department of Justice to transmit to the House of Representatives copies of any of its documents, records, memos, correspondence, or other communications that refer or relate to: (1) any criminal or counterintelligence investigation targeting President Donald J. Trump, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Carter Page, Roger Stone, or any employee of the Executive Office of the President (EOP); (2) any investment by any foreign government or agent of a foreign government in any entity owned in whole or in part by President Trump; (3) President Trump's proposal to maintain an interest in his business holdings, while turning over day-to-day operations of those interests to his sons; (4) President Trump's plan to donate the profits of any foreign government's use of his hotels to the Treasury; (5) the Foreign Emoluments Clause in the U.S. Constitution as it may pertain to President Trump or any EOP employee; and (6) select federal statutes governing conflicts of interest as they may pertain to President Trump or any EOP employee.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to extend through FY2022 support for nursing workforce programs and grants. Eligibility for advanced nursing education grants is expanded to include education programs for clinical nurse leaders and all combined registered nurse and graduate degree programs. (Clinical nurse leaders are advanced generalist clinicians who apply research and coordinate care in order to improve outcomes for patients.) To be eligible for these grants, clinical nurse specialist programs must provide registered nurses with full-time clinical nurse specialist education that qualifies the nurses to provide a full range of care. Programs for loan repayment and scholarships for nurses, loans for nursing faculty, and geriatric care education are extended through FY2022. Grants for increasing nursing workforce diversity are also extended through FY2022. Nurse education, practice, and quality grants are extended through FY2022 and eligibility is expanded to include nurse-managed health clinics. Grants for nursing career ladder programs are expanded to: (1) promote career advancement for individuals to become registered nurses or advanced education nurses; and (2) support internships and residency programs to encourage mentoring and the development of specialties.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2017 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and maintain a voluntary registry of firefighters to collect history and occupational information that can be linked to existing data in state cancer registries. The registry must be used to improve monitoring of cancer among firefighters and to collect and publish epidemiological information regarding cancer among firefighters. The CDC should seek to include specified information in the registry, including the number and type of fire incidents attended by an individual. To collect information for the registry, the CDC may incorporate questions into existing public health surveys, questionnaires, and other databases. The CDC must: (1) develop a strategy to maximize participation in the registry; (2) develop guidance for states and firefighting agencies regarding the registry; (3) encourage inclusion in the registry of data on minority, female, and volunteer firefighters; and (4) seek feedback on the registry from nonfederal experts. The CDC must develop a process for making registry data available for research without a fee if findings or publications from the research are made public or available to stakeholders.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Special Priority on Aircrafts and Coverage Equity Act of 2017 or SPACE-A This bill directs the Department of Defense to provide transportation on scheduled and unscheduled military flights within the continental United States and on scheduled overseas flights on a space-available basis for veterans with a service-connected, permanent disability rated as total on the same basis as such transportation is provided to members of the Armed Forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Protecting Our Border Communities Act of 2017 This bill states that: (1) beginning on January 25, 2017, Executive Order 13767, entitled "Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements," is null and void, shall have no force and effect, and may not be implemented or enforced; and (2) no federal funds may be used to implement or enforce any of the policy changes set forth in such order. Among the order's provisions concerning border security and immigration enforcement along the southern border of the United States are directives concerning physical barriers, detention facilities, additional Border Patrol agents, requirements for reporting on foreign aid to Mexico, and parole and asylum procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
VA Employee Fairness Act of 2017 This bill repeals provisions excluding any matter or question concerning professional conduct or competence, peer review, or the establishment, determination, or adjustment of employee compensation from the applicability of collective bargaining rights for Veterans Health Administration employees.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
This bill provides eligibility for beneficiary travel through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to a veteran whose travel to a specialized outpatient or residential program at a VA facility is in connection with treatment or care for military sexual trauma.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2017 This bill establishes a tax credit, a tax exclusion, and requirements that apply to the purchase or distribution of menstrual hygiene products. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) expand the tax exclusion for reimbursements from a health flexible spending arrangement to include amounts paid or incurred for menstrual hygiene products, and (2) allow a refundable tax credit of $120 for certain individuals who use menstrual hygiene products, subject to adjustments for inflation and a limitation based on adjusted gross income. The bill amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to require the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board to establish written guidelines for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to ensure that funds provided under the program to private nonprofit organizations and local governments may be used to provide menstrual hygiene products. Each state that receives a grant under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program must annually certify to the Department of Justice (DOJ) that all female inmates and detainees in that state have access to menstrual hygiene products on demand and at no cost to the inmates and detainees. If a state does not submit the required certification, DOJ must reduce the state's grant funding under the program by 20% and reallocate the funding to states that submitted certifications. This bill also amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to require the Department of Labor to issue a rule requiring private employers with not less than 100 employees to provide free menstrual hygiene products for their employees.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act or the FAMILY Act This bill establishes the Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration (SSA). The bill entitles every individual to a family and medical leave insurance (FMLI) benefit payment for each month beginning on the first day of the month in which the individual meets the criteria specified below and ending 365 days later (benefit period), not to exceed 60 qualified caregiving days per period. An individual qualifies for such a benefit payment if such individual: is insured for disability insurance benefits under the Social Security Act at the time an application is filed; has earned income from employment during the 12 months before filing it; and was engaged in qualified caregiving (any activity for which the individual would be entitled to leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993), or anticipates being so engaged, during the 90-day period before the application is filed or within 30 days after. The bill prescribes a formula for determination of an individual's monthly benefit, as well as for the maximum and minimum amounts. An FMLI benefit payment shall be coordinated with any periodic benefits received under a state or local temporary disability insurance or family leave program. The bill prescribes criteria that make an individual ineligible for an FMLI benefit payment and specifies prohibited acts by an employer and penalties for violations. The bill establishes the Federal Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund. FMLI benefit payments shall be made only from this fund. No amounts from the Social Security Trust Funds or appropriated to the SSA to administer Social Security programs may be used for FMLI benefits or administration. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a tax on every individual and employer, all self-employment income, and every railroad employee, employee representative, or railroad employer to finance the Federal Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund for FMLI benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover certain lymphedema compression treatment items as durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Saracini Aviation Safety Act of 2017 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an order to require: (1) the installation of secondary barriers, other than the cockpit door, to prevent access to the flight deck of each covered aircraft; (2) such barriers on the aircraft with a cockpit door to remain locked while the aircraft is in flight and the cockpit door separating the flight deck and the passenger area is open; and (3) such barriers on the aircraft without a cockpit door to remain locked as determined by the pilot in command. "Covered aircraft" is defined as a commercial aircraft: (1) equipped with more than 75 passenger seats, and (2) with a maximum gross takeoff weight of more than 75,000 pounds.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Community Trust Act of 2017 This bill nullifies Executive Order 13768, entitled "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States," beginning on January 25, 2017, and prohibits the use of any federal funds to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out any of the policy changes set forth in such order. Among other things, that order raises questions regarding whether, and to what extent, federal agencies will withhold federal grant funds that would have otherwise been awarded to jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with a federal statute that bars states and localities from restricting sending or receiving information to or from federal immigration authorities (sanctuary jurisdictions).
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Risk Management and Homeowner Stability Act of 2017 This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to prohibit the chairs of the congressional budget committees from counting increases to guarantee fees as offsets for budget enforcement purposes. The bill includes an exception for legislation that increases guarantee fees to finance reforms to the secondary mortgage market. (Guarantee fees are charged by enterprises, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association [Fannie Mae] and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation [Freddie Mac], to guarantee the payment of principal and interest on loans. This bill prevents the fees from being used to offset provisions that increase the deficit in determining whether a budget point of order applies to legislation.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2017
Protecting America's Workers Act This bill amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) to increase the scope of the Act by applying its coverage to federal, state, and local government employees. However, the bill makes OSHA inapplicable to working conditions covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. The bill revises requirements governing worker protection, including by: increasing protections for whistle-blowers as well as employees participating in or aiding inspections; directing employers to furnish a hazard-free place of employment to all individuals, not just employees; requiring the posting of employee rights concerning protection from retaliation; requiring site logs of employees' work-related injuries and illnesses, including those of employees of other employers and contractors; directing employers to report work-related deaths or hospitalizations; prohibiting employers from discouraging accurate record keeping and reporting of work-related injuries or illnesses; requiring the Department of Labor to investigate an incident in the workplace that results in the death of an employee or one that results in the hospitalization of two or more employees; establishing rights for victims, or representatives of victims, with respect to inspections or investigations of work-related bodily injuries or deaths; setting the permitted period for employers to correct serious, willful, or repeated violations while citations for the violations are being contested; increasing civil and criminal penalties for certain violations; expanding enforcement requirements relating to state occupational safety and health plans, including by allowing Labor concurrent enforcement authority in states where the state plans fail to meet minimum requirements; and expanding requirements for workplace health hazard evaluations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
![Official portrait of Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/671024d7ec807bca66057fcb_200.jpg)