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United States · Official source
8,838 records where Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Recognizes the dedication and immense contributions of Congressman Michael M. Honda throughout his career to his constituents and the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2016
Honors: (1) the individuals who lost their lives in the tragic fire in Oakland, California, on December 2, 2016; and (2) the sacrifice of the individuals who put themselves in harm's way to help save lives and to respond to the fire. Expresses support for Oakland's continued emergency response efforts and work to assist the victims' families. Offers condolences and support to the victims' families and loved ones. Expresses solidarity with the people of the East Bay of California as they work to heal their community. Reaffirms a commitment to support long-term recovery efforts in partnership with local and state governments, citizens, and businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2016
Expresses support for: (1) the designation of National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, and (2) the efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services and the entire medical community to educate people about heart valve disease.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2016
Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act of 2016 This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow the United States to prosecute certain U.S. employees who engage in conduct in Canada that would constitute a federal criminal offense if the conduct had occurred in the United States. This bill applies to a Department of Homeland Security or Department of Justice employee, contractor, or employee of a contractor who is stationed in Canada pursuant to a border security initiative.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2016
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to limit increases to monthly premiums under Medicare for 2017. Specifically, an individual's monthly premium shall increase by no more than $4 over the individual's monthly premium for 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2016
No Religious Registry Act This bill prohibits U.S. government officials from collecting information or utilizing a registry or database to classify on the basis of religious affiliation: (1) U.S. nationals or aliens lawfully present in the United States, or (2) aliens who apply for a visa or seek admission to the United States or on whose behalf a petition under the immigration laws is submitted. The bill also prohibits studies related to the collection of such information or the establishment or utilization of such a registry or database. Nothing in this bill may be construed to prohibit the collection of information that is provided voluntarily, including information relating to the decennial census.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Presidential Accountability Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for the President or Vice President to personally and substantially participate in official matters that affect their financial interests, unless the financial interests are held in a blind trust or the President or Vice President discloses the financial interests and receives an exemption. It imposes criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both—on a President or Vice President who commits the offense. It also authorizes civil penalties and injunctions. Additionally, a violation constitutes a high crime and misdemeanor (i.e., grounds for impeachment) under Article II, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution. Finally, the bill prohibits the President or Vice President from entering into contracts with the U.S. government.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2016
Promise of Citizenship Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable tax credit for up to $500 of the costs associated with naturalization as a U.S. citizen. Naturalization costs include naturalization application costs, English as a Second Language and other course costs, and legal services. The credit applies to costs paid or incurred by the taxpayer during the year or the three preceding years with respect to the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or any dependent of the taxpayer if the taxpayer, spouse, or dependent is naturalized as a U.S. citizen during the year.
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
Norman Yoshio Mineta Congressional Gold Medal Act 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 Norman Yoshio Mineta in recognition of his dedication to public service, civic engagement, and civil rights.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Private Corrado Piccoli Purple Heart Preservation Act of 2016 This bill provides that regulations restricting the purchase, production, sale, or exchange of military medals or decorations may not authorize the sale of a Purple Heart awarded to a member of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Supports the goals of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Honors those working domestically and internationally to eliminate violence against women and girls. Encourages the President to: address the needs of women and girls experiencing violence through funding for participatory survivor-led programs; prioritize protections for women and children in fragile and conflict zones; address increased rates of violence against marginalized women due to race, ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, and socioeconomic status; and increase opportunities for women and girls worldwide, including opportunities for education and economic participation.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Norman Yoshio Mineta Congressional Gold Medal Act 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 Norman Yoshio Mineta in recognition of his dedication to public service, civic engagement, and civil rights.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Innovations to Recruit and Retain Excellent Teachers Act This bill establishes a teacher support grant program through which the Department of Education (ED) shall award grants to educational agencies on a competitive basis. If funds for the program are authorized above a specified amount with respect to a given fiscal year, ED shall also award grants on a formula basis. A grantee that is a state education agency (SEA) shall use the grant funds to: (1) make subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs), (2) provide technical assistance, (3) reduce bureaucratic barriers, and (4) conduct program evaluation. In awarding subgrants, an SEA must give priority to LEAs that: (1) serve a high proportion of low-income students, (2) have either a teacher shortage or a high proportion of schools identified for support and improvement, and (3) demonstrate the capacity to carry out program activities. An LEA shall use grant or subgrant funds to carry out a teacher support program in the elementary and secondary schools that it serves. The program must strengthen teaching careers by: (1) collaboratively reforming and improving compensation structures, (2) creating opportunities for personalized professional learning and enhancement for teachers, (3) creating leadership pathways, (4) using strategies such as innovative scheduling to support teacher improvement, and (5) implementing teacher-led initiatives. In addition, the program must carry out specified activities to strengthen teacher selection or induction. The bill establishes requirements for grant applications, program evaluation, and reporting.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program should be protected and sustained. (The THCGME Program awards grants to health centers for primary care residency programs.)
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
Medicare Enrollment Protection Act This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) create a special Medicare enrollment period for individuals enrolled in, or transitioning out of, continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA); and (2) exempt such individuals from certain monthly premium increases associated with delaying Medicare coverage.
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 · 22 September 2016
Apollo I Memorial Act This bill directs the Department of the Army to construct in Arlington National Cemetery a memorial marker in honor of the three crew members of the mission that became known as the Apollo I mission who died during a launch rehearsal test on January 27, 1967, at the Kennedy Space Center.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2016 or the POWER Act This bill requires the U.S. Attorney for a judicial district to lead at least one public event that promotes pro bono legal services as a critical way to: (1) empower survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and (2) engage citizens in assisting those survivors. A special but similar rule applies to districts containing Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Each U.S. Attorney shall: (1) have discretion on the design, organization, and implementation of such public events; and (2) seek to maximize an event's local impact and the access of such survivors to high-quality pro bono legal services.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2016 This bill amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) and XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to indefinitely extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients. Under current law, such coverage is limited to 36 months following a transplant.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Encourages the observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week. Acknowledges the importance of national wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution to local economies. Reaffirms the support of the House of Representatives for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Opening Doors for Youth Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Labor to administer summer and year-round youth employment programs that: (1) match youth participants with appropriate employers for high-quality employment opportunities; (2) subsidize participants' wages; (3) provide specified coaching and mentoring; (4) provide participants with supportive services to enable program participation, if applicable; (5) develop plans to increase unsubsidized employment opportunities; and (6) connect participants with literacy services. In addition, Labor shall award competitive grants to assist community partnerships in improving high school graduation and youth employment rates. Grantees shall use funds to: (1) make appropriate use of existing data collection systems to target youths; (2) develop comprehensive pathways to higher education and employment; (3) provide comprehensive support systems; and (4) provide comprehensive systems aimed at preventing youths from disconnecting from education, training, and employment. The bill establishes labor standards, performance accountability measures, and reporting requirements with respect to each of these new programs.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Expresses support for efforts to build on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by ensuring that individuals have access to a public health insurance option.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Recognizes the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Esteems the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Immigration Courts Bail Reform Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the minimum bond amount needed to release a detained alien. An immigration judge may review an initial custody determination for an adult alien, subject to specified rules, which include the following: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall, within 72 hours, file the notice to appear or charging document with the appropriate immigration court and serve such notice on the detained alien; except for criminals or suspected terrorists, DHS may continue to detain an alien only if no conditions will reasonably assure the alien's appearance and the safety of any other person and the community; the Department of Justice shall ensure that an alien has the opportunity to promptly appear before an immigration judge for a custody redetermination hearing; except for criminals or suspected terrorists, an immigration judge shall review the custody determination de novo and may continue to detain the alien only if DHS demonstrates that no conditions will reasonably assure the alien's appearance and the community's safety; DHS and an immigration judge shall order an alien's release on personal recognizance or upon an unsecured appearance bond unless such release will not reasonably assure the alien's appearance or the community's safety; if DHS or an immigration judge determines that such release will not reasonably assure the alien's appearance or such safety, DHS or the immigration judge shall order the alien's release under the least restrictive conditions that will assure the alien's appearance and the community's safety; DHS or an immigration judge shall consider the alien's financial ability in determining whether to impose a bond as a condition of release; and DHS or an immigration judge may not impose a financial condition that results in an alien's detention.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
No Lead in School Water Act This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize through FY2022 a grant program for state programs that test and remediate lead contamination in the drinking water of schools and day care facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Supports the designation of National Kinship Care Month.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Pay Equity for All Act of 2016 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to make it an unlawful practice for an employer to: screen prospective employees based on their previous wages or salary histories; seek the previous wages or salary history of any prospective employee from any current or former employer of such employee; or discharge or in any other manner retaliate against any current or prospective employee because the employee opposed any act or practice made unlawful by the Act, or made or is about to make a complaint relating to any such act or practice, or testified or is about to testify, assist, or participate in any manner in an investigation or proceeding relating to any such act or practice. The bill prescribes penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
This bill amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require candidates for nomination or election to the office of President or Vice President to include in financial disclosure reports a statement from the Department of the Treasury indicating whether or not the Internal Revenue Service is in the process of auditing any of the candidates' individual federal income tax returns, and, if so, the year of the tax return involved. Each candidate who won the nomination of a political party for election to the office of President or Vice President in 2016 must comply with this bill by September 26, 2016.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2016
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 protesters in Ethiopia to refrain from violence. Calls on the government of Ethiopia to: 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; and investigate and report on the circumstances surrounding the September 3, 2016, shootings and fire at Qilinto Prison. 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; and (2) the U.S. Agency for International Development to lead efforts to develop a strategy to support improved democracy and governance in Ethiopia. Supports the peaceful efforts of the Ethiopian people to exercise their constitutional rights.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Limiting Inhumane Federal Trapping for Public Safety Act This bill prohibits any personnel of the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture (USDA), in performing their duties, from using, recommending, training in the use of, or planning for the use of, any body-gripping trap used to kill or capture an animal. This prohibition does not apply to training in the dismantling of body-gripping traps that have been illegally placed. No person shall use or possess any body-gripping trap on property under the administrative jurisdiction of Interior or USDA, except in Indian country, regardless of whether the person is employed by, or is working under a contract with, Interior or USDA. Such prohibitions shall not apply to the use of a body-gripping trap to: control documented, invasive species to achieve resource management objectives where alternative methods have failed; or protect a species that is listed as an endangered or threatened species or treated by the Forest Service as a sensitive species. Such exceptions shall not apply unless: such use of a body-gripping trap is in accordance with state and federal law; prior to using such a trap, all available and viable nonlethal methods for such control or protection have been attempted; and such attempts have been documented in writing, and the documentation is maintained at the headquarters of the department that employs the individual engaging in such attempt. The bill imposes criminal penalties for violating the prohibitions in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Strengthening Social Security Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to prescribe special rules for the determination of taxable wages and self-employment income above the contribution and benefit base after 2016. Title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) is amended to: (1) increase from 90% to 95% over five years the first bend point factor used in determining the primary OASDI insurance amount; and (2) include surplus average indexed monthly earnings in the determination of such amounts. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall prepare and publish the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-EC) that indicates changes over time in expenditures for consumption which are typical for individuals in the United States who have attained early retirement age for purposes of an old-age, wife's, or husband's insurance benefit. The bill amends the SSAct to make the CPI-EC the applicable Consumer Price Index for computation of cost-of-living increases in OASDI benefits for such individuals. The bill revises OASDI benefits for a widow or widower to provide benefits at a level equal to at least 75% of the amount received prior to the death of a spouse. The bill prevents any decrease in the benefit level of supplemental security income recipients resulting from any increase in other social security benefits in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of State to provide assistance to entities taking specified criminal and judicial actions against individuals who are suspected of committing genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes in Iraq since January 2014 or in Syria since March 2011. The State Department shall encourage foreign governments to identify and prosecute individuals who are suspected of committing such crimes, including members of foreign terrorist organizations operating in Iraq or Syria. The Department of Justice shall review existing criminal statutes concerning genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes to determine: the extent to which U.S. courts have jurisdiction over such crimes where the perpetrators or victims are U.S. nationals, residents, or persons present in a U.S. territory; current statutes that would apply to such conduct and whether additional statutory authorities are necessary; and the extent to which the absence of criminal statutes defining the crimes or granting jurisdiction impede their prosecution in U.S. courts. The State Department shall identify: threats of persecution, genocide, crimes against humanity, and forced migration against members of Iraqi or Syrian religious or ethnic groups with respect to whom the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has committed such crimes in Iraq or Syria since January 2014 or who are members of other persecuted religious or ethnic groups; humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery needs of these individuals; and assistance provided by the United States, the U.N., and other entities, including faith-based entities. The Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1990 is amended to: include as a category for U.S. refugee determinations aliens who are or were nationals and residents of Iraq or Syria and who share common characteristics that identify them as targets of persecution on account of religion or membership in an ethnic minority in such foreign states, include in such category aliens who are or were nationals and residents of Iraq or Syria and who are members of a religious or ethnic community against which genocide has been committed or that has otherwise been identified as a persecuted group, and extend such Act's coverage to refugee applications submitted before October 1, 2017.
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 · 7 September 2016
Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act of 2016 or the Dialysis Patient Access to Integrated-care, Empowerment, Nephrologists, Treatment, and Services Demonstration Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a demonstration program for the provision of integrated care to Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Under the voluntary program, eligible participating providers may form organizations to offer ESRD integrated care models and serve as medical homes for program-eligible beneficiaries. Such a model: (1) shall cover medical and hospital services, other than hospice care, under Medicare; (2) must include benefits for transition into palliative care; and (3) may cover prescription drug benefits. An organization must offer at least one open network model but may also offer one or more preferred network models. An organization shall return savings achieved under the models to program-eligible beneficiaries. A beneficiary shall have the opportunity to: (1) opt out of the program, (2) make an assignment change into an open network model offered by a different organization, or (3) elect a preferred network model. The bill establishes requirements regarding: (1) benefits for program-eligible beneficiaries who are also eligible for Medicaid benefits, (2) program quality and reporting, (2) ESRD integrated care strategy, (3) program operation and scope, (4) beneficiary notification, and (5) payment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2016
Supports the designation of National Estuaries Week. Acknowledges the importance of estuaries to sustaining employment in the United States and the nation's economic well-being and prosperity. Expresses the intent of the House of Representatives to continue working to understand, protect, and restore U.S. estuaries.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2016
Expresses support for the designation of National Obesity Care Week. Encourages open communication to break barriers of misunderstanding and stigma regarding obesity and to improve the lives of individuals affected by obesity and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2016
Accurate Labeling of Menstrual Products Act of 2016 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require menstrual cups, menstrual pads, tampons, and therapeutic vaginal douche apparatuses to include a list of ingredients on the label.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Eliminate So-Called Right-to-Work Legislation Nationwide Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to repeal the disclaimer that nothing in the law shall be construed as authorizing the execution or application of agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment in any state or territory in which such execution or application is prohibited by state or territorial law. (The bill preempts contrary state or territorial law to allow the execution or application of agreements requiring union membership.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Secure the Northern Triangle Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States must address the violence and humanitarian crisis resulting in the elevated numbers of unaccompanied children, women, and refugees from the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) arriving at the southwestern border of the United States. The bill authorizes appropriations for the United States Strategy for Engagement in Central America. Funds are made available for combating criminal violence and corruption and advancing economic development. The President shall designate a senior official to coordinate federal and international efforts to strengthen the rule of law and economic prosperity in Central America. The Millenium Challenge Corporation may fund concurrent compacts for regional integration. The Department of State shall submit a three-year strategy to secure international and regional support for the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall expand law enforcement partnership efforts in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to combat human smuggling and trafficking. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS shall expand collaborative programs aimed at human smugglers and traffickers targeting Central American children and families. The bill provides for: (1) increased sanctions against foreign narcotics traffickers and their foreign supporters operating in Central or South America; (2) increased resources for, and expedited processing under, the Central American Minors (CAM) program; and (3) strengthening the capacity of Mexico and other regional countries to provide asylum and global resettlement. The Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and Human Services shall perform record checks of prospective sponsors prior to placing an unaccompanied alien child with a sponsor. DHS shall: (1) monitor unaccompanied alien children after placement, and (2) provide funds to states for criminal registry and child abuse searches of prospective sponsors. The Department of Education shall provide funds to eligible school districts for unaccompanied alien children. A local educational agency shall: (1) ensure that unaccompanied alien children in the area are immediately enrolled in school following placement, and (2) remove enrollment and participation barriers. DHS shall: (1) ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all DHS-detained aliens, and (2) consult with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to develop a child-centered repatriation process. DOJ may appoint or provide legal counsel to individuals in immigration proceedings and shall appoint legal counsel for children and vulnerable individuals in such proceedings. DOJ shall increase the number of immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals attorneys.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Refugee Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the one-year time limit for filing an asylum claim. The bill revises the definition of "refugee" and the criteria for granting asylum. The bill makes certain currently required detention provisions regarding arriving aliens who request asylum discretionary. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall: (1) establish a secure alternatives to detention program, and (2) establish specified conditions of detention. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom may conduct a study to determine whether certain immigration officers are properly handling asylum and removal/detention authority. The bill: (1) authorizes waiver of the continuous one-year presence requirement for permanent resident status adjustment for a qualifying refugee/asylee who worked for the U.S. government overseas; (2) exempts aliens under the age of 18 from certain restrictions on applying for asylum; and (3) sets forth protections for minors, refugees, aliens interdicted at sea, and stateless persons. The President is authorized to designate refugee groups. The bill authorizes refugee applicants to simultaneously pursue other forms of admission. The spouse or child of a refugee or asylee may bring his or her accompanying or following child into the United States as a refugee or asylee. If the President does not issue a refugee allocation determination before the beginning of a fiscal year, the number of refugees that may be admitted in each quarter shall be 25% of the number of refugees admissible during the previous fiscal year. The bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, with respect to naturalization of an Afghan or Iraqi translator who is a lawful permanent resident, to count a period of absence from the United States working as a translator for the United States or a U.S. contractor in Afghanistan or Iraq towards the accumulation of the required physical presence in the United States. The bill revises: (1) the definition of "terrorist activity" for purposes of alien inadmissibility, including for aliens who were under 18 years of age when they committed certain actions under duress; and (2) the refugee grant and contract assistance allocation formula. The Government Accountability Office shall conduct a study of the Office of Refugee Resettlement's domestic refugee resettlement programs. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is amended to extend the eligibility for supplemental security income assistance to certain aliens (including asylees and refugees) and trafficking victims. DHS shall grant employment authorization to qualifying T visa aliens (victims of trafficking in persons) and U visa aliens (children who have been granted special immigrant status as victims of criminal activity). The number of U visas is increased.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2016 This bill requires the chief state election official of each state to establish and operate a system of automatic registration for the registration of eligible individuals to vote for elections for federal office in the state. The chief state election official shall ensure that all individuals who are eligible to be, but are not currently, registered to vote in federal elections in the state is promptly registered to vote, unless the individual declines registration by providing appropriate notice. Each contributing agency in a state, including the state motor vehicle authority, shall assist the state's chief election official in registering to vote all eligible individuals the agency serves. For each individual already listed in a contributing agency's records, and for whom the agency retains specified personal information, the agency shall promptly transmit that information to the appropriate state election official. No individual shall be prosecuted under any federal law, or adversely affected in any civil adjudication concerning immigration status or naturalization, or by an allegation in any legal proceeding that an individual who is not a U.S. citizen is removable or inadmissible: for notifying an election official of the individual's automatic registration; on the grounds that the individual is not an eligible voter and has been automatically registered to vote under this bill; or because the individual has been automatically registered to vote at the incorrect address. The bill allows correction of registration information at the polling place. Each state shall ensure that application for or any update to voter registration can be done online. The Election Assistance Commission shall make grants to each eligible state to assist it in implementing this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
California Seamounts and Ridges National Marine Conservation Area Designation and Management Act This bill establishes the California Seamounts and Ridges National Marine Conservation Area to protect certain seamounts, ridges, and banks located in federal waters off the coast of California. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of the Interior shall have joint responsibility for managing the conservation area. Development of a management plan must include a public consultation process with tribes, fisherman, and other stakeholders to better understand the activities occurring in the conservation area. Additionally, any management plan developed by NOAA and Interior must prohibit oil and gas development, deep sea-mining, aquaculture, and damaging fishing practices in the area. Certain activities including recreational fishing and exercises by the Armed Forces are allowed to be conducted in the area.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act of 2016 or the BENES Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code to: establish requirements for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to notify individuals of their potential eligibility for Medicare; require the Internal Revenue Service to disclose to CMS specified taxpayer information for the purpose of establishing individuals' potential Medicare eligibility; restructure Medicare enrollment periods; and expand Medicare beneficiaries' rights to appeal certain enrollment errors.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Amerasian Paternity Recognition Act of 2016 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to confer automatic citizenship on aliens residing in the United States in lawful permanent resident status: pursuant to an approved classification petition that gives preferential treatment to persons born in Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, or Thailand after 1950 and before October 22, 1982, and fathered by a U.S. citizen; or who were born in Vietnam after January 1, 1962, and before January 1, 1976, and fathered by a U.S. citizen.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Putting Main Street FIRST Act or the Putting Main Street FIRST: Finishing Irresponsible Reckless Speculative Trading Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a .03% excise tax on the purchase of a security if: (1) such purchase occurs on, or is subject to the rules of, a qualified board or exchange located in the United States; or (2) the purchaser or seller is a U.S. person. A "security" includes: (1) any share of stock in a corporation, (2) any partnership or beneficial ownership interest in a partnership or trust; (3) any note, bond, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness; and (4) derivatives that meet specified criteria. The tax applies to transactions with respect to a derivative if: (1) the derivative is traded on, or is subject to the rules of, a qualified board or exchange located in the United States; or (2) any party with rights under the derivative is a U.S. person. The bill exempts from such tax: (1) initial issues of securities; (2) any note, bond, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness which is traded on or is subject to the rules of, a qualified board or exchange located in the United States, and has a fixed maturity of not more than 100 days. The tax applies to transactions by a controlled foreign corporation and must be paid by its U.S. shareholders. The bill allows an offset against such tax for contributions to certain tax-favored savings accounts.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Birth Control Privacy Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit wellness programs from sharing with an employer information related to an individual's use of contraceptives.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2016 This bill declares that it is U.S. policy that all diplomatic and coercive economic means should be used to compel the government of Bashir al-Assad to halt the slaughter of the Syrian people and actively work toward transition to a democratic government. This bill directs the President to impose specified entry and U.S.-based property sanctions against a foreign person that knowingly provides significant financial, material, or technological support: (1) to the government of Syria and the Central Bank of Syria, including Syria's intelligence and security services or its armed forces, including through money laundering or with respect to Syria's gas or petroleum production or civilian aircraft services; and (2) that materially contributes to Syria's ability to acquire or develop ballistic missiles, chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, or destabilizing numbers and types of advanced conventional weapons. The Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012 is amended to direct the President to impose entry and U.S.-based property sanctions against persons responsible for or complicit in: (1) directing the commission of serious human rights abuses against citizens of Syria or their family members, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Syria; or (2) transferring to Syria certain military items or goods or technologies that may be used to commit human rights abuses. The Department of State and the Agency for International Development shall report on the monitoring and evaluation of ongoing assistance programs in Syria and to the Syrian people. The bill requires the President to: (1) submit an updated list of Syrian officials who are responsible for or complicit in the commission of serious human rights abuses against Syrian citizens, and (2) assess the potential effectiveness of a no-fly zone over Syria. The State Department shall provide assistance to entities taking criminal and evidence gathering actions for prosection of individuals who have committed crimes against humanity or war crimes in Syria since March 2011. The President may suspend sanctions against Syria under specified conditions. The bill: (1) expresses the sense of Congress with respect to a transitional government in Syria, and (2) sets forth activities and transactions that are exempt from sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Protecting Girls' Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that it is critical to ensure that children, particularly girls, displaced by conflicts overseas are able to receive a quality education and that the educational needs of women and girls are considered in implementing U.S. foreign assistance policies and programs. The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) may advance programs that: provide safe, quality, primary and secondary education for displaced children; build the capacity of institutions in countries hosting displaced people to prevent displaced children from facing educational discrimination; and help increase the access of displaced children, especially girls, to educational, economic, and entrepreneurial opportunities. The State Department and USAID may: coordinate with multilateral organizations to work with foreign governments to implement programs and policies that collect data disaggregated by sex and age on displaced people; and work with domestic and foreign private sector and civil society organizations to promote safe, quality, primary and secondary education for displaced children.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2016
Disapproves of activities by certain corporations and trade associations, foundations, and organizations funded by those corporations deliberately to: (1) mislead the public and undermine peer-reviewed scientific research about the dangers of their products, and (2) cast doubt on science in order to protect their financial interests. Urges fossil fuel companies and allied organizations to cooperate with active or future investigations into: their climate change-related activities, what they knew about climate change and when they knew of it, what they knew about the harmful effects of fossil fuels on the climate, and any activities to mislead the public about climate change.