United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2015
Calls on the President to convene international negotiations to stop the civil war in Syria. Requests that these negotiations: stabilize the country and provide for political change towards a popularly supported, accountable Syrian leadership; implement measures to protect, and stem the flow of, refugees from Syria and provide for their return; and create a coordinated international strategy for the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Calls on other nations that have an interest or involvement in the region and conflict to join these negotiations and commit to transitioning from the current al-Assad government and countering ISIL.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2015
Disaster Assistance Equity Act of 2015 This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to modify the definition of "private nonprofit facility" to include any facilities (including roads, bridges, sewer systems, and other critical community infrastructure) owned or operated by a common interest community that provide essential services of a governmental nature. The bill also defines additional terms under such Act, including "condominium" and "housing cooperative." "Common interest community" is defined as: (1) any nonprofit mandatory membership organization comprised of owners of real estate (other than a condominium or housing cooperative) described in a declaration or created pursuant to a covenant or other applicable law with respect to which a person, by virtue of the person's ownership of a unit, is obligated to pay for a share of real estate taxes, insurance premiums, maintenance or improvement of, or services or other expenses related to, common elements, other units, or any other real estate other than the unit described in the declaration; and (2) a condominium project that is comprised entirely of detached single family units or that is comprised of four or more multi-unit housing structures and that owns or operates facilities that provide essential services of a governmental nature. The bill amends such Act to provide that for purposes of the provision of federal disaster assistance with respect to residential elements that are the legal responsibility of an association for a condominium or housing cooperative, the terms "individual" or "household" include the association. The President must determine the maximum amount of assistance that any such association may receive under such Act for a single disaster.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2015
Honors the 50th anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Acknowledges those whose support and efforts led to passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Recognizes the significant investment the Higher Education Act of 1965 has made in the lives of American students, families, and this nation as a whole. Encourages all Americans to recognize and celebrate the important historical milestone represented by the passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and its ideals of improving educational access and affordability.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to modernize and maintain a post office network.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2015
Security and Financial Empowerment Act of 2015 This bill amends the Violence Against Women Act to require the National Resource Center on Workplace Response provide information and assistance through domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions and survivor service organizations. These organizations and coalitions shall provide resource materials and assistance to employees, employers, and labor organizations to aid in efforts to develop adequate workplace responses to domestic and sexual violence. In addition, the bill requires employers to provide employees 30 days of leave per year, including 56 hours of earned paid leave, which can be used as a result of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking of an employee or an employee's family member. States may provide nonrecurring short-term emergency benefits to employees using such leave. Survivors' Employment Sustainability Act The Survivors' Employment Sustainability Act prohibits employers, public benefit agencies, and insurers from discriminating against survivors of: domestic violence, dating or sexual violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Under the Internal Revenue Code, employers must give unemployment compensation to survivors who are separated from work due to conditions related to the individuals being survivors. The bill amends title IV part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act to require state agency personnel that administer TANF programs to be adequately trained to assist survivors seeking assistance. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must study the barriers survivors encounter to maintain economic security. HHS may arrange financial literacy support for survivors. The Department of Labor must establish a public outreach campaign.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Broadband Conduit Deployment Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to require states to evaluate the need for broadband conduit (fiber optic cables that support broadband or wireless facilities for broadband service) as part of any covered highway construction project (a project to construct a new highway or an additional lane or paved shoulder for an existing highway that receives funding under federal-aid highway provisions), in consultation with telecommunications providers. If the evaluation reveals a need in the next 15 years for broadband conduit beneath hard surfaces to be constructed by the project, the conduit shall be installed. DOT shall establish standards to carry out installation requirements that consider: the ability to accommodate broadband installation without impacting the safety, operations, and maintenance of the highway facility, its users, or others; population density in the area; the type of highway involved; and existing broadband access in the area. DOT shall ensure that: an appropriate number of broadband conduits are installed along such highway to accommodate multiple broadband providers, the size of conduit is consistent with industry best practices and sufficient to accommodate potential demand, hand holes and manholes for fiber access and pulling such conduit are placed at intervals consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit includes a pull tape and is capable of supporting fiber optic cable placement techniques consistent with industry best practices, installed conduit is placed at a depth consistent with industry best practices and cable separation requirements of electrical codes, and any requesting broadband provider has access to each broadband conduit installed on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis for a charge not to exceed a cost-based rate. DOT may waive the requirements of this Act upon determining that the waiver is appropriate based upon: a showing of undue burden, a determination that the installation of conduit beneath hard surfaces is not necessary based on the availability of existing broadband infrastructure, or a cost-benefit analysis.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015
Pay Our Bills Act This bill permits the President to increase the statutory debt limit unless two-thirds of Congress votes to disapprove the increase. If the President certifies to Congress that the debt is within $100 billion of the limit and a specified amount of further borrowing is necessary to meet existing commitments, the Department of the Treasury may borrow the specified amount unless a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted within 15 days after Congress receives the certification. The debt limit is suspended from the date the President submits the certification to Congress until the earlier of: (1) 15 days after Congress receives the certification, or (2) enactment of a joint resolution of disapproval. After the suspension period ends, the limit is increased to accommodate obligations issued during the suspension period. Congress must consider a joint resolution of disapproval using expedited legislative procedures specified in the bill. If the resolution is approved by Congress, the President may veto the resolution. If Congress votes to override the veto with a two-thirds vote of each chamber, the debt limit may not be increased, except as required during the suspension period.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015
Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act This bill prohibits an executive agency from using the following terms in any rule, regulation, interpretation, publication, other document, display, or sign issued by the agency except to the extent that the term is used in quoting or reproducing text written by a source other than an officer or employee of the agency: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national, and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status. In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of various U.S. administrative bureaus and agencies, the term "foreign national" in federal law means any individual other than an individual who: (1) is a U.S. citizen; or (2) though not a U.S. citizen, owes permanent allegiance to the United States. Any reference in any federal statute, rule, regulation, executive order, publication, or other U.S. document to the term: "alien" when used to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national is deemed to refer to the term "foreign national," and "illegal alien" when used to refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or who lacks a lawful U.S. immigration status is deemed to refer to the term "undocumented foreign national." Conforming amendments are made to specified Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2015
End Surprise Billing Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a critical access hospital or other hospital to comply, as a condition of participation in Medicare, with certain requirements related to billing for out-of-network services. With respect to an individual who has health benefits coverage and is seeking services, a hospital must provide notice as to: (1) whether the hospital, or any of the providers furnishing services to the individual at the hospital, is not within the health care provider network or otherwise a participating provider with respect to the individual's health care coverage; and (2) if so, the estimated out-of-pocket costs of the services to the individual. At least 24 hours prior to providing those services, the hospital must document that the individual: (1) has been provided with the required notice, and (2) consents to be furnished with the services and charged an amount approximate to the estimate provided. Otherwise, the hospital may not charge the individual more than the individual would have been required to pay if the services had been furnished by an in-network or participating provider. With respect to such an individual who is seeking same-day emergency services, a hospital may not charge more than the individual would be required to pay for such services furnished by an in-network or participating provider.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015
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 · 9 October 2015
Access to Marketplace Insurance Act This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require health insurers to accept, on behalf of individuals enrolled in qualified health plans, payments made by certain third parties, including state and federal government programs, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and certain tax exempt organizations. (Qualified health plans are eligible for subsidies and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.)
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015
Prioritizing Energy-Efficient Renewables Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax credit for producing electricity from wind, geothermal and solar energy, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy facilities; (2) repeal the tax deduction for intangible drilling and development costs for oil and gas wells; (3) repeal the tax deduction for income attributable to the production, refining, transportation, or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any primary product thereof; and (4) repeal the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas wells.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Water Advanced Technologies for Efficient Resource Use Act of 2015 This bill codifies the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense program, which identifies, labels, and promotes water efficient products, buildings, landscapes, and services. This bill also establishes a program to provide financial incentives for consumers to purchase and install residential water efficient products and services labeled under the WaterSense program. In order to meet procurement requirements for a water consuming product or service, federal agencies must purchase a WaterSense product or service, or a Federal Energy Management Program designated product. Agencies do not have to procure those products or services if they are not cost-effective, or not reasonably available. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of individual taxpayers any amount received under an incentive program for the purchase and installation of residential water efficient products and services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Eyes on the Courts Act of 2015 This bill requires the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court, including the Supreme Court, to permit court proceedings to be photographed, electronically recorded, broadcasted, televised, or streamed on the Internet to or for the public, unless the judge determines, upon a motion of a party or the judge, that it would constitute a violation of the due process rights of a party or is not in the interests of justice. The Judicial Conference may promulgate mandatory guidelines with respect to the management and administration of such photographing, recording, broadcasting, televising, or streaming. The presiding judge of each appellate court may promulgate rules and disciplinary measures for the courtroom use of any form of media or media equipment and the acquisition or distribution of any of the images or sounds obtained in the courtroom.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Supports the designation of Earth Science Week. Expresses strong support for the goals and ideals of Earth Science Week and its aims to increase understanding of and interest in earth science at the local, state, national, and international levels. Recognizes the importance of education and public outreach efforts to ensure the U.S. public gains a better understanding and appreciation for the impact of the earth sciences on their daily lives. Encourages K-12 students to participate in local, state, and national events in connection with Earth Science Week and to get involved in the celebration by exploring artistic and academic applications of earth science.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Recognizes the celebration of Filipino American History Month as: a study of the advancement of Filipino Americans; and a time to renew efforts toward the research and examination of history and culture so as to provide an opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more about Filipino Americans, and to appreciate the historic contributions of Filipino Americans to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015
Establishes the House Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention to investigate and report on: the causes of mass shootings, methods to improve the federal firearms purchaser background check system, connections between access to firearms and dangerously mentally ill individuals, strengthening federal penalties for trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms, closing loopholes that allow some domestic abusers continued access to firearms, linkages between firearms and suicide, gun violence's effect on public health, the correlation between state gun violence prevention laws and the incidence of gun violence, the importance of having reliable and accurate information on gun violence and its toll on our nation, the implementation of effective gun violence prevention laws in accordance with the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and rates of gun violence in large metropolitan areas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015
Medicare Premium Fairness Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) prevent 2016 increases to Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles for enrollees, and (2) authorize federal funding to offset the corresponding reduction in aggregate monthly premiums. Under current law, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must annually determine the monthly actuarial rate upon which Part B premiums and deductibles are based. The bill temporarily freezes that rate at the 2015 level for enrollees, effectively preventing increases to premiums and deductibles for those enrollees in 2016. (Current law already protects Part B enrollees whose benefits are deducted from their Social Security benefits from premium increases that would result in a smaller Social Security check.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2015 This bill directs the President to: establish a five-year strategy to achieve, with target countries and donors, the goal of ending preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths globally and ensure healthy and productive lives within a generation; and provide assistance to implement the strategy. The President shall designate a current U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employee serving in the Senior Executive Service or at the level of a Deputy Assistant Administrator or higher to serve concurrently as the Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator, who shall be responsible for: overseeing such strategy, and all U.S. government funds appropriated or used for international maternal and child health and nutrition programs. The U.S. government, through USAID and other relevant executive branch agencies, should identify and remove financial barriers to strengthen access to delivery systems for vulnerable and marginalized populations by leveraging public and private capital to expand delivery of interventions for maternal, newborn, and child health.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2015
African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2015 This bill requires the Department of the Interior to establish within the National Park Service (NPS) a U.S. Civil Rights Network that encompasses: (1) all NPS units and programs that relate to the African American civil rights movement during the period from 1939 through 1968; (2) other federal, state, local, and privately owned properties that relate to the African American civil rights movement and that are included in, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places; and (3) other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature that are directly related to such movement. In carrying out the Network, Interior must: (1) review civil rights movement studies and reports that may already be underway or completed, such as the Civil Rights Framework Study; (2) produce and disseminate educational materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or electronic information; (3) provide technical assistance; and (4) adopt an official, uniform symbol or device for the Network and issue regulations for the symbol's use.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
This bill authorizes FY2016-FY2021 appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for the University Transportation Centers Program and requires the Federal Highway Administration to administer the program. The program provides grants to nonprofit institutions of higher education to establish and operate university transportation centers to advance transportation expertise and technology, provide a transportation knowledge base outside of the Department of Transportation, address critical workforce needs, and educate the next generation of transportation leaders.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Promoting Good Cyber Hygiene Act of 2015 This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish for the federal government, the private sector, and any individual or organization a list of voluntary best practices for effective and usable cyber hygiene to help protect information systems or devices against cybersecurity threats that include unauthorized access, alteration of information or code running on such systems or devices, and unauthorized denials of service. The Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with NIST and the Federal Trade Commission, must: (1) assess cybersecurity threats relating to mobile devices and the effect of such threats on the cybersecurity of the federal government's information systems and networks, and (2) submit recommendations for addressing such threats.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Safety for Airports and Firefighters by Ensuring Drones Refrain from Obstructing Necessary Equipment Act of 2015 or the SAFE DRONE Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly operate a drone in a restricted area. A "restricted area" is an area that is: within a two-mile radius of a hub airport or an ongoing firefighting operation, or subject to a temporary flight restriction issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. The prohibition does not apply to government operations in response to a fire or emergency. Violators are subject to fines, up to one year in prison, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Scleroderma and Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act of 2015 This bill requires the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) to establish the National Commission on Scleroderma and Fibrosis Research. (Scleroderma and fibrosis are connective tissue conditions that cause hardening or scarring of skin and organs.) The commission must develop a long-term, comprehensive plan for scleroderma and fibrosis research. The plan must: (1) prioritize research that has cross-cutting value and requires coordination across NIH, and (2) include specific steps for implementation of the research. The commission must establish working groups to make research recommendations for the various organs and systems impacted by fibrotic illness. The commission must be terminated not later than two years after establishment. The NIAMS must create the Scleroderma and Fibrosis Working Group to oversee and assist with implementation of the long-term plan.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2015
Commends the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for its work over the past 25 years to improve and save the lives of women worldwide. Expresses that the ORWH must remain intact for this and future generations. Recognizes that there remain striking sex and gender differences among many diseases and conditions on which the ORWH should continue to focus. Encourages the ORWH to continue to focus on ensuring that NIH supports biomedical research that considers sex as a biological variable. Encourages the NIH to continue to consult and involve the ORWH on all matters related to the influence of sex and gender on health.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2015
Exchange Inclusion for a Healthy America Act of 2015 This bill allows undocumented aliens to obtain health care coverage by amending: (1) the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the restriction of the tax credit for health care insurance premium assistance to persons lawfully present in the United States; and (2) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to eliminate restrictions of benefits under such Act, including cost-sharing reduction, pre-existing condition coverage, and minimum essential health care coverage, to persons lawfully present in the United States. This expanded coverage is effective for taxable or plan years beginning after December 31, 2015. The bill also extends PPACA benefits to individuals who are granted deferral from removal under specified Department of Homeland Security deferred action plans.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2015
Gluten in Medicine Disclosure Act of 2015 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the sale of any drug intended for human use that contains an ingredient other than a polyol that constitutes or is derived from a grain or starch-containing ingredient and whose label does not include a parenthetical statement identifying the source of that ingredient.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2015
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2015 This bill declares that it is the policy of the United States that the Arctic Ocean should be managed for the best interests of the people of the United States, including by keeping fossil fuels in the ground to avoid the dangerous impacts of climate change. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act is amended to prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing or renewing a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in the Arctic Ocean, including the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea Planning Areas.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2015
Freedom of Faith Act of 2015 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make the special immigrant non-minister religious worker program permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2015
Honors the victims of the Cambodian genocide that took place beginning in April 1975 and ending in January 1979. Supports efforts to pursue justice for the victims of the Cambodian genocide.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
Border Enforcement Accountability, Oversight, and Community Engagement Act of 2015 Establishes: (1) the Department of Homeland Security Border Oversight Commission, and (2) a northern border subcommittee and a southern border subcommittee within the Commission. Requires the Commission and the subcommittees to: (1) recommend border enforcement policy improvements; (2) evaluate policies of federal agencies operating along the borders to protect due process and human rights of border residents and visitors, protect land owner private property rights, and reduce the number of migrant deaths; (3) recommend safety improvements for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel; and (4) evaluate training and the extent to which CBP supervisory and management personnel practices encourage workforce development and promote field safety. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to rename the position of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the Ombudsman for Border and Immigration Related Concerns. Revises related function and administrative provisions, including requiring the Ombudsman to establish a Border Community Liaison Office in each Border Patrol sector on the northern and southern borders. Sets forth specified training and continuing education requirements for CBP personnel. Directs DHS to submit to Congress an assessment of current guidelines for managing ports of entry under DHS control. Directs: (1) CBP to report to Congress regarding deaths occurring along the U.S.-Mexico border, and (2) the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review such report. Directs: (1) GAO to examine the extent to which CBP has clarified use of force policies, and (2) DHS to require CBP to implement any recommendations contained in such examination.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
California Coastal National Monument Expansion Act This bill expands the boundary of the California Coastal National Monument to include specified federal lands in Humboldt, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo Counties in California. The Department of the Interior shall amend the Monument management plan for the long-term protection and management of the federal land so added. Interior may acquire nonfederal land or interests within or adjacent to the added federal land only through exchange, donation, or purchase from a willing seller. Interior must ensure the protection of Indian sacred sites and traditional cultural properties in the Monument and provide access by members of Indian Tribes for traditional cultural and customary uses. The Monument shall be managed as part of the National Landscape Conservation System. Interior shall establish an advisory council for each unit of the added federal land to advise on the implementation of the management plan. Certain rocks, pinnacles, reefs, and islands in the Pacific Ocean within a mile of the coast of Orange County, California, are made part of the California Coastal National Monument, and their current temporary reservation is repealed. Likewise repealed is the lighthouse reservation with respect to the San Juan and San Mateo Rocks and the two rocks in the vicinity of Laguna Beach, off the coast of Orange County.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
National Park Service Centennial Act This bill establishes the National Park Centennial Challenge Fund in the Treasury to finance signature projects and programs to enhance the National Park System (NPS) as it approaches its centennial in 2016. There is also established in the Treasury a Public Lands Centennial Fund. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture shall jointly establish a program under which funds from the Centennial Fund are made available to federal land or water management agencies to support projects that: enhance visitor services and outdoor recreational opportunities, restore lands and waters, repair facilities or trails, or increase energy and water efficiency. National Park Foundation Endowment Act The National Park Foundation shall establish the Second Century Endowment for the National Park Service. The National Park Service Second Century Fund is established in the Treasury. Interior shall undertake a broad program of the highest quality interpretation and education. The Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 is amended to increase from 25 to 30 the age limit for participants in the Public Lands Corps. This bill makes permanent the Volunteers in the Parks Program. Interior may establish a Visitor Services Management Authority (VSMA) to administer commercial visitor services programs and activities of the NPS, including the award and administration of commercial visitor facilities and services management contracts pursuant to this Act. A VSMA revolving fund is established for expenses necessary for the management, improvement, enhancement, operation, construction, and maintenance of commercial visitor services and facilities and payment of possessory interest and leasehold surrender interest.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2015
Interstate Milk Freedom Act of 2015 This bill provides that federal departments, agencies, or courts must not prohibit, interfere with, regulate, or otherwise restrict the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk or milk products packaged for direct human consumption if: the action is based on a determination that, solely because the product is unpasteurized, it is adulterated, misbranded, or otherwise in violation of federal law; the state of origin allows unpasteurized milk or milk products to be distributed for direct human consumption by any means; the product is produced, packaged, and moved in compliance with the laws of the state of origin; and the product is moved from the state of origin with the intent to transport it to another state which allows the distribution of unpasteurized milk or milk products for direct human consumption. The bill does not preempt any state laws.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act This bill amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to require a state to identify, evaluate, and provide special education and related services to children who have visual or hearing disabilities (or both) and also are, or may be, classified in another disability category. A state must ensure that it has enough qualified personnel to serve children who have such disabilities and that a full continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of disabled children for special education and related services. The individualized education program for each child that is either (or both) visually or hearing impaired must include specified components and must provide the child with instruction that meets the child's unique learning needs. Similarly, the individualized family service plan for an infant or toddler with a hearing disability must include specified components. A states' closure of a special school serving deaf or blind children shall count as a reduction of its financial support for special education and related services for purposes of the prohibition against reducing state financial support for such services from one fiscal year to the next. The bill also: (1) authorizes grants for training special education personnel, to be used in preparing individuals to become qualified teachers and early intervention specialists for children with hearing disabilities; and (2) establishes within the Department of Education the Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence to better support students with visual disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Big Cat Public Safety Act This bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit any person from breeding or possessing any live animal of any prohibited wildlife species (i.e., any live species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species). Breeding means facilitating propagation or reproduction (whether intentionally or negligently), or failing to prevent propagation or reproduction. The bill extends forfeiture provisions to fish, wildlife, or plants that are bred or possessed. The bill revises the list of entities that are exempt from Lacey Act prohibitions to include: institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums; certain facilities that have an active written contract with an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan or Taxon Advisory Group for breeding prohibited wildlife species; persons who do not allow the transportation and display of prohibited wildlife species off-site; current owners of animals that were born before this bill's enactment if the animals are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service within 180 days; and certain traveling circuses that hold Class C licenses under the Animal Welfare Act. Entities exempt from Lacey Act prohibitions must require that current owners and circuses not allow direct contact between the public and the prohibited wildlife species.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
Amends Rule XXIII (Code of Official Conduct) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House from discharging and refusing to hire an individual or otherwise discriminate against them with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of their actual or perceived: race, color, religion, sex (including marital or parental status), disability, age, or national origin. Adds an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity to this list.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2015
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 · 16 September 2015
Pell Grant Restoration Act of 2015 This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to restore a student's Pell Grant eligibility for any period of time during which the student qualified for, or would have qualified for, federal student loan forgiveness due to school closure, assertion of a defense against repayment, or institutional fraud or misconduct. Specifically, this bill provides that Pell Grants received by a student during that period of time do not count toward the student's lifetime limit on Pell Grant eligibility (currently 12 full-time semesters).
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2015
Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies Act or the CECIL Act This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to apply the Act's prohibitions on importing or exporting species listed as threatened or endangered to species proposed to be listed as well. The Government Accountability Office must conduct and submit a report on the results of a study of the effectiveness of trophy hunting in supporting international wildlife conservation efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2015
Electric Vehicle Charging Offers Modern Utility Terminals for Employees Act or the EV-COMUTE Act This bill authorizes the head of any federal agency that owns or operates a parking area for use by agency employees to: (1) install, construct, operate, and maintain on a reimbursable basis a battery recharging station in such parking area for the use of privately-owned employee vehicles; and (2) charge a user fee to cover the costs of such station.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2015
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2015 or the Fair Chance Act This bill prohibits federal agencies and federal contractors from requesting that applicants for employment disclose criminal history record information before receiving a conditional offer (an offer of employment conditioned upon the results of a criminal history inquiry). The bill sets forth positions to which such prohibition shall not apply, such as positions for which prior consideration of criminal history record information is otherwise required by law, positions with law enforcement and national security duties, and positions requiring access to classified information. The bill prohibits agencies from requiring an individual or sole proprietor who submits a bid for a contract to disclose criminal history record information regarding that individual or sole proprietor before determining the apparent awardee. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance, the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the Administrator of General Services, and the Secretary of Defense must: (1) establish procedures for submitting complaints about, and taking adverse actions against, agency employees and contractors for violating such prohibitions and for appealing such an adverse action; and (2) issue regulations to implement this Act. The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council shall revise the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the requirements of this Act. The Department of Labor, in coordination with the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, must study and report every five years on the employment of individuals who are released from federal prison after completing a term of imprisonment for a federal criminal offense.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2015
Connected Transportation Research and Innovation Act of 2015 This bill reauthorizes through FY2021 highway research and development, including highway safety, technology and innovation deployment, training and education, and intelligent transportation systems. After receiving a 5.9 GHz Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure device, the Department of Transportation (DOT) shall test it to examine the possibility of interference with safety-related vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure applications. DOT shall: research, develop, and test automated vehicle systems; promote the research, development, and demonstration of user-based alternative revenue mechanisms that preserve a user fee structure to maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund; and establish and lead a Surface Transportation Revenue Alternatives Advisory Council to inform the selection and evaluation of such mechanisms. The bill reauthorizes through FY2021 the university transportation centers program, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the National Cooperative Rail Research Program, hazardous materials research and development, the advanced transportation research and innovation program, the National Cooperative Freight Transportation Research Program, and the rail cooperative research program. The bill also increases the amount of grants for national, regional university, and tier 1 university transportation centers. DOT shall: examine opportunities for federal and state participation and investment in international transportation research collaborations, and establish the Advanced Transportation Research and Innovation Program. The bill cites eligible public transportation workforce development programs. DOT shall establish: a hazardous materials transport cooperative research program, and a multimodal national cooperative freight transportation research program. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology shall study digital technologies and information technologies (smart cities transportation planning), including shared mobility, data, transportation network companies, and on-demand transportation services.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2015
Declares that: the atrocities committed against Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities targeted specifically for religious reasons are crimes against humanity and genocide; each of the Contracting Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and other international agreements forbidding war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly the governments of countries and their nationals who are in any way supporting these crimes, are reminded of their legal obligations under the Convention and these international agreements; the United Nations (U.N.) and the Secretary-General are called upon to assert leadership by calling the atrocities war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide; the member states of the U.N., with an appeal to the Arab States that wish to uphold religious freedom and justice, should collaborate on measures to prevent further war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, and collaborate on the establishment of tribunals to punish those responsible for the ongoing crimes; the governments of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Lebanese Republic, and other countries are commended for having undertaken to shelter and protect those fleeing extremist violence; and those who force the migration of religious communities from their ancestral homelands, including specifically the Nineveh Plain and Mount Sinjar, should be prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the place where their crimes were committed and under applicable international criminal statutes and conventions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2015
Gun Trafficking Prevention Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make trafficking in firearms a crime. Specifically, it prohibits: purchasing or transferring a firearm with the intent to deliver it to a prohibited person; providing false or misleading material information in connection with a firearm purchase or transfer; and directing, promoting, or facilitating such prohibited conduct. The prohibition does not apply to a firearm lawfully acquired to give as a gift or lawfully received as a gift. A person who commits a gun trafficking offense is subject to a prison term of up to 20 years (or 25 years if such person also acted as an organizer). A person who conspires to commit a gun trafficking offense is subject to a prison term of up to 10 years. The U.S. Sentencing Commission must review and, if appropriate, amend the sentencing guidelines and policy statements that apply to persons convicted of trafficking in firearms.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2015
Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) Accountability Act of 2015 This bill prohibits the U.S. government from selling or transferring to Bahrain specified weapons and crowd control items until the Department of State certifies that Bahrain has fully implemented all 26 recommendations set forth in the 2011 Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research Act of 2015 or the Childhood Cancer STAR Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide support to collect the medical specimens and information of children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer to improve the understanding of these cancers and of the effects of treatment. The national childhood cancer registry is reauthorized through FY2020 and revised to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to states to improve tracking of childhood cancers. This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers and distributors of investigational drugs to publish policies for compassionate use of the drugs. The Department of Health and Human Services must: (1) support pilot programs to develop or study models for monitoring and caring for childhood cancer survivors throughout their lives, (2) convene a Workforce Development Collaborative on Medical and Psychosocial Care for Pediatric Cancer Survivors, (3) establish a task force on standards for high-quality childhood cancer survivorship care, and (4) carry out a demonstration project to improve care coordination as childhood cancer survivors transition to adult care. The NIH must support research on: (1) outcomes for, and barriers faced by, pediatric cancer survivors within minority or medically underserved populations; and (2) follow-up care for pediatric cancer survivors, including research on the late effects of cancer treatment and long-term complications. The Government Accountability Office must make recommendations to address barriers to childhood cancer survivors obtaining and paying for adequate medical care.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2015 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: revise and reauthorize grant programs for offender reentry demonstration projects; family-based substance abuse treatment; and evaluating and improving educational methods at prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities; and repeal grant programs for offender reentry courts and drug treatment alternatives to incarceration. Additionally, the legislation amends the Second Chance Act of 2007 to: rename, revise, and reauthorize grant programs for technology career training demonstration projects and reentry mentoring services, reauthorize offender reentry research and the grant program for offender reentry substance abuse and criminal justice collaboration, reauthorize and modify eligibility for an elderly offender early release pilot program, and repeal grant programs for the responsible reintegration of offenders and the study of Depot Naltrexone to treat heroin addiction. It amends the federal criminal code to establish partnerships between prisons and faith- or community-based nonprofit organizations to conduct activities to reduce recidivism. The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Inspector General must conduct annual audits of selected grant recipients to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds. The bill prohibits grants to nonprofit organizations that hold money in an offshore account to avoid tax liability. It also prohibits a grantee from using grant funds to lobby DOJ or a state, local, or tribal government regarding the award of grant funding. DOJ, in collaboration with interested persons, providers, and organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments, must coordinate and report to Congress on federal reentry programs, policies, and practices. The bill limits the use of grants for conferences that use more than $20,000 in DOJ funds.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act of 2015 Directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to furnish fertility treatment and counseling, including through the use of assisted reproductive technology, to a spouse, partner, or gestational surrogate of a severely wounded, ill, or injured member of the Armed Forces who has an infertility condition incurred or aggravated while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces. Requires provision of fertility treatment and counseling to a spouse, partner, or gestational surrogate of a member of the Armed Forces without regard to the member's sex or marital status. States that, if a member of the Armed Forces is unable to provide gametes for fertility treatment purposes, the Secretary shall, at the member's election, allow the member to be treated with donated gametes and pay or reimburse the reasonable costs of procuring donor gametes. Directs DOD to: establish procedures for gamete retrieval from a member of the Armed Forces in cases in which the fertility of such member is potentially jeopardized as a result of an injury or illness incurred or aggravated while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces; and give members of the Armed Forces on active duty the opportunity to cryopreserve and store their gametes prior to deployment to a combat zone at no cost to the member. Directs DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to share best practices and facilitate fertility treatment and counseling referrals to eligible individuals. Includes fertility counseling and treatment within authorized VA medical services. Authorizes the VA to pay the adoption expenses (for up to three adoptions) for a severely wounded, ill, or injured veteran who has an infertility condition incurred or aggravated in the line of duty and who is enrolled in the VA health care system. Directs the VA to report annually to Congress on the counseling and treatment provided under this Act; and (2) prescribe regulations on the furnishing of such counseling, treatment, and adoption assistance. Directs the VA to facilitate research conducted collaboratively by DOD and the Department of Health and Human Services in order to improve the VA's ability to meet the long-term reproductive health care needs of veterans who have a service-connected genitourinary disability or a condition that was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty that affects the veterans' reproductive ability. Requires the VA to enhance the capabilities of the VA women veterans contact center to: (1) respond to requests for assistance with accessing VA health care and benefits, and (2) refer such veterans to federal or community resources to obtain assistance not furnished by the VA. Amends the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 regarding a pilot program of group retreat reintegration and readjustment counseling for women veterans recently separated from service to: (1) increase the number of counseling locations, and (2) extend the program. Establishes VA programs to provide assistance to qualified veterans to obtain child care so that such veterans can receive: (1) regular mental health care services, intensive mental health care services, or other intensive health care services; and (2) readjustment counseling and related mental health services.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
This bill designates the portion of Moffett Federal Airfield, California, containing the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard, as Moffett Air National Guard Base.
![Official portrait of Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/671024d7ec807bca66057fcb_200.jpg)