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101 records in US in 2016
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Capital for Farmers and Ranchers Act of 2016 This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to increase the amount of unpaid debt permitted per borrower under Department of Agriculture farm ownership and operating loans.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Century Farms Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a program to recognize: (1) any farm that a state department of agriculture or similar statewide agricultural organization recognizes as a Century Farm, or (2) a farm or ranch that has been operated continuously and owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years. In recognizing farms under this bill, USDA must give preference to small farms.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Recognizes the 75th anniversary of the American Tree Farm System. Encourages the public to participate in activities that celebrate the anniversary and highlight the importance of this program, working family-owned forests, and the clean water, wildlife habitats, and wood supply that forests provide for all people in the United States. Supports conservation and management of the nation's trees and forests through landowner participation in the Conservation Reserve Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, and the Forest Stewardship Program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Honors the centennial of the United States Grain Standards Act by reaffirming the significance of the Act. Finds that the Act remains necessary to facilitate the movement of U.S. grain into the marketplace by providing an internationally recognized standard in sampling, inspection, process verification, weighing, and stowage examination services that accurately and consistently describe the quality and quantity of grain commodities traded domestically and internationally.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Utah Public Lands Initiative Act This bill designates specified federal lands as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System in Utah. The bill also: establishes in Utah specified National Conservation Areas and Watershed Management Areas and Special Management Areas, adds specified lands to Arches National Park, and establishes the Jurassic National Monument. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is amended to designate specified segments of the Colorado, Dolores, Green, Dark Canyon, and San Juan Rivers as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers. The bill establishes the Ashley Karst National Geologic and Recreation Area. The bill arranges for a land exchange between Utah and the Department of the Interior involving specified federal and state trust lands, and reserves a wellbore interest in certain oil and gas wells on the federal lands. Interior shall convey specified federal land to the Utah State Parks and Recreation Division of the Department of Natural Resources for inclusion in Goblin Valley State Park. The bill arranges for a land exchange between Interior and Utah's Division of Forestry, Fire, and State lands involving specified federal and state lands in order for Utah to create the Price Canyon State Forest. The bill arranges for a land exchange between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Deer Lodge Homeowners Association involving specified National Forest System and private lands. Scofield Land Transfer Act The bill arranges for conveyances to specified claimants of the federal lands used in the construction and operation of Scofield Dam and Reservoir, and establishes the Scofield Reservoir Fund. The bill specifies other land conveyances and land disposals, and establishes specified Recreation Zones and the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail. The bill approves Utah's application for a specified Title V right-of-way concerning travel in Recapture Canyon. The Big Burrito Non-Motorized Trail in the Sand Flats Recreation Area shall not be subject to administrative or judicial review. The bill designates the Red Rock Country Off-Highway Vehicle Trail. The bill transfers the federal minerals within the McCraken Extension of the Navajo Nation to the Utah Navajo Trust Fund. Interior shall hold certain interests in mineral or surface estate in trust for the Ute Indian Tribe. The bill transfers title to the mineral estate in the Hill Creek Extension to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Ute Tribe. Utah may establish a program covering the permitting processes, regulatory requirements, and any other provisions by which it would exercise its rights to develop and permit all forms of energy resources on certain available federal land. The bill recognizes Utah state and county rights-of-way for public travel and access on certain Class B roads. The bill requires Interior to implement the Grand County Council's recommendations for Hey Joe Canyon, Tenmile Canyon, and Mineral Canyon roads. Interior shall grant a right-of-way to Uintah County for public travel and access on all Class D roads. The bill allows current domestic livestock grazing in specified counties to continue. The bill states that the viability or existence of bighorn sheep shall not be used to remove or alter the use of domestic sheep or cattle where such use was permitted as of January 1, 2016, on certain federal lands. Interior and USDA shall establish the Public Lands Initiative Planning and Implementation Advisory Committee. The bill establishes the Bears Ears National Conservation Area, the Bears Ears Tribal Commission, and the Bears Ears Advisory Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Agriculture Delivering Vastly Improved Science at the EPA Now Act or the ADVISE Now Act This bill amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to require the Environmental Protection Agency and its Science Advisory Board to establish a standing agriculture-related committee (as the Act currently requires without a deadline) within 30 days of enactment of this bill. If an agriculture committee is not established by this deadline, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall establish and appoint members to such a committee within 15 days. If such a contingent establishment occurs, USDA shall have the continuing authority to appoint members to it.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Hunting, Education, and Recreational Development Act or the HEARD Act This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to dispose of federal lands under their respective jurisdictions by offering them for sale or exchange to units of local government in accordance with this bill. Before the offering of lands for sale or exchange, states or the unit of local government in whose jurisdiction the lands are located may elect to obtain any such lands for local public purposes pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. Interior or USDA, as appropriate, shall retain the elected lands for conveyance to such states or unit of local government in accordance with that Act. The bill prescribes requirements for disposition of the gross proceeds of the sales of lands under this bill, including that: 15% be paid to the state where the sale takes place to be used to supplement the education of students in kindergarten through grade 12, to supplement public support of institutions of public higher education, and to supplement state agricultural and natural resource agencies; and 10% of such proceeds be deposited in a special account to be created in the Treasury which may be used for the acquisition of recreational beneficial lands and interests (providing an opportunity for hunting, recreational fishing, recreational shooting, recreational off-highway vehicles, or other recreational purposes, or to achieve better management of public lands through consolidation of federal ownership).
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Recognizes the importance of pollinators in agriculture and in maintaining our diverse ecosystem. Supports ongoing efforts to advance research and increase public awareness.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (with respect to National Forest System land) and the Department of the Interior (with respect to public land) to authorize relevant local officials to determine all permissible forms of recreational use by nonmotorized transportation methods over any permitted routes within their jurisdictions. The bill defines "local officials" as officers or employees who are the heads of units or jurisdictions of the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If a local official fails to make such a determination about a permitted route more than two years after this bill's enactment, then any form of recreational use by nonmotorized transportation methods shall be allowable on that route.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Commodity Checkoff Program Improvement Act of 2016 This bill establishes restrictions and requirements for checkoff programs, which are programs overseen by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands. The bill prohibits boards established to carry out a checkoff program or a USDA order issued under a checkoff program from entering into a contract or agreement to carry out program activities with a party that engages in activities to influence any government policy or action that relates to agriculture. The bill also prohibits a board or its employees or agents acting in their official capacity from engaging in: (1) any act that involves a conflict of interest; and (2) any anticompetitive activity, unfair or deceptive act or practice, or any act that may be disparaging to another agricultural commodity or product. The board must meet specified requirements regarding the publication of budgets and disbursements of funds. The USDA Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office must conduct specified audits regarding checkoff programs.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Voluntary Check-off Program Participation Act This bill prohibits mandatory or compulsory check-off programs and requires producer participation in the programs to be voluntary at the point of sale. (A check-off program is a program to promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands. The Department of Agriculture oversees the programs, which are requested and funded by industry.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2016
Recognizes the 75th anniversary of the American Tree Farm System. Encourages the public to participate in ceremonies and activities that recognize the importance of this program, working family-owned forests, and the clean water, wildlife habitat, and wood supply they provide. Supports conservation and management of the nation's trees and forests through landowner participation in the Conservation Reserve Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Forest Stewardship Program.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Guaranteed Loan Modernization Act of 2016 This bill amends the Agricultural Act of 1961 to revise the limits for the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) conservation loan guarantee program. The bill replaces the existing 80% limit on the portion of a loan that USDA may guarantee with limits that range from 80%-90%, depending on the principal amount of the loan. For socially disadvantaged or beginning farmers or ranchers, the bill replaces the existing 90% limit with limits that range from 85%-95%, depending on the principal amount of the loan. USDA may not guarantee a loan under the program that exceeds $3.5 million.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2016
Securing American Food Equity Act of 2016 or the SAFE Act of 2016 This bill amends the Defense Production Act of 1950 to include the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and to require CFIUS to consider the national security-related effects on agricultural assets in reviewing transactions. (CFIUS is an interagency committee authorized under current law to review transactions that could result in control of a U.S. business by a foreign person in order to determine the effects of the transactions on national security.)
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2016
Central Wasatch National Conservation and Recreation Area Act This bill establishes the Central Wasatch National Conservation and Recreation Area in Utah, comprising approximately 79,109 acres of federal land in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term management of the area. The bill adjusts the boundaries of Mount Olympus, Twin Peaks, and Lone Peak Wildernesses. The bill designates certain land in the forest as the Grandeur Peak-Mount Aire Wilderness and a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bill designates approximately 1,800 acres of federal land in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest as the White Pine Special Management Area. The bill prohibits timber harvesting within the special management area. The bill withdraws all federal land within the conservation and recreation area from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws. USDA shall allow installation of access and avalanche control devices, excluding ski lifts, within or adjacent to the area. The bill arranges for a potential land exchange involving specified National Forest System land and private ski areas in Utah.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2016
Serve More Kids Act This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to make several changes to the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) child nutrition programs. USDA must: (1) award equipment assistance grants to states for the school lunch and breakfast programs, (2) provide commodity assistance to states for the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and (3) establish a pilot program for providing a third daily meal under the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). USDA may waive or modify the verification sample size requirements under the National School Lunch Program for local educational agencies that demonstrate that the requirement would increase the number of eligible children losing access to benefits or have a disproportionate and adverse impact on vulnerable populations such as migrants and homeless youth. USDA may grant a request to allow children to consume SFSP meals off-site due to specified factors, including extreme weather, violence and other public safety concerns, or efforts to support innovative meal delivery methods to address transportation barriers and low program participation in rural areas. The bill modifies the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to: specify that the food must be nutritious; specify certification periods for breastfeeding women, infants, and postpartum women; require state agencies to submit plans and distribute information related to improving access for members of the Armed Forces; and require USDA to provide additional annual performance bonus payments to state agencies for improving the proportion of breast-fed infants participating in the program. The bill also reauthorizes USDA grants to states for expanding school breakfast programs.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 7 July 2016
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2016
Timber Innovation Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a performance-driven research and development program to advance tall wood building construction in the United States. "Tall wood building" means a building designed to be over 85 feet high and constructed with large panelized wood construction (mass timber), including cross-laminated timber, nail laminated timber, glue laminated timber, laminated strand lumber, and laminated veneer lumber. USDA shall for FY2017-FY2021 carry out an annual competition for a tall wood building design in accordance with the requirements for prize competitions carried out under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980. In carrying out a wood innovation grant program, USDA may make a wood innovation grant to one or more specified eligible entities in order to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies in the development of innovative wood products for tall wood building construction. USDA shall give priority to grant proposals which include the use or retrofitting (or both) of existing sawmill facilities in counties where the average annual unemployment rate exceeded the national average by more than 1% in the previous year. USDA shall carry out a program of education and technical assistance for mass timber applications. USDA shall collaborate and partner with one or more nonfederal entities, including governments of other countries, to: enhance tall wood building commercialization of the United States, develop technical assistance related to tall wood building commercialization, and carry out the program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2016
Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to reauthorize and modify: (1) child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and other institutional food service programs; and (2) the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The bill extends through FY2020 the authorizations for: the Summer Food Service Program, WIC, the WIC Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, and State Administrative Expenses. (Under current law, several programs such as the NSLP and the School Breakfast Program are permanently authorized.) For the child nutrition programs, the bill makes policy changes that: require the Department of Agriculture to use an expedited rulemaking process to change regulations regarding whole grain and sodium requirements for the NSLP and the School Breakfast Program; create a hardship exemption to temporarily permit certain schools to serve frozen, dried, or canned fruits under the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program; revise application verification requirements for the school meal programs; and permit states to provide summer meals away from a congregate site (specific sites where children come to eat and are supervised) in rural or low-income areas without access to summer service. For WIC, the bill: changes rules regarding the eligibility criteria for children, the infant certification period, and income eligibility calculations; permits commercial availability and participant demand to be considered when amending the list of supplemental foods, and modifies the competitive bidding and contract award process for infant formula and infant foods.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2016
Food Recovery Act of 2016 This bill provides funding and establishes requirements to reduce food waste and standardize date labeling on food. The bill expands and establishes grant and loan programs to: raise awareness about wasted food and food recovery efforts to reduce the quantity of wasted food, improve cooperation between agricultural producers and emergency feeding organizations, assist schools in using food from farms that would otherwise go to waste and providing farms with compostable materials, and install facilities that include composting or anaerobic digesters that use food or crop waste to produce energy. The bill provides funds for: (1) state storage and distribution costs under the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and (2) media campaigns to decrease food waste. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish an Office of Food Recovery to coordinate programs to measure and reduce food waste. The bill specifies that composting is eligible for support under USDA's conservation programs. Companies that receive federal food service contracts must donate surplus food to nonprofit organizations that assist food-insecure people. Food Date Labeling Act of 2016 Producers, manufacturers, distributors, or retailers that place a date label on food packaging of a product must use the phrases "best if used by" to indicate food quality and the phrase "expires on" to warn of food that may be unsafe to eat after a specified date. Labelers may include a quality date on packaging, but must include a safety date on ready-to-eat products. No one may prohibit the sale, donation, or use of a product after the quality date for the product has passed.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2016
Wetland Determinations Efficiency and Transparency Act This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to revise the process that the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) uses to make a wetland determination, delineation, or certification. The NRCS must make a determination, delineation, or certification within 60 days. If the NRCS misses the deadline, it must provide a reasonable transition period for a person to come into compliance with the decision without losing eligibility for certain payments and loans. A decision is subject to judicial review, and a person is not required to exhaust all administrative remedies prior to bringing a suit in federal court. In the case of a dispute, the NRCS must bear the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence and provide a copy of the agency record upon request. USDA must permit a person to secure technical assistance from an approved source, other than the NRCS, for the preparation of: (1) a conservation plan or similar plan required as a condition for USDA assistance, and (2) a wetland delineation or determination.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2016
Designates September 25, 2016, as National Lobster Day.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2016
Reservoir Operations Improvement Act This bill directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to submit a report with respect to each drought state (a state for which the governor has declared a drought or that contains at least one county for which the Department of Agriculture has designated a drought disaster) during water year 2015 or 2016 that includes: a list of flood control projects in such state; the year during which the original water manual (water operations manuals, flood control rule curves, and water control manuals) for each project was approved; the years during which any revisions to a project's water manual occurred or are requested to occur; a list of projects for which operational deviations for drought contingency, and changes to storage allocations, have been requested and the status of such requests; and a description of the means by which water conservation and water quality improvements were addressed in any response to such requests. The Corps of Engineers shall: (1) identify each project included in the report that includes a reservoir and for which a non-federal interest has submitted a written request to revise the project's water manual; (2) revise the water manuals of not more than 15 of such projects; and (3) in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, create a forecast-informed reservoir operations plan for each selected project. The water manual revision shall incorporate such plan, new watershed data, and the effects of any structural improvement completed after the date of the most recent prior revision of the water manual. A revision of a water manual may not reduce the water supply for any authorized purpose, other than flood control, of a flood control project.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 23 June 2016
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2016
Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 This bill amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 and other housing laws to modify the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rental assistance (including section 8 low-income [voucher]) and public housing programs, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requirements for condominium mortgage insurance, and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) single family housing guaranteed loan program. The bill revises the requirements for Public House Agencies (PHAs) to inspect dwelling units before making housing assistance payments to ensure that units comply with housing quality standards. A PHA shall review the incomes of assisted families in dwelling units, and may not rent a dwelling unit to or assist families with net family assets exceeding $100,000 annually (adjusted for inflation) or an ownership interest in property that is suitable for occupancy. The bill also revises requirements for: PHA project-based assistance, including vouchers; the public notice requirements for proposed Fair Market Rents; and the Family Unification Program, especially coordination between PHAs and public child welfare agencies in carrying it out. The Housing Act of 1949 is amended to permit USDA to delegate to preferred lenders its loan approval authority for the Rural Housing Service single family housing guaranteed loan program. The National Housing Act is amended to require the FHA to modify its certification requirements for condominium mortgage insurance. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is amended to require HUD to define the ''geographic area'' for purposes of the Continuum of Care Program (which awards project sponsors or unified funding agencies competitive grants focused on addressing the long-term housing and services needs of homeless individuals and families). Local governments receiving Emergency Solutions Grants may distribute all or part of the assistance to PHAs or Local Redevelopment Authorities. (The grants are awarded to assist the homeless and prevent homelessness. Distribution of the grants is currently limited to nonprofit organizations.) The bill transfers to the Office of the Secretary the Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs, currently in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs. HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs must report annually to Congress on the number of veterans assisted by HUD programs, coordination of services for veterans, and the cost of administering programs to veterans. The bill also revises the formula and requirements for distributing funds under the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2016
This bill amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to direct the Departments of Agriculture (with respect to the Forest Service) and of the Interior (with respect to other federal land management agencies) to arrange for any U.S. citizen or domiciliary age 17 or younger (and for accompanying family members) to be given free admission to federal recreational lands or waters on his or her birthday upon proof of age and citizenship or residency.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2016
Emergency Wildfire and Forest Management Act of 2016 This bill sets forth a procedure for the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to request declarations for major wildfire disasters on federal land. This bill shall apply whenever the appropriate department prepares an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for a forest management activity whose primary purpose is to: reduce hazardous fuel loads, reduce fuel connectivity through the installation of fuel and fire breaks, restore forest health and resilience, protect a municipal water supply, or perform a combination of two or more such activities. In an EA or EIS, the department concerned shall develop only these two alternatives: the forest management activity proposed, or the alternative of no action. A categorical exclusion shall be available to the department concerned to: (1) expedite specified critical response actions, (2) expedite salvage operations in response to catastrophic events, (3) meet forest plan goals for early successional forests, and (4) improve and restore forest health and reduce the risk of wildfire. (A "categorical exclusion" under NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a federal agency in implementing environmental regulations and for which, therefore, neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.) The bill establishes the State-Supported Forest Management Fund to cover the cost of certain forest management activities on National Forest System (NFS) or public land. The Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 is amended regarding protection of tribal forest assets and management of Indian forest land authorized to include NFS and public land. USDA shall issue grants for a state and private forest landscape-scale restoration program. USDA shall establish an NFS: pilot arbitration program to designate projects for an alternative dispute resolution process replacing judicial review, and accelerated landscape restoration pilot program for the restoration or maintenance of designated landscapes.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2016
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 Provides FY2017 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and related agencies. Provides appropriations to Interior for: the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education. Provides appropriations to Interior for Departmental Offices, including: the Office of the Secretary, Insular Affairs, the Office of the Solicitor, the Office of Inspector General, and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians. Provides appropriations to Interior for Department-Wide Programs, including: Wildland Fire Management, the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund, the Central Hazardous Materials Fund, the Natural Resources Damage Assessment Fund, and the Working Capital Fund. Provides appropriations to the EPA. Provides appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service. Provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for: the Indian Health Service, the National Institutes of Health for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Provides appropriations to other related agencies, including: the Executive Office of the President for the Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Environmental Quality; the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation; the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; the Smithsonian Institution; the National Gallery of Art; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Commission of Fine Arts; the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; the National Capital Planning Commission; and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Sets forth permissible and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
National Flood Research and Education Center Act This bill establishes within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a National Flood Research and Education Center (NFREC), which shall consist of: (1) an office within NOAA; (2) one public university or college selected by the NOAA Administrator, which shall serve as the lead partner institution with NOAA; and (3) a consortium of other public universities or colleges selected by the Administrator and such lead partner institution based on their ability to fulfill specific purposes of NFREC. The purposes of NFREC are listed, including to plan, conduct, and arrange for competent public research, data, education, and recommendations within the following categories as they relate to flooding issues nationwide, regionally, and locally: (1) physical sciences, social science, and economic, policy, and risk analysis; (2) risk management; and (3) improvement of existing, and testing of new, risk assessment tools and methods, monitoring and predicting strategies and techniques, and flood management and prevention strategies and techniques. The bill sets forth criteria for selection of a lead partner institution and consortium members. NFREC must: (1) partner with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Army Corps of Engineers; (2) collaborate on federal flood-related issues with specified federal agencies; and (3) collaborate and share best practices on regional, state, and locally specific flooding and flood-related issues with state and local governments and with watershed, agriculture, environmental, and business and development organizations. Review and reporting requirements are set forth. NFREC must establish and make information available on a website. NFREC may provide technical assistance and demonstration project grant assistance to state and local governments on a competitive basis to assist with implementing recommendations of NFREC or testing new or improved strategies or technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
Supports the recognition of the Year of Pulse Crops, participation in events and activities organized pursuant to the United Nations observance of the International Year of Pulses, and future funding to support the cultivation and consumption of pulse crops. (A pulse crop is a dry, edible seed of a plant in the legume family, including a dry bean, dry pea, lentil, or chickpea.)
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2016
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 Provides FY2017 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and related agencies. Provides appropriations to Interior for: the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education, and Departmental Offices. Provides appropriations to Interior for Department-Wide Programs, including Wildland Fire Management and Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT). Provides appropriations to the EPA. Provides appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service. Provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for: the Indian Health Service, the National Institutes of Health for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Provides appropriations to other related agencies, including: the Executive Office of the President for the Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Environmental Quality; the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation; the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; the Smithsonian Institution; the National Gallery of Art; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Commission of Fine Arts; the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; the National Capital Planning Commission; the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission; and the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission. Sets forth permissible and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require specified adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2017-FY2026 to accommodate appropriations for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at USDA and Interior. Alaska Land Use Council Act Establishes a new Alaska Land Use Council to facilitate coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and Alaska Native Corporation and tribal land and resource managers in implementing the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act and other land and resource management laws. Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission Act Authorizes a Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission to commemorate the events that led to women gaining the right to vote, including the passage and ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2016
Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow energy tax credits through 2020 for investments in: (1) qualified biogas property, or (2) qualified manure resource recovery property. The bill also permits new clean renewable energy bonds to be used for such properties. "Qualified biogas property" comprises a system that: (1) uses anaerobic digesters or other specified processes to convert biomass into a gas which is at least 52% methane; and (2) captures the gas for use as a fuel. The term includes property that cleans and conditions the gas for use as a fuel. "Qualified manure resource recovery property" comprises a system that uses specified processes to recover the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from a non-treated digestate or animal manure by reducing or separating at least 50% of the nutrients, excluding any reductions during the incineration, storage, composting, or field application of the non-treated digestate or animal manure. The term also includes certain processing equipment. The Department of the Treasury must enter into an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a study of biogas and report to Congress on the study.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 14 June 2016
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Improving Access to Farm Conservation Act of 2016 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to exempt certain recipients of Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation assistance from specified reporting requirements. The bill exempts producers that receive $450,000 or less in USDA conservation assistance during the year or are Indian tribes from reporting requirements related to subawards, executive compensation, the Universal Identifier, and the System for Award Management.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Southeastern Oregon Mineral Withdrawal and Economic Preservation and Development Act This bill establishes the Southeastern Oregon Withdrawal Area, comprising 2.065 million acres of specified federal land in Malheur County, Oregon, which shall be withdrawn from certain public land, mining, and mineral leasing laws. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall make grants for projects in Oregon to develop modern and efficient water systems. USDA shall establish an Agricultural Center for Excellence in the county. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 is amended to make the rural firefighters and emergency medical service assistance program permanent and require grant amounts to fund the operating expenses of firefighters in rural areas. The Departments of Homeland Security, of Defense, and of the Interior shall establish programs for transferring surplus equipment that can be used in firefighting. Interior shall establish a program of strategic fuel breaks from which firefighters can operate safely to preserve critical sage grouse habitat and support the nearby ranching community. USDA shall make grants for infrastructure projects for drinking water and wastewater systems and for improvement of broadband or cellular service. The Department of Transportation (DOT) shall study rural air services and infrastructure for Ontario (Oregon) Municipal Airport. DOT shall: make a grant for the construction of an intermodal transfer facility in the county; furnish financial assistance for projects that would improve the downtown area of Ontario, surrounding communities, and local transportation; and make grants to the state to support Lake Owyhee Road Transportation Improvement Projects. The Department of Labor shall make grants for workforce training activities in the county.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2016
Designates the week of June 6-June 12, 2016, as Hemp History Week. Recognizes the historical relevance and growing economic potential of industrial hemp.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
SNAP Healthy Incentives Act of 2016 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide a financial incentive for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) participants to purchase fruits and vegetables.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) supports the designation of June 6-June 12, 2016, as Hemp History Week; and (2) recognizes the historical relevance and growing economic potential of industrial hemp.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2016
Puerto Rico Humanitarian Relief and Reconstruction Act This bill establishes a Puerto Rico Reconstruction Finance Corporation to accept applications from the government of Puerto Rico or its municipalities to restructure their bond debts through a process under which: (1) the corporation will purchase the bonds from bond holders at the price the holder paid for the bond, and (2) the par value of each bond is reduced to the last price paid for the bond. Impairment of pension benefits is not permitted. The board of the corporation must consist of six members appointed by the President from lists submitted by Puerto Rico's legislature and governor and one member selected in the sole discretion of the President, each of whom must reside in, and have expertise in the economy, history, and government of, Puerto Rico. The corporation may: (1) make expenditures to address Puerto Rico's humanitarian crisis and restore economic growth; (2) authorize lending activities; and (3) negotiate with Puerto Rico or its municipalities that have defaulted on bonds over budgets, revenues, and appropriations. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System has the authority to provide emergency financing to Puerto Rico to facilitate an orderly restructuring of its debt, (2) the Puerto Rico government should set aside any debt held by Puerto Rico that is found by the Commission for the Comprehensive Audit of Puerto Rico's Public Debt to have been acquired in violation of the Puerto Rico constitution, and (3) Puerto Rico should suggest that debt holders seek redress from investment banks that helped market and sell any unconstitutional instruments. The bill amends the federal bankruptcy code to treat Puerto Rico as a state under chapter 9 (Adjustment of Debts of a Municipality) to permit Puerto Rico to authorize its public corporations to be debtors. The bill amends the Social Security Act to: (1) eliminate certain funding caps under title XI (General Provisions, Peer Review, Administrative Simplification) and the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage limitation under title XIX (Medicaid) for Puerto Rico; (2) apply the 100% Federal Poverty Level limitation to Puerto Rico under title XIX; (3) extend application of the Medicare payment rate floor to certain primary care services in Puerto Rico under the Medicaid program; (4) repeal the exclusion of residents of Puerto Rico from deemed enrollment under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits) of title XVIII (Medicare) and, thus, automatically enroll them; and (5) make permanent certain title XVIII part B incentive payments for primary care services in Puerto Rico. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must update the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network to include Puerto Rico, including Vieques. The Department of Health and Human Services must award a grant to an institution of higher education in Puerto Rico to study the environmental and biological health of Vieques residents. The bill establishes grant programs and revises standards for renewable energy and energy efficient commercial buildings and homes in Puerto Rico. It provides additional funding to the Department of Transportation (DOT) through FY2026 for the Puerto Rico Highway Program. Through FY2021 for Puerto Rico, the bill provides additional funding for: DOT infrastructure investments under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grant program, passenger and freight rail projects, the Airport Improvement Program, and ferry boats and terminals; Environmental Protection Agency capitalization grants for Puerto Rico water pollution control revolving funds and drinking water treatment revolving loan funds; Rural Utilities Service programs; Department of Agriculture rural energy programs; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood reduction projects; broadband and telecommunications programs; and housing and community development. The Internal Revenue Code is amended to make citizens of Puerto Rico eligible for the federal earned income tax credit and allow them to claim the refundable portion of the child tax credit on the same basis as U.S. taxpayers. Before 2019, the State Elections Commission of Puerto Rico must provide for a binding vote or series of votes on whether Puerto Rico should: be admitted as a U.S. state, become a sovereign nation, or continue the status quo as a U.S. commonwealth territory and reform its government. If a majority votes for admission as a U.S. state, the President must issue a proclamation to begin a transition process that will culminate in such admission within four years after the vote is certified.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2016
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act This bill designates specified National Forest System lands, National Park System lands, and public lands in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness and as components or additions to existing components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bill also designates specified federal lands as biological connecting corridors and as special corridor management areas. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is amended to designate segments of specified rivers and creeks in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill designates specified areas as wildland recovery areas. The Department of Agriculture shall develop a wildland recovery plan for each recovery area. A specified panel of independent scientists shall study roadless lands greater than 1,000 acres that are within the National Forest System in the Wild Rockies bioregion in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, or Wyoming, but not designated as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, for their role in maintaining biological diversity in the Northern Rockies and as part of the overall forest reserve system. Any new or existing road construction or reconstruction or timber harvest is prohibited in those lands after the evaluation. Oil or gas leasing, mining, or other development that impairs the natural and roadless qualities of the land is also prohibited. The Department of the Interior may apply the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act in carrying out this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
Securing our Agriculture and Food Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs to carry out a program to coordinate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts related to defending the food, agriculture, and veterinary systems against terrorism and other high-consequence events that pose a high risk to homeland security. Such program shall include: (1) providing oversight and integration of DHS activities related to veterinary public health, food defense, and agricultural security; and (2) leading DHS policy initiatives relating to food, animal, and agricultural incidents and to overall domestic preparedness for, and collective response to, agricultural terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Exchange Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA), if the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority offers to convey to it certain nonfederal land, to convey certain federal land to the Trust Authority in exchange. Before carrying out the land exchange, USDA shall complete any necessary land surveys and required pre-exchange clearances, mitigation activities, and approvals related to: threatened and endangered species, cultural and historic resources, wetland and floodplains, and hazardous materials. USDA and the Trust Authority shall select an appraiser to conduct appraisals of the federal and nonfederal lands in accordance with nationally recognized standards. The Trust Authority shall agree to pay, without compensation, all costs associated with the exchange. Upon acquisition by USDA, the nonfederal land shall become part of Tongass National Forest, and shall be withdrawn from: entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and disposition under the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Improvement Act of 2016 This bill amends the Barrow Gas Field Transfer Act of 1984 to require the Department of the Interior to convey to the Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation, an Alaska Native village corporation, sand and gravel deposits underlying a surface estate owned by the corporation. Interior must grant the Shishmaref Native Corporation, a village corporation, an easement between Shishmaref, Alaska, and the area of Ear Mountain, Alaska. Shee Atika Incorporated, an urban Native corporation, may opt to receive credits from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the sale of Cube Cove in Admiralty Island, Alaska, that may be used to acquire federal property sold at public sales. The bill authorizes a land exchange between the USDA and the Sealaska Corporation, an Alaska Native regional corporation. Cook Inlet Region, Inc., a regional corporation, may satisfy its claim land under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). The bill amends ANCSA to require Interior to convey: (1) a surface estate to Kian Tr'ee Corporation, a village corporation, for the Native village of Canyon Village; and (2) a subsurface estate to Doyon Limited, a regional corporation. Upon application by the village of Kaktovik or Nagamut, Interior must convey land within the National Wildlife Refuge System to the village. The bill makes land held by Alaska Native corporations subject to the National Historic Preservation Act, the Tribal Forest Protection Act, and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Native residents of the villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell, Alaska, may organize as urban corporations. Upon incorporation, Interior must offer each corporation 23,040 acres of land. Alaska Native veterans who served during the Vietnam War may receive an allotment of federal land.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2016
Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act or the FUELS Act This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ease the application of the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule on certain farms. The rule requires certain non-transportation-related facilities to prevent, prepare, and respond to oil discharges that may reach navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. Among other requirements, the rule requires those facilities to: (1) certify compliance with their SPCC plans; and (2) based on the plan, construct containment facilities that would hold the contents of aboveground oil storage tanks if they should spill. The bill increases the oil storage thresholds that necessitate compliance with those requirements by raising the aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity thresholds for: (1) farms required to have an SPCC plan, (2) farms that self-certify their SPCC plan, and (3) farms that require a certification of their SPCC plan from a professional engineer. The bill also raises the aboveground oil storage capacity of containers that must be included in calculating the aggregate aboveground storage capacity. The calculations of the aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity of a farm and the aboveground storage capacity of an individual oil tank on a farm must not include containers holding animal feed ingredients that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in livestock feed.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Condemns the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China, because it: (1) is a spectacle of extreme animal cruelty, (2) is a commercial activity not grounded in Chinese history, (3) is opposed by a majority of the Chinese people, and (4) threatens global public health. Urges: the government of China and the Yulin authorities to ban the killing and eating of dogs as part of Yulin's festival and to enforce China's food safety laws regulating the processing and sale of animal products and the 2011 Agriculture Ministry of China Regulation on the Quarantine of Dogs at the Place of Origin requiring one certificate for one dog on trans-provincial transport trucks, and the National People's Congress of China to enact an animal anticruelty law that bans the dog meat trade. Affirms the commitment of the United States to the protection of animals and to the progress of animal protection.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Stamp Out Invasive Species Act This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue and sell a Combating Invasive Species Semipostal Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp must be transferred in equal proportion to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture for combating invasive species. (Invasive species are nonnative species whose introduction poses a serious threat to natural ecosystems and causes detrimental economic damage to local communities.) The stamp must be made available to the public for two years.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2016
Facilitating Farmers' Access to Resources and Machinery Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to private activity bond financing for first-time farmers, to: (1) increase from $450,000 to $520,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) the amount of bond proceeds that may be used by a first-time farmer to acquire land for farming purposes, (2) repeal the separate dollar limitation on the use of bond proceeds for used farm equipment, and (3) modify the definition of "substantial farmland" to determine farm size by reference to the average (instead of median) size of a farm in the county in which the farm is located.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2016
Appreciates the goals of American Craft Beer Week, established by the Brewers Association, which represents the U.S. small craft brewers. Recognizes their significant contributions to the economy and to the communities in which they are located. Commends them for providing jobs, supporting U.S. agriculture, improving the balance of trade, and educating the people of the United States and beer lovers around the world about the history and culture of beer while promoting the legal and responsible consumption of beer.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2016
DHS Accountability Act of 2016 TITLE I--DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Under Secretary for Management: (1) the first assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; and (2) the acting DHS Secretary if by reason of absence, disability, or vacancy in office, neither the DHS Secretary nor Deputy Secretary is available to exercise the Secretary's duties. The President must appoint a DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans to head an office that coordinates DHS-wide strategic planning, leadership councils, and international engagement. The Under Secretary for Management's responsibilities for management integration and transformation are expanded to include each DHS functional management discipline within the development of: (1) centralized data sources and connectivity of information systems, (2) standardized and automated management information, and (3) program management and regular oversight mechanisms. The DHS succession plan for new presidential administrations must be made available to Congress. DHS must report to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) every six months on progress in implementing corrective action plans to address the designation of DHS management functions on the GAO's biannual high-risk list, until the GAO notifies Congress of the removal of the high-risk designation. DHS must notify Congress and the DHS inspector general if DHS waives the prohibition against engaging in business with a contractor or other recipient of funds that is listed as suspended or debarred from receiving federal assistance in the System for Award Management maintained by the General Services Administration. DHS may: (1) establish leadership councils to ensure coordination among DHS leadership, and (2) direct development of joint operational plans. A Joint Requirements Council is established to: (1) identify capabilities of multiple DHS components or task forces that DHS systems or services must possess to satisfy contractual or other formally imposed requirements; and (2) ensure efficiencies among life-cycle schedules, performance objectives, and procurement quantities. DHS may establish joint task forces to coordinate with foreign governments and other federal, state, or local agencies to maintain situational awareness of: (1) unlawful cross-border trafficking and crossings, and (2) operational capabilities for continuous and integrated surveillance of U.S. borders. DHS must establish a joint duty training program to coordinate workforce professional development. The National Operations Center's current role in providing situational awareness to federal, state, and local governments about events of terrorism and other natural or man-made disasters is expanded to include threats and incidents of such events. The center must also: (1) provide information to the private sector and international partners, (2) enter information sharing agreements with other federal operations centers and homeland security partners, and (3) include a representative of state and local emergency responders as a replacement for its fire service official. DHS must establish a Homeland Security Advisory Council. An Office for Partnerships Against Violent Extremism is established to lead DHS efforts to counter violent extremism by: (1) partnering with communities to address vulnerabilities that can be exploited by violent extremists; (2) working with civil society groups to counter propaganda or recruitment; (3) developing a digital engagement strategy that utilizes Internet and social media platforms; (4) entering cooperative agreements state, local, tribal, and federal agencies and disseminating information to nongovernmental partners; (5) coordinating with the Department of State on international violent extremism; and (6) coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on guidance for the use of terrorism protection grants to state, local, and tribal governments to counter violent extremism. DHS must submit a DHS strategy to counter violent extremism in the United States. In developing the strategy, DHS must consider efforts to: (1) increase support for programs and initiatives of other federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, nongovernmental, and foreign partners; and (2) disseminate resources and training guidance to local law enforcement agencies and the general public. TITLE II--DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, EFFICIENCY, AND WORKFORCE REFORMS DHS must review its international affairs offices to eliminate unnecessary duplication. DHS must submit an information technology strategic plan to: (1) align budget priorities and eliminate unnecessary technology, (2) list projects and completion dates, (3) identify high risk projects and cybersecurity risks, and (4) maximize the use and purchase of commercial off-the-shelf products. DHS must conduct an inventory of software licenses to bring the number of licenses into balance with DHS's needs. Each DHS component must develop a five-year workforce strategy for DHS to determine its proper balance of federal employees and private labor resources. If the DHS Secretary, an administrative law judge, the Merit Systems Protections Board, the Office of Special Counsel, an adjudicating body under a union contract, a federal judge, or the DHS inspector general determines that a DHS supervisor committed certain prohibited personnel actions against a DHS employee whistleblower, DHS shall propose a minimum 12-day suspension for a first violation or removal for a second violation. DHS must carry out the suspension or removal if, after providing the supervisor an opportunity to answer and furnish evidence, DHS determines that the supervisor's evidence is insufficient to reverse the proposed suspension or removal. DHS must provide: (1) training to DHS supervisors regarding how to respond to complaints alleging a violation of whistleblower protections, and (2) inform DHS employees of their whistleblower rights and the procedures for lawful disclosures. DHS must recommend adjustments in DHS management and administration that would reduce deficiencies, reduce costs, and enhance efficiencies. The bill abolishes the position of Director of Shared Services and the Office of the Director of Counternarcotics Enforcement. TITLE III--DEPARTMENT TRANSPARENCY AND ASSESSMENTS DHS's immigration functions report must address: (1) the number of persons known to have overstayed the terms of their visa, by visa type; (2) the estimated percentage of persons believed to have overstayed their visa; and (3) immigration enforcement actions. DHS must develop and annually implement metrics to measure the effectiveness of: (1) security between ports of entry; (2) security at ports of entry; (3) security in the maritime environment; and (4) aviation assets and operations of the Office of Air and Marine of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including in detecting and apprehending subjects and in seizing illicit drugs. Such metrics shall be informed by situational awareness, which is defined as knowledge and unified understanding of current unlawful cross-border activity. DHS shall: (1) make data related to apprehensions, inadmissible aliens, drug seizures, and other enforcement actions available to the public, academic research, and law enforcement communities in accordance with applicable privacy laws; and (2) provide DHS's Office of Immigration Statistics with unfettered access to the data. DHS must submit annually through FY2025 a "State of the Border" report that includes: (1) metric trends for the last 10 years, and (2) analysis of illegal flow rates. DHS must submit annual mitigation plans in response to reports by the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, and recommendations of the DHS inspector general, regarding current threats to homeland security and capability gaps in homeland security defenses. FEMA must report on the feasibility of gathering data and providing information to Congress on the use of federal grant awards, for expenditures of more than $5,000, by state, local, and tribal governments and high-risk urban areas that receive federal grants to protect against terrorism under the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Grant Program. DHS must post on its public website a list of each: (1) research and development (R&D) project that is not classified, and (2) task order for a Federally Funded Research and Development Center or a university-based center of excellence not associated with an R&D project. DHS may exclude from the publicly posted list, but must provide to Congress, any controlled unclassified information regarding projects or task orders that would jeopardize operational security. For each R&D project that has transitioned to practice, the Under Secretary of Science and Technology must develop and track indicators to demonstrate the uptake of the technology among customers or end-users. DHS and the Department of Agriculture must report on the status of construction of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. DHS's Future Years Homeland Security Program submitted after the President's annual budget submission must project: (1) acquisition estimates for the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted and the four succeeding fiscal years for all major DHS acquisitions; and (2) estimated annual deployment schedules for all physical asset major acquisitions over that five-fiscal-year period and the full operating capability for all information technology major acquisitions. The bill also revises or repeals various reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2016
Food Date Labeling Act of 2016 This bill establishes requirements that: (1) address food waste that occurs when people throw out fresh food because of their confusion over the meaning of expiration dates on food labels and whether or not the food is still safe to eat, and (2) standardize quality date and safety date food labels. Producers, manufacturers, distributors, or retailers that place a date label on food packaging of a product (food labelers) must use the phrases "best if used by" to indicate food quality and the phrase "expires on" to warn of food that may be unsafe to eat after a specified date. While labelers may voluntarily choose to include a quality date on packaging, they must include a safety date on ready-to-eat products. The Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish guidance for food labelers on how to determine quality dates and safety dates for food products. No one may prohibit the sale, donation, or use of a product after the quality date for the product has passed. USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services must educate consumers on the meaning of quality date and safety date food labels.