The world's political record
Records whose title is actually about this topic. Use a country filter if the list is still too broad.
151 records in US in 2016
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Student Debt Repayment Fairness Act This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a private educational lender from accelerating the repayment terms of a borrower's outstanding loan obligation upon the death or permanent, total disability of a cosigner if the borrower is in good standing.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Christen O'Donnell Equestrian Helmet Labeling Act of 2016 This bill directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a rule requiring warning labels for equestrian helmets that are not approved safety helmets under ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) International standards for horse sports and horseback riding. The rule must be treated as a consumer product safety rule under the Consumer Product Safety Act. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must make grants available for states, local governments, or tax-exempt nonprofit organizations to carry out education and awareness campaigns on proper equestrian helmet selection for riders and the dangers of nonapproved headgear. The bill does not apply to polo, horse racing, or rodeo helmets.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to publish revised guidance for school officials about reducing exposure to lead from drinking water in schools, including testing protocols for schools to detect lead contamination in school drinking water and its sources.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
TechCorps Act This bill requires the Office of Personnel Management to establish and maintain a database of job vacancies across the government relating to information technology (IT). The database shall be published on the USA Jobs website and describe such vacancies as TechCorps-eligible positions. The National and Community Service Act of 1990 is amended to direct the Corporation for National and Community Service to enter into an agreement with a federal agency to carry out a TechCorps program, under which: individuals apply to service as TechCorps members prior to or after graduating from a program of study at an institution of education leading to a degree or certificate relating to IT, individuals are recruited by their last academic year in such a program, TechCorps members commit to employment with the federal agency in an IT-related job for at least two years, and individuals accepting such employment shall be TechCorps members for up to four years. The Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended to provide that a borrower of a loan under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program shall be eligible to defer payments for any period during which the borrower is serving as a TechCorps member. The Department of Education shall carry out a program of canceling a specified amount of the loan obligation amount of borrowers who serve as TechCorps members for at least two years and are not in default. The Government Accountability Office shall study and report to Congress on projected staffing needs for IT-related jobs in government over the next 10 years.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act or the AIM HEA Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Secretary of Education to establish an independent commission to develop and issue voluntary accessibility guidelines for postsecondary electronic instructional materials and an annotated list of information technology standards. The Department of Education must review and, as appropriate, update the voluntary guidelines and information technology standards every five years. An institution of higher education (IHE) that uses electronic instructional materials or related technologies that conform to the voluntary guidelines is deemed to be in compliance with its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. An IHE that uses electronic instructional materials or related technologies that do not fully conform to the voluntary guidelines qualifies for a limited safe harbor from monetary liability under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 if the IHE complies with specified requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Choices in Education Act of 2016 This bill repeals the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and limits the authority of the Department of Education (ED) such that ED is authorized only to award block grants to qualified states. The bill establishes an education voucher program, through which each state shall distribute block grant funds among local educational agencies (LEAs) based on the number of eligible children within each LEA's geographical area. From these amounts, each LEA shall: (1) distribute a portion of funds to parents who elect to enroll their child in a private school or to home-school their child, and (2) do so in a manner that ensures that such payments will be used for appropriate educational expenses. To be eligible to receive a block grant, a state must: (1) comply with education voucher program requirements, and (2) make it lawful for parents of an eligible child to elect to enroll their child in any public or private elementary or secondary school in the state or to home-school their child. No Hungry Kids Act The bill repeals a specified rule that established certain nutrition standards for the national school lunch and breakfast programs. (In general, the rule requires schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat free milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat in school meals; and meet children's nutritional needs within their caloric requirements.)
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Opening Doors for Youth Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Labor to administer summer and year-round youth employment programs that: (1) match youth participants with appropriate employers for high-quality employment opportunities; (2) subsidize participants' wages; (3) provide specified coaching and mentoring; (4) provide participants with supportive services to enable program participation, if applicable; (5) develop plans to increase unsubsidized employment opportunities; and (6) connect participants with literacy services. In addition, Labor shall award competitive grants to assist community partnerships in improving high school graduation and youth employment rates. Grantees shall use funds to: (1) make appropriate use of existing data collection systems to target youths; (2) develop comprehensive pathways to higher education and employment; (3) provide comprehensive support systems; and (4) provide comprehensive systems aimed at preventing youths from disconnecting from education, training, and employment. The bill establishes labor standards, performance accountability measures, and reporting requirements with respect to each of these new programs.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 2016 This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to revise regulations for drinking water contaminants, including by: requiring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine whether or not to regulate no fewer than 10 contaminants every 3 years (current law requires 5 contaminants every 5 years); revising the process and requirements for setting maximum containment levels in national primary drinking water regulations; directing the EPA to revise national primary drinking water regulations for lead and copper; setting deadlines for the EPA to publish maximum contaminant level goals and promulgate national drinking water regulations for perchlorate, perfluorinated compounds, and microcystin (algal) toxin; establishing grant programs for reducing lead in drinking water in schools; requiring community water systems to assess their vulnerabilities to contamination, including vulnerabilities from climate change or sabotage, and develop plans for addressing those vulnerabilities; establishing the Drinking Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program, under which the EPA may award grants for community water systems to increase their resiliency to those threats; removing a regulatory exemption for hydraulic fracturing; requiring the EPA to develop a strategic plan for assessing and managing the risks of drought to drinking water provided by public water systems; revising requirements for the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF); creating a process for consolidating water systems that repeatedly fail to comply with drinking water standards; requiring the EPA to create an inventory of data about drinking water violations; directing the EPA to revise regulations for consumer confidence reports; establishing research grants for monitoring technology; and requiring the EPA to study the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in drinking water sources. The bill reauthorizes specified programs under the Act, including reauthorizing through FY2021 the SRF.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 21 September 2016
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Allow State Sovereignty Upon Refugee Entry (ASSURE) Act This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to set forth requirements for programs for domestic resettlement of, and assistance to, refugees. Before initial placement or resettlement of a refugee in a state, and before any assistance under such Act is provided to a refugee in a state, the Office of Refugee Resettlement must submit to the state legislature, and the state must enact, a plan covering that refugee, which includes: the costs to the state for housing, providing benefits to, and education of, the refugee; vaccination and health records, and the criminal history, of the refugee; any ties to a terrorist organization; whether the refugee is affiliated with groups listed as unindicted co-conspirators in the case of United States of America v. Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development ; records of the refugee found in the Department of State's Consular Lookout and Support System; and records from the refugee interview conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. If such plan is signed into law, the state may enter contracts to carry out programs for domestic resettlement of, and assistance to, covered refugees. The state shall be reimbursed by the federal government for expenses incurred. The Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall ensure that every Identity History Summary provided by the FBI includes: (1) the subject's immigration or citizenship status, and (2) any violation of federal immigration laws that has been adjudicated regarding the subject.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Medicare Affordability and Enrollment Act of 2016 This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to: establish an annual limit on out-of-pocket expenditures for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries; expand income-eligibility for cost-sharing and, with respect to beneficiaries consequently eligible for cost-sharing, establish a federal medical assistance percentage of 100% under Medicaid; limit the amount of coinsurance or copayment required of low-income beneficiaries; eliminate the two-year waiting period for Medicare coverage with respect to individuals with disabilities; allow beneficiaries residing in U.S. territories to be eligible for certain premium and cost-sharing subsidies available to other beneficiaries under the Medicare prescription drug benefit; and modify other provisions related to special rules for beneficiaries in Puerto Rico, income and resource determinations, and enrollment procedures. The bill also amends the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 to extend funding for specified beneficiary outreach and education activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Enhancing Military and Police Operations through Women's Engagement and Recruitment Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Defense (DOD), to seek to increase the participation of women receiving training under the International Military Education and Training program at U.S. military schools and training institutions, with the goal of doubling female participation globally by September 30, 2019. The State Department shall seek to increase the participation of women receiving training under its Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) programs, with the goal of doubling the total women receiving such training by September 30, 2019, and make explicit in its mandate for ATA programs its priority to increase women's participation. State shall work with partner countries receiving peacekeeping training assistance to: (1) prioritize the integration, training, and deployment of qualified female peacekeepers in peace operations; (2) prioritize the employment, development, and integration of female peacekeeping trainers; and (3) double the number of qualified women deployed to peace operations within five years. State also shall: promote an increase in the recruitment, retention, and leadership roles of female personnel assigned to United Nations peacekeeping missions; establish female participation requirements for its police training programs and work with partner countries to ensure that women account for at least 10% of nominees for U.S.-funded police training programs; make explicit its priority to increase women's participation in the design and implementation of all police training programs; develop a plan for the monitoring and independent evaluation of programs, projects, and activities carried out under this bill; and designate officials to brief Congress regarding actions taken under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Medicare Affordability and Enrollment Act of 2016 This bill amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to: establish an annual limit on out-of-pocket expenditures for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries; expand income-eligibility for cost-sharing and, with respect to beneficiaries consequently eligible for cost-sharing, establish a federal medical assistance percentage of 100% under Medicaid; limit the amount of coinsurance or copayment required of low-income beneficiaries; eliminate the two-year waiting period for Medicare coverage with respect to individuals with disabilities; allow beneficiaries residing in U.S. territories to be eligible for certain premium and cost-sharing subsidies available to other beneficiaries under the Medicare prescription drug benefit; and modify other provisions related to special rules for beneficiaries in Puerto Rico, income and resource determinations, and enrollment procedures. The bill also amends the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 to extend funding for specified beneficiary outreach and education activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Access, Success, and Persistence in Reshaping Education Act of 2016 or the ASPIRE Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 by requiring the Department of Education (ED) to rank institutions of higher education based on the percentage of first-time, full-time students who receive Pell Grants and are enrolled at the institutions. The institutions in the bottom 5% must improve the enrollment of those students by specific deadlines or pay a fee-per-student penalty. Additionally, ED must rank institutions of higher education based on the percentage of first-time, full-time students who enroll at the school and graduate within 6 years. The bill gives institutions in the bottom 5% the option of receiving funding to improve student graduation rates. Those institutions must improve those rates by specific deadlines or pay a penalty. The bill establishes consumer warning requirements for institutions with low enrollment or graduation rates. ED must establish: (1) grant programs for improving graduation rates, and (2) a bonus program for providing nonfinancial rewards to institutions of higher education that make college more affordable and increase college access and success for low-income or working class students and moderate-income students. ED must collect the penalty fees and use them to fund the grant and award program.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Computer Science for All Act of 2016 This bill establishes a program through which the Department of Education (ED) shall award grants to states, local educational agencies, and eligible tribal schools to serve as models for national replication of computer education expansion efforts. A grant application shall include specified plans that demonstrate the applicant's ability to carry out an ambitious expansion effort for all students, including traditionally underrepresented students. A grant recipient shall use the grant funds to: train teachers to teach computer science; expand access to high-quality learning materials and online learning options; create plans for expanding overall access to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) classes; utilize computer science as a catalyst for increased interest in STEAM more broadly; reduce course equity gaps for all students; and ensure additional support and resources. A grantee may also use grant funds to: build effective regional collaborations, recruit and hire instructional personnel, prepare for effectively sustaining project activities after the grant period ends, and disseminate information about effective practices. At least semi-annually, a grantee must report to ED on specified data related to the number of students served through program activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act This bill postpones from December 1, 2016, until June 1, 2017, the effective date of a final rule of the Department of Labor revising income thresholds for determining overtime pay for executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer ("white collar") employees exempt from regular minimum wage and overtime pay requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Improving Cancer Treatment Education Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish Medicare coverage with respect to comprehensive treatment education services for cancer patients. In addition, the bill requires the National Institutes of Health to expand, intensify, and coordinate research on cancer symptom management improvement.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Campus Fire Safety Education Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or consortiums of such institutions, in a collaborative partnership with a nonprofit organization or a public safety department (eligible entity), for: (1) initiating, expanding, or improving fire safety education programs; and (2) increasing fire safety awareness among enrolled students. ED shall give priority to institutions that plan to use funds to initiate, expand, or improve fire safety education programs that include educational material specifically prepared for students with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. The bill sets forth provisions regarding grant periods and matching and other requirements. An eligible entity may not be awarded more than $250,000 per fiscal year under this bill. An eligible entity shall use grant funds to initiate, expand, or improve a fire safety education program that: reaches all enrolled students (for an institution of higher education); ensures maximum exposure to, increases awareness of, and effectuates change in behavior regarding, fire safety by students through conducting outreach to students a minimum of twice per academic year and through measures that provide fire safety information to any student upon request; includes minimum instruction regarding fire behavior, fire injury and death, ignition scenarios, fire safety systems and equipment, the importance of means of egress, fire prevention techniques, and actions to be taken if a fire occurs to minimize the potential for death, injury, and property damage; and includes a mechanism for carrying out evaluations of program effectiveness. ED shall publish a report of best practices for initiating, expanding, or improving fire safety education programs.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Youth Access to Sexual Health Services Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to support the access of marginalized youth to sexual health services such as sexual health education and contraception. Marginalized youth are disadvantaged individuals under the age of 26. Grants may be awarded to state or local health or education agencies, public schools, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations. Grants may be used to: (1) provide sexual health information to marginalized youth, (2) promote effective communication regarding sexual health among marginalized youth, (3) promote and support opportunities for school-age parents, and (3) train individuals who work with marginalized youth to promote sexual health and the development of safe and supportive environments. Grants may not be used to provide access to health services that: (1) are medically unsound; (2) withhold sexual health-promoting or lifesaving information; (3) promote gender stereotypes; or (4) are insensitive or unresponsive to the needs of homosexual, bisexual, or transgender youth, sexually active youth, school-age parents, or survivors of sexual abuse or assault. Unobligated FY2017 appropriations for abstinence education are made available for these grants.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to specify that a provision of the Act may be cited as "Bree's Law." The relevant ESEA provision requires local educational agencies that receive certain funding under the Act to establish programs and activities that improve safety through the recognition and prevention of coercion, violence, or abuse.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Encourages public schools with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), during time allocated under state law for training personnel in emergency first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), to train personnel in the use of AEDs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2016
Terrorism Survivors Student Loan Deferment Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow a borrower who is a victim of a terrorist attack to defer (i.e., suspend repayments on) student loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan, Federal Direct Loan, and Federal Perkins Loan programs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2016
Recognizes the importance of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Affirms the continued need to support substance use education, treatment, and research. Honors the achievements of individuals who are in recovery from substance use disorders.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Supporting, Employing, and Recognizing Veterans in Communities Everywhere Act or the SERVICE Act TITLE I--ACCOUNTABILITY This bill establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection and expands VA whistleblower protections. The VA may remove and suspend (without pay) employees based on performance or misconduct that threatens the health and safety of veterans. The VA: (1) shall reduce the federal annuity of an individual removed from the VA Senior Executive Service (SES) who is convicted of a felony that influenced his or her performance; (2) may reduce the federal annuity of an individual who was convicted of such a felony and was subject to removal or transfer from the SES but who left the VA before final action was taken; and (3) may recoup awards, bonus, or relocation expenses paid to a VA employee who has committed an act of fraud, waste, or malfeasance. TITLE II--HEALTH CARE The VA may enter into contracts or agreements with eligible providers to furnish hospital care and medical services to electing, eligible veterans, which include veterans who are unable to schedule an appointment with a VA health care provider within a specified time frame or who do not reside within 40 miles of a VA medical facility. Such provisions may be referred to as the Veterans Choice Program. VA emergency treatment reimbursement in non-VA facilities shall include reimbursement for urgent care. The bill: (1) expands and makes permanent the VA childcare program for beneficiaries,and (2) provides for adoption assistance for certain disabled veterans. The caregiver support program is terminated on October 1, 2020. The bill: (1) authorizes the transfer of entitlement to Post 9/11 education assistance to family members by veterans who are retired for a physical disability or who are seriously injured veterans in need of family caregiver services, without regard to length-of-service requirements; (2) expands the family caregiver program; (3) establishes the Office of Health Care Quality in the Veterans Health Administration; and (4) revises physician recruitment and retention provisions. The VA shall: (1) report annually, through 2020, on disability claims based on a mental health condition alleged to have been incurred or aggravated by military sexual trauma; (2) establish a pilot program for veterans with chronic pain issues, including those veterans who are dependent on opioids; and (3) establish a center of excellence for the treatment of burn pit and other environmental exposures. TITLE III--EDUCATION The bill increases oversight of schools eligible to receive veterans benefits and increases counseling and access to information for student veterans. The VA shall establish: (1) an interagency working group to share information on education programs that employ deceptive or misleading practices, and (2) the Grow Our Own Directive (G.O.O.D.) pilot program to provide educational assistance to certain former members of the Armed Forces for education and training as VA physician assistants. If, as a result of a permanent school closure, a veteran is forced to discontinue a course, did not receive credit, or lost training time toward completion of the education program, VA educational assistance payments shall not be: (1) charged against the individual's entitlement to educational assistance, or (2) counted against the aggregate assistance period. Certain reserves active duty time shall be considered for purposes of Post-9/11 educational assistance eligibility. TITLE IV--DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND PENSION The bill amends the disability benefits appeals process. The definition of "spouse" is amended for purposes of veterans' benefits to require the VA to recognize a marriage based on the law of the state where the marriage occurred. A marriage that occurs outside a state shall be recognized if such marriage is lawful in the place where it occurs and could have been entered into under the laws of any state. The bill allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability. The bill extends for two years: (1) the VA presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicides, including Agent Orange, with respect to specified veterans who served in Vietnam; and (2) VA authority to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate evidence regarding associations between diseases and exposure to dioxin and other chemical compounds in herbicides, including herbicides used in military operations in the Vietnam and each disease suspected to be associated with such exposure. TITLE V--HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS VA homeless veterans reintegration programs are extended. The VA shall begin a three-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of awarding grants to eligible entities to purchase and renovate abandoned homes for homeless veterans. The bill establishes the Veterans Homelessness Grant Fund. TITLE VI--EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING The Department of Defense (DOD) may carry out a pilot program to enhance DOD efforts to provide job placement assistance and related employment services directly to members of the National Guard and Reserves and veterans of the Armed Forces. The VA may, in awarding a contract or task order for the procurement of goods or services, give preference to offerors based on the percentage of their full-time employees who are veterans. The Department of of Labor shall carry out a five-year pilot program to award grants to manufacturing employers and labor-management organizations that provide eligible veterans with training, apprenticeships, and certification. TITLE VII--CONSTRUCTION AND LEASES No funds may be appropriated for any major medical facility lease unless the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives adopt resolutions approving the lease. The VA shall: (1) enter into partnership agreements with appropriate non-federal entities for major construction projects, and (2) carry out a pilot program to accept the donation of medical facilities and related property. The VA may carry out: (1) certain leases at the Department of Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Campus in Los Angeles, California; and (2) a major medical facility lease for an outpatient clinic in Oxnard, California. TITLE VIII--OTHER MATTERS The Department of Homeland Security shall: (1) establish a program to permit eligible deported noncitizen veterans to enter the United States as, and to permit eligible noncitizen veterans in the United States to adjust their status to that of, a noncitizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence; and (2) cancel the removal of eligible noncitizen veterans and allow them to similarly adjust their status. Each military department shall ensure that its oral historians review the circumstances surrounding members of the Armed Forces who were discharged between World War II and September 2011 because of their sexual orientation. Certain service performed before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts is deemed to be active military service for VA benefits purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Supports the designation of the week of October 9-15, 2016, as Earth Science Week. Expresses strong support for the goals and ideals of Earth Science Week to increase understanding of and interest in the earth sciences at the local, state, national, and international levels. Recognizes the importance of education and public outreach efforts to ensure that the people of the United States 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 the earth sciences.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Graduate Opportunities in Medical Education Distribution Act of 2016 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to redistribute unused residency positions for which graduate medical education costs are paid under Medicare. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must: (1) reduce a hospital's resident limit by a specified amount if the hospital has unused residency positions and is not a rural hospital with fewer than 250 acute care inpatient beds, and (2) increase the resident limit for each qualifying hospital that applies for an increase. In aggregate, the number of increased positions shall equal the number of reduced positions. The bill establishes specified priorities and capacity considerations with respect to redistribution.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Career and Technical Education for Adult Learners Act of 2016 This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to modify the requirements for career and technical education programs to align the programs with adult education programs. The bill revises the purposes of the Act to include promoting adult education and supporting partnerships among adult education programs. States may develop core indicators of performance for career and technical education students at the adult education level. At a minimum, the indicators must measure: (1) student attainment of challenging career and technical skill proficiency, including student achievement on technical assessments that are aligned with industry-recognized standards; and (2) the eligibly entity's performance on the indicators of performance described in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The bill also: (1) includes the state director of adult education in the development of the state plan for career and technical education, and (2) specifies that adult education providers that also offer certain career and technical education courses leading to technical skill proficiency and an industry-recognized credential or certificate are eligible to receive funds under the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Know Before You Owe Private Student Loan Act of 2016 This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to revise requirements for disclosures in private education loan applications. Before issuing a private education loan for a student attending an institution of higher education (IHE), lenders must obtain the IHE's certification of the student's enrollment status, the student's cost of attendance, and the difference between that cost and the student's estimated financial assistance. Lenders must: (1) send loan statements to borrowers at least once every three months a student is enrolled at an IHE, (2) notify the relevant IHE of the loan amount and the student to whom it applies no later than the date funds are issued, and (3) submit an annual report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) containing information the CFPB requires concerning private student loans. This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 by requiring IHEs, before providing lenders with certifications, to determine whether students have exhausted their options for title IV assistance and notify borrowers of: (1) the availability of federal financial aid assistance, (2) their ability to choose their own private educational lender, (3) the impact of the proposed private education loan on their eligibility for other financial assistance, and (4) their right to accept or reject a private education loan within 30 days of the lender's approval of their application and to cancel the loan within 3 business days of its consummation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Innovation for Tomorrow's Workforce Act This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to authorize the Department of Education to award early-phase, mid-phase, or expansion grants to eligible entities, including local educational agencies and area career and technical education (CTE) schools, to: create, develop, implement, or take to scale evidence-based, field initiated innovations, including through a pay for success initiative to improve CTE student outcomes; and evaluate such innovations rigorously. Funding under the Act may be used by eligible agencies for state leadership activities and by eligible recipients for local uses to support CTE programs to: make all forms of instructional content widely available, which may include the use of open educational resources; and support pay for success initiatives. Funding under the Act may also be used by eligible agencies for state leadership activities to provide or support work-based learning opportunities for students, which may include employer-led training resulting in recognized credential and apprenticeship programs for such students. Funds received for local use shall be used for such activities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Child and Elderly Missing Alert Program of 2016 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award public safety and community policing grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to assist federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies in the rapid recovery of missing children and elderly and disabled individuals through the use of a rapid telephone and cellular alert call system. The term "elderly individual" means an individual 60 years of age or older. It permits the use of grant funds to: (1) maintain and expand technologies and techniques to ensure the highest level of performance of services; (2) provide both centralized and on-site training, and distribute information to law enforcement agency officials about missing individuals and use of a rapid telephone and cellular alert call system; (3) provide services to Child Abduction Response Teams; (4) assist law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking through the use of rapid telephone and cellular alert calls; (5) share appropriate information on cases with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the AMBER Alert, Silver Alert, and Blue Alert programs, and law enforcement; and (6) assist appropriate organizations with education and prevention programs related to missing individuals. DOJ must annually: (1) require each grantee to submit the results of monitoring and evaluations of grant recipients, and (2) publish a report regarding such results and the effectiveness of activities carried out under each grant.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
American Apprenticeship Act This bill directs the Department of Labor to make competitive grants to assist states in, and to pay for the federal share of between 20% and 50% of the cost of, carrying out projects that defray the cost of instruction associated with pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. The bill defines: (1) "apprenticeship" as one registered under the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937; and (2) "pre-apprenticeship" as an initiative or set of strategies that provides training, that is designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship program, and that includes a formal agreement enabling participants who complete it to enter an apprenticeship program with an employer, joint labor-management partnership, trade association, professional association, labor organization, or other entity and agreements concerning earning credit recognized by a postsecondary educational institution. A joint team of employees from Labor and the Department of Education shall review, and make recommendations regarding approval of, grant applications. A state that receives a grant shall use the funds to defray related costs of tuition and fees, textbooks, equipment, curriculum development, and other required educational materials. Labor shall: (1) establish performance measures and an evaluation system for such grant program; and (2) identify in-demand occupations that lack the use of apprenticeships, analyze the use of the apprenticeship model in those occupations, and report on such analysis to states and Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Designates the week beginning October 16, 2016, as National Character Counts Week.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Recognizes the achievements and goals of Hispanic-serving educational institutions across the United States. Designates the week beginning September 12, 2016, as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Synthetic Drug Overdose Prevention and Education Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study strategies for preventing and treating the use of synthetic recreational drugs, which are substances marketed for recreational use (regardless of claims to the contrary) that are analogous to a controlled substance and are not medications. The Department of Health and Human Services must coordinate with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to establish and maintain a database of synthetic recreational drugs. The database must be publicly available for use in preventing and treating the use of synthetic recreational drugs. The CDC, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institutes of Health, and the DEA, must develop and implement a national outreach campaign to educate law enforcement personnel, health care professionals, community members, and others about preventing and treating the use of substances similar to marijuana (cannabimimetic agents). The CDC may award grants to federally qualified health centers for public awareness programs regarding substances similar to marijuana.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Partnerships for the Future Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Labor to establish a competitive grant pilot program to award grants to eligible entities for developing, offering, improving, or providing science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) education or career training programs for workers. "Eligible entity" means one of the following in partnership with employers or an association of employers: a junior or community college; a postsecondary vocational institution; a four-year public institution of higher education that offers two-year degrees, will use provided funds for activities at the certificate and associate degree levels, and is not reasonably close to a community college; a tribal college or university; at Labor's discretion, a private, not-for-profit, two-year institution of higher education in a specified U.S. territory or possession; or a consortium of any such entities. An eligible entity may partner with an adult education provider or institution of higher education, an entity with a demonstrated record of successfully meeting student and family needs, or a joint labor-management partnership. The bill sets forth criteria and priorities for awarding grants. Grants shall be used for: the development, offering, improvement, or provision of STEM academic programs or training programs that provide relevant job training for skilled occupations that will meet the needs of employers in in-demand industry sectors; the development and implementation of policies and programs to expand opportunities for students to earn a recognized postsecondary STEM credential or degree in such sectors and in-demand occupations; the creation of workforce programs that provide a sequence of education and occupational training that leads to a recognized postsecondary STEM credential or degree; and/or the support of regional or national in-demand industry sectors to develop skills consortia that will identify pressing workforce needs and develop solutions.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
No Lead in School Water Act This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize through FY2022 a grant program for state programs that test and remediate lead contamination in the drinking water of schools and day care facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Funding for Student Scholarships for the 1890s Land-Grant African-American Colleges and Universities Act This bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to establish and provide funding for a grant program within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for scholarships for students at 1890 land-grant colleges and universities (historically black colleges and universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890). USDA may award the scholarships to students who: (1) are seeking to attend such a college or university, and (2) intend to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
Advancing Conservation and Education Act of 2016 This bill allows the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming (western states) to relinquish state land grant parcels wholly or primarily within eligible areas and select, in exchange, public land within the state. The bill defines "eligible areas" as lands within the outer boundaries of units or components of the National Park, National Wilderness Preservation, National Wildlife Refuge, or National Landscape Conservation Systems, areas identified by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior as having wilderness characteristics, certain designated lands within the National Forest System or administered by the BLM, and sentinel landscapes designated by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, or Interior. Interior shall create a process for the relinquishment of such parcels. A western state may select, and Interior may convey, lands that are mineral in character. The overall value of the state land grant parcels and the public land to be conveyed shall be equal. The bill sets forth requirements regarding hazardous materials on land conveyed, water rights, and grazing permits.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
Protecting Our Veterans From School Closures Act This bill declares that if, as a result of a permanent school closure, a veteran is forced to discontinue a course or did not receive credit, or lost training time, toward completion of the education program, Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance payments for such discontinued course or program shall not be: (1) charged against the individual's entitlement to educational assistance, or (2) counted against the aggregate period for which such assistance may be provided. The bill applies to courses and programs of education discontinued after August 1, 2016. Certain reporting fees paid to educational institutions furnishing veterans education or training shall be reduced for the 10-year period beginning on January 1, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2016
Voter Empowerment Act of 2015 Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2015 Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) to require states to make available websites for online voter registration. Authorizes automated voter registration of certain individuals and establishes other initiatives to promote voter registration, such as same-day registration and voter registration of individuals under 18 years of age. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit hindering, interfering with, or preventing voter registration. Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to establish requirements for states to promote access to voter registration and voting for individuals with disabilities, including a single office for providing related information. Directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to make grants for pilot programs enabling individuals with disabilities to register to vote and vote privately and independently at their own residences. Reauthorizes the program of grants to state and local governments to assure voting access for individuals with disabilities. Prohibits state or local election officials from preventing an individual from registering or voting in any federal election (voter caging), or from permitting a formal challenge under state law to an individual's registration status or eligibility to vote. Prohibits a person from knowingly and willfully attempting to or depriving or defrauding the residents of a state of the right to vote by the communication of election-related information that is known to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent. Increases the penalty for voter intimidation. Declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any federal election shall not be denied or abridged because of a criminal conviction unless he or she is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution at the time of the election. Requires each state to notify an individual convicted of a criminal offense under state law, upon release from state custody or upon sentence to probation, of the right to vote in a federal election. Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2015 Revises requirements for the audit capacity of voting systems, particularly those for a permanent paper record. Requires the voting system to require the use of an individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked and made available for inspection by the voter before the vote is cast and counted, and which shall be counted by hand or read by an optical character recognition device or other counting device. Requires the system to provide an opportunity to correct any system-made error in the voter-verified paper ballot before it is permanently preserved. Requires the National Science Foundation to make grants for the study and development of accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, those whose primary language is not English, and those with difficulties in literacy. Requires each state, except when the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the votes, to administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. Prohibits certification of election results until completion of audits. Adds requirements for counting provisional ballots. Requires each state to allow early voting and facilitate voting by mail. Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to extend the guarantee of voting residency to family members of absent military personnel. Revises absentee ballot procedures concerning applications, transmission, and overseas voters. Entitles to leave a federal employee who serves as a poll worker. Directs the EAC to make grants for poll-worker recruitment and training and develop materials for a model program. Makes available to any person aggrieved by a violation of uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements the option to file a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) or pursue a private right of action. Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it unlawful for a chief state election administration official, unless he or she or a family member is a candidate, to take an active part in political management or in a political campaign for federal office over which such official has supervisory authority. Treats universities as voter registration agencies. Establishes minimum notification requirements regarding voters affected by polling place changes. Directs DOJ to: (1) coordinate the establishment of a state-based response system for responding to questions and complaints from individuals voting or seeking to vote, or registering to vote or seeking to, in federal elections; (2) establish and operate a toll-free telephone service to connect directly to such response system; and (3) appoint a Voter Hotline Task Force. Makes NVRA and HAVA requirements applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Reauthorizes and extends the EAC and repeals its exemption from certain contracting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2016 This bill extends specified Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs. TITLE I--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HEALTH CARE Extends through FY2017: authority for collection of copayments for hospital care and nursing home care, authorization of appropriations for assistance and support services for caregivers, authority for recovery from third parties of the cost of care and services furnished to veterans with health-plan contracts for non-service-connected disability, authority for the pilot program on assistance for child care for certain veterans receiving health care, authority to make grants to veterans service organizations for transportation of highly rural veterans, and authority for the pilot program on counseling in retreat settings for women veterans newly separated from service. Extends through December 31, 2017, the requirement to provide nursing home care to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. TITLE II--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO BENEFITS Extends through FY2017: specified housing loan provisions and definitions, including the calculation of net value of real property at time of foreclosure; and authority relating to vendee loans. Extends through December 31, 2017, authority: for the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education, and to provide rehabilitation and vocational benefits at VA facilities to members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses. TITLE III--EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITY RELATING TO HOMELESS VETERANS Extends through FY2017 authority: for homeless veterans reintegration programs; for the homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children reintegration program; to provide housing assistance for homeless veterans; to provide financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing; for the grant program for homeless veterans with special needs; for treatment and rehabilitation services for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans, including a program to provide homeless veterans with benefits and services at certain locations; and to provide referral and counseling services for certain veterans at risk of homelessness. Extends through December 31, 2017, authority for the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans. TITLE IV--OTHER EXTENSIONS AND MODIFICATIONS OF AUTHORITY AND OTHER MATTERS Extends through FY2017 authority for: monthly assistance allowances under the Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events; operation of the VA regional office in Manila, the Republic of the Philippines; appropriations for adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces; specially adapted housing assistive technology grants; temporary eligibility expansion for specially adapted housing assistance for certain veterans with disabilities causing difficulty ambulating; and an annual report on the DOD-VA Interagency Program Office. Extends through December 31, 2017: authority for transportation of individuals to and from VA facilities for vocational rehabilitation, counseling, treatment, or care; the requirement to provide annual reports to Congress regarding equitable relief in the case of administrative error; authority for Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans; authority to enter into agreement with the National Academy of Sciences regarding associations between diseases and exposure to dioxin and other chemical compounds in herbicides; and authority for performance of medical disabilities examinations by contract physicians. The authorization of appropriations for homeless veterans' comprehensive services is increased. For one year the VA may not: (1) authorize certified registered nurse anesthetists to practice without the supervision of a physician, or (2) otherwise expand the scope of full practice authority for such anesthetists.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
Expresses support for efforts to: (1) exempt sunscreen from over-the-counter medication bans in schools, and (2) encourage health care professionals to educate parents and children about sun-safe behaviors. Encourages schools to allow students to possess sunscreen without restriction and without physician authorization.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Campus Sexual Assault Whistleblower Protection Act of 2016 This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the suspension of federal student aid eligibility for a student who: (1) admits, in a sexual assault report, unlawful consumption of a controlled substance or alcohol; and (2) is convicted of a drug offense involving controlled substance possession based on conduct described in such admission. The bill also modifies eligibility requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) to participate in federal student aid programs. Specifically, it prohibits an IHE from taking a retaliatory action (e.g., suspension or expulsion) against an enrolled student who reports a sexual assault and admits, in such report: (1) sexual activity, or (2) unlawful consumption of a controlled substance or alcohol. An IHE must annually inform enrolled students that such retaliatory action is prohibited.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Campus Gun Policy Transparency Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify campus security reporting requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs. Currently, an IHE must annually report certain crime statistics in the following categories: (1) criminal offenses; (2) criminal offenses motivated by bias (i.e., hate crimes); (3) domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking; and (4) arrests and referrals for disciplinary action. This bill expands the categories of reportable crime statistics to also include criminal offenses in which a firearm was present at the scene of the crime. Additionally, it requires an IHE to include, in its annual security report provided to students and employees, a statement of its current policy on concealed carry or open carry of firearms. An IHE must also disclose that policy on its website and in promotional materials.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Streamlining Income-driven, Manageable Payments on Loans for Education Act or the SIMPLE Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise the process for enrolling a borrower in federal student loan repayment plans when the borrower is delinquent on payments for student loans under the Direct Loan program. Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) may use the tax information of certain delinquent borrowers for purposes of calculating their income-driven repayment plan options. ED must notify those borrowers about their delinquency and repayment plan options. ED must also establish and implement procedures for automatically recertifying the income of certain delinquent borrowers for the purpose of determining their repayment obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Bullying Redress and Verified Enforcement Act or the BRAVE Act This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require a local educational agency (LEA) employee who becomes aware of bullying to report to an LEA-designated individual, within seven business days: (1) the acts that constituted the bullying; (2) the victim's protected characteristic, whether actual or perceived, if the bullying included a reference to or was motivated by such characteristic; and (3) the response of the LEA's employees to the bullying. The LEA-designated individual must, within 60 days after receiving such a report, inform all the LEA's employees of the acts described and the response of the LEA's employees. Each LEA shall annually review its policies on bullying. In addition, each LEA must publish and make available to students and parents a quarterly report that: (1) lists the number of bullying reports made since the previous quarterly report, and (2) informs the public of the right to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) within the Department of Education (ED). OCR shall: (1) establish and publish complaint procedures; (2) investigate each complaint; (3) withhold ESEA funds from, issue a complaint against, or enter into a compliance agreement with any noncompliant LEA; and (4) make information about each complaint available on ED's website. The bill conditions an LEA's receipt of ESEA funds on its: (1) annual written certification to ED that it is in compliance with the bill's requirements, and (2) submission of its four most recent quarterly reports on bullying.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2016
Veterans Care Agreement and West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into Veterans Care Agreements with certain eligible providers to furnish hospital care, medical services, or extended care to eligible veterans if: (1) furnishing such care and services at VA facilities or under otherwise authorized contracts or sharing agreements with non-VA facilities is impracticable or inadvisable because of the veteran's medical condition, the travel involved, or the nature of the care or services required; and (2) the VA determines that the hospital care or medical services to be furnished are not available from a non-VA health care provider under a contract or sharing agreement other than an agreement under this bill. The bill sets forth provider eligibility criteria and requires the VA to establish a process for provider certification. The VA may carry out leases at the VA West Los Angeles Campus in Los Angeles, California: for supportive housing for veterans and their families; for third party services to veterans and their families for health and wellness promotion, education, employment-related training, peer activities and physical recreation, legal and federal benefits assistance, family support services including child care, and transportation; and to The Regents of the University of California for additional services for veterans and their families. The VA shall establish a Community Veterans Engagement Board for the Campus to coordinate locally with the VA to identify community goals and advise the VA on improving services and outcomes for veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their families. The bill amends provisions regarding the VA's enhanced-use lease authority, including to prohibit the VA from waiving or postponing the obligation of a lessee to pay any consideration, including rent, under an enhanced-use lease.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2016
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 Provides FY2017 appropriations to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and related agencies. Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2017 Provides appropriations to the Department of Labor for: the Employment and Training Administration, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Wage and Hour Division, the Office of Labor-Management Standards, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, and Departmental Management. Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2017 Provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for: the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration for Children and Families, the Administration for Community Living, and the Office of the Secretary. Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2017 Provides appropriations to the Department of Education for: Education for the Disadvantaged; Impact Aid; School Improvement Programs; Indian Education; Innovation and Improvement; Safe Schools and Citizenship Education; English Language Acquisition; Special Education; Rehabilitation Services; Special Institutions for Persons with Disabilities; Career, Technical, and Adult Education; Student Financial Assistance; Student Aid Administration; Higher Education; Howard University; the College Housing and Academic Facilities Loan Program; the Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program Account; the Institute of Education Sciences; and Departmental Management. Provides appropriations to Related Agencies, including: the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the National Council on Disability, the National Labor Relations Board, the National Mediation Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the Railroad Retirement Board, and the Social Security Administration. Sets forth permissible and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts. Health Care Conscience Rights Act Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to specify that health care sponsors, individuals, and insurers are not required to purchase or provide coverage for abortion or other items or services if they have moral or religious objections. Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the federal government and any state or local government receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating against health care entities that refuse to participate in abortion-related activities.
United States · United States Senate · 14 July 2016
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2016
Strengthening Forgiveness for Public Servants Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Department of Education (ED) to cancel 15%, 15%, 20%, 20%, and 30% of the amount a borrower owes after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years of public service employment, respectively, on a William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan made after this bill's enactment. (Currently, the balance of a borrower's Direct Loan is canceled if the borrower is not in default and has made 120 monthly payments on such loan while employed as a public service employee.) The bill: (1) requires borrowers availing themselves of such loan cancellation to submit an employment certification form that includes self-certification of employment and employer certification of employment dates, and (2) places the borrower's loan in deferment during the period in which the borrower is employed in an eligible public service job if the borrower submits such form to ED. If a portion of a loan is canceled for any year, the interest on such loan for such year shall be canceled.