Taxation

Taxpayer Receipt Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015

Taxpayer Receipt Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Department of the Treasury to provide every taxpayer who files an individual income tax return for any taxable year an itemized tax receipt showing: (1) the proportionate allocation of the taxpayer's payment in such year among major expenditure categories of the federal budget (e.g., social security, national defense, Medicare and other federal health programs, low-income assistance programs, unemployment benefits, net interest on the federal debt, and other federal programs); and (2) the amount of the federal debt at the end of the fiscal year and the amount of additional borrowing by the federal government in such fiscal year for each legal U.S. resident.

Export-Import Bank Reform Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015

Reform Exports and Expand the American Economy Act This bill amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to report to Congress: (1) semiannually on the terms and conditions (including interest rates, maturities, and credit standards) that private financial institutions apply in providing export finance; and (2) annually on the steps the Bank has taken to adjust the pricing of products offered, and the credit standards used, to avoid crowding out private export finance. The Bank's Board of Directors must include in their annual report to Congress any recommendations about countries with whom and in which it should not be doing business. The Chief Ethics Officer shall draft a Code of Ethics prescribing strict and definite standards of official conduct for all Bank directors, officers, and employees, including conflict-of-interest prohibitions. If the Bank issues any report to Congress or any congressional committee containing accounting information that is not prepared using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAPs), the Bank must issue a second report with the same accounting information prepared using GAAPs. The Bank shall be lender of last resort to privately owned foreign applicants (other than financial institutions), which must first try to obtain competitive financing for the transaction in question without support from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation or the Small Business Administration. Bank directors who are neither Chairman nor Vice Chairman of the Board shall constitute the Board's Audit Committee. The President must report to specified congressional committees on Bank programs that may be fully or partially privatized. The Bank's Inspector General shall audit the Bank's portfolio risk management procedures, including its implementation of the duties assigned to the Chief Risk Officer. The Bank must retain at least 30% of total net earnings as a provision for possible losses. Two terms shall be the term limit for any Bank President. The absolute limit, regardless of fiscal year, for the aggregate amount of outstanding Bank loans, guarantees, and insurance, shall be $130 billion. The requirement that the Bank urge the Foreign Credit Insurance Association to cover 100% of any loss with respect to exports valued at less than $100,000 is repealed. Bank policies must give fair consideration to making loans and providing guarantees for the export of goods and services by medium-sized enterprises. The authority of the President under the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative to sell, reduce, or cancel certain loans for the debt relief of eligible countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is repealed. The Bank shall adjust all dollar amounts specified in the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 for inflation.

Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2015

Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for the rehabilitation of buildings and historic structures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit, up to $750,000, for projects with rehabilitation expenditures not exceeding $3.75 million, for which no credit was allowed in either of the 2 prior taxable years (smaller projects); (2) allow the transfer of tax credit amounts for smaller projects; (3) treat a building as substantially rehabilitated if rehabilitation expenditures exceed the greater of 50% of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000 (currently, the greater of the adjusted basis of the building or $5,000); (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax; and (5) set forth special rules for the tax treatment of tax-exempt use property and functionally-related historic structures.

Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1314) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse determinations of tax-exempt status of certain organizations.

United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2015

Sets forth the rule for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1314) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse determinations of tax-exempt status of certain organizations.

Protecting America's Solvency Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2015

Protecting America's Solvency Act of 2015 This bill increases the statutory debt limit by $1 trillion after Congress adopts a balanced budget Constitutional amendment and by an additional $1 trillion after the amendment is ratified by the states. To comply with the requirements of this bill, the amendment must: prohibit total outlays for a year from exceeding receipts, excluding receipts derived from borrowing and outlays for repayment of debt principal; permit the deficit prohibition to be suspended by a majority of both houses of Congress in any year in which the United States is actively engaged in military conflict pursuant to a war declared by Congress or by a fourth-fifths vote in any other year; require the President to ensure that total outlays for a fiscal year do not exceed receipts and consider the failure to prevent a deficit to be an impeachable offense; permit any Member of Congress, governor, or attorney general to have standing and a cause of action to seek judicial enforcement of the amendment; prohibit the President, a court, or any state from ordering a tax increase or other revenue measures to enforce the requirements; and phase-in the requirements using a specified schedule of declining deficits.

Impeaching John Andrew Koskinen, Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2015

Impeaches John Andrew Koskinen, Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, for high crimes and misdemeanors and sets forth the articles of impeachment.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014

United States · United States Senate · 26 October 2015

Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Prevention Act of 2016

United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015

Stolen Identify [ sic ] Refund Fraud Prevention Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) require returns relating to employee wage statements, payment of wages in the form of group-term life insurance, and any payments required to be reported on Form 1099-MISC with respect to non-employee compensation to be filed on or before February 15 of the year following the calendar year to which such returns relate; (2) require the Department of the Treasury to notify a taxpayer of an unauthorized use of the identity of such taxpayer and any criminal charges relating to such unauthorized use; (3) require a taxpayer identifying number on W-2 forms instead of a Social Security number; and (4) impose a criminal penalty on any person who willfully misappropriates another person's taxpayer identity. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shall: (1) ensure that taxpayers who have been adversely affected by identity theft have a centralized point of contact at the IRS, (2) implement a program to allow a taxpayer who has filed an identity theft affidavit to elect to prevent the processing of any tax return submitted in an electronic format by the taxpayer or a person purporting to be the taxpayer, and (3) report biannually to congressional tax committees on taxpayer identity theft and tax refund fraud and actions taken to combat it. The bill amends the Social Security Act to allow the IRS access to information in the National Directory of New Hires for the sole purpose of identifying and preventing fraudulent tax return filings and claims for tax refunds.

Reducing Gun Violence in our Neighborhoods Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2015

Reducing Gun Violence in our Neighborhoods Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an additional tax of $100 on the sale of a firearm by a manufacturer, producer, or importer. Firearm purchases by federal, state, and local governments for law enforcement purposes are exempt from the additional tax. The bill establishes the Gun Violence Reduction and Mental Health Counseling Trust Fund at the Department of the Treasury. It transfers revenues from the additional tax into the trust fund to support the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. The Department of Justice (DOJ) must establish and newly manufactured firearms must meet a national standard for incorporating passive identification capability into all firearms sold in the United States. Passive identification capability means technology that: (1) enables identification by a mobile or fixed reading device, and (2) does not transmit an electronic monitoring or tracking signal. DOJ's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives must establish the National Database of Lost and Stolen Firearms. This bill amends the federal criminal code to require a gun owner to report a lost or stolen firearm to local law enforcement authorities within 48 hours of discovery. Local law enforcement authorities must transmit the report to the national database within seven days.

Student Loan Opportunity Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2015

Student Loan Opportunity Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax-exempt private activity bond financing, to: (1) eliminate the restriction on nonprofit corporations that acquire student loan notes to notes incurred under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (thus allowing such corporations to access tax-exempt financing for other types of student loans), and (2) expand the operations of such corporations to include performing student assistance related activities.

Hearing Protection Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Hearing Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm silencers, and (2) treat any person who acquires or possesses a firearm silencer as meeting any registration or licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to such silencer. Any person who pays a tax on a silencer after October 22, 2015 may receive a refund of such tax. The bill amends the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers.

Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit Equity for Puerto Rico Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit Equity for Puerto Rico Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code 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.

Agriculture Equipment and Machinery Depreciation Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Agriculture Equipment and Machinery Depreciation Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the placed-in-service restriction on the depreciation of certain farming business machinery and equipment and to make permanent the five-year recovery period for such property.

Sixth Amendment Preservation Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Sixth Amendment Preservation Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to limit the detention authority of the United States. Current law prohibits the indefinite detention of a U.S. citizen by the United States unless it is authorized by an act of Congress. This bill prohibits the indefinite detention of any person by the United States unless it is consistent with the Constitution. Additionally, it specifies that a general authorization to use military force or similar measure, on its own, does not authorize the indefinite detention of a person who is arrested in the United States. Finally, the bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 to repeal a provision that affirms the authority of the Armed Forces to detain individuals captured in connection with hostilities pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force pending the end of hostilities.

Stop Outsourcing and Create American Jobs Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Stop Outsourcing and Create American Jobs Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to develop and publish a list of countries that are tax havens for corporations. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the penalties on corporations for: (1) underpayment of tax involving an undisclosed foreign financial asset located in a tax haven country; (2) reportable transaction understatements involving transactions in a tax haven country; and (3) fraud, tax evasion, or false statements involving transactions in a tax haven country. The bill: (1) grants a preference in the award of federal contracts to contractors who have not engaged in outsourcing, and (2) defines "outsourcing" as the laying off of a U.S. worker from a job and the hiring or contracting for the same job to be performed in a foreign country. Revenues generated by this Act must be set aside for the reduction of the public debt.

Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2015 Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require registered securities issuers to disclose annually to the Securities and Exchange Commission and to shareholders: (1) the total number of employees domiciled in the United States and listed by number in each state (including those of consolidated subsidiaries); (2) the total number of such employees physically working in and domiciled in any country other than the United States, listed by number in each country; and (3) the percentage increase or decrease in such numbers from the previous reporting year. Exempts from such requirements: (1) certain new public companies, and (2) issuers with total annual gross revenues of less than $1 billion during the most recently completed fiscal year.

Cost Estimates Reform Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Cost Estimates Reform Act of 2015 This bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require any cost estimates prepared by the Congressional Budget Office or the Joint Committee on Taxation to include the cost of servicing the public debt.

Legally Binding Budget Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Legally Binding Budget Act of 2015 This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to replace the concurrent resolution on the budget required under current law with a legally binding joint resolution on the budget. (Concurrent resolutions, which are currently used for congressional budget resolutions, address internal congressional matters, are not presented to the President for approval, and are not legally binding. A joint resolution is presented to the President after passing both chambers of Congress and has the force of law.) At any time after the annual budget resolution has been enacted and before the end of the fiscal year, Congress and the President may enact a new budget resolution revising or reaffirming the most recently enacted budget resolution. The contents of a budget resolution are limited to material that is permitted by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. For purposes of congressional budget enforcement and the rules of the House and the Senate, the budget resolution is enforceable upon the earlier of enactment or 15 days following presentment to the President.

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Retirement Security Week, including raising public awareness of the various tax-preferred retirement vehicles, increasing personal financial literacy, and engaging the people of the United States on the keys to success in achieving and maintaining retirement security throughout their lifetimes.

United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2015

Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Retirement Security Week. Acknowledges the need to raise public awareness of a variety of tax-preferred retirement vehicles.

AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016

United States · United States Senate · 21 October 2015

DISTANCE Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015

Diversity in Science Technology and Nurturing Capable Educators Act or the DISTANCE Act This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive merit-based scholarships to students who are pursuing bachelor's degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with concurrent certification as kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school teachers. It requires scholarship recipients to work for at least five academic years as a full-time STEM teacher at a public or private kindergarten or elementary or secondary school during the seven-year period beginning within one year after they complete their studies. It awards scholarships for one academic year of study at a time, but makes them renewable on an annual basis if their recipients meet certain measures of academic progress. Scholarship recipients may enter into agreements with ED that provide them with a bonus in exchange for performing their service in a high-need local educational agency for a period equivalent to the period for which they receive the bonus. This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize ED to award competitive matching grants to up to 50 institutions of higher education to establish, strengthen, and operate four-year undergraduate degree programs that enable students to concurrently: (1) earn a STEM bachelor's degree; and (2) be certified to teach kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school. It awards those grants one fiscal year at a time, but makes them renewable on an annual basis for up to five years.

America First Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015

America First Act This bill increases discretionary spending limits, repeals sequestration for direct spending, and includes offsets that change direct spending programs and tax provisions. The bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to increase the discretionary spending limits for FY2016-FY2025 and to eliminate the sequestration for direct spending that is required under current law. The bill permanently extends two expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit, limits tax deductions for high-income individuals, and repeals the medical device tax included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In the health care area, the bill expands means-testing for Medicare, changes certain Medicare cost-sharing requirements and benefits, reduces the Medicaid provider tax threshold, and changes procedures for medical malpractice cases. The bill changes the measure of inflation that is used for tax provisions and benefits under spending programs such as Social Security to the Chained Consumer Price Index. It also indexes several user fees for inflation, including customs user fees and Transportation Security Administration fees. The bill decreases the dividend payment that the Federal Reserve pays on stocks held by member banks to participate in the Federal Reserve System. Federal Employees Retirement System contributions are increased for some current federal employees. The Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended to consolidate and make several changes to income-based student loan repayment programs. The Federal Crop Insurance Act is amended to reduce federal payments for crop insurance premium subsidies.

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3762) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 2002 of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016; waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules; and providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules.

United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015

Sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3762) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 2002 of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016; waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules; and providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules.

PARTNERSHIPS Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015

Promoting Access and Retention Through New Efforts to Require Shared Higher Investments in Postsecondary Success Act or the PARTNERSHIPS Act This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a state-federal partnership to promote state investment in public higher education. The bill directs the Department of Education to award annual block grants to states that increase public higher education operating support on a per student basis, using a specified formula. As a condition of receiving grants, states must use grant funds to reduce tuition costs and support the enrollment of low-income students in state public educational institutions. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) expand and make permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit; (2) increase the amount of the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance programs and make such exclusion available to the spouses and dependents of employees; (3) allow tax exclusions for the discharge of certain public interest student loans, repayments of student loans by tax-exempt organizations, and student loans subject to an income-based or income contingent repayment plan; (4) allow a full exclusion from gross income of Federal Pell Grants; and (5) repeal the requirement that distributions from a qualified tuition plan (529 plan) be aggregated for purposes of determining the amount includible in taxpayer income.

Nonprofit Property Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015

Nonprofit Property Protection Act This bill: amends the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986 to rename it the Risk Retention Act of 1986; and exclude from "commercial insurance" covered by the Act any health, life, or disability insurance or workers compensation insurance or express contractual obligations owed to a consumer as a result of a personal, family, or household transaction, where the consumer pays a separate consideration for the express contractual obligation. The bill expands the kinds of state laws pertaining to business insurance from which a risk retention group shall be exempt to include laws pertaining to other lines of commercial insurance offered by a risk retention group to an entity organized and operated exclusively as a federal tax-exempt nonprofit charitable or educational institution, as long as the group meets specified criteria.

End Government Shutdowns Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2015

End Government Shutdowns Act This bill provides specified continuing appropriations to prevent a government shutdown if any appropriations measure for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not in effect. The appropriations are provided to continue to fund programs, projects, and activities for which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year.

Investing in Student Success Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2015

Investing in Student Success Act of 2015 This bill authorizes an individual (i.e., a student) and another person (i.e., an investor) to enter an income-share agreement (ISA) in which the student agrees to pay a percentage of future income, for a specified period of time, in exchange for funds to pay for postsecondary education, workforce development, or other purposes. An ISA that complies with specified terms and conditions and meets certain disclosure requirements is a valid, binding, and enforceable contract and is not subject to state laws that limit interest rates or regulate assignments of future income. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to include an ISA as a qualified education loan (a qualified education loan is not dischargeable in bankruptcy), but it prohibits a tax deduction for interest paid on an ISA (interest paid on a qualified education loan is tax deductible). Payments to a student under an ISA are not includible as: (1) gross income for tax purposes, or (2) income or assets for federal financial aid eligibility purposes under the Higher Education Act of 1965. The bill amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to exclude as an investment company any person whose business substantially consists of making ISAs.

Pay Down the Debt Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2015

Pay Down the Debt Act of 2015 This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to establish a legislative process to stabilize the debt using the prior year's ratio of debt held by the public to the estimated gross domestic product (GDP) as a target. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must report annually on whether the target will be exceeded in any of the five ensuing fiscal years. If the OMB reports that the target will be exceeded in any year between FY2017-FY2025, the President's budget for that year must include legislative recommendations to achieve the target. If the CBO reports that the target will be exceeded in any year between FY2017-FY2025: the congressional budget resolution for that year must include reconciliation instructions directing congressional committees to recommend legislation to achieve the target, or any Member of Congress may introduce a bill to reach the target, to be considered using expedited legislative procedures if Congress has not agreed to a budget resolution by June 15th that meets the requirements. If debt stabilization legislation is required, Congress may not consider legislation increasing mandatory budget authority or decreasing revenues until the debt legislation has been agreed to and sent to the President. The requirements imposed by this bill are suspended if: (1) the Department of the Treasury estimates that real GDP for a year will grow by less than 1% compared to the prior year, or (2) a joint resolution is enacted stating that the debt stabilization legislation would cause or exacerbate an economic downturn.

Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2015

Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2015 This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to establish FY2016 spending limits of $2.832 trillion for new budget authority and $2.884 trillion for outlays. Spending for Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Benefits and Services, Net Interest, and Military Personnel is exempt from the limits. The chairs of the congressional budget committees may make specified adjustments to the limits for legislation that designates amounts for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism. The bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to limit total annual spending for FY2016-FY2025 to a specified percentage of projected annual gross domestic product (GDP), which begins at 19.9% for FY2016 and decreases each year until it reaches 18% for FY2021-FY2025. The bill enforces the spending limits using automatic spending cuts known as sequestration and specifies exemptions. The Department of the Treasury may not exercise additional borrowing authority in subsequent legislation until a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution is submitted to the states that: (1) requires that total outlays not exceed total receipts, (2) contains a spending limitation as a percentage of GDP, and (3) requires tax increases be approved by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress.

To provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 2002 of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016.

United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015

Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to repeal the requirement that certain employers automatically enroll their employees in a health plan. This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to terminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which provides for investment in prevention and public health programs to improve health and help restrain the rate of growth in health care costs. Unobligated funds are rescinded. For one year, no federal funds may be made available to a state for payments to an entity (e.g., Planned Parenthood Federation of America) that: is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization; is an essential community provider primarily engaged in family planning services and reproductive health; provides for elective abortions; and received a total of more than $350 million under Medicaid in FY2014, including payments to affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, or clinics. Funding for community health centers is increased. This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the requirement for individuals to maintain minimum essential health care coverage and the requirement for certain large employers to make shared responsibility payments, effective after December 31, 2014. The excise tax on medical devices is repealed. The excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage (popularly known as the “Cadillac tax”) is repealed after December 31, 2017. After 2014, W-2 forms no longer need to include the cost of employer-sponsored coverage. The Independent Medicare Advisory Board is terminated, effective as of enactment of PPACA.

WIFIA Improvement Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015

WIFIA Improvement Act This bill amends the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 to repeal provisions prohibiting any project receiving federal credit assistance under such Act from being financed from the proceeds of tax-exempt bonds.

Offending Oil Polluters Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2015

Offending Oil Polluters Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny any tax credit or deduction to an offending oil polluter. The bill defines "offending oil polluter" as any person who is responsible for a vessel or facility from which oil or a hazardous substance is discharged and any person who is a member of the same expanded affiliated group as the offending oil polluter. Specifically, the bill denies a tax benefit for any amount paid or incurred: (1) in connection with a discharge of oil or a hazardous substance, (2) for any attorney fees and court costs in connection with any legal action involving such discharge, (3) as a payment or restitution related to such discharge, and (4) for any costs or penalties required by federal law or certified in a settlement by a federal court. The bill requires the Department of the Treasury to conduct, and report on, an annual study to determine: (1) the revenue loss as a result of tax deductions allowed for cleaning up oil that is discharged after April 19, 2010, and (2) the amount of revenue savings resulting from this Act.

Office of Financial Research Accountability Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015

Office of Financial Research Accountability Act of 2015 This bill amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to require the Office of Financial Research within the Department of the Treasury to publish annually a detailed work plan of the Office priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, including a detailed description of the progress made by primary financial regulatory agencies in adopting a unique alphanumeric system ("Legal Entity Identifier") to identify legally distinct entities that engage in financial transactions, as well as a list of regulations requiring the use of such a system and actions taken to ensure its adoption by those agencies. The bill requires the Office to develop and implement a cybersecurity plan using adequate safeguards to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the data in Office possession.

ExCEL Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015

Earnings Contingent Education Loans Act of 2015 or the ExCEL Act of 2015 This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to replace several existing federal student loan programs with a single repayment plan that caps annual debt repayments based on the borrower's income. The bill terminates the authority of the Department of Education (ED) to make federal Direct Stafford Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and Direct PLUS loans, subject to exceptions for existing student borrowers, PLUS loans made to parents of undergraduates, and Direct Consolidation Loans. To replace the programs, the bill establishes the Income Dependent Education Assistance (IDEA) Loan Program and the IDEA Loan Repayment Program, which limit annual repayments based on the borrower's income and prohibit the accrual of interest on loans for active duty service members. Loans under the program are not eligible for the federal public service loan forgiveness program. The bill amends the Social Security Act (SSAct) to require ED and the Department of Health and Human Services to exchange information necessary to use the National Directory of New Hires to assist in the collection of student loans. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Department of the Treasury to disclose to ED tax return information necessary to carry out the IDEA Loan Repayment Program.

Access to Marketplace Insurance Act

United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015

Access to Marketplace Insurance Act This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require health insurers to accept, on behalf of individuals enrolled in qualified health plans, payments made by certain third parties, including state and federal government programs, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and certain tax exempt organizations. (Qualified health plans are eligible for subsidies and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.)

Prioritizing Energy-Efficient Renewables Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015

Prioritizing Energy-Efficient Renewables Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax credit for producing electricity from wind, geothermal and solar energy, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy facilities; (2) repeal the tax deduction for intangible drilling and development costs for oil and gas wells; (3) repeal the tax deduction for income attributable to the production, refining, transportation, or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any primary product thereof; and (4) repeal the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas wells.

Philanthropic Enterprise Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015

Philanthropic Enterprise Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the holdings of a private foundation in any business enterprise that meet specified requirements relating to exclusive ownership, minimum distribution of net operating income for the charitable purpose (all profits to charity distribution requirement), and independent operation (not controlled by a substantial contributor or family members) from the excise taxes on excess business holdings and unrelated business income.

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to provide for the consideration of continuing resolutions to fund the Government at the current rate of operations if offered not more than 24 hours before funding for the Government expires.

United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2015

Amends Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it in order, during the 24-hour period before funding for the government expires, for any Member to move to consider any joint resolution continuing appropriations for the government at the current rate of operations for 30 days. Prohibits the measure from containing other matter. Declares that, if the measure passes the House, then, during the 30-day period it covers: it shall not be in order to consider any resolution providing for an adjournment period of more than three calendar days unless legislation is agreed to that funds the government until the end of the applicable fiscal year; and no funds of the House may be used for official travel of any of its Members, officers, or employees which is undertaken during such period.

Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act of 2016

United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015

Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from rehiring any individual who was previously employed by the IRS but was removed for misconduct or whose employment was terminated for cause.

SOAR Reauthorization Act

United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015

Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act or the SOAR Reauthorization Act This bill amends the District of Columbia Code to prohibit the Department of Education from limiting the number of eligible students receiving District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) scholarships, and from preventing otherwise eligible students from participating in the OSP because of: whether or not the student attended a private school for pre-elementary education in the previous school year; or whether or not the individual previously received a scholarship or participated in OSP, or was a member of the control group used by the Institute of Education Sciences to carry out previous OSP evaluations. An eligible nonprofit organization's application for an OSP grant must include how it will ensure that it utilizes internal fiscal and quality controls. Priorities for the award of scholarships to eligible students are modified to give priority to students who, in the preceding school year, attended a school identified as low-achieving according to the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) (currently certain elementary or secondary schools identified for improvements, corrective action, or restructuring). OSP-participating schools must: conduct criminal background checks on school employees who have direct and unsupervised interactions with students, and comply with all requests for data and information regarding certain reporting requirements. Participating private schools must be provisionally or fully accredited or in the process of seeking accreditation. The Department must make OSP funds available to eligible entities receiving a grant for administrative expenses and parental education and assistance, including streamlining of the application process. Previously unobligated OSP funds must be used to award new scholarships to students. The current OSP evaluation procedures under the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (SOAR) are terminated and replaced with those specified in this Act. The Department may withhold specified OSP funds provided to the DC Mayor for DC public and charter schools for noncompliance with SOAR requirements. Funds provided under this Act to support DC public charter schools may be directed to the OSSE, which may transfer them to subgrantees that are: specific DC public charter schools in good standing or networks of such schools, or DC-based non-profit organizations with experience in successfully providing support or assistance to such schools or networks. The Department and the Mayor shall revise the memorandum of understanding in effect to address the need to ensure that participating schools meet fire code standards and maintain certificates of occupancy. The OSP is reauthorized through FY2021.

To authorize unused visas numbers made available under section 101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to be made available to nationals of Ireland, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015

This bill makes E-3 nonimmigrant visas (specialty occupation) for Australian nationals that are unused during a fiscal year available on the same basis in the subsequent fiscal year to nationals of Ireland residing in Ireland. The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended to make eligible for an E-3 visa an alien who is a national of Ireland coming to the United States to perform services as an employee who has at least a high school education or its equivalent, or has, within five years, at least two years of work experience in an occupation classified as Zone 2 or higher by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015

Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays of the operating funds of the United States from exceeding total receipts of those funds for a fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes: outlays for repayment of debt principal, capital investments, and Social Security; and receipts derived from net borrowing or Social Security. The President must submit an annual budget in which total outlays for operating funds do not exceed total receipts for those funds for the fiscal year. Congress may waive the requirements for two years if: (1) a declaration of war is in effect, or (2) the Congressional Budget Office estimates that real economic growth has been or will be less than 1% for two consecutive quarters during the two-year period. Congress may also waive the requirements for any year in which the United States is engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.

Timber Revitalization and Economic Enhancement Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015

Timber Revitalization and Economic Enhancement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the reduced tax rate on the net timber gains of corporations, to: (1) adjust the formula for calculating such rate, and (2) make such reduced rate permanent.

Puerto Rico Financial Improvement and Bond Guarantee Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2015

Puerto Rico Financial Improvement and Bond Guarantee Act of 2015 This bill expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the current financial distress of the government of Puerto Rico. The Department of the Treasury may guarantee up to 100% of 30-year bonds issued by the government of Puerto Rico or any of its instrumentalities that are issued solely to finance capital projects or refinance existing debt, but not bonds to finance operational expenses. A guarantee is only permitted if Treasury determines that there is a reasonable prospect of repayment of the principal and interest on the bond to be guaranteed. Treasury shall: examine the financial management practices of the government of Puerto Rico and its instrumentalities, and establish guidelines and recommendations for making improvements in those practices and whether to make a requested guarantee. Appropriations are made to fund the loan guarantees. Treasury may also provide advice and technical assistance to the government of Puerto Rico. The Federal Reserve Act is amended to empower Federal Reserve banks to buy and sell bonds and notes issued by Puerto Rico in anticipation of the collection of taxes or receipt of assured revenues.

Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016

United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015

Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2015 This bill amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to: authorize a public housing agency (PHA) to make section 8 low-income rental assistance (voucher) payments to a dwelling unit after an inspection reveals non-life-threatening conditions, but suspend the payments after 30 days if the conditions are not corrected; and prescribe further requirements for enforcement of housing quality standards. The bill also revises requirements to vary the frequency of otherwise annual reviews of family income for public housing and section 8 programs, depending on certain decreases or increases in annual adjusted income. A PHA may establish a payment standard under the section 8 program of up to 120% of the fair market rent as a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability, without approval of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A PHA must charge monthly rent according to a specified formula to a family whose income has exceeded 120% of the area's median income for two years, or terminate the family's tenancy. The bill also prescribes limitations, prohibitions, and related requirements with respect to: a family's eligibility for assistance based on assets, units owned by PHAs, PHA project-based assistance, the establishment of fair market rent, denial of utility reimbursements, public housing Capital and Operating Funds, and expansion of the family unification program. The Housing Act of 1949 is amended to authorize HUD to delegate to certain preferred lenders its authority to approve and execute binding Rural Housing Service loan guarantees. HUD may establish a Multifamily Housing Revitalization Program to preserve and revitalize multifamily housing projects funded with certain loans to ensure that they have sufficient resources to provide safe and affordable housing for low-income residents and farm laborers. The National Housing Act is amended to require HUD to: streamline the project certification requirements applicable to mortgage insurance on condominium projects to make recertifications substantially less burdensome than certifications, and allow either the direct endorsement lender review and approval process or the HUD review and approval process when excepting a condominium property from the mortgage insurance requirement regarding the percentage of its floor space that may be used for nonresidential or commercial purposes. Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to allow (in addition to a state, local government, or public housing agency) a private nonprofit organization to administer permanent housing rental assistance provided through the Continuum of Care Program. Requires HUD, at least once (currently, twice) during each fiscal year, to reallocate any housing assistance provided from the Emergency Solutions Grants Program that is unused or returned or that becomes available after minimum allocation requirements are met. Amends the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to transfer from the HUD Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs to the Office of the HUD Secretary a Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs to coordinate all HUD programs and activities relating to veterans. Directs HUD and the VA to report annually to Congress about veterans homelessness and housing assistance. Fraud and abuse prevention requirements and measures of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1988 shall apply to the HUD Disaster Housing Assistance Program. The Low-Income Housing Preservation and Resident Homeownership Act of 1990 (LIHPRHA) is amended to prescribe requirements for a property owner's annual distribution of surplus cash generated by the property which is subject to a plan of action or use agreement HUD may approve for extension of the low-income affordability restrictions on any eligible low-income housing. Neither LIHPRHA, nor any plan of action or use agreement implementing it, shall restrict an owner from obtaining a new loan or refinancing an existing loan secured by a low-income housing project, or from distributing the proceeds of such a loan. Such an owner, however, must comply with specified requirements. HUD shall establish a demonstration program for executing budget-neutral, performance-based agreements with appropriate entities in FY2016-FY2019 (for up to 12 years each) that result in cost reductions in projects for energy or water conservation improvements at up to 20,000 residential units in multifamily buildings participating in Section 8 project-based rental assistance programs, supportive housing for the elderly programs, or supportive housing for persons with disabilities programs. The Housing Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996 is amended, with respect to grants to national and regional organizations and consortia with experience in providing or facilitating self-help housing homeownership opportunities, to prohibit HUD from requiring any dwelling developed using such grant amounts to meet any energy efficiency standards other than those specified by the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. The United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended to direct HUD to designate data exchange standards to govern: necessary categories of information that state agencies operating related programs must exchange electronically with another state agency, and federal reporting and data exchange required under applicable law.

Judgement Fund Taxpayer Accountability Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015

Judgment Fund Taxpayer Accountability Act This bill requires the Financial Management Service, by January 1 of each year, to report the following information to Congress with respect to payments by federal agencies for judgments, awards, and compromise settlements against the United States: (1) the total amount paid in reimbursement by the agency for such payments during the preceding fiscal year, (2) the total amount still due from the agency in reimbursement, and (3) the name of the plaintiff or claimant to whom a payment was made from agency funds.

A bill to extend the secure rural schools and community self-determination program and to make permanent the payment in lieu of taxes program and the land and water conservation fund.

United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015

This bill extends the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Program through FY2025 at FY2011 funding levels. This Program provides payments to state jurisdictions to compensate for the cost of providing services in tax-exempt federal lands within such jurisdictions. Payments under such Act for FY2016 and each fiscal year thereafter shall be exempt from direct spending reductions under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. The bill eliminates the fiscal year limitation on funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program. This Program compensates local governments for tax revenue lost due to tax-exempt federal lands within their boundaries. The bill amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act to make permanent the authorization for the Land and and Water Conservation Fund. Amounts in such Funds remain available for expenditure to carry out such Act without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation. Not less than 1.5% the annual authorized funding amount under such Act shall be made available for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.

Streamlining and Investing in Broadband Infrastructure Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015

Streamlining and Investing in Broadband Infrastructure Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to issue best practices relating to broadband infrastructure and installation for state broadband coordination offices, with an emphasis on rural areas. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must require states to install broadband conduits, which support broadband or wireless facilities for broadband service, in certain highway construction projects. DOT must ensure that: (1) standards are established that apply to all areas, including rural and remote areas with low population density; and (2) any requesting broadband provider has access to such installed conduits on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis, for a charge not to exceed a cost-based rate. Federal easement and right-of-way procedures under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 are revised to allow an executive agency, a state, a person, a firm, or an organization to apply for the grant of a real property interest (including a lease, license, easement, or right-of-way) to, in, over, or on a building or other property owned by the federal government for the right to install, construct, modify, and maintain a communications facility installation. An executive agency that owns the building or other property on behalf of the federal government must grant to the applicant, if technically feasible, a real property interest to perform such installation, construction, modification, and maintenance. Requirements are set forth concerning the fees and terms of years for the grant of such real property interests. The bill provides for the collection of: (1) a standard fee established by the General Services Administration (GSA), or (2) agency-specific fees established by executive agencies. The GSA must also consult with designated agencies regarding the master application forms and standard contracts that executive agencies are required to accept for the placement of such facilities. If the GSA determines that master forms or contracts are not adequate for a specific building or property, it must coordinate with the agencies to address the inadequacies and provide an adequate alternative application form or contract to the applicant.

PTC Elimination Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015

PTC Elimination Act This bill repeals the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources (e.g., wind, biomass, trash, geothermal or solar energy facilities). The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that such credit should be allowed to expire and should not be extended.

Elimination of Double Subsidies for the Hardrock Mining Industry Act of 2015

United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2015

Elimination of Double Subsidies for the Hardrock Mining Industry Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to disallow the percentage depletion allowance for hardrock mines located on land currently subject to the general mining laws, or on land patented under such laws.