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Bill· SS. 1894 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2015 TITLE I--CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY DROUGHT RELIEF This bill requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce, in response to a California drought emergency declaration, to approve projects and operations to provide the maximum quantity of water supplies to Central Valley Project (CVP) agricultural, municipal and industrial, and refuge service and repayment contractors; State Water Project (SWP) contractors; and other California localities or municipalities. The requirements apply to the Klamath Project if projects or operations would benefit California federal water contractors. Requirements are set forth concerning: operation of the Delta Cross Channel Gates; turbidity control; reverse flow in the Old and Middle Rivers; proposals to increase flow in the San Joaquin River through a voluntary sale, transfer, or exchange of water from an agency with rights to divert water from the river or its tributaries in conjunction with procedures to adopt a 1:1 inflow to export ratio for the increment of increased flow; management of the impacts on species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; coordination with the salmonid biological opinion, dated June 4, 2009, and the smelt biological opinion, dated December 15, 2008; permits for temporary barriers or operable gates in Delta channels and for water transfer requests associated with voluntarily fallowing nonpermanent crops; and coordination with the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to study the effectiveness and environmental impacts of saltcedar biological control efforts on increasing water supplies and improving riparian habitats of the Colorado River. "Delta" means the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Suisun Marsh. Federal agencies must: (1) expedite final decisions for federal water projects or operations upon California's request, and (2) develop alternative arrangements to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during California emergency drought declarations, must require California to prioritize state revolving funds allocated under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act or the Safe Drinking Water Act to projects that will: (1) provide additional water supplies to areas at risk of having inadequate supplies for public health and safety purposes, or (2) improve resiliency to drought. The EPA must also, at California’s request, authorize 40-year financing for assistance in the case of state loan funds used to buy or refinance the debt obligation of municipalities and intermunicipal and interstate agencies at or below market rates. Interior must confer with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) regarding the implementation of this title and any changes to the smelt or salmonid biological opinions. If the CDFW requires take authorization under California law for operation of the SWP in a manner that reduces water supply to the SWP as compared to the supply available under the biological opinions, and as a consequence the CVP yield is greater, the additional yield must be made available to SWP contractors to offset losses from the CDFW's action. This title expires on the later of: (1) the California governor's declaration of an end of California's drought emergency, or (2) September 30, 2017. TITLE II--ACTIONS TO BENEFIT FISH AND REFUGES The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Recovery Plan for Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, and Central Valley steelhead is authorized through FY2020. Interior must evaluate: (1) nonstructural barriers to prevent straying of threatened or endangered salmonids through key Delta junctions, and (2) the feasibility of additional gravel and natural rearing areas to improve salmon and steelhead population recovery. Interior must establish pilot programs to test alternative release strategies for hatchery-raised, winter-run salmon to reduce mortality rates. Interior and Commerce must assess methods of reducing predation by: (1) modifying natural and artificial factors in the Sacramento River and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta watershed, (2) lowering light intensity at artificial structures, and (3) redepositing salvaged salmon smolts. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) must implement a pilot program to test an experimental trap and barge program to improve survival of juvenile salmonids emigrating from the San Joaquin watershed through the Delta. The NMFS and the Oakdale and South San Joaquin irrigation districts must implement a pilot program to remove nonnative predator fish from the Stanislaus River. Interior must begin pilot projects to implement the Calfed Bay-Delta invasive species control program. Interior is directed to determine methods to minimize the effects of the CVP and the SWP on Delta smelt and utilize new technologies for better smelt tracking. A federal cost share of up to 50% is authorized for the acceleration and completion of water infrastructure and conveyance facilities necessary to achieve full water deliveries to Central Valley wildlife refuges and habitat areas. TITLE III--LONG-TERM WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS Interior is directed to award funding on a competitive basis for certain water recycling, water desalination, and drought recovery and resiliency projects that can reduce reliance on surface and groundwater supplies. The bill identifies cities, water districts, desalination projects, and other sponsors to be included among the projects reviewed. The Water Desalination Act of 1996 is amended to reauthorize through FY2020 research grants and a demonstration program to develop processes for converting saline water into water suitable for beneficial uses. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy must develop a strategic plan for future federal investments in desalination that coordinates federal agencies' activities. The EPA must implement a program to provide financial assistance for the design of desalination facilities that provide water suitable for environmental enhancement, agricultural, industrial, municipal, and other beneficial consumptive or nonconsumptive uses. The bill provides procedures for Interior to participate in federal and nonfederal storage projects. Deadlines are established for Reclamation to submit to Congress water storage feasibility studies concerning specified dams and reservoirs under the Calfed Bay-Delta Authorization Act. The Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 is amended to allow Interior to develop any necessary additional project benefits (including additional conservation storage capacity) in conjunction with its activities to modify Reclamation dams and facilities to preserve their structural safety. The costs must be subject to a cost-sharing agreement among applicable federal, state, and local agencies and repaid in accordance with reclamation laws. The Department of the Army must carry out up to five pilot projects, including at least two nonfederal projects, to implement revisions of water operations manuals, including flood control rule curves, in states under a gubernatorial drought declaration during water year 2015. Reclamation-owned dams or reservoirs are excluded from being such a pilot project. A WaterSense Program is established within the EPA to promote products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services certified to display a label designating them as water efficient. Interior must enter voluntary agreements to implement water conservation programs with public water agencies or other entities that receive water from a Reclamation-operated project. The conserved water is to be retained by: (1) the public water agencies; and (2) Interior to promote groundwater recharge and conservation, refuge water supply, or authorized projects. An existing water service or repayment contractor may contribute funds to implement such an agreement in exchange for water. USDA must provide grants for water projects in eligible communities that are unable to meet primary water quality standards or that have severely diminished water supplies due to drought conditions. The Department of Defense must commence at least three water conservation pilot projects on California military installations. The Drug Enforcement Administration must assist California state or local law enforcement in the suppression of cannabis operations. The EPA may award grants and assist with financing of research and demonstration projects to promote innovative water supply and conservation technologies. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) must establish an open water data system to advance the availability, timely distribution, and use of data for water management, education, research, assessment, and monitoring. TITLE IV--FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR STATE AND LOCAL DROUGHT RESILIENCY PROJECTS Interior may provide financial assistance, such as secured loans or loan guarantees, to private entities, state or local governments, irrigation districts, water users' associations, or other entities that contract with the United States under federal reclamation law to carry out water projects within the 17 western states served by Reclamation, other states where Reclamation is authorized to provide project assistance, Alaska, and Hawaii. Eligible project costs of such a project must be reasonably anticipated to be at least $20 million. The final maturity date of a secured loan may not be later than 35 years after substantial completion of the underlying project. Interior and California may enter into a memorandum of understanding to designate California as lead agency for purposes of NEPA. Interior must permit California, and not more than four additional states, to participate in the program. The bill establishes a process for Interior to identify, solicit public comment on, and submit to Congress a list of inactive water resources development programs or projects to be deauthorized because they are no longer viable for construction. Under the national water availability and use assessment program, the USGS may enter into cost shared financial assistance and other long-term agreements with nonfederal participants in the 17 Reclamation-served western states, Hawaii, and Alaska to advance nonfederal permanent water storage and conveyance facilities, projects for the reclamation and reuse of municipal, industrial, domestic and agricultural wastewater, and naturally impaired ground and surface waters, and other water management improvement projects. The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act is amended to establish a process for Interior to award grants to nonfederal sponsors for projects that reclaim and reuse: (1) municipal, industrial, domestic, or agricultural wastewater; or (2) impaired ground or surface waters. For FY2026-FY2050, a designated portion of revenues that would otherwise be deposited in the Reclamation Fund are to be deposited instead into a Federal Support for State and Local Drought Solutions Fund established in the Treasury for expenditures on certain federal loan guarantees and cost sharing authorized for state and local storage projects under this Act and project funding under the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 3416 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Flight School Security Act of 2015 Revises requirements with respect to the training of aliens and other individuals designated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security in the operation of certain aircraft. Authorizes a flight instructor, pilot school, or aviation training center to provide training in the operation of an aircraft with a takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds to an individual who does not hold a valid Federal Aviation Administration airman's certification only if: (1) that individual has been checked against the terrorist watchlist by the TSA to determine if he or she poses a threat to aviation or national security or a threat of terrorism, and (2) the TSA determines that the individual does not pose a threat that warrants denial of access to such training.
Bill· HRH.R. 3415 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Aviation Screening Contractor Reform and Accountability Act This bill prohibits subsidiaries of foreign-owned companies from performing security screening at commercial airports and establishes additional requirements for private screening companies. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) must not: contract with private screening companies that are U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies or have compromised covert security testing, permit the screening to be performed by a subcontractor, or provide funding to any company that provides screening services at an airport in excess of the required amount. Private screening companies must: provide the right of first refusal to federal or private sector employees who are performing screening at an airport when a contract is awarded; and report to the TSA regarding security breaches, retention rates of employees, adverse employment actions, and customer complaints. The TSA must use Government Accountability Office (GAO) guidance to compare the costs of overseeing private companies with using federal employees for screening, enhance monitoring of the performance of private screening companies, and require companies to train employees on handling sensitive information. Each airport must notify passengers if screening is conducted by a contractor and provide contact information for reporting complaints. The GAO must conduct annual covert testing of airports that use private screening companies. The TSA must establish a process for confidentially reporting deficiencies, waste, or vulnerabilities with respect to private screening services. The companies must not retaliate against individuals who report this information, refuse to engage in illegal activities, or testify during government proceedings.
Bill· HRH.R. 3385 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
American Pipeline Jobs and Safety Act of 2015 Directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prescribe minimum safety standards to require gas or hazardous liquid pipelines constructed or replaced after enactment of this Act to be made of steel that: (1) is produced in the United States, and (2) originates from (or in the case of recycled steel is combined with) iron ore and taconite mined and processed in the United States (Buy America requirements). Authorizes DOT to waive such requirements if certain conditions are met. Requires DOT inspection and testing of intrastate gas pipelines not covered by a state pipeline safety program certification or a state pipeline safety agreement to include direct, pre-installation testing of such pipelines for quality verification.
Bill· HRH.R. 3337 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2015 Establishes the National Infrastructure Development Bank as a wholly owned government corporation. Makes the Bank's Board of Directors responsible for monitoring and overseeing energy, environmental, telecommunications, and transportation infrastructure projects. Authorizes the Board to: (1) make senior and subordinated direct loans and loan guarantees to assist in the financing or refinancing of an infrastructure project, (2) issue public benefit bonds and provide financing to infrastructure projects, and (3) pay an interest subsidy to the issuer of American Infrastructure Bonds. Requires the Board to establish an Executive Committee to establish requirements and make recommendations for project proposals to be considered for financial assistance. Requires the Bank to establish a Risk Management Committee, which shall: (1) create financial, credit, and operational risk management guidelines for the Bank; (2) set guidelines to ensure diversification of lending activities by geographic region and infrastructure project type; (3) create conforming standards for all financial assistance provided by the Bank; (4) monitor financial, credit, and operational exposure of the Bank; (5) provide financial recommendations to the Board; and (6) ensure that the aggregate amount of interest subsidies provided for American Infrastructure Bonds in a given calendar year does not exceed 28% of interest payable under all such Bonds. Requires the Bank to establish an audit committee. Requires the Board to approve criteria established by the Executive Committee for determining project eligibility for financial assistance. Sets forth criteria to be considered by the Board for each type of infrastructure project. Requires the Executive Committee to conduct an analysis that considers the economic, environmental, and social benefits and costs of each project under consideration, prioritizing projects that contribute to economic growth, lead to job creation, and are of regional or national significance. Requires any financial assistance for an infrastructure project to be repayable from dedicated revenue sources that also secure the infrastructure project obligations. Limits the amount of assistance under this Act to 50% of reasonably anticipated project costs. Exempts all bonds issued by the Bank from state or local government taxation. Sets forth requirements regarding compliance of assisted projects with wage rate, domestic content, and buy American statutes. Requires the Board to establish an American Infrastructure Bond program. Establishes in the Treasury the National Infrastructure Development Bank Trust Fund into which an amount estimated to equal the tax receipts attributable to interest payable under such Bonds is to be appropriated.
Bill· HRH.R. 3417 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Coast Guard Academy Opportunity Act Modifies the Coast Guard Academy cadet nomination process by requiring that half of each incoming class be composed of cadets nominated by: (1) the Vice President or, if there is no Vice President, the President pro tempore of the Senate; (2) a Senator; (3) a Member of the House of Representatives; and (4) the various delegates to Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico. Entitles each Senator, House Member, Delegate, and Resident Commissioner to nominate three persons each year. Requires nominees to be citizens or nationals of the United States and meet any minimum requirements established by the Secretary of the respective department in which the Coast Guard is operating. Directs the Academy to furnish any Member of Congress, upon written request, the name of the nominating authority responsible for the nomination of any named or identified person for appointment to the Academy. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Department of Homeland Security, acting through the Chief Human Capital Officer, to issue a comprehensive strategy to improve outreach and recruitment to attract candidates to the Academy.
Bill· HRH.R. 3398 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
National Multimodal Freight Policy and Investment Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to: establish a national multimodal freight network, a national multimodal freight advisory committee, and a freight investment grant program; and develop a national multimodal freight strategic plan. Each state receiving a freight investment grant shall also develop a freight investment plan and establish a state freight advisory committee. The bill establishes in DOT an Office of Freight Planning, Permitting, and Development. DOT shall establish a competitive capital grant program to provide financial assistance to states, metropolitan planning organizations, regional or local transportation authorities, tribal governments, and other entities for: shortline or regional railroad infrastructure improvement projects, and highway-rail vertical grade separation projects.
Bill· HRH.R. 3379 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Airplane Kids In Transit Safety Act of 2015 or the Airplane KITS Act of 2015 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to initiate a rulemaking to ensure that aircraft medical kits contain appropriate medication and equipment to meet the emergency medical needs of children, including an epinephrine auto-injector.
Bill· HRH.R. 3376 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to permit states to carry out bridge projects using previously allocated funds that have been identified as being excess or inactive. The projects may include operational improvements, capital and operating costs, environmental measures, and transportation control measures. The funds will remain available for three years after the year in which this bill is enacted.
Bill· HRH.R. 3344 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act Revises metropolitan transportation planning organization (MPO) requirements. Prescribes requirements for the designation of new and consolidation of multiple MPOs within a metropolitan statistical area. Defines "consolidated metropolitan planning organization" to mean a sole MPO that serves a metropolitan statistical area. Allows an MPO for an urbanized area with a population over 200,000 to request a high-performing MPO designation from the Department of Transportation (DOT). Specifies criteria DOT shall consider in making such designation. Revises certain allocations of surface transportation program funds to states for: any areas with a population of fewer (under current law, non-urban areas with more) than 5,000, and urbanized areas with a population over 200,000 that have a high-performing MPO. Makes similar changes to the transportation alternatives program. Extends permanently a state's obligational authority to distribute a specified amount of surface transportation program funds for federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs in urbanized areas with a population over 200,000, including those areas that have a high-performing MPO. Makes permanent a special rule authorizing a state to obligate up to 15% of its apportionment of surface transportation program funds for each fiscal on roads functionally classified as minor collectors in areas of less than 5,000 population. Revises requirements for the apportionment of state planning funds to MPOs. Requires a state's apportionment to be distributed in accordance with a formula that prioritizes the needs of high-performing MPOs. Requires metropolitan planning organizations to involve public port authorities in metropolitan freight transportation planning. Revises the statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation planning process for the development of statewide transportation plans and statewide transportation improvement programs for federal-aid highway projects. Makes certain changes from discretionary to mandatory with respect to such process. Requires DOT to certify at least once every four years that each state has met certain requirements; and other federal laws, regulations, and orders applicable to the statewide and nonmetropolitan and the metropolitan processes. Authorizes DOT to withhold up to 20% of a state's apportionment of funds for federal-aid highway projects and public transportation projects if the state fails to meet such certification. Makes similar changes to requirements for public transportation program projects. Eliminates the requirement that the congestion management process be addressed in the metropolitan transportation planning and statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation planning of such projects in: urbanized transportation management areas with a population over 200,000 individuals, and certain nonattainment areas for ozone or carbon monoxide. Revises requirements authorizing an MPO to voluntarily elect to develop multiple scenarios for consideration as part of the development of the metropolitan transportation plan for a metropolitan planning area. Requires an MPO to offer certain interested parties a reasonable opportunity to participate in the development and consideration of those scenarios as well as provide input during the development and implementation of the transportation plan. Prescribes requirements to require MPOs to create a performance-based target achievement process for adding projects to a transportation improvement program.
Bill· HRH.R. 3334 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Families Flying Together Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to issue regulations directing each air carrier to: (1) establish a policy to ensure that a family that purchases tickets for a flight is seated together during that flight, and (2) make the policy available to the public on the air carrier's website. The bill defines "family" to mean a grouping of individuals that includes, at a minimum: (1) a child age 12 years or younger, and (2) an individual age 18 years or older who is responsible for accompanying that child. The bill makes it an unfair or deceptive practice for any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person offering to sell tickets for air transportation to fail to disclose, prior to an individual's purchase of more than one ticket for a covered flight that includes a ticket for a minor, a notification that: (1) it is not possible to assign two or more seats together on at least one of the flights selected, and (2) the individual may not be able to sit next to other members of his or her travel party even if he or she is traveling with a minor. The term "covered flight" is defined as a flight for which: (1) a purchaser of a ticket may specify an advance seat assignment, with or without the assessment of any charge or fee; and (2) two or more laterally adjacent seats are not available for advance assignment.
Bill· HRH.R. 3316 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
School Food Modernization Act This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to direct the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue loan guarantees to local educational agencies (LEAs), school food authorities, and other eligible entities to finance infrastructure improvements or equipment purchases to facilitate their provision of healthy meals through the school lunch program. USDA must give preference to applicants that demonstrate a substantial or disproportionate need for food service infrastructure or durable equipment, and shall establish fees for the loan guarantee program that are sufficient to cover the federal government's administrative costs in operating the program. USDA must also award competitive matching grants to assist LEAs, school food authorities, and other eligible entities in purchasing the durable equipment and infrastructure they need to serve healthier meals and improve food safety. In doing so, USDA must give grant priority to applicants that: (1) have identified and are reasonably expected to meet an unmet local or community need, and (2) are located in states that have enacted funding measures to assist them with such purchases. In addition, USDA must award competitive matching grants to experienced third-party training institutions to provide school food service personnel with the training and technical assistance they need to: (1) meet school lunch program nutrition standards, and (2) improve the efficacy and efficiency of the school lunch and breakfast programs. The bill authorizes these grant and loan programs through FY2021 and, as an offset, rescinds $35 million of the Department of Education's unobligated balance available for administrative expenses. USDA must complete a study on the use of state administrative expense funds.
Bill· HRH.R. 3284 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Mary Jo Lawyer Spano Mesothelioma Patient Registry Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to develop a patient registry to collect data on mesothelioma. The Agency shall use the registry to: enhance and expand infrastructure and activities for tracking the epidemiology of mesothelioma patients; collect, consolidate, and report on health information on mesothelioma patients; describe the incidence and prevalence of mesothelioma in the United States; facilitate research on mesothelioma; examine factors that may be associated with mesothelioma; outline key demographic factors associated with mesothelioma; and make information available to the public to facilitate and enhance research on, and the prevention and treatment of, mesothelioma. The Agency: (1) shall provide for the collection and storage of information on the incidence and prevalence of mesothelioma in the United States and information concerning demographics and other information associated with mesothelioma, such as geographic location and family history, risk factors, and diagnosis and progression markers; (2) may provide for the collection and storage of information relevant to analysis on mesothelioma, such as information concerning the epidemiology, natural history, and prevention of the disease, the detection, management, and treatment approaches for the disease, and the development of outcomes measures; and (3) shall make registry information available to federal agencies and the public.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 68 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
Recognizes the historic significance of the 225th anniversary of the Coast Guard.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 62 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2015
This joint resolution expresses the sense of Congress that: the President should be commended for the commitment to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon and the willingness to explore a peaceful path to ensure Iran remains free of nuclear weapons; the President and the administration should be commended for exhausting diplomatic means in working with the P5+1 countries to reach the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) agreement with Iran that will ensure that Iran's civilian nuclear program becomes compliant with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) without jeopardizing the capability of the United States and U.S. allies to intervene militarily if such an option becomes necessary; and if the President determines that Iran's nuclear program becomes noncompliant under the JCPA agreement and poses a threat to U.S. national security, then the President should work with Congress to utilize appropriate measures, not limited to military intervention, to eliminate thath threat. The President is authorized to use the U.S. Armed Forces against Iran to dismantle Iran's nuclear infrastructure if the President: certifies to Congress that IAEA inspectors have determined that Iran has failed to comply with its JCPA obligations and the President determines that such failure is serious and a threat to U.S. national security; certifies to Congress that the provisions of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions relating to the application of sanctions against Iran have been re-imposed as a result of such failure; and provides to Congress a scope and strategy for the use of the Armed Forces. Congress declares that this Act is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution, and that nothing in this joint resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution. The President shall report to, and consult with, Congress on matters relevant to this joint resolution. Nothing in this joint resolution shall be construed to interfere or violate the President's inherent right to authorize limited military force in self-defense pursuant to the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution.
Bill· HRH.R. 3237 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2015
Zero Waste Development and Expansion Act This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to award grants to local governments for developing solid waste prevention and recycling tactics and operations, which may include: development or deployment of technologies or practices to increase rates of waste prevention, recycling, composting, or product reuse; capital investment in infrastructure to start or expand waste prevention, recycling, composting, or product reuse programs; partnerships with local businesses interested in incorporating new technologies or processes to reduce or prevent waste in production or packaging; or community outreach and public education programming. Grants must be awarded to applicants who collectively represent a range of existing waste prevention, recycling, composting, and product reuse rates. To be considered for an award, applicants must: (1) set specific waste prevention, recycling, composting, product reuse, or public education goals that will bring communities closer to zero waste; and (2) have a plan to use grant funds for developing solid waste prevention and recycling tactics and operations.
Law· HRH.R. 3236 (114th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2015
Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 Directs the Secretary of Transportation to reduce the amount apportioned for a surface transportation program, project, or activity for FY2015 by amounts apportioned or allocated under the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 and the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 for the period from October 1, 2014, through July 31, 2015. Amends the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 to continue from October 1, 2014, through October 29, 2015, and authorizes appropriations through that period for, specified federal-aid highway programs under: the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Technical Corrections Act of 2008, SAFETEA-LU, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), and other specified law. Subjects funding for FY2015, and for the period October 1, 2015, through October 29, 2015, for such programs to certain funding level restrictions. Amends MAP-21 to authorize appropriations out of the general fund of the Treasury for the Tribal High Priority Projects program for the same period. Prescribes an obligation ceiling of $40.256 billion for FY2015, including $3,189,683,060 for the period October 1, 2015, through October 29, 2015, for federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs. Authorizes appropriations from the HTF (other than the Mass Transit Account) for administrative expenses of the federal-aid highway program for the same period. Extends for the same period the authorization of appropriations for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety programs, including: highway safety research and development, national priority safety programs, the National Driver Register, the High Visibility Enforcement Program, and NHTSA administrative expenses. Amends SAFETEA-LU to extend for the same period high-visibility traffic safety law enforcement campaigns under the High Visibility Enforcement Program. Sets aside a specified amount of the total apportionment to states for highway safety programs for a cooperative program to research and evaluate priority highway safety countermeasures for the same period. Extends for the same period the authorization of appropriations for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) programs, including: motor carrier safety grants, FMCSA administrative expenses, commercial driver's license program improvement grants, border enforcement grants, performance and registration information system management grants, commercial vehicle information systems and networks deployment grants, safety data improvement grants, a set-aside for high priority activities that improve commercial motor vehicle safety and compliance with commercial motor vehicle safety regulations, a set-aside for new entrant motor carrier audit grants, FMCSA outreach and education, and the commercial motor vehicle operators grant program. Amends the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to continue, for the same period, the authorized distribution of funds for coastal wetlands, recreational boating safety, projects under the Clean Vessel Act of 19921, boating infrastructure projects, and the National Outreach and Communications Program. Extends for the same period the apportionment of nonurbanized (rural) area formula grants for competitive grants and formula grants for public transportation on Indian reservations. Extends the apportionment of urbanized area formula grants for passenger ferry projects for the same period. Extends for the same period the authorization of appropriations from the HTF Mass Transit Account for: formula grants for public transportation, including allocations for specified projects; research, development demonstration, and deployment projects; the transit cooperative research program; technical assistance and standards development grants; human resources and training grants; capital investment grants; and administrative expenses. Allocates, for the same period, certain amounts to states and territories for formula bus and bus facilities grants. Authorizes appropriations for the same period for hazardous materials (hazmat) transportation safety projects. Authorizes the Secretary to make certain expenditures, including an amount for hazmat training grants, from the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Fund for the same period. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through October 30, 2015, the authority for expenditures from: (1) the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund, (2) the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, and (3) the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund. Appropriates additional funds to the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund. Requires tax information returns reporting mortgage interest received in a trade or business to include: (1) the outstanding principal on the mortgage, (2) the date of the origination of the mortgage, and (3) the address of the property which secures the mortgage. Requires that: (1) the value of the basis in any property acquired from a decedent be consistent with the basis as determined for estate tax purposes; and (2) executors of estates disclose to the Internal Revenue Service and to persons acquiring any interest in the decedent's estate information identifying the value of each interest received. Makes the six-year limitation on assessments of additional tax applicable to understatements of gross income due to an overstatement of unrecovered costs or other basis. Changes tax return due dates for partnerships, S corporations, and C corporations. Extends the automatic extension for corporate income tax returns from three to six months. Extends through 2025 the authority for transfers of excess pension assets of a defined benefit plan to a retiree health benefits account. Equalizes excise tax rates for liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, and compressed natural gas. Revises aviation security service passenger fee requirements. Requires the deposit into the Treasury as offsetting receipts the following sums collected to pay the costs of providing civil aviation security services to airline passengers: $1.560 billion for FY2024, and $1.6 billion for FY2025. VA Budget and Choice Improvement Act Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop a plan to consolidate all non-VA provider programs into a new, single Veterans Choice Program to furnish hospital care and medical services at non-VA facilities for veterans in the patient enrollment system. Requires the presidential budget for FY2017 and every ensuing fiscal year to include an appropriations account for non-VA provider programs. Grants the VA temporary authority, until the end of FY2015, to use certain transfers from the Veterans Choice Fund to pay for health care for eligible veterans at non-VA facilities, including pharmaceuticals for treatment of Hepatitis C. Modifies requirements of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to: repeal the 60-day limit on follow-up care; repeal the August 1, 2012, enrollment limitation on the eligibility of veterans in the patient enrollment system; extend provider eligibility to any health care provider meeting VA criteria; and base the 40-mile distance requirement as on distance traveled from a VA medical facility, including one offering primary care for a veteran seeking primary care. Prohibits the use of funds by the VA to expand the dialysis pilot program, or to create any new dialysis capability provided by the VA in a facility that is not an initial facility under the dialysis pilot program, until an independent analysis of the dialysis pilot program is conducted for each such initial facility and 180 days have elapsed since the VA reports on the results. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: exclude individuals covered for medical care under TRICARE or the VA from the determination of whether an employer is an applicable large employer with respect to employee enrollment in minimum essential health care coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan, treat a veteran receiving hospital care or medical services for a service-connected disability as not disqualified from participating in or contributing to a tax-preferred health savings account.
Bill· HRH.R. 3247 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2015
Fair Action for Interstate Recovery Vehicles on Truck Operating Weights Act or the FAIR TOW Act Exempts certain heavy-duty tow and recovery vehicles traveling on federal highways from federal vehicle weight limitations.
Bill· HRH.R. 3217 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2015
Refueling Assistance Act of 2015 Directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to study motor vehicle refueling assistance to qualified individuals with disabilities. Requires the DOT to report to Congress the study results and any recommendations for imposing feasible and cost-effective requirements on gas stations to improve motor vehicle refueling assistance for such individuals. Authorizes the DOT to impose a civil penalty on persons who knowingly violate any regulations issued under this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 3214 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2015
National Icebreaker Fund Act of 2015 This bill establishes the National Icebreaker Fund, which shall be available for obligation and expenditure only for construction, alteration, renovation, and the lease or charter of icebreakers for the Coast Guard. There shall be deposited into the Fund: (1) all funds appropriated to any federal agency for construction, alteration, renovation, or the lease or charter of icebreakers; and (2) all receipts from the disposition of icebreakers by the federal government. Amounts in the Fund may not be used to: (1) lease, charter, construct, alter, renovate, or otherwise acquire any vessel built in a shipyard located in a foreign country, unless specifically authorized by law; or (2) construct, alter, or renovate a vessel in any shipyard other than a U.S. shipyard. Amounts in the Fund may be expended for: (1) the lease, charter, construction, alteration, or renovation of icebreakers capable of search and rescue, saving of life at sea, maritime safety and security, drug and migrant interdiction, fisheries law enforcement, and environmental response in the Arctic; and (2) additional capabilities that are necessary to carry out national defense missions or for missions related to research and resupply in the Antarctic. The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall enter into an agreement with nations that operate facilities in Antarctica to establish a mechanism to provide icebreaking services necessary to supply those facilities by constructing, leasing or chartering, renovating, operating, or maintaining an icebreaker.
Bill· SS. 1846 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2015
Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2015 or CIPA This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include among the responsibilities of the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), relating to intelligence and analysis and infrastructure protection, to submit to specified congressional committees and biennially update a recommended strategy to protect and prepare the critical infrastructure of the American homeland against EM threats, including from acts of terrorism. "EM threat" is defined as an electromagnetic pulse caused by: (1) a nuclear or non-nuclear device, including by an act of terrorism; or (2) a geomagnetic disturbance caused by solar storms or other naturally occurring phenomena. The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall conduct research and development to mitigate the consequences of EM threats, including: (1) an objective scientific analysis of the risks to critical infrastructures from a range of EM threats; (2) determination of the critical national security assets and vital civic utilities and infrastructures that are at risk from EM threats; (3) an evaluation of emergency planning and response technologies that would address the findings and recommendations of experts, including those of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack; (4) an analysis of available technology options to improve the resiliency of critical infrastructure to EM threats; (5) research regarding the restoration and recovery capabilities of critical infrastructure under differing levels of damage and disruption from various EM threats; and (6) an analysis of the feasibility of a real-time alert system to inform electric grid operators and other stakeholders within milliseconds of a high-altitude nuclear explosion. The bill requires the the Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate to: (1) include EM threats in national planning frameworks; and (2) conduct outreach to educate owners and operators of critical infrastructure, emergency planners, and emergency response providers at all levels of government about EM threats.
Bill· HRH.R. 3190 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2015
Preparedness and Risk Management for Extreme Weather Patterns Assuring Resilience and Effectiveness Act of 2015 or the PREPARE Act of 2015 This bill directs the President to establish the Interagency Council on Extreme Weather Resilience, Preparedness, and Risk Management (Council). The Council shall: establish government-wide goals and priorities for, and develop, recommend, coordinate, and track implementation of priority interagency federal government actions related to, extreme weather resilience, preparedness, and risk management; support regional, state, local, and tribal action to assess extreme weather-related vulnerabilities and cost effectively increase extreme weather resilience, preparedness, and risk management of communities, critical economic sectors, natural and built infrastructure, and natural resources; facilitate the integration of meteorological and extreme weather science; assess the specific recommendations relating to extreme weather in all relevant provisions of the Government Accountability Office's High-Risk Series, identify the feasibility of revising federal programs to implement such recommendations, and develop a plan to address such recommendations; develop or adopt a framework for evaluating the progress and success of extreme weather resilience, preparedness, and risk management-related efforts that is complementary to any national indicator system developed as part of the National Climate Assessment; develop or adopt performance metrics that allow tracking of the actions taken and progress made toward meeting and implementing the established government-wide goals and priorities; provide recommendations to the Council on Environmental Quality and OMB on how agencies should update agency extreme weather plans and remove barriers to state and local extreme weather resilience, preparedness, and risk management in agency regulations, guidance, and policy; make information available online for tracking implementation of agency extreme weather plans and government-wide goals and priorities and on recommendations relating to extreme weather in all relevant High-Risk Series provisions; issue guidance to agencies on developing agency extreme weather plans and agency regulations, guidance, and policies to remove barriers to state and local extreme weather resilience; designate one or more agencies to establish a website that provides information on risks related to extreme weather, preparedness, resilience, and risk management to support state, local, tribal, and private decisionmakers; and publish biannually an inventory of all regional agency offices, centers, and programs that assist with extreme weather preparedness and risk management at the state or local level. Each agency shall submit biannually to OMB and to the Council a comprehensive plan that integrates consideration of extreme weather into its operations and overall mission objectives. OMB shall consolidate and submit such plans to Congress. Annual agency performance plans shall include the most recent agency extreme weather plan.
Bill· HRH.R. 3181 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2015
This bill authorizes the governor of a state that shares a border with Canada or Mexico to designate up to 5% of its apportionment of surface transportation program funds for each fiscal year for border infrastructure projects.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 375 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2015
Honors the working-class families of Illinois who lost their lives as a result of the Eastland shipwreck disaster. Recognizes the brave first responders, both volunteers and professionals, for their rapid response in their community's time of need. Reaffirms the importance of intelligent maritime safety policy.
Bill· SS. 1837 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2015
Drought Recovery and Resilience Act of 2015 TITLE I--EMERGENCY DROUGHT RESPONSE APPROPRIATIONS FROM RECLAMATION FUND This bill provides emergency supplemental appropriations for FY2015 from the Reclamation Fund to the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Army Corps of Engineers for water projects, programs, grants, or loans in states impacted by drought. Interior is provided additional amounts for the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), including amounts for water reclamation and reuse projects, the WaterSMART program under the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991, and water acquisition, water conveyance, and facilities construction under the Refuge Water Supply Program. The EPA is provided additional amounts for cleanup of polluted groundwater supplies, capitalization grants for state water pollution control revolving funds and for drinking water treatment revolving loan funds, and loans under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014. USDA is provided additional amounts for: (1) the Rural Utilities Service for direct and guaranteed loans and grants for rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal programs; and (2) emergency grants, upon declaration of a natural disaster, to assist low-income migrant and seasonal farmworkers to address impacts of drought. Additional amounts are also provided to: DOJ for the Drug Enforcement Administration to assist state or local law enforcement agencies in the suppression of cannabis operations; the Army Corps to carry out the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007; and projects under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 in drought-affected states that reduce fire risk, improve water quality or downstream water quantity, or expand ground water recharge capacity. TITLE II--NEW WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AUTHORIZATIONS National Water Recycling and Reclamation Act of 2015 The EPA must establish a National Water Recycling and Reclamation Program to provide private or governmental entities with grants for up to 80% of the costs for water recycling and reclamation projects for which eligible costs are anticipated to exceed $1 million. Selection criteria for such grants include the extent to which projects address water demand and supply, environmental protection, and federal return on investment through renewable water supplies. Reclamation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act or RIFIA Interior may provide financial assistance, such as secured loans or loan guarantees, to private entities, state or local governments, irrigation districts, water users' associations, or other entities that contract with the United States under federal reclamation law to carry out water projects within the 17 western states served by Reclamation, other states where Reclamation is authorized to provide project assistance, Alaska, and Hawaii. Projects eligible for assistance include: reclamation and reuse of municipal, industrial, domestic, and agricultural wastewater and naturally impaired ground; water infrastructure projects that would contribute to a safe, adequate water supply for domestic, agricultural, environmental, or municipal and industrial use; new water conduits, pipelines, canals, pumping or power facilities; energy efficiency projects; accelerated repair and replacement of aging water distribution facilities; brackish or sea water desalination; or acquisition of real property or an interest therein for water storage, reclaimed or recycled water, or wastewater that is integral to an authorized project. Priority must be given to projects that promote wastewater recycling, agricultural or urban water conservation and efficiency, stormwater capture, or other innovations that reduce reliance on surface and groundwater supplies. To be eligible for assistance, eligible project costs of a project and other projects in a watershed must be reasonably anticipated to be at least $10 million. The interest of a secured loan may not be more than the yield on Treasury securities of a similar maturity. Interior may sell or reoffer into the capital markets a secured loan after the substantial completion of the project. The final maturity date of a secured loan may not be later than 35 years after the expected date of substantial completion of the underlying project. Interior may also enter into cost-shared financial assistance agreements with nonfederal entities in the 17 Reclamation-served western states or Hawaii to carry out the planning, design, and construction of any permanent water storage and conveyance facility used solely to regulate and maximize the water supply arising from a project that is eligible for assistance, including recycled water projects not congressionally authorized, to: (1) recycle wastewater or ground water, or (2) use integrated and coordinated water management on a watershed or regional scale. The federal share of the cost of such a project shall be: (1) nonreimbursable, and (2) the lesser of 50% of the total cost or $15 million (adjusted for inflation). Reclamation Title Transfer Act of 2015 Reclamation may establish a program that: (1) identifies and analyzes the potential for public benefits from the transfer of eligible facilities out of federal ownership, and (2) facilitates the transfer of such facilities to qualifying entities to promote more efficient management of water and water-related facilities. "Eligible facilities" is defined as reclamation projects or facilities (including dams and appurtenant works, infrastructure, recreational facilities, buildings, distribution and drainage works, and associated land or interests in land or water) for which the United States holds title and that meet the criteria for potential transfer. A "qualifying entity" is a state, local government, Indian tribe, municipal or quasi-municipal corporation, or other entity (such as a water district) that has the capacity to continue to manage the conveyed property for the same purposes that the property has been managed under the reclamation laws. Reclamation may convey an eligible facility to a qualifying entity if Congress is notified before the conveyance and does not disapprove. A right of first refusal is granted to a qualifying entity that is operating an eligible facility at the time conveyance is being considered. The bill terminates Reclamation's authority to carry out such conveyances 15 years after this Act's enactment. Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2015 The EPA must provide grants to eligible higher education institutions and research institutions to establish and maintain between three and five centers of excellence for innovative stormwater control infrastructure. One of the centers must be the national electronic clearinghouse center and must operate a website and a public database on the infrastructure. The EPA must provide grants for innovative stormwater control infrastructure projects and must give priority to applications from: (1) a community that has combined storm and sanitary sewers in its collection system or is low-income or disadvantaged, or (2) an eligible entity that will use at least 10% of the grant for a low-income or disadvantaged community. The EPA must ensure that: (1) EPA offices promote the use of the infrastructure in, and coordinate its integration into, permitting programs, planning efforts, research, technical assistance, and funding guidance; and (2) the EPA's Office of Water supports establishing innovative financing mechanisms in the implementation of the infrastructure. The EPA must: (1) direct EPA regional offices to promote and integrate the use of the infrastructure, and (2) promote sharing information about the infrastructure approaches. The EPA must establish an innovative stormwater control infrastructure portfolio standard consisting of voluntary, measurable goals to increase the percentage of annual water managed by entities that use the infrastructure. TITLE III--IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER MANAGEMENT Restoring America's Watersheds Act of 2015 The Forest Service must establish a Water Source Protection Program within the region of the National Forest System west of the 100th Meridian. USDA is authorized to enter into water source investment partnerships with specified end water users to protect and restore the condition of National Forest watersheds that provide water to nonfederal partners. The Forest Service must establish a Watershed Condition Framework within such region to: (1) identify for restoration up to five priority watersheds in each National Forest and up to two priority watersheds in each national grassland, and (2) develop and implement a watershed restoration action plan for each priority watershed. The Forest Service must also establish a Forest Service Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program within such region to: carry out critical maintenance and urgent repairs and improvements on National Forest System roads, trails, and bridges; restore fish and other aquatic organism passage by removing or replacing unnatural barriers to the passage of fish and other aquatic organisms; and decommission unneeded roads and trails. The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund is reauthorized through FY2024. Five Demonstrations of Advancing Yields by Fixing Operations of Reservoirs to Encompass Climatic and Atmospheric Science Trends Act The Department of the Army must establish up to five pilot projects to implement forecast-based reservoir operations in states with drought emergencies during water year 2015. Interior must establish a wind and solar energy leasing pilot program to conduct lease sales of certain sites located on Reclamation land for purposes of carrying out wind and solar energy projects. The bill sets forth procedures for qualified developers to bid on sites that Interior offers for lease. Interior, within five years after enactment of this Act, must determine whether to expand the pilot program to apply to all authorized Reclamation lands. The general term for issued leases is: (1) an initial term of 25 years, and (2) any additional period after the initial 25-year term during which electricity is being produced annually in commercial quantities from the lease. However, a lease term may not be more than 5 years for the placement and operation of a meteorological or data collection facility or for the development or demonstration of a new wind or solar energy technology. Interior must establish and require payment of a royalty as a condition of issued leases. The royalty must be a percentage of the gross proceeds from the sale of electricity produced on land that is the subject of the lease. Lease royalties and authorized bonuses collected by Interior must be distributed in a manner such that: 25% is paid to the states and 25% is paid to the counties within the boundaries of which the royalties or bonuses are derived; 25% is deposited into a Fish and Wildlife Restoration Fund for Interior to use or make payments to states, federal agencies, or others for protecting fish and wildlife in regions impacted by the development of hydropower by federal agencies and the development of wind or solar energy on Reclamation land; 15% is paid to state Reclamation offices during the first 15 years after enactment of this Act for purposes of reducing the number of renewable energy permits that have not been processed before the enactment of this Act; and the remainder is deposited into the general fund of the Treasury for purposes of reducing the annual federal budget deficit. The Safe Drinking Water Act is amended to require a state to operate an EPA-prescribed injection control program for underground wells if the EPA finds that the state improperly issued permits under the state's underground injection control program. DOJ must maintain a registry of incidents of cultivation of marijuana on government property or while intentionally trespassing on another's property. DOJ is authorized to use amounts from the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund to pay for costs incurred by state, local, or tribal governments in connection with the remediation of an area formerly used for the production or cultivation of marijuana in which such a government assisted in a federal prosecution related to marijuana. The bill requires court sentences for certain marijuana offenses to include an order requiring the defendant to reimburse federal, state, or local governments for costs incurred for cleanup associated with the cultivation of marijuana by the defendant or on premises or in property that the defendant owns, resides in, or does business in. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 is amended to: (1) include "planning for or addressing the impact of drought" among the activities for which Reclamation may make grants and enter cooperative agreements for water management improvement, (2) include Hawaii among the states in which eligible grant and agreement applicants may be located, (3) reauthorize such grants and agreements for FY2015-FY2023, and (4) reauthorize the authority of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to provide grants to state water resource agencies under the national water availability and use assessment program for FY2014-FY2023. The Internal Revenue Code is amended to establish a refundable tax credit for the purchase and installation of a qualified water-harvesting system. The Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 is amended to authorize Interior, subject to feasibility studies and other specified conditions, to develop additional project benefits (such as additional conservation storage capacity) through the construction of new or supplementary works on a project in conjunction with its authority to modify Reclamation dams and related facilities to preserve their structural safety. Interior may expend available appropriated funds for construction of a project that meets certain environmental standards, but the bill prohibits the federal cost-share from exceeding 25% of the project costs. The USGS must establish and maintain an open water data system to advance the availability, timely distribution, and widespread use of water data and information for water management, education, research, assessment, and monitoring purposes. TITLE IV--PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Water Innovation and Prize Competition Act of 2015 The Department of Energy must establish a program to award prizes for development of water desalination technologies. The Natural Resources Conservation Service must collaborate with Reclamation to provide assistance, upon request, to water or power delivery authorities for purposes of increasing water use efficiency and providing on-farm assistance to address water quantity and water quality conservation practices. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must prepare a California salmon drought plan. The President must update the National Response Plan and the National Disaster Recovery Framework to include a plan for catastrophic drought.
Bill· HRH.R. 3168 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2015
Safe Bridges Investment Act of 2015 This bill includes as a project eligible for funds apportioned to a state to carry out the National Highway Performance Program the construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation of, or operational improvements for, a bridge not on the National Highway System if such bridge is on the Federal-aid Highway System.
Bill· HRH.R. 3149 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2015
Baggage Fee Fairness Act of 2015 This bill prohibits any air carrier from collecting a checked baggage fee from an air passenger if the fee amount exceeds the total amount of passenger facility charges ($1-$4.50) that could be imposed (without regard to whether the charges are actually imposed) on a passenger by eligible agencies for boarding a flight.
Bill· HRH.R. 3144 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2015
Partners for Aviation Security Act The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) shall consult with the Aviation Security Advisory Committee regarding modifications to the prohibited item list before issuing a determination about them. The prohibited item list is a list of items passengers are prohibited from carrying as accessible property or on their persons through passenger screening checkpoints at airports, into sterile airport areas, and on board passenger aircraft. The TSA shall report to the Transportation Security Oversight Board of the Department of Homeland Security general information on how often the Board has met, its current composition, and what activities it has undertaken, consistent with its duties. The TSA may include in the report recommendations for changes to Board requirements. Committee member term requirements are revised to allow an expiring member's term to continue until a successor member begins serving on the Committee.
Bill· HRH.R. 3143 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2015
Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2015 Directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish and carry out a smart energy and water efficiency management pilot program to award grants to three to five eligible entities (authorities that provide water, wastewater, or water reuse services) to demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-based solutions that will: (1) increase and improve the energy efficiency of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems to help communities make significant progress in conserving water, saving energy, and reducing costs; (2) support the implementation of innovative processes and the installation of advanced automated systems that provide real-time data on energy and water; and (3) improve energy and water conservation, water quality, and predictive maintenance of energy and water systems, through the use of Internet-connected technologies, including sensors, intelligent gateways, and security embedded in hardware. Directs DOE, in selecting grant recipients, to consider: energy and cost savings anticipated to result from the project; the innovative nature, commercial viability, and reliability of the technology to be used; the degree to which the project integrates next-generation sensors, software, hardware, analytics, and management tools; the anticipated cost-effectiveness of the pilot project in terms of energy efficiency savings, water savings or reuse, and infrastructure costs averted; whether the technology can be deployed in a variety of geographic regions and the degree to which the technology can be implemented on a smaller or larger scale, including whether the technology can be implemented by each type of eligible entity; whether the technology has been successfully deployed elsewhere; whether the technology is sourced from a manufacturer based in the United States; and whether the project will be completed in five years or less. Requires DOE to evaluate, annually, each project for which a grant is provided and make best practices identified available to the public.
Bill· HRH.R. 3142 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2015
Cruise Passenger Protection Act Directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to determine whether any of the enumerated rights in the international cruise line passenger bill of rights (adopted by the members of the Cruise Lines International Association) is enforceable under federal law. Applies this Act to passenger vessels that: (1) carry at least 250 passengers, (2) have sleeping facilities for each passenger, (3) are on a voyage that embarks or disembarks passengers in the United States, (4) are not engaged in coastwise trade, and (5) are not federal- or state-owned. Revises passenger vessel security and safety requirements concerning: (1) log book entries and reporting of deaths, missing individuals, thefts, and other crimes; and (2) placement, access to records, and notice of video surveillance equipment to monitor crime. Directs DOT to maintain on a website a statistical compilation of reported incidents of missing persons, crimes, and other information for vessel passengers. Directs DOT, in coordination with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, the Department of Justice, and heads of other relevant federal agencies, to study the feasibility of having an individual on board each passenger vessel to provide victim support and related safety and security services. Requires the Maritime Administration (who, currently, is merely authorized) to certify organizations in the United States and abroad that offer the curriculum for training and certification of passenger vessel security personnel, crewmembers, and law enforcement officials on the appropriate methods for prevention, detection, evidence preservation, and reporting of crimes in international waters. Revises vessel design, equipment, construction, and retrofitting requirements. Requires vessel owners to ensure that a vessel is staffed at all times with appropriate medical staff to treat passengers on board. Requires the peep hole or other means of visual identification in the entry door of a passenger stateroom or crew cabin to provide an unobstructed view of the area outside the stateroom or crew cabin. Authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to withhold or revoke the clearance of, and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to deny entry into the United States to, any vessel owner that: (1) commits an act or omission for which a penalty is imposed under this Act, or (2) fails to pay the penalty.
Bill· SS. 1813 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2015
This bill requires the Department of Transportation to make grants to assist eligible recipients in financing capital projects to maintain bus and bus facilities systems in a state of good repair, including projects to: (1) replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment; and (2) construct bus-related facilities. Eligible recipients are designated recipients that operate bus service or that allocate funding to bus operators. Grant recipients may: (1) allocate amounts to subrecipients that are public agencies or private nonprofit organizations engaged in public transportation, and (2) obligate funds for three fiscal years after the fiscal year in which the amount is appropriated. The bill limits to 4% the percentage of funding made available for this Act in a fiscal year that may be provided to a single recipient.
Bill· SS. 1806 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2015
Security and Privacy in Your Car Act of 2015 or the SPY Car Act of 2015 This bill directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct a rulemaking to issue motor vehicle cybersecurity regulations that require motor vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States to protect against unauthorized access to: (1) electronic controls or driving data, including information about the vehicle's location, speed, owner, driver, or passengers; or (2) driving data collected by electronic systems built into a vehicle while that data is stored onboard the vehicle, in transit from the vehicle to another location, or subsequently stored or used off-board the vehicle. The regulations must require vehicles with accessible data or control signals to be capable of detecting, reporting, and stopping attempts to intercept such driving data or control the vehicle. A violator is liable to the U.S. government for a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for each violation. NHTSA must also conduct a rulemaking to require the fuel economy labeling that manufacturers attach to motor vehicles to display a "cyber dashboard" with a standardized graphic to inform consumers about the extent to which the vehicle protects individuals' cybersecurity and privacy beyond the minimum requirements. The Federal Trade Commission is required to conduct a rulemaking to: (1) require motor vehicles to notify owners or lessees about the collection, transmission, retention, and use of driving data; (2) provide owners or lessees with the option to terminate such data collection and retention (except onboard safety systems required for post-incident investigations, emissions, crash avoidance, and other regulatory compliance programs) without losing navigation tools or other features; and (3) prohibit manufacturers from using collected information for advertising or marketing purposes without the owner's or lessee's consent. Violations are to be treated as unfair and deceptive acts or practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
Law· HRH.R. 3114 (114th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2015
Directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a Veterans' Curation Program to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist in carrying out curation and historic preservation activities.
Bill· HRH.R. 3102 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2015
Airport Access Control Security Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a risk-based, intelligence-driven model for the screening of airport employees based on level of employment-related access to Secure Identification Display Areas, Airport Operations Areas, or secure areas at U.S. airports. TSA shall review certain federal disqualifying criminal offenses to determine adequacy for an individual to have continued access to Secure Identification Display Areas of airports. TSA shall review the auditing procedures for all airport-issued identification media. TSA shall: establish a program to allow airport badging offices to use "E-Verify" to determine eligibility to work in the United States of all applicants seeking access to secure areas of airports, establish a process to transmit applicants' biometric fingerprint data to the Office of Biometric Identity Management's Automated Biometrics Identification System for vetting, assess credential application data received by DHS to ensure it is complete and matches data submitted by airport operators. TSA shall establish a nationwide program for the anonymous reporting of violations of airport security. TSA shall: establish a national database of employees who have had either their airport or aircraft operator-issued badge revoked for cause, and determine the appropriate mechanisms for airports and airlines to submit such data and access the database. The Aviation Security Advisory Committee and Aviation Security Advisory Committee Working Group shall update and review airport access controls. TSA shall conduct a cost and feasibility study of a significant number of Category I, II, and X airports that ensures that all employee entry and exit points that lead to airport secured areas comprise the following: a secure door that uses card and pin entry or biometric technology, surveillance video recording capable of storing video data for at least 30 days, and certain advanced screening technologies (including at least one of the following: magnetometer [walk through or hand-held], explosives detection canines or explosives trace detection swabbing, advanced imaging technology, or X-ray bag screening technology).
Bill· HRH.R. 3108 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2015
Department of Defense Energy Security Act of 2015 This bill authorizes military departments to carry out pilot programs to enter into energy savings performance contracts through FY2041, for the purpose of achieving direct energy savings and secondary savings in: (1) certain mobile assets of the Armed Forces that consume energy for the purpose of transportation or maintaining a controlled environment within the vehicle, device, or equipment; and (2) any federally owned equipment used to generate electricity or transport water. Under an energy savings performance contract, a private party agrees to fund energy-efficient upgrades in the federal government and the federal agency agrees to pay the private party from reductions in the agency's energy costs. The U.S. Army must report on research since October 1, 2010, on energy efficiency of tactical vehicles. The Department of Defense (DOD) may carry out research to improve military vehicle technology to increase combat vehicle fuel economy or reduce fuel consumption. DOD shall establish an online, centralized repository for all DOD operational energy-related research and development efforts. The bill establishes a Department of Defense Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Fund for installing and operating alternative fuel dispensing stations for DOD's alternative fueled vehicles and other related infrastructure. DOD must establish a program to develop and support projects designed to foster secure and reliable sources of energy for military installations, including incorporation of advanced energy metering, resilient energy, energy storage, and redundant power systems. DOD must report on: (1) the costs and benefits associated with requiring 25% of National Guard and Reserve facilities to have at least a 21-day on-site power storage capacity to assist civil authorities in case of man-made or natural disasters; (2) energy efficiency language in the most recent aerial refueling tanker contract and the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program contract; and (3) DOD's strategy and initiatives to mitigate the impact of expected increased water shortages, instances of wildfire, increased drought, flooding due to sea level rise, and coastal erosion from storm surges to ensure optimal military readiness.
Bill· HRH.R. 3093 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2015
Correct the Safety Analysis Act This bill permits the Department of Transportation (DOT), in determining the safety risk of a motor carrier under the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, to attribute a crash to a motor carrier only if it determines that the carrier could have prevented the crash. DOT: (1) shall use the safety data of a motor carrier developed under the program solely for internal purposes of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, including allocating resources to conduct audits and inspections of motor carriers; and (2) may not make the scores available to the public.
Bill· SS. 1776 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2015
Tribal Infrastructure and Roads Enhancement and Safety Act or the TIRES Act This bill modifies the approval process used for certain transportation projects on Indian reservations by providing exclusions from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements and establishing expedited approval procedures. This bill amends the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and other laws to exclude certain transportation projects located on Indian reservations from NEPA requirements for environmental assessments and environmental impact statements. It also expands several existing NEPA exclusions for transportation projects to apply the exclusions to various projects located on Indian reservations. The Department of the Interior must use an expedited approval process for certain projects, including tribal public safety projects, that are within an existing operational right-of-way on an Indian reservation. (An operational right-of-way includes property acquired for the construction, operation, or mitigation of a highway project.) The bill decreases from 6% to 5% the portion of tribal transportation program funds that the Bureau of Indian Affairs may use for administrative expenses. An Indian tribe participating in tribal self-governance or certain contracts or agreements for tribal transportation programs may assume all federal responsibilities under NEPA if the tribe: (1) designates an officer to represent the tribe and assume the federal responsibilities, and (2) accepts federal court jurisdiction for enforcing the responsibilities of the official. Interior must report to Congress on the quality of tribal government transportation safety data and options for improving road safety on Indian reservations.
Bill· HRH.R. 3064 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2015
Generating Renewal, Opportunity, and Work with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and Communities throughout America Act or the GROW AMERICA Act Prescribes requirements for environmental reviews with respect to state and federal agency engagement, obstruction of navigation, historic sites, categorical exclusion of multimodal projects from environmental review, and creation in the Department of Transportation (DOT) of an Interagency Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center. Directs DOT to establish a multimodal freight incentive grant program and a National Freight Infrastructure Program. Redesignates the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways as the National Highway System and the National Freight Network. Requires the federal long-range transportation plan to include a transportation system resilience assessment. Prescribes criteria for high performing metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) representing urbanized areas with populations of over 200,000. Removes the congestion management process from the transportation planning process for MPOs. Directs DOT to establish a pilot program for up to 10 MPOs to improve multimodal connectivity and increase connections for disadvantaged Americans and neighborhoods with limited transportation options. Revises requirements with respect to congestion mitigation and air quality improvement, including electric vehicle charging stations and commercial motor vehicle anti-idling facilities in rest areas along the Interstate System. Establishes in DOT: a discretionary TIGER Infrastructure Grant Program for various transportation projects; and a discretionary FAST Grant Program to reform the way surface transportation investments and decisions are made, implemented, and funded to achieve national transportation outcomes. Revises requirements for the funding of railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing, the state infrastructure bank program, toll roads, bridges, tunnels, and ferries. Establishes within DOT the position of Assistant Secretary for Innovative Finance. Reauthorizes the federal-aid highway and related programs through FY2021, including revised obligation limitation and apportionment requirements. Directs DOT to: establish a nationally significant federal lands and tribal projects program to fund construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of nationally significant federal lands and tribal transportation projects; carry out a broadband infrastructure deployment initiative; create a program to make critical and immediate improvements to infrastructure and highway safety; set-aside specified funds for states for highway safety data improvement activities on public roads; and create and maintain data sets and data analysis tools to assist MPOs, states, and the DOT in carrying out performance management analyses. Federal Public Transportation Act of 2015 Revises fixed guideway capital investment grants requirements. Authorizes grants to state and local governments for very small starts projects. Revises requirements for formula grants for enhanced mobility and for rural areas, workforce development programs, and the public transportation safety program. Requires recipients of transportation assistance to meet certain standards for hiring locally. Reauthorizes specified public transportation assistance programs through FY2021. Authorizes DOT to make competitive grants to state and local governmental entities for bus rapid transit projects. Authorizes appropriations for specified highway safety programs through FY2021, and revises related requirements. Revises criteria for state graduated driver licensing incentive grants. Adds a 24-7 sobriety program to criteria for state repeat offender and open container laws. Authorizes specified amounts of grant funds to states for distracted driving enforcement. Authorizes appropriations for specified motor vehicle safety programs through FY2021, and increases penalties for safety violations. Revises certain reporting requirements for tire manufacturers. Requires DOT to conduct a pilot grant program to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness for a state process for informing consumers of open motor vehicle recalls at the time of motor vehicle registration. Revises specified requirements for commercial motor vehicle and commercial driver safety. Requires disqualification to operate a commercial motor vehicle for anyone who fails to pay an assessed civil penalty for a motor vehicle safety violation. Revises certain medical and registration requirements for commercial motor vehicle operators. Revises requirements for the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. Directs DOT to administer a High Priority Program, an innovative technology deployment grant program, and a Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators Grant Program. Authorizes DOT to establish: a motor carrier safety facility working capital fund, and a financial assistance program for commercial driver's license program implementation. Directs DOT to maintain for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration a motor carrier safety advisory committee. Revises requirements for the Unified Carrier Registration System plan. Repeals the authorization for self-insurance by motor carriers. Prescribes notice requirements relating to decisions that electronic logging devices fail to comply with standards. Authorizes DOT to issue regulations: governing contractors that exercise control over motor carrier operations; and requiring motor vehicle employers to track and compensate employees for on-duty, not-driving time. Authorizes DOT, with respect to unsafe conditions or practices in the transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat transportation), to order necessary: operational controls, restrictions, and prohibitions without prior notice or an opportunity for a hearing; and removal, remediation, or disposal of hazardous materials causing unreasonable risk of death, personal injury, or significant harm to the property or the environment. Authorizes DOT to collect reasonable fees for the administration of the special permits and approvals for deposit into a Hazardous Materials Approvals and Permits Fund. Revises requirements for planning and training grants under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986. Reauthorizes the program for regulating hazmat transportation through FY2021. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through FY2023 specified highway-related taxes as well as requirements for expenditures from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. Replaces the Highway Trust Fund with a Transportation Trust Fund, and authorizes appropriations to it through FY2021. Directs DOT to establish and support a National Cooperative Freight Transportation Research Program and a Priority Multimodal Research Program. Revises the competitive selection process for the university transportation centers consortia program. Requires the Director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to create data sets and data analysis tools for intermodal transportation data. Establishes in the BTS a National Transportation Library. Authorizes the BTS Director to establish a Port Performance Statistics Program to provide nationally consistent measures of performance of the nation's maritime ports. Revises requirements for the intelligent transportation system (ITS) program. Includes as an ITS program goal the development and deployment of automated vehicles in all modes of surface transportation. Prescribes requirements for the use of funds to develop ITS infrastructure, equipment, and systems. Rail for America Act Directs DOT to facilitate by financial assistance the establishment of a National High-Performance Rail System of integrated passenger and freight rail services, including a Current Passenger Rail Service Program and a Rail Service Improvement Program. Authorizes appropriations through FY2021 for the System and for the planning, development, construction, and implementation of rail corridors and related infrastructure improvements. Requires Amtrak to submit to the Secretary draft 5-year business line plans and draft 5-year capital asset plans. Authorizes DOT to establish Regional Rail Development Authorities, including a Regional Committee, to facilitate the development of multi-state high-performance rail services, and to coordinate these investments with other rail, transit, highway, and aviation system services. Prescribes requirements for the standardization of passenger equipment and level-entry boarding platforms. Directs DOT to: evaluate the shared-use of right-of-way by passenger and freight rail systems and the operational, institutional, and legal structures that would best support improvements to both of these systems; and conduct a nationwide disparity and availability study to establish the availability and utilization of small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in publicly funded railroad projects. Requires DOT to complete a National Rail Development Plan meeting certain criteria, and facilitate development of Regional Rail Development Plans. Authorizes DOT to prescribe regulations or issue orders to require host railroads for joint operations that occur within a small geographic area to develop unified rules governing all operations within that area. Revises or prescribes requirements relating to positive train control, hours of service, maximum employee duty hours, safety appliances, locomotive inspections, noise emission standards, and damaged track inspection equipment. Authorizes federal agency heads to construct, install, operate, and maintain electric charging infrastructure for official agency vehicles. Stop Corporate Expatriation and Invest in America's Infrastructure Act of 2015 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise rules for the taxation of inverted corporations (i.e., U.S. corporations that acquire foreign companies to reincorporate in a foreign jurisdiction with income tax rates lower than the United States) to provide that a foreign corporation that acquires the properties of a U.S. corporation or partnership after May 8, 2014, shall be treated as an inverted corporation and thus subject to U.S. taxation if, after such acquisition: it holds more than 50% of the stock of the new entity (expanded affiliated group), or the management or control of the new entity occurs primarily within the United States and the new entity has significant domestic business activities.
Bill· SS. 1782 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2015
This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to permit a state transportation department to approve a justification report for a project to build or modify a freeway-to-crossroad interchange on the Interstate Highway System within a transportation management area in such state.
Bill· SS. 1781 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2015
This bill modifies requirements that apply to the obligation and release of federal highway funds by states. Under current law, any funds released by the final payment or a modification for a project must be credited to the same class of funds previously apportioned or allocated to the state for the project and are immediately available for obligation. This bill permits the funds to be credited to a similar class of funds if the same class is no longer authorized.
Bill· SS. 1768 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2015
Underground Gas Storage Facility Safety Act of 2015 This bill revises federal pipeline safety requirements to authorize states to enforce a state requirement for the safe construction and operation of underground natural gas storage wellbores if: the state authority has consulted with the Department of Transportation (DOT) about the requirement, and DOT does not object to the requirement within 30 days after consultation is initiated.
Bill· HRH.R. 3062 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2015
Assuring Private Property Rights Over Vast Access to Land Act or the APPROVAL Act This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to prohibit the Secretary of Energy and the Administrators of the Western Area Power Administration and of the Southwestern Power Administration from using the power of eminent domain to implement modernization of electricity transmission infrastructure, unless they have received explicit permission to do so by: (1) the state governor and the head of each applicable public utility commission or public service commission of the affected state, and (2) the head of the governing body of each Indian tribe whose land would be affected. An electricity transmission infrastructure project, to the greatest extent practicable, must be sited upon either an existing federal right-of-way or upon federal land managed by either: (1) the Bureau of Land Management, (2) the Forest Service, (3) the Bureau of Reclamation, or (4) the Corps of Engineers.
Bill· HRH.R. 3038 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2015
Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015, Part II Directs the Secretary of Transportation to reduce the amount apportioned for a surface transportation program, project, or activity for FY2015 by amounts apportioned or allocated under the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 and the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 for the period from October 1, 2014, through July 31, 2015. Amends the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 to continue from October 1, 2014, through December 18, 2015, and authorizes appropriations through that period for, specified federal-aid highway programs under: the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Technical Corrections Act of 2008, SAFETEA-LU, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), and other specified law. Subjects funding for FY2015, and for the period October 1, 2015, through December 18, 2015, for such programs to certain funding level restrictions. Amends MAP-21 to authorize appropriations out of the general fund of the Treasury for the Tribal High Priority Projects program for the same period. Prescribes an obligation ceiling of $40.256 billion for FY2015, including $8,689,136,612 for the period October 1, 2015, through December 18, 2015, for federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs. Authorizes appropriations from the HTF (other than the Mass Transit Account) for administrative expenses of the federal-aid highway program for the same period. Extends for the same period the authorization of appropriations for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety programs, including: highway safety research and development, national priority safety programs, the National Driver Register, the High Visibility Enforcement Program, and NHTSA administrative expenses. Amends SAFETEA-LU to extend for the same period high-visibility traffic safety law enforcement campaigns under the High Visibility Enforcement Program. Sets aside a specified amount of the total apportionment to states for highway safety programs for a cooperative program to research and evaluate priority highway safety countermeasures for the same period. Extends for the same period the authorization of appropriations for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) programs, including: motor carrier safety grants, FMCSA administrative expenses, commercial driver's license program improvement grants, border enforcement grants, performance and registration information system management grants, commercial vehicle information systems and networks deployment grants, safety data improvement grants, a set-aside for high priority activities that improve commercial motor vehicle safety and compliance with commercial motor vehicle safety regulations, a set-aside for new entrant motor carrier audit grants, FMCSA outreach and education, and the commercial motor vehicle operators grant program. Amends the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to continue, for the same period, the authorized distribution of funds for coastal wetlands, recreational boating safety, projects under the Clean Vessel Act of 19921, boating infrastructure projects, and the National Outreach and Communications Program. Extends for the same period the apportionment of nonurbanized (rural) area formula grants for competitive grants and formula grants for public transportation on Indian reservations. Extends the apportionment of urbanized area formula grants for passenger ferry projects for the same period. Extends for the same period the authorization of appropriations from the HTF Mass Transit Account for: formula grants for public transportation, including allocations for specified projects; research, development demonstration, and deployment projects; the transit cooperative research program; technical assistance and standards development grants; human resources and training grants; capital investment grants; and administrative expenses. Allocates, for the same period, certain amounts to states and territories for formula bus and bus facilities grants. Authorizes appropriations for the same period for hazardous materials (hazmat) transportation safety projects. Authorizes the Secretary to make certain expenditures, including an amount for hazmat training grants, from the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Fund for the same period. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through December 19, 2015, the authority for expenditures from: (1) the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund, (2) the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, and (3) the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund. Appropriates additional funds to the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund. Requires tax information returns reporting mortgage interest received in a trade or business to include: (1) the outstanding principal on the mortgage, (2) the date of the origination of the mortgage, and (3) the address of the property which secures the mortgage. Requires that: (1) the value of the basis in any property acquired from a decedent be consistent with the basis as determined for estate tax purposes; and (2) executors of estates disclose to the Internal Revenue Service and to persons acquiring any interest in the decedent's estate information identifying the value of each interest received. Makes the six-year limitation on assessments of additional tax applicable to understatements of gross income due to an overstatement of unrecovered costs or other basis. Changes tax return due dates for partnerships, S corporations, and C corporations. Extends the automatic extension for corporate income tax returns from three to six months. Extends through 2025 the authority for transfers of excess pension assets of a defined benefit plan to a retiree health benefits account. Equalizes excise tax rates for liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, and compressed natural gas. Revises aviation security service passenger fee requirements. Requires the deposit into the Treasury as offsetting receipts the following sums collected to pay the costs of providing civil aviation security services to airline passengers: $1.560 billion for FY2024, and $1.6 billion for FY2025.
Bill· HRH.R. 3039 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2015
Providing Retaliation Options against Those Engaging in Cyberattacks Targeting the United States Act or PROTECT US Act This bill directs the President to submit to Congress a list of countries designated as state-sponsors of cyberattacks. A country shall be so designated if the President determines that the United States or a U.S. person has been targeted in a cyber-enabled activity originating from or directed by a person located in a foreign country, and such activity is likely to result in or have contributed to a threat to U.S. national security or foreign policy, or harmed U.S. economic health or financial stability or a U.S. person, or has the purpose or effect of: harming or compromising the provision of services by a computer or network of computers that support the United States or a U.S. person in a critical infrastructure sector; compromising the provision of services by the United States or a U.S. person in a critical infrastructure sector; disrupting the availability of a computer or network of computers owned or operated by the United States or a U.S. person; or causing a misappropriation of funds or economic resources, trade secrets, personally identifiable information, or financial information of the United States or a U.S. person. The President may impose a trade-related penalty and take other actions, including assistance limitations, trade embargoes, and cyber counter attacks, with respect to a designated country. A country may be removed from the list of state-sponsors of cyberattacks if: (1) the President determines that it no longer meets the requirements for the designation, or (2) Congress enacts a law providing for such removal. A country that has been removed from the list by Congress may not be added back to the list by the President until at least one year after removal.
Bill· HRH.R. 3044 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2015
Research of Alcohol Detection Systems for Stopping Alcohol-Related Fatalities Everywhere Act of 2015 or the ROADS SAFE Act of 2015 This bill directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to: (1) carry out a collaborative research effort to continue to explore the feasibility and the potential benefits of, and public policy challenges associated with, more widespread deployment of in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving; and (2) report annually to Congress.
Bill· HRH.R. 3030 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2015
Baudette Coast Guard Housing Conveyance Act This bill directs the Coast Guard to convey specified federal land (including buildings, structures, utilities, and miscellaneous facilities on the land) in Baudette, Minnesota, to the city of Baudette, to be used for affordable housing or for a purpose related to affordable housing or for infrastructure that provides a public benefit approved by the city. The property must be sold at fair market value.
Bill· HRH.R. 3021 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2015
Aerial Infrastructure Route Survey Act of 2015, or the AIR Survey Act of 2015 This bill amends the Natural Gas Act to accept data collected by aerial survey in lieu of ground survey data for the purposes of completing: any prefiling process established to facilitate the formal application process for obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a natural gas transportation facility, or an application associated with a federal authorization concerning a certificate application. An agency that accepts an aerial survey may, nevertheless, require as a condition of approval of an application associated with a federal authorization that the aerial survey data be verified through the use of ground survey data before the construction or extension of the pertinent facility.
Bill· SS. 1732 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2015
Comprehensive Transportation and Consumer Protection Act of 2015 This bill establishes in the Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of the Secretary an Interagency Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center to support modernization efforts at federal agencies and interagency pilots for innovative approaches to the permitting and review of infrastructure projects. DOT shall establish a national multimodal freight network and develop a national freight strategic plan. States shall develop a freight investment plan. DOT shall develop a five-year transportation research and development (R&D) strategic plan. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration is eliminated, and DOT shall be responsible generally for coordination and review of DOT R&D programs and activities. The bill also eliminates the DOT Office of Intermodalism of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Port Performance Act The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) shall establish a port performance statistics program to provide nationally consistent measures of performance of at least the nation's top 25 ports by tonnage, its top 25 ports by 20-foot equivalent unit, and its top 25 ports by dry bulk. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shall commission the National Research Council of the National Academies to study the Safety Measurement System (SMS) and the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. The bill establishes a national hiring standard for motor carriers. Drug Free Commercial Driver Act of 2015 Motor carriers may use hair testing as an acceptable alternative to mandatory urinalysis for detecting use of controlled substances by an operator, but only for preemployment testing and random testing. The FMCSA shall: establish procedures for exemption from federal hours of service requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers, and a six-year pilot program to study the feasibility of allowing licensed drivers between ages 18 and 21 to operate commercial motor vehicles. DOT shall administer a financial assistance program for discretionary grants to and cooperative agreements with states, local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribes, and other persons to carry out high priority motor carrier safety activities and projects. DOT shall award separate grants to each state that: adopts and is enforcing a law that requires all individuals convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or driving while intoxicated to receive a restriction on driving privileges; and either adopts and is enforcing a mandatory alcohol-ignition interlock law for all individuals convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or of driving while intoxicated, or provides a 24-7 sobriety program. Stop Motorcycle Checkpoint Funding Act DOT may not award grants or funds to any state or local government for any program to check helmet usage or create checkpoints for motorcycle drivers or passengers. Improving Driver Safety Act of 2015 States may use distracted driving incentive program grants for enforcement of distracted driving laws as well as highway safety program projects. DOT shall implement current information technology, web design trends, and best practices to ensure that motor vehicle safety recall information is readily accessible to the public on the federal website. Driver Privacy Act of 2015 Any data in an event data recorder required to be installed in a passenger motor vehicle shall be the property of the vehicle owner or lessee, regardless of when the vehicle was manufactured. Safety Through Informed Consumers Act of 2015 DOT shall promulgate a rule to ensure that passenger motor vehicle crash avoidance information is indicated next to crashworthiness information on stickers placed on motor vehicles by their manufacturers. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) shall establish internal controls to ensure its costs, revenues, and other compensation are allocated to specified features of its national network activities. Amtrak shall submit to Congress and DOT final five-year business line plans and five-year asset plans. DOT shall develop a program for issuing three-year competitive operating assistance grants to states and other eligible entities to enhance intercity rail passenger service. DOT may make grants to states and other eligible entities to assist in financing the cost of rail projects to improve the safety of passenger and freight rail transportation systems. DOT shall require each Class I railroad carrier and entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation to develop a plan for implementing a positive train control (PTC) system by December 31, 2015, (currently, 2018) on certain of its tracks. Track, Railroad, and Infrastructure Network Act This bill exempts improvements to, maintenance, rehabilitation, or operation of railroad or rail transit lines (but not stations) that are in use or were historically used for the transportation of goods or passengers from federal policies and requirements for the preservation of public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. Railroad Infrastructure Financing Improvement Act The bill revises Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program requirements.
Bill· HRH.R. 3014 (114th)reported
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2015
Medical Controlled Substances Transportation Act of 2015 This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow a physician to transport controlled substances to another practice setting or disaster area if the physician is registered to dispense, or conduct research with, controlled substances listed on schedules II, III, IV, or V, and the physician enters into a specific agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The agreement must require a physician to provide advance notification to the DEA, limit the duration of transport to 72 hours, and maintain records of the controlled substances dispensed. A “disaster area” is the area covered by a President's major disaster declaration.
Bill· SS. 1748 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2015
Transportation Infrastructure Grants and Economic Reinvestment Act The bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a program under which DOT shall provide competitive grants of between $10 million and $200 million to the District of Columbia, to a state, Indian tribe, U.S. territory, local government, port authority, metropolitan planning organization, transit agency, or another political subdivision of a state or local government, or to two or more of such entities working in collaboration, for eligible transportation projects (including highway or bridge, public transportation, passenger or freight rail transportation, and port infrastructure or intermodal projects) that would have a significant beneficial impact on a state, metropolitan area, or region or the United States. DOT, in providing such grants, must: (1) ensure an equitable geographical distribution of funds, an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and rural areas, and investment in a variety of transportation modes; and (2) give priority to eligible projects that require a contribution of federal funds to complete an overall financing package. The bill sets forth primary and secondary criteria for selecting eligible projects. The bill: (1) limits to 25% the amount of grant funds that may be provided to any state, (2) requires at least 20% of grant funds to be provided for eligible projects located in rural areas, and (3) allows up to 20% of the funds authorized to carry out this Act to be used to pay the subsidy and administrative costs of projects eligible for federal credit assistance under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act upon determining that such use of funds would advance the purposes of this Act.