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Bill· HRH.R. 2892 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2017
Open Fuel Act of 2017 This bill requires each fleet of a manufacturer of passenger automobiles (including light-duty motor vehicles) to be comprised of at least: 50% qualified vehicles in model year 2020, and 80% qualified vehicles in model year 2021 and each subsequent year. A "qualified vehicle" is: a vehicle that operates on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; a flexible fuel vehicle capable of operating on gasoline, E85, and M85; a plug-in electric drive vehicle; or a vehicle propelled solely by fuel cell or by something other than an internal combustion engine. The bill authorizes: (1) a manufacturer to request an exemption from such requirement for specified models, lines, and types of automobiles; and (2) the Department of Transportation to grant such an exemption upon determining that unavoidable events prevent the manufacturer from meeting its required production volume of qualified automobiles.
Bill· SS. 1345 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2017
Transportation and Logistics Hiring Reform Act of 2017 This bill establishes a national hiring standard for motor carriers. The bill defines an"entity" as a person acting as: a shipper or a consignee; a broker, a freight forwarder, or a household goods freight forwarder; a non-vessel-operating common carrier, an ocean freight forwarder, or an ocean transportation intermediary; an indirect air carrier authorized to operate under a Standard Security Program approved by the Transportation Security Administration; a federally licensed customs broker; an interchange motor carrier; or a warehouse. Before tendering a shipment, but not more than 35 days before the pickup of a shipment by the hired motor carrier, an entity shall verify that the carrier: is registered with and authorized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to operate as a motor carrier or household goods motor carrier; has the minimum insurance coverage required by federal law; does not have an unsatisfactory safety rating issued by the FMCSA; and has not otherwise been ordered by FMCSA to discontinue operations. Only evidence of an entity's compliance with this bill may be admitted as evidence in a civil action for damages resulting from a case or legal proceeding alleging an entity's selection or retention of a motor carrier was negligent. No other motor carrier data created or maintained by the FMCSA, including safety measurement system data or analysis of such data, may be admitted in such case or proceeding.
Bill· HRH.R. 2883 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2017
Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act This bill prohibits any person from constructing, connecting, operating, or maintaining a border-crossing facility for the import or export of oil, natural gas, or electricity across an international border of the United States without obtaining a certificate of crossing. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), with respect to oil or natural gas pipelines, or the Department of Energy (DOE), with respect to electric transmission facilities, must issue a certificate of crossing for the border-crossing facility within 120 days after final action is taken under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, unless it is not in the public interest. DOE, as a condition of issuing a certificate, must require that the border-crossing facility be constructed, connected, operated, or maintained consistent with specified policies and standards. The bill amends the Natural Gas Act to require FERC to approve within 30 days after receipt any application for the importation or exportation of natural gas to or from Canada or Mexico. No presidential permit as required under specified executive orders shall be necessary for the construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric transmission facility, including any border-crossing facility. No certificate of crossing shall be required for a modification to an existing facility that is operating for the import or export of oil, natural gas, or electricity prior to the enactment of this bill. FERC and DOE must publish a final rule in the Federal Register within one year to carry out the requirements of this bill.
Bill· HRH.R. 2879 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2017
Forward Looking Investment in General Aviation, Hangars, and Tarmacs Act of 2017 or the FLIGHT Act of 2017 This bill revises general aviation apportionments by: (1) providing at least 4% of entitlement funding to airports designated as disaster relief airports, (2) increasing the period of availability of apportioned funds, (3) increasing the federal government's share of project costs for certain airports to 95%, and (4) allowing the use of non apportioned funds for general aviation airport grants. DOT shall: (1) implement an expedited and coordinated environmental review process for general aviation airport construction or improvement projects; and (2) establish a public-private partnership program for building or improving hangars, businesses, or other facilities at general aviation airports and privately owned airports for public use that do not have scheduled air service. The bill requires DOT to designate certain airports as disaster relief airports, including regional reliever airports, airports within a reasonable distance of a hospital or transplant or trauma center, or airports in a region prone to natural disasters. The bill treats the construction of certain aircraft used exclusively for recreational purposes as an "aeronautical activity" for purposes of airport improvement grants.
Bill· SS. 1337 (115th)open
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2017
Capitalizing on American Storage Potential Act This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expand the Department of Energy's existing loan guarantee program to any strategic energy infrastructure project that is a regional project which supports a more effective energy market performance and that has the potential to significantly contribute to the economic resilience of the region in which the project is located.
Bill· SS. 1340 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2017
Appalachian Energy and Manufacturing Infrastructure Revitalization Act This bill authorizes the Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce to designate an Appalachian regional energy hub project as a critical energy infrastructure project eligible for expedited federal permitting. The bill defines "Appalachian regional energy hub" as a hub that is for natural gas and natural gas liquids, including storage and associated pipelines, and located in the region comprised of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.)
Bill· HRH.R. 2863 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Land and National Park Deferred Maintenance Act or the LAND Act This bill extends the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) through FY2024. From the amounts deposited into the LWCF, $450 million shall be available in each fiscal year for expenditure to carry out the purposes of the Act establishing the LWCF and the purposes of the LWCF. Remaining amounts in the LWCF shall be available subject to appropriations. The bill specifies the use of amounts for federal purposes for certain land and water acquisitions (as currently) and financial assistance to states for LWCF purposes and outdoor recreation, the Forest Legacy Program, cooperative endangered species grants, and the American Battlefield Protection Program. The President must submit to Congress, as part of the annual budget submission, the account, program, and project allocations for funds that are made available from the LWCF for federal purposes. The bill prohibits the use of any funding made available to a state under this bill from being used for the acquisition of lands, waters, or interests in lands or waters by eminent domain. At least 1.5% of appropriated or expended LWCF funds must be available for projects that secure recreational public access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes. The bill establishes a National Park Service and Related Agencies Maintenance and Revitalization Conservation Fund in the Treasury for the deposit through FY2024 of $450 million from mineral revenues that are not otherwise credited, covered, or deposited under federal law. Of amounts made available from this fund, the Department of the Interior shall use specified amounts for high priority deferred maintenance needs that support critical infrastructure and visitor services. The Department of Agriculture shall use a specified amount for federal lands administered by the Forest Service for such high priority deferred maintenance needs.
Bill· HRH.R. 2831 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Maritime Security Coordination Improvement Act This bill amends the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006 to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), by 270 days after this bill's enactment: (1) and every three years thereafter, to submit an update of the strategic plan to enhance the security of the international supply chain; and (2) to report on the effectiveness of, and need for any improvements to, the Container Security Initiative. The bill requires an Area Maritime Security Advisory Committee to facilitate the sharing of information relating to cybersecurity risks and incidents to address port-specific cybersecurity risks and incidents. DHS's facility and vessel vulnerability assessments shall include identification of weaknesses in cybersecurity. The security plan submitted by an owner or operator of a vessel or facility for deterring a transportation security incident shall include provisions for prevention, management, and response to cybersecurity risks and incidents. DHS must verify the effectiveness of each such plan at least once (currently, twice) a year, and more frequently as necessary, in a risk-based manner. The bill requires DHS, at least 30 days before signing an arrangement with a foreign government providing for mutual recognition of supply chain security practices which might result in the utilization of benefits offered to Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 participants in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), to: (1) notify Congress of the proposed terms, and (2) determine that such government's program provides comparable security as that provided by C-TPAT. The bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct DHS, within 180 days and biennially thereafter, to submit to Congress a maritime operations coordination plan. The Government Accountability Office shall report on the state of the Coast Guard's Deployable Specialized Forces. DHS shall conduct a cost-benefit analysis, for any location in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine Operations is based within 45 miles of locations where any other DHS agency also operates air and marine assets, to consider the potential cost and savings from co-locating the operational assets of such office at facilities where such other DHS agencies operate such assets. The bill repeals provisions requiring DHS to establish: (1) interagency operational centers for port security at all high-priority ports, and (2) a program to evaluate and certify secure systems of international intermodal transportation.
Bill· SS. 1332 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Great Lakes Aquatic Connectivity and Infrastructure Program Act This bill establishes within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) the Great Lakes Aquatic Connectivity and Infrastructure Program to identify and implement voluntary measures that restore aquatic species to self-sustaining levels by reconnecting aquatic habitats in the Great Lakes basin while maintaining and modernizing needed infrastructure, particularly in locations where roads, tributaries, or dams intersect. The USFWS and the Department of Transportation must collaborate with federal, state, local, and tribal governments, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, signatories to the Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries, and any other appropriate stakeholders to support: (1) sound approaches to addressing infrastructure and aquatic populations in the Great Lakes, and (2) ecosystem resiliency. The USFWS must: (1) finalize a strategic plan for the program to address aquatic connectivity in the Great Lakes basin, and (2) annually request proposals for funding that would be used to restore aquatic connectivity in the basin and support the strategic plan. The bill also establishes the Great Lakes Aquatic Connectivity and Infrastructure Committee to review the proposals and recommend to the USFWS proposals that should receive funding. Nothing in this bill conflicts with the authority of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to eradicate or minimize a sea lamprey population under the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries between the United States and Canada.
Bill· SS. 1320 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Forward Looking Investment in General Aviation, Hangars, and Tarmacs Act of 2017 or the FLIGHT Act of 2017 This bill revises general aviation apportionments by: (1) providing at least 4% of entitlement funding to airports designated as disaster relief airports, (2) increasing the period of availability of apportioned funds, (3) increasing the federal government's share of project costs for certain airports to 95%, and (4) allowing the use of non apportioned funds for general aviation airport grants. DOT shall: (1) implement an expedited and coordinated environmental review process for general aviation airport construction or improvement projects; and (2) establish a public-private partnership program for building or improving hangars, businesses, or other facilities at general aviation airports and privately owned airports for public use that do not have scheduled air service. The bill requires DOT to designate certain airports as disaster relief airports, including regional reliever airports, airports within a reasonable distance of a hospital or transplant or trauma center, or airports in a region prone to natural disasters. The bill treats the construction of certain aircraft used exclusively for recreational purposes as an "aeronautical activity" for purposes of airport improvement grants.
Bill· SS. 1318 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2017
Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2017 This bill expands provisions prohibiting discrimination against disabled individuals by an air carrier. Specifically, it enumerates certain actions that an air carrier must take or may not take with respect to a disabled individual. It also requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that disabled individuals traveling in air transportation are able to file complaints with DOT in response to disability-related discrimination and receive assistance from DOT through a hotline or comparable electronic means. The bill authorizes an aggrieved individual and the Department of Justice to bring a civil action for discrimination. The civil penalty for damage for discrimination involving damage to a wheelchair or other mobility aid of a disabled passenger may be increased up to three times the maximum penalty otherwise allowed. The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board shall prescribe regulations for aircraft with new or existing type certificates to ensure the accessibility of individuals with disabilities. The board shall: (1) conduct a study to determine the ways in which individuals with significant disabilities who use wheelchairs can be accommodated through in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems, and (2) issue minimum guidelines for such systems. DOT shall: (1) prescribe or revise regulations to ensure that individuals with disabilities who request assistance receive timely and effective assistance at airports and on aircraft from trained personnel, (2) develop an Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, and (3) establish an advisory committee for air travel needs of passengers with disabilities.
Bill· HRH.R. 2800 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Aviation Funding Stability Act This bill requires that, beginning October 1, 2017, receipts and disbursements of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund shall not be subject to: (1) any sequestration order; (2) apportionment; (3) appropriation; and (4) any legal requirement, directive, or other provision of law of or related to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The bill authorizes funding for the Federal Aviation Administration Operations account. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shall be exempt from any order or other requirement of the OMB. The Federal Aviation Management Advisory Council shall assess the performance of the air traffic control system and the FAA's policy and strategic decisions regarding the system's operation and modernization, and make recommendations. In any fiscal year between 2018 and 2030, there is authorized to be appropriated from the trust fund such sums as necessary to bring any air traffic control facility of the FAA into acceptable condition. The FAA shall: (1) develop and implement a revised system governing all of its acquisitions, including incorporating private-sector best practices for major capital investments in information technology and telecommunications; (2) make changes to its personnel management system to improve the productivity, cost effectiveness, and technical proficiency of that part of its workforce not represented by a labor organization; (3) jointly develop a staffing standard with the exclusive bargaining representative of air traffic controllers; and (4) develop internal policies and procedures to organize personnel assignments in a manner that facilitates open communication and collaboration.
Bill· HRH.R. 2801 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats Act or the HOT CARS Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to issue a final rule to require that all new passenger motor vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds be equipped with a system for rear seating positions to alert (by an auditory and visual alert that may be combined with a haptic alert) the motor vehicle operator to check rear designated seating positions after the vehicle motor is deactivated. A state shall use a portion of its highway safety program funds to educate the public on the risks of leaving a child or unattended passenger in a vehicle after the vehicle motor is deactivated.
Bill· HRH.R. 2804 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Airline Consumer Protection Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a final rule to require an air carrier to: seek, for a delay exceeding three hours, a cancellation, or a misconnection as a result of circumstances within the air carrier's control, alternative transportation for a displaced passenger; and accept, for a reasonable fee, a displaced passenger from another air carrier or a passenger involuntarily denied boarding due to a lack of available seats. The Government Accountability Office shall submit a report that reviews airline computer network functions. Any air carrier schedule change resulting from a computer network disruption, security breach, or other inoperability may be considered an event within a carrier's control. DOT shall: publish a final rule to require an air carrier to submit to the Federal Aviation Administration a plan for restoring full functionality of its computer network systems in the event of a service disruption; establish an airline industry computer network resiliency working group; modify federal regulations to require each air carrier to adopt a contingency plan for any delay, cancellation, or misconnection affecting a passenger; and issue regulations to ensure that a ticketed passenger shall not pay a fee to select an alternative flight if the aircraft's lavatory is not functioning.
Bill· HRH.R. 2820 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Fight Russian Corruption Act This bill amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to require the Department of State to establish the Office of Anti-Corruption relating to Illicit Russian Financial Activities in Europe. Such office shall: (1) analyze financial networks of the Russian Federation operating in European countries that relate to real estate, energy, media, infrastructure, and other sectors; and (2) train U.S. liaison officers to serve in key U.S. diplomatic and consular posts in such countries to cooperate with foreign partners in uncovering and prosecuting illicit Russian financial activity. The bill authorizes the State Department to provide assistance to European countries to combat corruption, including to support: (1) activities of such office; (2) foreign programs focused on investigative journalism and independence of the media environment to expose Russian corruption; and (3) activities in Europe related to anti-corruption, anti-propoganda, and anti-Russian malign influence. The State Department shall seek to work with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to: (1) elevate anti-corruption as an element of NATO's Readiness Action Plan, (2) task the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Warning with monitoring Russian influence in NATO member states, and (3) prioritize the combating of Russian influence under the NATO-European Union framework. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall submit a National Intelligence Estimate on: (1) purchases made in the last five years by individuals and entities of key sectors in European countries, particularly purchases that provide monopolistic control of a sector; and (2) the individuals and entities making such purchases, including any links to the Russian Federation.
Bill· SS. 1298 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
This bill sets the tonnage requirement for consideration of dredging of small ports by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at a minimum of 500,000 tons, as calculated by the relevant port authority.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 186 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2017
Recognizes the Aviation Cadet Museum in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, as the national aviation cadet museum of the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 2778 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2017
Less Traffic with Smart Stop Lights Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a Smart Technology Traffic Signals Grant Program. DOT may make competitive grants to states, local, or tribal government entities for projects to improve, through use of innovative technology, the functioning of traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion, fuel costs for drivers, and air pollution, as well as improve the safety and effectiveness of roadways. However, a grant may not be used to purchase, operate, or maintain an automated traffic enforcement system. The federal share of project costs may not exceed 80%, but DOT may waive such limit if an assisted entity can show extreme financial hardship.
Bill· HRH.R. 2722 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Swine Waste Infrastructure and Natural Environment Act or the SWINE Act This bill establishes a program to certify environmentally sustainable swine waste disposal technologies and authorizes related tax credits and grants. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must certify technologies that: eliminate animal discharge into surface waters and groundwater through direct discharge, seepage, or runoff; substantially eliminate atmospheric emissions of ammonia from swine waste; substantially eliminate the emission of odor from swine waste that is detectable beyond the boundaries of the parcel or tract of land on which the swine farm is located; substantially eliminate the release of disease-transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens from swine waste; substantially eliminate nutrient and heavy metal contamination of soil and groundwater from swine waste; and are cost-effective. States may not issue permits, pursuant to any federal law, to a swine farm that is a concentrated animal feeding operation unless the farm disposes of swine waste using a certified technology. The bill amends several agricultural laws to: require USDA to make competitive grants for activities to identify, evaluate, and demonstrate environmentally superior swine waste management technologies; permit the Pork Promotion Board to use its funding for activities related to the grants; and make the installation and maintenance of a certified technology on a swine farm eligible for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits for: (1) the installation of a certified swine waste disposal technology, and (2) the disposal of swine waste using certified technology.
Bill· HRH.R. 2705 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Truck, Trailer, and Transport Efficiency Act of 2017 This bill removes trailers that do not emit greenhouse gases in connection with a propulsion system from the scope of the final rule titled "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles--Phase 2." The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly issued the rule, which created fuel consumption standards and carbon dioxide emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles (e.g., tractors, trucks, vans, and vocational vehicles), on October 25, 2016.
Bill· HRH.R. 2715 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
No Fees for Lost Baggage Act This bill amends the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 to direct the Department of Transportation to require any common carrier (currently, any air carrier) to provide a refund of fees to air passengers for delayed or lost checked baggage.
Bill· HRH.R. 2714 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Revamping American Infrastructure Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to: (1) identify DOT regulations, guidance, and policies that establish prescriptive requirements for regulated entities and that can be replaced with outcome-based performance standards; (2) submit, and implement within two years, a plan for such replacement; and (3) ensure that regulations, guidance, and policies issued after enactment of this bill are issued as outcome-based performance standards.
Bill· HRH.R. 2747 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Economic Growth and Development Act This bill requires the President to establish a primary interagency mechanism to coordinate U.S. development assistance programs carried out by federal agencies overseas with private sector investment activities. The mechanism shall: streamline the private-sector liaison, coordination, and investment promotion functions of such agencies; facilitate the use of development and finance tools across such agencies to attract greater participation in development activities by the private sector; and establish a single point of contact for U.S. private sector entities pursuing partnership opportunities with such agencies. Federal agencies planning or providing U.S. development assistance overseas shall ensure that: (1) a rigorous analysis of the constraints to economic growth and investment within a recipient country guides any U.S. development strategy, and (2) U.S. development strategies are coordinated with private sector activities in such countries. Each analysis shall identify and analyze: (1) the constraints posed by inadequacies in critical infrastructure, the education system, the rule of law, the tax and investment codes, or the customs or regulatory regimes in the recipient country; and (2) the particular economic sectors that are central to achieving economic growth in the recipient country. The results of each analysis shall be: (1) incorporated into any relevant development strategy, and (2) used to guide the allocation of resources by federal agencies planning or providing U.S. development assistance overseas.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 357 (115th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Reaffirms the commitment of the House of Representatives to the U.S.-Canadian partnership. Supports: (1) stronger trade relations with Canada and the creation of more American jobs, and (2) an increased focus on energy security through greater energy infrastructure integration. Encourages greater security collaboration in the areas of defense, border security, cyber-security, and Arctic security.
Bill· HRH.R. 2687 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to allow states to provide medical assistance to adults for residential addiction treatment facility services under the Medicaid program if such services are offered as part of a full continuum of evidence-based treatment services. "Residential addiction treatment facility services" are medically necessary inpatient services provided in an accredited, size-limited facility for the purpose of treating a substance use disorder within a specified time period. The provision of medical assistance for such services to an individual shall not prohibit federal financial participation for medical assistance with respect to other services provided to the individual within the same time period. Subject to specified conditions, a woman who is eligible for medical assistance on the basis of being pregnant may remain eligible for residential addiction treatment facility services for specified time periods without regard to eligibility limits that would otherwise apply as a result of her pregnancy ending. In addition, the bill establishes a grant program for states to expand infrastructure and treatment capabilities of existing youth addiction treatment facilities that: (1) provide addiction treatment services to youths under Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and (2) are located in communities with high numbers of medically underserved populations of at-risk youths. At least 15% of grant funds awarded to a state must be used for making payments to rural facilities.
Bill· HRH.R. 2656 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Public Engagement at FERC Act This bill amends the Federal Power Act to revise and expand the Office of Public Participation in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and rename it as the Office of Public Participation and Consumer Advocacy. The office may participate in FERC proceedings on rates, service, and infrastructure siting to represent the interests of the public and issue guidance for potential improvements to industry and FERC practices. Additionally, the office must establish a Public and Consumer Advocacy Advisory Committee to review rates, services, and disputes and make recommendations to the office.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 63 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Expresses the sense of Congress regarding requirements and priorities for any infrastructure plan passed by Congress.
Bill· SS. 1273 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Fuel Economy Harmonization Act This bill revises requirements for calculating Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) credits earned by a passenger automobile manufacturer for exceeding minimal required CAFE standards in a particular model year. Beginning in model year 2016 through model year 2021, a manufacturer may apply any credits earned after model year 2009 to subsequent model years. The bill revises fuel economy credit transferring program requirements allowing a manufacturer of a fleet that exceeds CAFE standards to transfer the earned credits and to apply them within that fleet to a compliance category of automobiles that fails to achieve prescribed CAFE standards. The maximum increases in any compliance category attributable to transferred credits are: 1.0 mile per gallon, for model years 2010-2013; 1.5 miles per gallon, for model years 2014-2016; 2.0 miles per gallon, for model years 2017 and 2018; 4.0 miles per gallon, for model years 2019-2021; 6.0 miles per gallon, for model year 2022 and subsequent model years. The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to modify its calculation of average fuel economy for model years 2012 through 2025 at the request of a manufacturer for its passenger and nonpassenger automobiles.
Bill· SS. 1272 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Drone Federalism Act of 2017 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration, in prescribing regulations or standards related to unmanned aircraft systems, to: define, and limit the scope of, the preemptive effect of such regulations or standards; preserve the legitimate interests of state, local, and tribal governments (e.g., protecting public safety); preserve state, local, and tribal authority to issue certain reasonable restrictions on the operation of a civil unmanned aircraft system within 200 feet of the ground or a structure; authorize, only with a property owner's permission, the operation of a civil unmanned aircraft in the immediate reaches of the airspace above private property; and establish pilot programs with state, local, and tribal governments to regulate the operation of civil unmanned aircraft systems, coordinate enforcement efforts with respect to such regulations, and identify best practices.
Bill· SS. 1269 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Pipeline Safety Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to amend a federal regulation relating to onshore oil pipeline operator response plans to oil discharges to require (under current law authorizes) the Office of Pipeline Safety of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to consult with the Environmental Protection Agency or the U.S. Coast Guard if a federal on scene coordinator has concerns regarding such operator's ability to respond to a worst case discharge of oil into or on the navigable waters or adjoining shorelines.
Bill· SS. 1253 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Geospatial Data Act of 2017 This bill establishes: (1) in the Office of Management and Budget the Federal Geographic Data Committee (the committee), which shall be the lead entity in the executive branch for the development, implementation, and review of policies, practices, and standards relating to geospatial data; and (2) in the executive branch the National Geospatial Advisory Committee to provide advice and recommendations to the committee. The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (as defined in this bill) shall ensure that geospatial data from multiple sources is available and easily integrated to enhance the understanding of the physical and cultural world. The committee shall prepare a strategic plan for the implementation of the infrastructure consistent with national security, national defense, and emergency preparedness program policies regarding data accessibility. The committee shall operate GeoPlatform, an electronic service that provides access to geospatial data and metadata for geospatial data. Agencies whose functions involve geospatial data shall implement a strategy for advancing geographic information and related geospatial data activities appropriate to that agency's mission in support of the strategic plan for the infrastructure. Such agencies shall disclose each contract, cooperative agreement, grant, or other transaction that deals with geospatial data. Four years after enactment of this bill, federal funding shall not be made available for the collection, production, acquisition, maintenance, or dissemination of geospatial data that does not comply with applicable standards established by the committee. The committee and agencies using geospatial data shall rely upon and use private individuals and entities for the acquisition of commercially available surveying and mapping and the provision of geospatial data and services, to the maximum extent practical. The bill requires the Federal Acquisition Regulation to be revised to specify that the definition for "architectural and engineering services" includes surveying and mapping services and the acquisition of geospatial data.
Bill· SS. 1252 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Reclassification to Ensure Smarter and Equal Treatment Act of 2017 or the RESET Act This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to reduce the potential sentence for possession of a controlled substance by a person with one or more prior convictions. The bill repeals the provision providing for up to three years' imprisonment for the possession of a date rape drug and revises the penalties for possession of such drugs after a prior drug-related conviction. The maximum term of imprisonment for the sale or use of the mails to transport, or for importation or exportation of, drug paraphernalia is reduced to one year. The bill eliminates increased penalties for cocaine offenses where the cocaine involved is cocaine base. In determining the weight of a controlled substance or mixture of controlled substances that is in a compound with a food product, the weight of the food product shall not be included. Amendments made by this bill are applicable to both defendants who committed the offense and/or were convicted before the bill's enactment. The U.S. Sentencing Commission shall review and, if appropriate, amend the federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements applicable to any person convicted of an offense affected by this bill. There is established within the Department of Justice the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund, for expenditures to: improve outcomes for public school pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 through 12 by reducing truancy and supporting students who are at risk of dropping out or are victims of crime; provide services to crime victims; support mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and diversion programs for people in the criminal justice system; and pay down the national debt.
Bill· SS. 1244 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Keeping Our Commitment to Essential Air Service Act of 2017 This bill extends the additional authorization of appropriations out of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund for the essential air service program through FY2022.
Bill· SS. 1240 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Public Engagement at FERC Act This bill amends the Federal Power Act to revise and expand the Office of Public Participation in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and rename it as the Office of Public Participation and Consumer Advocacy. The office may participate in FERC proceedings on rates, service, and infrastructure siting to represent the interests of the public and issue guidance for potential improvements to industry and FERC practices. Additionally, the office must establish a Public and Consumer Advocacy Advisory Committee to review rates, services, and disputes and make recommendations to the office.
Bill· SS. 1233 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Rail Shipper Fairness Act of 2017 This bill amends federal transportation law to: (1) require rail transportation service to be efficient and reliable based on a shipper's reasonable service requirements, and (2) expand enumerated U.S. transportation policies to provide for and promote the protection of the shipping public. The Surface Transportation Board (STB) may: issue emergency service orders that include rail carrier shipments moving under contract if such shipments are part of a regional service order; and require reports, service plans, or other documents that cover shipments moving under contract. Rail carriers shall be liable for damages or equitable relief as a result of inadequate or deficient service. Civil penalties for rail carriers who violate certain federal requirements are increased from $5,000 to $25,000 per violation. The bill allows shippers to obtain rates to or from any interchange points within 100 miles of two or more rail carriers (i.e., competitive switching). The STB shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to develop a market-based revenue methodology for determining the reasonableness of challenged rail rates. A rail carrier must compute fuel surcharges in accordance with changes in actual fuel prices, rather than using an index. The STB must: (1) suspend collection of rate increases in stand-alone cost cases while a rate case is pending, and (2) replace its revenue adequacy test for rail carriers with a formula for calculating a carrier's cost of capital.
Bill· SS. 1229 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Move America Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax-exempt Move America bonds and tax credits to be used for certain infrastructure projects. A Move America bond is treated as a tax-exempt private facility bond with certain exceptions. At least 95% of the net proceeds from the issuance of the bond must be used for infrastructure projects, including: airports; docks and wharves; mass commuting facilities; facilities for the furnishing of water; sewage facilities; railroads; certain surface transportation projects eligible for federal assistance, projects for an international bridge or tunnel, or facilities for transferring freight from truck to rail or rail to truck; flood diversions; inland waterways; or rural broadband service infrastructure. The bill specifies exceptions and modifications to existing rules for bonds regarding land acquisition, government ownership, rehabilitation expenditures, and the alternative minimum tax. The bonds are subject to a volume cap equal to 50% of a state's current private activity bond volume cap. States may exchange all or a portion of the volume cap for Move America tax credits to be allocated to taxpayers. The credits include: (1) a project credit for a portion of the basis of each qualified project; and (2) an infrastructure fund credit for investments in qualified infrastructure funds, including a state infrastructure bank, a water pollution control revolving fund, or a drinking water treatment revolving loan fund. States must report specified details to the Department of the Treasury regarding the amount of the volume cap exchanged and credits allocated.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 181 (115th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2017
Designates the week of May 21-May 27, 2017, as National Public Works Week.
Bill· SS. 1221 (115th)open
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 This bill declares that the United States supports the "Stimson Doctrine" and thus does not recognize territorial changes effected by force, including the illegal invasions and occupations of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Crimea, Eastern Ukraine, and Transnistria. The bill authorizes the Countering Russian Influence Fund through FY2019. The Department of State shall establish a working group to administer the fund, which shall be used to: (1) assist in protecting critical infrastructure and electoral mechanisms from cyberattacks in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or or European Union (EU) nations that the State Department determines are vulnerable to Russian influence and that lack the economic capability to effectively respond without U.S. support, and in countries participating in the NATO or EU enlargement process; and (2) combat corruption, improve the rule of law, and otherwise strengthen independent judiciaries and prosecutors general offices in such countries. The fund also may be used for: (1) responding to the humanitarian crises and instability resulting from the invasions and occupations of Georgia and Ukraine by the Russian Federation; (2) improving participatory legislative processes and legal education, political transparency and competition, and compliance with international obligations; and (3) building the capacity to counter the influence and propaganda of the Russian Federation in such countries. The Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia shall coordinate efforts to implement, and establish metrics regarding efforts to achieve, such goals for fund use. The President shall report to Congress describing media organizations that are controlled and funded by the Russian government and affiliated entities.
Bill· HRH.R. 2649 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Safe and Accountable Federal Energy Review for Pipelines Act of 2017 or the Safer Pipelines Act of 2017 This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), before granting a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a proposed pipeline expansion project for which a challenge has been raised, to assign an administrative law judge to hold a full trial-type evidentiary hearing on the need for the expansion or conduct an evidentiary hearing after conducting limited discovery, and issue a staff report publishing the findings with respect to each factor which includes the data and analyses relied upon in reaching those findings. Additionally, FERC must (1) conduct a cumulative review of planned energy infrastructure projects in the region of the proposed expansion; (2) consider, in the case of interstate pipeline projects, the cumulative environmental impacts of other interstate or regional projects; and (3) monitor approved pipeline projects for five years to ensure that environmental mitigation steps have been implemented.
Bill· HRH.R. 2619 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Anchorages Away Act This bill prohibits the U.S. Coast Guard from establishing any new anchorage grounds in the Hudson River, New York, until it submits a report to Congress on the potential impact of increasing such anchorage grounds to sites listed on the National Priorities List under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 and to areas designated as critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Bill· HRH.R. 2637 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Fishing Safety Training and Research Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 the U.S. Coast Guard's Fishing Safety Training Grant Program and the Fishing Safety Research Grant Program.
Bill· SS. 1225 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Vehicle Innovation Act of 2017 This bill authorizes appropriations to the Department of Energy (DOE) for research, development, engineering, demonstration, and commercial application of vehicles and related technologies for FY2018-FY2022. The bill requires DOE to: conduct a program of research, development, engineering, demonstration, and commercial application activities (R&D activities) on materials, technologies, and processes with the potential to substantially reduce or eliminate petroleum use and the emissions of U.S. passenger and commercial vehicles; ensure that it continues to support R&D activities and maintains competency in mid- to long-term transformational vehicle technologies with potential to achieve reductions in emissions; carry out a research, development, and demonstration program on the secondary uses of electric vehicle batteries and develop guidelines for projects that demonstrate the secondary uses and innovative recycling of such batteries; carry out a program of R&D activities on advanced vehicle manufacturing technologies and practices; carry out a program of cooperative research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities on advanced technologies for medium- to heavy-duty commercial, vocational, recreational, and transit vehicles; conduct a competitive grant program to demonstrate the integration of multiple advanced technologies on Class 8 (heavy-duty) truck and trailer platforms; develop standard testing procedures and technologies for evaluating the performance of advanced heavy vehicle technologies under a range of representative duty cycles and operating conditions and evaluate heavy vehicle performance using work performance-based metrics other than those based on miles per gallon and appropriate metrics based on the work performed by nonroad systems; and undertake a pilot program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial applications of technologies to improve total machine or system efficiency for nonroad mobile equipment and seek opportunities to transfer relevant research findings and technologies between the nonroad and on-highway equipment and vehicle sectors. DOE may construct heavy-duty truck and bus testing facilities.
Bill· SS. 1224 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
Building Up Infrastructure and Limiting Disasters through Resilience Act of 2017 or the BUILD Resilience Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to carry out a Community Resilience Grant Program to provide assistance to communities for increasing resilience to chronic stresses and acute shocks, including by improving long-term resilience of infrastructure and housing. A state, local government, or regional entity is eligible for such a grant if it is located in an area that has been declared a major disaster area within the previous five years. HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research must select and award annual grants to a single nonprofit organization having a national reputation for expertise in resilience research and capacity building to develop, establish, and operate a National Research Center for Resilience. The center shall provide grants to institutions of higher education or other nonprofit organizations to establish a Regional Center for Resilience in each of HUD's 10 regions to serve as regional research partners with recipients of resilience grants.
Bill· SS. 1213 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2017
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to publish a copy of the most recent pipeline response plan for each onshore oil pipeline on a public website maintained by DOT.
Bill· HRH.R. 2593 (115th)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2017
Federal Maritime Commission Authorization Act of 2017 This bill reauthorizes appropriations through FY2019 for the Federal Maritime Commission. It also prohibits a group of two or more common carriers from negotiating with a provider of port services for rates or services unless advance notice is provided to the commission. The bill authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) to designate college maritime training programs as centers of excellence and enter into cooperative agreements to help them admit additional students, recruit additional faculty, expand facilities, create new career pathways, and award students credit for previous experience.
Bill· HRH.R. 2602 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2017
Secure our Skies Act of 2017 This bill requires each air carrier providing passenger air transportation to provide flight attendants, pilots, and dispatchers who are employees or contractors of the carrier with training to combat human trafficking in the course of carrying out their duties. Such training shall cover: (1) common indicators of human trafficking, and (2) best practices for reporting suspected trafficking to law enforcement officers. To assist in such training, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation shall provide information, including the Blue Campaign training module, for use by air carriers. The Federal Aviation Administration shall report recommendations for improving the identification and reporting of human trafficking by air carrier personnel while protecting the civil liberties of passengers. The bill grants immunity to an air carrier for reporting any suspicious transaction relevant to a possible violation of law or regulation relating to human trafficking.
Bill· HRH.R. 2607 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2017
Flood Protection Act This bill authorizes the Department of Commerce to award grants to state and local governments for frequent and chronic coastal flooding mitigation and adaptation infrastructure projects. A project is not eligible for funding if it will have a long-term negative impact on important ecological functions and habitat or existing natural coastal protection features and functions.
Bill· HRH.R. 2608 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2017
Fair Allocation of Highway Funds Act of 2017 This bill revises the methodology for apportioning federal highway funds among states for each of FY2018-FY2020. Specifically, the bill adjusts each state's apportionment based not only on certain tax payments attributable to highway users in the state, but also on other federal taxes collected in the state relative to such taxes collected in all states. The bill also caps the apportionment that each state may receive.
Bill· HRH.R. 2586 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2017
Reporting on Influence and Subversion by the Kremlin Act or the RISK Act This bill directs the Department of State to submit to Congress an assessment of subversive activities by the Russian Federation. The assessment shall be conducted by a federally funded research and development center or another appropriate independent entity with expertise in diplomatic and military developments in Europe and the Russian Federation. Such entity may use and incorporate information from previous studies and shall include assessments of: disinformation and propaganda activities of the Russian Federation; support by the Russian Federation for separatist activities and other aggressive actions aimed at undermining the sovereignty of foreign countries, particularly in Ukraine and the Baltic countries; cyber intrusions by the Russian Federation to influence the infrastructure and democratic processes in the United States and other countries; the use of energy exports by the Russian Federation for purposes of political or economic coercion and significant investment in energy infrastructure by the Russian government or Russian-controlled entities; and the deterioration of democratic conditions in the Russian Federation. The President is authorized to establish in the Department of the Treasury the Countering Russian Influence Fund to be used by the State Department for bilateral assistance to counter activities carried out in countries in Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia by the Russian Federation to support disinformation and propaganda, interfere in foreign elections, and undermine financial transparency and governance. Amounts in the fund may be made available to carry out its purposes through civil society and other organizations that seek to mitigate the expansion of Russian influence and aggression, including through public awareness campaigns and exchange activities.
Bill· HRH.R. 2583 (115th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2017
Building Up Infrastructure and Limiting Disasters through Resilience Act of 2017 or the BUILD Resilience Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to carry out a Community Resilience Grant Program to provide assistance to communities for increasing resilience to chronic stresses and acute shocks, including by improving long-term resilience of infrastructure and housing. A state, local government, or regional entity is eligible for such a grant if it is located in an area that has been declared a major disaster area within the previous five years. HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research must select and award annual grants to a single nonprofit organization having a national reputation for expertise in resilience research and capacity building to develop, establish, and operate a National Research Center for Resilience. The center shall provide grants to institutions of higher education or other nonprofit organizations to establish a Regional Center for Resilience in each of HUD's 10 regions to serve as regional research partners with recipients of resilience grants.