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Bill· HRH.R. 6519 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Safeguarding Sanctuary Cities Act of 2016 This bill prohibits reducing or withholding federal financial assistance that a state or local government would otherwise receive because such state or local government has in place any policy that limits or restricts compliance with a detainer. A "detainer" is defined as any order or request by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a state or local official to: temporarily hold a person until such person may be taken into federal custody, transport such a person for transfer to federal custody, or notify DHS prior to releasing such person.
Bill· SS. 3525 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Strengthening American Transportation Security Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the personnel system used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provides insufficient workplace protections for its workforce and such personnel should be entitled to protections under the civil service system applicable to all federal employees. The bill repeals personnel authorities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Transportation governing the conditions of employment for TSA employees, thus making TSA employees subject to the personnel management system applicable to all other federal employees. Within 60 days after the enactment of this bill or an earlier date set by DHS: (1) all TSA personnel management policies, directives, letters, and guidelines and any DHS human resources management system shall cease to be effective with respect to TSA employees; and (2) TSA employees shall become subject to labor provisions applicable to other federal transportation employees. The bill sets forth transition rules that protect the pay rates and other rights of TSA employees. DHS shall consult with the labor organization certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority to carry out the conversion of TSA employees and positions to the civil service system. The provisions of this bill do not affect the prohibitions against disloyalty and asserting the right to strike against the federal government.
Bill· HRH.R. 6483 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
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. 6502 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Seat Belts Save Lives Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prescribe a rule or amend a federal motor vehicle safety standard to require a schoolbus to be equipped with a three-point safety belt at each seat. The bill defines "three-point safety belt" to mean an occupant restraint system consisting of an integrated: lap belt or similar device intended to restrain movement of the pelvis, and shoulder belt or similar device intended to restrain movement of the chest and shoulder regions.
Bill· HRH.R. 6497 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
TSA Screening Transparency and Accountability Act This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), consistent with the General Accountability Office's November 2015 report on the Screening Partnership Program (SPP), to update its cost estimating methodology for federal cost estimates and cost comparisons to conform to certain minimum leading cost estimating best practices, including by: incorporating a cost estimate that reflects the total cost to the federal government, including costs incurred by federal agencies other than TSA; ensuring all TSA cost estimates are adjusted for inflation over the duration of the contract; updating all cost estimates when circumstances at a SPP airport result in a significant change to a contract's value; including an analysis that identifies which variables have the greatest effect on cost estimates; and reflecting the inherent uncertainty associated with the cost estimate and identifying the elements of the estimate that present the most risk. TSA shall make the update available to the public. TSA shall develop a streamlined method and standard protocol for documenting, tracking, and resolving customer complaints for both federal and SPP airport checkpoints. TSA shall make available to airport directors, managers, and other individuals in similar positions cleared to handle sensitive security information an assessment of each airport's security screening performance compared to the mean average performance for all equivalent airports.
Bill· HRH.R. 6481 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Urban Agriculture Production Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish an urban agriculture outreach program to award grants to support outreach activities for: (1) infrastructure, (2) land acquisition and conversion, (3) education and training, (4) technical and financial assistance to farmers or ranchers in urban areas, and (5) other activities that support urban agriculture. USDA must give preference to grants for activities in historically underserved communities. The bill amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to expand the purpose and duties of USDA's Office of Advocacy and Outreach to include activities on behalf of urban farmers or ranchers. USDA must award grants, on a competitive basis, for scientific and community-based participatory research related to urban agriculture. The bill provides specified funds for the grants and requires USDA to give priority to outreach activities to be carried out in historically underserved communities. The bill amends the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to: (1) establish a program to provide loans and loan guarantees for projects or activities to establish, expand, and promote direct producer-to-consumer marketing and assist in the development of local food business enterprises; and (2) extend and provide additional funding for the Farmers' Market Promotion Program. The bill amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program and provide additional funding. The bill amends the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 to require additional USDA reporting on farmers' markets and agricultural production in urban areas.
Bill· HRH.R. 6480 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2016
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 This bill authorizes FY2017 appropriations for the conduct of intelligence and intelligence-related activities of: the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI); the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); the Department of Defense; the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA); the National Security Agency (NSA); the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Departments of State, the Treasury, Energy, and Justice; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO); the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill authorizes FY2017 appropriations for: (1) the Intelligence Community Management Account, and (2) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability Fund. The ODNI must: (1) submit a five-year investment strategy for outreach and recruiting efforts in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that includes cybersecurity and computer literacy; (2) implement a multisector workforce initiative to enable the intelligence community to build and maintain an appropriate ratio of employees and core contractors; (3) issue guidance regarding the intelligence community's engagements with the entertainment industry; and (4) implement a uniform policy to ensure the independence of inspectors general of the intelligence community, the ODNI, the CIA, the NSA, the DIA, the NGA, and the NRO. For FY2017 and FY2018, personnel of the intelligence community must be managed solely on the basis of: (1) the workload required to carry out intelligence community functions, and (2) the funds made available for each such fiscal year. Management of intelligence personnel during this period shall not be subject to any constraint or limitation in terms of man years, end strength, positions, or maximum number of employees. DHS's national cybersecurity and communications integration center must carry out a program to provide assistance to certain critical infrastructure entities to reduce the risk of regional or national catastrophic harm caused by a cyber attack. The Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive is redesignated as the National Counterintelligence and Security Center with a director to be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The bill revises or sets forth requirements for: the ODNI to participate in fund-raising events for nonprofit organizations that support intelligence community employees and their families, CIA employee death and retirement benefits, publication of the logos of terrorist organizations, space-based environmental monitoring missions and acquisition programs to meet national security requirements for cloud characterization and theater weather imagery, an evaluation of aerial imagery technologies that can be used to share intelligence with other countries as a replacement for the current regime of observation flights, a declassification review of intelligence reports regarding past terrorist activities of detainees transferred or released from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and a concept for a combined interagency space operations center and an updated strategy for national security satellite systems. The bill establishes an executive branch interagency committee to counter active measures by the Russian Federation to exert covert influence over peoples and governments. The State Department must coordinate with the FBI and the ODNI to establish a mandatory advance notification regime governing all travel by accredited diplomatic and consular personnel of the Russian Federation in the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 6461 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2016
Bring Enhanced Liability in Transportation for Students Act This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) to award grants to states to develop a school bus seat belt demonstration program to purchase type 1 school buses (weighing more than 10,000 pounds) equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts or equip existing type 1 buses with such belts. DOT shall withhold 10% of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds if the state has not enacted a law that requires the employer to conduct background checks before hiring school bus drivers. DOT shall also withhold 10% of a state's apportionment of certain federal-aid highway funds if the state has not enacted and is not enforcing a law that imposes specified first offense and second offense civil and criminal penalties for motorists found guilty of illegally passing a stopped school bus. The bill authorizes DOT to provide grants to states to equip school buses with motion-activated detection systems.
Bill· SS. 3502 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2016
NextGen Accountability Act This bill amends the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to direct the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish annual Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) performance goals for each of the national airspace system performance metrics to meet identified performance metric baselines with respect to NextGen projects. The bill amends the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act to revise contents of an annual Department of Transportation report to Congress regarding an integrated work plan for the NextGen. The plan shall include, among other things, a description of the progress made in meeting NextGen performance goals relative to the performance metrics. The bill revises requirements for the award of bonuses to the FAA Chief NextGen Officer. The FAA, for purposes of the award of such bonuses, shall also consider any progress made toward meeting the NextGen performance goals. The bill revises certain performance goals set forth in the annual performance agreement between the FAA and the NextGen Officer to include quantifiable NextGen airspace efficiency, productivity, capacity, and safety performance objectives.
Bill· HRH.R. 6429 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2016
This bill amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to include the following named areas as part of the high priority Central Texas Corridor of the National Highway System in Texas: certain routes in the Corridor and the I-14 system in Texas, beginning in the vicinity of State Highway 338 in Odessa, Texas, running eastward concurrent with Interstate 20, connecting to State Highway 158 in the vicinity of Midland, Texas, then following State Highway 158 eastward to US 87 and then following US 87 southeastward, passing in the vicinity of San Angelo, and connecting to US 190 in the vicinity of Brady, Texas; US 83 southward from the vicinity of Eden, Texas, to a logical connection to Interstate 10 at Junction, Texas; US 96 from I-10 at Beaumont, Texas, north to US 84 in the vicinity of Tenaha, Texas; and US 69 from I-10 at Beaumont north to US 59 in the vicinity of Lufkin, Texas. The Corridor shall not include the section of US 190 from I-10 in Pecos County to Brady in McCullough County, Texas.
Bill· HRH.R. 6420 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2016
Screening With Dignity Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to: develop procedures to appropriately screen self-identified transgender air passengers, and conduct in-person training of all Transportation Security Administration Officers on such procedures. The FAA shall separately study and report on: the cost and feasibility of retrofitting advanced image technology screening equipment to distinguish between foreign objects and human body parts; and the disparate impact that such technology has on self-identified transgender passengers as opposed to the general public, including an examination of instances since 2010 in which such passengers were required to undergo a secondary screening after alarming the advanced imaging technology.
Bill· HRH.R. 6381 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2016
DHS Reform and Improvement Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to revise or expand protections against terrorism in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requirements for visas, border and maritime security, aviation, surface transportation, food and agriculture, emergency communications, medical preparedness, agency management, flood insurance, cybersecurity, chemical and biological defense, immigration and customs, and the prevention of trafficking in cultural property. The bill establishes: an Office of Biometric Identity Management to share biometric data with agencies, foreign governments, and private entities; a National Computer Forensics Institute to be operated by the U.S. Secret Service; a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Office; an Office of Policy to coordinate strategic planning and relationships with outside stakeholders; an Acquisition Review Board; and DHS positions of chief financial officer, chief procurement officer, chief acquisition officer, and chief security officer. DHS must: (1) disseminate information to prevent drone attacks; (2) establish task forces and cooperate with foreign governments on border enforcement and security at airports and ports; (3) authorize the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide employees and services to ports in exchange for a fee; and (4) defend food, agriculture, and veterinary systems from terrorism and other high-consequence events. Visa security requirements are provided for: (1) the Department of State to assign employees to visa-issuing diplomatic and consular posts to screen applications against criminal, national security, and terrorism databases; (2) a visa security advisory opinion unit within the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and (3) the CBP to screen electronic passports though an embedded chip and utilize facial recognition technology. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must enter into memoranda of understanding with other DHS offices to award grants to: public transportation agencies to improve security under the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007; high-risk urban areas and state, local, and tribal governments to protect against terrorism under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) and the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP); and port authorities, facility operators, and state and local governments to implement security plans and train law enforcement personnel. State planning committees or urban working groups that assist in the determination of funding priorities under the UASI and the SHSGP must include: (1) public health officials and medical practitioners, (2) educational institutions, (3) state and regional interoperable communications coordinators, and (4) state and major urban area fusion centers that share threat-related information. FEMA must permit grants to be used for medical preparedness to terrorism. The bill codifies: (1) Operation Stonegarden for FEMA to enhance border security by making grants to law enforcement agencies involved in CBP operations in states that border Canada or Mexico or that have a maritime border; and (2) Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers that train government, international, and private agencies. The bill sets forth requirements concerning: medical response to anthrax, pandemics, emerging infectious diseases, and chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attacks; flood insurance claims processing; the reorganization of cybersecurity, infrastructure protection, emergency communications, and protective services under a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency headed by a Director of National Cybersecurity; maritime cybersecurity information sharing; allowable uses of public transportation security assistance grant funds; research and development for cybersecurity technologies; and oversight of DHS vehicle fleets. The bill expands responsibilities of DHS's chief information and human capital officers. The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office must document how research investments align with gaps in the enhanced global nuclear detection architecture. The CBP and ICE must coordinate enforcement against illegal imports and trafficking in cultural property. DHS may enter agreements with other countries and nongovernmental organizations to achieve its missions. DHS must prepare: (1) quadrennial reviews of the homeland security of the United States, (2) a three-year strategy for international programs in which DHS personnel and resources are deployed abroad for vetting and screening persons seeking to enter the United States, and (3) a strategic plan for southwest border threats. Notice must be provided within DHS and to Congress if a major acquisition program fails to meet baseline costs, schedules, or performance parameters. DHS must: (1) conduct terrorist and foreign fighter travel exercises; (2) coordinate resources of the national cybersecurity and communications integration center with state, local, and regional fusion centers; (3) carry out a grant program for emergency response providers to prevent or respond to active shooters in major metropolitan areas and other terrorist attack scenarios; and (4) build relationships with technology-based small businesses and startup ventures. The Transportation Security Administration must: (1) update aviation and airport security strategies, and (2) operate a "precheck" program that expedites screening for low-risk passengers. FEMA must implement a uniform review process for grant applications to purchase equipment that does not meet or exceed national voluntary consensus standards. DHS and the State Department must prioritize assistance to combat terrorist travel among the highest-risk countries. The Directorate of Science and Technology is designated as the primary research, development, testing, and evaluation arm of DHS. The President must provide a national strategy to combat terrorism travel. The Government Accountability Office must recommend improvements to the university-based centers for homeland security program.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 617 (114th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Designates November 27, 2016, Drive Safer Sunday.
Bill· HRH.R. 6372 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
Neighborhood Noise Barriers Act of 2016 This bill amends the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 to allow the use of funds out of the Highway Trust Fund to construct a Type II noise barrier along a federal-aid highway, if it: is part of a project approved by the Department of Transportation before November 28, 1995; or separates a highway or other noise corridor from a group of structures of which the majority of those closest to the highway or noise corridor are residential in nature, and either were constructed before the construction or most recent widening of the highway or noise corridor, or are at least 10 years old. The bill makes the planning, design, or construction of a Type II noise barrier eligible for surface transportation block grant program funding.
Bill· HRH.R. 6337 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2016
This bill revises the term "urbanized area" with respect to public transportation improvement projects to also treat areas as an urbanized area if the Department of Commerce determines that: the area was designated in a previous decennial census as an urbanized area, the area was not designated in the most recent decennial census as an urbanized area as the result of a natural disaster that caused the area's population to fall below 50,000 people, and the most recent annual estimate of the Bureau of the Census estimates the area's population to be restored to 50,000 or more people.
Bill· HRH.R. 6307 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2016
Mark Takai Compact-Impact Aid Act This bill amends the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 to authorize and appropriate FY2017 funds to the Department of the Interior for: (1) grants to any local government of the United States that demonstrates financial strain due to demands on public services by significant immigration from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau; and (2) aid in defraying costs incurred as a result of increased demands placed on health, educational, social, or public safety services, or infrastructure related to such services due to the residence of qualified nonimmigrants. Interior shall provide for periodic enumerations of qualified nonimmigrants in the states and territories of the United States. A "qualified nonimmigrant" is defined as a person admitted to the United States pursuant to: (1) section 141 of the Compact of Free Association set forth in title II of such Act, or (2) section 141 of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the government of Palau.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 609 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2016
Mourns the tragic loss of firefighter Chief Spencer Chauvin, and of civilians Jermaine Starr and Vontarous Kelly as a result of a fatal bus crash that occurred at the scene of an accident along I-10 Westbound in Laplace, Louisiana, on August 28, 2016. Recognizes the bravery, heroism, and dedication of the firefighters, state troopers, and civilians who quickly responded to attempt to save the lives of the injured.
Bill· HRH.R. 6294 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Geospatial Data Act of 2016 This bill establishes: (1) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 services, to the maximum extent practical.
Bill· HRH.R. 6258 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Coast Guard Acquisition Improvement Act of 2016 This bill authorizes the U.S. Coast Guard to enter into certain agreements for the acquisition of at least three heavy polar icebreakers, three medium polar icebreakers, four offshore patrol cutters, and five fast response cutters.
Bill· HRH.R. 6257 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Coast Guard Academy Nominations Act of 2016 This bill amends the laws that govern the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Corps of Cadets. The bill specifies the maximum number of cadets that can be enrolled in the academy in an academic program year. Additionally, the bill describes how individuals may be nominated for appointment in the Corps of Cadets and sets forth guidelines that the Coast Guard must follow when appointing cadets. The bill also sets forth the conditions that cadets must agree with prior to enrollment in the academy, including an obligation to serve in the Coast Guard upon graduation from the academy.
Bill· HRH.R. 6202 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Hudson River Protection Act This bill amends the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1915 to prohibit the establishment of areas located within five miles of a nuclear power plant, a location on the national register of historic places, a superfund site, or critical habitat of an endangered species as anchorage grounds in U.S. navigable waters for vessels carrying hazardous or flammable material as cargo.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 916 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Recognizes the impact of tribology (a study that deals with the design, friction, wear, and lubrication of interacting surfaces in relative motion) on the United States economy and competitiveness in providing solutions to critical technical problems in various industries. Encourages federal agencies to develop and implement programs related to tribology. Encourages the formation of public-private partnerships to advance fundamental research and accelerate the development of tribology-related products. Encourages the National Academy of Engineering to conduct a survey on the status of tribology research in academia and government laboratories and to recommend a course of action to accelerate innovations in tribology.
Bill· SS. 3435 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2016 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: establish, extend, reinstate, or modify various Medicare payment adjustments for rural hospitals; establish a capital infrastructure revolving loan program for rural medical facilities; allow authorized physician assistants to order hospice care under Medicare; establish Medicare coverage for specified mental health counselor services and marriage and family therapist services; create a grant program for state offices of rural health; and modify other provisions related to rural medical facilities.
Bill· SS. 3421 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2016
This bill requires air carriers to provide a 10-hour rest period to a flight attendant who is scheduled to a duty period of up to 14 hours. Current regulations generally mandate a nine-hour rest period but allow an eight-hour rest period under certain circumstances. Air carriers must comply with specified fatigue risk management plan requirements, subject to civil penalties.
Bill· HRH.R. 6193 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
Freight Infrastructure Reinvestment Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 1% tax on certain ground transportation of property within the United States. In addition, the bill establishes: (1) a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund, consisting of amounts equivalent to taxes received under the bill; and (2) a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Improvement Program, through which the Department of Transportation is authorized to make competitive grants for eligible costs associated with projects to improve freight mobility.
Bill· HRH.R. 6181 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
Increase Transportation Alternatives Investment Program This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that states give preference, under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, to eligible projects located in areas that are undergoing extensive repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways, other federally owned roads open for public travel, passenger rail, and public transportation for the purpose of providing transportation alternatives related to the closure of transportation infrastructure in such areas. DOT shall: (1) carry out a competitive grant program to support community efforts to invest in transportation alternatives; and (2) give grant preference to projects located in such areas. Entities eligible for grants include state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and rural planning organizations. Grants may be used to plan for, facilitate, and provide initial support for: transportation demand management programs; carpool or telecommuting projects; and planning, design, acquisition of rights-of-way, construction, improvement, and management of streets, pathways, and public transportation facilities to facilitate expanded bicycle and pedestrian mobility and access.
Bill· HRH.R. 6178 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2016
Fair Allocation of Highway Funds Act of 2016 This bill revises the methodology for apportioning federal highway funds among states. 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. The bill also caps the apportionment that each state may receive.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 579 (114th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2016
Recognizes 40 years since the U.S. Coast Guard Academy became the first military academy to enroll female cadets. Recognizes the contribution women have made as members of the Coast Guard. Commends the Coast Guard for breaking barriers and creating equal opportunities for women in the Armed Forces.
Bill· HRH.R. 6131 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2016 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly: (1) create, transport, or receive a human-animal chimera; (2) transfer a human embryo into a nonhuman womb; or (3) transfer a nonhuman embryo into a human womb. The term “human-animal chimera” means an organism that, from an early stage of development, contains human and non-human parts. A violator is subject to civil and criminal penalties.
Bill· HRH.R. 6116 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2016
Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 2016 This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to revise regulations for drinking water contaminants, including by: requiring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine whether or not to regulate no fewer than 10 contaminants every 3 years (current law requires 5 contaminants every 5 years); revising the process and requirements for setting maximum containment levels in national primary drinking water regulations; directing the EPA to revise national primary drinking water regulations for lead and copper; setting deadlines for the EPA to publish maximum contaminant level goals and promulgate national drinking water regulations for perchlorate, perfluorinated compounds, and microcystin (algal) toxin; establishing grant programs for reducing lead in drinking water in schools; requiring community water systems to assess their vulnerabilities to contamination, including vulnerabilities from climate change or sabotage, and develop plans for addressing those vulnerabilities; establishing the Drinking Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program, under which the EPA may award grants for community water systems to increase their resiliency to those threats; removing a regulatory exemption for hydraulic fracturing; requiring the EPA to develop a strategic plan for assessing and managing the risks of drought to drinking water provided by public water systems; revising requirements for the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF); creating a process for consolidating water systems that repeatedly fail to comply with drinking water standards; requiring the EPA to create an inventory of data about drinking water violations; directing the EPA to revise regulations for consumer confidence reports; establishing research grants for monitoring technology; and requiring the EPA to study the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in drinking water sources. The bill reauthorizes specified programs under the Act, including reauthorizing through FY2021 the SRF.
Bill· SS. 3379 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to assess, and implement a risk-based strategy to address, threats posed to surface transportation and maritime systems. The TSA shall establish the Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Advisory Committee to develop recommendations for improvements to surface transportation and maritime security. In addition, the bill: allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand the TSA's explosives-detection canine-team program; requires the Government Accountability Office to study specified matters related to surface transportation; expands the permissible uses of railroad security improvement grants; requires the TSA to issue a decision on the use of a passenger vetting system by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak); requires the TSA to establish processes to improve background checks and terrorism vetting; requires DHS to commission an assessment of its transportation security card program and, if applicable, develop a corrective action plan; with respect to transportation security card applications, establishes priority for members of the Armed Forces; requires DHS to evaluate cargo-container scanning technologies; and revises other provisions related to transportation security.
Bill· SS. 3378 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Eastern North Carolina Gateway Act of 2016 This bill amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, as amended, to declare as high priority corridors on the National Highway System as well as segments of the Interstate System: U.S. Route 264 from its intersection with U.S. Route 64 (High Priority Corridor 13) near Zebulon, North Carolina, to Greenville, North Carolina; and the Eastern North Carolina Gateway Corridor from U.S. Route 70 (High Priority Corridor 82) in the vicinity of Kinston, North Carolina, passing in the vicinity of Greenville, North Carolina, to U.S. 64 (High Priority Corridor 13) in the vicinity of Bethel, North Carolina, and generally along the routes of U.S. Route 13 and North Carolina Highway 11.
Bill· HRH.R. 6105 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Eastern North Carolina Gateway Act of 2016 This bill amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, as amended, to declare as high priority corridors on the National Highway System as well as segments of the Interstate System: U.S. Route 264 from its intersection with U.S. Route 64 (High Priority Corridor 13) near Zebulon, North Carolina, to Greenville, North Carolina; and the Eastern North Carolina Gateway Corridor from U.S. Route 70 (High Priority Corridor 82) in the vicinity of Kinston, North Carolina, passing in the vicinity of Greenville, North Carolina, to U.S. 64 (High Priority Corridor 13) in the vicinity of Bethel, North Carolina, and generally along the routes of U.S. Route 13 and North Carolina Highway 11.
Bill· HRH.R. 6102 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2016
Less Traffic with Smart Stop Lights Act of 2016 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. 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. 6073 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) designate voting systems used in the United States as critical infrastructure; (2) include threats of compromise, disruption, or destruction of voting systems in national planning scenarios; and (3) conduct a campaign to proactively educate local election officials about the designation of voting systems as critical infrastructure and election officials at all levels of government of voting system threats. In furtherance of local election official preparedness and response, DHS shall conduct research and development to mitigate the consequences of voting systems threats. DHS shall prepare and submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to protect and prepare the critical infrastructure of the voting systems used in the United States against threats, including from acts of terrorism. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shall develop standards for ensuring the operational security of the voting systems used in elections for federal office. This bill amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a state, in operating the voting system, to comply with applicable standards for ensuring the operational security of voting systems. The testing and certification of voting systems hardware and software shall test whether voting systems are in compliance with applicable standards developed by NIST for ensuring the operational security of voting systems. NIST shall develop standards for ensuring that the process by which ballots are counted in elections for federal office is transparent and permits voters to verify that votes in such elections are counted correctly. States shall comply with applicable standards, in operating the voting system, for ensuring that the process by which ballots are counted in elections for federal office is transparent and permits voters to verify that votes in such elections are counted correctly. The National Science Foundation shall establish an election technology innovation research and development program.
Bill· SS. 3354 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2016
Bringing Business Back Act of 2016 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow income or gain attributable to certain real property to be excluded from gross income for a one-year period in which the income attributable to the real property exceeds the pre-depreciation expenses attributable to the property. The exclusion applies to real property that has been certified by the state or local zoning authority and any economic development board as: (1) zoned for commercial use, (2) undeveloped and vacant during the two-year period ending on the date of certification, and (3) located within a qualified census tract. A "qualified census tract" is any census tract that: (1) has an average poverty rate exceeding the national average poverty rate or an unemployment rate above the national unemployment rate; and (2) exhibits another condition of distress, such as deteriorating infrastructure or population decline. A census tract is also qualified if it is located in a rural community that: (1) has an unemployment rate of at least 6%, and (2) in which at least 50% of the houses were constructed before 1980.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 568 (114th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Recognizes the 100th anniversary of the tow truck. Designates the week of September 9-15, 2016, as National Towing Industry Awareness Week, to be held in conjunction with the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and the Wall of the Fallen ceremony, each of which is held annually at the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Bill· HRH.R. 6041 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2016
Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats Act or the HOT CARS Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a final rule to require all new passenger motor vehicles be equipped with technology to alert (auditory or visual signal [or both]) that a child or unattended passenger remains in a rear seating position after the vehicle motor is deactivated. DOT shall issue a report to Congress on the feasibility of retrofitting existing passenger motor vehicles with such technology.
Bill· HRH.R. 6022 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
New Water Available To Every Reclamation State Act or the New WATER Act This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior, for 15 years after this bill's enactment, to provide financial assistance, such as secured loans or loan guarantees, to entities that contract under federal reclamation law to carry out water projects within the 17 western states served by the Bureau of Reclamation, other states where the Bureau is authorized to provide project assistance, Alaska, and Hawaii. Projects eligible for assistance include: non-federal water infrastructure projects that would contribute to a safe, adequate water supply for domestic, agricultural, environmental, or municipal and industrial use; projects for enhanced energy efficiency in the operation of a water system; projects for accelerated repair and replacement of aging water distribution facilities; brackish or sea water desalination projects; and the acquisition of real property or an interest therein for water storage, reclaimed or recycled water, or wastewater that is integral to such a project. To be eligible for assistance, a project must be deemed creditworthy. Eligible project costs must be reasonably anticipated to be at least $20 million. Interior shall establish criteria for project selection and may enter into a master credit agreement for projects secured by a common security pledge on terms acceptable to it. Interior may enter into agreements with obligors to make secured loans to finance or refinance eligible project costs or to refinance long-term project obligations or federal credit instruments to provide additional funding capacity for the completion, enhancement, or expansion of a project. The total amount of federal assistance for a project shall not exceed 80% of its total cost. Interior shall establish: (1) a repayment schedule for each secured loan based on the useful life of the project, and (2) a uniform system to service the federal credit instruments made available under this bill. Interior shall report biennially on the financial performance of the projects that receive assistance under this bill.
Bill· HRH.R. 6032 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Data Breach Insurance Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business tax credit for the purchase of qualified data breach insurance. The credit applies for five years and is equal to 15% of the annual premiums paid or incurred for the insurance in the ordinary course of the taxpayer's trade or business. Qualified data breach insurance is coverage provided by an insurance company for expenses or losses in connection with the theft, loss, disclosure, inaccessibility, or manipulation of data. Insurance does not qualify for the credit unless the taxpayer has adopted and is in compliance with: (1) the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or (2) any similar standard specified by the Internal Revenue Service.
Bill· HRH.R. 6021 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2016
Jobs, On-the-Job "Earn While You Learn" Training, and Apprenticeships for African-American Young Men Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to request labor unions, general contractors, and businesses that will rebuild infrastructure, transportation systems, technology and computer networks, and energy distribution systems to actively recruit, hire, and provide on-the-job training to African American men ages 18 to 39 through existing jobs, apprenticeships, and "earn while you learn" programs. Labor must help coordinate such recruitment. The jobs, training, and apprenticeships must be conducted in conjunction with Labor, labor unions and associations involved in infrastructure rebuilding, and the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. Labor unions, contractors, and businesses involved with such infrastructure or systems must recruit by seeking assistance from the African American community, churches, the National Urban League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 100 Black Men of America, high school and college job placement offices, and media outlets.
Law· HRH.R. 6014 (114th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
Airport Construction and Alteration Reform Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), regarding any proposed state department of transportation construction or alteration project that may affect navigable airspace, to allow the state department of transportation to carry out the project, and not require a FAA aeronautical study, if that state department of transportation: has appropriate engineering expertise to perform the construction or alteration, and complies with applicable FAA standards for construction or alteration.
Law· HRH.R. 6007 (114th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT), if it decides that constructing or altering a structure may result in interference with space navigation facilities and equipment, to study the extent of any adverse impact that may result on the safe and efficient use of airspace, facilities, or equipment. In conducting such a study, DOT shall consider the impact on launch and reentry for launch and reentry vehicles arriving or departing from a launch site or reentry site.
Bill· HRH.R. 6017 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
Race to the Job Initiative Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to establish and administer a grant program to provide anchor institution (i.e., a hospital, college, research center, or nonprofit institution) grants and infrastructure grants to eligible low-income communities for community development. Treasury shall select: (1) within the first year after enactment of this bill, 30 of such low-income communities to receive these grants; and (2) within the second year, an additional 20 of these communities. Treasury must award a capital assistance grant to each community development financial institution specified in the grantee's application to make loans to, and invest in, businesses, organizations, or public-private partnerships located in the eligible low-income community. The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a new markets tax credit for investment in a partner community development financial institution without regard to allocation limitations on such credit. The bill amends the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 to limit to $20 million (in the aggregate, during a three-year period) an award from the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to a community development financial institution and its subsidiaries and affiliates receiving a capital assistance grant under this bill. CDFI funds are limited annually for these entities to: (1) $10 million for financial assistance, and (2) $500,000 for technical assistance.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 557 (114th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
Designates September 2016 as School Bus Safety Month.
Bill· HRH.R. 6006 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2016
Lost Boys and Girls Rebuilding Infrastructure to Sustain Enduring Peace in South Sudan Act or the Lost Boys and Girls RISE Act This bill directs the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish a three-year pilot program to provide fellowships to up to 500 eligible individuals to assist in developing agricultural, business development, educational, medical, technological, or transportation infrastructure in South Sudan. (The program may begin after the Department of State determines that it is safe for U.S. citizens, especially citizens of Sudanese or South Sudanese descent, to travel to South Sudan and lifts the general travel warning for South Sudan.) It is the sense of Congress that USAID should: (1) consult with members of the Lost Boys and Lost Girls of Sudan community in the United States for purposes of identifying potential participants, and (2) consider individuals who are recommended to USAID by a member of Congress.
Bill· HRH.R. 5978 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Amendments Act of 2016 This bill makes several changes to the U.S. Coast Guard major acquisition system. The changes are designed to establish a customer-oriented acquisition system. The bill expands the acquisition responsibilities of the Coast Guard's Chief Acquisition Officer and Vice Commandant. Additionally, the bill limits the Coast Guard's authority to procure unmanned aerial systems (drones). The Coast Guard may extend an acquisition contract without competition if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) approves. DHS must study the effects that multi-year contracting has on Coast Guard acquisition programs. The bill also requires the Coast Guard to make payment based on a predetermined fixed amount to the Department of Defense (DOD) for medical care of current or former members of the Coast Guard and their dependents at DOD facilities. The bill revises the deadline for when certain fishing vessels must be in compliance with the alternative safety compliance program. National Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2016 The Coast Guard must also develop a land-based system to backup its Global Positioning System (GPS). The Coast Guard is authorized to reimburse private entities for costs incurred to construct projects that facilitate safe and efficient marine transportation.
Bill· HRH.R. 5977 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to give Congress three full business days' prior notice of any announcement of competitive DOT projects receiving a discretionary grant award, letter of intent, loan, loan guarantee, or line of credit of $750,000 or more. DOT shall also give Congress notice of emergency program fund allocations for the repair of highways and roads damaged as a result of a disaster: three full business days before issuance of the allocation; or concurrently with the allocation, if it is made using DOT's quick release (or any successor) process.
Bill· HRH.R. 5987 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2016
This bill authorizes the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to approve and allow the construction and use of a floating cabin (a watercraft or other floating structure primarily designed and used for human habitation or occupation and not primarily designed or used for navigation or transportation on water) on TVA waters if: (1) such cabin is maintained by the owner to reasonable health, safety, and environmental standards; and (2) the TVA has authorized the use of recreational vessels on such waters. The TVA may levy necessary and reasonable fees on the owners of such cabins. The TVA may not require removal of floating cabins located on TVA waters on the date of enactment of this bill for specified periods after enactment of this bill and must allow continued use of such cabins that meet the requirements of this bill for the duration of such periods.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 549 (114th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2016
Expresses a commitment by the Senate to forever memorialize the service of aviation's first responders on September 11, 2001, and to always honor their sacrifices.