In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Taxpayer Browsing Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. PENALTY FOR UNAUTHORIZED INSPECTION OF TAX RETURNS OR TAX 
              RETURN INFORMATION.

    (a) In General.--Part I of subchapter A of chapter 75 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to crimes, other offenses, and 
forfeitures) is amended by adding after section 7213 the following new 
section:

``SEC. 7213A. UNAUTHORIZED INSPECTION OF RETURNS OR RETURN INFORMATION.

    ``(a) Prohibitions.--
            ``(1) Federal employees and other persons.--It shall be 
        unlawful for--
                    ``(A) any officer or employee of the United States, 
                or
                    ``(B) any person described in section 6103(n) or an 
                officer or employee of any such person,
        willfully to inspect, except as authorized in this title, any 
        return or return information.
            ``(2) State and other employees.--It shall be unlawful for 
        any person (not described in paragraph (1)) willfully to 
        inspect, except as authorized in this title, any return or 
        return information acquired by such person or another person 
        under a provision of section 6103 referred to in section 
        7213(a)(2).
    ``(b) Penalty.--
            ``(1)  In general.--Any violation of subsection (a) shall 
        be punishable upon conviction by a fine in any amount not 
        exceeding $1,000, or imprisonment of not more than 1 year, or 
        both, together with the costs of prosecution.
            ``(2) Federal officers or employees.--An officer or 
        employee of the United States who is convicted of any violation 
        of subsection (a) shall, in addition to any other punishment, 
        be dismissed from office or discharged from employment.
    ``(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the terms 
`inspect', `return', and `return information' have the respective 
meanings given such terms by section 6103(b).''.
    (b) Technical Amendments.--
            (1) Paragraph (2) of section 7213(a) of such Code is 
        amended by inserting ``(5),'' after ``(m)(2), (4),''.
            (2) The table of sections for part I of subchapter A of 
        chapter 75 of such Code is amended by inserting after the item 
        relating to section 7213 the following new item:

                              ``Sec. 7213A. Unauthorized inspection of 
                                        returns or return 
                                        information.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to violations occurring on and after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 3. CIVIL DAMAGES FOR UNAUTHORIZED INSPECTION OF RETURNS AND RETURN 
              INFORMATION; NOTIFICATION OF UNLAWFUL INSPECTION OR 
              DISCLOSURE.

    (a) Civil Damages for Unauthorized Inspection.--Subsection (a) of 
section 7431 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Disclosure'' in the headings for 
        paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting ``Inspection or 
        disclosure'', and
            (2) by striking ``discloses'' in paragraphs (1) and (2) and 
        inserting ``inspects or discloses''.
    (b) Notification of Unlawful Inspection or Disclosure.--Section 
7431 of such Code is amended by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) 
as subsections (f) and (g), respectively, and by inserting after 
subsection (d) the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Notification of Unlawful Inspection and Disclosure.--If any 
person is criminally charged by indictment or information with 
inspection or disclosure of a taxpayer's return or return information 
in violation of--
            ``(1) paragraph (1) or (2) of section 7213(a),
            ``(2) section 7213A(a), or
            ``(3) subparagraph (B) of section 1030(a)(2) of title 18, 
        United States Code,
the Secretary shall notify such taxpayer as soon as practicable of such 
inspection or disclosure.''.
    (c) No Damages for Inspection Requested by Taxpayer.--Subsection 
(b) of section 7431 of such Code is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Exceptions.--No liability shall arise under this section with 
respect to any inspection or disclosure--
            ``(1) which results from a good faith, but erroneous, 
        interpretation of section 6103, or
            ``(2) which is requested by the taxpayer.''.
    (d) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Subsections (c)(1)(A), (c)(1)(B)(i), and (d) of section 
        7431 of such Code are each amended by inserting ``inspection 
        or'' before ``disclosure''.
            (2) Clause (ii) of section 7431(c)(1)(B) of such Code is 
        amended by striking ``willful disclosure or a disclosure'' and 
        inserting ``willful inspection or disclosure or an inspection 
        or disclosure''.
            (3) Subsection (f) of section 7431 of such Code, as 
        redesignated by subsection (b), is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the terms 
`inspect', `inspection', `return', and `return information' have the 
respective meanings given such terms by section 6103(b).''.
            (4) The section heading for section 7431 of such Code is 
        amended by inserting ``inspection or'' before ``disclosure''.
            (5) The table of sections for subchapter B of chapter 76 of 
        such Code is amended by inserting ``inspection or'' before 
        ``disclosure'' in the item relating to section 7431.
            (6) Paragraph (2) of section 7431(g) of such Code, as 
        redesignated by subsection (b), is amended by striking ``any 
        use'' and inserting ``any inspection or use''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to inspections and disclosures occurring on and after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE ACT OF 1968.

    (a) In General.--Section 1306(c)(1) of the National Flood Insurance 
Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4013(c)(1)) is amended by striking ``30'' and 
inserting ``15''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall be 
construed to have taken effect on January 1, 1997, and shall expire 
June 30, 1997.

            Passed the Senate April 15, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.

Output: Taxpayer Browsing Protection Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make it unlawful for Federal employees, State employees, or other specified persons to willfully inspect, except as authorized, any tax return or return information.  Provides for a monetary penalty, imprisonment, or both for violators.  (Current law imposes penalties only for the unlawful disclosure of such information.) 
Permits civil damages for the unauthorized inspection or disclosure (currently, only for the unauthorized disclosure) of tax returns and return information.  Requires the taxpayer to be notified as soon as practicable if any person is criminally charged by indictment with inspecting or disclosing the taxpayer's return or return information. 
Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to reduce the waiting period for the effective date of policies for new flood insurance coverage, entered into after the date of enactment of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994, from 30 to 15 days.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. Chris 
Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                      TITLE I--EMPLOYEES GENERALLY

Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. Stays; probationary employees.
Sec. 103. Prohibited personnel practices.
Sec. 104. Discipline of supervisors based on retaliation against 
          whistleblowers.
Sec. 105. Suicide by employees.
Sec. 106. Training for supervisors.
Sec. 107. Information on whistleblower protections.

           TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES

Sec. 201. Prevention of unauthorized access to medical records of 
          employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 202. Outreach on availability of mental health services available 
          to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 203. Protocols to address threats against employees of the 
          Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 204. Comptroller General of the United States study on 
          accountability of chiefs of police of Department of Veterans 
          Affairs medical centers.

                      TITLE I--EMPLOYEES GENERALLY

    SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.
    In this title--
        (1) the term ``agency''--
            (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means an entity 
        that is an agency, as defined under section 2302 of title 5, 
        United States Code, without regard to whether one or more 
        portions of title 5 of the United States Code are inapplicable 
        to the entity; and
            (B) does not include any entity that is an element of the 
        intelligence community, as defined in section 3(4) of the 
        National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4));
        (2) the term ``employee'' means an employee (as defined in 
    section 2105 of title 5, United States Code) of an agency; and
        (3) the term ``personnel action'' has the meaning given that 
    term under section 2302 of title 5, United States Code.
    SEC. 102. STAYS; PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES.
    (a) Request by Special Counsel.--Section 1214(b)(1) of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(E) If the Merit Systems Protection Board grants a stay under 
this subsection, the head of the agency employing the employee shall 
give priority to a request for a transfer submitted by the employee.''.
    (b) Probationary Employees.--Section 1221 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) If the Merit Systems Protection Board grants a stay to an 
employee in probationary status under subsection (c), the head of the 
agency employing the employee shall give priority to a request for a 
transfer submitted by the employee.''.
    (c) Study Regarding Retaliation Against Probationary Employees.--
The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 
Representatives a report discussing retaliation against employees in 
probationary status.
    SEC. 103. PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES.
    Section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (12), by striking ``or'' at the end;
        (2) in paragraph (13), by striking the period at the end and 
    inserting ``; or''; and
        (3) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following:
        ``(14) access the medical record of another employee or an 
    applicant for employment as a part of, or otherwise in furtherance 
    of, any conduct described in paragraphs (1) through (13).''.
    SEC. 104. DISCIPLINE OF SUPERVISORS BASED ON RETALIATION AGAINST 
      WHISTLEBLOWERS.
    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 75 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 7515. Discipline of supervisors based on retaliation against 
    whistleblowers
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
        ``(1) the term `agency'--
            ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means an 
        entity that is an agency, as defined under section 2302, 
        without regard to whether any other provision of this chapter 
        is applicable to the entity; and
            ``(B) does not include any entity that is an element of the 
        intelligence community, as defined in section 3(4) of the 
        National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4));
        ``(2) the term `prohibited personnel action' means taking or 
    failing to take an action in violation of paragraph (8), (9), or 
    (14) of section 2302(b) against an employee of an agency; and
        ``(3) the term `supervisor' means an employee who would be a 
    supervisor, as defined under section 7103(a), if the entity 
    employing the employee was an agency.
    ``(b) Proposed Disciplinary Actions.--
        ``(1) In general.--If the head of the agency employing a 
    supervisor, an administrative law judge, the Merit Systems 
    Protection Board, the Special Counsel, a judge of the United 
    States, or the Inspector General of the agency employing a 
    supervisor determines that the supervisor has committed a 
    prohibited personnel action, the head of the agency employing the 
    supervisor, in accordance with the procedures required under 
    paragraph (2)--
            ``(A) for the first prohibited personnel action committed 
        by a supervisor--
                ``(i) shall propose suspending the supervisor for a 
            period of not less than 3 days; and
                ``(ii) may, in addition to a suspension described in 
            clause (i), propose any other action, including a reduction 
            in grade or pay, that the head of the agency determines 
            appropriate; and
            ``(B) for the second prohibited personnel action committed 
        by a supervisor, shall propose removing the supervisor.
        ``(2) Procedures.--
            ``(A) Notice.--A supervisor against whom an action is 
        proposed to be taken under paragraph (1) is entitled to written 
        notice--
                ``(i) stating the specific reasons for the proposed 
            action; and
                ``(ii) informing the supervisor of the right of the 
            supervisor to review the material which is relied on to 
            support the reasons for the proposed action.
            ``(B) Answer and evidence.--
                ``(i) In general.--A supervisor who is notified under 
            subparagraph (A) that the supervisor is the subject of a 
            proposed action under paragraph (1) is entitled to 14 days 
            following such notification to answer and furnish evidence 
            in support of the answer.
                ``(ii) No evidence furnished; insufficient evidence.--
            After the end of the 14-day period described in clause (i), 
            if a supervisor does not furnish evidence as described in 
            clause (i) or if the head of the agency determines that 
            such evidence is not sufficient to reverse the proposed 
            action, the head of the agency shall carry out the action.
            ``(C) Scope of procedures.--An action carried out under 
        this section--
                ``(i) except as provided in clause (ii), shall be 
            subject to the same requirements and procedures (including 
            regarding appeals) as an action under section 7503, 7513, 
            or 7543; and
                ``(ii) shall not be subject to--

                    ``(I) paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 7503(b);
                    ``(II) paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) and 
                subsection (c) of section 7513; or
                    ``(III) paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) 
                and subsection (c) of section 7543.

        ``(3) Delegation.--
            ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (B), the 
        head of an agency may delegate any authority or responsibility 
        under this subsection.
            ``(B) Nondelegability of determination regarding prohibited 
        personnel action.--If the head of an agency is responsible for 
        determining whether a supervisor has committed a prohibited 
        personnel action for purposes of paragraph (1), the head of the 
        agency may not delegate that responsibility.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
subchapter II of chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following:

``7515. Discipline of supervisors based on retaliation against 
          whistleblowers.''.
    SEC. 105. SUICIDE BY EMPLOYEES.
    (a) Referral.--The head of an agency shall refer to the Special 
Counsel, along with any information known to the agency regarding the 
circumstances described in paragraphs (2) and (3), any instance in 
which the head of the agency has information indicating--
        (1) an employee of the agency committed suicide;
        (2) prior to the death of the employee, the employee made any 
    disclosure of information which reasonably evidences--
            (A) any violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or
            (B) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse 
        of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public 
        health or safety; and
        (3) after a disclosure described in paragraph (2), a personnel 
    action was taken against the employee.
    (b) Office of Special Counsel Review.--For any referral to the 
Special Counsel under subsection (a), the Special Counsel shall--
        (1) examine whether any personnel action was taken because of 
    any disclosure of information described in subsection (a)(2); and
        (2) take any action the Special Counsel determines appropriate 
    under subchapter II of chapter 12 of title 5, United States Code.
    SEC. 106. TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORS.
    In consultation with the Special Counsel and the Inspector General 
of the agency (or senior ethics official of the agency for an agency 
without an Inspector General), the head of each agency shall provide 
training regarding how to respond to complaints alleging a violation of 
whistleblower protections (as defined in section 2307 of title 5, 
United States Code, as added by section 107) available to employees of 
the agency--
        (1) to employees appointed to supervisory positions in the 
    agency who have not previously served as a supervisor; and
        (2) on an annual basis, to all employees of the agency serving 
    in a supervisory position.
    SEC. 107. INFORMATION ON WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS.
    (a) Existing Provision.--
        (1) In general.--Section 2302 of title 5, United States Code, 
    is amended--
            (A) by striking subsection (c); and
            (B) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f) as 
        subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively.
        (2) Technical and conforming amendments.--
            (A) Section 4505a(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' and inserting ``section 
        2302(c)''.
            (B) Section 5755(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' and inserting ``section 
        2302(c)''.
            (C) Section 110(b)(2) of the Whistleblower Protection 
        Enhancement Act of 2012 (5 U.S.C. 2302 note) is amended by 
        striking ``section 2302(f)(1) or (2)'' and inserting ``section 
        2302(e)(1) or (2)''.
            (D) Section 1217(d)(3) of the Panama Canal Act of 1979 (22 
        U.S.C. 3657(d)(3)) is amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' 
        and inserting ``section 2302(c)''.
            (E) Section 1233(b) of the Panama Canal Act of 1979 (22 
        U.S.C. 3673(b)) is amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' and 
        inserting ``section 2302(c)''.
    (b) Provision of Information.--Chapter 23 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 2307. Information on whistleblower protections
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
        ``(1) the term `agency'--
            ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), has the 
        meaning given that term in section 2302; and
            ``(B) does not include any entity that is an element of the 
        intelligence community, as defined in section 3(4) of the 
        National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4));
        ``(2) the term `new employee' means an individual--
            ``(A) appointed to a position as an employee of an agency 
        on or after the date of enactment of the Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick 
        Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017; and
            ``(B) who has not previously served as an employee; and
        ``(3) the term `whistleblower protections' means the 
    protections against and remedies for a prohibited personnel 
    practice described in paragraph (8), subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), 
    or (D) of paragraph (9), or paragraph (14) of section 2302(b).
    ``(b) Responsibilities of Head of Agency.--The head of each agency 
shall be responsible for the prevention of prohibited personnel 
practices, for the compliance with and enforcement of applicable civil 
service laws, rules, and regulations, and other aspects of personnel 
management, and for ensuring (in consultation with the Special Counsel 
and the Inspector General of the agency) that employees of the agency 
are informed of the rights and remedies available to them under this 
chapter and chapter 12, including--
        ``(1) information regarding whistleblower protections available 
    to new employees during the probationary period;
        ``(2) the role of the Office of Special Counsel and the Merit 
    Systems Protection Board with regard to whistleblower protections; 
    and
        ``(3) how to make a lawful disclosure of information that is 
    specifically required by law or Executive order to be kept 
    classified in the interest of national defense or the conduct of 
    foreign affairs to the Special Counsel, the Inspector General of an 
    agency, Congress, or other agency employee designated to receive 
    such disclosures.
    ``(c) Timing.--The head of each agency shall ensure that the 
information required to be provided under subsection (b) is provided to 
each new employee of the agency not later than 6 months after the date 
the new employee begins performing service as an employee.
    ``(d) Information Online.--The head of each agency shall make 
available information regarding whistleblower protections applicable to 
employees of the agency on the public website of the agency, and on any 
online portal that is made available only to employees of the agency if 
one exists.
    ``(e) Delegees.--Any employee to whom the head of an agency 
delegates authority for personnel management, or for any aspect 
thereof, shall, within the limits of the scope of the delegation, be 
responsible for the activities described in subsection (b).''.
    (c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 23 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``2307. Information on whistleblower protections.''.

           TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES

    SEC. 201. PREVENTION OF UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO MEDICAL RECORDS OF 
      EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    (a) Development of Plan.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
            (A) develop a plan to prevent access to the medical records 
        of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs by employees 
        of the Department who are not authorized to access such 
        records;
            (B) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress the 
        plan developed under subparagraph (A); and
            (C) upon request, provide a briefing to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress with respect to the plan developed under 
        subparagraph (A).
        (2) Elements.--The plan required under paragraph (1) shall 
    include the following:
            (A) A detailed assessment of strategic goals of the 
        Department for the prevention of unauthorized access to the 
        medical records of employees of the Department.
            (B) A list of circumstances in which an employee of the 
        Department who is not a health care provider or an assistant to 
        a health care provider would be authorized to access the 
        medical records of another employee of the Department.
            (C) Steps that the Secretary will take to acquire new or 
        implement existing technology to prevent an employee of the 
        Department from accessing the medical records of another 
        employee of the Department without a specific need to access 
        such records.
            (D) Steps the Secretary will take, including plans to issue 
        new regulations, as necessary, to ensure that an employee of 
        the Department may not access the medical records of another 
        employee of the Department for the purpose of retrieving 
        demographic information if that demographic information is 
        available to the employee in another location or through 
        another format.
            (E) A proposed timetable for the implementation of such 
        plan.
            (F) An estimate of the costs associated with implementing 
        such plan.
    (b) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
        (1) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
    and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
        (2) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the 
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
    SEC. 202. OUTREACH ON AVAILABILITY OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
      AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a program of 
outreach to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to inform 
those employees of any mental health services, including telemedicine 
options, that are available to them.
    SEC. 203. PROTOCOLS TO ADDRESS THREATS AGAINST EMPLOYEES OF THE 
      DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure protocols are in 
effect to address threats from individuals receiving health care from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs directed towards employees of the 
Department who are providing such health care.
    SEC. 204. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES STUDY ON 
      ACCOUNTABILITY OF CHIEFS OF POLICE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
      AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTERS.
    The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study 
to assess the reporting, staffing, accountability, and chain of command 
structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs police officers at 
medical centers of the Department.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.

Output:  (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on May 4, 2017 .  Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 TITLE I--EMPLOYEES GENERALLY (Sec. 102) This bill directs federal agencies (excluding any entity that is an element of the intelligence community) to give priority to an employee transfer request if the Merit Systems Protections Board (MSPB) grants a stay of a personnel action at the request of: (1) the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) if the OSC determines the personnel action was taken, or is to be taken, as a result of a prohibited personnel practice; or (2) the employee if the individual is in probationary status and seeks corrective action. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall report to Congress on retaliation against employees in probationary status. (Sec. 103) The bill: (1) prohibits any employee who has the authority to take a personnel action to access the medical records of another employee or applicant for employment, (2) authorizes disciplinary action against supervisors for retaliation against whistleblowers.  (Sec. 105) Agencies must: (1) refer information about employee suicides to the OSC, (2) train supervisors on responding to complaints alleging whistleblower protections violations, (3) provide information regarding whistleblower protections to new employees during probationary periods, (4) inform employees of the role of the OSC and the MSPB with regard to whistleblower protection, and (5) make information about such protections available on agency websites.  TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES (Sec. 201) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must: (1) submit a plan to prevent unauthorized access to the medical records of VA employees; (2) conduct an outreach program to inform its employees of available mental health services, including telemedicine options; and (3) ensure protocols are in effect to address threats against VA employees providing health care.  (Sec. 204) The GAO shall assess the reporting, staffing, accountability, and chain of command structure of the VA police officers at VA medical centers.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Strong Visa Integrity Secures 
America Act''.

SEC. 2. VISA SECURITY.

    (a) Visa Security Units at High Risk Posts.--Paragraph (1) of 
section 428(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 236(e)) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(A) Authorization.--The Secretary''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(B) Risk-based assignments.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        assign, in a risk-based manner, and based on 
                        the criteria described in clause (ii), 
                        employees of the Department to not fewer than 
                        30 diplomatic and consular posts at which visas 
                        are issued.
                            ``(ii) Criteria described.--The criteria 
                        referred to in clause (i) are the following:
                                    ``(I) The number of nationals of a 
                                country in which any of the diplomatic 
                                and consular posts referred to in 
                                clause (i) are located who were 
                                identified in United States Government 
                                databases related to the identities of 
                                known or suspected terrorists during 
                                the previous year.
                                    ``(II) The level of cooperation of 
                                such country with the counterterrorism 
                                efforts of the United States.
                                    ``(III) Information analyzing the 
                                presence, activity, or movement of 
                                terrorist organizations (as such term 
                                is defined in section 212(a)(3)(B)(vi) 
                                of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
                                (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi))) within or 
                                through such country.
                                    ``(IV) The number of derogatory 
                                Security Advisory Opinions issued by 
                                the Visa Security Advisory Opinion Unit 
                                pursuant to paragraph (10) regarding 
                                nationals of a country in which any of 
                                the diplomatic and consular posts 
                                referred to in clause (i) are located.
                                    ``(V) The adequacy of the border 
                                and immigration control of such 
                                country.
                                    ``(VI) Any other criteria the 
                                Secretary determines appropriate.
                            ``(iii) Rule of construction.--The 
                        assignment of employees of the Department 
                        pursuant to this subparagraph is solely the 
                        authority of the Secretary and may not be 
                        altered or rejected by the Secretary of 
                        State.''.
    (b) Counterterror Vetting and Screening.--Paragraph (2) of section 
428(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); 
        and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(C) Screen any such applications against the 
                appropriate criminal, national security, and terrorism 
                databases maintained by the Federal Government.''.
    (c) Training and Hiring.--Subparagraph (A) of section 428(e)(6) of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by--
            (1) striking ``The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent 
        possible, that any employees'' and inserting ``The Secretary, 
        acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection and the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs 
        Enforcement, shall provide training to any employees''; and
            (2) striking ``shall be provided the necessary training''.
    (d) Pre-Adjudicated Visa Security Assistance and Visa Security 
Advisory Opinion Unit.--Subsection (e) of section 428 of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs:
            ``(9) Remote pre-adjudicated visa security assistance.--At 
        the visa-issuing posts at which employees of the Department are 
        not assigned pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, to 
        the greatest extent possible, in a risk-based manner, and in 
        consultation, where appropriate, with the Secretary of State, 
        assign employees of the Department to remotely perform the 
        functions required under paragraph (2) for such posts.
            ``(10) Visa security advisory opinion unit.--The Secretary 
        shall establish within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
        a Visa Security Advisory Opinion Unit to respond to requests 
        from the Secretary of State to conduct a visa security review 
        using information maintained by the Department on visa 
        applicants, including terrorism association, criminal history, 
        and other relevant factors, as determined by the Secretary.''.

SEC. 3. ELECTRONIC PASSPORT SCREENING AND BIOMETRIC MATCHING.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle C of title IV of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 231 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new sections:

``SEC. 434. ELECTRONIC PASSPORT SCREENING AND BIOMETRIC MATCHING.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection shall--
            ``(1) screen electronic passports at airports of entry by 
        reading each such passport's embedded chip; and
            ``(2) to the greatest extent practicable, utilize facial 
        recognition technology or other biometric technology, as 
        determined by the Commissioner, to screen travelers at United 
        States airports of entry.
    ``(b) Applicability.--
            ``(1) Electronic passport screening.--Paragraph (1) of 
        subsection (a) shall apply to passports belonging to 
        individuals who are United States citizens, individuals who are 
        nationals of a program country pursuant to section 217 of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1187), and 
        individuals who are nationals of any other foreign country that 
        issues electronic passports.
            ``(2) Facial recognition matching.--Paragraph (2) of 
        subsection (a) shall apply to individuals who are nationals of 
        a program country pursuant to section 217 of the Immigration 
        and Nationality Act.

``SEC. 435. CONTINUOUS SCREENING BY U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.

    ``The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall, in 
a risk based manner, continuously screen individuals issued any visa, 
and individuals who are nationals of a program country pursuant to 
section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, who are present, or 
will soon be arriving, in the United States, against the appropriate 
criminal, national security, and terrorism databases maintained by the 
Federal Government.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 433 the following new items:

``Sec. 434. Electronic passport screening and biometric matching.
``Sec. 435. Continuous screening by U.S. Customs and Border 
                            Protection.''.

SEC. 4. REPORTING OF VISA OVERSTAYS.

    Section 2 of Public Law 105-173 (8 U.S.C. 1376) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``Attorney General'' and inserting 
                ``Secretary of Homeland Security''; and
                    (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
                following: ``, and any additional information that the 
                Secretary determines necessary for purposes of the 
                report under subsection (b)''; and
            (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Annual Report.--Not later than June 30, 2017, and not later 
than June 30 of each year thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and 
to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the 
Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate providing, for the preceding 
fiscal year, numerical estimates of--
            ``(1) for each country, the number of aliens from the 
        country who are described in subsection (a), including--
                    ``(A) the total number of such aliens within all 
                classes of nonimmigrant aliens described in section 
                101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
                U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)); and
                    ``(B) the number of such aliens within each of the 
                classes of nonimmigrant aliens, as well as the number 
                of such aliens within each of the subclasses of such 
                classes of nonimmigrant aliens, as applicable;
            ``(2) for each country, the percentage of the total number 
        of aliens from the country who were present in the United 
        States and were admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants 
        who are described in subsection (a);
            ``(3) the number of aliens described in subsection (a) who 
        arrived by land at a port of entry into the United States; and
            ``(4) the number of aliens described in subsection (a) who 
        entered the United States using a border crossing 
        identification card (as such term is defined in section 
        101(a)(6) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
        1101(a)(6))).''.

SEC. 5. STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM VERIFICATION.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that the information 
collected under the program established under section 641 of the 
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 
U.S.C. 1372) is available to officers of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection conducting primary inspections of aliens seeking admission 
to the United States at each port of entry of the United States.


Output: Strong Visa Integrity Secures America Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of State to assign, in a risk-based manner, State Department employees to at least 50 visa-issuing diplomatic and consular posts based upon the following criteria:   the number of nationals of a country in which such posts are located who were identified in U.S. terrorist databases,  such a country's counterterrorism cooperation with the United States,  the adequacy of border and immigration control of such country,  terrorist organization activity in such country, and  the number of negative security advisory opinions regarding nationals of such country.  Such employees shall, in addition to other duties, screen admissions applications against federal criminal, national security, and terrorism databases.  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall:   establish within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a visa security advisory opinion unit to respond to State Department requests for visa security reviews; and  provide, in a risk-based manner, for remote pre-adjudicated visa security assistance at at least 50 posts that are not assigned such employees.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall, within one year after enactment of this bill:   screen electronic passports at U.S. entry airports by reading each passport's embedded chip, and  utilize facial recognition or other biometric technology to screen travelers at such airports.  Electronic passport screening shall apply to U.S. citizens, nationals of a visa waiver program country, and nationals of any other foreign country that issues electronic passports. Facial recognition or other biometric technology screening shall apply to nationals of a visa waiver program country. The CBP shall, in a risk-based manner, continuously screen individuals issued any visa and individuals who are visa waiver program nationals against criminal, national security, and terrorism databases. The annual visa overstay report is revised. DHS shall: (1) ensure that certain foreign student information is available at each U.S. port of entry to CBP officers who conduct primary inspections of aliens seeking U.S. admission; (2) review the social media accounts of visa applicants who are citizens of, or who reside in, high-risk countries; and (3) review open source information of visa applicants.