114 S169 IS: No Tax Write-offs for Corporate Wrongdoers Act
U.S. Senate
2015-01-13
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II114th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 169IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJanuary 13, 2015Mr. Leahy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceA BILLTo amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to disallow any deduction for punitive damages, and for
 other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the No Tax Write-offs for Corporate Wrongdoers Act.2.Disallowance of
 deduction for punitive damages(a)Disallowance of deduction(1)In generalSection 162(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—(A)by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively,(B)by striking If and inserting:(1)Treble
 damagesIf, and(C)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:(2)Punitive damagesNo deduction shall be allowed under this chapter for any amount paid or incurred for punitive damages in connection with any judgment in, or settlement of, any action..(2)Conforming amendmentThe heading for section 162(g) of such Code is amended by inserting or Punitive Damages after Laws.(b)Inclusion in income of punitive damages
 paid by insurer or otherwise(1)In generalPart II of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:91.Punitive damages compensated by insurance
 or otherwiseGross income shall include any amount paid to or on behalf of a taxpayer as insurance or otherwise by reason of the taxpayer’s liability (or agreement) to pay punitive damages..(2)Reporting requirementsSection 6041 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:(h)Section To Apply to Punitive Damages
 CompensationThis section shall apply to payments by a person to or on behalf of another person as insurance or otherwise by reason of the other person’s liability (or agreement) to pay punitive damages..(3)Conforming amendmentThe table of sections for part II of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:Sec. 91. Punitive damages
				compensated by insurance or
				otherwise..(c)Effective
 DateThe amendments made by this section shall apply to damages paid or incurred on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.


		II

		109th CONGRESS

		1st Session

		S. 1010

		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			May 12, 2005

			Mr. Santorum (for

			 himself, Mr. Lieberman,

			 Ms. Collins, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Nelson

			 of Nebraska, Ms. Snowe,

			 Mr. Graham, Mr.

			 Jeffords, Ms. Landrieu, and

			 Mr. Dorgan) introduced the following

			 bill; which was read twice and referred to the

			 Committee on

			 Finance

		A BILL

		To amend title XVIII of the Social Security

		  Act to improve patient access to, and utilization of, the colorectal cancer

		  screening benefit under the Medicare Program.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the

			 Colon Cancer Screen for Life Act of

			 2005.

		2.Sense of

			 CongressIt is the sense of

			 Congress that—

			(1)colorectal cancer screening tests (as

			 defined in section 1861(pp)(1) of the Social

			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(pp)(1)) covered under the medicare

			 program have been severely underutilized, with the Comptroller General of the

			 United States reporting in 2000 that since coverage of such tests was

			 implemented, the percentage of beneficiaries under the medicare program

			 receiving either a screening or a diagnostic colonoscopy has increased by only

			 1 percent;

			(2)in recognition of the need to improve rates

			 of colorectal cancer screening in the medicare program, Congress enacted

			 provisions in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization

			 Act of 2003 to require physicians to provide a referral for colorectal cancer

			 screening as part of the new initial preventive physical examination, beginning

			 January 1, 2005;

			(3)the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

			 Services should encourage health care providers to use more effective screening

			 and diagnostic health care technologies in the area of colorectal cancer

			 screening;

			(4)in recent years, the Centers for Medicare

			 & Medicaid Services has subjected colorectal cancer screening tests to some

			 of the largest reimbursement reductions under the medicare program;

			(5)unlike other preventive screening tests

			 covered under the medicare program, health care providers must consult with

			 beneficiaries prior to furnishing a screening colonoscopy in order to—

				(A)ascertain the medical and family history of

			 the beneficiary; and

				(B)inform the beneficiary of preparatory steps

			 that must be taken prior to the procedure; and

				(6)reimbursement under the medicare program is

			 not currently available for the consultations described in paragraph (5)

			 despite the fact that reimbursement is provided under such program for similar

			 consultations prior to a diagnostic colonoscopy.

			3.Increase in part

			 B reimbursement for colorectal cancer

			 screening and diagnostic tests

			(a)In

			 generalSection 1834(d) of

			 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

			 1395m(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

					(4)Enhanced part

				B payment for colorectal cancer screening and

				diagnostic tests

						(A)Nonfacility

				ratesNotwithstanding

				paragraphs (2)(A) and (3)(A), the Secretary shall establish national minimum

				payment amounts for CPT codes 45378, 45380, and 45385, and HCPCS codes G0105

				and GO121 for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2006, which

				reflect a 10-percent increase above the relative value units in effect as the

				nonfacility rates for such codes on December 31, 2005, with such revised

				payment level to apply to items and services performed in a nonfacility

				setting.

						(B)Facility

				ratesNotwithstanding

				paragraphs (2)(A) and (3)(A), the Secretary shall establish national minimum

				payment amounts for CPT codes 45378, 45380, and 45385, and HCPCS codes G0105

				and GO121 for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2006, which

				reflect a 30-percent increase above the relative value units in effect as the

				facility rates for such codes on December 31, 2005, with such revised payment

				level to apply to items and services performed in a facility setting.

						(C)Annual

				adjustmentsIn the case of

				items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2006, the payment rates

				described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall, subject to the minimum payment

				amounts established in such subparagraphs, be adjusted annually as provided in

				section

				1848.

						.

			(b)No effect on

			 HOPD paymentsThe Secretary

			 of Health and Human Services shall not take into account the provisions of

			 section 1834(d)(4) of the Social Security

			 Act, as added by subsection (a), in determining the amount of

			 payment for any covered OPD service under the prospective payment system for

			 hospitals outpatient department services under section 1833(t) of such Act (42

			 U.S.C. 1395l(t)).

			4.Medicare coverage of

			 office visit or consultation prior to a screening colonoscopy or in conjunction

			 with a beneficiary’s decision to obtain such a screening

			(a)CoverageSection 1861(s)(2) of the

			 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

			 1395x(s)(2)) is amended—

				(1)in subparagraph (Y), by striking

			 and at the end;

				(2)in subparagraph (Z), by inserting

			 and at the end; and

				(3)by adding at the end the following new

			 subparagraph:

						(AA)an outpatient office visit or consultation

				for the purpose of beneficiary education, assuring selection of the proper

				screening test, and securing information relating to the procedure and sedation

				of the beneficiary, prior to a colorectal cancer screening test consisting of a

				screening colonoscopy or in conjunction with the beneficiary’s decision to

				obtain such a screening, regardless of whether such screening is medically

				indicated with respect to the

				beneficiary;

						.

				(b)Payment

				(1)In

			 generalSection 1833(a)(1) of

			 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

			 1395l(a)(1)) is amended—

					(A)by striking and before

			 (V); and

					(B)by inserting before the semicolon at the

			 end the following: , and (W) with respect to an outpatient office visit

			 or consultation under section 1861(s)(2)(AA), the amounts paid shall be 80

			 percent of the lesser of the actual charge or the amount established under

			 section 1848.

					(2)Payment under

			 physician fee scheduleSection 1848(j)(3) of the

			 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

			 1395w–4(j)(3)) is amended by inserting (2)(AA), after

			 (2)(W),.

				(3)Requirement for

			 establishment of payment amount under physician fee scheduleSection 1834(d) of the

			 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

			 1395m(d)), as amended by section 3, is amended by adding at the end the

			 following new paragraph:

						(5)Payment for

				outpatient office visit or consultation prior to screening

				colonoscopyWith respect to

				an outpatient office visit or consultation under section 1861(s)(2)(AA),

				payment under section 1848 shall be consistent with the payment amounts for CPT

				codes 99203 and

				99243.

						.

				(c)Effective

			 dateThe amendments made by

			 this section shall apply to items and services provided on or after January 1,

			 2006.

			5.Waiver of deductible

			 for colorectal cancer screening tests

			(a)In

			 generalThe first sentence of

			 section 1833(b) of the Social Security

			 Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(b)) is amended—

				(1)by striking and before

			 (6); and

				(2)by inserting before the period at the end

			 the following: , and (7) such deductible shall not apply with respect to

			 colorectal cancer screening tests (as described in section

			 1861(pp)(1)).

				(b)Conforming

			 amendmentsParagraphs

			 (2)(C)(ii) and (3)(C)(ii) of section 1834(d) of the

			 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

			 1395m(d)) are each amended—

				(1)by striking deductible and in the

			 heading; and

				(2)in subclause (I), by striking

			 deductible or each place it appears.

				(c)Effective

			 dateThe amendments made by

			 this section shall apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1,

			 2006.


115 S2780 IS: To require a determination on designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
U.S. Senate
2018-04-26
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

		II
		115th CONGRESS2d Session
		S. 2780
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			April 26, 2018
			Mr. Gardner (for himself and Mr. Menendez) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

		A BILL
		To require a determination on designation of  the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of
			 terrorism.

		1.Determination on designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism
			(a)Determination
 (1)In generalNot later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a determination whether the Russian Federation meets the criteria for designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
 (2)FormThe determination required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex, if appropriate.
 (b)DefinitionsIn this section: (1)Appropriate congressional committeesThe term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
 (2)State sponsor of terrorism definedThe term state sponsor of terrorism means a country the government of which the Secretary of State has determined, for purposes of section 6(j) of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. 4605(j)) (as in effect pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act), section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371), section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780), or any other provision of law, is a government that has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.


115 HR 7049 IH: Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp Act of 2018
U.S. House of Representatives
2018-10-09
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I115th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 7049IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESOctober 9, 2018Mr. Walberg (for himself and Mr. Ryan of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
			 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedA BILLTo provide for the issuance of a Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp.

		1.Short title; findings
 (a)Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp Act of 2018. (b)FindingsThe Congress finds the following:
 (1)The Great Lakes consist of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior, and border the States of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York.
 (2)The Great Lakes watershed provides habitats for numerous fascinating species of wildlife. (3)The Great Lakes have exceptional surrounding parks, forests, shorelines, and islands, which are a source of recreation through swimming, hiking, picnics, boating, fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching.
 (4)The Great Lakes region is currently home to 27 million people. (5)The Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system on Earth, with over 20 percent of the world's fresh water supply.
 (6)The Great Lakes are the source of drinking water for over 40 million people and 56 billion gallons of water a day for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use.
 (7)The Great Lakes are vital for the region's economy, attracting tourism and providing transportation for goods.
 (8)The Great Lakes region's environment and economy depend on the health and well-being of the Great Lakes.
 (9)The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has played a critical role in restoring the Great Lakes. (10)The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is vital in combating the introduction of invasive species into the Great Lakes.
 (11)The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is pivotal in mitigating harmful algal blooms. (12)The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has restored over 250,000 acres of habitat.
				2.Great Lakes Restoration Stamp
 (a)In generalIn order to afford a convenient way for members of the public to contribute to funding for the operations supported by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, as described under the fourth undesignated paragraph under the heading Administrative Provisions, Environmental Protection Agency in Public Law 111–88 (123 Stat. 2938; commonly known as the Interior Department and Further Continuing Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010), the United States Postal Service shall issue a semipostal stamp (referred to in this Act as the Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp) in accordance with the provisions of this section.
 (b)CostThe Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp shall be offered at a cost equal to the cost of mailing a letter weighing 1 ounce or less at the nonautomation single-piece first-ounce letter rate, in effect at the time of purchase, plus a differential of not less than 25 percent.
 (c)Other terms and conditionsThe issuance and sale of the Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp shall be governed by the provisions of section 416 of title 39, United States Code, and regulations issued under such section, subject to subsection (b) and the following:
				(1)Disposition of proceeds
 (A)In generalAll amounts becoming available from the sale of the Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp shall be transferred to the Environmental Protection Agency for the purpose of funding the operations of the Initiative described in subsection (a), through payments which shall be made at least twice a year.
 (B)Proceeds not to be offsetIn accordance with section 416(d)(4) of such title 39, amounts becoming available from the sale of the Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp (as so determined) shall not be taken into account in any decision relating to the level of appropriations or other Federal funding to be furnished in any year to the Initiative identified in subsection (a).
 (2)DurationThe Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp shall be made available to the public for a period of at least 5 years, beginning no later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
 (3)Stamp depictionsStamps issued under this Act shall depict images of each of the five Great Lakes. (4)LimitationThe Great Lakes Restoration Semipostal Stamp shall not be subject to, or taken into account for purposes of applying, any limitation under section 416(e)(1)(C) of such title 39.
 (d)DefinitionFor purposes of this Act, the term semipostal stamp refers to a stamp described in section 416(a)(1) of title 39, United States Code.


117 S339 IS: Federal Initiative to Guarantee Health by Targeting Fentanyl Act
U.S. Senate
2021-02-22
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II117th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 339IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 22, 2021Mr. Portman (for himself and Mr. Manchin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo amend the Controlled Substances Act to list fentanyl-related substances as schedule I controlled substances, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Federal Initiative to Guarantee Health by Targeting Fentanyl Act.2.Fentanyl-related substances(a)In generalSchedule I of section 202(c) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:(e)(1)Unless specifically exempted or unless listed in another schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity of fentanyl-related substances, or which contains their salts, isomers, and salts of isomers whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation.(2)In paragraph (1), the term fentanyl-related substances includes any substance that is structurally related to fentanyl by 1 or more of the following modifications:(A)By replacement of the phenyl portion of the phenethyl group by any monocycle, whether or not further substituted in or on the monocycle.(B)By substitution in or on the phenethyl group with alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyl, hydroxyl, halo, haloalkyl, amino, or nitro groups.(C)By substitution in or on the piperidine ring with alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyl, ester, ether, hydroxyl, halo, haloalkyl, amino, or nitro groups.(D)By replacement of the aniline ring with any aromatic monocycle whether or not further substituted in or on the aromatic monocycle.(E)By replacement of the N-propionyl group by another acyl group..(b)No minimum sentenceSection 401(b)(1)(C) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C 841(b)(1)(C)) is amended by adding at the end the following: Any minimum term of imprisonment required to be imposed under this subparagraph shall not apply with respect to a controlled substance described in subsection (e)(1) of schedule I..


115 S1008 IS: Therapeutic Hemp Medical Access Act of 2017
U.S. Senate
2017-05-02
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II115th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 1008IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMay 2, 2017Mr. Gardner (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Lee, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Baldwin, and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude cannabidiol and cannabidiol-rich plants from the
			 definition of marihuana, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Therapeutic Hemp Medical Access Act of 2017. 2.Exclusion of cannabidiol and cannabidiol-rich plants from definition of marihuana (a)In generalSection 102(16) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802(16)) is amended, in the second sentence—
 (1)by striking or the sterilized seed and inserting the sterilized seed; and (2)by inserting before the period at the end the following: , cannabidiol, or cannabidiol-rich plants.
 (b)DefinitionsSection 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802), as amended, is further amended by adding at the end the following:

 (57)(A)The term cannabidiol-rich plant means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of such plant, whether growing or not, with a tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.
 (B)A cannabidiol-rich plant shall not be treated as a controlled substance under this Act. (58)(A)The term cannabidiol means the substance cannabidiol, as derived from a cannabidiol-rich plant.
 (B)Cannabidiol shall not be treated as a controlled substance under this Act. (59)The term tetrahydrocannabinol concentration means—
 (A)the percent of the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol content per dry weight of any part of the plant Cannabis sativa L. or per volume of weight of marihuana product; or
 (B)the combined percent of the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in any part of the plant Cannabis sativa L., regardless of moisture content..
 3.Rule of constructionNothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit or otherwise restrict any activities related to the use, production, or distribution of marijuana in a State in which such activities are legal under State law.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		S. 3000
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			May 8, 2012
			Mr. Menendez introduced
			 the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on
			 Finance

		A BILL
		To extend the temporary suspension of duty on allyl
		  isosulfocynate.

		1.Allyl isosulfocynate
			(a)In
			 generalHeading 9902.01.41 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of
			 the United States (relating to allyl isothiocyanate) is amended by striking the
			 date in the effective period column and inserting
			 12/31/2015.
			(b)Effective
			 dateThe amendment made by subsection (a) applies with respect to
			 goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the
			 15th day after the date of the enactment of this Act.


115 S464 IS: Independence at Home Act of 2017
U.S. Senate
2017-02-28
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II115th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 464IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 28, 2017Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Bennet, and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceA BILLTo amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a permanent Independence at Home
			 medical practice program under the Medicare program.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Independence at Home Act of 2017.
		2.Independence at home medical practice program
 (a)ProgramTitle XVIII of the Social Security Act is amended by inserting after section 1866E the following new section:
				1866F.Independence at home medical practice program(a)Establishment
 (1)In generalNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish and implement an independence at home medical practice program (in this section referred to as the Program) that utilizes primary care teams that—
 (A)are directed by physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants; and
 (B)emphasize home-based care that is designed to reduce expenditures and improve health outcomes in the provision of items and services under this title to applicable beneficiaries.
 (2)GoalsUnder the Program, an independence at home medical practice shall be accountable for providing comprehensive, coordinated, continuous, and accessible care to applicable beneficiaries at home and coordinating health care across all treatment settings, resulting in—
 (A)reducing preventable hospitalizations; (B)preventing hospital readmissions;
 (C)reducing emergency room visits; (D)improving health outcomes commensurate with each applicable beneficiary’s stage of chronic illness;
 (E)improving the efficiency of care, such as by reducing duplicative diagnostic and laboratory tests; (F)reducing the cost of items and services covered under this title; and
 (G)achieving applicable beneficiary and family caregiver satisfaction. (b)Independence at home medical practice (1)Independence at home medical practice definedIn this section:
 (A)In generalThe term independence at home medical practice means a legal entity that meets each of the following requirements: (i)The entity is comprised of an individual physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant or group of such practitioners that furnishes care as part of a team that may include physicians, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, licensed mental health practitioners, and other health and social services staff, as appropriate.
 (ii)The entity is organized, at least in part, for the purpose of furnishing physicians’ services. (iii)The entity—
 (I)has experience in furnishing home-based primary care services to applicable beneficiaries, as determined appropriate by the Secretary;
 (II)makes in-home visits; and (III)is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, to carry out plans of care that are tailored to an applicable beneficiary’s chronic conditions and designed to achieve the goals described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of subsection (a)(2).
 (iv)The entity enters into an agreement with the Secretary. (v)The entity furnishes services to at least 200 applicable beneficiaries during each year covered under the agreement unless the Secretary determines that a lower minimum number of applicable beneficiaries is necessary for the goals of the Program to be achieved.
 (vi)The entity uses certified electronic health record technology and may use remote monitoring and mobile diagnostic technology, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
 (vii)The entity meets such other criteria as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to participate in the Program.
 (B)PhysicianThe term physician means a physician described in section 1861(r)(1) who has the medical training or experience to fulfill the physician’s role described in subparagraph (A)(i).
 (2)Inclusion of affiliated providers and practitionersNothing in this subsection shall prevent an independence at home medical practice from including providers of services, practitioners described in section 1842(b)(18)(C), or other practitioners, including pharmacists, in an arrangement with the practice to share in any savings under the Program.
							(c)Quality measures and performance standards
							(1)Quality measures
 (A)In generalThe Secretary shall determine appropriate quality measures to assess the quality of care furnished by independence at home medical practices. To the extent possible, such measures shall include outcome measures and experience of care measures.
 (B)Reporting requirementsUnder the Program, an independence at home medical practice shall submit data in a form and manner and at a frequency specified by the Secretary.
 (2)Quality performance standardsThe Secretary shall establish quality performance standards that independence at home medical practices must meet in order to be eligible to receive incentive payments under subsection (d)(2).
							(d)Incentive payment methodology
 (1)Establishment of target spending levelThe Secretary shall establish an estimated annual spending target based on the amount the Secretary estimates would have been spent in the absence of the Program, for items and services covered under parts A and B furnished to applicable beneficiaries or comparable beneficiaries, as determined by the Secretary, for each independence at home medical practice under this section. Such spending targets shall be determined on a per capita basis. Such spending targets shall include a risk corridor that takes into account normal variation in expenditures for items and services covered under parts A and B furnished to such beneficiaries with the size of the corridor being related to the number of applicable beneficiaries furnished services by each independence at home medical practice. The spending targets may also be adjusted for other factors as the Secretary determines appropriate.
 (2)Incentive paymentsSubject to meeting the quality performance standards under subsection (c)(2), an independence at home medical practice is eligible to receive an incentive payment under the Program if actual expenditures for a year for the applicable beneficiaries who are attributed to the practice are less than the estimated spending target established under paragraph (1) for such year. An incentive payment for such year shall be equal to a portion (as determined by the Secretary but in no case greater than 80 percent) of the amount by which actual expenditures (including incentive payments under this paragraph) for applicable beneficiaries under parts A and B for such year are estimated to be less than 5 percent less than the estimated spending target for such year, as determined under paragraph (1).
							(e)Applicable beneficiary
 (1)In generalIn this section, the term applicable beneficiary means an individual who the independence at home medical practice to which the individual is attributed has determined—
 (A)is entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled for benefits under part B; (B)is not—
 (i)enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan under part C or a PACE program under section 1894; (ii)attributed under—
 (I)another shared savings program, under this title, such as under section 1899; or
 (II)a model tested or expanded under section 1115A that involves shared savings under this title, or any other demonstration that involves such shared savings; or
 (iii)determined to have end stage renal disease as provided in section 226A or receiving dialysis at home;
 (C)has two or more chronic illnesses, as determined by the Secretary, such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s Disease and neurodegenerative diseases, other dementias designated by the Secretary, and other diseases and conditions which result in high costs under this title;
 (D)subject to paragraph (2), during the 12-month period immediately preceding the individual's attribution to an independence at home medical practice—
 (i)had a nonelective hospital admission; and (ii)received—
 (I)skilled nursing care or rehabilitation services in a skilled nursing facility paid under section 1888(e);
 (II)rehabilitation services in an inpatient rehabilitation facility; or
 (III)part-time or intermittent nursing care (as described in section 1861(m)(1)) through a home health agency or physical or occupational therapy or speech-language pathology services (as described in section 1861(m)(2)) through a home health agency;
 (E)has two or more functional dependencies requiring the assistance of another person (such as bathing, dressing, toileting, walking, or feeding); and
 (F)meets such other criteria as the Secretary determines appropriate. (2)Waiver of certain requirements when beneficiary changes plansThe requirements under paragraph (1)(D) shall not apply when an individual is attributed to an independence at home medical practice under this section subsequent to the first time an individual is attributed to such a practice under this section.
 (3)Patient election to participateThe Secretary shall adopt an appropriate method to determine that applicable beneficiaries have agreed to enroll in an independence at home medical practice. Enrollment in an independence at home medical practice shall be voluntary.
 (4)Beneficiary access to servicesNothing in this section shall be construed as— (A)encouraging physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or other team members to limit applicable beneficiary access to services covered under this title; or
 (B)requiring applicable beneficiaries to relinquish access to any benefit under this title as a condition of receiving services from an independence at home medical practice.
								(f)Agreements
 (1)In generalSubject to paragraph (2), an agreement with an independence at home medical practice under the Program shall be for a period determined appropriate by the Secretary but in no case more than 3 years.
 (2)RenewalsSubject to subsection (j), the Secretary may renew an agreement with an independence at home medical practice under the Program.
 (g)Permitting practices To furnish supplemental benefits at own expenseUnder the Program, independence at home medical practices may furnish applicable beneficiaries with items and services for which payment is not made under parts A and B, as determined by the Secretary. No payment for such items and services shall be made under this title.
						(h)Waiver authority
 (1)In generalSubject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may waive such provisions of this title and title XI as the Secretary determines necessary in order to implement the Program.
 (2)LimitationThe Secretary may only waive the collection of coinsurance that is payable by individuals under section 1833(a)(1) if the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services certifies that such a waiver would reduce (or would not result in any increase in) net program spending under this title.
 (i)AdministrationChapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, shall not apply to this section. (j)Termination (1)Mandatory terminationThe Secretary shall terminate an agreement with an independence at home medical practice if—
 (A)the Secretary estimates or determines that such practice will not receive an incentive payment under subsection (d)(2) for the third of 3 consecutive years under the Program; or
 (B)such practice fails to meet at least a minimum number of quality performance standards established under subsection (c)(2) during any year of the agreement period.
 (2)Permissive terminationThe Secretary may terminate an agreement with an independence at home medical practice for such other reasons determined appropriate by the Secretary.
							(k)Transition
 (1)Transition from demonstrationThe Secretary shall provide for an appropriate transition from the demonstration program under section 1866E to the Program under this section. Such transition shall include a process that ensures that independence at home medical practices and applicable beneficiaries participating in such demonstration are automatically included in the Program under this section at the time of the implementation of the Program.
 (2)Special rule for individuals participating in similar programsIn the case of an individual who has regularly received home-based primary care services, as determined by the Secretary, during the 12-month period immediately preceding the individual's attribution to an independence at home medical practice for the first time, the Secretary may, as determined appropriate, apply clause (i) of subsection (e)(1)(D) (relating to a prior nonelective hospital admission) by increasing the 12-month period described in such subsection as it relates to such clause to a period of up to 24 months.
							(l)Limitation on
 reviewThere shall be no administrative or judicial review under section 1869, section 1878, or otherwise of—
 (1)the attribution of applicable beneficiaries to an independence at home medical practice;
 (2)the determination of the estimated annual spending target for an independence at home medical practice under subsection (d)(1);
 (3)the assessment of the quality of care furnished by an independence at home medical practice and the establishment of quality performance standards under subsection (c);
 (4)the determination of whether an independence at home medical practice is eligible for incentive payments under subsection (d)(2), and the amount of such incentive payments; and
 (5)the termination of an independence at home medical practice under subsection (j).. (b)GAO study and report (1)StudyThe Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the independence at home medical practice program under section 1866F of the Social Security Act, as added by subsection (a). Such study shall include an analysis of—
 (A)whether independence at home medical practices are meeting the requirements under such program; (B)whether such program is reducing expenditures under this title;
 (C)the care that beneficiaries are receiving under such program; and (D)other areas determined appropriate by the Comptroller General.
 (2)ReportNot later than 3 years after the date of the implementation of such independence at home medical practice program, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under paragraph (1), together with such recommendations as the Comptroller General determines to be appropriate.
				(c)Revisions to existing demonstration program
 (1)Extension through the implementation of the new programSection 1866E(e)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc–5(e)(1)) is amended by inserting plus the period beginning at the end of such 5-year period and ending on the date of the implementation of the program under section 1866F after 5-year period.
 (2)Permitting existing practices to see more beneficiariesSection 1866E(e)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc–5(e)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: Beginning on the date of the enactment of this sentence, the limitation on the number of beneficiaries that may participate in the demonstration program pursuant to the preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to independence at home medical practices participating in the demonstration program as of such date of enactment..


115 HR 936 IH: Special Priority on Aircrafts and Coverage Equity Act of 2017
U.S. House of Representatives
2017-02-07
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I115th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 936IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 7, 2017Mr. Bilirakis (for himself, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Vela) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed ServicesA BILLTo amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a space-available transportation priority for
			 veterans of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected, permanent
			 disability rated as total.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Special Priority on Aircrafts and Coverage Equity Act of 2017 or SPACE–A. 2.Transportation on military aircraft on a space-available basis for disabled veterans with a service-connected, permanent disability rated as total (a)Availability of transportationSection 2641b of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
 (1)by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g); and (2)by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection (f):

						(f)Special priority for certain disabled veterans
 (1)The Secretary of Defense shall provide transportation on scheduled and unscheduled military flights within the continental United States and on scheduled overseas flights operated by the Air Mobility Command on a space-available basis for any veteran with a service-connected, permanent disability rated as total on the same basis as such transportation is provided to members of the armed forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
 (2)The transportation priority required by paragraph (1) for veterans described in such paragraph applies whether or not the Secretary establishes the travel program authorized by this section.
 (3)In this subsection, the terms veteran and service-connected have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of title 38.. (b)Effective dateSubsection (f) of section 2641b of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect at the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.


 HR 2077 ENR: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 20805 State Route 125 in Blue Creek, Ohio, as the
U.S. House of Representatives
0
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I
One Hundred Tenth Congress of the United States of America At the First SessionBegun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven
H. R. 2077

AN ACT
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 20805 State Route 125 in Blue Creek, Ohio, as the George B. Lewis Post Office Building.

1.George B. Lewis Post Office Building
(a)DesignationThe facility of the United States Postal Service located at 20805 State Route 125 in Blue Creek, Ohio, shall be known and designated as the George B. Lewis Post Office Building.
(b)ReferencesAny reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the George B. Lewis Post Office Building.
 Speaker of the House of Representatives.Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.


		I
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 183
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			January 5, 2011
			Mr. Wilson of South
			 Carolina introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Veterans’
			 Affairs

		A BILL
		To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out
		  a study on the acquisition of land adjacent to Beaufort National Cemetery,
		  Beaufort, South Carolina.

		1.Secretary of Veterans Affairs
			 study on the acquisition of land adjacent to Beaufort National Cemetery,
			 Beaufort, South Carolina
			(a)Study
			 requiredThe Secretary of
			 Veterans Affairs shall carry out a study on the acquisition, in accordance with
			 chapter 24 of title 38, United States Code, of the parcel of land described in
			 subsection (b) to be used for the expansion of the Beaufort National Cemetery
			 in Beaufort, South Carolina.
			(b)Parcel
			 describedThe parcel of land
			 described in this subsection is a parcel of land consisting of approximately
			 4.9 acres located on 17th Street in Beaufort, South Carolina, as depicted on
			 tax map number 120–1–238 dated May 4, 1998.
			(c)Contents of
			 studyIn carrying out the study under subsection (a), the
			 Secretary shall examine each of the following:
				(1)Any issues associated with the purchase of
			 the parcel of land described in subsection (b) by the Department of Veterans
			 Affairs, and the viable scenarios to support such a purchase.
				(2)The opportunities
			 for the acquisition of such parcel of land for the cemetery through a
			 public-private partnership.
				(3)The feasibility of
			 expanding the grant program under section 2408 of title 38, United States Code,
			 to include aid to municipalities like Beaufort, South Carolina, for
			 establishing, expanding, and improving veterans’ cemeteries.
				(4)The issues
			 associated with expanding an existing veterans’ cemetery under the state grant
			 program under such section 2408.
				(5)The costs,
			 feasibility, and benefits of a niche wall separating Beaufort National Cemetery
			 and the parcel described in subsection (b).
				(d)Report to
			 CongressNot later than 30
			 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
			 Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a).


110 HRES 674 IH: Expressing the unequivocal support of the

U.S. House of Representatives
2007-09-24
text/xml
EN
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		IV
		110th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. RES. 674
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 24, 2007
			Mr. Wexler (for
			 himself, Mr. Engel,
			 Mr. Cohen,
			 Mr. Burton of Indiana,
			 Mr. Linder,
			 Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, and
			 Mr. Renzi) submitted the following
			 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
			 Affairs

		RESOLUTION
		Expressing the unequivocal support of the
		  House of Representatives for Israel’s right to self defense in the face of an
		  imminent nuclear or military threat from Syria.

		Whereas on September 6, 2007, the Government of Israel
			 justifiably conducted covert military operations in Syria, bombing a suspected
			 nuclear facility;
		Whereas in 1981, Israeli Defense Forces attacked and
			 destroyed the nuclear reactor at Osirak, Iraq, preventing Saddam Hussein from
			 developing nuclear weapons;
		Whereas on September 6, 2007, it is reported that as many
			 as 8 Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck a Syrian nuclear weapons
			 facility;
		Whereas it has been reported that Syria is pursuing
			 nuclear capabilities in addition to its already dangerous biological and
			 chemical weapons programs;
		Whereas according to a 2004 unclassified Central
			 Intelligence Agency report on Syria, Pakistani investigators said that
			 they had confirmation of an IAEA allegation that A.Q. Khan offered nuclear
			 technology and hardware to Syria.;
		Whereas reports suggest that the Syrian Government is
			 working closely with the North Korean Government to develop a nuclear weapons
			 program;
		Whereas Andrew Semmel, acting Deputy Assistant Secretary
			 of State for Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy, said Syria may have had contacts
			 with secret suppliers to obtain nuclear equipment for a covert
			 program and that North Korean technicians are currently operating in
			 Syria;
		Whereas the United States military and intelligence
			 community have tracked several shipments of material they believe have left
			 North Korea and are destined for Syria that may contain high-grade metals that
			 could be used in weapons such as missiles or solid-fuel rocket
			 technology;
		Whereas it is reported that Syrian leaders have threatened
			 Israel claiming that Syria has a big surprise in store for Israel in
			 2007;
		Whereas over the past three decades, Syria has acquired a
			 deadly arsenal of chemical weapons and surface-to-surface missiles and has
			 reportedly conducted research and development in biological weapons;
		Whereas according to the Department of State, Syria has
			 missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel and may be seeking to place a
			 nuclear warhead on Scud-C missiles it possesses;
		Whereas the Government of Syria has disclosed that an
			 explosion occurred at a secret military facility in Aleppo in July 2007, while
			 attempting to weaponize a Scud-C missile with mustard gas, reportedly killing
			 15 people and injuring 50;
		Whereas Syria continues to provide logistical and
			 political assistance to the terrorist organization Hezbollah and is the main
			 conduit for the transfer of sophisticated rockets and other arms to Hezbollah
			 units in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701;
		Whereas Syria has been designated by the Department of
			 State as a sponsor of international terrorism; and
		Whereas the Government of Syria’s continued support for
			 international terrorist organizations and its possession of weapons of mass
			 destruction represent an imminent threat to the United States, Israel, and
			 United States allies in the Middle East: Now, therefore, be it

		That the House of Representatives—
			(1)expresses its unequivocal support for
			 Israel’s right to self defense in the face of an imminent nuclear or military
			 threat from Syria;
			(2)reaffirms
			 America’s unbreakable bond with Israel and pledges to continue to work with
			 Prime Minister Olmert and his government to ensure that Israel continues to
			 receive critical military and economic assistance needed to address the growing
			 security threat of Syria and Iran;
			(3)condemns the
			 Government of Syria for its continued support of terrorism and its illicit
			 chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons activities, including close
			 cooperation with the Government of North Korea;
			(4)condemns the
			 Government of North Korea for providing Syria with technology, expertise, and
			 materials to develop nuclear weapons;
			(5)condemns Syria and
			 Iran for continuing to provide military, logistical, and political support to
			 Hezbollah and Palestinian terrorist groups;
			(6)urges President
			 George W. Bush to condemn the Government of North Korea for providing Syria
			 with nuclear technology and expertise and to reexamine diplomatic discussions
			 with North Korean officials in light of nuclear cooperation between Damascus
			 and Pyongyang; and
			(7)urges President
			 Bush and his Administration to support strengthening United States sanctions
			 against Syria, including additional sanctions under the Syria Accountability
			 and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–175).


116 S3766 IS: Seeking Inspector General's Honest Testimony Act
U.S. Senate
2020-05-19
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II116th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 3766IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMay 19, 2020Mr. Tester introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsA BILLTo prohibit the President from blocking Inspectors General from reporting to Congress and to require a report to Congress if the Department of the Treasury or the White House does not provide timely access to records, documents, and other materials relating to the implementation and execution of the CARES Act, and for other purposes. 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Seeking Inspector General's Honest Testimony Act or the SIGHT Act.2.Compliance with access to records under the CARES Act(a)DefinitionsIn this section—(1)the term Committee means the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee established under section 15010 of division B of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116–136); (2)the term covered records means all records, documents, and other materials in the custody or possession of the Department or the White House, as applicable, relating to the implementation and execution of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116–136);(3)the term Department means the Department of the Treasury; and(4)the term Special Inspector General means the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery appointed under section 4018 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116–136).(b)Reporting requirementIf the Inspector General of the Department, the Committee, or the Special Inspector General determines that the Department or the White House has not complied with the requirement to provide timely access to covered records or has prevented or impeded the access of the Inspector General of the Department, the Committee, or the Special Inspector General to those covered records—(1)the Inspector General of the Department, the Committee, or the Special Inspector General, as applicable, shall submit to Congress a report on the noncompliance or lack of access not later than 5 days after the date on which the Department or the White House, as applicable, does not comply with the requirement or prevents such access; and(2)if the Department has not complied with the requirement or has prevented or impeded such access, there shall be rescinded from the Office of the Secretary of the Department any amounts appropriated to that Office for the fiscal year and deposited into the general fund of the Treasury until the Department complies with the requirement.3.Reporting on CARES Act(a)Definition of Inspector GeneralIn this section, the term Inspector General means—(1)an Inspector General of an establishment or a designated Federal entity (as defined in sections 12 and 8G of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.)), respectively; and(2)the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery established under section 4018 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116–136). (b)ProhibitionThe President shall not block or otherwise prevent an Inspector General from reporting to Congress on issues related to the implementation of the CARES Act (Public Law 116–136).


113 HR 4732 IH: Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2014
U.S. House of Representatives
2014-05-22
text/xml
EN
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I
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4732
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 22, 2014
Mr. Kilmer (for himself, Ms. Herrera Beutler, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Heck of Washington, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Peters of California, and Mr. Reichert) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

A BILL
To authorize Federal agencies to establish prize competitions for innovation or adaptation management development relating to ocean acidification.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2014.
2.HeadingSection 12404 of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3703) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(d)Prize competitions
(1)In GeneralAny Federal agency with a representative serving on the interagency working group established under this section may, either individually or in cooperation with one or more agencies, carry out a program to award prizes competitively under section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719).
(2)PurposesAny prize competition carried out under this subsection shall be for the purpose of stimulating innovation to advance our Nation’s ability to understand, research, or monitor ocean acidification or its impacts, or to develop management or adaptation options for responding to ocean acidification.
(3)Priority programsPriority shall be given to establish programs under this section that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the impacts of ocean acidification, including—
(A)the development of monitoring or management options for communities or industries that are experiencing significant financial hardship;
(B)the development of adaptation options to alleviate economic harm and job loss caused by ocean acidification;
(C)the development of measures to help vulnerable communities or industries, with an emphasis on rural communities and businesses; and
(D)the development of adaptation and management options for impacted shellfish industries..


110 HR 1732 IH: To provide alternative retired pay rates under title 10, United States Code, and alternative disability compensation rates under title 38, United States Code, for members of the Armed Forces with a combat-related disability, with such rates based on the average monthly salary for high school graduates in the United States, and for other purposes.
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-03-28
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I
110th CONGRESS 1st Session
H. R. 1732
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 28, 2007
Mr. Bartlett of Maryland (for himself, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Peterson of Minnesota, Mrs. Christensen, and Mr. Renzi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL
To provide alternative retired pay rates under title 10, United States Code, and alternative disability compensation rates under title 38, United States Code, for members of the Armed Forces with a combat-related disability, with such rates based on the average monthly salary for high school graduates in the United States, and for other purposes.

1.Alternative retired pay rates for members of the Armed Forces with a combat-related disability
(a)Alternative retired pay base for chapter 71 retired paySection 1401 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(c)Alternative retired pay base for members with a combat-related disability
(1)In the case of a member of the armed forces with a combat-related disability who is entitled to monthly retired pay computed using a formula specified in subsection (a), the Secretary concerned shall permit the member to elect to have used in that formula, in lieu of the retired pay base of the member computed under section 1406(b) or 1407 of this title, a retired pay base equal to $2,917, which represents the average monthly salary for high school graduates in the United States, as determined by the Census Bureau for 2006.
(2)The alternative retired pay base in effect under paragraph (1) for a calendar year shall be adjusted on December 1 of that year in the manner provided by section 1401a(b) of this title for use during the next calendar year.
(3)In this subsection, the term combat-related disability means a disability that is compensable under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and that—
 (A) is attributable to an injury for which the member was awarded the Purple Heart; or
 (B) was incurred (as determined under criteria prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of section 1413a of this title) as a direct result of armed conflict. .
(b)Alternative retired pay base for retired pay for non-Regular serviceSection 12739 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(e)
(1)In the case of a member of the armed forces with a combat-related disability who is entitled to monthly retired pay computed under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned shall permit the member to elect to have used in paragraph (1) of such subsection, in lieu of the retired pay base of the member computed under section 1406(b) or 1407 of this title, a retired pay base equal to $2,917, which represents the average monthly salary for high school graduates in the United States, as determined by the Census Bureau for 2006.
(2)The alternative retired pay base in effect under paragraph (1) for a calendar year shall be adjusted on December 1 of that year in the manner provided by section 1401a(b) of this title for use during the next calendar year.
(3)In this subsection, the term combat-related disability means a disability that is compensable under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and that—
 (A) is attributable to an injury for which the member was awarded the Purple Heart; or
 (B) was incurred (as determined under criteria prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of section 1413a of this title) as a direct result of armed conflict.  .
(c)Application of amendmentsThe amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to members of the Armed Forces who retired or whose names were placed on the temporary disability retired list after September 11, 2001, except that any recomputation of the retired pay for a member on account of such amendments who retired or whose name was placed on the temporary disability retired list before the date of the enactment of this Act shall be effective only for months beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
2.Alternative wartime disability compensation rates for certain veterans
(a)Alternative compensation base for chapter 11 wartime disability compensationSection 1114 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(t)
(1)In the case of a veteran—
(A)having a covered service-connected disability rated as total, the Secretary shall permit the veteran to elect to receive, in lieu of the monthly compensation rate in effect under subsection (j), a monthly compensation equal to $2,917, which represents the average monthly salary for high school graduates in the United States, as determined by the Census Bureau for 2006; and
(B)having a covered service-connected disability rated at a percentage other than total, the Secretary shall permit the veteran to elect to receive, in lieu of the monthly compensation rate in effect under subsections (a) through (i), as applicable, a monthly compensation equal to the amount that is the percentage of $2,917 that corresponds to the percentage of the service-connected disability rating of the veteran.
(2)For purposes of this subsection, the term covered service-connected disability means a service-connected disability that—
(A)is attributable to an injury for which the veteran was awarded the Purple Heart; or
(B)was incurred (as determined under criteria prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of section 1413a of title 10) as a direct result of armed conflict..
(b)Application of amendmentThe amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to veterans who became eligible to receive compensation under section 1110 of title 38, United States Code, after September 11, 2001, except that any recomputation of disability compensation for a veteran on account of such an amendment who so became eligible before the date of the enactment of this Act shall be effective only for months beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.


115 S2284 IS: BuyAmerican.gov Act of 2018
U.S. Senate
2018-01-09
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II115th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 2284IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJanuary 9, 2018Mr. Portman (for himself, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Brown) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsA BILLTo strengthen Buy American requirements, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the BuyAmerican.gov Act of 2018.
 2.DefinitionsIn this Act: (1)Buy American lawThe term Buy American Law means any law, regulation, Executive order, regulation, or rule relating to Federal contracts or grants that requires or provides a preference for the purchase or use of goods, products, or materials mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States, including—
 (A)chapter 83 of title 41, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Buy American Act); (B)section 5323(j) of title 49, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Buy America Act);
 (C)section 2533a of title 10, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Berry Amendment); (D)section 2533b of title 10, United States Code; and
 (E)section 604 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (6 U.S.C. 453b). (2)Executive agencyThe term executive agency has the meaning given the term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code.
 3.Sense of Congress on buying AmericanIt is the sense of Congress that— (1)every executive agency should maximize, through terms and conditions of Federal financial assistance awards and Federal procurements, the use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States and contracts for outsourced government service contracts to be performed by United States nationals; and
 (2)every executive agency should scrupulously monitor, enforce, and comply with Buy American Laws, to the extent they apply, and minimize the use of waivers.
			4.Report on Buy American compliance efforts
 (a)In generalNot later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the United States Trade Representative, the Secretary of State, and the heads of other executive agencies, shall submit to Congress and the President a report on the implementation of, and compliance with, Buy American laws.
 (b)ElementsThe report required under subsection (a) shall include the following elements: (1)An assessment of the monitoring of, enforcement of, implementation of, and compliance with Buy American Laws within each executive agency.
 (2)A listing of each waiver and exception used by an executive agency and an assessment of waivers by type and impact on domestic jobs and manufacturing.
 (3)Recommendations for policies for executive agencies to ensure that, to the extent permitted by law, Federal financial assistance awards and Federal contacts maximize the use of goods, products, and materials mined, produced, and manufactured in the United States, including manufactured products, components of manufactured products, and materials such as steel, iron, aluminum, and cement and services.
 (c)Agency reportsNot later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for two years, the head of each executive agency shall submit to the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a report on the implementation of, and compliance with, Buy American laws and covering with respect to that agency the elements set forth in subsection (b).
 (d)GuidanceNot later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Labor, the United States Trade Representative, and the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, shall issue guidance to executive agencies regarding how to make the required waiver assessments and develop the policies required under this section.
 5.Assessment of impact of free trade agreementsNot later than 150 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall assess the impacts of all United States free trade agreements and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement on the operation of Buy American Laws, including their impacts on the implementation of domestic procurement preferences.
		6.Judicious use of waivers
 (a)In generalTo the extent permitted by law, public interest waivers from Buy American Laws shall be construed to ensure the maximum utilization of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States.
 (b)Public interest waiver determinationsTo the extent permitted by law, determination of public interest waivers shall be made by the head of the agency with the authority over the Federal financial assistance award or Federal procurement under consideration.
 (c)Consideration of dumping and subsidiesTo the extent permitted by law, before granting a public interest waiver, the head of an executive agency shall take appropriate account of whether a significant portion of the cost advantage of a foreign-sourced product is the result of the use of dumped steel, iron, or manufactured goods, the use of subsidized steel, iron, or manufactured goods, or the use of steel, iron, or manufactured goods that have entered the United States in violation of United States customs laws and shall, as appropriate, integrate any findings into its waiver determination.
			7.Waiver transparency and streamlining through the establishment of BuyAmerican.gov website
 (a)In generalNot later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General Services shall establish an Internet website with the address BuyAmerican.gov that will be publicly available and free to access. The website shall include information on all waivers of and exceptions to Buy American laws that have been requested, are under consideration, or have been granted by executive agencies and be designed to enable manufacturers and other interested parties to easily identify waivers, and shall provide publicly available contact information for the contracting agencies.
 (b)Collection of informationThe President, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall develop a mechanism to collect information on requests to waive Buy American laws and other domestic content restrictions, utilizing existing reporting requirements whenever possible, for purposes of providing early notice to possible waivers via the website established under subsection (a). The heads of executive agencies shall report to the Administrator as quickly as possible waivers requested or under consideration and waivers granted due to the non-availability of procured items or service providers for purposes of posting such information on the website established under such subsection.
 (c)Waiver transparency and streamliningNot less than 20 days prior to waiving, under his or her statutory authority, any applicable Buy American Law, the head of an executive agency shall submit to the Administrator of General Services a copy of the request and information available to the executive agency concerning the request. Not later than 5 days after receiving this information from the head of an executive agency, the Administrator of General Services shall make available to the public, by posting on the website established under subsection (a), a copy of the request and information available to the executive agency concerning the request, and shall allow for informal public comment on the request for at least 15 days prior to making a finding based on the request.
			(d)Information available to the executive agency concerning the request
 (1)RequirementNo requested waiver of an applicable Buy American Law may be granted if, in contravention of subsection (c)—
 (A)the request was not made available to the public; (B)the information available to the executive agency concerning the request was not made available to the public; or
 (C)no opportunity for public comment concerning the request was granted. (2)ScopeInformation made available to the public under this section concerning the request shall properly and adequately document and justify the statutory basis cited for the requested waiver. Such information shall include—
 (A)a detailed justification for the use of goods, products, or materials mined, produced, or manufactured outside the United States;
 (B)for requests citing unreasonable cost as the statutory basis of the waiver, a comparison of the cost of the domestic product to the cost of the foreign product or a comparison of the overall cost of the project with domestic products to the overall cost of the project with foreign-origin products or services, pursuant to the requirements of the applicable Buy American law, except that publicly available cost comparison data may be provided in lieu of proprietary pricing information;
 (C)for requests citing availability, quantity, or quality as the statutory basis for the waiver, information from a reasonable number of domestic suppliers concerning a product’s availability, quantity, or quality, documentation of the procurement official’s or assistance recipient’s efforts to procure from domestic sources and relevant excerpts from project plans, specifications, and permits indicating the required quantity and quality of the relevant products;
 (D)for requests citing the public interest as the statutory basis for the waiver, a detailed written statement, which shall include all appropriate factors, such as potential obligations under international agreements, justifying why the requested waiver is in the public interest; and
 (E)a certification that the procurement official or assistance recipient made a good faith effort to solicit bids for domestic products supported by terms included in requests for proposals, contracts, and communications with the prime contractor.
 (e)Comptroller General reportNot later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report describing the implementation of this section, including recommendations for any legislation to improve the collection and reporting of information regarding waivers of and exceptions to Buy American laws.
			(f)Rules of construction
 (1)Disclosure requirementsNothing in this section shall be construed as preempting, superseding, or otherwise affecting the application of any disclosure requirement or requirements otherwise provided by law or regulation.
 (2)Establishment of successor information systemsNothing in this section shall be construed as preventing or otherwise limiting the ability of the Administrator of General Services to move the data required to be included on the website established under subsection (a) to a successor information system. Any such information system shall include a reference to BuyAmerican.gov.
 8.Consistency with international agreementsThis Act shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements.


117 S2155 IS: Preventing Election Subversion Act of 2021
U.S. Senate
2021-06-21
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II117th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 2155IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJune 21, 2021Mr. Warnock (for himself, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Ossoff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and AdministrationA BILLTo amend title 18, United States Code, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to provide increased protections for election workers and voters in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Preventing Election Subversion Act of 2021.2.Harassment of election officials prohibited(a)In generalChapter 29 of title 18, United 6 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:612.Harassment of election-related officials(a)Harassment of election workersIt shall be unlawful for any person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, to intimidate, threaten, coerce, harass, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, coerce or harass an election worker described in subsection (b) with intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with such official while engaged in the performance of official duties, or with intent to retaliate against such official on account of the performance of official duties.(b)Election worker describedAn election worker as described in this section is any individual who is an election official, poll worker, or an election volunteer in connection with an election for a Federal office.(c)PenaltyAny person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both..(b)Clerical amendmentThe table of sections for chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:612. Harassment of election-related officials..3.Protection of election workersParagraph (2) of section 119(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—(1)by striking or at the end of subparagraph (C);(2)by adding or at the end of subparagraph (D); and(3)by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:(E)any individual who is an election official, a poll worker, or an election volunteer in connection with an election for a Federal office;.4.Restrictions on removal of local election administrators in administration of elections for Federal office(a)FindingsCongress makes the following findings:(1)Congress has explicit and broad authority to regulate the time, place, and manner of Federal elections under the Elections Clause under article I, section 4, clause 1 of the Constitution, including by establishing standards for the fair, impartial, and uniform administration of Federal elections by State and local officials.(2)The Elections Clause was understood from the framing of the Constitution to contain words of great latitude, granting Congress broad power over Federal elections and a plenary right to preempt State regulation in this area. As made clear at the Constitutional Convention and the State ratification debates that followed, this grant of congressional authority was meant to insure free and fair elections, promote the uniform administration of Federal elections, and “preserve and restore to the people their equal and sacred rights of election.”.(3)In the founding debates on the Elections Clause, many delegates also argued that a broad grant of authority to Congress over Federal elections was necessary to check any abuses that might be made of the discretionary power to regulate the time, place, and manner of elections granted the States, including attempts at partisan entrenchment, malapportionment, and the exclusion of political minorities. As the Supreme Court has recognized, the Elections Clause empowers Congress to “protect the elections on which its existence depends,” Ex parte Yarbrough, 110 U.S. 651, 658 (1884), and protect the citizen in the exercise of rights conferred by the Constitution of the United States essential to the healthy organization of the government itself, id. at 666.(4)The Elections Clause grants Congress plenary and paramount jurisdiction over the whole subject of Federal elections, Ex parte Siebold, 100 U.S. 371, 388 (1879), allowing Congress to implement a complete code for congressional elections. Smiley v. Holm, 285 U.S. 355, 366 (1932). The Elections Clause, unlike, for example, the Commerce Clause, has been found to grant Congress the authority to compel States to alter their regulations as to Federal elections, id. at id. at 366–67, even if these alterations would impose additional costs on the States to execute or enforce. Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now v. Miller, 129 F.3d 833 (6th Cir. 1997).(5)The phrase manner of holding elections in the Elections Clause has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to authorize Congress to regulate all aspects of the Federal election process, including notices, registration, supervision of voting, protection of voters, prevention of fraud and corrupt practices, counting of votes, duties of inspectors and canvassers, and the making and publication of election returns. Smiley v. Holm, 285 U.S. 355, 366 (1932).(6)The Supreme Court has recognized the broad substantive scope of the Elections Clause and upheld Federal laws promulgated thereunder regulating redistricting, voter registration, campaign finance, primary elections, recounts, party affiliation rules, and balloting.(7)The authority of Congress under the Elections Clause also entails the power to ensure enforcement of its laws regulating Federal elections. [I]f Congress has the power to make regulations, it must have the power to enforce them. Ex parte Siebold, 100 U.S. 371, 387 (1879). The Supreme Court has noted that there can be no question that Congress may impose additional penalties for offenses committed by State officers in connection with Federal elections even if they differ from the penalties prescribed by State law for the same acts. Id. at 387–88.(8)The fair and impartial administration of Federal elections by State and local officials is central to the successful working of this government, Ex parte Yarbrough, 110 U.S. 651, 666 (1884), and to protect the act of voting . . . and the election itself from corruption or fraud, id. at 661–62.(9)The Elections Clause thus grants Congress the authority to ensure that the administration of Federal elections is free of political bias or discrimination and that election officials are insulated from political influence or other forms of coercion in discharging their duties in connection with Federal elections.(10)In some States, oversight of local election administrators has been allocated to State Election Boards, or special commissions formed by those boards, that are appointed by the prevailing political party in a State, as opposed to nonpartisan or elected office holders.(11)In certain newly enacted State policies, these appointed statewide election administrators have been granted wide latitude to suspend or remove local election administrators in cases where the statewide election administrators identify whatever the State deems to be a violation. There is no requirement that there be a finding of intent by the local election administrator to commit the violation.(12)Local election administrators across the country can be suspended or removed according to different standards, potentially exposing them to different political pressures or biases that could result in uneven administration of Federal elections.(13)The Elections Clause grants Congress the ultimate authority to ensure that oversight of State and local election administrators is fair and impartial in order to ensure equitable and uniform administration of Federal elections.(b)Restriction(1)Standard for removal of a local election administratorA statewide election administrator may only suspend, remove, or relieve the duties of a local election administrator in the State with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.(2)Private right of action(A)In generalAny local election administrator suspended, removed, or otherwise relieved of duties in violation of paragraph (1) with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office or against whom any proceeding for suspension, removal, or relief from duty in violation of paragraph (1) with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office may be pending, may bring an action in an appropriate district court of the United States for declaratory or injunctive relief with respect to the violation. Any such action shall name as the defendant the statewide election administrator responsible for the adverse action. The district court shall, to the extent practicable, expedite any such proceeding.(B)Statute of limitationsAny action brought under this subsection must be commenced not later than one year after the date of the suspension, removal, relief from duties, or commencement of the proceeding to remove, suspend, or relieve the duties of a local election administrator with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office.(3)Attorney’s feesIn any action or proceeding under this subsection, the court may allow a prevailing plaintiff, other than the United States, reasonable attorney’s fees as part of the costs, and may include expert fees as part of the attorney’s fee. The term prevailing plaintiff means a plaintiff that substantially prevails pursuant to a judicial or administrative judgment or order, or an enforceable written agreement.(4)Removal of State proceedings to Federal courtA local election administrator who is subject to an administrative or judicial proceeding for suspension, removal, or relief from duty by a statewide election administrator with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office may remove the proceeding to an appropriate district court of the United States. Any order remanding a case to the State court or agency from which it was removed under this subsection shall be reviewable by appeal or otherwise.(5)Right of United States to intervene(A)Notice to Attorney GeneralWhenever any administrative or judicial proceeding is brought to suspend, remove, or relieve the duties of any local election administrator by a statewide election administrator with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office, the statewide election administrator who initiated such proceeding shall deliver a copy of the pleadings instituting the proceeding to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. The local election administrator against whom such proceeding is brought may also deliver such pleadings to the Assistant Attorney General.(B)Right to interveneThe United States may intervene in any administrative or judicial proceeding brought to suspend, remove, or relieve the duties of any local election administrator by a statewide election administrator with respect to the administration of an election for Federal office and in any action initiated pursuant to paragraph (2) or in any removal pursuant to paragraph (4).(6)DefinitionsIn this section, the following definitions apply:(A)ElectionThe term election has the meaning given the term in section 301(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101(1)).(B)Federal officeThe term Federal office has the meaning given the term in section 301(3) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101(3)).(C)Local election administratorThe term local election administrator means, with respect to a local jurisdiction in a State, the individual or entity responsible for the administration of elections for Federal office in the local jurisdiction.(D)Statewide election administratorThe term Statewide election administrator means, with respect to a State, the individual or entity responsible for the administration of elections for Federal office in the State on a statewide basis.5.Protections for voters on Election Day(a)RequirementSubtitle A of title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 303 the following new section:303A.Voter protection requirements(a)Requirements for challenges by persons other than election officials(1)Requirements for challengesNo person, other than a State or local election official, shall submit a formal challenge to an individual’s eligibility to register to vote in an election for Federal office or to vote in an election for Federal office unless that challenge is supported by personal knowledge with respect to each individual challenged regarding the grounds for ineligibility which is—(A)documented in writing; and(B)subject to an oath or attestation under penalty of perjury that the challenger has a good faith factual basis to believe that the individual who is the subject of the challenge is ineligible to register to vote or vote in that election, except a challenge which is based on the age, race, ethnicity, or national origin of the individual who is the subject of the challenge may not be considered to have a good faith factual basis for purposes of this subparagraph.(2)Prohibition on challenges on or near date of electionNo person, other than a State or local election official, shall be permitted—(A)to challenge an individual’s eligibility to vote in an election for Federal office on any day on which the individual votes in person on grounds that could have been made in advance of such day, or(B)to challenge an individual’s eligibility to register to vote in an election for Federal office or to vote in an election for Federal office less than 10 days before the election unless the individual registered to vote less than 20 days before the election.(b)Buffer ruleA person who is serving as a poll observer with respect to an election for Federal office may not come within 8 feet of a voter or ballot at a polling location during any period of voting (including any period of early voting) in such election.(c)Effective dateThis section shall apply with respect to elections for Federal office occurring on and after January 1, 2022..(b)Conforming amendment relating to voluntary guidanceSection 311(b) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21101(b)) is amended—(1)by striking and at the end of paragraph (2);(2)by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and inserting ; and; and(3)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:(3)in the case of the recommendations with respect to section 303A, June 30, 2022..(c)Conforming amendment relating to enforcementSection 401 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21111) is amended by striking and 303 and inserting 303, and 303A.(d)Clerical amendmentThe table of contents of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 303 the following:Sec. 303A. Voter protection requirements..


113 HR 5664 IH: To amend the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to modify a high priority project in the State of California, and for other purposes.
U.S. House of Representatives
2014-09-18
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

		I
		113th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 5664
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 18, 2014
			Ms. Waters introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

		A BILL
		To amend the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to modify a high priority project in
			 the State of California, and for other purposes.

		1.Modification of high priority projectItem number 1454 of the table contained in section 1602 of the Transportation Equity Act for the
			 21st Century (112 Stat. 310) is amended by striking the project
			 description and inserting the following: Construct Imperial Highway street improvements or other street improvements designated by the City
			 of Inglewood.


115 HR 6570 IH: Maintaining Commitment on the Korean Peninsula Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2018-07-26
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I115th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 6570IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 26, 2018Mr. Bera introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Permanent Select Committee on IntelligenceA BILLTo direct the Director of National Intelligence to submit to Congress a report on the anticipated
			 impact of altering the United States Force posture on the Korean
			 peninsula.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Maintaining Commitment on the Korean Peninsula Act. 2.Report on altering United States force posture on the Korean peninsula (a)In generalNot later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the anticipated diplomatic, military, and intelligence impact of a significant reduction or complete withdrawal of United States forces from the Republic of Korea (South Korea), or the significant reduction or permanent suspension of United States exercises on or around the Korean peninsula.
 (b)ContentThe report required by subsection (a) shall include each of the following: (1)The views of the Governments of Japan, South Korea, and other regional allies and partners regarding the significant reduction or complete withdrawal of United States forces or permanent suspension of exercises.
 (2)The impact that a significant force reduction or permanent suspension of exercises would have on the transition of operational control of United States forces on the Korean peninsula.
 (3)The impact, implications, and resultant shortfalls that a significant reduction or complete withdrawal of United States forces or the significant reduction or permanent suspension of exercises would have in countering non-North Korean actors in northeast Asia, including in the areas of economics, diplomacy, and defense.
 (4)The implications to the long-term security architecture in East Asia of a significant reduction or complete withdrawal of United States forces or a significant reduction or permanent suspension of exercises.
 (5)The implications for United States and allied capabilities to deter and defeat North Korean aggression in cyber, conventional, chemical, and biological warfare of such a significant reduction or complete withdrawal of United States force or a significant reduction or permanent suspension of exercises.
 (c)Appropriate committees of CongressIn this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.


		IA
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. J. RES. 6
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			January 5, 2011
			Ms. Kaptur introduced
			 the following joint resolution; which was referred to the
			 Committee on the
			 Judiciary

		JOINT RESOLUTION
		Proposing an amendment to the Constitution
		  of the United States waiving the application of the first article of amendment
		  to the political speech of corporations and other business organizations with
		  respect to the disbursement of funds in connection with public elections and
		  granting Congress and the States the power to establish limits on contributions
		  and expenditures in elections for public office.

		That the following article is
			 proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall
			 be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified
			 by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years
			 after the date of its submission for ratification:

				 —
					1.The first article of amendment does not
				apply to the political speech of any corporation, partnership, business trust,
				association, or other business organization with respect to the making of
				contributions, expenditures, or other disbursements of funds in connection with
				public elections.
					2.Congress shall have power to set limits on
				the amount of contributions that may be accepted by, and the amount of
				expenditures that may be made by, in support of, or in opposition to, a
				candidate for nomination for election to, or for election to, Federal
				office.
					3.A State shall have power to set limits on
				the amount of contributions that may be accepted by, and the amount of
				expenditures that may be made by, in support of, or in opposition to, a
				candidate for nomination for election to, or for election to, State or local
				office.
					4.Congress shall have power to implement and
				enforce this article by appropriate
				legislation.
					.