115 HRES 38 IH: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that offices attached to the seat of Government should not be required to exercise their offices in the District of Columbia.
U.S. House of Representatives
2017-01-10
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.

IV115th CONGRESS1st SessionH. RES. 38IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJanuary 10, 2017Mr. Chaffetz submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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 concernedRESOLUTIONExpressing the sense of the House of Representatives that offices attached to the seat of
			 Government should not be required to exercise their offices in the
			 District of Columbia.

 Whereas section 72 of title 4, United States Code, requires all offices attached to the seat of Government to be exercised in the District of Columbia;
 Whereas with the development of modern communication technologies and the increased ease of travel, Federal agencies are able to perform their duties from areas outside the District of Columbia;
 Whereas based on the information collected by the 2010 United States Census, there is a correlation between the centralization of Federal agencies in the District of Columbia and the median income of the metropolitan area of the District of Columbia, which is higher than the median income of the United States;
 Whereas Federal agencies employ thousands of individuals and provide jobs and economic benefits to the areas in which the agencies are located;
 Whereas the focus of many Federal agencies involves industries located in areas across the United States and outside the District of Columbia; and
 Whereas the impact of regulations can be perceived more easily by those individuals who are proximate to the affected industries: Now, therefore, be it

 That the House of Representatives— (1)recognizes that it is no longer necessary for all Federal agencies to be located in the District of Columbia;
 (2)determines that Executive agencies, as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, and military departments, as defined in section 102 of such title, should be relocated outside the District of Columbia; and
 (3)calls on the head of each Executive agency and military department to recommend appropriate alternate locations throughout the United States to which their respective agency or military department can be relocated.


109 HR 4502 IH: Family Farm and Agricultural Definitions Restoration Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2005-12-13
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.

I
109th CONGRESS 1st Session
H. R. 4502
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 13, 2005
Mr. Norwood (for himself, Mr. Davis of Tennessee, and Mr. Graves) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

A BILL
To amend the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act to provide an exemption for workers who work year-round and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Family Farm and Agricultural Definitions Restoration Act.
2.Applicability of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act
(a)Family business exemptionSection 4(a)(1) of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (29 U.S.C. 1803(a)(1)) is amended by inserting before the period the following: , such individual’s employees choose to work for another person in addition to their work for that individual, such individual used a State employment service agency to obtain employees, or such individual obtained referrals for employment from the other migrant or seasonal agricultural workers.
(b)Year-Round employmentSection 3 of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (29 U.S.C. 1802) is amended—
(1)in paragraph (8)(B)—
(A)in clause (i), by striking or at the end;
(B)in clause (ii), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and
(C)by adding at the end the following:

(iii)any individual who is employed by a specific agricultural employer or association on a year-round basis.;
(2)in paragraph (10)(B)—
(A)in clause (ii), by striking or at the end;
(B)in clause (iii), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and
(C)by adding at the end the following:

(iv)any individual who is employed by a specific agricultural employer or association on a year-round basis..
(c)Carpool arrangementsSection 3(6) of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (29 U.S.C. 1802(6)) is amended by inserting at the end the following: Such term does not include a migrant or seasonal agricultural worker who voluntarily enters into carpool arrangements or who is directed or requested to do so by a person pursuant to Federal, State, or local law..


		I
		111th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 2176
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			April 29, 2009
			Mr. Pomeroy (for
			 himself, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, and
			 Mrs. Capps) introduced the following
			 bill; which was referred to the Committee
			 on Ways and Means

		A BILL
		To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to
		  continue the ability of hospitals to supply a needed workforce of nurses and
		  allied health professionals by preserving funding for hospital operated nursing
		  and allied health education programs.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Nursing and Allied Health Education
			 Preservation Act of 2009.
		2.Preservation of
			 provider operated nursing and allied health education programs
			(a)In
			 generalSection 1861(v) of
			 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(v)) is amended by adding at the end
			 the following new paragraph:

					(9)Preservation of provider-operated
				nursing and allied health education programs
						(A)In generalThe Secretary shall not deny
				provider-operated status for a nursing and allied health education program that
				substantially meets requirements in effect under paragraphs (e) and (f) of
				section 413.85 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, as of October 1, 2006,
				on the basis of an organizational structure, contractual arrangements, or legal
				structure of the program, or a change in such a structure or arrangement, such
				as those described in subparagraph (B), so long as a hospital, hospitals, or
				health system continues to substantially control the nursing or allied health
				program.
						(B)Examples of arrangements and
				structuresThe following are examples of an organizational
				structure, contractual arrangement, legal structure, or a change in such a
				structure or arrangement, referred to in subparagraph (A) of a
				provider-operated program:
							(i)The students enrolled in the
				program are concurrently enrolled in a college, community college, or
				university or receive degrees, diplomas, or other certificates or credentials
				upon graduation from both the nursing or allied health education and the
				college, community college, or university.
							(ii)The program enters into an
				agreement with a third party to provide classroom, administrative, or financial
				services if the contract is related to the nursing or allied health education
				activity and the hospital or other provider retains the authority to modify,
				amend, rescind, or renew the agreement.
							(iii)The program fails to comply with
				regulations or requirements promulgated for such a program because such
				compliance would result in direct conflict with requirements—
								(I)of the State Board of Nursing or other
				regulatory agency in the State in which the program is located; or
								(II)of a national nursing or allied health
				accreditation body or a regional, institutional accrediting body that is
				recognized by the Department of Education or such a State Board or regulatory
				agency.
								(iv)The program which is offered by a
				for profit college or university is wholly owned by a hospital or health
				system, or by a nonprofit college or university that is operated by a hospital
				or health system, and collectively the college or university and the hospital
				or health system meets all the requirements in effect under paragraphs (e) and
				(f) of section 413.85 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations.
							(v)The nursing or allied health
				education program is operated by one or more hospitals, or a health system or
				chain organization, or any combination of a hospital or hospitals and providers
				or entities whose principal business is providing hospital services.
							(C)Limitation on payment
				denialsThe Secretary—
							(i)shall not recoup, withhold, offset,
				disallow, or deny reasonable cost, pass-through payment for the costs of
				approved educational activities for a nursing or allied health education
				program described in subparagraph (A) on a ground for which a denial of
				provider-operated status is not permitted under such subparagraph;
							(ii)shall not reopen any cost
				reporting year of any hospital for the purpose of effecting any recoupment or
				other denial of payment described in clause (i) and shall withdraw and
				discontinue any such reopening effected before the date of the enactment of
				this paragraph; and
							(iii)shall restore to a hospital any such
				recoupment or denial effected for a previous cost reporting year by not later
				than the hospital’s cost reporting year beginning after such date of
				enactment.
							(D)ConstructionThis paragraph shall not affect
				payment—
							(i)with respect to a provider-operated
				program which is in compliance with regulations and guidance issued as of the
				date of the enactment of this paragraph; or
							(ii)to a hospital or provider with
				respect to reasonable cost, pass-through reimbursement pursuant to section
				4004(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–508;
				104 Stat.
				1388–39).
							.


117 HR 735 IH: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 502 East Cotati Avenue in Cotati, California, as the “Arthur Luis Ibleto Post Office Building”.
U.S. House of Representatives
2021-02-02
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.

I117th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 735IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 2, 2021Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Bera, Mr. McNerney, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Swalwell, Mr. Costa, Ms. Chu, Mr. Cárdenas, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Sánchez, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Takano, Ms. Porter, and Mr. Lowenthal) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and ReformA BILLTo designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 502 East Cotati Avenue in Cotati, California, as the Arthur Luis Ibleto Post Office Building.1.Arthur Luis Ibleto Post Office Building(a)DesignationThe facility of the United States Postal Service located at 502 East Cotati Avenue in Cotati, California, shall be known and designated as the Arthur Luis Ibleto 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 Arthur Luis Ibleto Post Office Building.


116 S2298 IS: Restore Environmental Sustainability To Our Renewable Energy Act
U.S. Senate
2019-07-25
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 CONGRESS1st SessionS. 2298IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJuly 25, 2019Mr. Toomey (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public WorksA BILLTo amend the Clean Air Act to eliminate the corn ethanol mandate for renewable fuel.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Restore Environmental Sustainability To Our Renewable Energy Act or the RESTORE Act. 2.Elimination of corn ethanol mandate for renewable fuel (a)Removal of tableSection 211(o)(2)(B)(i) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(2)(B)(i)) is amended by striking subclause (I).
			(b)Conforming
 amendmentsSection 211(o)(2)(B) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(2)(B)) is amended—
 (1)in clause (i)—
 (A)by redesignating subclauses (II) through (IV) as subclauses (I) through (III), respectively;
 (B)in subclause (I) (as so redesignated), by striking of the volume of renewable fuel required under subclause (I),; and
 (C)in subclauses (II) and (III) (as so redesignated), by striking subclause (II) each place it appears and inserting subclause (I); and
 (2)in clause (v), by striking clause (i)(IV) and inserting clause (i)(III).
 (c)AdministrationNothing in this section or the amendments made by this section affects the volumes of advanced biofuel, cellulosic biofuel, or biomass-based diesel that are required under section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)).


117 S992 IS: Help Students Vote Act
U.S. Senate
2021-03-25
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. 992IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMarch 25, 2021Mr. Booker (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Brown, and Ms. Hirono) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsA BILLTo amend title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education that participate in programs under such title to distribute voter registration forms to students enrolled at the institution, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Help Students Vote Act.2.Sense of CongressIt is the sense of Congress that political participation and civic engagement are fundamental to the health of American democracy, and that all citizens should be encouraged to vote, regardless of party affiliation.3.Distributing voter registration informationSection 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)) is amended to read as follows:(23)(A)The institution will make every reasonable effort to—(i)distribute voter registration applications for elections for Federal office prescribed pursuant to section 9 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20508), which may include sharing a direct, guided link to such application, to each student enrolled at the institution;(ii)provide clear guidance that each student enrolled at the institution should—(I)register in the State in which the student is eligible to vote in the next election if registration is required, which may include the ability of out of State students to vote in the State in which they are enrolled and physically in attendance, in accordance with applicable State law; and(II)update the student’s existing voter registration if the student’s address has changed recently or since the last election in which the student was eligible to vote;(iii)periodically share credible, nonpartisan resources to help students determine where and how they are eligible to vote, which may include resources from State and local election officials on voter registration and voting requirements, including voter registration deadlines, residency requirements, voter identification requirements, and absentee voting options, as applicable; and (iv)in distributing voting materials (as defined in section 203(b)(3) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10503(b)(3)) that are produced by a covered State or political subdivision (as defined in such section), ensure to the greatest extent practicable that—(I)such voting materials are provided in accordance with section 203 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10503); and(II)all materials and information made available electronically under this paragraph—(aa)are accessible to individuals with disabilities; and(bb)conform to the accessibility standards under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d).(B)The institution shall be considered in compliance with the requirements of subparagraph (A)—(i)if, with respect to each student enrolled who is not exclusively enrolled in distance education at the institution, the institution—(I)(aa)distributes voter registration applications to such students not less than twice in a calendar year, and distributes such voter registration applications not less than 30 days in advance of the deadline for registering to vote within the State for the next scheduled Federal or State primary election and not less than 30 days in advance of the deadline for registering to vote within the State for the next scheduled Federal or State general or special election; or(bb)electronically transmits a message to such students containing a voter registration application (or the message contains an Internet address where such a voter registration application can be accessed or downloaded) acceptable for use in the State in which the institution is located to each such student, and such electronic message is devoted exclusively to voter registration, not less than twice in a calendar year, and transmits such a message not less than 30 days in advance of the deadline for registering to vote within the State for the next scheduled Federal or State primary election and not less than 30 days in advance of the deadline for registering to vote within the State for the next scheduled Federal or State general or special election; (II)during a period that the institution requires or encourages students to remain off-campus due to a national, State, or local public health or other emergency, additionally—(aa)requests that the State in which the institution is located provide the institution with absentee ballot applications, as applicable, or share the official State website or online portal through which eligible voters can directly request an absentee ballot;(bb)distributes to each such student an absentee ballot application, requested from the State under item (aa) and received in accordance with section 303(d) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083(d)) or the official State website or online portal through which eligible voters can directly request an absentee ballot, with instructions that the form, website, or online portal should be used only by students eligible to vote in the State;(cc)notifies students of applicable deadlines for requesting and submitting an absentee ballot, as well as additional options for early and in-person voting, and voting on Election Day, as applicable; and(dd)shares credible, nonpartisan resources to help students who are registered in another State to apply for absentee ballots in such State, which may include resources from State and local election officials; and(III)ensures that an appropriate staff person or office has been designated as a Campus Vote Coordinator to ensure compliance in accordance with this clause at the institution and who shall—(aa)be publicly designated as the Campus Vote Coordinator, along with the Coordinator’s contact information, on the institution’s website; and(bb)upon request, provide to students residency requirements for voting, including the ability of out of State students to vote in the State in which they are enrolled and physically in attendance, in accordance with applicable State law; and(ii)if, with respect to each student enrolled exclusively in distance education or correspondence programs, the institution—(I)transmits a message devoted exclusively to voter registration referring such students to a centralized voter registration website or platform that provides applicable voter registration application and voting information for all States, provided that such platform is hosted by a government affiliated website; (II)transmits such message not less than twice in a calendar year; and(III)maintains information on the institution’s website containing credible, nonpartisan resources to help students determine where and how they are eligible to vote, or a link to such resources.(C)The institution may also include voter registration applications within materials or information distributed to newly enrolled, or returning, students at the beginning of a term, consistent with the requirements of subparagraph (B).(D)In this paragraph—(i)the term absentee ballot means any ballot cast by any means other than in person and for which the State requires an application;(ii)the term distance education has the meaning given the term in section 103, except such term shall not include distance education that is provided due to a decision of an institution to require or encourage students of the institution to remain off-campus due to a national, State, or local public health or other emergency;(iii)the 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)); and(iv)the term voter registration application has the meaning of the term mail voter registration form as described in section 9(b) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20508(b))..4.Grants authorizedThe Secretary of Education shall award grants to institutions of higher education that greatly exceed the minimum requirements under section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)), including as demonstrated by—(1)sponsoring large on-campus voter mobilization efforts;(2)engaging the surrounding community in nonpartisan voter registration and get out the vote efforts;(3)creating a website with centralized information about voter registration and election dates;(4)inviting candidates to speak on campus; and(5)offering rides to the polls to increase voter education, registration, and mobilization.5.Enforcement actions(a)Corrective action(1)In generalThe Secretary of Education shall submit a written warning to an institution of higher education that violates a requirement of section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)) that includes a direction to correct the violation not later than 60 days after the date the warning was received.(2)Actions authorizedIf an institution of higher education does not correct a violation in accordance with a direction from the Secretary of Education as described in paragraph (1), the Attorney General of the United States may authorize the appropriate State law enforcement officer or the chief elections official of a State to commence a civil action in accordance with subsection (b).(b)Civil actions(1)In generalA State law enforcement officer or chief elections official of a State may commence a civil action in accordance with subsection (a) in the appropriate district court of the United States against the institution that engages in a pattern or practice of violating section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)).(2)ReliefIn a civil action commenced under paragraph (1), the court may—(A)grant any appropriate equitable or declaratory relief with respect to the violation of section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23));(B)award all other appropriate relief to any person or group aggrieved by the violation;(C)to vindicate the public interest, assess a civil penalty in an amount not exceeding the amount listed in section 487(c)(3)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(c)(3)(B)) for any violation; and(D)take into account the number of days in which the infraction occurred.(3)InterventionUpon timely application, a person aggrieved by a violation of section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)) with respect to which a civil action is commenced under this subsection may intervene in such action, and may obtain such appropriate relief as the person could obtain in a civil action under subsection (c) with respect to such violation, along with costs and reasonable attorneys fees.(c)Private right of action(1)In generalAny person or group aggrieved by a violation of section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)) may commence a civil action in any appropriate district court of the United States against the institution that engages in such violation.(2)ReliefIn a civil action commenced under paragraph (1), the court may—(A)grant any appropriate equitable or declaratory relief with respect to the violation of section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23));(B)award any other appropriate relief to the person or group aggrieved by the violation, including the costs of the action, such as reasonable attorneys fees;(C)to vindicate the public interest, assess a civil penalty in an amount not exceeding the amount listed in section 487(c)(3)(B) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(c)(3)(B)) for any violation; and(D)take into account the number of days in which the infraction occurred.(3)ReportingNot later than 60 days before the date a person or group aggrieved by a violation of section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)) commences a civil action under paragraph (1), the person or group shall report the violation to the Department of Education, a Federal or State law enforcement agency, and the institution purported to have committed the violation via an affidavit detailing the alleged violation.(4)Preservation of remediesNothing in this section shall be construed to preclude or limit any remedy otherwise available under other law, including consequential and punitive damages.6.Conforming amendments to Help America Vote ActSection 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083) is amended—(1)in the section heading, by inserting ; provision of forms to institutions of higher education after by mail;(2)by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e);(3)by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection:(d)Provision of absentee ballot application forms to institutions of higher educationEach State shall provide the voter registration and absentee ballot application forms or access to electronic versions of such forms to each institution of higher education for the purposes described in section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(23)).; and(4)in subsection (e), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:(3)Requirement to provide voter registration and absentee ballot application forms to institutions of higher educationEach State and jurisdiction shall be required to comply with the requirements of subsection (d) no later than 30 days after the date of enactment of the Help Students Vote Act..7.Grants for federal work-study programsSection 443(b)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087–53(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows:(2)provide that funds granted an institution of higher education, pursuant to this section, may be used only to make payments to students participating in work-study programs, except that—(A)for fiscal year 2022 and succeeding fiscal years, an institution shall use at least 25 percent of the total amount of funds granted to such institution under this section for such fiscal year to compensate students employed in community service and civic engagement activities, such as voter registration, non-partisan voter engagement, and voter participation work, and shall ensure that not less than 1 tutoring or family literacy project (as described in subsection (d)) is included in meeting the requirement of this subparagraph, except that the Secretary may waive this subparagraph if the Secretary determines that enforcing this subparagraph would cause hardship for students at the institution; and(B)an institution may use a portion of the sums granted to it to meet administrative expenses in accordance with section 489 of this Act, may use a portion of the sums granted to it to meet the cost of a job location and development program in accordance with section 446 of this part, and may transfer funds in accordance with the provisions of section 488 of this Act;.


		I
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 257
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			January 7, 2011
			Mr. Serrano
			 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Ways and
			 Means, and in addition to the Committee on
			 Education and the
			 Workforce, 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 amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow
		  taxpayers to designate income tax overpayments as contributions to the United
		  States Library Trust Fund.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 United States Library Trust Fund
			 Act.
		2.United States
			 Library Trust Fund
			(a)Designation of
			 overpayments as contributions to United States Library Trust
			 FundSubchapter A of chapter 61 of the Internal Revenue Code of
			 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new part:

					IXDesignation of
				overpayments as contributions to United States Library Trust Fund

							Sec. 6097. Designation.

						6097.Designation
							(a)In
				generalEvery taxpayer who
				makes a return of the tax imposed by subtitle A for any taxable year may
				designate that a specified portion (not less than $1) of the amount of any
				overpayment of tax for such taxable year shall be paid over to the United
				States Library Trust Fund in accordance with the provisions of section
				9512.
							(b)Manner and time
				of designationA designation under subsection (a) may be made
				with respect to any taxable year—
								(1)at the time of
				filing the return of the tax imposed by chapter 1 for such taxable year,
				or
								(2)at any other time
				(after the time of filing the return of the tax imposed by chapter 1 for such
				taxable year) specified in regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
								Such
				designation shall be made in such manner as the Secretary prescribes by
				regulations except that such designation shall be made either on the first page
				of the return or on the page bearing the taxpayer’s signature.(c)Overpayments
				treated as refundedFor purposes of this title, any portion of an
				overpayment of tax designated under subsection (a) shall be treated as being
				refunded to the taxpayer as of the last date prescribed for filing the return
				of tax imposed by chapter 1 (determined without regard to
				extensions).
							.
			(b)Creation of
			 trust fundSubchapter A of chapter 98 of such Code is amended by
			 adding at the end the following new section:

					9512.United States
				Library Trust Fund
						(a)Creation of
				trust fundThere is established in the Treasury of the United
				States a trust fund to be known as the United States Library Trust
				Fund, consisting of such amounts as may be credited or paid to such
				trust fund as provided in section 6097.
						(b)Transfers to
				trust fundThere are hereby
				appropriated to the United States Library Trust Fund amounts equivalent to the
				amounts of the overpayments of tax to which designations under section 6097
				apply.
						(c)Expenditures
				from trust fundAmounts in the United States Library Trust Fund
				shall be available, as provided in appropriation Acts, only for purposes of
				making expenditures to carry out section 3 of the
				United States Library Trust Fund
				Act.
						.
			(c)Clerical
			 amendments
				(1)The table of parts
			 for subchapter A of chapter 61 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the
			 following new item:

							Part IX.—Designation of overpayments as contributions to United
				States Library Trust
				Fund

						.
				(2)The table of
			 sections for subchapter A of chapter 98 of such Code is amended by adding at
			 the end the following new item:

							Sec. 9512. United States Library Trust
				Fund.

						.
				(d)Effective
			 dateThe amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable
			 years ending after the date of the enactment of this Act.
			3.Grants to
			 libraries
			(a)Eligibility of
			 public libraries and public school librariesA public library or
			 public school library is eligible to receive a grant under this section from
			 the United States Library Trust Fund established pursuant to section 9512 of
			 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for any fiscal year by submitting an
			 application to the Office of Library Services that includes—
				(1)certification that
			 the library does not have the financial resources available to purchase new
			 books or collections;
				(2)assurances that
			 funds received under this section will be used only to purchase materials for
			 the library;
				(3)assurances that
			 funds received under this section will be used to supplement, not supplant,
			 other funds received by such library; and
				(4)an agreement to
			 make available any financial records that the Office of Library Services may
			 need for audit purposes.
				(b)Grant
			 selectionThe Office of Library Services shall select the number
			 of grant awards made under this section and the amount of each such award based
			 upon economic need in accordance with regulations published by the
			 Office.


114 HR 3073 IH: Sanctuary City All Funding Elimination Act of 2015
U.S. House of Representatives
2015-07-15
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
		114th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 3073
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			July 15, 2015
			Mr. DesJarlais introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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 prohibit the receipt of Federal financial assistance by sanctuary cities, and for other
			 purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Sanctuary City All Funding Elimination Act of 2015 or the SAFE Act of 2015. 2.No Federal financial assistance for sanctuary citiesAny State or local government that is not in compliance with section 642 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1373) may not receive any Federal financial assistance (as such term is defined in section 7501(a)(5) of title 31, United States Code) until the State or local government has produced a comprehensive plan to come back into compliance with such section 642.


114 S366 IS: Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act
U.S. Senate
2015-02-04
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II114th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 366IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 4, 2015Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Udall, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Durbin, Mr. King, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms. Warren, Mr. Donnelly, Mr. Brown, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Franken, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Peters, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Ayotte, Ms. Collins, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Scott, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Daines) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and AdministrationA BILLTo require Senate candidates to file designations, statements, and reports in electronic form.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act.
		2.Filing by Senate
 candidates with CommissionSection 302(g) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30102(g)) is amended to read as follows:

				(g)Filing with the
 commissionAll designations, statements, and reports required to be filed under this Act shall be filed with the Commission..


114 HR 544 IH: Slain Officer Family Support Act of 2015
U.S. House of Representatives
2015-01-27
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
		114th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 544
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			January 27, 2015
			Mr. Jeffries (for himself and Mr. King of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

		A BILL
		To accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of the
			 families of New York Police Department Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael
			 Ramos, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Slain Officer Family Support Act of 2015. 2.Acceleration of income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for relief of the families of New York Police Department Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos (a)In generalFor purposes of section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 a taxpayer may treat any contribution described in subsection (b) made between January 1, 2015, and April 15, 2015, as if such contribution was made on December 31, 2014, and not in 2015.
 (b)Contribution describedA contribution is described in this subsection if such contribution is a cash contribution made for the relief of the families of slain New York Police Department Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, for which a charitable contribution deduction is allowable under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
 (c)RecordkeepingIn the case of a contribution described in subsection (b), a telephone bill showing the name of the donee organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution shall be treated as meeting the recordkeeping requirements of section 170(f)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
 (d)Clarification that contribution will not fail To qualify as a charitable contributionA cash contribution made for the relief of the families of slain New York Police Department Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos shall not fail to be treated as a charitable contribution for purposes of section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and subsection (b) of this section merely because such contribution is for the exclusive benefit of such families. The preceding sentence shall apply to contributions made on or after December 20, 2014.


110 HCON 413 IH: Expressing the sense of Congress on the

U.S. House of Representatives
2008-09-15
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		IV
		110th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. CON. RES. 413
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 15, 2008
			Ms. Lee (for herself,
			 Ms. Waters,
			 Mr. Waxman, and
			 Mrs. Christensen) submitted the
			 following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Energy and
			 Commerce

		CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
		Expressing the sense of Congress on the
		  need for a national AIDS strategy.

		Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
			 estimate that more than 1,000,000 people are currently living with HIV in the
			 United States;
		Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
			 estimate that 56,300 individuals were newly infected with HIV in 2006;
		Whereas approximately 25 percent of individuals with HIV
			 are unaware that they are infected;
		Whereas the estimate by the Centers for Disease Control
			 and Prevention utilizes a new methodology that has resulted in more accurate
			 estimates of new infections than the previous methodology;
		Whereas previous estimates of HIV infection rates
			 undercounted the rate of infection by 40 percent;
		Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
			 have determined that the leading transmission category of HIV infection is
			 male-to-male sexual contact, followed by heterosexual contact and injection
			 drug use;
		Whereas the 2000 United States Census noted that
			 African-Americans account for approximately 13 percent of the population of the
			 United States, but in 2006 African-Americans accounted for 45 percent of new
			 HIV infections;
		Whereas, of the estimated 18,849 people under the age of
			 25 who were diagnosed with HIV between 2001 and 2005, more than 60 percent were
			 African-American;
		Whereas the rate of AIDS diagnoses for African-American
			 adults and adolescents is 10 times higher than that of their White counterparts
			 and the rate of diagnoses for Black women is nearly 23 times the rate for White
			 women;
		Whereas, in 2006, Black women accounted for 61 percent of
			 new HIV infections among women and had an infection rate that was almost 15
			 times higher than that of White women;
		Whereas AIDS is the leading cause of death for Black women
			 between the ages of 25 and 34;
		Whereas the Black AIDS Institute notes that there are more
			 African-Americans living with HIV in the United States than there are people
			 living with HIV in 7 out of the 15 focus countries served by the President’s
			 Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief;
		Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
			 note that socioeconomic issues impact the rates of HIV infection among Blacks,
			 and studies have found an association between higher AIDS incidence and lower
			 incomes;
		Whereas, in 2006, Hispanics accounted for 18 percent of
			 new HIV/AIDS diagnoses, but account for approximately 15 percent of the overall
			 population, according to the Bureau of the Census;
		Whereas, in 2005, HIV/AIDS was the fourth leading cause of
			 death among Hispanic men and women between the ages of 35 and 44;
		Whereas, in 2006, Hispanic women were 5 times more likely
			 to have AIDS than non-Hispanic White women;
		Whereas, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation,
			 funding for domestic HIV prevention programs was decreased by more than
			 $40,000,000 in the 5-year period beginning with fiscal year 2003 and ending
			 with fiscal year 2008, despite the evidence that HIV infections continue to
			 increase in at-risk communities;
		Whereas, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the
			 President’s fiscal year 2009 budget requests a decrease of $15,700,000 for the
			 Minority AIDS Initiative, despite the fact that HIV has a disproportionate
			 impact on African-Americans and other racial and ethnic minority
			 populations;
		Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are
			 engaging in outreach programs to increase HIV testing in jurisdictions with the
			 highest AIDS case rates among African-Americans, and those outreach programs
			 are expected to identify approximately 20,000 previously undiagnosed
			 cases;
		Whereas, despite those efforts, the Centers for Disease
			 Control and Prevention have noted that new strategies are warranted to
			 increase HIV testing, particularly among persons who are disproportionately
			 affected by HIV infection;
		Whereas the United States must do more to address the
			 disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS in minority communities;
		Whereas the United States needs to address the stigma
			 faced by individuals living with HIV and AIDS and help communities have an open
			 discussion about HIV and the behaviors that contribute to increased
			 transmission rates;
		Whereas the United States needs to ensure that prevention
			 efforts are founded on a base of scientific evidence and reinforce
			 interventions that have proven successful;
		Whereas the United States must do more to provide
			 education and testing in the communities most at risk;
		Whereas the United States needs to involve individuals
			 living with HIV and AIDS in the development of policies and programs regarding
			 prevention and treatment; and
		Whereas the United States needs to develop a comprehensive
			 national AIDS strategy that will unite efforts to prevent new HIV infections,
			 treat HIV and AIDS, reduce stigma, and increase education about HIV and
			 associated conditions: Now, therefore, be it

		That Congress—
			(1)calls upon the
			 President to develop a national AIDS strategy, with the input of individuals
			 living with HIV and the communities that have been adversely impacted by the
			 AIDS epidemic;
			(2)calls upon the
			 Federal Government to partner with African-American communities, particularly
			 faith-based groups and community-based organizations, to develop strategies to
			 reduce and reverse the impact of the epidemic upon Black communities;
			(3)calls upon the
			 Department of Health and Human Services to increase education and outreach
			 regarding HIV prevention, testing, and treatment, to ensure that all people in
			 the United States are aware of how to protect themselves from infection;
			 and
			(4)calls upon the
			 people of the United States to educate themselves about HIV infection and the
			 ways in which they can protect themselves.


113 HR 4116 IH: To direct the Librarian of Congress to obtain a stained glass panel depicting the seal of the District of Columbia and install the panel among the stained glass panels depicting the seals of States which overlook the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building.
U.S. House of Representatives
2014-02-27
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. 4116
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			February 27, 2014
			Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 direct the Librarian of Congress to obtain a stained glass panel depicting the seal of the
			 District of Columbia and install the panel among the stained glass panels
			 depicting the seals of States which overlook the Main Reading Room of the
			 Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building.

		1.Including stained glass panel depicting seal of District of Columbia in Library of Congress Thomas
			 Jefferson BuildingThe Librarian of Congress shall obtain a stained glass panel depicting the seal of the District of
			 Columbia and install the panel among the panels depicting the seals of
			 States which overlook the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress
			 Thomas Jefferson Building.


110 HR 3750 IH: Vision Preservation Act of

U.S. House of Representatives
2007-10-04
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. 3750
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			October 4, 2007
			Mr. Gene Green of
			 Texas (for himself, Ms.
			 Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Price of North
			 Carolina, Mr. Tiberi,
			 Mr. Boucher,
			 Mr. Bishop of Georgia,
			 Mr. Boozman, and
			 Mr. Engel) introduced the following
			 bill; which was referred to the Committee
			 on Energy and Commerce

		A BILL
		To provide for the expansion of Federal programs to
		  prevent and manage vision loss, and for other purposes.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Vision Preservation Act of
			 2007.
		2.Findings; sense
			 of Congress
			(a)FindingsThe Congress finds as follows:
				(1)An estimated 80
			 million Americans have a potentially blinding eye disease, and more than 19.1
			 million Americans report trouble seeing, even with eye glasses or contacts. At
			 least 1.1 million Americans are legally blind, and 200,000 Americans experience
			 profound vision loss. Refractive errors affect approximately one third of
			 persons 40 years or older in the United States. Visual impairment is one of the
			 10 more frequent causes of disability in the United States.
				(2)While it is
			 believed that half of all blindness can be prevented, the number of Americans
			 who are blind or visually impaired is expected to double by 2030.
				(3)Vision loss can,
			 especially without appropriate rehabilitation and skills training,
			 significantly impact an individual’s ability to conduct activities of daily
			 living, as well as developmental learning, communicating, working, health, and
			 quality of life.
				(4)One in twenty
			 preschoolers experience visual impairment which, if unaddressed, can affect
			 learning ability, personality, and adjustment in school.
				(5)It is estimated
			 that blindness and visual impairment cost the Federal Government more than $4
			 billion annually in benefits and lost taxable income, and cost the United
			 States economy approximately $51.4 billion annually in direct medical costs,
			 direct non medical costs, and indirect costs such as lost productivity and
			 wages.
				(6)Vision
			 rehabilitation helps people with vision loss to live safely and independently
			 at home and in the community, reduce medication errors, cook and perform other
			 daily activities reliably, and avoid accidents which may lead to injury or even
			 the onset of additional disabilities, especially among older persons living
			 with vision loss.
				(7)Recognizing that
			 the Nation requires a public health approach to visual impairment, the
			 Department of Health and Human Services dedicated a portion of its Healthy
			 People 2010 initiative to vision. The initiative set out as a goal the
			 improvement of the Nation’s visual health through prevention, early detection,
			 treatment, and rehabilitation.
				(8)Greater efforts
			 must be made at the Federal, State, and local levels to increase awareness of
			 vision loss and its causes, its impact, the importance of early diagnosis,
			 treatment, and rehabilitation, and effective prevention strategies.
				(b)Sense of
			 CongressIt is the sense of the Congress that the Nation must
			 have a full-scale integrated public health strategy to comprehensively address
			 vision loss and its causes that, at a minimum, includes the following:
				(1)Communication and
			 education.
				(2)Surveillance,
			 epidemiology, and prevention research.
				(3)Programs,
			 policies, and systems change.
				3.Vision Loss
			 PreventionPart B of title III
			 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by
			 inserting after section 317S the following:

				317T.Preventive
				health measures with respect to vision loss
					(a)Communication
				and Education
						(1)In
				generalThe Secretary, acting through the Centers for Disease
				Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and
				the National Institutes of Health, shall expand and intensify programs to
				increase awareness of vision problems, including awareness of—
							(A)the impact of
				vision problems; and
							(B)the importance of
				early diagnosis, management, and effective prevention and rehabilitation
				strategies.
							(2)ActivitiesIn
				carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may—
							(A)conduct public
				service announcements and education campaigns;
							(B)enter into
				partnerships with eye-health professional organizations and other
				vision-related organizations;
							(C)conduct community
				disease prevention campaigns;
							(D)conduct testing,
				evaluation, and model training for vision screeners based on scientific
				studies; and
							(E)evaluate
				strategies to reduce barriers to access to treatment by optometrists and
				ophthalmologists.
							(3)EvaluationIn
				carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall—
							(A)establish
				appropriate measurements for public awareness of vision problems;
							(B)establish
				appropriate measurements to determine the effectiveness of existing campaigns
				to increase awareness of vision problems;
							(C)establish
				quantitative benchmarks for determining the effectiveness of activities carried
				out under this subsection; and
							(D)not later than 12
				months after the date of the enactment of this section, submit a report to the
				Congress on the results achieved through such activities.
							(b)Surveillance,
				Epidemiology, and Health Services research
						(1)In
				generalThe Secretary shall expand and intensify activities to
				establish a solid scientific base of knowledge on the prevention, control, and
				rehabilitation of vision problems and related disabilities.
						(2)ActivitiesIn
				carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may—
							(A)create a national
				ongoing surveillance system;
							(B)identify and test
				screening modalities;
							(C)evaluate
				strategies to reduce barriers to access to treatment by optometrists,
				ophthalmologists, and other vision rehabilitation professionals;
							(D)evaluate the
				efficacy and cost-effectiveness of current and future interventions and
				community strategies;
							(E)update and improve
				knowledge about the true costs of vision problems and related disabilities;
				and
							(F)require the
				Surgeon General to assess the state of vision care and vision rehabilitation in
				the United States.
							(c)Programs,
				Policies, and Systems
						(1)In
				generalThe Secretary shall
				expand and intensify research within the Centers for Disease Control and
				Prevention on the prevention and management of vision loss.
						(2)ActivitiesIn
				carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may—
							(A)build partnerships
				with voluntary health organizations, nonprofit vision rehabilitation agencies,
				Federal, State, and local public health agencies, eye health professional
				organizations, and organizations with an interest in vision issues;
							(B)work with health
				care systems to better address vision problems and associated disabilities;
				and
							(C)award grants for
				community outreach regarding vision loss to health care institutions and
				national vision organizations with broad community
				presence.
							.
		4.Expansion of
			 vision programs under the Maternal and Child Health Service Block Grant
			 programSection 501(a)(3) of
			 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701(a)(3)) is amended—
			(1)by striking
			 and at the end of subparagraph (E);
			(2)by striking the
			 period at the end of subparagraph (F) and inserting , and;
			 and
			(3)by adding at the
			 end the following new subparagraph:

					(G)introduce core performance measures on eye
				health by incorporating vision screening and examination standards into State
				programs under this title, based on scientific
				studies.
					.
			5.Prevention and
			 Treatment for Underserved, Minority, and Other Populations
			(a)Expansion and
			 intensification of vision programsThe Secretary of Health and Human Services
			 (in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall expand and
			 intensify programs targeted to prevent vision loss, treat eye and vision
			 conditions, and rehabilitate people of all ages who are blind or partially
			 sighted in underserved and minority communities, including the
			 following:
				(1)Vision care
			 services at community health centers receiving assistance under section 330 of
			 the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b).
				(2)Vision
			 rehabilitation programs at vision rehabilitation agencies, eye clinics, and
			 hospitals.
				(b)Voluntary
			 guidelines for vision screeningThe Secretary, in consultation with
			 eye-health professional organizations and other vision-related organizations,
			 shall develop voluntary guidelines to ensure the quality of vision screening
			 and appropriate referral for comprehensive eye examinations and subsequent
			 vision rehabilitation services.
			6.Vision
			 Rehabilitation Professional Development Grants
			(a)AuthorityThe
			 Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the
			 Secretary) may make grants to eligible institutions of higher
			 education or nonprofit organizations for the purpose of activities described in
			 subsection (b) relating to vision rehabilitation professional
			 development.
			(b)Use of
			 fundsThe Secretary may not make a grant to an institution of
			 higher education or a nonprofit organization under this section unless the
			 institution or organization agrees to use the grant for the following:
				(1)Developing and
			 offering preparatory and continuing education training opportunities
			 (incorporating state-of-the-art approaches, technologies, and therapies to meet
			 the unique needs of older adults with vision loss) in—
					(A)geriatrics among vision rehabilitation
			 professionals, including professionals in the vision rehabilitation therapy,
			 orientation and mobility, and low vision therapy fields; and
					(B)vision rehabilitation among occupational
			 therapists and others in related rehabilitation and health disciplines.
					(2)Conducting, and
			 disseminating the findings and conclusions of, research on the effectiveness of
			 preparatory and continuing education training under paragraph (1).
				(3)Developing and disseminating
			 interdisciplinary course curricula for use in the preparation of new
			 professionals in vision rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and related
			 rehabilitation and health disciplines.
				(4)Educating
			 physicians, nurses, and other health care providers about the value of vision
			 rehabilitation, to increase appropriate referral by such professionals for the
			 full range of vision rehabilitation services available to older individuals
			 with vision loss.
				(c)EligibilityTo
			 be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be a
			 university, academic medical center, national or regional nonprofit
			 organization, community rehabilitation provider, or allied health education
			 program, or a consortium of such entities, that—
				(1)offers or
			 coordinates education or training activities among professionals described in
			 subsection (b)(1); or
				(2)agrees to use the
			 grant to expand its capacity to coordinate such activities.
				(d)Distribution of
			 grantsIn awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall
			 ensure that grantees offer or coordinate training for current and emerging
			 professionals—
				(1)from a variety of
			 geographic regions and a range of different types and sizes of settings and
			 facilities, including settings and facilities located in rural, urban, and
			 suburban areas; and
				(2)serving a variety
			 of populations of older individuals with vision loss, including racial and
			 ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and other underserved
			 populations.
				(e)ApplicationTo
			 seek a grant under this section, an entity shall submit to the Secretary an
			 application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
			 the Secretary may require.


114 HR 6308 IH: Afghanistan Accountability Act of 2016
U.S. House of Representatives
2016-11-14
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.

I114th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 6308IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESNovember 14, 2016Mr. Grayson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign AffairsA BILLTo support enhanced accountability for United States assistance to Afghanistan, and for other
			 purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Afghanistan Accountability Act of 2016. 2.Defined termIn this Act, the term appropriate congressional committees means—
 (1)the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (2)the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
 (3)the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; (4)the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate;
 (5)the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; (6)the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;
 (7)the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and (8)the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.
			IEffective Afghanistan assistance and accountability
 101.FindingsCongress makes the following findings: (1)Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom, and since then the United States Armed Forces and the Afghan National Security Forces have made countless sacrifices in defending Afghanistan against the threat of terrorism and insurgency and by extension the United States and the wider world.
 (2)Since 2001, the United States has worked with a broad coalition of nations that has helped to dramatically improve numerous development indicators within Afghanistan, including—
 (A)a dramatic increase in the number of girls enrolled in primary education from an estimated 5,000 under the Taliban to 2,400,000 girls as of 2010;
 (B)an increase in the percentage of individuals above the poverty line from 25.4 percent in 2002 to 35.8 percent in 2011;
 (C)an increase in the percentage of individuals who now have access to an improved water source in rural areas from 22 percent in 2001 to 56 percent in 2012;
 (D)a precipitous decline in maternal mortality from 1,200/100,000 births in 1995 to 400/100,000 births in 2013; and
 (E)an expansion of women’s rights. (3)Numerous research studies have shown that government corruption is a driver of conflict and particularly so in Afghanistan, where it has served as a powerful recruitment tool for the Taliban.
 (4)Since the first democratic transfer of power in the history of Afghanistan in 2014, President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah have led a National Unity Government that has identified key security and development challenges in order to make Afghanistan a full and productive member of the community of democratic nations.
 (5)The National Unity Government has renewed specific focus on addressing corruption within the country as a driver of instability, including reopening a fraud case involving high level officials and the Kabul Bank that resulted in the disappearance of an estimated $1,000,000,000.
 (6)In its report Realizing Self Reliance: Commitments to Reform and Renewed Partnership, the Government of Afghanistan committed to the international community in London in December 2014, to address the main drivers of corruption in Afghanistan, including collusive procurement practices, weak rule of law and abuse of the legal system, and arbitrary regulations that build in incentives to pay bribes. Government of Afghanistan commitments included—
 (A)forming an independent anti-corruption commission with time-bound prosecutorial powers; (B)implementing recommendations by the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee on a national action plan to reduce corruption;
 (C)requiring all government officials to provide public declarations of their assets; (D)meeting all Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requirements to further limit and investigate illicit fund flows;
 (E)forming a national procurement board staffed by qualified professionals who will manage all large value contracts using internationally recognized standards and procedures; and
 (F)delineating the roles, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of anti-corruption institutions such as the High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption (HOO) and the Attorney General to restrict them to focus on their core function of enforcement instead of oversight.
 (7)The December 2014 Government of Afghanistan report Realizing Self Reliance: Commitments to Reform and Renewed Partnership, expressed a commitment to enhancing productivity, growth and revenues by— (A)developing natural resources through public-private partnerships that bring in rents, taxes, and profits;
 (B)removing obstacles to trade and transit and ending smuggling that diverts revenue away from the treasury;
 (C)negotiating expanded market access in regional and global markets; (D)gradually formalizing the informal economy and changing the compact between the state and citizens to one where citizens pay taxes for services they tangibly benefit from; and
 (E)transferring government payments electronically to eliminate losses in transit. (8)In 2012, international donors and the Government of Afghanistan agreed to the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF) which committed to provide $4,000,000,000 in economic assistance per year from 2012–2015 and sustain assistance at or near the same levels of the past decade through 2017, while the Government of Afghanistan committed to meet benchmarks related to democracy and governance, public finance and revenue generation, and economic development.
 (9)At the end of 2014, under the TMAF, the Government of Afghanistan had fallen short in meeting benchmarks related to: revenue collection, the enhancement of women’s rights, corruption and the illicit economy, and the protection of human rights.
 (10)In the Joint Declaration following the London Conference on Afghanistan of December 4, 2014, the international community and the new Government of Afghanistan agreed to refresh the existing TMAF and associated commitments at the 2015 Senior Officials Meeting based on the reform program and priorities as laid out by the Government of Afghanistan.
 (11)Afghanistan faces great difficulties in making progress in countering illegal narcotics and remains the leading global illicit opium poppy producer.
 (12)The illegal narcotics trade results in the transfer of illicit funds and encourages and also requires corrupt financial transactions, and, if minimized, could have beneficial impacts on trade and reduce overall levels of corruption.
 (13)The international community has endorsed Afghanistan’s longer-term development following the war and identified the criticality of the transformation decade from 2015–2024 outlined by the Government of Afghanistan and has acknowledged that the Government of Afghanistan will seek continued international assistance in order for it to become a stable, self-sustained partner in the community of democratic countries.
 (14)As development assistance from the United States and broader international community gradually diminishes in the coming years, the accelerated development of the Afghan private sector and governing institutions becomes even more necessary to maintain the gains of the past decade and to enhance our mutual goals of Afghan security and stability.
 (15)While Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have taken over lead combat responsibilities, they continue to operate in close coordination with, and with significant resources from the international community, under the Resolute Support Mission and in coordination with ongoing counterterrorism operations. Development of civilian oversight institutions for the security sector has lagged. Such oversight will be important for ensuring that Afghan security forces are accountable and do not abuse their powers.
 102.Sense of Congress on United States assistance and accountability in AfghanistanIt is the sense of Congress that— (1)the National Unity Government of Afghanistan has made a substantial commitment to reform that should be supported but also subject to heightened scrutiny by the Afghan people and international donors given past failures and persistent challenges in the country;
 (2)Afghanistan is at a critical inflection point, having gone through political and security transitions as the international community draws down its military forces. The international community should work closely with the new government in supporting development priorities for the rest of the transformation decade that translate into producing concrete development results for the Afghan people;
 (3)sustainable accountability and reform of Afghan governing institutions will not come from the international community but from a commitment by the Government of Afghanistan and society reinforced by domestic watchdog groups and internal government accountability monitoring mechanisms;
 (4)the United States Government should deepen its dialogue on anti-corruption efforts with the Government of Afghanistan to develop effective oversight mechanisms to ensure large donor contracts do not contribute to corruption;
 (5)the United States should encourage Afghanistan’s participation in the Open Government Partnership, a multilateral initiative in which government and civil society collaborate to promote transparency, fight corruption, and use technologies to strengthen government;
 (6)the United States should urge the Government of Afghanistan to build upon existing anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing legislation by developing effective regulations and institutions to implement reforms;
 (7)the United States should urge the Government of Afghanistan to broaden personal asset disclosures to include members of the covered officials’ immediate families or households and develop effective mechanisms for verifying disclosed information;
 (8)in the event of future egregious cases of corruption in Afghanistan, the President should impose visa bans and asset freezes on those responsible, especially in instances where United States assistance is stolen or misappropriated;
 (9)the United States Government should cooperate with the Government of Afghanistan and with international donors to develop a series of strict accountability benchmarks based on the refreshed Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework and the Government of Afghanistan’s own Realizing Self Reliance report commitments that will condition levels of assistance and the amount of on-budget assistance on anti-corruption performance acceptable to donors;
 (10)the United States should support the Afghan Parliament to refine and strengthen the legal framework of anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws to address beneficial ownership, countering bid-rigging and other contracting and procurement fraud, criminal investigations of financial transactions, complementary banks, personal asset or other financial declarations and disclosures as required by law or regulation, efforts to meet FATF requirements, and other areas to further inhibit the illicit flow of money;
 (11)the commitment by the Government of Afghanistan to strengthen its nascent private sector should be supported and sustained using the full array of tools of the United States, including technical and legal assistance;
 (12)United States assistance to the Afghan judicial system and other Afghan legal institutions that enable and empower private sector development by instilling greater investor confidence should be prioritized to ensure the protection of private property, the sanctity of contracts, and effective dispute resolution mechanisms for businesses and investors;
 (13)the United States Government should identify opportunities for the United States to introduce trade facilitation as part of the economic relationship between the two countries;
 (14)the Governments of the United States and Afghanistan should work together to identify more Afghan products and raw materials to be included on the United States Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) treatment list;
 (15)the American University of Afghanistan is an emerging pillar in Afghanistan’s education system and has provided a unique opportunity for higher education for Afghan youth, especially women; and
 (16)the United States should encourage the Government of Afghanistan to implement with urgency electoral reforms in accordance with the Agreement between the Two Campaign Teams Regarding the Structure of the National Unity Government.
 103.United States assistance policy for AfghanistanIt is the policy of the United States— (1)to conduct assistance programs that result in highly effective, impact driven development outcomes for the people of Afghanistan while maintaining the highest standards of accountability for United States taxpayers;
 (2)that all United States Government agencies and entities working in Afghanistan coordinate, plan, and regularly review plans in a coherent, well-informed process to develop United States policy and assistance programming;
 (3)to support the development of effective Government of Afghanistan oversight institutions and domestic watchdog civil society organizations;
 (4)subject to significant evident progress made in meeting TMAF accountability and improved governance as it relates to development, to abide by resource commitments made as part of the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework;
 (5)to provide incentivized assistance to Afghanistan’s governing institutions based upon verifiable and measurable development outcomes and on-budget assistance based upon demonstrated capacity improvements that are mutually agreed to by the Government of Afghanistan and the Government of the United States;
 (6)to support the development of democratic governing institutions in Afghanistan, promote the development of a growing private sector, and strengthen civil society in Afghanistan;
 (7)to recognize that Afghanistan’s sustainable development is grounded in growing the regional economy, and to support the efforts of the Government and people of Afghanistan to build strong regional economic connectivity with the country's neighbors;
 (8)to support, where appropriate, proven programs that promote private sector job creation in Afghanistan; and
 (9)that assistance programs in direct support of Afghan women and girls remain a priority for the United States, including specific efforts to support women and girls education, meaningful engagement in political and reconciliation processes, training and recruitment of Afghan female police and security forces, advancement of women’s legal rights, economic development, and efforts to increase the overall health and well-being of Afghan women and girls.
				104.Effective Afghanistan assistance and accountability
				(a)Strategy To combat corruption in Afghanistan
 (1)In generalThe Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Government of Afghanistan, shall develop a comprehensive interagency strategy for United States assistance that is sustainable and is not counterproductive to combating corruption in Afghanistan.
 (2)ElementsThe strategy developed under paragraph (1) should include the following elements: (A)Multi-year goals, objectives, and measurable outcomes for targeted activities to strengthen selected Afghan official institutions and nongovernmental organizations to prevent, investigate, deter, and prosecute corruption.
 (B)An operational plan incorporating all United States Government programming to implement the anti-corruption goals and objectives.
 (C)A summary of United States efforts to coordinate with other international donors to ensure that anti-corruption advice or programming provided to the Government of Afghanistan is not contradictory.
 (D)A focus on the development of governmental and nongovernmental Afghan capacity to ensure accountability and combat corruption.
 (E)An evaluation of Afghan civil society anti-corruption capacities that includes their ability to use technology to combat corruption.
 (b)Afghanistan anti-Corruption fundSubject to the availability of funds, the President is authorized to provide technical and financial assistance to official Government of Afghanistan anti-corruption and audit institutions and Afghan civil society watchdog groups in support of the anti-corruption priorities identified by the Government of Afghanistan and the United States Government. Subject to careful consideration by the United States Government of the legitimacy, efficacy, and direct impact and influence of such entities and individuals, offices, and organizations that are funded under this subsection could include—
 (1)the Supreme Audit Office; (2)the Attorney General;
 (3)the Ministry of Justice; (4)Inspectors General within key ministries;
 (5)the Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC); (6)the major crimes task force, Technical Investigative Unit, and the Sensitive Investigative Unit;
 (7)the High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption; (8)the Anti-Corruption Tribunal;
 (9)the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Afghanistan; (10)the proposed procurement board; and
 (11)civil society organizations engaged in oversight, anti-corruption advocacy, and support of good governance.
					(c)Promotion of human rights, press freedom, and security sector accountability
 (1)In generalSubject to the availability of funds, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, is authorized to provide support for efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to improve oversight and accountability of the Afghan National Security Forces, including the Afghan National Police, and Afghan local police, and strengthen Afghan civil society and investigative journalists to provide watchdog oversight of these institutions. Subject to due consideration of the legitimacy, efficacy, and direct impact and influence of such entities and individuals, these efforts could include—
 (A)supporting the ANSF to strengthen the capacity, independence, and power of its internal Inspector General to collect and investigate all credible reports of abuse by armed forces;
 (B)supporting the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministries of Defense and Interior to be better capable to investigate and, if appropriate, criminally prosecute police, military, intelligence, and militia personnel, regardless of rank, found responsible for human rights abuses and war crimes;
 (C)considering establishing a special independent mechanism to investigate government officials and security force officers implicated in abuses;
 (D)supporting the Ministry of Interior to establish a centralized register of all detainees held in police and National Directorate of Security custody, and ensure that it is accessible to independent monitors and is updated regularly and in a transparent manner;
 (E)supporting implementation of the Access to Information Law and the 2009 Mass Media Law, particularly provisions of the latter that would disband the Media Violations Investigation Commission and replace it with a Mass Media Commission;
 (F)supporting the Attorney General’s Office to undertake prompt, impartial, and thorough investigations into all attacks on journalists and media organizations and bring prosecutions as appropriate; and
 (G)supporting the further establishment of civil society organizations to provide essential watchdog oversight of the police and armed forces; as well as efforts to strengthen and improve coordination among civil society organizations, such as the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission.
						105.Reports
 (a)Reporting on corruption in AfghanistanNot later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through 2024, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report listing each individual who the President determines, based on credible evidence—
 (1)is a Government of Afghanistan official, a senior associate, or close relative of such an official, who is responsible for, or complicit in, ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, acts of significant corruption, including the expropriation of private or public assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, bribery, or the facilitation or transfer of the proceeds of corruption to foreign jurisdictions; or
 (2)has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, an activity described above.
					(b)Report on civilian-Military assistance efforts in Afghanistan
 (1)In generalNot later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes civilian-military assistance efforts in Afghanistan.
 (2)ElementsThe report required under paragraph (1) shall include the following elements: (A)A description of lessons learned from conducting development programming in Afghanistan to include recommendations on how to improve coordination between United States development agencies and the United States Armed Forces.
 (B)An assessment of the ability of the United States Agency for International Development to advance development goals within Afghanistan, operating alongside providers of United States military assistance.
 (C)An assessment of whether funding under the Commander’s Emergency Response Program achieved the program’s counterinsurgency goals, including force protection, and whether this program had any long-term development impact, including any negative unintended consequences.


113 SRES 70 IS: Designating the last full week of July 2013 as “National Moth Week”, recognizing the importance of moths in the United States, and recognizing the value of National Moth Week for promoting the conservation of moths and increasing the awareness, study, and appreciation of moths, their incredible biodiversity, and their importance to ecosystem health.
U.S. Senate
2013-03-07
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.

		III
		113th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. RES. 70
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			March 7, 2013
			Mr. Menendez submitted
			 the following resolution; which was referred to the
			 Committee on the
			 Judiciary

		RESOLUTION
		Designating the last full week of July 2013
		  as National Moth Week, recognizing the importance of moths in
		  the United States, and recognizing the value of National Moth Week for
		  promoting the conservation of moths and increasing the awareness, study, and
		  appreciation of moths, their incredible biodiversity, and their importance to
		  ecosystem health.

		Whereas moths are an incredibly diverse type of insect,
			 with more than 12,000 species in the continental United States and
			 Canada;
		Whereas moths live everywhere and in every habitat, from
			 inner cities to the most remote and wild places;
		Whereas moths are important pollinators and are an
			 essential part of the food web, providing food for a vast number of birds,
			 bats, and other animals;
		Whereas moths are indicators of a healthy environment, as
			 habitats rich in moths are diverse in other insects and wildlife;
		Whereas monitoring the diversity and distribution of moths
			 can provide vital clues to changes in the environment;
		Whereas knowledge about many moths and moth caterpillars
			 is limited;
		Whereas scientists believe that many moth species may be
			 declining;
		Whereas the lack of natural history information about many
			 moth species provides an opportunity for an individual to potentially make a
			 meaningful scientific contribution relating to moths;
		Whereas National Moth Week, which was established in 2011
			 in East Brunswick, New Jersey by the Friends of the East Brunswick
			 Environmental Commission, is a national and global collaboration of many
			 individuals, environmental groups, and conservation organizations focusing
			 much-needed attention on moths and their ecological, educational, and cultural
			 significance;
		Whereas participants of National Moth Week events collect
			 valuable information about moths and make that information available to
			 naturalists, ecologists, and conservation scientists;
		Whereas National Moth Week is intended to encourage
			 everyone, especially citizen scientists, to help increase knowledge about moths
			 through observation and study;
		Whereas National Moth Week was celebrated from July 23
			 through July 29, 2012, in more than 300 participating locations in 49 States,
			 Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and 28 countries;
		Whereas National Moth Week is celebrated each summer
			 during the last full week in July; and
		Whereas the National Moth Week Web site,
			 www.nationalmothweek.org, is filled with information and resources relating to
			 moths: Now, therefore, be it

		That the Senate—
			(1)designates the
			 last full week of July 2013 as National Moth Week;
			(2)recognizes the
			 importance of moths in the United States and the value of National Moth Week
			 for promoting the conservation of moths and increasing the awareness, study,
			 and appreciation of moths, their incredible biodiversity, and their importance
			 to ecosystem health;
			(3)applauds National
			 Moth Week and the efforts of participants to increase awareness about the
			 important role of moths and build support for increasing the study,
			 appreciation, and conservation of moths; and
			(4)encourages the
			 people of the United States to observe National Moth Week with appropriate
			 activities.