114 HR 413 IH: Partnership to Build America Act of 2015
U.S. House of Representatives
2015-01-20
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. 413
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 20, 2015
Mr. Delaney (for himself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Polis, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Bera, Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Ms. Gabbard, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Israel, Mr. Cole, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Mr. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Heck of Nevada, Mr. Jolly, Mr. Messer, Mr. Pittenger, Mr. Heck of Washington, Mr. Joyce, Mr. Carney, Mr. Barr, Mr. MacArthur, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Clay, Mr. Peters, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois, and Mr. Dold) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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 establish the American Infrastructure Fund, to provide bond guarantees and make loans to States, local governments, and infrastructure providers for investments in certain infrastructure projects, and to provide equity investments in such projects, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Partnership to Build America Act of 2015. 2.American Infrastructure Fund (a)American Infrastructure Fund (1)In generalThere is established a wholly owned Government corporation—
(A)which shall be called the American Infrastructure Fund (referred to in this Act as the AIF); (B)which shall be headed by the Board of Trustees established under subsection (b);
(C)which may have separate subaccounts or subsidiaries for funds used to make loans, bond guarantees, and equity investments under this section; (D)which shall be available to the AIF to pay for the costs of carrying out this section, including the compensation of the Board and other employees of the AIF; and
(E)the funds of which may be invested by the Board in such manner as the Board determines appropriate. (2)Deposits to AIFAll funds received from bond issuances, loan payments, bond guarantee fees, and any other funds received in carrying out this section shall be held by AIF.
(3)LimitationsThe charter of the AIF shall limit its activities to those activities described as the mission of the Board under subsection (b)(2). (4)OversightThe AIF shall register with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Chairman shall report to Congress annually as to whether the AIF is fulfilling the mission of the Board under subsection (b)(2).
(5)Treatment of AIF
(A)AccountsTitle 31, United States Code, is amended in each of sections 9107(c)(3) and 9108(d)(2)— (i)by inserting the American Infrastructure Fund, after the Regional Banks for Cooperatives,; and
(ii)by striking those banks and inserting those entities. (B)BondsSection 149(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting American Infrastructure Fund, after Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation,.
(b)Board of Trustees
(1)In generalThere is established a Board of Trustees of the AIF (referred to in this subsection as the Board), which shall be composed of 9 members who— (A)have substantial experience in bond guarantees or municipal credit; and
(B)to the greatest extent practicable, have extensive experience working with municipal credit, risk management, and infrastructure finance. (2)MissionThe mission of the Board is—
(A)to operate the AIF and its subsidiaries to be a low cost provider of bond guarantees, loans, and equity investments to State and local governments and infrastructure providers for urban and rural infrastructure projects that— (i)provide a positive economic impact; and
(ii)meet such other standards as the Board may develop; (B)to operate the AIF in a self-sustaining manner so as to allow the AIF to repay its infrastructure bonds when such bonds are due;
(C)to not have a profit motive, but to seek at all times to pursue its mission of providing low cost bond guarantees and loans while— (i)covering its costs;
(ii)maintaining such reserves as may be needed; and (iii)applying prudent underwriting standards;
(D)to only consider projects put forth by State and local governments and not to seek projects directly; (E)to always make clear that no taxpayer money supports the AIF or ever will support the AIF; and
(F)to engage in no other activities other than those permitted under this section. (3)Membership (A)Initial members (i)AppointmentNot later than 150 days after the date on which bonds are first issued under subsection (d), the President shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, as members of the Board—
(I)2 individuals from a list of at least 5 individuals selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (II)2 individuals from a list of at least 5 individuals selected by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
(III)2 individuals from a list of at least 5 individuals selected by the Majority Leader of the Senate; (IV)2 individuals from a list of at least 5 individuals selected by the Minority Leader of the Senate; and
(V)1 individual selected at will by the President. (ii)Submission of listsEach of the lists described in clause (i) shall be submitted to the President not later than 90 days after the date on which bonds are first issued under subsection (d). If any of such lists are submitted after the date required under this clause, the President may appoint the 2 members of the Board who were to be selected from such list at will.
(B)Staggered termsThe members of the Board appointed pursuant to subparagraph (A)(i) shall serve staggered terms, with 2 each of the initial members of the Board serving for terms of 5, 6, 7, and 8 years, respectively, and the initial Chair selected under subparagraph (D) serving for 9 years. The decision of which Board members, other than the Chair, serve for which initial terms shall be made by the members of the Board drawing lots. (C)Additional members (i)In generalExcept as provided in subparagraph (A), if the term of a member of the Board expires or otherwise becomes vacant, the President shall appoint a replacement for such member, with the advice and consent of the Senate, from among a list of at least 5 individuals submitted by the Board.
(ii)Term of service
(I)In generalEach member of the Board appointed to replace a member whose term is expiring shall serve for a 7-year term. (II)VacanciesAny member of the Board appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term to which that member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of the term.
(D)ChairThe members of the Board shall choose 1 member to serve as the Chair of the Board for a term of 7 years, except that the initial Chair shall serve for a term of 9 years, pursuant to subsection (B). (E)Continuation of serviceEach member of the Board may continue to serve after the expiration of the term of office to which that member was appointed until a successor has been appointed.
(F)Conflicts of interestNo member of the Board may have a financial interest in, or be employed by, a Qualified Infrastructure Project (QIP) related to assistance provided under this section or any entity that has purchased bonds under subsection (d). Owning municipal credit of any State or local government or owning the securities of a diversified company that engages in infrastructure activities, provided those activities constitute less than 20 percent of the company’s revenues, or investing in broadly held investment funds shall not be deemed to create a conflict of interest. The Board may issue regulations to define terms used under this subparagraph. (4)CompensationThe members of the Board shall be compensated at an amount to be set by the Board, but under no circumstances may such compensation be higher than the rate prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.
(5)StaffThe Board shall employ and set compensation for such staff as the Board determines as is necessary to carry out the activities and mission of the AIF, and such staff may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53, United States Code, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates. (6)ProceduresThe Board shall establish such procedures as are necessary to carry out this section.
(7)Corporate governance standards
(A)Board committees generallyThe Board shall maintain all of the committees required to be maintained by the board of directors of an issuer listed on the New York Stock Exchange as of the date of the enactment of this section. (B)Risk management committeeThe Board shall maintain a risk management committee, which shall—
(i)employ additional staff who are certified by the Board as having significant and relevant experience in insurance underwriting and credit risk management; and (ii)establish the risk management policies used by the Board.
(C)StandardsThe Board shall, to the extent practicable, follow all standards with respect to corporate governance that are required to be followed by the board of directors of an issuer listed on the New York Stock Exchange as of the date of the enactment of this section. (8)Biennial reportsNot less frequently than once every 2 years, the Board shall produce a report that describes, of the materials, goods, and products that were used to construct, or to support the construction of, qualified infrastructure projects (as described in subsection (c)) and received financing from the American Infrastructure Fund within the most recent 2 calendar years, the percentage of such materials, goods, and products that were created, sourced, or manufactured in the United States.
(c)Infrastructure investment
(1)Entities eligible for assistanceThe AIF may provide assistance to State and local government entities, nonprofit infrastructure providers, private parties, and public-private partnerships (referred to in this section as eligible entities) to help finance qualified infrastructure projects (referred to in this subsection as QIPs). (2)Forms of assistanceThe AIF may—
(A)provide bond guarantees to debt issued by eligible entities; (B)make loans, including subordinated loans, to eligible entities; and
(C)make equity investments in QIPs. (3)Qualified infrastructure projectsA project qualifies as a QIP under this section if—
(A)the project is sponsored by a State or local government; (B)the infrastructure is, or will be, owned by a State or local government;
(C)the project involves the construction, maintenance, improvement, or repair of a transportation, energy, water, communications, or educational facility; (D)the recipient of bond guarantees, loans, equity investments, or any other innovative financing technique authorized under this Act provides written assurances prescribed by the AIF that the project will be performed in compliance with the requirements of all Federal laws that would otherwise apply to similar projects to which the United States is a party; and
(E)in the case of a public transportation capital project as defined in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code, the recipient of bond guarantees, loans, equity investments, or any other innovative financing technique authorized under this Act complies with the grant requirements applicable to grants made under section 5309 of such title. (4)Application for assistance (A)In generalA State or local government that wishes to receive a loan or bond guarantee under this section shall submit an application to the Board in such form and manner and containing such information as the Board may require.
(B)Requirement for public sponsorship of private entitiesA private entity may only receive a bond guarantee, loan, or equity investment under this section if the State or local government for the jurisdiction in which the nonprofit infrastructure provider or private partner is located submits an application pursuant to subparagraph (A) on behalf of such nonprofit infrastructure provider or private partner. (5)Limitations on single state awards (A)Annual limitationThe Board shall set an annual limit, as a percentage of total assistance provided under this section during a year, on the amount of assistance a single State (including local governments and other infrastructure providers within such State) may receive in assistance provided under this section.
(B)Cumulative limitationThe Board shall set a limit, as a percentage of total assistance provided under this section outstanding at any one time, on the amount of assistance a single State (including local governments and other infrastructure providers within such State) may receive in assistance provided under this section. (6)Loan specificationsLoans made under this section shall have such maturity and carry such interest rate as the Board determines appropriate.
(7)Bond guaranteeThe Board shall charge such fees for Bond guarantees made under this section as the Board determines appropriate. (8)Equity investmentsWith respect to a QIP, the amount of an equity investment made by the AIF in such QIP may not exceed 20 percent of the total cost of the QIP.
(9)Public-private partnership requirementsAt least 35 percent of the assistance provided under this section shall be provided to QIPs for which at least 10 percent of the financing for such QIPs comes from private debt or equity. (10)Prohibition on principal forgivenessWith respect to a loan made under this section, the Board may not forgive any amount of principal on such loan.
(d)American Infrastructure Bonds
(1)In generalNot later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the AIF, shall issue bonds, which shall be called American Infrastructure Bonds. The proceeds from the American Infrastructure Bonds shall be deposited into the AIF. (2)Forms and denominations; interestAmerican Infrastructure Bonds shall—
(A)be in such forms and denominations as determined by the Secretary, and shall have a 50-year maturity; and (B)bear interest of 1 percent.
(3)No full faith and creditInterest and principal payments paid to holders of American Infrastructure Bonds shall be paid from the AIF, to the extent funds are available, and shall not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. (4)Amount of bondsThe aggregate face amount of the bonds issued under this subsection shall be $50,000,000,000.
(5)Sale of American Infrastructure Bonds
(A)Competitive bidding processThe Secretary shall sell $50,000,000,000 of American Infrastructure Bonds— (i)through a competitive bidding process that encourages aggressive bidding;
(ii)with prospective purchasers bidding on how low of a multiplier they will accept (for purposes of subsection (b)(1) of section 966 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) when purchasing the American Infrastructure Bonds, for purposes of applying the foreign earnings exclusion described under that section; and (iii)in a manner that ensures no entities participating in the bidding may collude or coordinate their bids.
(B)LimitationThe multiplier described in subparagraph (A)(ii) may not be greater than 6. (6)Reimbursement of costsThe Board shall repay the Secretary, from funds in the AIF, for the costs to the Secretary in carrying out this subsection.
(e)Additional bonds
(1)In generalThe Board may issue such other bonds as the Board determines appropriate, the proceeds from which shall be deposited into the AIF. (2)No full faith and creditInterest and principal payments paid to holders of bonds issued pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be paid from the AIF, to the extent funds are available, and shall not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
(f)DefinitionsFor purposes of this section: (1)Infrastructure providerThe term infrastructure provider means an entity that seeks to finance a QIP.
(2)SecretaryThe term Secretary means the Secretary of the Treasury. (3)StateThe term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, any territory or possession of the United States, and each Federally recognized Indian tribe.
3.Foreign earnings exclusion for purchase of infrastructure bonds
(a)In generalSubpart F of part III of subchapter N of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:  966.Foreign earnings exclusion for purchase of infrastructure bonds (a)ExclusionIn the case of a corporation which is a United States shareholder and for which the election under this section is in effect for the taxable year, gross income does not include an amount equal to the qualified cash dividend amount.
(b)Qualified cash dividend amountFor purposes of this section, the term qualified cash dividend amount means an amount of the cash dividends which are received during a taxable year by such shareholder from controlled foreign corporations equal to— (1)the multiplier determined under section 2(d)(5) of the Partnership to Build America Act of 2015 for such shareholder, multiplied by
(2)the face amount of qualified infrastructure bonds acquired at its original issue (directly or through an underwriter) by such shareholder. (c)Limitations (1)In generalThe amount of dividends taken into account under subsection (a) for a taxable year shall not exceed the lesser of—
(A)the cash dividends received by the taxpayer for such taxable year, or (B)the amount shown on the applicable financial statement as earnings permanently reinvested outside the United States.
(2)Dividends must be extraordinaryThe amount of dividends taken into account under subsection (a) shall not exceed the excess (if any) of— (A)the cash dividends received during the taxable year by such shareholder from controlled foreign corporations, over
(B)the annual average for the base period years of the cash dividends received during each base period year by such shareholder from controlled foreign corporations. (3)Reduction of benefit if increase in related party indebtednessThe amount of dividends which would (but for this paragraph) be taken into account under subsection (a) shall be reduced by the excess (if any) of—
(A)the amount of indebtedness of the controlled foreign corporation to any related person (as defined in section 954(d)(3)) as of the close of the taxable year for which the election under this section is in effect, over (B)the amount of indebtedness of the controlled foreign corporation to any related person (as so defined) as of the close of the preceding taxable year.
(4)Treatment of controlled foreign corporationsAll controlled foreign corporations with respect to which the taxpayer is a United States shareholder shall be treated as 1 controlled foreign corporation for purposes of this subsection. The Secretary may prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to prevent the avoidance of the purposes of this subsection, including regulations providing that cash dividends shall not be taken into account under subsection (a) to the extent such dividends are attributable to the direct or indirect transfer (including through the use of intervening entities or capital contributions) of cash or other property from a related person (as so defined) to a controlled foreign corporation. (d)Definitions and special rulesFor purposes of this section—
(1)Qualified infrastructure bondsThe term qualified infrastructure bond means a bond issued under section 2(d) of the Partnership to Build America Act of 2015. (2)Applicable financial statementThe term applicable financial statement means, with respect to a taxable year—
(A)with respect to a United States shareholder which is required to file a financial statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or which is included in such a statement so filed by another person), the most recent audited annual financial statement (including the notes which form an integral part of such statement) of such shareholder (or which includes such shareholder)— (i)which was so filed for such taxable year, and
(ii)which is certified as being prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and (B)with respect to any other United States shareholder, the most recent audited financial statement (including the notes which form an integral part of such statement) of such shareholder (or which includes such shareholder)—
(i)which is certified as being prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and (ii)which is used for the purposes of a statement or report—
(I)to creditors, (II)to shareholders, or
(III)for any other substantial nontax purpose. (3)Base period years (A)In generalThe base period years are the 3 taxable years—
(i)which are among the 5 most recent preceding taxable years ending before the taxable year, and (ii)which are determined by disregarding—
(I)1 taxable year for which the amount described in subsection (c)(2)(B) is the largest, and (II)1 taxable year for which such amount is the smallest.
(B)Shorter periodIf the taxpayer has fewer than 5 taxable years ending before the taxable year, then in lieu of applying subparagraph (A), the base period years shall include all the taxable years of the taxpayer ending before such taxable year. (C)Mergers, acquisitions, etc (i)In generalRules similar to the rules of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 41(f)(3) shall apply for purposes of this paragraph.
(ii)Spin-offs, etcIf there is a distribution to which section 355 (or so much of section 356 as relates to section 355) applies during the 5-year period referred to in subparagraph (A)(i) and the controlled corporation (within the meaning of section 355) is a United States shareholder— (I)the controlled corporation shall be treated as being in existence during the period that the distributing corporation (within the meaning of section 355) is in existence, and
(II)for purposes of applying subsection (c)(2) to the controlled corporation and the distributing corporation, amounts described in subsection (c)(2)(B) which are received or includable by the distributing corporation or controlled corporation (as the case may be) before the distribution referred to in subclause (I) from a controlled foreign corporation shall be allocated between such corporations in proportion to their respective interests as United States shareholders of such controlled foreign corporation immediately after such distribution. (iii)ExceptionSubclause (II) of clause (ii) shall not apply if neither the controlled corporation nor the distributing corporation is a United States shareholder of such controlled foreign corporation immediately after such distribution.
(4)DividendThe term dividend shall not include amounts includable in gross income as a dividend under section 78, 367, or 1248. In the case of a liquidation under section 332 to which section 367(b) applies, the preceding sentence shall not apply to the extent the United States shareholder actually receives cash as part of the liquidation. (5)Coordination with dividend received deductionNo deduction shall be allowed under section 243 or 245 for any dividend which is excluded from income by subsection (a).
(6)Controlled groupsAll United States shareholders which are members of an affiliated group filing a consolidated return under section 1501 shall be treated as one United States shareholder. (7)ReportingThe Secretary shall require by regulation or other guidance the reporting of such information as the Secretary may require to carry out this section.
(e)Denial of foreign tax credit; denial of certain expenses
(1)Foreign tax credit
(A)In generalNo credit shall be allowed under section 901 for any taxes paid or accrued (or treated as paid or accrued) with respect to the excluded portion of any dividend. (B)Denial of deduction of related taxNo deduction shall be allowed under this chapter for any tax for which credit is not allowable by reason of the preceding sentence.
(2)ExpensesNo deduction shall be allowed for expenses directly allocable to the excludable portion described in paragraph (1). (3)Excludable portionFor purposes of paragraph (1), unless the taxpayer otherwise specifies, the excludable portion of any dividend or other amount is the amount which bears the same ratio to the amount of such dividend or other amount as the amount excluded from income under subsection (a) for the taxable year bears to the amount described in subsection (c)(2)(A) for such year.
(4)Coordination with section 78Section 78 shall not apply to any tax which is not allowable as a credit under section 901 by reason of this subsection. (f)Application of sectionThis section shall apply with respect to the taxable year of the taxpayer in which the taxpayer acquires qualified infrastructure bonds at its original issue (directly or through an underwriter) under section 2(d)(5) of the Partnership to Build America Act of 2015..
(b)Clerical amendmentThe table of sections for subpart F of part III of subchapter N of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:   966. Foreign earnings exclusion for purchase of infrastructure bonds.. (c)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall apply to dividends received for taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this Act.


109 HR 4408 IH: National Language Act of 2005
U.S. House of Representatives
2005-11-18
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
109th CONGRESS 1st Session
H. R. 4408
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 18, 2005
Mr. King of New York (for himself, Mr. Paul, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Duncan, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi, Mr. Barrett of South Carolina, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. LaHood, and Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 title 4, United States Code, to declare English as the official language of the Government of the United States, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the National Language Act of 2005.
2.English as official language
(a)In GeneralTitle 4, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:

6LANGUAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT

Sec
161. Declaration of official language
162. Official Government activities in English
163. Preserving and enhancing the role of the official language
164. Exceptions
161.Declaration of official languageEnglish shall be the official language of the Government of the United States.
162.Official government activities in EnglishThe Government of the United States shall conduct its official business in English, including publications, income tax forms, and informational materials.
163.Preserving and enhancing the role of the official languageThe Government of the United States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the United States of America. Unless specifically stated in applicable law, no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government of the United States or any of its officials or representatives act, communicate, perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other than English. If exceptions are made, that does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language or any language other than English. If any forms are issued by the Federal government in a language other than English (or such forms are completed in a language other than English), the English language version of the form is the sole authority for all legal purposes.
164.ExceptionsThis chapter does not apply to the use of a language other than English—
(1)for religious purposes;
(2)for training in foreign languages for international communication; or
(3)to programs in schools designed to encourage students to learn foreign languages. This chapter does not prevent the Government of the United States from providing interpreters for persons over 62 years of age..
(b)Conforming amendmentThe table of chapters for title 4, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

“6. Language of the Government161”.
3.Repeal of bilingual voting requirements
(a)In General
(1)Bilingual election requirementsSection 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa–1a) is repealed.
(2)Voting rightsSection 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973b) is amended by striking subsection (f).
(b)Conforming Amendments
(1)References to section 203The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended—
(A)in section 204, by striking or 203,; and
(B)in the first sentence of section 205, by striking , 202, or 203 and inserting or 202.
(2)References to section 4The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.) is amended—
(A)in sections 2(a), 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 4(d), 5, 6, and 13, by striking , or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section 4(f)(2);
(B)in paragraphs (1)(A) and (3) of section 4(a), by striking or (in the case of a State or subdivision seeking a declaratory judgment under the second sentence of this subsection) in contravention of the guarantees of subsection (f)(2); and
(C)in paragraphs (1)(B) and (5) of section 4(a), by striking or (in the case of a State or subdivision which sought a declaratory judgment under the second sentence of this subsection) that denials or abridgments of the right to vote in contravention of the guarantees of subsection (f)(2) have occurred anywhere in the territory of such State or subdivision.
4.English language requirement for ceremonies for admission of new citizensSection 337(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1448(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: All public ceremonies in which the oath of allegiance is administered pursuant to this section shall be conducted solely in the English language..
5.NonpreemptionThis Act (and the amendments made by this Act) shall not preempt any law of any State.


115 HR 187 IH: Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act of 2017
U.S. House of Representatives
2017-01-03
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. 187IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJanuary 3, 2017Ms. Plaskett introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish the Virgin Islands visa waiver program.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act of 2017. 2.Virgin islands visa waiver program (a)In generalSection 212(l) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(l)) is amended—
 (1)by amending the subsection heading to read as follows: “Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Programs.—”; and (2)by adding at the end the following:

						(7)Virgin islands visa waiver program
 (A)In generalThe requirement of subsection (a)(7)(B)(i) may be waived by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the case of an alien who is a national of a country described in subparagraph (B) and who is applying for admission as a nonimmigrant visitor for business or pleasure and solely for entry into and stay in the United States Virgin Islands for a period not to exceed 30 days, if the Secretary of Homeland Security, after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of State, and the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, determines that such a waiver does not represent a threat to the welfare, safety, or security of the United States or its territories and commonwealths.
 (B)CountriesA country described in this subparagraph is a country that— (i)is a member or an associate member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); and
 (ii)is listed in the regulations described in subparagraph (D). (C)Alien waiver of rightsAn alien may not be provided a waiver under this paragraph unless the alien has waived any right—
 (i)to review or appeal under this Act an immigration officer’s determination as to the admissibility of the alien at the port of entry into the United States Virgin Islands; or
 (ii)to contest, other than on the basis of an application for withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3) of this Act or under the Convention Against Torture, or an application for asylum if permitted under section 208, any action for removal of the alien.
 (D)RegulationsAll necessary regulations to implement this paragraph shall be promulgated by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of State, on or before the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of the Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act of 2013. The promulgation of such regulations shall be considered a foreign affairs function for purposes of section 553(a) of title 5, United States Code. At a minimum, such regulations should include, but not necessarily be limited to—
 (i)a listing of all member or associate member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) whose nationals may obtain, on a country by country basis, the waiver provided by this paragraph, except that such regulations shall not provide for a listing of any country if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that such country’s inclusion on such list would represent a threat to the welfare, safety, or security of the United States or its territories and commonwealths; and
 (ii)any bonding requirements for nationals of some or all of those countries who may present an increased risk of overstays or other potential problems, if different from such requirements otherwise provided by law for nonimmigrant visitors.
 (E)FactorsIn determining whether to grant or continue providing the waiver under this paragraph to nationals of any country, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of State, shall consider all factors that the Secretary deems relevant, including electronic travel authorizations, procedures for reporting lost and stolen passports, repatriation of aliens, rates of refusal for nonimmigrant visitor visas, overstays, exit systems, and information exchange.
 (F)SuspensionThe Secretary of Homeland Security shall monitor the admission of nonimmigrant visitors to the United States Virgin Islands under this paragraph. If the Secretary determines that such admissions have resulted in an unacceptable number of visitors from a country remaining unlawfully in the United States Virgin Islands, unlawfully obtaining entry to other parts of the United States, or seeking withholding of removal or asylum, or that visitors from a country pose a risk to law enforcement or security interests of the United States Virgin Islands or of the United States (including the interest in the enforcement of the immigration laws of the United States), the Secretary shall suspend the admission of nationals of such country under this paragraph. The Secretary of Homeland Security may in the Secretary’s discretion suspend the United States Virgin Islands visa waiver program at any time, on a country-by-country basis, for other good cause.
 (G)Addition of countriesThe Governor of the United States Virgin Islands may request the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Homeland Security to add a particular country to the list of countries whose nationals may obtain the waiver provided by this paragraph, and the Secretary of Homeland Security may grant such request after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of State, and may promulgate regulations with respect to the inclusion of that country and any special requirements the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the Secretary’s sole discretion, may impose prior to allowing nationals of that country to obtain the waiver provided by this paragraph..
				(b)Conforming amendments
 (1)Documentation requirementsSection 212(a)(7)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(7)(iii)) is amended to read as follows:

 (iii)Special visa waiver programsFor a provision authorizing waiver of clause (i) in the case of visitors to Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the United States Virgin Islands, see subsection (l)..
 (2)Admission of nonimmigrantsSection 214(a)(1) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(a)(1)) is amended by inserting before the final sentence the following: No alien admitted to the United States Virgin Islands without a visa pursuant to section 212(l)(7) may be authorized to enter or stay in the United States other than in the United States Virgin Islands or to remain in the United States Virgin Islands for a period exceeding 30 days from date of admission to the United States Virgin Islands..


109 HR 6148 IH: To designate Campbell County, Virginia, as a qualified

U.S. House of Representatives
2006-09-21
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.

		I
		109th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 6148
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 21, 2006
			Mr. Goode introduced
			 the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Small
			 Business

		A BILL
		To designate Campbell County, Virginia, as a qualified
		  nonmetropolitan county for purposes of the HUBZone programs of the Small
		  Business Administration.

		1.Designation of Campbell
			 County, VirginiaSubsection
			 (p)(4) of section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(p)(4)) is amended
			 by adding at the end the following:

				(E)Special rule for
				Campbell County, VirginiaNotwithstanding subparagraph (B), the
				term qualified nonmetropolitan county includes Campbell County,
				Virginia.
				.


		V
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 1665
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			April 15, 2011
			Mr. Davis of Illinois
			 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on the
			 Judiciary

		A BILL
		For the relief of Ewa Mozdzen, Jaroslaw Mozdzen, and
		  Sylwia Mozdzen.

		1.Permanent resident status for
			 Ewa Mozdzen, Jaroslaw Mozdzen, and Sylwia Mozdzen
			(a)In
			 generalNotwithstanding
			 subsections (a) and (b) of section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act,
			 Ewa Mozdzen, Jaroslaw Mozdzen, and Sylwia Mozdzen shall each be eligible for
			 issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status to that of an alien
			 lawfully admitted for permanent residence upon filing an application for
			 issuance of an immigrant visa under section 204 of such Act or for adjustment
			 of status to lawful permanent resident.
			(b)Adjustment of
			 statusIf Ewa Mozdzen,
			 Jaroslaw Mozdzen, or Sylwia Mozdzen enters the United States before the filing
			 deadline specified in subsection (c), he or she shall be considered to have
			 entered and remained lawfully and shall, if otherwise eligible, be eligible for
			 adjustment of status under section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
			 as of the date of the enactment of this Act.
			(c)Deadline for
			 application and payment of feesSubsections (a) and (b) shall
			 apply only if the application for issuance of an immigrant visa or the
			 application for adjustment of status is filed with appropriate fees within 2
			 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
			(d)Reduction of
			 immigrant visa numberUpon
			 the granting of an immigrant visa or permanent residence to Ewa Mozdzen,
			 Jaroslaw Mozdzen, and Sylwia Mozdzen, the Secretary of State shall instruct the
			 proper officer to reduce by 3, during the current or next following fiscal
			 year, the total number of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of
			 the country of the aliens’ birth under section 203(a) of the Immigration and
			 Nationality Act or, if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that are
			 made available to natives of the country of the aliens’ birth under section
			 202(e) of such Act.
			(e)Denial of
			 preferential immigration treatment for certain relativesThe natural parents, brothers, and sisters
			 of Ewa Mozdzen, Jaroslaw Mozdzen, and Sylwia Mozdzen shall not, by virtue of
			 such relationship, be accorded any right, privilege, or status under the
			 Immigration and Nationality Act.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		S. 3516
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			August 2, 2012
			Ms. Snowe introduced the
			 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on Commerce, Science, and
			 Transportation

		A BILL
		To encourage spectrum licensees to make unused spectrum
		  available for use by rural and smaller carriers in order to expand wireless
		  coverage.

		1.Short
			 titleThis Act may be cited as
			 the Rural Spectrum Accessibility Act
			 of 2012.
		2.Extension of
			 licensesSection 307 of the
			 Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 307) is amended by adding at the end the
			 following:

				(g)Extension of
				licenses
					(1)DefinitionsFor
				purposes of this subsection—
						(A)the term
				rural area means any area other than—
							(i)an area described
				in clause (i) or (ii) of section 343(a)(13)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and
				Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)(A)); and
							(ii)a city, town, or
				incorporated area that has a population of greater than 20,000 inhabitants;
				and
							(B)the term
				small carrier means a carrier with annual revenue less than
				$500,000,000 or that provides wireless service to less than 1,500,000
				customers.
						(2)Establishment
				of programNot later than 90 days after the date of enactment of
				Rural Spectrum Accessibility Act of
				2012, the Commission shall establish a program under which a
				carrier that receives a license under this section may partition or
				disaggregate the license in order to make unused spectrum available to small
				carriers or carriers serving a rural area.
					(3)Extension of
				license termAny carrier that receives a license under this
				section and participates in the program established under paragraph (2) shall
				receive a 3-year extension of the license granted under this
				section.
					.


		I
		111th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 6426
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			November 18, 2010
			Mr. Kind introduced
			 the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Natural
			 Resources, and in addition to the Committee on
			 Energy and Commerce, 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 authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out
		  programs and activities for connecting children and families with the
		  outdoors.

		1.Short title; table of
			 contents
			(a)Short
			 titleThis Act may be cited
			 as the Moving Outdoors in Nature Act
			 of 2010.
			(b)Table of
			 contentsThe table of
			 contents of this Act is as follows:

					Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
					Sec. 2. Findings.
					Sec. 3. Grants for development or implementation of Moving
				Outdoors in Nature State Strategies.
					Sec. 4. National strategy for connecting children, youth, and
				families with the outdoors.
					Sec. 5. National evaluation of health impacts.
					Sec. 6. Technical assistance and best practices.
					Sec. 7. Definitions.
					Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.

			2.FindingsCongress finds the following:
			(1)Children today are
			 spending less time outdoors than any generation in human history, as evidenced
			 by studies that show children enjoy half as much time outdoors today as they
			 did just 20 years ago and children spend more than 7½ hours every day in front
			 of electronic media.
			(2)Experiencing our
			 Nation’s natural splendor contributes to healthier lives for all Americans and
			 a deeper appreciation for the outdoors, and those who take advantage of the
			 opportunities afforded them in the outdoors generally live longer, healthier,
			 fuller lives than those who do not.
			(3)Hunters and
			 anglers play a critical role in reconnecting young people with nature,
			 protecting our natural resources, and fostering a lifelong understanding of the
			 value of conserving the natural world. As children become more disconnected
			 from the natural world, the hunting and angling conservation legacy of America
			 is at risk.
			(4)Research
			 demonstrates that hunters who become engaged in hunting as children are among
			 the most active and interested hunters as adults. The vast majority of hunters
			 report they were introduced to hunting between the ages of 10 and 12, and the
			 overwhelming majority of children are introduced to hunting by an adult.
			(5)The health of our
			 children is at risk as evidenced by the growing obesity crisis where, over the
			 last 20 years, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled and the
			 adolescent obesity rate has tripled.
			(6)Spending time
			 outdoors in nature is beneficial to our children’s physical and mental health
			 and has been proven to decrease symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity
			 disorder (ADHD), improve motor skills, result in a better sleep, reduce stress,
			 increase creativity, improve mood, and reduce children's risk of developing
			 myopia.
			(7)Kids who play
			 outdoors are generally more physically fit than those who spend the majority of
			 their time inside, and children who play outside in natural areas have a
			 statistically significant improvement in motor fitness with better
			 coordination, balance, and agility.
			(8)The richness and
			 novelty of being outdoors stimulates brain development, and research indicates
			 that direct, ongoing experience of nature in relatively familiar settings
			 remains a vital source for children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual
			 development.
			(9)Research indicates
			 that spending time outdoors reduces the severity of symptoms of children with
			 attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and even short walks in urban
			 parks increase concentration and lessen other attention deficit and
			 hyperactivity disorder-related symptoms.
			(10)Children who
			 spend time playing outside are more likely to take risks, seek out adventure,
			 develop self-confidence, and respect the value of nature, and green spaces
			 outside the home can increase concentration, inhibition of initial impulses,
			 and self-discipline.
			(11)Time spent in
			 green spaces, including parks, play areas, and gardens, has been shown to
			 reduce stress and mental fatigue, and in one study children who were exposed to
			 greener environments in a public housing area demonstrated less aggression and
			 violence and less mental stress.
			(12)Simply viewing
			 nature reduces physiological stress response, increases levels of interest and
			 attention, and decreases feelings of fear, anger, and aggression.
			(13)A direct
			 childhood experience with nature before the age of 11 promotes a long-term
			 connection to nature, a connection that is currently dwindling as children
			 spend half as much time outside as they did 20 years ago.
			(14)Resource
			 stewardship is more challenging without a strong sense of connection to the
			 natural world, and as visitation to public lands has declined or remained flat
			 in recent years and children spend less time outdoors on private lands as well,
			 that connection is being lost.
			(15)It takes many
			 dedicated men and women to work to preserve, protect, enhance, and restore
			 America's natural resources, and with an aging workforce in the natural
			 resource professions, it is critical for the next generation to have an
			 appreciation for nature and be ready to take over these
			 responsibilities.
			(16)Over the past
			 several years, urbanization, changing land use patterns, increasing road
			 traffic, and inadequate solutions to addressing these challenges in the built
			 environment have combined to make it more difficult for many Americans to walk
			 or bike to schools, parks, and play areas or experience the natural environment
			 in general.
			(17)Natural play
			 areas, greenways, accessible trails, backyard wildlife habitats, and other
			 green features of the built environment provide children the opportunity to
			 experience nature in their communities and close to home.
			(18)Conservation
			 education and outdoor recreation experiences like camping, hiking, boating,
			 hunting, fishing, archery, recreational shooting, wildlife watching, and others
			 are critical to engaging young people in the outdoors.
			(19)Parks and
			 recreation, youth-serving, conservation, health, education, and
			 built-environment organizations, facilities, and personnel provide critical
			 resources and infrastructure for connecting children and families with
			 nature.
			(20)Research has
			 shown that military children and families are facing increased stress and
			 mental strain and challenges due to multiple, extended deployments. Military
			 family service organizations have developed programs that connect military
			 children and families with positive, meaningful outdoor experiences benefiting
			 mental and physical health, but they lack sufficient resources to meet
			 increasing demand.
			(21)States nationwide
			 and their community-based partners have some notable programs that connect
			 children and families with nature; however, most States lack sufficient
			 resources and a comprehensive strategy that effectively engages State agencies
			 across multiple fields.
			(22)States need to
			 engage in a cross-sector agency and nonprofit approach that involves public
			 health and wellness, parks and recreation, transportation and city planning,
			 and others focused on connecting children and families with the outdoors to
			 increase coordination and effective implementation of the policy tools and
			 programs that a State can bring to bear to provide healthy outdoor
			 opportunities for children and families.
			3.Grants for
			 development or implementation of Moving Outdoors in Nature State
			 Strategies
			(a)In
			 generalThe Secretary may
			 award competitive grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to
			 develop and implement a 5-year State strategy, to be known as a Moving Outdoors
			 in Nature State Strategy, for connecting children and families with the
			 outdoors.
			(b)Submission and
			 approval of strategies
				(1)ApplicationsAn
			 application for a grant under subsection (a) shall—
					(A)be submitted not
			 later than 120 days after the Secretary publishes guidelines under subsection
			 (f)(1); and
					(B)include a Moving
			 Outdoors in Nature State Strategy meeting the requirements of subsection (c) or
			 a proposal for development and submission of such a strategy.
					(2)Approval of
			 strategy; peer reviewNot
			 later than 90 days after submission of a Moving Outdoors in Nature State
			 Strategy, the Secretary shall approve or recommend changes to the strategy. The
			 Secretary shall carry out the preceding sentence through a peer review process
			 that includes participation from Federal, State, and local government and from
			 nongovernmental entities.
				(3)Strategy
			 updateAn eligible entity
			 receiving funds under this section shall update its Moving Outdoors in Nature
			 State Strategy not less than every 5 years to reflect any changes and
			 modifications.
				(c)Comprehensive
			 strategy requirementsThe
			 Secretary may approve a Moving Outdoors in Nature State Strategy under
			 subsection (b)(2) only if the strategy includes the following:
				(1)A
			 description of how the eligible entity will connect children, youth, and
			 families to the outdoors through State and local—
					(A)public health
			 systems;
					(B)public parks and
			 recreation systems;
					(C)public
			 transportation and city planning systems; and
					(D)other public
			 systems that connect children, youth, and families to the outdoors.
					(2)A
			 description of how the eligible entity will connect existing governmental
			 systems to networks of nongovernmental partner organizations serving children,
			 youth, and families.
				(3)A
			 description of how State agencies, such as State departments of health, natural
			 resources, environmental quality, fish and wildlife, national guard, and
			 transportation, will collaborate with each other and nongovernmental
			 organizations and local agencies to implement the strategy.
				(4)A
			 description of how funding will be spent through local planning and
			 implementation grants under subsection (d).
				(5)A
			 description of how the eligible entity will evaluate the effectiveness of, and
			 measure the impact of, the strategy.
				(6)A
			 description of how the eligible entity will provide opportunities for public
			 involvement in developing and implementing the strategy through a public
			 comment period, public hearings, or other means.
				(d)Local planning
			 and implementation
				(1)In
			 generalA Moving Outdoors in Nature State Strategy shall provide
			 for—
					(A)local planning;
			 and
					(B)subgrants by the grant recipient under
			 subsection (a) to local entities to implement the strategy through one or more
			 of the activities described in paragraph (2).
					(2)Program
			 activitiesThe activities described in this paragraph are the
			 following:
					(A)Outdoor recreation
			 programs and activities that engage children, youth, and families in healthy,
			 active time outdoors through camping, hiking, wildlife watching, and other
			 recreational activities that teach skills for lifelong participation in outdoor
			 activities.
					(B)Youth mentoring
			 and outdoor recreation programs and activities that engage participants in
			 hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and archery.
					(C)Public health
			 initiatives to educate parents and caregivers about the health benefits of
			 active time outdoors to fight obesity and increase the quality of life for
			 children, youth, and families.
					(D)Creation of
			 natural play areas within communities, as defined by nationally recognized
			 guidelines, to provide opportunities for safe outdoor play in natural
			 environments at daycare and afterschool childcare sites, schools, parks,
			 recreation centers, camps, libraries, military installations, and other
			 areas.
					(E)Development of
			 trails and greenways to safely connect parks and outdoor recreation areas with
			 military installations, daycare and afterschool childcare sites, schools, and
			 communities through trail systems that encourage walking, biking, and increased
			 time outdoors by children, youth, and families.
					(F)Creation of
			 outdoor learning environments such as schoolyard, community, or backyard
			 wildlife habitats or gardens.
					(G)Environmental
			 sustainability and conservation education and interpretation programs and
			 activities that engage children, youth, and families in learning and physical
			 activity in the outdoors.
					(H)Service learning
			 and volunteer opportunities to help restore natural areas, maintain
			 recreational assets, and engage children, youth, and families in the
			 outdoors.
					(I)Promotional
			 activities that promote the benefits of time spent outdoors and invite
			 children, youth, and families to enjoy the outdoors by visiting nearby public
			 and private lands.
					(J)Initiatives that
			 engage health professionals, pediatricians, educators, daycare instructors,
			 afterschool program providers, camp directors, community planners, local
			 planning commissions, homeowners associations, environmental professionals,
			 military, law enforcement, and business leaders in identifying innovative
			 solutions to connecting children, youth, and families with nature.
					(e)PriorityIn
			 making grants under subsection (a) and subgrants under subsection (d)(1)(B),
			 the Secretary and the recipient of a grant under this section shall give
			 preference to entities that serve individuals who have limited opportunities to
			 experience nature, including those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or
			 have a disability.
			(f)GuidelinesNot
			 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and after
			 notice and opportunity for public comment, the Secretary shall publish in the
			 Federal Register guidelines on the implementation of this Act, including
			 guidelines for—
				(1)developing and
			 submitting strategies under subsection (b); and
				(2)technical
			 assistance and dissemination of best practices under section 6.
				(g)ReportingNot later than 2 years after the Secretary
			 approves the Moving Outdoors in Nature State Strategy of an eligible entity
			 receiving funds under this section, and every year thereafter, the entity shall
			 submit to the Secretary a report on the implementation of the strategy based on
			 the entity’s evaluation and assessment of meeting the goals specified in the
			 strategy.
			(h)Allocation of
			 fundsAn eligible entity receiving a grant under subsection (a)
			 for a fiscal year—
				(1)may use not more
			 than 5 percent of the grant funds for administrative expenses; and
				(2)shall use at least
			 95 percent of the grant funds for local planning and subgrants to local
			 entities under subsection (d).
				4.National strategy
			 for connecting children, youth, and families with the outdoors
			(a)In
			 generalNot later than September 30, 2011, the President of the
			 United States, in cooperation with Federal departments and agencies, shall
			 develop and issue a national strategy for connecting children, youth, and
			 families with the outdoors. Such strategy shall include, but not be limited
			 to—
				(1)identification of
			 barriers to children, youth, and families spending healthy time outdoors and
			 specific policy solutions to address those barriers;
				(2)identification of opportunities for
			 partnerships with States, cities, counties, municipalities, entities of local
			 government, park and recreation departments or districts, school districts,
			 institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations to connect
			 children, youth, and families with the outdoors;
				(3)coordination of
			 efforts among Federal departments and agencies to address the impacts of
			 children and families spending less time outdoors on—
					(A)public health,
			 including childhood obesity and attention deficit disorders;
					(B)the future of
			 conservation in the United States; and
					(C)the
			 economy;
					(4)identification of
			 ongoing research needs to document the health, conservation, economic, and
			 other outcomes of implementing the national and State strategies;
				(5)coordination with
			 State Moving Outdoors in Nature Strategies; and
				(6)an action plan for
			 implementing the strategy at the Federal level.
				(b)Strategy
			 development
				(1)ParticipantsIn
			 developing the national strategy in subsection (a), the President shall
			 engage—
					(A)representatives of
			 Federal, State, and local government;
					(B)business,
			 industry, and military leaders;
					(C)representatives of
			 nonprofit organizations;
					(D)educators;
					(E)medical
			 professionals;
					(F)representatives of
			 recipients of grants or subgrants under section 3; and
					(G)such other persons
			 as the President determines appropriate.
					(2)Public
			 participationThroughout the process of developing the national
			 strategy in subsection (a), the President shall provide for public
			 participation that includes, but not be limited to—
					(A)a national summit
			 of participants as defined in subsection (b)(1) with demonstrated expertise in
			 connecting children and families with the outdoors;
					(B)listening sessions
			 across the country; and
					(C)opportunities for
			 the public to submit ideas, recommendations, and comments through various
			 written and electronic methods.
					(c)Updating the
			 national strategyThe President shall update the national
			 strategy not less than 5 years, and every 5 years thereafter, after the date
			 the first national strategy is issued pursuant to subsection (a). In updating
			 the strategy, the President shall, among other things, incorporate results of
			 the evaluation under section 5.
			5.National
			 evaluation of health impactsThe Secretary shall enter into an agreement
			 with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Centers
			 for Disease Control and Prevention for—
			(1)the development of
			 recommendations for appropriate evaluation measures and criteria for developing
			 a study of national significance on the health impacts of the programs under
			 this Act; and
			(2)the administration
			 of such a study.
			6.Technical
			 assistance and best practicesThe Secretary shall—
			(1)provide technical assistance to grantees
			 under section 3 through agreements with national organizations with a proven
			 track record of connecting children to the outdoors; and
			(2)disseminate best practices that emerge from
			 strategies funded under this Act.
			7.DefinitionsIn this Act:
			(1)The term
			 eligible entity means—
				(A)a State; or
				(B)a consortium
			 of—
					(i)a
			 State, city, county, municipality, entity of local government, park and
			 recreation department or district, school district, institution of higher
			 education, or nonprofit organization; and
					(ii)any
			 combination of entities specified in clause (i).
					(2)The term
			 Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
			(3)The term
			 State means any of the several States, the District of Columbia,
			 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam,
			 American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, any other
			 territory or possession of the United States, or any Indian tribe.
			8.Authorization of
			 appropriations
			(a)In
			 generalThere are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
			 to carry out this Act—
				(1)$15,000,000 for
			 fiscal year 2011;
				(2)$50,000,000 for
			 fiscal year 2012;
				(3)$100,000,000 for
			 fiscal year 2013; and
				(4)such sums as may
			 be necessary for subsequent fiscal years.
				(b)LimitationOf
			 the amounts made available to carry out this Act for a fiscal year, not more
			 than 5 percent may be made available for carrying out section 6.
			(c)Supplement, not
			 supplantFunds made available under this Act shall be used to
			 supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State, or local funds
			 available for activities that connect children, youth, and families to the
			 outdoors.


I
111th CONGRESS 1st Session
H. R. 4080
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 16, 2009
Mr. Schiff (for himself and Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL
To establish a criminal justice reinvestment grant program to help States and local jurisdictions reduce spending on corrections, control growth in the prison and jail populations, and increase public safety.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act of 2009.
2.FindingsCongress finds the following:
(1)A total of 2,200,000 American adults are incarcerated in State and local prisons and jails, a rate of about 1 out of every 100 adults.
(2)State spending on corrections has increased over the last 20 years from approximately $12,600,000,000 in 1988 to more than $52,000,000,000 in 2008. According to Public Safety, Public Spending: Forecasting America’s Prison Population 2007–2011, State and Federal prison populations are expected to increase by 192,000 over that 5-year period, at an additional cost of $27,500,000,000.
(3)Between 2000 and 2008, jail populations increased from approximately 621,000 to 785,000 inmates. The 3,300 jails nationwide process approximately 13,500,000 inmates each year, 4,000,000 of whom are repeat offenders.
(4)The number of persons on probation and parole in State correctional systems has been increasing. Approximately 5,000,000 Americans, or 1 out of every 45 adults, are on probation or parole, an increase of nearly 300 percent since 1980.
(5)Policymakers have insufficient access to detailed, data-driven explanations about changes in crime, arrest, conviction, and prison and jail population trends.
(6)In the face of ever-increasing correctional costs, with bipartisan leadership, governors and legislative leaders in Texas, Kansas, Rhode Island, Vermont, and other States around the country have initiated data-driven criminal justice reinvestment strategies that increase public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control corrections spending.
3.Purpose and definition
(a)PurposeThe purpose of this Act is to provide grants for criminal justice reinvestment strategies.
(b)Criminal justice reinvestmentIn this Act, the term criminal justice reinvestment refers to a data-driven program that—
(1)analyzes criminal justice trends to understand what factors are driving the growth in prison and jail populations;
(2)develops and implements policy options to manage the growth in corrections populations and increase the effectiveness of current spending and investment to increase public safety and improve individual and system accountability; and
(3)measures the impact of the policy changes and reinvestment resources and holds policymakers accountable for projected results.
4.Public safety performance grants to implement criminal justice reinvestment strategies
(a)Phase 1—Data analysis and policy development grants
(1)In generalThe Attorney General may make grants to a State, unit of local government, territory, or Indian tribe (referred to in this Act as an eligible entity) to analyze and improve the cost-effectiveness of State and local spending on prisons, jails, and community corrections (referred to in this Act as Phase 1 grants).
(2)ObjectivesThe purposes of the Phase 1 grants shall be for an eligible entity—
(A)to conduct a comprehensive analysis of criminal justice data, including crime and arrest rates, conviction rates, pretrial and reentry services, and probation, parole, prison and jail populations;
(B)to evaluate relevant criminal justice policies and the cost-effectiveness of current spending on corrections and community corrections; and
(C)to develop data-driven policy options that can increase public safety and improve offender accountability.
(3)DetailsThe comprehensive analysis, evaluation, and policy development required by paragraph (2) shall include—
(A)an analysis of reported crime and arrest data;
(B)an analysis of felony conviction data to understand the percent of offenders who are sentenced to prison or jail for particular offenses;
(C)an analysis of prison or jail admission and length-of-stay data over a 3- to 5-year time period to determine which cohorts of offenders account for the growth of the population;
(D)an analysis of probation and parole data to determine which offenders are violating the conditions of supervision and being revoked to prison or jail;
(E)an analysis of the current capacity and quality of crime prevention and crime-fighting programs, including institutional and community-based risk-reduction programs such as drug treatment, mental health, education, job training, housing, and other human services to divert individuals from prisons or jails and to reduce recidivism among offenders on community supervision;
(F)consultation with criminal justice stakeholders, including State corrections departments, community corrections agencies, local jail systems, and relevant governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations;
(G)an analysis of criminal justice policies and expenditures, including the cost-effectiveness of current spending on corrections and community corrections, to understand how the existing system accounts for criminal justice trends;
(H)the development of a prison or jail population projection using a simulation model based on collected data to test the impact of various policy changes; and
(I)the development of practical, data-driven policy options that can increase public safety, improve offender accountability, reduce recidivism, and manage the growth of spending on corrections in the relevant criminal justice system.
(4)ApplicationsTo be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit to the Attorney General an application, in such form and manner and at such time as specified by the Attorney General that includes a proposal that describes how the grant will fulfill the objectives required by paragraph (2).
(5)PriorityThe Attorney General, in awarding funds under this subsection, shall give priority to eligible entities that—
(A)demonstrate a commitment from the chief executive officer, legislative body, judiciary, law enforcement officials, correctional agencies and prosecutors of the eligible entity to work together in a collaborative bipartisan approach to analyze the data and develop criminal justice policy options;
(B)establish or designate a multibranch, bipartisan, intergovernmental, interagency task force of elected and appointed officials to address the criminal justice and public safety challenges facing the jurisdiction;
(C)demonstrate access to data from across the criminal justice system, including crime and arrest, court and conviction, jail, prison, community corrections data, and standards for analysis;
(D)identify agency or consultant capacity to objectively analyze data, utilize simulation models for prison or jail population projections, and develop concise written reports and policy options for policymakers to review; or
(E)demonstrate that the projected growth over a 10-year period is expected to exceed current corrections capacity.
(6)Completion of grantThe analysis, evaluation, and policy development required for a grant under this subsection shall be completed not later than 12 months after the receipt of funding for the grant unless granted an extension of time by the Attorney General.
(b)Phase 2—Implementation grants
(1)In generalThe Attorney General may make grants to eligible entities to implement policies and programs designed to help jurisdictions manage the growth in spending on corrections and increase public safety (referred to in this Act as Phase 2 grants).
(2)ObjectivesThe purposes of the Phase 2 grants shall be for an eligible entity to—
(A)fund programs identified by prior data analysis and policy development that provide training and technical assistance, support the delivery of risk-reduction programs, or otherwise enhance public safety and improve offender accountability by strengthening the criminal justice system;
(B)reinvest averted prison or jail costs into programs that enhance public safety by strengthening the criminal justice system or high-risk communities and individuals; and
(C)measure performance of policies and programs enacted or established in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
(3)ProgramsThe programs described by paragraphs (2)(A) and (2)(B) shall—
(A)provide training and technical assistance including—
(i)training of corrections and community corrections, judicial, substance abuse or mental healthstaff and other key staff on evidence-based practices for reducing recidivism; or
(ii)training and technical assistance to assist jurisdictions in implementing and validating new risk and needs assessment tools; or technical assistance to implement evidence-based policies in corrections or community corrections agencies;
(B)establish risk-reduction programs including—
(i)substance abuse or mental health treatment;
(ii)education or job training;
(iii)job placement, development, and creation;
(iv)intermediate sanction programs and facilities, including community-based reentry programs, day reporting centers and electronic monitoring; or
(v)supportive housing programs;
(C)reduce the number of rearrests, reconvictions, and revocations of people currently on probation and parole and increase the number of successful completions of probation and parole;
(D)establish policies and practices that will avert growth in the prison and jail population and, as a result, avert the need to appropriate funds for the construction or operation of a new prison and jail facilities; or
(E)establish comparable programs that enhance public safety by strengthening the criminal justice system.
(4)Performance measurementThe performance measures described by paragraph (2)(C) shall track key criminal justice trends across agencies and departments to measure the impact of the programs described in paragraph (3), and include the following measurements where applicable:
(A)Reduction in rearrest, reconviction, and revocations of people currently on probation and parole.
(B)Increases in the number of successful completions of probation and parole.
(C)General crime trends.
(D)Prison and jail populations.
(E)Number of program and treatment slots added to reduce recidivism.
(5)ApplicationsTo be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit to the Attorney General an application, in such form and manner and at such time as specified by the Attorney General that includes a proposal that describes how the grant will fulfill the objectives required by paragraph (2).
(6)PriorityPriority consideration shall be given to applications under this subsection that demonstrate that—
(A)the proposed programs will improve public safety and improve individual and system accountability while reducing or maintaining criminal justice growth through policies which ensure that—
(i)violent offenders are incarcerated;
(ii)nonviolent offenders who pose a minimal risk of harm to the community are supervised through effective probation and parole systems and provided with effective risk-reduction programs; and
(iii)effective diversion and reentry programs are integrated into a new overall criminal reinvestment strategy;
(B)the proposed programs will have a significant impact on the geographic areas identified by the analysis as having disproportionate numbers of people returning from prison or jail; and
(C)data analysis through a Phase 1 grant or similar work has been completed.
(c)Annual reportThe Attorney General shall report to the Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives on November 1 of each year concerning the development and implementation of grants under this section and strategies developed, which shall include information concerning—
(1)the number and identity of the grantees who have received analyses and program development grants;
(2)the progress of grantees in conducting analyses and program development;
(3)the number and identity of the grantees receiving implementation grants;
(4)the progress of grantees in implementing criminal justice reinvestment strategies; and
(5)the performance of entities implementing criminal justice reinvestment strategies, including relevant data on—
(A)the reduction, if any, in the number of rearrests, reconvictions, and revocations of people currently on probation and parole;
(B)the increase, if any, in the number of successful completions of probation and parole;
(C)the reduction, if any, in the growth of the prison and jail population;
(D)the portion of averted costs that has been or will be reinvested and used to target high-risk communities and individuals to reduce the rate of rearrest, reconviction, and revocation to increase public safety; and
(E)the reduction, if any, in rearrest rates by people under the supervision of the criminal justice system.
(d)Sharing informationThe Attorney General shall establish an information clearinghouse for data collected and for best practices developed by eligible grantees developed in carrying out grants under this section.
(e)AdministrationApplications for grants shall be considered on a rolling basis and be responded to in a timely fashion in order to provide assistance to policymakers facing various budget timelines.
(f)Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 to carry out this section for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014.


		I
		111th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 6345
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 29, 2010
			Mr. Israel (for
			 himself and Mr. Andrews) introduced
			 the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Ways and
			 Means

		A BILL
		To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to adjust
		  personal exemptions for high cost-of-living areas.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 The Personal Exemption Fairness Act of
			 2010.
		2.Regional
			 cost-of-living adjustments in personal exemptions
			(a)In
			 generalSubsection (d) of
			 section 151 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the
			 end the following new paragraph:

					(5)Area
				cost-of-living adjustment
						(A)In
				generalEach of the dollar
				amounts otherwise in effect under paragraphs (1) and (3)(C) for any taxable
				year beginning after 2010 shall be multiplied by the applicable multiplier for
				the taxable year which applies to the statistical area in which the taxpayer’s
				primary place of abode during the taxable year is located.
						(B)Applicable
				multipliersFor purposes of
				this paragraph—
							(i)In
				generalNot later than December 15 of each calendar year, the
				Secretary shall prescribe an applicable multiplier for each statistical area of
				the United States which shall apply to taxable years beginning during the
				succeeding calendar year.
							(ii)Determination
				of multipliers
								(I)In the case of a
				statistical area where the cost-of-living differential for the calendar year
				does not exceed 125 percent, the applicable multiplier is 1.
								(II)In the case of a
				statistical area not described in subclause (I), the applicable multiplier is
				the cost-of-living differential for the calendar year.
								(iii)Cost of living
				differentialThe
				cost-of-living differential for any statistical area for any calendar year is
				the percentage determined by dividing—
								(I)the cost-of-living
				for such area for the preceding calendar year, by
								(II)the average
				cost-of-living for the United States for the preceding calendar year.
								(iv)Cost-of-living
				for area
								(I)In
				generalFor each calendar year beginning after 2009, the
				Secretary of Labor shall determine and publish a cost-of-living index for each
				statistical area.
								(II)MethodologyThe
				cost-of-living index determined under subclause (I) for any statistical area
				for any calendar year shall be based on average market prices for the area for
				the 12-month period ending on August 31 of such calendar year. The market
				prices taken into account under the preceding sentence shall be selected and
				used under the same methodology as is used by the Secretary of Labor in
				developing the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
								(v)Statistical
				areaFor purposes of this subsection the term statistical
				area means—
								(I)any metropolitan
				statistical area as defined by the Secretary of Commerce, and
								(II)the portion of
				any State not within a metropolitan statistical area as so
				defined.
								.
			(b)Effective
			 date
				(1)In
			 generalThe amendments made by this section shall apply to
			 taxable years beginning after December 31, 2010.
				(2)Transition
			 ruleNotwithstanding section
			 151(d)(5)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code (as added by this section), the date
			 for prescribing applicable multipliers for taxable years beginning in calendar
			 year 2011 shall be the date 1 year after the date of the enactment of this
			 Act.


117 HR 3693 IH: Department of Veterans Affairs Continuing Professional Education Modernization Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2021-06-04
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.

I117th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 3693IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJune 4, 2021Ms. Brownley (for herself and Mrs. Miller-Meeks) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsA BILLTo amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses for health care professionals of the Department of Veterans Affairs.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Department of Veterans Affairs Continuing Professional Education Modernization Act or the VA CPE Modernization Act.2.Improvement to reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses for health care professionals of Department of Veterans Affairs(a)ReimbursementSection 7411 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:7411.Reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses(a)ReimbursementThe Secretary shall reimburse a full-time health care professional of the Department for expenses incurred for continuing professional education in amounts as follows:(1)With respect to a physician or dentist appointed under section 7401(1) of this title, not more than $4,000 per year.(2)With respect to an individual appointed to a position listed in section 7401(1) that is not covered by paragraph (1), not more than $2,000 per year.(3)With respect to an individual appointed to a position listed in section 7401(3), not more than $2,000 per year.(b)AdjustmentThe Secretary may from time to time adjust the dollar amounts specified in subsection (a) based upon inflation..(b)Clerical amendmentThe table of sections at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 7411 and inserting the following new item:7411. Reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses..


114 HR 3814 IH: Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2015
U.S. House of Representatives
2015-10-22
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.

		I
		114th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 3814
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			October 22, 2015
			Ms. Pingree introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

		A BILL
		To permit aliens seeking asylum to be eligible for employment in the United States and for other
			 purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2015. 2.Employment authorization for aliens seeking asylumParagraph (2) of section 208(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(d)) is amended to read as follows:

				(2)Employment authorization
 (A)EligibilityThe Secretary of Homeland Security shall authorize employment for an applicant for asylum who is not in detention and whose application for asylum has not been determined frivolous.
 (B)ApplicationAn applicant for asylum who is not otherwise eligible for employment authorization shall not be granted such authorization prior to 30 days after the date of filing of the application for asylum.
 (C)TermEmployment authorization for an applicant for asylum— (i)shall be for a period of 1 year; and
 (ii)shall be renewable for additional 1-year periods for the entire continuous period necessary to adjudicate the applicant’s asylum claim, including administrative or judicial review..


113 HR 1810 RH: To revise the boundaries of John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Gasparilla Island Unit in Florida.
U.S. House of Representatives
2013-04-26
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.

		IB
		Union Calendar No. 475
		113th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 1810
		[Report No. 113–635]
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			April 26, 2013
			Mr. Radel introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

			December 1, 2014
			Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

		A BILL
		To revise the boundaries of John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Gasparilla Island Unit
			 in Florida.

		1.John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Gasparilla Island Unit, Florida
			(a)In generalThe map subtitled Gasparilla Island Unit FL–70P included in the set of maps entitled Coastal Barrier Resources System referred to in section 4(a) of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3503(a)) and relating
			 to the Gasparilla Island Unit in Florida is hereby replaced by another map
			 relating to the same unit entitled John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Corrected Gasparilla Unit FL–70/FL–70P, draft dated May 23, 2012.
			(b)AvailabilityThe Secretary of the Interior shall keep the replacement map referred to in subsection (a) on file
			 and available for inspection in accordance with section 4(b) of the
			 Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3503(b)).

		December 1, 2014
		Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed


113 HR 1913 IH: Application Privacy, Protection, and Security Act of 2013
U.S. House of Representatives
2013-05-09
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.

		I
		113th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 1913
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			May 9, 2013
			Mr. Johnson of
			 Georgia (for himself, Ms. Jackson
			 Lee, Mr. Engel,
			 Mr. Conyers, and
			 Mr. Chabot) introduced the following
			 bill; which was referred to the Committee
			 on Energy and Commerce

		A BILL
		To provide for greater transparency in and user control
		  over the treatment of data collected by mobile applications and to enhance the
		  security of such data.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Application Privacy, Protection, and
			 Security Act of 2013 or the APPS Act of 2013.
		2.Transparency,
			 user control, and security
			(a)Consent to terms
			 and conditions
				(1)In
			 generalBefore a mobile application collects personal data about
			 a user of the application, the developer of the application shall—
					(A)provide the user
			 with notice of the terms and conditions governing the collection, use, storage,
			 and sharing of the personal data; and
					(B)obtain the consent
			 of the user to such terms and conditions.
					(2)Required
			 contentThe notice required by paragraph (1)(A) shall include the
			 following:
					(A)The categories of
			 personal data that will be collected.
					(B)The categories of
			 purposes for which the personal data will be used.
					(C)The categories of
			 third parties with which the personal data will be shared.
					(D)A data retention
			 policy that governs the length for which the personal data will be stored and
			 the terms and conditions applicable to storage, including a description of the
			 rights of the user under subsection (b) and the process by which the user may
			 exercise such rights.
					(3)Additional
			 specifications and flexibilityThe Commission shall by regulation
			 specify the format, manner, and timing of the notice required by paragraph
			 (1)(A). In promulgating the regulations, the Commission shall consider how to
			 ensure the most effective and efficient communication to the user regarding the
			 treatment of personal data.
				(4)Direct access to
			 data by third partiesFor
			 purposes of this Act, if the developer of a mobile application allows a third
			 party to access personal data collected by the application, such personal data
			 shall be considered to be shared with the third party, whether or not such
			 personal data are first transmitted to the developer.
				(b)Withdrawal of
			 consentThe developer of a mobile application shall—
				(1)provide a user of
			 the application with a means of—
					(A)notifying the
			 developer that the user intends to stop using the application; and
					(B)requesting the
			 developer—
						(i)to refrain from
			 any further collection of personal data through the application; and
						(ii)at the option of
			 the user, either—
							(I)to the extent
			 practicable, to delete any personal data collected by the application that is
			 stored by the developer; or
							(II)to refrain from
			 any further use or sharing of such data; and
							(2)within a
			 reasonable and appropriate time after receiving a request under paragraph
			 (1)(B), comply with such request.
				(c)Security of
			 personal data and de-Identified dataThe developer of a mobile
			 application shall take reasonable and appropriate measures to prevent
			 unauthorized access to personal data and de-identified data collected by the
			 application.
			(d)ExceptionNothing
			 in this Act prohibits the developer of a mobile application from disclosing or
			 preserving personal data or de-identified data as required by—
				(1)other Federal law
			 (including a court order); or
				(2)except as provided
			 in section 6, the law of a State or a political subdivision of a State
			 (including a court order).
				3.Application and
			 enforcement
			(a)General
			 applicationThe requirements
			 of this Act and the regulations promulgated under this Act apply, according to
			 their terms, to those persons, partnerships, and corporations over which the
			 Commission has authority pursuant to section 5(a)(2) of the Federal Trade
			 Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45(a)(2)).
			(b)Enforcement by
			 Federal Trade Commission
				(1)Unfair or
			 deceptive acts or practicesA violation of this Act or a
			 regulation promulgated under this Act shall be treated as a violation of a
			 regulation under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C.
			 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
				(2)Powers of
			 CommissionThe Commission
			 shall enforce this Act and the regulations promulgated under this Act in the
			 same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and
			 duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the
			 Federal Trade Commission Act (15
			 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act. Any
			 person who violates this Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act shall
			 be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities
			 provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act.
				(c)Actions by
			 States
				(1)In
			 generalIn any case in which
			 the attorney general of a State, or an official or agency of a State, has
			 reason to believe that an interest of the residents of such State has been or
			 is threatened or adversely affected by an act or practice in violation of this
			 Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act, the State, as parens patriae,
			 may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the State in an
			 appropriate district court of the United States to—
					(A)enjoin such act or
			 practice;
					(B)enforce compliance
			 with this Act or such regulation;
					(C)obtain damages,
			 restitution, or other compensation on behalf of residents of the State;
			 or
					(D)obtain such other
			 legal and equitable relief as the court may consider to be appropriate.
					(2)NoticeBefore
			 filing an action under this subsection, the attorney general, official, or
			 agency of the State involved shall provide to the Commission a written notice
			 of such action and a copy of the complaint for such action. If the attorney
			 general, official, or agency determines that it is not feasible to provide the
			 notice described in this paragraph before the filing of the action, the
			 attorney general, official, or agency shall provide written notice of the
			 action and a copy of the complaint to the Commission immediately upon the
			 filing of the action.
				(3)Authority of
			 Commission
					(A)In
			 generalOn receiving notice under paragraph (2) of an action
			 under this subsection, the Commission shall have the right—
						(i)to intervene in
			 the action;
						(ii)upon so
			 intervening, to be heard on all matters arising therein; and
						(iii)to file
			 petitions for appeal.
						(B)Limitation on
			 State action while Federal action is pendingIf the Commission or the Attorney General
			 of the United States has instituted a civil action for violation of this Act or
			 a regulation promulgated under this Act (referred to in this subparagraph as
			 the Federal action), no State attorney general, official, or
			 agency may bring an action under this subsection during the pendency of the
			 Federal action against any defendant named in the complaint in the Federal
			 action for any violation of this Act or such regulation alleged in such
			 complaint.
					(4)Rule of
			 constructionFor purposes of bringing a civil action under this
			 subsection, nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent an attorney
			 general, official, or agency of a State from exercising the powers conferred on
			 the attorney general, official, or agency by the laws of such State to conduct
			 investigations, administer oaths and affirmations, or compel the attendance of
			 witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.
				4.RegulationsNot later than 1 year after the date of the
			 enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate regulations in
			 accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, to implement and
			 enforce this Act.
		5.Safe
			 harbor
			(a)In
			 generalThe developer of a
			 mobile application may satisfy the requirements of this Act and the regulations
			 promulgated under this Act by adopting and following a code of conduct for
			 consumer data privacy (insofar as such code relates to data collected by a
			 mobile application) that—
				(1)was developed in a
			 multistakeholder process convened by the National Telecommunications and
			 Information Administration, as described in the document issued by the
			 President on February 23, 2012, entitled Consumer Data Privacy in a
			 Networked World: A Framework for Protecting Privacy and Promoting Innovation in
			 the Global Digital Economy; and
				(2)the Commission has
			 approved as meeting the requirements of the regulations promulgated under
			 section 4.
				(b)RegulationsThe
			 Commission shall promulgate regulations in accordance with section 553 of title
			 5, United States Code, to govern the consideration and approval of codes of
			 conduct under subsection (a)(2).
			6.Relationship to
			 State lawThis Act and the
			 regulations promulgated under this Act supercede a provision of law of a State
			 or a political subdivision of a State only to the extent that such
			 provision—
			(1)conflicts with this Act or such
			 regulations, as determined without regard to section 2(d)(2);
			(2)specifically
			 relates to the treatment of personal data or de-identified data; and
			(3)provides a level
			 of transparency, user control, or security in the treatment of personal data or
			 de-identified data that is less than the level provided by this Act and such
			 regulations.
			7.Preservation of
			 FTC authorityNothing in this
			 Act may be construed in any way to limit or affect the authority of the
			 Commission under any other provision of law.
		8.DefinitionsIn this Act:
			(1)CommissionThe
			 term Commission means the Federal Trade Commission.
			(2)De-identified
			 dataThe term
			 de-identified data means data that cannot reasonably be used to
			 identify or infer information about, or otherwise be linked to, a particular
			 individual or mobile device, as determined with a reasonable level of justified
			 confidence based on the available methods and technologies, the nature of the
			 data at issue, and the purposes for which the data will be used.
			(3)DeveloperThe
			 term developer shall have the meaning given such term by the
			 Commission by regulation.
			(4)Mobile
			 applicationThe term mobile application means a
			 software program that—
				(A)runs on the
			 operating system of a mobile device; and
				(B)collects data from
			 a user.
				(5)Mobile
			 deviceThe term mobile device means a smartphone,
			 tablet computer, or similar portable computing device that transmits data over
			 a wireless connection.
			(6)Personal
			 dataThe term personal
			 data shall have the meaning given such term by the Commission by
			 regulation, except that such term shall not include de-identified data.
			(7)StateThe term State means each of
			 the several States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory, or
			 possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian
			 tribe.
			(8)Third
			 partyThe term third party means, with respect to
			 the developer of an application, an entity that holds itself out to the public
			 as separate from the developer such that a user of the application acting
			 reasonably under the circumstances would not expect the entity to be related to
			 the developer or to have access to personal data the user provides to the
			 developer. Such term includes an affiliate of the developer unless the
			 affiliation is reasonably clear to users of the application.
			9.Effective
			 dateThis Act shall apply with
			 respect to any collection, use, storage, or sharing of personal data or
			 de-identified data that occurs after the date that is 30 days after the
			 promulgation of final regulations under section 4.