114 HRES 886 IH: Recognizing November 26, 2016, as “Small Business Saturday” and supporting efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses.
U.S. House of Representatives
2016-09-22
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.

IV114th CONGRESS2d SessionH. RES. 886IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 22, 2016Mr. Chabot (for himself, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. King of Iowa, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Mr. Luetkemeyer, Ms. Hahn, Mr. Hanna, Mr. Payne, Mr. Huelskamp, Ms. Meng, Mr. Gibson, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Brat, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Adams, Mr. Knight, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Curbelo of Florida, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Kelly of Mississippi, and Mr. Davidson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Small BusinessRESOLUTIONRecognizing November 26, 2016, as Small Business Saturday and supporting efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses.

 Whereas there are over 28,700,000 small businesses in the United States; Whereas small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all businesses with employees in the United States;
 Whereas small businesses employ over 49 percent of the employees in the private sector in the United States;
 Whereas small businesses pay over 42 percent of the total payroll of the employees in the private sector in the United States;
 Whereas small businesses constitute nearly 98 percent of firms exporting goods; Whereas small businesses are responsible for more than 46 percent of private sector output;
 Whereas small businesses generated 63 percent of net new jobs created over the past 20 years; and Whereas November 26, 2016, is an appropriate day to recognize Small Business Saturday: Now, therefore, be it

 That the House of Representatives— (1)recognizes and encourages the observance of Small Business Saturday; and
 (2)supports efforts— (A)to encourage consumers to shop locally; and
 (B)to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and the impact of locally owned small businesses on the economy of the United States.


116 SRES 90 ATS: Designating February 28, 2019, as “Rare Disease Day”.
U.S. Senate
2019-02-28
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III116th CONGRESS1st SessionS. RES. 90IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 28, 2019Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Coons, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Booker, and Ms. Warren) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed toRESOLUTIONDesignating February 28, 2019, as Rare Disease Day.

 Whereas a rare disease or disorder is one that affects a small number of patients, which, in the United States, is considered to be a population of fewer than 200,000 individuals;
 Whereas, as of the date of the adoption of this resolution, more than 7,000 rare diseases affect as many as 30,000,000 people in the United States and their families;
 Whereas children with rare diseases account for a significant portion of the population affected by rare diseases in the United States;
 Whereas many rare diseases are serious and life-threatening and lack effective treatments; Whereas, as a result of the Orphan Drug Act (Public Law 97–414; 96 Stat. 2049), there have been important advances made in the research of, and treatment for, rare diseases;
 Whereas the Food and Drug Administration has made great strides in gathering patient perspectives to inform the drug review process as part of the Patient-Focused Drug Development program, an initiative that was reaffirmed under the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 (Public Law 115–52; 131 Stat. 1005);
 Whereas, although more than 750 orphan indications for drugs and biological products have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of rare diseases, millions of people in the United States have a rare disease for which there is no approved treatment;
 Whereas lack of access to effective treatments and difficulty in obtaining reimbursement for life-altering, and even life-saving, treatments remain significant challenges for people with rare diseases and their families;
 Whereas rare diseases and conditions include McArdle disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, acoustic neuroma, Paget disease, Landau-Kleffner syndrome, necrotizing fasciitis, mucopolysaccharidosis type I, Rasmussen encephalitis, Sanfilippo syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Wagner syndrome, Barth syndrome, and many rare cancers;
 Whereas people with rare diseases experience challenges that include— (1)difficulty in obtaining accurate diagnoses;
 (2)limited treatment options; and (3)difficulty finding physicians or treatment centers with expertise in the rare disease affecting the individual;
 Whereas the 115th Congress passed a 10-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.), ensuring health insurance coverage for many children with rare diseases;
 Whereas both the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health have established special offices to support and facilitate rare disease research and treatments;
 Whereas the National Organization for Rare Disorders (referred to in this preamble as NORD), a nonprofit organization established in 1983 to provide services to, and advocate on behalf of, patients with rare diseases, remains a critical public voice for people with rare diseases;
 Whereas 2019 marks the 36th anniversary of the enactment of the Orphan Drug Act (Public Law 97–414; 96 Stat. 2049) and the establishment of NORD;
 Whereas NORD sponsors Rare Disease Day in the United States and partners with many other major rare disease organizations to increase public awareness of rare diseases;
 Whereas Rare Disease Day is observed each year on the last day of February; Whereas Rare Disease Day is a global event that—
 (1)was first observed in the United States on February 28, 2009; and
 (2)was observed in more than 90 countries in 2018; and Whereas Rare Disease Day is expected to be observed globally for years to come, providing hope and information for rare disease patients around the world: Now, therefore, be it

 That the Senate— (1)designates February 28, 2019, as Rare Disease Day;
 (2)recognizes the importance of improving awareness and encouraging accurate and early diagnosis of rare diseases and disorders; and
 (3)supports a national and global commitment to improving access to, and developing new treatments, diagnostics, and cures for, rare diseases and disorders.


117 HR 1270 IH: Prohibit Auto Insurance Discrimination Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2021-02-23
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. 1270IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 23, 2021Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Takano, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Jones, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mr. García of Illinois, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Norton, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, and Mr. Hastings) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, 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 concernedA BILLTo prohibit private passenger automobile insurers from using certain income proxies to determine insurance rates and eligibility.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Prohibit Auto Insurance Discrimination Act or the PAID Act.2.FindingsCongress finds the following:(1)Private passenger automobile insurance companies are institutions which help spread risk of loss over a collective group of policyholders.(2)Private passenger automobile insurance is mandated in all States but New Hampshire. Legal penalties for operating a vehicle without liability insurance in these States range from fines, to license suspensions or revocations, to imprisonment.(3)The private passenger automobile insurance industry uses different variables to predict the overall costs and risks of drivers. The analysis and use of these variables ultimately help the automobile insurer set premium rates charged to consumers which the automobile insurer determines to be actuarially supported.(4)A pure loss ratio, a measurement of profitability in insurance, is defined as losses divided by premiums. Statistical correlations between certain variables and pure loss ratios should be interpreted to mean that the selected variable relates to profitability, but not necessarily to the risk that an individual will get into an automobile accident.(5)A growing trend in the private passenger automobile insurance industry is to use income proxies for underwriting and rating. The use of income proxies such as a driver’s education level, occupation, employment status, home ownership status, credit score, consumer report, previous insurer, and prior purchase of insurance by the industry as variables that significantly influence the insurance premiums charged to drivers has become commonplace. Use of these income proxies in this fashion results in higher rates being charged to lower income drivers while lower rates are being charged to the more affluent driver.(6)The American public is largely unaware that a person’s education level, occupation, employment status, home ownership status, credit score, consumer report, zip code, census tract, previous insurer, and prior purchase of insurance may be significant factors used to determine eligibility for preferred auto insurance rates regardless of the person’s driving history. As a result of the individual’s ineligibility for preferred rates, the driver’s policy and rate will be only offered from an affiliate company that has higher rates.3.Requirements for private passenger automobile insurers(a)Use of certain factors and income proxies prohibitedIt shall be unlawful for a private passenger automobile insurer, or any of its affiliate insurers, to take into consideration any of the factors described in subsection (b) relating to a consumer in determining that consumer’s eligibility for automobile insurance or in calculating the rate for that consumer.(b)FactorsThe factors referred to in subsection (a) are—(1)gender;(2)level of education;(3)occupation;(4)employment status;(5)home ownership status;(6)zip code or adjacent zip codes;(7)census tract;(8)marital status;(9)credit score or credit-based insurance score;(10)consumer report;(11)previous insurer; or(12)prior purchase of insurance of a consumer from that automobile insurer.(c)Public availability of informationAll underwriting rules and rate filings for use by any private passenger automobile insurer shall be available for public inspection and may not be considered proprietary trade secret information.(d)Reasonable procedures To assure complianceNo person shall be held liable for any violation of this Act if the person shows by a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of the alleged violation the person maintained reasonable procedures to assure compliance with the provisions of this Act.(e)Rules of construction(1)Factors and methods influencing premiumsFor the purposes of this Act, a violation of subsection (a) shall be considered to have occurred whenever the consideration of any of the factors described in subsection (b) prevents the consumer from obtaining insurance at the lowest rate available to the consumer from a private passenger automobile insurer or any of its affiliates. Actions considered a violation of such subsection include the usage or consideration of any such factor resulting in—(A)the determination of a consumer’s eligibility for automobile insurance or the calculation of the rate for that consumer;(B)an action which prevents a consumer from receiving certain rebates or discounts;(C)an action which prevents a consumer from obtaining insurance from an automobile insurer or any of its affiliate companies;(D)a denial, cancellation, non-renewal, or change in policy or coverage terms; or(E)any other impact on a consumer’s premium for insurance.(2)Authority of Federal and State agenciesNothing in this Act is intended to affect the authority of any Federal or State agency to enforce a prohibition against unfair or deceptive acts or practices, including the making of false or misleading statements in connection with a credit or insurance transaction that is not initiated by the consumer.4.Enforcement(a)Enforcement by Federal Trade Commission(1)Unfair or deceptive acts or practicesA violation of this Act shall be treated as an unfair and deceptive act or practice proscribed under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).(2)Powers of CommissionThe Federal Trade Commission shall enforce 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 shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act.(3)Amount of penaltyNotwithstanding the penalties set forth in section 5 of such Act, a person who violates this Act shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than $2,500 per violation.(4)RegulationsThe Federal Trade Commission shall prescribe, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, such regulations as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, including regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to administer and carry out the purposes and objectives of this Act, and to prevent evasions thereof or to facilitate compliance therewith.(b)Actions by consumers(1)Willful violationsAny private passenger automobile insurer who willfully violates this Act with respect to any consumer is liable to that consumer in an amount equal to the sum of—(A)any actual damages sustained by the consumer as a result of the failure;(B)such amount of punitive damages as the court may allow; and(C)in the case of any successful action to enforce any liability under this paragraph, the costs of the action together with reasonable attorneys’ fees as determined by the court.(2)Negligent violationsAny private passenger automobile insurer who is negligent in failing to comply with any requirement imposed under this Act with respect to any consumer is liable to that consumer in an amount equal to the sum of—(A)any actual damages sustained by the consumer as a result of the failure; and(B)in the case of any successful action to enforce any liability under this paragraph, the costs of the action together with reasonable attorneys’ fees as determined by the court.(3)Attorneys’ feesUpon a finding by the court that an unsuccessful pleading, motion, or other paper filed in connection with an action under this subsection was filed in bad faith or for purposes of harassment, the court shall award to the prevailing party attorney’s fees reasonable in relation to the work expended in responding to the pleading, motion, or other paper.(4)Jurisdiction of courts; limitation of actionsAn action to enforce any liability created under this subsection may be brought in any appropriate United States district court, without regard to the amount in controversy, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, not later than the earlier of—(A)2 years after the date of discovery by the plaintiff of the violation that is the basis for such liability; or(B)5 years after the date on which the violation that is the basis for such liability occurs.(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, the State, as parens patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the State in an appropriate State court or an appropriate district court of the United States to—(A)enjoin such act or practice;(B)enforce compliance with this Act;(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 Federal Trade 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 Federal Trade Commission immediately upon the filing of the action.(3)Authority of Federal Trade CommissionOn receiving notice under paragraph (2) of an action under this subsection, the Federal Trade Commission shall have the right—(A)to intervene in the action;(B)upon so intervening, to be heard on all matters arising therein; and(C)to file petitions for appeal.(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.5.Relation to State lawThis Act does not annul, alter, affect, or exempt any person subject to the provisions of this Act from complying with the laws of any State with respect to the collection, distribution, or use of any information on consumers, the prevention or mitigation of identity theft, or the regulation of the business of insurance, except to the extent that those laws are inconsistent with any provision of this Act, and then only to the extent of the inconsistency.6.DefinitionsFor the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:(1)AffiliateThe term affiliate means an entity that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another entity. For purposes of this paragraph, the term control means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the entity, whether—(A)through the ownership of voting securities;(B)by contract other than a commercial contract for goods or non-management services;(C)by contract for goods or non-management services where the volume of activity results in a reliance relationship; or(D)by common management.Control shall be presumed to exist if an entity and its affiliates directly or indirectly own, control, hold with the power to vote, or hold proxies representing 10 percent or more of the voting interests of an entity. (2)Automobile insurerThe term automobile insurer means an insurer authorized to transact or transacting automobile insurance, motor vehicle insurance, automobile or motor vehicle liability insurance, or any similar insurance business in the United States.(3)Census tractThe term census tract means any small, relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a county, as used by the United States Census Bureau.(4)Consumer reportThe term consumer report has the meaning given such term in section 603 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a), except that such term does not include any communication to the extent such communication relates to the driving history or place of residence of a consumer.(5)Credit-based insurance scoreThe term credit-based insurance score means a rating based in whole or in part on a consumer's credit information used in underwriting and rating of consumers that takes into account certain elements of an individual’s credit history to predict how likely such individual is to have an insurance loss.(6)Credit scoreThe term credit score has the meaning given such term in section 609(f)(2) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681g(f)(2)).(7)Employment statusThe term employment status means a consumer’s status as a current full-time employee, part-time employee, employed, unemployed, underemployed, or any other such designation which indicates a consumer’s work status.(8)Home ownership statusThe term home ownership status refers to whether a consumer currently owns any real property which may be used as a residence.(9)Level of educationThe term level of education refers to the highest grade level completed in a secondary school or trade school, a professional licensure or certification, or the highest undergraduate or graduate college degree obtained. Such term does not include the completion of a traffic safety course or scholastic achievement while enrolled in a school, college, or university.(10)OccupationThe term occupation means a consumer’s current lawful employment position in a career or identifiable trade category.(11)Private passenger automobileThe term private passenger automobile means a 4-wheel motor vehicle, whether owned or leased to an individual or individuals, and that is of a private passenger or station wagon type, or that is a motor vehicle with a pickup body, a delivery sedan, a passenger van, a sports utility vehicle, or a panel truck or a camper type vehicle, and that—(A)is not used as a public or livery conveyance for passengers;(B)is not rented to others;(C)has a gross vehicle weight of less than 15,000 pounds; and(D)is not primarily used in the course of an occupation, profession, or business of a person other than farming or ranching.Such term includes a motor vehicle owned by a farm family co-partnership or farm family corporation, which is principally garaged on a farm or ranch and otherwise meets the definition contained in this paragraph. 7.Effective dateThis Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.


117 HR 5370 IH: Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act of 2021
U.S. House of Representatives
2021-09-24
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. 5370IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 24, 2021Mr. McGovern (for himself, Mrs. Walorski, Ms. Pingree, and Mr. Evans) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedA BILLTo amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a demonstration program to assess the effects of a hospital providing to qualified individuals medically tailored home-delivered meals, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act of 2021.2.Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Program(a)In generalPart A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:1823.Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Program(a)Establishment(1)In generalNot later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall conduct under this section the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Program (in this section referred to as the Program) for a 3-year period to assess the effects of a covered hospital providing to qualified individuals medically tailored home-delivered meals. Under the Program, the Secretary shall—(A)select eligible hospitals to participate in the Program in accordance with paragraph (2);(B)establish procedures for covered hospitals to carry out the requirements of the Program described under paragraph (3);(C)make payments to covered hospitals for items and services provided to qualified individuals in accordance with subsection (b); and(D)submit a report on the Program in accordance with subsection (c).(2)Selection(A)In generalFor purposes of this subsection, a covered hospital is a hospital—(i)that submits to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require;(ii)is selected by the Secretary to carry out the Program for not more than a 3-year period; and(iii)is a subsection (d) hospital under section 1886.(B)RequirementThe Secretary shall select at least 20 covered hospitals located in at least 10 different States to carry out the Program.(3)Program requirements(A)StaffA covered hospital shall maintain on staff a physician, registered dietitian or nutrition professional, or clinical social worker to—(i)screen an individual that is an inpatient of such hospital with validated screening tools to determine whether such individual is a qualified individual;(ii)re-screen each individual receiving medically tailored home-delivered meals with validated screening tools every 12 weeks to determine whether such individual is qualified to continue receiving medically tailored home-delivered meals;(iii)in the case such an individual is determined to be a qualified individual under clause (i) or (ii), ensure such individual receives medically tailored home-delivered meals pursuant to a contract described in subparagraph (B);(iv)provide to such individual determined to be a qualified individual under clause (i) or (ii) medical nutrition therapy furnished by a registered dietitian or nutritional professional or ensure that the organization described in subparagraph (B) that delivers meals to such individual provides to such individual such therapy (as appropriate); and(v)monitor the clinical health outcomes (based on measures developed by the Secretary consistent with State law) of each individual that receive medically tailored home-delivered meals.(B)Contract to deliver meals(i)In generalA covered hospital shall enter into a contract (in accordance with criteria established by the Secretary) with at least 1 organization that has at least 1 year of experience preparing and delivering medically tailored meals similar to meals described in subsection (e)(2) and providing individual nutritional counseling or medical nutrition therapy in connection with delivering meals.(ii)Number of mealsThe contract described in clause (i) shall provide for—(I)at least 2 medically tailored home-delivered meals (or a portioned equivalent) each day that meet at least two-thirds of the daily nutritional needs of the qualified individual; and(II)at least 12 weeks of medically tailored home-delivered meals.(iii)Option to provide meals for caregivers or dependents under the age of 18In the case an individual is determined to be a qualified individual under clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A), the covered hospital may contract with the organization described in clause (i) to provide to the primary caregiver of the individual or a dependent under the age of 18 that resides in the household of such individual a meal the organization determines appropriate.(C)Report by hospitalNot later than 1 year after the date the covered hospital begins to participate in the Program, and annually thereafter, a hospital selected under paragraph (2) shall submit to the Secretary a report on—(i)the impact of medically tailored home-delivered meals on clinical health outcomes described in subparagraph (A)(v);(ii)the impact of medically tailored home-delivered meals on hospital costs (including the costs associated with the readmission (as defined in 1886(q)(5)(E)) of individuals); and(iii)any other information necessary to evaluate the Program.(b)PaymentUnder the Program, payment for an item or service provided under this section shall be made from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund for the type, amount, frequency, and duration of such an item or service as the Secretary determines appropriate as if the item or service was payable under section 1886. Payment for a contract described in subsection (a)(3)(B) shall be made from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund for the amount the Secretary determines appropriate.(c)Report by SecretaryNot later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 6 years after such date, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a report on the Program. Such report shall include a summary of, evaluation of, and recommendations on whether to cover medically tailored home-delivered meals as a benefit under this part.(d)Hearings(1)In generalThe Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives shall, not later than 90 days after the date the Secretary submits a report under subsection (c), hold a hearing on the recommendations submitted by the Secretary under subsection (c).(2)Exercise of rulemaking authorityParagraph (1) is enacted—(A)as an exercise of rulemaking power of the House of Representatives, and, as such, shall be considered as part of the rules of the House, and such rules shall supersede any other rule of the House only to the extent that rule is inconsistent therewith; and(B)with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change such rules (so far as relating to the procedure in such House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the House.(e)DefinitionsIn this section:(1)Medical nutrition therapyThe term medical nutrition therapy means, for the purpose of disease management, nutritional, diagnostics, and counseling, services that are furnished by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional.(2)Medically tailored home-delivered mealThe term medically tailored home-delivered meal means a meal that is designed by a registered dietitian or nutritional professional—(A)for the treatment plan of a qualified individual; and(B)to improve health outcomes, lower the cost of care, and increase the patient satisfaction of such qualified individual.(3)Qualified individualThe term qualified individual means an individual who—(A)is entitled to benefits under this part;(B)has a diet-impacted disease (such as kidney disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or any other disease the Secretary determines appropriate) that is likely to cause the individual to require care at a hospital; and(C)has at least one activity of daily living limitation.(4)Registered dietitian or nutrition professionalThe term dietitian or nutrition professional has the meaning given such term in section 1861(vv)(2). (5)Validated screening toolThe term validated screening tool means a questionnaire that has been psychometrically tested for reliability and validity in assessing the presence of a condition in the individual who is screened by such questionnaire..


115 HR 7260 IH: Limousine Safety Modernization Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2018-12-11
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I115th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 7260IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESDecember 11, 2018Mr. Faso (for himself, Mr. Tonko, and Ms. Stefanik) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceA BILLTo allow for safety regulation of vehicles that are modified to increase seating capacity, and for
			 other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Limousine Safety Modernization Act. 2.Safety regulation of limousinesSection 30102(a)(6) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
 (1)in subparagraph (A), by striking or at the end; (2)in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and
 (3)by inserting at the end the following:  (C)altering a motor vehicle that has already been purchased by the first purchaser (as such term is defined in subsection (b)) by increasing the wheelbase of the vehicle so that the vehicle has increased seating capacity..


 S3989 ENR: United States Semiquincentennial Commission Amendments Act of 2020
U.S. Senate

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.

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress of the United States of America2d Sess.Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and twentyS. 3989IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED
 STATESAN ACTTo amend the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 to modify certain membership and other requirements of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Amendments Act of 2020.2.United States Semiquincentennial Commission(a)Establishment of CommissionSection 4 of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 685) is amended—(1)in subsection (b)(4), by striking subparagraph (I) and inserting the following:(I)The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts.(J)The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities.(K)The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.(L)(i)The Chief Justice of the United States; or(ii)an Associate Justice or former Associate Justice appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States.;(2)in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:(3)Removal of members who are private citizensFollowing notice and approval of the relevant appointing authority, on an affirmative vote of not less than 2/3 of the members of the Commission, the Commission may remove a member of the Commission appointed under subsection (b)(3).; and(3)in subsection (d)—(A)by striking All meetings and inserting the following:(1)Location of first meetingThe first meeting; and (B)by adding at the end the following:(2)Location of subsequent meetingsAt least 1 meeting of the Commission each year shall be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania..(b)DutiesSection 5(c)(1) of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 687) is amended by striking 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act and inserting March 31, 2020.(c)CoordinationSection 6(b) of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 689) is amended—(1)in paragraph (3)(A), by striking presiding officer of the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities, the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities and inserting Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services; and (2)in paragraph (4), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting and other after founding.(d)Expenditures of commissionSection 9 of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–196; 130 Stat. 691) is amended—(1)by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:(a)In generalAll expenditures of the Commission shall be made from donations, earned income, and any funds made available to carry out this Act under subsection (f).;(2)in subsection (d), by striking Once each year during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and inserting Annually during the period beginning 1 year after the Commission submits the report to the President under section 5(c)(1); and (3)by adding at the end the following:(e)Intellectual property protectionsThe Commission shall have the exclusive right to use, and to allow others to use, the official marks, imprimaturs, and logos of the Commission. (f)Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act..Speaker of the House of RepresentativesVice President of the United States and President of the Senate


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		S. 2295
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			April 18, 2012
			Mr. Leahy (for himself,
			 Mr. Franken, Mr. Coons, Mr.
			 Whitehouse, Mr. Bingaman,
			 Mr. Brown of Ohio, and
			 Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the following
			 bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
			 and Pensions

		A BILL
		To permit manufacturers of generic drugs to provide
		  additional warnings with respect to such drugs in the same manner that the Food
		  and Drug Administration allows brand names to do so.

		1.Short
			 titleThis Act may be cited as
			 the Patient Safety and Generic
			 Labeling Improvement Act.
		2.Warning labeling
			 with respect to generic drugsSection 505(j) of the Federal Food, Drug,
			 and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(j)) is amended by adding at the end the
			 following:

				(11)(A)Notwithstanding any
				other provision of this Act, the holder of an approved application under this
				subsection may change the labeling of a drug so approved in the same manner
				authorized by regulation for the holder of an approved new drug application
				under subsection (b).
					(B)In the event of a labeling change made
				under subparagraph (A), the Secretary may order conforming changes to the
				labeling of the equivalent listed drug and each drug approved under this
				subsection that corresponds to such listed
				drug.
					.


109 HRES 43 IH: Urging the European Council to continue to maintain its embargo on the sales of arms to the People’s Republic of China.
U.S. House of Representatives
2005-01-25
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 43
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 25, 2005
Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia (for herself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. King of New York, Mr. McCotter, Mr. Berman, and Mr. Blumenauer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION
Urging the European Council to continue to maintain its embargo on the sales of arms to the People’s Republic of China.

Whereas on June 4, 1989, the Government of the People’s Republic of China ordered an unprovoked, brutal, and indiscriminate assault on thousands of peaceful and unarmed demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square by units of the People’s Liberation Army, which resulted in at least 1,000 deaths and several thousand injuries;
Whereas in response to the military assault in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, the President of the United States condemned the actions of the Government of the People’s Republic of China against participants in the pro-democracy movement in China and took several concrete steps to respond to the repression of the movement, including suspending all exports of items on the United States Munitions List, including arms and defense-related equipment, to the People’s Republic of China;
Whereas on June 26, 1989, in Madrid, the European Council, which represents the member-states of the European Union (EU), strongly condemned the brutal repression taking place in China and introduced an embargo on trade in arms with the People’s Republic of China;
Whereas the Department of State’s Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2003 stated the Chinese government's human rights record remained poor; the Government continued to commit numerous and serious abuses; there was backsliding on key human rights issues during the year, including arrests of individuals discussing sensitive subjects on the Internet, health activists, labor protesters, defense lawyers, journalists, house church members, and others seeking to take advantage of the space created by reforms;
Whereas on September 15, 2004, the People’s Republic of China was designated by the Secretary of State as a “country of particular concern” for the sixth consecutive year for engaging in severe violations of religious freedom, including continued suppression of religious groups perceived to be threatening to government authority or national stability;
Whereas the citizens of the People’s Republic of China still do not have the right to peacefully change their government and many who openly express dissenting political views are harassed, detained, or imprisoned;
Whereas the European Parliament has noted that the human rights situation in the People’s Republic of China remains unsatisfactory and that there has been little tangible progress made with regard to the human rights dialogue between the EU and China;
Whereas in a resolution adopted in December 2003 the European Parliament expressed its strong belief that the People’s Republic of China must take actions to improve human rights and the rule of law and needs to prove it has made significant progress on human rights;
Whereas in its resolution of October 2003 on the annual report from the European Council to the European Parliament relating to the issue of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, the European Parliament insisted on a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue through dialogue across the Taiwan Straits;
Whereas several Member states of the European Union have now proposed to lift the ban on the sale of arms to the People’s Republic of China;
Whereas lifting the current ban on the sale of arms to the People’s Republic of China by the European Union could result in serious and dangerous long-term consequences for regional stability; and
Whereas the European Parliament, in a resolution adopted on December 18, 2003, and again on November 17, 2004, expressed its grave concerns for lifting the arms embargo and called on the European Council and the Member states to maintain the European Union’s embargo on trade in arms with the People’s Republic of China and not to weaken the existing national limitations on such arms sales: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives—
(1)joins with the European Parliament in calling on the European Council and the Member states of the European Union not to lift the embargo on the sale of arms to the People’s Republic of China and not to weaken existing national limitations on such arms sales;
(2)expresses its concerns over the continuing unacceptable human rights conditions inside the People’s Republic of China;
(3)encourages the United States Government and the European Union to join together in a cooperative effort to develop a common strategy to seek improved human rights conditions in the People’s Republic of China, to promote regional stability, and to help improve political relations between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan; and
(4)urges the United States Government and the European Union to initiate discussions on how the European code-of-conduct can be strengthened in order to ensure that sufficient safeguards are in place to make it difficult to sell or transfer arms or technology to the People’s Republic of China and to consider entering into negotiations to develop a new transatlantic agreement on the future sale or transfer of arms or military technology to countries of concern.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. 611
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			March 17, 2011
			Ms. Snowe (for herself
			 and Mr. Warner) introduced the following
			 bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on Commerce, Science, and
			 Transportation

		A BILL
		To provide greater technical resources to FCC
		  Commissioners.

		1.Short
			 titleThis Act may be cited as
			 the FCC Technical Expertise Capacity
			 Heightening Act or the FCC TECH
			 Act.
		2.Appointment of
			 technical staffSection
			 4(f)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 154(f)(2)) is amended by
			 inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence: Each
			 commissioner may also appoint an electrical engineer or computer scientist to
			 provide the commissioner technical consultation when appropriate and to
			 interface with the Office of Engineering and Technology, Commission Bureaus,
			 and other technical staff of the Commission for additional technical input and
			 resources, provided that such engineer or scientist holds an undergraduate or
			 graduate degree from an institution of higher education in their respective
			 field of expertise..
		3.Technical policy
			 and personnel study
			(a)Study
				(1)Requirements of
			 studyThe Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission
			 (hereafter in this section referred to as the Commission) shall
			 enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to complete a
			 study of the technical policy decisionmaking and the technical personnel at the
			 Commission.
				(2)ContentsThe
			 study required under paragraph (1) shall—
					(A)review the
			 technical policy decisionmaking of the Commission, including if the Commission
			 has the adequate resources and processes in place to properly evaluate and
			 account for the technical aspects and impact of the Commission’s regulatory
			 rulemaking;
					(B)review—
						(i)the
			 timeliness of the rulemaking process utilized by the Commission; and
						(ii)the impact of
			 regulatory delay on telecommunications innovation;
						(C)based upon the
			 review undertaken pursuant to subparagraph (B), make recommendations for the
			 Commission to streamline its rulemaking process;
					(D)evaluate the
			 current staffing levels and skill sets of technical personnel at the Commission
			 to determine if such staffing levels and skill sets are aligned with the
			 current and future needs of the Commission, as well as with current and future
			 issues that come or may come under the jurisdiction of the Commission and shall
			 include a recommendation on the appropriate number or percentage of technical
			 personnel that should constitute the Commission workforce;
					(E)examine the
			 current technical staff and engineering recruiting procedures at the Commission
			 and make recommendations on how the Commission can improve its efforts to hire
			 and retain engineers and other technical staff members;
					(F)examine—
						(i)the
			 reliance of the Commission on external contractors in the development of policy
			 and in evaluating the technical aspects of services, devices, and issues that
			 arise under the jurisdiction of the Commission; and
						(ii)the potential
			 costs and benefits of the development of in-house resources to
			 perform the duties that are currently being outsourced to external contractors;
			 and
						(G)compare the
			 decisionmaking process of the Commission with the decisionmaking process used
			 by similar regulatory authorities in other industrialized countries, including
			 the European Union, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
					(b)ReportThe
			 Commission shall transmit a report describing the results of the study and
			 recommendations required by subsection (a) to the Committee on Commerce,
			 Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and
			 Commerce of the House of Representatives.
			(c)Offset of
			 administrative costsSection 4(a) of Public Law 109–34 (47 U.S.C.
			 703(a)) is amended by striking annual and inserting
			 biennial.


116 HR 5612 IH: Small Business and Community Investments Expansion Act of 2020
U.S. House of Representatives
2020-01-15
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I116th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 5612IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJanuary 15, 2020Ms. Gabbard introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial ServicesA BILLTo amend the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to allow for advances to certain community development
			 financial institutions and credit unions, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Small Business and Community Investments Expansion Act of 2020. 2.Expanding the purposes of advances and collateral available to certain community development financial institutions and credit unions (a)In generalSection 10(a) of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (12 U.S.C. 1430(a)) is amended—
 (1)in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting , eligible community development financial institution, or eligible insured credit union after community financial institution; and (2)in paragraph (3)(E), by inserting , eligible community development financial institution, or eligible insured credit union after community financial institution.
 (b)DefinitionsSection 2 of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (12 U.S.C. 1422) is amended by adding at the end the following:

 (13)Eligible community development financial institutionThe term eligible community development financial institution means an entity that— (A)has been certified as a community development financial institution (as such term is defined in section 103 of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994) by the Secretary of the Treasury; and
 (B)satisfies the average total assets threshold requirement for a community financial institution set forth in paragraph (10).
 (14)Eligible insured credit unionThe term eligible insured credit union means an insured credit union (as defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act) that satisfies the average total assets threshold requirement for a community financial institution set forth in paragraph (10).
					.


		III
		112th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		S. RES. 422
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			April 17, 2012
			Mr. McConnell (for
			 himself and Mr. Paul) submitted the
			 following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

		RESOLUTION
		Commending and congratulating the
		  University of Kentucky men’s basketball team for winning its eighth Division I
		  National Collegiate Athletic Association championship.

		Whereas on April 2, 2012, the University of Kentucky
			 Wildcats defeated the University of Kansas Jayhawks, 67 to 59, in the final
			 game of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this
			 preamble as NCAA) Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in New
			 Orleans, Louisiana;
		Whereas the Kentucky Wildcats have won 8 national titles,
			 the second most in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history;
		Whereas the Kentucky Wildcats are the only men’s Division
			 I college basketball program to have won NCAA national championships under 5
			 different coaches;
		Whereas freshman center Anthony Davis was—
			(1)the recipient of
			 the John R. Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, and the Adolph F. Rupp Trophy,
			 all for national player of the year;
			(2)named the United
			 States Basketball Writers Association player of the year, Associated Press
			 player of the year, and Basketball Times player of the year; and
			(3)selected to the
			 Associated Press All-America first team and as the Most Outstanding Player of
			 the NCAA Final Four tournament;
			Whereas forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, guard Doron Lamb,
			 and center Anthony Davis were selected as members of the NCAA Final Four
			 All-Tournament team;
		Whereas senior guard Darius Miller of Maysville, Kentucky
			 set a school record for career games played with the Kentucky Wildcats men’s
			 basketball team at 152;
		Whereas each player, coach, athletic trainer, and staff
			 member of the University of Kentucky basketball team dedicated their season and
			 their tireless efforts to the successful season of the team and the NCAA
			 championship;
		Whereas residents of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and
			 Wildcats fans worldwide are commended for their long-standing support,
			 perseverance, and pride in the team; and
		Whereas Coach John Calipari and the University of Kentucky
			 Wildcats have brought pride and honor to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which is
			 rightly known as the college basketball capital of the world: Now, therefore,
			 be it

		That the Senate—
			(1)commends and
			 congratulates the University of Kentucky Wildcats on its outstanding
			 accomplishment; and
			(2)respectfully
			 requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to
			 the president of the University of Kentucky.


115 S2336 IS: Supporting Veteran Families Act of 2018
U.S. Senate
2018-01-24
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II115th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 2336IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJanuary 24, 2018Mr. Tester introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsA BILLTo require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on providing intensive
			 community care coordination and supportive services to veteran families
			 who lack adequate access to services, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Supporting Veteran Families Act of 2018. 2.Pilot program on community care coordination and supportive services for veteran families who lack access to services (a)Pilot program requiredCommencing not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program with community partners to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing intensive community care coordination and supportive services to veteran families who lack adequate access to services furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs or other entities of Federal, State, and local governments.
 (b)Community care coordination and supportive services describedFor purposes of the pilot program, intensive community care coordination and supportive services are services provided by a community partner to improve the well-being and address the needs of veteran families who live in rural or underserved areas or who otherwise lack access to adequate services furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Government, or State and local governments. Intensive community care coordination and supportive services may include the following:
 (1)Care coordination and case management services. (2)Outreach services.
 (3)Assistance in obtaining any benefits from the Department which the veteran may be eligible to receive, including the following:
 (A)Vocational and rehabilitation counseling.
 (B)Employment and training services. (C)Educational assistance.
 (D)Health care services. (4)Assistance in obtaining and coordinating the provision of other public benefits or available services provided by the Federal Government, State or local governments, or other community partners, including the following:
 (A)Marriage counseling. (B)Services for children.
 (C)Suicide prevention. (D)Substance abuse awareness and treatment.
 (E)Mental health awareness and treatment. (F)Financial counseling.
 (G)Employment assistance. (H)Transportation services.
 (I)Child care. (J)Housing counseling.
 (K)Preparing and updating family care plans. (L)Development of strategies for living with a veteran with post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.
 (M)Accessing emergency financial assistance through philanthropic efforts. (N)Such other services as may be appropriate to improve the well-being and address the unique needs of veteran families who live in rural or underserved areas or otherwise lack access to adequate services furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Government, or State and local governments.
 (5)Providing direct services, described in paragraph (4), that are necessary to address the needs of the veteran families but are otherwise unavailable through existing public or private programs.
				(c)Agreements and grants
 (1)AgreementsThe Secretary shall carry out the pilot program by entering into partnership agreements with community partners to provide intensive community care coordination and supportive services.
				(2)Grants
 (A)In generalThe Secretary shall, using a competitive and merit-based process, award grants to community partners with whom the Secretary has entered into agreements under paragraph (1).
 (B)Use of fundsThe amounts of grants awarded under subparagraph (A) shall be used to provide intensive community care coordination and supportive services under the pilot program and to assess service delivery efficiencies.
 (C)LocationsThe Secretary may award grants under subparagraph (A) on an individual location basis and may award grants for the provision of certain services at locations that also provide other services.
 (d)Authorization of appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the pilot program $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018, 2019, and 2020.
			(e)Report
 (1)In generalNot later than 340 days before the completion of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the results of the pilot program.
 (2)ContentsThe report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A)The number of veteran families served under the pilot program.
 (B)The number of veteran families who received service linkages or referrals under the pilot program. (C)A description and assessment of the effectiveness and achievements of the pilot program with respect to services and treatments and mitigation of risks, including risks relating to homelessness, unemployment, and suicide.
 (f)DefinitionsIn this section: (1)Community partnerThe term community partner means a private nonprofit organization.
 (2)Veteran familyThe term veteran family means a family with respect to which the head of the household or the spouse of the head of the household is a veteran. A family that consists of a single individual who is a veteran shall be considered a veteran family.


115 HR 5199 IH: Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2018
U.S. House of Representatives
2018-03-07
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I115th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 5199IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMarch 7, 2018Mr. Banks of Indiana (for himself, Mr. Scalise, Mr. McHenry, Mr. Walker, Mr. Messer, Mr. Rokita, Mr. Ratcliffe, Mr. Loudermilk, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Kelly of Mississippi, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Buck, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Smith of Missouri, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Perry, Mr. Harris, Mr. Latta, Mr. Budd, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr. Farenthold, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Pittenger, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Biggs, and Mr. Estes of Kansas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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 concernedA BILLTo amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow parents of eligible military
			 dependent children to establish Military Education Savings Accounts, and
			 for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2018. 2.Military education savings accountsTitle VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 7012 the following:

				7012A.Military education savings accounts
 (a)In generalThe Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall carry out a program under which the Secretary of Education shall—
 (1)subject to the availability of funds pursuant to section 7014(f), at the request of a parent of an eligible military dependent child, establish an account on behalf of such child (to be known as a Military Education Savings Account) into which the Secretary shall deposit funds in an amount determined under subsection (d); and
 (2)establish a procedure under which the parent of the child may use funds in the account to pay for the educational expenses of the child in accordance with this section.
						(b)Application
 (1)In generalTo be eligible to participate in the program under this section for a school year, a parent of an eligible military dependent child shall submit an application to the Secretary of Education in accordance with this subsection.
 (2)Application processIn carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary of Education shall— (A)accept applications on a year-round basis and establish procedures for approving applications in an expeditious manner; and
 (B)create a standardized form that parents can use to apply for the program and ensure that such form is readily available in written and electronic formats, including on a publicly accessible website.
 (3)ApprovalSubject to the availability of funds to carry out this section, the Secretary shall approve the application of a parent to establish a Military Education Savings Account if—
 (A)the application is submitted in accordance with the application process established by the Secretary pursuant to this subsection;
 (B)the application demonstrates that the child on whose behalf the Military Education Savings Account is to be established is an eligible military dependent child; and
 (C)the parent who submits the application enters into a written agreement with the Secretary pursuant to subsection (c).
 (4)RenewalsThe Secretary of Education shall establish an expedited application process for the renewal of a previously established Military Education Savings Account.
 (c)Written agreementAs a condition of participating in the program under this section, the parent of a child on whose behalf a Military Education Savings Account is established shall enter into a written agreement with the Secretary under which the parent agrees—
 (1)to provide the child with instruction in, at minimum, the fields of reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies;
 (2)to not enroll the child in a public school on a full-time basis while participating in the program; (3)to use funds in the Military Education Savings Account only for the purposes authorized under this section; and
 (4)to comply with all other requirements of this section. (d)Amount of deposits (1)First year of programThe amount of funds deposited into each Military Education Savings Account for the first school year for which such accounts are established under this section shall be—
 (A)$4,500 for an account established for an eligible military dependent child described in subsection (t)(1)(A); and
 (B)$2,500 for an account established for an eligible military dependent child described in subsection (t)(1)(B).
 (2)Subsequent yearsThe amount of funds deposited into each Military Education Savings Account for any school year after the year described in paragraph (1), shall be the amount determined under this subsection for the previous school year increased by a percentage equal to the percentage increase in the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor) over the period of such previous school year.
 (3)Source of fundsIn accordance with section 7014(f), funds deposited into a Military Education Savings Account under this subsection shall be drawn from amounts otherwise appropriated to carry out the impact aid program under section 7003 and no additional funds may be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this subsection.
 (e)Use of fundsFunds deposited into a Military Education Savings Account for a school year may be used by the parent of an eligible military dependent child to make payments to a qualified educational service provider for—
 (1)costs of attendance at a private elementary school or secondary school recognized by the State, which may include a private school that is a religious institution;
 (2)private online learning programs; (3)private tutoring;
 (4)services provided by a public elementary school or secondary school attended by the child on a less than full-time basis, including individual classes and extracurricular activities and programs;
 (5)textbooks, curriculum programs, or other instructional materials, including any supplemental materials required by a curriculum program, private school, private online learning program, or a public school, or any parent directed curriculum associated with K–12 education;
 (6)computer hardware or other technological devices that are used to help meet a student’s educational needs, except that such hardware or devices may not be purchased by a parent more than once in an 18-month period;
 (7)educational software and applications; (8)uniforms purchased from or through a private school recognized by the State;
 (9)fees for nationally standardized assessment exams, advanced placement exams, any exams related to college or university admission, or tuition or fees for preparatory courses for such exams;
 (10)fees for summer education programs and specialized after-school education programs (but not including after-school childcare);
 (11)educational services and therapies, including occupational, behavioral, physical, speech-language, and audiology therapies;
 (12)fees for transportation paid to a fee-for-service transportation provider for the student to travel to and from the facilities of a qualified educational service provider;
 (13)costs of attendance at an institution of higher education; (14)costs associated with an apprenticeship or other vocational training program;
 (15)fees for state-recognized industry certification exams, and tuition or fees for preparatory courses for such exams;
 (16)contributions to a college savings account, which may include contributions to a qualified tuition program (as defined in section 529(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) or other prepaid tuition plan offered by a State; or
 (17)any other educational expenses approved by the Secretary. (f)Transfer scheduleThe Secretary of Education shall make quarterly transfers of the amount calculated pursuant to subsection (d) for deposit into the account of each qualified student, except that the Secretary may make transfers according to another transfer schedule if the Secretary determines that a transfer schedule other than quarterly transfers is necessary for the operation of the education savings account. Parents shall be required to complete an expense report issued by the Secretary electronically or in paper format prior to the next quarter’s deposit.
 (g)RolloverAmounts remaining in the Military Education Savings Account of a student at the end of a school year shall remain available for use in accordance with subsection (e) until the date on which such account terminates under subsection (h).
					(h)Termination and Return of funds
 (1)TerminationThe Military Education Savings Account of a student shall terminate on— (A)the date on which the student enrolls in a public elementary school or secondary school on a full-time basis;
 (B)in the case of a student who is pursuing postsecondary education, the earlier of— (i)the date on which the student completes postsecondary education; or
 (ii)the date on which the student attains the age of 22 years; (C)in the case of a student who is an individual with a disability, the date on which the student attains the age of 26 years; or
 (D)in the case of an individual not described in subparagraphs (B) or (C), the earlier of— (i)the date on which the student attains the age of 22 years; or
 (ii)the expiration of any 4-year period during which funds in the account are not used in accordance with this section.
 (2)Return of fundsAny funds remaining in a Military Education Savings account before such account terminates under paragraph (1) shall be—
 (A)returned to the Secretary of Education; and (B)used for the program under this section.
 (i)Compulsory attendance requirementsA State that receives funds under this title shall consider a child with a Military Education Savings Account for a school year as meeting the State’s compulsory school attendance requirements for such school year.
 (j)Special ruleIn the case of a child with a Military Education Savings Account who attends a public school on a less than full-time basis in a school year—
 (1)the child may not attend the public school free of charge; and (2)funds in the account, in an amount determined pursuant to an agreement between the parent of the child and the local educational agency concerned, shall be used to pay for the child’s costs of attendance at such school.
						(k)Tax treatment of accounts
 (1)In generalA Military Education Savings Account is exempt from taxation under subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
 (2)Contributions and distributionsFor purposes of such subtitle— (A)any contribution to a military education savings account by the Secretary under this Act shall not be includible in the gross income of the individual for whose benefit such account is maintained or the parent of such individual; and
 (B)any distribution from a military education savings account which is permitted under this Act shall not be includible in the gross income of the individual for whose benefit such account is maintained or the parent of such individual.
 (l)PrivacySection 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) (20 U.S.C. 1232g) shall apply to a qualified educational service provider in the same manner that such section applies to an educational agency or institution (as that term is defined in such section).
 (m)Fraud prevention and reportingThe Secretary of Education shall establish a website and a telephone hotline that enable individuals to anonymously report suspected fraud in the program under this section. The Secretary also shall conduct or contract for random, quarterly, or annual audits of accounts as needed to ensure compliance with this section.
 (n)Contract authorityThe Secretary of Education may enter into one or more contracts for the purpose of carrying out the responsibilities of the Secretary under this section.
					(o)Surety bond
 (1)In generalThe Secretary shall require each qualified educational service provider that receives not less than $100,000 in funds from Military Education Savings Accounts in a school year to post a surety bond, in an amount determined by the Secretary, for such school year.
 (2)RetentionThe Secretary shall prescribe the circumstances under which a surety bond under paragraph (1) may be retained by the Secretary.
 (p)RefundsThe Secretary shall establish a process under which payments from a Military Education Savings Accounts to a qualified educational service provider may be refunded to the account in the event of fraud or nonperformance by the provider.
					(q)Rules of construction
 (1)NonagencyA qualified educational service provider that receives a payment from a Military Education Savings Account pursuant to this section shall not be considered an agent of the State or the Federal Government solely because the provider received such payment.
 (2)Federal or State supervisionNothing in this section shall be construed to allow any agency of a State or the Federal Government to exercise control or supervision over any qualified educational service provider.
 (3)Imposition of additional requirementsNothing in this section shall be construed to require a qualified educational service provider to alter its creed, practices, admissions policy, or curriculum in order to be eligible to receive payments from a Military Education Savings Account.
 (4)Treatment of assistanceFor purposes of any Federal law, assistance provided under this section shall be considered assistance to the military dependent student or to the parents of a student on whose behalf a Military Education Savings Account is established and shall not be considered assistance to the qualified educational service provider that uses or receives funds from a Military Education Savings Account.
						(r)Legal proceedings
 (1)BurdenIn any legal proceeding in which a qualified educational service provider challenges a requirement imposed by the Department of Education on the provider, the Department shall have the burden of establishing that the law is necessary and does not impose any undue burden on the provider.
						(2)Limitation on liability
 (A)In generalNo liability shall arise on the part of an entity described in subparagraph (B) solely because such entity awards, uses, or receives funds from a Military Education Savings Account.
 (B)Entity describedThe entities described in this subparagraph are the following: (i)The Department of Education.
 (ii)An entity that enters into a contract with the Secretary pursuant to subsection (n). (3)Intervention (A)In generalExcept as provided in subparagraph (B), a parent of an eligible military dependent student or a parent of a student on whose behalf a Military Education Savings Account is established may intervene in any legal proceeding in which the constitutionality of the program under this section is challenged under a State constitution or the Federal constitution.
 (B)ExceptionFor purposes of judicial administration, a court may— (i)limit the number of parents allowed to intervene in a proceeding under subparagraph (A); or
 (ii)require all parents who have intervened in a proceeding under subparagraph (A) to file a joint brief, except that no parent shall be required to join any brief filed on behalf of a State that is a defendant in the proceeding.
 (s)Administrative expensesThe Secretary may use not more than 5 percent of the funds made available to carry out this section for the direct costs of administering Military Education Savings Accounts.
 (t)DefinitionsIn this section: (1)The term eligible military dependent child means a child who—
							(A)
 (i)has a parent on active duty in the uniformed services (as that term defined in section 101 of title 37, United States Code, except that such term does not include an officer in the National Guard who has been activated); and
 (ii)resides within the boundaries of a heavily impacted local educational agency; or (B) (i)has a parent on active duty in the uniformed services (as that term defined in section 101 of title 37, United States Code, except that such term does not include an officer in the National Guard who has been activated);
 (ii)resides within the boundaries of a Federal military installation; and (iii)does not reside within the boundaries of a heavily impacted local educational agency.
 (2)The term heavily impacted local educational agency means a local educational agency eligible to receive a payment under section 7003(b)(2). (3)The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
 (4)The term qualified educational service provider means an entity or person that provides educational services for which funds may be expended under subsection (e), including—
 (A)a private school; (B)a private online learning program or course;
 (C)an institution of higher education, including a state institution of higher education, a junior or community college, or a postsecondary vocational institution;
 (D)a public school; (E)a private tutor or entity that operates a tutoring facility;
 (F)a provider of educational materials or curriculum; (G)a provider of education-related therapies or services; and
 (H)any other provider of educational services approved by the Secretary. . 3.Authorization of appropriationsSection 7014 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by adding at the end the following:

				(f)Military education savings accounts
 (1)Source of funds and prohibition on additional appropriationSubject to paragraph (2), section 7012A shall be carried out using funds otherwise appropriated to carry out the impact aid program under section 7003 and no additional funds may be appropriated to carry out such section 7012A.
 (2)Prohibition on use of certain fundsIn making funds available to carry out section 7012A under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Education shall ensure that such funds are drawn only from amounts otherwise made available for the education of military dependent children under section 7003 and not from other sources..


115 HR 3365 IH: Stop Waste in Government Contracting Act of 2017
U.S. House of Representatives
2017-07-24
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. 3365IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 24, 2017Mr. Duncan of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government ReformA BILLTo amend title 41, United States Code, to require executive agencies to use competitive procedures
			 for procurement contracts valued at an amount equal to or greater than
			 $10,000,000, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Stop Waste in Government Contracting Act of 2017. 2.Competitive procedures for procurement contracts equal to or greater than $10,000,000 (a)In generalSection 3301 of title 41, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

 (d)Procurement contracts equal To or greater than $10,000,000Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided in section 3304(a)(6), an executive agency, in conducting a procurement for property or services valued at an amount equal to or greater than $10,000,000, shall use competitive procedures, in accordance with the requirements of this section..
 (b)ApplicabilitySubsection (d) of section 3301 of title 41, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to solicitations issued on or after the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
			3.Report on Federal Procurement Data System
 (a)In generalNot later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the General Services Administration shall submit to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives a report—
 (1)on updating the Federal Procurement Data System and data stored on such system during the preceding 10-year period;
 (2)that identifies any issues of each executive agency relating to the use of the Federal Procurement Data System that may have affected the reliability of the data stored on such system;
 (3)that details, to the extent practicable, which data is potentially unreliable; and (4)that includes recommendations for improving the Federal Procurement Data System.
 (b)Executive agency definedIn this section, the term executive agency has the meaning given that term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code.


115 HR 6143 IH: Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2018-06-19
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I115th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 6143IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJune 19, 2018Mr. Doggett introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceA BILLTo ensure that health insurance issuers and group health plans do not prohibit pharmacy providers
			 from providing certain information to enrollees.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act. 2.Prohibition on limiting certain information on drug prices (a)Exchange plansSection 1311(e) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18031(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

 (4)Information on prescription drugsThe Exchange shall require health plans seeking certification as qualified health plans to ensure that—
 (A)the health insurance issuer does not restrict any pharmacy that dispenses a prescription drug to an enrollee in the plan from informing (or penalize such pharmacy for informing) an enrollee of any differential between the price of the drug to the enrollee under the plan and the price the individual would pay for the drug if the enrollee obtained the drug without using any health insurance coverage; and
 (B)any entity that provides pharmacy benefits management services under a contract with any such health plan does not, with respect to such plan or any health benefits plan that the entity contracts with to provide pharmacy benefits management services and that is offered by an entity other than such sponsor or organization, restrict a pharmacy that dispenses a prescription drug from informing (or penalize such pharmacy for informing) an enrollee of any differential between the price of the drug to the enrollee under the plan and the price the individual would pay for the drug if the enrollee obtained the drug without using any health insurance coverage..
 (b)Other health plansThe provisions of section 1311(e)(4) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (as added by subsection (a)) shall apply to all health insurance issuers with respect to health insurance coverage and to all group health plans (as such terms are defined in section 2791 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–91)).


113 HR 4993 IH: To clarify the effect of State statutes of repose on the required commencement date for actions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980.
U.S. House of Representatives
2014-06-26
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.

		I
		113th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 4993
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			June 26, 2014
			Mr. Butterfield (for himself, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Tonko, and Mr. Dingell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and 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 clarify the effect of State statutes of repose on the required commencement date for actions
			 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
			 Liability Act of 1980.

		1.Actions under State law for damages from exposure to hazardous substancesSection 309 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980
			 (42 U.S.C. 9658) is amended—
			(1)in the subsection heading of subsection (a), by inserting and Repose after Statutes of Limitations; and
			(2)by inserting or repose after limitations each of the other places it appears.