115 S383 IS: Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act
U.S. Senate
2017-02-15
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.

II115th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 383IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 15, 2017Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Warner, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Portman, and Mr. Merkley) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesA BILLTo coordinate the provision of energy retrofitting assistance to schools.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act. 2.Coordination of energy retrofitting assistance for schools (a)DefinitionsIn this section:
 (1)SchoolThe term school means— (A)an elementary school or secondary school (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
 (B)an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a));
 (C)a school of the defense dependents' education system under the Defense Dependents' Education Act of 1978 (20 U.S.C. 921 et seq.) or established under section 2164 of title 10, United States Code;
 (D)a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; (E)a tribally controlled school (as defined in section 5212 of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2511)); and
 (F)a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))).
 (2)SecretaryThe term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy. (b)Designation of lead agencyThe Secretary, acting through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, shall act as the lead Federal agency for coordinating and disseminating information on existing Federal programs and assistance that may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.
 (c)RequirementsIn carrying out coordination and outreach under subsection (b), the Secretary shall— (1)in consultation and coordination with the appropriate Federal agencies, carry out a review of existing programs and financing mechanisms (including revolving loan funds and loan guarantees) available in or from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, the Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other appropriate Federal agencies with jurisdiction over energy financing and facilitation that are currently used or may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools;
 (2)establish a Federal cross-departmental collaborative coordination, education, and outreach effort to streamline communication and promote available Federal opportunities and assistance described in paragraph (1) for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects that enables States, local educational agencies, and schools—
 (A)to use existing Federal opportunities more effectively; and (B)to form partnerships with Governors, State energy programs, local educational, financial, and energy officials, State and local government officials, nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate entities to support the initiation of the projects;
 (3)provide technical assistance for States, local educational agencies, and schools to help develop and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects—
 (A)to increase the energy efficiency of buildings or facilities; (B)to install systems that individually generate energy from renewable energy resources;
 (C)to establish partnerships to leverage economies of scale and additional financing mechanisms available to larger clean energy initiatives; or
 (D)to promote— (i)the maintenance of health, environmental quality, and safety in schools, including the ambient air quality, through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofit projects; and
 (ii)the achievement of expected energy savings and renewable energy production through proper operations and maintenance practices;
 (4)develop and maintain a single online resource website with contact information for relevant technical assistance and support staff in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for States, local educational agencies, and schools to effectively access and use Federal opportunities and assistance described in paragraph (1) to develop energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects; and
 (5)establish a process for recognition of schools that— (A)have successfully implemented energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects; and
 (B)are willing to serve as resources for other local educational agencies and schools to assist initiation of similar efforts.
 (d)ReportNot later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the implementation of this section.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. 844
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			April 14, 2011
			Mr. Lieberman (for
			 himself and Mr. Bennet) introduced the
			 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
			 and Pensions

		A BILL
		To provide incentives for States and local educational
		  agencies to implement comprehensive reforms and innovative strategies that are
		  designed to lead to significant improvement in outcomes for all students and
		  significant reductions in achievement gaps among subgroups of students, and for
		  other purposes.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Race to the Top Act of
			 2011.
		2.Race to the
			 Top
			(a)In
			 generalTitle VI of the
			 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7301 et seq.) is
			 amended—
				(1)by redesignating
			 part C as part D;
				(2)by redesignating
			 sections 6301 and 6302 as sections 6401 and 6402, respectively; and
				(3)by inserting after
			 part B the following:

						CRace
				to the Top
							6301.PurposesThe purposes of this part are to—
								(1)provide incentives
				for States and local educational agencies to implement comprehensive reforms
				and innovative strategies that are designed to lead to—
									(A)significant
				improvements in outcomes for all students, including improvements in student
				achievement, secondary school graduation rates, postsecondary education
				enrollment rates, and rates of postsecondary education persistence; and
									(B)significant
				reductions in achievement gaps among subgroups of students; and
									(2)encourage the
				broad identification, adoption, use, dissemination, replication, and expansion
				of effective State and local policies and practices that lead to significant
				improvement in outcomes for all students, and the elimination of those policies
				and practices that are not effective in improving student outcomes.
								6302.Reservation
				of funds
								(a)ReservationFrom
				the amount made available to carry out this part for a fiscal year, the
				Secretary may reserve not more than 10 percent of such amount to carry out
				activities related to—
									(1)technical
				assistance;
									(2)outreach and
				dissemination; and
									(3)prize awards made
				in accordance with section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act
				of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719).
									(b)Availability of
				fundsNotwithstanding any other provision of law, funds for prize
				awards under subsection (a)(3) shall remain available until expended.
								6303.Program
				authorized
								(a)In
				generalFrom the amounts made
				available under
				section 6308 for a fiscal year and not
				reserved under section 6302, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive
				basis, to States or local educational agencies, or both, in accordance with
				section 6304(b), to enable the States or
				local educational agencies to carry out the purposes of this part.
								(b)Grant and
				subgrant eligibility limitations
									(1)ARRA State
				incentive grantsA State that has received a grant under section
				14006 of division A of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
				(Public Law 111–5; 123 Stat. 283) may not receive a grant under this part
				during the period of its grant under such section.
									(2)Number of
				grantsA State or local educational agency may not receive more
				than 1 grant under this part per grant period.
									(3)Number of
				subgrantsA local educational agency may receive 1 grant and 1
				subgrant under this part for the same fiscal year.
									(c)Duration of
				grants
									(1)In
				generalA grant under this
				part shall be awarded for a period of not more than 4 years.
									(2)Continuation of
				grantsA State or local educational agency that is awarded a
				grant under this part shall not receive grant funds under this part for the
				second or any subsequent year of the grant unless the State or local
				educational agency demonstrates to the Secretary, at such time and in such
				manner as determined by the Secretary, that the State or local educational
				agency, respectively, is—
										(A)making progress in
				implementing the plan under
				section 6304(a)(3) at a rate that the
				Secretary determines will result in the State or agency fully implementing such
				plan during the remainder of the grant period; or
										(B)making progress
				against the performance measures set forth in
				section 6305 at a rate that the Secretary
				determines will result in the State or agency reaching its targets and
				achieving the objectives of the grant during the remainder of the grant
				period.
										6304.Applications
								(a)ApplicationsEach
				State or local educational agency that desires to receive a grant under this
				part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner,
				and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. At a
				minimum, each such application shall include—
									(1)documentation of
				the applicant’s record, as applicable—
										(A)in increasing
				student achievement, including for all subgroups described in section
				1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II);
										(B)in decreasing
				achievement gaps, including for all subgroups described in section
				1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II);
										(C)in increasing
				secondary school graduation rates, including for all subgroups described in
				section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II);
										(D)in increasing
				postsecondary education enrollment and persistence rates, including for all
				subgroups described in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II); and
										(E)with respect to
				any other performance measure described in
				section 6305 that is not included in
				subparagraphs (A) through
				(D);
										(2)evidence of
				conditions of innovation and reform that the applicant has established and the
				applicant's proposed plan for implementing additional conditions for innovation
				and reform, including—
										(A)a description of
				how the applicant has identified and eliminated ineffective practices in the
				past and the applicant's plan for doing so in the future;
										(B)a description of
				how the applicant has identified and promoted effective practices in the past
				and the applicant's plan for doing so in the future; and
										(C)steps the
				applicant has taken and will take to eliminate statutory, regulatory,
				procedural, or other barriers and to facilitate the full implementation of the
				proposed plan under this paragraph;
										(3)a comprehensive
				and coherent plan for using funds under this part, and other Federal, State,
				and local funds, to improve the applicant’s performance on the measures
				described in
				section 6305, consistent with criteria set
				forth by the Secretary, including how the applicant will, if applicable—
										(A)improve the
				effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, and promote equity in the
				distribution of effective teachers and school leaders, in order to ensure that
				low-income and minority children are not taught by ineffective teachers, and
				are not in schools led by ineffective leaders, at higher rates than other
				children;
										(B)strengthen the use
				of high-quality and timely data to improve instructional practices, policies,
				and student outcomes, including teacher evaluations;
										(C)implement
				internationally benchmarked, college- and career-ready elementary and
				secondary academic standards, including in the areas of assessment,
				instructional materials, professional development, and strategies that
				translate the standards into classroom practice;
										(D)turn around the
				persistently lowest-achieving elementary schools and secondary schools served
				by the applicant;
										(E)support or
				coordinate with early learning programs for high-need children from birth
				through grade 3 to improve school readiness and ensure that students complete
				grade 3 on track for school success; and
										(F)create or maintain
				successful conditions for high-performing charter schools and other innovative,
				autonomous public schools;
										(4)(A)in the case of an
				applicant that is a State—
											(i)evidence of collaboration between
				the State, its local educational agencies, schools (as appropriate), parents,
				teachers, and other stakeholders, in developing the plan described in
				paragraph (3), including evidence of
				the commitment and capacity to implement the plan; and
											(ii)(I)the names of the local
				educational agencies the State has selected to participate in carrying out the
				plan; or
												(II)a description of how the State
				will select local educational agencies to participate in carrying out the plan;
				or
												(B)in the case of an
				applicant that is a local educational agency, evidence of collaboration between
				the local educational agency, schools, parents, teachers, and other
				stakeholders, in developing the plan described in
				paragraph (3), including evidence of
				the commitment and capacity to implement the plan;
										(5)the applicant’s
				annual performance measures and targets, consistent with the requirements of
				section 6305; and
									(6)a description of
				the applicant’s plan to conduct a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of
				activities carried out with funds under this part.
									(b)Criteria for
				evaluating applications
									(1)Award
				basisThe Secretary shall award grants under this part on a
				competitive basis, based on the quality of the applications submitted under
				subsection (a), including—
										(A)each applicant’s
				record in the areas described in
				subsection (a)(1);
										(B)each applicant’s
				record of, and commitment to, establishing conditions for innovation and
				reform, as described in
				subsection (a)(2);
										(C)the quality and
				likelihood of success of each applicant’s plan described in
				subsection (a)(3) in showing
				improvement in the areas described in
				subsection (a)(1), including each
				applicant’s capacity to implement the plan and evidence of collaboration as
				described in
				subsection (a)(4); and
										(D)each applicant’s
				evaluation plan as described in
				subsection (a)(6).
										(2)ExplanationThe
				Secretary shall publish an explanation of how the application review process
				under this section will ensure an equitable and objective evaluation based on
				the criteria described in paragraph (1).
									(c)PriorityIn awarding grants to local educational
				agencies under this part, the Secretary shall give priority to—
									(1)local educational agencies with the highest
				numbers or percentages of children from families with incomes below the poverty
				line; and
									(2)local educational agencies that serve
				schools designated with a school locale code of 41, 42, or 43.
									6305.Performance
				measuresEach State and each
				local educational agency receiving a grant under this part shall establish
				performance measures and targets, approved by the Secretary, for the programs
				and activities carried out under this part. These measures shall, at a minimum,
				track the State’s or local educational agency’s progress in—
								(1)implementing its
				plan described in
				section 6304(a)(3); and
								(2)improving outcomes
				for all subgroups described in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) including, as
				applicable, by—
									(A)increasing student
				achievement;
									(B)decreasing
				achievement gaps;
									(C)increasing
				secondary school graduation rates;
									(D)increasing
				postsecondary education enrollment and persistence rates;
									(E)(i)improving the
				effectiveness of teachers and school leaders and increasing the retention of
				effective teachers and school leaders; and
										(ii)promoting equity in the
				distribution of effective teachers and school leaders in order to ensure that
				low-income and minority children are not taught by ineffective teachers, and
				are not in schools led by ineffective leaders, at higher rates than other
				children; and
										(F)making progress on
				any other measures identified by the Secretary.
									6306.Uses of
				funds
								(a)Grants to
				StatesEach State that
				receives a grant under this part shall use—
									(1)not less than 50 percent of the grant funds
				to make subgrants to the local educational agencies in the State that
				participate in the State’s plan under
				section 6304(a)(3), based on such
				local educational agencies’ relative shares of funds under part A of title I
				for the most recent year for which those data are available; and
									(2)not more than 50
				percent of the grant funds for any purpose included in the State's plan under
				section 6304(a)(3).
									(b)Grants to local
				educational agenciesEach local educational agency that receives
				a grant under this part shall use the grant funds for any purpose included in
				the local educational agency’s plan under
				section 6304(a)(3).
								(c)Subgrants to
				local educational agenciesEach local educational agency that
				receives a subgrant under this part from a State shall use the subgrant funds
				for any purpose included in the State's plan under section 6304(a)(3).
								6307.Reporting
								(a)Annual
				reportsA State or local educational agency that receives a grant
				under this part shall submit to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner
				as the Secretary may require, an annual report including—
									(1)data on the
				State’s or local educational agency’s progress in achieving the targets for the
				performance measures established under
				section 6305;
									(2)a description of
				the challenges the State or agency has faced in implementing its program and
				how it has addressed or plans to address those challenges; and
									(3)findings from the
				evaluation plan as described in
				section 6304(a)(6).
									(b)Local
				reportsEach local educational agency that receives a subgrant
				from a State under this part shall submit to the State such information as the
				State may require to complete the annual report required under
				subsection (a).
								6308.Authorization
				of appropriationsThere are
				authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $1,350,000,000 for fiscal
				year 2012 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal
				years.
							.
				(b)Conforming
			 amendmentsThe table of contents for the Elementary and Secondary
			 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7301 et seq.) is amended—
				(1)by striking the
			 items relating to part C of title VI; and
				(2)by inserting after
			 the item relating to section 6234 the following:

							Part C—Race to the Top
							Sec. 6301. Purposes.
							Sec. 6302. Reservation of
				funds.
							Sec. 6303. Program authorized.
							Sec. 6304. Applications.
							Sec. 6305. Performance
				measures.
							Sec. 6306. Uses of funds.
							Sec. 6307. Reporting.
							Sec. 6308. Authorization of
				appropriations.
							Part D—General Provisions
							Sec. 6401. Prohibition against Federal mandates, direction, or
				control.
							Sec. 6402. Rule of construction on
				equalized
				spending.

						.


114 HR 3527 IH: To designate the mountain at the Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, as Devils Tower, and for other purposes.
U.S. House of Representatives
2015-09-16
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. 3527
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 16, 2015
			Mrs. Lummis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

		A BILL
		To designate the mountain at the Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, as Devils Tower, and for
			 other purposes.

		1.Designation of devils tower
 (a)In generalThe mountain at the Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, located at 44°35′26″N, by 104°42′55″W, and the area located at 44°35′21″N, by 104°41′48″W, shall be known and designated as Devils Tower.
 (b)ReferencesAny reference in any law, map, regulation, order, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the mountain and area described in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to Devils Tower.


114 S1809 IS: Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality Act of 2015
U.S. Senate
2015-07-21
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.

II114th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 1809IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJuly 21, 2015Ms. Ayotte (for herself, Mr. King, and Mr. Blunt) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceA BILLTo amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to simplify the treatment of seasonal positions for
			 purposes of the employer shared responsibility requirement.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality Act of 2015 or the STARS Act. 2.Simplification of seasonal rules for purposes of employer shared responsibility requirement (a)Full-Time employee exception for determining assessable paymentParagraph (4) of section 4980H(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—
 (1)by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C), and
 (2)by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph:  (B)Exception for seasonal employeesSuch term shall not include any seasonal employee..
 (b)Applicable large employerSubparagraph (B) of section 4980H(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows:

 (B)Exception for seasonal employeesFor purposes of this paragraph, seasonal employees shall not be taken into account as employees.. (c)Seasonal employeeSubsection (c) of section 4980H of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—
 (1)by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), and (7) as paragraphs (6), (7), and (8), respectively, and
 (2)by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph:

 (5)Seasonal employeeThe term seasonal employee means an employee who is employed in a position for which the customary annual employment is not more than 6 months and which requires performing labor or services which are ordinarily performed at certain seasons or periods of the year..
 (d)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in section 1513 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.


		I
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 1234
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			March 29, 2011
			Mr. Kildee introduced
			 the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Natural
			 Resources

		A BILL
		To amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the
		  authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian
		  tribes.

		1.Reaffirmation of
			 authority
			(a)Modification
				(1)In
			 generalThe first sentence of section 19 of the Act of June 18,
			 1934 (commonly known as the Indian Reorganization
			 Act; 25 U.S.C. 479), is amended—
					(A)by striking
			 The term and inserting Effective beginning on June 18,
			 1934, the term; and
					(B)by striking
			 any recognized Indian tribe now under Federal jurisdiction and
			 inserting any federally recognized Indian tribe.
					(2)Effective
			 dateThe amendments made by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if
			 included in the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the
			 Indian Reorganization Act; 25 U.S.C. 479),
			 on the date of the enactment of that Act.
				(b)Ratification and
			 confirmation of actionsAny action taken by the Secretary of the
			 Interior pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the
			 Indian Reorganization Act; 25 U.S.C. 461 et
			 seq.), for any Indian tribe that was federally recognized on that date of the
			 action is ratified and confirmed, to the extent such action is subjected to
			 challenge based on whether the Indian tribe was federally recognized or under
			 Federal jurisdiction on June 18, 1934, ratified and confirmed as fully to all
			 intents and purposes as if the action had, by prior Act of Congress, been
			 specifically authorized and directed.
			(c)Effect on other
			 laws
				(1)In
			 generalNothing in this section or the amendments made by this
			 section shall affect—
					(A)the application or
			 effect of any Federal law other than the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et
			 seq.), as amended by subsection (a) of this section; or
					(B)any limitation on
			 the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under any Federal law or
			 regulation other than the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 461 et seq.), as so
			 amended.
					(2)References in
			 other lawsAn express reference to the Act of June 18, 1934 (25
			 U.S.C. 461 et seq.), contained in any other Federal law shall be considered to
			 be a reference to that Act as amended by subsection (a) of this Act.


115 S3155 IS: Protect Our Food From Phthalate Contamination Act
U.S. Senate
2018-06-28
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.

		II
		115th CONGRESS2d Session
		S. 3155
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			June 28, 2018
			Mrs. Feinstein (for herself 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 ban the use of ortho-phthalate chemicals as food contact substances.

		1.Short title
 This Act may be cited as the Protect Our Food From Phthalate Contamination Act.
		2.Prohibition on use of ortho-phthalate chemicals as food contact substances, including food
			 packaging
			 materials
 (a)In generalNotwithstanding any other provision of law, effective on the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act—
 (1)the use of any ortho-phthalate chemical as a food contact substance shall be deemed to be unsafe for the purposes of the application of clause (2)(C) of section 402(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 342(a));
 (2)any regulation previously issued under section 409 of such Act (21 U.S.C. 348) prescribing the conditions under which any ortho-phthalate chemical may be safely used as a food contact substance shall have no force or effect; and
 (3)the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as the Secretary) shall object to any notification of an intended use of an ortho-phthalate chemical as a food contact substance submitted under section 409(h)(1) of such Act, and may not issue regulations prescribing any conditions under which any ortho-phthalate chemical may be safely used as a food contact substance.
 (b)Alternative substancesNotwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning on the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, in acting in response to any petition under section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 348) to establish safety with respect to a food contact substance that the Secretary determines to be an alternative to an ortho-phthalate chemical, in addition to the criteria under subsection (c) of such section 409, the Secretary shall consider potential adverse effects of exposure to the substance on vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, infants, children, the elderly, and populations with high exposure, including workers who are exposed through production practices or handling of final products.


116 HR 8863 IH: Utah Land Sovereignty Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2020-12-03
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.

I116th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8863IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESDecember 3, 2020Mr. Stewart introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural ResourcesA BILLTo prohibit the further extension or establishment of national monuments in Utah except by express authorization of Congress.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Utah Land Sovereignty Act.2.Limitation on further extension or establishment of national monuments in UtahThe proviso of the last sentence of the first section of the Act of September 14, 1950 (64 Stat. 849, chapter 950; 16 U.S.C. 431a), is amended by inserting or Utah after Wyoming.


IV
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 501
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

December 20, 2011

RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding any final measure to extend the payroll tax holiday, extend Federally funded unemployment insurance benefits, or prevent decreases in reimbursement for physicians who provide care to Medicare beneficiaries.

Whereas a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut instead of a full-year extension would cause additional uncertainty and complexity for private-sector job creators already struggling in the current economy;
Whereas, on December 17, 2011, President Barack Obama said, “It would be inexcusable for Congress not to further extend this middle-class tax cut for the rest of the year.”;
Whereas, on December 17, 2011, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said, “House Democrats will return to Washington to take up this legislation without delay, and we will keep up the fight to extend these provisions for a full year.”;
Whereas, on December 17, 2011, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D–MD): I’m disappointed that Senate Republicans would not agree to a longer-term extension of critical policies.;
Whereas in 2011 working Americans received a temporary payroll tax rate reduction which allowed the average family to keep $1,000 more of their annual wages;
Whereas, on December 31, 2011, without action by the Congress, the temporary payroll tax rate reduction will expire, leaving nearly 170 million American workers with less disposable income as the economy continues to struggle;
Whereas the imminent expiration of the temporary payroll tax rate reduction is creating further uncertainty for families as well as employers who must adjust withholding amounts from their employees’ paychecks;
Whereas the Social Security Trust Fund is now running a cash deficit, and over the next 75 years will require an additional $6.5 trillion to pay scheduled benefits;
Whereas, on January 1, 2012, without Congressional action, Medicare physician payments will be cut by 27.4 percent;
Whereas in order to preserve access to health care for the nation’s seniors, two years of stable Medicare payment rates would provide the most certainty physicians have had since 2004;
Whereas a two-year period of stability would provide Congress time to develop a long-term replacement to the Sustainable Growth Rate formula;
Whereas 13 million Americans remain unemployed and the unemployment rate has been above eight percent for 34 consecutive months, the Congress should enact needed reforms to ensure a fiscally responsible unemployment insurance program;
Whereas H.R. 3630 as passed by the House provided a fully offset extension of unemployment insurance benefits in line with previous periods of economic duress and integrated common-sense reforms into the program, including a requirement that benefit recipients search for work and participate in reemployment services to help them get back to work;
Whereas construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, to Steele City, Nebraska, and to the United States Gulf Coast through Cushing, Oklahoma, is a $7 billion energy project that will enhance the energy security and economy of the United States;
Whereas the Keystone XL pipeline will create 20,000 direct jobs and 118,000 indirect jobs;
Whereas the Keystone XL pipeline has been subjected to three years of intensive environmental review, and was deemed environmentally sound by the U.S. Department of State in its August 26, 2011, Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS);
Whereas Keystone XL pipeline legislation passed by the House and Senate would allow the state of Nebraska to continue its environmental review of a new pipeline route to avoid the Sand Hills region and the Ogallala Aquifer;
Whereas H.R. 3630 as passed by the House will reduce the cost for employers to purchase and place in service new equipment next year, and continued expensing will serve as an incentive to make investments and foster greater business investment and job creation;
Whereas EPA’s new proposed rules for boilers would cost manufacturers, colleges and universities, municipalities, and small businesses $15 billion and put up to 240,000 jobs at risk;
Whereas significant concerns with EPA’s new proposed rules cannot be adequately addressed or remedied unless Congress passes legislation; and
Whereas the House of Representatives passed on October 13, 2011, by a vote of 275 to 142, with the support of 41 Democrats, legislation that would overturn EPA’s Boiler MACT rules and require the agency to re-propose new rules in 15 months after date of enactment, with achievable standards, and an extension of the compliance period from three years to five years: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the Sense of the House of Representatives that any final measure to extend the payroll tax holiday, extend Federally funded unemployment insurance benefits, or prevent decreases in reimbursement for physicians who provide care to Medicare beneficiaries—
(1)extend the payroll tax holiday through December 31, 2012;
(2)extend and reform Federally funded unemployment insurance benefits;
(3)eliminate for two years the dramatic cut in reimbursement for physicians who provide care to Medicare beneficiaries;
(4)reduce spending from areas throughout the Federal Government, including a freeze on congressional salaries, in order to protect the Social Security Trust Fund, whose solvency would otherwise be diminished as result of the payroll tax holiday; and
(5)provide immediate job creation through—
(A)final approval of the Keystone XL pipeline;
(B)expensing for capital assets placed in service in 2012; and
(C)drafting new regulations for boilers that are achievable and cost-effective.

Karen L. Haas,Clerk.


116 HR 5563 IH: Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act of 2020
U.S. House of Representatives
2020-01-09
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I116th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 5563IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJanuary 9, 2020Ms. Titus introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on AgricultureA BILLTo prohibit certain practices relating to certain commodity promotion programs, to require greater
			 transparency by those programs, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act of 2020. 2.FindingsCongress finds that—
 (1)the generic programs to promote and provide research and information for an agricultural commodity (commonly known as checkoff programs) are intended to increase demand for all of that agricultural commodity and benefit all assessed producers of that agricultural commodity;
 (2)although the laws establishing checkoff programs broadly prohibit the use of funds in any manner for the purpose of influencing legislation or government action, checkoff programs have repeatedly been shown to use funds to influence policy directly or by partnering with organizations that lobby;
 (3)the unlawful use of checkoff programs funds benefits some agricultural producers while harming many others;
 (4)to more effectively prevent Boards from using funds for unlawful purposes, strict separation of engagement between the Boards and policy entities is necessary;
 (5)conflicts of interest in the checkoff programs allow special interests to use checkoff program funds for the benefit of some assessed agricultural producers at the expense of many others;
 (6)prohibiting conflicts of interest in checkoff programs is necessary to ensure the proper and lawful operation of the checkoff programs;
 (7)checkoff programs are designed to promote agricultural commodities, not to damage other types of agricultural commodities through anticompetitive conduct or otherwise;
 (8)prohibiting anticompetitive and similar conduct is necessary to ensure proper and lawful operation of checkoff programs;
 (9)lack of transparency in checkoff programs enables abuses to occur and conceals abuses from being discovered; and
 (10)requiring transparency in the expenditure of checkoff program funds is necessary to prevent and uncover abuses in checkoff programs.
 3.DefinitionsIn this Act: (1)BoardThe term Board means a board, committee, or similar entity established to carry out a checkoff program or an order issued by the Secretary under a checkoff program.
 (2)Checkoff programThe term checkoff program means a program to promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands, including a program carried out under any of the following:
 (A)The Cotton Research and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.). (B)The Potato Research and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 2611 et seq.).
 (C)The Egg Research and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). (D)The Beef Research and Information Act (7 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.).
 (E)The Wheat and Wheat Foods Research and Nutrition Education Act (7 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.). (F)The Floral Research and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.).
 (G)Subtitle B of the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.). (H)The Honey Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.).
 (I)The Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.). (J)The Watermelon Research and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.).
 (K)The Pecan Promotion and Research Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6001 et seq.). (L)The Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.).
 (M)The Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.). (N)The Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).
 (O)The Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.). (P)The Fresh Cut Flowers and Fresh Cut Greens Promotion and Information Act of 1993 (7 U.S.C. 6801 et seq.).
 (Q)The Sheep Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.). (R)Section 501 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.).
 (S)The Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7411 et seq.). (T)The Canola and Rapeseed Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 7441 et seq.).
 (U)The National Kiwifruit Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 7461 et seq.). (V)The Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (7 U.S.C. 7481 et seq.).
 (W)The Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 7801 et seq.). (3)Conflict of interestThe term conflict of interest means a direct or indirect financial interest in a person or entity that performs a service for, or enters into a contract or agreement with, a Board for anything of economic value.
 (4)SecretaryThe term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. 4.Requirements of checkoff programs (a)Prohibitions (1)In generalExcept as provided in paragraph (4), a Board shall not enter into any contract or agreement to carry out checkoff program activities with a party that engages in activities for the purpose of influencing any government policy or action that relates to agriculture.
 (2)Conflict of interestA Board shall not engage in, and shall prohibit the employees and agents of the Board, acting in their official capacity, from engaging in, any act that may involve a conflict of interest.
 (3)Other prohibitionsA Board shall not engage in, and shall prohibit the employees and agents of the Board, acting in their official capacity, from engaging in—
 (A)any anticompetitive activity; (B)any unfair or deceptive act or practice; or
 (C)any act that may be disparaging to, or in any way negatively portray, another agricultural commodity or product.
 (4)Exception for certain contracts with insitutions of higher educationParagraph (1) shall not apply to a contract or agreement entered into between a Board and an institution of higher education for the purpose of research.
 (b)Authority To enter into contractsNotwithstanding any other provision of law, on approval of the Secretary, a Board may enter directly into contracts and agreements to carry out generic promotion, research, or other activities authorized by law.
			(c)Production of records
 (1)In generalEach contract or agreement of a checkoff program shall provide that the entity that enters into the contract or agreement shall produce to the Board accurate records that account for all funds received under the contract or agreement, including any goods or services provided or costs incurred in connection with the contract or agreement.
 (2)Maintenance of recordsA Board shall maintain any records received under paragraph (1). (d)Publication of budgets and disbursements (1)In generalThe Board shall publish and make available for public inspection all budgets and disbursements of funds entrusted to the Board that are approved by the Secretary, immediately on approval by the Secretary.
 (2)Required disclosuresIn carrying out paragraph (1), the Board shall disclose— (A)the amount of the disbursement;
 (B)the purpose of the disbursement, including the activities to be funded by the disbursement; (C)the identity of the recipient of the disbursement; and
 (D)the identity of any other parties that may receive the disbursed funds, including any contracts or subcontractors of the recipient of the disbursement.
					(e)Audits
				(1)Periodic audits by Inspector General of USDA
 (A)In generalNot later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than every 5 years thereafter, the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture shall conduct an audit to determine the compliance of each checkoff program with this section during the period of time covered by the audit.
 (B)Review of recordsAn audit conducted under subparagraph (A) shall include a review of any records produced to the Board under subsection (c)(1).
 (C)Submission of reportsOn completion of each audit under subparagraph (A), the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture shall—
 (i)prepare a report describing the audit; and (ii)submit the report described in clause (i) to—
 (I)the appropriate committees of Congress, including the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights of the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and
 (II)the Comptroller General of the United States. (2)Audit by Comptroller General (A)In generalNot earlier than 3 years, and not later than 5 years, after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall—
 (i)conduct an audit to assess— (I)the status of actions taken for each checkoff program to ensure compliance with this section; and
 (II)the extent to which actions described in subclause (I) have improved the integrity of a checkoff program; and
 (ii)prepare a report describing the audit conducted under clause (i), including any recommendations for—
 (I)strengthening the effect of actions described in clause (i)(I); and (II)improving Federal legislation relating to checkoff programs.
 (B)Consideration of Inspector General reportsThe Comptroller General of the United States shall consider reports described in paragraph (1)(C) in preparing any recommendations in the report under subparagraph (A)(ii).
 5.SeverabilityIf any provision of this Act or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act, and the application of the provision to any other person or circumstance, shall not be affected.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. 1075
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			May 25, 2011
			Mr. Paul introduced the
			 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on the
			 Judiciary

		A BILL
		To provide judicial review of National Security
		  Letters.

		1.Judicial review of National
			 Security LettersSection 3511
			 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
			 following:

				(f)National
				Security LettersAn officer
				or employee of the United States may not issue a National Security Letter under
				section 270 of title 18, United States Code, section 626 or 627 of the Fair
				Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681u and 1681v), section 1114 of the Right to
				Financial Privacy Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3414), or section 802(a) of the
				National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 436(a)) unless—
					(1)the National
				Security Letter is submitted to a judge of the court established under section
				103(a) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1803);
				and
					(2)such judge issues
				an order finding that a warrant could be issued under rule 41 of the Federal
				Rules of Criminal Procedure to search for and seize the information sought to
				be obtained in the National Security
				Letter.
					.


115 S3462 IS: Improving Coverage for Substance Use Disorder Recovery Expansion Act
U.S. Senate
2018-09-18
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II115th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 3462IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESSeptember 18, 2018Mr. Portman (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Brown, Ms. Collins, Mr. Booker, and Mr. King) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceA BILLTo amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with the option to provide medical
			 assistance for substance use disorder treatment
			 services to individuals between the ages of 21 and 64 with substance use
			 disorders, and for
			 other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Improving Coverage for Substance Use Disorder Recovery Expansion Act.
		2.State option to provide medicaid coverage for substance use disorder treatment services;
 modification of the IMD exclusionSection 1905 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d) is amended— (1)in subsection (a)—
 (A)in paragraph (28), by striking and after the semicolon; (B)by redesignating paragraph (29) as paragraph (30); and
 (C)by inserting after paragraph (28), the following new paragraph:  (29)substance use disorder treatment services (as defined in subsection (ee) and furnished in accordance with that subsection) for individuals over 20 years of age and under 65 years of age, that are offered as part of a full continuum of evidence-based treatment services provided under the State plan for individuals with substance use disorders; and;  and
 (D)in the subdivision (B) that follows paragraph (30) (as redesignated by subparagraph (B) of this paragraph), by inserting (other than substance use disorder treatment services provided in accordance with paragraph (29) and subsection (ee)) after care or services; and
 (2)by adding at the end the following new subsection:  (ee)Substance use disorder treatment services (1)In generalFor purposes of subsection (a)(29), the term substance use disorder treatment services means inpatient services provided—
 (A)to an individual for the purpose of treating a substance use disorder that are furnished for not more than 90 days in any 12-month period to an individual who—
 (i)has received initial assessments to determine the appropriate level of care, length of stay, and setting for such care for the individual based upon criteria established by the Secretary in consultation with the multidimensional criteria of the American Society of Addiction Medicine; and
 (ii)at appropriate, evidence-based intervals (and in no case less than once every 30 days) after the first day on which such services are provided to the individual, is subsequently reassessed and determined to continue to require such services to promote the individual's recovery and stable transition to ongoing treatment in an outpatient setting; and
 (B)in a facility that— (i)is licensed by the Single State Agency for Substance Abuse Services of the State in which it is located;
 (ii)is accredited for the treatment of substance use disorders by the Joint Commission, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the Council on Accreditation, or any other accrediting agency that the Secretary deems appropriate as necessary to ensure nationwide applicability;
 (iii)employs a provider who can prescribe and discuss with patients the risks, benefits, and alternatives of at least 2 forms of medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat substance use disorder involving opioids, including one antagonist and one partial agonist; and
 (iv)contracts with an opioid treatment program (as defined in section 8.2 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation) for the purposes of offering methadone as a medication option to treat substance use disorders.
 (2)Other medical assistanceThe provision of medical assistance for substance use disorder treatment services to an individual shall not prohibit Federal financial participation for medical assistance for items or services that are provided to the individual in or away from the facility in which the substance use disorder treatment services are provided during any period in which the individual is receiving substance use disorder treatment services.
 (3)Ensuring a continuum of careAs a condition for a State furnishing medical assistance for substance use disorder treatment services in accordance with subsection (a)(29) and this subsection, the State shall—
 (A)notify the Secretary of how the State will ensure that individuals receive appropriate clinical screening prior to being furnished with substance use disorder treatment services, including the initial assessments described in paragraph (1)(A)(i); and
 (B)in order to ensure an appropriate transition from substance use disorder treatment services to other services to treat substance use disorders at a lower level of clinical intensity within the continuum of care (including outpatient services), ensure that all facilities that furnish substance use disorder treatment services under the State plan—
 (i)are able to provide such other services to treat substance use disorders; or (ii)have an established relationship with another substance use disorder treatment facility or qualified provider that meets the licensing requirement of paragraph (1)(B)(i) and accepts patients receiving medical assistance under this title under which the facility furnishing substance use disorder treatment services may arrange for individuals to receive such other services to treat substance use disorders from such other facility or provider.
 (4)Minimum coverage requirementsAs a condition for a State furnishing medical assistance for substance use disorder treatment services in accordance with subsection (a)(29) and this subsection, the State shall provide medical assistance under the State plan for services associated with at least 6 of the 9 levels of care set forth by the American Society of Addiction Medicine in the 2013 edition of its publication entitled The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions.
						(5)Maintenance of effort
 (A)In generalAs a condition for a State furnishing medical assistance for substance use disorder treatment services in accordance with subsection (a)(29) and this subsection, the State shall—
 (i)during the period in which the State furnishes such medical assistance, maintain at least the number of licensed beds used for the provision of substance use disorder treatment services at institutions for mental diseases owned, operated, or contracted for by the State that were being maintained as of the date of the enactment of this subsection or, if higher, as of the date the State applies to the Secretary to include such medical assistance under the State plan or under a waiver of such plan; and
 (ii)during the period in which the State furnishes such medical assistance, maintain on an annual basis a level of funding expended by the State (and political subdivisions thereof) other than under this title from non-Federal funds—
 (I)for inpatient services furnished for the purpose of treating a substance use disorder in institutions for mental diseases that is not less than the level of such funding for such services and care as of the date of the enactment of this subsection or, if higher, as of the date the State applies to the Secretary to include such medical assistance under the State plan or under a waiver of such plan; and
 (II)for specified non-IMD services described in subparagraph (B) that is not less than the level of such funding for such services as of the date of the enactment of this subsection or, if higher, as of the date the State applies to the Secretary to include such medical assistance under the State plan or under a waiver of such plan.
 (B)Specified non-imd services describedFor purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii)(II), specified non-IMD services described in this subparagraph are the following:
 (i)Inpatient services, other than such services described in subparagraph (A)(ii)(I). (ii)Outpatient and community-based services for individuals who are furnished substance use disorder treatment services, such as—
 (I)substance use disorder treatment; (II)evidence-based recovery and support services, including short-term detoxification services;
 (III)clinically directed therapeutic treatment to facilitate recovery skills, relapse prevention, and emotional coping strategies;
 (IV)substance use disorder pharmacotherapy and drug screening; (V)counseling and clinical monitoring;
 (VI)withdrawal management and related treatment designed to alleviate acute emotional, behavioral, cognitive, or biomedical distress resulting from, or occurring with, an individual’s use of alcohol and other drugs; and
 (VII)routine monitoring of the medication adherence of such individuals. (6)Application to managed carePayments for, and limitations to, medical assistance furnished in accordance with subsection (a)(29) and this subsection shall be in addition to and shall not be construed to limit or supersede the ability of States to make monthly capitation payments to managed care organizations for individuals receiving treatment in institutions for mental diseases in accordance with section 438.6(e) of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
						.


115 HR 181 IH: To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to count portions of income from annuities of a community spouse as income available to institutionalized spouses for purposes of eligibility for medical assistance, and for other purposes.
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. 181IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJanuary 3, 2017Mr. Mullin (for himself and Mr. Guthrie) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceA BILLTo amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to count portions of income from annuities of a
			 community spouse as income available to institutionalized spouses for
			 purposes of eligibility for medical assistance, and for other purposes.

		1.Counting portions of income from annuities of a community spouse as income available to
			 institutionalized spouses for Medicaid eligibility
 (a)In generalSection 1924(b)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r–5(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

					(E)Annuity income
 (i)In generalIn the case of payment of income from a qualifying annuity— (I)if payment of income is made solely in the name of the community spouse, one-half of the income shall be considered available to the institutionalized spouse and one-half to the community spouse;
 (II)if payment of income is made in the names of the institutionalized spouse and the community spouse, one-half of the income shall be considered available to the institutionalized spouse and one-half to the community spouse; and
 (III)if payment of income is made in the names of the community spouse and another person or persons, one-half of the proportion of the community spouse’s interest in such income shall be considered available to the institutionalized spouse.
 (ii)Qualifying annuityIn this subparagraph, the term qualifying annuity means an annuity that— (I)is purchased after the date that is 60 months before the date specified in subparagraph (B)(ii) of section 1917(c)(1) for an amount that is equal to or greater than fair market value; and
 (II)is not described in clause (i) of subparagraph (G) of such section. (iii)Inapplicability of other rulesThe rules of subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall not apply with respect to income from a qualifying annuity..
 (b)Effective dateThe amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to annuities purchased or established on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.


109 HR 1635 IH: Veterans' Employment Transition Support Act of 2005
U.S. House of Representatives
2005-04-14
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

109th CONGRESS 1st Session
H. R. 1635
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 14, 2005
Mr. McCotter (for himself, Mrs. Miller of Michigan, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Sweeney, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mr. Renzi, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Shuster, and Mr. Jones of North Carolina) 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 allow employers a credit against income tax for hiring military service personnel who served in a combat zone or a hazardous duty area.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Veterans' Employment Transition Support Act of 2005 or the VETS Act of 2005.
2.Credit for employers hiring military service personnel who served in a combat zone or a hazardous duty area
(a)In generalSubpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business-related credits) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

45J.Credit for employers hiring military service personnel who served in a combat zone or a hazardous duty area
(a)General RuleFor purposes of section 38, the military service personnel employment credit for the taxable year shall be equal to—
(1)except as provided in paragraph (2), 40 percent of the qualified first-year wages for such year, and
(2)in the case of a disabled qualified veteran, the applicable percentage of the qualified first-year wages for such year.
(b)Qualified wagesFor purposes of this section—
(1)In generalThe term qualified wages means the wages paid or incurred by the employer during the taxable year to individuals who are qualified veterans.
(2)Qualified first-year wagesThe term qualified first-year wages means, with respect to any individual, qualified wages attributable to service rendered during the 1-year period beginning with the day the individual begins work for the employer.
(3)WagesThe term wages has the meaning given such term by section 51(c), without regard to paragraph (4) thereof.
(c)Qualified veteran; hiring dateFor purposes of this section—
(1)In generalThe term qualified veteran means any individual who is certified by the designated local agency (as defined in section 51(d)(11))—
(A)as being a veteran (as defined in section 51(d)(3)(B)) who performed services in an area designated by the President for purposes of this section as a combat zone or as a hazardous duty area, and
(B)as having been honorably discharged from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States.
(2)Hiring dateThe term hiring date has the meaning given such term by section 51(d).
(d)Disabled qualified veteran; applicable percentage
(1)In generalThe term disabled qualified veteran means any qualified veteran who is certified by the designated local agency (as so defined) as having a disability that has been determined under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to be service-connected and that is rated by such Secretary (as of the date of the certification) as 10 percent or more disabling.
(2)Applicable percentageThe term applicable percentage means the percentage determined in accordance with the following table:

Percentage of disability:Applicable percentage:
At least 10 but not over 2041
At least 20 but not over 3042
At least 30 but not over 4043
At least 40 but not over 5044
At least 50 but not over 6045
At least 60 but not over 7046
At least 70 but not over 80 47
At least 80 but not over 9048
At least 90 but not over 10049
100 percent50
(e)Certain rules to applyRules similar to the rules of section 52, and subsections (d)(11), (f), (g), (i) (as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997), (j), and (k) of section 51, shall apply for purposes of this section..
(b)Credit to be part of general business creditSubsection (b) of section 38 of such Code is amended by striking plus at the end of paragraph (18), by striking the period at the end of paragraph (19) and inserting , plus, and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(20)the military service personnel employment credit determined under section 45J(a)..
(c)Technical amendments
(1)Clause (iii) of section 41(b)(2)(D) of such Code is amended to read as follows:

(iii)Exclusion for wages to which employment credits applyThe term wages shall not include any amount taken into account in determining the credit under section 45J(a) or 51(a)..
(2)Subparagraph (B) of section 45A(b)(1) of such Code is amended to read as follows:

(B)Coordination with other employment creditsThe term qualified wages shall not include wages attributable to service rendered during the 1-year period beginning with the day the individual begins work for the employer if any portion of such wages is taken into account in determining the credit under section 45J or 51..
(3)Subsection (a) of section 280C of such Code is amended by inserting 45J(a), after 45A(a),.
(4)Paragraph (3) of section 1396(c) of such Code is amended to read as follows:

(3)Coordination with other employment credits
(A)In generalThe term qualified wages shall not include wages taken into account in determining the credit under section 45J or 51.
(B)Coordination with paragraph (2)The $15,000 amount in paragraph (2) shall be reduced for any calendar year by the amount of wages paid or incurred during such year which are taken into account in determining the credits under sections 45J and 51..
(d)Clerical amendmentThe table of sections for subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

Sec. 45J. Credit for employers hiring military service personnel who served in a combat zone or a hazardous duty area.
(e)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall apply to individuals who begin work for the employer after the date of the enactment of this Act.


		II
		111th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. 2677
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			November 2, 2009
			Mr. Burr introduced the
			 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on
			 Finance

		A BILL
		To extend temporarily the suspension of duty on
		  2,2-(6-(4-methoxyphenol)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)bis(5-((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)phenol).

		1.2,2-(6-(4-methoxyphenol)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)bis(5-((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)phenol)
			(a)In
			 generalHeadings 2933.69.60 and 9902.25.27 of the Harmonized
			 Tariff Schedule of the United States (relating to
			 2,2-(6-(4-methoxyphenol)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)bis(5-((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)phenol))
			 is amended by striking the date in the effective period column and inserting
			 12/31/2011.
			(b)Effective
			 dateThe amendment made by subsection (a) applies to goods
			 entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the 15th day
			 after the date of the enactment of this Act.


114 S490 IS: Federal Land Freedom Act of 2015
U.S. Senate
2015-02-12
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II114th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 490IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 12, 2015Mr. Inhofe (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Lee, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Vitter, and Mr. Cotton) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesA BILLTo achieve domestic energy independence by empowering States to control the development and
			 production of all forms of energy on all available Federal land.

		1.Short
 titleThis Act may be cited as the Federal Land Freedom Act of 2015.
 2.FindingsCongress finds that— (1)as of the date of enactment of this Act—
 (A)113,000,000 acres of onshore Federal land are open and accessible for oil and natural gas development; and
 (B)approximately 166,000,000 acres of onshore Federal land are off-limits or inaccessible for oil and natural gas development;
 (2)despite the recent oil and natural gas boom in the United States, the number of acres of Federal land leased for oil and natural gas exploration has decreased by 24 percent since 2008;
 (3)in 2013, the Federal Government leased only 36,000,000 acres of Federal land, in contrast to the 131,000,000 acres that were leased in 1984;
 (4)the reduction in leasing of Federal land harms economic growth and Federal revenues; (5)in 2013, it took 197 days to process applications for permits to drill on Federal land; and
 (6)the States have extensive and sufficient regulatory frameworks for permitting oil and natural gas development.
 3.DefinitionsIn this Act:
			(1)Available
 federal landThe term available Federal land means any Federal land that, as of May 31, 2013—
 (A)is located within the boundaries of a State;
 (B)is not held by the United States in trust for the benefit of a federally recognized Indian tribe;
 (C)is not a unit of the National Park System;
 (D)is not a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System; and
 (E)is not a congressionally designated wilderness area.
 (2)StateThe term State means—
 (A)a State; and
 (B)the District of Columbia.
 (3)State leasing, permitting, and regulatory programThe term State leasing, permitting, and regulatory program means a program established pursuant to State law that regulates the exploration and development of oil, natural gas, and other forms of energy on land located in the State.
			4.State control of
			 energy development and production on all available federal land
			(a)State leasing, permitting, and regulatory
 programsAny State that has established a State leasing, permitting, and regulatory program may— (1)submit to the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and Energy a declaration that a State leasing, permitting, and regulatory program has been established or amended; and
 (2)seek to transfer responsibility for leasing, permitting, and regulating oil, natural gas, and other forms of energy development from the Federal Government to the State.
 (b)State action authorizedNotwithstanding any other provision of law, on submission of a declaration under subsection (a)(1), the State submitting the declaration may lease, permit, and regulate the exploration and development of oil, natural gas, and other forms of energy on Federal land located in the State in lieu of the Federal Government.
 (c)Effect of State actionAny action by a State to lease, permit, or regulate the exploration and development of oil, natural gas, and other forms of energy pursuant to subsection (b) shall not be subject to, or considered a Federal action, Federal permit, or Federal license under—
 (1)subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Administrative Procedure Act’’);
 (2)the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.);
 (3)the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or
 (4)the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
				5.No effect on Federal revenues
 (a)In generalAny lease or permit issued by a State pursuant to section 4 shall include provisions for the collection of royalties or other revenues in an amount equal to the amount of royalties or revenues that would have been collected if the lease or permit had been issued by the Federal Government.
 (b)Disposition of revenuesAny revenues collected by a State from leasing or permitting on Federal land pursuant to section 4 shall be deposited in the same Federal account in which the revenues would have been deposited if the lease or permit had been issued by the Federal Government.
 (c)Effect on State processing feesNothing in this Act prohibits a State from collecting and retaining a fee from an applicant to cover the administrative costs of processing an application for a lease or permit.


116 HR 5420 IH: Pullman National Historical Park Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2019-12-12
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 CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 5420IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESDecember 12, 2019Ms. Kelly of Illinois (for herself and Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural ResourcesA BILLTo establish the Pullman National Historical Park in the State of Illinois as a unit of the
			 National Park System, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Pullman National Historical Park Act. 2.FindingsCongress finds that—
 (1)in 1970, the Secretary of the Interior designated the Pullman Historic District as a National Historic Landmark District because of—
 (A)the significance of the District to the labor history, social history, architecture, and urban planning of the United States; and
 (B)the pivotal role of events in the District in creating the first national Labor Day holiday in the world;
 (2)between 1880 and 1884, George M. Pullman, owner of the Pullman Palace Car Company, built the Pullman community, which was envisioned by Pullman as an industrial town that would provide employees with—
 (A)a model community; and (B)suitable living conditions;
 (3)the town developed by George M. Pullman, which consisted of over 1,000 buildings and homes, was awarded The World's Most Perfect Town at the International Hygienic and Pharmaceutical Exposition in 1896;
 (4)the Pullman factory site is a true symbol of the historic struggle in the United States to achieve fair labor practices for the working class, with the original factory serving as the catalyst for the first industry-wide strike in the United States;
 (5)in the midst of economic depression in 1894, to protest unsafe conditions and reductions in pay, Pullman factory workers initiated a strike that—
 (A)when taken up as a cause by the American Railway Union, crippled the entire rail industry; (B)continued even in the face of a Federal injunction and a showdown between laborers and Federal troops that turned violent and deadly; and
 (C)set a national example for the ability of working people in the United States to change the existing system in favor of more just practices for protecting workers’ rights and safety;
 (6)following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the United States military and United States Marshals during the 1894 strike, Congress unanimously voted to approve rush legislation that created a national Labor Day holiday, which was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland 6 days after the end of the strike;
 (7)the Pullman Palace Car Company also played an important role in African-American and early civil rights history through the legacy of the Pullman porters, many of whom were ex-slaves and employed in a heavily discriminatory environment immediately following the Civil War;
 (8)the Pullman porters, who served diligently between the 1870s and the 1960s, have been commended for—
 (A)their level of service and attention to detail; and (B)their contributions to the development of the African-American middle class;
 (9)the information, ideas, and commerce the Pullman porters carried across the country while traveling on trains helped to bring education and wealth to African-American communities throughout the United States;
 (10)the positive role of the Pullman porters in the historical image of the first-class service that was made available on Pullman cars is unmistakable;
 (11)the Pullman community was the seminal home to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, which— (A)was founded by civil rights pioneer A. Philip Randolph in 1925;
 (B)was the first African-American labor union with a collective bargaining agreement; (C)fought—
 (i)against discrimination; and (ii)in support of just labor practices; and
 (D)helped lay the groundwork for what became the great Civil Rights Movement of the 20th Century; (12)the Pullman community is—
 (A)a paramount illustration of the work of architect Solon Spencer Beman; (B)a well-preserved example of 19th century community planning, architecture, and landscape design; and
 (C)comprised of a number of historic structures, including the Administration Clock Tower Building, Hotel Florence, Greenstone Church, Market Square, and hundreds of units of rowhouses built for Pullman workers;
 (13)the preservation of the Pullman site has been threatened by— (A)plans for demolition in 1960; and
 (B)a fire in 1998, which damaged the iconic clock tower and the rear erecting shops; (14)the diligent efforts of community organizations, foundations, nonprofit organizations, residents, the State, and units of local government in the restoration and preservation of the District after the 1998 fire were vital to the protection of the Pullman site;
 (15)due to the historic and architectural significance of the District, the District is designated as— (A)a registered National Historic Landmark District;
 (B)an Illinois State Landmark; and (C)a City of Chicago Landmark District; and
 (16)the preservation, enhancement, economic, and tourism potential and management of the important historic and architectural resources of the Park requires cooperation and partnerships from among local property owners, the Federal Government, the State, units of local government, the private and nonprofit sectors, and the more than 100 civic organizations that have expressed support for community preservation through the establishment of the Pullman National Historical Park.
 3.DefinitionsIn this Act: (1)ParkThe term Park means the Pullman National Historical Park established by section 4(a).
 (2)SecretaryThe term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior. (3)StateThe term State means the State of Illinois.
			4.Establishment of Pullman National Historical Park
 (a)Establishment and purposeThere is established in the State a unit of the National Park System, to be known as the Pullman National Historical Park— (1)to preserve and interpret for the benefit of future generations—
 (A)the significant labor, industrial, civil rights, and social history of the Park; (B)the significant architectural structures in the Park; and
 (C)the role of the Pullman community in the creation of the first national Labor Day holiday in the world;
 (2)to coordinate preservation, protection, and interpretation efforts of the Park by the Federal Government, the State, units of local government, and private and nonprofit organizations; and
 (3)to coordinate appropriate management options necessary to ensure the protection, preservation, and interpretation of the many significant aspects of the Park.
 (b)Park boundaryThe boundary of the Park— (1)shall be established by the Secretary; but
 (2)shall not exceed the boundary of the approximately 300-acre Pullman Historic District in Chicago, which is between—
 (A)103rd Street on the north; (B)115th Street on the south;
 (C)Cottage Grove Avenue on the west; and (D)the Norfolk & Western Rail Line on the east.
 (c)Inclusion of historic sitesOn conveyance by the State to the Secretary, the Park shall include— (1)the Pullman Factory Complex, including the Clock Tower Building and rear erecting shops; and
 (2)the approximately 13 acres of land on which the structures described in paragraph (1) are located. 5.Administration (a)In generalThe Secretary shall administer land within the boundary of the Park in accordance with—
 (1)this Act; and (2)the laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—
 (A)section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of title 54, United States Code; and
 (B)chapter 3201 of title 54, United States Code. (b)Cooperative agreementsThe Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the State or other public and nonpublic entities, under which the Secretary may identify, interpret, and provide assistance for the preservation of non-Federal land within the boundaries of the Park and at sites in close proximity to the Park but located outside the boundaries of the Park, including providing for placement of directional and interpretive signage, exhibits, and technology-based interpretive devices.
 (c)Acquisition of landThe Secretary may acquire for inclusion in the Park any land (including interests in land), buildings, or structures owned by the State or any other political, private, or nonprofit entity by donation, transfer, exchange, or purchase from a willing seller.
 (d)Technical and preservation assistanceThe Secretary may provide public interpretation and technical assistance for the preservation of historic structures of, the maintenance of the cultural landscape of, and local preservation planning for, related historic and cultural resources within the boundaries of the Park.
 (e)Management planNot later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which funds are first made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the State, shall complete a general management plan for the Park in accordance with—
 (1)section 100502 of title 54, United States Code; and (2)any other applicable laws.
 (f)EffectNothing in this Act modifies any authority of the Federal Government to carry out Federal laws on Federal land located in the Park.
 6.Authorization of appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.