114 HR 5822 IH: Improving Standards in VA Contracting Act of 2016
U.S. House of Representatives
2016-07-14
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I114th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 5822IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 14, 2016Mr. Boustany introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsA BILLTo direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop uniform policy guidelines for evaluating
			 potential lessors for purposes of leasing property on which to build
			 medical facilities, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Improving Standards in VA Contracting Act of 2016. 2.Department of Veterans Affairs uniform policy guidelines for lessors of property for medical facilities (a)Uniform policy guidelinesBy not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop uniform policy guidelines for officials, including contracting officers, of the Real Property Service of the Office of Construction and Facilities Management of the Department of Veterans Affairs in evaluating potential lessors for purposes of leasing property on which to build medical facilities. Such guidelines shall include—
 (1)the evaluation of the past performance of the potential lessor with respect to past contracts with the Federal Government and other entities, if any;
 (2)criteria to specifically address the ability of the potential lessor to demonstrate control of or the ability to control the property, including specific documentation of the potential lessors’ ownership of or right to lease the property, as well as any encumbrances on this or other property that could affect the lessors’ ability to enter into any agreement with the Department regarding the property in question;
 (3)criteria for ensuring that the potential lessor conducted proper due diligence prior to submitting an offer to enter into a lease with the Department; and
 (4)such other matters as the Secretary determines appropriate. (b)ConsultationIn developing the guidelines under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the Federal Real Property Council of the General Services Administration.
 (c)Report to CongressNot later than 30 days before the guidelines developed under subsection (a) take effect, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the guidelines.


		I
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 1826
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			May 11, 2011
			Mr. Bilirakis (for
			 himself and Mr. Walz of Minnesota)
			 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Veterans’
			 Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the
			 Judiciary, for a period
			 to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of
			 such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
			 concerned

		A BILL
		To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate
		  criminal penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized
		  fees.

		1.Reinstatement of penalties
			 for charging veterans unauthorized fees
			(a)In
			 generalSection 5905 of title
			 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

					5905.Penalty for
				certain actsExcept as
				provided in section 5904 or 1984 of this title, whoever commits any of the
				following acts shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned for not
				more than one year, or both:
						(1)In connection with a proceeding before the
				Department, the act of soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving, or
				attempting to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, any fee or
				compensation in connection for—
							(A)the provision of advice on how to file a
				claim for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary; or
							(B)the preparation, presentation, or
				prosecution of such a claim before the date on which a notice of disagreement
				is filed in a proceeding on the claim.
							(2)The act of unlawfully withholding from any
				claimant or beneficiary any part of a benefit or claim under the laws
				administered by the Secretary that is allowed and due to the claimant or
				beneficiary.
						.
			(b)Effective
			 dateThe amendment made by
			 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to acts committed after the date of the
			 enactment of this Act.


110 HR 2130 IH: Comprehensive Transform America

U.S. House of Representatives
2007-05-03
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.

		I
		110th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 2130
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			May 3, 2007
			Mr. Fattah introduced
			 the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Ways and
			 Means

		A BILL
		To require a study and comprehensive analytical report on
		  transforming America by reforming the Federal tax code through elimination of
		  all Federal taxes on individuals and corporations and replacing the Federal tax
		  code with a transaction fee-based system.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Comprehensive Transform America
			 Transaction Fee Act of 2007.
		2.FindingsThe Congress finds the following:
			(1)An effective
			 stimulus plan meets the criteria of job creation, fiscal responsibility,
			 fairness, targeting of unmet needs, tax reform and revenue sharing.
			(2)The current tax
			 structure creates economic distortions that limit growth and job
			 creation.
			(3)The estimated cost
			 of compliance to taxpayers is five billion hours and approximately $200
			 billion.
			(4)The tax code
			 produces inefficiency in revenue raising that forces the nation to struggle
			 unnecessarily under the burden of unequal and inadequate systems of public
			 education and health care, a crumbling physical and social services
			 infrastructure, and a crushing national debt.
			(5)Implementing a
			 transaction fee will provide the structure to maintain current expenditures on
			 defense-related activities without sacrificing expenditures on additional
			 important national priorities.
			(6)Restructuring the
			 tax code will promote economic prosperity.
			(7)Replacing existing
			 Federal taxes with a fee on transactions eliminates systemic inefficiency that
			 plagues the current tax code.
			(8)Economic analyses
			 have estimated a transaction fee would allow businesses to undertake projects
			 that are not profitable in the current tax system, and workers would be more
			 willing to supply labor.
			(9)Responsible tax
			 reform is necessary for all to enjoy financial security, economic prosperity,
			 educational opportunities, and affordable health care.
			(10)Therefore, the
			 Department of the Treasury shall prepare a comprehensive analytical report to
			 achieve these stated goals.
			3.Study on the
			 implementation of a transaction fee
			(a)In
			 generalThe Secretary of the Treasury shall conduct an in-depth
			 study on the implementation of a transaction fee in the United States. In
			 particular, such study shall include a comprehensive analytical report of the
			 proposal outlined in subsection (b) (as well as an implementation/action plan)
			 to replace all existing Federal taxes with a per transaction fee based on the
			 value of the transaction.
			(b)Transaction fee
			 proposal
				(1)In
			 generalThe fee under the proposal would apply to all non-cash
			 transactions (including checks, credit cards, transfers of stocks, bonds, and
			 other financial instruments) and all high-dollar cash transactions.
				(2)Potential
			 exclusionsThe fee would not apply to—
					(A)cash transactions
			 of less than $500,
					(B)salaries and wages
			 by employers to employees, and
					(C)transactions
			 involving individual savings instruments through financial institutions.
					(3)Cash withdrawals
			 from financial institutionsThe fee under the proposal would
			 apply to cash withdrawals from financial institutions and be set at a rate that
			 is either double or higher than the standard transaction fee.
				(4)Fee rate
					(A)In
			 generalThe fee rate is set at a level sufficient to generate
			 revenues equal to revenues under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
					(B)Other potential
			 uses of feeThe fee rate could be structured to cover 1 or more
			 of the following:
						(i)A
			 national debt reduction plan requiring elimination of the current national debt
			 of $8.8 trillion over a period of 10 years, with equal annual payments.
						(ii)A
			 Federal revenue sharing program providing funding to States to support 50
			 percent of the K–16 education costs of each State which agrees to adopt an
			 equitable public school finance system.
						(iii)A
			 plan to meet the promised levels of certain provisions listed under the
			 National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–458),
			 including those sections related to air cargo security (subtitle C of title IV
			 of such Act), detention bed space (section 5204 of such Act), and border patrol
			 agents (section 5202 of such Act); to create a dedicated funding stream for
			 port security and improvements at levels recommended by the United States Coast
			 Guard; and to increase expenditures for first responder grant programs funded
			 under the Department of Homeland Security.
						(iv)A
			 Federal program providing quality health care insurance coverage (for the
			 current estimated 46 million uninsured Americans).
						(v)An
			 increase in the military basic pay rate to a level comparable with that of
			 Federal civilian pay, considering, but not being limited to, the following
			 criteria: age, education, skills, years of service, and
			 responsibilities.
						(vi)A
			 Federal revenue sharing program supporting community and economic development
			 investments in new markets (rural and urban areas) at a level equal to 10
			 percent of current Federal tax revenues.
						(vii)A
			 plan to increase the pay for National Guard and Reserve soldiers to that of
			 active duty military for periods of extended deployments abroad.
						(viii)A
			 Social Security and Medicare solvency plan ensuring that revenues continue to
			 exceed expected outlays.
						(5)ProgressivityThe
			 base standard transaction fee shall not be greater than 1 percent for all
			 noncash transactions under $500. If more revenues are needed to meet the
			 requirements of paragraph (4), the Secretary of the Treasury would calculate
			 the minimum level of progressivity required to cover these costs. This
			 progressivity factor may include—
					(A)a higher
			 transaction fee for all transactions above $500, and
					(B)a progressive
			 schedule of rates to tiered ranges of transactions above $500.
					(6)General
			 provisions
					(A)Liability for
			 feePersons become liable for the fee at the moment the person
			 exercises control over a piece of property or service, regardless of the
			 payment method.
					(B)CollectionThe
			 fees will be collected by the seller or financial institution servicing the
			 transaction.
					(c)Report of
			 study
				(1)In
			 generalThe results of the study shall be submitted to the
			 Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury in a comprehensive analytical report,
			 detailing—
					(A)the methodology
			 employed in the calculation of the fee rate,
					(B)the factors
			 considered in assessing feasibility of the proposed revenue generating system
			 and the weight applied to each, and
					(C)the portion of the
			 transaction fee attributable to each of the programs identified in subsection
			 (b)(4)(B) and the methodology used to calculate each.
					(2)Other
			 requirementsThe study shall (in the following order)—
					(A)compute the fee
			 needed to meet current revenue generation,
					(B)compute the fee
			 needed to meet revenue neutrality and generate additional revenue to support
			 the program described in subsection (b)(4)(B)(i) (relating to national debt
			 reduction plan),
					(C)compute the fee
			 needed to meet revenue neutrality and generate additional revenue to support
			 all the programs described in subsection (b)(4)(B), and
					(D)determine the
			 utility of pegging changes in the transaction fee schedule of rates to the rate
			 of inflation.
					(3)Comparative
			 analysisThe study shall include a comparative analysis of the
			 existing revenue-raising system versus the proposed fee-based system on
			 economic behavior. The study shall include an analysis of effect of the 2
			 systems on—
					(A)job
			 creation,
					(B)economic
			 growth,
					(C)consumption,
					(D)investments,
			 and
					(E)savings
			 levels.
					(4)Types of
			 transactionsThe study shall include a broad-based examination of
			 all types and categories of transactions, including information on frequency
			 and value of transactions in each category.
				(5)Impact of
			 exemptionsThe study shall examine the impact of the transaction
			 fee exemption for all cash transactions under $500.
				(6)Program
			 operationsThe study shall provide instructions on program
			 operations, including—
					(A)transaction fee
			 collection,
					(B)transaction fee
			 implementation, and
					(C)transaction fee
			 compliance, enforcement, and administrative costs.
					(7)DistortionsThe
			 study shall include an analysis, prepared by the Secretary of the Treasury in
			 consultation with the Secretaries of Commerce and Labor, offering methods of
			 preventing and relieving potential distortions among economic sectors created
			 by the implementation of the transaction fee. The study shall also include an
			 analysis of the feasibility of temporarily (for a period of not longer than 1
			 year) reducing the fee rate (as otherwise determined in subsection (b)(4))
			 applicable to an economic sector if such sector is experiencing pronounced
			 economic distress.
				(8)Fee as tool of
			 fiscal policyThe study shall assess the transaction fee as a
			 tool of Federal fiscal policy, including an impact analysis on the elimination
			 or retention of existing tax expenditures, incentives, penalties, and credits.
			 The study should also research and comment on options for rebating citizens
			 currently not subject to Federal income taxes or other current aspects of the
			 Federal tax code including, but not limited to—
					(A)the earned income
			 credit,
					(B)the alternative
			 minimum tax,
					(C)the child tax
			 credit, and
					(D)the deduction for
			 mortgage interest.
					(9)Impact of fee by
			 income levelsThe study shall include an assessment of the impact
			 of the transaction fee by quartile income levels.
				(10)Implementation
			 planThe study shall include a detailed action plan on how best
			 to implement a transaction fee in the United States and shall include
			 information on timeline, agency reform, potential pertinent regulatory issues,
			 and type of congressional action needed.
				(11)Internal
			 Revenue ServiceThe study shall—
					(A)assume the
			 transition and grandfathering of all existing personnel of the Internal Revenue
			 Service,
					(B)examine elements
			 of the current Internal Revenue Service needed to administer the transaction
			 fee, and
					(C)examine the
			 feasibility of modifying the overall mission and jurisdiction of the Internal
			 Revenue Service from one focused on tax law application to one focused on
			 uncovering waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the Federal Government.
					(d)Due
			 dateThe report of the study shall be submitted to the Congress
			 not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.


		IV
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. CON. RES. 80
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 15, 2011
			Mr. Johnson of
			 Illinois submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
			 referred to the Committee on Foreign
			 Affairs

		CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
		Expressing the sense of Congress that the
		  United Nations or NATO should investigate the treatment of black Africans in
		  Libya.

		That it is the sense of Congress that
			 the Secretary of State should direct the permanent representative of the United
			 States to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the permanent
			 representative of the United States to the United Nations to request that NATO
			 and the United Nations, respectively, investigate the treatment of black
			 Africans in Libya.


114 HR 4220 RH: Water and Agriculture Tax Reform Act of 2016
U.S. House of Representatives
2016-12-08
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IB
Union Calendar No. 675
114th CONGRESS 2d Session
H. R. 4220
[Report No. 114–862]
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 10, 2015
Mr. Buck (for himself, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mrs. Lummis, Mrs. Love, and Mr. Tipton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

December 8, 2016
Additional sponsors: Mr. Coffman, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Lamborn, and Mr. Polis

December 8, 2016
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on December 10, 2015

A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to facilitate water leasing and water transfers to promote conservation and efficiency.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Water and Agriculture Tax Reform Act of 2016. 2.Facilitate water leasing and water transfers to promote conservation and efficiency (a)In generalParagraph (12) of section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(I)Treatment of mutual ditch irrigation companies
(i)In generalIn the case of a mutual ditch or irrigation company or of a like organization to a mutual ditch or irrigation company, subparagraph (A) shall be applied without taking into account any income received or accrued— (I)from the sale, lease, or exchange of fee or other interests in real and personal property, including interests in water,
(II)from the sale or exchange of stock in a mutual ditch or irrigation company (or in a like organization to a mutual ditch or irrigation company) or contract rights for the delivery or use of water, or (III)from the investment of proceeds from sales, leases, or exchanges under subclauses (I) and (II),except that any income received under subclause (I), (II), or (III) which is distributed or expended for expenses (other than for operations, maintenance, and capital improvements) of the mutual ditch or irrigation company or of the like organization to a mutual ditch or irrigation company (as the case may be) shall be treated as nonmember income in the year in which it is distributed or expended. For purposes of the preceding sentence, expenses (other than for operations, maintenance, and capital improvements) include expenses for the construction of conveyances designed to deliver water outside of the system of the mutual ditch or irrigation company or of the like organization.
(ii)Treatment of organizational governanceIn the case of a mutual ditch or irrigation company or of a like organization to a mutual ditch or irrigation company, where State law provides that such a company or organization may be organized in a manner that permits voting on a basis which is pro rata to share ownership on corporate governance matters, subparagraph (A) shall be applied without taking into account whether its member shareholders have one vote on corporate governance matters per share held in the corporation. Nothing in this clause shall be construed to create any inference about the requirements of this subsection for companies or organizations not included in this clause.. (b)Effective dateThe amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2016.

December 8, 2016
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed


117 S823 IS: To amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide for protection of recovery rebates.
U.S. Senate
2021-03-18
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.

II117th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 823IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMarch 18, 2021Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceA BILLTo amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide for protection of recovery rebates.1.Protection of 2021 recovery rebates(a)In generalSubsection (c) of section 9601 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–2) is amended—(1)in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting the following:(A)subject to reduction or offset pursuant to section 3716 or 3720A of title 31, United States Code, or similar authority permitting offset,(B)subject to reduction or offset pursuant to subsection (c), (d), (e), or (f) of section 6402 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or(C)reduced or offset by other assessed Federal taxes that would otherwise be subject to levy or collection., and(2)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:(4)Assignment of benefits(A)In generalThe right of any person to any applicable payment shall not be transferable or assignable, at law or in equity, and no applicable payment shall be subject to, execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process, or the operation of any bankruptcy or insolvency law.(B)Encoding of paymentsIn the case of an applicable payment described in subparagraph (E)(iii)(I) that is certified for payment after the date of the enactment of this paragraph under section 3528 of title 31, United States Code, and that is paid electronically by direct deposit through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, the Secretary of the Treasury (or the Secretary's delegate) shall— (i)issue the payment using a unique identifier that is reasonably sufficient to allow a financial institution to identify the payment as an applicable payment, and(ii)further encode the payment pursuant to the same specifications as required for a benefit payment defined in section 212.3 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations. (C)Garnishment(i)Encoded paymentsIn the case of a garnishment order that applies to an account that has received an applicable payment that is encoded as provided in subparagraph (B), a financial institution shall follow the requirements and procedures set forth in part 212 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, except— (I)notwithstanding section 212.4 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations (and except as provided in subclause (II)), a financial institution shall not fail to follow the procedures of sections 212.5 and 212.6 of such title with respect to a garnishment order merely because such order has attached, or includes, a notice of right to garnish Federal benefits issued by a State child support enforcement agency, and(II)a financial institution shall not, with regard to any applicable payment, be required to provide the notice referenced in sections 212.6 and 212.7 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations.(ii)Other paymentsIn the case of a garnishment order (other than an order that has been served by the United States) that has been received by a financial institution and that applies to an account into which an applicable payment that has not been encoded as provided in subparagraph (B) has been deposited electronically on any date during the lookback period or into which an applicable payment that has been deposited by check on any date in the lookback period, the financial institution, upon the request of the account holder, shall treat the amount of the funds in the account at the time of the request, up to the amount of the applicable payment (in addition to any amounts otherwise protected under part 212 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations), as exempt from a garnishment order without requiring the consent of the party serving the garnishment order or the judgment creditor. (iii)LiabilityA financial institution that acts in good faith in reliance on clauses (i) or (ii) shall not be subject to liability or regulatory action under any Federal or State law, regulation, court or other order, or regulatory interpretation for actions concerning any applicable payments.(D)No reclamation rightsThis paragraph shall not alter the status of applicable payments as tax refunds or other nonbenefit payments for purpose of any reclamation rights of the Department of the Treasury or the Internal Revenue Service as per part 210 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations.(E)DefinitionsFor purposes of this paragraph—(i)Account holderThe term account holder means a natural person whose name appears in a financial institution’s records as the direct or beneficial owner of an account. (ii)Account reviewThe term account review means the process of examining deposits in an account to determine if an applicable payment has been deposited into the account during the lookback period. The financial institution shall perform the account review following the procedures outlined in section 212.5 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations and in accordance with the requirements of section 212.6 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations.(iii)Applicable paymentThe term applicable payment means—(I)any advance refund amount paid pursuant to section 6428B(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,(II)any payment made by a possession of the United States with a mirror code tax system (as defined in subsection (b) of this section) pursuant to such subsection which corresponds to a payment described in subclause (I), and(III)any payment made by a possession of the United States without a mirror code tax system (as so defined) pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.(iv)GarnishmentThe term garnishment means execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process.(v)Garnishment orderThe term garnishment order means a writ, order, notice, summons, judgment, levy, or similar written instruction issued by a court, a State or State agency, a municipality or municipal corporation, or a State child support enforcement agency, including a lien arising by operation of law for overdue child support or an order to freeze the assets in an account, to effect a garnishment against a debtor.(vi)Lookback periodThe term lookback period means the two-month period that begins on the date preceding the date of account review and ends on the corresponding date of the month two months earlier, or on the last date of the month two months earlier if the corresponding date does not exist..(b)Effective dateThe amendment made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.


114 HR 3291 IH: Medicare Crosswalk Hospital Code Development Act of 2015
U.S. House of Representatives
2015-07-29
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. 3291
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			July 29, 2015
			Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
			 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

		A BILL
		To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to develop a crosswalk between HCPCS and MS–DRG
			 codes for similar hospital services.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Medicare Crosswalk Hospital Code Development Act of 2015. 2.Development of Medicare HCPCS version of MS–DRG codes for similar hospital servicesSection 1886 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

				(t)Relating similar inpatient and outpatient hospital services
					(1)Development of HCPCS version of MS–DRG codes
 (A)In generalNot later than January 1, 2018, the Secretary shall develop HCPCS versions for MS–DRGs that is similar to the ICD–10–PCS for such MS–DRGs such that, to the extent possible, the MS–DRG assignment shall be similar for a claim coded with the HCPCS version as an identical claim coded with an ICD–10–PCS code.
 (B)Coverage of surgical MS–DRGsIn carrying out subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall develop HCPCS versions of MS–DRG codes for not fewer than 10 surgical MS–DRGs.
						(C)Publication and dissemination of the HCPCS versions of MS–DRGs
 (i)In generalThe Secretary shall develop an HCPCS MS–DRG definitions manual and software that is similar to the definitions manual and software for ICD–10–PCS codes for such MS–DRGs. The Secretary shall post the HCPCS MS–DRG definitions manual and software on the Internet website of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The HCPCS MS–DRG definitions manual and software shall be in the public domain and available for use and redistribution without charge.
 (ii)Use of previous analysis done by MedPACIn developing the HCPCS MS–DRG definitions manual and software under clause (i), the Secretary shall consult with the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and shall consider the analysis done by such Commission in translating outpatient surgical claims into inpatient surgical MS–DRGs in preparing chapter 7 (relating to hospital short-stay policy issues) of its Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System report submitted to Congress in June 2015.
 (D)Definition and referenceIn this paragraph: (i)HCPCSThe term HCPCS means, with respect to hospital services (other than inpatient hospital services) for which payment is made under this title, the code under the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) (or a successor code) for such services.
 (ii)ICD–10–PCSA reference to an ICD–10–PCS code includes a reference to a successor to such code..


		I
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 753
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			February 17, 2011
			Mr. Latham introduced
			 the following bill; which was referred to the
			 Committee on
			 Agriculture

		A BILL
		To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain
		  federally owned land located in Story County, Iowa.

		1.Purposes and
			 definitions
			(a)PurposesThe purposes of this Act are—
				(1)to direct the
			 conveyance of approximately 44 acres, more or less, of federally owned land
			 administered by the Agricultural Research Service to the City of Ames, Iowa;
			 and
				(2)to authorize the
			 use of the funds derived from the conveyance to purchase replacement land and
			 for other purposes relating to the National Animal Disease Center.
				(b)DefinitionsIn this Act:
				(1)CityThe
			 term City means the City of Ames, Iowa, and its assigns.
				(2)PropertyThe
			 term Property means approximately 44 acres, more or less, of the
			 federally owned land comprising part of the National Animal Disease Center,
			 which—
					(A)was acquired by
			 the United States in 1951 within sec. 1, T. 83 N., R. 24 W., Fifth Principal
			 Meridian; and
					(B)is generally
			 located on 13th Street in the City.
					(3)SecretaryThe
			 term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
				2.Property
			 conveyance, National Animal Disease Center, Ames, Iowa
			(a)In
			 generalOn receipt of the consideration and cost reimbursement
			 provided in this Act, the Secretary shall convey and quitclaim to the City, all
			 rights, title, and interests of the United States in the Property subject to
			 easements and rights of record and such other reservations, terms, and
			 conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.
			(b)Consideration
				(1)In
			 generalAs consideration for the conveyance authorized by this
			 Act, the City shall pay to the Secretary an amount in cash equal to the market
			 value of the Property.
				(2)Appraisal
					(A)In
			 generalTo determine the market value of the Property, the
			 Secretary shall have the Property appraised for the highest and best use of the
			 Property in conformity with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land
			 Acquisitions developed by the Interagency Land Acquisition Conference.
					(B)RequirementsThe
			 appraisal shall be subject to review and approval by the Secretary, and the
			 approved appraisal shall at all times be the Property of the United
			 States.
					(c)CorrectionsWith
			 the agreement of the City, the Secretary may make minor corrections or
			 modifications to the legal description of the Property or configure the
			 Property to facilitate conveyance.
			(d)Costs
				(1)In
			 generalExcept as provided in paragraph (2), the City shall at
			 closing pay or reimburse the Secretary, as appropriate, for the reasonable
			 transaction and administrative costs incurred by the Secretary associated with
			 the conveyance authorized by this Act, including personnel costs directly
			 attributable to the transaction, and the transactional costs of appraisal,
			 survey, title review, hazardous substances examination, and closing
			 costs.
				(2)Attorneys
			 feesThe City and the Secretary shall each bear their own
			 attorneys fees.
				(e)Hazardous
			 materials
				(1)In
			 generalFor the conveyance authorized by this Act, the Secretary
			 shall meet disclosure requirements for hazardous substances, but shall
			 otherwise not be required to remediate or abate those substances or any other
			 hazardous pollutants, contaminants, or waste that might be present on the
			 Property at the time of closing.
				(2)Lead-based paint
			 or asbestos-containing building materials
					(A)In
			 generalNotwithstanding any provision of law relating to the
			 mitigation or abatement of lead-based paint or asbestos-containing building
			 materials and except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall not
			 be required to mitigate or abate any lead-based paint or asbestos-containing
			 building materials present on the Property at the time of closing.
					(B)RequirementsIf
			 the Property has lead-based paint or asbestos-containing building materials,
			 the Secretary shall—
						(i)provide notice to
			 the City of the presence of the lead-based paint or asbestos-containing
			 building materials; and
						(ii)obtain written
			 assurance from the City that the City will comply with applicable Federal,
			 State, and local laws relating to the management of the lead-based paint and
			 asbestos-containing building materials.
						(f)Other
			 termsThe Secretary and the City may agree on such additional
			 terms as may be mutually acceptable and that are not inconsistent with the
			 provisions of this Act.
			3.Receipts
			(a)In
			 generalThe Secretary shall deposit all funds received from the
			 conveyance authorized under this Act, including the market value consideration
			 and the reimbursement for costs, into the Treasury of the United States to be
			 credited to the appropriation for the Agricultural Research Service.
			(b)Use of
			 fundsNotwithstanding any limitation in applicable appropriation
			 Acts for the Department of Agriculture or the Agricultural Research Service,
			 all funds deposited into the Treasury pursuant to subsection (a) shall—
				(1)be available to
			 the Secretary until expended, without further appropriation, for the
			 acquisition of land and interests in land and other related purposes of the
			 National Animal Disease Center; and
				(2)be considered to
			 authorize the acquisition of land for the purposes of section 11 of the Act of
			 August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 428a).


117 HR 5543 IH: Veterans Census-Enabled National Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement for Mental Health Act of 2021
U.S. House of Representatives
2021-10-08
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. 5543IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESOctober 8, 2021Ms. Sherrill (for herself, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsA BILLTo direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of Vet Centers in certain States based on population metrics, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Veterans Census-Enabled National Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement for Mental Health Act of 2021 or the Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act of 2021.2.Increase in number of vet centers in certain States based on population metrics(a)Increase in numberIf the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines that a State meets each requirement described in subsection (c), (d), or (e), the Secretary shall ensure that the number of covered Vet Centers located in the State is increased from the number of covered Vet Centers that were located in the State on December 31, 2020, through the establishment of at least one additional covered Vet Center within the State, as applicable.(b)Existing facilitiesIn establishing an additional covered Vet Center pursuant to a determination under subsection (a), the Secretary may establish the covered Vet Center at a facility made available to the Secretary by the head of a State, local government, or federally recognized Indian tribe to carry out this section, regardless of whether such facility is made available at a cost to the Secretary.(c)RequirementsThe requirements described in this subsection are, with respect to the 2020 calendar year, as follows:(1)The total population of the State exceeded 6,000,000, as determined by the United States Census Bureau.(2)The average population density of the State exceeded 200 individuals per square mile, as determined by the United States Census Bureau.(3)The total veteran population in the State was greater than 250,000 veterans, as estimated by the Secretary.(4)The ratio of veteran population in the State to covered Vet Centers located in the State exceeded 50,000 veterans per one covered Vet Center, as determined by the Secretary (regardless of the number of veterans that received services at covered Vet Centers located in the State during such year).(d)Alternative requirementsThe requirements described in this subsection are as follows:(1)The State does not share a land border with another State.(2)The State is located at least 2,000 miles from the contiguous United States.(3)There is no covered Vet Center located in the State.(e)Additional alternative requirementsThe requirements described in this subsection are as follows:(1)There are fewer than five covered Vet Centers located in the State.(2)The land area of the State exceeds 75,000 square miles.(3)During the 2020 calendar year, the total population of the State exceeded 5,000,000 individuals, as determined by the United States Census Bureau.(4)During the 2020 calendar year, the ratio of veteran population in the State to covered Vet Centers located in the State exceeded 75,000 veterans per one covered Vet Center, as determined by the Secretary (regardless of the number of veterans that received services at covered Vet Centers located in the State during such year).(f)Community-Based outpatient clinicsThe Secretary shall establish a covered community-based outpatient clinic in each State that the Secretary determines meets the following requirements:(1)The State does not share a land border with another State.(2)The State is located at least 2,000 miles from the contiguous United States.(3)There is no covered community-based outpatient clinic located in the State.(g)DeadlineThe Secretary shall establish such additional covered Vet Centers as may be required pursuant to a determination under subsection (a), and such covered community-based outpatient clinics as may be required pursuant to a determination under subsection (f), by not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.(h)DefinitionsIn this Act:(1)The term covered community-based outpatient clinic means a community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs that is scheduled to be open for the provision of community-based outpatient services for a minimum of eight hours per day during five days of the week, except that the community-based outpatient clinic may be open for less than such minimum on a temporary basis as a result of a Federal holiday, weather concern, safety concern, pandemic, or for such other reasons as may be determined appropriate by the Secretary.(2)The term covered Vet Center—(A)means a Vet Center, as such term is defined in section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, that is scheduled to be open for the provision of services under such section for a minimum of eight hours per day during five days of the week, except that the Vet Center may be open for less than such minimum on a temporary basis as a result of a Federal holiday, weather concern, safety concern, pandemic, or for such other reasons as may be determined appropriate by the Secretary; and(B)does not include a Vet Center outstation.(3)The term State has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.


117 HR 1389 IH: Invasive Species Prevention and Forest Restoration Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2021-02-25
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.

I117th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 1389IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 25, 2021Mr. Welch (for himself, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Pappas, and Ms. Stefanik) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on AgricultureA BILLTo amend the Plant Protection Act for purposes of mitigating the threat of invasive species, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Invasive Species Prevention and Forest Restoration Act.2.Expanding emergency authority with respect to invasive species(a)In generalSubsection (a) of section 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7772) is amended by striking noxious weed threatens and inserting noxious weed directly or indirectly threatens.(b)Emergency definedSection 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7772) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:(d)Emergency definedIn this section, the term emergency means an outbreak of a plant pest or noxious weed that the Secretary determines is occurring at a time during which insufficient Federal funds are available to timely achieve the arrest, control, eradication, or prevention of the spread of such plant pest or noxious weed..(c)Disbursement of fundsSubsection (b) of section 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7772) is amended by adding at the end the following: Any funds so transferred with respect to a designation of an emergency under subsection (a) shall be transferred not later than 60 days after the date on which such designation is made..3.Forest reclamation grantsSubtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:1473H.Forest reclamation grants(a)Establishment of programThe Secretary, for purposes of addressing the critical threat to numerous tree species posed by non-native plant pests and noxious weeds, shall award competitive grants to eligible institutions under which such eligible institutions—(1)conduct research to promote the restoration of affected tree species, including research on—(A)biological control of plant pests or noxious weeds threatening native tree species heavily damaged by non-native pests;(B)exploration of genetic manipulation of plant pests or noxious weeds;(C)enhancement of host-resistance mechanisms; and(D)development of other strategies for restoring individual tree species; and(2)develop and disseminate to the public tools and information based on the research conducted under this section.(b)Eligible institutionsAn entity eligible to receive a grant under this section is any of the following:(1)An agency of the Federal Government.(2)A State cooperative institution.(3)A college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of food, forestry, and agricultural sciences.(4)A nonprofit entity described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code).(c)ApplicationEach eligible institution seeking to receive a grant under this section shall submit a comprehensive forest restoration research program to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.(d)Use of funds(1)In generalAn eligible institution receiving a grant under this section may use funds received through such grant only to conduct research intended to address specific questions related to the recovery of tree species native to the United States suffering severe levels of mortality caused by non-native plant pests or noxious weeds.(2)Matching requirementAn eligible institution receiving a grant under this section shall provide matching funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to not less than 20 percent of the grant. Indirect costs charged against a grant awarded under this section shall not exceed 30 percent of the total Federal funds provided under the grant award.(3)Maximum amount of grantsThe total amount of grant funding a grant recipient is eligible to receive under this section shall not exceed $400,000 per year.(e)Cooperation among eligible institutionsThe Secretary, to the maximum extent practicable, shall encourage eligible institutions to cooperate in setting research priorities under this section.(f)AdministrationIn carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall—(1)establish a committee of experts composed of representatives of the Forest Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Agricultural Research Service, and State forestry agencies to advise the Secretary on criteria appropriate for—(A)defining research topics eligible for funding under this section;(B)reviewing grant proposals’ adherence to the purposes specified in subsection (a)(1); and(C)membership in scientific peer review panels to review grant applications;(2)establish an advisory committee composed of representatives of land-grant colleges and universities and affiliated State agricultural experiment stations, the forest products industry, recreationists, and conservation organizations to assist the committee of experts established under paragraph (1) with respect to the responsibilities of such committee specified in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of such paragraph; and(3)submit, beginning one year after the date on which the first grant is awarded under this section, and annually thereafter, to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the use of funds under this section in the previous year.(g)FundingOf the funds available to the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to carry out this section—(1)$3,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;(2)$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;(3)$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and(4)$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.(h)DefinitionsIn this section and in section 1473I, the terms plant pest and noxious weed have the meanings given such terms in section 403 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7702)..4.Forest Restoration Implementation GrantsSubtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310 et seq.), as amended by section 3, is further amended by adding at the end the following new section:1473I.Forest Restoration Implementation Grants(a)In generalThe Secretary may award grants on a competitive basis under this section to eligible entities to support—(1)the implementation of research conducted pursuant to section 1473H; or(2)any other solution that the committee established under subsection (f)(1) of such section determines to be an effective solution to restore forest tree species native to forests in the United States that have suffered severe levels of mortality caused by non-native plant pests or noxious weeds.(b)Eligible entitiesAn entity eligible to receive a grant under this section is any of the following:(1)A cooperating forestry school.(2)A land-grant college or university.(3)A State agricultural experimental station.(4)A non-profit, non-governmental organization.(c)ApplicationEach eligible institution seeking to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. Such application shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the entity has a program in effect with a forest restoration strategy that incorporates a majority of the following components:(1)Collection and conservation of native tree genetic material.(2)Production of propagules of native trees in numbers large enough for landscape scale restoration.(3)Preparation of planting sites in former habitats of the native tree species that is the subject of the proposal.(4)Planting of native tree seedlings.(5)Post-planting maintenance of native trees.(d)Selection criteriaThe Secretary shall select an eligible entity to receive a grant under this section based on the degree to which the entity’s application addresses the following criteria:(1)Risk posed to the forests of the State in which the work is to be conducted by non-native plant pest or noxious weed species present in the State.(2)The proportion of such State’s forest composed of species vulnerable to non-native plant pests or noxious weeds present in the United States.(3)The non-native plant pests or noxious weeds’ rate of spread via natural or human-assisted means.(4)The environmental and public health safety of the proposed project, as demonstrated by supporting research.(e)Matching requirementAn eligible institution receiving a grant under this section shall provide matching funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to not less than 10 percent of the grant. Indirect costs charged against a grant awarded under this section shall not exceed 30 percent of the total Federal funds provided under the grant award.(f)Authorization of appropriations(1)In generalThere are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each fiscal years 2022 through 2025.(2)LimitationOf the funds made available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, not more than 5 percent of such amounts may be used by the Secretary for expenses related to administering the program under this section..5.Study on protection of forests from non-native pests and pathogens(a)FindingsCongress makes the following findings:(1)many separate Federal agencies have important roles to play in addressing non-native plant pests and pathogens for stewardship and management of American forests;(2)because of a lack of national policy non-native pests of forests have a low priority within all Federal agencies;(3)efforts to prevent the introduction and spread of such pests and pathogens, and especially to reduce the resulting damage and restore tree species to forests, lack coordination and action.(b)StudyThe Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences, or another nongovernmental entity the Secretary determines to be most appropriate, under which the National Academy of Sciences (or such other entity) will analyze available resources in Federal agencies for research of, and solutions to non-native forest pests and pathogens. Such study shall make recommendations with respect to—(1)establishing a national policy to counter effectively the threat posed by non-native insects and disease pathogens to tree species, including preventing the introduction and spread of such pests, minimizing the damage caused by such pests, and restoring affected tree species to the forest;(2)correcting the lack of mission identification and leadership among Federal agencies with responsibility for management and repair of the decimation of affected species and associated ecological destruction; (3)addressing the low prioritization by such agencies of non-native pests of forests;(4)identifying expertise and site and facility resources within such agencies, and improving coordination among such agencies with respect to management of such damage, including coordination with academic institutions and other appropriate non-profits; and(5)the establishment within the Department of Agriculture of a center for forest pest control, prevention, and species restoration, including potential organizational structures of such a center, with an emphasis on including representation of a wide variety of appropriate agencies within the center, including the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Agriculture Research Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Forest Service, and any other agency the Secretary determines is appropriate. (c)ConsultationThe agreement referred to in subsection (b) shall require the National Academy of Sciences (or such other entity), in conducting such study, to consult with specialists in entomology, genetics, forest pathology, tree breeding, forest and urban ecology, and invasive species management.(d)Use of existing resourcesThe agreement referred to in subsection (b) shall require the National Academy of Sciences (or such other entity), in making recommendations pursuant to the study conducted under such subsection, to make recommendations that use existing Federal resources and may be implemented through further legislative and administrative action for authorization of mission, hiring of leadership, and appropriate funding.(e)Report to CongressThe agreement referred to in subsection (b) shall require the National Academy of Sciences (or such other entity) to, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the Congress a report of the results of the study conducted pursuant to such agreement that contains recommendations for legislative action.


115 HR 2398 IH: For the relief of Gurmukh Singh.
U.S. House of Representatives
2017-05-04
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

V115th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 2398IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 4, 2017Mr. Lowenthal introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLFor the relief of Gurmukh Singh.

		1.Permanent resident status for Gurmukh Singh
 (a)In GeneralNotwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) of section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Gurmukh Singh shall be eligible for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence upon filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa under section 204 of such Act or for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident.
 (b)Adjustment of StatusIf Gurmukh Singh enters the United States before the filing deadline specified in subsection (c), he shall be considered to have entered and remained lawfully and shall, if otherwise eligible, be eligible for adjustment of status under section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act as of the date of the enactment of this Act.
 (c)Deadline for Application and Payment of FeesSubsections (a) and (b) shall apply only if the application for issuance of an immigrant visa or the application for adjustment of status is filed with appropriate fees within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
 (d)Reduction of Immigrant Visa NumberUpon the granting of an immigrant visa or permanent residence to Gurmukh Singh, the Secretary of State shall instruct the proper officer to reduce by 1, during the current or next following fiscal year, the total number of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the country of the alien’s birth under section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act or, if applicable, the total number of immigrant visas that are made available to natives of the country of the alien’s birth under section 202(e) of such Act.
 (e)Denial of Preferential Immigration Treatment for Certain RelativesThe natural parents, brothers, and sisters of Gurmukh Singh shall not, by virtue of such relationship, be accorded any right, privilege, or status under the Immigration and Nationality Act.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. 219
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			January 27, 2011
			Mr. Tester (for himself,
			 Mr. Cochran, Mr. Levin, Mrs.
			 McCaskill, Mrs. Shaheen,
			 Mr. Schumer, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr.
			 Lugar, Mr. Cardin,
			 Mr. Graham, Mr.
			 Rockefeller, and Mr. Begich)
			 introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on Rules and
			 Administration

		A BILL
		To require Senate candidates to file designations,
		  statements, and reports in electronic form.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity
			 Act.
		2.Filing by Senate
			 candidates with CommissionSection 302(g) of the Federal Election
			 Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 432(g)) is amended to read as follows:

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


115 HR 5134 IH: STOP Straw Purchases Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2018-03-01
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. 5134IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMarch 1, 2018Mr. Bacon (for himself and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo amend title 18, United States Code, to combat straw purchases of firearms.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the STOP Straw Purchases Act. 2.Increase in penalties for straw purchasers of firearmsSection 924(a)(2) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting , except that in the case of a violation of section 922(a)(6) involving deception as to the identity of the actual transferee of a firearm, the violator shall be fined not more than $750,000, imprisoned not more than 25 years, or both before the period.
		3.Prohibition on continuing criminal enterprise involving straw purchases of firearms; prohibition on
			 obtaining firearm by inducing straw purchase
 (a)ProhibitionsSection 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:  (aa)It shall be unlawful for any person, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, to—
 (1)induce, or act in concert with, another person to engage in a continuing series of violations of subsection (a)(6) involving deception as to the identity of the actual transferee of a firearm, from which such person obtains substantial income or resources; and
 (2)with respect to such other person, occupy a position of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management.
 (bb)It shall be unlawful for any person, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, to obtain a firearm by inducing another person to violate subsection (a)(6) by falsely claiming to be the actual transferee of the firearm..
 (b)PenaltiesSection 924(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:  (8)Whoever knowingly violates section 922(aa) shall be fined not more than $1,000,000, imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.
 (9)Whoever knowingly violates section 922(bb) shall be fined not more than $750,000, imprisoned not more than 25 years, or both..
			4.Inclusion in firearms transaction record form of outline of penalties for the straw purchase of a
 firearmThe Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives shall ensure that the Firearms Transaction Record form used by the Bureau includes a statement outlining the penalties for acting as the straw purchaser of a firearm. For purposes of this section, a person acts as the straw purchaser of a firearm if the person violates section 922(a)(6) of title 18, United States Code, through deception as to the identity of the actual transferee of the firearm.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. 650
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			March 17, 2011
			Mr. Ensign introduced
			 the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on
			 Finance

		A BILL
		To require greater transparency concerning the criteria
		  used to grant waivers to the job-killing health care law and to ensure that
		  applications for such waivers are treated in a fair and consistent manner,
		  irrespective of the applicant’s political contributions or association with a
		  labor union, a health plan provided for under a collective bargaining
		  agreement, or another organized labor group.

		1.Short
			 titleThis Act may be cited as
			 the Health Care Waiver Transparency
			 Act.
		2.Requirements
			 with respect to granting waivers
			(a)In
			 generalThe Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to
			 in this section as the Secretary) shall—
				(1)publish detailed
			 criteria used by the Secretary to determine approval of an application
			 submitted by a group health plan, health insurance issuer, employer, State,
			 municipality, or other entity eligible for a waiver, adjustment, or other
			 compliance relief provided for under the authority of the Patient Protection
			 and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148) or title I or subtitle B of title
			 II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (Public Law 111–152),
			 including—
					(A)how much of a
			 significant decrease in benefits with respect to a health insurance plan or
			 health insurance coverage would need to occur in order have such a waiver
			 application approved by the Secretary; and
					(B)how much of a
			 significant increase in premiums with respect to a health insurance plan or
			 health insurance coverage would need to occur to have such a waiver application
			 approved by the Secretary;
					(2)publish on the
			 Internet Web site of the Department of Health and Human Services each
			 application for a waiver described in paragraph (1); and
				(3)publish on the
			 Internet Web site of the Department of Health and Human Services the
			 determination of the Secretary whether to approve or reject such application,
			 and the reason for such approval or rejection.
				(b)Protection of
			 proprietary informationIn carrying out subsection (a), the
			 Secretary shall ensure the confidentiality of proprietary information of each
			 applicant.
			(c)Prohibition of
			 preferential treatmentIn no case, during any stage of the
			 application process for an application described in subsection (a)(1), shall
			 preferential treatment be given to an applicant based on political
			 contributions or association with a labor union, a health plan provided for
			 under a collective bargaining agreement, or another organized labor
			 group.


114 HR 4850 RH: Micro Offering Safe Harbor Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2016-03-23
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.

		IB
		Union Calendar No. 561
		114th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 4850
		[Report No. 114–723]
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			March 23, 2016
			Mr. Emmer of Minnesota (for himself, Mr. Messer, Mr. Barr, Mr. Royce, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Tipton, Mr. Brooks of Alabama, and Mr. Williams) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

			September 6, 2016
			Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the
			 Union, and ordered to be printed
			Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
			For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 23, 2016

		A BILL
		To amend the Securities Act of 1933 to exempt certain micro-offerings from the registration
			 requirements of such Act, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Micro Offering Safe Harbor Act. 2.Exemptions for micro-offerings (a)In generalSection 4 of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77d) is amended—
 (1)in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:  (8)transactions meeting the requirements of subsection (f).; and
 (2)by adding at the end the following:  (f)Certain micro-Offerings (1)In generalExcept as provided in paragraph (2), the transactions referred to in subsection (a)(8) are transactions involving the sale of securities by an issuer (including all entities controlled by or under common control with the issuer) that meet all of the following requirements:
 (A)Pre-existing relationshipEach purchaser has a substantive pre-existing relationship with an officer of the issuer, a director of the issuer, or a shareholder holding 10 percent or more of the shares of the issuer.
 (B)35 or fewer purchasersThere are no more than, or the issuer reasonably believes that there are no more than, 35 purchasers of securities from the issuer that are sold in reliance on the exemption provided under subsection (a)(8) during the 12-month period preceding such transaction.
 (C)Small offering amountThe aggregate amount of all securities sold by the issuer, including any amount sold in reliance on the exemption provided under subsection (a)(8), during the 12-month period preceding such transaction, does not exceed $500,000.
								(2)Disqualification
 (A)In generalThe exemption provided under subsection (a)(8) shall not be available for a transaction involving a sale of securities if any person described in subparagraph (B) would have triggered disqualification pursuant to section 230.506(d) of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations.
 (B)Persons describedThe persons described in this subparagraph are the following: (i)The issuer.
 (ii)Any predecessor of the issuer. (iii)Any affiliated issuer.
 (iv)Any director, executive officer, other officer participating in the offering, general partner, or managing member of the issuer.
 (v)Any beneficial owner of 20 percent or more of the issuer’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power.
 (vi)Any promoter connected with the issuer in any capacity at the time of such sale. (vii)Any investment manager of an issuer that is a pooled investment fund.
 (viii)Any person that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of purchasers in connection with such sale of securities.
 (ix)Any general partner or managing member of any such investment manager or solicitor. (x)Any director, executive officer, or other officer participating in the offering of any such investment manager or solicitor or general partner or managing member of such investment manager or solicitor..
 (b)Exemption under State regulationsSection 18(b)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77r(b)(4)) is amended— (1)in subparagraph (F), by striking or at the end;
 (2)in subparagraph (G), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and (3)by adding at the end the following:

 (H)section 4(a)(8)..   September 6, 2016 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed


116 HR 4497 IH: Protecting Student Aid Act of 2019
U.S. House of Representatives
2019-09-25
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.

I116th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 4497IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 25, 2019Ms. Shalala (for herself, Ms. Pressley, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Moore, and Ms. Haaland) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and LaborA BILLTo amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make improvements to the Federal Student Aid Office,
			 and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Protecting Student Aid Act of 2019 or the PSA Act of 2019. 2.Improvements to the Federal student aid officeSection 141 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1018) is amended—
 (1)by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (k); and (2)by inserting after subsection (h) the following:

					(i)Enforcement unit
 (1)In generalNot later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the PSA Act of 2019, the Secretary shall establish within the PBO an enforcement unit (referred to in this section as the Unit) to review and investigate violations of this Act and recommend enforcement actions in accordance with paragraph (3).
						(2)Chief enforcement officer
 (A)AppointmentThe Secretary shall appoint an official to be known as the Chief Enforcement Officer who shall serve as the head of the Unit. The Secretary shall appoint an individual to serve as the Chief Enforcement Officer solely on the basis of such individual’s integrity and expertise in law and investigations and without regard to such individual’s political affiliation.
 (B)AuthorityThe Chief Enforcement Officer shall report directly to the Secretary without being required to report through any other official of the Department of Education.
 (C)TermThe Chief Enforcement Officer shall be appointed for a term of 6 years and may be reappointed for additional terms of 6 years at the discretion of the Secretary.
							(D)Removal
 (i)In generalThe Chief Enforcement Officer may not be removed during the Officer’s term except for cause. (ii)Notice to congressIf the Secretary removes the Chief Enforcement Officer before the expiration of the Officer’s term, the Secretary shall submit to the authorizing committees a report that explains the reasons for such removal. The report shall be submitted to the authorizing committees not later than 30 days after the date on which the removal takes effect.
 (3)DutiesThe Chief Enforcement Officer shall have the following duties: (A)Receive, process, and analyze allegations that a covered entity has violated Federal law or has engaged in unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices.
 (B)Review and investigate such allegations. (C)After reviewing and investigating an allegation under subparagraph (B), in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer—
 (i)if the covered entity subject to such allegation is an entity described in clause (i) or (iii) of paragraph (8)(A), make recommendations with respect to such covered entity, including—
 (I)whether such covered entity should be limited, suspended, or terminated from participation in one or more programs under title IV;
 (II)whether such covered entity should be subject to an emergency action under section 487(c)(1)(G); or (III)a combination of any of the actions described in clauses (II) and (III);
 (ii)if the covered entity subject to such allegation is an entity described in clause (ii) of paragraph (8)(A), make recommendations with respect to such covered entity, including whether such covered entity should be limited, suspended, or terminated from administering or providing services with respect to one or more programs under title IV; and
 (iii)provide the Secretary with such recommendations. (4)Secretarial review and actionAfter receiving notice of a determination of the Chief Enforcement Officer under paragraph (4)(C), the Secretary shall decide whether or not to pursue enforcement action against the entity concerned. In a case in which the Chief Enforcement Officer recommends enforcement action against an entity, but the Secretary decides not to pursue such enforcement action, the Secretary shall notify the Chief Enforcement Officer, in writing, of the rationale for such decision.
 (5)Coordination and staffingThe Chief Enforcement Officer shall— (A)coordinate with relevant Federal and State agencies and oversight bodies; and
 (B)hire staff with the expertise necessary to conduct investigations, respond to allegations against covered entities, and enforce compliance with laws governing Federal student financial assistance programs under title IV.
 (6)Information sharingThe Chief Enforcement Officer shall develop and implement a process for sharing relevant information about allegations against covered entities with—
 (A)the Student Loan Ombudsman appointed under subsection (f); (B)personnel of the Department responsible for processing borrower defense claims submitted under section 455(h);
 (C)other relevant Federal agencies; (D)States, including State law enforcement and regulatory agencies; and
 (E)recognized accrediting agencies or associations. (7)Report to congressOn an annual basis, the Chief Enforcement Officer shall submit to the authorizing committees a report that includes—
 (A)the number of allegations about covered entities received by the Unit in the year covered by the report;
 (B)the number of such allegations investigated by the Unit; (C)the number of such allegations that were referred to the Secretary under paragraph (4)(C) and a summary of any action taken by the Secretary with respect to such allegations;
 (D)the number of such allegations that were referred to other Federal agencies and the names of the agencies to which the allegations were referred; and
 (E)the number of such allegations that remain under review or investigation as of the date of the report.
 (8)DefinitionsIn this subsection: (A)Covered entity definedIn this subsection, the term covered entity means—
 (i)an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102) that participates in the Federal student financial assistance programs authorized under title IV;
 (ii)a contractor that contracts with the PBO to provide services relating to such programs, or a subcontractor of such contractor; or
 (iii)a third party servicer. (B)Third party servicerThe term third party servicer has the meaning given that term in section 481(c)..
 3.Definition of third party servicerSection 481(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(c)) is amended— (1)in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking contract and inserting contract or other agreement, including a revenue sharing arrangement,; and
 (2)in paragraph (1), by striking , through either manual or automated processing, any aspect of such institution’s student assistance programs and inserting services on behalf of the institution receiving student assistance funds.


		I
		111th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 930
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			February 10, 2009
			Mr. Wu (for himself,
			 Mr. Gerlach,
			 Ms. Wasserman Schultz,
			 Mr. Platts,
			 Mr. Grijalva,
			 Mr. Hinojosa,
			 Mr. King of New York,
			 Mr. Larson of Connecticut,
			 Mr. McNerney,
			 Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California,
			 Mr. Kennedy,
			 Mr. Blumenauer,
			 Mr. Gene Green of Texas,
			 Mr. Delahunt,
			 Mr. Holt, and
			 Mr. Baca) introduced the following
			 bill; which was referred to the Committee
			 on Energy and Commerce

		A BILL
		To strengthen the Nation’s research efforts to identify
		  the causes and cure of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, expand psoriasis and
		  psoriatic arthritis data collection, and study access to and quality of care
		  for people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and for other
		  purposes.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
			 Research, Cure, and Care Act of 2009.
		2.Table of
			 contentsThe table of contents
			 for this Act is as follows:

				Sec. 1. Short title.
				Sec. 2. Table of contents.
				Sec. 3. Findings.
				Sec. 4. Expansion of biomedical research.
				Sec. 5. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis data collection and
				national patient registry.
				Sec. 6. National summit.
				Sec. 7. Study and report by the Institute of
				Medicine.
				Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.

		3.FindingsThe Congress finds as follows:
			(1)Psoriasis and
			 psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune, chronic, inflammatory, painful,
			 disfiguring, and life-altering diseases that require life-long sophisticated
			 medical intervention and care and have no cure.
			(2)Psoriasis and
			 psoriatic arthritis affect as many as 7,500,000 men, women, and children of all
			 ages and have an adverse impact on the quality of life for virtually all
			 affected.
			(3)Psoriasis often is
			 overlooked or dismissed because it does not cause death. Psoriasis is commonly
			 and incorrectly considered by insurers, employers, policymakers, and the public
			 as a mere annoyance, a superficial problem, mistakenly thought to be contagious
			 and due to poor hygiene. Treatment for psoriasis often is categorized, wrongly,
			 as life-style and not medically necessary.
			(4)Psoriasis goes
			 hand-in-hand with myriad co-morbidities such as Crohn’s disease, diabetes,
			 metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertension, heart attack, cardiovascular
			 disease, liver disease, and psoriatic arthritis, which occurs in 10 to 30
			 percent of people with psoriasis.
			(5)The National
			 Institute of Mental Health funded a study that found that psoriasis may cause
			 as much physical and mental disability as other major diseases, including
			 cancer, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and
			 depression.
			(6)Psoriasis is
			 associated with elevated rates of depression and suicidal ideation.
			(7)The risk of premature death is 50 percent
			 higher for individuals with severe psoriasis than for individuals without any
			 form of psoriasis.
			(8)Total direct and
			 indirect health care costs of psoriasis are calculated at over $11,250,000,000
			 annually with work loss accounting for 40 percent of the cost burden.
			(9)Early diagnosis
			 and treatment of psoriatic arthritis may help prevent irreversible joint
			 damage.
			(10)Treating
			 psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presents a challenge for patients and their
			 health care providers because no one treatment works for everyone, some
			 treatments lose effectiveness over time, many treatments are used in
			 combination with others, and all treatments may cause a unique set of side
			 effects.
			(11)Although new and
			 more effective treatments finally are becoming available, too many people do
			 not yet have access to the types of therapies that may make a significant
			 difference in the quality of their lives.
			(12)Psoriasis and
			 psoriatic arthritis constitute a significant national health issue that
			 deserves a comprehensive and coordinated response by Federal and State
			 governments with involvement of the health care provider, patient, and public
			 health communities.
			4.Expansion of
			 biomedical research
			(a)In
			 GeneralThe Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this Act
			 referred to as the Secretary), acting through the Director of
			 the National Institutes of Health, shall continue to expand and intensify
			 research and related activities of the Institutes with respect to psoriasis and
			 psoriatic arthritis.
			(b)Research by
			 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
				(1)In
			 generalThe directors of the National Institute of Arthritis and
			 Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and the National Institute of Allergy and
			 Infectious Diseases shall continue to conduct and support research to expand
			 understanding of the causes of, and to find a cure for, psoriasis and psoriatic
			 arthritis, including the following:
					(A)Basic research to
			 discover the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disease.
					(B)Expansion of
			 molecular biology and immunology studies, including additional animal
			 models.
					(C)Global association
			 mapping with single nucleotide polymorphisms.
					(D)Identification of
			 environmental triggers and autoantigens in psoriasis.
					(E)Elucidation of
			 specific immunologic cells and their products involved.
					(F)Pharmcogenetic
			 studies to understand the molecular basis for varying patient response to
			 treatment.
					(G)Identification of
			 genetic markers of psoriatic arthritis susceptibility.
					(H)Research to
			 increase understanding of joint inflammation and destruction in psoriatic
			 arthritis.
					(I)Investigator-initiated
			 clinical research for the development and evaluation of new treatments,
			 including new biological agents.
					(J)Research to
			 develop enhanced diagnostic tests that allow for earlier diagnosis of psoriasis
			 and improved outcomes.
					(K)Research to increase
			 understanding of the epidemiology and pathophysiology of co-morbidities
			 associated with psoriasis, including shared molecular pathways.
					(2)Coordination
			 with other institutesIn
			 carrying out paragraph (1), the directors of the National Institute of
			 Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and the National Institute of
			 Allergy and Infectious Diseases shall coordinate the activities of such
			 Institutes with the activities of other national research institutes and other
			 agencies and offices of the National Institutes of Health relating to psoriasis
			 or psoriatic arthritis.
				5.Psoriasis and
			 psoriatic arthritis data collection and national patient registryThe Secretary, acting through the Director
			 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in collaboration with a
			 national organization serving people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis,
			 shall undertake psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis data collection and develop a
			 psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patient registry.
		6.National
			 summit
			(a)In
			 GeneralNot later than one year after the date of the enactment
			 of this Act, the Secretary is encouraged to convene a summit on the Federal
			 Government’s current and future efforts, and the initiatives necessary to fill
			 any gaps, with respect to the conduct or support of psoriasis and psoriatic
			 arthritis research, treatment, education, quality-of-life, and data collection
			 activities. The summit should also address psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
			 related co-morbidities and should include researchers, public health
			 professionals, representatives of voluntary health agencies and patient
			 advocacy organizations, representatives of academic institutions,
			 representatives from the pharmaceutical and medical research industry, and
			 Federal and State policymakers, including representatives of the Agency for
			 Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and
			 Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of
			 Health.
			(b)FocusThe
			 summit convened under this section should focus on—
				(1)a
			 broad range of research activities relating to biomedical, epidemiological,
			 psychosocial, and rehabilitative issues;
				(2)clinical research
			 for the development and evaluation of new treatments, including new biological
			 agents;
				(3)translational
			 research;
				(4)information and
			 education programs for health care professionals and the public;
				(5)priorities among
			 the programs and activities of the various Federal agencies involved in
			 psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and related co-morbidities; and
				(6)challenges,
			 opportunities, and recommendations for scientists, clinicians, patients, and
			 voluntary organizations.
				(c)Report to
			 CongressNot later than 180 days after the first day of the
			 summit convened under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress
			 and make publicly available a report that includes a description of—
				(1)the proceedings at
			 the summit; and
				(2)recommendations
			 related to the research, treatment, education, and quality-of-life activities
			 conducted or supported by the Federal Government with respect to psoriasis and
			 psoriatic arthritis, including psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis related
			 co-morbidities.
				7.Study and report
			 by the Institute of Medicine
			(a)In
			 GeneralThe Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the
			 Institute of Medicine to conduct a study on the following:
				(1)The extent to
			 which public and private insurers cover prescription medications and other
			 treatments for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
				(2)The payment
			 structures, such as deductibles and co-payments, and the amounts and duration
			 of coverage under health plans and their adequacy to cover the costs of
			 providing ongoing care to, and ensure access for, patients with psoriasis and
			 psoriatic arthritis.
				(3)Health plan and
			 insurer coverage policies and practices, including life-time caps, and their
			 impact on the access of such patients to the best regimen and most appropriate
			 care for their particular disease state.
				(b)ReportThe
			 agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall provide for the Institute of
			 Medicine to submit to the Secretary and the Congress, not later than 18 months
			 after the date of the enactment of this Act, a report containing a description
			 of—
				(1)the results of the
			 study conducted under this section; and
				(2)the conclusions
			 and recommendations of the Institute of Medicine regarding each of the issues
			 described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a).
				8.Authorization of
			 appropriationsTo carry out
			 this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
			 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.