		I
		112th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 6310
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			August 2, 2012
			Mr. Dingell (for
			 himself, Mr. Conyers,
			 Mr. Andrews,
			 Mrs. Maloney,
			 Mr. McGovern,
			 Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania,
			 Ms. DeGette,
			 Mr. Van Hollen,
			 Mr. Ellison,
			 Ms. Edwards,
			 Mr. Frank of Massachusetts,
			 Mr. Sarbanes,
			 Mr. Courtney,
			 Mr. Peters,
			 Ms. Eshoo,
			 Mr. Sherman, and
			 Mr. Hoyer) introduced the following
			 bill; which was referred to the Committee
			 on House Administration

		A BILL
		To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to
		  reassert the authority of Congress to restrict spending by corporations and
		  labor organizations on campaigns for elections for Federal office, and for
		  other purposes.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Restoring Confidence in Our Democracy
			 Act.
		2.FindingsCongress finds the following:
			(1)Free and open elections are a founding
			 principle of our republican form of government.
			(2)It is incumbent upon Congress to ensure
			 that elections in the United States are free of corruption and the appearance
			 of corruption.
			(3)The free flow of
			 money in politics, as exemplified by the current state of affairs, is
			 corrupting and will distort and disfigure our democracy.
			(4)Excessively high levels of spending on
			 elections is fundamentally damaging to the public perception of our government,
			 and threatens the fairness and integrity of our democracy.
			(5)Congress has a
			 constitutional duty to guarantee a republican form of government for the
			 States.
			(6)Spending record
			 sums of money on our elections threatens the continued existence of our
			 republican form of government.
			(7)Allowing unlimited spending on elections
			 means the wealthy can crowd out other important voices in our political
			 debates, thereby giving American citizens fewer sources of information.
			(8)Congress has the
			 inherent power to ensure elections for the government are conducted in a fair,
			 honorable, and proper way to preserve our democracy and ensure the people have
			 confidence in our elections and system of government.
			(9)Congress has the
			 authority to regulate campaign expenditures to promote integrity, prevent
			 corruption, and ensure the public has trust in our election system, going back
			 to the Tillman Act of 1907, which prohibits corporations from making direct
			 contributions to political campaigns.
			(10)In 1947, Congress
			 passed the Taft-Hartley Act, which first prohibited corporations and labor
			 unions from making independent expenditures in support or opposition to
			 candidates for Federal office.
			(11)The Watergate scandal, and the outrageous
			 expenditure of campaign funds in that scandal, did great damage to public
			 confidence in government and demanded a legislative response to restore this
			 confidence.
			(12)Congress enacted
			 the Federal Elections Campaign Act (FECA) in 1974 as a response to Watergate
			 and public calls for increased regulation of our campaign system. This law
			 established the Federal Elections Commission and instituted limits on campaign
			 contributions which remain law to this day.
			(13)In 1976, the
			 Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Buckley v. Valeo which first
			 established the principle that money equals speech, in addition to overturning
			 FECA limitations on independent expenditures.
			(14)The Buckley
			 decision also stated that “The constitutional power of Congress to regulate
			 federal elections is well established and is not questioned by any of the
			 parties in this case.”.
			(15)Equating money with speech can result in
			 the wealthy having an undue influence on our elections at the expense of the
			 great majority of the American people.
			(16)In 1990, the
			 Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Austin v. Michigan Chamber of
			 Commerce which upheld a Michigan law banning corporations from making
			 independent expenditures in elections.
			(17)In Austin, the
			 Court found that “Corporate wealth can unfairly influence elections when it is
			 deployed in the form of independent expenditures.”.
			(18)Austin also established that the government
			 has an antidistortion interest in regulating political speech. The Court held
			 that there is a compelling government interest in preventing “the corrosive and
			 distorting effects of immense aggregations of wealth that are accumulated with
			 the help of the corporate form and that have little or no correlation to the
			 public’s support for the corporation’s political ideas.”.
			(19)In 2002, Congress enacted the Bipartisan
			 Campaign Reform Act of 2002, which banned political parties from raising “soft
			 money”, among other things.
			(20)Spending in
			 presidential elections has risen to excessive levels over the last decade,
			 which threatens not only our government, but the integrity of our
			 elections.
			(21)In the 2000
			 presidential election, both candidates spent $343.1 million combined. This
			 number climbed to $717.9 million in the 2004 presidential election.
			(22)In the 2008
			 presidential election, Barack Obama’s campaign spent $740.6 million, more than
			 both major party candidates combined in the previous election.
			(23)Following the
			 Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Citizens United v. FEC, there was a
			 massive increase in outside political spending, which threatens to undermine
			 the legitimacy of our political system.
			(24)In the 2010
			 elections, Super PACs spent approximately $90.4 million, of which $60 million
			 was spent explicitly advocating for or against a candidate.
			(25)Spending among
			 Super PACs in 2010 was concentrated at the top. Ten Super PACs accounted for
			 nearly 75 percent of all Super PAC spending in 2010. Additionally, American
			 Crossroads spent $25.8 million in 2010 alone, accounting for 28.7 percent of
			 Super PAC spending in 2010.
			(26)According to the
			 Wall Street Journal, Super PACs have spent $152,528,662 on the 2012 election to
			 date.
			(27)Super PACs spent
			 $8.93 million during the week of June 18, 2012 alone.
			(28)Super PACs are
			 allowed to conceal the source of their donations, thereby avoiding transparency
			 and greater public scrutiny of their actions and motivations.
			(29)Six and
			 four-tenths percent of itemized funds raised by Super PACs since 2010 were not
			 able to be traced to their original sources, which decreases accountability and
			 transparency, threatens public confidence in our elected officials and our
			 elections, and has a distorting effect on our elections.
			(30)Corporations, now
			 freed to spend as much as they like to influence elections, contributed $31
			 million to Super PACs from 2010–2011, thereby helping give corporate interests
			 a greater voice in our political system than average Americans.
			(31)A January 2012
			 poll by Rasmussen says that 58 percent of Americans believe the United States
			 needs new campaign finance laws.
			(32)A January 2012
			 poll by Democracy Corps found that 55 percent of Americans oppose the Citizens
			 United decision. Eighty percent of voters also believe there should be limits
			 on the money spent in campaigns.
			(33)After considering these findings, Congress
			 is concerned by the unfairness of unlimited spending in elections and is taking
			 this action to protect our democracy and our electoral system.
			(34)Reinstating the
			 ban on corporate political expenditures and placing a limit on the amount of
			 donations to Super PACs will help restore faith and trust in our democracy and
			 will respond to calls by the American people for vigorous campaign finance
			 reform and effective laws to protect our free democratic system of
			 elections.
			3.Prohibition of
			 corporate and labor disbursements for electioneering communications
			(a)Prohibition
				(1)In
			 generalSection 316(b)(2) of
			 the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441b(b)(2)) is amended by
			 inserting or for any applicable electioneering communication
			 before , but shall not include.
				(2)Applicable
			 electioneering communicationSection 316 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 441b) is
			 amended by adding at the end the following:

						(c)Rules relating
				to electioneering communications
							(1)Applicable
				electioneering communicationFor purposes of this section, the term
				applicable electioneering communication means an electioneering
				communication (within the meaning of section 304(f)(3)) which is made by any
				entity described in subsection (a) of this section or by any other person using
				funds donated by an entity described in subsection (a) of this section.
							(2)ExceptionNotwithstanding paragraph (1), the term
				applicable electioneering communication does not include a
				communication by a section 501(c)(4) organization or a political organization
				(as defined in section 527(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) made
				under section 304(f)(2)(E) or (F) of this Act if the communication is paid for
				exclusively by funds provided directly by individuals who are United States
				citizens or nationals or lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as defined
				in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
				1101(a)(20))). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term provided
				directly by individuals does not include funds the source of which is an
				entity described in subsection (a) of this section.
							(3)Special
				operating rules
								(A)Definition under
				paragraph (1)An
				electioneering communication shall be treated as made by an entity described in
				subsection (a) if an entity described in subsection (a) directly or indirectly
				disburses any amount for any of the costs of the communication.
								(B)Exception under
				paragraph (2)A section
				501(c)(4) organization that derives amounts from business activities or
				receives funds from any entity described in subsection (a) shall be considered
				to have paid for any communication out of such amounts unless such organization
				paid for the communication out of a segregated account to which only
				individuals can contribute, as described in section 304(f)(2)(E).
								(4)Definitions and
				rulesFor purposes of this subsection—
								(A)the term
				section 501(c)(4) organization means—
									(i)an organization described in section
				501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under
				section 501(a) of such Code; or
									(ii)an organization
				which has submitted an application to the Internal Revenue Service for
				determination of its status as an organization described in clause (i);
				and
									(B)a person shall be treated as having made a
				disbursement if the person has executed a contract to make the
				disbursement.
								(5)Coordination
				with internal revenue codeNothing in this subsection shall be
				construed to authorize an organization exempt from taxation under section
				501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to carry out any activity which is
				prohibited under such Code.
							(6)Special rules
				for targeted communications
								(A)Exception does
				not applyParagraph (2) shall
				not apply in the case of a targeted communication that is made by an
				organization described in such paragraph.
								(B)Targeted
				communicationFor purposes of
				subparagraph (A), the term targeted communication means an
				electioneering communication (as defined in section 304(f)(3)) that is
				distributed from a television or radio broadcast station or provider of cable
				or satellite television service and, in the case of a communication which
				refers to a candidate for an office other than President or Vice President, is
				targeted to the relevant electorate.
								(C)DefinitionFor
				purposes of this paragraph, a communication is targeted to the relevant
				electorate if it meets the requirements described in section
				304(f)(C).
								.
				(3)Effective
			 dateThe amendments made by this subsection shall take effect
			 immediately after the enactment of subsection (b).
				(b)Conforming
			 amendmentSections 203 and 204 of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform
			 Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–155) are repealed, and each provision of law
			 amended by such sections is restored as if such sections had not been enacted
			 into law.
			4.Prohibition of
			 independent expenditures by corporations and labor organizationsSection 316(b)(2) of the Federal Election
			 Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441b(b)(2)) is amended by striking
			 includes a contribution or expenditure, and inserting
			 includes a contribution or expenditure (including an independent
			 expenditure),.
		5.Application of
			 contribution limits and source prohibitions to contributions made to super
			 pacs
			(a)Application of
			 limitsSection 315(a) of the
			 Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)) is amended by adding
			 at the end the following new paragraph:

					(9)For purposes of the limitations
				imposed by paragraphs (1)(C), (2)(C), and (3)(B) on the amount of contributions
				which may be made by any person to a political committee, a contribution made
				to a political committee which accepts donations or contributions that do not
				comply with the contribution or source prohibitions under this Act (or made to
				any account of a political committee which is established for the purpose of
				accepting such donations or contributions) shall be treated in the same manner
				as a contribution made to any other political committee to which such
				paragraphs
				apply.
					.
			(b)Effective
			 dateThe amendment made by
			 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to contributions made on or after the
			 date of the enactment of this Act.


I
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4614
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 24, 2012
Mr. Schock introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL
To extend the suspension of duty on Carfentrazone-ethyl and formulations thereof.

1.Carfentrazone-ethyl and formulations thereof
(a)In generalHeading 9902.01.54 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (relating to Carfentrazone-ethyl and formulations thereof) is amended by striking the date in the effective period column and inserting 12/31/2015.
(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.


115 S2094 IS: Domestic Violence Loophole Closure Act
U.S. Senate
2017-11-08
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.

		II
		115th CONGRESS1st Session
		S. 2094
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			November 8, 2017
			Mr. Flake (for himself, Mr. Heinrich, and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

		A BILL
		To require the prompt reporting for national instant criminal background check system purposes	of
			 members of the Armed Forces convicted of domestic
			 violence offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and for
			 other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Domestic Violence Loophole Closure Act. 2.Prompt reporting for national instant criminal background check system purposes of members of the Armed Forces convicted of domestic violence offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (a)Reporting requiredUnder regulations and procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, each Secretary concerned shall submit to the Attorney General for inclusion in the national instant criminal background check system the name and other appropriate information on each member of the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary who—
 (1)has been convicted of an offense under chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), for conduct that would constitute an offense of domestic violence against a spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child under State law; or
 (2)has entered into a plea agreement accepting liability for an offense described in paragraph (1). (b)Deadline for reportingThe name and other information on a member required to be submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall be submitted not later than three days after the following (as applicable):
 (1)The date of entry of judgment with respect to the member for the offense concerned in the case of a general court-martial or special court-martial.
 (2)The date of judgment with respect to the member for the offense concerned in the case of a summary court-martial.
 (3)The date of acceptance of the plea agreement of the member with respect to the offense concerned by the military judge.
 (c)Failure To submitIf the Secretary concerned does not submit the name and other information on a member required by subsection (a) within the deadline provided by subsection (b), the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable after the deadline, submit to Congress in writing a notice on the lack of submittal within the deadline, including an explanation for the lack of submittal within the deadline and a statement when the name and other information will be so submitted.
			(d)Regulations and procedures
 (1)OffensesThe regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense pursuant to subsection (a) shall set forth the offenses under chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code, that would constitute an offense of domestic violence against a spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child under State law for purposes of subsection (a). The offenses so prescribed shall be uniform throughout the United States.
 (2)Uniformity across Armed ForcesThe regulations and procedures prescribed pursuant to subsection (a) shall apply uniformly across the Armed Forces.
 (e)Annual reports on complianceNot later than February 15 each year, the Inspector General of the Department of Defense shall, in consultation with the Comptroller General of the United States, submit to Congress a report setting forth a description and assessment of the compliance of the Secretaries concerned with the requirements of this section during the preceding year, including a description and assessment of the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the information submitted by the Secretaries concerned to the Attorney General under this section during such year.
 (f)Report on remediation of deficiencies in systemNot later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report setting forth a description of the actions taken, and to be taken, in order to ensure that the information in the national instant criminal background check system on members and former members of the Armed Forces fully and accurately covers the members and former members who have been convicted of an offense or entered into a plea agreement described in subsection (a) as of the date of the report.
 (g)DefinitionsIn this section: (1)The term national instant criminal background check system means the system established under section 103 of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (34 U.S.C. 40901).
 (2)The term Secretary concerned has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(9) of title 10, United States Code. 3.Clarification of applicability of prohibition on possession and transportation of firearms and ammunition by individuals convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence to individuals convicted of similar offenses under the Uniform Code of Military JusticeSection 922(g)(9) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the comma at the end the following: , or has been convicted by court-martial of an offense under chapter 47 of title 10 (the Uniform Code of Military Justice) for conduct that would constitute such a crime under State law.


116 S801 IS: To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information.
U.S. Senate
2019-03-14
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.

II116th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 801IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMarch 14, 2019Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Carper, and Mr. Cassidy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceA BILLTo amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory
			 Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with
			 access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate
			 information.

		1.Providing the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access
			 Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including
			 certain rebate information
 (a)Access to certain part D payment dataSection 1860D–15(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–115(f)) is amended— (1)in paragraph (2)—
 (A)in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking and at the end; (B)in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
 (C)by inserting at the end the following new subparagraph:  (C)by the Executive Director of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission for purposes of monitoring, making recommendations, and analysis of the program under this title and by the Executive Director of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission for purposes of monitoring, making recommendations, and analysis of the Medicaid program established under title XIX and the Children’s Health Insurance Program under title XXI.; and
 (2)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:  (3)Additional restrictions on disclosure of informationThe Executive Directors described in paragraph (2)(C) shall not disclose any of the following information disclosed to such Executive Directors or obtained by such Executive Directors pursuant to such paragraph, with respect to a prescription drug plan offered by a PDP sponsor:
 (A)The specific amounts or the identity of the source of any rebates, price concessions, or other forms of direct or indirect remuneration under such prescription drug plan.
 (B)Information submitted with the bid submitted under section 1860D–11 by such PDP sponsor. (C)In the case of such information from prescription drug event records, in a form that would not be permitted under section 423.505(m) of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, if made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services..
 (b)Access to certain rebate and payment data under Medicare and MedicaidSection 1927(b)(3)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r–8(b)(3)(D)) is amended— (1)in the matter before clause (i), by striking subsection (a)(6)(A)(ii) and inserting subsection (a)(6)(A);
 (2)in clause (iv), by striking and at the end; (3)in clause (v), by striking the period at the end and inserting , and;
 (4)by inserting after clause (v) the following new clause:  (vi)to permit the Executive Director of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Executive Director of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to review the information provided.;
 (5)in the matter at the end, by striking 1860D–4(c)(2)(E) and inserting 1860D–4(c)(2)(G); and (6)by adding at the end the following new sentence: Any information disclosed to the Executive Director of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission or the Executive Director of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission pursuant to this subparagraph shall not be disclosed by either such Executive Director in a form which discloses the identity of a specific manufacturer or wholesaler or prices charged for drugs by such manufacturer or wholesaler..


116 HR 3312 IH: Family Reunification Act of 2019
U.S. House of Representatives
2019-06-18
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.

I116th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 3312IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJune 18, 2019Mr. Espaillat (for himself and Mr. Vargas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for an extension of the application period for certain aliens present in the United States for adjustment of status.
1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Family Reunification Act of 2019. 2.Extension of the application period for certain aliens present in the United States for adjustment of statusSection 245(i)(1)(B)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255(i)(1)(B)(i)) is amended by striking or before April 30, 2001 and inserting the following: or after the date that is not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of the Family Reunification Act of 2019.
3.Limitation on removalSection 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) is amended by adding at the end the following:   (n)An alien who is the beneficiary (including a spouse or child of the principal alien, if eligible to receive a visa under section 203(d)) of a petition for classification under section 204 that was filed with the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and that is prima facie eligible for approval may not be removed while such petition or application is being adjudicated or appealed..


I115th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 812IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 1, 2017Mr. Ryan of Ohio (for himself, Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Ms. Fudge, Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Norton, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Richmond, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Moore, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Soto) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial ServicesA BILLTo award a Congressional Gold Medal to Simeon Booker in recognition of his achievements in the field of journalism, including reporting during the Civil Rights movement, as well as social and political commentary.
1.FindingsCongress finds the following: (1)Simeon Saunders Booker, Jr., was born on August 27, 1918, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Reberta Waring and Simeon Saunders Booker, Sr., a YMCA director and minister.
(2)After his family moved to Youngstown, Ohio, Booker became interested in journalism. (3)Booker promoted and wrote about Negro League baseball teams in Youngstown’s local newspaper, The Vindicator.
(4)In 1945, he moved back to Ohio to work for the Call and Post, where he became the first African-American reporter to win a Newspaper Guild Award for his series on Cleveland, Ohio, slum housing, and a Willkie Award for reporting on racial inequities in the public schools. (5)In 1950, Booker was the recipient of the Nieman Fellowship from Harvard University to study journalism and develop his talent as a reporter.
(6)After leaving Harvard in 1951, Booker became the first full-time African-American reporter at The Washington Post. (7)In 1955, he helped to advance the civil rights movement with his famous coverage of the Emmett Till murder and trial, turning a common occurrence in the Deep South into a national tragedy that united the Black community.
(8)He remained at the forefront of the civil rights movement, reporting on the 1957 integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. (9)In 1961, he rode with the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) Freedom Riders through the Deep South.
(10)When the Freedom Riders were firebombed and beaten in Anniston, Alabama, in a Ku Klux Klan ambush, Booker arranged for their rescue by calling U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. (11)In two wartime tours of Vietnam in the 1960s, he interviewed Black troops on the front lines, and took enemy fire in a helicopter with United States Army General William Westmoreland for reports for Jet and Ebony magazines.
(12)He has chronicled the most tumultuous period in American history in two highly acclaimed books, Shocking the Conscience: A Reporter’s Account of the Civil Rights Movement (University Press of Mississippi, 2013), and Black Man’s America (Prentice Hall, 1964). (13)Often called the dean of the black press, as chief of Ebony and Jet magazines’ Washington bureau, he interviewed presidents, senators and representatives, members of the judiciary, cabinet officers, foreign ambassadors, and other important members of the Washington community. His column, Ticker Tape U.S.A. became a must-read for politicians and government officials.
(14)He covered every Presidential election since the Eisenhower Administration in his fifty-three years with Johnson Publishing until he retired in 2007. (15)In 1982, Booker received one of the most prestigious awards in journalism, the National Press Club’s Fourth Estate Award.
(16)His honors and awards include: Nieman Fellowship, Harvard University 1950; elected president of the Capitol Press Club, 1956; Fourth Estate Award, National Press Club, 1982; inducted into Hall of Fame, Washington Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, and Hall of Fame of Washington, DC, 1984; Master Communicators Award, National Black Media Coalition, 1998; Phoenix Award, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, 2010; inducted into Hall of Fame, National Association of Black Journalists, 2013. 2.Congressional Gold Medal (a)Presentation authorizedThe Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design, to Simeon Saunders Booker, Jr., in recognition of his achievements in the field of journalism, including reporting during the Civil Rights movement, as well as social and political commentary.
(b)Design and strikingFor purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the Secretary) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary. 3.Duplicate medalsThe Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
4.Status of medals
(a)National medalsThe medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. (b)Numismatic ItemsFor purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.


117 S1386 IS: Protecting Roadside First Responders Act
U.S. Senate
2021-04-27
text/xml
EN
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II117th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 1386IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESApril 27, 2021Mr. Durbin (for himself and Ms. Duckworth) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and TransportationA BILLTo amend title 23, United States Code, to provide for efforts relating to Move Over laws, to amend title 49, United States Code, to require crash avoidance technology on motor vehicles, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Protecting Roadside First Responders Act.2.Move Over laws(a)Highway safety programsSection 402 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:(o)Move Over laws(1)Definition of Move Over lawIn this subsection, the term Move Over law means a State law intended to ensure first responder and motorist safety by requiring motorists to change lanes or slow down when approaching an authorized emergency vehicle that is parked or otherwise stopped on a roadway.(2)Compliance with Move Over lawsFor each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, subject to the requirements of the highway safety plan of a State under subsection (k), as approved by the Secretary, a State may use a portion of the amounts received under this section to implement statewide efforts to improve compliance with Move Over laws in the State.(3)Use of fundsStatewide efforts under paragraph (2) may include—(A)purchasing and deploying digital alert technology that is capable of sending alerts to civilian drivers to protect first responders on the scene and en route; and(B)educating the public about Move Over laws in the State through public information campaigns..(b)Study on Move Over law public awareness campaigns(1)In generalThe Secretary of Transportation shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall carry out a study on the efficacy of Move Over laws (as defined in section 402(o) of title 23, United States Code) and related public awareness campaigns.(2)ReportOn the completion of the report under paragraph (1), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall submit to the Secretary of Transportation and to Congress and make publicly available a report on—(A)the findings of the study; and(B)any recommendations to improve public awareness campaigns related to the laws described in that paragraph.(c)National priority safety programs(1)In generalSection 405 of title 23, United States Code, is amended—(A)in subsection (a)—(i)in paragraph (6), by striking 5 and inserting 4;(ii)by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (10) as paragraphs (9) through (11), respectively; and(iii)by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:(8)Preventing roadside deathsIn each fiscal year, 1 percent of the funds provided under this section shall be allocated among States that meet requirements with respect to preventing roadside deaths (as described in subsection (i)).; and (B)by adding at the end the following:(i)Preventing roadside deaths(1)In generalThe Secretary shall award grants to States to prevent death and injury from crashes involving vehicles striking vehicles and individuals stopped at the roadside.(2)Federal shareThe Federal share of the cost of carrying out an activity funded through a grant under this subsection may not exceed 80 percent.(3)EligibilityA State shall receive a grant under this subsection in a fiscal year if the State submits to the Secretary a plan that describes how the State will use funds provided under the grant, in accordance with paragraph (4).(4)Use of fundsAmounts received by a State under this subsection shall be used by the State—(A)to purchase and deploy digital alert technology (as described in section 4(b) of the Protecting Roadside First Responders Act);(B)to educate the public about the safety of vehicles and individuals stopped at the roadside in the State through public information campaigns for the purpose of reducing roadside deaths and injury; (C)for law enforcement costs related to enforcing State laws to protect the safety of vehicles and individuals stopped at the roadside; and(D)for programs to identify, collect, and report data to State and local government agencies relating to crashes involving vehicles and individuals stopped at the roadside.(5)Grant amountThe allocation of grant funds to a State under this subsection for a fiscal year shall be in proportion to the apportionment of that State under section 402 for fiscal year 2009..(2)Sense of Congress relating to fundingIt is the sense of Congress that the national priority program for preventing roadside deaths under subsections (a)(8) and (i) of section 405 of title 23, United States Code, should receive new and additional funding in comparison to the funding level for all national priority programs under section 405 of title 23, United States Code, for the first fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this Act. 3.Crash avoidance technology(a)In generalSubchapter II of chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:30129.Crash avoidance technology(a)In generalNot later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a final rule to establish minimum performance standards with respect to crash avoidance technology and to require that passenger motor vehicles (as defined in section 32101) and commercial motor vehicles (as defined in section 31101) manufactured for sale in the United States on or after the compliance date under subsection (b) are equipped with—(1)a forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking system that—(A)alerts the driver if the distance to a vehicle ahead or an object or person, including a pedestrian, a bicyclist, and any other road user, in the path of travel ahead is closing too quickly and a collision is imminent; and(B)automatically applies the brakes if the driver fails to do so;(2)a lane departure warning and lane keeping assist system that—(A)warns the driver to maintain the lane of travel; and(B)corrects the course of travel if the driver fails to do so; and(3)a blind zone detection system that—(A)warns the driver if another vehicle, an object, or a person, including a pedestrian, a bicyclist, and any other road user, is in the blind zone of the vehicle; and(B)provides an additional alert if the driver attempts to change the course of travel while another vehicle, an object, or a person, including a pedestrian, a bicyclist, and any other road user, is in the blind zone of the vehicle.(b)Compliance dateCompliance with the final rule under subsection (a) shall be required beginning for the model year that begins not later than 2 years after the date on which the final rule is published in the Federal Register..(b)Clerical amendmentThe analysis for subchapter II of chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 30128 the following:30129. Crash avoidance technology..4.Requirements for Federal vehicle fleets(a)Crash avoidance technologyNot later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, in accordance with section 30129 of title 49, United States Code, the head of each Federal agency shall ensure that each new passenger motor vehicle (as defined in section 32101 of that title) and commercial motor vehicle (as defined in section 31101 of that title) purchased or leased as part of a Federal fleet of the agency is equipped with—(1)a forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking system that—(A)alerts the driver if the distance to a vehicle ahead or an object or person, including a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or any other road user, in the path of travel ahead is closing too quickly and a collision is imminent; and(B)automatically applies the brakes if the driver fails to do so;(2)a lane departure warning and lane keeping assist system that—(A)warns the driver to maintain the lane of travel; and(B)corrects the course of travel if the driver fails to do so; and(3)a blind zone detection system that—(A)warns the driver if another vehicle, an object, or a person, including a pedestrian, a bicyclist, and any other road user, is in the blind zone of the vehicle; and(B)provides an additional alert if the driver attempts to change the course of travel while another vehicle, an object, or a person, including a pedestrian, a bicyclist, and any other road user, is in the blind zone of the vehicle.(b)Digital alert technologyNot later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the head of each Federal agency shall ensure that each vehicle in a Federal fleet of the agency—(1)if the vehicle is used for emergency response activities, is equipped with digital alert technology that is capable of sending alerts to civilian drivers to protect first responders on the scene and en route; and(2)is equipped with digital alert technology (which may be provided by an aftermarket device) that is capable of receiving alerts regarding nearby first responders.