		I
		111th CONGRESS
		2d Session
		H. R. 6261
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			September 29, 2010
			Ms. Roybal-Allard
			 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 titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act
		  to improve oversight of nursing facilities under the Medicare and Medicaid
		  programs by ensuring adequate, trained surveyors, and for other
		  purposes.

		1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
			 Nursing Home Patient Protection and
			 Standards Act.
		2.Improving the rigor of
			 testing for surveyors
			(a)MedicareSection 1819(g)(2)(E)(iii) of the Social
			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(g)(2)(E)(iii)) is amended by adding the
			 following at the end: The testing program must be sufficiently rigorous
			 (as determined by the Secretary) to ensure that surveyors are adequately
			 prepared to survey and certify facilities in a consistent and accurate
			 manner.
			(b)MedicaidSection 1919(g)(2)(E)(iii) of the Social
			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(g)(2)(E)(iii)) is amended by adding the following
			 at the end: The testing program must be sufficiently rigorous (as
			 determined by the Secretary) to ensure that surveyors are adequately prepared
			 to survey and certify facilities in a consistent and accurate
			 manner.
			3.Ensuring adequate
			 staffing and training for State surveys of nursing homes
			(a)MedicareSection 1819(g)(2)(E) of the Social
			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(g)(2)(E)) is amended by adding at the end the
			 following:

					(iv)Adequate
				qualified staff for survey teamsThe Secretary, in consultation with the
				advisory committee under subparagraph (F), shall establish requirements—
						(I)for the
				qualifications and compensation of members of a survey team under this
				subsection; and
						(II)that a State
				employs an adequate number of individuals as members of survey teams to ensure
				adequate oversight of skilled nursing facilities.
						(v)Continuing
				educationIn addition to the
				training and testing program required under clause (iii), the Secretary shall
				require that State and Federal surveyors regularly complete an adequate amount
				(as determined by the Secretary) of continuing education courses that meet
				requirements determined by the Secretary for content and the rigor of the
				material covered by such courses. An individual shall not serve as a member of
				a survey team unless the individual is in compliance with the requirements of
				this
				clause.
					.
			(b)MedicaidSection 1919(g)(2)(E) of the Social
			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(g)(2)(E)) is amended by adding at the end the
			 following:

					(iv)Adequate
				qualifed staff for survey teamsThe Secretary, in consultation with the
				advisory committee under subparagraph (F), shall establish requirements—
						(I)for the
				qualifications and compensation of members of a survey team under this
				subsection; and
						(II)that a State
				employs an adequate number of individuals as members of survey teams to ensure
				adequate oversight of nursing facilities.
						(v)Continuing
				educationIn addition to the
				training and testing program required under clause (iii), the Secretary shall
				require that State and Federal surveyors regularly complete an adequate amount
				(as determined by the Secretary) of continuing education courses that meet
				requirements determined by the Secretary for content and the rigor of the
				material covered by such courses. No individual shall serve as a member of a
				survey team unless the individual is in compliance with the requirements of
				this
				clause.
					.
			4.Ensuring the
			 independence and impartiality of surveyors
			(a)Whistle blower
			 protections
				(1)MedicareSection 1819(g) of the Social Security Act
			 (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(g)) is amended by adding the following at the end:

						(6)Reporting of
				inaccuracies
							(A)Reporting
				requirementA covered
				individual shall report to the Secretary any instance in which the individual
				suspects that—
								(i)a survey under
				this subsection fails to report or under reports an issue in a facility that
				could impact the safety or quality of care of the residents in such facility;
				or
								(ii)a member of the survey team or an employee
				of the State survey agency was inappropriately induced (through the offering of
				monetary awards or through undue pressure) to alter the results of the
				survey.
								(B)Responses to
				reportIf the Secretary
				receives a report under
				subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall take
				appropriate action, as determined by the Secretary, to ensure the accuracy of
				the survey.
							(C)Whistle blower
				protectionsWith respect to a covered individual, a State may
				not—
								(i)discharge, demote,
				suspend, threaten, harass, or deny a promotion or other employment-related
				benefit to such individual, or in any other manner discriminate against an
				individual in the terms and conditions of employment because the individual
				submitted a report under subparagraph (A); or
								(ii)file a complaint or a report against the
				individual with the appropriate State professional disciplinary agency because
				the individual submitted a report under subparagraph (A).
								(D)Remedy for
				violationsIf the Secretary
				finds that a State has violated the prohibitions under
				subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall
				provide for an appropriate remedy.
							(E)Requirement to
				post noticeEach State shall
				post conspicuously in an appropriate location a sign (in a form specified by
				the Secretary) specifying the rights of covered individuals under this section.
				Such sign shall include a statement that a covered individual may file a
				complaint with the Secretary against the State for violating the provisions of
				this paragraph and information with respect to the manner of filing such a
				complaint.
							(F)Covered
				individual definedFor
				purposes of this paragraph, the term covered individual means an
				individual—
								(i)who is a member of
				a State survey team under this subsection; or
								(ii)who is an
				employee of the State department or agency that conducts surveys under this
				section.
								.
				(2)MedicaidSection 1919(g) of the Social Security Act
			 (42 U.S.C. 1396r(g)) is amended by adding the following at the end:

						(6)Reporting of
				inaccuracies
							(A)Reporting
				requirementA covered
				individual shall report to the Secretary any instance in which the individual
				suspects that—
								(i)a survey under
				this subsection fails to report or under reports an issue in a facility that
				could impact the safety or quality of care of the residents in such facility;
				or
								(ii)a member of the survey team or an employee
				of the State survey agency was inappropriately induced (through the offering of
				monetary awards or through undue pressure) to alter the results of the
				survey.
								(B)Response to
				reportsIf the Secretary
				receives a report under
				subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall take
				appropriate action, as determined by the Secretary, to ensure the accuracy of
				the survey.
							(C)Whistle blower
				protectionsWith respect to a covered individual, a State may
				not—
								(i)discharge, demote,
				suspend, threaten, harass, or deny a promotion or other employment-related
				benefit to such individual, or in any other manner discriminate against an
				individual in the terms and conditions of employment because the individual
				submitted a report under subparagraph (A); or
								(ii)file a complaint or a report against the
				individual with the appropriate State professional disciplinary agency because
				the individual submitted a report under subparagraph (A).
								(D)Penalties for
				retaliationIf the Secretary
				finds that a State has violated the prohibitions under
				subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall
				provide for a reduction of the payment otherwise made to the State under
				section 1903(a)(7), with respect to a quarter, equal to 5 percent. A State that
				is dissatisfied with the Secretary’s findings under this subparagraph may
				obtain reconsideration and review of the findings under section 1116 in the
				same manner as a State may seek reconsideration and review under that section
				of the Secretary’s determination under section 1116(a)(1).
							(E)Requirement to
				post noticeEach State shall
				post conspicuously in an appropriate location a sign (in a form specified by
				the Secretary) specifying the rights of covered individuals under this section.
				Such sign shall include a statement that a covered individual may file a
				complaint with the Secretary against the State for violating the provisions of
				this paragraph and information with respect to the manner of filing such a
				complaint.
							(F)Covered
				individual definedFor
				purposes of this paragraph, the term covered individual means an
				individual—
								(i)who is a member of
				a State survey team under this subsection; or
								(ii)who is an
				employee of the State department or agency that conducts surveys under this
				section.
								.
				(b)Penalties for
			 inappropriately influencing a surveyor
				(1)MedicareSection 1819(g)(2)(E) of the Social
			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(g)(2)(E)), as amended by
			 section 3(a), is further amended by adding
			 the following at the end:

						(vi)Penalties for
				inappropriately influencing a surveyorAny individual (including an employee of a
				skilled nursing facility or any affiliated corporate entity, a representative
				of the skilled nursing facility industry, a member of a State survey team, an
				employee of the State department or agency that conducts surveys under this
				section, or an elected official) who attempts to inappropriately influence, as
				determined by the Secretary through regulations, the results of a survey under
				this subsection or the actions of a member of a survey team or an employee of a
				survey agency under this subsection shall be subject to a civil money penalty
				not to exceed $10,000. The provisions of section 1128A (other than subsections
				(a) and (b)) shall apply to a civil money penalty under the previous sentence
				in the same manner as such provisions apply to a penalty or proceeding under
				section 1128A(a).
						.
				(2)MedicaidSection
			 1919(g)(2)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(g)(2)(E)), as amended
			 by section 3(b), is further amended by adding
			 at the end the following:

						(vi)Penalties for
				inappropriately influencing a surveyorAny individual (including an employee of a
				nursing facility or any affiliated corporate entity, a representative of the
				nursing facility industry, a member of a State survey team, an employee of the
				State department or agency that conducts surveys under this section, or an
				elected official) who attempts to inappropriately influence, as determined by
				the Secretary through regulations, the results of a survey under this
				subsection or the actions of a member of a survey team or an employee of a
				survey agency under this subsection shall be subject to a civil money penalty
				not to exceed $10,000. The provisions of section 1128A (other than subsections
				(a) and (b)) shall apply to a civil money penalty under the previous sentence
				in the same manner as such provisions apply to a penalty or proceeding under
				section 1128A(a).
						.
				(3)Conforming
			 amendments
					(A)Section
			 1819(f)(2)(B)(iii)(I)(c) of the Social Security Act is amended by inserting
			 , a civil monetary penalty described in section 1919(g)(2)(E)(vi) of not
			 less than $10,000 after of not less than $5,000.
					(B)Section 1919(f)(2)(B)(iii)(I)(c) of the
			 Social Security Act is amended by inserting , a civil monetary penalty
			 described in (g)(2)(E)(vi) of not less than $10,000 after of not
			 less than $5,000.
					5.Advisory
			 committee
			(a)MedicareSection 1819(g)(2) of the Social Security
			 Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(g)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

					(F)Advisory
				Committee
						(i)EstablishmentThe
				Secretary shall establish an advisory committee on surveys under this
				paragraph.
						(ii)MembershipThe
				membership of the advisory committee under
				clause (i) shall include advocates for
				residents of skilled nursing facilities, members of survey teams under this
				subsection, and nursing home administrators, directors of nursing, registered
				nurses, and other skilled nursing facility stakeholders.
						(iii)Recommended
				standardsThe advisory committee under
				clause (i) shall make recommendations to
				the Secretary on standards for—
							(I)the adequate
				staffing of survey teams under this subsection;
							(II)the training of
				members of such teams; and
							(III)disclosing any
				contact between such members and individuals associated with skilled nursing
				facilities, and limiting such contact to prevent inappropriate influence of
				such members by such individuals.
							(iv)Other
				recommendationsThe advisory committee under
				clause (i) may also make recommendations to
				the Secretary on any other issue that would improve the survey process under
				this
				paragraph.
						.
			(b)MedicaidSection 1919(g)(2) of the Social Security
			 Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(g)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the
			 following:

					(F)Advisory
				Committee
						(i)EstablishmentThe
				Secretary shall establish an advisory committee on surveys under this
				paragraph.
						(ii)MembershipThe membership of the advisory committee
				under
				clause (i) shall include advocates for
				residents of nursing facilities, members of survey teams under this subsection,
				and nursing home administrators.
						(iii)Recommended
				standardsThe advisory committee under
				clause (i) shall make recommendations to
				the Secretary on standards for—
							(I)the adequate
				staffing of survey teams under this subsection;
							(II)the training of
				members of such teams; and
							(III)disclosing any
				contact between such members and individuals associated with nursing
				facilities, and limiting such contact to prevent inappropriate influence of
				such members by such individuals.
							(iv)Other
				recommendationsThe advisory committee under
				clause (i) may also make recommendations to
				the Secretary on any other issue that would improve the survey process under
				this
				paragraph.
						.
			6.Review of
			 surveys
			(a)MedicareSection 1819(g)(2)(D) of the Social
			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(g)(2)(D)) is amended—
				(1)by striking
			 Each State and inserting the following:

						(i)In
				generalEach
				State
						;
				and
				(2)by adding at the
			 end the following new clause:

						(ii)Review of
				surveysThe supervisors of
				the survey teams shall review each survey conducted under this subsection to
				ensure that any issues that impact quality of care that are identified by such
				surveys are consistently and appropriately described and rated by the survey
				teams.
						.
				(b)MedicaidSection 1919(g)(2)(D) of the Social
			 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(g)(2)(D)) is amended—
				(1)by striking
			 Each State and inserting the following:

						(i)In
				generalEach
				State
						;
				and
				(2)by adding at the
			 end the following new clause:

						(ii)Review of
				surveysThe supervisors of
				the survey teams shall review each survey conducted under this subsection to
				ensure that any issues that impact quality of care that are identified by such
				surveys are consistently and appropriately described and rated by the survey
				teams.
						.


114 HR 3 PCS: Keystone XL Pipeline Act
U.S. House of Representatives

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
		Calendar No. 3114th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 3
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
		January 12, 2015Received; read twice and placed on the calendarAN ACT
		To approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Keystone XL Pipeline Act. 2.Keystone XL approval (a)In generalTransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. may construct, connect, operate, and maintain the pipeline and cross-border facilities described in the application filed on May 4, 2012, by TransCanada Corporation to the Department of State (including any subsequent revision to the pipeline route within the State of Nebraska required or authorized by the State of Nebraska).
 (b)Environmental Impact StatementThe Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement issued by the Secretary of State in January 2014, regarding the pipeline referred to in subsection (a), and the environmental analysis, consultation, and review described in that document (including appendices) shall be considered to fully satisfy—
 (1)all requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and (2)any other provision of law that requires Federal agency consultation or review (including the consultation or review required under section 7(a) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(a))) with respect to the pipeline and facilities referred to in subsection (a).
 (c)PermitsAny Federal permit or authorization issued before the date of enactment of this Act for the pipeline and cross-border facilities referred to in subsection (a) shall remain in effect.
 (d)Judicial reviewExcept for review in the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over any civil action for the review of an order or action of a Federal agency regarding the pipeline and cross-border facilities described in subsection (a), and the related facilities in the United States, that are approved by this Act (including any order granting a permit or right-of-way, or any other agency action taken to construct or complete the project pursuant to Federal law).
 (e)Private property savings clauseNothing in this Act alters any Federal, State, or local process or condition in effect on the date of enactment of this Act that is necessary to secure access from an owner of private property to construct the pipeline and cross-border facilities described in subsection (a).

	Passed the House of Representatives January 9, 2015.Karen L. Haas,Clerk
	January 12, 2015Received; read twice and placed on the calendar


IV
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 962
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

December 10, 2009

RESOLUTION
Waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules.

That the requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII for a two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee on Rules on the same day it is presented to the House is waived with respect to any resolution reported on the legislative day of December 10, 2009, providing for further consideration or disposition of the bill (H.R. 4173) to provide for financial regulatory reform, to protect consumers and investors, to enhance Federal understanding of insurance issues, to regulate the over-the-counter derivatives markets, and for other purposes.

Lorraine C. Miller,Clerk.


109 HR 1754 IH: Child Support Collection Enforcement Act
U.S. House of Representatives
2005-04-21
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1754
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 21, 2005
Mr. Andrews introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL
To ensure that interest accrues on overdue child support payments, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Child Support Collection Enforcement Act.
2.States required to establish procedures to ensure that interest accrues on child support payments which are in arrears
(a)In generalSection 466(a)(8) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(8)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(C)Procedures under which any child support order issued or modified in the State on or after the effective date of this subparagraph shall provide for the payment of interest on any payment required by the order which is in arrears..
(b)Penalty for noncomplianceSection 409(a)(7)(B)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 609(a)(7)(B)(ii)) is amended by inserting , except that the percentage that would otherwise apply under this clause shall be increased by 5 percentage points if the State is not in compliance with section 466(a)(8)(C) for the fiscal year before the period.
3.States required to use child support late payment fees in child support enforcement programSection 454(21) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 654(21)) is amended—
(1)by striking and at the end of subparagraph (A);
(2)by adding and at the end of subparagraph (B); and
(3)by adding at the end the following:

(C)provide that any fee collected pursuant to this paragraph shall be expended to carry out the State plan approved under this part;.
4.Reports to congress on collection of child support arrearages and of interest on child support obligationsSection 454 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 654) is amended—
(1)by striking and at the end of paragraph (32);
(2)by striking the period at the end of paragraph (33) and inserting ; and; and
(3)by inserting after paragraph (33) the following:

(34)provide that the State shall submit annually to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a written report which specifies the total amount of child support arrearages and the total amount of interest on child support obligations collected by the State during the year covered by the report..
5.Effective date
(a)In generalExcept as provided in subsection (b), the amendments made by this Act shall take effect at the end of the 1-year period that begins with the date of the enactment of this Act, and shall apply to payments under parts A and D of title IV of the Social Security Act for calendar quarters beginning after the 1-year period.
(b)Delay permitted if State legislation requiredIf the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that State legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) is required in order for a State plan under section 454 of the Social Security Act to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this Act, the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet any of the additional requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter beginning after the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after the 1-year period described in subsection (a). If the State has a 2-year legislative session, each year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature for purposes of this subsection.


		II
		112th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		S. 694
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			March 31, 2011
			Mr. Johnson of South
			 Dakota (for himself and Mr. Udall of New
			 Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
			 referred to the Committee on the
			 Judiciary

		A BILL
		To prohibit States from carrying out more than one
		  Congressional redistricting after a decennial census and apportionment, to
		  require States to conduct such redistricting through independent commissions,
		  and for other purposes.

		1.Short Title; Finding of
			 Constitutional Authority
			(a)Short
			 TitleThis Act may be cited
			 as the Fairness and Independence in
			 Redistricting Act.
			(b)FindingCongress finds that it has the authority to
			 establish the terms and conditions States must follow in carrying out
			 Congressional redistricting after an apportionment of Members of the House of
			 Representatives because—
				(1)the authority
			 granted to Congress under article I, section 4 of the Constitution of the
			 United States gives Congress the power to enact laws governing the time, place,
			 and manner of elections for Members of the House of Representatives; and
				(2)the authority
			 granted to Congress under section 5 of the fourteenth amendment to the
			 Constitution gives Congress the power to enact laws to enforce section 2 of
			 such amendment, which requires Representatives to be apportioned among the
			 several States according to their number.
				2.Limit on
			 congressional redistricting after an apportionmentThe
			 Act entitled An Act for the relief of Doctor Ricardo Vallejo Samala and
			 to provide for congressional redistricting, approved December 14, 1967
			 (2 U.S.C. 2c), is amended by adding at the end the following: A State
			 which has been redistricted in the manner provided by law after an
			 apportionment under section 22(a) of the Act entitled An Act to provide
			 for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an
			 apportionment of Representatives in Congress, approved June 18, 1929 (2
			 U.S.C. 2a), may not be redistricted again until after the next apportionment of
			 Representatives under such section, unless a court requires the State to
			 conduct such subsequent redistricting to comply with the Constitution or to
			 enforce the Voting Rights Act of
			 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.)..
		3.Requiring
			 Redistricting to be Conducted Through Plan of Independent State Commission or
			 Plan of Highest State Court
			(a)Use of Plan
			 Required
				(1)In
			 generalNotwithstanding any other provision of law, any
			 Congressional redistricting conducted by a State shall be conducted in
			 accordance with—
					(A)the redistricting
			 plan developed by the independent redistricting commission established in the
			 State, in accordance with section 4; or
					(B)if the plan
			 developed by such commission is not enacted into law, the redistricting plan
			 selected by the highest court in the State or developed by a United States
			 district court, in accordance with section 5.
					(2)Other criteria
			 and procedures permittedNothing in this Act or the amendments
			 made by this Act may be construed to prohibit a State from conducting
			 Congressional redistricting in accordance with such criteria and procedures as
			 the State considers appropriate, to the extent that such criteria and
			 procedures are consistent with the applicable requirements of this Act and the
			 amendments made by this Act.
				(b)Conforming
			 AmendmentSection 22(c) of the Act entitled An Act to
			 provide for the fifteenth and subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for
			 an apportionment of Representatives in Congress, approved June 18, 1929
			 (2 U.S.C. 2a(c)), is amended by striking in the manner provided by the
			 law thereof and inserting: in the manner provided by the
			 Fairness and Independence in Redistricting
			 Act.
			4.Independent
			 Redistricting Commission
			(a)Administrative
			 Matters
				(1)Appointment of
			 membersEach State shall establish an independent redistricting
			 commission composed of—
					(A)a chair, who shall
			 be appointed by majority vote of the other members of the commission;
			 and
					(B)an equal number of
			 members (but not fewer than 1) from each of the following categories:
						(i)Members appointed
			 by a member of the upper house of the State legislature who represents the
			 political party with the greatest number of seats in that house.
						(ii)Members appointed
			 by a member of the upper house of the State legislature who represents the
			 political party with the second greatest number of seats in that house.
						(iii)Members appointed by a member of the lower
			 house of the State legislature who represents the political party with the
			 greatest number of seats in that house.
						(iv)Members appointed
			 by a member of the lower house of the State legislature who represents the
			 political party with the second greatest number of seats in that house.
						(2)Special rule for
			 States with unicameral legislatureIn the case of a State with a
			 unicameral legislature, the independent redistricting commission established
			 under this subsection shall be composed of—
					(A)a chair, who shall
			 be appointed by majority vote of the other members of the commission;
			 and
					(B)an equal number of
			 members (but not fewer than 2) from each of the following categories:
						(i)Members appointed by a member of the
			 legislature who shall be selected by the chair of the Government Affairs
			 Committee of the legislature to represent the State political party whose
			 candidate for chief executive of the State received the greatest number of
			 votes on average in the 3 most recent general elections for that office.
						(ii)Members appointed by a member of the
			 legislature who shall be selected by the chair of the Government Affairs
			 Committee of the legislature to represent the State political party whose
			 candidate for chief executive of the State received the second greatest number
			 of votes on average in the 3 most recent general elections for that
			 office.
						(3)EligibilityAn
			 individual is eligible to serve as a member of an independent redistricting
			 commission if—
					(A)as of the date of
			 appointment, the individual is registered to vote in elections for Federal
			 office held in the State, and was registered to vote in the 2 most recent
			 general elections for Federal office held in the State;
					(B)the individual did not hold public office
			 or run as a candidate for election for public office, or serve as an employee
			 of a political party or candidate for election for public office, at any time
			 during the 4-year period ending on the December 31 preceding the date of
			 appointment; and
					(C)the individual certifies that he or she
			 will not run as a candidate for the office of Representative in the Congress
			 until after the next apportionment of Representatives under section 22(a) of
			 the Act entitled An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent
			 decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment of Representatives in
			 Congress, approved June 18, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a).
					(4)VacancyA
			 vacancy in the commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original
			 appointment was made.
				(5)DeadlineEach State shall establish a commission
			 under this section, and the members of the commission shall appoint the
			 commission’s chair, not later than the first February 1 which occurs after the
			 chief executive of a State receives the State apportionment notice.
				(6)Appointment of
			 chair required prior to development of redistricting planThe
			 commission may not take any action to develop a redistricting plan for the
			 State under subsection (b) until the appointment of the commission’s chair in
			 accordance with paragraph (1)(A).
				(7)Requiring all
			 meetings to be open to publicThe commission shall hold each of
			 its meetings in public.
				(8)Internet
			 Web siteAs soon as practicable
			 after establishing the commission, the State shall establish and maintain a
			 public Internet Web site for the commission which meets the following
			 requirements:
					(A)The site is
			 updated continuously to provide advance notice of commission meetings and to
			 otherwise provide timely information on the activities of the
			 commission.
					(B)The site contains
			 the most recent available information from the Bureau of the Census on
			 voting-age population, voter registration, and voting in the State, including
			 precinct-level and census tract-level data with respect to such information, as
			 well as detailed maps reflecting such information.
					(C)The site includes
			 interactive software to enable any individual to design a redistricting plan
			 for the State on the basis of the information described in subparagraph (B), in
			 accordance with the criteria described in subsection (b)(1).
					(D)The site permits
			 any individual to submit a proposed redistricting plan to the commission, and
			 to submit questions, comments, and other information with respect to the
			 commission’s activities.
					(b)Development of
			 Redistricting Plan
				(1)CriteriaThe
			 independent redistricting commission of a State shall develop a redistricting
			 plan for the State in accordance with the following criteria:
					(A)Adherence to the
			 one person, one vote standard and other requirements imposed
			 under the Constitution of the United States.
					(B)To the greatest extent mathematically
			 possible, ensuring that the population of each Congressional district in the
			 State does not vary from the population of any other Congressional district in
			 the State (as determined on the basis of the total count of persons of the most
			 recent decennial census conducted by the Bureau of the Census).
					(C)Consistency with
			 any applicable requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other Federal
			 laws.
					(D)To the greatest
			 extent practicable, the maintenance of the geographic continuity of the
			 political subdivisions of the State which are included in the same
			 Congressional district, in the following order of priority:
						(i)The
			 continuity of counties or parishes.
						(ii)The
			 continuity of municipalities.
						(iii)The continuity
			 of neighborhoods (as determined on the basis of census tracts or other relevant
			 information).
						(E)To the greatest
			 extent practicable, maintaining compact districts (in accordance with such
			 standards as the commission may establish).
					(F)Ensuring that
			 districts are contiguous (except to the extent necessary to include any area
			 which is surrounded by a body of water).
					(2)Factors
			 prohibited from considerationIn developing the redistricting
			 plan for the State, the independent redistricting commission may not take into
			 consideration any of the following factors, except to the extent necessary to
			 comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965:
					(A)The voting history
			 of the population of a Congressional district, except that the commission may
			 take such history into consideration to the extent necessary to comply with any
			 State law which requires the establishment of competitive Congressional
			 districts.
					(B)The political
			 party affiliation of the population of a district.
					(C)The residence of
			 incumbent Members of the House of Representatives in the State.
					(3)Solicitation of
			 public input in development of plansThe commission shall solicit and take into
			 consideration comments from the public in developing the redistricting plan for
			 the State by holding meetings in representative geographic regions of the State
			 at which members of the public may provide such input, and by otherwise
			 soliciting input from the public (including redistricting plans developed by
			 members of the public) through the commission Internet Web site and other
			 methods.
				(4)Public notice of
			 plans prior to submission to legislatureNot fewer than 7 days prior to submitting a
			 redistricting plan to the legislature of the State under subsection (c)(1), the
			 commission shall post on the commission Internet Web site and cause to have
			 published in newspapers of general circulation throughout the State a notice
			 containing the following information:
					(A)A detailed version
			 of the plan, including a map showing each Congressional district established
			 under the plan and the voting age population by race of each such
			 district.
					(B)A statement
			 providing specific information on how the adoption of the plan would serve the
			 public interest.
					(C)Any dissenting
			 statements of any members of the commission who did not approve of the
			 submission of the plan to the legislature.
					(c)Submission of
			 Plans to Legislature
				(1)In
			 generalAt any time prior to the first November 1 which occurs
			 after the chief executive of the State receives the State apportionment notice,
			 the commission may submit redistricting plans developed by the commission under
			 this section to the legislature of the State.
				(2)Consideration of
			 plan by legislatureAfter receiving any redistricting plan under
			 paragraph (1), the legislature of a State may—
					(A)approve the plan
			 as submitted by the commission without amendment and forward the plan to the
			 chief executive of the State; or
					(B)reject the
			 plan.
					(3)Enactment of
			 plan
					(A)In
			 generalA redistricting plan developed by the commission shall be
			 considered to be enacted into law only if the plan is forwarded to the chief
			 executive of the State pursuant to paragraph (2)(A) and—
						(i)the
			 chief executive approves the plan as forwarded by the legislature without
			 amendment; or
						(ii)the
			 chief executive vetoes the plan and the legislature overrides the veto in
			 accordance with the applicable law of the State, except that at no time may the
			 plan be amended.
						(B)Special
			 ruleIn the case of a State in which the chief executive is
			 prohibited under State law from acting on a redistricting plan, a redistricting
			 plan developed by the commission shall be considered to be enacted into law
			 if—
						(i)the
			 plan is submitted to the legislature of the State; and
						(ii)the
			 legislature approves the plan as submitted by the commission without
			 amendment.
						(d)Requiring
			 Majority Approval For ActionsThe independent redistricting
			 commission of a State may not submit a redistricting plan to the State
			 legislature, or take any other action, without the approval of at least a
			 majority of its members given at a meeting at which at least a majority of its
			 members are present.
			(e)Termination
				(1)In
			 generalThe independent redistricting commission of a State shall
			 terminate on the day after the date of the first regularly scheduled general
			 election for Federal office which occurs after the chief executive of the State
			 receives the State apportionment notice.
				(2)Preservation of
			 recordsThe State shall ensure that the records of the
			 independent redistricting commission are retained in the appropriate State
			 archive in such manner as may be necessary to enable the State to respond to
			 any civil action brought with respect to Congressional redistricting in the
			 State.
				5.Selection of Plan
			 by Courts
			(a)State
			 Court
				(1)Submission and
			 selection of planIf a redistricting plan developed by the
			 independent redistricting commission of a State is not enacted into law under
			 section 4(c)(3) by the first November 1 which occurs after the chief executive
			 of the State receives the State apportionment notice, the commission may submit
			 redistricting plans developed by the commission in accordance with section 4 to
			 the highest court of the State, which may select and publish one of the
			 submitted plans to serve as the redistricting plan for the State.
				(2)No modification
			 of plan permittedThe highest court of a State may not modify any
			 redistricting plan submitted under this subsection.
				(b)Federal
			 Court
				(1)Failure of State
			 court to select plan
					(A)Notice to court
			 if plan not selected by State courtIf a State court to whom redistricting
			 plans have been submitted under subsection (a) does not select a plan to serve
			 as the redistricting plan for the State under such subsection on or before the
			 first December 1 which occurs after the chief executive of the State receives
			 the State apportionment notice, the State shall file a notice with the United
			 States district court for the district in which the capital of the State is
			 located.
					(B)Development and
			 selection of plan by Federal courtNot later than 30 days after
			 receiving a notice from a State under subparagraph (A), the court shall develop
			 and publish a final redistricting plan for the State.
					(2)Failure of State
			 to establish commission
					(A)In
			 generalIf a State does not establish an independent
			 redistricting commission under section 4 by the first September 1 which occurs
			 after the chief executive of the State receives the State apportionment
			 notice—
						(i)the
			 State may not establish the commission; and
						(ii)the United States district court for the
			 district in which the capital of the State is located shall develop and publish
			 a final redistricting plan for the State not later than the first December 1
			 which occurs after the chief executive of the State receives the State
			 apportionment notice.
						(B)Determination of
			 failure to establish commissionFor purposes of subparagraph (A),
			 a State shall be considered to have failed to establish an independent
			 redistricting commission by the date referred to in such subparagraph if a
			 chair of the commission has not been appointed on or before such date.
					(3)CriteriaIt
			 is the sense of Congress that, in developing a redistricting plan for a State
			 under this subsection, the district court should adhere to the same terms and
			 conditions that applied to the development of the plan of the commission under
			 section 4(b).
				(c)Access to
			 Information and Records of CommissionA court which is required
			 to select, publish, or develop a redistricting plan for a State under this
			 section shall have access to any information, data, software, or other records
			 and material used by the independent redistricting commission of the State in
			 carrying out its duties under this Act.
			6.Special Rule For
			 Redistricting Conducted Under Order of Federal CourtIf a Federal court requires a State to
			 conduct redistricting subsequent to an apportionment of Representatives in the
			 State in order to comply with the Constitution or to enforce the
			 Voting Rights Act of 1965, sections
			 4 and 5 shall apply with respect to the redistricting, except that—
			(1)the deadline for
			 the establishment of the independent redistricting commission and the
			 appointment of the commission’s chair (as described in section 4(a)(5)) shall
			 be the expiration of the 30-day period which begins on the date of the final
			 order of the Federal court to conduct the redistricting;
			(2)the deadline for
			 the submission of redistricting plans to the legislature by the commission, and
			 the date of the termination of the commission (as described in section 4(c)(1)
			 and section 4(e), respectively) shall be the expiration of the 150-day period
			 which begins on the date of the final order of the Federal court to conduct the
			 redistricting;
			(3)the deadline for
			 the selection and publication of the plan by the highest court of the State (as
			 described in section 5(a)) shall be the expiration of the 180-day period which
			 begins on the date of the final order of the Federal court to conduct the
			 redistricting; and
			(4)the deadline for the selection and
			 publication of the plan by the district court of the United States (as
			 described in section 5(b)) shall be the expiration of the 210-day period which
			 begins on the date of the final order of the Federal court to conduct the
			 redistricting.
			7.Payments to
			 States For carrying out Redistricting
			(a)Authorization of
			 PaymentsSubject to subsections (c) and (d), not later than 30
			 days after a State receives a State apportionment notice, the Election
			 Assistance Commission shall make a payment to the State in an amount equal to
			 the product of—
				(1)the number of
			 Representatives to which the State is entitled, as provided under the notice;
			 and
				(2)$150,000.
				(b)Use of
			 FundsA State shall use the payment made under this section to
			 establish and operate the State’s independent redistricting commission, to
			 implement the State redistricting plan, and to otherwise carry out
			 Congressional redistricting in the State.
			(c)No Payment to
			 States With Single MemberThe Election Assistance Commission
			 shall not make a payment under this section to any State which is not entitled
			 to more than one Representative under its State apportionment notice.
			(d)Requiring
			 Establishment of Commission as Condition of PaymentThe Election
			 Assistance Commission may not make a payment to a State under this section
			 until the State certifies to the Commission that the State has established an
			 independent redistricting commission, and that a chair of the commission has
			 been appointed, in accordance with section 4.
			(e)Authorization of
			 AppropriationsThere are
			 authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for payments under
			 this section.
			8.State
			 Apportionment Notice DefinedIn this Act, the term State
			 apportionment notice means, with respect to a State, the notice sent to
			 the State from the Clerk of the House of Representatives under section 22(b) of
			 the Act entitled An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent
			 decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment of Representatives in
			 Congress, approved June 18, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a), of the number of
			 Representatives to which the State is entitled.
		9.No
			 Effect on Elections for State and Local OfficeNothing in this Act or in any amendment made
			 by this Act may be construed to affect the manner in which a State carries out
			 elections for State or local office, including the process by which a State
			 establishes the districts used in such elections.
		10.Effective
			 DateThis Act and the
			 amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to any Congressional
			 redistricting which occurs after the regular decennial census conducted during
			 2020.


IV
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 431
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 19, 2004
Mr. Collins submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Urging the Government of Vietnam to provide to the United States all information in the possession of Vietnam regarding Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, and for other purposes.

Whereas diplomatic relations between the United States Government and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam were established in July 1995;
Whereas diplomatic relations between the two countries were established following assurances from President Clinton and Vietnamese officials that improved bilateral relations would result in expanded cooperation to achieve the fullest possible accounting of Americans captured, missing, or killed during the Vietnam War;
Whereas the United States lifted a trade embargo against Vietnam in 1994 and signed a bilateral trade agreement that was ratified by the Senate in 2001 based on repeated certifications to Congress by President Clinton that Vietnam was fully cooperating in accounting for those Americans captured, missing, or killed during the Vietnam War;
Whereas on March 20, 2002, President George W. Bush issued Presidential Determination 2002-11, stating that Vietnam’s unilateral provision of POW/MIA-related documents and records should be improved, focused initially on archival data pertaining to Americans captured, missing, or killed in areas of Laos and Cambodia under wartime Vietnamese control;
Whereas President Bush further stated that Vietnam should also focus greater attention on locating and providing information on discrepancy cases, with priority on those last known alive in captivity or in immediate proximity to capture (Presidential Determination 2002-11);
Whereas President Bush urged the Government of Vietnam to take unilateral actions aimed at locating and repatriating the remains of those who died while in Vietnamese control that have not yet been returned (Presidential Determination 2002-11);
Whereas in November 2003, the U.S.S. Vandergrift docked in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, symbolizing an improvement in military ties between the United States and Vietnam;
Whereas despite the improvement in military ties, Vietnam continues to refuse requests by the United States to permit a United States Navy vessel to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions along the coastline of Vietnam;
Whereas Vietnamese officials have invited Members of Congress to visit Vietnam and judge the level and sincerity of the cooperation provided by Vietnam, assuring Members of Congress open access to archives in the possession of the Government of Vietnam;
Whereas Members of Congress have traveled to Vietnam to seek access to relevant archival records and witnesses with information about Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War; and
Whereas despite existing evidence that many specified documents could be made available, the Government of Vietnam has failed to provide any useful documents or records relating to Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War to Members of Congress and has asserted that all such documents and records have previously been provided to the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress—
(1)urges the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to immediately provide to the United States all documents and records relating to Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, including documents relating to Americans unaccounted for in areas of Laos and Cambodia that were under wartime Vietnamese control;
(2)welcomes the improvement in military ties between the United States and Vietnam, including the port call of the U.S.S. Vandergrift in November 2003, and urges the Government of Vietnam to respond positively by the end of 2004 to requests to permit a United States Navy vessel to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions along the coastline of Vietnam; and
(3)will consider statements by President George W. Bush and the response of the Government of Vietnam to the request by the United States Government to use a United States Navy vessel to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions along the coast of Vietnam before taking further steps beneficial to the economic and political objectives of the Government of Vietnam.


114 HR 6486 IH: Laquan McDonald Camera 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.

I114th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 6486IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESDecember 8, 2016Mr. Rush introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo require, as a condition on the receipt of Federal funds, that States require law enforcement
			 agencies to have in effect a policy regarding the use of body-worn cameras
			 and dashboard cameras.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Laquan McDonald Camera Act of 2016. 2.Requirement to have body-worn cameras and dashboard camera policiesTo be in compliance with this section, a State shall require each law enforcement agency of that State and of a unit of a local government of that State to have in effect a policy requiring and prescribing the conditions for the use of body-worn cameras and dashboard cameras by law enforcement officers of that agency, and to establish procedures providing for the effective enforcement of that policy.
		3.Eligibility for Federal funds
			(a)Covered programs
 (1)In generalFor purposes of this Act, a grant program is covered by this section if— (A)the program is carried out by or under the authority of the Attorney General; and
 (B)the program may provide amounts to States for law enforcement purposes. (2)ListFor each fiscal year, the Attorney General shall prepare a list identifying each program that meets the criteria of paragraph (1) and provide that list to each State.
 (b)ComplianceFor each fiscal year, any amount that a State would otherwise receive for that fiscal year under a grant program covered by this section shall be reduced by 10 percent, unless the State submits to the Attorney General a certification that each law enforcement agency of the State, and of each unit of local government of the State, is in full compliance with the requirements of section 2.
 (c)Citizen suitsIn the case of a State that has submitted a certification under subsection (b), if that State has made any misrepresentation in that certification pertaining to full compliance with the requirements of section 2, a private citizen who is a resident of that State may bring an action in a Federal district court to compel the Attorney General to take appropriate action under subsection (b). The court shall expedite consideration of such an action, and advance it on the docket to the maximum extent practicable.
 (d)Redistribution of amountsAmounts under a grant program not granted by reason of a reduction under subsection (b), shall be granted to one or more entities not subject to such reduction or such prohibition, subject to the other laws governing that program.
 (e)Effective dateThe first grants to which subsection (b) applies are grants for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2017.


115 S3035 IS: B–47 Ridge Designation Act
U.S. Senate
2018-06-07
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

		II
		115th CONGRESS2d Session
		S. 3035
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

			June 7, 2018
			Mr. Daines (for himself and Mr. Tester) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

		A BILL
		To designate a mountain ridge in the State of Montana as B–47 Ridge.

		1.Short title
 This Act may be cited as the B–47 Ridge Designation Act.
		2.Designation of B–47 Ridge, Montana
			(a)Designation
 (1)In generalThe unnamed mountain ridge located at 45°14′40.89″N, 110°43′38.75″W that runs south and west of Emigrant Peak in the Absaroka Range in the State of Montana, which is the approximate site of a crash of a B–47, shall be known and designated as B–47 Ridge.
 (2)ReferencesAny reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the ridge described in paragraph (1) shall be deemed to be a reference to B–47 Ridge.
				(b)Authorization for plaque
 (1)In generalA plaque that memorializes the crash of the B–47 (including denoting the names of the victims of the crash) may be installed on B–47 Ridge.
 (2)FundingNo Federal funds may be used to design, procure, install, or maintain the plaque authorized under paragraph (1).


111 HCON 16 IH: Recognizing the threat that the spread of radical Islamist terrorism and Iranian adventurism in Africa poses to the United States, our allies, and interests.
U.S. House of Representatives
2009-01-09
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

		IV
		111th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. CON. RES. 16
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			January 9, 2009
			Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for
			 herself, Mr. Royce,
			 Mr. Burton of Indiana,
			 Mr. Rohrabacher,
			 Mr. Manzullo, and
			 Mr. Smith of New Jersey) submitted the
			 following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
			 Committee on Foreign
			 Affairs

		CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
		Recognizing the threat that the spread of
		  radical Islamist terrorism and Iranian adventurism in Africa poses to the
		  United States, our allies, and interests.

		Whereas nearly 500,000,000 Muslims live in Africa, and
			 Islam reportedly is the fastest growing religion on the continent;
		Whereas according to the World Bank, Africa hosts the
			 world’s largest proportion of people living on less than $1 per day;
		Whereas despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of
			 Muslims in Africa practice moderate and tolerant forms of Islam, poverty,
			 corruption, and political marginalization have facilitated the spread of
			 radicalism in a number in areas in Africa, particularly among growing
			 populations of impoverished and disaffected youth;
		Whereas the spread of radical Islam undermines the
			 historically moderate influence of Islam in Africa, exacerbates existing
			 political and religious tensions within African nations, provides fertile
			 ground for recruitment by international terrorist organizations, and poses a
			 direct threat to the security of the United States and our partners on the
			 African continent;
		Whereas despite the purported intention to target western
			 interests and “infidels”, attacks perpetrated by radical Islamist terrorist
			 groups in Africa have resulted in a devastatingly disproportionate number of
			 deaths and casualties among Africans and fellow Muslims;
		Whereas the terrorist al Qaeda network has publicly
			 expressed its intention to expand in Africa, most notably calling for jihad in
			 Nigeria, Sudan, and Somalia, and Hezbollah has developed a sophisticated and
			 deeply embedded financial infrastructure in a number of African
			 countries;
		Whereas, on August 7, 1998, 229 people, including 12
			 United States citizens, were killed and another 5,000 people were injured
			 during simultaneous car bomb attacks against the United States Embassies in
			 Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania;
		Whereas the 1998 East Africa Embassy bombings were the
			 first major terrorist attacks directed against United States interests by Osama
			 bin Laden and his al Qaeda network;
		Whereas, on November 8, 2002, nearly simultaneous
			 terrorist attacks were launched in Mombasa, Kenya, including a car bomb attack
			 that killed at least 13 people at the Israeli-owned Paradise Hotel and an
			 unsuccessful missile attack on a charter aircraft as it departed Moi
			 International Airport en route to Israel;
		Whereas Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, a senior al Qaeda
			 operative from the Comoros Islands who is on the Federal Bureau of
			 Investigation’s Top 22 Most Wanted list in connection with the 1998 East Africa
			 Embassy bombings and the 2002 attacks in Mombasa, and who most recently has
			 been linked to the al-Shabaab radical Islamist terrorist group in Somalia,
			 reportedly evaded capture in Malindi, Kenya, on August 2, 2008;
		Whereas a number of radical Islamist terrorist
			 organizations from Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria allegedly have merged
			 with al Qaeda and have claimed responsibility for attacks against western
			 interests in North Africa;
		Whereas in May 2003, and between March and April 2007, the
			 Moroccan city of Casablanca was rocked by a series of suicide bombings,
			 including a bombing outside the United States Consulate on April 14, 2007,
			 allegedly carried out by members of Salafia Jihadia, an offshoot of the
			 Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group which is believed to have links to al Qaeda,
			 or by members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, also believed to have links
			 to al Qaeda;
		Whereas in September 2006, the Algerian radical Islamist
			 terrorist group, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), formally
			 merged with al Qaeda, renaming itself al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
			 (AQIM);
		Whereas AQIM has since claimed responsibility for more
			 than a dozen deadly suicide attacks in Algeria, including the December 2006
			 attack on a bus belonging to a United States-Algeria joint venture carrying
			 several expatriate workers, the April 11, 2007, simultaneous bombings of
			 multiple targets, including the office of Algeria’s prime minister, and the
			 December 11, 2007, bombings of the Algerian Constitutional Council and the
			 United Nations headquarters in Algeria;
		Whereas AQIM has found sanctuary in the vast ungoverned
			 spaces of the region, easily crossing the porous borders between Mali,
			 Mauritania, Niger, Algeria, and Chad to recruit extremists for training and
			 terrorist operations in the Trans-Sahara region and beyond;
		Whereas in late December 2002, Ethiopian and Transitional
			 Government of Somalia forces overthrew the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which
			 had seized control of vast parts of Somalia and, along with its radical
			 Islamist al-Shabaab militia, are believed to have harbored senior al Qaeda
			 operatives, including Fazul Abdallah Mohammed and Saleh Ali Saleh
			 Nabhan;
		Whereas in an Internet video released in January 2007,
			 Ayman al-Zawahiri, a leading al Qaeda figure, urged all mujahedin, specifically
			 those in the Maghreb, to extend support to Somali Muslims in a holy war against
			 occupying Ethiopian forces;
		Whereas al-Shabaab has since been designated as a Foreign
			 Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
			 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under section 1(b) of Executive
			 Order 13224, and is believed to be responsible for numerous suicide bombings,
			 the use of landmines, remote controlled roadside bombs, attacks against African
			 Union peacekeeping forces, and targeted assassinations against Ethiopian and
			 Transitional Government of Somalia security forces, other government officials,
			 journalists, and civil society leaders in Somalia;
		Whereas in Nigeria, more than 10,000 people have been
			 killed as a result of violent ethnic and religious clashes over the past
			 decade, 12 of the country’s 36 states have proclaimed Islamic Sharia law, and
			 recent press reports indicate that Hezbollah has become active in northern
			 Nigeria;
		Whereas Hezbollah has long been active in West Africa,
			 most notably engaging in terrorist financing through the exploitation of blood
			 diamonds which have fueled deadly conflicts in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote
			 d’Ivoire;
		Whereas according to the Department of State’s 2007
			 Country Reports on Terrorism, Hezbollah remains the most technically capable
			 terrorist group in the world;
		Whereas the 2007 Country Reports on Terrorism also assert
			 that Iran remains “the most significant state sponsor of terrorism”, that “a
			 critically important element of Iranian national security strategy is its
			 ability to conduct terrorist operations abroad”, and that “Hezbollah, a
			 designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, is key to Iran’s terrorism
			 strategy”;
		Whereas in mid-September 2008, it was reported that the MV
			 Iran Deyanat, a ship owned and operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran
			 Shipping Lines (IRISL), a state-owned company run by the Iranian military and
			 currently under United States sanctions, had been hijacked by pirates in the
			 Gulf of Aden while attempting to deliver mysterious cargo,
			 thought to include small arms and chemical weapons, to Eritrea for use by
			 Islamist insurgents in Somalia and that within days, pirates who boarded the
			 ship had developed strange health complications, skin burn and loss of
			 hair;
		Whereas it was widely reported nearly two years earlier
			 that Iran had supplied Islamist insurgents in Somalia with sophisticated
			 anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, including SA–7 Strella and SA–18 Igla
			 shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles and AT–3 Sagger anti-tank missiles, in
			 direct violation of a United Nations arms embargo;
		Whereas in recent years, Iran has embarked upon a campaign
			 to strengthen military, economic, and diplomatic ties with countries on the
			 African Continent;
		Whereas, on January 29, 2008, Iranian Foreign Minister
			 Manouchehr Mottaki declared that 2008 would mark a “milestone in Iran-Africa
			 ties”, a notion that was reinforced by his attendance three days later at the
			 African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and a subsequent announcement
			 that Iran would soon convene an Iran-Africa Summit in Tehran;
		Whereas while many African countries sorely need the
			 increased trade opportunities and investments in energy, agriculture, and
			 infrastructure that Iran has offered, Iran’s assistance does not come without a
			 price;
		Whereas Senegal and Iran have signed a number of
			 agreements to expand economic relations, including agreements on the
			 construction of an oil refinery, a chemical plant, and an automotive assembly
			 plant in Senegal and, in return, Senegal has expressed support for Iran’s
			 nuclear program;
		Whereas Iran reportedly is pursuing similar deals for
			 expanded diplomatic relations and strengthened commercial ties with Mali,
			 Malawi, Uganda, Lesotho, Namibia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, and Cote d’Ivoire,
			 in exchange for support of Iran’s nuclear ambitions;
		Whereas in exchange for strengthened energy and trade
			 ties, as well as in recognition of Iran’s support for the African National
			 Congress during the apartheid era, South Africa frequently has intervened on
			 behalf of Iran at the United Nations Security Council in defense of Iran’s
			 nuclear ambitions;
		Whereas Iran also is seeking to align itself more closely
			 with fellow despots and “outposts of tyranny” on the African Continent;
		Whereas Iran is among the top four arms suppliers to the
			 genocidal regime in Khartoum, and, upon visiting Khartoum in March 2007, Iran’s
			 defense minister reportedly asserted that developing military ties with Africa
			 and the “especially brotherly and friendly country of Sudan, is on top of
			 Iran’s foreign policy agenda”;
		Whereas Zimbabwe’s embattled dictator, Robert Mugabe,
			 reportedly was hailed as a hero while visiting Tehran in 2006, proclaiming
			 “Iran and Zimbabwe think alike”, securing Iran’s pledge to shield Zimbabwe from
			 sanctions before the United Nations Security Council, and inking deals to boost
			 energy cooperation, rehabilitate Zimbabwe’s oil refinery, and expand
			 agricultural ties;
		Whereas after signing four deals to expand bilateral ties
			 with Eritrea in May 2008, Iran’s leader announced that there was “no limit for
			 expansion of mutual cooperation” between Iran and Eritrea and that “fostering
			 friendship and cooperation among countries that are independent as well as
			 peace and justice-loving is vital for ensuring international peace and
			 cooperation”, even as Eritrean forces were launching a military incursion into
			 neighboring Djibouti;
		Whereas up to 2,000 members of the United States Armed
			 Forces currently are stationed at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti as part of the
			 Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa (CJTF–HOA) to promote regional
			 stability and prevent conflict in the region;
		Whereas in August 2006, the Sunday Times (UK) published a
			 report outlining Iran’s efforts to smuggle uranium 238 from the Democratic
			 Republic of the Congo, citing a July 18, 2006, report by the United Nations
			 Group of Experts and interviews with Tanzanian customs officials who discovered
			 the shipment;
		Whereas while the motivations behind Tehran’s adventurism
			 in Africa may vary widely between seeking diplomatic allies among members of
			 the Non-aligned Movement, to countering the dominance of Sunni Muslims in the
			 region, to establishing new or expanding existing bases for Hezbollah and other
			 militant Islamist groups, to increasing access to Africa’s vast natural
			 resources, including uranium, the threat that Iran poses on the continent must
			 not be overlooked;
		Whereas the African continent faces unique development and
			 security challenges which demand significant attention and unique policy
			 approaches;
		Whereas the United States provides nearly $9,000,000,000
			 in assistance to Africa each year, with programs ranging from providing
			 humanitarian relief to strengthening health and education systems, breaking
			 down trade barriers and promoting economic development, combating corruption
			 and other illicit activities, and promoting critical democratic, judicial, and
			 human rights reforms;
		Whereas United States military security assistance
			 programs in Africa represent about 3 percent of the United States total aid and
			 development package for Africa;
		Whereas a number of African countries have engaged with
			 the United States in efforts to combat terrorism, deny terrorist sanctuary, and
			 disrupt terrorist financing, through programs such as the Tran-Sahara
			 Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP), and the East Africa Counterterrorism
			 Initiative (EACTI);
		Whereas a number of African countries also have embarked
			 upon efforts to counter the influence of radical Islamist ideology by promoting
			 religious tolerance and intercommunal dialogue;
		Whereas according to the African Union, “International
			 terrorism over the past decade has come to constitute the most serious threat
			 to global peace, security and development. … This unfortunate development and
			 all its evil manifestations around the world and particularly in Africa,
			 undermine the most cherished values and fundamental principles of the 21st
			 century”, and “The African Union strongly condemns all acts and forms of
			 terrorism in Africa and wherever they may occur”;
		Whereas in February 2007, the President announced his
			 decision to create a unified command for Africa, the United States Africa
			 Command (AFRICOM), in an effort to “[build] partnership capacities, [conduct]
			 theater security cooperation, [build] important counter-terrorism skills and,
			 as appropriate, [support] U.S. Government agencies in implementing other
			 programs that promote regional stability”; and
		Whereas while AFRICOM is expected to support, not shape,
			 United States foreign policy in Africa, communicating the purposes of AFRICOM
			 to African governments and citizens remains an important challenge: Now,
			 therefore, be it

		That Congress—
			(1)recognizes the threat that the spread of
			 radical Islamist terrorism and Iranian adventurism in Africa poses to the
			 United States, our allies, and interests;
			(2)acknowledges the
			 commitment and cooperation of some governments and regional organizations in
			 Africa to deny the use of their territory to radical Islamist terrorist
			 organizations and calls on all governments to intensify their efforts toward
			 that end;
			(3)expresses concern
			 over the emerging national security implications of the Iranian regime’s
			 efforts to expand its influence in Africa;
			(4)calls on the
			 United States Government to work with governments in Africa to pursue an
			 antiterrorism campaign based on mutual cooperation and constant
			 vigilance;
			(5)urges the United
			 States Government to work bilaterally and multilaterally with countries in
			 Africa to help them create antiterrorism legislation that would give
			 governmental authorities new tools to take action against terrorist
			 networks;
			(6)recommends that
			 the President of the United States create more mechanisms for joint
			 counterterrorism operations and intraregional information sharing among
			 supportive countries in Africa, especially in light of Iran’s increased
			 involvement in the region; and
			(7)urges the new,
			 unified Combatant Command for Africa (AFRICOM) to play a constructive role in
			 coordinating United States security objectives in the region in close
			 cooperation with our African partners.


116 HR 2725 IH: Maritime Industries Relief Act of 2019
U.S. House of Representatives
2019-05-14
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.

I116th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 2725IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 14, 2019Mr. Mast introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and MeansA BILLTo provide duty-free treatment for the sale of used yachts, and for other purposes.

 1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Maritime Industries Relief Act of 2019. 2.Duty-free treatment for the sale of used yachtsSection 484b of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1484b) is amended to read as follows:

				484b.Duty-free treatment for the sale of used yachts
 (a)In generalNotwithstanding any other provision of law, any dutiable vessel meeting the definition of a used yacht under subsection (b) may be offered for sale or sold in the customs territory of the United States without payment of duty.
 (b)Used yacht definedFor purposes of duty-free treatment under subsection (a), the term used yacht means a vessel classifiable under heading 8903 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that was—
 (1)sold at least once before entering the customs territory of the United States; and (2)used, by the person bringing such vessel into the customs territory of the United States, primarily for recreation or pleasure.
 (c)RegulationsThe Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section..
 3.Effective dateThe amendment made by section 2 shall apply with respect to any used yachts imported into the United States after the date that is 15 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.


		IIB
		111th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. R. 2729
		IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED
		  STATES

			July 22, 2009
			Received; read twice and referred to the
			 Committee on Energy and Natural
			 Resources

		AN ACT
		To authorize the designation of National
		  Environmental Research Parks by the Secretary of Energy, and for other
		  purposes.

		1.FindingsCongress finds the following:
			(1)The National Environmental Research Parks
			 are unique outdoor laboratories that provide opportunities for environmental
			 studies on protected lands around Department of Energy facilities.
			(2)In 1972, the Atomic Energy Commission
			 established its first official environmental research park at the Savannah
			 River site in South Carolina.
			(3)In 1976, the Department of Energy defined
			 the mission for the research parks in accordance with the recommendations of
			 the multiagency review team for environmental research activities at the
			 Savannah River site.
			(4)The mission of the research parks is
			 to—
				(A)conduct research and education activities
			 to assess and document environmental effects associated with energy and weapons
			 use;
				(B)explore methods for eliminating or
			 minimizing adverse effects of energy development and nuclear materials on the
			 environment;
				(C)train people in ecological and
			 environmental sciences; and
				(D)educate the public.
				(5)The National Environmental Research Parks
			 are located within six major ecological regions of the United States, covering
			 more than half of the Nation.
			(6)The parks are especially valuable research
			 sites because within their borders they provide secure settings for scientists
			 to conduct long-term research on a broad range of subjects including—
				(A)plant succession;
				(B)biomass production;
				(C)population ecology;
				(D)radioecology;
				(E)ecological restoration; and
				(F)thermal effects on freshwater
			 ecosystems.
				(7)The parks maintain several long-term data
			 sets that are available nowhere else in the United States or in the world on
			 amphibian populations, bird populations, and soil moisture and plant water
			 stress. These data sets are uniquely valuable for the detection of long-term
			 shifts in climate.
			(8)The maintenance of these parks by the
			 Department of Energy is consistent with statutory obligations to promote sound
			 environmental stewardship of Federal lands and to safeguard sites containing
			 cultural and archeological resources.
			(9)Public education and outreach activities
			 carried out on these sites provide unique learning opportunities, promote a
			 stronger connection between these Federal facilities and the surrounding
			 communities, and enhance public confidence that the Department of Energy is
			 fulfilling its environmental stewardship responsibilities.
			2.National Environmental Research
			 Parks
			(a)DesignationThe Secretary of Energy shall designate the
			 six National Environmental Research Parks located on Department of Energy sites
			 as protected outdoor research reserves for the purposes of conducting long-term
			 environmental research on the impacts of human activities on the natural
			 environment. The six National Environmental Research Parks shall
			 include—
				(1)the Savannah River National Environmental
			 Research Park;
				(2)the Idaho National Environmental Research
			 Park;
				(3)the Los Alamos National Environmental
			 Research Park;
				(4)the Fermi Lab National Environmental
			 Research Park;
				(5)the Oak Ridge National Environmental
			 Research Park; and
				(6)the Nevada National Environmental Research
			 Park.
				(b)PurposesEach site shall support—
				(1)environmental research and monitoring
			 activities to characterize and monitor present and future site conditions, and
			 serve as control areas for comparison with environmental impacts of Department
			 of Energy land management, energy technology development, remediation, and
			 other site activities outside the National Environmental Research Park areas.
			 Areas of research and monitoring on the sites may include—
					(A)ecology of the site and the region;
					(B)population biology and ecology;
					(C)radioecology;
					(D)effects of climate variability and change
			 on ecosystems;
					(E)ecosystem science;
					(F)pollution fate and transport
			 research;
					(G)surface and groundwater modeling;
			 and
					(H)environmental impacts of development and
			 use of energy generation technologies, including renewable energy technologies;
			 and
					(2)public education and outreach activities
			 consistent with subsection (d).
				(c)Cooperative agreementTo ensure the independence of the research,
			 monitoring, public education, and outreach activities conducted on each site,
			 the Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with a university,
			 community college, or consortium of institutions of higher education with
			 expertise in ecology and environmental science of the region in which the
			 National Environmental Research Park is located.
			(d)Environmental education and
			 outreachEach site shall
			 support an outreach program to inform the public of the diverse ecological
			 activities conducted at the park and to educate students at various levels in
			 environmental science. Program activities may include—
				(1)on-site and in-classroom education programs
			 for elementary and secondary students;
				(2)presentations to school, civic, and
			 professional groups;
				(3)exhibits at local and regional
			 events;
				(4)development of educational projects and
			 materials for students at all levels;
				(5)undergraduate and community college
			 internships and graduate research opportunities; and
				(6)regularly scheduled public tours.
				(e)CoordinationThe Secretary of Energy shall designate a
			 National Environmental Research Park Coordinator within the Department of
			 Energy Office of Science. The Coordinator shall—
				(1)coordinate research activities among the
			 National Environmental Research Parks as appropriate;
				(2)ensure that information on best practices
			 for research, education, and outreach activities is shared among the sites;
			 and
				(3)serve as liaison to other Federal agencies
			 to facilitate collaborative work at the Parks.
				(f)Authorization of
			 appropriationsThere are
			 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy, acting through the
			 Director of the Office of Science, for carrying out this section $30,000,000,
			 including $5,000,000 for each National Environmental Research Park, for each of
			 the fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
			3.SavingsNothing in this Act shall be construed to
			 limit the activities that the Federal Government may carry out or authorize on
			 a site on which a National Environmental Research Park is located.
		4.Summer institutes programThe National Environmental Research Parks
			 may be utilized to provide educational opportunities through the Summer
			 Institutes program authorized in section 3185 of the Department of Energy
			 Science Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C.
			 7381n).

			Passed the House of
			 Representatives July 21, 2009.
			Lorraine C. Miller,
			Clerk.


		IV
		111th CONGRESS
		1st Session
		H. RES. 576
		IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

			June 23, 2009
			Mr. Sestak (for
			 himself, Mr. Van Hollen,
			 Mr. McCaul, and
			 Mr. Tiberi) submitted the following
			 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
			 Commerce

		RESOLUTION
		Expressing support for designation of
		  September 12, 2009, as National Childhood Cancer Awareness
		  Day.

		Whereas childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by
			 disease for children in the United States;
		Whereas an estimated 12,500 children in this Nation are
			 diagnosed with cancer each year;
		Whereas an estimated 2,300 children in this Nation lose
			 their lives to cancer each year;
		Whereas the results of peer-reviewed clinical trials have
			 raised the standard of care and improved the 5-year cancer survival rate in
			 children to greater than 80 percent overall;
		Whereas more than 40,000 children and adolescents in the
			 United States currently are being treated for childhood cancers;
		Whereas up to 2/3 of childhood cancer
			 survivors are likely to experience at least one life-altering or
			 life-threatening late effect from treatment;
		Whereas childhood cancer occurs regularly and randomly and
			 spares no racial or ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region;
			 and
		Whereas, September 12, 2009, would be an appropriate date
			 to designate as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day: Now,
			 therefore, be it

		That the House of
			 Representatives—
			(1)supports the
			 designation of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day;
			(2)requests that the
			 Federal Government, States, localities, and nonprofit organizations observe the
			 day with appropriate programs and activities, with the goal of increasing
			 public knowledge of the risks of cancer;
			(3)recognizes the
			 profound toll a diagnosis of cancer has on children, families, and communities
			 and pledges to make its prevention and cure a public health priority;
			 and
			(4)urges public and
			 private sector efforts to promote awareness, invest in research, and improve
			 treatments for childhood cancer.