zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Public Online Information Act of 2013 - Establishes a Public Online Information Advisory Committee to: (1) coordinate and encourage the government's efforts to make information from all three branches of government available on the Internet, and (2) issue and update nonbinding guidelines on how the government should make public information available.

Directs the government to make public records available on the Internet at no charge, except as imposed by federal law before this Act's enactment. Requires: (1) public records to be permanently available on the Internet; (2) current information technology capabilities to be applied to the means by which records are made available and to the formats in which they are available; (3) public records to be made accessible through programs and equipment that are readily available to the general public; and (4) each agency to publish on the Internet a comprehensive, searchable, machine processable list of all records it makes publicly available.

Delineates the roles of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government, and the chief information officers of independent regulatory agencies, including granting narrow case-by-case exceptions to the Internet publication requirement if an agency requests an exception and demonstrates that: (1) there is clear and convincing evidence that the record should not be made available on the Internet, and (2) on balance the harm caused by disclosure significantly outweighs the public's interest in having the record available on the Internet.

Directs the Inspector General of each agency to conduct periodic reviews regarding agency compliance with Internet publication requirements. Sets forth provisions regarding enforcement of public access by private individuals or organizations.

Urges: (1) judicial and legislative agencies to adopt or adapt the Advisory Committee's recommendations, and (2) the Government Printing Office (GPO) to make all of its publications permanently available on the Internet in a multiplicity of formats.

Date: 2013-03-13
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Requires the President's annual buget submission to Congress to provide an estimate of the pro rata cost to individuals who file an income tax return of any projected deficit for the fiscal year.

Date: 2013-03-14
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Economics and public finance
No Budget, No OMB Pay Act of 2013 - Requires the Inspector General (IG) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), within three days after the President's budget is due, to: (1) make an annual determination of whether the Director of OMB and the President are in compliance with the statutory requirement for the President's budget submission to Congress, and (2) notify the Chairpersons of the congressional budget and appropriations committees of that determination.

Prohibits funds from being appropriated or otherwise made available from the U.S. Treasury for the pay of the Director of OMB, Deputy Director of OMB, and the Deputy Director for Management of OMB during any noncompliant period determined by the IG.

Bars such individuals from receiving any retroactive pay for any such period.

Date: 2013-03-20
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Restoring Honesty for our Economy Act - Prohibits a proposed economically significant regulation from being finalized unless such regulation: (1) identifies and quantifies all costs associated with it, or (2) describes why it is not possible for the agency to identify or quantify all such costs. Permits any person to file a petition for judicial review of such agency action.

Defines "economically significant regulation" as one that: (1) has an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; or (2) adversely affects in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or state, local, or tribal governments or communities.

Date: 2013-04-23
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act - Requires the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to cease all activity that requires a quorum of Board members. Prohibits the Board from appointing any personnel or implementing, administering, or enforcing any decision, rule, vote, or other action decided, undertaken, adopted, issued, or finalized on or after January 4, 2012, that requires a quorum of the Board members.

Terminates the requirements of this Act upon: (1) confirmation of all Board members constituting a quorum with the advice and consent of the Senate, (2) a decision by the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of Board appointments made in January 2012, or (3) the adjournment sine die of the first session of the 113th Congress.

Prohibits, in the event of this Act's termination, the implementation, administration, or enforcement of any Board action or appointment occurring on or after January 4, 2012, that requires authorization by not less than a quorum of the Board members, unless and until the action is considered and acted upon by a Board constituting a quorum, or the Supreme Court issues a decision on the constitutionality of the Board appointments made in January 2012.

Date: 2013-04-25
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Labor and employment
Intergenerational Financial Obligations Reform Act or INFORM Act - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to provide certain information on any legislation or resolution considered in either chamber which would impact revenues or mandatory spending by greater than 0.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) over the following 10-fiscal-year period, and upon request by the Chairmen or Ranking Members of the congressional budget committees.

Requires such information to comprise:

 a fiscal gap and generational accounting analysis, including any change in the analysis relative to the baseline; and the federal deficit, at current spending levels, in the fiscal year that is 75 years after the fiscal year in which the legislation is being considered, as well as the stock of the debt in that 75th year. Requires: (1) CBO to produce an annual fiscal gap and generational accounting analysis within its annual "Long-Term Budget Outlook" and post it on the CBO public website, and (2) the Comptroller General to produce a separate similar analysis within its annual "Long-Term Fiscal Outlook" and post it on the General Accountability Office (GAO) public website.

Requires the President's budget submission to Congress to include:

 a fiscal gap and generational accounting analysis of the full budget proposal; the same kind of analysis of specific policy changes that would impact revenues or mandatory spending by greater than 0.5% of GDP over the following 10-fiscal year period; and the federal deficit, at current spending levels, in the fiscal year that is 75 years after the fiscal year in which the legislation is being considered, as well as the stock of the debt in that 75th year.

Date: 2013-07-24
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Economics and public finance
Enumerated Powers Act - Requires each Act of Congress, bill, resolution, conference report, or amendment to contain a concise explanation of the specific constitutional authority relied upon as the basis for enacting each portion of the measure.

Permits a statement of constitutionality, to the extent that a measure limits or abolishes any federal activity, spending, or power overall, to cite the 9th or the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Declares that invoking one or more specified parts of the following clauses in a statement of constitutionality is not sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Act: (1) the enumerated spending clause; (2) the necessary and proper clause; or (3) the commerce clause for any purpose other than the regulation of the buying and selling of goods or services, or their transportation, across boundaries with foreign nations, across state lines, or with the Indian tribes.

Declares that failure to comply with this requirement shall give rise to a point of order in either chamber.

Date: 2013-07-31
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Show Your Exemption Act - Requires the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives and the Financial Clerk of the Senate to make publicly available the determinations of each Member of the House of Representatives and each Senator regarding the designation of their congressional staff (including leadership and committee staff) as "official" for purposes of requiring such staff to enroll in health insurance coverage provided through a health benefit exchange as required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Requires the failure to designate any staff as "official" to be noted in the determination along with a statement that such failure permits the staff involved to remain in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

Date: 2013-10-31
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Write the Laws Act - Prohibits an Act of Congress from containing any delegation of legislative powers, whether to: (1) any component within the legislative branch, (2) the President or any other member of the executive branch, (3) the judicial branch, (4) any agency, (5) any quasi-public agency, (6) any state or state instrumentality, or (7) any other organization or individual.

Excludes from the meaning of delegation of legislative powers the issuance of presidential proclamations, or issuance of rules or regulations governing the internal operation of federal agencies, or conditions made upon grants or contracts issued by agencies.

Prohibits the promulgation or putting into effect of any new presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation, or change to an existing presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation governing, limiting, imposing a penalty on, or otherwise regulating any activity of any individual or entity, other than a federal officer or employee, unless it is authorized by an Act of Congress that complies with this Act.

Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to identify to Congress all statutes enacted within 90 days after enactment of this Act which contain any delegation of legislative powers prohibited by it.

Denies any force or effect to any Act of Congress, presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation noncompliant with this Act. Prohibits any legal, equitable, regulatory, civil, or criminal action from being brought under such an Act, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation.

Grants persons aggrieved by the action of any executive branch officer or employee the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against enforcement of any Act of Congress, presidential directive, adjudicative decision, rule, or regulation noncompliant with this Act.

Date: 2013-11-07
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
One Subject at a Time Act - Requires: (1) each bill or joint resolution to embrace no more than one subject, and (2) the subject to be clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title.

Prohibits an appropriations bill from containing any general legislation or change of existing law requirement, if its subject is not germane to the subject of such bill.

Declares void: (1) an entire Act or joint resolution if its title addresses two or more unrelated subjects, (2) provisions in legislation not clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title, (3) appropriation provisions in legislation outside the relevant subcommittee's jurisdiction, and (4) provisions of appropriation bills not germane to their subject matter.

Grants aggrieved persons and Members of Congress the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against the enforcement of any law the passage of which did not conform to this Act.

Date: 2013-11-07
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Read the Bills Act - Requires any bill or resolution introduced in either chamber of Congress to contain a provision citing the specific powers granted to Congress in the Constitution to enact the proposed measure, including all of its provisions.

Requires any measure introduced in either chamber, intended to amend or modify the effect of, or which would have such an effect, any current provision of law, including its expiration date, to set forth: (1) the current version of the entire section of the current law that the measure proposes to amend, verbatim; (2) the amendments being proposed by the measure; and (3) the section of law as it would read as modified by such amendments. Excludes measures which would strike the text of an entire section of a law.

Prohibits the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate from accepting legislation if it is noncompliant with these requirements.

Applies such requirements to any legislation presented for consideration on the floor of either chamber.

Prohibits any noncompliant measure from being submitted for a vote on final passage.

Prohibits either chamber or Congress jointly from waiving or modifying these requirements.

Bars a vote on final passage of a measure (except private bills) from occurring in either chamber, unless: (1) the full text of the measure is published at least seven days before the vote on an official website of each chamber, (2) public notice of the specific calendar week during which the vote is scheduled to take place is posted on the respective website within six days before the Monday of such week, and (3) there is a reading of its full text verbatim by the Clerk or the Secretary to the respective chamber.

Requires a Member of Congress, before voting in favor of final passage of any measure (except a private bill) to sign an affidavit, executed under penalty of perjury, that the Member either: (1) was present throughout the entire reading of each such measure, and listened attentively to such reading in its entirety; or (2) before such vote, read attentively each such measure in its entirety.

Prohibits either chamber or Congress jointly from waiving or modifying this requirement.

Declares that an Act of Congress noncompliant with this Act shall have no force or effect. Bars any legal, equitable, regulatory, civil, or criminal action from being brought under such Act.

Grants the following aggrieved individuals the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against the enforcement of any law, the passage of which did not conform to this Act: (1) persons aggrieved by an action of any executive officer or employee, (2) Members of Congress, and (3) persons individually aggrieved by the failure of his or her Senator or Member of the House of Representatives to fulfill their obligation under this Act.

Date: 2013-11-07
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Jobs Score Act of 2013 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of any public bill or resolution reported from a congressional committee (except each chamber's Committee on Appropriations) to estimate the number of jobs which would be created, sustained, or lost in carrying out such measure in the fiscal year in which it is to become effective and in each of the four ensuing fiscal years, together with the basis for each such estimate.

Date: 2013-12-17
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Economics and public finance
Constitutional Check and Balance Act - Authorizes any Member of Congress who casts a recorded vote on final passage of a version of a bill or joint resolution enacting a provision into law to bring an action for declaratory or injunctive relief in an appropriate U.S. district court to compel an executive branch official to enforce the provision, if the President or any other executive branch official issues a memorandum or other written statement directing the official to not enforce it.

Date: 2014-02-27
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of the Law Act of 2014 or the ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014 - Authorizes either chamber of Congress, upon adoption of a resolution declaring that the President or any officer or employee of the United States has established or implemented a policy, practice, or procedure to refrain from enforcing, applying, following, or administering any federal statute, rule, regulation, program, policy, or other law in violation of the constitutional requirement that the President faithfully execute the laws of the United States, to bring a civil action for a declaratory judgment to that effect.

Grants jurisdiction to a three-judge panel of a U.S. district court to hear such civil action and provides for an expedited direct appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Date: 2014-03-12
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
War Powers Against Non-State Actors Act of 2014 - Amends the War Powers Resolution to declare that the authority to use U.S. Armed Forces against non-state actors would terminate 60 days after submission of a specified presidential report explaining that use, unless: (1) the President's actions are based on a law providing for the use of military force against a non-state actor; or (2) the President notifies Congress that continued use of military force is necessary because the non-state actor poses a continuing and imminent threat to the United States or U.S. persons, and Congress does not enact a joint resolution of disapproval under expedited procedures.

Date: 2014-12-16
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: International affairs
Congressional Accountability Pay Act

 Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to revise the method of adjusting the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress.

Requires a decrease in the rate of pay for each Member by a specified percentage if outlays for any fiscal year are greater than outlays for the preceding fiscal year.

Amends the Federal Salary Act of 1967 to require that recommendations by the Citizens' Commission on Public Service and Compensation conform with this Act, except those for the salaries of the Chief Justice of the United States, judges of U.S. district courts, and judges of the U.S. Court of International Trade.

Date: 2015-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Prohibiting Taxpayer-Funded Monuments to Members of Congress Act

Prohibits any real property under the jurisdiction of the federal government or constructed using federal funds from being named after, or otherwise officially identified by the name of, any Member of Congress.

Date: 2015-01-09
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Constitutional Check and Balance Act

 Authorizes any Member of Congress who casts a recorded vote on final passage of a version of a bill or joint resolution enacting a provision into law to bring an action for declaratory or injunctive relief in an appropriate U.S. district court to compel an executive branch official to enforce the provision, if the President or any other executive branch official issues a memorandum or other written statement directing the official to not enforce it.

Date: 2015-01-22
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Congress is Not a Career Act

 Redefines "Member of Congress" under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) with respect to the exclusion from the meaning of "Member" of any Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress, who opts out of FERS, but only if he or she served as a Member before the enactment of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004. Repeals the requirement of service before enactment of such Act. Allows Members to opt out of FERS benefits regardless of when they have been elected.

Amends the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Agency Contributions requirements to permit a Member of Congress to elect irrevocably, by written notice to the official by whom such Member is paid, not to receive TSP contributions.

Date: 2015-01-22
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
War Powers Reform Act

Amends the War Powers Resolution to direct the President in every possible instance to submit to Congress before introducing U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities or situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated a written report setting forth the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement.

Directs the President, in the absence of a declaration of war or a specific statutory authorization (currently, only in the absence of a declaration of war), to submit a written report to Congress within 48 hours when the Armed Forces are introduced into hostilities or foreign nations under specified circumstances and requires that such report include the circumstances necessitating the introduction, the constitutional and legislative authority under which such introduction took place, and the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement.

Repeals an existing framework under which the President is required to terminate, within 60 days, subject to a possible 30-day extension, any use of Armed Forces with respect to which the President has submitted (or is required to submit) a report concerning the introduction of Armed Forces into hostilities in the absence of a declaration of war, unless: (1) Congress declares war or enacts specific authorization, (2) extends the 60-day period, or (3) is physically unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States. Strikes provisions concerning congressional action to remove Armed Forces engaged in hostilities without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization.

Replaces such framework with a process that prohibits funds available for the Armed Forces from being obligated or expended for introducing the Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated, in the absence of: (1) a declaration of war; (2) specific statutory authorization; or (3) a national emergency created by an attack or imminent threat of attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Armed Forces.

Date: 2015-01-27
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Ensuring Trust and Honorability in Congressional Standards Act of 2015 or the ETHICS Act of 2015

Requires the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives to conduct ongoing ethics training and awareness programs for Members, officers, and employees of the House.

Requires a Member, officer, or employee who serves in or is employed by the House, during each session of Congress, to complete a Committee program by the last day of the session, except that:

 an individual who did not serve or who was not employed in the previous session of Congress, or whose service or employment begins after the first day of the session, must complete the program within 60 days after that service or employment begins; and during the session in which this Act is enacted into law, each Member, officer, and employee must complete the program by the last day of the session or 60 days after the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs earlier.

Date: 2015-02-24
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2016

 (Sec. 2) This bill requires each presidential library fundraising organization to submit quarterly reports to the National Archives and Records Administration (National Archives) on every contributor who gave the organization a contribution or contributions (whether monetary or in-kind) totaling $200 or more for the quarterly period.

 The Archivist of the United States shall publish such information on the website of the National Archives within 30 days after each quarterly filing.

 It shall be unlawful for contributors or fundraising organizations knowingly and willfully to submit false information or omit material information. Prescribes criminal penalties for violation of this prohibition.

(Sec. 3) No additional funds are authorized to carry out this Act's requirements. Such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized.

Date: 2015-02-25
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Stop Hiding Congressional Farm Subsidies Act 

This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publicly disclose crop insurance premium subsidies paid on behalf of Members of Congress and their immediate families, Cabinet Secretaries and their immediate families, or entities of which any of these individuals is a majority shareholder.

 USDA must publicly disclose for private insurance providers: (1) underwriting gains earned through participation in the federal crop insurance program; and (2) amounts paid for administrative and operating expenses, any federal portion of indemnities and reinsurance, and any other purpose.

Date: 2015-03-04
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Amends the federal criminal code to provide for a fine, up to six months' imprisonment, or both, for: (1) knowingly transferring for money or property a ticket to a presidential inaugural ceremony (a public inaugural ceremony at which the President elect or Vice President elect take the oath or affirmation of office), except for a transfer that occurs after the date on which the ceremony for which the ticket was issued takes place; (2) knowingly, falsely, and with intent to defraud, making, forging, counterfeiting, or altering a ticket to such ceremony; or (3) with intent to defraud, entering or attempting to enter such a ceremony with a ticket, knowing that ticket to have been falsely made, forged, counterfeited, or altered.

Date: 2015-03-16
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Ending Special Mail Privileges for Congress Act

 Amends federal postal law to repeal franking privileges for mail transmitted by Members of Congress and congressional officials. Requires the mail to be transmitted as congressional mail.

Replaces requirements and procedures for the use of franked mail with those for congressional mail.

Repeals franked mailing privileges for survivors of Members of Congress.

Requires a former President and his or her surviving spouse to send nonpolitical mail within the United States and its territories and possessions as congressional mail instead of franked mail.

Date: 2015-04-16
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Social Security Administration Accountability Act of 2015

 Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act to require the Commissioner of Social Security to submit an annual budget estimate of the Social Security Administration (SSA) (instead of a budget) directly to Congress and the President (instead of first to the President, who would submit it to Congress).

Revises requirements for the general contents of the SSA budget, requiring inclusion of the number of cases pending at each hearing office and the average processing time.

Prohibits the Commissioner from closing or consolidating SSA field or hearing offices, or otherwise limiting public access to one, until 180 days after submitting to specified congressional committees a detailed report outlining and justifying the process for selecting field offices to be closed, consolidated, or otherwise have limited access.

Prohibits the Commissioner from closing an SSA field or hearing office, consolidating two or more such offices, or otherwise imposing any new limitation on public access to any such office unless the Commissioner follows certain administrative procedures.

Date: 2015-04-30
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Immigration
Coach-Only Airfare for Capitol Hill Act of 2015

Prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the official travel of a Member of Congress or other officer or employee of the legislative branch for airline accommodations which are not coach-class accommodations.

Makes an exception to this prohibition for an individual if the use would be permitted for an employee of an agency subject to specified federal regulations for temporary duty travel allowances.

Date: 2015-05-01
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Eliminate Special Treatment for Congress Act

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the $3,000 limitation on the tax deduction allowed to Members of Congress for ordinary and necessary business expenses.

Date: 2015-05-01
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Taxation
Requires the Joint Committee on the Library to: (1) accept from the District of Columbia the donation of a statue depicting Pierre L'Enfant, subject to appropriate terms and conditions; and (2) place the statue in a suitable permanent location in the U.S.Capitol.

Date: 2015-06-18
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Build a Better VA Act

This bill prohibits funds from being appropriated for any fiscal year for a major medical facility lease unless the House and Senate Veterans Committees adopt resolutions approving the lease.

Date: 2015-06-25
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Constituent Services Disclosure Act of 2015

This bill amends the House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act to prohibit the availability of 20% of the Members' Representational Allowance to a Member's office unless it provides certain free assistance with respect to:

 passports; individual federal income tax returns; 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status applications; benefits under titles XVIII (Medicare), II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance), and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act; student loans; and veterans' benefits or other laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Each Member's office must make publicly available in print or on its congressional website all the constituent services it provides.

It is the sense of Congress that private companies that provide the same or similar assistance to individuals as described in the House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act (as amended by this Act) should disclose that such assistance could be provided free by the office of a Member of the House of Representatives.

Date: 2015-07-21
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
This bill prohibits action involving any measure of statutory sanctions relief by the United States unless the Senate provides its advice and consent to ratification of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) under article II, section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.

(The JCPA is the agreement signed at Vienna July 14, 2015, by Iran, China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and all related implementing materials and agreements.)

Date: 2015-07-23
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: International affairs
Congressional Intern Protection Act of 2015

This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to extend its rights and protections from workplace harassment and discrimination to current or former interns, or applicants for internships in the legislative branch, who perform uncompensated voluntary service for an employing office to earn credit awarded by an educational institution or to learn a trade or occupation.

Date: 2015-07-28
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Earmark Elimination Act of 2015

Makes it out of order in the House of Representatives to consider a bill, joint resolution, or any other measure that includes a congressional earmark or limited tax or tariff benefit.

Makes a conforming amendment to Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

Date: 2015-07-29
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Congress Leads by Example Act of 2015

This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to grant the Office of Compliance (OOC) subpoena authority under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) for inspections and investigations in offices covered by the CAA (Congressional offices and committees, the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, the Capitol Police, the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the Office of the Attending Physician, and the OOC) and in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Library of Congress (LOC).

CAA-covered offices, the GAO, and the LOC are subject to OSH Act recordkeeping requirements and may not: (1) retaliate against employees for requesting OOC action or for instituting or testifying in any proceeding that arises from the application of the OSH Act to that office, (2) fire an employee because the employee's earnings have been garnished for any one debt, or (3) discriminate against an employee for being a debtor or bankrupt.

Whistle-blower protections are extended to employees of CAA-covered offices, the GAO, and the LOC.

CAA-covered offices must: (1) retain records necessary to administer certain rights and protections of employees under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; and (2) post conspicuously all notices describing employee rights and protections under federal law.

This bill amends the federal judicial code to extend protections for jurors' employment to CAA-covered offices, the GAO, the Government Publishing Office, and the LOC.

Date: 2015-09-16
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Unnecessary Government Printing Reform Act of 2015

This bill requires the Government Publishing Office (GPO) to make any document of the House of Representatives or Senate available only in an electronic format accessible through the Internet, and prohibits printing or distribution of a printed copy.

 Upon the request of any person to whom GPO would have been required to provide a printed copy before this requirement, GPO may print and distribute it for the person's use, except that:

 the number of printed copies may not exceed the number GPO would have provided had this requirement not been in effect; and GPO may print and distribute copies to the person only upon payment of printing and distributing costs. Any Member of Congress office shall be exempt from these requirements.

Members and committees providing documents in electronic format are deemed to have met requirements of House and Senate rules and regulations with respect to distribution of printed copies of any document (including bills or resolutions).

Date: 2015-09-18
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Terms of Credit Act 

This bill establishes expedited legislative procedures for spending reduction legislation, limits regulatory activity, and increases the debt limit.

Eleven House committees must submit to the House Budget Committee legislation to reduce direct spending by specified amounts, and Congress must consider the legislation using expedited procedures. The bill restricts legislative activities and adjournment of the House until the spending reduction legislation and appropriations legislation is passed.

Congress must vote on a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution by December 31, 2015.

Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act of 2015 

Until July 1, 2017, the bill imposes a moratorium on significant regulatory actions that are likely to result in an annual cost to the economy of at least $50 million or adversely affect the economy or a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, small entities, or state, local, or tribal governments or communities.

Midnight Rule Relief Act of 2015 

Agencies may not propose or finalize certain rules during the final months of a President's term.

The bill includes an exception for repealing existing regulations and permits waivers for specified regulations.

The bill also increases the debt limit to $19.6 trillion. (Under current law the debt limit is suspended through March 15, 2017, and will be increased on March 16, 2017, to accommodate obligations issued during the suspension period.)

Date: 2015-10-20
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Library of Congress Administrative Reform Act of 2015

This bill authorizes the Library of Congress (LOC) to purchase, maintain, or replace reproducers for books published either in raised characters, on sound-reproduction recordings, or in any other form (currently limited to reproducers of sound-reproduction recordings) for the use of the blind and for other physically disabled U.S. residents.

The bill establishes the Library of Congress National Collection Stewardship Fund, whose amounts may be used directly for preparing collection materials for long-term storage.

The use of the LOC revolving fund associated with the national audiovisual conservation center shall include preservation and storage of audiovisual materials and associated collections.

Use of the LOC revolving fund currently devoted to the gift shop, decimal classification, photo duplication, and related services shall extend to traveling exhibitions and exhibition materials as well as to training services.

The Federal Library and Information Network (FEDLINK) program shall provide specified services on behalf of tribal governments.

The types of gifts the LOC may accept shall include bequests of personal property, nonpersonal services, voluntary and uncompensated personal services, or securities.

The bill also provides for the continued service on the Joint Committee on the Library in a new Congress of Members of Congress who served on such Committee in a previous Congress.

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
(Sec. 1) This bill requires the Librarian of Congress, concurrently with the planned renovation and replacement of such panels, to obtain a stained glass panel depicting the seal of the District of Columbia and install it among the existing panels that depict the seals of states that overlook the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building.

Date: 2015-12-10
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Read the Bill Act

This bill prohibits consideration of any bill or resolution in the House of Representatives or the Senate unless its text is published on an official website of the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate at least the applicable minimum number of hours (excluding those in which the chamber is not in session) before consideration of the bill or resolution, namely:

 72 hours, for text of 300 or fewer pages; or for text of more than 300 pages, the sum of 72 hours plus 24 hours for each additional increment of text of 100 or fewer pages. Whenever a House or Senate Committee reports a bill or joint resolution proposing to repeal or amend all or part of a statute, it must include in its report or in an accompanying document:

 the entire text of each section of the statute proposed to be repealed or amended, and a comparative print of each amendment to the section of the statute that the bill or joint resolution proposes to make. Neither chamber, nor Congress jointly, may dispense with or otherwise waive or modify the requirements of this Act.

Any Act of Congress that was considered as a bill or resolution in the House or Senate in violation of this Act shall have no force or effect, and no legal, equitable, regulatory, civil, or criminal action may be brought under it.

Date: 2016-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
One Subject at a Time Act

 This bill requires: (1) each bill or joint resolution to embrace no more than one subject, and (2) the subject to be clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title.

The bill prohibits an appropriations bill from containing any general legislation or change of existing law requirement, if its subject is not germane to the subject of such bill.

The bill also declares void: (1) an entire Act or joint resolution if its title addresses two or more unrelated subjects, (2) provisions in legislation not clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title, (3) appropriation provisions in legislation outside the relevant subcommittee's jurisdiction, and (4) provisions of appropriation bills not germane to their subject matter.

Aggrieved persons and Members of Congress shall have the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against the enforcement of any law the passage of which did not conform to this Act.

Date: 2016-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
Do Your Job Act 

This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress if the chamber has not considered and voted on final passage of each regular appropriations bill before the beginning of the fiscal year.

The salaries are withheld until the earlier of the: (1) the date on which the chamber has considered and held votes on final passage of each of the bills, or (2) the last day of the Congress. In the House of Representatives, consideration of the bills must include permitting Members to offer amendments.

Date: 2016-02-04
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to specify that it covers employees of the Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China and the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (also known as the Helsinki Commission).

Date: 2016-02-11
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Midnight Rule Relief Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill prohibits a federal agency (excluding the Federal Election Commission, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the U.S. Postal Service) from proposing or finalizing any midnight rule unless the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget finds that it will not result in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices; (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete internationally; or (4) a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses.

The bill defines "midnight rule" as an agency statement of general applicability and future effect that is issued during the moratorium period, that is intended to have the force and effect of law, and that is designed to: (1) implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy; or (2) describe the procedure or practice requirements of an agency. The "moratorium period" begins on the day after the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in every fourth year succeeding a presidential election and extends through January 20 of the following year in which a President is not serving a consecutive term.

(Sec. 3) Such prohibition shall not apply to any deadline for, relating to, or involving any midnight rule that: (1) was established before the beginning of the moratorium period, and (2) is required to occur during the moratorium period.

(Sec. 4) The bill exempts any midnight rule that the President determines is necessary: (1) because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, (2) to enforce criminal laws, (3) to protect U.S. national security, or (4) to implement an international trade agreement. The moratorium does not apply to a midnight rule if the OIRA finds that such rule is limited to repealing an existing rule and certifies such finding in writing.

Date: 2016-02-25
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Government operations and politics
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Preservation Act

(Sec. 3) This bill prohibits any action to modify, abrogate, or replace the stipulations, agreements, and commitments contained in the Guantanamo Lease Agreements, or to impair or abandon the jurisdiction and control of the United States over United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, unless specifically authorized or otherwise provided by:

 a statute enacted on or after the enactment of this Act; a treaty ratified with the advice and consent of the Senate on or after enactment of this Act; or a modification of the Treaty Between the United States of America and Cuba signed at Washington, DC, on May 29, 1934, that is ratified with the advice and consent of the Senate on or after enactment of this Act. (Sec. 4) "Guantanamo Lease Agreements" means:

 the Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Cuba for the Lease to the United States of Lands in Cuba for coaling and naval stations, signed by the President of the United States on February 23, 1903; and the Lease to the United States by the Government of Cuba of Certain Areas of Land and Water for Naval or Coaling Stations, signed by the President of the United States on October 2, 1903.

Date: 2016-03-03
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Equal Access to Congressional Research Service Reports Act of 2016

This bill directs the Government Publishing Office (GPO) to establish and maintain a public website containing Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports, and an index, that are searchable, sortable, and downloadable (including in bulk), for which no fee may be charged.

The CRS Reports on the website shall include CRS Authorization of Appropriations Products, Appropriations Products, and any other written CRS product containing CRS research or analysis available for general congressional access on the CRS Congressional Intranet.

The website shall exclude any:

 custom product or service prepared in direct response to a request for custom analysis or research and not available for general congressional access on the CRS Congressional Intranet; CRS Reports, Authorization of Appropriations Products, or Appropriations Products not so available; or written CRS products that CRS has made available on a public website (besides this website) maintained by the GPO or the Library of Congress. The GPO shall ensure that the website is updated contemporaneously, automatically, and electronically to include each new or updated CRS Report.

Before transmitting a CRS Report to the GPO for publication on the website, CRS may remove the name of, and any contact information for, any CRS employee.

The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 is amended to require CRS to comply with this Act.

Date: 2016-03-03
Topic: Government Operations (Branch Relations)
Subject: Congress