zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Keep Our Pension Promises Act 

This bill repeals the elimination of the pension anti-cutback provisions under the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014. The anti-cutback provisions prohibit reductions in pension benefits to participants in multiemployer pension plans.

The bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow a plan sponsor of an eligible multiemployer plan to petition the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for a partition of a financially-troubled pension plan. PBGC is required to establish a legacy fund to cover the administrative and benefit costs resulting from a partition..

The bill amends the federal bankruptcy code to assign first claim priority to pension obligations under ERISA.

The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose a limit of $1 million on the exemption of the gain from the exchange of real property in a like kind exchange, (2) prohibit the use of like kind exchanges for collectibles, (3) establish estate valuation rules for certain transfers of nonbusiness assets, and (4) limit estate tax discounts for certain individuals with minority interests in a business acquired from a decedent.

Date: 2015-06-18
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Women's Pension Protection Act of 2015

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to: (1) extend spousal consent requirements to defined contribution pension plans, and (2) allow certain long-term part-time workers to participate in pension plans that include either a qualified cash or deferred arrangement or a salary reduction agreement.

Financial product or service providers who sell retirement financial products or services must provide purchasers of their products or services an easily accessible link to the website of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection to obtain information relating to retirement planning or later life economic security.

The Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor shall award grants to certain community-based organizations to improve the financial literacy of women who are working age or in retirement.

Date: 2015-09-30
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Pension Accountability Act

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to revise rules for voting on the suspension of pension benefits under multiemployer plans in endangered or critical status. The bill changes the voting procedure for suspending plan benefits to provide that a suspension shall go into effect unless a majority of plan participants and beneficiaries who cast a vote (currently, a majority of all plan participants and beneficiaries) reject the suspension. The bill also eliminates the authority of the Department of the Treasury, in the case of systemically important plans, to override a vote of plan participants to reject a suspension. A plan is systemically important if projected financial assistance to the plan will exceed $1 billion if suspensions are not implemented.

Date: 2015-10-07
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Church Plan Clarification Act of 2015 

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax treatment of church pension plans, to: (1) provide that an organization otherwise eligible to participate in a church plan shall not be aggregated with another such organization and treated as a single employer with it for pension benefit rules and testing purposes unless one such organization provides at least 80% of the operating funds for the other organization during the recipient organization's preceding tax year and there is a degree of common management or supervision between the organizations, and (2) allow transfers and mergers of qualified church retirement plans without tax consequences.

The bill amends the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 to adopt benefit accrual limitations for church defined benefits plans established before 1982.

The bill also: (1) preempts any state law relating to wage, salary, or payroll payment, collection, deduction, garnishment, assignment, or withholding that would prohibit or restrict the inclusion in any church plan of an automatic contribution arrangement; and (2) allows church plans and their supporting organizations to invest plan assets in a group trust (as defined by Internal Revenue Service Revenue Rulings).

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Taxation
American Savings Account Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to establish a new retirement option for all employees and self-employed individuals to be known as the American Savings Account Fund. This fund operates in a manner similar to the Thrift Savings Fund, which is available to federal employees.

The bill establishes an American Savings Account Board of Directors to establish policies for fund investment and management. The Board shall select or establish a list of investment funds and options similar to those in the Thrift Savings Fund, among which participants may choose.

The Board shall establish an American Savings Account Fund Advisory Council to advise the Board on matters relating to investment policies.

The American Savings Account Fund is tax-exempt and contributions to, or distributions from, it are excludible from gross income.

Date: 2016-01-28
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Encouraging Americans to Save Act 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax credit for retirement savings contributions to: (1) make such credit refundable; (2) allow individual taxpayers (excluding dependents and full-time students) who have attained age 18 as of the close of the taxable year a credit for 50% of their retirement savings contributions up to $1,000; (3) increase the maximum income threshold for determining eligibility for the credit; and (4) allow direct deposit of credit amounts into the taxpayer's retirement savings vehicle (e.g., MyRA or Roth IRA account).

The Department of the Treasury shall educate taxpayers on the benefits of the credit for retirement savings contributions.

Date: 2016-02-03
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Taxation
Affordable Retirement Advice Protection Act

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to define "investment advice," as it relates to fiduciary duties under such Act, as a recommendation that relates to: (1) the advisability of acquiring, holding, disposing, or exchanging any moneys or other property of a pension plan (or Individual Retirement Account) by the plan, plan participants, or plan beneficiaries, including any recommendation regarding whether to take a distribution of benefits from the plan or any recommendation relating to a rollover or distribution from such plan; (2) the management of moneys or other property of the plan, including recommendations relating to the management of plan assets to be rolled over or otherwise distributed from the plan; or (3) the advisability of retaining or ceasing to retain a person who would receive a fee or other compensation for providing investment advice. Investment advice must be rendered pursuant to either: (1) a written acknowledgment of the obligation of the investment advisor to act in accordance with fiduciary standards under ERISA; or (2) a mutual agreement, arrangement, or understanding that may include limitations on scope, timing, and responsibility to provide ongoing monitoring or advice services.

The bill allows an exemption from ERISA prohibited transactions rules for investment advice: (1) for which no more than reasonable compensation is paid; or (2) that is based on a limited range of investment options or may result in variable income to the investment advisor if a clearly-stated notice is provided to the advice recipient that the same or similar investments may be available at a greater or lesser cost from other sources.

The bill prohibits the Department of Labor from amending any rules or administrative positions regarding investment advice promulgated under ERISA and no such rules or administrative positions promulgated prior to the enactment date of this Act, but not effective on January 1, 2015, may become effective unless a bill or joint resolution specifically approving such rules or positions is enacted not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.

Date: 2016-02-04
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Keep Estimated Extra Payments Act 

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to permit the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and the Department of Labor to elect not to recoup overpayments of benefits to participants in multiemployer and single employer pension plans.

(The PBGC is a federal government agency created by ERISA to protect the pensions of participants and beneficiaries covered by private-sector, defined benefit pension plans.)

Date: 2016-04-04
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Pension Fund Integrity Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require salary reductions for certain employees of systemically important multiemployer pension plans that are in critical or declining status and that reduce participant benefits.

When a benefit suspension is in effect, any compensation paid to employees of a plan that exceeds the amounts specified in this bill is a prohibited transaction that is subject to a tax to be paid by the plan sponsor.

If a plan is in endangered, critical, or critical and declining status, payments for lobbying and political expenses for any person other than an employee of the plan are prohibited transactions and subject to a tax to be paid by the plan sponsor.

Date: 2016-04-28
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Graduate Student Savings Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow funds paid to an individual to aid in the pursuit of graduate or postdoctoral study or research to be saved in an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). The bill permits the funds to be considered compensation for purposes of current law provisions that limit annual deductible IRA contributions to the lesser of: (1) the deductible amount permitted under current law, or (2) the compensation includible in the individual's gross income for the year.

Date: 2016-06-07
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Taxation
Retirement Savings Lost and Found Act of 2016 

This bill requires the Department of the Treasury and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to create an online Retirement Savings Lost and Found (RSLF) to assist individuals in locating certain employer-sponsored retirement accounts. The RSLF must provide plan participants or beneficiaries only with the ability to view contact information for the administrator of a plan that is sufficient to locate the plan.

The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to set forth additional reporting and notification requirements for retirement plans.

Treasury and the SSA must take precautions to: (1) safeguard the privacy and security of participants' plan information, and (2) permit plan participants to opt out of inclusion in the RSLF.

The bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the IRC to revise provisions that permit mandatory distributions of the balances of small retirement accounts using a rollover into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). The bill modifies the investment options available for the distributions and increases the maximum account balance that may be subject to such a distribution.

A plan must transfer unclaimed mandatory distributions that are $1,000 or less to the RSLF or to an IRA established by the Department of the Treasury. The RSLF must invest funds received in Treasury securities and distribute the balance upon receiving an application from a plan participant or beneficiary.

Date: 2016-06-21
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Pilot Pension Relief Act of 2016 

This bill revises the method for calculating the maximum guaranteed benefits required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) for participants in the pilot's pension plan that was sponsored by United Airlines and terminated under ERISA on December 30, 2004.

Date: 2016-07-14
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
This bill requires the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Labor to cooperate to modify specified returns required for deferred compensation plans and other employee benefit plans to permit all members of a group of plans to file a single aggregated annual return or report satisfying the requirements of both the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

The requirement applies to a group in which all of the plans:

 are individual account plans or defined contribution plans; have the same trustee, the same one or more named fiduciaries, the same administrator, and plan years beginning on the same date; and provide the same investments or investment options to participants and beneficiaries. The bill also specifies that, for the purposes of applying the numerical limitations related to the electronic filing of returns for deferred compensation plans, each plan for which information is provided on the return must be treated as a separate return.

Date: 2016-09-08
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Taxation
Small Business Employee Retirement Savings Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the tax treatment of retirement plans for small employers with no more than 100 employees. The bill: (1) increases from $500 to $5,000 the limit on the amount of the tax credit for small employer pension plan startup costs, and (2) allows a three-year $500 business-related tax credit for small employers that include and maintain an automatic contribution arrangement in an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

The bill also removes the 10% cap on the amount of an employee's wages that an employer may contribute to a retirement plan under an automatic contribution arrangement.

Date: 2016-09-15
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Taxation
State Retirement Savings Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to authorize and establish requirements for: (1) state-sponsored multiple employer retirement plans, and (2) state-managed payroll deduction savings programs that provide individual retirement plans.

Date: 2016-09-22
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
Receiving Electronic Statements To Improve Retiree Earnings Act 

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the electronic delivery of pension plan documents required to be furnished to a plan participant, beneficiary, or other individual.

The system for furnishing such a document must: (1) be designed to result in effective access to the document, (2) permit the recipient to select the electronic means through which the document is received or request paper documents, and (3) protect the confidentiality of personal information.

An annual paper notice must be provided describing the selection of electronic means for furnishing documents and any election that has been made to receive paper documents.

An electronically furnished document must be prepared and furnished in a manner that is consistent with the style, format, and content requirements for the document. It must also include a notice that apprises the individual of the significance of the document when it is not otherwise reasonably evident as transmitted.

The bill specifies that: (1) documents may continue to be furnished electronically under laws, regulations, or guidance prescribed by the Department of Labor or the Department of the Treasury prior to enactment of this bill; and (2) the departments may prescribe additional methods for furnishing documents.

Date: 2016-09-28
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Taxation
Small Business Survival from Disaster Act

This bill postpones from December 1, 2016, until December 1, 2018, the effective date of final rule of the Department of Labor revising income thresholds for determining overtime pay for executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, and computer ("white collar") employees exempt from regular minimum wage and overtime pay requirements with respect to any states in which, after August 14, 2016, the President has declared that a major disaster exists.

Date: 2016-09-28
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Miners Protection Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) to transfer certain funds to the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan and the 1974 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Pension Plan to provide health and pension benefits to retired coal miners and their families.

The bill expands the group whose retiree health benefits are taken into account in determining the amount that the Department of the Treasury must transfer from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund and the General Fund of the Treasury to the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan.

(Under current law, transfers are calculated by taking into account beneficiaries that actually enrolled in the plan as of December 31, 2006, and who are eligible to receive benefits under the plan on the first day of the calendar year for which the transfer is made.)

The expanded group includes: (1) beneficiaries actually enrolled in the plan as of the date of enactment of this bill and who are eligible for benefits on the first day of the calendar year for which the transfer is made, and (2) beneficiaries whose health benefits would be denied or reduced as a result of a bankruptcy proceeding commenced in 2012 or 2015.

A voluntary employees' beneficiary association (VEBA) established as a result of a bankruptcy proceeding described above must transfer to the plan any amounts received as a result of the bankruptcy proceeding, reduced by the amount of the VEBA's administrative costs. Transfers by Treasury are reduced by the amount of the VEBA transfers.

Treasury must also transfer additional funds to the 1974 UMWA Pension Plan to pay pension benefits required under that plan if the amounts available for transfer under SMCRA's $490 million annual limit exceed the amounts required to be transferred for other purposes (including to the UMWA Health Plans).

The bill also: (1) prohibits the pension plan from making certain changes to benefits during any year in which a transfer is received, and (2) establishes additional reporting requirements for the plan.

The bill repeals requirements for current and former signatories to labor agreements with the UMWA to pay unassigned beneficiaries premiums or backstop premiums if transfers under SMCRA are less than the amount required to be transferred.

As an offset, the bill amends the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to extend the authority of Treasury to collect certain customs user fees.

Date: 2016-11-16
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Labor and employment
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to modify requirements for tax-favored retirement savings accounts, employer-provided retirement plans, and retirement benefits for federal judges.

With respect to employer-provided plans, the bill modifies requirements regarding:

 multiple employer plans, automatic enrollment and nonelective contributions, hardship withdrawals, loans, rollovers, terminating or transferring plans, reporting and disclosure rules, nondiscrimination rules, selecting lifetime income providers, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums. The bill also increases the tax credit for small employer pension plan startup costs and allows a tax credit for small employers that establish retirement plans that include automatic enrollment.

With respect to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), the bill:

 treats taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation for the purpose of an IRA, repeals the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, and permits any IRA to be a shareholder of any S corporation that is a bank. The bill makes several modifications to retirement benefits for magistrate judges of the U.S. Tax Court and other federal judges.

The bill also modifies various tax provisions to:

 reinstate and increase the tax exclusion for benefits provided to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders; allow an employee to elect to defer, for income tax purposes, the inclusion in income of the amount of income attributable to certain stock transferred to the employee by the employer; revise the required distribution rules for pension plans; increase penalties for failing to file tax returns or retirement plan returns; prohibit increases in the user fees for installment agreements and waive the fees for certain low-income taxpayers; require the Internal Revenue Service to share certain return and return information with U.S. Customs Border Protection; and repeal a provision that provides for the technical termination of partnerships.

Date: 2016-11-16
Topic: Labor (Employee Benefits)
Subject: Taxation
War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit profiteering and fraud involving a contract or the provision of goods or services in connection with a mission of the U.S. Government overseas. Imposes: (1) a fine of not more than $1 million and/or a prison term of up to 20 years for knowingly defrauding the United States or a provisional authority in connection with such a mission or for materially overvaluing any goods or services with the intent to defraud; (2) a fine of not more than $1 million and/or a prison term of up to 10 years for falsification or concealment, false statements, or false documents in connection with such contracts or goods or services. Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over war profiteering and fraud offenses. Permits venue for the prosecution of such offenses in any district where any act in furtherance of an offense took place or where any party to a contract or provider of goods or services is located. Allows criminal forfeiture of property obtained from a war profiteering or fraud offense. Makes war profiteering and fraud a predicate offense for money laundering and racketeering offenses.

Date: 2007-01-11
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Iraq Contracting Fraud Review Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Defense Contract Audit Agency, to review of each covered contract to determine if the contract has been the subject of fraud or any other contracting impropriety. Defines a covered contract as a contract or subcontract entered into on or after March 1, 2003, by the Department of Defense (DOD), if the contract or subcontract: (1) relates to reconstruction or troop support in Iraq; and (2) involves any contractor, subcontractor, or federal employee that has been indicted or convicted for fraud with respect to another DOD contract relating to such reconstruction or troop support in Iraq.

Date: 2007-01-17
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Military Toy Replica Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to require that any contract entered into or renewed by the Department of Defense include a provision prohibiting the contractor from requiring toy and hobby manufacturers, distributors, or merchants to obtain licenses from, or pay fees to, the contractor for the use of military likenesses or designations on items provided under the contract.

Date: 2007-01-22
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Defense Contracting Ethics Oversight Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to prescribe in regulations a requirement that a Department of Defense (DOD) contracting officer may not determine a contractor to be responsible for the award of a covered contract for DOD (one in excess of $5 million) unless the contracting entity has in place, within 30 days after contract award, an internal ethics compliance program to facilitate the timely detection and disclosure of improper conduct in connection with the award or performance of the contract, and to ensure that appropriate corrective action is taken with respect to such conduct. Allows for the suspension or debarment of contractors determined not to have reported suspected improper conduct. Requires a report from the Administrator of Federal Procurement Policy to Congress on personal financial conflicts of interests of contractor employees and employees of federally funded research and development centers.

Date: 2007-08-03
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Stop Outsourcing Security Act - Directs the Secretary of State to ensure that only government personnel provide security services at U.S. diplomatic or consular missions in Iraq. Requires the President to report to Congress on the status of planning for the use of Government and military personnel instead of private contractors for mission critical or emergency essential functions by January 1, 2009, in all conflict zones where Congress has authorized the use of force. Authorizes Congress access to contracts and task orders in excess of $5 million entered into by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the period beginning October 1, 2001, and ending on the last day of the month during which this Act is enacted for work to be performed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Requires certain reports to Congress regarding such contracts.

Date: 2007-11-07
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Defines, for this Act: (1) "covered contract" as a Department of Defense (DOD) procurement contract in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom regarding which proficiency in Arabic or knowledge of Iraq is useful; and (2) "covered special immigrant visa" as a visa issued under specified provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (relating to special immigrant status for certain Iraqis) or the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (relating to special immigrant status for persons serving as translators with the U.S. Armed Forces). Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in evaluating any bid or proposal for a covered contract, to use as an evaluation factor whether an entity intends to carry out the contract using an employee or individual subcontractor who is a recipient of a covered special immigration visa, in which case the name of each individual must be submitted to the DOD. Prohibits construing this Act as requiring the granting of security clearances in violation of a law or regulation or superseding any regulation or law intended to protect classified information or national security. Directs the Secretary: (1) on request from a contractor, to post information on a public website to enable recipients of covered special immigration visas to apply for employment with the contractor; and (2) to establish a system for notifying recipients of covered special immigration visas about the information posted on the website.

Date: 2008-05-13
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Includes certain disclosures made by a Department of Defense (DOD) contract employee to his or her employer among those for which reprisal (discharge, demotion, or other discriminatory acts) is prohibited.

Date: 2008-06-18
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
KC-X Tanker Recompete Act - Prohibits funds from being used by the Department of Defense (DOD) on the KC-X (aerial refueling) tanker contract. Defines such contract as the contract awarded by the Department of the Air Force on February 29, 2008, for such aircraft. Outlines requirements and conditions as part of the acquisition process for the award of a contract for a replacement for the KC-135 tanker, including: (1) an independent cost estimate; (2) an increase in the proposal cost or price by the amount of any illegal subsidization by a subsidized person; (3) ensuring an evaluation of the cost borne by a supplier and the cost borne by a foreign government; (4) the consideration of national security impacts; (5) defense industrial base considerations; (6) consideration of the loss of U.S. employee and corporate tax revenue when awarding contracts to foreign entities; and (7) the impact of U.S. regulatory burdens. Directs the Secretary of Defense and the contract source selection authority to require any prospective defense contractor or subcontractor not already covered by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to comply with such Act's requirements as a contract award condition. Allows a waiver of such requirement for national security purposes.

Date: 2008-06-26
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Fairness and Accountability in Defense Contracting Act - Requires each solicitation of offers by the Department of Defense (DOD) for a covered contract to include a requirement that the offeror include with the contract bid or proposal a written statement concerning compensation paid by the offeror during the previous year to former DOD officers or employees or former or retired members of the Armed Forces. Includes as a covered contract a contract for the procurement of goods or services in excess of $1 million, other than a contract for the procurement of commercial items.

Date: 2008-09-26
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 20 years for profiteering and fraud involving a contract or the provision of goods or services in connection with a war, military action, or relief or reconstruction activities within U.S. jurisdiction. Prohibits: (1) executing or attempting to execute a scheme or artifice to defraud the United States; and (2) materially overvaluing any good or service with the specific intent to defraud and excessively profit from the war, military action, or relief or reconstruction activities. Imposes a fine or prison term of up to 10 years for: (1) falsifying, concealing, or covering up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact; (2) making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements; or (3) making or using any materially false writing or document knowing the same to be false, fictitious or fraudulent.Establishes the fine provided by this Act as the greater of $1 million or twice the gross profits or other proceeds derived by a person convicted of an offense under this Act. Expands venue rules for the prosecution of offenses under this Act. Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over offenses under this Act. Subjects any property which constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to a violation of this Act to civil and criminal forfeiture. Makes the war profiteering and fraud offenses set forth by this Act predicate crimes for racketeering and money laundering offenses.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Commission on Wartime Contracting Establishment Act - Establishes the Commission on Wartime Contracting to investigate and report to Congress on federal agency contracting for: (1) the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan; and (2) the logistical support of coalition forces and the performance of security and intelligence functions in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Includes contracts entered into and/or performed in both in the United States and abroad.Requires the Commission to assess: (1) the extent and impact of reliance on contractors; (2) the extent of waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement under such contracts and the extent to which those responsible have been held accountable; and (3) the appropriateness of the organizational structure, policies, and practices of the Department of Defense and the Department of State for handling contingency contract management and support. Requires the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction to conduct audits to identify potential waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in the performance of: (1) Department of Defense contracts for the logistical support of coalition forces in such Operations; and (2) federal contracts for the performance of security, intelligence, and reconstruction functions in such Operations. Prohibits the termination of the Office of such Special Inspector General until 60 days after the Commission's final report. Reaffirms the Special Inspector General's duties and responsibilities.

Date: 2007-07-19
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Stop Outsourcing Security Act - Directs the Secretary of State to ensure that only government personnel provide security services at U.S. diplomatic or consular missions in Iraq. Requires the President to report to Congress on the status of planning for the use of Government and military personnel instead of private contractors for mission critical or emergency essential functions by January 1, 2009, in all conflict zones where Congress has authorized the use of force. Authorizes Congress access to contracts and task orders in excess of $5 million entered into by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the period beginning October 1, 2001, and ending on the last day of the month during which this Act is enacted for work to be performed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Requires certain reports to Congress regarding such contracts.

Date: 2007-11-16
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Directs the Secretary of Defense to require that, before the deployment of any member of the Armed Forces, the member shall be provided training in the management of defense contracts and contractors. Requires specified additional training for members with direct responsibility for decisions regarding contracting.

Date: 2009-03-18
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2009 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit profiteering and fraud involving a contract or the provision of goods or services in connection with a mission of the U.S. Government overseas. Imposes: (1) a fine of not more than $1 million and/or a prison term of up to 20 years for knowingly defrauding the United States or a provisional authority in connection with such a mission or for materially overvaluing any goods or services with the intent to defraud; (2) a fine of not more than $1 million and/or a prison term of up to 10 years for falsification or concealment, false statements, or false documents in connection with such contracts or goods or services. Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over war profiteering and fraud offenses. Permits venue for the prosecution of such offenses in any district where any act in furtherance of an offense took place or where any party to a contract or provider of goods or services is located. Allows criminal forfeiture of property obtained from a war profiteering or fraud offense. Makes war profiteering and fraud a predicate offense for prosecuting money laundering and racketeering offenses.

Date: 2009-03-23
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Transparency and Accountability in Security Contracting Act of 2009 - Requires each contract, subcontract, or task order awarded or issued by a federal agency that includes private security functions (covered contract) to require the contractor to provide to the agency contracting officer specified information, including the number of persons to perform the security functions and the hiring and training process for such persons. Requires agency oversight in the performance of the covered contract. Requires the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a comprehensive security contracting database. Prohibits any agency from awarding a covered contract for performance of activities that require or involve: (1) direct participation by contractor personnel in hostilities with an enemy combatant or force; or (2) interrogation by contractor personnel of an individual who is a detainee or prisoner in the custody or under the effective control of the U.S. government. Directs the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to issue rules regarding the circumstances under which force may be used by contractor personnel performing private security functions within the area covered by a contingency operation and the types of force authorized. Requires each agency awarding a covered contract: (1) for a contingency operation, to prescribe minimum standards for contract personnel, including hiring, training, and equipment standards; and (2) to issue guidance on equipment used for private security functions. Requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to designate a Theater Security Contract Coordinating Officer for each contingency operation with respect to which covered contracts are awarded. Requires the Secretary of State to work through appropriate existing or new international fora to achieve agreement on an international framework regulating the use of private contractors for security functions and facilitating cooperation on measures to ensure the transparency and legal accountability of security contractors.

Date: 2009-04-29
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Safety in Defense Contracting Act - Requires the Secretary of Defense to debar from contracting with the Department of Defense (DOD) any defense contractor: (1) officially determined to have caused serious injury or death to any civilian or military personnel through gross negligence or reckless disregard for safety, or to have committed fraud; or (2) awarded a subcontract to a subcontractor officially determined to have caused or committed such actions. Directs the Secretary to also debar any subcontractor found to have caused or committed such actions. Requires a five-year minimum period for such a debarment. Authorizes a debarment waiver by the Secretary if it would jeopardize national security. Directs the Secretary, in the case of any defense contractor receiving a level III corrective action request from the Defense Contract Management Agency in a fiscal year, to withhold any contract award or incentive fees for that fiscal year.

Date: 2009-06-11
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Enhanced Supply and Price Reduction Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to publish a plan to: (1) sell light grade petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and acquire an equivalent volume of heavy grade petroleum or refined petroleum product; (2) deposit the cash proceeds from such sales into the SPR Petroleum Account established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act; and (3) withdraw, from the cash proceeds deposited, the amount necessary to pay for the direct administrative and operational costs of the sale and acquisition.

Date: 2009-06-17
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Energy
Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned, as a condition of each contract awarded in connection with a military construction or family housing project, to require the contractor (and any appropriate subcontractor) to comply with workforce licensing requirements imposed by the state and other jurisdictions in which the project is conducted for all employees of the contractor (and any appropriate subcontractor) who work at the project location. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to waive such requirement on a case-by-case basis for national security purposes.

Date: 2009-12-16
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Stop Outsourcing Security Act - Directs the Secretary of State to ensure that only government personnel provide security services at U.S. diplomatic or consular missions in Iraq or Afghanistan. Requires the President to report to Congress, by June 1, 2010, on the status of planning for the use, by January 1, 2011, of government and military personnel instead of private contractors for mission critical or emergency essential functions in all conflict zones where Congress has authorized the use of force. Directs any individual or entity under contract with the federal government to provide mission critical or emergency essential functions after such date to allow Congress to examine their accounting practices. Outlines additional requirements relating to renewals of such contracts. Authorizes specified congressional access to contracts and task orders in excess of $5 million entered into by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the period beginning October 1, 2001, and ending on the last day of the month during which this Act is enacted for work to be performed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Requires certain reports to Congress regarding contracts for the performance of work in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Date: 2010-02-23
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Fair Defense Competition Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD), in awarding a contract for any major defense acquisition program and conducting the cost or price evaluation of any proposal for that contract, to take into account any final panel report that concludes that an illegal subsidy (inconsistent with the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures) has been provided with respect to: (1) any merchandise or major component of such program; or (2) the development of any merchandise or major component thereof. Requires the Secretary, if the illegal subsidy has not been withdrawn, to increase the cost or price of the proposal by the amount of the subsidy.

Date: 2010-05-13
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 relating to the authority of the Secretary of the Navy to enter into multiyear contracts for the procurement of F/A-18E, F/A-18F, and EA-18G aircraft to: (1) extend from March 1, 2010, to September 1, 2010, the required date of a certification by the Secretary of Defense (DOD) that certain contract conditions have been met; and (2) provide that such contract authority shall be deemed to meet the requirement that a multiyear contract equal to or greater than $500 million may not be entered into unless the contract is specifically authorized by law and provided for in an appropriations Act.

Date: 2010-08-10
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Accountability for Defense Contractors Act - Amends the Act authorizing the making, amending, or modification of federal contracts in order to facilitate the national defense (P.L. 85-804) to direct the Secretary of Defense, if the Department of Defense (DOD) takes any action under the authority of such Act during any year, to report to Congress on all such actions taken by DOD during the preceding year. Requires additional report information with respect to an action taken that involves actual or potential costs to the United States in excess of $1 million. Prohibits a DOD contractor from being indemnified for: (1) government claims against the contractor; (2) a claim, loss, or damage caused by gross negligence, willful misconduct, or lack of good faith on the part of any of the contractor's principal officials; or (3) a claim, loss, or damage resulting from an unusually hazardous or nuclear risk not specified in the contract terms and discovered on the site where the contract is performed, or that reasonably should have been discovered there. Allows a DOD contract to provide for contractor indemnification as the Secretary determines necessary only if the contract complies with: (1) the congressional notification requirements of this Act; and (2) the prohibitions on indemnifications described above.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to submit to Congress and make publicly available on an Internet website the total number of: (1) jobs, performed by both DOD civilian employees and contractors, in each state and at each military installation; and (2) DOD functions converted from performance by contractors to performance by DOD civilian employees in each state and at each military installation, as well as the task area of each function. Requires the Secretary to make publicly available the comparison of the cost of performance of each DOD function so converted. Allows any small business that performs a DOD function that is converted to performance by DOD civilian employees and, by reason of that conversion, loses 33% or more of its revenue generated through contracts or 33% or more of its employees, to appeal such conversion to the inspector general of the military department concerned or to the Secretary.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to cease construction of a temporary causeway in connection with the project for the Renard Island Confined Disposal Facility, Green Bay Harbor, Wisconsin, until the Secretary: (1) conducts a review of all bids submitted for construction of the Renard Island Temporary Causeway, Final Cover and Grading element of such project; and (2) submits to specified congressional committees a report on the results of that review.

Date: 2010-12-02
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Defense Level Playing Field Act - Requires the Secretary of Defense (DOD), in evaluating offers to award a contract for the KC-X aerial refueling aircraft program, to consider any unfair advantage that an offeror may possess. Directs the Secretary to: (1) report to the congressional defense committees on any such advantage; and (2) take into account the findings of such report in awarding a contract.

Date: 2010-12-17
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Enhancing Oversight and Security at United States Missions Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of State to submit a plan to Congress to increase oversight of private security contractors by U.S. government personnel at U.S. missions where the Armed Forces are engaged in combat operations in order to ensure that security functions are appropriately performed. Requires such plan to be implemented within 180 days after the enactment of this Act. Requires the Secretary to: (1) periodically review the performance of such contractors to ensure that security functions are performed in a manner that is consistent with plan requirements; and (2) report annually to Congress, in each of 2011 through 2015, on the results of the most recent performance review.

Date: 2010-02-24
Topic: Defense (Contractors)
Subject: International affairs