Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
2023-2024 Session2021-2022 Session2019-2020 Session2017-2018 Session2015-2016 Session2013-2014 Session
Title: We the People Act of 2016
Description: We the People Act of 2016 Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2016 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2016 This bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to: redefine "independent expenditure" to expand the meaning of express advocacy for the election or defeat of a candidate; expand the period for treating communications as electioneering communications; repeal the prohibition against contributions by minors; and prescribe disclosure requirements for campaign-related disbursements by corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities, including super political action committees (PACs). Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act The bill amends FECA to treat payments for coordinated expenditures as contributions to candidates under certain conditions, and set forth rules for coordinated expenditures. The bill also prohibits candidates, individual federal officeholders, agents of a candidate or an individual federal officeholder, or certain related entities from soliciting, receiving, directing, or transferring funds to or on behalf of any political committee that accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with FECA limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements, or to or on behalf of any political organization that accepts such donations or contributions. Real Time Transparency Act The bill amends FECA to require 48-hour notification to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by all political committees receiving cumulative contributions (instead of single contributions) of $1,000 or more during a year from any contributor. Federal Election Administration Act of 2016 The FECA is also amended to replace the FEC with the Federal Election Administration (FEA). The Government Accountability Office shall: (1) examine the enforcement of the criminal provisions of FECA and prohibitions regarding the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account, and (2) study the adequate level of resources for the FEA to execute competently the responsibilities imposed by this bill. The federal criminal code is amended to prohibit former Members of Congress from ever lobbying a current Member in connection with any matter on which such former Member seeks action. The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 is amended to revise the definition of lobbyist to mean any individual who is employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include more than one lobbying contact over a two-year (currently three-month) period. Financial Services Conflict of Interest Act The federal criminal code is also amended regarding application of certain conflict-of-interest restrictions to a private sector employer that makes payment of compensation contingent on accepting a position in the federal government. The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 is amended to prohibit a covered financial services regulator from making, participating in making, or in any way attempting to use his or her official position to influence a particular matter that provides a direct and substantial pecuniary benefit for a former employer or former client. The Office of Government Ethics must discharge certain recordkeeping duties to implement this bill. Violators of this bill shall be subject to specified criminal and civil penalties. The bill revises and extends certain restrictions on subsequent employment on current and former procurement officers. The federal criminal code is amended to place specified time restrictions on subsequent employment for financial service regulators. The Federal Deposit Insurance Act is amended to revise restrictions on federal examiners and supervisors of financial institutions.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Last Action Date: June 16, 2016
Title: A bill to modify the definition of "antique firearm".
Description: A bill to modify the definition of "antique firearm". Modifies the definition of "antique firearm" under the federal criminal code and the Internal Revenue Code to cover any firearm manufactured in or before the calendar year that is 100 years before the year in which a determination is made as to whether the firearm is an antique firearm (currently, any firearm manufactured in or before 1898).
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Last Action Date: January 13, 2015
Title: Look-Alike Weapons Safety Act of 2015
Description: Look-Alike Weapons Safety Act of 2015 Amends the Federal Energy Management Improvement Act of 1988 to prohibit manufacturing, entering into commerce, shipping, transporting, or receiving any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm unless the permanent color of the entire exterior surface is white, bright orange, or another specified predominant bright color. (Currently, imitation firearms are required to have only an orange plug inserted into the barrel.) Revises the definition of "look-alike firearm" to include traditional B-B and pellet-firing air guns that expel a projectile through the force of air pressure. Maintains the exclusion of paint-ball guns.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Last Action Date: January 21, 2015
Title: A bill to protect the right of individuals to bear arms at water resources development projects.
Description: A bill to protect the right of individuals to bear arms at water resources development projects. Prohibits the Department of the Army from promulgating or enforcing any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm in any area open to the public (other than a federal facility) at a water resources development project administered by the Chief of Engineers if: (1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm, and (2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the state in which the project is located.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Last Action Date: January 27, 2015
Title: PLANT Act Protecting Lands Against Narcotics Trafficking Act of 2015
Description: PLANT Act Protecting Lands Against Narcotics Trafficking Act of 2015 Amends the Controlled Substances Act to: (1) impose an additional term of up to ten years' imprisonment for cultivating or manufacturing controlled substances on federal property; and (2) apply the prohibition against assembling, maintaining, or placing a booby trap on federal property where a controlled substance is being manufactured to federal property where a controlled substance is being cultivated. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend and review the Federal Sentencing Guidelines to provide for a penalty enhancement of not less than one offense level for manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance or a counterfeit substance while on federal property or while intentionally trespassing on the property of another if such offense: (1) creates a hazard to humans, wildlife, or domestic animals; (2) degrades or harms the environment or natural resources; (3) pollutes an aquifer, spring, stream, river, or body of water; (4) involves the diversion, redirection, obstruction, or draining of an aquifer, spring, stream, river, or body of water or the clear cut of timber while cultivating or manufacturing a controlled substance; or (5) involves the possession of a firearm while cultivating or manufacturing controlled substances. Prohibits, and sets penalties of up to $500,000 for an individual or $1 million for other than an individual for, diverting, redirecting, obstructing, or draining an aquifer, spring, stream, river, or body of water or clear cutting timber while cultivating or manufacturing a controlled substance on federal property or while cultivating or manufacturing a controlled substance while intentionally trespassing on the property of another. Requires such fines to be transferred to the Department of the Interior for use in addressing the environmental damage caused by the offense.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: February 3, 2015
Title: Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act of 2015
Description: Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to require the Bureau of Prisons to ensure that each chief executive officer of a federal penal or correctional institution: (1) provides a secure storage area located outside of the secure perimeter of the institution for qualified law enforcement officers employed by the Bureau to store firearms, or allows such officers to store firearms in a vehicle lockbox approved by the Bureau; and (2) allows such officers to carry concealed firearms on the premises outside of the secure perimeter of the institution.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: February 4, 2015
Title: Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015
Description: Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015 This bill revises a variety of existing programs to expand access to, and opportunities for, hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act is reauthorized through FY2025. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act are reauthorized through FY2020. Components of firearms and ammunition and sport fishing equipment and its components (such as lead sinkers) are exempted from regulations of chemical substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The proportion of funding from the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act that states may use for public target ranges is increased. Interior must issue permits for the importation of polar bear parts taken in sports hunts in Canada before May 15, 2008, which is the date the species was listed as threatened. The bill revises standards for determining what a baited area is for purposes of the prohibition on taking migratory game birds. Federal public land management officials must facilitate hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on certain federal public land. Land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management or the Forest Service must be open for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting unless the managing agency acts to close the land. This bill provides special rules to expand access to federal land and waterways for film crews of five people or fewer. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may not prohibit individuals from possessing a firearm in public areas of a water resources development project. The National Park Service may not prohibit individuals from transporting bows and crossbows if certain requirements are met. Funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund are allocated for priority projects that secure public access to federal public lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
Last Action: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 15.
Last Action Date: February 9, 2015
Title: Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act of 2015
Description: Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act of 2015 Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Defines a "large capacity ammunition feeding device" to: (1) mean a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, helical feeding device, or similar device that has an overall capacity of, or that can be readily changed to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition; and (2) exclude an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition. Provides exemptions for: (1) devices lawfully possessed before this Act's enactment; (2) federal, state, and local agencies and law enforcement officers; (3) licensees under the Atomic Energy Act for on-site security, off-site training, and transportation of nuclear materials; and (4) authorized testing or experimentation by a licensed firearms manufacturer or importer. Requires a device manufactured after this Act's enactment to be identified by a serial number and the date it was manufactured conspicuously engraved or cast on the device. Sets penalties for violations. Subjects devices used or involved in knowing violation of such Act to seizure and forfeiture. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the use of Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants for buy-back programs for surrendered large capacity ammunition feeding devices.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: February 5, 2015
Title: Firearms Manufacturers and Dealers Protection Act of 2015
Description: Firearms Manufacturers and Dealers Protection Act of 2015 This bill declares that funds appropriated or otherwise made available, including amounts derived from any fee or other source, are denied to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Department of Justice, or any other federal agency to carry out Operation Choke Point or any other program designed to discourage the provision or continuation of credit or the processing of payments by financial institutions for dealers and manufacturers of firearms and ammunition.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Last Action Date: February 12, 2015
Title: A resolution expressing support for the designation of June 2, 2016, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2016 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month".
Description: A resolution expressing support for the designation of June 2, 2016, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2016 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month". Expresses support for the designation of June 2016 as National Gun Violence Awareness Month and June 2, 2016, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Calls on the people of the United States to: promote greater awareness of gun violence and gun safety; wear orange on National Gun Violence Awareness Day; concentrate heightened attention on gun violence during the summer months, when gun violence typically increases; and bring citizens and community leaders together to discuss ways to make the communities safer.
Last Action: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3176-3177)
Last Action Date: May 25, 2016
Title: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015
Description: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to authorize a person who is not prohibited from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm under federal law, who is entitled and not prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence or who is carrying a valid state license or permit to carry a concealed weapon, and who is carrying a government-issued photographic identification document, to carry a concealed handgun (which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, other than a machine gun or destructive device) in any state in accordance with the restrictions of that state. Provides that in a state that allows the issuing authority for licenses or permits to carry concealed firearms to impose restrictions on the carrying of firearms by individual license or permit holders, an individual carrying a concealed handgun under this Act shall be permitted to carry it according to the same terms authorized by an unrestricted license or permit issued by such state.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S989-990)
Last Action Date: February 12, 2015
Title: A resolution condemning the horrific acts of violence and hatred in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, 2016, and expressing support and prayers for all those impacted by the tragedy.
Description: A resolution condemning the horrific acts of violence and hatred in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, 2016, and expressing support and prayers for all those impacted by the tragedy. Condemns the attack on police officers that occurred in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, 2016. Expresses the belief that an attack upon a police officer is an affront to the rule of law and the promise of justice, domestic tranquility, common defense, and general welfare and the blessings of liberty secured by the Constitution. Offers condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed and expresses hope for the quick and complete recovery of those who were wounded. Applauds the bravery and dedication of the law enforcement officials, emergency medical responders, and others who offered their support and assistance. Declares that the Senate stands united against violence and hatred and in support of the police officers who work to keep the country safe.
Last Action: Star Print ordered on the resolution.
Last Action Date: July 27, 2016
Title: Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015
Description: Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to authorize the Attorney General to deny the transfer of a firearm or the issuance of a firearms or explosives license or permit (or revoke such license or permit) if the Attorney General: (1) determines that the transferee is known (or appropriately suspected) to be engaged in terrorism or has provided material support or resources for terrorism, and (2) has a reasonable belief that the transferee may use a firearm in connection with terrorism. Allows any individual whose firearms or explosives license application has been denied to bring legal action to challenge the denial. Extends the prohibition against the sale or distribution of firearms or explosives to include individuals whom the Attorney General has determined to be engaged in terrorist activities. Imposes criminal penalties on individuals engaged in terrorist activities who smuggle or knowingly bring firearms into the United States. Authorizes the Attorney General to withhold information in firearms and explosives license denial revocation lawsuits and from employers if the Attorney General determines that the disclosure of such information would likely compromise national security.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1077-1078)
Last Action Date: February 24, 2015
Title: Sportsmen's Act of 2015
Description: Sportsmen's Act of 2015 This bill revises a variety of existing programs to expand access to, and opportunities for, hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. Federal public land management officials must facilitate hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on certain federal public land. Land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management or the Forest Service must be open for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting unless the managing agency acts to close the land. The bill provides special rules to expand access to federal land and waterways for film crews of five people or fewer. The National Park Service may not prohibit individuals from transporting bows and crossbows if certain requirements are met. Funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund are allocated for priority projects that secure public access to federal public lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 328.
Last Action Date: December 16, 2015
Title: A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, commending domestic violence victim advocates, domestic violence victim service providers, crisis hotline staff, and first responders serving victims of domestic violence for their compassionate support of victims of domestic violence, and expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress should continue to support efforts to end domestic violence and hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable.
Description: A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, commending domestic violence victim advocates, domestic violence victim service providers, crisis hotline staff, and first responders serving victims of domestic violence for their compassionate support of victims of domestic violence, and expressing the sense of the Senate that Congress should continue to support efforts to end domestic violence and hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable. Supports the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should: (1) continue to raise awareness of domestic violence in the United States and the corresponding devastating effects of domestic violence on survivors, families, and communities; and (2) pledge continued support for programs designed to assist survivors, hold perpetrators accountable, and bring an end to domestic violence.
Last Action: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5868; text as passed Senate: CR S5850-5851)
Last Action Date: September 15, 2016
Title: Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2016
Description: Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2016 This bill revises a variety of existing programs related to hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and wildlife. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997, the Great Ape Conservation Fund, and the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund are reauthorized through FY2020. The Toxic Substances Control Act is amended to exempt components of firearms and ammunition and sport fishing equipment and its components (such as lead sinkers) from regulations on chemical substances. The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act is amended to: (1) increase the proportion of funding from the Act that states may use for public target ranges, and (2) extend by 10 years a requirement that interest on wildlife restoration funds be allocated to finance certain North American wetlands conservation projects. The Department of the Interior must issue permits to allow a hunter to import polar bear parts (other than internal organs) provided that the hunter submits proof that the bear was legally harvested in Canada from an approved population before the May 15, 2008, listing of the polar bear as threatened. The bill revises standards for determining what a baited area is for purposes of the prohibition on taking migratory game birds. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may not promulgate or enforce regulations that prohibit individuals from possessing a firearm in public areas in water resources development projects. The Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 is amended to authorize Interior to award a multi-year grant to carry out a long-term conservation strategy for great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, or gibbons) and their habitats. The Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 is amended to make a wildlife management authority of a U.S. territory eligible for financial assistance for marine turtle conservation.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 371.
Last Action Date: February 24, 2016
Title: Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act of 2015
Description: Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act of 2015 Provides a 90-day amnesty period during which veterans and their family members can register in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record any firearm acquired before October 31, 1968, by a veteran while a member of the Armed Forces stationed outside the continental United States. Grants such an individual limited immunity under the federal criminal code and the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the acquisition, possession, transportation, or alteration of such firearm before or concurrent with such registration. Extends such immunity to a veteran who attempts to register a qualifying firearm outside of the amnesty period if the veteran surrenders the firearm within 30 days after being notified of potential criminal liability for continued possession. Requires the Attorney General to provide clear notice of, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out an outreach program and develop a communications strategy to provide veterans information regarding, the amnesty and registration period. Requires the Attorney General to: (1) transfer each firearm qualifying as a curio or relic that has been forfeited to the United States to the first qualified museum that requests it, and (2) publish information identifying each such firearm that is available to be transferred to a museum. Prohibits the Attorney General from destroying any such firearm that has been forfeited until five years after the forfeiture. Requires that any firearm transferred to a qualified museum be registered to the transferee. Makes a prohibition against transfer or possession of a machine-gun inapplicable to a transfer to or by, or possession by, a museum that is open to the public and incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation under applicable state law.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: March 4, 2015
Title: REDEEM Act Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment Act of 2015
Description: REDEEM Act Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to provide a process for the sealing or expungement of records relating to nonviolent criminal or juvenile offenses. Requires a court considering a petition to seal a nonviolent offense to balance factors including the harm of the protected information to the ability of the petitioner to secure and maintain employment. Sets forth limitations on involuntary room confinements at juvenile detention facilities. Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) to remove offenses relating to possession or use of a controlled substance from the categories of drug offenses that result in the convicted individual being ineligible for assistance under: (1) a state program funded with temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) grants under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act; or (2) the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP, formerly the food stamp program) or any state program carried out under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. Prohibits the denial of such assistance and benefits if the convicted individual: (1) has completed, is participating in, or agrees to enroll in a substance abuse treatment program; (2) is a custodial parent; (3) is suffering from a serious illness; (4) is pregnant; or (5) is in compliance with the terms of a sentence imposed for the conviction. Includes employment services among the categories of federal benefits that are not to be denied under PRWORA. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to allow the Department of Justice (DOJ), in awarding public safety and community policing grants, to give preferential consideration to an applicant in a state with laws similar to this Act. Directs DOJ to establish procedures for the prompt release of accurate records exchanged for employment-related purposes through the Federal Bureau of Investigation's background check system. Requires DOJ to: (1) obtain the consent of an individual to whom a record pertains as a condition to exchanging records with an entity requesting the information for employment, housing, or credit application purposes; and (2) allow individuals to challenge the accuracy and completeness of their records. Prohibits exchanges of records regarding: (1) an arrest more than two years before a record request if the record does not also include the disposition of that arrest; (2) non-serious offenses, such as drunkenness, vagrancy, loitering, disturbing the peace, or curfew violations; or (3) circumstances that are not clearly arrests or dispositions.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: March 9, 2015
Title: Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act
Description: Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act This bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to facilitate the construction and expansion of public target ranges by: (1) authorizing a state to pay up to 90% of the costs of acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range; (2) authorizing a state to elect to allocate 10% of a specified amount apportioned to it from the federal aid to wildlife restoration fund for those costs; (3) limiting the federal share of those costs under such Act to 90%; and (4) requiring amounts provided for those costs under such Act to remain available for expenditure and obligation for five fiscal years. The bill urges the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to cooperate with state and local authorities and other entities to carry out waste removal and other activities on any federal land used as a public target range to encourage its continued use for target practice or marksmanship training.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Last Action Date: March 11, 2015
Title: Second Amendment Enforcement Act of 2015
Description: Second Amendment Enforcement Act of 2015 Declares that nothing in a certain prohibition against killing wild birds and wild animals in the District of Columbia, or any other provision of law, shall authorize or be construed to permit the District of Columbia Council, the Mayor, or any District governmental or regulatory authority to prohibit or unduly burden the ability of persons otherwise not prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law from acquiring or using for lawful purposes any firearm neither prohibited by federal law nor subject to the National Firearms Act. Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms for legitimate purposes. Amends the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 (FCRA) to repeal the District's registration requirement for possession of firearms. Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle. Prohibits dealing, importing, or manufacturing firearms without complying with federal law requirements. Declares that, in the case of a sale or transfer of a handgun to a District resident, a federally licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer of firearms in Maryland or Virginia shall be treated as a dealer licensed in the District if certain requirements are met. Prohibits selling, transferring or otherwise disposing of any firearm or ammunition to any person if the sellers or transferors know that such person is prohibited by federal law from possessing or receiving it. Bars individuals prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm in the District. Repeals specified District policies and requirements regarding the keeping or storing of firearms. Eliminates criminal penalties for possession of unregistered firearms. Amends the District of Columbia Code to: (1) allow District property owners to prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on their property, (2) authorize certain individuals to carry firearms in certain places and for certain purposes, (3) prescribe requirements for lawful transportation of firearms, and (4) prohibit the use of toy and antique pistols to commit a violent or dangerous crime. Authorizes the District to prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms, except to certain lessees, within any building or structure under its control, or in any area of it, which has implemented security measures to identify and exclude unauthorized or hazardous persons or articles. Requires the District Chief of Police to issue a five-year license to carry a concealed pistol on or about the person to any qualified individual who completes the application process. Repeals: (1) FCRA requirements that a gun offender register and verify certain identifiable information with the Chief; and (2) specified District of Columbia Acts, in order to conform with this Act. Restores and revives any provision of law amended or repealed by such Acts as if they had not been enacted into law.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Last Action Date: March 26, 2015
Title: Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act
Description: Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act This bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to facilitate the construction and expansion of public target ranges by: (1) authorizing a state to pay up to 90% of the costs of acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing a public target range; (2) authorizing a state to elect to allocate 10% of a specified amount apportioned to it from the federal aid to wildlife restoration fund for those costs; (3) limiting the federal share of those costs under such Act to 90%; and (4) requiring amounts provided for those costs under such Act to remain available for expenditure and obligation for five fiscal years. The United States shall be shielded from any civil action or claim for money damages for injury to or loss of property, personal injury, or death caused by an activity occurring at a public target range that is funded by the federal government pursuant to such Act or located on federal land, except to the extent provided under the Federal Tort Claims Act with respect to the exercise or performance of a discretionary function. The bill urges the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to cooperate with state and local authorities and other entities to carry out waste removal and other activities on any federal land used as a public target range to encourage its continued use for target practice or marksmanship training.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Last Action Date: April 16, 2015
Title: SWAT Act Swatting Won't be Accepted or Tolerated Act of 2015
Description: SWAT Act Swatting Won't be Accepted or Tolerated Act of 2015 Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) impose a term of imprisonment of up to eight years for making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation to a federal law enforcement agency that causes an emergency federal law enforcement response; and (2) require the court to order a defendant convicted of such an offense to reimburse any federal, state, or local government for up to $10,000 in expenses incurred in responding to that conduct. Extends the requirement that a court order a person convicted of conveying false or misleading information indicating that conduct involving specified criminal violations has taken, is taking, or will take place (including violations regarding biological and chemical weapons, firearms, sabotage of nuclear facilities, importation of explosive materials, terrorism, and damaging or destroying pipeline facilities) to reimburse state and local governments and not-for-profit organizations for expenses incident to fire and rescue service provided in any emergency or investigative response to such conduct to also require reimbursement of law enforcement service and any such services provided by the federal government.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: April 21, 2015
Title: Regulatory Review and Sunset Act of 2015
Description: Regulatory Review and Sunset Act of 2015 Requires federal agencies to review their covered rules and modify, consolidate, or terminate such rules on a periodic basis. Defines "covered rule" to include a significant rule that is likely to result in an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more or any other rule designated by an agency or the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget for sunset review. Allows a person adversely affected by a rule that is not a significant rule to submit a public petition for sunset review of such rule. Provides for sunset review of a rule upon the request of a congressional committee or a majority of the members of such committee. Requires the OIRA to: (1) conduct an inventory of existing rules and deadlines for their sunset review; (2) prioritize rules for sunset review based on specified criteria, including the cost of the rule and the burden of reviewing it; (3) group related rules for simultaneous sunset review; (4) provide guidance to agencies for conducting sunset reviews; and (5) provide feedback to agencies on sunset reviews and results. Sets forth review deadlines for existing and new significant rules. Requires each agency to designate a Regulatory Review Officer with responsibility for implementation of this Act. Provides for judicial review of a denial or substantial inexcusable delay in granting or denying a public petition for sunset review of a rule. Terminates this Act 10 years after its enactment.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Last Action Date: April 23, 2015
Title: Protecting America's Workers Act
Description: Protecting America's Workers Act Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) to expand its coverage to federal, state, and local government employees. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor, under specified conditions, to cede OSHA jurisdiction to another federal agency with respect to certain occupational standards or regulations for such agency's employees. Declares OSHA inapplicable to working conditions covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. Increases protections for whistle blowers under OSHA. Prescribes requirements relating to: a employer's duty to furnish a place of employment free from recognized hazards causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to any individual (not just an employer's employee) performing work there; a site-controlling employer's duty to keep a site log for recordable injuries and illnesses of all employees, including employees of the site-controlling employer or others (including independent contractors) performing work there; the posting of employee rights; employer reporting of employee work-related deaths or hospitalizations; a prohibition against employers adopting or implementing policies or practices that discourage or discriminate against employee reporting of work-related injuries or illnesses; a prohibition against the loss of wages or employee benefits due to an employee participating in a workplace inspection; investigations of incidents resulting in death or the hospitalization of two or more employees which occur in a place of employment; and a prohibition against the issuing, modifying, or settling of unclassified citations for occupational health and safety standard violations. Continues requirements relating to: (1) the rights of an employee (including a former employee or family member in lieu of an employee) who has sustained a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of an inspection or investigation; (2) an employer's right to contest citations and penalties; and (3) periods permitted for an employer to correct serious, willful, or repeated violations pending an employer's contest to a citation and procedures for stays of the time period for abatement of those violations. Increases civil and criminal penalties for certain OSHA violators. States that pre-final order interest on any penalties owed shall begin to accrue on the date a party contests a citation, at an interest rate calculated at the current underpayment rate. Prescribes requirements for the Secretary's evaluation of state occupational safety and health plans as well as workplace health hazard evaluations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Requires a state that has an approved plan for the development and enforcement of occupational safety and health standards to amend its plan to conform to the requirements of this Act within 12 months after enactment of this Act.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2477-2478)
Last Action Date: April 28, 2015
Title: A bill to make aliens associated with a criminal gang inadmissible, deportable, and ineligible for various forms of relief.
Description: A bill to make aliens associated with a criminal gang inadmissible, deportable, and ineligible for various forms of relief. This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to define "criminal gang." An alien who is or was a member of a criminal gang, or who participated in gang activity knowing that such participation will promote the gang's illegal activity, shall be inadmissible and deportable. The Department of Homeland Security may designate a group or association as a criminal gang. Detention shall be mandatory for anyone found inadmissible or deportable for criminal street gang membership. Individuals found inadmissible or deportable for criminal gang membership shall be barred from: asylum; withholding of removal; temporary protected status; special immigrant juvenile status; deferred action; and parole, unless assisting the United States in a law enforcement matter and required by the government to be present with respect to such assistance. An alien found at a U.S. land border or port of entry who is determined to be inadmissible and a threat to public safety (certain criminals, terrorists, street gang members) shall be subject to expedited removal.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2478-2479))
Last Action Date: April 28, 2015
Title: Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015
Description: Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015 Establishes a criminal offense for concealment of a security breach of computerized data containing sensitive personally identifiable information that results in economic harm of $1,000 or more to any individual. Authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to commence a civil action to enjoin unauthorized persons or entities from accessing or transmitting computer commands commonly referred to as botnets that would impair the integrity or availability of 100 or more computers used by financial institutions or the federal government or that affect interstate or foreign commerce or communications during any one-year period, including by denying access to the computers, installing unwanted software, or obtaining information without authorization. Allows DOJ to enjoin the alienation or disposal of, or to seek restraining orders prohibiting the disposal of, property obtained as a result of such a violation. Expands categories of money laundering offenses to include financial transactions involving the proceeds of unlawful manufacturing, distribution, possession, and advertising of wire, oral, or electronic communication intercepting devices. Requires certain business entities that collect, use, access, transmit, store, or dispose of sensitive personally identifiable information in electronic or digital form of 10,000 or more U.S. persons during any 12-month period to implement a consumer privacy and data security program that complies with safeguards identified by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Requires entities, following discovery of a security breach, to notify U.S. residents whose unencrypted personal information is reasonably believed to have been accessed or acquired. Sets forth special notification procedures for: (1) third party entities that maintain or process data in electronic form on behalf of another entity; and (2) certain providers of electronic data transmission, routing, storage, or network connection services. Directs entities to notify a federal entity designated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) if a security breach involves: (1) the personal information of more than 5,000 individuals, (2) databases containing the personal information of more than 500,000 individuals nationwide, (3) federal databases, or (4) federal employees and contractors involved in national security or law enforcement. Requires the DHS-designated entity to provide the information it receives to: (1) the U.S. Secret Service or the Federal Bureau of Investigation for law enforcement purposes; and (2) other federal agencies for law enforcement, national security, or data security purposes. Establishes a process for DOJ to adjust the thresholds for law enforcement and national security notifications. Requires notice of certain breaches to be provided to consumer reporting agencies and the FTC. Exempts certain financial institutions, entities that comply with health record privacy laws, and electronic communication service providers from certain requirements of this Act. Establishes civil penalties for violations of this Act and provides enforcement authority to the FTC, DOJ, and states. Supersedes federal and state laws that are less stringent than the data security practices and breach notification standards required by this Act, but permits states to continue to enforce other consumer protection laws and to apply state laws regarding trespasses, contracts, torts, or fraud.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2577-2578)
Last Action Date: April 30, 2015
Title: Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015
Description: Federal Law Enforcement Self-Defense and Protection Act of 2015 Grants covered federal law enforcement officers the same rights to carry a government-issued firearm during a covered furlough as they had before such furlough was in effect. Defines: (1) "covered federal law enforcement officer" to mean any agency employee who has the authority to make arrests or apprehensions for or prosecute violations of federal law and who, on the day before the applicable covered furlough begins, is authorized by the agency to carry a firearm in the course of official duties; and (2) "covered furlough" to mean a planned event by an agency during which employees are involuntarily furloughed due to downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or any budget situation other than a lapse in appropriations, and an event during which agency employees are involuntarily furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: April 30, 2015
Title: Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2015
Description: Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2015 Amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to: authorize appropriations for such Act for FY2016-FY2020; include as one of the purposes of such Act the support of a trauma-informed continuum of programs to address the needs of at-risk youth and youth who come into contact with the justice system; require states to implement plans to ensure fairness and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the detention of juveniles; enhance requirements for separating juveniles from sight or sound contact with adult lock-ups; terminate, three years after the enactment of this Act, the authority of a court to issue an order detaining juveniles who have not been charged with adult criminal offenses (status offenders) in secure detention or correctional facilities; include the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; require the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to report annually on policies and procedures to eliminate dangerous practices and unreasonable use of restraints in the detention of juveniles and on criteria for identifying evidence-based and promising programs for delinquency prevention; provide for the allocation of grant funding to states based on the most recent census data; expand requirements for state plans for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention to include community-based alternatives to the detention of juveniles in correctional facilities, enhanced mental health and substance abuse screening, and a description of the use of funds for reentry into the community of juveniles after release; require the OJJDP to establish a uniform method of data collection and technology for evaluating data on juvenile recidivism on an annual basis; and provide training and technical assistance to states and local governments for achieving compliance with the requirements of this Act. Amends the Incentive Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention Programs Act of 2002 to include mentoring programs in delinquency prevention grant programs. Requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct and report on: (1) a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the performance of the OJJDP; and (2) a comprehensive audit and evaluation of selected grant recipients, including a review of internal controls to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse of funds. Requires the OJJDP to conduct a biennial programmatic and financial review of all grants awarded to states and Indian tribes under this Act to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse by grantees. Requires states, as a condition of receiving juvenile accountability block grants, to provide assurances of compliance with the core requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 applicable to the detention and confinement of juveniles.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 325.
Last Action Date: December 15, 2015
Title: Protecting Communities and Police Act of 2015
Description: Protecting Communities and Police Act of 2015 This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to jointly appoint a task force to determine the appropriateness of the use of certain military equipment by state and local law enforcement agencies. The bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require FEMA, in consultation with the task force established by this Act, to: (1) assess the appropriateness of items on FEMA's Authorized Equipment List for use by law enforcement agencies in counterterrorism activities, (2) designate items on the List that may be purchased by law enforcement agencies, (3) review the List every five years, and (4) publish the List on the website of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and in the Federal Register. The bill defines certain items on the List as either prohibited or restricted items that a local law enforcement agency cannot purchase or use without FEMA authorization or the approval of the law enforcement agency's governing body. The law enforcement agency must submit a needs justification statement with any request for the purchase of a restricted item. The bill also sets forth training and certification requirements for local law enforcement agencies on the use of restricted items. The bill limits law enforcement agencies with fewer than 10 full-time law enforcement officers to one tactical military vehicle unless the agency has in place a joint-use agreement with another agency and serves as the procuring agency under the agreement. Similarly, small Special Weapons and Tactics teams (SWAT teams) consisting of fewer than 17 sworn law enforcement officers (35 if more than one law enforcement agency is involved) cannot purchase restricted items. Law enforcement agencies that are under DOJ consent decrees for civil rights abuses or excessive use of force are prohibited from buying restricted items without DOJ approval. The bill establishes priorities for transfers of Department of Defense military equipment to other federal agencies ahead of state and local law enforcement agencies. The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to limit the use of grant funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for the purchase of military equipment by state and local law enforcement agencies. The bill requires DOJ to create and make publicly available: (1) a list of prohibited items that may not be purchased by a law enforcement agency using Byrne grant funds unless necessary to prevent a threat to national security, and (2) a list of special justice items that are suitable for certain uses by law enforcement agencies. This bill requires: (1) law enforcement agencies that purchase equipment for SWAT teams to publish training records for such teams; (2) states to establish whistle blower protections and public complaint hot lines for reporting misuse of any military equipment purchased with Byrne grant funds; and (3) grant funds to be allocated for the purchase of body cameras, dashboard cameras, gun cameras, and related costs. DOJ must: (1) collect and analyze data on the use of SWAT teams by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies; and (2) publish and report on such data. The bill also amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require DHS, through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, to conduct programs to certify instructors to conduct training courses on law enforcement tactics for state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: May 7, 2015
Title: A bill to amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to more comprehensively address the interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.
Description: A bill to amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to more comprehensively address the interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition. Amends provisions of the federal criminal code governing interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition to require that whenever transported by any means other than a motor vehicle: (1) a firearm shall be in a locked container or secured by a secure gun storage or safety device, and (2) ammunition shall be in a locked container. Excludes from permitted transport of a firearm or ammunition any transportation: (1) with the intent to commit a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year that involves the use or threatened use of force against another; or (2) with knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that such a crime is to be committed in the course of, or arising from, the transportation. Prohibits the arrest or detention of a person for a violation of any state or local law or regulation related to the possession, transportation, or carrying of firearms unless there is probable cause to believe that the person is doing so in a manner not provided for under federal law. Provides that when a person asserts this as a defense in a criminal proceeding: (1) the prosecution shall bear the burden of proving, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the person's conduct did not satisfy federal conditions; and (2) the court shall award the prevailing defendant a reasonable attorney's fee. Authorizes a private right of action (and attorney fees) for deprivation of any right, privilege or immunity secured by federal firearms provisions under color of any state or local law or regulation.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: May 12, 2015
Title: Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act
Description: Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) allow licensed firearms importers, manufacturers, dealers, or collectors (licensees) to sell or deliver any firearm (currently, rifles or shotguns) to a resident of a state other than the state in which the licensee is located or temporarily located if the licensee meets with the purchaser to complete the sale or delivery and the transaction complies with the laws of the state in which the transfer is conducted and the purchaser's state of residence; and (2) eliminate the requirement that a licensee must conduct business at a gun show only in the state that is specified on the licensee's license. Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit the sale or other disposition of a firearm or ammunition: (1) between licensed firearms dealers at any location in any state; or (2) by a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer to an unlicensed person at a temporary location in any state. Amends definitions for federal firearms provisions to: (1) revise the definition of a "member of the Armed Forces on active duty" to include a member (or member's spouse) who is a resident of the state in which such person maintains legal residence or in which the member maintains a place of abode from which the member commutes each day to the permanent duty station; and (2) provide that an officer or employee of the United States (other than a member of the Armed Forces) stationed outside the United States for a period exceeding one year, or a spouse residing with such an officer or employee, is a resident of the state in which the person maintains legal residence.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: May 14, 2015
Title: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016
Description: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Sec. 3) Defines "congressional defense committees" as the House and Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees. (Sec. 4) Specifies procedures for determining the budgetary effects of this bill for compliance with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Act of 2010. (Sec. 5) Provides that the explanatory statement regarding this bill that was printed in the Congressional Record has the same effect as a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference. DIVISION A--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATIONS TITLE I--PROCUREMENT Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for Procurement at the levels identified in section 4101 of this bill. Subtitle B--Army Programs (Sec. 111) Requires the National Guard to issue guidance that prioritizes UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter upgrades within the Army National Guard to units with the aircraft that have the highest flight hours and utilization rates. (Sec. 112) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a roadmap for replacing A/MH-6 Mission Enhanced Little Bird aircraft to meet the rotary-wing, light attack, reconnaissance requirements particular to special operations. (Sec. 113) Requires the Army to submit to Congress a report containing options for accelerating the replacement of all UH-60A helicopters of the Army National Guard. (Sec. 114) Expresses the sense of Congress on tactical wheeled vehicle protection kits. Subtitle C--Navy Programs (Sec. 121) Requires the quarterly report for the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) to include a description of new design and engineering changes to CVN-78 class aircraft carriers. (Sec. 122) Amends the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 to reduce the limit on the cost of the CVN-78 class aircraft carrier program. Permits a specified increase in the cost cap if the Navy determines that measures required to complete the ship within the revised cost cap will result in an unacceptable reduction to the ship's operational capability. (Sec. 123) Amends the Carl Levin and Howard P. ''Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 to extend and modify the limitation on funds for the Littoral Combat Ships designated as LCS-25 and LCS-26 until pre-existing requirements are met. Requires the Navy to provide Congress with acquisition strategies, a plan to outfit Flight 0 and Flight 0+ Littoral Combat Ships with capabilities identified for the upgraded Littoral Combat Ship, and a current test and evaluation master plan for the Littoral Combat Ship mission modules. (Sec. 124) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 to authorize the Navy to enter into a multiyear contract for a Flight III destroyer, in addition to the existing authority for a Flight IIA destroyer. (Sec. 125) Permits the Navy to enter into a contract beginning in FY2016 for the procurement of one Arleigh Burke class destroyer in addition to the 10 DDG-51s in the FY2013-FY2017 multiyear procurement contract or for one DDG-51 in FY2018. Permits incremental funding to be used. (Sec. 126) Permits the Navy to use incremental funding for the nuclear refueling and complex overhaul of the U.S.S. George Washington (CVN-73). (Sec. 127) Permits the Navy to enter into one or more contracts to procure up to six Fleet Replenishment Oilers. (Sec. 128) Limits the funds that may be used for the U.S.S. John. F. Kennedy (CVN-79) until the Navy submits to Congress: (1) a certification that it will conduct full ship shock trials by the end of FY2017, and (2) specified reports regarding cost issues and requirements, capabilities, and alternatives for aircraft carriers that would replace or supplement the CVN-78 class aircraft carrier. Permits DOD to waive the certification requirement if specified conditions are met. (Sec. 129) Limits the funds that may be used for the U.S.S. Enterprise (CVN-80) until a specified certification and report regarding the design and cost is submitted to Congress. (Sec. 130) Limits the availability of funds for research and development, design, construction, procurement or advanced procurement of materials for the upgraded Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) until the Navy submits specified capabilities assessments, reports, certifications, and plans to Congress. (Sec. 131) Sets forth reporting requirements for the Ohio-class replacement submarine program. Subtitle D--Air Force Programs (Sec. 141) Prohibits the Air Force from moving more than 18 A-10 aircraft in the Active Component to backup flying status pursuant to a DOD authorization under the Carl Levin and Howard P. ''Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. (Sec. 142) Prohibits the retirement of certain A-10 aircraft before December 31, 2016. Requires the Air Force to commission and report to Congress on an assessment of the required capabilities or mission platform to replace the A-10 aircraft. (Sec. 143) Prohibits the retirement of any EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. Requires the Air Force to commission and report to Congress on an assessment of the required capabilities or mission platform to replace the EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. (Sec. 144) Prohibits the Air Force from using FY2016 or FY2017 funds to retire any operational Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), EC-130H Compass Call, or Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWACS) aircraft. (Sec. 145) Limits the use of FY2016 funds for F-35A procurement until DOD certifies to Congress that F-35A aircraft delivered in FY2018 will have full combat capability with currently planned Block 3F hardware, software, and weapons carriage. (Sec. 146) Prohibits the Air Force from using FY2016 or FY2017 funds for retiring any KC-10 aircraft, unless the aircraft is nonoperational because of mishaps, other damage, or being uneconomical to repair. (Sec. 147) Limits the use of funds to transfer any C-130H aircraft from one facility to another, initiate any C-130 manpower authorization adjustments, retire or prepare to retire any C-130H aircraft, or close any C-130H unit until after the Air Force makes a specified certification to Congress. (Sec. 148) Limits the availability of funds to upgrade the executive communications of C-20 and C-37 aircraft until the Air Force certifies to Congress that the upgrades do not cause the aircraft to exceed any weight limitations or reduce operational capability of the aircraft. (Sec. 149) Limits the use of funds for avionics modification to the T-1A Jayhawk aircraft until after the Air Force submits to Congress a required report on options for the modernization or replacement of the T-1A aircraft capability. (Sec.150) Limits the retirement of B-1, B-2, or B-52 bomber aircraft prior to initial operational capability of the long-range strike bomber unless DOD includes a notification of the proposed retirement and specified details in the defense budget materials. (Sec. 151) Requires the Air Force to maintain a minimum total active inventory of at least 1,900 fighter aircraft and a total primary mission aircraft inventory (combat-coded) of at least 1,100 fighter aircraft. Requires the Air Force to report to Congress in advance of retiring the aircraft. (Sec. 152) Expresses the sense of Congress regarding basing of the F-35A aircraft outside of the continental United States. Subtitle E--Defense-wide, Joint, and Multiservice Matters (Sec. 161) Limits the availability of funds for joint battle command-platform equipment until after the Army submits to Congress a report providing a test and evaluation plan to address the effectiveness, suitability, and survivability shortfalls identified by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation in the FY2014 report. (Sec. 162) Requires the Army and the Navy to submit to Congress a report on the plan to modernize small arms for the Army and the Marine Corps. (Sec. 163) Requires DOD to contract with a federally funded research and development center to study the use of different types of enhanced 5.56mm ammunition by the Army and the Marine Corps. TITLE II--RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 201) Authorizes appropriations for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation at the levels identified in section 4201 of this bill. Subtitle B--Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations (Sec. 211) Requires DOD to: (1) designate each science and technology reinvention laboratory as a Center for Science, Technology, and Engineering Partnership in the core competencies of the designee, and (2) establish a policy to encourage the Secretary of each military department to reengineer management and business processes and adopt best-business and personnel practices at their Centers to serve as recognized leaders in their core competencies. (Sec. 212) Expands DOD's Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) program, which awards scholarships to students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, to include students from countries which are parties to The Technical Cooperation Program memorandum of understanding of October 24, 1995 (currently the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada). Limits the number of new foreign students entering the program to five per year. (Sec. 213) Modifies the authority for education partnerships to permit institutions that support technology transition or transfer activities, such as business or law schools with technology management programs, to participate. (Sec. 214) Revises requirements for the Secretary of Defense to promote, monitor, and evaluate programs for the communication and exchange of research, development, and technological data. (Sec. 215) Reauthorizes the Global Research Watch Program, which monitors and analyzes research activities and capabilities of foreign nations in areas of military interest. Expands the focus of the program to include the private sector as a part of the global focus. (Sec. 216) Amends the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 to reauthorize the Rapid Innovation Program to accelerate the fielding of innovative technologies. Requires DOD to ensure that projects are selected using merit-based selection procedures and not subject to undue influence by Congress or other federal agencies. (Sec. 217) Requires DOD to: (1) establish a set of science, technology, and innovation activities to improve the acquisition outcomes of major automated information systems through improved performance and reduced developmental and life cycle costs, and (2) conduct a gap analysis to identify activities that are not being pursued in the current science and technology program. (Sec. 218) Requires DOD to establish a technology offset program to build and maintain the military technological superiority of the United States by: (1) accelerating the fielding of offset technologies that would help counter technological advantages of potential adversaries, and (2) developing and implementing new policies and acquisition and business practices. (Sec. 219) Limits the availability of funds for F-15 infrared search and track capability until after DOD reports to Congress on the requirements and cost estimates for the development and procurement of infrared search and track capability for F/A-18 and F-15 aircraft of the Navy and the Air Force. (Sec. 220) Limits the use of U.S. Special Operations Command funds for the Shallow Water Combat Submersible until the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics: (1) designates a civilian official responsible for oversight and assistance for all undersea mobility programs; and (2) submits a report to Congress on the Shallow Water Combat Submersible. (Sec. 221) Limits the availability of funds for advanced development and manufacturing activities under the medical countermeasure program within the Chemical-Biological Defense Program until DOD submits a specified report to Congress on the activities. (Sec. 222) Limits the use of funds for the distributed common ground system of the Army until the Army reviews and reports to Congress on the program planning for the system. (Sec. 223) Limits the use of U.S. Special Operations Command funds for the distributed common ground system until a specified report is submitted to Congress. (Sec. 224) Limits funds that the Army may use for the Integrated Personnel and Pay System of the Army until the Army reports to Congress on the performance of legacy systems, changes in human resources organization and financial system capabilities, and alternatives that could reduce the current cost of the system. Subtitle C--Reports and Other Matters (Sec. 231) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 to eliminate the requirements for the Joint Federated Assurance Center to coordinate certain research and development activities with the Center for Assured Software of the National Security Agency and the Defense Microelectronics Activity. (The Joint Federated Assurance Center was established to serve as a joint, department-wide federation of existing capabilities to ensure security of DOD software and hardware.) (Sec. 232) Requires the Air Force, the Army, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to jointly conduct a demonstration of the Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) capability in FY2016. (Sec. 233) Requires the Secretaries of the military departments and the Secretary of Defense to each develop and submit to Congress a strategy for engagement with historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions in the development of scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics capabilities. (Sec. 234) Requires the Army to submit to Congress a report including the findings of a market survey and assessment of commercial-off-the-shelf wide-area surveillance sensors suitable for insertion into Army tactical unmanned aerial systems. (Sec. 235) Requires the Navy and the Air Force to submit to Congress a report on the baseline and alternatives for the Navy's Tactical Air Combat Training System (TCTS) Increment II. (Sec. 236) Requires DOD to submit to Congress and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review a report on the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of the technologies and capabilities critical to the long-range strike bomber aircraft. (Sec. 237) Requires the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation to seek to enter into a contract with a federally funded research and development center to conduct a comprehensive assessment of current and future requirements and capabilities of the Army with respect to air-land ad hoc, mobile tactical communications and data networks. (Sec. 238) Requires DOD to conduct a hardware assurance study to assess the presence, scope, and effect on DOD operations of counterfeit electronic parts that have passed through the Department supply chain and into fielded systems. (Sec. 239) Requires the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to jointly develop a plan to enable secure and survivable communications between and among fifth- and fourth-generation fighter aircraft, and the aircraft that support them, in anti-access/area denial environments. (Sec. 240) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a plan for integrating advanced weapons technologies into exercises carried out by the military to improve the development and experimentation of various concepts for employment by the Armed Forces. (Sec. 241) Requires DOD to contract with a federally funded research and development center to conduct an assessment of the F135 engine program. (Sec. 242) Requires the GAO to report on the autonomic logistics information system for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft program. (Sec. 243) Expresses the sense of Congress that DOD should explore using existing authorities for promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs to allow DOD laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers to help facilitate and shape a scientific and technical future workforce that can support DOD needs. TITLE III--OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 301) Authorizes appropriations for Operation and Maintenance activities at the levels identified in section 4301 of this bill. Subtitle B--Energy and Environment (Sec. 311) Prohibits DOD from making a bulk purchase of a drop-in fuel (biofuels that are similar to conventional fuels and may be used with existing vehicles and transportation infrastructure) for operational purposes unless the fully burdened cost of the fuel is cost-competitive with a traditional fuel, subject to a national security waiver. (Sec. 312) Establishes Southern Sea Otter Military Readiness Areas at specified offshore islands in the Southern California Bight. Exempts military readiness activities of the Navy from specified environmental laws pertaining to the southern sea otter in the Areas. Requires the Navy to monitor and report to Congress on the effects of military readiness activities on the southern otter population in the Areas. (Sec. 313) Amends energy management reporting requirements to eliminate requirements for reporting of renewable energy credits and revise electricity outage reporting requirements to include non-commercial utility outages and DOD-owned infrastructure. (Sec. 314) Revises the scope of required DOD reviews of projects related to potential obstructions to aviation to: (1) cover requests for reviews by Indian tribes and landowners, (2) provide that information received from private entities is not publicly releasable, (3) eliminate categories of adverse risk, and (4) limit the applicability of the section to only energy projects. (Sec. 315) Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to exclude from the definition of "chemical substance" any component of any article subject to the excise tax on firearms and ammunition, limited to shot shells, cartridges, and components of shot shells and cartridges. Subtitle C--Logistics and Sustainment (Sec. 322) Repeals a limitation on the authority of the Air Force to enter into a contract for the sustainment, maintenance, repair, or overhaul of the F117 engine. (Sec. 323) Requires each of the service acquisition executives of the military departments to: (1) initiate a pilot program in FY2016 for product improvement under the authority provided in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, and (2) spend at least $5 million in working capital funds in FY2016 to support the initiative. Subtitle D--Reports (Sec. 331) Revises requirements for the annual report on prepositioned materiel and equipment to require a list of any equipment used in support of contingency operations slated for retrograde and subsequent inclusion in the prepositioned stocks. (Under current law, the list applies specifically to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, or Operation Enduring Freedom.) (Sec. 332) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the merger of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment. (Sec. 333) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a report on equipment purchased noncompetitively from foreign entities outside of the national technology and industrial base. Subtitle E--Other Matters (Sec. 341) Prohibits DOD from entering into any contract or other agreement under which payments are to be made for activities by the contractor intended to honor members of the Armed Forces at a sporting event. (Sec. 342) Revises the priority order of recipients of adopted military animals and requires the Secretary of the military department concerned to make animals available for adoption under certain circumstances. (Sec. 343) Permits certain contracts or subcontracts entered into under the Armament Retooling and Manufacturing Support (ARMS) Initiative to include an option to extend the term for an additional 25 years. (Sec. 344) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a plan for the improved management and oversight of the systems, processes, and controls involved in the disposal of excess DOD property by the Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services. (Sec. 345) Limits the use of funds for sponsorship, advertising, or marketing associated with a sports-related organization or sporting event until the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness reviews and reports to Congress on current contracts and task orders for sponsorships, advertising, and marketing. (Sec. 346) Requires DOD to: (1) plan and budget for $10 billion in cost savings in its headquarters, administrative and support activities between FY2015-FY2019; (2) include at least a 25% reduction to headquarters activities in the savings; and (3) conduct a comprehensive review of headquarters, administrative, and support functions. TITLE IV--MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS Subtitle A--Active Forces (Sec. 401) Authorizes specified end strengths for Active Duty personnel of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 402) Establishes new minimum Active Duty end strengths for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. Subtitle B--Reserve Forces (Sec. 411) Authorizes specified end strengths for Selected Reserve personnel. (Sec. 412) Authorizes specified end strengths for Reserves on Active Duty in support of the Reserves. (Sec. 413) Authorizes specified end strengths for military technicians (dual status). (Sec. 414) Establishes the maximum end strengths for the Reserve Components of the Army and Air Force for non-dual status technicians. (Sec. 415) Authorizes the maximum number of Reserve Component personnel who may be on Active Duty or full-time National Guard duty during FY2016 to provide operational support. Subtitle C--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 421) Authorizes appropriations for Military Personnel at the levels identified in section 4401 of this bill. (Sec. 422) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a report containing specified assessments, evaluations, and details regarding the force structure of the Army. TITLE V--MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY Subtitle A--Officer Personnel Policy (Sec. 501) Reinstates the authority for the service secretaries to convene selection boards to consider regular warrant officers on the Active-Duty list for involuntary discharge. (Sec. 502) Specifies that if the Secretary of a military department determines that one or more officers were not placed on an all-fully-qualified-list for promotion because of administrative error, the Secretary may prepare a supplemental list for promotion containing the names of the officers. (Sec. 503) Revises the restriction on the number of officers that may be recommended for discharge by a selection board. (Sec. 504) Permits the Secretaries of the military departments to defer, until age 68, the mandatory retirement age of a general or flag officer serving as Chief or Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the Army, Navy, or Air Force. (Sec. 505) Authorizes a service secretary to retire warrant officers in the highest grade in which they served satisfactorily before retirement. (Sec. 506) Implements GAO recommendations on the definition and availability of general and flag officer costs and requires DOD to submit a report to Congress describing the costs. Subtitle B--Reserve Component Management (Sec. 511) Provides that a member of the Ready Reserve who is also a Member of Congress may not be transferred to the Standby Reserve or discharged on account of the individual's position as a Member of Congress unless the transfer or discharge is ordered by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the case of the Coast Guard Reserve, based on the needs of the services. (Sec. 512) Provides that the purpose of a Reserve Component special selection board is limited to the correction of errors at a mandatory promotion board. (Sec. 513) Increases from 90 to 180 days the number of continuous days of Active Duty required to be performed by reserve component members for the duty to be considered satisfactory federal service for purposes of unemployment compensation. (Sec. 514) Authorizes the Air Force to use up to 50 Active, Guard, and Reserve members and dual status military technicians to provide pilot instruction training to active duty and foreign military personnel in excess of what is currently authorized. Requires the Air Force to submit to Congress a plan to eliminate pilot instructor shortages within the Air Force. (Sec. 515) Requires DOD submit to Congress an assessment of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission's recommendation to consolidate the statutory authorities by which members of the reserve components may be ordered to perform duty. Subtitle C--General Service Authorities (Sec. 521) Authorizes the service secretaries to apply for a correction to military records on behalf of a group of members or former members of the Armed Forces who were similarly harmed by the same error or injustice. (Sec. 522) Provides authority through 2020 for the Secretary of a military department to develop and provide incentives to encourage individuals to accept an appointment as a commissioned officer, accept an appointment as a warrant officer, or enlist in the Armed Forces. (Sec. 523) Amends the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009 to expand the authority to conduct pilot programs on career flexibility to enhance retention of members of the Armed Forces. Removes limitations on the number of participants in the program. (Under the program, officers and enlisted members of the Armed Forces may be inactivated from active duty in order to meet personal or professional needs and returned to active duty at the end of the period of inactivation.) (Sec. 524) Modifies the waiting period and congressional notification requirements for changes in the ground combat exclusion policy for female members of the Armed Forces. Requires DOD to notify Congress at least 30 days before a change is implemented. (Sec. 525) Requires gender-neutral occupational standards developed by the Secretaries of the military departments to measure the combat readiness of combat units, including special operations forces. (Sec. 526) Requires DOD to establish a process by which the commander of a military installation in the United States, reserve center, recruiting center, or other defense facility may authorize a member of the Armed Forces assigned to duty at the installation to carry an appropriate firearm on the installation if it is necessary as a personal- or force-protection measure. (Sec. 527) Requires the Army to develop a breastfeeding policy for female members of the Army. (Sec. 528) Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should (1) continue to recognize and promote diversity in the Armed Forces; and (2) honor those from diverse backgrounds and religious traditions who have made sacrifices in serving the United States through the Armed Services. Subtitle D--Military Justice, Including Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention and Response (Sec. 531) Amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to authorize a victim to petition the Court of Criminal Appeals for a writ of mandamus based on an assertion that the victim's rights at an Article 32, UCMJ, investigation were violated or that the victim is subject to an order to submit to a deposition notwithstanding the fact that the victim is available to testify at a court-martial. (Sec. 532) Authorizes DOD to provide Special Victims' Counsel (SVC) services to a civilian DOD employee who is the victim of an alleged sex-related offense. (Sec. 533) Authorizes the SVC to provide legal consultation and assistance to victims of an alleged sex-related offense, in connection with inspector general and equal opportunity complaints, requests under the Freedom of Information Act, and communications with Congress. (Sec. 534) Requires a victim of a sex-related offense to be notified of the availability of a Special Victims' Counsel prior to interviewing or requesting a statement from the victim, subject to exceptions for exigent circumstances. (Sec. 535) Requires DOD to develop a policy to standardize the training for Special Victims' Counsel, establish performance measures and standards, and ensure that Special Victims' Counsel are assigned to locations that maximize face-to-face interactions with clients. (Sec. 536) Provides that federal law protecting the privacy of victims who are servicemembers or adult military dependents and who file restricted reports of sexual assault preempts state laws requiring reporting to a sexual assault response coordinator, a sexual assault victim advocate, or healthcare personnel providing assistance to a victim. Includes an exception if reporting is necessary to prevent or mitigate a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of an individual. (Sec. 537) Requires DOD to establish the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces no later than 90 days after enactment of this bill. (Sec. 538) Requires DOD to develop a plan to improve prevention and response to sexual assaults of male members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 539) Requires DOD to establish a strategy to prevent retaliation against members of the Armed Forces who report or intervene on behalf of sexual assault victims. (Sec. 540) Requires the service secretaries to ensure that the commanders, administrators, and instructors of each unit of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps receive regular sexual assault prevention and response training and education. (Sec. 541) Requires DOD to retain all elements of the case file in investigations of sex-related offenses for at least 50 years. (Sec. 542) Requires the GAO to report on policies of the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve regarding sexual assault response and prevention. (Sec. 543) Requires DOD to examine the DOD process for implementing changes to the UCMJ to develop options for streamlining the process and ensure that legal guidance is published when the changes are implemented. (Sec. 544) Modifies the Rules for Courts-Martial to prohibit giving a less favorable rating to any member of the Armed Forces serving as a Special Victims' Counsel because of the zeal with which the Counsel represented a victim. (Sec. 545) Authorizes the President to modify Rule 304(c) of the Military Rules of Evidence to conform to the rules governing the admissibility of the corroboration of admissions and confessions in the trial of criminal cases in the U.S. district courts. Subtitle E--Member Education, Training, and Transition (Sec. 551) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to revise the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program to: expand eligibility for the program; add quality of life services to the services that DOD may enter into partnerships to provide under the program; provide flexibility in the number and timing of information, events, and activities under the program; and require the Office for Reintegration Programs to assist in the collection and analysis of best practices regarding suicide prevention. (Sec. 552) Excludes any day on which a member: (1) performed full-time training or annual training duty, and (2) attended a school designated as a service school from the calculation of continuous days of Active Duty for the purpose of receiving preseparation counseling. (Sec. 553) Requires DOD and the Department of Homeland Security to permit a member of the Armed Forces eligible for the Transition Assistance Program to receive additional training in preparation for higher education or training, career or technical training, or entrepreneurship. (Sec. 554) Authorizes the Joint Professional Military Education Phase II courses to be taught in residence at or offered through the Joint Forces Staff College or senior level service school designated as a joint professional military education institution. (Sec. 555) Terminates the program to provide educational assistance for reserve component members supporting contingency operations and other operations in four years after the date of enactment of this bill. (Sec. 556) Adds one additional nomination for appointment to each military service academy by each Delegate in Congress from the territories of Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (Sec. 557) Authorizes the Army to enter into certain contracts and agreements with the Army West Point Athletic Association to support the athletic programs of the U.S. Military Academy and sets forth requirements for the agreements. (Sec. 558) Removes the requirement that admission of defense industry civilians to the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology be on a space-available basis as long as the attendance does not require an increase in the size of the faculty, course offerings, or laboratory facilities of the school. (Sec. 559) Requires the Secretaries of the military departments to ensure that professional accreditation programs provided to members of the Armed Services meet recognized national and international standards. (Sec. 560) Provides that individuals receiving Post-9/11 Education Assistance may not also receive unemployment insurance while receiving the post-9/11 education benefit, subject to an exception for individuals who were involuntarily separated from service under honorable conditions. (Sec. 561) Establishes a Job Training and Post-Service Placement Executive Committee within the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee to: (1) review policies, procedures, and practices with respect to job training and post-service placement programs; and (2) identify changes to improve job training and post-service placement. (Sec. 562) Exempts two additional involuntary mobilization duty authorities from the five-year limit on reemployment rights: (1) orders of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force Reserve to active duty to respond to a major disaster or emergency; and (2) orders of the Selected Reserve to active duty for preplanned missions in support of the combatant commands. (Sec. 563) Amends the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act to expand outreach for veterans transitioning from Active Duty to inform them about community oriented veteran peer support networks and other available support programs. Subtitle F--Defense Dependents' Education and Military Family Readiness Matters (Sec. 571) Authorizes appropriations to continue DOD assistance to local educational agencies impacted by enrollment of dependent children of military members and DOD civilian employees. (Sec. 572) Authorizes appropriations for impact aid payments for children with disabilities to continue DOD assistance to local educational agencies that benefit eligible dependents with severe disabilities. (Sec. 573) Authorizes the use of appropriations to support student meal programs in domestic defense dependents' schools located outside of the United States. (Sec. 574) Extends the authority for family support programs for immediate family members of members of the Armed Forces assigned to Special Operations Forces and modifies reporting requirements. Subtitle G--Decorations and Awards (Sec. 581) Waives the statutory time limitation to authorize the Army to award the Distinguished-Service Cross to Edward G. Halcomb for service in the Korean War. Subtitle H--Miscellaneous Reports and Other Matters (Sec. 591) Authorizes DOD to develop a policy to coordinate the efforts of DOD and non-governmental suicide prevention organizations. (Sec. 592) Extends the requirement for semiannual reports on involuntary separation of members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 593) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the feasibility of conducting preliminary mental health screenings for individuals becoming members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 594) Requires DOD to report to Congress on new Military Lending Act regulations related to the identification of covered borrowers, including: (1) the ability of the Defense Manpower Data Center to provide the information needed to determine whether a borrower is covered, or (2) an alternate mechanism for identifying covered borrowers. Specifies requirements for Defense Manpower Data Center reports and meetings with private sector users. (Sec. 595) Limits the use of Air Force Operation and Maintenance funds until the Air Force reports to Congress on remotely piloted aircraft career field manning levels and actions that will be taken to rectify personnel shortfalls. TITLE VI--COMPENSATION AND OTHER PERSONNEL BENEFITS Subtitle A--Pay and Allowances (Sec. 601) Freezes the monthly basic pay for all general and flag officers. (Sec. 602) Ends the supplemental subsistence allowance for servicemembers serving inside the United States. (Servicemembers serving outside the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam would still be eligible to receive the supplemental subsistence allowance from DOD.) (Sec. 603) Permits DOD to reduce the monthly amount of the basic allowance for housing (BAH) by up to the following percentages of the national average for housing for a given pay grade and dependency status: 1% in 2015, 2% 2016, 3% in 2017, 4% in 2018, and 5% for months after 2018. (Sec. 604) Extends the authority of DOD to temporarily increase the rates of basic allowance for housing in areas impacted by natural disasters or experiencing a sudden influx of personnel. (Sec. 605) Permits DOD to obtain information from the Department of Agriculture regarding the number of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) applicant households that contain members of the Armed Forces. Subtitle B--Bonuses and Special and Incentive Pays (Sec. 611) Extends certain bonus and special pay authorities for Reserve Forces. (Sec. 612) Extends certain bonus and special pay authorities for health care professionals. (Sec. 613) Extends certain bonus and special pay authorities for nuclear officers. (Sec. 614) Extends the general bonus authority for enlisted members and officers, the special bonus and incentive pay authority for nuclear officers, special aviation incentive pay and bonus authorities, the special health professions incentive pay and bonus authorities, hazardous duty pay, assignment pay or special duty pay, skill incentive pay or the proficiency bonus, the contracting bonus for Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets and midshipmen, and the retention bonus for members with critical military skills or assigned to high-priority units. (Sec. 615) Extends the authority for the aviation officer retention bonus, assignment incentive pay, the reenlistment bonus for active members, the enlistment bonus for active members, the incentive pay for members of precommissioning programs pursuing foreign language proficiency, the accession bonus for new officers in critical skills, the incentive bonus for conversion to military occupational specialty to ease personnel shortage, the incentive bonus for transfer between Armed Forces, and the accession bonus for officer candidates. (Sec. 616) Authorizes the Navy to increase the maximum nuclear officer bonus if necessary to address declining nuclear officer retention and growing retention uncertainty. (Sec. 617) Increases aviation incentive pay for officers performing qualifying flying duty relating to remotely piloted aircraft and makes technical amendments to the aviation pay and bonus authorities. (Sec. 618) Repeals the authority of the Army to pay bonuses to encourage Army personnel to refer persons for enlistment in the Army. Subtitle C--Travel and Transportation Allowances (Sec. 621) Permits the Secretary of the military department concerned to provide round trip transportation to transfer ceremonies for family and next of kin of members of the armed forces who die overseas during humanitarian relief operations. (Sec. 622) Repeals the special travel and transportation allowance for survivors of deceased members of the Armed Forces from the Vietnam conflict to provide equal travel benefits regardless of the location of death or connection to a specific conflict. (Sec. 623) Requires the GAO to study the impact of the policy changes to the Joint Travel Regulations for uniformed service members and DOD civilian employees related to flat rate per diem for long-term temporary duty travel. Subtitle D--Disability Pay, Retired Pay, and Survivor Benefits Part I--Retired Pay Reform (Sec. 631) Changes the current uniformed services retirement system by blending the current defined benefit retirement plan with a defined contribution plan, lump sum career continuation pay, and retention bonuses paid at defined career milestones, while continuing a 20-year defined annuity. Limits service members who may opt-in to the new retirement system to those with less than 12 years of service. Repeals the modified cost-of-living adjustment for members under the age of 62 included in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. (Sec. 632) Provides a government-matching Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) retirement benefit for those who enter uniformed service on or after January 1, 2018, or a member serving before that date who makes a voluntary election to opt-in to the new plan. Ends the government matching contributions at 26 years of service. (Sec. 633) Permits the voluntary election of lump sum payments of retired pay for those serving for 20 or more years. (Sec. 634) Changes the current military retirement system by adding a mandatory lump sum career continuation pay at 12 years of service with an agreement by the service member to continue in service for 4 more years. (Sec. 635) Establishes January 1, 2018, as the effective date for this subtitle, and requires the Secretaries concerned to submit an implementation plan to Congress. Part II--Other Matters (Sec. 641) Permits the election of a new spouse beneficiary under the Survivor Benefit Plan after the death of a former spouse beneficiary. Subtitle E--Commissary and Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality Benefits and Operations (Sec. 651) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a plan to make delivery of commissary and exchange benefits budget-neutral by October 1, 2018. Requires GAO to assess the plan. Permits DOD to conduct one or more pilot programs to evaluate processes and methods for achieving budget-neutrality in the delivery of commissary and exchange benefits. (Sec. 652) Requires GAO to report on policies and procedures for construction projects funded through the Commissary Surcharge, Non-appropriated Fund and the Privately-Financed Major Construction Program of DOD. Subtitle F--Other Matters (Sec. 661) Requires DOD to increase the frequency of and make specified improvements to financial literacy and preparedness training for members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 662) Authorizes DOD to obligate installment payments of bonus, incentive pay, and similar benefits at the time payment is due. TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE PROVISIONS Subtitle A--TRICARE and Other Health Care Benefits (Sec. 701) Modifies residency requirements for certain beneficiaries to receive access to TRICARE Prime. (Sec. 702) Modifies cost-sharing requirements for the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program. (Sec. 703) Expands continued health benefits coverage to include discharged and released members of the Selected Reserve. (Sec. 704) Requires DOD to ensure that TRICARE Prime beneficiaries obtain health care appointments within health care access standards established by DOD. Requires DOD to publish the health care access standards in the Federal Register and on a publicly accessible DOD web site. (Sec. 705) Expands reimbursement for smoking cessation services for certain TRICARE beneficiaries. Subtitle B--Health Care Administration (Sec. 711) Authorizes DOD to waive recoupment of an erroneous payment to a covered TRICARE beneficiary if: the payment was due to an administrative error by an employee of the DOD or a TRICARE contractor, the beneficiary reasonably believed that the payment was correct, the beneficiary relied on the expectation of the benefit, and a waiver of recoupment is necessary to prevent an injustice. Requires DOD to impose financial responsibility on TRICARE contractors that are responsible for erroneous payments. (Sec. 712) Requires DOD to publish data on measures used to assess patient safety, quality of care, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes for health care provided under the TRICARE program at each military medical treatment facility on a publicly available DOD website. Requires data for health care provided by a military medical treatment facility to be accessible on the primary web site of that facility. Prohibits DOD from publishing any data related to risk management activities. (Sec. 713) Requires DOD to include data on patient safety, quality of care, and access to care at each military medical treatment facility in the annual report to Congress on TRICARE program effectiveness. (Sec. 714) Requires DOD to ensure that beneficiaries covered under a TRICARE health plan can access health care under that health plan in each TRICARE program region. (Sec. 715) Requires DOD and the VA to establish a joint uniform formulary with respect to pharmaceutical agents that are critical for the transition of an individual from receiving treatment furnished by DOD to treatment furnished by the VA. (Sec. 716) Establishes criteria under which licensed mental health counselors may be reimbursed under the TRICARE program. (Sec. 717) Requires DOD to develop a system for designating non-department mental health care providers that meet criteria relating to knowledge and understanding of military culture and evidence-based mental health treatments approved by DOD. (Sec. 718) Requires DOD to: (1) establish and disseminate clinical practice guidelines on standards of care with respect to methods of contraception and counseling on methods of contraception for members of the Armed Forces, and (2) ensure that female members of the Armed Forces have access to comprehensive counseling on the full range of methods of contraception provided by health care providers during health care visits. Subtitle C--Reports and Other Matters (Sec. 721) Makes permanent the authority to provide transportation for certain dependents receiving obstetrical anesthesia services related to childbirth. (Sec. 722) Extends the authority for the DOD-VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund for five years. (Sec. 723) Extends the authority for the joint DOD-VA Medical Facility Demonstration Fund. (Sec. 724) Limits funds that may be spent by the Office of the Secretary of Defense until DOD submits to Congress a required report on the military health system modernization study. (Sec. 725) Requires DOD to carry out and report to Congress on a pilot program to allow covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE program to access urgent care visits without requiring pre-authorization for the visits. (Sec. 726) Requires DOD to conduct and report to Congress on a pilot program to assess value-based incentive programs to encourage institutional and individual health care providers under the TRICARE program to improve quality of care, the experience of beneficiaries in receiving care, and the health of beneficiaries. (Sec. 727) Limits the funds authorized by this bill that may be used for DOD Healthcare Management Systems Modernization until DOD makes a specified certification required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. (Sec. 728) Requires DOD to submit to the VA specified information related to the exposure of members of the Armed Forces to airborne hazards, open burn pits, and environmental factors in Iraq and Afghanistan connected to respiratory illnesses. (Sec. 729) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a plan to compile and assess data relating to: (1) outcomes for mental health care provided by DOD, (2) variations in outcomes among different medical facilities, and (3) barriers to the implementation by mental health care providers of the clinical practice guidelines and other evidence-based treatments and approaches. (Sec. 730) Requires DOD to submit to Congress and GAO to assess a report describing plans to improve the experience of care of beneficiaries and to eliminate performance variability for health care provided in military medical treatment facilities and in the TRICARE purchased care network. (Sec. 731) Requires GAO to study gaming facilities at military installations and problem gambling among members of the Armed Forces. TITLE VIII--ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS Subtitle A--Acquisition Policy and Management (Sec. 801) Requires the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps to review their current individual authorities related to defense acquisitions to develop recommendations to further or advance their roles in the development of requirements, acquisition processes, and the associated DOD budget practices. (Sec. 802) Sets forth the role of the Chiefs of Staff and other specified officials with respect to decisions regarding the balancing of resources, priorities, and associated trade-offs among cost, schedule, technical feasibility, and performance on major defense acquisition programs. (Sec. 803) Amends the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 to allow DOD to use existing rapid acquisition authority for supplies and services that DOD determines are: urgently needed and impact an ongoing or anticipated contingency operation that, if left unfulfilled, could potentially result in loss of life or critical mission failure; or urgently needed to eliminate a deficiency that as the result of a cyber-attack has resulted or is likely to result in critical mission failure, the loss of life, property destruction, or economic effects. Increases the amount of rapid acquisition authority for contingency operations and authorizes a specified amount for cyber security. (Sec. 804) Requires the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics to issue guidance for an expedited and streamlined ''middle tier'' of acquisition programs that are intended to be completed within five years. Requires the guidance to include two acquisition pathways: (1) a rapid prototyping pathway that can demonstrate new capabilities to meet emerging military needs which could result in a residual operational capability, and (2) a rapid fielding pathway for proven technologies to field production quantities of new or upgraded systems with minimal development required. Authorizes the use of expedited and streamlined procedures for both of these pathways and establishes a Rapid Prototyping Fund to provide additional funds for each rapid prototyping pathway program. (Sec. 805) Requires DOD to establish and report to Congress on procedures and guidelines for alternative acquisition pathways to acquire capital assets and services that meet critical national security needs. (Sec. 806) Permits DOD to waive acquisition laws or regulations to acquire a capability that is in the vital national security interest of the United States and is not otherwise available to the Armed Forces. Requires DOD to notify Congress before using this authority and designate a senior official to be responsible and accountable for the rapid and effective acquisition and deployment of the needed capability. (Sec. 807) Authorizes limited acquisition authority for non-major systems for the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command. Requires an implementation plan to be submitted to Congress. Requires the Cyber Investment Management Board to review and assess programs being acquired under this authority. (Sec. 808) Requires the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps to each submit to Congress a report on efforts to link and streamline the requirements, acquisition, and budget processes within the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. (Sec. 809) Requires DOD to establish, under the sponsorship of the Defense Acquisition University and the National Defense University, an advisory panel on streamlining acquisition regulations. (Sec. 810) Requires the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review the requirements process to: (1) establish an agile and streamlined system that develops requirements that provide stability and foundational direction for acquisition programs, and (2) to determine the advisability of providing a time-based or phased distinction between capabilities needed to be deployed urgently, within two years, within five years, and longer than five years. Requires DOD to ensure that the acquisition and budgeting systems are structured to meet time-based or phased requirements in a manner that is predictable, cost effective, and efficient and takes advantage of emerging technological developments. Subtitle B--Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations (Sec. 811) Replaces a requirement that the head of an agency determine that substantial savings would be achieved before entering into a multiyear contract with a requirement that the savings be significant. (Sec. 812) Limits the applicability of requirements under the Truth in Negotiations Act to submit certified cost and pricing data if: (1) the data relates to an offset agreement in connection with a contract for the sale of a weapon system or defense-related item to a foreign country or foreign firm, and (2) does not relate to a contract or subcontract under the offset agreement for work performed in a foreign country that is directly related to the weapon system or defense-related item being purchased under the contract. (Sec. 813) Sets forth procedures for the validation of rights in technical data for subsystems and components of major weapon systems and establishes a government-industry advisory panel on rights in technical data. (Sec. 814) Revises experimental acquisition authority to apply the authority to transportation, energy, medical, and space-flight supplies. (Sec. 815) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 to make permanent the transaction authority for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to carry out certain prototype projects that are directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by DOD, or to improvement of platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the Armed Forces. Sets forth policies regarding the qualification of contractors as nontraditional contractors, permissible uses of the authority, and the participation of small businesses without a cost-share requirement. (Sec. 816) Raises the special emergency procurement authority threshold. (Sec. 817) Changes the rounding method used for making inflation adjustments to certain acquisition-related dollar thresholds. Subtitle C--Provisions Related to Major Defense Acquisition Programs (Sec. 821) Requires DOD to create an acquisition strategy for each major defense acquisition program, each major automated information system, and each major system approved by a Milestone Decision Authority (MDA). (Sec. 822) Requires the program acquisition strategy for each major defense acquisition program or major system to specifically address approaches to manage and mitigate risks. (Sec. 823) Establishes the MDA's responsibility to ensure that an acquisition program has demonstrated sufficient knowledge to enter into a risk reduction phase following milestone A (initiates technology maturation and risk reduction) and has sound plans to progress to the development phase before granting milestone approval. Specifies the considerations that the MDA must take into account. (Sec. 824) Establishes the MDA's responsibility to ensure that an acquisition program has demonstrated sufficient knowledge to enter a development phase and has sound plans in place to deliver the required capability before granting milestone B (initiates engineering and manufacturing development) approval. Specifies the considerations that the MDA must take into account. Requires the MDA to certify that: (1) the program has a high likelihood of accomplishing its intended mission based on a formal post-preliminary design review assessment, and (2) the technology in the program has been demonstrated in a relevant environment based on an independent review and assessment. (Sec. 825) Designates the service acquisition executives as the MDA for major acquisition programs managed by the military services unless DOD designates another official to serve as the MDA. (Sec. 826) Requires DOD to revise guidance for defense acquisition programs to address the tenure and accountability of program managers for the program definition period of defense acquisition programs. (Sec. 827) Requires DOD to revise guidance for major defense acquisition programs to address the tenure and accountability of program managers for the program execution period of major defense acquisition programs. Specifies requirements for the revised guidance. (Sec. 828) Requires each military department to pay an annual penalty for cost overruns on the covered major defense acquisition programs of the military department. (Sec. 829) Modifies reporting requirements applicable to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering regarding major defense acquisition programs. (Sec. 830) Requires each Configuration Steering Board to track any changes in program requirements for a major defense acquisition program and requires certain changes to be approved by the service chief. (Sec. 831) Repeals the requirement for separate manpower estimates for major defense acquisition programs. (Sec. 832) Authorizes the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Developmental Test and Evaluation and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Engineering to review developmental test and evaluation and systems engineering master plans for major defense acquisition programs, respectively, and advise relevant technical authorities on the incorporation of best practices for programs under consideration. Subtitle D--Provisions Relating to Acquisition Workforce (Sec. 841) Makes permanent the authority for the Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Fund and the associated expedited hiring authority. (Sec. 842) Reinstitutes a dual-track career path for officers and enlisted personnel to gain experience and receive credit for both a primary career in combat arms and a functional secondary career in the acquisition field. (Sec. 843) Includes acquisition matters addressed by military personnel in the definition of "joint matters" to enable military acquisition professionals to receive joint professional credit and end certain double experience requirements for officers who serve in acquisition positions. (Sec. 844) Requires DOD to provide mandatory training for members of the Armed Forces and DOD employees responsible for conducting market research. (Sec. 845) Requires DOD to contract with an independent research entity to study DOD strategic planning related to the defense acquisition workforce. (Sec. 846) Extends the Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project. Subtitle E--Provisions Relating to Commercial Items (Sec. 851) Requires DOD to: (1) establish and maintain a centralized capability to oversee the making of commercial item determinations for DOD procurements, and (2) provide public access to the determinations. Permits a contracting officer to presume that a prior commercial item determination made by a DOD component may serve as a determination for subsequent procurements of the items. (Sec. 852) Modifies the information that a contractor is required to submit to DOD to support a price reasonableness determination. (Sec. 853) Requires a contracting officer to consider evidence provided by an offeror of recent purchase prices paid by the government for the same or similar commercial items in establishing price reasonableness if the previous prices remain a valid reference for comparison after considering other relevant factors. (Sec. 854) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a report identifying the defense-unique provisions of law that are applicable for the procurement of commercial items or commercial off-the-shelf items, both at the prime and subcontract level. (Sec. 855) Requires DOD to issue guidance and conduct reviews to ensure that defense acquisition officials and specified documents fully comply with requirements regarding market research and the preference for commercial items. (Sec. 856) Requires a written determination to be made prior to any conversion of the procurement of commercial items to a non-commercial acquisition procedure. Requires DOD to establish procedures to track conversions of future contracts and subcontracts for improved analysis and reporting. (Sec. 857) Authorizes DOD to treat goods and services provided by a non-traditional contractor as a commercial item. Subtitle F--Industrial Base Matters (Sec. 861) Extends the DOD Mentor-Protege Pilot Program, which provides incentives for major DOD contractors to furnish disadvantaged small business concerns with assistance to enhance capabilities to perform under DOD contracts. Modifies eligibility requirements, forms of assistance, and reporting requirements. (Sec. 862) Amends the Small Business Act to require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to annually provide to Congress certification of the accuracy and completeness of data reported on bundled and consolidated contracts. Requires GAO to report on the effectiveness of the certification process and assess whether contracts were accurately labeled as bundled or consolidated. (Sec. 863) Requires: (1) the senior procurement executive or chief acquisition officer to announce through a public website that a determination has been made to bundle or consolidate contracts, and (2) the head of a contracting agency to announce through a public website that a determination has been made regarding a substantial bundling of contracts for a proposed procurement plan. Specifies requirements for the timing of the announcements. (Sec. 864) Provides that Small Business Act requirements for certain contracts apply to contracts for goods, but not services or construction. (Sec. 865) Establishes certification requirements for Commercial Market Representatives and modifies the certification requirements for Procurement Center Representatives and Business Opportunity Specialists. (Sec. 866) Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 to revise requirements for small businesses located in base closure areas to participate in the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program. Authorizes the inclusion of qualified disaster areas and base closure areas in the program. (Sec. 867) Requires agencies to consider the capabilities and past performances of the small businesses that submit offers as teams or joint ventures for a multiple award contract or when the contract is bundled or consolidated. (Sec. 868) Requires the SBA to: ensure the participation of a wide variety of industries and a broad spectrum of small businesses within each industry to meet small business contracting goals, and develop a scorecard program for evaluating federal agency compliance with small business contracting goals. Specifies requirements for the scorecard and requires the GAO to review the methodology. Requires the SBA to report to Congress on specified details regarding contracts awarded to small businesses. (Sec. 869) Establishes an Office of Hearings and Appeals in the SBA to: (1) impartially decide matters relating to certain program decisions of the Administrator, and (2) handle Freedom of Information Act requests and maintain records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974. Establishes procedures for the Office of Hearing and Appeals to consider petitions for the reconsideration of size standards for small business concerns. (Sec. 870) Sets forth additional duties for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization in cases where a small business believes that a solicitation, request for proposal, or request for quotation might unduly restrict the ability of the small business concern to compete for an award. (Sec. 871) Includes consideration of success in attainment of small business subcontracting goals as a part of agency responsibilities for achieving small business goals. (Sec. 872) Requires DOD to report to Congress regarding the failure of contractors to meet goals under negotiated comprehensive small business subcontracting plans. (Sec. 873) Establishes a pilot program for streamlining awards of certain contracts to a small business or non-traditional defense contractor pursuant to: (1) a technical merit based selection procedure, or (2) the S
Last Action: Became Public Law No: 114-92. (TXT | PDF)
Last Action Date: November 25, 2015
Title: Firearm Act of 2015
Description: Firearm Act of 2015 Prohibits the federal government from requiring disclosure of the race or ethnicity of a person to whom a firearm is transferred.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: May 19, 2015
Title: Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act
Description: Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act Revises the authority of the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to transfer excess DOD property, including small arms and ammunition, to federal and state agencies for law enforcement activities to: repeal provisions authorizing the transfer of property the Secretary determines is suitable for use in counter-drug and counter-terrorism activities; repeal provisions directing the Secretary to carry out such transfers in consultation with the Director of National Drug Control Policy; condition such a transfer on the recipient certifying that it has the personnel and technical capacity to operate the property and will return property determined to be surplus to its needs; prohibit the transfer of specified weapons, materials, and equipment, including explosive ordnance, drones, assault vehicles, firearms or ammunition of .50 caliber or higher, grenade launchers, flash grenades, and bayonets; and condition continuation of such program on the Secretary certifying that, for the prior fiscal year, recipients demonstrated 100% accountability for transferred property and complied with program requirements or were suspended or terminated from the program. Requires the Secretary to: (1) report to Congress and obtain prior approval by law before transferring any DOD property not previously made available for transfer; and (2) submit an annual written certification that a recipient has accounted for, and met transfer conditions for, any such transferred property. Requires the Defense Logistics Agency to maintain an Internet website on such transfers, unaccounted-for property, and suspended or terminated recipients. Prohibits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from permitting awards under a preparedness grant program to be used to buy, maintain, or alter: (1) specified protective, tactical, or explosives equipment, vehicles, canines, or firearms or ammunition of .50 caliber or higher; and (2) body armor or ballistic helmets and shields unless the grantee certifies to FEMA that the equipment will not be used for riot suppression. Directs: (1) the Comptroller General to conduct an audit covering the period of FY2010 through the current fiscal year on the use of preparedness grant program funds that assesses how funds have been used to procure equipment, how the equipment has been used, and whether the grant awards have furthered FEMA's goal of improving the preparedness of state and local communities; and (2) FEMA to implement a system of accounting on an annual basis how preparedness grant program funds have been used to procure equipment, how the equipment has been used, whether grantees have complied with restrictions on the use of equipment contained with the Authorized Equipment List, and whether the awards have furthered its goal of enhancing the capabilities of state agencies to prevent, deter, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to prohibit the use of Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds for the purchase, maintenance, alteration, or operation of lethal weapons or less-lethal weapons. Directs the Comptroller General to report on federal agencies, including agency offices of Inspector General, that have specialized units that receive special tactical or military-style training or use hard-plated body armor, shields, or helmets and that respond to high-risk situations that fall outside the capabilities of regular law enforcement officers. Requires such report to include information that is relevant to understanding the usefulness and justification for such units.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: May 21, 2015
Title: A bill to authorize the appropriation of funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention.
Description: A bill to authorize the appropriation of funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention. This bill authorizes FY2016-FY2021 appropriations for the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention to conduct or support research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Last Action Date: June 2, 2015
Title: Handgun Trigger Safety Act of 2015
Description: Handgun Trigger Safety Act of 2015 Requires the Director of the National Institute of Justice to make one-year grants to qualified entities (states or local governments, organizations, or institutions of higher education) to develop technology for personalized handguns (a handgun that is manufactured to enable only the authorized user to fire it). Provides that a recipient shall use at least 70% of the grant amount to develop technology for personalized handguns and may use not more than 20% to develop technology for retrofitted personalized handguns and not more than 10% for administrative costs. Prohibits any person: (1) beginning 5 years after enactment of this Act, from manufacturing in the United States a handgun that is not a personalized handgun; or (2) beginning 10 years after enactment of this Act, from distributing in commerce any handgun that is not a personalized handgun or a retrofitted personalized handgun. Exempts antique firearms and firearms distributed or sold to the Department of Defense. Provides for the enforcement of such prohibitions by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and by the states. Requires a handgun manufacturer, upon request of the owner of a handgun manufactured in the United States that is not a personalized handgun or a retrofitted personalized handgun, to retrofit the handgun and return it to the owner within a reasonable period of time as established by the CPSC. Makes the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund available to the Attorney General for payments to reimburse handgun manufacturers for the costs of retrofitting handguns. Amends the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to exclude from the definition of "qualified product" any handgun manufactured after five years after enactment of this Act that is not a personalized handgun or retrofitted personalized handgun.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Last Action Date: June 2, 2015
Title: Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2015
Description: Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to: state that the term "intimate partner" includes a dating partner and any other person subject to a protection order under state domestic or family violence law; and expand the term "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" to include the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, by a current or former intimate partner. The bill makes it a crime to knowingly sell or dispose of a firearm to a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. It also makes it a crime for such convicted stalker to receive or possess a firearm.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: June 4, 2015
Title: Crime Gun Tracing Act of 2015
Description: Crime Gun Tracing Act of 2015 Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to direct the Attorney General, in awarding public safety and community policing (COPS ON THE BEAT) grants, to give preferential consideration to an applicant that has reported all firearms recovered during the previous 12 months at a crime scene or during the course of a criminal investigation to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, or to a state agency that reports such firearms to the Bureau, for the purpose of tracing. Requires each application for a COPS grant to specify: (1) whether the applicant recovered any firearms at a crime scene or during the course of a criminal investigation during the 12 months before the submission of the application; (2) the number of such firearms recovered; (3) the number of such firearms reported to the Bureau, or to a state agency that reports such firearms to the Bureau, for tracing; and (4) the reason why any such firearms were not so reported.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3928)
Last Action Date: June 9, 2015
Title: Arm All Pilots Act of 2015
Description: Arm All Pilots Act of 2015 This bill revises requirements for the federal flight deck officer program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall designate additional training facilities for: firearms training and recurrent training for federal flight deck officers, and initial firearm training and certification of pilots seeking to be deputized as federal flight deck officers. DHS (formerly, the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security of the Department of Transportation) shall: require officers, but no less than once every six months, to requalify to carry firearms on domestic flights; and permit officers to requalify at certified private or government-owned gun ranges. DHS may require certain limitations on initial and recurrent training for such officers. The bill revises the authority of federal flight deck officers to carry firearms on domestic and foreign flights. DHS may not establish medical or physical standards for a pilot to become a federal flight deck officer inconsistent with or more stringent than Federal Aviation Administration requirements for issuance of a first- or second-class airman medical certificate. A pilot deputized as a federal flight deck officer may move from inactive to active status after completing one recurrent training program. DHS shall allow officers to be screened through the Transportation Security Administration's Known Crew Member program when entering an airport sterile area. Each air carrier certifying to DHS that it has a pilot deputized as a federal flight deck officer on all its flights shall receive a refund of up to 10% of security service fees collected from passengers on flights operated by that air carrier. DHS shall revise certain federal regulations to classify information about deputized pilots as sensitive security information.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Last Action Date: June 17, 2015
Title: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016
Description: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides FY2016 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). TITLE I--DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS Provides appropriations for: (1) the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management, (2) the Office of the Under Secretary for Management, (3) the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, (4) the Office of the Chief Information Officer, (5) Analysis and Operations, and (6) the Office of Inspector General. Requires DHS to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan for implementation of the biometric entry and exit data system required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and a report on visa overstay data by country as required by existing laws. Withholds $13 million in funds from the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management until both the plan and the report are submitted. Requires DHS to submit a Comprehensive Acquisition Status Report and the Future Years Homeland Security Program with the President's FY2017 budget. TITLE II--SECURITY, ENFORCEMENT, AND INVESTIGATIONS Provides appropriations to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for: Salaries and Expenses; Automation Modernization; Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology; Air and Marine Operations; and Construction and Facilities Management. Requires DHS to report to Congress on any changes to the five-year strategic plan for the air and marine program required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012. Provides appropriations to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for: (1) Salaries and Expenses, and (2) Automation Modernization. Provides appropriations to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for: Aviation Security, Surface Transportation Security, Intelligence and Vetting, and Transportation Security Support. Requires TSA to submit reports to Congress: (1) detailing efforts to develop more advanced passenger screening technologies and deploy the existing passenger and baggage screener workforce in the most cost effective manner, and (2) updating information on a strategy to increase the number of air passengers eligible for expedited screening. Provides appropriations to the U.S. Coast Guard for: Operating Expenses; Environmental Compliance and Restoration; Reserve Training; Acquisition, Construction, and Improvements; Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; and Retired Pay. Requires the Coast Guard to submit a future-years capital investment plan to Congress. Provides appropriations to the U.S. Secret Service for: (1) Salaries and Expenses; and (2) Acquisition, Construction, Improvements, and Related Expenses. TITLE III--PROTECTION, PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY Provides appropriations for the National Protection and Programs Directorate for: Management and Administration, Infrastructure Protection and Information Security, the Federal Protective Service, and the Office of Biometric Identity Management. Provides appropriations for the Office of Health Affairs, including BioWatch operations, biosurveillance, chemical defense, medical and health planning and coordination, and workforce health protection. Provides appropriations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for: Salaries and Expenses, State and Local Programs, Firefighter Assistance Grants, Emergency Management Performance Grants, the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program, the U.S. Fire Administration, the Disaster Relief Fund, the Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Analysis Program, the National Flood Insurance Fund, the National Predisaster Mitigation Fund, and Emergency Food and Shelter. Requires FEMA to submit specified reports to Congress on the Disaster Relief Fund, including the balances of appropriations, obligations for catastrophic and non-catastrophic events, and obligations and activities related to disaster relief and emergencies. TITLE IV--RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, AND SERVICES Provides appropriations for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Provides appropriations to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center for: (1) Salaries and Expenses; and (2) Acquisition, Construction, Improvements, and Related Expenses. Provides appropriations for Science and Technology for: (1) Management and Administration; and (2) Research, Development, Acquisition and Operations. Provides appropriations to the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office for: (1) Management and Administration; (2) Research, Development, and Operations; and (3) Systems Acquisition. TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts. (Sec. 501) Prohibits appropriations provided by this bill from remaining available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly provided. (Sec. 502) Permits unexpended balances of prior appropriations to be transferred and merged to new accounts and used for the same purpose, subject to reprogramming guidelines. (Sec. 503) Sets forth restrictions, guidelines, and requirements for the reprogramming and transfer of funds provided by this bill. (Sec. 504) Extends the authority for the DHS Working Capital Fund (WCF) and prohibits DHS from using funds to make payments to the WCF, except for activities and amounts allowed in the President's FY2016 budget. Permits funds provided to the WCF to remain available until expended and sets forth restrictions and requirements for the WCF. (Sec. 505) Permits up to 50% of unobligated balances remaining at the end of FY2016 from appropriations for salaries and expenses to remain available through FY2017, if a request is submitted to Congress in accordance with reprogramming guidelines. (Sec. 506) Deems funds provided by this bill for intelligence activities to be specifically authorized during FY2016 until the enactment of an Act authorizing intelligence activities for FY2016. (Sec. 507) Requires DHS to notify Congress prior to awarding or announcing the intent to award specified grant allocations, grants, contracts, task or delivery orders, or other transaction agreements. Permits a waiver if compliance would pose a substantial risk to human life, health, or safety and DHS notifies Congress after the award is made. (Sec. 508) Restricts the use of funds for additional law enforcement training facilities without notifying Congress in advance. Permits the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to obtain the temporary use of additional facilities for training which cannot be accommodated in existing facilities. (Sec. 509) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill for a construction, repair, alteration, or acquisition project for which a required prospectus has not been approved. (Sec. 510) Applies provisions of the Department Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2008 related to a contracting officer's technical representative training, disclosure of sensitive security information, and minimum federal fleet requirements to funds provided by this bill. Excludes funds provided by this or any other Act from a requirement that DHS report to Congress on documents designated as sensitive security information. (Sec. 511) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used in contravention of the Buy American Act. (Sec. 512) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to amend the oath of allegiance required by the Immigration and Nationality Act. (Sec. 513) Requires the DHS Chief Financial Officer to submit monthly budget execution and staffing reports to Congress. (Sec. 514) Requires funds provided to TSA for Aviation Security, Administration, and Transportation Security Support for FY2004 and FY2005 that are recovered or deobligated to be used only for the procurement or installation of explosive detection, air cargo, baggage, and checkpoint screening systems. (Sec. 515) Prohibits funds from being used for a competition for services provided by USCIS employees for Immigration Information Officers, Immigration Service Analysts, Contact Representatives, Investigative Assistants, or Immigration Services Officers. (Sec. 516) Requires funds appropriated to the Coast Guard for FY2002-FY2006 for the 110-123 foot patrol boat conversion that are recovered, collected, or otherwise received as the result of negotiation, mediation, or litigation to be available until expended for the Fast Response Cutter program. (Sec. 517) Classifies the functions of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center instructor staff as inherently governmental (rather than commercial, which would require source competition) for the purposes of the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998. (Sec. 518) Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) listing all grants and contracts awarded in FY2016 without a full and open competition. Requires the OIG to review the report for compliance with laws and regulations and submit the results to Congress. (Sec. 519) Prohibits the USCIS from using funds provided by this bill to grant an immigration benefit to an individual unless required background checks have been completed, received by DHS, and do not preclude the granting of the benefit. (Sec. 520) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to extend certain DHS transactional authorities for research and development projects through FY2016. (Sec. 521) Requires DHS to link all contracts that provide award fees to successful acquisition outcomes specified in terms of cost, schedule, and performance. (Sec. 522) Prohibits funds from being used to waive navigation and vessel inspection laws for the transportation of crude oil distributed from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until DHS takes adequate measures to ensure the use of U.S. flag vessels. (Sec. 523) Prohibits the CBP from using funds provided by this bill to prevent individuals from importing personal use quantities of certain prescription drugs from Canada. (Sec. 524) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to reduce the U.S. Coast Guard's Operating Systems Center mission or its government or contract staff levels. (Sec. 525) Requires DHS to notify Congress of proposed transfers from the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund to any DHS agency, and prohibits obligation of the funds until Congress approves the transfer. (Sec. 526) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used for planning, testing, piloting, or developing a national identification card. (Sec. 527) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to conduct or implement the results of a competition with respect to the Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center, pursuant to Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76. (Sec. 528) Requires FEMA to post on its website a report summarizing damage assessment information used to determine whether to declare a major disaster. Requires the report to be posted within 30 days after the President determines whether to declare a major disaster and any appeal is completed. (Sec. 529) Prohibits officials from delegating this bill's requirements to report or certify to Congress unless specifically authorized by this bill. (Sec. 530) Prohibits funds from being used to transfer or release to or within the United States, its territories, or its possessions individuals detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Sec. 531) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used for first-class travel. (Sec. 532) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill to employ workers who are unauthorized aliens under the Immigration and Nationality Act. (Sec. 533) Permits funds provided by this bill to be used to alter operations within the Coast Guard's Civil Engineering Program. Prohibits the use of the funds to reduce operations within any Civil Engineering Unit unless authorized by statute. (Sec. 534) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to pay award or incentive fees for contractor performance that is below satisfactory or fails to meet the basic requirements of a contract. (Sec. 535) Requires DHS to ensure that new processes for screening aviation passengers and crews consider privacy and civil liberties consistent with laws, regulations, and guidance. (Sec. 536) Permits the USCIS to allocate specified funds from the Immigration Examinations Fee Account in FY2016 for an immigration integration grants program to provide services to individuals that have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. (Sec. 537) Provides appropriations to the Office of the Under Secretary for Management to remain available until expended for consolidation of the new DHS headquarters and related mission support activities. Requires DHS to submit an expenditure plan to Congress. (Sec. 538) Prohibits DHS from entering into contracts that do not meet requirements of specified contracting laws and regulations. (Sec. 539) Provides appropriations to remain available through FY2017 for financial systems modernization. Permits the funds to be transferred between appropriations accounts for the same purpose if Congress is notified in advance. (Sec. 540) Permits DHS to transfer specified funds to respond to an immigration emergency if Congress is notified in advance. (Sec. 541) Requires the CBP and ICE to submit multiyear investment and management plans for FY2016-FY2019 to Congress. (Sec. 542) Requires DHS to ensure enforcement of all immigration laws. (Sec. 543) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill for a computer network unless pornography is blocked, with the exception of law enforcement, prosecution, or adjudication activities. (Sec. 544) Prohibits a federal law enforcement officer from using funds provided by this bill to transfer a firearm to an agent of a drug cartel unless U.S. law enforcement personnel continuously monitor or control the firearm. (Sec. 545) Prohibits funds from being used for the National Preparedness Grant Program or successor programs unless explicitly authorized by Congress. (Sec. 546) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to fund the position of Public Advocate within ICE. (Sec. 547) Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 to increase from 5 to 10 the number of reimbursable agreements the CBP is permitted to enter into with airports for services at ports of entry relating to customs, agricultural processing, border security, and immigration inspection-related matters. (Sec. 548) Sets forth restrictions and reporting requirements for the use of funds provided by this bill to attend international conferences. (Sec. 549) Prohibit TSA from using funds to require airport operators to provide airport-financed staffing to monitor exit points from the sterile area of any airport at which TSA provided monitoring as of December 1, 2013. (Sec. 550) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to reimburse any federal department or agency for participation in a National Special Security Event. (Sec. 551) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used for new CBP air preclearance agreements entering into force after February 1, 2014, unless: (1) DHS certifies to Congress that air preclearance operations at the airport provide a homeland or national security benefit, (2) U.S. passenger air carriers are not precluded from operating at existing preclearance locations, and (3) a U.S. passenger air carrier is operating at all airports contemplated for establishment of new air preclearance operations. Exempts countries with preclearance facilities in service prior to 2013. (Sec. 552) Permits DHS to waive specified requirements of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, when make grants using funds provided for Firefighter Assistance Grants. (Sec. 553) Prohibits DHS from collecting new border crossing fees or conducting a study related to the imposition of a border crossing fee. (Sec. 554) Restricts DHS funds from being used to deposit any payment tendered by a surety under, or in connection with, a customs bond on an entry for which duties and interest are subject to distribution under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act (CDSOA), into any account in the Treasury other than an unavailable receipt account. Continues this restriction until the CBP completes a rulemaking process concerning the amendment of a specified regulation related to the allocation of late payments between the interest charge on the delinquent principal amount and payment of the delinquent principal amount. Provides that the Commissioner of CBP is permitted to approve amendments to specified regulations to amend the order in which a payment is allocated between principal and interest. (Sec. 555) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, excluding any amounts that were designated by Congress as an emergency requirement or for disaster relief pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. (Sec. 556) Provides that fees collected from passengers from Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent island, pursuant to the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, shall be available until expended. (Sec. 557) Prohibits the use of funds to prepare proposals for the President's budget that assume savings from certain user fee proposals without identifying additional spending reductions that should occur if the proposals are not enacted. (Sec. 558) Prohibits funds from being used for Executive Order 13690 (Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input). (Sec. 559) Permits DHS to propose the reprogramming or transfer of specified funds to the Coast Guard for the Offshore Patrol Cutter Project, subject to the approval of Congress. (Sec. 560) Prohibits funds from being used for structural pay reform that affects more than 100 full-time equivalent employee positions or costs more than $5 million in a single year without notifying Congress in advance. (Sec. 561) Requires agencies receiving funds in this bill to post reports required to be submitted to Congress on the public website of the agency if it serves the national interest. Provides exceptions for national security or proprietary information. (Sec. 562) Rescinds specified funds that were transferred to the Disaster Assistance Direct Loan Program pursuant to the Community Disaster Loan Act of 2005. (Sec. 563) Requires FEMA to transfer specified funds from the Disaster Assistance Direct Loan Program to the Disaster Relief Fund. (Sec. 564) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to sustain domestic prosecutions based on the Arms Trade Treaty, or to implement the Treaty, until the Senate ratifies the Treaty and Congress adopts implementing legislation. (Sec. 565) Rescinds specified amounts from several DHS accounts and programs. (Sec. 566) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. (Sec. 567) Permits DHS to designate Poland as program country under the visa waiver program established under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 122.
Last Action Date: June 18, 2015
Title: Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act
Description: Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and related federal law with respect to immigration law enforcement within the United States. Authorizes: (1) states or their political subdivisions to enact and enforce immigration criminal penalties as long as they do not exceed relevant federal criminal penalties; and (2) state or local law enforcement personnel to investigate, apprehend, arrest, or transfer to federal custody aliens for immigration enforcement purposes to the same extent as federal law enforcement personnel. Directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) with all information that DHS has regarding any alien: (1) against whom a final order of removal has been issued, (2) who has entered into a voluntary departure agreement, (3) who has overstayed his or her authorized period of stay, or (4) whose visa has been revoked. Requires NCIC to enter such information into its Immigration Violators File. Requires: (1) states to have access to federal programs or technology directed at identifying inadmissible or deportable aliens, and (2) states and their political subdivisions to provide DHS with specified identifying information about each apprehended alien who is believed to be inadmissible or deportable. Directs DHS to make grants to states and their political subdivisions for procurement of equipment, technology, and facilities related to investigating, apprehending, arresting, or transporting inadmissible or deportable aliens. Directs DHS to construct or acquire additional domestic detention facilities for aliens detained pending removal. Amends INA regarding illegal aliens apprehended by state or local authorities to provide for: (1) federal custody upon state or local request, and (2) state or local compensation for related incarceration and transportation costs. Directs the DOJ or DHS to ensure that an alien subject to removal is detained in an adequate state or local prison, detention center, or other comparable facility. Directs DHS to establish immigration-related training for state and local personnel. Provides personal liability immunity to the same extent as corresponding federal immunity for state or local personnel enforcing immigration laws within the scope of their duties. Directs DHS to continue to operate a program that: (1) identifies removable criminal aliens in federal and state correctional facilities, (2) ensures that such aliens are not released into the community, and (3) removes them from the United States after the completion of their sentences. Extends such program to all states. Requires states that receive state criminal alien assistance program (SCAAP) funds to comply with program requirements. Authorizes state or local detention of certain aliens, in specified circumstances, after completion of their state or local prison sentence. Authorizes appropriations for SCAAP. Transfers SCAAP jurisdiction from the DOJ to DHS. Requires states and localities to: (1) notify the federal government of inadmissible or removable aliens who are encountered by law enforcement personnel, and (2) comply with federal law enforcement information requests and with DHS detainers. Denies specified federal law enforcement assistance to a state or a political subdivision that prohibits law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration law enforcement. Revises certain terrorism-related requirements and prohibitions with respect to naturalization, asylum, good moral character, voluntary departure, and cancellation of removal. Authorizes: (1) the denaturalization of a person who participates in terrorist activities or violent or unlawful activities aimed at the overthrow of the United States; and (2) the use or publication by DHS of certain legalization or special agricultural worker status information for any purpose relating to terrorism, national intelligence, or national security. Requires security and background checks and investigations of suspected immigration irregularities to be completed before specified immigration-related statuses and benefits may be granted or adjudicated. Revises and expands the definition of "aggravated felony" under INA. Makes such changes retroactive. Adds new grounds of inadmissibility for: (1) identity fraud or Social Security number misuse; (2) unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization; (3) specified firearm offenses; (4) conviction of an aggravated felony; and (5) crimes of domestic violence, stalking, or child abuse. Makes such additions retroactive. Adds new grounds of deportability for: (1) identity fraud or Social Security number misuse, and (2) unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization. Makes such additions retroactive. Makes inadmissible an alien who plans to or has engaged in espionage, prohibited export, or other unlawful activities, including activities aimed at the violent overthrow of the U.S. government. Prohibits the sale of or possession of firearms by any alien who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Amends the federal criminal code to place a 10-year statute of limitations on most criminal violations of INA. Makes: (1) aggravated felons ineligible for refugee, asylee adjustment of status, or any withholding of removal; and (2) a second Drinking Under the Influence (DUI) conviction an aggravated felony under INA. Revises requirements regarding: (1) detention and removal of aliens ordered removed, (2) alien smuggling and related offenses, and (3) reentry of removed aliens. Authorizes DHS to designate groups as criminal gangs. Bars individuals found inadmissible or deportable for criminal gang membership from asylum, withholding of removal, and temporary protected status. Amends the federal criminal code to state that the government, in the prosecution of aggravated identity theft, need not prove the defendant knew that the means of identification was of another person. Subjects to specified criminal penalties for illegal entry an alien who knowingly: (1) enters or crosses the border at a place other than a designated port of entry; (2) evades inspection by an immigration, customs, or agricultural officer; (3) makes a false or misleading statement or conceals a material fact during examination or inspection while crossing the border; or (4) violates the conditions of U.S. admission or parole for 90 days or more. Increases penalties under the federal criminal code for certain immigration document and passport fraud activities, and authorizes forfeiture of property used in connection with them. Reduces the period during which an alien may seek judicial review of an expedited removal order based on criminal or security grounds. Subjects to such expedited removal procedures an individual inadmissible because of a criminal offense if the individual has not been admitted or paroled, does not have a credible fear of persecution, and is not eligible for relief from removal. Expands the grounds of inadmissibility and deportability to include violation of federal requirements regarding sex offender registration. Prohibits U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents convicted of certain sex offenses from sponsoring an alien for admission unless the Secretary determines that such person poses no risk to the alien. States that a conviction for which a pardon has been issued shall not be grounds for deportability by reason of such conviction. Revises visa information sharing requirements. Prohibits waiver of a visa interview for an alien the Secretary determines to be a person of concern or in a class of aliens that are security threats. States that DHS (1) shall have exclusive authority to issue regulations, establish policy, and administer all immigration or nationality laws relating to consular functions in connection with visa issuance or denial; and (2) may refuse or revoke any visa to an alien or class of aliens for U.S. security interests. Prohibits judicial review of a decision by DHS to refuse or revoke a visa. Authorizes a consular surcharge (in addition to immigrant visa fees) to fund the visa security program. Provides for expedited clearance and placement of DHS personnel at overseas embassies and consular posts. Revises accreditation requirements. Limits those individuals who may serve as a designated school official (DSO) or be granted access to the student and exchange visitor information system (SEVIS). Requires a background check of any person serving in such capacity. Authorizes DHS to suspend an institution's student and exchange visitor program (SEVP) certification for reasonable suspicion of fraud. Makes a person convicted of such fraud permanently ineligible to hold a position of authority or ownership at any such institution. Authorizes school officials to nominate as many DSO's in addition to their Principal DSO's as necessary and adequate to make recommendations to enrolled students on how to maintain nonimmigrant status. Requires an SEVP-participating institution or exchange visitor program sponsor to report to the DHS on students or exchange visitors with nonimmigrant status. Makes flight schools that are not certified by the Federal Aviation Administration ineligible to access SEVIS. Requires SEVIS suspension for a school that loses or is denied accreditation. Directs the Secretary to authorize all DHS immigration enforcement agents and deportation officers who have successfully completed basic immigration law enforcement training to: (1) make arrests for offenses against the United States, for certain felonies, and for bringing in, transporting, or harboring certain aliens; (2) execute warrants of arrest for administrative immigration violations; and (3) carry firearms. Authorizes the DHS to hire additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention enforcement officers. Establishes: (1) an ICE Advisory Council; and (2) a pilot program in at least five of the busiest ICE offices to process electronically and serve charging documents, and process and place detainers while in the field. Directs DHS to increase the number of ICE deportation officers, support staff, and prosecutors. Requires semiannual DHS reports on countries that refuse or unreasonably delay repatriation of an alien who is a national of the country. Subjects countries that repeat on those lists to certain visa sanctions. Revises requirements and restrictions regarding: (1) voluntary departure, (2) reentry bars for aliens who remain in the United States after ordered removed, and (3) reinstatement of removal orders. Denies the use of certain funds to implement specified executive branch memoranda regarding the exercise of prosecutorial discretion in the apprehension, detention, and removal of aliens unlawfully present in the United States. Directs the Government Accountability Office to report on the deaths in custody of DHS detainees. Requires that, whenever possible, removal proceedings take place in the order in which aliens are placed in proceedings. Prohibits the DOJ from delaying or suspending the making of a final decision on an application to suspend deportation or cancel removal except for cases in which an application has been granted and the fiscal year cap has been reached. Includes proper income tax filing among the criteria for good moral character for INA purposes.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: June 22, 2015
Title: Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015
Description: Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow a representative official of an Indian tribe, with authorization from the governing body of the tribe, to request one or more polling places to be located on tribal lands. The state or political subdivision shall provide each requested polling place at no expense to the Indian tribe if certain criteria are met. A federal court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce constitutional voting guarantees, but also certain violations of the Act as well as of any federal prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, for an appropriate period to prevent commencement of new devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Requirements are revised for determining which states and political subdivisions are or are not covered by criteria for declaratory judgments that they have not used devices to deny or abridge the right to vote. Any state (and all of its political subdivisions) shall be subject to such requirements for a 10-year period if: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years; or 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least one of which was committed by the state itself (as opposed to a political subdivision within it). Any specific political subdivision of a state shall also be subject to those requirements for a 10-year period if 3 or more violations occurred in it during the previous 25 calendar years. A state or political subdivision that obtains a declaratory judgment that it has not used a device to deny or abridge the right to vote shall be exempt from such requirements unless new violations occur after the declaratory judgment was issued. Each state and each political subdivision shall: (1) identify any newly enacted or adopted law, regulation, or policy that includes a voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or a voting-related standard, practice, or procedure (covered practice); and (2) ensure that no such covered practice is implemented unless or until the state or political subdivision complies with certain preclearance requirements. This bill prescribes transparency requirements, including reasonable public notice, regarding any changes to: (1) voting prerequisites, standards, or procedures; (2) polling place resources; or (3) demographics and electoral districts. Department of Justice authority to assign observers receives new extensions, including authority to assign observers to enforce bilingual election requirements. Courts shall grant preliminary injunctive relief if a complainant raises a serious question whether the challenged covered practice violates the Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the hardship imposed upon the defendant by the relief will be less than the hardship on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4604-4606)
Last Action Date: June 24, 2015
Title: Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act of 2015
Description: Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act of 2015 Amends the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 to revise what are prohibited firearms to include any firearm: (1) that, after removal of all parts other than a major component (currently, of grips, stocks, and magazines), is not as detectable by walk-through metal detectors as the Security Exemplar; or (2) any major component of which, if subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices (currently, x-ray machines) commonly used at airports for security screening, would not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component. Modifies the definition of: (1) "major component" to include the barrel of a firearm only in the case of a rifle or shotgun, and (2) "Security Exemplar" to repeal the requirement that it be fabricated within 12 months after enactment of such Act. Exempts from undetectable firearms provisions: (1) a prototype firearm for detectability testing; (2) any firearm received by, in the possession of, or under the control of the United States; or (3) the manufacture, importation, possession, transfer, receipt, shipment, or delivery of a firearm by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer pursuant to a contract with the United States. (Replaces the exemption of any firearm that has been certified by the Department of Defense or the Central Intelligence Agency as necessary for military or intelligence applications or that is manufactured and sold exclusively to U.S. military or intelligence agencies.)
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: July 9, 2015
Title: Safer Communities Act of 2015
Description: Safer Communities Act of 2015 This bill provides grants to expand mental health crisis assistance programs, to support comprehensive school mental health programs, and to enhance mental health and substance abuse needs of prison inmates. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to expand research on violence associated with mental illness and substance abuse disorders. It requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand the National Violent Death Reporting System to all 50 states and to research the causes, mechanisms, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries from gun violence. The bill states that no provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act prohibits physicians from asking patients about guns in their homes, speaking to a patient about gun safety, or reporting a patient's threat of violence. It amends the Gun Control Act of 1968 to specify that the term "committed to a mental institution" applies to involuntary inpatient or outpatient treatment. The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to permit the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to states to remove firearms from individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others. DOJ must promptly notify law enforcement agencies when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a firearm. The bill replaces statutory references to persons "adjudicated as a mental defective" with persons "adjudicated as ineligible due to disqualifying mental status." It amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to: establish procedures to restore firearm ownership rights after a mental health adjudication or commitment, require an annual report on record submissions due to domestic violence misdemeanor convictions, authorize state grants to improve the automation and transmittal of mental health and criminal history records, and require quarterly updates to federal agency record submissions. The bill reauthorizes the National Criminal History Records Improvement Program for FY2016-FY2019.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: July 9, 2015
Title: Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act
Description: Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes for the development, implementation, and evaluation of handgun purchaser licensing requirements. Directs the Attorney General to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible applicants whose applications are approved to assist them in implementing and improving handgun purchaser licensing programs. Directs a state, local government, or tribe, to be eligible to receive a grant, to submit to the Attorney General an application that meets specified requirements, including a description of: (1) the law that the applicant has enacted to require a license for any purchase of a handgun, including exemptions to such law; and (2) how the applicant will use the grant to carry out or improve its program. Requires an applicant, to be eligible for a grant, to have in effect handgun purchaser licensing laws that: require an applicant for a handgun license or permit to be at least 21 years old and to be a national or lawful permanent resident of the United States; require such an individual to apply for the license or permit at a law enforcement agency in the state in which he or she resides, to reapply for an issued license after a period not longer than five years, and to submit to a background investigation and a criminal history check; require such an individual to submit fingerprints and photographs in connection with the application and to provide proof that the individual is legally present and lawfully resides in the United States; and bar any individual who is prohibited from possessing a firearm under the federal criminal code from receiving a license or permit. Requires a grantee to use such grant to improve its handgun purchaser licensing programs.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: July 13, 2015
Title: Hadiya Pendleton and Nyasia Pryear-Yard Gun Trafficking and Crime Prevention Act of 2015
Description: Hadiya Pendleton and Nyasia Pryear-Yard Gun Trafficking and Crime Prevention Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make trafficking in firearms a crime. Specifically, it prohibits, with respect to two or more firearms, the following: transfer to or receipt by a prohibited person or a person who plans a subsequent transfer that results in unlawful use, possession, or disposition of such firearms; providing false statements in connection with the purchase, receipt, or acquisition of such firearms; and directing, promoting, or facilitating such prohibited conduct. A person who commits or conspires to commit a gun trafficking offense is subject to a prison term of up to 20 years (or 25 years if such person also acted as an organizer). The U.S. Sentencing Commission must review and, if appropriate, amend the sentencing guidelines and policy statements that apply to persons convicted of trafficking in firearms.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: July 14, 2015
Title: A bill to require a process by which members of the Armed Forces may carry a concealed personal firearm on a military installation.
Description: A bill to require a process by which members of the Armed Forces may carry a concealed personal firearm on a military installation. This bill directs the Department of Defense to establish a process by which the commander of a military installation in the United States may authorize a qualifying member of the Armed Forces who is assigned to duty at the installation to carry a concealed personal firearm on the installation if the commander determines it to be necessary as a personal-protection or force-protection measure. The commander of the installation shall consult with appropriate state and local elected officials and take into consideration state and local laws law regarding carrying a concealed personal firearm.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: July 21, 2015
Title: SEMPER FI Act Securing Military Personnel Response Firearm Initiative Act
Description: SEMPER FI Act Securing Military Personnel Response Firearm Initiative Act This bill directs the Secretary concerned to authorize an eligible member of the Armed Forces assigned to an Armed Forces recruitment center to carry a service-issue sidearm as a personal- or force-protection measure while on duty at the recruiting center, notwithstanding any federal, state, or local law or Department of Defense policy to the contrary. In lieu of authorizing eligible members of the Armed Forces to carry a service-issue sidearm, or in addition, the Secretary concerned may implement additional security measures for Armed Forces recruitment centers, including improved structural security measures. This Act shall not be interpreted to grant any member of the Armed Forces the authority to conduct civilian law enforcement functions within U.S. territory.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: July 21, 2015
Title: Armed Forces Self-Defense Act
Description: Armed Forces Self-Defense Act This bill states U.S. policy that Department of Defense (DOD) personnel shall be appropriately armed and have the inherent right to self-defense. Current regulations and directives, or any provision in any other rule, regulation, or executive order prohibiting military personnel trained in firearms from carrying personal firearms on U.S. military installations shall have no further force or effect with regard to such military personnel, and they shall not be prohibited from carrying personal firearms on U.S. military installations. The bill directs DOD to establish a process by which the commander of a military installation in the United States may authorize a qualifying member of the Armed Forces assigned to duty at the installation to carry a concealed personal firearm on the installation if the commander determines it to be necessary as a personal-protection or force-protection measure. The commander of the installation shall consult with appropriate state and local elected officials and take into consideration state and local laws law regarding carrying a concealed personal firearm.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: July 21, 2015
Title: A bill to safeguard military personnel on Armed Forces military installations by repealing bans on military personnel carrying firearms, and for other purposes.
Description: A bill to safeguard military personnel on Armed Forces military installations by repealing bans on military personnel carrying firearms, and for other purposes. This bill repeals (1) Army Regulation 190-14, entitled "Carrying of Firearms and Use of Force for Law Enforcement and Security Duties"; and (2) Department of Defense Directive Number 5210.56, entitled "Use of Deadly Force and the Carrying of Firearms by DOD Personnel Engaged in Law Enforcement and Security Duties." Any provision in any other law, rule, regulation, or executive order that prohibits military personnel trained in firearms use from carrying a firearm on a military installation or Department of Defense (DOD) site within the United States shall have no further force or effect and may not be enforced. Military personnel shall not be prohibited from carrying firearms on military installations or DOD sites. DOD or the commander of a military installation may prohibit a member of the Armed Forces, on a case-by-case basis, from carrying firearms on the military installation or DOD site if necessary to prevent the member from committing bodily harm to the member or others. DOD and the Secretaries of the military departments shall not reinstate the firearm bans repealed in this Act or enact similar firearms restrictions. The President shall not take any executive action or promulgate any rule, or issue any executive order or regulation, to prohibit military personnel from carrying firearms.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: July 21, 2015
Title: Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act
Description: Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act This bill amends federal firearms provisions to expand the definition of: (1) "intimate partner" to include a dating partner or former dating partner; and (2) "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" to include a misdemeanor offense that has, as an element, the use or attempted use of force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, by a dating partner or former dating partner against the victim. The bill prohibits the sale or other disposition of a firearm or ammunition to, or the possession or receipt of a firearm by, a person subject to a court order, or an ex parte order, that restrains such person from: (1) harassing, stalking, threatening, or engaging in other conduct that would put an individual in reasonable fear of bodily injury, including an order issued at the request of an employer on behalf of its employee or at the request of an institution of higher education on behalf of its student; or (2) intimidating or dissuading a witness from testifying in court.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: July 22, 2015
Title: Military Facilities Force Protection Act of 2015
Description: Military Facilities Force Protection Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to station military police or other military personnel armed with firearms at military recruiting and reserve component facilities for the exclusive purpose of force protection. DOD is authorized to enter into memoranda of understanding with state or local law enforcement agencies or National Guards to provide such protection if military personnel are not available. DOD shall: implement a training program for all force protection personnel stationed under this Act; implement measures to improve the security of existing military recruitment and reserve component facilities, including installation of bullet-proof glass and enhanced video surveillance equipment; and relocate a facility for which adequate security improvements cannot be made to a location consistent with required security improvements.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: July 22, 2015
Title: Servicemembers Self-Defense Act of 2015
Description: Servicemembers Self-Defense Act of 2015 This bill excludes lands and buildings owned or leased by the Department of Defense (DOD) from the the ban against possession of firearms and dangerous weapons on federal facilities with respect to a qualified member of the Armed Forces. The possession of a concealed or open-carry firearm by a member of the Armed Forces on a military installation, if lawful under the laws of the state in which the installation is located, is not a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. DOD shall amend DOD Directive number 5210.56 to allow members of the Armed Forces to possess firearms for defensive purposes on DOD facilities and installations in a manner consistent with the laws of the state in which the facility or installation is located. A qualified member of the Armed Forces carrying DOD-issued photographic identification may carry a concealed firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Such authorization shall not be construed to supersede or limit the laws of any state that: (1) permit private persons or entities to prohibit or restrict the possession of concealed firearms on their property; or (2) prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on any state or local government property, installation, building, base, or park.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: July 22, 2015
Title: Gun Violence Intervention Act of 2015
Description: Gun Violence Intervention Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit an individual who has been issued a gun violence prevention order from owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving any firearms. In addition, no person may sell ammunition to any individual subject to a prevention order. The bill is designed to allow family members and associates to petition a court to issue a gun violence prevention order to any individual who may pose a danger to themselves or others. States are allowed to temporarily seize firearms from individuals who have been issued a prevention order. Individuals who have their firearms seized are given an opportunity to petition the court for an order allowing them to regain possession of their firearms. The Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services is authorized to issue grant funds to assist states in implementing this bill.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: August 5, 2015
Title: Enhancing Security for Military Personnel Act of 2015
Description: Enhancing Security for Military Personnel Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to: (1) submit to Congress a plan to enhance security of military personnel at DOD installations in the United States; and (2) implement the plan recommendations within 90 days after enactment of this Act, and after briefing Congress.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: August 5, 2015
Title: Protect Our Military Families' 2nd Amendment Rights Act
Description: Protect Our Military Families' 2nd Amendment Rights Act Amends the federal criminal code to authorize a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer of firearms to ship to the spouse of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty outside the United States or to clubs composed of such members and spouses, and authorizes such a spouse or club to receive, a firearm or ammunition generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes and intended for the personal use of such spouse or club. Describes a member of the Armed Forces on active duty or a spouse of such member, for purposes of federal firearms provisions, as a resident of the state in which: (1) the member or spouse maintains legal residence, (2) the permanent duty station of the member is located, or (3) the member maintains a place of abode from which the member commutes each day to the member's permanent duty station.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Last Action Date: August 5, 2015
Title: Mental Health and Safe Communities Act of 2015
Description: Mental Health and Safe Communities Act of 2015 This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants for: (1) mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, (2) state compliance with federal mental health records requirements, (3) court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment, (4) pretrial screening and supervision, (5) behavioral health assessments and intervention, (6) forensic assertive community treatment, and (7) the establishment of a National Criminal Justice and Mental Health Training and Technical Assistance Center. In addition, the bill expands the purposes for which grant funds may be used under existing programs related to: (1) public safety and community policing, (2) staffing for adequate fire and emergency response, (3) school security, and (4) residential substance abuse treatment for inmates. DOJ must establish a pilot program to determine the effectiveness of diverting eligible offenders to drug or mental health courts. Each of the federal uniformed services must be provided specialized mental health training. With respect to an existing grant program for drug treatment alternatives to incarceration, the bill revises program requirements and expands the program to also cover mental health treatment alternatives. Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act of 2015 DOJ is further authorized to award grants: (1) for sequential intercept mapping, which is aimed at minimizing criminal justice involvement for individuals with mental illness; (2) for various programs related to the behavioral health of veterans; (3) to assist correctional facilities in addressing the needs of inmates with mental illness; and (4) to train law enforcement in responding to situations involving individuals with mental illness. The bill revises the definition of "preliminarily qualified offenders" who must be targeted by certain grant-funded collaboration programs between mental health and justice agencies. The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 and revises the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. Current law prohibits the sale or disposition of a firearm or ammunition to any person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution. The bill instead prohibits such a sale or disposition to any person who has been adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed to a psychiatric hospital, as defined by the bill. The bill also establishes: (1) procedures for administrative review of a determination that a person has been adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed to a psychiatric hospital, and (2) conditions for removal of records from NICS. The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 the following: (1) adult and juvenile collaboration programs, and (2) mental health courts and qualified drug treatment programs.
Last Action: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
Last Action Date: February 10, 2016
Title: Responsible Transfer of Firearms Act
Description: Responsible Transfer of Firearms Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to sell or transfer a firearm to prohibited person, unless the transferor takes reasonable steps to determine that the recipient is not prohibited from firearm possession. (Current law makes it a crime to sell or transfer a firearm to a prohibited person if the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe the recipient is prohibited from firearm possession.)
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: September 9, 2015
Title: Fair Chance Act Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2015
Description: Fair Chance Act Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill prohibits an executive agency, including the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Regulatory Commission, and the Executive Office of the President, from requesting an applicant for federal employment to disclose criminal history record information before a conditional offer of employment is made to the applicant. Exceptions to this prohibition are allowed for positions that, by law, require consideration of criminal history, that involve sensitive or classified information, that are law enforcement positions, or that are positions identified in regulations by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as requiring consideration of criminal history information. The OPM regulations must be consistent with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other relevant federal civil rights laws. OPM must develop, implement, and publish a policy to assist agency employees in complying with the disclosure prohibition and a complaint process for employment applicants who are improperly asked to disclose their criminal history information. OPM shall take adverse action against any agency employee who violates the disclosure prohibition. The bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 and the federal judicial code to apply the disclosure prohibition to the legislative and judicial branches, respectively. (Sec. 3) The bill: (1) prohibits an executive agency from requiring an individual or sole proprietor who submits a bid for a civilian agency or defense contract to disclose criminal history record information before a conditional offer is made with respect to such contract; and (2) requires, as a condition of receiving a contract and payments, that a contractor may not request the disclosure of criminal history record information about an applicant for a position related to work under such contract before the contractor extends a conditional offer to the applicant. Exceptions to the prohibition include sensitive positions, positions that, by law, require consideration of criminal history, and other positions identified in General Services Administration regulations as requiring consideration of criminal history information. (Sec. 4) The Bureau of Justice Statistics in the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice, in coordination with the Bureau of the Census, must design and initiate a study on the employment of individuals (not including aliens who have been or will be removed from the United States for a violation of the immigration laws) who have completed a prison term for a federal criminal offense. The study must use demographic data and data on employment and earnings of such individuals who are denied employment, including the reasons for denial. The Bureau must report on such study to specified congressional committees not later than two years after the enactment of this Act and every five years thereafter. Such report may not include any personally identifiable information.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 344.
Last Action Date: January 12, 2016
Title: Walter Scott Notification Act of 2015
Description: Walter Scott Notification Act of 2015 This bill requires a state that receives funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program to report certain data on deadly shootings by law enforcement officers. It reduces by 10% the JAG allocation of a state that fails to comply. Additionally, the bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to modify requirements under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. During the four-year period following enactment, the Department of Justice (DOJ) may give preference to a COPS program grant applicant from a state that reports data on deadly shootings by law enforcement. Beginning in the fifth year, DOJ must reduce by 20% the COPS allocation of a state that fails to report such data. DOJ, in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, must issue guidance to standardize data collection on deadly shootings by law enforcement. DOJ must also audit and review data reports, determine compliance with requirements, and publish such data.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: September 30, 2015
Title: Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015
Description: Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 TITLE I--SENTENCING REFORM (Sec. 101) This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to reduce from life to 25 years and from 20 to 15 years the enhanced mandatory minimum prison terms imposed on certain nonviolent defendants convicted of high-level repeat drug offenses (including unlawful import, export, manufacture, or distribution of, or possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance). A high-level drug offense involves a very substantial drug quantity (e.g., one kilogram or more of heroin). Additionally, the bill limits the prior convictions which trigger the enhanced mandatory minimum prison terms. A court may apply the reductions retroactively, after considering certain factors. (Sec. 102) It amends the federal criminal code to expand safety valve eligibility to permit a court to impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum for certain nonviolent, cooperative drug defendants with a limited criminal history. (Sec. 103) A court may impose a reduced 5-year (instead of a statutory 10-year) mandatory minimum prison term for certain nonviolent, cooperative defendants convicted of a high-level first-time or low-level repeat drug offense. A low-level drug offense involves a substantial drug quantity (e.g., 100 grams to 999 grams of heroin). (Sec. 104) The bill reduces from 25 to 15 years the enhanced mandatory minimum prison term for a defendant who uses a firearm in a crime of violence or drug offense after a prior conviction for such offense. A court may apply the reductions retroactively, after considering certain factors. (Sec. 105) It reduces from 15 to 10 years the enhanced mandatory minimum prison term for an armed career criminal convicted of unlawful firearm possession after three prior convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses. A court may apply the reductions retroactively, after considering certain factors. (Sec. 106) The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 applies retroactively to allow a court to reduce the prison term of a convicted crack cocaine offender sentenced before August 3, 2010. (Sec. 107) It amends the federal criminal code to create a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term for interstate domestic violence that results in a victim's death. (Sec. 108) The bill amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to create a five-year mandatory minimum prison term for providing goods and services to terrorists or a state sponsor of terrorism, to any person in connection with development of weapons of mass destruction, or to a country subject to an arms embargo. (Sec. 109) The Department of Justice (DOJ) must report to Congress on and publish all federal criminal statutory offenses. Each executive agency must report to Congress on and publish all criminal regulatory offenses enforceable by the agency. TITLE II--CORRECTIONS ACT Corrections Oversight, Recidivism Reduction, and Eliminating Costs for Taxpayers In Our National System Act of 2015 or the CORRECTIONS Act (Sec. 202) DOJ must review existing recidivism reduction programs and productive activities (e.g., a prison work program). The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) must expand offerings to all eligible prisoners. Certain prisoners who successfully complete a recidivism reduction program or productive activity are eligible to earn time credits and other incentives (e.g., additional telephone or visitation privileges). (Sec. 203) DOJ must develop the Post-Sentencing Risk and Needs Assessment System for use by the BOP to assess prisoner recidivism and violence risk and ensure appropriate housing, grouping, and program assignments. (Sec. 204) The bill amends the federal criminal code to allow pre-release custody for an additional period of time equal to a prisoner's earned time credits for successful completion of recidivism reduction programs or productive activities. A prisoner may serve the additional period of pre-release custody in a residential reentry center, on home confinement, or on community supervision. (Sec. 205) DOJ must report to Congress on: (1) activities carrying out this title, including any budgetary savings; (2) prison work programs; (3) recidivism rates of released prisoners; and (4) effectiveness of recidivism reduction programs and productive activities on various prisoner categories. (Sec. 206) The bill requires presentence investigation reports to include certain information such as substance abuse history, military service, and veteran status. The Administrative Office of the United States Courts must establish a supervised release pilot program to reduce recidivism and improve substance abuse recovery. (Sec. 207) The BOP must issue pepper spray to its officers and employees for use in reducing violent acts. (Sec. 208) DOJ must: (1) evaluate reentry best practices and create reentry demonstration projects in judicial districts, and (2) report on reentry impact in communities disproportionately affected. (Sec. 209) A court may reduce the prison term and impose supervised release for a defendant convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a juvenile if the defendant has served 20 years in custody and the court, after considering certain factors, determines that release poses no public safety danger. (Sec. 210) It amends the Second Chance Act of 2007 to make permanent a pilot program for elderly offender early release and expand program eligibility to include terminally ill offenders. The bill modifies elderly offender eligibility criteria by lowering from 65 to 60 the qualifying age and reducing from 75% to two-thirds the required portion of completed prison term. An eligible terminally ill offender is a nonviolent offender who meets specified criteria and is either terminally ill or at a nursing home. (Sec. 211) This bill establishes a process to seal and expunge juvenile records related to a juvenile nonviolent offense. A juvenile record includes a court, law enforcement, or government agency record. A juvenile nonviolent offense is a criminal offense or firearm violation committed before age 18 that is not a violent offense, terrorism, or misdemeanor domestic violence. A court must automatically seal the juvenile records of a juvenile nonviolent offender (i.e., a person adjudicated delinquent for a juvenile nonviolent offense) three years after such offender completes probation, detention, or supervision. Seal means to close from public viewing and physically seal shut. A court must provide notice of automatic sealing and the benefits of such sealing. The bill creates a process for a juvenile nonviolent offender to petition for early sealing of such records. It prohibits intentional disclosure of a sealed juvenile record, except in specified circumstances, and subjects a violator to a fine, up to one year in prison, or both. A law enforcement agency may access sealed records to determine first-time-offender diversion program eligibility, for investigatory or prosecutorial purposes, or for background checks. A court must automatically expunge the juvenile records related to: (1) a juvenile nonviolent offender who commits an offense before age 15 and completes probation, detention, or supervision before age 18 on the date such offender attains age 18; (2) a juvenile who is arrested but not adjudicated for a juvenile nonviolent offense; and (3) a juvenile who is adjudicated and found not delinquent. Expunge means to destroy a record and obliterate from the public record the name to whom such record pertains. A court must provide notice of automatic expungement and the benefits of such expungement. A juvenile nonviolent offender who commits an offense on or after age 15 may petition to expunge related juvenile records. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts must create a universal expungement petition form. A court must provide notice, conduct a hearing, and grant or deny the petition after considering specified factors. It must appoint counsel for nonviolent juvenile offender who has not attained age 18. If a court orders the sealing or expungement of a juvenile record, then related proceedings are deemed never to have occurred. (Sec. 212) It prohibits juvenile solitary confinement, except as a temporary response to behavior that poses a serious and immediate risk of harm. (Sec. 213) The bill amends the federal judicial code to require DOJ to establish and report to Congress on procedures for the prompt release of accurate criminal and arrest records exchanged for employment-related purposes through the Federal Bureau of Investigation background check system. It sets forth required procedures, including requirements for DOJ to: (1) promptly correct inaccurate records; (2) complete or verify incomplete records; (3) notify reporting jurisdiction of any action to correct, complete, or verify an inaccurate or incomplete record; and (4) notify a job applicant of the right to obtain and review a record, and provide an opportunity for such applicant to challenge the record's accuracy and completeness. Additionally, it prohibits from inclusion in an employment-related exchange records related to: (1) an arrest more than two years old that was not disposed of; (2) a nonserious offense such as drunkenness, vagrancy, disturbing the peace, loitering, or curfew violation; or (3) a circumstance that is not clearly an arrest or disposition of an arrest.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 279.
Last Action Date: October 26, 2015
Title: An Act Making Appropriations for National Security and for Other Purposes, 2016
Description: An Act Making Appropriations for National Security and for Other Purposes, 2016 Provides FY2016 appropriations for the Department of Defense, energy and water development, the Department of Homeland Security, military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs. Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for military activities, including: Military Personnel; Operation and Maintenance; Procurement; Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; Revolving and Management Funds; Other Department of Defense Programs; Related Agencies; and Overseas Contingency Operations. Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for civil works projects and to the Department of the Interior for the Central Utah Project and the Bureau of Reclamation. Provides appropriations to the Department of Energy (DOE) for Energy Programs, including: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Nuclear Energy, Fossil Energy Research and Development, Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup, and Science. Provides appropriations to DOE for: the Atomic Energy Defense Activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, Environmental and Other Defense Activities, and the Power Marketing Administrations. Provides appropriations to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other independent agencies. Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security. Provides appropriations for Departmental Management and Operations for the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management, the Office of the Under Secretary for Management, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Analysis and Operations, and the Office of Inspector General. Provides appropriations for Security, Enforcement, and Investigations for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service. Provides appropriations for Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, the Office of Health Affairs, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Provides appropriations for Research, Development, Training, and Services for the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Science and Technology, and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office. Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to DOD for Military Construction for the Army; Navy and Marine Corps; Air Force; Defense-Wide agencies and activities (other than military departments); the Army and Air National Guard; and the Army, Navy, and Air Force Reserves. Provides appropriations to DOD for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program. Provides appropriations to DOD for Construction and Operation and Maintenance of Family Housing for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Defense-Wide agencies and activities (other than military departments). Provides appropriations for the Department of Defense Base Closure Account. Provides appropriations to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the Veterans Benefits Administration, the Veterans Health Administration, the National Cemetery Administration, and Departmental Administration. Provides appropriations for the American Battle Monuments Commission, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Cemeterial Expenses of the Army, and the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of State for Administration of Foreign Affairs, International Organizations, International Commissions, Related Agencies and Programs, and Other Commissions. Provides appropriations for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Provides appropriations for Bilateral Economic Assistance, International Security Assistance, Multilateral Assistance, Export and Investment Assistance, and Overseas Contingency Operations. Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.
Last Action: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 249.
Last Action Date: October 6, 2015
Title: An Act Making Appropriations for Law Enforcement and for Other Purposes, 2016
Description: An Act Making Appropriations for Law Enforcement and for Other Purposes, 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides FY2016 appropriations to: the Department of Commerce; the Department of Justice (DOJ); science agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF); the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and several related agencies. Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of Commerce for the International Trade Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Economic Development Administration, the Minority Business Development Agency, Economic and Statistical Analysis, the Bureau of the Census, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the U.S Patent and Trademark Office, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Departmental Management. Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to DOJ for: General Administration; the U.S. Parole Commission; Legal Activities; the U.S. Marshals Service; the National Security Division; Interagency Law Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Federal Prison System. Provides appropriations to DOJ for State and Local Law Enforcement Activities, including the Office on Violence Against Women, the Office of Justice Programs, and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Science Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Office of Science and Technology Policy, NASA, and the NSF. Provides appropriations to related agencies, including the Commission on Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Legal Services Corporation, the Marine Mammal Commission, and the State Justice Institute. Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides FY2016 appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Provides appropriations for Departmental Management and Operations for the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management, the Office of the Under Secretary for Management, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Analysis and Operations, and the Office of Inspector General. Provides appropriations for Security, Enforcement, and Investigations for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service. Provides appropriations for Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, the Office of Health Affairs, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Provides appropriations for Research, Development, Training, and Services for the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Science and Technology, and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office. Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.
Last Action: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 250.
Last Action Date: October 6, 2015
Title: An Act Making Appropriations to Stop Regulatory Excess and for Other Purposes, 2016
Description: An Act Making Appropriations to Stop Regulatory Excess and for Other Purposes, 2016 Provides FY2016 appropriations for financial services and general government; the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency; the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and several related agencies. Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2016 Department of the Treasury Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of the Treasury, including the Internal Revenue Service. Executive Office of the President Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Executive Office of the President. Judiciary Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the judiciary, including the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts. District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the District of Columbia, including Federal Funds and District of Columbia Funds. Provides appropriations to independent agencies responsible for overseeing areas such as the financial, telecommunications, and consumer products industries; federal elections; the federal workforce; and federal buildings. D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program School Certification Requirements Act Amends the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act to establish additional requirements for schools participating in the program. Financial Regulatory Improvement Act of 2015 Amends the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994, the Truth in Lending Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, and other laws that regulate financial institutions and securities markets. Changes the process and criteria for determining the size of financial entities that are systemically important and are subject to additional regulations and oversight. Amends provisions that provide protections to consumers of various financial products. Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of the Interior for: the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education. Provides appropriations to Interior for Departmental Offices and Department-Wide Programs. Provides appropriations to the Environmental Protection Agency. Provides appropriations to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the Forest Service. Provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for the Indian Health Service, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Provides appropriations for the Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Environmental Quality, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, and other related agencies and programs. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require specified adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2016-FY2021 to accommodate appropriations for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at USDA and Interior. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of Labor for: the Employment and Training Administration, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Wage and Hour Division, the Office of Labor-Management Standards, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Departmental Management. Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for: the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration for Children and Families, the Administration for Community Living, and the Office of the Secretary. Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2016 Provides appropriations to the Department of Education and related programs. Provides appropriations to related agencies, including: the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Social Security Administration. Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts.
Last Action: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 251.
Last Action Date: October 6, 2015
Title: Hide No Harm Act of 2015
Description: Hide No Harm Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for a business entity or business executive to knowingly conceal information about its business practices or products that pose an imminent risk of death or serious physical injury to consumers and workplace danger. Specific requirements are set forth for what a business entity or business executive must do after acquiring knowledge of a serious danger associated with its business practices or products. If such an entity or executive fails to warn affected employees and other individuals of a serious danger, they are subject to a fine and/or prison term of five years. The bill makes it unlawful to knowingly discriminate or retaliate against an employee (i.e., a whistleblower) who warns other agencies or individuals of a serious danger associated with a product or service.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: October 6, 2015
Title: NICS Reporting Improvement Act
Description: NICS Reporting Improvement Act This bill amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to revise the requirement for states to provide to the Department of Justice (DOJ), as an eligibility condition to receive a grant under the NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) and a waiver of the grant match requirement under the National Criminal History Improvement Program, estimates of firearms-related disqualifying records. It directs DOJ to establish a four-year state implementation plan, including benchmarks, to maximize the automation and submission of mental health and criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). DOJ must reduce a state's allocation of funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for failing to comply with benchmarks. The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 the NARIP grant program and revises it, among other things, to: add state court systems to the list of eligible grant recipients; require a grant applicant to certify, as an eligibility condition, that no state law or court order prohibits the submission of mental health records to NICS; and create a preference for grant applicants that meet the benchmarks included in the state implementation plan. The bill repeals the grant program for state and tribal court systems to improve the automation and submission of mental health and criminal history records.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: October 21, 2015
Title: Domestic Violence Gun Homicide Prevention Act of 2015
Description: Domestic Violence Gun Homicide Prevention Act of 2015 This bill authorizes the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to award grants to states to carry out certain policies and procedures that restrict and penalize firearm possession by or transfer to a person subject to a domestic violence protection order or a person convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: October 22, 2015
Title: Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts Act of 2015
Description: Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts Act of 2015 This bill permits the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to tribal governments acting in partnership with state or local governments for tribal healing to wellness courts. (A tribal healing to wellness court is a drug court that is a component of a tribal justice system and includes substance abuse treatment and may include cultural activities.) Courts receiving grants must monitor individuals under their jurisdiction and must periodically test each individual for drug use. DOJ may require these courts to increase punitive or treatment responses for an individual who fails a drug test. Violent offenders may not be under the jurisdiction of these courts unless the court has received a waiver from DOJ.
Last Action: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Last Action Date: April 27, 2016
Title: Security and Financial Empowerment Act of 2015
Description: Security and Financial Empowerment Act of 2015 This bill amends the Violence Against Women Act to require the National Resource Center on Workplace Response provide information and assistance through domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions and survivor service organizations. These organizations and coalitions shall provide resource materials and assistance to employees, employers, and labor organizations to aid in efforts to develop adequate workplace responses to domestic and sexual violence. In addition, the bill requires employers to provide employees 30 days of leave per year, including 56 hours of earned paid leave, which can be used as a result of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking of an employee or an employee's family member. States may provide nonrecurring short-term emergency benefits to employees using such leave. Survivors' Employment Sustainability Act The Survivors' Employment Sustainability Act prohibits employers, public benefit agencies, and insurers from discriminating against survivors of: domestic violence, dating or sexual violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Under the Internal Revenue Code, employers must give unemployment compensation to survivors who are separated from work due to conditions related to the individuals being survivors. The bill amends title IV part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act to require state agency personnel that administer TANF programs to be adequately trained to assist survivors seeking assistance. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must study the barriers survivors encounter to maintain economic security. HHS may arrange financial literacy support for survivors. The Department of Labor must establish a public outreach campaign.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Last Action Date: October 27, 2015
Title: Lawful Purpose and Self Defense Act
Description: Lawful Purpose and Self Defense Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the definition of "armor piercing ammunition" for purposes of federal firearms provisions to: (1) include a projectile that is designed and intended by the manufacturer or importer for use in a handgun (currently, a projectile that may be used in a handgun); (2) repeal the exclusion of a projectile that the Department of Justice (DOJ) finds is primarily intended for sporting purposes; and (3) exclude a projectile that is primarily intended by the manufacturer or importer to be used in a rifle or shotgun and a handgun projectile that is designed and intended by the manufacturer or importer to be used for hunting, recreational, or competitive shooting. It repeals a prohibition on assembling from imported parts a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun that is identical to one prohibited from importation as not being suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. It repeals the condition that in order for a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer to be permitted to ship to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty outside the United States or to clubs whose entire membership is composed of such members, and for such members or clubs to be permitted to receive, a firearm or ammunition intended for the lawful personal use of such members or club, the firearm or ammunition must be determined by DOJ to be generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes. The bill includes among the categories of firearms or ammunition that may be authorized for importation into the United States by DOJ, within 30 days after receiving an application therefor: (1) ammunition that is not armor piercing ammunition; (2) a firearm or ammunition that is being brought in for the use of a federal, state, or local government agency; and (3) a firearm or ammunition that is being imported for the purpose of exportation. It amends the National Firearms Act to modify the definition of "destructive device" to exclude: (1) a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Department of the Treasury finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for lawful (currently, sporting) purposes; and (2) an antique or a rifle which the owner intends to use for (currently, solely for) sporting purposes. It authorizes the temporary interstate transfer of a firearm for lawful (currently, sporting) purposes.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: October 27, 2015
Title: Background Check Completion Act of 2015
Description: Background Check Completion Act of 2015 This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit a licensed gun dealer from transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person prior to completion of a background check. (Current law permits a licensed gun dealer to transfer a firearm to an unlicensed person if a submitted background check remains incomplete after three business days.)
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: October 28, 2015
Title: Hearing Protection Act of 2015
Description: Hearing Protection Act of 2015 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm silencers, and (2) treat any person who acquires or possesses a firearm silencer as meeting any registration or licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to such silencer. Any person who pays a tax on a silencer after October 22, 2015 may receive a refund of such tax. The bill amends the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Last Action Date: November 4, 2015
Title: Visa Waiver Program Firearms Clarification Act of 2015
Description: Visa Waiver Program Firearms Clarification Act of 2015 The bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the eligibility of certain foreign nationals to purchase and possess firearms in the United States. Current law prohibits firearm sale or transfer to or possession by a foreign national (i.e., alien) who is: (1) unlawfully present in the United States, or (2) lawfully present under a nonimmigrant visa (e.g., tourist visa). The prohibitions do not apply in certain circumstances.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8164)
Last Action Date: November 19, 2015
Title: SAFE Check Act Strict Alien Firearm Enforcement Check Act
Description: SAFE Check Act Strict Alien Firearm Enforcement Check Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the background check requirements for certain nonimmigrant aliens to purchase firearms in the United States. Current law permits a licensed gun dealer to transfer a firearm to an unlicensed person, including a nonimmigrant alien lawfully admitted to the United States without a visa, if a submitted background check remains incomplete after three business days. This bill adds a provision to prohibit a licensed gun dealer from completing a firearm transfer to a nonimmigrant alien lawfully admitted without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program prior to completion of a background check. Additionally, it requires such background check to review records maintained by the International Criminal Police Organization (i.e., Interpol) and the country that issued the alien's passport.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: November 19, 2015
Title: Defend Our Capital Act of 2015
Description: Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 This bill requires the District of Columbia Chief of Police to issue a five-year license to carry a concealed firearm on or about the person to any qualified individual who completes the application process. The District of Columbia Code is amended to authorize certain individuals to carry firearms in certain places and for certain purposes. The federal criminal code is amended to allow an individual who is not prohibited by federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm, and who is carrying a government-issued photographic identification document and a valid license or permit issued pursuant to state law to carry a concealed firearm, or who is otherwise entitled and not prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm in the individual's state of residence, to possess or carry a concealed handgun (other than a machinegun or destructive device) shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce in any state other than the individual's state of residence (reciprocity) if that other state: has a statute that allows state residents to obtain licenses or permits to carry concealed firearms; or does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms by state residents for lawful purposes. A qualified member of the Armed Forces shall be exempt from the prohibition against knowingly possessing or causing a firearm or other dangerous weapon to be present in a federal facility if that facility is any land or building owned or leased by the Department of Defense. The Uniform Code of Military Justice is amended similarly to declare that the possession of a concealed or open carry firearm by a member of the Armed Forces on a military installation, if lawful under the laws of the state in which the installation is located, shall not be an offense subject to court-martial. The federal criminal code is amended to allow a qualified member of the Armed Forces with required identification to carry a concealed firearm shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. The D.C. Official Code is amended to declare that nothing in a certain prohibition against killing wild birds and wild animals in the District of Columbia, or any other provision of law, shall authorize or be construed to permit the District of Columbia Council, the Mayor, or any District governmental or regulatory authority to prohibit or unduly burden the ability of persons otherwise not prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law from acquiring or using for lawful purposes any firearm neither prohibited by federal law nor subject to the National Firearms Act. The District shall not have any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms for legitimate purposes. The Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 (FCRA) is amended to repeal the District's registration requirement for possession of firearms. The current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle shall continue. The bill prohibits dealing, importing, or manufacturing firearms without complying with federal law requirements. In the case of a sale or transfer of a handgun to a District resident, a federally licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer of firearms in Maryland or Virginia shall be treated as a dealer licensed in the District if certain requirements are met. The bill prohibits selling, transferring or otherwise disposing of any firearm or ammunition to any person if the sellers or transferors know that such person is prohibited by federal law from possessing or receiving it. The bill bars any individuals prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm in the District. Specified District policies and requirements regarding the keeping or storing of firearms are repealed. The bill eliminates criminal penalties for possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition. Amends the District of Columbia Code to: (1) allow District property owners to prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on their property, and (2) prohibit the use of toy and antique firearms to commit a violent or dangerous crime. Authorizes the District to prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms, except to certain lessees, within any building or structure under its control, or in any area of it, which has implemented security measures to identify and exclude unauthorized or hazardous persons or articles. Repeals: (1) FCRA requirements that a gun offender register and verify certain identifiable information with the Chief; and (2) specified District of Columbia Acts, in order to conform with this Act. Restores and revives any provision of law amended or repealed by such Acts as if they had not been enacted into law. The federal criminal code is amended to repeal the federal interstate handgun transfer ban. The ban on possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in federal facilities shall not apply to the lawful storage or possession of one within a publicly accessible, non-sensitive area of real property (without security measures) owned or leased by the federal government.
Last Action: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 314.
Last Action Date: December 7, 2015
Title: Airport Security Enhancement and Oversight Act
Description: Airport Security Enhancement and Oversight Act (Sec. 4) This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assess the level of risk posed to the domestic air transportation system by individuals with unescorted access to a secure area of an airport. (Sec. 5) The TSA shall update DHS rules on access controls, considering specified matters. The TSA may encourage the issuance by airport and aircraft operators in a timely manner of free one-time, 24-hour temporary credentials for workers who have reported their credentials missing, but not permanently lost, stolen, or destroyed, until replacement of credentials is necessary. (Sec. 6) The TSA shall issue guidance to airport operators for placing an expiration date on each airport credential issued to a non-U.S. citizen, which shall not exceed the period of time he or she is lawfully authorized to work in the United States. The TSA shall: also issue guidance for transportation security inspectors to review annually the procedures of airport operators and air carriers for applicants seeking unescorted access to any Secure Identification Display Area (SIDA) of an airport; and make available to airport operators and air carriers information on identifying suspicious or fraudulent identification materials. This guidance shall require a comprehensive review of background checks and employment authorization documents issued by the DHS Citizenship and Immigration Services during the review of procedures. (Sec. 7) The TSA shall: revise certain regulations to enhance the eligibility requirements and disqualifying criminal offenses for individuals seeking or having unescorted access to an airport's SIDA; and propose disqualification if the individual was convicted, or found not guilty by reason of insanity, of a disqualifying criminal offense within 15 years before the date of an individual's application, or if the individual was incarcerated for that crime and released within 5 years before that date. The TSA shall ensure existence or development of a waiver process for approving the issuance of credentials for unescorted access to a SIDA for an individual found to be otherwise ineligible for such credentials, but about whom circumstances permit the conclusion the individual poses no terrorism risk or any other risk to aviation security warranting denial of the credential. Both the TSA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall implement fully the FBI's Rap Back service for recurrent criminal history vetting of eligible TSA-regulated populations of individuals with unescorted access to an airport SIDA. (The FBI Rap Back Service notifies authorized agencies of criminal, and, in limited cases, civil activity of individuals that occurs after the initial processing and retention of criminal or civil transactions.) The TSA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall ensure that the TSA may receive automated, real-time access to additional Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) data and any other terrorism related category codes to improve the TSA credential vetting program. DHS shall authorize direct access for each airport operator to the E-Verify program and the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) automated system to determine the eligibility of individuals seeking unescorted access to an airport SIDA. (Sec. 8) The TSA shall develop performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of security for airport SIDAs. (Sec. 9) The TSA shall also: develop a model and best practices for unescorted access security meeting specified criteria, expand the use of TSA officers and inspectors to conduct physical inspections of airport workers in each airport SIDA and at each SIDA access point, and review airports that have implemented additional airport worker screening or perimeter security. The TSA may conduct a pilot program to test and validate best practices for comprehensive airport worker screening or perimeter security. (Sec. 10) The TSA shall: increase the use of red-team, covert testing of access controls to any secure airport areas; and review for continued relevancy and appropriate updating, consolidation, or revocation of every current security directive addressed to any regulated entity. (Sec. 11) The Government Accountability Office shall assess TSA progress in implementing the requirements of this bill and their effect on aviation security. (Sec. 12) A member of the Aviation Stakeholder Advisory Committee may continue to serve beyond the expiration of his or her term until the TSA appoints a successor.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 382.
Last Action Date: March 7, 2016
Title: Defeat ISIS and Protect and Secure the United States Act of 2015
Description: Defeat ISIS and Protect and Secure the United States Act of 2015 This bill directs the President to designate a person to coordinate federal government and international partner efforts to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The President may prohibit, or impose strict conditions on, the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction for ISIS. The Director of National Intelligence shall review each intelligence sharing agreement between the United States and a foreign country experiencing a significant ISIS threat or participating in the anti-ISIS coalition. The President shall: (1) design programs to counter violent extremism abroad; and (2) develop as part of the National Strategy for Counterterrorism a comprehensive strategy to counter ISIS propaganda, including through online activities. The Department of State shall make counterterrorism funding available for programs that strengthen governance and security in fragile nation states that share a border with a country that ISIS or other violent extremists have threatened to destabilize or delegitimize. The President may give technical and operational assistance for the European Union and its member states to: (1) improve border management, including migrant screening; and (2) enhance intelligence sharing. The bill authorizes funds for emergency and life-saving assistance, including care of internally displaced persons in Syria and Iraq and mitigation of the outflow of refugees to Lebanon and Jordan. Visa Waiver Program Security Enhancement Act The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended to revise the visa waiver program, requiring use of machine-readable, electronic passports in order to participate in the program. Federal criminal law is amended to prohibit known or suspected terrorists from purchasing a gun. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall: review training for transportation security officers who operate airport security checkpoints and conduct baggage screening, review airport security to identify insider threat vulnerabilities in aviation, convene a working group of private sector screening technology users to foster public-private partnerships, and encourage maximum coordination with international counterparts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall give TSA names and identifying information from the terrorist screening database to permit TSA to administer the credential vetting program for individuals with unescorted access to sensitive transportation environments. DHS shall create a grant program to assist airports in carrying out construction necessary to address attack scenarios and mitigate insider threats. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 is amended to prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from granting a commercial license to any individual who is: (1) listed in the FBI terrorist screening database; or (2) convicted of any terrorism-related offense under any federal, state, or local law. The Administrator for Nuclear Security shall develop a strategy to enhance the security of all high activity radiological sources. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended to establish an Office for Community Partnerships to lead DHS efforts to counter violent extremism. The Department of Justice (DOJ), through the Office of Justice Programs, may award grants to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education to identify causes of violent extremism and related phenomena. The National Research Council shall study cryptographic technologies and national cryptography policy. DHS shall give technical assistance to state, local, tribal, territorial, private sector, and nongovernmental partners to develop response plans for active shooter incidents in publicly accessible spaces. DOJ may award grants to develop antiterrorism training and technical assistance programs for state, local, and tribal law enforcement.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8548-8558)
Last Action Date: December 9, 2015
Title: Alternative Ammunition Manufacturing Act
Description: Alternative Ammunition Manufacturing Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to deem an application received on or after August 1, 2011, to exempt a projectile from classification as armor piercing ammunition to be approved if the Department of Justice (DOJ) does not disapprove it within 60 days after the later of the date the application is received or the date of this bill's enactment. DOJ shall provide an applicant with detailed findings of fact and the reasons for disapproving an application.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: January 19, 2016
Title: Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2016
Description: Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2016 This bill amends the federal criminal code to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Currently, the Director is appointed by the Attorney General. It also limits the BOP Director to a single term of 10 years. The incumbent Director may continue to serve for three months after the date of enactment. The President may appoint that individual to be the Director in accordance with the requirements of this Act.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S161)
Last Action Date: January 21, 2016
Title: A bill to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
Description: A bill to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. This bill amends the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to repeal provisions that prohibit state or federal civil actions or administrative proceedings from being brought against firearm or ammunition manufacturers, sellers, importers, dealers, or trade associations for criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm by the person bringing the action or a third party.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: January 27, 2016
Title: Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act
Description: Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act This bill prohibits a state that has been redistricted after an apportionment from being redistricted again until after the next apportionment of Representatives, unless the state is ordered by a court to conduct such a subsequent redistricting in order to: (1) comply with the U.S. Constitution, or (2) enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Redistricting must be conducted through a plan developed by the independent redistricting commission established in the state, or if such plan is not enacted into law, the redistricting plan selected by the state's highest court or developed by a U.S. district court. The bill prescribes requirements for: (1) establishment of a state independent redistricting commission (including provisions for holding each of its meetings in public and maintaining a public Internet website); (2) development of a redistricting plan (including soliciting and considering public comments) and its submission to the state legislature (with public notice of plans at least seven days prior to such submission); (3) selection of a plan, under specified conditions, by the state's highest court or the U.S. district court for the district in which the capital of the state is located; (4) special rules for redistricting conducted under a federal court order; and (5) Election Assistance Commission payments to states for carrying out redistricting.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: February 2, 2016
Title: Social Security Beneficiary 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act
Description: Social Security Beneficiary 2nd Amendment Rights Protection Act This bill amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act to prohibit any determination by the Commissioner of Social Security with respect to an individual, including one that OASDI and SSI benefits to which that individual is entitled shall be paid to a representative payee, from being considered to be a determination that the individual has been adjudicated as a mental defective to make it unlawful for the individual to engage in the shipment or transport of firearms or ammunition or receive any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: February 3, 2016
Title: ICE Agent Support Act of 2016
Description: ICE Agent Support Act of 2016 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to refund out of the Immigration Enforcement Account the amount paid out of any appropriation for expenses incurred by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for: identification, investigation, apprehension, detention, and removal of criminal aliens, including providing staffing levels within the Enforcement and Removal Operations division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; maintenance and updating of systems used by the division to identify and track criminal aliens, deportable aliens, inadmissible aliens, and aliens illegally entering the United States; and purchase of firearms, vehicles, and other safety or apprehension equipment for the division. DHS shall establish the percentage of positions within the division that shall be classified as a criminal investigator position.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: February 10, 2016
Title: Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2016
Description: Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S877-879)
Last Action Date: February 11, 2016
Title: A bill to provide for the discoverability and admissibility of gun trace information in civil proceedings.
Description: A bill to provide for the discoverability and admissibility of gun trace information in civil proceedings. This bill prohibits the Firearms Trace System database maintained by the National Trace Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from being immune from legal process. In state or federal civil actions or administrative proceedings, the contents of the database: (1) shall be subject to discovery and admissible as evidence; and (2) may be used, relied on, or disclosed in any manner. Testimony or other evidence may also be permitted based on that data.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: February 25, 2016
Title: Mental Health Reform Act of 2016
Description: Mental Health Reform Act of 2016
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 437.
Last Action Date: April 26, 2016
Title: Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow's Needs Act of 2016
Description: Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow's Needs Act of 2016 This bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to make it one of the purposes of the Act to extend financial and technical assistance to the states for the promotion of hunting and recreational shooting. The bill also prescribes a formula for the allocation of funds apportioned to a state that may be used for any activity or project to recruit or retain hunters and recreational shooters. Amounts apportioned to the states from any taxes on pistols, revolvers, bows, and arrows may be used for hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment. The funds apportioned to a state for wildlife restoration management may be used for related public relations. If a state has not used all of the tax revenues apportioned to it for firearm and bow hunter education and safety program grants, it may use its remaining apportioned funds for the enhancement of hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment. Up to $5 million of the revenues covered into wildlife restoration fund in the Treasury from any tax imposed for a fiscal year on the sale of certain bows, arrows, and archery equipment shall be available to the Department of the Interior exclusively for making hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment grants that promote a national hunting and shooting sport recruitment program, including related communication and outreach activities.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Last Action Date: March 16, 2016
Title: Protect America from Homemade Explosives Act
Description: Protect America from Homemade Explosives Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to revise federal explosives laws. It includes, within the meaning of "explosives," black powder substitutes and smokeless powder. Additionally, the bill revises certain exceptions to federal explosives laws to specify that: (1) activities related to small arms ammunition do not include activities involving smokeless powder in excess of 50 pounds; and (2) the 50-pound maximum quantity, with respect to a lawful purchase of commercially manufactured black powder, includes aggregate quantities of black powder and black powder substitutes. Finally, it amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose penalties on an individual who attempts to make an illegal firearm.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: March 17, 2016
Title: Protecting Gun Rights and Due Process Act
Description: Protecting Gun Rights and Due Process Act
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: April 14, 2016
Title: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017
Description: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 Provides FY2017 appropriations for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice (DOJ), science agencies, and several related agencies. Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2017 TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Provides appropriations to the Department of Commerce for: the International Trade Administration, the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Economic Development Administration, the Minority Business Development Agency, Economic and Statistical Analysis, the Bureau of the Census, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Provides appropriations to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for: Scientific and Technical Research and Services, Industrial Technology Services, and Construction of Research Facilities. Provides appropriations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for: Operations, Research, and Facilities; Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction; Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery; the Fishermen's Contingency Fund; and the Fisheries Finance Program Account. Provides appropriations for Departmental Management, including: Salaries and Expenses, Renovation and Modernization, and the Office of Inspector General. (Sec. 101) Permits funds provided by this bill to be used for advanced payments (prior to the receipt of goods, services, or other assets) only if designated Commerce officials certify that the payments are in the public interest. (Sec. 102) Permits funds provided by this bill to be used for hiring passenger motor vehicles, employment of temporary or intermittent experts and consultants, and the purchase of uniforms. (Sec. 103) Permits the transfer of funds between Commerce accounts, subject to specified limitations and requirements. Requires Commerce to notify Congress prior to the acquisition or disposal of any capital asset not provided for in an Act providing appropriations to Commerce. (Sec. 104) Extends requirements for NOAA to make and report to Congress on determinations regarding the identification and management of technical, cost, and schedule risk; the reliance on demonstrated technologies; and compliance with relevant policies, prior to entering into a contract for a major program with a life cycle cost of more than $250 million. Specifies the life cycle costs for the Joint Polar Satellite System and for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series Program. (Sec. 105) Permits Commerce to furnish services to facilitate the use or occupancy of Department of Commerce buildings. (Sec. 106) Specifies that grant recipients may continue to deter child pornography, copyright infringement, or any other unlawful activity over their networks. (Sec. 107) Permits NOAA to use, with consent and reimbursement, resources of other federal, state, local, and international entities to carry out the responsibilities of any statute administered by NOAA. (Sec. 108) Prohibits the National Technical Information Service from charging for copies of reports or documents generated by the legislative branch unless the Service has provided information on how a copy may be obtained for free online. Requires any charge to be limited to the Service's cost. (Sec. 109) Permits Commerce to waive the requirement for bonds with respect to contracts for the construction, alteration, or repair of vessels under the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947. (Sec. 110) Prohibits Commerce from using funds for management activities pursuant to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico unless the management is conducted beyond a seaward boundary that is nine nautical miles seaward from the baseline from which the territorial sea of the United States is measured. (Sec. 111) Permits NOAA to work with federal and non-federal agencies and governments by entering into agreements; using land, services, equipment, personnel, and facilities provided by the entities; or receiving and expending funds made available on a consensual basis. (Sec. 112) Permits the Economic and Statistics Administration, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the U.S. Census Bureau to use funds to enter into cooperative agreements to assist in improving statistical methodology and research. (Sec. 113) Prohibits the Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel from using funds provided by this bill during any time period in which the Commerce Office of Inspector General (OIG) has notified Congress that any component of Commerce is not providing the OIG with timely access to records, documents, and other materials, as required by section 536 of this bill. Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2017 TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Provides FY2017 appropriations to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Provides appropriations to DOJ for General Administration, including: Salaries and Expenses, Justice Information Sharing Technology, Administrative Review and Appeals, and the Office of Inspector General. Provides appropriations to the U.S. Parole Commission. Provides appropriations for Legal Activities, including: General Legal Activities, the Antitrust Division, U.S. Attorneys, the U.S. Trustee System Fund, the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, Fees and Expenses of Witnesses, the Community Relations Service, and the Assets Forfeiture Fund. Provides appropriations to the U.S. Marshals Service for: Salaries and Expenses, Construction, and Federal Prisoner Detention. Provides appropriations to DOJ for: the National Security Division; Interagency Law Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Prison System. Provides appropriations to the Office On Violence Against Women for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs. Provides appropriations to the Office of Justice Programs for: Research, Evaluation, and Statistics; State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance; Juvenile Justice Programs; and Public Safety Officer Benefits. Provides appropriations for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs. (Sec. 201) Provides additional funds to the Attorney General for official reception and representation expenses. (Sec. 202) Prohibits funds provided by this title from being used to pay for an abortion, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or in the case of rape or incest. (Sec. 203) Prohibits funds provided by this title from being used to require any person to perform or facilitate the performance of an abortion. (Sec. 204) Establishes the obligation of the Bureau of Prisons to provide escort services to an inmate receiving an abortion outside of a federal facility, except where this obligation conflicts with section 203 of this bill. (Sec. 205) Sets forth requirements and procedures for transferring and reprogramming DOJ funds provided by this bill. (Sec. 206) Prohibits the FBI or the U.S. Marshals Service from using funds provided by this title to transport prisoners classified as maximum or high security, other than to a facility certified by the Bureau of Prisons as appropriately secure. (Sec. 207) Prohibits federal prisons from using funds provided by this bill to purchase or rent cable television services, audiovisual equipment, or electronic media or equipment used primarily for recreational purposes. Includes exceptions for inmate training, religious, or educational programs. (Sec. 208) Prohibits funds provided by this title from being used for a new or enhanced information technology program with estimated development costs exceeding $100 million unless the Deputy Attorney General and the Department Investment Review Board certify to Congress that the program: (1) has appropriate program management controls and contractor oversight mechanisms in place, and (2) is compatible with DOJ enterprise architecture. (Sec. 209) Requires DOJ to follow reprogramming procedures for any deviation from the program amounts specified in this bill or the report accompanying the bill, or for any use of deobligated funds provided by this title in previous years. (Sec. 210) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill for a public-private competition for work performed by employees of the Bureau of Prisons or Federal Prison Industries, Incorporated. (Sec. 211) Prohibits U.S. Attorneys from holding dual or additional responsibilities that exempt them from statutory residency requirements. (Sec. 212) Permits specified percentages of grant and reimbursement funds provided to the Office of Justice Programs to be used for: training and technical assistance, transfers to the National Institute of Justice or the Bureau of Justice Statistics for criminal justice research, evaluation, or statistical purposes; and tribal criminal justice assistance. (Sec. 213) Permits the Attorney General to waive matching requirements for Second Chance Act adult and juvenile reentry demonstration projects; state, tribal, and local reentry courts; drug treatment programs; and grants to protect inmates and safeguard communities. (Sec. 214) Waives the requirement that DOJ reserve certain funds provided for offender incarceration for payments for incarceration on tribal lands. (Sec. 215) Prohibits funds, other than funds for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System established under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, from being used to transfer an operable firearm to a known or suspected agent of a drug cartel if law enforcement personnel do not continuously monitor or control the firearm. (Sec. 216) Permits funds provided by this bill for the Office of Justice Programs to be used to participate in Performance Partnership Pilot collaboration programs. (Sec. 217) Permits DOJ to transfer specified unobligated balances from the Working Capital Fund to the FBI Construction account for the construction of the new FBI headquarters in the National Capital Region. Science Appropriations Act, 2017 TITLE III--SCIENCE Provides appropriations to the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Provides appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for: Science; Aeronautics; Space Technology; Exploration; Space Operations; Education; Safety, Security, and Mission Services; Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration; and the Office of Inspector General. Includes administrative provisions for NASA that establish requirements and procedures for the availability of funds for an announced prize, the reprogramming and transfer of funds provided by this bill, and NASA's spending plan. Provides appropriations to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for: Research and Related Activities, Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction, Education and Human Resources, Agency Operations and Award Management, the Office of the National Science Board, and the Office of Inspector General. Establishes requirements for the transfer or reprogramming of funds provided by this bill to the NSF. TITLE IV--RELATED AGENCIES Provides appropriations for related agencies, including: the Commission on Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Legal Services Corporation, the Marine Mammal Commission, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the State Justice Institute. Specifies restrictions, terms, and conditions on the use of funds by the Legal Services Corporation. TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this and other appropriations Acts. (Sec. 501) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used for publicity or propaganda purposes that are not authorized by Congress. (Sec. 502) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from remaining available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year, unless expressly permitted in the bill. (Sec. 503) Limits expenditures for consulting services to contracts where the expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public inspection, unless otherwise provided by law. (Sec. 504) Provides that if any provision of this bill or the application of the provision is held invalid, the remainder of the bill is not affected. (Sec. 505) Establishes restrictions and requirements for the reprogramming of funds provided by this bill. (Sec. 506) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to award contracts or subcontracts to a person who has been found to have intentionally affixed a ''Made in America'' label to any product that was not made in America. Requires promotional items purchased using funds provided by this bill to be manufactured, produced, or assembled in the United States or its territories or possessions, to the extent it is practicable. (Sec. 507) Requires Commerce, DOJ, the NSF, and NASA to provide quarterly reports to Congress regarding the status of balances of appropriations at the account level. (Sec. 508) Requires costs incurred by agencies for personnel actions due to funding reductions in this bill to be absorbed within the budgetary resources available to the department or agency. Provides transfer authority between appropriation accounts to carry out this provision, subject to reprogramming procedures. Specifies that this section applies to Commerce actions taken for the care and protection of loan collateral or grant property. (Sec. 509) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to promote the sale or export of tobacco or tobacco products or to seek the reduction or removal of foreign restrictions on the marketing of tobacco products, except for restrictions which are not applied equally to all products of the same type. (Sec. 510) Establishes obligation limits for funds from the Crime Victims Fund. (Sec. 511) Prohibits DOJ from using funds provided by this bill to discriminate against or denigrate the religious or moral beliefs of students or the parents of students participating in programs for which financial assistance is provided. (Sec. 512) Prohibits the transfer of funds provided by this bill to a department, agency, or instrumentality of the U.S. government, unless the transfer is pursuant to an appropriations Act. (Sec. 513) Specifies that funds included in this this bill to implement E-Government Initiatives are subject to reprogramming procedures and requirements. (Sec. 514) Establishes timetables and procedures for specified audits by Inspectors General of the departments and agencies funded in this bill. Requires recipients of grants or contracts funded by this bill to certify that no grant or contract funds will be provided to anyone with a financial interest in the recipient. (Sec. 515) Prohibits Commerce, DOJ, NASA, or the NSF from using funds provided by this bill to acquire a high-impact information system unless supply chain risks have been reviewed and a mitigation strategy has been developed. (Sec. 516) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to support or justify the use of torture by any official or contract employee of the U.S. government. (Sec. 517) Prohibits the use of funds to require export licenses for exporting components, parts, or attachments for certain firearms to Canada. (Sec. 518) Prohibits the use of funds to deny certain import applications for firearms, parts, or ammunition that are curios or relics. (Curios or relics are firearms which are of special interest to collectors by reason of some quality other than is associated with firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons.) (Sec. 519) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill to include specified patent provisions from the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement, or the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement in any new bilateral or multilateral trade agreement. (Sec. 520) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill to authorize or issue a National Security Letter (NSL) in violation of specified laws authorizing the FBI to issue an NSL. (An NSL is a written directive, comparable to an administrative subpoena, used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to demand certain information from third parties such as telecommunication providers, financial institutions, and consumer credit reporting agencies.) (Sec. 521) Requires congressional notification regarding Commerce, DOJ, NSF, or NASA projects that total more than $75 million and are expected to have cost increases of at least 10%. (Sec. 522) Deems funds provided by this bill for intelligence or intelligence related activities as authorized by Congress during FY2017 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2017. (Sec. 523) Prohibits contracts or grant awards above $5 million unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies that the organization has filed all federal tax returns, has not been convicted of a criminal offense under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and has no unpaid federal tax assessment. (Sec. 524) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from prior appropriations to DOJ. (Sec. 525) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to purchase first class or premium airline travel in violation of specified federal travel regulations. (Sec. 526) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to pay for the attendance of more than 50 department or agency employees at any single conference outside the United States, unless it is a law enforcement training or operational event where the majority of federal attendees are law enforcement personnel stationed outside the United States. (Sec. 527) Prohibits funds from being used to transfer or release any individual detained at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Guantanamo) who is not a U.S. citizen or member of the Armed Forces into the United States, its territories, or possessions. (Sec. 528) Prohibits funding from being used to construct, acquire, or modify any U.S. facility (other than the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) to house any individual detained at Guantanamo. (Sec. 529) Requires, to the extent it is practicable, funds provided by this bill to be used to purchase light bulbs that are ''Energy Star'' qualified or have the ''Federal Energy Management Program'' designation. (Sec. 530) Requires the Office of Management and Budget to direct departments and agencies funded by this bill to track undisbursed balances in expired grant accounts and include specified details in annual performance and accountability reports. (Sec. 531) Prohibits funds from being used to deny the importation of shotgun models if no application for the importation of models in the same configuration had been denied prior to January 1, 2011, on the basis that the shotgun was not particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. (Sec. 532) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this bill for a computer network that does not block pornography, except for law enforcement purposes (Sec. 533) Requires specified agencies funded by this bill to submit spending plans to Congress. (Sec. 534) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this bill to implement the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional arms until it is ratified by the Senate. (Sec. 535) Prohibits funds provided by this bill from being used to pay award or incentive fees for contractors with performance that is below satisfactory or does not meet the basic requirements of the contract. (Sec. 536) Requires agencies funded by this bill to provide Inspectors General with timely access to records, documents, and other materials. (Sec. 537) Prohibits DOJ from using funds provided by this bill to prevent specified states, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico from implementing their own laws authorizing the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana. (Sec. 538) Prohibits DOJ from using funds provided this bill to prevent a state from implementing its own laws authorizing the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of industrial hemp.
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 432.
Last Action Date: April 21, 2016
Title: Veterans First Act
Description: Veterans First Act
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 467.
Last Action Date: May 16, 2016
Title: Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016
Description: Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 This bill amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to revise an eligibility condition for a state to receive a grant under the NICS Act Record Improvement Program and a waiver of the grant match requirement under the National Criminal History Improvement Program. Specifically, it directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a four-year state implementation plan, including benchmarks, to maximize the automation and submission of mental health and criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Back Check System (NICS). DOJ must reduce the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Program funding for a state that fails to comply with benchmarks. The bill amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to require each federal agency and department, including a federal court, to certify whether it has provided to the Federal Bureau of Investigation disqualifying records of persons prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm. It amends the federal criminal code and the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to define the terms "adjudicated as a mental defective" and "committed to a mental institution." The bill extends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act background check requirements to a transfer of a firearm between private parties by prohibiting such a transfer unless a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer has first taken possession of the firearm for the purpose of submitting a background check. A gun owner must report a lost or stolen firearm to DOJ and local law enforcement authorities within 48 hours of discovery.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: May 16, 2016
Title: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
Description: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Sec. 3) Defines "congressional defense committees" as the House and Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees. DIVISION A--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATIONS TITLE I--PROCUREMENT Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for Procurement at the levels identified in section 4101 of this bill. Subtitle B--Army Programs (Sec. 111) Authorizes the Army to enter into one or more multiyear contracts for AH-64E Apache helicopters beginning in FY2017. (Sec. 112) Authorizes the Army to enter into one or more multiyear contracts for UH-60M and HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters beginning in FY2017. (Sec. 113) Requires DOD, in consultation with the Army, to assess and report to Congress on the capabilities of the Army with respect to: AH-64 Apache-equipped attack reconnaissance battalions; air defense artillery; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear capabilities and modernization needs; field artillery; changes in doctrine and war plans consistent with DOD policy on cluster munitions and unintended harm to civilians; fuel distribution and water purification; watercraft and port-opening; transportation capacity and responsiveness; military police; and tactical mobility and tactical wheeled vehicle capacity. (Sec. 114) Increases the funding authorized by this bill to be appropriated to the Army for the Surface-To-Air Missile System--MSE Missile. Decreases the funding authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Energy for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D--Material Management and Minimization. Subtitle C--Navy Programs (Sec. 121) Provides economic order quantity authority for the construction of two Ford-class aircraft carriers and incremental funding authority for the nuclear refueling and complex overhaul of five Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. (Sec. 122) Expresses the sense of Congress on the Navy's aircraft carrier procurement schedules. (Sec. 123) Authorizes the Navy to enter into and incrementally fund a contract for design and construction of the LHA (Amphibious Assault Ship) replacement ship designated LHA 8. (Sec. 124) Authorizes the Navy to enter into and incrementally fund a contract for design and construction of the replacement dock landing ship designated LX(R) or the amphibious transport dock designated LPD-29. (Sec. 125) Authorizes the Navy to enter into a contract for the procurement of up to 45 Ship to Shore Connector craft. (Sec. 126) Prohibits the Navy from selecting a single contractor for the Littoral Combat Ship or any successor frigate class ship program until the Navy certifies to Congress that a selection of a single contractor will be conducted using competitive procedures and for the limited purpose of constructing a frigate class ship. (Sec. 127) Requires the Navy to report to Congress on the future capabilities for the P-8 Poseidon aircraft. Subtitle D--Air Force Programs (Sec. 131) Strikes the requirement for DOD to report annually to Congress on aircraft inventory. (Sec. 132) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 to repeal the requirement for the Air Force to continue to preserve certain C-5 aircraft in a storage condition that would allow a recall of retired aircraft to future service in the Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, or Active Force structure. (Sec. 133) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 to repeal the requirement for certain F-117 aircraft to be maintained in a condition that would allow the aircraft to be recalled to future service. (Sec. 134) Prohibits the Air Force from using FY2017 funds to retire the A-10 Aircraft and requires the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 171 A-10 aircraft designated as primary mission aircraft inventory. Prohibits the Air Force from significantly reducing the manning levels for any A-10 aircraft squadron or division until the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation and the Secretary of the Air Force submit to Congress reports on the initial operational test and evaluation of the F-35 aircraft program, as well as the comparison test and evaluation that examines the capabilities of the F-35A and A-10C. (Sec. 135) Prohibits the retirement of Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft in FY2018, except for aircraft that the Air Force determines to be non-operational because of mishaps, other damage, or being uneconomical to repair. (Sec. 136) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the cost of the B-21 aircraft. (Sec. 137) Prohibits the Air Force from using funds to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or on backup aircraft inventory status any U-2 aircraft. Subtitle E--Defense-Wide, Joint, and Multiservice Matters (Sec. 141) Amends the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 to terminate the requirement for quarterly reports on the use of combat mission requirements funds. (Sec. 142) Requires the Army and the Navy to issue guidance regarding fire suppressant and fuel containment standards for certain vehicles. (Sec. 143) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the munitions strategy for the combatant commands. (Sec. 144) Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the sustainment support structure for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft program. (Sec. 145) Requires the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics to brief Congress on the acquisition strategy for the Ground Mobility Vehicle for use with the Global Response Force. (Sec. 146) Requires DOD, if the Army and the Marine Corps are each using different variants of 5.56mm rifle ammunition, to: (1) submit to Congress a report explaining the reasons for using different variants of the ammunition; and (2) ensure that, within one year of enactment of this bill, that the Army and the Marine Corps are using the same variant of the ammunition. Includes an exception for a state of emergency that requires the Army and the Marine Corps to use different variants of the ammunition. TITLE II--RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 201) Authorizes appropriations for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation at the levels identified in section 4201 of this bill. Subtitle B--Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations (Sec. 211) Requires DOD to establish a Laboratory Quality Enhancement Program, under which panels will: review and make recommendations with respect to: (1) existing policies and practices affecting the science and technology reinvention laboratories to improve the research output of the laboratories and (2) new initiatives proposed by the science and technology reinvention laboratories; support implementation of initiatives affecting the science and technology reinvention laboratories; and conduct assessments or data analysis on other issues as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (Sec. 212) Amends the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009 to modify the authority for defense laboratories to use funds for research and development of technologies for military missions. Sets the level of funding at 3% of funds available to the defense laboratory, eliminates the termination date for the authority, and allows certain federally funded research and development centers to utilize the authority. (Sec. 213) Requires the Navy to notify Congress before initiating certain rapid prototyping, experimentation, or demonstration activities. (Sec. 214) Directs DOD to: (1) implement a quality assurance and quality control program for any facility producing biological select agents and toxins, and (2) report to Congress on the potential consolidation of facilities that work with biological select agents and toxins. Requires the GAO to report on DOD's: (1) progress in carrying out the quality assurance and quality control program, and (2) actions to address the findings and recommendations of the Army report titled "Individual and Institutional Accountability for the Shipment of Viable Bacillus Anthracis from Dugway Proving Grounds." (Sec. 215) Requires DOD, in consultation with the Directors of National Intelligence and the Office of Personnel Management to: (1) develop and implement a new security clearance information technology architecture; and (2) issue guidance establishing the respective roles, responsibilities, and obligations of the Secretary and directors with respect to the development and implementation of the system. Requires DOD to review laws, regulations, and executive orders relating to the maintenance of personnel security clearance information by the federal government. (Sec. 216) Prohibits DOD from using FY2017 funds for research, development, and prototyping of the countering weapons of mass destruction situational awareness information system, known as ''Constellation'' and requires the Chief Information Officer to report to Congress on the requirements and program plan for the system. (Sec. 217) Limits the availability of funds for the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) until DOD submits a specified report to Congress on the DIUx. (Sec. 218) Limits the availability of funds for the Tactical Combat Training System (TCTS) Increment II program until the Navy and Air Force submit to Congress a required report on the baseline and alternatives to the TCTS Increment II program of the Navy. (Sec. 219) Requires the Army to: (1) discontinue development efforts for any component of the Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) of the Army after Increment 1 where commercial software exists that is capable of fulfilling at least 80% of the system requirements, and (2) review the acquisition strategy to ensure commercial software procurement is the preferred method for meeting program requirements. Prohibits the Army from awarding any contract for the development of any capability for the distributed common ground system if the capability is available for purchase on the commercial market, except for certain minor capabilities. (Sec. 220) Requires the Secretary of Defense to designate a senior DOD official as the official with principal responsibility for the development and demonstration of directed energy weapons and sets forth the responsibilities of the official for the programs. Subtitle C--Reports and Other Matters (Sec. 231) Requires DOD to develop a strategy to ensure that it has assured access to trusted microelectronics by not later than September 30, 2020. (Sec. 232) Requires the Defense Information Systems Agency to establish a pilot program to evaluate commercially available information technology tools to better understand and characterize their potential impact on DOD networks and computing environments through prototyping, experimentation, operational demonstration, military user assessment, or other means to obtain quantitative and qualitative feedback. (Sec. 233) Requires the Assistant Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to jointly carry out a pilot program to demonstrate methods for the more effective development of research, development, test, and evaluation functions. (Sec. 234) Permits DOD to carry out a pilot program on the modernization of spectrum warfare systems and electronic warfare systems. (Sec. 235) Requires the Navy to establish an independent review team to review the Navy's data on, and mitigation efforts related to, the increase in F/A-18 physiological events since January 1, 2009. (Sec. 236) Requires DOD to seek to enter into a contract with a federally funded research and development center to conduct a study on technologies with the potential to prevent and mitigate helicopter crashes. (Sec. 237) Requires the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, acting through the Electronic Warfare Executive Committee, to report to Congress on DOD electronic warfare capabilities. TITLE III--OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 301) Authorizes appropriations for Operation and Maintenance activities at the levels identified in section 4301 of this bill. (Sec. 302) Increases the Operation and Maintenance--Defense-wide funds authorized by this bill be appropriated for Civil Military Programs (to be used in support of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program). Subtitle B--Energy and Environment (Sec. 311) Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to specify that requirements regarding the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with alternative fuels do not constrain any conventional or unconventional fuel procurement necessary for military operations. (Sec. 312) Authorizes the Army to: (1) provide for the production, treatment, management, and use of natural gas located under Fort Knox, Kentucky, without regard to section 3 of the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands; (2) enter into a contract with an appropriate entity to carry out the activities; and (3) take ownership of any gas production and treatment equipment and facilities and associated infrastructure from an entity with which the Army has entered into a contract in accordance with the terms of the contract. Requires any natural gas produced under this authority to be used only to support activities and operations at Fort Knox. (Sec. 313) Requires the Army, in carrying out the disposal of munitions in the stockpile of conventional ammunition awaiting demilitarization and disposal (commonly referred to as munitions in the "B5A account") to consider using cost-competitive technologies that minimize waste generation and air emissions as alternatives to disposal by open burning, open detonation, direct contact combustion, and incineration. (Sec. 314) Expresses the sense of Congress that DOD should work with state and local health officials to prevent human exposure to perfluorinated chemicals (commonly referred to as PFCs). (Sec. 315) Prohibits DOD from carrying out provisions of specified executive orders relating to: (1) preparing the United States for the impact of climate change, and (2) planning for federal sustainability in the next decade. Subtitle C--Logistics and Sustainment (Sec. 321) Authorizes a five-year pilot program to permit government-owned, contractor-operated industrial plants to participate in the Armament Retooling and Manufacturing Support (ARMS) Initiative. (The ARMS Initiative was created to allow the Army to rent portions of its ammunition plants that are not being used in production to commercial companies.) (Sec. 322) Requires the Navy to submit to Congress quarterly assessments of Naval ship maintenance and loading activities carried out by private sector entities at specified ports. (Sec. 323) Limits funding for the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) until the DCMA Director briefs Congress on the agency's plan to foster the adoption, implementation, and verification of DOD's revised Item Unique Identification policy across DOD and the defense industrial base. Subtitle D--Reports (Sec. 331) Modifies and extends requirements for annual DOD reports related to energy management, including the Annual Report Related to Installations Energy Management and the Annual Report Related to Operational Energy. (Sec. 332) Requires DOD to report to Congress on weapons, weapons systems, components, subcomponents, and end-items purchased from foreign entities that could be manufactured domestically in depots or arsenals as well as a plan for moving the workload into those arsenals or depots. Authorizes a two-year pilot program to permit Army arsenals to adjust their labor rates charged to customers based upon changes in workload and other factors. Requires DOD to brief Congress on specified information related to labor rates. (Sec. 333) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the travel expenses of members of the reserve components. Subtitle E--Other Matters (Sec. 341) Adds the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Corps to the list of basic Army branches. (Sec. 342) Establishes the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Program to ensure close and continuous coordination between the military departments on matters relating to explosive ordnance disposal. (Sec. 343) Requires the Department of Transportation to: (1) require a person to give public notice of the construction, alteration, establishment, or expansion of a structure if the notice will promote the interests of national security as determined by DOD; and (2) include national security interests in conducting certain required aeronautical studies and reports. (Sec. 344) Requires the Army and Marine Corps to develop a joint acquisition strategy to provide more effective personal protective equipment and organizational clothing and equipment to meet the specific and unique requirements for female Marines and soldiers. (Sec. 345) Requires DOD to enter into a contract with a federally funded research and development center for an independent study on the space-available travel system of DOD. (Sec. 346) Exempts certain small business manufacturers of specialty motors from the requirements of specified federal regulations regarding energy conservation standards. (Sec. 347) Limits the availability of funds for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy until DOD establishes and implements a process for members of the Armed Forces to carry appropriate firearms on military installations. (Sec. 348) Requires DOD to evaluate the need for proven safety technology in vehicles transporting Transportation Protective Services shipments, such as electronic logging devices, roll stability control, forward collision avoidance, lane departure warning systems, and speed limiters. (Sec. 349) Requires DOD to brief Congress on the well-drilling capabilities of the active and reserve components. (Sec. 350) Encourages DOD to enter into contracts with third-party vendors to provide certain members of the Armed Forces deployed overseas with free access to wireless high-speed Internet and network connections. (Sec. 351) Requires DOD to implement a formal process to provide government agencies outside DOD with information on the availability of surplus, serviceable ammunition for the purpose of reducing the overall storage and disposal costs related to the ammunition. (Sec. 352) Increases the funds authorized by this bill for Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities--Defense-Wide (to be used in support of the National Guard counter-drug programs). Decreases the funds authorized by this bill for specified Aircraft Procurement--Navy; and Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation accounts. TITLE IV--MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS Subtitle A--Active Forces (Sec. 401) Authorizes specified end strengths for Active Duty personnel of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 402) Establishes new minimum Active Duty end strengths for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. Subtitle B--Reserve Forces (Sec. 411) Authorizes specified end strengths for Selected Reserve personnel. (Sec. 412) Authorizes specified end strengths for Reserves on Active Duty in support of the Reserves. (Sec. 413) Authorizes specified end strengths for military technicians (dual status). (Sec. 414) Establishes the maximum end strengths for the Reserve Components of the Army and Air Force for non-dual status technicians. (Sec. 415) Authorizes the maximum number of Reserve Component personnel who may be on Active Duty or full-time National Guard duty during FY2017 to provide operational support. (Sec. 416) Expresses the sense of Congress that an adequately supported, full-time support force consisting of active and reserve personnel and military technicians for the Army National Guard is essential to maintaining the readiness of the Army National Guard. Subtitle C--Authorization of Appropriations (Sec. 421) Authorizes appropriations for Military Personnel at the levels identified in section 4401 of this bill. TITLE V--MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY Subtitle A--Officer Personnel Policy (Sec. 501) Authorizes adjustments to the number and distribution of Marine Corps general officers, including: an increase in the number of general officers in the grade above major general, a decrease in the number of general officers in the grade of major general, and an increase in the number of deputy commandants. (Sec. 502) Authorizes the Secretaries of the military departments to consider officers for involuntary separation below the grade of lieutenant colonel or commander as a single, consolidated year group without distinctions based on retirement eligibility. (Sec. 503) Permits the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security (the department in which the Coast Guard is operating) to drop from the rolls of the armed forces a commissioned officer who: has been absent without authority for at least three months, may be separated by reason of a sentence to confinement adjudged by a court-martial, or is sentenced to confinement in a federal or state penitentiary or correctional institution after having been found guilty of an offense by a court other than a court-martial or other military court, and whose sentence has become final. Subtitle B--Reserve Component Management (Sec. 511) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 to extend for three years authorities for the transfer of officers between the Active and Inactive National Guard. (Sec. 512) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 to extend the authority for the Air Force to use Active Guard and Reserve personnel and dual status military technicians to provide training and instruction regarding pilot training. (Sec. 513) Authorizes DOD to order forces to Active Duty during the year of execution if DOD identifies manpower and associated costs for the year of execution and provides a 30-day notice to Congress. (Sec. 514) Exempts military dual-status technicians from civilian employee furloughs. (Sec. 515) Requires DOD to establish an electronic means by which members of the Ready Reserve of the Armed Forces can track their operational active-duty service performed after January 28, 2008. Subtitle C--General Service Authorities (Sec. 521) Makes technical corrections to the annual authorization of personnel strengths. (Sec. 522) Provides leave for dual military couples to adopt a child. (Sec. 523) Revises the Army's deployability rating system and the manner in which the Army is required to track prioritization of deployable units. Requires the Army to maintain: (1) a system for identifying the priority of deployment for units of all components of the Army, and (2) a readiness rating system for units of all components of the Army that provides an accurate assessment of the deployability of a unit and the shortfalls of a unit that require the provision of additional resources. (Sec. 524) Permits notaries to execute military testamentary instruments. Extends federal notary powers to civilian paralegals working within military legal assistance offices. (Sec. 525) Makes technical corrections to provisions regarding voluntary separation pay and benefits. (Sec. 526) Requires the Secretaries of the military departments to notify service members with dependents annually, and prior to deployment, of the child custody protections guaranteed under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. (Sec. 527) Requires the Army to carry out a pilot program to consolidate the recruiting efforts of the Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard under which a recruiter in one of the components may recruit individuals to enlist in any of the components and receive credit toward enlistment goals for each enlistment regardless of the component in which the individual enlists. (Sec. 528) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the current and future need for a centralized registration system under the Military Selective Service Act. (Sec. 529) Authorizes: (1) 14 days of leave for a member of the Armed Forces who becomes a parent when the member's spouse gives birth; and (2) 36 days of leave, to be shared between two members of the Armed Forces who are married to each other and adopt a child. Subtitle D--Military Justice, Including Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention and Response (Sec. 541) Requires DOD military and civilian personnel working on military installations, who are otherwise required by law to report suspected instances of child abuse and neglect to their chain of command, to also promptly notify State Child Protective Services. (Sec. 542) Extends through 2021 the requirement for the annual report of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and requires the release to coincide with the release of the Family Advocacy Report. (Sec. 543) Requires DOD to submit to Congress annually a report including the child abuse and domestic abuse incident data contained in the Family Advocacy Program central registry for the previous year and an analysis of the effectiveness of the Family Advocacy Program. (Sec. 544) Requires DOD to establish a comprehensive data collection system for reports related to hazing in the Armed Forces. Requires the Secretary of each military department to improve training to better recognize, prevent, and respond to hazing. (Sec. 545) Specifies the burden of proof that applies for investigations of prohibited retaliatory personnel actions. (Sec. 546) Requires DOD to ensure that any individual investigating an allegation of retaliation is trained in the definition and characteristics of retaliation, and where applicable, the characteristics of sex-related offenses. (Sec. 547) Requires the Secretary of each military department to establish a career military justice litigation track for judge advocates in the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary. Subtitle E--Member Education, Training, and Transition (Sec. 561) Revises the requirements for credentialing programs used in connection with programs that enable members of the Armed Forces to obtain professional credentials. (Sec. 562) Authorizes DOD to establish cyber institutes at each of the senior military colleges and each of the Reserve Officer Training Corps institutions selected for partnership by the cyber institutes at the individual service academies to accelerate the development of expertise in critical cyber operational skills for future leaders of the armed forces and DOD. (Sec. 563) Requires DOD and DHS to jointly report on the steps the departments have taken to: (1) maximize the extent to which Armed Forces service, training, and qualifications are creditable towards U.S. merchant mariner licenses and certifications; and (2) to promote awareness among Armed Forces personnel serving in vessel operating positions of the requirements for post-service use of training, education, and practical experience from service in the Armed Forces in satisfying requirements for merchant mariner licenses and certifications. (Sec. 564) Permits DOD to hire staff for professional military education courses regardless of course length. (Sec. 565) Permits a person who legally changes their name to reflect their gender identity after separation from the Armed Forces to receive a new certificate of discharge or acceptance of resignation order under the new name. (Sec. 566) Permits DOD to carry out a pilot program to enhance efforts to provide job placement assistance and related employment services directly to members in the National Guard and Reserves. (Sec. 567) Prohibits DOD from establishing, maintaining, or supporting a Reserve Officers' Training Corps unit at an educational institution that displays the Confederate battle flag except where the board of visitors has voted to take down the flag. (Sec. 568) Requires the GAO to report to Congress on the demographic composition of service academies. (Sec. 569) Requires the preseparation counseling provided to members of the Armed Forces being discharged to include information concerning the availability of treatment options and resources to address substance abuse, including alcohol, prescription drug, and opioid abuse. (Sec. 569A) Requires the Department of Labor to include in the Transition Assistance Program information regarding the deduction of disability compensation paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs by reason of voluntary separation pay received by the member. (Sec. 569B) Requires the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to submit to Congress and make available to the public, a report evaluating the success of the Job Training, Employment Skills Training, Apprenticeships, and Internships (known as JTEST-AI) and SkillBridge initiatives, under which civilian businesses and companies provide training or internship opportunities to members of the Armed Forces who are being separated from the Armed Forces. (Sec. 569C) Requires congressional notification in advance of appointments to service academies. Subtitle F--Defense Dependents' Education and Military Family Readiness Matters (Sec. 571) Authorizes appropriations for the continuation in FY2017 of DOD assistance to local educational agencies impacted by the enrollment of dependent children of military members and DOD civilian employees. (Sec. 572) Authorizes DOD to provide support to nonprofit organizations that carry out camp or camp-like programs for children of military families who have experienced the death of a family member or other loved one or who have another family member living with a substance use disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. (Sec. 573) Specifies requirements for applying the amendments made by the Every Student Succeeds Act with respect to Impact Aid payments for federally connected children in FY2016, FY2017, and each succeeding year. (Sec. 574) Permits a relocating spouse of a member of the Armed Forces to remain eligible for a noncompetitive appointment for the duration of the spouse's relocation to the permanent duty station of the member. Subtitle G--Decorations and Awards (Sec. 581) Requires the Secretaries of the military departments to review the service records of certain Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander veterans from the Korean War and Vietnam War to determine if the Medal of Honor is appropriate. Waives the statute of limitations for the award if the Secretary concerned determines that the records support the award of the Medal of Honor. (Sec. 582) Waives the statutory time limitation to permit the President to award specified medals to a member or former member of the Armed Forces identified as warranting award of that medal pursuant to the review of valor award nominations for Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, and Operation Inherent Resolve that was directed by the Secretary of Defense. (Sec. 583) Waives the statutory time limitation to allow the President to award the Medal of Honor to Gary M. Rose, who served in the Army during the Vietnam War. (Sec. 584) Waives the statutory time limitation to allow the President to award the Medal of Honor to Charles S. Kettles, who served in the Army during the Vietnam War. (Sec. 585) Waives the statutory time limitation to allow the Secretary of the Army to award the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant Melvin M. Spruiell, who served in the Army during World War II. Subtitle H--Miscellaneous Reports and Other Matters (Sec. 591) Requires the Army to: (1) ensure that the cremated remains of an individual, whose service has been determined to be Active Duty service, are eligible for inurnment with military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, and (2) report to Congress on the interment and inurnment capacity of Arlington National Cemetery. (Sec. 592) Requires enlisted or retired enlisted members of the Armed Forces to be represented on any board, council, or committee established to make recommendations regarding military personnel issues. (Sec. 593) Requires DOD to review the current body mass index test procedure used by the Armed Forces and other methods to measure body fat with a more holistic health and wellness approach. (Sec. 594) Requires information to be provided during transition separation counseling concerning options for donating brain tissue at the time of the member's death for chronic traumatic encephalopathy research. (Sec. 595) Recognizes women who have served in or are currently serving in the Armed Forces. (Sec. 596) Expresses the sense of Congress that DOD should enhance access to intensive medical and mental health treatment of male victims of sexual assault, look for opportunities to use them as presenters at prevention training, and ensure medical and mental health providers are trained to meet the needs of male victims. (Sec. 597) Expresses the sense of Congress that a statute currently exists that permits DOD to enlist individuals who are not otherwise eligible for enlistment if the enlistment is vital to the national interest. Protect Our Military Families' 2nd Amendment Rights Act (Sec. 598) Provides that, for the purpose of federal firearms laws, a member of the Armed Forces on active duty and the spouse of the member are residents of the state in which the permanent duty station of the member is located and that the spouse may satisfy the identification document requirements by presenting specified documents. (Sec. 599) Requires DOD to establish a pilot program to demonstrate the feasibility of using portable, disposable alcohol breathalyzers and a cloud based server platform to collect data and monitor the progress of alcohol abuse prevention programs. (Sec. 599A) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the transfer of skills into equivalent college credits or technical certifications for members of the Armed Forces leaving the military. (Sec. 599B) Requires DOD to design and produce a military service medal, to be known as the "Atomic Veterans Service Medal," to honor retired and former members of the Armed Forces who are radiation-exposed veterans. (Sec. 599C) Requires DOD to submit to Congress a report detailing the information, assistance, and efforts to support and inform active duty members of the Armed Forces with respect to the rights and resources available under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act regarding student loans. (Sec. 599D) Excludes certain medical reimbursements and other expenses from the determination of annual income with respect to pensions for veterans, surviving spouses, and children of veterans. (Sec. 599E) Expresses the sense of Congress on the desirability of a service-wide adoption of the Gold Star Installation Access Card. (Sec. 599F) Modifies requirements of the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program related to the effect that failing to notify a spouse in a timely manner regarding a member's election not to be insured under the program has on the validity of the election or a beneficiary designation. (Sec. 599G) Extends through FY2018 the DOD Suicide Prevention and Resilience Program. TITLE VI--COMPENSATION AND OTHER PERSONNEL BENEFITS Subtitle A--Pay and Allowances (Sec. 601) Requires the rates of basic pay to be increased in accordance with provisions under current law permitting adjustments to monthly basic pay, notwithstanding a determination by the President of the need for an alternative adjustment. (Sec. 602) Extends the authority of DOD to temporarily increase the rates of basic allowance for housing in areas impacted by natural disasters or experiencing a sudden influx of personnel. (Sec. 603) Prohibits the Secretary concerned from altering the per diem allowance for the duration of a temporary duty assignment of a member of the Armed Forces or an employee of DOD. Subtitle B--Bonuses and Special and Incentive Pays (Sec. 611) Extends certain bonus and special pay authorities for Reserve Forces. (Sec. 612) Extends certain bonus and special pay authorities for health care professionals. (Sec. 613) Extends certain bonus and special pay authorities for nuclear officers. (Sec. 614) Extends specified special pay, incentive pay, and bonus authorities. (Sec. 615) Extends specified bonus and special pay authorities. (Sec. 616) Increases the statutory limits for the aviation incentive pay and retention bonus and allow the Secretary concerned the flexibility to increase the aviation incentive pay limit set forth in regulations issued by DOD. (Sec. 617) Conforms the consolidated bonus amount to the current authorized amount of $20,000. (Sec. 618) Makes technical and clerical amendments related to the 2008 consolidation of certain special pay authorities. (Sec. 619) Corrects the computation of Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) to match the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 enacted military retirement system reduction in the retirement base pay multiplier from 2.5% percent to 2% percent for the years of service formula to calculate retired pay to be restored by CRSC. Subtitle C--Disability Pay, Retired Pay, and Survivor Benefits (Sec. 621) Repeals a provision that added an additional definition of separation from government service for members of the military participating in the Thrift Savings Plan who have been discharged or released from service in the uniformed services. (Sec. 622) Permits DOD to pay continuation pay at any point between the time the member completes 8 years of service and before the member reaches 12 years of service, in exchange for an agreement to continue serving for a period of not less than 3 additional years. (Sec. 623) Extends the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance at $310 per month through FY2018. (Sec. 624) Provides equal benefits under the Survivor Benefit Plan for members of the Reserve Component who die from an injury or illness incurred or aggravated in the line of duty during Inactive-Duty training and members of the Armed Forces who die in the line of duty while on Active Duty. (Sec. 625) Changes the calculation concerning a service member's retired pay in a division of property involving disposable retired pay. Subtitle D--Commissary and Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality Benefits and Operations (Sec. 631) Requires DOD to develop and implement a strategy to optimize management practices across the defense commissary system and the exchange system that reduce reliance on appropriated funding without reducing benefits or the revenue generated by nonappropriated fund entities or instrumentalities of DOD for the morale, welfare, and recreation of members of the armed forces. Requires DOD to ensure that savings generated due to the optimization practices are shared by the defense commissary system and the exchange system through contracts or agreements that appropriately reflect the participation of the systems in the development and implementation of the practices. (Sec. 632) Requires DOD to ensure that: (1) commissary stores accept the Military Star Card as payment, and (2) the Army and Air Force Exchange Service assumes any U.S. financial liability relating to the acceptance of the card. (The Military Star Card is a credit card administered under the Exchange Credit Program by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service.) Subtitle E--Travel and Transportation Allowances and Other Matters (Sec. 641) Authorizes DOD, on a case-by-case basis, to reimburse travel expenses at a higher amount for Reserve Component members traveling to training from rural areas. (Sec. 642) Establishes a 10-year statute of limitations for DOD recovery of amounts owed to the United States by members of the uniformed services due to an overpayment of salaries and benefits or unpaid bills. Requires the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to quantify the lost revenue from this provision. TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE PROVISIONS Subtitle A--Reform of TRICARE and Military Health System (Sec. 701) Requires DOD to establish TRICARE Preferred as a self-managed, preferred provider network option to replace TRICARE Standard and Extra. Establishes annual enrollment fees and fixed dollar copayments for Active Duty family members and retirees who join the armed services on or after January 1, 2018, and enroll in TRICARE Preferred or in TRICARE Prime (the managed care option). Authorizes DOD to establish an annual enrollment fee for TRICARE Preferred for beneficiaries who were in the Active Duty or retired categories prior to January 1, 2018. (Sec. 702) Requires the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to be responsible for the administration of each military medical treatment facility, including: budgetary matters, information technology, health care administration and management, administrative policy and procedure, and any other matters the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate. Requires DOD to establish within the DHA a professional staff to carry out this section. Permits DOD to establish an Assistant Director for Health Care Administration within the DHA. Requires the commander of each military medical facility to be responsible for: (1) ensuring the readiness of the members of the armed forces and civilian employees at the facility, and (2) furnishing the health care and medical treatment provided at the facility. (Sec. 703) Establishes requirements for military medical treatment facilities in order to support medical readiness of the Armed Forces and the readiness of medical personnel. Requires DOD to submit to Congress: (1) a report updating the Military Health System Modernization Study to address the restructuring or realignment of military medical treatment facilities required by this bill, and (2) an implementation plan for restructuring or realigning the military medical treatment facilities. (Sec. 704) Requires DOD to ensure that urgent care is available through 11:00 p.m. at military treatment facilities at locations that DOD determines to be appropriate. Requires that, if urgent care is unavailable at the military treatment facilities, access to urgent care through the TRICARE network providers must be available through 11:00 p.m. Eliminates the preauthorization requirement for urgent care. (Sec. 705) Requires DOD to expand the primary care clinic hours at military treatment facilities during the week and on weekends beyond the standard business hours of the installation. (Sec. 706) Authorizes DOD to develop and implement value-based incentive programs as part of TRICARE contracts to encourage health care providers to improve the quality of care and the experience of the covered beneficiaries. (Sec. 707) Revises the criteria for partnership agreements between the military and local or regional health care systems to increase access to health care and readiness. (Sec. 708) Requires DOD to submit to Congress an implementation plan to establish a Joint Trauma System within the DHA to improve trauma care for members of the Armed Forces and other individuals who are eligible to be treated for trauma at a military medical treatment facility. (Sec. 709) Requires DOD to establish a Joint Trauma Education and Training Directorate to ensure that the traumatologists of the Armed Forces maintain readiness and are able to be rapidly deployed for future armed conflicts. Requires DOD to: (1) enter into partnerships with civilian academic medical centers and large metropolitan teaching hospitals that have certain civilian trauma centers, and (2) conduct an analysis to determine the number of traumatologists of the Armed Forces, by specialty, that must be maintained within DOD to meet the requirements of the combatant commands. (Sec. 710) Requires DOD to ensure that military medical treatment facilities implement and consistently practice the following requirements: first call resolution, standardized appointment scheduling, increased provider productivity, and managed appointment utilization through maximizing use of telehealth and secure messaging. (Sec. 711) Requires DOD to adopt the core quality performance metrics agreed upon by the Core Quality Measures Collaborative (a collaborative group of federal agencies, health plans, national physician organizations, employers, and consumers) to evaluate the performance of the military health system and the TRICARE network. (Sec. 712) Requires DOD to study options for providing health care coverage to certain current and former members of the Selected Reserve. Subtitle B--Other Health Care Benefits (Sec. 721) Requires DOD to sell hearing aids to dependents of retired members of the uniformed services. (Sec. 722) Require members of the National Guard to be treated as if they were on Active Duty for purposes of coverage under TRICARE while performing disaster response duty, if the period immediately follows a period of full-time National Guard duty, unless a Governor determines that it is not in the best interest of the member or state. Subtitle C--Health Care Administration (Sec. 731) Requires DHS to make a prospective payment to DOD for treatment or care provided to members of the Coast Guard, former members of the Coast Guard, and their dependents at facilities under the jurisdiction of DOD except for any period during which the Coast Guard operates as a service in the Navy. (Sec. 732) Requires DOD to: (1) review the prescribing practices at military treatment facilities of pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of post-traumatic stress, (2) monitor the prescribing of pharmaceutical agents that are discouraged from use under the VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Post-Traumatic Stress, and (3) implement a plan to address any deviations from the guidelines. (Sec. 733) Specifies requirements for using melfoquine for the prophylaxis of malaria when providing health care to members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 734) Requires DOD to: (1) ensure that TRICARE reimbursement rates for providers of applied behavior analysis are not less than the rates that were in effect on March 31, 2016; and (2) conduct a specified analysis to set future reimbursement rates for providers of applied behavior analysis. Increases the Defense Health Care funding authorized by this bill for Private Sector Care. Decreases the Operation and Maintenance funds authorized by this bill for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Subtitle D--Reports and Other Matters (Sec. 741) Requires DOD to: (1) develop a methodology that identifies which member of the military services are at high risk of suicide based on association with units that have a high rate of suicide, and (2) provide additional mental health resources to members who have deployed with the units. (Sec. 742) Authorizes appropriations to award grants to medical researchers and universities to support research into early detection of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. (Sec. 743) Requires DOD to consider using active oscillating negative pressure treatment for members of the Armed Forces who incur blast-related injuries. (Sec. 744) Requires DOD to carry out a long-term study of career helicopter and tiltrotor pilots to assess potential links between the operation of helicopter and tiltrotor aircraft and acute and chronic medical conditions experienced by the pilots. (Sec. 745) Authorizes DOD to conduct a pilot program to evaluate whether, in carrying out the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program, extending additional discounts for prescription drugs filled at retail pharmacies will maintain or reduce prescription drug costs for DOD. (Sec. 746) Requires DOD to study the feasibility of displaying average wait times at urgent care clinics, pharmacies, and emergency rooms of military medical treatment facilities. (Sec. 747) Requires DOD to report to Congress on the feasibility of furnishing acupuncture services and chiropractic services under the TRICARE program to beneficiaries who are retired members of the uniformed services (not including any dependent of the retired member). (Sec. 748) Specifies the requirements for the submission of reports to Congress regarding a longitudinal study on the effects of traumatic brain injury incurred by members of the Armed Forces serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. (Sec. 749) Requires the DOD Office of Health to collaborate with the National Institutes of Health to identify and provide specified information related to triple negative breast cancer. (Sec. 750) Requires DOD to conduct specified studies on preventing the diversion of opioid medications. TITLE VIII--ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS Subtitle A--Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations (Sec. 801) Revises authorities related to the DOD Test Resource Management Center to limit the application of existing law to the Major Range and Test Facility Base and those test and evaluation facilities that are used to support the acquisition programs of DOD. Prevents reporting requirements from being broadened to small laboratory and educational test and evaluation facilities. Defines the term "significant change" in test and evaluation facilities. (Sec. 802) Amends the restrictions on undefinitized contractual actions. Requires DOD to consider the cost risk to the contractor as of the date that a qualifying proposal to definitize a contract was submitted if the contract was not then definitized within the statutory 180-day period. Applies the 180-day definitization period to foreign military sales contracts. Defines a qualifying proposal as a proposal that contains sufficient information to enable a meaningful audit of the definitization proposal. (Sec. 803) Revises requirements related to DOD's accounting for and reporting of contracts for services. (Sec. 804) Specifies that the source selection criteria to be used in the procurement of personal protective equipment or critical safety items are criteria that: (1) are predominately based on technical qualifications of the item and not predominately based on price, (2) do not use reverse auction or lowest price technically acceptable contracting methods, and (3) reflect a preference for best value source selection methods. (Sec. 805) Removes the retroactive application requirement for the cap on the allowable compensation of contractor employees. (As a result, the cap would apply to compensation costs incurred after January 1, 2012, under contracts entered into on or after December 31, 2011.) (Sec. 806) Revises requirements for the detection and avoidance of counterfeit electronic parts to require contractors and DOD to meet certain requirements using "suppliers that meet anticounterfeiting requirements" rather than "trusted suppliers." (Sec. 807) Expands the permissible uses of special emergency procurement authorities to include support of international disaster assistance and support of a national emergency or natural disaster relief efforts in the United States as defined by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. (Sec. 808) Requires DOD to comply with domestic source requirements for footwear furnished to enlisted members of the Armed Forces upon their initial entry into the Armed Forces. Requires DOD to furnish the footwear directly to members instead of providing a cash allowance. Permits a waiver to be granted in cases of medical necessity. (Sec. 809) Establishes a procurement policy checklist to ensure accountability in the acquisition of services and specifies requirements for the checklist. (Sec. 809A) Extends for one year the cap on the total spending for services contracts. (Sec. 809B) Extends the authority for the enhanced transfer of technology developed at DOD laboratories. Subtitle B--Provisions Relating to Major Defense Acquisition Programs (Sec. 811) Changes the date that the comprehensive annual Selected Acquisition Reports are due to Congress. (Sec. 812) Specifies that the Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) conducts or approves independent cost estimates (ICEs) for all major defense acquisition programs and major automated information systems. Authorizes CAPE to approve ICEs conducted by the military departments. Requires CAPE to develop policies, procedures, guidance, and a collection method to ensure that acquisition cost data are collected in a standardized format that facilitates cost estimation and comparison across acquisition programs. Requires assessments of risk and potential consequences in ICEs, instead of the current reporting of confidence intervals. (Sec. 813) Removes the requirement for the milestone decision authority, prior to milestone B (initiates engineering and manufacturing development) approval, to determine affordability and funding levels for a major defense acquisition program relative to the Future Years Defense Program submitted during the year in which the determination is made. (Sec. 814) Requires DOD to review the extent to which sustainment matters are considered in decisions related to the requirements, acquisition, cost estimating, and programming and budgeting processes for major defense acquisition programs. (Sec. 815) Adds the Secretaries of the military departments to the list of people who receive and may comment on the annual report of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. Extends the annual report through January 31, 2021. Subtitle C--Provisions Relating to Commercial Items (Sec. 821) Expands the types of nondevelopmental items that may be considered commercial items to include items that the procuring agency determines were developed at private expense and sold in substantial quantities on a competitive basis to foreign governments. (Sec. 822) Requires DOD procurement officials to conduct or obtain market research when determining price reasonableness for commercial items. (Sec. 823) Permits contractors to submit information or analysis pertaining to the value of a commercial item when responding to solicitations. Permits contracting officers to consider value analysis, in addition to historic pricing data, when determining price reasonableness for commercial items. (Sec. 824) Expands DOD centralized records relating to commercial item determinations to include market research and price reasonableness analysis. Eliminates the requirement that the records be publicly accessible. (Sec. 825) Permits DOD to carry out a commercial solutions opening pilot program, under which innovative commercial items may be acquired through a competitive selection of proposals resulting from a general solicitation and the peer review of the proposals. Subtitle D--Other Matters (Sec. 831) Requires DOD to enter into a contract with an independent entity to conduct a review of the bid protest processes related to major defense acquisition programs. (Sec. 832) Requires the GAO to report on the use by DOD of indefinite delivery contracts entered into during FY2015-FY2017. (Sec. 833) Requires DOD to review contractual flow-down provisions related to major defense acquisition programs. (Sec. 834) Requires the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics to review the policy, guidance, regulations, and training related to specifications included in information technology acquisitions to ensure that current policies eliminate the unjustified use of potentially anti-competitive specifications. (Sec. 835) Specifies the roles and functions of officials involved in Coast Guard major acquisition programs, including: the Chief Acquisitions Officer, the Acquisition Directorate, and the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard. Prohibits the Coast Guard from awarding a contract for the design of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) for use by the Coast Guard. Requires the Coast Guard to use and operate only UASs that have already been acquired by either DOD or DHS. Permits the Coast Guard to extend major acquisition program contracts if the GAO finds that extending a current contract would be more cost effective than awarding a new contract. Requires the Commandant to report to Congress on how the Commandant can play a more appropriate role in the acquisitions process with regard to policies, requirements, and implementing a more customer-oriented acquisition system. Requires the Secretary for the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to submit to Congress an analysis of multiyear procurement authorities for the procurement of at least five Fast Response Cutters (beginning with hull 43) and Offshore Patrol Cutters (beginning with hull 5). (Sec. 836) Waives congressional notification requirements regarding the acquisition of a higher quantity of tactical missiles and munitions than is specified in law. (Sec. 837) Authorizes the Navy to close out specified older contracts to assist in obtaining a clean financial audit. (Sec. 838) Requires certain auxiliary ship components to be procured from a manufacturer in the national technology and industrial base. (Sec. 839) Permits DOD to reduce from $400 million to $0 the threshold for the amount that must be credited to the Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Fund during FY2017. (Sec. 840) Exempts audits for the National Nuclear Security Administration from the prohibition on the performance of non-defense audits by the Defense Contract Audit Agency. (Sec. 841) Requires DOD to select service providers for auditing services and audit readiness services based on the best value, as determined by the resource sponsor for an auditing contract, rather than based on the lowest price technically acceptable service provider. (Sec. 842) Modifies the justification and approval process for sole-source contracts valued at $20 million or greater. (Sec. 843) Requires DOD to brief Congress on the use and implementation of the two-phase design-build selection procedures for defense contracts. (Sec. 844) Prohibits any DOD function performed by DOD civilian employees and tied to a certain military base from being converted to contractor performance until DOD assesses whether it has carried out sufficient outreach programs to assist small business concerns owned and controlled by women or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals that are located near the military base. (Sec. 845) Requires the GAO to include in its annual report to Congress a list of the most common grounds for sustaining bid protests during the year. (Sec. 846) Revises the effective dates for amendments related to the Under Secretary of Defense for Business Management and Information that were included in the Carl Levin and Howard P. "Buck" Mckeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. (Sec. 847) Specifies that it is DOD policy to avoid using lowest price technically acceptable source selection criteria in inappropriate circumstances that potentially deny DOD the benefits of cost and technical tradeoffs in the source selection process. Limits the use of lowest price technically acceptable source selection criteria to specified situations. Requires DOD, to the maximum extent practicable, to avoid using lowest price technically acceptable source selection criteria when the procurement is predominately for the acquisition of information technology services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, audit or audit readiness services, or other knowledge-based professional services. Requires DOD to report to Congress on the use of lowest-price technically acceptable source selection criteria. (Sec. 848) Requires the GAO to study and report on DOD procurement contracts awarded to minority-owned and women-owned businesses during FY2010-FY2015. TITLE IX--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT Subtitle A--Goldwater-Nichols Reform (Sec. 901) Expresses the sense of Congress regarding the principles that should be adhered to in any reform of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. (Sec. 902) Repeals a requirement for DOD to conduct a comprehensive examination of the national defense strategy. (Sec. 903) Establishes the Commission on the National Defense Strategy for the United States to examine and make recommendations with respect to the national defense strategy for the United States. (Sec. 904) Revises the requirements for the defense strategic and policy guidance that the Secretary of Defense is required to provide to the heads of DOD components. Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide: written strategic guidance every four years to DOD components that expresses the national defense strategy; written policy guidance annually to DOD components that provides program and budget guidance for the development of the force; written policy guidance every two years or more frequently, as needed, to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that provides contingency planning guidance; and a copy of all written guidance described above to Congress. (Sec. 905) Requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to prepare a new National Military Strategy or update a previous one during each even-numbered year. Requires the strategy to support the objectives of national security and defense strategic guidance issued by the President and the Secretary of Defense, and, at a minimum, focus on: developing military ends, ways, and means to support national security objectives; assessing strategic and military risks, and developing risk mitigation options; establishing a strategic framework for the development of operational and contingency plans; prioritizing joint force capabilities, capacities, and resources; and establishing military guidance for the development of the joint force. (Sec. 906) Amends the requirements for an independent study of the national security strategy formulation process to add a requirement to address the workforce responsible for conducting strategic planning and examine how Congress fits into the strategy formulation process. (Sec. 907) Extends from two to four years the term of office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Prohibits the reappointment of the Chairman to additional terms, except during a time of war. Limits the combined period of service of an officer serving as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to eight years. (Sec. 908) Specifies that the responsibilities of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Staff include providing advice to: (1) the President and the Secretary of Defense on ongoing military operations, and (2) to the Secretary on the allocation and transfer of forces among combatant commands. (Sec. 909) Allows U.S. military forces within the continental United States to be assigned to a military department as directed by the Secretary of Defense. (Sec. 910) Specifies that the grade of an officer serving as the commander of a service or functional component command may not be higher than lieutenant general or vice admiral. Requires the total number of officers in the grade of general or admiral on active duty to be reduced by five positions. (Sec. 911) Establishes a unified combatant command for cyber operations to prepare cyber operations forces to carry out assigned missions. (Sec. 912) Reduces the joint duty assignment tour length to a minimum of two years for officers of all ranks, and removes the statutory requirement for services to maintain a tour length average. (Sec. 913) Revises the definitions used for joint officer management, including the definitions of "joint matters," "integrated forces," and "joint duty assignment." (Sec. 914) Requires DOD to enter into a contract for an independent assessment of combatant command structure, and to provide recommendations for improving the overall effectiveness of combatant command structures. Subtitle B--Other Matters (Sec. 921) Modifies the requirements for the annual report from the Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight. (Sec. 922) Authorizes the Joint Special Operations University to employ civilian faculty members. (Sec. 923) Establishes guidelines for using military personnel for functions currently being performed by civilian personnel or contractors. (Sec. 924) Requires the DOD Inspector General to publicly release reports of administrative investigations that confirm misconduct of members of the Senior Executive Service, schedule C employees, or commissioned officers in the Armed Forces in pay grades O-6 promotable and above. (Sec. 925) Removes responsibility for recovering personnel who are missing during current operations or activities from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. (Sec. 926) Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to require the President's appointment of the National Security Adviser to be subject to Senate confirmation if the National Security Council staff exceeds 100 employees. Subtitle C--Department of the Navy and Marine Corps (Sec. 931) Redesignates the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. and redesignates the Secretary of the Navy as the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. Requires other specified statutory offices to be redesignated. (Sec. 932) Makes conforming amendments consistent with the redesignation of the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. (Sec. 933) Amends other provisions of law and other references consistent with the redesignation of the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps and the redesignation of the Secretary of the Navy as the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. (Sec. 934) Specifies the effective date for this subtitle. TITLE X--GENERAL PROVISIONS Subtitle A--Financia
Last Action: Signed by President.
Last Action Date: December 23, 2016
Title: Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Description: Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: June 13, 2016
Title: A bill to require that certain information relating to terrorism investigations be included in the NICS database, and for other purposes.
Description: A bill to require that certain information relating to terrorism investigations be included in the NICS database, and for other purposes. This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to include in the national instant criminal background check system (i.e., the NICS database) information about an individual who is or has been under a federal terrorism investigation. A federal department or agency must submit to DOJ information about such individual. Additionally, if a licensed gun dealer requests a background check on a prospective gun buyer who is or has been under a federal terrorism investigation, then the NICS database must notify the appropriate division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the request and the pending firearm transfer.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: June 15, 2016
Title: Fighting Terrorism and Upholding Due Process Act Official Titles: Official Titles - Senate Official Titles as Introduced: A bill to prevent terrorists from obtaining firearms or explosives.
Description: Fighting Terrorism and Upholding Due Process Act Official Titles: Official Titles - Senate Official Titles as Introduced: A bill to prevent terrorists from obtaining firearms or explosives.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: June 16, 2016
Title: HEART Act Help End Assault Rifle Tragedies Act of 2016
Description: HEART Act Help End Assault Rifle Tragedies Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: July 12, 2016
Title: Back the Blue Act of 2016
Description: Back the Blue Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5082-5083; text of measure as introduced: CR S5083-5085)
Last Action Date: July 13, 2016
Title: Refugee Protection Act of 2016
Description: Refugee Protection Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5167-5168)
Last Action Date: July 14, 2016
Title: Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2016
Description: Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2016 This bill requires the chief state election official of each state to establish and operate a system of automatic registration for the registration of eligible individuals to vote for elections for federal office in the state. The chief state election official shall ensure that all individuals who are eligible to be, but are not currently, registered to vote in federal elections in the state is promptly registered to vote, unless the individual declines registration by providing appropriate notice. Each contributing agency in a state, including the state motor vehicle authority, shall assist the state's chief election official in registering to vote all eligible individuals the agency serves. For each individual already listed in a contributing agency's records, and for whom the agency retains specified personal information, the agency shall promptly transmit that information to the appropriate state election official. No individual shall be prosecuted under any federal law, or adversely affected in any civil adjudication concerning immigration status or naturalization, or by an allegation in any legal proceeding that an individual who is not a U.S. citizen is removable or inadmissible: for notifying an election official of the individual's automatic registration; on the grounds that the individual is not an eligible voter and has been automatically registered to vote under this bill; or because the individual has been automatically registered to vote at the incorrect address. The bill allows correction of registration information at the polling place. Each state shall ensure that application for or any update to voter registration can be done online. The Election Assistance Commission shall make grants to each eligible state to assist it in implementing this bill.
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5168-5169)
Last Action Date: July 14, 2016
Title: Terror Intelligence Improvement Act of 2016
Description: Terror Intelligence Improvement Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: September 15, 2016
Title: No Explosives or Arms for Terrorists and Criminals Act
Description: No Explosives or Arms for Terrorists and Criminals Act
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: September 26, 2016
Title: Export Control Reform Act of 2016
Description: Export Control Reform Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6142; text of measure as introduced: CR S6142)
Last Action Date: September 27, 2016
Title: SELECT Act Support Experienced Law Enforcement Countering Terrorism Act of 2016
Description: SELECT Act Support Experienced Law Enforcement Countering Terrorism Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: September 28, 2016
Title: BRIDGE Act Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy Act
Description: BRIDGE Act Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy Act
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S7034)
Last Action Date: December 9, 2016
Title: Protect Our Heroes Act of 2016
Description: Protect Our Heroes Act of 2016
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Action Date: December 9, 2016