Congressional legislation, May 16, 2016 – May 20, 2016

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This week on Capitol Hill lawmakers debated numerous amendments to appropriations bills and passed funding to combat the Zika virus. In addition, the Senate confirmed 360 individuals to various government positions, including the first openly gay Secretary of the Army.

The United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives were in session Monday-Thursday.

May 16, 2016

Senate

• The Senate confirmed Paula Xinis as district judge to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland by a vote of 53-34.

• The following legislation was passed by voice vote in the Senate:

• S Amdt 3903 to S Amdt 3896 - To require a report on the economic and infrastructure effects on airports of collegiate aviation flight training operations;

• S Amdt 3909 to S Amdt 3896 - To allow Indian tribes to use certain funds to construct housing for certain skilled workers;

• S Amdt 3917 to S Amdt 3896 - To prohibit the use of funds for the Continuum of Care program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development unless the program allows for zero-tolerance recovery housing;

• S Amdt 3919 to S Amdt 3896 - To provide for safety improvements on transit systems;

• S Amdt 3921 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to submit a report on improving health and housing outcomes for chronically homeless individuals, individuals with behavioral health conditions, and children;

• S Amdt 3922 to S Amdt 3896 - To allow jurisdictions to maintain access to certain funds deposited in their HOME Investment Trust Fund that would otherwise expire.

• The following legislation was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate:

• HR 4957 - To designate the Federal building located at 99 New York Avenue, N.E., in the District of Columbia as the "Ariel Rios Federal Building";

• S Res 387 - A resolution congratulating the Historic Columbia River Highway on its 100th year;

• S Res 403 - A resolution designating the week beginning April 24, 2016 as "National Industrial Assessment Center Week" in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Industrial Assessment Centers;

• S Res 467 - A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, to be observed from May 6 through May 12, 2016.

House

• The House passed HR 4743 - the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act of 2016 by a vote of 394-3. The legislation proposes authorizing "the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium to engage academic, nonprofit, private industry, and federal, state, and local government partners to address cybersecurity risks and incidents, including threats or acts of terrorism."

• The House passed HR 4407 - the Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act of 2016 by a vote of 389-5. The legislation proposes establishing "a board to coordinate and integrate DHS's intelligence, activities, and policy related to its counterterrorism mission and functions."

• The following legislation was passed by voice vote in the House:

• H Con Res 88 - Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as cornerstones of United States-Taiwan relations;

• HR 3832 - the Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Prevention Act of 2016;

• S 1492 - A bill to direct the Administrator of General Services, on behalf of the Archivist of the United States, to convey certain Federal property located in the State of Alaska to the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska;

• HR 1150 - Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2015;

• HR 1887 - To authorize the Comptroller General of the United States to assess a study on the alternatives for the disposition of Plum Island Animal Disease Center, and for other purposes;

• HR 4780 - the Department of Homeland Security Strategy for International Programs Act;

May 17, 2016

Senate

• Key vote: The Senate passed S 2040 - the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act by voice vote. The legislation proposes allowing victims of terror attacks that occur in the United States to sue countries that support terrorism. Family members would also be allowed to bring lawsuits against state sponsors of terror. The legislation would specifically allow the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for sponsoring terrorism. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the legislation.

• The following legislation was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate:

• S 1335 - the North Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act;

• S Amdt 4003 to S 1335;

• S Res 468 - A resolution designating the week of May 15 through May 21, 2016, as "National Police Week".

• The following legislation was passed by voice vote in the Senate:

• S Amdt 3905 to S Amdt 3896 - To prohibit funds from being used to provide housing assistance benefits to individuals convicted of certain criminal offenses;

• S Amdt 3914 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress a report evaluating force structure and military construction requirements in Europe;

• S Amdt 3918 to S Amdt 3896 - To shorten the time given to a property owner to respond to a violation of a contract and the time given to the Secretary to develop a Compliance, Disposition, and Enforcement Plan;

• S Amdt 3922 to S Amdt 3896 - To allow jurisdictions to maintain access to certain funds deposited in their HOME Investment Trust Fund that would otherwise expire;

• S Amdt 3926 to S Amdt 3896 - To determine the effectiveness of Real Estate Assessment Center physical inspections;

• S Amdt 3934 to S Amdt 3896 - To authorize the use of funds to carry out a matching program with the Department of Education to identify veterans who are unemployable due to a service-connected disability and who are also borrowers of Federal student loans in order to streamline and expedite the process through which such veterans may discharge their Federal student loans;

• S Amdt 3938 to S Amdt 3896 - To make a technical correction to section 132 of title I of division J of Public Law 114-113;

• S.Amdt.3941 to S.Amdt.3896 - To slightly modify the scope of projects eligible for railroad safety grants;

• S Amdt 3948 to S Amdt 3896 - To modify the contents of the quarterly report on disability compensation claims;

• S Amdt 3954 to S Amdt 3896 - To require coordination within the Department of Veterans Affairs to meet the readjustment and psychological counseling needs of veterans in rural and highly rural communities;

• S Amdt 3961 to S Amdt 3896 - To allow airports to use airport improvement program funds to repair damage to runway safety areas caused by natural disasters;

• S Amdt 3971 to S Amdt 3896 - To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide monthly assistance allowance to disabled veterans training to compete on the United States Olympic Team;

• The Senate confirmed the following individuals by voice vote:

• Todd A. Fisher, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation for a term expiring December 17, 2016.

• Deven J. Parekh, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation for a term expiring December 17, 2016.

• Linda Thomas-Greenfield, an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs), to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation for the remainder of the term expiring September 27, 2015.

• Linda Thomas-Greenfield, an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs), to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation for a term expiring September 27, 2021.

• John W. Leslie, Jr., of Connecticut, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation for a term expiring September 22, 2019.

• Eric K. Fanning, of the District of Columbia, to be Secretary of the Army.

• Matthew John Matthews, of Oregon, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Senior Official for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.

• Linda I. Etim, of Wisconsin, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation for a term expiring September 22, 2021.

• Robert Annan Riley III, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia.

• Karen Brevard Stewart, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

• Georgette Mosbacher, of New York, to be a Member of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy for a term expiring July 1, 2018.

• Swati A. Dandekar, of Iowa, to be United States Director of the Asian Development Bank, with the rank of Ambassador.

• Marcela Escobari, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.

• Adam H. Sterling, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Slovak Republic.

• Kelly Keiderling-Franz, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.

• Stephen Michael Schwartz, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia.

• Christine Ann Elder, of Kentucky, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia.

• Elizabeth Holzhall Richard, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic.

House

• Key vote: The House rejected HR 897 - the Zika Vector Control Act by a vote of 262-159. The legislation, previously known as the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2015, required a two-thirds majority for passage. The bill proposes amending the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Clean Water Act to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from requiring a permit to spray pesticides into water. Republicans argued that the bill will protect people from being infected by the Zika virus. However, Democrats argued that the bill will do nothing to prevent the spread of Zika, and they said that the bill is another attempt by the GOP to reign in the EPA, according to The Hill.

• The House debated amendments to HR 4909 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. A full list of amendments can be viewed here.

May 18, 2016

Senate

• The following legislation was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate:

• HR 2814 - To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Sevierville, Tennessee, the Dannie A. Carr Veterans Outpatient Clinic;

• S Res 471 - A resolution designating the week of May 15 through May 21, 2016, as "National Public Works Week."

• The following legislation was passed by voice vote in the Senate:

• S Amdt 3910 to S Amdt 3896 - To authorize the use of amounts for Medical Services to be used to furnish rehabilitative equipment and human-powered vehicles to certain disabled veterans;

• S Amdt 3920 to S Amdt 3896 - To extend the requirement of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report on the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide for the specialized treatment and rehabilitative needs of disabled veterans;

• S Amdt 3933 to S Amdt 3896 - To require a report on modernizing and replacing hangers of the Army's Combat Aviation Brigade;

• S Amdt 3935 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat certain marriage and family therapists as qualified to serve as marriage and family therapists in the Department of Veterans Affairs;

• S Amdt 3944 to S Amdt 3896 - To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out certain major medical facility projects for which appropriations are being made for fiscal year 2016;

• S Amdt 3967 to S Amdt 3896 - To provide for the identification of certain high priority corridors on the National Highway System and to include and designate certain route segments on the Interstate System;

• S Amdt 3969 to S Amdt 3896 - To require that amounts be made available to Directors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks to assess, evaluate, and improve the health care delivery by and business operations of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

• S Amdt 3980 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a plan on modernizing the system of the Veterans Health Administration for processing claims by non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care providers for reimbursement for health care provided to veterans under the laws administered by the Secretary;

• S Amdt 3992 to S Amdt 3896 - To ensure timely access for Inspectors General to records, documents, and other materials;

• S Amdt 3993 to S Amdt 3896 - To ensure timely access for Inspectors General to records, documents, and other materials;

• S Amdt 3997 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for the inspection of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

• S Amdt 3998 to S Amdt 3896 - To provide for coverage under the beneficiary travel program of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain disabled veterans for travel in connection with certain special disabilities rehabilitation;

• S Amdt 4005 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the progress of the Department of Veterans Affairs in completing the Rural Veterans Burial Initiative;

• S Amdt 4008 to S Amdt 3896 - To require a report on the use of defense access road funding to build alternate routes for military equipment traveling to missile launch facilities;

• S Amdt 4011 to S Amdt 3896 - To ensure the safety of properties covered under a housing assistance payment contract;

• S Amdt 4023 to S Amdt 3896 - To protect congressional oversight of the executive branch by ensuring individuals may speak with Congress;

• S Amdt 4024 to S Amdt 3896 - To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue a final rule requiring the use of speed limiting devices on heavy trucks not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act;

• S Amdt 4029 to S Amdt 3896 - To make funds available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to hire Medical Center Directors and employees for other management and clinical positions with vacancies;

• S Amdt 4030 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide access to therapeutic listening devices to veterans struggling with mental health related problems, substance abuse, or traumatic brain injury;

• S Amdt 4038 to S Amdt 3896 - To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for the conduct by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs of an inspection or audit of the use of a grant to renovate a veteran's cemetery in Guam;

• S Amdt 4042 to S Amdt 3896 - To provide additional funds for the National Park Service for certain projects;

• S Amdt 4043 to S Amdt 3896 - To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use amounts appropriated under this Act for the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the veteran-to-staff ratio for each program of rehabilitation conducted under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code;

• S 2840 - POLICE Act of 2016.

• The Senate confirmed the following individuals by voice vote:

• Victoria L. Mitchell, in the Foreign Service;
• 2 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Jennifer K. Grzelak and ending with Andrew R. Sheffield;
• Antonio J. Arroyave, in the Foreign Service;
• 7 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Rear Adm. (lh) Meredith L. Austin and ending with Rear Adm. (lh) Paul F. Thomas;
• 146 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Rian Harker Harris and ending with Jennifer Marie Schuett;
• 173 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Melinda L. Crowley and ending with Julie Elizabeth Zinamon;
• 2 nominations in the Coast Guard beginning with Jonathan P. Tschudy and ending with Matthew B. Williams;
• Vice Adm. Charles D. Michel, in the Coast Guard, to be Admiral;
• Vice Adm. Charles W. Ray, in the Coast Guard, to be Vice Admiral;
• 8 nominations in the Foreign Service beginning with Nathan Seifert and ending with Joshua Burke.

House

• Key vote: The House passed HR 4909 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 by a vote of 277-147. The legislation proposes providing $610 billion for national defense.

• The House version of the NDAA does not include a requirement for women to register for the draft.

• Key vote: The House passed HR 5243 - the Zika Response Appropriations Act, 2016 by a vote of 241-184. The legislation proposes providing $622 million to combat the Zika virus.

• The House debated amendments to HR 4974 - the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017. A full list of amendments can be viewed here.

May 19, 2016

Senate

• Key vote: The Senate passed HR 2577 - the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 by a vote of 89-8. The legislation merged two appropriations bills–S 2844 - the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 and S2806 - the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017–and included $1.1 billion in funding to fight the Zika virus. The transportation and housing bill includes more than $114 billion in funding, and the military and veterans bill includes more than $190 billion in funding.

• The Senate and House have passed legislation to combat the spread of the Zika virus, but the bills differ. “The key difference between the competing versions is that House GOP conservatives insisted that spending cuts accompany the measure rather than adding its cost to the budget deficit. Obama and the Senate want to declare Zika an emergency and add the funding on top of current budget limits. The House bill also only provides enough money to fight Zika through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year,” according to ABC News. President Obama said that he will approve the Senate bill, but he threatened the veto the House bill.

• The Senate passed S Amdt 3900 to S Amdt 3896 - Zika response and preparedness by a vote of 68-30.

• The Senate passed S Amdt 3970 to S Amdt 3896 - To prohibit the use of funds to carry out a final rule and notice of the Department of Housing and Urban Development by a vote of 87-9.

House

• Key vote: The House passed HR 4974 - the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 by a vote of 295-129.

• Democrats shouted "Shame!" on the House floor after some Republicans switched their votes on an amendment that proposed prohibiting the government from using contractors who discriminate against the LGBT community. The amendment failed 212-213.

• The House passed an amendment to limit the display of the Confederate flag in national cemeteries. The amendment proposed prohibiting the government from flying the Confederate flag in cemeteries run by the Department of Veterans Affairs, but families would still be allowed to place the flag on individual graves.

• The House debated amendments to HR 4974 - the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017. A full list of amendments can be viewed here.

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