Bills passed in Congress, May 2015

The following are the bills the House and Senate passed last month. The bills were passed by voice vote except where indicated. Roll call votes for the House are found here, and for the Senate here. The descriptions of bills are essentially taken verbatim from the Congressional Record Daily Digest (Index).

SENATE 22 bills, 558 pages

Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act: Senate passed S. 125, to amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend the authorization of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program through fiscal year 2020 6 pages

WIOA Technical Amendments Act: Senate passed S. 1124, to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to improve the Act, 6 pages

Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act: By 98 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 174), Senate passed H.R. 1191, to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran’s nuclear program, 32 pages 

Gold Star Fathers Act: Senate passed S. 136, to amend chapter 21 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that fathers of certain permanently disabled or deceased veterans shall be included with mothers of such veterans as preference eligibles for treatment in the civil service. 4 pages 

James L. Oberstar Memorial Post Office Building: Senate passed S. 179, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14 3rd Avenue, NW, in Chisholm, Minnesota, as the “James L. Oberstar Memorial Post Office Building”. 4 pages 

Staff Sergeant Joseph D’Augustine Post Office Building: Senate passed S. 994, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1 Walter Hammond Place in Waldwick, New Jersey, as the “Staff Sergeant Joseph D’Augustine Post Office Building”. 4 pages 

Sister Ann Keefe Post Office: Senate passed H.R. 651, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 820 Elmwood Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island, as the “Sister Ann Keefe Post Office”. 4 pages 

Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry: Committee on Environment and Public Works was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1075, to designate the United States Customs and Border Protection Port of Entry located at First Street and Pan American Avenue in Douglas, Arizona, as the “Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry”, and the bill was then passed. 4 pages 

Trade Preferences Extension Act: By 97 yeas to 1 nay (Vote No. 178), Senate passed H.R. 1295, to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Generalized System of Preferences, the preferential duty treatment program for Haiti, by the order of the Senate of Wednesday, May 13, 2015, 60 Senators having voted in the affirmative, 66 pages 

Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act: By 78 yeas to 20 nays (Vote No. 179), Senate passed H.R. 644, to reauthorize trade facilitation and trade enforcement functions and activities, by the order of the Senate of Wednesday, May 13, 2015, 60 Senators having voted in the affirmative, 216 pages 

Don’t Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act: Senate passed H.R. 606, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude certain compensation received by public safety officers and their dependents from gross income. 3 pages 

Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act: Senate passed S. 1356, to clarify that certain provisions of the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2014 will not take effect until after the Director of the Office of Personnel Management promulgates and makes effective regulations relating to such provisions. 4 pages 

Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act: Senate passed H.R. 2252, to clarify the effective date of certain provisions of the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2014. 3 pages 

Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse: Committee on Environment and Public Works was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1690, to designate the United States courthouse located at 700 Grant Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the “Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse”, and the bill was then passed. 4 pages 

William J. Holloway, Jr. United States Courthouse: Senate passed S. 261, to designate the United States courthouse located at 200 NW 4th Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the William J. Holloway, Jr. United States Courthouse. 4 pages 

George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse: Senate passed S. 612, to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the “George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse”. 4 pages 

New Mexico Navajo Water Settlement Technical Corrections Act: Senate passed S. 501, to make technical corrections to the Navajo water rights settlement in the State of New Mexico. 4 pages 

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act: Senate passed S. 1463, to amend the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to modify the distance requirement for expanded availability of hospital care and medical services for veterans through the use of agreements with non-Department of Veterans Affairs entities. 4 pages 

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act: Senate passed H.R. 2496, to extend the authorization for the replacement of the existing Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, to make certain improvements in the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. 4 pages 

Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act: By 62 yeas to 37 nays (Vote No. 193), Senate passed H.R. 1314, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse determinations of tax-exempt status of certain organizations, 146 pages  

Highway and Transportation Funding Act: Senate passed H.R. 2353, to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund. 24 pages 

Girls Count Act: Senate passed S. 802, to authorize the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development to provide assistance to support the rights of women and girls in developing countries, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. 8 pages

House 33 bills, 2,059 pages

Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016: The House passed H.R. 2028, making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, by a yea-and-nay vote of 240 yeas to 177 nays, Roll No. 214. Consideration began April 29th. 64 pages

Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015: The House passed H.R. 1732, to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States, by a recorded vote of 261 ayes to 155 noes, Roll No. 219. 14 pages  

Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015: S. 665, to encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue Alert plans throughout the United States in order to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, is missing in connection with the officer’s official duties, or an imminent and credible threat that an individual intends to cause the serious injury or death of a law enforcement officer is received; 12 pages

Don’t Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act: H.R. 606, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude certain compensation received by public safety officers and their dependents from gross income, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 413 yeas with none voting “nay”, Roll No. 216; 4 pages

Defending Public Safety Employees’ Retirement Act: H.R. 2146, amended, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers to make penalty-free withdrawals from governmental plans after age 50, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 407 yeas to 5 nays, Roll No. 220; 4 pages

Fallen Heroes Flag Act of 2015: H.R. 723, to provide Capitol-flown flags to the immediate family of fire fighters, law enforcement officers, members of rescue squads or ambulance crews, and public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty. 6 pages

WIOA Technical Amendments Act: The House agreed to discharge from committee and pass S. 1124, to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to improve the Act. 5 pages  

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015: The House passed H.R. 2048, to reform the authorities of the Federal Government to require the production of certain business records, conduct electronic surveillance, use pen registers and trap and trace devices, and use other forms of information gathering for foreign intelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal purposes, by a recorded vote of 338 ayes to 88 noes, Roll No. 224. 122 pages

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: The House passed H.R. 36, to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn children, by a recorded vote of 242 ayes to 184 noes with one answering “present”, Roll No. 223. 26 pages

Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015: Concurred in the Senate amendments to H.R. 1191, to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran’s nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 400 yeas to 25 nays, Roll No. 226; 6 pages

Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015: H.R. 2297, to prevent Hezbollah and associated entities from gaining access to international financial and other institutions, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 423 yeas with none voting “nay”, Roll No. 227. 22 pages

Clarifying the effective date of certain provisions of the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2014: The House agreed to discharge from committee and pass H.R. 2252, to clarify the effective date of certain provisions of the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2014. 4 pages

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016: The House passed H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, and to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year by a recorded vote of 269 ayes to 151 noes, Roll No. 239. Consideration began May 13th. 1,126 pages  

Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2015: H.R. 474, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a five-year extension to the homeless veterans reintegration programs and to provide clarification regarding eligibility for services under such programs; 4 pages

Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act: H.R. 1038, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to retain a copy of any reprimand or admonishment received by an employee of the Department in the permanent record of the employee; 4 pages

Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Relief Act: H.R. 1313, to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the treatment of certain small business concerns for purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs contracting goals and preferences, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 403 yeas with none voting “nay”, Roll No. 241; 4 pages

BRAVE Act: H.R. 1382, amended, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in awarding a contract for the procurement of goods or services, to give a preference to offerors that employ veterans, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 404 yeas with none voting “nay”, Roll No. 242; 4 pages

Veteran’s I.D. Card Act: H.R. 91, amended, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to issue, upon request, veteran identification cards to certain veterans, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 402 yeas with none voting “nay”, Roll No. 240; 8 pages

Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2015: H.R. 1816, to exclude from consideration as income under the United States Housing Act of 1937 payments of pension made under section 1521 of title 38, United States Code, to veterans who are in need of regular aid and attendance; 4 pages

Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015: H.R. 1987, amended, to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2016 and 2017. 72 pages

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015: S. 178, to provide justice for the victims of trafficking, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 420 yeas to 3 nays, Roll No. 244. 106 pages  

Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015: The House passed H.R. 2353, to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund, by a recorded vote of 387 ayes to 35 noes with one answering “present”, Roll No. 249. 24 pages

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2016: The House passed H.R. 2250, making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, by a yea-and-nay vote 357 yeas to 67 nays, Roll No. 247. 40 pages

American Super Computing Leadership Act: H.R. 874, to amend the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004 to improve the high-end computing research and development program of the Department of Energy; 10 pages

Science Prize Competitions Act: H.R. 1162, amended, to make technical changes to provisions authorizing prize competitions under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980; 8 pages

Research and Development Efficiency Act: H.R. 1119, amended, to improve the efficiency of Federal research and development; 6 pages

International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2015: H.R. 1156, amended, to authorize the establishment of a body under the National Science and Technology Council to identify and coordinate international science and technology cooperation opportunities; 6 pages

Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015: H.R. 1561, amended, to improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather research through a focused program of investment on affordable and attainable advances in observational, computing, and modeling capabilities to support substantial improvement in weather forecasting and prediction of high impact weather events, and to expand commercial opportunities for the provision of weather data; 26 pages

Department of Energy Laboratory Modernization and Technology Transfer Act of 2015: H.R. 1158, amended, to improve management of the National Laboratories, enhance technology commercialization, and facilitate public-private partnerships. 18 pages

American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015: The House passed H.R. 880, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to simplify and make permanent the research credit, by a yea-and-nay vote of 274 yeas to 145 nays, Roll No. 260. 10 pages

America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015: The House passed H.R. 1806, to provide for technological innovation through the prioritization of Federal investment in basic research, fundamental scientific discovery, and development to improve the competitiveness of the United States, by a recorded vote of 217 ayes to 205 noes, Roll No. 258. 204 pages

SPACE Act of 2015: The House passed H.R. 2262, to facilitate a pro-growth environment for the developing commercial space industry by encouraging private sector investment and creating more stable and predictable regulatory conditions, by a yea-and-nay vote of 284 yeas to 133 nays, Roll No. 262. 40 pages  

Extending the authorization for the replacement of the existing Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, and making certain improvements in the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014: The House agreed to discharge from committee and pass H.R. 2496, to extend the authorization for the replacement of the existing Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, and to make certain improvements in the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. 6 pages