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113-hconres-1
III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 1 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 4 (legislative day, January 3), 2013 Received CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Regarding consent to assemble outside the seat of government. That pursuant to clause 4, section 5, article I of the Constitution, during the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate or their respective designees, acting jointly after consultation with the Minority Leader of the House and the Minority Leader of the Senate, may notify the Members of the House and the Senate, respectively, to assemble at a place outside the District of Columbia if, in their opinion, the public interest shall warrant it. Passed the House of Representatives January 3, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres1rds/xml/BILLS-113hconres1rds.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 2 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 3, 2013 Ms. Jackson Lee submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of George Thomas Mickey Leland. Whereas George Thomas Leland (affectionately known as Mickey ), in the course of his 6 terms as a member of the House of Representatives from the State of Texas, emerged as a national spokesman regarding the problem of hunger in the United States and throughout the world; Whereas Mickey Leland was instrumental in establishing the Select Committee on Hunger and served as chairman of that committee until the time of his death; Whereas in the capacity of chairman of the Select Committee on Hunger, Mickey Leland helped generate public awareness of the complex issues relating to the alleviation of hunger and demonstrated strong personal moral leadership; Whereas it was his leadership that guided the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988, which required the Secretary of Agriculture not only to distribute surplus food, but also to purchase additional food for future distributions to needy households; Whereas Mickey Leland brought together entertainment personalities, religious leaders, and private volunteer agencies to generate public support for the African Famine Relief and Recovery Act of 1985, which provided $800,000,000 in food and humanitarian relief supplies; Whereas the various initiatives brought forth by Mickey Leland to eradicate world hunger undoubtedly saved thousands of lives; Whereas 2007 marks the 18th anniversary of Mickey Leland’s death; Whereas Mickey Leland died as he lived: on a mission to make a positive difference in this world; and Whereas commemorative postage stamps have been commissioned to honor other great leaders in American history: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of George Thomas Mickey Leland; and (2) the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres2ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres2ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 3 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 3, 2013 Mr. Jones submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the use of offensive military force by a President without prior and clear authorization of an Act of Congress constitutes an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under article II, section 4 of the Constitution. Whereas the cornerstone of the Republic is honoring Congress’ exclusive power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that, except in response to an actual or imminent attack against the territory of the United States, the use of offensive military force by a President without prior and clear authorization of an Act of Congress violates Congress’ exclusive power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution and therefore constitutes an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under article II, section 4 of the Constitution.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres3ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres3ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 4 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 3, 2013 Mr. Gary G. Miller of California (for himself and Mr. Sherman ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress that the current Federal income tax deduction for interest paid on debt secured by a first or second home should not be further restricted. Whereas homeownership is a fundamental American ideal, which promotes social and economic benefits beyond the benefits that accrue to the occupant of the home; Whereas homeownership is an important factor in promoting economic security and stability for American families; Whereas it is proper that the policy of the Federal Government is and should continue to be to encourage homeownership; Whereas the national homeownership rate for the third quarter of the year 2012 was 65.3 percent; Whereas the housing needs of the population will change as the population ages; Whereas the greatest growth sectors in homeownership are minorities and first-time homebuyers; Whereas the level of homeownership among foreign-born naturalized citizens is the same as the level of homeownership of the Nation as a whole (66 percent in 2011); Whereas the value of a home represents a valuable source of savings for a family; Whereas the provisions related to homeownership are among the simplest and most easily administered provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; Whereas the current Federal income tax deduction for interest paid on debt secured by a first home has been a valuable cornerstone of this Nation’s housing policy for most of this century and may well be the most important component of housing-related tax policy in America today; and Whereas the current Federal income tax deduction for interest paid on debt secured by second homes is of crucial importance to the economies of many communities in each of the 50 States: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of the Congress that the current Federal income tax deduction for interest paid on debt secured by a first or second home should not be further restricted.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres4ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres4ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 5 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 3, 2013 Mr. Walz submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the Mississippi River and its status as a vital resource of the United States. 1. Use of emancipation hall for event to celebrate the Mississippi River (a) Authorization Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center is authorized to be used on March 21, 2013, for an event to celebrate the Mississippi River and its status as a vital resource of the United States and what it represents as a indelible component of the Nation’s environment, economy, cultural heritage, and history. (b) Preparations Physical preparations for the event described in subsection (a) shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres5ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres5ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 6 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 4, 2013 Ms. Kaptur submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the Supreme Court misinterpreted the First Amendment to the Constitution in the case of Buckley v. Valeo. That it is the sense of Congress that the Supreme Court misinterpreted the First Amendment to the Constitution in its decision in the 1976 case of Buckley v. Valeo because— (1) the decision failed to recognize that the unlimited spending of large amounts of money on elections has a corrosive effect on the electoral process not simply because of direct transactions between those who give large amounts of money and candidates and elected officials but because the presence of unlimited amounts of money corrupts the process on a more fundamental level; and (2) the decision failed to recognize other legitimate state interests which justify limiting money in campaigns, including the need to preserve the integrity of our republican form of government, restore public confidence in government, and ensure all citizens a more equal opportunity to participate in the political process.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres6ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres6ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 7 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 4, 2013 Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Mr. Holt , and Mr. Grijalva ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should provide, on an annual basis, an amount equal to at least one percent of United States gross domestic product (GDP) for nonmilitary foreign assistance programs. Whereas, on April 3, 1948, President Harry Truman signed into law the Economic Recovery Act of 1948, inspired by a plan of economic trade and assistance for European countries proposed by Secretary of State George C. Marshall, otherwise known as the Marshall Plan; Whereas, from the years 1947 to 1951, the United States gave $13 billion, equivalent to $137 billion in 2007, in economic aid and technical assistance to assist in the economic recovery of 16 European countries; Whereas the Marshall Plan, among other objectives, sought to assure global peace and defend the national security of the United States through direct foreign assistance programs aimed at combating economic, social, and political degradation; Whereas poverty, lack of opportunity, and environmental degradation are recognized as significant contributors to socioeconomic and political instability, as well as to the exacerbation of disease pandemics and other global health threats; Whereas elevating the United States standing in the world represents a critical and essential element of any strategy to improve national and global security by mitigating the root causes of conflict and multinational terrorism, strengthening diplomatic and economic relationships, preventing global climate change, curbing weapons proliferation, and fostering peace and cooperation between all nations; Whereas the Foreign Assistance Act, signed into law on September 4, 1961, reaffirms the traditional humanitarian ideals of the American people and renews its commitment to assist people in developing countries to eliminate hunger, poverty, [and] illness ; Whereas Congress created the Peace Corps in 1961 and the United States has since sent more than 200,000 volunteers to 139 nations to promote the Peace Corps’ mission of world peace and friendship through service in the developing world; Whereas, on November 3, 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the aim of providing direct support to developing countries in a manner free of political and military influence; Whereas over the last 10 years, Congress and successive Executive Branch administrations have worked to more than double foreign assistance and implement a number of new foreign aid initiatives to support global health, development, human rights, and good governance including the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), the President’s International Education Initiative, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Food Security and Feed the Future Initiatives, and the Global Health Initiative; Whereas President Obama has expressed his commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of cutting extreme poverty and hunger around the world in half by 2015, as well as his intent to double the level of foreign assistance to meet that goal; Whereas the United States has pledged its support, along with every United Nations member state and numerous international organizations, to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in order to reduce extreme poverty, support sustainable development, and address the needs of the world’s most vulnerable populations; Whereas the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, derived from the United Nations Millennium Declaration signed on September 8, 2000, seek to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development; Whereas the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs indicates that in June 2010, progress was either insufficient, absent, or deteriorating for more than half of key targets related to compliance with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals; Whereas the World Bank estimates that in 2005, 1.4 billion people across the globe were experiencing extreme poverty, living on less than $1.25 a day; Whereas according to the United Nations Development Program’s 2010 Human Development Report more than 1.7 billion people (across 104 countries examined in the report) live in multidimensional poverty according to the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), an indicator which provides a comprehensive picture of severe deprivations common to poor households including in health, education, and standard of living; Whereas the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that the number of undernourished people in the world totaled 925 million in 2010, equivalent to 13.4 percent of the world population and representing an increase of roughly 100 million people from 1990; Whereas the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat has indicated that by 2030, the cost of adapting to global climate change could amount to more than $170 billion annually, with $28 billion to $67 billion per year required to meet the needs of the developing world; Whereas in 2009, the United States was in the bottom five of the world's 23 wealthiest countries in official development assistance funding as a percentage of gross national income (GNI), totaling $28.7 billion and representing 0.2 percent; Whereas, on November 26, 2007, United States Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates stated that funding for nonmilitary foreign affairs programs remains disproportionately small relative to what we spend on the military and to the importance of such capabilities and called for a dramatic increase in spending on the civilian instruments of national security—diplomacy, strategic communications, foreign assistance, civic action, and economic reconstruction and development. ; Whereas, on December 15, 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released the first-ever Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), a blueprint for a whole-of-government approach to diplomacy and development, noting in public remarks that U.S. civilian power is a wise investment for American taxpayers that will pay off by averting conflicts, opening markets, and reducing threats ; Whereas a principal objective of the foreign policy of the United States, as codified in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, is the encouragement and sustained support of the people of developing countries in their efforts to acquire the knowledge and resources essential to development and to build the economic, political, and social institutions which will improve the quality of their lives ; Whereas broad-based country- and community-ownership, sustainable and responsible trade opportunities, the robust engagement of vulnerable populations including women, and a commitment to improve governance and the rule of law, are all critical to the long-term success of development programs; Whereas individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations across the United States continue to play a vital and increasing role in international efforts to create a more peaceful and prosperous world for all individuals through direct and indirect assistance; Whereas studies indicate that a majority of the individuals in the United States, whose tax dollars fund Federal expenditures, support increasing funding to meet the Millennium Development Goals and to committing a higher percentage of GDP to address global poverty; and Whereas a firm and significant financial commitment to enhance United States foreign assistance programs exemplifies the compassion and resolve of the people of the United States to benefit and empower all peoples of the world for the betterment of humankind: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes that foreign assistance programs are of critical importance in promoting national security, demonstrating the humanitarian spirit of the people of the United States, and improving the credibility and standing of the United States in world affairs; and (2) expresses its support for attaining the goal of providing, on an annual basis, an amount equal to no less than one percent of United States gross domestic product (GDP) for nonmilitary foreign assistance programs.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres7ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres7ih.xml
113-hconres-8
IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 8 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 15, 2013 Mr. McKinley (for himself, Mr. Pompeo , Mr. Upton , Mr. Barton , Mr. Whitfield , Mr. Shimkus , Mr. Rahall , Mr. Rogers of Kentucky , Mr. Terry , Mrs. Blackburn , Mr. Johnson of Ohio , and Mrs. Capito ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the opposition of Congress to Federal efforts to establish a carbon tax on fuels for electricity and transportation. Whereas affordable and abundant electricity from coal and natural gas is a strategic resource that is essential to modern life, America’s economic competitiveness, and, ultimately, independence from foreign and volatile sources of energy; Whereas the application of a carbon tax to gasoline and other transportation fuels will have a dramatic, immediate impact on transportation costs, with the greatest impact being felt by low-income Americans and their families; Whereas a carbon tax is designed to result in substantial, immediate increases in the price of electricity, making electricity less affordable for millions of Americans; Whereas a carbon tax applicable to coal and natural gas electricity generation would be punitive and harmful to the American people by artificially raising electricity costs; Whereas, with continuing high national joblessness and an unemployment rate exceeding 7.8 percent every month since February 2009, a carbon tax will drive the unemployment rate even higher; Whereas a carbon tax is likely to have an uneven effect, hitting different regions of the country and segments of the economy much more severely than others; Whereas a carbon tax is regressive and will impose the greatest burden on low-income individuals and families who already spend the largest share of their income on energy and are least able to afford a carbon tax; Whereas economic modeling of Australia’s recently implemented carbon tax shows that it increases energy costs, and reduces growth in GDP, productivity, and household incomes; Whereas a carbon tax in the United States will have no impact on China, India, and other major sources of carbon emissions throughout the world, except to increase their competitiveness with the United States; and Whereas a carbon tax will put United States exporters at a competitive disadvantage by increasing domestic manufacturing production costs: Now, therefore, be it That Congress opposes Federal efforts to establish a carbon tax on fuels for electricity and transportation.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres8ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres8ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 9 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 22, 2013 Mr. Rigell submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Prohibiting the House or Senate from adjourning for a period of more than 5 days during a fiscal year unless the House involved has adopted a concurrent resolution on the budget for such fiscal year and has approved legislation to provide funding for the operations of the government for the entire fiscal year. 1. Short title This resolution may be cited as the Govern Before Going Home Resolution . 2. Prohibiting adjournment until adoption of budget and funding (a) Prohibiting adjournment The House of Representatives or Senate may not adjourn for a period of more than 5 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, except when the House or Senate is in session on such a day) during a fiscal year unless, at the time the period of adjournment begins, the House or Senate (as the case may be)— (1) has adopted a concurrent resolution on the budget for such fiscal year; and (2) has approved each regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year or, to the extent that it has not approved such a bill, has approved a continuing resolution to provide funding for the entire fiscal year for the projects and activities covered by such bill. (b) Regular appropriation bill defined In this section, the term regular appropriation bill means any annual appropriation bill making appropriations, otherwise making funds available, or granting authority, for any of the following categories of projects and activities: (1) Agriculture, rural development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies programs. (2) The Departments of Commerce, Justice, Science, and related agencies. (3) The Department of Defense. (4) Energy and water development, and related agencies. (5) Financial services and general government. (6) The Department of Homeland Security. (7) The Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies. (8) The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies. (9) The legislative branch. (10) Military construction and veterans affairs. (11) The Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs. (12) The Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres9ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres9ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 10 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 25, 2013 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Kind , Ms. Speier , Mr. Sires , Mr. Moran , Ms. Norton , Mr. Sablan , Mr. Polis , Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Pocan , Ms. Sinema , Ms. Schakowsky , and Mr. Honda ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of No Name-Calling Week in bringing attention to name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate name-calling and bullying in their communities. Whereas No Name-Calling Week is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate name-calling and bullying in their communities; Whereas 60 organizations, including the National School Boards Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Education Association, National Association of School Psychologists, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, have come together as No Name-Calling Week partner organizations; Whereas thousands of students have participated in No Name-Calling Week since its inception in 2004; Whereas the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network has conducted and released national studies analyzing the pervasive harassment and victimization faced by elementary students and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) secondary students; Whereas 26 percent of elementary students reported hearing others say hurtful things based on another student’s race or ethnic background; Whereas 30 percent of elementary students reported being bullied or called names at some point while in school; Whereas over 70 percent of LGBT middle and high school students frequently hear homophobic remarks and over 80 percent of LGBT middle and high school students were verbally harassed in the past year because of their sexual orientation; and Whereas 55 percent of LGBT middle and high school students experienced harassment via electronic means in the past year: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) supports the goals and ideals of No Name-Calling Week; and (2) encourages the people of the United States to observe No Name-Calling Week with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres10ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres10ih.xml
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II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 11 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 7, 2013 Received CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing for a joint session of Congress to receive a message from the President. That the two Houses of Congress assemble in the Hall of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, at 9 p.m., for the purpose of receiving such communication as the President of the United States shall be pleased to make to them. Passed the House of Representatives February 4, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres11rds/xml/BILLS-113hconres11rds.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 12 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 12, 2013 Mr. Al Green of Texas (for himself, Ms. Bass , Mrs. Beatty , Mr. Bishop of Georgia , Ms. Brown of Florida , Mr. Carson of Indiana , Ms. Clarke , Mr. Clay , Mr. Cleaver , Mr. Clyburn , Mr. Conyers , Mr. Cummings , Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois , Ms. Edwards , Ms. Fudge , Mr. Hastings of Florida , Mr. Hinojosa , Mr. Honda , Ms. Jackson Lee , Mr. Jeffries , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Ms. Lee of California , Mr. Lewis , Mr. Meeks , Ms. Moore , Ms. Norton , Mr. Pastor of Arizona , Mr. Payne , Mr. Rangel , Mr. Richmond , Mr. Rush , Mr. David Scott of Georgia , Mr. Scott of Virginia , Ms. Sewell of Alabama , Mr. Thompson of Mississippi , Mr. Veasey , Ms. Waters , Mr. Watt , Ms. Wilson of Florida , and Mr. Butterfield ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Honoring and praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 104th anniversary. Whereas the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), originally known as the National Negro Committee, was founded in New York City on February 12, 1909, the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, by a multiracial group of activists who met in a national conference to discuss the civil and political rights of African-Americans; Whereas the NAACP was founded by a distinguished group of leaders in the struggle for civil and political liberty, including Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, and William English Walling; Whereas the NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States; Whereas the NAACP National Headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland; Whereas the mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination; Whereas the NAACP is committed to achieving its goals through nonviolence; Whereas the NAACP advances its mission through reliance upon the press, the petition, the ballot, and the courts, and has been persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion, even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility; Whereas the NAACP has used political pressure, marches, demonstrations, and effective lobbying to serve as the voice, as well as the shield, for minorities in the United States; Whereas after years of fighting segregation in public schools, the NAACP, under the leadership of Special Counsel Thurgood Marshall, won one of its greatest legal victories in the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954); Whereas in 1955, NAACP member Rosa Parks was arrested and fined for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, an act of courage that would serve as the catalyst for the largest grassroots civil rights movement in the history of the United States; Whereas the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, César E. Chávez, Barbara C. Jordan, William C. Velásquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, and the Fair Housing Act, laws that ensured Government protection for legal victories achieved; Whereas in 2005, the NAACP launched the Disaster Relief Fund to help hurricane survivors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and Alabama to rebuild their lives; Whereas in the 110th Congress, the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage of H. Res. 826, whose resolved clause expresses that the hanging of nooses is a horrible act when used for the purpose of intimidation and which under certain circumstances can be criminal, this conduct should be investigated thoroughly by Federal authorities, and any criminal violations should be vigorously prosecuted; Whereas in 2008, the NAACP vigorously supported the passage of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007, a law that puts additional Federal resources into solving the heinous crimes that occurred in the early days of the civil rights struggle that remain unsolved and bringing those who perpetrated such crimes to justice; Whereas the NAACP has helped usher in the new millennium by charting a bold course, beginning with the appointment of the organization’s youngest President and Chief Executive Officer, Benjamin Todd Jealous, and its youngest female Board Chair, Roslyn M. Brock; Whereas under their leadership, the NAACP has outlined a strategic plan to confront 21st century challenges in the critical areas of health, education, housing, criminal justice, and environment; Whereas, on July 16, 2009, the NAACP celebrated its centennial anniversary in New York City, highlighting an extraordinary century of Bold Dreams, Big Victories with a historic address from the first African-American President of the United States, Barack Obama; Whereas as an advocate for sentencing reform, the NAACP applauded the passage of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–220 ; 124 Stat. 2372), a landmark piece of legislation that reduces the quantity of crack cocaine that triggers a mandatory minimum sentence for a Federal conviction of crack cocaine distribution from 100 times that of people convicted of distributing the drug in powdered form to 18 times that sentence; and Whereas in 2011, the NAACP led the charge to defend the constitutional right to vote and to protect that right for all citizens of the United States, whether they be seniors, young voters, the poor, or from minority communities: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the 104th anniversary of the historic founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and (2) honors and praises the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its anniversary for its work to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all persons.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres12ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres12ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 13 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 13, 2013 Mrs. Christensen submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service should incorporate consideration of global warming and sea-level rise into the comprehensive conservation plans for coastal national wildlife refuges, and for other purposes. Whereas global warming can generally be described as an increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, and sea-level rise can best be described as an overall increase in sea level; Whereas global warming and related aspects of climate change are caused by the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to industrial processes and fossil fuel combustion associated with the process of economic growth, and changes in land use such as deforestation; Whereas studies show that the continuation of historical trends of greenhouse gas emissions will result in additional global warming, with current projections of global warming 2.5°F to 10.4°F by 2100; Whereas global warming will induce sea-level rise that will steadily inundate coastal areas, change precipitation patterns, increase risk of droughts and floods, threaten biodiversity, and offer a host of potential challenges to public health; Whereas the generally expected 50 to 200 cm sea-level rise from global warming would inundate 7,000 square miles of dry land in the United States and equal amounts of coastal wetlands; Whereas such sea-level rise will effectively force recreational beaches inland, exacerbate coastal flooding, and increase the salinity of aquifers and estuaries in the next century; Whereas it has been reported that the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now will persist for approximately 100 years; Whereas if we are not proactive in our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and wait to see obvious effects of global warming and sea-level rise, it may be too late to avoid the harmful repercussions of such events; Whereas the ongoing and projected estimates of sea-level rise as a result of global warming threaten the loss of 22 percent of the world’s coastal wetlands by 2080; Whereas the ongoing and projected increases in sea-level rise as a result of global warming have extremely strong implications for stewardship by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of nearly 1,100,000 acres of coastal wetlands located in 159 coastal national wildlife refuges in the United States and its Caribbean and Pacific territories; Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System was created to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats; Whereas the effects of global warming and sea-level rise may greatly impact the effectiveness of the National Wildlife Refuge System in the conservation of migratory birds, anadromous and interjurisdictional fish, marine mammals, endangered species and threatened species, and the habitats on which these species depend; Whereas global warming and sea-level rise has already begun to affect some of the Nation’s most valued natural resources such as the coral reefs near Buck Island National Park in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on the Chesapeake Bay, and other areas; and Whereas amendments to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 that were made by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 ( Public Law 105–57 ) require that the Secretary of the Interior shall prepare a comprehensive conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge within 15 years after the date of enactment of such Act: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of the Congress that— (1) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service should incorporate consideration of the effects of global warming and sea-level rise into the comprehensive conservation plan for each coastal national wildlife refuge; (2) each such comprehensive conservation plan should address, with respect to the refuge concerned, how global warming and sea-level rise will affect— (A) the ecological integrity of the refuge; (B) the distribution, migration patterns, and abundance of fish, wildlife, and plant populations and related habitats of the refuge; (C) the archaeological and cultural values of the refuge; (D) such areas within the refuge that are suitable for use as administrative sites or visitor facilities; and (E) opportunities for compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses of the refuge; and (3) the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in consultation with the United States Geological Survey, should conduct an assessment of the potential impacts of global warming and sea-level rise on coastal national wildlife refuges.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres13ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres13ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 14 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 13, 2013 Mr. Grimm (for himself, Mr. Meehan , Mr. Waxman , and Mr. Israel ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust. 1. Use of rotunda for holocaust days of remembrance ceremony The rotunda of the Capitol is authorized to be used on April 11, 2013, for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust. Physical preparations for the ceremony shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as the Architect of the Capitol may prescribe.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres14ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres14ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 15 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate. That when the House adjourns on any legislative day from Friday, February 15, 2013, through Thursday, February 21, 2013, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand adjourned until 2 p.m. on Monday, February 25, 2013, or until the time of any reassembly pursuant to section 2 of this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first; and that when the Senate recesses or adjourns on Friday, February 15, 2013, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand recessed or adjourned until noon on Monday, February 25, 2013, or such other time on that day as may be specified in the motion to recess or adjourn, or until the time of any reassembly pursuant to section 2 of this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first. 2. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate, or their respective designees, acting jointly after consultation with the Minority Leader of the House and the Minority Leader of the Senate, shall notify the Members of the House and the Senate, respectively, to reassemble at such place and time as they may designate if, in their opinion, the public interest shall warrant it. Passed the House of Representatives February 15, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres15eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres15eh.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 16 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 15, 2013 Mr. Conaway (for himself, Mr. Alexander , Mr. Bonner , Mr. Boustany , Mr. Butterfield , Mr. Calvert , Mrs. Capito , Mr. Capuano , Mr. Cassidy , Mr. Coffman , Mr. Courtney , Mr. Cole , Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Dent , Mr. Diaz-Balart , Mr. Dingell , Mrs. Ellmers , Mr. Fitzpatrick , Mr. Fleming , Mr. Flores , Mr. Gene Green of Texas , Mr. Gingrey of Georgia , Ms. Granger , Mr. Harper , Mr. Hastings of Florida , Mr. Hastings of Washington , Mr. Hinojosa , Mr. Huelskamp , Mr. Hultgren , Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois , Mr. Joyce , Mr. Kline , Mr. Lamborn , Mr. Lance , Mr. Loebsack , Mr. Long , Mr. Luetkemeyer , Mr. McHenry , Mr. Meeks , Mr. Michaud , Mr. Miller of Florida , Mr. Neugebauer , Mr. Nunnelee , Mr. Olson , Mr. Pearce , Mr. Petri , Mr. Poe of Texas , Mr. Pompeo , Mr. Rangel , Mr. Rogers of Kentucky , Mr. Rogers of Alabama , Mr. Rogers of Michigan , Mr. Royce , Mr. Runyan , Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Mr. Sarbanes , Mr. Schweikert , Mr. Sessions , Mr. Shimkus , Mr. Simpson , Mr. Stivers , Mr. Terry , Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania , Mr. Tiberi , Mr. Turner , Mr. Visclosky , Mr. Walberg , Mr. Walden , Mr. Westmoreland , Mr. Wittman , Mr. Wilson of South Carolina , Mr. Womack , and Mrs. McCarthy of New York ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act. Whereas the United States enjoys broadcasting and sound recording industries that are the envy of the world, due to the symbiotic relationship that has existed among these industries for many decades; Whereas for more than 80 years, Congress has rejected repeated calls by the recording industry to impose a performance fee on local radio stations for simply playing music on the radio and upsetting the mutually beneficial relationship between local radio and the recording industry; Whereas local radio stations provide free publicity and promotion to the recording industry and performers of music in the form of radio air play, interviews with performers, introduction of new performers, concert promotions, and publicity that promotes the sale of music, concert tickets, ring tones, music videos and associated merchandise; Whereas Congress found that “the sale of many sound recordings and the careers of many performers benefited considerably from airplay and other promotional activities provided by both noncommercial and advertiser-supported, free over-the-air broadcasting”; Whereas local radio broadcasters provide tens of thousands of hours of essential local news and weather information during times of national emergencies and natural disasters, as well as public affairs programming, sports, and hundreds of millions of dollars of time for public service announcements and local fund raising efforts for worthy charitable causes, all of which are jeopardized if local radio stations are forced to divert revenues to pay for a new performance fee; Whereas there are many thousands of local radio stations that will suffer severe economic hardship if any new performance fee is imposed, as will many other small businesses that play music including bars, restaurants, retail establishments, sports and other entertainment venues, shopping centers and transportation facilities; and Whereas the hardship that would result from a new performance fee would hurt American businesses, and ultimately the American consumers who rely on local radio for news, weather, and entertainment; and such a performance fee is not justified when the current system has produced the most prolific and innovative broadcasting, music, and sound recording industries in the world: Now, therefore, be it That Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres16ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres16ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 17 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 15, 2013 Ms. Fudge (for herself, Ms. Chu , and Mr. Grijalva ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a day should be designated as National Voting Rights Act Mobilization Day . Whereas the affirmation of the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal” too often has been disregarded throughout our Nation’s history; Whereas voting is the fundamental political right because it is “preservative of all rights”; Whereas the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution prohibit racial discrimination in voting by the States; Whereas when Congress enacted the Voting Rights Act of 1965, certain States employed tests and devices that were race-neutral on their face but were used to prevent racial minorities from registering and voting; Whereas when Congress enacted the Voting Rights Act of 1965, certain States and their political subdivisions had resorted to substituting new discriminatory practices for ones that were enjoined by the Federal courts, requiring aggrieved plaintiffs to assume the burden of repeated litigation to vindicate their fourteenth and fifteenth amendment rights; Whereas Congress enacted section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to require certain States and political subdivisions to submit new or modified voting practices for Federal review before they can be used; Whereas Congress reauthorized section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in 1970, 1975, and 1982 after finding a continuing pattern of racial discrimination in voting by the covered jurisdictions; Whereas the Supreme Court repeatedly has upheld section 5 against constitutional challenges, and pointed to section 5 as a model for the appropriate exercise of Congress’ enforcement authority under the Reconstruction Amendments; Whereas section 5 has proven to be one of the most effective provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in blocking and deterring many thousands of discriminatory voting practices that would have denied or abridged the ability of minority citizens to register, vote, and elect candidates of their choice; Whereas Congress in 2006 reauthorized section 5 by overwhelming margins based upon an extensive record of continued racial voting discrimination within the covered jurisdictions; Whereas section 5 continues to require Federal review for changes in all or part of 16 States with histories of official discrimination, where the legislative record showed that the bulk of racial voting discrimination has remained concentrated; Whereas States and political subdivisions that show a clean recent record of voting rights compliance can “bail out” from section 5 coverage; Whereas there are ongoing election problems in both the covered and the non-covered States which urgently require the attention of Congress, including voting delays, badly designed and executed voter purges, unduly restrictive voter identification laws, and deceptive and intimidating phone calls, flyers, and billboards, but these problems do not necessarily require the non-covered States to comply with the section 5 preclearance remedy; Whereas section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 remains necessary to protect the hard-won gains in minority electoral participation in the covered States since 1965 against the imposition of new racially discriminatory voting practices; Whereas the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a constitutional challenge to the 2006 reauthorization of section 5; and Whereas February 27 would be an appropriate day for the Nation to focus upon the historic and continuing importance of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in ensuring equality at the ballot box: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that a day should be designated as National Voting Rights Act Mobilization Day , to remind all Americans of the critical role that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 continues to play in protecting the right to vote, and for them to voice their support for this landmark civil rights law.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres17ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres17ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 18 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 26, 2013 Mr. Barletta (for himself and Ms. Norton ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service. 1. Use of the Capitol Grounds for National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service (a) In general The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary (in this resolution referred to as the sponsor ) shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, the 32nd Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service (in this resolution referred to as the event ), on the Capitol Grounds, in order to honor the law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty during 2012. (b) Date of event The event shall be held on May 15, 2013, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate. 2. Terms and conditions (a) In general Under conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the event shall be— (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress. (b) Expenses and liabilities The sponsor shall assume full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to all activities associated with the event. 3. Event preparations Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related structures and equipment, as may be required for the event. 4. Enforcement of restrictions The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in connection with the event.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres18ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres18ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 19 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 26, 2013 Mr. Hoyer (for himself, Mr. Moran , Mr. Van Hollen , Mr. Wolf , Ms. Edwards , Mr. Connolly , Ms. Norton , and Mr. Delaney ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby. 1. Use of Capitol Grounds for soap box derby races (a) In General The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association (in this resolution referred to as the sponsor ) shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, soap box derby races (in this resolution referred to as the event ), on the Capitol Grounds. (b) Date of Event The event shall be held on June 15, 2013, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate. 2. Terms and conditions (a) In General Under conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the event shall be— (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress. (b) Expenses and Liabilities The sponsor shall assume full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to all activities associated with the event. 3. Event preparations Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related structures and equipment as may be required for the event. 4. Additional arrangements The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board are authorized to make such additional arrangements as may be required to carry out the event. 5. Enforcement of restrictions The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, with respect to the event.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres19ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres19ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 20 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Professor Muhammad Yunus. 1. Use of rotunda for ceremony to award congressional gold medal to professor muhammad yunus The rotunda of the Capitol is authorized to be used on April 17, 2013, for a ceremony to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Professor Muhammad Yunus in recognition of his contributions to the fight against global poverty. Physical preparations for the ceremony shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as the Architect of the Capitol may prescribe. Passed the House of Representatives March 6, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres20eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres20eh.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 21 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 5, 2013 Mr. King of New York (for himself, Mr. Meeks , Mr. Stockman , Mr. Grimm , and Mr. Bishop of New York ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that John Arthur Jack Johnson should receive a posthumous pardon for the racially motivated conviction in 1913 that diminished the athletic, cultural, and historic significance of Jack Johnson and unduly tarnished his reputation. Whereas John Arthur Jack Johnson was a flamboyant, defiant, and controversial figure in the history of the United States who challenged racial biases; Whereas Jack Johnson was born in Galveston, Texas, in 1878 to parents who were former slaves; Whereas Jack Johnson became a professional boxer and traveled throughout the United States, fighting White and African-American heavyweights; Whereas after being denied (on purely racial grounds) the opportunity to fight 2 White champions, in 1908, Jack Johnson was granted an opportunity by an Australian promoter to fight the reigning White title-holder, Tommy Burns; Whereas Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns to become the first African-American to hold the title of Heavyweight Champion of the World; Whereas the victory by Jack Johnson over Tommy Burns prompted a search for a White boxer who could beat Jack Johnson, a recruitment effort that was dubbed the search for the great white hope ; Whereas in 1910, a White former champion named Jim Jeffries left retirement to fight Jack Johnson in Reno, Nevada; Whereas Jim Jeffries lost to Jack Johnson in what was deemed the Battle of the Century ; Whereas the defeat of Jim Jeffries by Jack Johnson led to rioting, aggression against African-Americans, and the racially motivated murder of African-Americans nationwide; Whereas the relationships of Jack Johnson with White women compounded the resentment felt toward him by many Whites; Whereas between 1901 and 1910, 754 African-Americans were lynched, some for simply for being too familiar with White women; Whereas in 1910, Congress passed the Act of June 25, 1910 (commonly known as the White Slave Traffic Act or the Mann Act ) ( 18 U.S.C. 2421 et seq. ), which outlawed the transportation of women in interstate or foreign commerce for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose ; Whereas in October 1912, Jack Johnson became involved with a White woman whose mother disapproved of their relationship and sought action from the Department of Justice, claiming that Jack Johnson had abducted her daughter; Whereas Jack Johnson was arrested by Federal marshals on October 18, 1912, for transporting the woman across State lines for an immoral purpose in violation of the Mann Act; Whereas the Mann Act charges against Jack Johnson were dropped when the woman refused to cooperate with Federal authorities, and then married Jack Johnson; Whereas Federal authorities persisted and summoned a White woman named Belle Schreiber, who testified that Jack Johnson had transported her across State lines for the purpose of prostitution and debauchery ; Whereas in 1913, Jack Johnson was convicted of violating the Mann Act and sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in Federal prison; Whereas Jack Johnson fled the United States to Canada and various European and South American countries; Whereas Jack Johnson lost the Heavyweight Championship title to Jess Willard in Cuba in 1915; Whereas Jack Johnson returned to the United States in July 1920, surrendered to authorities, and served nearly a year in the Federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas; Whereas Jack Johnson subsequently fought in boxing matches, but never regained the Heavyweight Championship title; Whereas Jack Johnson served his country during World War II by encouraging citizens to buy war bonds and participating in exhibition boxing matches to promote the war bond cause; Whereas Jack Johnson died in an automobile accident in 1946; Whereas in 1954, Jack Johnson was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame; and Whereas, on July 29, 2009, the 111th Congress agreed to Senate Concurrent Resolution 29, which expressed the sense of the 111th Congress that Jack Johnson should receive a posthumous pardon for his racially motivated 1913 conviction: Now, therefore, be it That it remains the sense of Congress that Jack Johnson should receive a posthumous pardon— (1) to expunge a racially motivated abuse of the prosecutorial authority of the Federal Government from the annals of criminal justice in the United States; and (2) in recognition of the athletic and cultural contributions of Jack Johnson to society.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres21ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres21ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 22 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 6, 2013 Mr. Holt submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Doctor Muhammad Yunus. 1. Use of rotunda for ceremony to award congressional gold medal to doctor muhammad yunus The rotunda of the Capitol is authorized to be used on April 17, 2013, for a ceremony to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Doctor Muhammad Yunus in recognition of his contributions to the fight against global poverty. Physical preparations for the ceremony shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as the Architect of the Capitol may prescribe.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres22ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres22ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 23 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 13, 2013 Mr. Kelly (for himself, Mr. Westmoreland , Mr. Graves of Missouri , Mr. Griffith of Virginia , Mr. Duncan of South Carolina , Mr. Broun of Georgia , Mr. Marino , Mr. Carter , Mr. Huelskamp , Mr. Hultgren , Mrs. Hartzler , Mr. Michaud , Mr. Lamborn , Mr. Rahall , Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania , Mr. Griffin of Arkansas , Mr. Jones , Mr. Duncan of Tennessee , Mr. Young of Alaska , Mr. Bishop of Utah , Mr. Gosar , Mr. Reed , Mr. Barletta , Mr. Luetkemeyer , Mr. Pittenger , Mr. Olson , Mr. Smith of Nebraska , Mr. Huizenga of Michigan , Mr. Miller of Florida , Mr. Barton , Mr. Stivers , Mr. Johnson of Ohio , Mr. Gingrey of Georgia , Mr. Pompeo , Mr. Schweikert , Mr. Conaway , Mr. Burgess , Mr. Fleischmann , Mr. Weber of Texas , Mr. Rogers of Alabama , Mr. Nunnelee , Mr. Harris , Mr. Mullin , Mr. Yoder , Mr. Roe of Tennessee , Mr. Stockman , Mr. Franks of Arizona , Mr. Tiberi , Mr. Perry , Mrs. Capito , Mr. Thornberry , Mr. Brady of Texas , Mr. Marchant , Mrs. Blackburn , Mr. Fleming , Mr. Posey , Mr. Culberson , Mr. LaMalfa , Mr. Chabot , Mr. Stewart , Mr. Jordan , Mr. Mulvaney , Mr. McKinley , Mr. Wilson of South Carolina , Mr. Gardner , Mr. Nugent , Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia , Mr. Salmon , Mr. Flores , Mr. Wittman , Mr. Latta , Mrs. Ellmers , Ms. Jenkins , Mr. Meadows , Mr. Southerland , Mrs. Bachmann , Mr. Whitfield , Mr. Brooks of Alabama , Mr. Benishek , Mr. Pearce , Mr. Bucshon , Mr. Bridenstine , Mr. Calvert , Mr. Shimkus , Mr. Cotton , Mr. Daines , Mr. Gohmert , Mr. Ross , Mr. Amodei , Mr. Kline , Mr. Bilirakis , Mr. Forbes , Mr. Bentivolio , Mr. Walberg , Mr. Fincher , Mr. Boustany , Mr. Crawford , Mr. Palazzo , Mr. Poe of Texas , Mr. Scalise , Mr. DesJarlais , Mr. McCaul , Mr. Garrett , Mr. Womack , Mr. Yoho , Mr. Young of Florida , Mr. Messer , Mr. Radel , Mr. Lankford , Mr. Stutzman , Mr. Wenstrup , Mr. McClintock , Mrs. Wagner , Mr. Sessions , Mr. Farenthold , Mr. Long , Mr. DeSantis , Mr. Neugebauer , Mr. Rothfus , Mrs. Noem , Mr. Holding , Mr. King of Iowa , and Mr. Hunter ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the conditions for the United States becoming a signatory to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, or to any similar agreement on the arms trade. Whereas in October 2009, the United States voted in the United Nations General Assembly to participate in the negotiation of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty; Whereas in July 2012, the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty convened to negotiate the text of the Arms Trade Treaty; Whereas in December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted to hold a final negotiating conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in March 2013, on the basis of the text of July 2012; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty poses significant risks to the national security, foreign policy, and economic interests of the United States as well as to the constitutional rights of United States citizens and United States sovereignty; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty fails to expressly recognize the fundamental, individual right to keep and to bear arms and the individual right of personal self-defense, as well as the legitimacy of hunting, sports shooting, and other lawful activities pertaining to the private ownership of firearms and related materials, and thus risks infringing on freedoms protected by the Second Amendment; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty places free democracies and totalitarian regimes on a basis of equality, recognizing their equal right to transfer arms, and is thereby dangerous to the security of the United States; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty’s criteria for assessing the potential consequences of arms transfers are vague, easily politicized, and readily manipulated; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty’s model for using these criteria is incompatible with the decisionmaking model for arms transfers employed by the United States under Presidential Decision Directive 34, which dates from 1995; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty will create opportunities to engage in lawfare against the United States via the misuse of the treaty’s criteria in foreign tribunals and international fora; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty could hinder the United States from fulfilling its strategic, legal, and moral commitments to provide arms to allies such as the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the State of Israel; Whereas the creation of an international secretariat to administer and assist in the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty risks the delegation of authority to a bureaucracy that is not accountable to the people of the United States; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty urges the provision of capacity building assistance from signatory nations to implement the Arms Trade Treaty, which could create a source of permanent funding to a new international organization that would be susceptible to waste, fraud, and abuse; Whereas the Arms Trade Treaty risks imposing costly regulatory burdens on United States businesses, for example, by creating onerous reporting requirements that could damage the domestic defense manufacturing base and related firms; Whereas an Arms Trade Treaty that has not been signed by the President and received the advice and consent of the Senate should not bind the United States in any respect as customary international law, jus cogens, or any other principle of international law that bypasses the treaty power in article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution; Whereas an Arms Trade Treaty that has merely been signed by the President but has not received the advice and consent of the Senate should not bind the United States in any respect, including any obligation to refrain from defeating the object and purpose of the Arms Trade Treaty, under any provision of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, to which the United States is not a party; Whereas an Arms Trade Treaty that has merely been signed by the President but has not received the advice and consent of the Senate should not bind the United States in any respect, as an international agreement other than a treaty, as a sole executive agreement, or in any other way; and Whereas an Arms Trade Treaty that has been signed by the President and has received the advice and consent of the Senate, is a non-self-executing treaty that has no domestic legal effect within the United States, unless and until it has been adopted by the enactment of implementing legislation by the Congress: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) the President should not sign the Arms Trade Treaty, and that, if he transmits the treaty with his signature to the Senate, the Senate should not ratify the Arms Trade Treaty; and (2) until the Arms Trade Treaty has been signed by the President, received the advice and consent of the Senate, and has been the subject of implementing legislation by the Congress, no Federal funds should be appropriated or authorized to implement the Arms Trade Treaty, or any similar agreement, or to conduct activities relevant to the Arms Trade Treaty, or any similar agreement.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres23ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres23ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 24 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 14, 2013 Mr. Scalise (for himself, Mr. Aderholt , Mrs. Bachmann , Mr. Bachus , Mr. Barr , Mr. Barton , Mr. Bentivolio , Mr. Bishop of Utah , Mrs. Black , Mrs. Blackburn , Mr. Brady of Texas , Mr. Bridenstine , Mr. Broun of Georgia , Mr. Buchanan , Mr. Bucshon , Mr. Campbell , Mr. Carter , Mr. Cassidy , Mr. Chabot , Mr. Chaffetz , Mr. Collins of Georgia , Mr. Cotton , Mr. Cramer , Mr. Crawford , Mr. Culberson , Mr. Denham , Mr. DesJarlais , Mr. DeSantis , Mr. Duncan of South Carolina , Mrs. Ellmers , Mr. Farenthold , Mr. Fincher , Mr. Fleischmann , Mr. Fleming , Mr. Flores , Mr. Franks of Arizona , Mr. Gardner , Mr. Garrett , Mr. Gibbs , Mr. Gingrey of Georgia , Mr. Gohmert , Mr. Gosar , Mr. Graves of Missouri , Mr. Griffin of Arkansas , Mr. Hall , Mr. Hanna , Mr. Hensarling , Mr. Holding , Mr. Hudson , Mr. Huelskamp , Mr. Huizenga of Michigan , Mr. Issa , Ms. Jenkins , Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas , Mr. Jordan , Mr. Kelly , Mr. King of Iowa , Mr. Kline , Mr. LaMalfa , Mr. Lamborn , Mr. Lankford , Mr. Latta , Mr. Long , Mr. Luetkemeyer , Mrs. Lummis , Mr. Massie , Mr. McClintock , Mr. Meadows , Mr. Miller of Florida , Mr. Mullin , Mr. Mulvaney , Mrs. Noem , Mr. Neugebauer , Mr. Nugent , Mr. Nunnelee , Mr. Olson , Mr. Palazzo , Mr. Pearce , Mr. Pittenger , Mr. Pitts , Mr. Pompeo , Mr. Posey , Mr. Price of Georgia , Mr. Radel , Mr. Renacci , Mr. Ribble , Mr. Roe of Tennessee , Mr. Rokita , Mr. Rothfus , Mr. Salmon , Mr. Sessions , Mr. Shimkus , Mr. Smith of Texas , Mr. Stewart , Mr. Stivers , Mr. Stockman , Mr. Walberg , Mr. Weber of Texas , Mr. Wenstrup , Mr. Westmoreland , Mr. Williams , Mr. Wilson of South Carolina , Mr. Woodall , Mr. Yoder , and Mr. Young of Indiana ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy. Whereas a carbon tax is a Federal tax on carbon released from fossil fuels; Whereas a carbon tax will increase energy prices, including the price of gasoline, electricity, natural gas, and home heating oil; Whereas a carbon tax will mean that families and consumers will pay more for essentials like food, gasoline, and electricity; Whereas a carbon tax will fall hardest on the poor, the elderly, and those on fixed incomes; Whereas a carbon tax will lead to more jobs and businesses moving overseas; Whereas a carbon tax will lead to less economic growth; Whereas American families will be harmed the most from a carbon tax; Whereas, according to the Energy Information Administration, in 2011, fossil fuels share of energy consumption was 82 percent; Whereas a carbon tax will increase the cost of every good manufactured in the United States; Whereas a carbon tax will impose disproportionate burdens on certain industries, jobs, States, and geographic regions and would further restrict the global competitiveness of the United States; Whereas American ingenuity has led to innovations in energy exploration and development and has increased production of domestic energy resources on private and State-owned land which has created significant job growth and private capital investment; Whereas United States energy policy should encourage continued private sector innovation and development and not increase the existing tax burden on manufacturers; Whereas the production of American energy resources increases the United States ability to maintain a competitive advantage in today’s global economy; Whereas a carbon tax would reduce America’s global competitiveness and would encourage development abroad in countries that do not impose this exorbitant tax burden; and Whereas the Congress and the President should focus on pro-growth solutions that encourage increased development of domestic resources: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses, and is not in the best interest of the United States.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres24ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres24ih.xml
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III Calendar No. 33 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 25 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 22, 2013 Received and placed on the calendar CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2014 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2015 through 2023. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2014 (a) Declaration The Congress determines and declares that this concurrent resolution establishes the budget for fiscal year 2014 and sets forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2015 through 2023. (b) Table of Contents The table of contents for this concurrent resolution is as follows: Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2014. Title I—Recommended levels and amounts Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts. Sec. 102. Major functional categories. Title II—Reconciliation Sec. 201. Reconciliation in the House of Representatives. Title III—Recommended Levels for Fiscal Years 2030, 2040, and 2050 Sec. 301. Long-term budgeting. Title IV—Reserve funds Sec. 401. Reserve fund for the repeal of the 2010 health care laws. Sec. 402. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the reform of the 2010 health care laws. Sec. 403. Deficit-neutral reserve fund related to the Medicare provisions of the 2010 health care laws. Sec. 404. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the sustainable growth rate of the Medicare program. Sec. 405. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for reforming the tax code. Sec. 406. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade agreements. Sec. 407. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for revenue measures. Sec. 408. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for rural counties and schools. Sec. 409. Implementation of a deficit and long-term debt reduction agreement. Title V—Estimates of direct spending Sec. 501. Direct spending. Title VI—Budget Enforcement Sec. 601. Limitation on advance appropriations. Sec. 602. Concepts and definitions. Sec. 603. Adjustments of aggregates, allocations, and appropriate budgetary levels. Sec. 604. Limitation on long-term spending. Sec. 605. Budgetary treatment of certain transactions. Sec. 606. Application and effect of changes in allocations and aggregates. Sec. 607. Congressional Budget Office estimates. Sec. 608. Transfers from the general fund of the treasury to the highway trust fund that increase public indebtedness. Sec. 609. Separate allocation for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism. Sec. 610. Exercise of rulemaking powers. Title VII—Policy statements Sec. 701. Policy statement on economic growth and job creation. Sec. 702. Policy statement on tax reform. Sec. 703. Policy statement on Medicare. Sec. 704. Policy statement on Social Security. Sec. 705. Policy statement on higher education affordability. Sec. 706. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the cancellation of unobligated balances. Sec. 707. Policy statement on responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Sec. 708. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the reduction of unnecessary and wasteful spending. Sec. 709. Policy statement on unauthorized spending. Title VIII—Sense of the House provisions Sec. 801. Sense of the House on the importance of child support enforcement. I Recommended levels and amounts 101. Recommended levels and amounts The following budgetary levels are appropriate for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023: (1) Federal revenues For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution: (A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are as follows: Fiscal year 2014: $2,270,932,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: $2,606,592,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $2,778,891,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $2,903,673,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $3,028,951,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $3,149,236,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $3,284,610,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $3,457,009,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $3,650,699,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $3,832,145,000,000. (B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of Federal revenues should be changed are as follows: Fiscal year 2014: $0. Fiscal year 2015: $0. Fiscal year 2016: $0. Fiscal year 2017: $0. Fiscal year 2018: $0. Fiscal year 2019: $0. Fiscal year 2020: $0. Fiscal year 2021: $0. Fiscal year 2022: $0. Fiscal year 2023: $0. (2) New budget authority For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total new budget authority are as follows: Fiscal year 2014: $2,769,406,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: $2,681,581,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $2,857,258,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $2,988,083,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $3,104,777,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $3,281,142,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $3,414,838,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $3,540,165,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $3,681,407,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $3,768,151,000,000. (3) Budget outlays For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total budget outlays are as follows: Fiscal year 2014: $2,815,079,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: $2,736,849,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $2,850,434,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $2,958,619,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $3,079,296,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $3,231,642,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $3,374,336,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $3,495,489,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $3,667,532,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $3,722,071,000,000. (4) Deficits (on-budget) For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution, the amounts of the deficits (on-budget) are as follows: Fiscal year 2014: -$544,147,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: -$130,257,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: -$71,544,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: -$54,947,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: -$50,345,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: -$82,405,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: -$89,726,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: -$38,480,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: -$16,833,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $110,073,000,000. (5) Debt subject to limit The appropriate levels of the public debt are as follows: Fiscal year 2014: $17,776,278,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: $18,086,450,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $18,343,824,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $18,635,129,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $18,938,669,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $19,267,212,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $19,608,732,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $19,900,718,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $20,162,755,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $20,319,503,000,000. (6) Debt held by the public The appropriate levels of debt held by the public are as follows: Fiscal year 2014: $12,849,621,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: $13,069,788,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $13,225,569,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $13,362,146,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $13,485,102,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $13,648,470,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $13,836,545,000,000. Fiscal year 2021; $13,992,649,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $14,154,363,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $14,210,984,000,000. 102. Major functional categories The Congress determines and declares that the appropriate levels of new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years 2014 through 2023 for each major functional category are: (1) National Defense (050): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $560,225,000,000. (B) Outlays, $579,235,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $574,359,000,000. (B) Outlays, $563,976,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $585,556,000,000. (B) Outlays, $570,288,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $598,822,000,000. (B) Outlays, $575,457,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $612,125,000,000. (B) Outlays, $582,678,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $625,445,000,000. (B) Outlays, $600,508,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $639,780,000,000. (B) Outlays, $614,250,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $654,096,000,000. (B) Outlays, $628,265,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $671,181,000,000. (B) Outlays, $649,221,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $688,640,000,000. (B) Outlays, $660,461,000,000. (2) International Affairs (150): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $41,010,000,000. (B) Outlays, $42,005,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $39,357,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,876,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $40,355,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,019,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $41,343,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,821,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $42,342,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,922,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $43,349,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,248,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $44,366,000,000. (B) Outlays, $41,070,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $44,898,000,000. (B) Outlays, $41,970,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $46,240,000,000. (B) Outlays, $43,208,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $47,304,000,000. (B) Outlays, $44,030,000,000. (3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $27,733,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,811,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $28,318,000,000. (B) Outlays, $28,193,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $28,994,000,000. (B) Outlays, $28,641,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $29,677,000,000. (B) Outlays, $29,251,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $30,386,000,000. (B) Outlays, $29,932,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $31,088,000,000. (B) Outlays, $30,574,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $31,798,000,000. (B) Outlays, $31,275,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $32,506,000,000. (B) Outlays, $31,886,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $33,244,000,000. (B) Outlays, $32,609,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $33,991,000,000. (B) Outlays, $33,344,000,000. (4) Energy (270): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, -$1,218,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,366,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $1,527,000,000. (B) Outlays, $2,024,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $1,433,000,000. (B) Outlays, $984,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $1,570,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,091,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $1,764,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,331,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $1,932,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,612,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $2,121,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,864,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $2,200,000,000. (B) Outlays, $2,039,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $2,105,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,989,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$12,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$147,000,000. (5) Natural Resources and Environment (300): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $38,146,000,000. (B) Outlays, $41,002,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $37,457,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,169,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $36,445,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,860,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $37,295,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,612,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $38,120,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,378,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $38,552,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,655,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $39,530,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,167,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $39,730,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,332,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $40,124,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,330,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $39,792,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,382,000,000. (6) Agriculture (350): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $21,731,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,377,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $16,737,000,000. (B) Outlays, $16,452,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $21,254,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,827,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $19,344,000,000. (B) Outlays, $18,856,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $18,776,000,000. (B) Outlays, $18,238,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $19,087,000,000. (B) Outlays, $18,461,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $19,380,000,000. (B) Outlays, $18,864,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $19,856,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,365,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $19,736,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,244,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $20,335,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,859,000,000. (7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $2,548,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$9,000,000,000.. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, -$7,818,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$19,413,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$7,398,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$21,697,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$6,328,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$22,908,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$2,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$20,314,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$866,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$23,410,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$579,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$22,954,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$295,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$17,517,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$1,076,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$19,406,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$1,200,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$20,654,000,000. (8) Transportation (400): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $87,056,000,000. (B) Outlays, $93,142,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $40,030,000,000. (B) Outlays, $82,089,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $81,453,000,000. (B) Outlays, $74,235,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $91,498,000,000. (B) Outlays, $85,791,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $68,776,000,000. (B) Outlays, $84,548,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $92,602,000,000. (B) Outlays, $82,681,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $72,693,000,000. (B) Outlays, $84,625,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $92,988,000,000. (B) Outlays, $85,244,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $74,694,000,000. (B) Outlays, $85,945,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $99,499,000,000. (B) Outlays, $86,906,000,000. (9) Community and Regional Development (450): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $8,533,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,669,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $8,401,000,000. (B) Outlays, $22,978,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $8,341,000,000. (B) Outlays, $16,911,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $8,442,000,000. (B) Outlays, $13,910,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $8,556,000,000. (B) Outlays, $10,925,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $8,766,000,000. (B) Outlays, $9,787,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $8,962,000,000. (B) Outlays, $9,418,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $9,172,000,000. (B) Outlays, $9,283,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $9,424,000,000. (B) Outlays, $9,209,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $9,641,000,000. (B) Outlays, $9,271,000,000. (10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services (500): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $56,440,000,000. (B) Outlays, $77,310,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $73,848,000,000. (B) Outlays, $77,042,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $85,577,000,000. (B) Outlays, $84,250,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $95,462,000,000. (B) Outlays, $93,615,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $100,910,000,000. (B) Outlays, $99,755,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $95,734,000,000. (B) Outlays, $95,741,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $97,329,000,000. (B) Outlays, $97,270,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $98,900,000,000. (B) Outlays, $98,917,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $99,965,000,000. (B) Outlays, $100,219,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $101,606,000,000. (B) Outlays, $101,780,000,000. (11) Health (550): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $363,762,000,000. (B) Outlays, $378,695,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $358,156,000,000. (B) Outlays, $353,470,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $359,280,000,000. (B) Outlays, $362,833,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $375,308,000,000. (B) Outlays, $375,956,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $387,073,000,000. (B) Outlays, $386,264,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $393,079,000,000. (B) Outlays, $392,141,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $422,229,000,000. (B) Outlays, $410,876,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $420,834,000,000. (B) Outlays, $419,365,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $441,207,000,000. (B) Outlays, $439,353,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $456,935,000,000. (B) Outlays, $455,134,000,000. (12) Medicare (570): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $515,944,000,000. (B) Outlays, $515,713,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $534,494,000,000. (B) Outlays, $534,400,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $581,788,000,000. (B) Outlays, $581,834,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $597,570,000,000. (B) Outlays, $597,637,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $621,384,000,000. (B) Outlays, $621,480,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $679,457,000,000. (B) Outlays, $679,661,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $723,313,000,000. (B) Outlays, $723,481,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $770,764,000,000. (B) Outlays, $771,261,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $845,828,000,000. (B) Outlays, $843,504,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $875,417,000,000. (B) Outlays, $874,988,000,000. (13) Income Security (600): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $509,418,000,000. (B) Outlays, $508,082,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $480,285,000,000. (B) Outlays, $476,897,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $487,623,000,000. (B) Outlays, $487,046,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $484,222,000,000. (B) Outlays, $479,516,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $484,653,000,000. (B) Outlays, $475,612,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $495,065,000,000. (B) Outlays, $490,660,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $501,101,000,000. (B) Outlays, $496,983,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $505,927,000,000. (B) Outlays, $501,832,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $515,637,000,000. (B) Outlays, $516,362,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $510,654,000,000. (B) Outlays, $506,354,000,000. (14) Social Security (650): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $27,506,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,616,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $30,233,000,000. (B) Outlays, $30,308,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $33,369,000,000. (B) Outlays, $33,407,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $36,691,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,691,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $40,005,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,005,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $43,421,000,000. (B) Outlays, $43,421,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $46,954,000,000. (B) Outlays, $46,954,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $50,474,000,000. (B) Outlays, $50,474,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $54,235,000,000. (B) Outlays, $54,235,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $58,441,000,000. (B) Outlays, $58,441,000,000. (15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $145,730,000,000. (B) Outlays, $145,440,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $149,792,000,000. (B) Outlays, $149,313,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $162,051,000,000. (B) Outlays, $161,441,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $160,947,000,000. (B) Outlays, $160,117,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $159,423,000,000. (B) Outlays, $158,565,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $171,032,000,000. (B) Outlays, $170,144,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $175,674,000,000. (B) Outlays, $174,791,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $179,585,000,000. (B) Outlays, $178,655,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $191,294,000,000. (B) Outlays, $190,344,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $187,945,000,000. (B) Outlays, $186,882,000,000. (16) Administration of Justice (750): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $51,933,000,000. (B) Outlays, $53,376,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $53,116,000,000. (B) Outlays, $52,918,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $56,644,000,000. (B) Outlays, $55,745,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $56,712,000,000. (B) Outlays, $57,949,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $58,586,000,000. (B) Outlays, $59,859,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $60,495,000,000. (B) Outlays, $60,666,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $62,400,000,000. (B) Outlays, $61,878,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $64,507,000,000. (B) Outlays, $63,950,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $70,150,000,000. (B) Outlays, $69,561,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $72,809,000,000. (B) Outlays, $72,195,000,000. (17) General Government (800): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $23,225,000,000. (B) Outlays, $24,172,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $21,922,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,749,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $23,263,000,000. (B) Outlays, $22,559,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $23,814,000,000. (B) Outlays, $23,435,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $24,573,000,000. (B) Outlays, $24,158,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $25,454,000,000. (B) Outlays, $24,803,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $26,293,000,000. (B) Outlays, $25,645,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $27,178,000,000. (B) Outlays, $26,566,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $27,821,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,219,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $28,717,000,000. (B) Outlays, $28,116,000,000. (18) Net Interest (900): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $341,099,000,000. (B) Outlays, $341,099,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $367,647,000,000. (B) Outlays, $367,647,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $405,960,000,000. (B) Outlays, $405,960,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $476,448,000,000. (B) Outlays, $476,448,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $555,772,000,000. (B) Outlays, $555,772,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $613,411,000,000. (B) Outlays, $613,411,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $661,810,000,000. (B) Outlays, $661,810,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $694,647,000,000. (B) Outlays, $694,647,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $723,923,000,000. (B) Outlays, $723,923,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $745,963,000,000. (B) Outlays, $745,963,000,000. (19) Allowances (920): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, -$59,061,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$44,044,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, -$58,840,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$53,255,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$65,587,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$59,258,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$71,859,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$65,151,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$77,299,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$71,278,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$82,155,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$76,769,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$85,543,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$81,785,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$89,377,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$85,845,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$88,897,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$85,661,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$92,469,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$89,323,000,000. (20) Government-wide savings (930): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, -$9,407,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$6,660,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, -$21,577,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$9,971,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$17,617,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$8,873,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$13,371,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$6,739,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$11,556,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$3,340,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$9,584,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$703,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$8,457,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,740,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$7,094,000,000. (B) Outlays, $3,666,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$21,151,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$2,703,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$35,807,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$13,555,000,000. (21) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, -$75,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$75,946,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, -$80,864,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$80,864,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$86,525,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$86,525,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$90,525,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$90,525,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$91,645,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$91,645,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$99,220,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$99,220,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$101,316,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$101,316,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$106,332,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$106,332,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$109,276,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$109,276,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$115,049,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$115,049,000,000. (22) Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism (970): Fiscal year 2014: (A) New budget authority, $93,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $46,621,000,000. Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,851,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,948,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $38,789,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,451,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,570,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,431,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,466,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $38,102,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $35,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,694,000,000. II Reconciliation 201. Reconciliation in the House of Representatives (a) Submissions of spending reduction The House committees named in subsection (b) shall submit, not later than ______, 2013, recommendations to the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives. After receiving those recommendations, such committee shall report to the House a reconciliation bill carrying out all such recommendations without substantive revision. (b) Instructions (1) Committee on Agriculture The Committee on Agriculture shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. (2) Committee on Education and the Workforce The Committee on Education and the Workforce shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. (3) Committee on Energy and Commerce The Committee on Energy and Commerce shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. (4) Committee on Financial Services The Committee on Financial Services shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. (5) Committee on the Judiciary The Committee on the Judiciary shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. (6) Committee on Natural Resources The Committee on Natural Resources shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. (7) Committee on Oversight and Government Reform The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. (8) Committee on Ways and Means The Committee on Ways and Means shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2013 through 2023. III Recommended Levels for Fiscal Years 2030, 2040, and 2050 301. Long-term budgeting The following are the recommended revenue, spending, and deficit levels for each of fiscal years 2030, 2040, and 2050 as a percent of the gross domestic product of the United States: (1) Federal revenues The appropriate levels of Federal revenues are as follows: Fiscal year 2030: 19.1 percent. Fiscal year 2040: 19.1 percent. Fiscal year 2050: 19.1 percent. (2) Budget outlays The appropriate levels of total budget outlays are not to exceed: Fiscal year 2030: 19.1 percent. Fiscal year 2040: 19.1 percent. Fiscal year 2050: 19.1 percent. (3) Deficits The appropriate levels of deficits are not to exceed: Fiscal year 2030: 0 percent. Fiscal year 2040: 0 percent. Fiscal year 2050: 0 percent. IV Reserve funds 401. Reserve fund for the repeal of the 2010 health care laws In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that only consists of a full repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care-related provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. 402. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the reform of the 2010 health care laws In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that reforms or replaces the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 403. Deficit-neutral reserve fund related to the Medicare provisions of the 2010 health care laws In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that repeals all or part of the decreases in Medicare spending included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 404. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the sustainable growth rate of the Medicare program In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that includes provisions amending or superseding the system for updating payments under section 1848 of the Social Security Act, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 405. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for reforming the tax code In the House, if the Committee on Ways and Means reports a bill or joint resolution that reforms the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any such bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 406. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade agreements In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution reported by the Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that implements a trade agreement, but only if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 407. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for revenue measures In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution reported by the Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that decreases revenue, but only if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 408. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for rural counties and schools In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels and limits in this resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that makes changes to or provides for the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 ( Public Law 106–393 ) by the amounts provided by that legislation for those purposes, if such legislation requires sustained yield timber harvests obviating the need for funding under P.L. 106–393 in the future and would not increase the deficit or direct spending for fiscal year 2014, the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2018, or the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 409. Implementation of a deficit and long-term debt reduction agreement In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution to accommodate the enactment of a deficit and long-term debt reduction agreement if it includes permanent spending reductions and reforms to direct spending programs. V Estimates of direct spending 501. Direct spending (a) Means-tested direct spending (1) For means-tested direct spending, the average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period preceding fiscal year 2014 is 6.7 percent. (2) For means-tested direct spending, the estimated average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period beginning with fiscal year 2014 is 6.2 percent under current law. (3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent resolution for means-tested direct spending: (A) In 1996, a Republican Congress and a Democratic president reformed welfare by limiting the duration of benefits, giving States more control over the program, and helping recipients find work. In the five years following passage, child-poverty rates fell, welfare caseloads fell, and workers’ wages increased. This budget applies the lessons of welfare reform to both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid. (B) For Medicaid, this budget converts the Federal share of Medicaid spending into a flexible State allotment tailored to meet each State’s needs, indexed for inflation and population growth. Such a reform would end the misguided one-size-fits-all approach that has tied the hands of State governments. Instead, each State would have the freedom and flexibility to tailor a Medicaid program that fits the needs of its unique population. Moreover, this budget repeals the Medicaid expansions in the President’s health care law, relieving State governments of its crippling one-size-fits-all enrollment mandates. (C) For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, this budget converts the program into a flexible State allotment tailored to meet each State’s needs, increases in the Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan index and beneficiary growth. Such a reform would provide incentives for States to ensure dollars will go towards those who need them most. Additionally, it requires that more stringent work requirements and time limits apply under the program. (b) Nonmeans-tested direct spending (1) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period preceding fiscal year 2014 is 5.9 percent. (2) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the estimated average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period beginning with fiscal year 2014 is 5.3 percent under current law. (3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent resolution for nonmeans-tested direct spending: (A) For Medicare, this budget advances policies to put seniors, not the Federal Government, in control of their health care decisions. Those in or near retirement will see no changes, while future retirees would be given a choice of private plans competing alongside the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program. Medicare would provide a premium-support payment either to pay for or offset the premium of the plan chosen by the senior, depending on the plan’s cost. The Medicare premium-support payment would be adjusted so that the sick would receive higher payments if their conditions worsened; lower-income seniors would receive additional assistance to help cover out-of-pocket costs; and wealthier seniors would assume responsibility for a greater share of their premiums. Putting seniors in charge of how their health care dollars are spent will force providers to compete against each other on price and quality. This market competition will act as a real check on widespread waste and skyrocketing health care costs. (B) In keeping with a recommendation from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, this budget calls for Federal employees—including Members of Congress and congressional staff—to make greater contributions toward their own retirement. VI Budget Enforcement 601. Limitation on advance appropriations (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) The Veterans Health Care Budget and Reform Transparency Act of 2009 provides advance appropriations for the following veteran medical care accounts: Medical Services, Medical Support and Compliance, and Medical Facilities. (2) The President has yet to submit a budget request as required under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, including the request for the Department of Veterans Affairs, for fiscal year 2014, hence the request for veteran medical care advance appropriations for fiscal year 2015 is unavailable as of the writing of this concurrent resolution. (3) This concurrent resolution reflects the most up-to-date estimate on veterans’ health care needs included in the President’s fiscal year 2013 request for fiscal year 2015. (b) In general In the House, except as provided for in subsection (c), any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, making a general appropriation or continuing appropriation may not provide for advance appropriations. (c) Exceptions An advance appropriation may be provided for programs, projects, activities, or accounts referred to in subsection (d)(1) or identified in the report to accompany this concurrent resolution or the joint explanatory statement of managers to accompany this concurrent resolution under the heading Accounts Identified for Advance Appropriations . (d) Limitations For fiscal year 2015, the aggregate level of advance appropriations shall not exceed— (1) $55,483,000,000 for the following programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs— (A) Medical Services; (B) Medical Support and Compliance; and (C) Medical Facilities accounts of the Veterans Health Administration; and (2) $28,852,000,000 in new budget authority for all programs identified pursuant to subsection (c). (e) Definition In this section, the term advance appropriation means any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, making general appropriations or any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill or joint resolution making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2015. 602. Concepts and definitions Upon the enactment of any bill or joint resolution providing for a change in budgetary concepts or definitions, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust any allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution accordingly. 603. Adjustments of aggregates, allocations, and appropriate budgetary levels (a) Adjustments of discretionary and direct spending levels If a committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations) reports a bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, providing for a decrease in direct spending (budget authority and outlays flowing therefrom) for any fiscal year and also provides for an authorization of appropriations for the same purpose, upon the enactment of such measure, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may decrease the allocation to such committee and increase the allocation of discretionary spending (budget authority and outlays flowing therefrom) to the Committee on Appropriations for fiscal year 2014 by an amount equal to the new budget authority (and outlays flowing therefrom) provided for in a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for the same purpose. (b) Adjustments to implement discretionary spending caps and to fund veterans’ programs and Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism (1) Findings (A) The President has not submitted a budget for fiscal year 2014 as required pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, by the date set forth in that section. (B) In missing the statutory date by which the budget must be submitted, this will be the fourth time in five years the President has not complied with that deadline. (C) This concurrent resolution reflects the levels of funding for veterans’ medical programs as set forth in the President’s fiscal year 2013 budget request. (2) President’s budget submission In order to take into account any new information included in the budget submission by the President for fiscal year 2014, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary levels for veterans’ programs, Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism, or the 302(a) allocation to the Committee on Appropriations set forth in the report of this concurrent resolution to conform with section 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (as adjusted by section 251A of such Act). (3) Revised Congressional Budget Office baseline The chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary levels to reflect changes resulting from technical and economic assumptions in the most recent baseline published by the Congressional Budget Office. (c) Determinations For the purpose of enforcing this concurrent resolution on the budget in the House, the allocations and aggregate levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct spending, new entitlement authority, revenues, deficits, and surpluses for fiscal year 2014 and the period of fiscal years 2014 through fiscal year 2023 shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by the chair of the Committee on the Budget and such chair may adjust such applicable levels of this concurrent resolution. 604. Limitation on long-term spending (a) In general In the House, it shall not be in order to consider a bill or joint resolution reported by a committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations), or an amendment thereto or a conference report thereon, if the provisions of such measure have the net effect of increasing direct spending in excess of $5,000,000,000 for any period described in subsection (b). (b) Time periods The applicable periods for purposes of this section are any of the four consecutive ten fiscal-year periods beginning with fiscal year 2024. 605. Budgetary treatment of certain transactions (a) In General Notwithstanding section 302(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, section 13301 of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, and section 4001 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, the report accompanying this concurrent resolution on the budget or the joint explanatory statement accompanying the conference report on any concurrent resolution on the budget shall include in its allocation under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to the Committee on Appropriations amounts for the discretionary administrative expenses of the Social Security Administration and the United States Postal Service. (b) Special Rule For purposes of applying sections 302(f) and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, estimates of the level of total new budget authority and total outlays provided by a measure shall include any off-budget discretionary amounts. (c) Adjustments The chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels for legislation reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that reforms the Federal retirement system, if such adjustments do not cause a net increase in the deficit for fiscal year 2014 and the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2023. 606. Application and effect of changes in allocations and aggregates (a) Application Any adjustments of the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels made pursuant to this concurrent resolution shall— (1) apply while that measure is under consideration; (2) take effect upon the enactment of that measure; and (3) be published in the Congressional Record as soon as practicable. (b) Effect of Changed Allocations and Aggregates Revised allocations and aggregates resulting from these adjustments shall be considered for the purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as allocations and aggregates included in this concurrent resolution. (c) Budget compliance (1) The consideration of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, for which the chair of the Committee on the Budget makes adjustments or revisions in the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels of this concurrent resolution shall not be subject to the points of order set forth in clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives or section 604. (2) Section 314(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 shall not apply in the House of Representatives to any bill, joint resolution, or amendment that provides new budget authority for a fiscal year or to any conference report on any such bill or resolution, if— (A) the enactment of that bill or resolution; (B) the adoption and enactment of that amendment; or (C) the enactment of that bill or resolution in the form recommended in that conference report; would not cause the appropriate allocation of new budget authority made pursuant to section 302(a) of such Act for that fiscal year to be exceeded or the sum of the limits on the security and non-security category in section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act as reduced pursuant to such section. 607. Congressional Budget Office estimates (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) Costs of Federal housing loans and loan guarantees are treated unequally in the budget. The Congressional Budget Office uses fair-value accounting to measure the costs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but determines the cost of other Federal housing programs on the basis of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 ( FCRA ). (2) The fair-value accounting method uses discount rates which incorporate the risk inherent to the type of liability being estimated in addition to Treasury discount rates of the proper maturity length. In contrast, cash-basis accounting solely uses the discount rates of the Treasury, failing to incorporate risks such as prepayment and default risk. (3) The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the $635 billion of loans and loan guarantees issued in 2013 alone would generate budgetary savings of $45 billion over their lifetime using FCRA accounting. However, these same loans and loan guarantees would have a lifetime cost of $11 billion under fair-value methodology. (4) The majority of loans and guarantees issued in 2013 would show deficit reduction of $9.1 billion under FCRA methodology, but would increase the deficit by $4.7 billion using fair-value accounting. (b) Fair Value Estimates Upon the request of the chair or ranking member of the Committee on the Budget, any estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office for a measure under the terms of title V of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, credit reform , as a supplement to such estimate shall, to the extent practicable, also provide an estimate of the current actual or estimated market values representing the fair value of assets and liabilities affected by such measure. (c) Fair value estimates for housing programs Whenever the Director of the Congressional Budget Office prepares an estimate pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out any bill or joint resolution and if the Director determines that such bill or joint resolution has a cost related to a housing or residential mortgage program under the FCRA, then the Director shall also provide an estimate of the current actual or estimated market values representing the fair value of assets and liabilities affected by the provisions of such bill or joint resolution that result in such cost. (d) Enforcement If the Director of the Congressional Budget Office provides an estimate pursuant to subsection (b) or (c), the chair of the Committee on the Budget may use such estimate to determine compliance with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and other budgetary enforcement controls. 608. Transfers from the general fund of the treasury to the highway trust fund that increase public indebtedness For purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, or the rules or orders of the House of Representatives, a bill or joint resolution, or an amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that transfers funds from the general fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund shall be counted as new budget authority and outlays equal to the amount of the transfer in the fiscal year the transfer occurs. 609. Separate allocation for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism (a) Allocation In the House, there shall be a separate allocation to the Committee on Appropriations for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism. For purposes of enforcing such separate allocation under section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the first fiscal year and the total of fiscal years shall be deemed to refer to fiscal year 2014. Such separate allocation shall be the exclusive allocation for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism under section 302(a) of such Act. Section 302(c) of such Act shall not apply to such separate allocation. The Committee on Appropriations may provide suballocations of such separate allocation under section 302(b) of such Act. Spending that counts toward the allocation established by this section shall be designated pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. (b) Adjustment In the House, for purposes of subsection (a) for fiscal year 2014, no adjustment shall be made under section 314(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if any adjustment would be made under section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 610. Exercise of rulemaking powers The House adopts the provisions of this title— (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and as such they shall be considered as part of the rules of the House of Representatives, and these rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent with other such rules; and (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of the House of Representatives to change those rules at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the House of Representatives. VII Policy statements 701. Policy statement on economic growth and job creation (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) Although the U.S. economy technically emerged from recession roughly four years ago, the recovery has felt more like a malaise than a rebound with the unemployment rate still elevated and real economic growth essentially flat in the final quarter of 2012. (2) The enormous build-up of Government debt in the past four years has worsened the already unsustainable course of Federal finances and is an increasing drag on the U.S. economy. (3) During the recession and early stages of recovery, the Government took a variety of measures to try to boost economic activity. Despite the fact that these stimulus measures added over $1 trillion to the debt, the economy continues to perform at a sub-par trend. (4) Investors and businesses make decisions on a forward-looking basis. They know that today’s large debt levels are simply tomorrow’s tax hikes, interest rate increases, or inflation – and they act accordingly. It is this debt overhang, and the uncertainty it generates, that is weighing on U.S. growth, investment, and job creation. (5) Economists have found that the key to jump-starting U.S. economic growth and job creation is tangible action to rein in the growth of Government spending with the aim of getting debt under control. (6) Stanford economist John Taylor has concluded that reducing Government spending now would reduce the threats of higher taxes, higher interest rates and a fiscal crisis , and would therefore provide an immediate stimulus to the economy. (7) Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has stated that putting in place a credible plan to reduce future deficits would not only enhance economic performance in the long run, but could also yield near-term benefits by leading to lower long-term interest rates and increased consumer and business confidence. (8) Lowering spending would boost market confidence and lessen uncertainty, leading to a spark in economic expansion, job creation, and higher wages and income. (b) Policy on economic growth and job creation It is the policy of this resolution to promote faster economic growth and job creation. By putting the budget on a sustainable path, this resolution ends the debt-fueled uncertainty holding back job creators. Reforms to the tax code put American businesses and workers in a better position to compete and thrive in the 21st century global economy. This resolution targets the regulatory red tape and cronyism that stack the deck in favor of special interests. All of the reforms in this resolution serve as means to the larger end of growing the economy and expanding opportunity for all Americans. 702. Policy statement on tax reform (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) A world-class tax system should be simple, fair, and promote (rather than impede) economic growth. The U.S. tax code fails on all three counts – it is notoriously complex, patently unfair, and highly inefficient. The tax code’s complexity distorts decisions to work, save, and invest, which leads to slower economic growth, lower wages, and less job creation. (2) Since 2001 alone, there have been more than 3,250 changes to the code. Many of the major changes over the years have involved carving out special preferences, exclusions, or deductions for various activities or groups. These loopholes add up to more than $1 trillion per year and make the code unfair, inefficient, and very complex. (3) These tax preferences are disproportionately used by upper-income individuals. For instance, the top 1 percent of taxpayers reap about 3 times as much benefit from special tax credits and deductions (excluding refundable credits) than the middle class and 13 times as much benefit than the lowest income quintile. (4) The large amount of tax preferences that pervade the code end up narrowing the tax base by as much as 50 percent. A narrow tax base, in turn, requires much higher tax rates to raise a given amount of revenue. (5) The National Taxpayer Advocate reports that taxpayers spent 6.1 billion hours in 2012 complying with tax requirements. (6) Standard economic theory shows that high marginal tax rates dampen the incentives to work, save, and invest, which reduces economic output and job creation. Lower economic output, in turn, mutes the intended revenue gain from higher marginal tax rates. (7) Roughly half of U.S. active business income and half of private sector employment are derived from business entities (such as partnerships, S corporations, and sole proprietorships) that are taxed on a pass-through basis, meaning the income flows through to the tax returns of the individual owners and is taxed at the individual rate structure rather than at the corporate rate. Small businesses in particular tend to choose this form for Federal tax purposes, and the top Federal rate on such small business income reaches 44.6 percent. For these reasons, sound economic policy requires lowering marginal rates on these pass-through entities. (8) The U.S. corporate income tax rate (including Federal, State, and local taxes) sums to just over 39 percent, the highest rate in the industrialized world. The total Federal marginal tax rate on corporate income now reaches 55 percent, when including the shareholder-level tax on dividends and capital gains. Tax rates this high suppress wages and discourage investment and job creation, distort business activity, and put American businesses at a competitive disadvantage with foreign competitors. (9) By deterring potential investment, the U.S. corporate tax restrains economic growth and job creation. The U.S. tax rate differential with other countries also fosters a variety of complicated multinational corporate behaviors intended to avoid the tax, which have the effect of moving the tax base offshore, destroying American jobs, and decreasing corporate revenue. (10) The worldwide structure of U.S. international taxation essentially taxes earnings of U.S. firms twice, putting them at a significant competitive disadvantage with competitors with more competitive international tax systems. (11) Reforming the U.S. tax code to a more competitive international system would boost the competitiveness of U.S. companies operating abroad and it would also greatly reduce tax avoidance. (12) The tax code imposes costs on American workers through lower wages, on consumers in higher prices, and on investors in diminished returns. (13) Revenues have averaged 18 percent of the economy throughout modern American history. Revenues rise above this level under current law to 19.1 percent of the economy, and – if the spending restraints in this budget are enacted – this level is sufficient to fund Government operations over time. (14) Attempting to raise revenue through tax increases to meet out-of-control spending would sink the economy. (15) Closing tax loopholes to fund spending does not constitute fundamental tax reform. (16) The goal of tax reform should be to curb or eliminate loopholes and use those savings to lower tax rates across the board – not to fund more wasteful Government spending. Tax reform should be revenue-neutral and should not be an excuse to raise taxes on the American people. (b) Policy on tax reform It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should enact legislation during fiscal year 2014 that provides for a comprehensive reform of the U.S. tax code to promote economic growth, create American jobs, increase wages, and benefit American consumers, investors, and workers through revenue-neutral fundamental tax reform, which should be reported by the Committee on Ways and Means to the House not later than December 31, 2013, that— (1) simplifies the tax code to make it fairer to American families and businesses and reduces the amount of time and resources necessary to comply with tax laws; (2) substantially lowers tax rates for individuals, with a goal of achieving a top individual rate of 25 percent and consolidating the current seven individual income tax brackets into two brackets with a first bracket of 10 percent; (3) repeals the Alternative Minimum Tax; (4) reduces the corporate tax rate to 25 percent; and (5) transitions the tax code to a more competitive system of international taxation. 703. Policy statement on Medicare (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) More than 50 million Americans depend on Medicare for their health security. (2) The Medicare Trustees Report has repeatedly recommended that Medicare’s long-term financial challenges be addressed soon. Each year without reform, the financial condition of Medicare becomes more precarious and the threat to those in or near retirement becomes more pronounced. According to the Congressional Budget Office— (A) the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2023 and unable to pay scheduled benefits; and (B) Medicare spending is growing faster than the economy and Medicare outlays are currently rising at a rate of 6.2 percent per year, and under the Congressional Budget Office’s alternative fiscal scenario, direct spending on Medicare is projected to exceed 7 percent of GDP by 2040 and reach 13 percent of GDP by 2085. (3) The President’s health care law created a new Federal agency called the Independent Payment Advisory Board ( IPAB ) empowered with unilateral authority to cut Medicare spending. As a result of that law— (A) IPAB will be tasked with keeping the Medicare per capita growth below a Medicare per capita target growth rate. Prior to 2018, the target growth rate is based on the five-year average of overall inflation and medical inflation. Beginning in 2018, the target growth rate will be the five-year average increase in the nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) plus one percentage point; (B) the fifteen unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats of IPAB will make decisions that will reduce seniors access to care; (C) the nonpartisan Office of the Medicare Chief Actuary estimates that the provider cuts already contained in the Affordable Care Act will force 15 percent of hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies to close in 2019; and (D) additional cuts from the IPAB board will force even more health care providers to close their doors, and the Board should be repealed. (4) Failing to address this problem will leave millions of American seniors without adequate health security and younger generations burdened with enormous debt to pay for spending levels that cannot be sustained. (b) Policy on medicare reform It is the policy of this resolution to protect those in or near retirement from any disruptions to their Medicare benefits and offer future beneficiaries the same health care options available to Members of Congress. (c) Assumptions This resolution assumes reform of the Medicare program such that: (1) Current Medicare benefits are preserved for those in or near retirement. (2) For future generations, when they reach eligibility, Medicare is reformed to provide a premium support payment and a selection of guaranteed health coverage options from which recipients can choose a plan that best suits their needs. (3) Medicare will maintain traditional fee-for-service as an option. (4) Medicare will provide additional assistance for lower-income beneficiaries and those with greater health risks. (5) Medicare spending is put on a sustainable path and the Medicare program becomes solvent over the long-term. 704. Policy statement on Social Security (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) More than 55 million retirees, individuals with disabilities, and survivors depend on Social Security. Since enactment, Social Security has served as a vital leg on the three-legged stool of retirement security, which includes employer provided pensions as well as personal savings. (2) The Social Security Trustees Report has repeatedly recommended that Social Security’s long-term financial challenges be addressed soon. Each year without reform, the financial condition of Social Security becomes more precarious and the threat to seniors and those receiving Social Security disability benefits becomes more pronounced: (A) In 2016, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted and program revenues will be unable to pay scheduled benefits. (B) In 2033, the combined Old-Age and Survivors and Disability Trust Funds will be exhausted, and program revenues will be unable to pay scheduled benefits. (C) With the exhaustion of the Trust Funds in 2033, benefits will be cut 25 percent across the board, devastating those currently in or near retirement and those who rely on Social Security the most. (3) The recession and continued low economic growth have exacerbated the looming fiscal crisis facing Social Security. The most recent CBO projections find that Social Security will run cash deficits of $1.319 trillion over the next 10 years. (4) Lower-income Americans rely on Social Security for a larger proportion of their retirement income. Therefore, reforms should take into consideration the need to protect lower-income Americans’ retirement security. (5) The Disability Insurance program provides an essential income safety net for those with disabilities and their families. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), between 1970 and 2012, the number of people receiving disability benefits (both disabled workers and their dependent family members) has increased by over 300 percent from 2.7 million to over 10.9 million. This increase is not due strictly to population growth or decreases in health. David Autor and Mark Duggan have found that the increase in individuals on disability does not reflect a decrease in self-reported health. CBO attributes program growth to changes in demographics, changes in the composition of the labor force and compensation, as well as Federal policies. (6) If this program is not reformed, families who rely on the lifeline that disability benefits provide will face benefit cuts of up to 25 percent in 2016, devastating individuals who need assistance the most. (7) Americans deserve action by the President, the House, and the Senate to preserve and strengthen Social Security. It is critical that bipartisan action be taken to address the looming insolvency of Social Security. In this spirit, this resolution creates a bipartisan opportunity to find solutions by requiring policymakers to ensure that Social Security remains a critical part of the safety net. (b) Policy statement on Social Security It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should work on a bipartisan basis to make Social Security sustainably solvent. This resolution assumes reform of a current law trigger, such that: (1) If in any year the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund annual Trustees Report determines that the 75-year actuarial balance of the Social Security Trust Funds is in deficit, and the annual balance of the Social Security Trust Funds in the 75th year is in deficit, the Board of Trustees shall, no later than September 30 of the same calendar year, submit to the President recommendations for statutory reforms necessary to achieve a positive 75-year actuarial balance and a positive annual balance in the 75th-year. Recommendations provided to the President must be agreed upon by both Public Trustees of the Board of Trustees. (2) Not later than December 1 of the same calendar year in which the Board of Trustees submit their recommendations, the President shall promptly submit implementing legislation to both Houses of Congress including his recommendations necessary to achieve a positive 75-year actuarial balance and a positive annual balance in the 75th year. The Majority Leader of the Senate and the Majority Leader of the House shall introduce the President’s legislation upon receipt. (3) Within 60 days of the President submitting legislation, the committees of jurisdiction to which the legislation has been referred shall report the bill which shall be considered by the full House or Senate under expedited procedures. (4) Legislation submitted by the President shall— (A) protect those in or near retirement; (B) preserve the safety net for those who count on Social Security the most, including those with disabilities and survivors; (C) improve fairness for participants; (D) reduce the burden on, and provide certainty for, future generations; and (E) secure the future of the Disability Insurance program while addressing the needs of those with disabilities today and improving the determination process. 705. Policy statement on higher education affordability (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) A well-educated workforce is critical to economic, job, and wage growth. (2) More than 21 million students are enrolled in American colleges and universities. (3) Over the last decade, tuition and fees have been growing at an unsustainable rate. Between the 2001-2002 Academic Year and the 2011-2012 Academic Year: (A) Published tuition and fees for in-State students at public four-year colleges and universities increased at an average rate of 5.6 percent per year beyond the rate of general inflation. (B) Published tuition and fees for in-State students at public two-year colleges and universities increased at an average rate of 3.8 percent per year beyond the rate of general inflation. (C) Published tuition and fees for in-State students at private four-year colleges and universities increased at an average rate of 2.6 percent per year beyond the rate of general inflation. (4) Over that same period, Federal financial aid has increased 140 percent beyond the rate of general inflation. (5) This spending has failed to make college more affordable. (6) In his 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama noted that, We can’t just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. (7) American students are chasing ever-increasing tuition with ever-increasing debt. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, student debt nearly tripled between 2004 and 2012, and now stands at nearly $1 trillion. Student debt now has the second largest balance after mortgage debt. (8) Students are carrying large debt loads and too many fail to complete college or end up defaulting on these loans due to their debt burden and a weak economy and job market. (9) Based on estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, the Pell Grant Program will face a fiscal shortfall beginning in fiscal year 2015 and continuing in each subsequent year in the current budget window. (10) Failing to address these problems will jeopardize access and affordability to higher education for America’s young people. (b) Policy on higher education affordability It is the policy of this resolution to address the root drivers of tuition inflation, by— (1) targeting Federal financial aid to those most in need; (2) streamlining programs that provide aid to make them more effective; (3) maintaining the maximum Pell grant award level at $5,645 in each year of the budget window; and (4) removing regulatory barriers in higher education that act to restrict flexibility and innovative teaching, particularly as it relates to non-traditional models such as online coursework and competency-based learning. 706. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the cancellation of unobligated balances (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) According to the last available estimate from the Office of Management and Budget, Federal agencies were expected to hold $698 billion in unobligated balances at the close of fiscal year 2013. (2) These funds represent direct and discretionary spending made available by Congress that remains available for expenditure beyond the fiscal year for which they are provided. (3) In some cases, agencies are granted funding and it remains available for obligation indefinitely. (4) The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 requires the Office of Management and Budget to make funds available to agencies for obligation and prohibits the Administration from withholding or cancelling unobligated funds unless approved by an act of Congress. (5) Greater congressional oversight is required to review and identify potential savings from unneeded balances of funds. (b) Policy statement on deficit reduction through the cancellation of unobligated balances Congressional committees shall through their oversight activities identify and achieve savings through the cancellation or rescission of unobligated balances that neither abrogate contractual obligations of the Government nor reduce or disrupt Federal commitments under programs such as Social Security, veterans’ affairs, national security, and Treasury authority to finance the national debt. (c) Deficit reduction Congress, with the assistance of the Government Accountability Office, the Inspectors General, and other appropriate agencies should make it a high priority to review unobligated balances and identify savings for deficit reduction. 707. Policy statement on responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) The House of Representatives cut budgets for Members of Congress, House committees, and leadership offices by 5 percent in 2011 and an additional 6.4 percent in 2012. (2) The House of Representatives achieved savings of $36.5 million over three years by consolidating House operations and renegotiating contracts. (b) Policy It is the policy of this resolution that: (1) The House of Representatives must be a model for the responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and therefore must identify any savings that can be achieved through greater productivity and efficiency gains in the operation and maintenance of House services and resources like printing, conferences, utilities, telecommunications, furniture, grounds maintenance, postage, and rent. This should include a review of policies and procedures for acquisition of goods and services to eliminate any unnecessary spending. The Committee on House Administration should review the policies pertaining to the services provided to Members and committees of the House, and should identify ways to reduce any subsidies paid for the operation of the House gym, barber shop, salon, and the House dining room. (2) No taxpayer funds may be used to purchase first class airfare or to lease corporate jets for Members of Congress. 708. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the reduction of unnecessary and wasteful spending (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) The Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) is required by law to identify examples of waste, duplication, and overlap in Federal programs, and has so identified dozens of such examples. (2) In testimony before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Comptroller General has stated that addressing the identified waste, duplication, and overlap in Federal programs could potentially save tens of billions of dollars. (3) In 2011 and 2012, the Government Accountability Office issued reports showing excessive duplication and redundancy in Federal programs including— (A) 209 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ( STEM ) education programs in 13 different Federal agencies at a cost of $3 billion annually; (B) 200 separate Department of Justice crime prevention and victim services grant programs with an annual cost of $3.9 billion in 2010; (C) 20 different Federal entities administer 160 housing programs and other forms of Federal assistance for housing with a total cost of $170 billion in 2010; (D) 17 separate Homeland Security preparedness grant programs that spent $37 billion between fiscal year 2011 and 2012; (E) 13 programs, 3 tax benefits, and one loan program to reduce diesel emissions; and (F) 94 different initiatives run by 11 different agencies to encourage green building in the private sector. (4) The Federal Government spends about $80 billion each year for information technology. GAO has identified broad acquisition failures, waste, and unnecessary duplication in the Government’s information technology infrastructure. Experts have estimated that eliminating these problems could save 25 percent – or $20 billion – of the Government’s annual information technology budget. (5) Federal agencies reported an estimated $108 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2012. (6) Under clause 2 of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, each standing committee must hold at least one hearing during each 120 day period following its establishment on waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in Government programs. (7) According to the Congressional Budget Office, by fiscal year 2014, 42 laws will expire, possibly resulting in $685 billion in unauthorized appropriations. Timely reauthorizations of these laws would ensure assessments of program justification and effectiveness. (8) The findings resulting from congressional oversight of Federal Government programs should result in programmatic changes in both authorizing statutes and program funding levels. (b) Policy statement on deficit reduction through the reduction of unnecessary and wasteful spending Each authorizing committee annually shall include in its Views and Estimates letter required under section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 recommendations to the Committee on the Budget of programs within the jurisdiction of such committee whose funding should be reduced or eliminated. 709. Policy statement on unauthorized spending It is the policy of this resolution that the committees of jurisdiction should review all unauthorized programs funded through annual appropriations to determine if the programs are operating efficiently and effectively. Committees should reauthorize those programs that in the committees’ judgment should continue to receive funding. VIII Sense of the House provisions 801. Sense of the House on the importance of child support enforcement It is the sense of the House that— (1) additional legislative action is needed to ensure that States have the necessary resources to collect all child support that is owed to families and to allow them to pass 100 percent of support on to families without financial penalty; and (2) when 100 percent of child support payments are passed to the child, rather than administrative expenses, program integrity is improved and child support participation increases. Passed the House of Representatives March 21, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk. March 22, 2013 Received and placed on the calendar
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 26 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 19, 2013 Mr. Hunter (for himself, Mr. Becerra , Mr. Valadao , Mr. Turner , Mr. Jones , Mr. Grimm , Mr. Cárdenas , Mr. Vargas , Mr. Peters of California , Mrs. Napolitano , Mr. Cook , Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois , Mr. Gallego , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Miller of Florida , Mr. Calvert , Mr. Guthrie , Mr. Wilson of South Carolina , Mr. Diaz-Balart , Mr. Murphy of Pennsylvania , Mr. LaMalfa , Mr. Southerland , Mr. Denham , Mr. Amodei , Mr. Issa , Mrs. Roby , Mr. Runyan , and Mrs. Davis of California ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recommending the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Rafael Peralta. Whereas in November 2004, the Marine Corps led combat operations to retake the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, Iraq, as part of Operation Phantom Fury; Whereas Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael Peralta and thousands of other Marines entered the city of Fallujah, coming into immediate contact with the enemy and engaging in some of the most intense combat of the entire Iraq war; Whereas Sergeant Peralta, serving with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, cleared scores of houses for days and on November 14, 2004, asked to join an under-strength squad; Whereas the following morning, as Sergeant Peralta and his squad of Marines cleared their seventh house of the day, a close-quarter firefight erupted; Whereas Sergeant Peralta, attempting to move out of the line of fire, was hit in the back of the head by a fragment from a ricocheted bullet; Whereas the insurgents, in the process of fleeing the house, threw a fragmentation grenade through a window, landing directly near the head of Sergeant Peralta; Whereas Sergeant Peralta reached for the grenade and pulled it into his body, absorbing the blast and shielding the other Marines who were only feet away; Whereas Sergeant Peralta, on November 15, 2004, made the ultimate sacrifice to save the lives of his fellow Marines; Whereas Sergeant Peralta was posthumously recommended by the Marine Corps and the Department of the Navy for the Medal of Honor; Whereas seven eyewitnesses confirmed that Sergeant Peralta smothered the grenade with his body, with four of the accounts, taken independently, stating that he gathered the grenade with his right arm; Whereas the historical standard for the Medal of Honor is two eyewitness accounts; Whereas in 2008, Sergeant Peralta’s Medal of Honor nomination was downgraded to the Navy Cross after an independent panel determined that Sergeant Peralta could not have deliberately pulled the grenade into his body due to his head wound, despite seven eyewitness accounts stating that he did so; Whereas in 2012, new and previously unconsidered evidence, consisting of combat video and an independent pathology report, was submitted to the Department of the Navy; Whereas based on the new evidence, a review of the case was initiated; Whereas in December 2012, despite an announcement of the Navy’s support for upgrading Sergeant Peralta’s Navy Cross to the Medal of Honor, the upgrade was declined; Whereas the citation for Sergeant Peralta’s Navy Cross states, “without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, Sergeant Peralta reached out and pulled the grenade to his body, absorbing the brunt of the blast and shielding fellow Marines only feet away”; Whereas Sergeant Peralta wrote to his brother in the days preceding his death, saying, I’m proud to be a Marine, a U.S. Marine, and to defend and protect the freedom and Constitution of America. You should be proud of being an American citizen. ; Whereas Sergeant Peralta, who was born in Mexico and immigrated with his family to San Diego, California, enlisted in the Marine Corps on the same morning he received his proof of permanent residence, commonly known as a green card; and Whereas Sergeant Peralta and his fellow Marines are an inspiration for their service, selflessness, and sacrifice: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) honors Sergeant Rafael Peralta, as a Mexican-American who joined the Marine Corps on the same day he received his permanent residence status, for his dedication to the Marine Corps and the United States and for upholding the highest standards of military service; (2) recognizes that Sergeant Peralta’s courageous and selfless actions in combat saved the lives of his fellow Marines; (3) concurs with the Marine Corps and the Department of the Navy that Sergeant Peralta’s actions are in the spirit and tradition of the Medal of Honor; (4) maintains that, consistent with previous Medal of Honor awards, the eyewitness accounts confirm that Sergeant Peralta deliberately pulled the grenade into his body and the eyewitness accounts should be the leading and deciding factor in evaluating Sergeant Peralta’s Medal of Honor nomination; and (5) recommends that Sergeant Peralta be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 27 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 19, 2013 Mr. Moran (for himself, Mr. Duncan of Tennessee , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Mr. Rangel , Mr. Wolf , Mr. Connolly , Ms. Norton , Mr. Scott of Virginia , Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Walz , Mr. Bishop of New York , Mr. Cole , and Mr. Gerlach ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the formation of a bipartisan Presidential Commission to study the establishment of a National Museum of the American People. Whereas the United States was created and built by peoples from every land, and these people made this Nation the world’s economic, military, scientific, and cultural leader; Whereas Canada and Mexico, the nations bordering the United States, have major museums in or near their capital cities telling the story of the making of their peoples; Whereas the people of the United States do not have a comprehensive and accurate picture of all the peoples who created and continue to build the Nation; Whereas few foreigners know the story of the peoples who came to be citizens of the United States, nor the story of the people from their own nations who came to this land; Whereas a museum telling the story of the making of the people of the United States and celebrating all who migrated and settled in the present day United States, from the very first to the most recent, belongs near the National Mall in Washington, DC; Whereas the National Museum of the American People would serve as a resource to assist State, local, and ethnic museums throughout the Nation present exhibits that celebrate the heritage of the people of the United States; Whereas non-Federal sources will be sought to provide full funding for a Presidential Commission to study establishment of the Museum and that such sums will commence when the President signs an Executive order creating a bipartisan Presidential Commission; and Whereas non-Federal sources are anticipated to provide full funding to design and build the Museum, its exhibitions and its components: Now, therefore, be it That Congress supports the establishment of a bipartisan Presidential Commission to study the establishment of a National Museum of the American People to tell the immigration and migration stories of all people in the United States.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 28 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 9, 2013 Ms. Frankel of Florida (for herself, Ms. DeLauro , Mr. Lewis , Mr. Van Hollen , Mr. Conyers , Ms. McCollum , Ms. Speier , Ms. Schakowsky , Ms. Chu , Ms. Schwartz , Ms. Tsongas , Mr. Grijalva , Ms. Kuster , Mr. Levin , Mr. Langevin , Mr. Cárdenas , Ms. Wasserman Schultz , Ms. Moore , Ms. Norton , Mr. Holt , Ms. Brown of Florida , Ms. Jackson Lee , Mr. Connolly , Ms. Sinema , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Ms. Lee of California , Mr. Cicilline , Mrs. Capps , Ms. Sewell of Alabama , Mr. Kildee , Mr. Nolan , Mrs. Negrete McLeod , Mr. Israel , Mr. Lynch , Ms. Waters , Ms. Edwards , Mr. Gallego , Ms. Fudge , Mr. Hastings of Florida , Ms. Bordallo , Ms. Hahn , Ms. Titus , Mr. Payne , Ms. Gabbard , Mr. Peters of California , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Larsen of Washington , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Pascrell , Mr. Castro of Texas , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico , Ms. DelBene , Mr. Serrano , Mr. Lowenthal , Mr. Delaney , Ms. Matsui , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Mr. Watt , Mr. Dingell , Mr. Moran , Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California , Ms. Castor of Florida , Ms. Meng , Mr. Tonko , Ms. Clarke , Mr. Welch , Ms. Pingree of Maine , Mr. Cohen , Mrs. Davis of California , Mr. Foster , Mr. Himes , Ms. Esty , Mr. Higgins , Mr. Schiff , Mrs. Lowey , Ms. Slaughter , Mr. Rangel , Mr. Sherman , Mr. Al Green of Texas , and Mr. Clay ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the significance of Equal Pay Day to illustrate the disparity between wages paid to men and women. Whereas section 6(d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 206(d)(1) ) prohibits discrimination in compensation for equal work on the basis of sex; Whereas title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.) prohibits discrimination in compensation because of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex; Whereas five decades after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 ( 29 U.S.C. 206 note), the Bureau of the Census estimates that women working full time, year round are paid an overall average of 77 cents for every dollar paid to men, while Asian-American women working full time, year round are paid 78 cents, African-American women working full time, year round are paid 64 cents, and Hispanic women working full time, year round are paid 55 cents compared to White, non-Hispanic men; Whereas sex discrimination in hiring and promotion has played a role in maintaining a work force segregated by sex; Whereas wage differentials that exist between equivalent jobs segregated by sex—(1) depress wages and living standards for employees necessary for their health and efficiency; (2) reduce family incomes and contribute to the higher poverty rates among women and female-headed households; (3) prevent the maximum utilization of the available labor resources; (4) tend to cause labor disputes, thereby burdening, affecting, and obstructing commerce; and (5) constitute an unfair method of competition; Whereas opening traditionally male jobs to women and reducing occupational segregation by sex increases earnings for women; Whereas when women are paid fairly, families are stronger, business prospers, and American values and the economy are strengthened; Whereas fair pay strengthens the security of families and enhances retirement; Whereas nearly two-thirds of workers paid the minimum wage are women and the concentration of women in low-wage jobs is a significant contributor to the wage gap; Whereas nearly 50 percent of employers either prohibit or strongly discourage workers from discussing their pay, which keeps women from learning when they are the victims of pay discrimination and remedying that discrimination; Whereas April 9, 2013, is Equal Pay Day, marking the day that symbolizes how far into 2013 women must work until their pay from 2012 equals what men were paid in 2012 alone; and Whereas numerous national organizations have designated Tuesday, April 9, 2013, as Equal Pay Day to represent the additional time that women must work to compensate for the average 23 percent lower wages paid to women last year: Now, therefore, be it That Congress recognizes the significance of Equal Pay Day to illustrate the disparity between wages paid to men and women.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 29 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 10, 2013 Mr. McCaul (for himself and Mr. Andrews ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should resume normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and for other purposes. Whereas the people of Taiwan have established a vibrant and pluralistic democracy only 20 years ago; Whereas since then, the people of Taiwan have conducted five successful presidential elections, successive elections for members of their national legislature, numerous local elections, and two national referendums; Whereas Taiwan has never been under the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China, which continues to illegitimately claim sovereignty over Taiwan and its 23,000,000 citizens; Whereas the Shanghai Communique, which maintains that there is “One China” and that “Taiwan is part of China”, was established without the consultation of Congress or the people of Taiwan; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has since used the “One China Policy” to block Taiwan's membership and full participation in international organizations and events, ranging from the United Nations and the World Health Organization to the Olympics; Whereas the “One China Policy” is effectively obsolete, and does not the reflect the obvious reality that Taiwan has functioned as an independent and sovereign country for over half a century; Whereas the only other countries in the world with which the United States does not have diplomatic relations are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea; Whereas Taiwan maintains diplomatic, cultural, and economic relations with several countries around the world; Whereas Taiwan and the United States maintained formal diplomatic relations until 1979; Whereas former President Jimmy Carter severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979 and terminated the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and Taiwan without consulting or seeking the approval of Congress; Whereas Congress responded later that year by adopting the Taiwan Relations Act, codifying in law the basis for continued friendly relations between the United States and Taiwan; Whereas former President Ronald Reagan issued the “Six Assurances” to Taiwan in July 1982, including the assurance that “[t]he United States would not formally recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.”; Whereas both the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances form the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations; and Whereas Taiwan has been a steadfast ally of the United States and a responsible and compassionate member of the world community: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) the President should abandon the fundamentally flawed “One China Policy” in favor of a more realistic “One China, One Taiwan Policy” that recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign and independent country, separate from the undemocratic Government of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing; (2) the President should begin the process of resuming normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan; and (3) the President, the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, and other relevant United States officials should aggressively support Taiwan's full participation in the United Nations and any other international organization of which the United States is a member, and for which statehood is a requirement for membership.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 30 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 10, 2013 Mr. Radel (for himself, Ms. Meng , Mr. King of New York , and Mr. Schneider ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the 65th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel. Whereas, on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel declared its independence; Whereas the United States was one of the first nations to recognize Israel, only 11 minutes after its creation; Whereas Israel has provided the opportunity for Jews from all over the world to reestablish their ancient homeland; Whereas Israel is home to many religious sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Whereas Israel provided a refuge to Jews who survived the unprecedented horrors of the Holocaust; Whereas the people of Israel have established a pluralistic democracy which includes the freedoms cherished by the people of the United States, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, freedom of the press, and government by the consent of the governed; Whereas Israel continues to serve as a shining model of democratic values by regularly holding free and fair elections, promoting the free exchange of ideas, and vigorously exercising in its Parliament, the Knesset, a democratic government that is fully representative of its citizens; Whereas Israel has bravely defended itself from terrorist and military attacks repeatedly since independence; Whereas the rocket attacks that have targeted Israel in recent years have caused casualties and have destroyed homes, schools, buildings, roads, power lines, and other significant infrastructure; Whereas Israel has signed landmark peace treaties and successfully established peaceful bilateral relations with neighboring Egypt and Jordan; Whereas it is imperative for all countries in the Middle East, and for United States interests in the Middle East, that these peace treaties continue to be recognized and upheld by all involved parties; Whereas despite the violence perpetrated against innocent Israelis over the last several years at the hands of terrorists, the people of Israel continue to seek peace with their Palestinian neighbors; Whereas Iran, which rejects Israel's right to exist as a nation, is a continued threat to both Israel’s and the United States safety and security, both through its support of terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and through its ongoing efforts to acquire nuclear weapons; Whereas the United States is committed to ensuring that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge; Whereas the United States and Israel enjoy a strategic partnership based on shared democratic values, friendship, respect, and justice; Whereas the people of the United States share an affinity with the people of Israel and view Israel as a strong and trusted ally; Whereas Israel has turned barren desert into a thriving country that ranks among the world’s leaders in economics, technology, health care, energy, and humanitarianism; Whereas Israel has made significant global contributions in the fields of science, medicine, and technology; and Whereas Israel's Independence Day on the Jewish calendar coincides this year with April 16, 2013: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the independence of the State of Israel as a significant event in providing refuge and a national homeland for the Jewish people and in establishing a democracy in the Middle East; (2) commends the bipartisan commitment of successive United States administrations and United States Congresses since 1948 to stand by Israel and work for its security and well-being; (3) asserts its commitment to continue to stand with Israel during times of uncertainty; (4) expresses support for Israel's right to exist as a democratic, Jewish State, defend itself, and protect the lives and safety of the Israeli people; (5) congratulates the United States and Israel for the strengthening of bilateral relations during the past decade in the fields of defense, diplomacy, and homeland security, and encourages both nations to continue their cooperation in resolving future mutual challenges; (6) reaffirms its unequivocal, enduring, and bipartisan support for the alliance and friendship between the United States and Israel; and (7) extends warm congratulations and best wishes to the people of Israel as they celebrate the 65th anniversary of Israel's independence.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 31 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 15, 2013 Mr. Runyan (for himself and Mr. Schneider ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting Rare Pituitary Disease Awareness. Whereas rare pituitary diseases are those which affect small patient populations, typically populations smaller than 2–3 cases per million individuals in the United States; Whereas many rare pituitary diseases are serious, life-threatening, and have limited treatment options; Whereas rare pituitary diseases and conditions include but are not limited to both Cushing's disease and Acromegaly; Whereas people with rare pituitary disease experience challenges such as difficulty in obtaining an accurate diagnosis, limited treatment options, difficulty finding physicians or treatment centers with expertise in their disease, diminished quality of life and physical function if untreated; Whereas there is a high need for medical education that will address the specific needs of patients with rare pituitary diseases, increase the speed of diagnosis and a number of correctly diagnosed patients; Whereas there have been great strides made in research and treatment due to the Orphan Drug Act of 1983; Whereas Rare Pituitary Disease Awareness helps to increase public awareness and understanding of rare pituitary diseases; Whereas there are a number of rare disease awareness initiatives for various rare conditions recognized on both State and Federal levels but none for rare pituitary disorders; Whereas Rare Pituitary Disease Awareness is anticipated to be observed globally in years to come, to provide hope and information for patients afflicted by Cushing's disease, Acromegaly and other pituitary diseases around the world; and Whereas both the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health have established special offices to advocate for rare disease research and treatments: Now, therefore, be it That the Congress— (1) supports Rare Pituitary Disease Awareness; (2) recognizes the importance of improving awareness and encouraging accurate and early diagnosis of Cushing's disease, Acromegaly and other rare pituitary diseases; and (3) supports a substantial national commitment to improving diagnostics and cures for rare pituitary diseases and quality of life for patients afflicted by these rare conditions.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 32 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 18, 2013 Mr. Barletta (for himself and Ms. Norton ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition. 1. Use of the Capitol Grounds for National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition (a) In general The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary (in this resolution referred to as the sponsor ) shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition (in this resolution referred to as the event ), on the Capitol Grounds, in order to allow law enforcement representatives to exhibit their ability to demonstrate Honor Guard programs and provide for a bag pipe exhibition. (b) Date of event The event shall be held on May 14, 2013, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate. 2. Terms and conditions (a) In general Under conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the event shall be— (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress. (b) Expenses and liabilities The sponsor shall assume full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to all activities associated with the event. 3. Event preparations Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related structures and equipment, as may be required for the event. 4. Enforcement of restrictions The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in connection with the event.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 33 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 18, 2013 Mr. Engel (for himself, Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Polis , Mr. Pocan , Ms. Ros-Lehtinen , Mr. Farr , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Lowenthal , Mr. Ellison , Mr. Hastings of Florida , Ms. Hahn , Mr. Markey , Ms. DeGette , Mr. Connolly , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mr. Crowley , Mr. Moran , Mr. Higgins , Ms. McCollum , Mr. Tonko , Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania , Mr. Quigley , Ms. Schakowsky , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Ms. Wasserman Schultz , Mr. Rangel , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York , Mr. Takano , Ms. Moore , Ms. Norton , Ms. Speier , Mrs. Capps , Ms. Linda T. Sánchez of California , Ms. Kuster , Mrs. Davis of California , Mr. Serrano , Mr. Smith of Washington , Mr. Gutierrez , Mr. Deutch , Mr. Nadler , Ms. Meng , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Ms. Chu , Mr. Honda , Mr. Andrews , Ms. Titus , Ms. Lofgren , Mr. Al Green of Texas , Ms. Lee of California , and Mr. Holt ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of the National Day of Silence in bringing attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in schools. Whereas the National Day of Silence is a day in which students take a vow of silence to bring attention to the anti- lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in schools; Whereas the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network designates one day of every April as the National Day of Silence; Whereas hundreds of thousands of students at more than 8,000 schools have participated in the National Day of Silence in past years; Whereas the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s 2011 National School Climate Survey illustrates the pervasive harassment and victimization faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students by documenting their experiences within the preceding academic year; Whereas nearly 82 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported being verbally harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and more than 60 percent because of their gender expression; Whereas more than 38 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported being physically harassed by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 30 percent because of their gender expression; Whereas nearly 20 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported being physically assaulted by their peers at school because of their sexual orientation, and nearly 12.4 percent because of their gender expression; Whereas more than 60 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students reported that they felt unsafe in school, and nearly 30 percent reported missing at least one entire school day in the preceding month because of safety concerns; Whereas transgender students were more likely than all other students to report feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression; Whereas, according to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, those who expressed a transgender identity or gender nonconformity while in grades K through 12 reported alarming rates of harassment, physical assault, and sexual violence so severe that almost 15 percent of those surveyed had to leave school; Whereas student academic performance is affected such that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students who experienced high levels of verbal harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender expression report a grade point average nearly a half grade lower than those of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students who experienced low levels of such harassment; Whereas the presence of supportive staff contributed to a range of positive indicators including fewer reports of missing school, fewer reports of feeling unsafe, greater academic achievement, higher educational aspirations, and a greater sense of school belonging; Whereas a growing number of States, cities, and local education authorities are adopting laws and policies to prohibit name-calling, bullying, harassment, and discrimination against students on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression; and Whereas every child should be guaranteed an education free from name-calling, bullying, harassment, and discrimination regardless of his or her sexual orientation and gender identity or expression: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) supports the goals and ideals of the National Day of Silence; (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the National Day of Silence with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities; and (3) encourages each State, city, and local educational agency to adopt laws and policies to prohibit name-calling, bullying, harassment, and discrimination against students, teachers, and other school staff regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, so that the Nation’s schools are institutions where all individuals are able to focus on learning.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 34 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 18, 2013 Mr. Cicilline (for himself, Mr. Barber , Mrs. Beatty , Ms. Bonamici , Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania , Mr. Braley of Iowa , Ms. Brown of Florida , Mrs. Bustos , Mr. Cárdenas , Mr. Cartwright , Mrs. Christensen , Ms. Chu , Mr. Clay , Mr. Conyers , Mr. Cummings , Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois , Mr. DeFazio , Mr. Deutch , Ms. Edwards , Mr. Ellison , Mr. Enyart , Ms. Frankel of Florida , Ms. Fudge , Mr. Garamendi , Mr. Grayson , Mr. Gene Green of Texas , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Gutierrez , Ms. Hahn , Ms. Hanabusa , Mr. Hastings of Florida , Mr. Higgins , Mr. Holt , Mr. Honda , Mr. Huffman , Ms. Jackson Lee , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Ms. Kaptur , Mr. Kildee , Mrs. Kirkpatrick , Mr. Langevin , Ms. Lee of California , Mr. Lewis , Mr. Loebsack , Mr. Lowenthal , Mr. Lynch , Mr. Maffei , Mr. Markey , Ms. Matsui , Mr. McDermott , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Michaud , Ms. Moore , Mr. Nadler , Mrs. Napolitano , Mr. Nolan , Ms. Norton , Mr. Payne , Mr. Peters of Michigan , Ms. Pingree of Maine , Mr. Pocan , Ms. Roybal-Allard , Mr. Ruiz , Mr. Rush , Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Ms. Schakowsky , Mr. Serrano , Ms. Shea-Porter , Mr. Sires , Ms. Speier , Mr. Takano , Mr. Thompson of Mississippi , Mr. Tonko , Mr. Vargas , Mr. Veasey , Mr. Vela , Ms. Velázquez , Ms. Waters , Mr. Welch , Ms. Wilson of Florida , and Mr. Scott of Virginia ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Chained Consumer Price Index should not be used to calculate cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security benefits. Whereas the Social Security program was established more than 77 years ago and has provided economic security to generations of Americans through benefits earned based on contributions made over a worker’s lifetime; Whereas the Social Security program continues to provide modest benefits—averaging approximately $14,000 per year—to more than 53,000,000 individuals, including 37,000,000 retired workers in February 2013; Whereas the Social Security program has no borrowing authority, has accumulated assets of $2,700,000,000,000, and, therefore, does not contribute to the Federal budget deficit; Whereas the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund projects that such Trust Fund can pay full benefits through 2032; Whereas the Social Security program is designed to ensure that benefits keep pace with inflation through cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) that are based upon the measured changes in prices of goods and services purchased by consumers, currently the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI–W) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics; Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a supplemental measure of inflation, the Chained Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (C–CPI–U), or Chained CPI , which adjusts for projected changes in consumer behavior resulting from price fluctuations known as the substitution effect , which occurs when consumers buy more goods and services whose prices are rising slower than average and less of those rising faster than average; Whereas studies indicate typical Social Security beneficiaries spend significantly greater shares of their budget than consumers generally on health care, prices for which have increased at higher than average rates, and health care may not be easily substituted for by consumers such as seniors; Whereas the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that using the Chained CPI to calculate Social Security COLAs would reduce Social Security benefits by 0.25 percent per year as compared to current policy, resulting in a reduction in outlays of $112,000,000,000 over the first decade; Whereas reductions in Social Security benefits from using the Chained CPI to calculate Social Security COLAs would continue to compound over time, and the AARP Public Policy Institute estimates that such reductions would grow to 3 percent after 10 years and 8.5 percent after 30 years; Whereas Social Security Works estimates that using the Chained CPI to calculate Social Security COLAs would reduce annual Social Security benefits of the average earner—who is making $43,518—by $658 at age 75, $1,147 at age 85, and $1,622 at age 95; and Whereas reductions in Social Security benefits would harm some of our most vulnerable populations: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of the Congress that the Chained Consumer Price Index should not be used to calculate cost of living adjustments for Social Security benefits.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 35 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 23, 2013 Mr. Crenshaw (for himself and Mr. Meeks ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day. Whereas April 25th of each year is recognized internationally as World Malaria Day; Whereas malaria is a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries, despite being preventable and treatable; Whereas fighting malaria is in the national security interest of the United States, as reducing the risk of malaria protects members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving overseas in malaria-endemic regions, and reducing malaria deaths helps to lower risks of instability in less developed countries; Whereas support for efforts to fight malaria is in the diplomatic and moral interest of the United States, as that support generates goodwill toward the United States and highlights the values of the people of the United States through the work of governmental, non-governmental, and faith-based organizations of the United States; Whereas efforts to fight malaria are in the long-term economic interest of the United States because those efforts help developing countries identify at-risk populations, provide better health services, produce healthier and more productive workforces, advance economic development, and promote stronger trading partners; Whereas 35 countries, the majority of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, account for 91 percent of malaria deaths in the world; Whereas young children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to and disproportionately affected by malaria; Whereas malaria greatly affects child health, as children under the age of 5 account for an estimated 86 percent of malaria deaths each year; Whereas malaria poses great risks to maternal and neonatal health, causing complications during delivery, anemia, and low birth weights, with estimates that malaria infection causes approximately 400,000 cases of severe maternal anemia and between 75,000 and 200,000 infant deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa; Whereas heightened national, regional, and international efforts to prevent and treat malaria during recent years have made significant progress and helped save hundreds of thousands of lives; Whereas the World Malaria Report 2012 by the World Health Organization states that in 2011, approximately 53 percent of households in sub-Saharan Africa owned at least one insecticide-treated mosquito net, and household surveys indicated that 90 percent of people used an insecticide-treated mosquito net if one was available in the household; Whereas, in 2011, approximately 153,000,000 people were protected by indoor residual spraying; Whereas the World Malaria Report 2012 further states that between 2000 and 2010— (1) malaria mortality rates decreased by 26 percent around the world; (2) in the African Region of the World Health Organization, malaria mortality rates decreased by 33 percent; and (3) an estimated 1,100,000 malaria deaths were averted globally, primarily as a result of increased interventions; Whereas the World Malaria Report 2012 further states that out of 99 countries with ongoing transmission of malaria in 2012, 11 countries are classified as being in the pre-elimination phase of malaria control, 10 countries are classified as being in the elimination phase, and 5 countries are classified as being in the prevention of introduction phase; Whereas continued national, regional, and international investment in efforts to eliminate malaria, including prevention and treatment efforts, the development of a vaccine to immunize children from the malaria parasite, and advancements in insecticides, are critical in order to continue to reduce malaria deaths, prevent backsliding in areas where progress has been made, and equip the United States and the global community with the tools necessary to fight malaria and other global health threats; Whereas the United States Government has played a leading role in the recent progress made toward reducing the global burden of malaria, particularly through the President’s Malaria Initiative and the contribution of the United States to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; Whereas, in May 2011, an independent, external evaluation, prepared through the Global Health Technical Assistance Project, examining 6 objectives of the President’s Malaria Initiative, found the President’s Malaria Initiative to be a successful, well-led component of the Global Health Initiative that has earned and deserves the task of sustaining and expanding the United States Government’s response to global malaria control efforts ; Whereas the United States Government is pursuing a comprehensive approach to ending malaria deaths through the President’s Malaria Initiative, which is led by the United States Agency for International Development and implemented with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of State, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and private sector entities; Whereas the President’s Malaria Initiative focuses on helping partner countries achieve major improvements in overall health outcomes through improved access to, and quality of, healthcare services in locations with limited resources; and Whereas the President’s Malaria Initiative, recognizing the burden of malaria on many partner countries, has set a target of reducing the burden of malaria by 50 percent for 450,000,000 people, representing 70 percent of the at-risk population in Africa, by 2015: Now, therefore, be it That the Congress— (1) supports the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day, including the target of ending malaria deaths by 2015; (2) recognizes the importance of reducing malaria prevalence and deaths to improve overall child and maternal health, especially in sub-Saharan Africa; (3) commends the recent progress made toward reducing global malaria morbidity, mortality, and prevalence, particularly through the efforts of the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; (4) welcomes ongoing public-private partnerships to research and develop more effective and affordable tools for malaria diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination; (5) recognizes the goals, priorities, and authorities to combat malaria set forth in the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 ( Public Law 110–293 ; 122 Stat. 2918); (6) supports continued leadership by the United States in bilateral, multilateral, and private sector efforts to combat malaria and to work with developing countries to create long-term strategies to increase ownership over malaria programs; and (7) encourages other members of the international community to sustain and increase their support for and financial contributions to efforts to combat malaria worldwide.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 36 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 26, 2013 Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Mr. Ellison , Mrs. Capps , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Mrs. Christensen , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Honda , Mr. Israel , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Ms. McCollum , Ms. Schakowsky , and Ms. Speier ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the disparate impact of climate change on women and the efforts of women globally to address climate change. Whereas women in the United States and around the world are the linchpin of families and communities and are often the first to feel the immediate and adverse effects of social, environmental, and economic stresses on their families and communities; Whereas the United Nations has recognized, as one of the central organizing principles for its work, that no enduring solution to society's most threatening social, economic and political problems can be found without the full participation, and the full empowerment, of the world's women ; Whereas the United Nations Development Programme 2013 Human Development Report has found that the number of people living in extreme poverty could increase by up to 3,000,000,000 by 2050 unless environmental disasters are averted by coordinated global action; Whereas climate change is already forcing vulnerable communities in developing countries to face unprecedented climate stress, including water scarcity and drought, severe weather events and floods, which can lead to reduced agricultural productivity, food insecurity, and increased disease; Whereas climate change exacerbates issues of scarcity and lack of accessibility to primary natural resources, forest resources, and arable land for food production, thereby contributing to increased conflict and instability, as well as the workload and stresses on women farmers, who are estimated to produce 60 to 80 percent of the food in most developing countries; Whereas women will disproportionately face harmful impacts from climate change, particularly in poor and developing nations where women regularly assume increased responsibility for growing the family’s food and collecting water, fuel, and other resources; Whereas epidemics, such as malaria, are expected to worsen and spread due to variations in climate, putting women and children without access to prevention and medical services at risk; Whereas food insecure women with limited socioeconomic resources may be vulnerable to situations such as sex work, transactional sex, and early marriage that put them at risk for HIV, STIs, unplanned pregnancy, and poor reproductive health; Whereas conflict has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable populations including women, and is fueled in the world’s poorest regions by harsher climate, leading to migration, refugee crises, and conflicts over scarce natural resources including land and water; Whereas it is predicted that climate change will lead to increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions, precipitating the occurrence of natural disasters around the globe; Whereas the direct and indirect effects of climate change have a disproportionate impact on marginalized women such as refugee and displaced persons, sexual minorities, religious or ethnic minorities, adolescent girls, and women and girls with disabilities and those who are HIV positive; Whereas the relocation and death of women, and especially mothers, as a result of climate-related disasters often has devastating impacts on social support networks, family ties, and the coping capacity of families and communities; Whereas women in the United States are also particularly affected by climate-related disasters, as evidenced in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region, which displaced over 83 percent of low-income, single mothers; Whereas the ability of women to adapt to climate change is constrained by a lack of economic freedoms, property and inheritance rights, as well as access to financial resources, education, family planning and reproductive health, and new tools, equipment, and technology; Whereas, despite a unique capacity and knowledge to promote and provide for adaptation to climate change, women often have insufficient resources to undertake such adaptation; Whereas women are shown to have a multiplier effect by using their income and resources, when given the necessary tools, to increase the well being of their children and families, and thus play a critical role in reducing food insecurity, poverty, and socioeconomic effects of climate change; and Whereas women are often underrepresented in the development and formulation of policy regarding adaptation to climate change, even though they are often in the best position to provide and consult on adaptive strategies: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the disparate impacts of climate change on women and the efforts of women globally to address climate change; (2) encourages the use of gender-sensitive frameworks in developing policies to address climate change, which account for the specific impacts of climate change on women; (3) recognizes the need for balanced participation of men and women in climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, including in governance positions; (4) affirms its commitment to support women who are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts to prepare for, build their resilience, and adapt to those impacts, including a commitment to increase education and training opportunities for women to develop local resilience plans to address the effects of climate change; (5) affirms its commitment to empower women to have a voice in the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to address climate change so that their roles and resources are taken into account; (6) affirms the commitment to include women in economic development planning, policies, and practices that directly improve conditions that result from climate change; and (7) encourages the President to— (A) integrate a gender approach in all policies and programs in the United States that are globally related to climate change; and (B) ensure that those policies and programs support women globally to prepare for, build resilience for, and adapt to climate change.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres36ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres36ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 37 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 21, 2013 Mr. Higgins (for himself and Mr. Collins of New York ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services , and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a site in Arlington National Cemetery should be provided for a memorial marker to honor the memory of the 14 members of the Army’s 24th Infantry Division who have received the Medal of Honor. Whereas the 24th Infantry Division of the Army was established in the fall of 1941 from the Hawaiian Division in preparation for war on the Pacific Front; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division ascribed the motto of First to Fight and a taro leaf for its insignia, and later became recognized as the Victory Division for its valiant efforts; Whereas during World War II, the 24th Infantry Division was one of the first United States Army divisions to see combat in the war and among the last to stop fighting; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division established coastal defenses on the north side of Oahu Island quickly following the attack on Pearl Harbor; Whereas despite torrential rain and marshy terrain, the 24th Infantry Division quickly seized the Hollandia Airdrome in Dutch New Guinea and three other Japanese airfields, efforts that were critical in securing all of New Guinea and establishing a headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division spearheaded the successful mission to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese by securing both Leyte and later the island of Luzon; Whereas at the end of World War II, the 24th Infantry Division was one of only 10 United States Army divisions to remain activated; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division was the first fighting unit deployed to Korea in response to the North Korea’s attack on the Republic of Korea in 1950, and the first to engage the North Koreans in the war’s first battle at Osan; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division, with its service in Korea, became the first United States Division to actively serve under the emblem of the nascent United Nations; Whereas during the Korean War, the 24th Infantry Division was heavily engaged on the front lines defending the Republic of Korea and critical in delaying North Korean and Chinese advances at the Pusan Perimeter; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division remained on front-line duty after the armistice to patrol the demarcation line in the event combat would resume; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division, along with the Marine Corps, were the first United States troops ever sent to Lebanon as intervention forces to provide security assistance in 1958; Whereas the 24th Infantry Division was critical in operations in Berlin, El Salvador, Somalia, Kuwait, Haiti, Bosnia, and the first to be deployed to Iraq for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm; and Whereas 14 soldiers of the 24th Infantry Division, Captain Francis B. Wai, Private Harold H. Moon, Jr., Sergeant Charles E. Mower, Private First Class James H. Diamond, Major General William F. Dean, Sergeant George D. Libby, Master Sergeant Melvin O. Handrich, Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr., First Lieutenant Carl H. Dodd, Sergeant First Class Nelson V. Brittin, Sergeant First Class Ray E. Duke, Sergeant First Class Stanley T. Adams, Master Sergeant Woodrow W. Keeble, and Private First Class Mack A. Jordan, have received the Medal of Honor for their sacrificial and intrepid acts on the battlefield in World War II and the Korean War: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the proud history of the 24th Infantry Division and the soldiers of the 24th Infantry Division who made countless sacrifices to protect the Nation’s freedom; (2) remembers with profound gratitude, sorrow, and respect the 14 soldiers of the 24th Infantry Division who received the Medal of Honor; and (3) encourages the provision of an appropriate site in Arlington National Cemetery for a memorial marker to honor the memory of the 14 soldiers of the 24th Infantry Division who received the Medal of Honor, as long as the Secretary of the Army has exclusive authority to approve the design and site of the memorial marker.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres37ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres37ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 38 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 22, 2013 Mrs. Christensen submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources , and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing and celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands becoming a part of the United States. Whereas on March 31, 2017, the United States Virgin Islands will celebrate 100 years of being a part of the United States family, having been purchased from Denmark for $25,000,000 for strategic reasons, one of which was the defense of the Panama Canal; Whereas the United States Virgin Islands will use this anniversary to commemorate its history, culture, and diversity; Whereas one of the earliest historical accounts of the Virgin Islands begins with its aboriginal inhabitants on St. Croix who engaged Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493; Whereas the 3 largest Virgin Islands, particularly St. Croix, were ruled by 7 flags over the 500-year history; Whereas Denmark began acquiring the islands that were to become known as the Danish West Indies with the founding of its first permanent colony on the island of St. Thomas in 1665, to be followed by the island of St. John in 1717, and the island of St. Croix in 1733; Whereas in a 250-year span of history, Denmark colonized the 3 islands as a part of the sugar trade which included participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade and a plantation-based system which continued until the 1848 slave rebellion and emancipation; Whereas the decline of the sugar industry in the Virgin Islands led to Denmark seeking a buyer for the Danish West Indies; Whereas the United States seeking a strategic base to protect its assets in the Caribbean, to include the newly built Panama Canal, purchased the Danish West Indies for $25,000,000 in gold, through the Treaty of Cession of 1917, which confirmed that the civil rights and political status of the inhabitants of the islands would be determined by the United States Congress; Whereas the transfer of the Danish West Indies to the United States took place on March 31, 1917, with ceremonies on St. Thomas and St. Croix and this ceremony is commemorated yearly in the now United States Virgin Islands as Transfer Day ; Whereas the people of the United States Virgin Islands are descendants of the European colonizers, the enslaved Africans, the aboriginal inhabitants, and people from all over the world, most notably, Puerto Rico, the wider Caribbean, South America, and the United States; Whereas the Virgin Islands history with the United States began as early as the American Revolution when St. Croix-bred Alexander Hamilton rose to become one of the leaders of the revolution and the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States; Whereas St. Croix plantation owner Abraham Markoe was a financier of the American Revolution, and designed the Philadelphia Light Horse Calvary’s flag, which may have served as the pattern for the 13 stripes in the present American flag; Whereas the Danish Fort in Frederiksted was the first military institution to salute the new United States colors, recognizing the independence of the 13 former British colonies; Whereas since the Transfer in 1917, the people of the United States Virgin Islands, have made significant contributions to the United States, including— (1) Alonzo G. Moron, President of Hampton University from 1949 to 1959; (2) Alton A. Adams, musician and first Black bandmaster of the United States Navy; (3) Arthur A. Schomburg, bibliophile, historian, curator, and activist who researched and raised awareness of the great contributions that African-Latin Americans and African-Americans have made to society, was known as the Father of Black History , and his collection of literature and art is now part of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library in Harlem; (4) Ashley L. Totten, organizer and officer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the leader of the American Virgin Islands Civic and Industrial Association of New York; (5) Camille Pissaro, artist, french impressionist painter, born on St. Thomas of Jewish linage where a royal ordinance made public in Denmark in 1814, protected and liberated Jews; (6) Casper Holstein, humanitarian and philanthropist, dedicated his efforts to advocating for improving the standard of living for Virgin Islanders and a greater degree of self-government to the islands; (7) Claude A. Bennie Benjamin, musician, composer, and entertainer who composed musical themes for several Walt Disney movies; (8) Edward Wilmot Blyden, intellectual, educator, linguist, clergyman, author, statesman, college president and father of Pan-Africanism; (9) Honorable Melvin H. Evans, first elected Governor of the United States Virgin Islands and Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobago; (10) Honorable Ron de Lugo, first Delegate to Congress of the United States Virgin Islands, served 40 years in public service, locally and nationally, fought to increase the rights and privileges for territorial delegates, while working for the full political status of the Virgin Islands, and served as the chairman of the subcommittee on Insular and International Affairs; (11) Honorable Terence A. Todman, career Ambassador served the United States across the globe for almost 50 years and has received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the National Public Service Award, the Department of State's Superior Service Honor Award, Director General’s Cup, and the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award, in addition being decorated by the Governments of Argentina, Denmark, Spain, Chad, and the United States Virgin Islands; (12) Hubert H. Harrison, writer, teacher orator, editor, labor leader, and Renaissance Man ; (13) J. Raymond Jones, politician, power broker, and Tammany Hall Chief; (14) Morris Simmonds, studied in Germany at the universities at Turbingen, Leipzig, Munster, and Kiel, received his medical degree, specialized in pathology, and after his death, had a disease of the pituitary gland, Simmonds Disease , named after him; (15) Nella Larsen, one of the most influential novelists of the Harlem Renaissance; (16) Sosthenese Behn, soldier, industrialist, business innovator, and founder of the International Telephone and Telegraph Company; and (17) William Leidesdorff, free Black from St. Croix, sea captain, merchant, trader, land owner, civic leader, early California pioneer, and regarded as the first Black millionaire in the United States; Whereas Virgin Islanders such as Calvin Pickering, Elrod Hendricks, Emile Griffith, Horace Clarke, Joe Christopher, Julian Jackson, Kelsey Grammer, Kevin Krigger, Midre Cummings, Raja Bell, Saba Johnson, Tim Duncan, United States Diplomat Ullmont L. James, Sr., Victor Lebron, and others have made substantial contributions to government, sports, and the arts in the United States; Whereas the mission for self-determination and constitutional reform continues today; Whereas between 1924 and 1927, several proposed bills for constitutional reform were discussed by congressional committees on insular affairs, though immediate action didn’t manifest until the creation of the first Organic Act of 1936 and then subsequently with the Revised Organic Act of 1954; Whereas the Organic Act of 1936 passed as a result of efforts by David Hamilton Jackson and Rothschild Francis, along with others including Casper Holstein and Ashley Totten, allowing for increased self-government, both this and the Revised Organic Act of 1954 intended to promote the growing political consciousness of Virgin Islanders and to achieve greater economy and efficiency of government, providing the legal base for the political and administrative re-organization of the Virgin Islands; Whereas this was furthered strengthened report of the 1964 to 1965 Constitutional Convention Report which recommended an elective governor and lieutenant governor, the continuation of existing representation, a Resident Commissioner or delegate to the United States House of Representatives, and the right of Virgin Islanders to vote in national elections for the President and Vice President of the United States; Whereas while efforts in governance continued to evolve over the course of history, it is also important to document social and economic reforms as well; Whereas after the transfer, the Virgin Islands were administered by the United States Navy and with it came an improved system of social services and higher paying jobs associated with military buildup, and later the civil administration sought to develop the economy through the establishment of homesteading to promote agricultural production; Whereas after the end of prohibition, rum production flourished and continues today, though agricultural efforts witnessed a decline; Whereas in its place, tourism emerged as a major economic driver, experiencing substantial growth in the 1950s and 1960s along with investment in watch assembly operations, oil refining, and bauxite processing; Whereas the material and cultural heritage, in the music of Quelbe, the dance of Quadrille, and in the preserved architecture which was engendered during Danish rule has manifested under United States rule and has added a dynamic addition to the Nation’s story; Whereas the people of the Virgin Islands have a shared historical, cultural, and genetic inheritance linking them to Africa, Puerto Rico, the wider Caribbean, Denmark, and the United States; Whereas significant hardships were endured by the enslaved Africans during the period of European colonial rule, which precipitated the 1733 revolution on St. John, the successful 1848 Emancipation Insurrection, signed by Danish Governor Peter von Scholten, the 1878 Fireburn on St. Croix, and the 1892 Coal Workers’ Strike on St. Thomas; Whereas by the spirit of resistance, insurrection, and militancy, enslaved African heroes like General Buddhoe, Anna Hegaard, Queens Mary, Agnes, Matilda, Bottom Belly , Coziah, and other leaders, were able to liberate themselves and emancipate the African people; Whereas Denmark and the United States are two countries united by shared values and a strong commitment to freedom, democracy, human rights, racial justice, economic self-sufficiency, prosperity, free market opportunities, and should continue to provide for more economic and cultural exchanges, trade and investment, and people-to-people contacts; Whereas these ties continue to be celebrated by a number of organizations such as Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism (C.H.A.N.T), the Danish West Indian Society, Friends of Denmark, Society of Virgin Islands Historians, and the Virgin Islands Social History Associates, among others; Whereas the Governments of Denmark and the United States Virgin Islands have had discussions regarding establishing a memorandum of understanding in reference to the sharing and preservation of archival records, historic, and prehistoric artifacts; Whereas there has been ongoing collaboration between schools in the United States Virgin Islands and Denmark allowing teachers and students to share, learn, and strengthen intercultural understandings of a shared history through the creation of new and innovative teaching materials and a common goal to prepare students for global citizenship; Whereas by sustainable tourism and student exchanges, Danes and Virgin Islanders can become more aware of each other’s history and cultures; Whereas this multicultural, ethnic, national, and racial heritage is an important thread that makes the fabric of all involved, it is particularly important to the future sustainable economic development of the United States Virgin Islands; Whereas the telling of this portion of the United States story, could be further explored and enhanced by a future National Heritage Area designation; Whereas the talent, energy, and creativity of Virgin Islanders have nurtured a vibrant society and nation, embracing entrepreneurship, technological advancement, and innovation, and rooted deeply in the respect for education, culture, and international cooperation; Whereas more collaboration should occur that must transcend the classroom to educate all Virgin Islanders, all United States citizens, and all Danes, well beyond the centennial commemoration in 2017 as education is critical to improving relations, understanding, and the healing process; Whereas Virgin Islanders and Danish Americans have contributed greatly to the history and development of the United States, and the 100th anniversary of this shared legacy should be properly recognized; Whereas Virgin Islanders have served the United States in every war and conflict since the Revolutionary War and have contributed to every facet of life in the United States; and Whereas 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands becoming a part of the United States: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Virgin Islands becoming a part of the United States; (2) appreciates the years of strong United States-Danish diplomatic relations; (3) encourages the Department of the Interior to lead the Federal effort to commemorate this centennial; and (4) encourages the Archivist of the United States to cooperate with the Governments of Denmark and the United States Virgin Islands in digitizing the historic records of the Virgin Islands in Federal archives and making them directly accessible to the people of the Virgin Islands in secure research facilities located on all three major Virgin Islands.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres38ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres38ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 39 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 14, 2013 Mr. Yoho (for himself, Mr. Hastings of Florida , Mr. Cassidy , Mr. LaMalfa , Ms. Frankel of Florida , Mr. Rooney , Mr. Radel , Mr. Schrader , Mrs. Roby , and Ms. Wilson of Florida ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means , and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that all direct and indirect subsidies that benefit the production or export of sugar by all major sugar producing and consuming countries should be eliminated. Whereas every major sugar-producing and sugar-consuming country in the world maintains some form of direct or indirect subsidy to support its sugar growers, processors, or consumers; Whereas virtually all of the more than 100 countries that produce sugar maintain market distorting subsidy programs, including— (1) the Government of Brazil which has direct and indirect subsidies of at least $2,500,000,000 per year for programs to promote its sugar and ethanol industry and a subsidized credit program making available over $2,000,000,000 to growers to replant sugarcane; and (2) the Government of Mexico which has direct and indirect subsidies to keep open 9 government-owned sugar mills accounting for 22 percent of Mexican sugar production and direct payments to sugarcane growers; Whereas the world sugar market is the most volatile commodity market in the world; Whereas the foregoing clauses provide ample evidence there is no undistorted, free market in sugar in the world today; and Whereas if such a free market did exist, United States sugar farmers and processors could compete effectively in that market: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) the President, by agreements negotiated under the auspices of the World Trade Organization, should seek elimination of all direct and indirect subsidies benefitting the production or export of sugar by the government of— (A) each country that exported more than 200,000 metric tons of sugar during 2013; and (B) any other country with which the United States has in effect a free trade agreement; (2) if the President determines that all such subsidies by all such countries have been eliminated, then the President should report to Congress detailed information about how each of the countries has eliminated such subsidies; and (3) after submitting such report, the President should propose to Congress legislation to implement a zero for zero sugar subsidy policy.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres39ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres39ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 40 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 20, 2013 Mr. Jones submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the President is prohibited under the Constitution from initiating war against Syria without express congressional authorization and the appropriation of funds for the express purpose of waging such a war. Whereas the Constitution’s makers entrusted decisions to initiate offensive warfare not in self-defense exclusively to Congress in article I, section 8, clause 11; Whereas the Constitution’s makers knew that the Executive Branch would be prone to manufacture danger and to deceive Congress and the United States people to justify gratuitous wars to aggrandize executive power; Whereas chronic wars are irreconcilable with liberty, a separation of powers, and the rule of law; Whereas the entry of the United States Armed Forces into the ongoing war in Syria to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad would make the United States less safe by awakening new enemies; Whereas the fate of Syria is irrelevant to the security and welfare of the United States and its citizens and is not worth risking the life of a single member of the United States Armed Forces; Whereas humanitarian wars are a contradiction in terms and characteristically lead to semi-anarchy and chaos, as in Somalia and Libya; Whereas if victorious, the hydra-headed Syrian insurgency would suppress the Christian population or other minorities as has been similarly witnessed in Iraq with its Shiite-dominated government; and Whereas United States military aid to the Syrian insurgents risks blowback indistinguishable from the military assistance provided to the splintered Afghan mujahideen in Afghanistan to oppose the Soviet Union and culminated in the 9/11 abominations: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) the President is prohibited under the Constitution from the offensive use of the United States Armed Forces in Syria without prior express authorization by an Act of Congress or without a prior express appropriation of funds for that purpose by an Act of Congress; and (2) the President’s defiance of those constitutional limitations on his authority to initiate war would constitute an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor under article II, section 4 of the Constitution.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres40ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres40ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 41 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 25, 2013 Mr. Rangel submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Encouraging peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula. Whereas the Republic of Korea (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as South Korea ) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as North Korea ) have never formally ended hostilities and have been technically in a state of war since the Armistice Agreement was signed on July 27, 1953; Whereas the United States, as representing the United Nations Forces Command which was a signatory to the Armistice Agreement, and with 28,500 of its troops currently stationed in South Korea, has a stake in the progress towards peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula; Whereas progress towards peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula would mean greater security and prosperity for the region and the world; Whereas at the end of World War II, Korea officially gained independence from Japanese rule, as agreed to at the Cairo Conference on November 22, 1943, through November 26, 1943; Whereas on August 10, 1945, the Korean Peninsula was temporarily divided along the 38th parallel into two military occupation zones commanded by the United States and the Soviet Union; Whereas on June 25, 1950, communist North Korea invaded the South, thereby initiating the Korean War and diminishing prospects for a peaceful unification of Korea; Whereas during the Korean War, approximately 1,789,000 members of the United States Armed Forces served in-theater along with the South Korean forces and 20 other members of the United Nations to secure peace on the Korean Peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region; Whereas since the end of the Korean War era, the United States Armed Forces have remained in South Korea to promote regional peace; Whereas North Korea’s provocations in the recent years have escalated tension and instability in the Asia-Pacific region; Whereas one of the largest obstacles to peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula is the presence of nuclear weapons in North Korea; Whereas North Korea’s refusal to denuclearize disrupts peace and security on the Korean Peninsula; Whereas beginning in 2003, the United States along with the two Koreas, Japan, People's Republic of China, and the Russian Federation, have engaged in six rounds of Six-Party Talks, aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the security concerns resulting from North Korea’s nuclear development; Whereas North Korea has recently signaled openness to resume the Six-Party Talks, which halted in 2009 due to North Korea’s increasing inflammatory rhetoric and belligerent acts, including a satellite launch, sinking of South Korean naval ship, and shelling of Yeonpyeong Island; Whereas the three-mile wide buffer zone between the two Koreas, known as the Demilitarized Zone or DMZ, is the most heavily armed border in the world; Whereas South Korea and North Korea remain the only divided nation in the world; Whereas the Korean War separated more than 10,000,000 Korean family members, including 100,000 Korean Americans who after 60 years of separation are still waiting to see their families in North Korea; Whereas reunification remains a long-term goal for the Governments of both North and South Korea; Whereas South Korea and North Korea are both full members of the United Nations, whose stated purpose includes maintaining international peace and security, and to that end take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace ; Whereas the United States and South Korea have continuously stood shoulder-to-shoulder to promote and defend international peace and security, economic prosperity, human rights, and the rule of law both on the Korean Peninsula and beyond; and Whereas July 27, 2013, marks the 60th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement of the Korean War: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the historical importance of the Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950; (2) honors the noble service and sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces and the armed forces of allied countries that served in Korea since 1950 to the present; (3) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to its alliance with South Korea for the betterment of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula; and (4) calls on North Korea to abide by international law and cease its nuclear proliferation in order to resume talks that could eventually lead to peace and reunification.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres41ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres41ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 42 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 28, 2013 Mr. Conyers (for himself, Mr. Dingell , Mr. Levin , Mr. Huizenga of Michigan , Mr. Walberg , Mr. Bentivolio , Mr. Peters of Michigan , Mr. Camp , and Mr. Kildee ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing and congratulating the Detroit brand on the occasion of its 75th anniversary in Michigan. Whereas 2013 marks the 75th anniversary of the Detroit brand; Whereas the Detroit brand is rooted in Detroit’s rich automotive heritage, beginning in the Great Depression and continuing today as a leader in producing heavy-truck engines; Whereas the origin of the Detroit brand began as the Detroit Diesel Corporation in 1938; Whereas in the 1930s and 1940s, Detroit was producing engines used by the Allied Forces in tanks, landing craft, and generators among other equipment; Whereas in the 1950s Detroit expanded its product line and began to focus on the heavy-duty truck market; Whereas in the 1960s and 1970s, Detroit’s business growth tripled as it formed new alliances, becoming Detroit Diesel Allison; Whereas in the late 1980s, Detroit launched its signature four-cycle heavy-duty engine, the Series 60, which became a leader in the North American engine market; Whereas in 1988, Detroit Diesel Allison became the Detroit Diesel Corporation and saw its United States market share rapidly expand; Whereas in 2000, the Detroit Diesel Corporation joined the Daimler group; Whereas in 2005, Detroit Diesel launched the Renaissance project, creating jobs and investing hundreds of millions of dollars in expanded engine production in Michigan; Whereas in 2009, the 1 millionth Series 60 engine was sold; Whereas in 2010, Detroit Diesel continued to invest in Michigan and launched new cleaner diesel technology; and Whereas in 2012, the Detroit brand of engines, axles, and transmissions was launched with new capital investment and additional new jobs in Detroit, Michigan: Now, therefore, be it That Congress recognizes and congratulates the Detroit brand on the occasion of its 75th anniversary in Michigan.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres42ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres42ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 43 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 8, 2013 Ms. Waters submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for a ceremony honoring the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of his birth. 1. Use of Emancipation Hall for ceremony honoring Nelson Mandela Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center is authorized to be used on July 18, 2013, for a ceremony honoring the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of his birth. Physical preparations for the ceremony shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as the Architect of the Capitol may prescribe.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres43ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres43ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 44 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 8, 2013 Ms. Norton (for herself and Mr. Barletta ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run. 1. Authorization of use of the Capitol grounds for DC Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run On September 27, 2013, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may jointly designate, the 28th Annual District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run (in this resolution referred to as the event ) may be run through the Capitol Grounds to carry the Special Olympics torch to honor local Special Olympics athletes. 2. Responsibility of Capitol Police Board The Capitol Police Board shall take such actions as may be necessary to carry out the event. 3. Conditions relating to physical preparations The Architect of the Capitol may prescribe conditions for physical preparations for the event. 4. Enforcement of restrictions The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in connection with the event.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres44ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres44ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 45 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 10, 2013 Mr. Garrett submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means , Education and the Workforce , the Judiciary , Natural Resources , House Administration , Rules , and Appropriations , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that President Barack Obama has violated section 3 of article II of the Constitution by refusing to enforce the employer mandate provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Whereas section 1 of article I of the Constitution states that All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives ; Whereas section 3 of article II of the Constitution states that the President shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed , which imposes a duty upon the President to enforce the law, regardless of difficulty of enforcement or displeasure with the statute; Whereas the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010; Whereas such Act contains a provision commonly referred to as the employer mandate , which requires businesses that employ 50 or more full-time employees to provide health insurance to its employees upon threat of financial penalty; Whereas section 1513(d) of such Act states that the employer mandate shall apply to months beginning after December 31, 2013 ; Whereas the executive branch announced on July 2, 2013, that it would unilaterally delay the enforcement of the employer mandate until January 2015; Whereas the principle of separation of powers is a constitutional safeguard of liberty as asserted by James Madison in Federalist No. 47 in which he stated, The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands … may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny ; and Whereas the executive branch’s unilateral decision to delay the implementation of a law sets a dangerous precedent under which legislation that is enacted through the passage of that legislation by the democratically elected Members of Congress and the signing of that legislation into law by the President will no longer have the force of law and will instead be relegated to having the status of a mere recommendation, which the President may choose to ignore: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) President Barack Obama has violated section 3 of article II of the Constitution by refusing to enforce the employer mandate provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; (2) the perpetuation of republican government depends upon the rule of law; (3) the executive branch, which has no constitutional authority to write or rewrite law at whim, has invaded upon the exclusive legislative power of Congress; (4) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has proven to be unworkable; and (5) such Act should be repealed by Congress immediately.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres45ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres45ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 46 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 30, 2013 Mr. Andrews submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Urging the Government of Taiwan to grant former President Chen Shui-bian medical parole to ensure that he receives the highest level of medical attention. Whereas Taiwan’s democratic development is of tremendous significance globally and to the Pacific region; Whereas over the past two decades, the people of Taiwan have worked hard to establish a vibrant and pluralistic democracy in their country and conducted five successful presidential elections, successive elections for members of their national legislature, numerous local elections, and two national referendums; Whereas since the administration of the Kuomintang Nationalists came to office in 2008, a large number of investigations and prosecutions led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have been brought against officials from the previous administration, including former President Chen Shui-bian; Whereas most of these prosecutions were politically motivated, in an apparent pattern of political score-settling; Whereas the health of former President Chen, who is serving a 19-year prison sentence, has deteriorated markedly in the past two years; Whereas concerned foreign dignitaries and human rights activists from the United States and Europe have visited former President Chen in jail since the summer of 2012; Whereas former President Chen has not been able to receive adequate medical treatment in accordance with his wishes, such as selecting either doctors or hospitals, and has not been able to have complete access to his medical records; and Whereas section 2(c) of the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301(c)) declares that [t]he preservation and enhancement of the human rights of all the people of Taiwan are hereby reaffirmed as objectives of the United States. : Now, therefore, be it That Congress urges the Government of Taiwan to grant former President Chen Shui-bian medical parole to ensure that he receives the highest level of medical attention, effective immediately.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres46ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres46ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 47 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 30, 2013 Mr. Larsen of Washington (for himself, Mr. Kilmer , and Mr. Heck of Washington ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Calling for a democratically elected government for the people of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Whereas the people of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal seek to become a people with a democratically elected government through free and fair elections; Whereas the people of the nation of Nepal seek a government based on democratic values and norms earning the faith and consent of the governed; Whereas the Government of Nepal should be a national government, promoting law and order, and the enforcement of laws through a legal system derived from a national constitution; Whereas the Government of Nepal should guarantee universal human rights, including freedom of speech, the press, assembly, religion, and due process under the law; Whereas the Government of Nepal should also protect the people of Nepal and strive to provide basic needs such as clean air, water, electricity, food, shelter, and health care; Whereas the people of the United States seek the establishment of free and fair democratic elections for all people everywhere; Whereas the people of the United States and the people of Nepal have enjoyed over 60 years of peaceful relations; Whereas the United States has a compelling national interest in the security, stability, and development of Nepal; Whereas the United States seeks to maintain gains in peace and security, further the Nepali transition to a democratic government, support the continued delivery of needed social services, provide effective health care solutions to the Nepali people, and address the challenges of food insecurity and climate change; Whereas the United States and Nepal have long promoted open trade and investment between the two countries, establishing a framework agreement for bilateral talks to promote bilateral trade and investment; Whereas the United States has long exported agricultural products, aircraft parts, optic and medical instruments, low-value shipments, and machinery to Nepal, and Nepal has enjoyed exporting textile floor coverings, apparel, headgear, and leather to the United States; and Whereas both the United States and Nepal have benefitted from an open and fair trade framework: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) welcomes the free and fair elections for the people of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal; (2) encourages the use of all efforts, energies, and diligence to help the people of Nepal to effectively participate in the electoral process; (3) joins with the international community in providing the resources necessary to hold free, fair, and timely elections, facilitate a peaceful transition of power, and establish a government that will protect the rights of the people; and (4) supports the efforts of the people of Nepal to maintain self-determination for their general welfare and the welfare of future generations.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres47ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres47ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 48 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 1, 2013 Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Meadows , Mr. Cotton , Mr. Duncan of South Carolina , Mr. DeSantis , Mrs. Hartzler , Mr. Westmoreland , Mr. Pearce , and Mr. Cramer ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Commemorating the 46th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem. Whereas for 3,000 years Jerusalem has been the focal point of Jewish religious devotion; Whereas there has been a continuous Jewish presence in Jerusalem for three millennia and a Jewish majority in the city since the 1840s; Whereas the once thriving Jewish majority of the historic Old City of Jerusalem was driven out by force during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War; Whereas from 1948 to 1967, Jerusalem was a divided city, and Israeli citizens of all faiths, as well as Jewish citizens of all states, were denied access to holy sites in the area controlled by Jordan; Whereas in 1967, Jerusalem was reunited by Israel during the conflict known as the Six Day War; Whereas since 1967, Jerusalem has been a united city, and persons of all religious faiths have been guaranteed full access to holy sites within the city; Whereas this year marks the 46th year that Jerusalem has been administered as a unified city, in which the rights of all faiths have been respected and protected; Whereas each sovereign country, under international law and custom, has the right to designate its own capital; Whereas this year marks the 65th anniversary of Israel’s independence; Whereas Jerusalem is the seat of the Government of Israel, including the President, Parliament, and the Supreme Court; Whereas the United States maintains its embassy in the functioning capital of every country except in the case of Israel, a friend and strategic ally of the United States; Whereas the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–45), which became law on November 8, 1995, states as a matter of United States policy that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel; and Whereas the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 ( Public Law 107–228 ) directs that the Secretary of State shall, upon the request of a citizen or a citizen’s legal guardian, record the place of birth of a United States citizen born in the city of Jerusalem as Israel: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) congratulates the residents of Jerusalem and the people of Israel on the 46th anniversary of the reunification of that historic city; (2) congratulates the people of Israel on the 65th anniversary of their independence; (3) strongly believes that Jerusalem must remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected as they have been by Israel during the past 46 years; (4) calls upon the President and the Secretary of State to repeatedly affirm publicly, as a matter of United States policy, that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital of the State of Israel; (5) strongly urges the President to discontinue the waiver contained in the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 ( Public Law 104–45 ), immediately implement the provisions of that Act, and begin the process of relocating the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; (6) further urges United States officials to refrain from any actions that contradict United States law on this subject; and (7) reaffirms Israel's right to take necessary steps to prevent any future division of Jerusalem.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres48ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres48ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 49 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 1, 2013 Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States Postal Service should issue a commemorative postage stamp honoring the Reverend Doctor Leon Sullivan and that the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued. Whereas the Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan impacted millions of people throughout the world, particularly throughout the United States and in Africa, by advocating self-help principles of empowerment, community development, and self-reliance; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan founded the OIC, Opportunities Industrialization Centers, a skills training program providing training and retraining on a massive scale; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan founded Opportunities Industrialization Centers International ( OICI ) and the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help ( IFESH ); Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan made a substantial impact on the lives of the people in Africa through the actions of OICI and IFESH; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan founded the Progress Investment Associates ( PIA ) and the Zion Nonprofit Charitable Trust ( ZNCT ), which was established to fund housing, shopping, human services, educational, and other nonprofit ventures for inner-city dwellers; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan established inner-city retirement and assisted living complexes for the elderly and disabled in Philadelphia and other cities throughout the United States, named Opportunities Towers; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan was able, as the first African-American member on the board of General Motors Corporation, to secure the support of the other board members to back him in the development of the unprecedented Global Sullivan Principles, a code of conduct written in 1977, for American businesses operating in South Africa; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan has been the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Notre Dame Award, the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award, the NAACP Spingarn Award, the Kappa Alpha Psi Laurel Wreath, and more than 50 doctoral degrees; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan economically empowered individuals and combated poverty wherever he implemented programs; Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan established the African–African-American summits to bring together the leaders of Africa and America and other countries; and Whereas the Reverend Dr. Sullivan established the Global Sullivan Principles (for Corporate Social Responsibility) in the late 1990s to apply the same type of principles for countries and businesses throughout the world: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) the United States Postal Service should issue a commemorative postage stamp honoring the Reverend Doctor Leon Sullivan; and (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such stamp be issued.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres49ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres49ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 50 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 1, 2013 Mr. Camp submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Designating a National Railroad Monument located in Diamond District Park in historic downtown Durand, Michigan, as the National Railroad Memorial . Whereas the National Railroad Memorial in Durand, Michigan, is organized as an incorporated, not-for-profit organization in the State of Michigan, and is devoted to inspiring national recognition of the men and women of the railroad industry who helped build and develop the United States of America; Whereas the National Railroad Memorial has as its mission: To honor the men and women of the railroad industry by educating the public as to the importance of their roles in our Nation’s past, present, and future; Whereas the National Railroad Memorial is an idea originally conceived by William Taylor, Jr., of Niles, Michigan, to honor the men and women of the railroad industry; Whereas the National Railroad Memorial is a centerpiece of Diamond District Park, located at the historic crossroads of three major railroads and one of the largest surviving train stations in the United States; Whereas the National Railroad Memorial is intended to encompass the statuary, structures, and historic railroad equipment located in historic Durand, Michigan; Whereas the National Railroad Memorial is designed to be a destination attraction, located in the middle of the spectacular Great Lakes region, for visitors from all over the world; and Whereas the National Railroad Memorial Inc., in conjunction with the Michigan Railroad History Museum and the Steam Railroading Institute, seeks to educate a diverse audience through exceptional exhibits, that provide educational programing for adults and children: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that a National Railroad Monument located in Diamond District Park in historic downtown Durand, Michigan, be designated as the National Railroad Memorial .
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres50ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres50ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 51 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 9, 2013 Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Wolf , Mr. DeFazio , Mr. Marino , Mr. Higgins , Mr. Weber of Texas , Mr. Huffman , Mr. Culberson , Mr. Pitts , Mr. Rohrabacher , Mr. Franks of Arizona , and Mr. Fortenberry ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for investigation and prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, whether committed by officials of the Government of Syria, or members of other groups involved in civil war in Syria, and calling on the President to direct the United States representative to the United Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States to immediately promote the establishment of a Syrian war crimes tribunal, and for other purposes. Whereas the Government of Syria is reported to have engaged in widespread torture, rape, and massacre of civilians, including by means of chemical weapons, most recently on or about August 21, 2013; Whereas other groups involved in civil war in Syria, including the al-Nusra Front, are reported to have engaged in torture, rape, summary execution of government soldiers, kidnapping for ransom, and violence against civilians, including Christians and others who are not Sunni Muslims; Whereas these and other actions perpetrated by the Government of Syria and other groups involved in civil war in Syria may constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide; Whereas Syria is not a state-party to the Rome Statute and is not a member of the International Criminal Court; Whereas the international community has previously established ad hoc tribunals through the United Nations to bring justice in specific countries where there have been war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide; Whereas ad hoc tribunals, including the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the Special Court for Sierra Leone, have successfully investigated and prosecuted war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, and there are many positive lessons to be learned from these three ad hoc tribunals; and Whereas any lasting, peaceful solution to civil war in Syria must be based upon justice for all, including members of all factions, political parties, ethnicities, and religions: Now, therefore, be it 1. Short title This concurrent resolution may be cited as the Immediate Establishment of Syrian War Crimes Tribunal Resolution . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the United States should urge the Government of Syria and other groups involved in civil war in Syria to implement an immediate cease fire and engage in negotiations to end the bloodshed; (2) the United States should publicly declare that it is a requirement of basic justice that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, whether committed by officials of the Government of Syria, or members of other groups involved in civil war in Syria, should be investigated and prosecuted; (3) the President should direct the United States representative to the United Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States to immediately promote the establishment of a Syrian war crimes tribunal, an ad hoc court to prosecute the perpetrators of such serious crimes committed during the civil war in Syria; (4) in working with other countries to establish a Syrian war crimes tribunal, the United States should promote judicial procedures that enable the prosecution of the most culpable persons guilty of directing such serious crimes; (5) the United States should make collection of information that can be supplied to a Syrian war crimes tribunal for use as evidence to support the indictment and trial of any person involved in civil war in Syria and responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide in Syria an immediate priority; and (6) the United States should urge other interested states to apprehend and deliver into the custody of a Syrian war crimes tribunal persons indicted for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide in Syria and urge such states to provide information pertaining to such crimes to the tribunal.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres51ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres51ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 52 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 12, 2013 Mr. Ribble (for himself and Mr. Walz ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the Federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks should not be increased. Whereas there is a 12-percent Federal excise tax on new tractor trailer trucks and certain other heavy-duty trucks; Whereas the 12-percent Federal excise tax is the highest percentage rate of any Federal ad valorem excise tax; Whereas the Federal excise tax was first levied by Congress in 1917 to help finance America’s involvement in World War I; Whereas, in 2012, the average manufacturer suggested retail price for heavy-duty trucks was over $158,000; Whereas the 12 percent Federal excise tax adds, on average, an additional $18,960 to the cost of a heavy-duty truck; Whereas the average in-use, heavy-duty truck is 9.5 years old, close to the historical all-time high; Whereas the Federal excise tax, by significantly increasing the cost of new heavy-duty trucks, keeps older, less environmentally clean and less fuel economical heavy-duty trucks in service longer; Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency’s model year 2002–2010 tailpipe emissions rules account for $20,000 of the average price of today’s new heavy-duty trucks; Whereas, according to the 2010 National Academy of Sciences report entitled Technologies and Approaches to Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles , model year 2014–2018 EPA–Department of Transportation fuel economy rules will add an average of $10,000 to $15,000 to the price of new heavy-duty trucks; Whereas the $30,000 average per truck cost of these regulatory mandates results in an additional $3,600 Federal excise tax, on average; Whereas the goal of deploying cleaner, more fuel efficient heavy-duty trucks, coupled with the $30,000 average per truck regulatory cost would be slowed even more if the Federal excise tax were increased; Whereas the goal of deploying safer heavy-duty trucks with the latest safety technologies, such as lane departure warning systems, electronic stability control, and automatic braking for reduced stopping distance would be slowed if the Federal excise tax were increased; Whereas 100 percent of all heavy-duty trucks sold in the United States are manufactured in North America; and Whereas 3,650,000 Americans are employed in the selling, servicing, manufacturing, and operating of heavy-duty trucks: Now, therefore, be it That— (1) the Federal excise tax on new tractor trailer trucks and certain other heavy-duty trucks inhibits the sale of the cleanest, safest, and most fuel efficient heavy-duty trucks and trailers; (2) the Federal excise tax on new tractor trailer trucks and certain other heavy-duty trucks adds uncertainty and volatility to the Highway Trust Fund due to the cyclical nature of heavy-duty truck and trailer sales; and (3) the Federal excise tax on new truck tractors, heavy-duty trucks, and certain truck trailers should not be increased, and in considering future transportation policy, Congress should carefully review the detrimental impacts of the Federal excise tax.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres52ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres52ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 53 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 12, 2013 Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Ms. Pingree of Maine , Mr. Honda , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Grayson , and Mr. Huffman ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Urging all parties to the conflict in Syria to work through the United Nations and with the international community to hold the Assad regime accountable and resolve the crisis in Syria through a negotiated political settlement. Whereas President Obama is to be commended for rightfully seeking the authorization from Congress on the use of military force in Syria; Whereas, on August 30, 2013, President Obama stated that the United States has high confidence that the Syrian regime carried out a chemical weapons attack that killed well over 1,000 people, including hundreds of children ; Whereas the United States and 188 other countries comprising 98 percent of the world’s population are parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, or use of chemical weapons; Whereas, on August 30, 2013, Secretary of State Kerry stated, We believe the primary objective is to have a diplomatic process that can resolve this through negotiation because we know there is no ultimate military solution. It has to be political. It has to happen at the negotiating table. And we are deeply committed to getting there. ; Whereas, on August 30, 2013, President Obama stated, There's not going to be a solely military solution to the underlying conflict and tragedy that’s taking place in Syria. ; Whereas, on September 10, 2013, President Obama stated, the Russian government has indicated a willingness to join with the international community in pushing Assad to give up his chemical weapons, and that this initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use of force, particularly because Russia is one of Assad’s strongest allies ; Whereas a military strike could result in grave unintended consequences leading to further loss of life and bloodshed, including retaliation from the Assad regime, the escalation of the war in Syria and possibly the region, and possibly resulting in more threats to United States military and diplomatic facilities in the region or regional partners such as Israel, Turkey, or Jordan; Whereas a military strike could lead to deeper and more direct United States intervention in the Syrian civil war resulting in unknown costs in both lives and resources; Whereas a military strike could accelerate the numbers of refugees flowing into neighboring countries and lead to more Syrians being internally displaced; Whereas, on September 1, 2013, the number of Syrian refugees passed the threshold of 2,000,000 according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and a further 4,250,000 people are displaced inside Syria, according to data as of August 27, 2013, from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; Whereas Secretary of State Kerry reaffirmed during his confirmation hearings in January 2013, “A U.N. resolution is a necessary ingredient to provide the legal basis for military action in an emergency.”; Whereas, at present, there is no United Nations Security Council authorization and international legal justification for a United States attack on Syria and the utilization of military force could both set a dangerous international precedent and significantly weaken the United Nations as an institution; Whereas the United Nations was established for the purpose of preventing war and resolving conflicts through peaceful means, including by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional arrangements, or other peaceful means. ; Whereas, at present, United Nations inspectors investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria have not completed their work and released their report; Whereas, according to a Pew Poll taken between August 29 and September 1, 2013, 6 in 10 Americans (61 percent) state that United States airstrikes in Syria are likely to lead to a long-term United States military commitment there, and 3 in 4 Americans (74 percent) state that United States airstrikes in Syria are likely to create a backlash against the United States and its allies in the region; Whereas the conflict in Syria will only be resolved through a negotiated political settlement, and Congress calls on all parties to the conflict in Syria to work through the United Nations and with the international community; and Whereas, under the principle of extra-territorial jurisdiction, the United States and other nations should accept a shared responsibility to investigate and prosecute crimes against humanity and other crimes under international law committed in Syria, before national courts in fair trials and without recourse to the death penalty: Now, therefore, be it That the United States should work with the United Nations and with the international community to exhaust all appropriate diplomatic and non-military options to facilitate a negotiated political settlement in Syria and hold the Assad regime and all responsible parties accountable for human rights violations, including the use of chemical weapons, through efforts such as— (1) requiring the Government of Syria to allow unfettered access to humanitarian organizations and agencies so the civilian population receives needed assistance, without discrimination; (2) engaging in forceful diplomacy involving the international community and the United Nations to advance a negotiated settlement, including mobilizing all internal and external parties to participate urgently and constructively in the Geneva process and other negotiations and regional arrangements with the League of Arab States and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation; (3) seeking to strengthen and coordinate multilateral sanctions targeted against the assets of President Bashar al-Assad and others who may be involved in ordering or perpetrating crimes under international law; (4) investigating and prosecuting crimes against humanity and other crimes under international law, including appropriately timed International Criminal Court referral of the situation in Syria to ensure accountability for the use of chemical weapons and crimes against humanity; (5) working with member states of the Chemical Weapons Convention to collectively determine an appropriate response to prevent the deployment and use of weapons of mass destruction, including urging the Government of Syria to become a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention and formulating a plan to place Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile under international control and supervision; (6) working with the international community to establish a Syrian war crimes tribunal; and (7) enabling United States courts to investigate and prosecute crimes against humanity and other crimes under international law committed in Syria, under the principle of extra-territorial jurisdiction, and to encourage other nations to do the same.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres53ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres53ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 54 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 16, 2013 Mr. Graves of Georgia submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations , and in addition to the Committee on House Administration , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make corrections in the enrollment of H.J. Res. 62. That in the enrollment of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 62) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, the Clerk of the House of Representatives is hereby authorized and directed— (1) in section 101, to strike subsection (b) and insert the following: (b) The rate for operations provided by subsection (a) for each account shall be calculated to reflect the full amount of any reduction required in fiscal year 2013 pursuant to— (1) any provision of division G of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113–6), including section 3004; and (2) the Presidential sequestration order dated March 1, 2013. ; (2) in section 109(b), to strike 2014 and insert 2013 ; (3) in section 112(a), to strike $967,473,000 and insert $967,473,000,000 ; (4) in section 112(c), to strike subsection (c) and insert subsection (d) ; (5) at the end of section 114, to insert the following: (c) Limitation No entitlement to benefits under any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148) or title I and subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–152 ), or the amendments made by either such Act, shall have effect from the date of the enactment of this Act until December 31, 2014, nor shall any payment be awarded, owed, or made to any State, District, or territory under any such provision during that time period. ; and (6) at the end of the bill (before the short title), to insert the following: 115. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall not, pursuant to the authority granted in section 251A(7)(B) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, make any adjustment to the discretionary spending limit in section 251(c)(3) of such Act (as amended by section 112(a) of this joint resolution). .
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres54ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres54ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 55 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 17, 2013 Mr. Garrett (for himself, Mr. Barton , and Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that Taiwan and its 23,000,000 people deserve membership in the United Nations. Whereas for more than 50 years a close relationship has existed between the United States and Taiwan, which has been of major economic, cultural, and strategic advantage to both countries; Whereas the 23,000,000 people in Taiwan are not represented in the United Nations; Whereas Taiwan has over the years repeatedly expressed its strong desire to participate in the United Nations; Whereas Taiwan has much to contribute to the work and funding of the United Nations; Whereas the world community has reacted positively to Taiwan's desire for international participation, as shown by Taiwan's membership in the Asian Development Bank, Taiwan's admission to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group as a full member, and Taiwan's membership in the World Trade Organization, and Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization; and Whereas section 4(d) of the Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3303(d) ) declares, Nothing in this Act may be construed as a basis for supporting the exclusion or expulsion of Taiwan from continued membership in any international financial institution or any other international organization. : Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that Taiwan and its 23,000,000 people deserve membership in the United Nations.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres55ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres55ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 56 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 18, 2013 Mr. Aderholt submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a certain lock and dam should be known and designated as the Donald G. Waldon Lock and Dam . Whereas the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority is a 4-State compact comprised of the States of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; Whereas the Tennessee-Tombigbee Authority is the regional non-Federal sponsor of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway; Whereas the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, completed in 1984, has fueled growth in the United States economy by reducing transportation costs and encouraging economic development; and Whereas the selfless determination and tireless work of Donald G. Waldon, while serving as administrator of the waterway compact for 21 years, contributed greatly to the realization and success of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that at an appropriate time and in accordance with the rules of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the lock and dam located at mile 357.5 on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway should be known and designated as the Donald G. Waldon Lock and Dam .
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres56ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres56ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 57 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 20, 2013 Mr. Rahall submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the opposition of the Congress to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule establishing new source performance standards to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants. Whereas affordable, abundant, reliable coal-fueled electric energy is essential to the Nation’s economy, jobs, national security, and energy independence; Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency has issued a proposed rule that would limit the Nation’s energy options and lead to increased power costs for American families and businesses; Whereas the proposed rule would be detrimental to the Nation’s coal mining regions and the livelihoods and well-being of American coal miners, their families, and their communities; Whereas the energy and environmental policies of the Administration have stymied private-sector investment in new coal-fueled power plants, undermining the integrity of economic assumptions on which the proposed rule is based; Whereas the Administration has failed to provide sufficient funding and leadership to further the development and broad deployment of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies, and the only new power plants projected to be equipped to meet the standards under the proposed rule are those that incorporate federally funded CCS technology; Whereas emissions caps in the proposed rule are expected to influence future caps on emissions from existing coal-fueled power plants, natural gas-fired power plants, and manufacturers; Whereas worldwide consumption of coal is expected to increase among China, India, and other foreign competitor nations in the coming decades and the proposed rule will do nothing to address resulting increases in emissions from foreign sources; and Whereas proposed unilateral emissions caps would stifle the Nation’s growth, contribute to trade disadvantages, undermine the Nation’s international competitiveness, and contribute to the loss of American jobs: Now, therefore, be it That the Congress opposes the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule establishing new source performance standards to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres57ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres57ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 58 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for the continued availability of religious services to members of the Armed Forces and their families during a lapse in appropriations. Whereas the Department of Defense has determined that some military chaplains and other personnel, including contract personnel, hired to perform duties of a military chaplain are not able to perform religious services on military installations during a lapse in appropriations; Whereas this determination threatens the ability of members of the Armed Services and their families to exercise their First Amendment rights to worship and participate in religious activities; and Whereas the Department of the Interior has permitted the performance of First Amendment activities in areas controlled by the National Park Service despite the lapse in appropriations: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes that the performance of religious services and the provision of ministry are protected activities under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution; (2) urges and intends that the Secretary of Defense permit the performance of religious services on property owned or maintained by the Department of Defense, during any lapse in appropriations, in the same manner and to the same extent as such religious services are otherwise available; and (3) urges and intends that the Secretary of Defense permit military chaplains and other personnel, including contract personnel, hired to perform duties of a military chaplain to perform religious services and ministry, during any lapse in appropriations, in the same manner and to the same extent as such chaplains and other personnel are otherwise permitted to perform religious services and ministry. Passed the House of Representatives October 5, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres58eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres58eh.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 59 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 8, 2013 Mrs. Capito (for herself, Mrs. Lummis , Mr. Johnson of Ohio , Mr. McKinley , Mr. Cramer , Mr. Smith of Missouri , Mr. Rahall , Mr. Rogers of Kentucky , Mr. Terry , Mr. Stivers , Mr. Guthrie , Mrs. Walorski , Mr. Gosar , Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania , Mr. Long , Mr. Luetkemeyer , Mr. Daines , and Mr. Barr ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the Environmental Protection Agency should hold public listening sessions on regulations targeting carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants in those States most directly impacted by the potential regulations. Whereas coal provides affordable, reliable energy that provides low-cost electricity to individuals and businesses across the country; Whereas nearly 40 percent of all electricity generated in the United States comes from coal; Whereas the 15 States with the highest percentage of electricity generated from coal in 2012 were West Virginia, Kentucky, Wyoming, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Montana, and Wisconsin; Whereas President Obama announced on June 25, 2013, that the Environmental Protection Agency would promulgate regulations targeting greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal-fired power plants with a proposed rule to be released in June 2014 and a final rule adopted in June 2015; Whereas, on September 30, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the public listening sessions on rulemaking targeting greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal-fired power plants would be held in Boston, Massachusetts; New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Denver, Colorado; Lenexa, Kansas; San Francisco, California; Washington, DC; Dallas, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and Chicago, Illinois; Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement of the listening sessions states that [t]he feedback from these 11 public listening sessions will play an important role in helping EPA develop smart, cost-effective guidelines that reflect the latest and best information available ; Whereas none of the 11 public listening sessions announced by the Environmental Protection Agency will be held in one of the 10 States with the highest percentage of electricity generated from coal; Whereas none of the 11 public listening sessions announced by the Environmental Protection Agency will be held in one of the top 3 coal-producing States; Whereas the 10 States and the District of Columbia where public listening sessions will be held generate an average of 26 percent of their electricity from coal; Whereas regulatory efforts that could lead to the retirement of additional coal-fired power plants would have a disproportionate impact on jobs, utility rates, and the overall economy in States that rely on coal for a higher percentage of electricity generation; Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency should use its public listening sessions to hear the potential impact of its regulatory actions in those States where the regulatory impact would be the greatest; and Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency’s stated goal of using the listening sessions to help EPA develop smart, cost-effective guidelines cannot be achieved by excluding the views of residents in those States that rely most heavily on coal for electricity generation: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) public listening sessions on rulemaking targeting carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants should be held in each of the fifteen States with the highest percentage of electricity generated by coal in 2012 (West Virginia, Kentucky, Wyoming, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Montana, and Wisconsin); and (2) such listening sessions should be held at a time and place that would maximize the ability of individuals to participate.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres59ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres59ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 60 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 11, 2013 Ms. Waters (for herself, Mr. Hoyer , Mr. Van Hollen , Mr. Moran , Ms. Edwards , Mr. Connolly , Ms. Norton , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Mr. Watt , Mr. Sherman , Mr. Meeks , Mr. Capuano , Mr. Hinojosa , Mr. Clay , Mr. Lynch , Mr. David Scott of Georgia , Mr. Al Green of Texas , Mr. Cleaver , Ms. Moore , Mr. Ellison , Mr. Perlmutter , Mr. Himes , Mr. Carney , Ms. Sewell of Alabama , Mr. Foster , Mr. Kildee , Mr. Murphy of Florida , Mr. Delaney , Mrs. Beatty , and Mr. Heck of Washington ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services , and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that financial institutions should work proactively with their customers affected by the shutdown of the Federal Government who may be facing short-term financial hardship and long-term damage to their creditworthiness through no fault of their own. That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) financial institutions should work with their customers affected by the shutdown of the Federal Government that began on October 1, 2013; (2) individuals affected by the shutdown who are or will be facing financial distress should contact their lenders to alert them of their situation immediately; (3) affected customers may face financial hardship in making timely payments on their debts, such as mortgages, student loans, car loans, credit cards, and other debt due to the temporary delay or permanent loss of their salaries; (4) financial institutions should consider temporarily waiving or reducing penalty, late payment, and similar fees in order to provide quick relief to their affected customers; (5) affected employees of the Federal Government may be experiencing financial stress through no fault of their own and their creditworthiness should not be impaired because of the shutdown; (6) prudent workout arrangements that are consistent with safe and sound lending practices are generally in the long-term best interest of the financial institution, the borrower, and the economy; (7) financial institutions should work pro­ac­tive­ly to identify their customers who have been affected and adopt flexible, prudent arrangements to help such customers meet their debt obligations; (8) prudent efforts to adopt flexible workout arrangements for affected employees and their families should not be subject to examiner criticism or negative examinations; and (9) employees furloughed due to the shutdown of the Federal Government should be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for the period beginning October 1, 2013, through the date on which the lapse in appropriations ends, consistent with the principle adopted by the House when it passed the bill, H.R. 3223 on October 5, 2013, by a vote of 407–0.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres60ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres60ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 61 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 22, 2013 Mr. Bishop of New York (for himself, Mr. Engel , and Mr. Grimm ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the execution-style murders of United States citizens Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi in the Republic of Serbia in July 1999. Whereas brothers Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi were citizens of the United States, born in Chicago, Illinois, to ethnic Albanian parents from what is today the Republic of Kosovo, and who subsequently lived in Hampton Bays, New York; Whereas the three Bytyqi brothers responded to the brutality of the conflict associated with Kosovo’s separation from the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia of which Serbia was a constituent republic by joining the so-called Atlantic Brigade of the Kosovo Liberation Army in April 1999; Whereas a Military-Technical Agreement between the Government of Yugoslavia and the North Atlantic Council came into effect on June 10, 1999, leading to a cessation of hostilities; Whereas the Bytyqi brothers were arrested on June 23, 1999, by Serbian police within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia when the brothers accidently crossed what was then an unmarked administrative border while escorting an ethnic Romani family who had been neighbors to safety outside Kosovo; Whereas the Bytyqi brothers were jailed for 15 days for illegal entry into the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in Prokuplje, Serbia, until a judge ordered their release on July 8, 1999; Whereas instead of being released, the Bytyqi brothers were taken by a special operations unit of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs to a training facility near Petrovo Selo, Serbia, where all three were executed; Whereas at the time of their murders, Ylli was 25, Agron was 23, and Mehmet was 21 years of age; Whereas Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was removed from office on October 5, 2000, following massive demonstrations protesting his refusal to acknowledge and accept election results the month before; Whereas in the following years, the political leadership of Serbia has worked to strengthen democratic institutions, to develop stronger adherence to the rule of law, and to ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia evolved into a State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in February 2003, which itself dissolved when both republics proclaimed their respective independence in June 2006; Whereas the United States Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, was informed on July 17, 2001, that the bodies of Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi were found with their hands bound and gunshot wounds to the back of their heads, buried atop an earlier mass grave of approximately 70 bodies of murdered civilians from Kosovo; Whereas Serbian authorities subsequently investigated but never charged those individuals who were part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ chain of command related to this crime, including former Minister of Internal Affairs Vlajko Stojilkovic, Assistant Minister and Chief of the Public Security Department Vlastimir Djordjevic, and special operations training camp commander Goran Guri Radosavljevic; Whereas Vlajko Stojilkovic died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in April 2002 prior to being transferred to the custody of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia where he had been charged with crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war during the Kosovo conflict; Whereas Vlastimir Djordjevic was arrested and transferred to the custody of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in June 2007, and sentenced in February 2011 to 27 years imprisonment for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war committed during the Kosovo conflict; Whereas Goran Guri Radosavljevic is reported to reside in Serbia, working as director of a security consulting firm in Belgrade; Whereas two Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs officers, Sretan Popovic and Milos Stojanovic, were charged in 2006 for crimes associated with their involvement in the detention and transport of the Bytyqi brothers from Prokuplje to Petrovo Selo, but acquitted in May 2012 with an appeals court confirming the verdict in March 2013; Whereas no individual has ever been found guilty for the murders of Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi or of any other crimes associated with their deaths; and Whereas no individual is currently facing criminal charges regarding the murder of the Bytyqi brothers: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) those individuals responsible for the murders in July 1999 of United States citizens Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi in Serbia should be brought to justice; (2) it is reprehensible that no individual has ever been found guilty for executing the Bytyqi brothers, or of any other crimes associated with their deaths, and that no individual is even facing charges for these horrible crimes; (3) the Government of Serbia and its relevant ministries and offices, including the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office, should make it a priority to investigate and prosecute as soon as possible those current or former officials believed to be responsible for their deaths, directly or indirectly; (4) the United States should devote sufficient resources fully to assist and properly to monitor efforts by the Government of Serbia and its relevant ministries and offices to investigate and prosecute as soon as possible those individuals believed to be responsible for their deaths, directly or indirectly; and (5) progress in resolving this case, or the lack thereof, should remain a significant factor determining the further development of relations between the United States and the Republic of Serbia.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres61ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres61ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 62 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives. That when the House adjourns on the legislative day of Wednesday, October 30, 2013, Thursday, October 31, 2013, or Friday, November 1, 2013, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, or until the time of any reassembly pursuant to section 2 of this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first. 2. (a) The Speaker or his designee, after consultation with the Minority Leader of the House, shall notify the Members of the House to reassemble at such place and time as he may designate if, in his opinion, the public interest shall warrant it. (b) After reassembling pursuant to subsection (a), when the House adjourns on a motion offered pursuant to this subsection by its Majority Leader or his designee, the House shall again stand adjourned pursuant to the first section of this concurrent resolution. Passed the House of Representatives October 30, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres62eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres62eh.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 63 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 30, 2013 Mrs. Kirkpatrick (for herself, Mrs. Negrete McLeod , Ms. Norton , Mr. O’Rourke , Mr. Cárdenas , Mr. Vargas , Mr. Conyers , Mr. Cole , Mr. Honda , Mr. Mullin , Mr. Denham , Mr. Grijalva , Ms. McCollum , Mr. Hastings of Florida , Mr. Ruiz , Mr. Michaud , Mr. Cook , Mr. McIntyre , Mr. Moran , Ms. Hanabusa , and Mr. Benishek ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Honoring the service of Native American Indians in the United States Armed Forces. Whereas Native American Indians have served with distinction in the United States Armed Forces and in military actions for more than 200 years; Whereas the courage, determination, and fighting spirit of Native American Indians were strengths recognized and valued by American military leaders; Whereas more than 150,000 Native American Indians have fought for the United States in the struggle for freedom and peace, and often in a percentage well above their percentage of the population of the United States as a whole; Whereas the Elders of the American Indian Society have proclaimed that official recognition of the military service of Native American Indians would help engender a sense of self-esteem and pride in Native American Indians; Whereas, although November 11, Veterans Day, marks a day of observance for all veterans who served in the Armed Forces, the establishment of a specific National Native American Indian Veterans Day would honor the service of Native American Indians in the Armed Forces; and Whereas November 7, a date during the annual Native American Indian Heritage Month, would be an appropriate day to establish as National Native American Indian Veterans Day: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) honors the service of Native American Indians in the Armed Forces; (2) recommends the establishment of a National Native American Indian Veterans Day; (3) encourages all Americans to learn about the history of the service of Native American Indians in the Armed Forces; and (4) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate their support for Native American Indian veterans.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres63ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres63ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 64 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 14, 2013 Mrs. Beatty (for herself, Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Ms. Norton , Mr. Ellison , Mr. Grijalva , and Ms. Bordallo ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of suicide prevention awareness. Whereas suicide is the tenth leading cause of all deaths in the United States and the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34; Whereas, on average, there is a death by suicide in the United States every 13.7 minutes; Whereas an estimated 6,000,000 individuals in the United States are survivors of suicide, meaning they have lost a loved one to suicide; Whereas suicide is a leading noncombat cause of death among members of the Armed Forces; Whereas, on average, 22 veterans are lost to suicide in the United States each day; Whereas the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act ( Public Law 110–110 ; 121 Stat. 1031) was enacted in 2007 to establish a comprehensive program for suicide prevention among veterans; Whereas the Veterans Crisis Line, which was established under the Joshua Omvig Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, has received more than 890,000 telephone calls and facilitated more than 30,000 life-saving rescues; Whereas the stigma associated with mental illness and suicidality works against suicide prevention by discouraging individuals at risk of suicide from seeking life-saving help and further traumatizes survivors of suicide; Whereas 90 percent of the individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of death; Whereas many suicides are preventable; and Whereas September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month; (2) supports efforts during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month to raise awareness and improve outreach to individuals at risk for suicide, especially such efforts addressed to veterans and members of the Armed Forces; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to learn more about the warning signs of suicide and how each person can help prevent suicide and promote mental health.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres64ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres64ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 65 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 15, 2013 Mr. Calvert submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress regarding outreach to families of members of the Armed Forces killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in other conflicts. Whereas the human burden of the Global War on Terrorism has been disproportionately borne by the less than one percent of Americans who serve in the military; Whereas 2,276 members of the Armed Forces have been killed in Afghanistan and 4,474 members of the Armed Forces killed in Iraq as of November 11th, 2013; Whereas the strength of our military is built upon the men and women who serve in uniform and the families who support them; and Whereas supporting those families who have lost loved ones in the Global War on Terrorism demonstrates the commitment of the American people to those families now and in the future: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) all families that have lost loved ones in uniform should be recognized for their sacrifices and for their dedicated and patriotic support of the United States; (2) local communities should recognize and support those families that have lost a loved one in combat; and (3) the President should encourage military bases around the country to organize and host events to recognize and commemorate the sacrifices of members of the Armed Forces of all services, and to encourage the attendance of families within the local area that have lost loved ones in combat to attend such commemorations.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres65ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres65ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 66 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 21, 2013 Mr. Reichert (for himself, Mr. Nolan , Mr. Paulsen , Mr. Rangel , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Vargas , Mr. Hultgren , Mr. Cárdenas , Mr. Boustany , Mr. Young of Indiana , Mr. Renacci , Mr. Griffin of Arkansas , Mr. Poe of Texas , Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania , and Mrs. Black ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress that children trafficked in the United States be treated as victims of crime, and not as perpetrators. Whereas, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of American children are at risk for commercial sexual exploitation; Whereas this risk is even greater for the up to 30,000 young people who are emancipated from foster care each year; Whereas many of these children are girls previously or currently living in foster care or otherwise involved in the child welfare system; Whereas flaws in the child welfare system in the United States, such as an over-reliance on group home and barriers to youth engaging in age-appropriate activities, contribute to children’s vulnerability to domestic sex trafficking; Whereas the average age of entry into sex trafficking for girls is between just 12 and 14 years old; Whereas many child sex trafficking victims have experienced previous physical and/or sexual abuse—vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit to lure them into a life of sexual slavery that exposes them to long-term abuse; Whereas many child sex trafficking victims are the lost girls , standing around bus stops, in the runaway and homeless youth shelters, advertised online—hidden in plain view; and Whereas many child sex trafficking victims who have not yet attained the age of consent are arrested and detained for juvenile prostitution or status offenses directly related to their exploitation: Now, therefore, be it That the Congress— (1) finds that law enforcement, judges, child welfare agencies, and the public should treat children being trafficked for sex as victims of child abuse; (2) finds that every effort should be made to arrest and hold accountable both traffickers and buyers of children for sex, in accordance with Federal laws to protect victims of trafficking and State child protection laws against abuse, in order to take all necessary measures to protect our Nation’s children from harm; (3) supports survivors of domestic child sex trafficking, including their efforts to raise awareness of this tragedy and the services they need to heal from the complex trauma of sexual violence and exploitation; (4) recognizes that most girls who are bought and sold for sex in the United States have been involved in the child welfare system, which has a responsibility to protect them and requires reform to better prevent domestic child sex trafficking and aid the victims of this tragedy; (5) believes that the child welfare system should identify, assess, and provide supportive services to children in its care who are victims of sex trafficking, or at risk of becoming such victims; and (6) supports an end to demand for girls by declaring that our Nation’s daughters are not for sale and that any person who purchases a child for sex should be appropriately held accountable with the full force of the law.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres66ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres66ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 67 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 21, 2013 Ms. Esty (for herself, Mr. Courtney , Ms. DeLauro , Mr. Himes , and Mr. Larson of Connecticut ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform , and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce , the Judiciary , Energy and Commerce , and Transportation and Infrastructure , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many United States postal facilities for all people in the United States in particular disabled citizens. Whereas, in 2012, 12 percent of the civilian population in the United States reported having a disability; Whereas, in 2012, 16 percent of veterans, amounting to more than 3,500,000 people, received service-related disability benefits; Whereas, in 2011, the percentage of working-age people in the United States who reported having a work limitation due to a disability was 7 percent, which is a 20-year high; Whereas the Act entitled An Act to insure that certain buildings financed with Federal funds are so designed and constructed as to be accessible to the physically handicapped , approved August 12, 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4151 et seq. ) (referred to in this preamble as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 ), was enacted to ensure that certain federally funded facilities are designed and constructed to be accessible to people with disabilities and requires that physically handicapped people have ready access to, and use of, post offices and other Federal facilities; Whereas automatic doors, though not mandated by either the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq. ), provide a greater degree of self-sufficiency and dignity for people with disabilities and the elderly, who may have limited strength to open a manually operated door; Whereas a report commissioned by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (referred to in this preamble as the Access Board ), an independent Federal agency created to ensure access to federally funded facilities for people with disabilities, recommends that all new buildings for use by the public should have at least one automated door at an accessible entrance, except for small buildings where adding such doors may be a financial hardship for the owners of the buildings; Whereas States and municipalities have begun to recognize the importance of automatic doors in improving accessibility; Whereas the laws of the State of Connecticut require automatic doors in certain shopping malls and retail businesses, the laws of the State of Delaware require automatic doors or calling devices for newly constructed places of accommodation, and the laws of the District of Columbia have a similar requirement; Whereas the Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service, published by the General Services Administration, requires automation of at least one exterior door for all newly constructed or renovated facilities managed by the General Services Administration, including post offices; Whereas from 2006 to 2011, 71 percent of the complaints received by the Access Board regarding the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 concerned a post office or other facility of the United States Postal Service; Whereas the United States Postal Service employs approximately 522,000 people, making it the second-largest civilian employer in the United States; Whereas approximately 3,200,000 people visit 1 of the 31,857 post offices in the United States each day; and Whereas the United States was founded on principles of equality and freedom, and these principles require that all people, including people with disabilities, are able to engage as equal members of society: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the immense hardships that disabled United States citizens must overcome every day; (2) reaffirms its support of the Architectural Barriers Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act and full compliance of the laws; (3) recommends that the United States Postal Service and other public agencies install power-assisted doors to ensure equal access to all citizens; and (4) pledges to continue to work to identify and rectify the barriers that are preventing all United States citizens from having equal access to the services provided by the Federal Government.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres67ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres67ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 68 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 4, 2013 Mr. Gerlach (for himself and Mr. Fattah ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing official recognition of the massacre of 11 African-American soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion of the United States Army who had been captured in Wereth, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge on December 17, 1944. Whereas, during the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium in December 1944, the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion, an African-American unit, was among the units of the United States Army overrun in the initial German attack; Whereas eleven soldiers from different batteries of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion escaped capture and tried to return to the American lines; Whereas the eleven soldiers were Curtis Adams of South Carolina, Mager Bradley of Mississippi, George Davis, Jr. of Alabama, Thomas Forte of Mississippi, Robert Green of Georgia, James Leatherwood of Mississippi, Nathaniel Moss of Texas, George Motten of Texas, William Pritchett of Alabama, James Stewart of West Virginia, and Due Turner of Arkansas; Whereas, despite the bitter cold and snow, the soldiers walked 10 miles to the town of Wereth, Belgium, where they received shelter at the farmhouse of Mathias Langer, a resident of Wereth; Whereas the eleven soldiers were captured by a German patrol composed of SS soldiers, who, after dark, marched the unarmed Americans to a nearby field and brutally massacred them; Whereas, in 1949, a subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate conducted an investigation in connection with massacres and other atrocities committed by German troops during the Battle of the Bulge; Whereas the report of the subcommittee identified 12 locations at which American Prisoners of War, Belgian civilians, or both were murdered during the Battle of the Bulge; Whereas the massacre of the 11 African-American soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion in Wereth was omitted from the report, and the occurrence of this massacre remains unknown to the vast majority of Americans; and Whereas, in 2004, a permanent monument was dedicated in Wereth to the 11 African-American soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion who lost their lives in Wereth during the Battle of the Bulge to defeat fascism and defend freedom: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) officially recognizes the dedicated service and ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the United States of the 11 African-American soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion of the United States Army who were massacred in Wereth, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge on December 17, 1944; and (2) calls on the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate to correct the omission in the 1949 report of its subcommittee and appropriately recognize the sacrifice and massacre of the Wereth 11.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres68ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres68ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 69 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 4, 2013 Ms. Speier (for herself, Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Deutch , Mr. Ellison , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Keating , Mr. Moran , Ms. Tsongas , Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York , Ms. Schwartz , Ms. Schakowsky , Mr. McGovern , Ms. McCollum , Mr. Pocan , Mrs. Davis of California , and Mr. Lowenthal ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that efforts by mental health practitioners to change an individual’s sexual orientation is dangerous and harmful and should be prohibited from being practiced on minors. Whereas being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender nonconforming is not a disorder, disease, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming; Whereas the American Psychological Association’s 2008 resolution on Transgender, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression Non-discrimination states that discrimination and prejudice against people based on their actual or perceived gender identity or expression detrimentally affects psychological, physical, social, and economic well-being ; Whereas the development of all children and adolescents into healthy and productive adults is a national priority and ending prejudice and injustice based on sexual orientation and gender nonconformity is a human rights issue; Whereas the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers, together representing more than 480,000 health and mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to be or can be cured ; Whereas the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social Workers, American Counseling Association Governing Council, and American Psychoanalytic Association have not found sexual orientation change efforts to be safe or effective ; Whereas the American Psychological Association’s 2009 resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts concludes there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation ; Whereas the American Psychiatric Association has opposed since 2000 any psychiatric treatment, such as reparative or conversion therapy, which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a priori assumption that a patient should change his/her homosexual orientation ; Whereas the American Psychological Association’s Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation’s systematic review of peer-reviewed journal literature on sexual orientation change efforts concluded that attempts to change sexual orientation may cause or exacerbate distress and poor mental health in some individuals, including depression and suicidal thoughts ; Whereas the American Psychological Association issued a resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts in 2009 advising parents, guardians, young people, and their families to avoid sexual orientation change efforts that portray homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder and to seek psychotherapy, social support, and educational services that provide accurate information on sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and school support, and reduce rejection of sexual minority youth ; Whereas the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published a practice principles in 2012 in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry stating Principle 6: Clinicians should be aware that there is no evidence that sexual orientation can be altered through therapy, and that attempts to do so may be harmful, and finding that There is no empirical evidence adult homosexuality can be prevented if gender nonconforming children are influenced to be more gender conforming. Indeed, there is no medically valid basis for attempting to prevent homosexuality, which is not an illness. On the contrary, such efforts may encourage family rejection and undermine self-esteem, connectedness and caring, important protective factors against suicidal ideation and attempts. … Given that there is no evidence that efforts to alter sexual orientation are effective, beneficial or necessary, and the possibility that they carry the risk of significant harm, such interventions are contraindicated. ; Whereas the National Association of Social Workers prepared a 1997 policy statement in which it stated Social stigmatization of lesbian, gay and bisexual people is widespread and is a primary motivating factor in leading some people to seek sexual orientation changes. Sexual orientation conversion therapies assume that homosexual orientation is both pathological and freely chosen. No data demonstrates that reparative or conversion therapies are effective, and, in fact, they may be harmful. ; Whereas the American Counseling Association Governing Council issued a position statement in April of 1999 in which it stated We oppose the promotion of reparative therapy as a cure for individuals who are homosexual. ; Whereas the American Psychoanalytic Association updated its position statement in June 2012, on attempts to change sexual orientation, gender, identity, or gender expression, and in the statement the association states As with any societal prejudice, bias against individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression negatively affects mental health, contributing to an enduring sense of stigma and pervasive self-criticism through the internalization of such prejudice. Psychoanalytic technique does not encompass purposeful attempts to convert , repair , and change or shift an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Such directed efforts are against fundamental principles of psychoanalytic treatment and often result in substantial psychological pain by reinforcing damaging internalized attitudes. ; Whereas in 2010, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health released a statement urging the de-pathologization of gender variance in which it states The expression of gender characteristics, including identities, that are not stereotypically associated with one’s assigned sex at birth is a common and culturally diverse human phenomenon which should not be judged as inherently pathological or negative. ; Whereas research by Caitlyn Ryan et al. entitled Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults published in 2009, found that certain young people experienced sexual orientation change efforts as a form of rejection, and that minors who experience family rejection based on their sexual orientation face especially serious health risks and that such youth were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, and 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection; and Whereas several States have enacted or are considering legislation and other measures to prohibit sexual orientation change efforts in children and adolescents: Now, therefore, be it 1. Short title This resolution may be cited as the Stop Harming Our Kids Resolution of 2013 . 2. Sense of Congress regarding sexual orientation change efforts directed at minors (a) In general It is the sense of Congress that sexual orientation change efforts directed at minors are discredited and ineffective, have no legitimate therapeutic purpose, and are dangerous and harmful. (b) State encouragement Congress encourages each State to take steps to protect minors from efforts that promote or promise to change sexual orientation or gender identity or expression based on the premise that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender nonconforming is a mental illness or developmental disorder that can or should be cured. (c) Sexual orientation change efforts defined In this resolution, the term sexual orientation change efforts means any practice by a licensed mental health provider, health care provider, or counselor that seeks or purports to impose change of an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, including reducing or eliminating sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward a person of the same gender and efforts to change behaviors, gender identity, or gender expression. Such term does not include counseling that— (1) (A) provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person; (B) facilitates a person’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development; (C) provides developmentally appropriate counseling for a person seeking to transition from one gender to another; or (D) provides sexual orientation- and gender identity-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices; and (2) does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 70 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 10, 2013 Mr. Nolan (for himself, Mr. Farr , Ms. Slaughter , Mr. Conyers , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Walz , Ms. Norton , Ms. McCollum , and Mr. Loebsack ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the critical contributions international volunteers provide to the United States. Whereas December 5 marks International Volunteer Day , a day to increase awareness of the important contributions of volunteer service; Whereas international volunteering provides meaningful opportunities to build cross-cultural understanding while addressing vital human development needs; Whereas a 2006 Terror Free Tomorrow poll of the world’s three largest Muslim countries (Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan) indicates that development assistance results in substantial favorable change in opinion toward the United States; Whereas for more than 50 years, the United States Peace Corps has sent more than 200,000 United States citizens abroad on 27-month volunteer assignments to advance development and build understanding; Whereas Kosovo recently announced it will become the 140th country since 1961 to receive Peace Corps volunteers; Whereas in the past 10 years, nearly 120,000 United States professionals have served the Nation internationally through Volunteers for Prosperity, sharing their skills to support programs of the United States Agency for International Development to advance agriculture, economic development, environment, health, democracy, governance, and more; Whereas more than 300 member organizations of the Building Bridges Coalition are actively involved in organizing and documenting effective practices, increasing public awareness, and energizing campus and corporate engagement in support of United States international service opportunities; Whereas Duke University has sent over 1,600 students to volunteer overseas in more than 50 countries, just one example of the increasing number of institutions of higher education committed to international service; Whereas Global Volunteers, the pioneer nonprofit international short-term volunteer service organization, has engaged 30,000 volunteers since 1984, providing 2,400,000 hours of volunteer service and now provides comprehensive services by helping deliver the United Nations The Essential Package for the benefit of developing communities; Whereas over 200 volunteers have served abroad as Harris Wofford Global Service Fellows in 2012 and 2013 through full and partial scholarships from the private and nonprofit sectors; Whereas since 1986, more than 7,000 individuals in 30 countries in 11,700,000 hours have served as educators through year-long opportunities provided through World Teach, including its newest program in 2013 in Vietnam; Whereas 2014 will mark the 50th anniversary of Partners of the Americas, a people-to-people organization that evolved from the Alliance for Progress, which connects more than 10,000 volunteers in the Western Hemisphere to serve and to change lives through lasting partnerships; Whereas 2014 will also mark the 20th anniversary of Cross Cultural Solutions, which has sent more than 30,000 volunteers on short-term service projects across Africa, Asia, and Latin America; Whereas Habitat for Humanity since 1976 has served more than 750,000 families around the world in providing adequate and stable housing with the help of 1,000,000 volunteers each year; Whereas this is one example of the increasing number of faith-based institutions committed to international service; Whereas Atlas Corps, an organization that promotes multi-lateral, long-term professional exchange, has supported the reverse flow of volunteers through the engagement of more than 200 professionals from 54 countries in 400,000 hours of service in the United States and Latin America; Whereas the On Demand Community reflects 14,000,000 hours of IBM’s employees and retirees volunteer efforts in over 120 countries, an example of the increasing number of corporations committed to international service; Whereas the programs and organizations listed above are representative of dozens of similar other international volunteer initiatives that, taken together, provide United States citizens with a flexibility of offerings to serve fellow citizens across the globe and engage volunteers at home; Whereas in a July 15, 2013, memorandum, President Barack Obama said National service and volunteering can be effective solutions to national challenges and can have positive and lasting impacts that reach beyond the immediate service experience. ; Whereas in a March 29, 2013, opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, General Stanley McChrystal called for a cultural shift that makes service an expected rite of citizenship ; and Whereas the Franklin Project is proposing a 21st century National Service System to offer at least 1,000,000 full-time civilian national service opportunities each year for young adults: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes International Service Day as a day to appreciate citizens around the world who volunteer in other nations in service to others; (2) honors and congratulates the tens of thousands of United States citizens who selflessly take part in international volunteer service activities each year; (3) expresses its hope that tens of thousands of United States citizens will continue to engage in international service, bringing the spirit and values of the Nation’s people to all corners of the globe; and (4) calls on the Administration to further develop the strong spirit of partnership and global service connecting the United States Peace Corps with its nonprofit, faith-based, and corporate actors in service for enhanced impacts in cross-cultural understanding and development outcomes.
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III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 71 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 13 (legislative day, December 11), 2013 Received CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing for corrections to the enrollment of the bill H.R. 3304. That, in the enrollment of the bill H.R. 3304, the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall make the following corrections: (1) Strike sections 1 and 2. (2) Redesignate sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 as sections 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. (3) Strike any matter following the end of the tables in title XLVII. (4) Amend the long title so as to read: To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2014 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. . Passed the House of Representatives December 12, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres71rds/xml/BILLS-113hconres71rds.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 72 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing for corrections to the enrollment of H. J. Res. 59. That, in the enrollment of the resolution H. J. Res. 59, the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall make the following corrections: (1) Strike That before Division A—Bipartisan Budget Agreement . (2) Amend the title so as to read: Joint resolution reducing spending, and for other purposes. . Passed the House of Representatives December 12, 2013. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres72eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres72eh.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 73 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 9, 2014 Mrs. Davis of California (for herself, Mr. Farr , Ms. Lofgren , Mr. Vargas , and Mr. Peters of California ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued by the United States Postal Service honoring the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, and that the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued. Whereas San Diego played host to the Panama-California Exposition from January 1, 1915, until January 1, 1917; Whereas the Panama-California Exposition recognized the historic completion of the Panama Canal, which revolutionized transcontinental trade; Whereas, on May 22, 1911, the House of Representatives passed a congressional resolution endorsing San Diego’s Panama-California Exposition and called on President William Howard Taft to invite our Central and South American partner nations as exposition participants; Whereas seven States—California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington, Montana, and Kansas—participated in that exposition and highlighted the unrealized potential of the American West; Whereas San Diego has realized that potential over the past 100 years, growing to become the second largest city in California, the eighth largest city in our Nation, and a world leader in biomedical and technology research that was unimaginable a hundred years ago; Whereas architects John and Frederick Olmsted of Massachusetts, Frank P. Allen, Jr., of Washington State, and Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue of New York collaborated to transform a little-used public park into a forward-looking urban landmark to host the exposition; Whereas that park, known as Balboa Park, has since continued to host internationally recognized artistic performances, educational exhibits, and, during both World Wars, served as an active military installation; Whereas the National Park Service recognized this rich history when it designated Balboa Park as a National Historic Landmark in 1977; and Whereas Balboa Park will celebrate its centennial beginning in 2015 with a year of festivities that showcase San Diego’s intellectual capital, imaginative spirit, and exceptional quality of life: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of the Congress that— (1) a commemorative postage stamp should be issued by the United States Postal Service honoring the 1915 Panama-California Exposition; and (2) the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 74 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 13, 2014 Mr. Rogers of Kentucky submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations , and in addition to the Committee on House Administration , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing for a correction in the enrollment of H.R. 3547. That in the enrollment of the bill H.R. 3547, the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall amend the long title so as to read: Making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, and for other purposes. .
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres74ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres74ih.xml
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III 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 75 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 27, 2014 Received CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing for a joint session of Congress to receive a message from the President. That the two Houses of Congress assemble in the Hall of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, January 28, 2014, at 9 p.m., for the purpose of receiving such communication as the President of the United States shall be pleased to make to them. Passed the House of Representatives January 16, 2014. Karen L. Haas, Clerk
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 76 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 16, 2014 Mr. Holt (for himself, Mr. Nunes , Mr. Grijalva , Ms. McCollum , Mr. Rangel , Mr. Levin , Mr. Fattah , Mr. Lewis , Mr. Honda , Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois , Mr. Valadao , Ms. Jackson Lee , Mr. Blumenauer , Mr. Sessions , Ms. Shea-Porter , Ms. Slaughter , Ms. DeLauro , Mr. Costa , Mr. McNerney , Mr. Rohrabacher , Mr. Peters of California , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mr. Israel , Mr. Foster , Mr. Fortenberry , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Ms. Chu , and Mr. Smith of Texas ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the significance of the anniversary of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellowship program, and reaffirming the commitment to support the use of science in governmental decisionmaking through such program. Whereas Congress hosted the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) first Congressional Science and Engineering Fellows 40 years ago in 1973; Whereas the AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship program was the first to provide an opportunity for doctoral-level scientists and engineers to learn about the policymaking process while bolstering the technical expertise available to Members of Congress and staff; Whereas Members of Congress hold the AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship program in high regard for the substantial contributions that Fellows have made, serving in nearly 100 Congressional offices and committees, as well as the Congressional Research Service, Government Accountability Office, and the former Office of Technology Assessment; Whereas the Congress is increasingly required to legislate on public policy issues of a scientific and technical nature and recognizes the need to develop additional in-house expertise in the areas of science and engineering; Whereas nearly 1,200 individuals have held AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowships since 1973; Whereas more than 1,400 individuals, across 20 Federal agencies and departments, have held the AAAS Executive Branch Science and Technology Policy Fellowships since its launch in 1980; Whereas in total more than 2,600 Science and Technology Policy Fellows have had the opportunity to contribute knowledge and analytical skills in service to the United States Government; Whereas over four decades AAAS has partnered with more than 60 professional societies and organizations to sponsor Science and Technology Policy Fellows; Whereas the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows represent the full range of physical, biological, and social sciences, and all fields of engineering; Whereas the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows bring to Congress and the Executive Branch new insights and ideas, extensive knowledge, and perspectives from a variety of disciplines; Whereas the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows learn about the development and implementation of policy, stakeholder outreach, and communications through assignments that offer a wide array of responsibilities; Whereas AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships provide an opportunity for scientists and engineers to transition into careers in government service; and Whereas many former AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows return to their disciplines and share knowledge with students and peers to encourage more scientists and engineers to participate in informing government processes: Now, therefore, be it That the Congress— (1) recognizes the significance of the anniversary of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellowship program; (2) acknowledges the value of 40 years of participation by the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science and Technology Policy Fellows; and (3) reaffirms its commitment to support the use of science in governmental decisionmaking through the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science and Technology Policy Fellowship program.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres76ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres76ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 77 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 16, 2014 Mr. Duffy submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress opposing the proposal by the United States Department of State to relocate the United States Embassy to the Holy See. Whereas the United States Department of State has announced plans to relocate the United States Embassy to the Holy See; Whereas this action would close the freestanding embassy that has been located at Aventine Hill; Whereas the Vatican has requested that countries operate their embassies to the Holy See and Italy in two different locations; Whereas since 1984, the United States Embassy to the Holy See has been separate from the Italian Embassy when Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II signed an accord to establish it; Whereas for the more than 78,000,000 Catholics in the United States and many millions of others who value this relationship, any move that might weaken this connection is unacceptable; Whereas having both the Ambassador to the Holy See and the Ambassador to Rome in one embassy compound will likely diminish one of their standings; Whereas the United States relationship with the Vatican is separate and distinct from the relationship with Rome, a distinction that should be consistently maintained; Whereas this should continue to be the standard that the United States meets; and Whereas simply providing a separate entrance and address to the same complex fails to recognize the importance of United States-Vatican relations and this instead strives for the bare minimum: Now, therefore, be it That Congress opposes the United States Department of State efforts to close the freestanding United States Embassy located at Aventine Hill.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres77ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres77ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 78 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 27, 2014 Mrs. Beatty (for herself, Mr. Richmond , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Rush , Ms. Schwartz , and Mr. Grijalva ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the difficult challenges Black veterans faced when returning home after serving in the Armed Forces, their heroic military sacrifices, and their patriotism in fighting for equal rights and for the dignity of a people and a Nation. Whereas there has been no war fought by or within the United States in which Blacks did not participate, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom; Whereas Frederick Douglass voiced his opinion in one of his autobiographies, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass , writing, I * * * urged every man who could, to enlist; to get an eagle on his button, a musket on his shoulder, the star-spangled banner over his head , later remarking that there is no power on Earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States. ; Whereas during the Civil War, Black soldiers, commonly referred to as the United States Colored Troops, were treated as second-class citizens, the health care and hospitals available to them were substandard, and they often died from neglect of services that was supposed to be administered by medical personnel; Whereas Dr. W.E.B. DuBois and William Monroe Trotter, members of the first generation of freedom's children, founded the Niagara Movement in 1905; Whereas in his book, Black Reconstruction in America , published in 1935, DuBois wrote that [n]othing else made Negro citizenship conceivable, but the record of the Negro soldier as a fighter. ; Whereas the 369th Infantry, known as the Harlem Hell-fighters, fought the Germans during World War I as part of the French Army and served the longest stretch in combat, 191 days without replacement, without losing a foot of ground or a man as prisoner; Whereas at the end of the service of the 369th Infantry, the entire regiment received the Croix de Guerre, which was France's highest military honor, from a grateful French nation; Whereas Alain Locke, the first black Rhodes Scholar, wrote in 1925 about a New Negro who had returned from battle with a bold new spirit that helped spark a new mood in the Black community; Whereas in 1917, Charles Hamilton Houston encountered racism after entering World War I as a commissioned first lieutenant in the segregated 17th Provisional Training Regiment, later writing that I made up my mind that if I got through this war I would study law and use my time fighting for men who could not strike back. ; Whereas Dorie Miller, a messman attendant in the Navy, was catapulted to national hero status and an icon to generations, after displaying heroism on board the USS West Virginia during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941; Whereas before becoming a famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson was court-martialed in the Army for refusing to sit in the back of the bus in 1944, and when he was later acquitted, he wrote that [i]t was a small victory, for I had learned that I was in two wars, one against the foreign enemy, the other against prejudice at home. ; Whereas the famed Tuskegee Airmen, a group of Black pilots, flew with distinction during World War II under the command of Captain Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., the highly decorated officer who served for more than 35 years and became the first Black general in the Air Force; Whereas during World War II, the 6888 (known as the Six Triple Eights ), the first all-woman Black Postal Battalion who served in England and then France, were given the daunting task of clearing out a two-year backlog of over 90,000 pieces of mail, succeeded in their mission, completed it in three months, and went on to make a positive impact on racial integration in the military; Whereas during World War II, the Army's 92nd Infantry Division, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers , which traces its direct lineage back to the 9th and 10th Cavalry units from 1866 to the early 1890s, was the only Black segregated unit to experience combat during the Italian campaign of 1944–1945 with several members later earning Medals of Honor for bravery; Whereas Reverend Benjamin Hooks, who served in the 92nd Division, found himself in the humiliating position of guarding Italian prisoners of war who were allowed to eat in restaurants that were off-limits to him; Whereas even after President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 desegregating the military on July 26, 1948, discrimination continued; Whereas in 1946, when Charles and Medgar Evers tried to register to vote, they were turned away at the polling station; Whereas after serving overseas in the Army, Charles and Medgar Evers returned home to Mississippi where, in 1952, they began to organize voter registration drives for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); Whereas Oliver L. Brown, a World War II Army veteran from Kansas, and Harry Briggs, a World War II sailor from South Carolina, were the fathers of two of the five named plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka and Briggs v. Elliott, the historic school desegregation cases of 1954; Whereas the Black heroes and heroines of World War II and the Korean War, such as Private Sarah Keys and Women's Army Corps (WAC) officer Dovey Roundtree, won significant victories against discrimination in interstate transportation in landmark civil rights cases, including Keys v. Carolina Coach Company, which was decided in 1955, six days before Rosa Parks' historic protest of Alabama's Jim Crow laws in Montgomery; Whereas in his address at Riverside Church on April 4, 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., commented on the irony of Blacks fighting in Vietnam to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia while not enjoying the same rights at home; Whereas Black veterans who were in the forefront of the leadership of the Civil Rights Movement, with their strong resolve to address the paradox of military service abroad and the denial of basic rights at home, brought deeper meaning to the word democracy , and through their example, transformed the face of the United States; Whereas the Black veterans of the Nation's wars sowed the seeds for today's bountiful harvest through the Niagara Movement, the NAACP, and the latter-day Civil Rights Movement, all of which share a common ancestry in the Civil War, without which there would be no Civil Rights Movement and no equal rights for all Americans; and Whereas today, Black veterans suffer at a disproportionate rate from chronic illnesses and homelessness and are plagued by health disparities: Now, therefore, be it That Congress recognizes— (1) the difficult challenges Black veterans faced when returning home after serving in the Armed Forces, their heroic military sacrifices, and their patriotism in fighting for equal rights and for the dignity of a people and a Nation; and (2) the need for the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to work to eliminate any health and benefit disparities for our Nation's minority veterans.
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 79 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 29, 2014 Ms. Jenkins (for herself and Mr. Pompeo ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the 155th anniversary of the House of Representatives’ rejection of the Lecompton Constitution of the Territory of Kansas. Whereas, on February 8, 1858, the Lecompton Constitution of the Territory of Kansas was rejected by the House of Representatives; Whereas the Lecompton Constitution was submitted to the House of Representatives for the admission of State of Kansas to Union as a pro-slavery State; Whereas the Lecompton Constitution was a frequent topic in the Lincoln-Douglas Presidential debates of 1858; Whereas the House of Representatives debate of the Lecompton Constitution caused political schisms in the entirety of the House; Whereas, on February 6, 1858, the debate of the Lecompton Constitution in the United States House of Representatives resulted in the most infamous floor brawl in the House’s history; Whereas the House of Representatives rejected the Le­comp­ton Constitution and admitted the State of Kansas to the Union as a free State; Whereas the schisms caused by the debate over slavery were one of the crucial factors leading to the Civil War; Whereas the Civil War is one of the most significant periods of time in the history of these United States; Whereas the Civil War led to the abolition of slavery throughout the United States as a result of the Emancipation Proclamation; and Whereas the United States recognizes the inherent right of individual freedom of every individual: Now, therefore, be it That the Congress— (1) recognizes the rejection of the Lecompton Constitution of the Territory of Kansas by the House of Representatives as a critical action in admitting Kansas as a free State into the Union of the United States; (2) celebrates the American belief of freedom as an inherent right of individuals everywhere; (3) acknowledges the drafting and ensuing debate of the Lecompton Constitution of Territory of Kansas as a significant catalyst of the debate that would lead to the Civil War and the ultimate abolition of slavery; (4) congratulates the city of Lecompton, Kansas, for maintaining its historical heritage as a significant location in American history; and (5) extends warm wishes to the residents of Lecompton, Kansas, as they continue to celebrate their city’s ongoing importance in American history as the place Where Slavery Began To Die .
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres79ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres79ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 80 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 29, 2014 Mr. Quigley (for himself and Ms. Lee of California ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing support for designation of January 2014 as National Blood Donor Month . Whereas America's Blood Centers, AABB, and the American Red Cross unite to designate January 2014 as National Blood Donor Month ; Whereas donating 1 unit of blood saves as many as 3 lives; Whereas blood donors are an integral part of the health system and national public health preparedness initiatives in the United States; Whereas blood and blood products are critical national resources and vital public health assets that must be readily available at all times; Whereas every 2 seconds, a person in the United States needs blood for lifesaving treatment in an emergency or a disaster, a routine surgery, a blood transfusion to help treat a serious disease like cancer, or an organ or bone marrow transplant; Whereas 1 in 7 patients who enter a hospital in the United States needs blood; Whereas more than 20,000,000 blood components are used in transfusions every year in the United States; Whereas over 41,000 units of blood are needed each day in the United States to maintain a safe and adequate blood supply; Whereas 9,200,000 donors give blood each year in the United States; Whereas approximately 38 percent of the United States population is eligible to give blood, but less than 10 percent of the eligible population donates blood on an annual basis; Whereas blood transfusions require generous and altruistic volunteer donors; Whereas it is vital that the blood donation policies, including donor deferral policies, in the United States keep pace with medical science to ensure that the United States has a robust, eligible population of donors to maintain a safe and adequate blood supply; and Whereas America's Blood Centers, AABB, and the American Red Cross support and perform critical services collecting, processing, and distributing lifesaving blood and blood products to hospitals and health providers, and are instrumental in ensuring the safety of the blood supply and promoting the need for blood donations: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) supports the designation of National Blood Donor Month ; (2) acknowledges the important role of volunteer blood donors in protecting the health and emergency preparedness security of the United States; (3) recognizes the need to promote a safe, stable blood supply and to increase volunteer participation of blood donors; (4) endorses efforts to update blood donation policies in a safe and scientifically sound manner to maintain an adequate blood supply; and (5) recognizes the roles of America's Blood Centers, AABB, and the American Red Cross in ensuring the safety of the blood supply in the United States and delivering lifesaving blood and blood products to health providers and patients.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres80ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres80ih.xml
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I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 81 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing a correction in the enrollment of S. 25. That in the enrollment of the bill, S. 25, the Secretary of the Senate shall amend the title so as to read: To ensure that the reduced annual cost-of-living adjustment to the retired pay of members and former members of the Armed Forces under the age of 62 required by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 will not apply to members or former members who first became members prior to January 1, 2014, and for other purposes. . Passed the House of Representatives February 11, 2014. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres81eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres81eh.xml
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I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 82 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Providing a correction in the enrollment of S. 540. That in the enrollment of the bill, S. 540, the Secretary of the Senate shall amend the title so as to read: To temporarily extend the public debt limit, and for other purposes. . Passed the House of Representatives February 11, 2014. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres82eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres82eh.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 83 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 11, 2014 Ms. Gabbard (for herself and Ms. Hanabusa ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha I. 1. Use of Emancipation Hall for Event to Celebrate Birthday of King Kamehameha I (a) Authorization Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center is authorized to be used for an event on June 8, 2014, to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha I. (b) Preparations Physical preparations for the conduct of the ceremony described in subsection (a) shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres83ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres83ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 84 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 11, 2014 Mr. Al Green of Texas (for himself, Ms. Bass , Mr. Bishop of Georgia , Mr. Butterfield , Mr. Carson of Indiana , Mrs. Christensen , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Clay , Mr. Cleaver , Ms. Edwards , Mr. Ellison , Ms. Fudge , Mr. Hastings of Florida , Mr. Hinojosa , Mr. Honda , Mr. Jeffries , Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Ms. Lee of California , Mr. Lewis , Mr. Meeks , Ms. Moore , Ms. Norton , Mr. Payne , Mr. Rangel , Mr. Richmond , Mr. Rush , Mr. Scott of Virginia , Ms. Sewell of Alabama , Mr. Thompson of Mississippi , Ms. Waters , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mr. David Scott of Georgia , Mr. Veasey , Mr. Conyers , Ms. Jackson Lee , and Ms. Chu ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Honoring and praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 105th anniversary. Whereas the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), originally known as the National Negro Committee, was founded in New York City on February 12, 1909, the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, by a multiracial group of activists who met in a national conference to discuss the civil and political rights of African-Americans; Whereas the multiracial founders of the NAACP were a distinguished group of leaders in the struggle for human rights, including Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, and William English Walling; Whereas the NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States; Whereas the NAACP National Headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland; Whereas the mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination; Whereas the NAACP is committed to achieving its goals through nonviolence; Whereas the NAACP advances its mission through reliance upon peaceful protest, the petition, the ballot, and the courts, and has been persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion, even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility; Whereas the NAACP has used political pressure, marches, demonstrations, and effective lobbying to serve as the voice, as well as the shield, for minorities in the United States; Whereas after years of fighting segregation in public schools, the NAACP, under the leadership of Special Counsel Thurgood Marshall, won one of its greatest legal victories in the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954); Whereas in 1955, NAACP member Rosa Parks was arrested and fined for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, an act of courage that would serve as the catalyst for the largest grassroots civil rights movement in the history of the United States; Whereas the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, César E. Chávez, Barbara C. Jordan, William C. Velásquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, and the Fair Housing Act, laws that ensured Government protection for legal victories achieved; Whereas in 2005, the NAACP launched the Disaster Relief Fund to help hurricane survivors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and Alabama to rebuild their lives; Whereas in the 110th Congress, the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage of H. Res. 826, whose resolved clause expresses that the hanging of nooses is a horrible act when used for the purpose of intimidation and which under certain circumstances can be criminal, this conduct should be investigated thoroughly by Federal authorities, and any criminal violations should be vigorously prosecuted; Whereas in 2008, the NAACP vigorously supported the passage of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007, a law that puts additional Federal resources into solving the heinous crimes that occurred in the early days of the civil rights struggle that remain unsolved and bringing those who perpetrated such crimes to justice; Whereas the NAACP has helped usher in the new millennium by charting a bold course, beginning with the appointment of the organization’s youngest President and Chief Executive Officer, Benjamin Todd Jealous, and its youngest female Board Chair, Roslyn M. Brock; Whereas under their leadership, the NAACP has outlined a strategic plan to confront 21st century challenges in the critical areas of health, education, housing, criminal justice, and environment; Whereas, on July 16, 2009, the NAACP celebrated its centennial anniversary in New York City, highlighting an extraordinary century of Bold Dreams, Big Victories with a historic address from the first African-American President of the United States, Barack Obama; Whereas as an advocate for sentencing reform, the NAACP applauded the passage of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–220 ; 124 Stat. 2372), a landmark piece of legislation that reduces the quantity of crack cocaine that triggers a mandatory minimum sentence for a Federal conviction of crack cocaine distribution from 100 times that of people convicted of distributing the drug in powdered form to 18 times that sentence; Whereas in 2011, the NAACP led the charge to defend the constitutional right to vote and to protect that right for all citizens of the United States, whether they be seniors, young voters, the poor, or from minority communities; Whereas in 2013, the NAACP signed a historic Memorandum of Agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to put mechanisms in place to ensure that the needs of underrepresented communities are more fully integrated into future plans for disaster preparedness; and Whereas in 2014, the NAACP is a leader in the effort to strengthen the Voting Rights Act and protect the principle of one person, one vote : Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the 105th anniversary of the historic founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and (2) honors and praises the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its anniversary for its work to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic rights of all persons.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres84ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres84ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 85 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 21, 2014 Mrs. Beatty (for herself, Mr. Enyart , Ms. Hahn , Mr. Butterfield , Ms. Speier , Mr. Meeks , Ms. Norton , and Mr. McNerney ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers. Whereas, on July 28, 1866, Congress established six all-Black regiments, later consolidated to four, to help rebuild the country after the Civil War and to patrol the remote western frontier during the Indian wars; Whereas Colonel Charles Young was a Buffalo Soldier and the highest ranking African-American commanding officer in the United States Army from 1894 until his death in 1922; Whereas more than 200,000 African-Americans served in World War I and more than 1 million served in World War II; Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers received their name because of the buffalo’s fierce bravery and fighting spirit; Whereas African-American troops accepted the name, Buffalo Soldiers, with pride and honor; Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers fought alongside White regiments in many conflicts and were instrumental in the exploration and settlement of western lands; Whereas, over the 82 years of the Buffalo Soldiers’ existence, 23 men received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest recognition awarded by the United States Government for military service; Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers ceased to exist in 1948 when President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981 mandating equal treatment and opportunity for African-American servicemen; Whereas the Buffalo Soldiers are a significant part of American military history; Whereas a stamp was issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers on April 22, 1994, and this stamp was placed on off sale in December 1995; and Whereas reissuing a postage stamp to honor the Buffalo Soldiers is fitting and proper: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers; and (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres85ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres85ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 86 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 25, 2014 Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Schrader , Mr. Lucas , and Mr. Peterson ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the nationwide Cooperative Extension System. Whereas May 8, 2014, marks the centennial of the enactment of the Act of May 8, 1914 (commonly referred to as the Smith-Lever Act; 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq. ), which established the Cooperative Extension System, the nationwide transformative education system operating through land-grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 3103 )), in partnership with Federal, State, and local governments; Whereas Senator Michael Hoke Smith of Georgia and Representative Asbury Francis Lever of South Carolina authored the Smith-Lever Act ( 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq. ) to bring the research-based knowledge of land-grant colleges and universities to individuals where they live and work; Whereas section 1 of the Smith-Lever Act ( 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq. ) states that the purpose of the Act is to aid in diffusing among the people of the United States useful and practical information on subjects relating to agriculture, uses of solar energy with respect to agriculture, home economics, and rural energy, and to encourage the application of the same through extension work carried out by the land-grant colleges and universities; Whereas cooperative extension work is a critical component of the three-part mission of the land-grant colleges and universities to work collaboratively with research institutions, in particular, the State agriculture experiment stations and 106 colleges and universities, including part B institutions (as defined in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1061 )), 1994 Institutions (as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 301 note)), and Hispanic-serving institutions (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 3103 )), in each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each territory or possession of the United States; Whereas research-based education provided through the Cooperative Extension System to farmers and ranchers helped establish the United States as a leading agricultural-producing nation in the world; Whereas, in 1924, the clover emblem was adopted by the Department of Agriculture to represent the 4–H Clubs through which the nationwide youth development program of the Cooperative Extension System is carried out; Whereas, since 1924, 4–H Clubs have prepared millions of youth for responsible adulthood; Whereas cooperative extension activities prepare individuals for healthy, productive lives via sustained education, such as the nutrition education program established under section 1425 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 3175 ), help to break the cycle of poverty, and reduce the expenditures of Federal and State assistance programs; Whereas educational activities carried out under the Smith-Lever Act ( 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq. ) provide rapid response to disasters and emergencies, such as through the Extension Disaster Education Network and other similar efforts, by providing real-time alerts and resources so that educators can respond to urgent needs resulting from hurricanes, floods, oil spills, fire, drought, pest outbreaks, and infectious diseases affecting humans, livestock, and crops; Whereas cooperative extension activities translate science-based research for practical application through local and online learning networks in which educators are uniquely available to identify emerging research questions, connect with land-grant college or university faculty to find answers, and encourage the application of the findings of such research to improve economic and social conditions; Whereas cooperative extension activities engage with rural and urban learners through practical, community-based, and online approaches resulting in the acquisition of the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to strengthen the profitability of animal and plant production systems, protect natural resources, help individuals make healthy lifestyle choices, ensure a safe and abundant food supply, encourage community vitality, and grow the next generation of leaders; and Whereas many States are celebrating the centennial of the enactment of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) with resolutions and proclamations, and many land-grant colleges and universities are also commemorating the enactment of that historic Act: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the significance of the Act of May 8, 1914 (commonly referred to as the Smith-Lever Act; 7 U.S.C. 341 et seq. ), to the establishment of the Cooperative Extension System; (2) encourages the people of the United States to observe and celebrate the centennial with a focus on launching an innovative and sustainable future for the Cooperative Extension System; (3) honors the university faculty and local educators who dedicate careers to providing trusted educational programs to help people, families, youth , businesses, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future; (4) thanks the volunteers who provide thousands of hours to promote excellence for 4–H Clubs, the Master Gardeners program, the Family and Consumer Sciences program, and other programs of the Cooperative Extension System in their communities; (5) encourages continued collaboration and cooperation among Federal, State, and local governments to assure the sustainability of the Cooperative Extension System as the premiere nonformal educational network in the United States; and (6) celebrates millions of youth, adults, families, farmers, ranchers, community leaders, and others who engage in cooperative extension learning opportunities designed to extend knowledge and change lives.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres86ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres86ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 87 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 25, 2014 Mr. Benishek submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the occasion of the 200th Anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner and its importance to the people of the United States. Whereas the year 2014 marks the bicentennial of the Star Spangled Banner; Whereas after a sustained 25-hour bombardment by the British Royal Navy on Fort McHenry between September 13 and 14, 1814, a large 15-star, 15-stripe American flag was raised over the fort; Whereas the Battle of Baltimore was a turning point in the War of 1812; Whereas an American lawyer, Francis Scott Key, witnessed the siege from a British ship while negotiating the release of a captured American doctor; Whereas Mr. Key wrote a four-stanza poem recounting the heroic defense of Fort McHenry and the city of Baltimore from invasion, representing a turning point in the War of 1812; Whereas the first stanza of the poem written by Mr. Key was adopted as the national anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931; and Whereas the Star Spangled Banner recounts this important moment in the Nation’s history and symbolizes the resilience and perseverance of the American people and our willingness to defend our freedom: Now, therefore, be it That Congress recognizes the significance of our national anthem and its importance to the people of the United States on the occasion of its 200th anniversary.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres87ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres87ih.xml
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IV One Hundred Thirteenth Congress of the United States of America At the Second Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen H. CON. RES. 88 April 3, 2014 Agreed to CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby. 1. Use of Capitol Grounds for soap box derby races (a) In General The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association (in this resolution referred to as the sponsor ) shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, soap box derby races (in this resolution referred to as the event ), on the Capitol Grounds. (b) Date of Event The event shall be held on June 14, 2014, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate. 2. Terms and conditions (a) In General Under conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the event shall be— (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress. (b) Expenses and Liabilities The sponsor shall assume full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to all activities associated with the event. 3. Event preparations Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related structures and equipment as may be required for the event. 4. Additional arrangements The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board are authorized to make such additional arrangements as may be required to carry out the event. 5. Enforcement of restrictions The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, with respect to the event. Clerk of the House of Representatives. Secretary of the Senate.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres88enr/xml/BILLS-113hconres88enr.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 89 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 5, 2014 Mr. Meadows submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing support for designation of October 28, annually, as Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day . Whereas the term first responders includes all fire, police, EMT, and volunteer first responder workers in the United States; Whereas there are over 25,300,000 first responders in the United States today, working to keep our communities safe; Whereas first responders, both professional and volunteer, deserve to be recognized for their commitment to safety, defense, and honor; and Whereas October 28 would be an appropriate day to establish as Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day : Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) supports the designation of Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day ; (2) honors and recognizes the contributions of volunteer firefighters, policemen, and other service men and women; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the contributions of the Nation’s First Responders.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres89ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres89ih.xml
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IV One Hundred Thirteenth Congress of the United States of America At the Second Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen H. CON. RES. 90 April 8, 2014 Agreed to CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust. 1. Use of Emancipation Hall for Holocaust Days of Remembrance Ceremony Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center is authorized to be used on April 30, 2014, for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust. Physical preparations for the conduct of the ceremony shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol. Clerk of the House of Representatives. Secretary of the Senate.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres90enr/xml/BILLS-113hconres90enr.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 91 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 6, 2014 Mr. Rangel (for himself, Mr. Coble , Mr. Conyers , and Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Encouraging reunions of divided Korean American families. Whereas the Republic of Korea (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as South Korea ) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as North Korea ) remain divided since the armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953; Whereas the United States, which as a signatory to the armistice agreement as representing the United Nations Forces Command, and with 28,500 of its troops currently stationed in South Korea, has a stake in peace on the Korean Peninsula and is home to more than 1.7 million Americans of Korean descent; Whereas the division on the Korean Peninsula separated more than 10,000,000 Korean family members, including some who are now citizens of the United States; Whereas North Korea has recently resumed the family reunions with South Korea, which halted in 2010 due to escalated tensions between the two nations; Whereas the United States currently does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea, thereby excluding Korean Americans to participate in the family reunions; Whereas President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008, signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 ( Public Law 110–181 ), which in section 1265 of such law required a report on family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea; Whereas President Barack Obama on December 16, 2009, signed into law the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 ( Public Law 111–242 ), which urged the Special Representative on North Korea Policy to prioritize the issues involving Korean divided families; Whereas the number of more than 100,000 estimated divided family members in the United States last identified in 2001 has been significantly dwindling as many of them have passed away; Whereas many Korean Americans are waiting for a chance to meet their relatives in North Korea for the first time in more than 60 years; Whereas North Korea's willingness to start family reunions between Koreans in North Korea and the United States would signify making progress on the humanitarian front and foster dialogue towards building peace; and Whereas peace on the Korean Peninsula remains a long-term goal for the Governments of both North and South Korea and the United States, and would mean greater security and stability for the region and the world: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes the significance of North Korea's willingness to resume family reunions between North and South Korea; (2) encourages North Korea to allow Korean Americans to meet with their divided families in North Korea; and (3) calls on North Korea to continue building goodwill that is conducive to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres91ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres91ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 92 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2014 Mr. Barletta (for himself and Mr. Carson of Indiana ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition. 1. Use of the Capitol Grounds for National Peace Officers Memorial Service (a) In general The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, the 33rd Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service (in this resolution referred to as the Memorial Service ), on the Capitol Grounds, in order to honor the law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty during 2013. (b) Date of Memorial Service The Memorial Service shall be held on May 15, 2014, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate, with preparation for the event to begin on May 12, 2014. 2. Use of the Capitol Grounds for National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition (a) In general The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition (in this resolution referred to as the Exhibition ), on the Capitol Grounds, in order to allow law enforcement representatives to exhibit their ability to demonstrate Honor Guard programs and provide for a bag pipe exhibition. (b) Date of exhibition The exhibition shall be held on May 14, 2014, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate. 3. Terms and conditions (a) In general Under conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the event shall be— (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress. (b) Expenses and liabilities The sponsors of the Memorial Service and Exhibition shall assume full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to all activities associated with the events. 4. Event preparations Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsors referred to in section 3(b) are authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related structures and equipment, as may be required for the Memorial Service and Exhibition. 5. Enforcement of restrictions The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in connection with the events.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres92ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres92ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 93 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make technical corrections in the enrollment of H.R. 3370. That, in the enrollment of the bill (H.R. 3370) to delay the implementation of certain provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, and for other purposes, the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall make the following corrections: (1) In section 12— (A) in the matter preceding the new subsection added by the amendment made by such section, strike , as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further and insert is ; and (B) in the new subsection added by the amendment made by such section, strike (e) and insert (d) . (2) In section 14, before the closing quotation marks that immediately precede the period at the end insert and . (3) In section 30— (A) in the matter that precedes paragraph (1), strike is and insert the following: , as amended by section 27 of this Act, is further ; (B) in paragraph (1)— (i) in the matter that precedes subparagraph (A), strike subparagraph (B) and insert subparagraph (C) ; and (ii) in subparagraph (A)— (I) strike subparagraph (A) and insert subparagraph (B) ; and (II) strike subparagraph (D) and insert subparagraph (E) ; (C) in paragraph (2), strike and (C) as subparagraphs (D), (E), and (G) and insert (C), and (D) as subparagraphs (D), (E), (F), and (H) ; (D) in paragraph (3), in the matter preceding the new subparagraphs inserted by the amendment made by such paragraph, strike subparagraph (B) and insert subparagraph (D) ; and (E) in paragraph (4)— (i) in the matter preceding the new subparagraph inserted by the amendment made by such paragraph, strike subparagraph (E) and insert subparagraph (F) ; and (ii) in the new subparagraph inserted by the amendment made by such paragraph, strike (F) and insert (G) . Passed the House of Representatives March 13, 2014. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres93eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres93eh.xml
113-hconres-94
IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 94 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 25, 2014 Mr. Rogers of Alabama (for himself, Mr. Poe of Texas , and Mr. Heck of Washington ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should hold the Russian Federation accountable for being in material breach of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Whereas the Russian Federation is in material breach of its obligations under the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, commonly referred to as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed at Washington December 8, 1987, and entered into force June 1, 1988; and Whereas such behavior poses a threat to the United States, its deployed forces, and its allies: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of Congress that— (1) the President should hold the Russian Federation accountable for being in material breach of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty; (2) the President should demand the Russian Federation completely and verifiably eliminate the military systems that constitute the material breach of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty; (3) the President should not engage in further reductions of United States nuclear forces generally and should not engage in nuclear arms reduction negotiations with the Russian Federation specifically until such complete and verifiable elimination of the military systems has occurred; and (4) the President, in consultation with United States allies, should consider whether it is in the national security interests of the United States to unilaterally remain a party to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty if the Russian Federation is still in material breach of such Treaty beginning one year after the date of the adoption of this concurrent resolution.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres94ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres94ih.xml
113-hconres-95
IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 95 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 25, 2014 Mr. Hudson submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress regarding support for voluntary, incentive-based, private land conservation implemented through cooperation with local soil and water conservation districts. Whereas over 70 percent of the contiguous United States is privately owned; Whereas the future of the environment is determined by the decisions made by the men and women who own and manage that land, including urban landscapes; Whereas world population is projected to reach 9,000,000,000 people by 2050; Whereas increased production will be needed from agricultural land to feed the increasing population; Whereas meeting these needs will make caring for the environment more difficult; and Whereas landowners work to ensure they sustain a healthy environment to support abundant wildlife: Now, therefore, be it That— (1) Congress supports the conservation of the Nation’s natural resources and working lands; and (2) it is the sense of Congress that voluntary, incentive-based, private land conservation, provided in partnership with local conservation districts, is necessary to sustain natural resources, meet the needs of a growing population, and ensure safe, abundant, and adequate resources for current and future generations.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres95ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres95ih.xml
113-hconres-96
IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 96 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2015 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2016 through 2024. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2015 (a) Declaration The Congress determines and declares that this concurrent resolution establishes the budget for fiscal year 2015 and sets forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2016 through 2024. (b) Table of Contents The table of contents for this concurrent resolution is as follows: Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2015. Title I—Recommended levels and amounts Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts. Sec. 102. Major functional categories. Title II—Recommended Long-Term Levels Sec. 201. Long-term budgeting. Title III—Reserve funds Sec. 301. Reserve fund for the repeal of the 2010 health care laws. Sec. 302. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the reform of the 2010 health care laws. Sec. 303. Deficit-neutral reserve fund related to the Medicare provisions of the 2010 health care laws. Sec. 304. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the sustainable growth rate of the Medicare program. Sec. 305. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for reforming the tax code. Sec. 306. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade agreements. Sec. 307. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for revenue measures. Sec. 308. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for rural counties and schools. Sec. 309. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for transportation. Sec. 310. Deficit-neutral reserve fund to reduce poverty and increase opportunity and upward mobility. Title IV—Estimates of direct spending Sec. 401. Direct spending. Title V—Budget Enforcement Sec. 501. Limitation on advance appropriations. Sec. 502. Concepts and definitions. Sec. 503. Adjustments of aggregates, allocations, and appropriate budgetary levels. Sec. 504. Limitation on long-term spending. Sec. 505. Budgetary treatment of certain transactions. Sec. 506. Application and effect of changes in allocations and aggregates. Sec. 507. Congressional Budget Office estimates. Sec. 508. Transfers from the general fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund that increase public indebtedness. Sec. 509. Separate allocation for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism. Sec. 510. Exercise of rulemaking powers. Title VI—Policy statements Sec. 601. Policy statement on economic growth and job creation. Sec. 602. Policy statement on tax reform. Sec. 603. Policy statement on replacing the President’s health care law. Sec. 604. Policy statement on Medicare. Sec. 605. Policy statement on Social Security. Sec. 606. Policy statement on higher education and workforce development opportunity. Sec. 607. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the cancellation of unobligated balances. Sec. 608. Policy statement on responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Sec. 609. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the reduction of unnecessary and wasteful spending. Sec. 610. Policy statement on unauthorized spending. Sec. 611. Policy statement on Federal regulatory policy. Sec. 612. Policy statement on trade. Sec. 613. No budget, no pay. I Recommended levels and amounts 101. Recommended levels and amounts The following budgetary levels are appropriate for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2024: (1) Federal revenues For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution: (A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are as follows: Fiscal year 2015: $2,533,841,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $2,676,038,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $2,789,423,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $2,890,308,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $3,014,685,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $3,148,637,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $3,294,650,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $3,456,346,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $3,626,518,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: $3,807,452,000,000. (B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of Federal revenues should be changed are as follows: Fiscal year 2015: $0. Fiscal year 2016: $0. Fiscal year 2017: $0. Fiscal year 2018: $0. Fiscal year 2019: $0. Fiscal year 2020: $0. Fiscal year 2021: $0. Fiscal year 2022: $0. Fiscal year 2023: $0. Fiscal year 2024: $0. (2) New budget authority For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total new budget authority are as follows: Fiscal year 2015: $2,842,226,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $2,858,059,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $2,957,321,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $3,059,410,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $3,210,987,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $3,360,435,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $3,460,524,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $3,587,380,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $3,660,151,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: $3,706,695,000,000. (3) Budget outlays For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total budget outlays are as follows: Fiscal year 2015: $2,920,026,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $2,889,484,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $2,949,261,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $3,034,773,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $3,185,472,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $3,320,927,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $3,433,392,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $3,577,963,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $3,632,642,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: $3,676,374,000,000. (4) Deficits (on-budget) For purposes of the enforcement of this concurrent resolution, the amounts of the deficits (on-budget) are as follows: Fiscal year 2015: -$386,186,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: -$213,446,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: -$159,838,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: -$144,466,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: -$170,787,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: -$172,290,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: -$138,741,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: -$121,617,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: -$6,124,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: $131,078,000,000. (5) Debt subject to limit The appropriate levels of the public debt are as follows: Fiscal year 2015: $18,304,357,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $18,627,533,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $19,172,590,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $19,411,553,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $19,773,917,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $20,227,349,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $20,449,374,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $20,822,448,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $20,981,807,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: $21,089,365,000,000. (6) Debt held by the public The appropriate levels of debt held by the public are as follows: Fiscal year 2015: $13,213,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: $13,419,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: $13,800,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: $13,860,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: $14,080,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: $14,427,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: $14,579,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: $14,940,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: $15,080,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: $15,176,000,000,000. 102. Major functional categories The Congress determines and declares that the appropriate levels of new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years 2015 through 2024 for each major functional category are: (1) National Defense (050): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $528,927,000,000. (B) Outlays, $566,503,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $573,792,000,000. (B) Outlays, $573,064,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $597,895,000,000. (B) Outlays, $584,252,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $611,146,000,000. (B) Outlays, $593,795,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $624,416,000,000. (B) Outlays, $611,902,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $638,697,000,000. (B) Outlays, $626,175,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $653,001,000,000. (B) Outlays, $640,499,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $669,967,000,000. (B) Outlays, $661,181,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $687,393,000,000. (B) Outlays, $672,922,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $706,218,000,000. (B) Outlays, $685,796,000,000. (2) International Affairs (150): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $38,695,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,029,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $39,734,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,976,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $40,642,000,000. (B) Outlays, $38,229,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $41,589,000,000. (B) Outlays, $38,822,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $42,513,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,553,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $43,497,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,114,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $44,004,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,701,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $45,271,000,000. (B) Outlays, $41,749,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $46,287,000,000. (B) Outlays, $42,667,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $47,349,000,000. (B) Outlays, $43,624,000,000. (3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $27,941,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,927,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $28,493,000,000. (B) Outlays, $28,240,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $29,113,000,000. (B) Outlays, $28,750,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $29,764,000,000. (B) Outlays, $29,350,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $30,413,000,000. (B) Outlays, $29,938,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $31,096,000,000. (B) Outlays, $30,589,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $31,782,000,000. (B) Outlays, $31,174,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $32,493,000,000. (B) Outlays, $31,870,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $33,210,000,000. (B) Outlays, $32,576,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $33,955,000,000. (B) Outlays, $33,304,000,000. (4) Energy (270): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $4,228,000,000. (B) Outlays, $5,751,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $3,820,000,000. (B) Outlays, $3,416,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $2,048,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,400,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $1,762,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,192,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $1,788,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,278,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $1,851,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,384,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$16,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$346,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$1,018,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$1,283,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$1,914,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$2,188,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, -$6,113,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$6,699,000,000. (5) Natural Resources and Environment (300): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $34,289,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,311,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $34,491,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,747,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $35,077,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,204,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $33,047,000,000. (B) Outlays, $33,316,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $36,859,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,779,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $38,169,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,877,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $36,428,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,379,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $38,979,000,000. (B) Outlays, $38,749,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $39,927,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,733,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $40,592,000,000. (B) Outlays, $39,752,000,000. (6) Agriculture (350): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $19,042,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,556,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $22,506,000,000. (B) Outlays, $22,313,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $20,527,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,992,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $18,506,000,000. (B) Outlays, $17,883,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $18,654,000,000. (B) Outlays, $17,970,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $19,008,000,000. (B) Outlays, $18,440,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $19,263,000,000. (B) Outlays, $18,763,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $19,764,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,249,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $20,017,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,516,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $20,635,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,131,000,000. (7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, -$3,239,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$14,762,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$4,518,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$18,633,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$7,672,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$23,217,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$7,385,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$24,136,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$6,658,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$28,258,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$3,937,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$26,052,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$4,034,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$20,982,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$4,794,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$23,197,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$5,073,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$24,597,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, -$5,118,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$25,793,000,000. (8) Transportation (400): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $34,713,000,000. (B) Outlays, $80,659,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $68,529,000,000. (B) Outlays, $69,907,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $74,454,000,000. (B) Outlays, $75,199,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $75,978,000,000. (B) Outlays, $77,558,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $77,501,000,000. (B) Outlays, $78,163,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $78,373,000,000. (B) Outlays, $79,056,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $79,369,000,000. (B) Outlays, $80,231,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $80,529,000,000. (B) Outlays, $81,409,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $81,829,000,000. (B) Outlays, $82,872,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $83,353,000,000. (B) Outlays, $84,024,000,000. (9) Community and Regional Development (450): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $14,556,000,000. (B) Outlays, $23,608,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $15,303,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,425,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $15,269,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,292,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $15,414,000,000. (B) Outlays, $17,840,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $15,387,000,000. (B) Outlays, $16,841,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $15,283,000,000. (B) Outlays, $16,008,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $15,421,000,000. (B) Outlays, $14,679,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $15,658,000,000. (B) Outlays, $13,408,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $15,954,000,000. (B) Outlays, $13,490,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $16,302,000,000. (B) Outlays, $13,910,000,000. (10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services (500): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $73,908,000,000. (B) Outlays, $91,759,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $82,372,000,000. (B) Outlays, $84,521,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $86,699,000,000. (B) Outlays, $87,137,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $89,536,000,000. (B) Outlays, $89,808,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $85,278,000,000. (B) Outlays, $86,074,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $86,555,000,000. (B) Outlays, $87,130,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $87,749,000,000. (B) Outlays, $88,403,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $89,167,000,000. (B) Outlays, $89,839,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $90,661,000,000. (B) Outlays, $91,360,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $92,094,000,000. (B) Outlays, $92,926,000,000. (11) Health (550): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $419,799,000,000. (B) Outlays, $416,573,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $367,238,000,000. (B) Outlays, $370,205,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $377,752,000,000. (B) Outlays, $375,839,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $376,732,000,000. (B) Outlays, $377,346,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $390,437,000,000. (B) Outlays, $390,404,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $415,814,000,000. (B) Outlays, $405,309,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $419,124,000,000. (B) Outlays, $418,298,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $433,512,000,000. (B) Outlays, $432,149,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $449,181,000,000. (B) Outlays, $447,991,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $472,300,000,000. (B) Outlays, $471,312,000,000. (12) Medicare (570): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $519,196,000,000. (B) Outlays, $519,407,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $558,895,000,000. (B) Outlays, $558,964,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $570,144,000,000. (B) Outlays, $570,341,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $590,695,000,000. (B) Outlays, $591,117,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $651,579,000,000. (B) Outlays, $651,878,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $692,307,000,000. (B) Outlays, $692,644,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $737,455,000,000. (B) Outlays, $738,042,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $815,257,000,000. (B) Outlays, $817,195,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $836,296,000,000. (B) Outlays, $837,883,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $859,011,000,000. (B) Outlays, $866,262,000,000. (13) Income Security (600): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $505,729,000,000. (B) Outlays, $505,032,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $487,645,000,000. (B) Outlays, $490,122,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $489,766,000,000. (B) Outlays, $487,105,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $492,129,000,000. (B) Outlays, $484,280,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $493,996,000,000. (B) Outlays, $490,014,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $512,717,000,000. (B) Outlays, $508,689,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $520,016,000,000. (B) Outlays, $515,475,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $529,438,000,000. (B) Outlays, $529,111,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $530,839,000,000. (B) Outlays, $525,624,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $525,701,000,000. (B) Outlays, $515,225,000,000. (14) Social Security (650): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $31,442,000,000. (B) Outlays, $31,517,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $34,245,000,000. (B) Outlays, $34,283,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $37,133,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,133,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $40,138,000,000. (B) Outlays, $40,138,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $43,383,000,000. (B) Outlays, $43,383,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $46,747,000,000. (B) Outlays, $46,747,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $50,255,000,000. (B) Outlays, $50,255,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $53,941,000,000. (B) Outlays, $53,941,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $57,800,000,000. (B) Outlays, $57,800,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $58,441,000,000. (B) Outlays, $58,441,000,000. (15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $153,027,000,000. (B) Outlays, $152,978,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $164,961,000,000. (B) Outlays, $164,807,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $163,858,000,000. (B) Outlays, $163,269,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $162,388,000,000. (B) Outlays, $161,646,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $174,305,000,000. (B) Outlays, $173,499,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $179,269,000,000. (B) Outlays, $178,380,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $183,571,000,000. (B) Outlays, $182,676,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $195,680,000,000. (B) Outlays, $194,719,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $192,458,000,000. (B) Outlays, $191,491,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $189,292,000,000. (B) Outlays, $188,262,000,000. (16) Administration of Justice (750): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $54,011,000,000. (B) Outlays, $54,250,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $56,932,000,000. (B) Outlays, $56,298,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $56,770,000,000. (B) Outlays, $58,319,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $58,405,000,000. (B) Outlays, $59,095,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $60,239,000,000. (B) Outlays, $60,501,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $62,146,000,000. (B) Outlays, $61,649,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $64,263,000,000. (B) Outlays, $63,734,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $66,967,000,000. (B) Outlays, $66,411,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $69,031,000,000. (B) Outlays, $68,455,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $71,166,000,000. (B) Outlays, $70,568,000,000. (17) General Government (800): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $23,710,000,000. (B) Outlays, $23,618,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $23,064,000,000. (B) Outlays, $22,826,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $21,587,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,674,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $23,269,000,000. (B) Outlays, $22,973,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $24,040,000,000. (B) Outlays, $23,582,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $24,759,000,000. (B) Outlays, $24,331,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $25,556,000,000. (B) Outlays, $25,139,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $26,353,000,000. (B) Outlays, $25,939,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $27,097,000,000. (B) Outlays, $26,691,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $27,912,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,491,000,000. (18) Net Interest (900): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $365,987,000,000. (B) Outlays, $365,987,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $416,238,000,000. (B) Outlays, $416,238,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $482,228,000,000. (B) Outlays, $482,228,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $553,820,000,000. (B) Outlays, $553,820,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $611,852,000,000. (B) Outlays, $611,852,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $659,310,000,000. (B) Outlays, $659,310,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $693,159,000,000. (B) Outlays, $693,159,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $723,805,000,000. (B) Outlays, $723,805,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $751,215,000,000. (B) Outlays, $751,215,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $770,124,000,000. (B) Outlays, $770,124,000,000. (19) Allowances (920): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, -$36,364,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$22,676,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$47,825,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$36,706,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$51,416,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$45,014,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$54,566,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$49,571,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$56,672,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$53,542,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$61,825,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$58,102,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$64,552,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$61,040,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$66,871,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$63,946,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$68,992,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$66,322,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, -$65,972,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$64,338,000,000. (20) Government-wide savings (930): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $25,904,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,052,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$14,151,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$1,701,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$30,525,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$17,482,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$38,302,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$27,789,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$46,446,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$35,547,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$55,559,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$44,608,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$63,060,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$53,317,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$75,189,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$64,007,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$87,334,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$75,209,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, -$117,125,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$96,353,000,000. (21) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, -$78,632,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$78,632,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, -$83,652,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$83,652,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, -$83,974,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$83,974,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, -$84,602,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$84,602,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, -$91,824,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$91,824,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, -$93,787,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$93,787,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, -$98,176,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$98,176,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, -$101,529,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$101,529,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, -$105,731,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$105,731,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, -$113,422,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$113,422,000,000. (22) Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism (970): Fiscal year 2015: (A) New budget authority, $85,357,000,000. (B) Outlays, $52,580,000,000. Fiscal year 2016: (A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,823,000,000. Fiscal year 2017: (A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, $32,585,000,000. Fiscal year 2018: (A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, $30,893,000,000. Fiscal year 2019: (A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, $31,032,000,000. Fiscal year 2020: (A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, $29,647,000,000. Fiscal year 2021: (A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000. (B) Outlays, $29,647,000,000. Fiscal year 2022: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $11,200,000,000. Fiscal year 2023: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $4,402,000,000. Fiscal year 2024: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $1,827,000,000. II Recommended Long-Term Levels 201. Long-term budgeting The following are the recommended revenue, spending, and deficit levels for each of fiscal years 2030, 2035, and 2040 as a percent of the gross domestic product of the United States: (1) Federal revenues The appropriate levels of Federal revenues are as follows: Fiscal year 2030: 18.8 percent. Fiscal year 2035: 19.0 percent. Fiscal year 2040: 19.0 percent. (2) Budget outlays The appropriate levels of total budget outlays are not to exceed: Fiscal year 2030: 18.5 percent. Fiscal year 2035: 17.9 percent. Fiscal year 2040: 17.2 percent. (3) Deficits The appropriate levels of deficits are not to exceed: Fiscal year 2030: -0.3 percent. Fiscal year 2035: -1.1 percent. Fiscal year 2040: -1.8 percent. (4) Debt The appropriate levels of debt held by the public are not to exceed: Fiscal year 2030: 43.0 percent. Fiscal year 2035: 31.0 percent. Fiscal year 2040: 18.0 percent. III Reserve funds 301. Reserve fund for the repeal of the 2010 health care laws In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that only consists of a full repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care-related provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. 302. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the reform of the 2010 health care laws In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that reforms or replaces the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 303. Deficit-neutral reserve fund related to the Medicare provisions of the 2010 health care laws In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that repeals all or part of the decreases in Medicare spending included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 304. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the sustainable growth rate of the Medicare program In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that includes provisions amending or superseding the system for updating payments under section 1848 of the Social Security Act, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 305. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for reforming the tax code In the House, if the Committee on Ways and Means reports a bill or joint resolution that reforms the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any such bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 306. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade agreements In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution reported by the Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that implements a trade agreement, but only if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 307. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for revenue measures In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution reported by the Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that decreases revenue, but only if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 308. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for rural counties and schools In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels and limits in this resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that makes changes to or provides for the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 ( Public Law 106–393 ) by the amounts provided by that legislation for those purposes, if such legislation requires sustained yield timber harvests obviating the need for funding under Public Law 106–393 in the future and would not increase the deficit or direct spending for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2019, or the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 309. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for transportation In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such measure maintains the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, but only if such measure would not increase the deficit over the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 310. Deficit-neutral reserve fund to reduce poverty and increase opportunity and upward mobility In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such measure reforms policies and programs to reduce poverty and increase opportunity and upward mobility, but only if such measure would neither adversely impact job creation nor increase the deficit over the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. IV Estimates of direct spending 401. Direct spending (a) Means-tested direct spending (1) For means-tested direct spending, the average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period preceding fiscal year 2015 is 6.8 percent. (2) For means-tested direct spending, the estimated average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period beginning with fiscal year 2015 is 5.4 percent under current law. (3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent resolution for means-tested direct spending: (A) In 1996, a Republican Congress and a Democratic president reformed welfare by limiting the duration of benefits, giving States more control over the program, and helping recipients find work. In the five years following passage, child-poverty rates fell, welfare caseloads fell, and workers’ wages increased. This budget applies the lessons of welfare reform to both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid. (B) For Medicaid, this budget assumes the conversion of the Federal share of Medicaid spending into a flexible State allotment tailored to meet each State’s needs, indexed for inflation and population growth. Such a reform would end the misguided one-size-fits-all approach that has tied the hands of State governments. Instead, each State would have the freedom and flexibility to tailor a Medicaid program that fits the needs of its unique population. Moreover, this budget assumes the repeal of the Medicaid expansions in the President’s health care law, relieving State governments of its crippling one-size-fits-all enrollment mandates. (C) For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, this budget assumes the conversion of the program into a flexible State allotment tailored to meet each State’s needs. The allotment would increase based on the Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan index and beneficiary growth. Such a reform would provide incentives for States to ensure dollars will go towards those who need them most. Additionally, it requires that more stringent work requirements and time limits apply under the program. (b) Nonmeans-tested direct spending (1) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period preceding fiscal year 2015 is 5.7 percent. (2) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the estimated average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period beginning with fiscal year 2015 is 5.4 percent under current law. (3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent resolution for nonmeans-tested direct spending: (A) For Medicare, this budget advances policies to put seniors, not the Federal Government, in control of their health care decisions. Those in or near retirement will see no changes, while future retirees would be given a choice of private plans competing alongside the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program. Medicare would provide a premium-support payment either to pay for or offset the premium of the plan chosen by the senior, depending on the plan’s cost. The Medicare premium-support payment would be adjusted so that the sick would receive higher payments if their conditions worsened; lower-income seniors would receive additional assistance to help cover out-of-pocket costs; and wealthier seniors would assume responsibility for a greater share of their premiums. Putting seniors in charge of how their health care dollars are spent will force providers to compete against each other on price and quality. This market competition will act as a real check on widespread waste and skyrocketing health care costs. (B) In keeping with a recommendation from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, this budget calls for Federal employees—including Members of Congress and congressional staff—to make greater contributions toward their own retirement. V Budget Enforcement 501. Limitation on advance appropriations (a) In general In the House, except as provided for in subsection (b), any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, making a general appropriation or continuing appropriation may not provide for advance appropriations. (b) Exceptions An advance appropriation may be provided for programs, projects, activities, or accounts referred to in subsection (c)(1) or identified in the report to accompany this concurrent resolution or the joint explanatory statement of managers to accompany this concurrent resolution under the heading Accounts Identified for Advance Appropriations . (c) Limitations For fiscal year 2016, the aggregate level of advance appropriations shall not exceed— (1) $58,662,202,000 for the following programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs— (A) Medical Services; (B) Medical Support and Compliance; and (C) Medical Facilities accounts of the Veterans Health Administration; and (2) $28,781,000,000 in new budget authority for all programs identified pursuant to subsection (b). (d) Definition In this section, the term advance appropriation means any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, making general appropriations or any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill or joint resolution making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2016. 502. Concepts and definitions Upon the enactment of any bill or joint resolution providing for a change in budgetary concepts or definitions, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust any allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution accordingly. 503. Adjustments of aggregates, allocations, and appropriate budgetary levels (a) Adjustments of discretionary and direct spending levels If a committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations) reports a bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, providing for a decrease in direct spending (budget authority and outlays flowing therefrom) for any fiscal year and also provides for an authorization of appropriations for the same purpose, upon the enactment of such measure, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may decrease the allocation to such committee and increase the allocation of discretionary spending (budget authority and outlays flowing therefrom) to the Committee on Appropriations for fiscal year 2015 by an amount equal to the new budget authority (and outlays flowing therefrom) provided for in a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for the same purpose. (b) Adjustments to fund Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism In order to take into account any new information included in the budget submission by the President for fiscal year 2015, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary levels for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism or the section 302(a) allocation to the Committee on Appropriations set forth in the report of this concurrent resolution to conform with section 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (as adjusted by section 251A of such Act). (c) Revised Congressional Budget Office baseline The chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary levels to reflect changes resulting from technical and economic assumptions in the most recent baseline published by the Congressional Budget Office. (d) Determinations For the purpose of enforcing this concurrent resolution on the budget in the House, the allocations and aggregate levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct spending, new entitlement authority, revenues, deficits, and surpluses for fiscal year 2015 and the period of fiscal years 2015 through fiscal year 2024 shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by the chair of the Committee on the Budget and such chair may adjust such applicable levels of this concurrent resolution. 504. Limitation on long-term spending (a) In general In the House, it shall not be in order to consider a bill or joint resolution reported by a committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations), or an amendment thereto or a conference report thereon, if the provisions of such measure have the net effect of increasing direct spending in excess of $5,000,000,000 for any period described in subsection (b). (b) Time periods The applicable periods for purposes of this section are any of the four consecutive ten fiscal-year periods beginning with fiscal year 2025. 505. Budgetary treatment of certain transactions (a) In General Notwithstanding section 302(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, section 13301 of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, and section 4001 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, the report accompanying this concurrent resolution on the budget or the joint explanatory statement accompanying the conference report on any concurrent resolution on the budget shall include in its allocation under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to the Committee on Appropriations amounts for the discretionary administrative expenses of the Social Security Administration and the United States Postal Service. (b) Special Rule For purposes of applying sections 302(f) and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, estimates of the level of total new budget authority and total outlays provided by a measure shall include any off-budget discretionary amounts. (c) Adjustments The chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels for legislation reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that reforms the Federal retirement system, if such adjustments do not cause a net increase in the deficit for fiscal year 2015 and the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024. 506. Application and effect of changes in allocations and aggregates (a) Application Any adjustments of the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels made pursuant to this concurrent resolution shall— (1) apply while that measure is under consideration; (2) take effect upon the enactment of that measure; and (3) be published in the Congressional Record as soon as practicable. (b) Effect of Changed Allocations and Aggregates Revised allocations and aggregates resulting from these adjustments shall be considered for the purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as allocations and aggregates included in this concurrent resolution. (c) Budget compliance The consideration of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, for which the chair of the Committee on the Budget makes adjustments or revisions in the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels of this concurrent resolution shall not be subject to the points of order set forth in clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives or section 504. 507. Congressional Budget Office estimates (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) Costs of Federal housing loans and loan guarantees are treated unequally in the budget. The Congressional Budget Office uses fair-value accounting to measure the costs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but determines the cost of other Federal loan and loan-guarantee programs on the basis of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 ( FCRA ). (2) The fair-value accounting method uses discount rates which incorporate the risk inherent to the type of liability being estimated in addition to Treasury discount rates of the proper maturity length. In contrast, FCRA accounting solely uses the discount rates of the Treasury, failing to incorporate all of the risks attendant to these credit activities. (3) The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if fair-value were used to estimate the cost of all new credit activity in 2014, the deficit would be approximately $50 billion higher than under the current methodology. (b) Fair Value Estimates Upon the request of the chair or ranking member of the Committee on the Budget, any estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office for a measure under the terms of title V of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, credit reform , as a supplement to such estimate shall, to the extent practicable, also provide an estimate of the current actual or estimated market values representing the fair value of assets and liabilities affected by such measure. (c) Fair value estimates for housing programs Whenever the Director of the Congressional Budget Office prepares an estimate pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out any bill or joint resolution and if the Director determines that such bill or joint resolution has a cost related to a housing or residential mortgage program under the FCRA, then the Director shall also provide an estimate of the current actual or estimated market values representing the fair value of assets and liabilities affected by the provisions of such bill or joint resolution that result in such cost. (d) Enforcement If the Director of the Congressional Budget Office provides an estimate pursuant to subsection (b) or (c), the chair of the Committee on the Budget may use such estimate to determine compliance with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and other budgetary enforcement controls. 508. Transfers from the general fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund that increase public indebtedness For purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, or the rules or orders of the House of Representatives, a bill or joint resolution, or an amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that transfers funds from the general fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund shall be counted as new budget authority and outlays equal to the amount of the transfer in the fiscal year the transfer occurs. 509. Separate allocation for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism (a) Allocation In the House, there shall be a separate allocation to the Committee on Appropriations for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism. For purposes of enforcing such separate allocation under section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the first fiscal year and the total of fiscal years shall be deemed to refer to fiscal year 2015. Such separate allocation shall be the exclusive allocation for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism under section 302(a) of such Act. Section 302(c) of such Act shall not apply to such separate allocation. The Committee on Appropriations may provide suballocations of such separate allocation under section 302(b) of such Act. Spending that counts toward the allocation established by this section shall be designated pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. (b) Adjustment In the House, for purposes of subsection (a) for fiscal year 2015, no adjustment shall be made under section 314(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if any adjustment would be made under section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 510. Exercise of rulemaking powers The House adopts the provisions of this title— (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and as such they shall be considered as part of the rules of the House of Representatives, and these rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent with other such rules; and (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of the House of Representatives to change those rules at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the House of Representatives. VI Policy statements 601. Policy statement on economic growth and job creation (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) Although the United States economy technically emerged from recession nearly five years ago, the subsequent recovery has felt more like a malaise than a rebound. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth over the past four years has averaged just over 2 percent, well below the 3 percent trend rate of growth in the United States. (2) The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) did a study in late 2012 examining why the United States economy was growing so slowly after the recession. They found, among other things, that United States economic output was growing at less than half of the typical rate exhibited during other recoveries since World War II. CBO said that about two-thirds of this growth gap was due to a pronounced sluggishness in the growth of potential GDP—particularly in potential employment levels (such as people leaving the labor force) and the growth in productivity (which is in turn related to lower capital investment). (3) The prolonged economic sluggishness is particularly troubling given the amount of fiscal and monetary policy actions taken in recent years to cushion the depth of the downturn and to spark higher rates of growth and employment. In addition to the large stimulus package passed in early 2009, many other initiatives have been taken to boost growth, such as the new homebuyer tax credit and the cash for clunkers program. These stimulus efforts may have led to various short term pops in activity but the economy and job market has since reverted back to a sub-par trend. (4) The unemployment rate has declined in recent years, from a peak of nearly 10 percent in 2009-2010 to 6.7 percent in the latest month. However, a significant chunk of this decline has been due to people leaving the labor force (and therefore no longer being counted as unemployed ) and not from a surge in employment. The slow decline in the unemployment rate in recent years has occurred alongside a steep decline in the economy’s labor force participation rate. The participation rate stands at 63.0 percent, close to the lowest level since 1978. The flipside of this is that over 90 million Americans are now on the sidelines and not in the labor force, representing a 10 million increase since early 2009. (5) Real median household income declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2012 (latest data available) and, at just over $51,000, is currently at its lowest level since 1995. Weak wage and income growth as a result of a subpar labor market not only means lower tax revenue coming in to the Treasury, it also means higher government spending on income support programs. (6) A stronger economy is vital to lowering deficit levels and eventually balancing the budget. According to CBO, if annual real GDP growth is just 0.1 percentage point higher over the budget window, deficits would be reduced by $311 billion. (7) This budget resolution therefore embraces pro-growth policies, such as fundamental tax reform, that will help foster a stronger economy and more job creation. (8) Reining in government spending and lowering budget deficits has a positive long-term impact on the economy and the budget. According to CBO, a significant deficit reduction package (i.e. $4 trillion), would boost longer-term economic output by 1.7 percent. Their analysis concludes that deficit reduction creates long-term economic benefits because it increases the pool of national savings and boosts investment, thereby raising economic growth and job creation. (9) The greater economic output that stems from a large deficit reduction package would have a sizeable impact on the Federal budget. For instance, higher output would lead to greater revenues through the increase in taxable incomes. Lower interest rates, and a reduction in the stock of debt, would lead to lower government spending on net interest expenses. According to CBO, this dynamic would reduce unified budget deficits by an amount sufficient to produce a surplus in fiscal year 2024. (b) Policy on economic growth and job creation It is the policy of this resolution to promote faster economic growth and job creation. By putting the budget on a sustainable path, this resolution ends the debt-fueled uncertainty holding back job creators. Reforms to the tax code to put American businesses and workers in a better position to compete and thrive in the 21st century global economy. This resolution targets the regulatory red tape and cronyism that stack the deck in favor of special interests. All of the reforms in this resolution serve as means to the larger end of growing the economy and expanding opportunity for all Americans. 602. Policy statement on tax reform (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) A world-class tax system should be simple, fair, and promote (rather than impede) economic growth. The United States tax code fails on all three counts – it is notoriously complex, patently unfair, and highly inefficient. The tax code’s complexity distorts decisions to work, save, and invest, which leads to slower economic growth, lower wages, and less job creation. (2) Over the past decade alone, there have been more than 4,400 changes to the tax code, more than one per day. Many of the major changes over the years have involved carving out special preferences, exclusions, or deductions for various activities or groups. These loopholes add up to more than $1 trillion per year and make the code unfair, inefficient, and highly complex. (3) In addition, these tax preferences are disproportionately used by upper-income individuals. (4) The large amount of tax preferences that pervade the code end up narrowing the tax base. A narrow tax base, in turn, requires much higher tax rates to raise a given amount of revenue. (5) It is estimated that American taxpayers end up spending $160 billion and roughly 6 billion hours a year complying with the tax code – a waste of time and resources that could be used in more productive activities. (6) Standard economic theory shows that high marginal tax rates dampen the incentives to work, save, and invest, which reduces economic output and job creation. Lower economic output, in turn, mutes the intended revenue gain from higher marginal tax rates. (7) Roughly half of United States active business income and half of private sector employment are derived from business entities (such as partnerships, S corporations, and sole proprietorships) that are taxed on a pass-through basis, meaning the income flows through to the tax returns of the individual owners and is taxed at the individual rate structure rather than at the corporate rate. Small businesses, in particular, tend to choose this form for Federal tax purposes, and the top Federal rate on such small business income reaches 44.6 percent. For these reasons, sound economic policy requires lowering marginal rates on these pass-through entities. (8) The United States corporate income tax rate (including Federal, State, and local taxes) sums to just over 39 percent, the highest rate in the industrialized world. Tax rates this high suppress wages and discourage investment and job creation, distort business activity, and put American businesses at a competitive disadvantage with foreign competitors. (9) By deterring potential investment, the United States corporate tax restrains economic growth and job creation. The United States tax rate differential with other countries also fosters a variety of complicated multinational corporate behaviors intended to avoid the tax, which have the effect of moving the tax base offshore, destroying American jobs, and decreasing corporate revenue. (10) The worldwide structure of United States international taxation essentially taxes earnings of United States firms twice, putting them at a significant competitive disadvantage with competitors with more competitive international tax systems. (11) Reforming the United States tax code to a more competitive international system would boost the competitiveness of United States companies operating abroad and it would also greatly reduce tax avoidance. (12) The tax code imposes costs on American workers through lower wages, on consumers in higher prices, and on investors in diminished returns. (13) Revenues have averaged about 17.5 percent of the economy throughout modern American history. Revenues rise above this level under current law to 18.4 percent of the economy by the end of the 10-year budget window. (14) Attempting to raise revenue through tax increases to meet out-of-control spending would damage the economy. (15) This resolution also rejects the idea of instituting a carbon tax in the United States, which some have offered as a new source of revenue. Such a plan would damage the economy, cost jobs, and raise prices on American consumers. (16) Closing tax loopholes to fund spending does not constitute fundamental tax reform. (17) The goal of tax reform should be to curb or eliminate loopholes and use those savings to lower tax rates across the board—not to fund more wasteful Government spending. Tax reform should be revenue-neutral and should not be an excuse to raise taxes on the American people. Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. (b) Policy on tax reform It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should enact legislation that provides for a comprehensive reform of the United States tax code to promote economic growth, create American jobs, increase wages, and benefit American consumers, investors, and workers through revenue-neutral fundamental tax reform that— (1) simplifies the tax code to make it fairer to American families and businesses and reduces the amount of time and resources necessary to comply with tax laws; (2) substantially lowers tax rates for individuals, with a goal of achieving a top individual rate of 25 percent and consolidating the current seven individual income tax brackets into two brackets with a first bracket of 10 percent; (3) repeals the Alternative Minimum Tax; (4) reduces the corporate tax rate to 25 percent; and (5) transitions the tax code to a more competitive system of international taxation. 603. Policy statement on replacing the President’s health care law (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) The President’s health care law has failed to reduce health care premiums as promised. Health care premiums were supposed to decline by $2,500. Instead, according to the 2013 Employer Health Benefits Survey, health care premiums have increased by 5 percent for individual plans and 4 percent for family since 2012. Moreover, according to a report from the Energy and Commerce Committee, premiums for individual market plans may go up as much as 50 percent because of the law. (2) The President pledged that Americans would be able to keep their health care plan if they liked it. But the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office now estimates 2 million Americans with employment-based health coverage will lose those plans. (3) Then-Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said that the President’s health care law would create 4 million jobs over the life of the law and almost 400,000 jobs immediately. Instead, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the law will reduce full-time equivalent employment by about 2.0 million hours in 2017 and 2.5 million hours in 2024, compared with what would have occurred in the absence of the ACA. . (4) The implementation of the law has been a failure. The main website that Americans were supposed to use in purchasing new coverage was broken for over a month. Since the President’s health care law was signed into law, the Administration has announced 23 delays. The President has also failed to submit any nominees to sit on the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a panel of bureaucrats that will cut Medicare by an additional $12.1 billion over the next ten years, according to the President’s own budget. (5) The President’s health care law should be repealed and replaced with reforms that make affordable and quality health care coverage available to all Americans. (b) Policy on Replacing the President’s health care law It is the policy of this resolution that the President’s health care law must not only be repealed, but also replaced, for the following reasons: (1) The President’s health care law is a government-run system driving up health care costs and forcing Americans to lose their health care coverage and should be replaced with a reformed health care system that gives patients and their doctors more choice and control over their health care. (2) Instead of a complex structure of subsidies, firewalls, mandates, and penalties, a reformed health care system should make health care coverage portable. (3) Instead of stifling innovation in health care technologies, treatments, and medications through Federal mandates, taxes, and price controls, a reformed health care system should encourage research and development. (4) Instead of instituting one-size-fits-all directives from Federal bureaucracies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Independent Payment Advisory Board, individuals and families should be free to secure the health care coverage that best meets their needs. (5) Instead of allowing fraudulent lawsuits, which are driving up health care costs, the medical liability system should be reformed while at the same time reaffirming that States should be free to implement the policies that best suit their needs. (6) Instead of using Federal taxes, mandates, and bureaucracies to address those who have trouble securing health care coverage, high risk pools should be established. (7) Instead of more than doubling spending on Medicaid, which is driving up Federal debt and will eventually bankrupt State budgets, Medicaid spending should be brought under control and States should be given more flexibility to provide quality, affordable care to those who are eligible. (8) Instead of driving up health care costs and reducing employment, a reformed health care system should lower health care costs, which will increase economic growth an employment by lowering health care inflation. 604. Policy statement on Medicare (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) More than 50 million Americans depend on Medicare for their health security. (2) The Medicare Trustees Report has repeatedly recommended that Medicare’s long-term financial challenges be addressed soon. Each year without reform, the financial condition of Medicare becomes more precarious and the threat to those in or near retirement becomes more pronounced. According to the Congressional Budget Office— (A) the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2026 and unable to pay scheduled benefits; and (B) Medicare spending is growing faster than the economy and Medicare outlays are currently rising at a rate of 6 percent per year over the next ten years, and according to the Congressional Budget Office’s 2013 Long-Term Budget Outlook, spending on Medicare is projected to reach 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2040 and 9.4 percent of GDP by 2088. (3) The President’s health care law created a new Federal agency called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) empowered with unilateral authority to cut Medicare spending. As a result of that law— (A) IPAB will be tasked with keeping the Medicare per capita growth below a Medicare per capita target growth rate. Prior to 2018, the target growth rate is based on the five-year average of overall inflation and medical inflation. Beginning in 2018, the target growth rate will be the five-year average increase in the nominal GDP plus one percentage point, which the President has twice proposed to reduce to GDP plus one-half percentage point; (B) the fifteen unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats of IPAB will make decisions that will reduce seniors access to care; (C) the nonpartisan Office of the Medicare Chief Actuary estimates that the provider cuts already contained in the Affordable Care Act will force 15 percent of hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies to become unprofitable in 2019; and (D) additional cuts from the IPAB board will force even more health care providers to close their doors, and the Board should be repealed. (4) Failing to address this problem will leave millions of American seniors without adequate health security and younger generations burdened with enormous debt to pay for spending levels that cannot be sustained. (b) Policy on medicare reform It is the policy of this resolution to protect those in or near retirement from any disruptions to their Medicare benefits and offer future beneficiaries the same health care options available to Members of Congress. (c) Assumptions This resolution assumes reform of the Medicare program such that: (1) Current Medicare benefits are preserved for those in or near retirement. (2) For future generations, when they reach eligibility, Medicare is reformed to provide a premium support payment and a selection of guaranteed health coverage options from which recipients can choose a plan that best suits their needs. (3) Medicare will maintain traditional fee-for-service as an option. (4) Medicare will provide additional assistance for lower-income beneficiaries and those with greater health risks. (5) Medicare spending is put on a sustainable path and the Medicare program becomes solvent over the long-term. 605. Policy statement on Social Security (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) More than 55 million retirees, individuals with disabilities, and survivors depend on Social Security. Since enactment, Social Security has served as a vital leg on the three-legged stool of retirement security, which includes employer provided pensions as well as personal savings. (2) The Social Security Trustees Report has repeatedly recommended that Social Security’s long-term financial challenges be addressed soon. Each year without reform, the financial condition of Social Security becomes more precarious and the threat to seniors and those receiving Social Security disability benefits becomes more pronounced: (A) In 2016, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted and program revenues will be unable to pay scheduled benefits. (B) In 2033, the combined Old-Age and Survivors and Disability Trust Funds will be exhausted, and program revenues will be unable to pay scheduled benefits. (C) With the exhaustion of the Trust Funds in 2033, benefits will be cut nearly 25 percent across the board, devastating those currently in or near retirement and those who rely on Social Security the most. (3) The recession and continued low economic growth have exacerbated the looming fiscal crisis facing Social Security. The most recent CBO projections find that Social Security will run cash deficits of $1.7 trillion over the next 10 years. (4) Lower-income Americans rely on Social Security for a larger proportion of their retirement income. Therefore, reforms should take into consideration the need to protect lower-income Americans’ retirement security. (5) The Disability Insurance program provides an essential income safety net for those with disabilities and their families. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), between 1970 and 2012, the number of people receiving disability benefits (both disabled workers and their dependent family members) has increased by over 300 percent from 2.7 million to over 10.9 million. This increase is not due strictly to population growth or decreases in health. David Autor and Mark Duggan have found that the increase in individuals on disability does not reflect a decrease in self-reported health. CBO attributes program growth to changes in demographics, changes in the composition of the labor force and compensation, as well as Federal policies. (6) If this program is not reformed, families who rely on the lifeline that disability benefits provide will face benefit cuts of up to 25 percent in 2016, devastating individuals who need assistance the most. (7) In the past, Social Security has been reformed on a bipartisan basis, most notably by the Greenspan Commission which helped to address Social Security shortfalls for over a generation. (8) Americans deserve action by the President, the House, and the Senate to preserve and strengthen Social Security. It is critical that bipartisan action be taken to address the looming insolvency of Social Security. In this spirit, this resolution creates a bipartisan opportunity to find solutions by requiring policymakers to ensure that Social Security remains a critical part of the safety net. (b) Policy on social security It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should work on a bipartisan basis to make Social Security sustainably solvent. This resolution assumes reform of a current law trigger, such that: (1) If in any year the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund annual Trustees Report determines that the 75-year actuarial balance of the Social Security Trust Funds is in deficit, and the annual balance of the Social Security Trust Funds in the 75th year is in deficit, the Board of Trustees shall, no later than September 30 of the same calendar year, submit to the President recommendations for statutory reforms necessary to achieve a positive 75-year actuarial balance and a positive annual balance in the 75th-year. Recommendations provided to the President must be agreed upon by both Public Trustees of the Board of Trustees. (2) Not later than December 1 of the same calendar year in which the Board of Trustees submit their recommendations, the President shall promptly submit implementing legislation to both Houses of Congress including his recommendations necessary to achieve a positive 75-year actuarial balance and a positive annual balance in the 75th year. The Majority Leader of the Senate and the Majority Leader of the House shall introduce the President’s legislation upon receipt. (3) Within 60 days of the President submitting legislation, the committees of jurisdiction to which the legislation has been referred shall report the bill which shall be considered by the full House or Senate under expedited procedures. (4) Legislation submitted by the President shall— (A) protect those in or near retirement; (B) preserve the safety net for those who count on Social Security the most, including those with disabilities and survivors; (C) improve fairness for participants; (D) reduce the burden on, and provide certainty for, future generations; and (E) secure the future of the Disability Insurance program while addressing the needs of those with disabilities today and improving the determination process. (c) Policy on disability insurance It is the policy of this resolution that Congress and the President should enact legislation on a bipartisan basis to reform the Disability Insurance program prior to its insolvency in 2016 and should not raid the Social Security retirement system without reforms to the Disability Insurance system. 606. Policy statement on higher education and workforce development opportunity (a) Findings on higher education The House finds the following: (1) A well-educated workforce is critical to economic, job, and wage growth. (2) 19.5 million students are enrolled in American colleges and universities. (3) Over the last decade, tuition and fees have been growing at an unsustainable rate. Between the 2002-2003 Academic Year and the 2012-2013 Academic Year— (A) published tuition and fees for in-State students at public four-year colleges and universities increased at an average rate of 5.2 percent per year beyond the rate of general inflation; (B) published tuition and fees for in-State students at public two-year colleges and universities increased at an average rate of 3.9 percent per year beyond the rate of general inflation; and (C) published tuition and fees for in-State students at private four-year colleges and universities increased at an average rate of 2.4 percent per year beyond the rate of general inflation. (4) Over that same period, Federal financial aid has increased 105 percent. (5) This spending has failed to make college more affordable. (6) In his 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama noted that, We can’t just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. . (7) American students are chasing ever-increasing tuition with ever-increasing debt. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, student debt more than quadrupled between 2003 and 2013, and now stands at nearly $1.1 trillion. Student debt now has the second largest balance after mortgage debt. (8) Students are carrying large debt loads and too many fail to complete college or end up defaulting on these loans due to their debt burden and a weak economy and job market. (9) Based on estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, the Pell Grant Program will face a fiscal shortfall beginning in fiscal year 2016 and continuing in each subsequent year in the current budget window. (10) Failing to address these problems will jeopardize access and affordability to higher education for America’s young people. (b) Policy on higher education affordability It is the policy of this resolution to address the root drivers of tuition inflation, by— (1) targeting Federal financial aid to those most in need; (2) streamlining programs that provide aid to make them more effective; (3) maintaining the maximum Pell grant award level at $5,730 in each year of the budget window; and (4) removing regulatory barriers in higher education that act to restrict flexibility and innovative teaching, particularly as it relates to non-traditional models such as online coursework and competency-based learning. (c) Findings on workforce development The House finds the following: (1) Over ten million Americans are currently unemployed. (2) Despite billions of dollars in spending, those looking for work are stymied by a broken workforce development system that fails to connect workers with assistance and employers with trained personnel. (4) According to a 2011 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, in fiscal year 2009, the Federal Government spent $18 billion across 9 agencies to administer 47 Federal job training programs, almost all of which overlapped with another program in terms of offered services and targeted population. (5) Since the release of that GAO report, the Education and Workforce Committee, which has done extensive work in this area, has identified more than 50 programs. (3) Without changes, this flawed system will continue to fail those looking for work or to improve their skills, and jeopardize economic growth. (d) Policy on workforce development It is the policy of this resolution to address the failings in the current workforce development system, by— (1) streamlining and consolidating Federal job training programs as advanced by the House-passed Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act (SKILLS Act); and (2) empowering states with the flexibility to tailor funding and programs to the specific needs of their workforce, including the development of career scholarships. 607. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the cancellation of unobligated balances (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) According to the most recent estimate from the Office of Management and Budget, Federal agencies were expected to hold $739 billion in unobligated balances at the close of fiscal year 2014. (2) These funds represent direct and discretionary spending made available by Congress that remains available for expenditure beyond the fiscal year for which they are provided. (3) In some cases, agencies are granted funding and it remains available for obligation indefinitely. (4) The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 requires the Office of Management and Budget to make funds available to agencies for obligation and prohibits the Administration from withholding or cancelling unobligated funds unless approved by an act of Congress. (5) Greater congressional oversight is required to review and identify potential savings from unneeded balances of funds. (b) Policy on deficit reduction through the cancellation of unobligated balances Congressional committees shall through their oversight activities identify and achieve savings through the cancellation or rescission of unobligated balances that neither abrogate contractual obligations of the Government nor reduce or disrupt Federal commitments under programs such as Social Security, veterans’ affairs, national security, and Treasury authority to finance the national debt. (c) Deficit reduction Congress, with the assistance of the Government Accountability Office, the Inspectors General, and other appropriate agencies should continue to make it a high priority to review unobligated balances and identify savings for deficit reduction. 608. Policy statement on responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) The budget for the House of Representatives is $188 million less than it was when Republicans became the majority in 2011. (2) The House of Representatives has achieved significant savings by consolidating operations and renegotiating contracts. (b) Policy on responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars It is the policy of this resolution that: (1) The House of Representatives must be a model for the responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and therefore must identify any savings that can be achieved through greater productivity and efficiency gains in the operation and maintenance of House services and resources like printing, conferences, utilities, telecommunications, furniture, grounds maintenance, postage, and rent. This should include a review of policies and procedures for acquisition of goods and services to eliminate any unnecessary spending. The Committee on House Administration should review the policies pertaining to the services provided to Members and committees of the House, and should identify ways to reduce any subsidies paid for the operation of the House gym, barber shop, salon, and the House dining room. (2) No taxpayer funds may be used to purchase first class airfare or to lease corporate jets for Members of Congress. (3) Retirement benefits for Members of Congress should not include free, taxpayer-funded health care for life. 609. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the reduction of unnecessary and wasteful spending (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) The Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) is required by law to identify examples of waste, duplication, and overlap in Federal programs, and has so identified dozens of such examples. (2) In testimony before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Comptroller General has stated that addressing the identified waste, duplication, and overlap in Federal programs could potentially save tens of billions of dollars. (3) In 2011, 2012, and 2013 the Government Accountability Office issued reports showing excessive duplication and redundancy in Federal programs including— (A) 209 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education programs in 13 different Federal agencies at a cost of $3 billion annually; (B) 200 separate Department of Justice crime prevention and victim services grant programs with an annual cost of $3.9 billion in 2010; (C) 20 different Federal entities administer 160 housing programs and other forms of Federal assistance for housing with a total cost of $170 billion in 2010; (D) 17 separate Homeland Security preparedness grant programs that spent $37 billion between fiscal year 2011 and 2012; (E) 14 grant and loan programs, and 3 tax benefits to reduce diesel emissions; (F) 94 different initiatives run by 11 different agencies to encourage green building in the private sector; and (G) 23 agencies implemented approximately 670 renewable energy initiatives in fiscal year 2010 at a cost of nearly $15 billion. (4) The Federal Government spends about $80 billion each year for approximately 800 information technology investments. GAO has identified broad acquisition failures, waste, and unnecessary duplication in the Government’s information technology infrastructure. Experts have estimated that eliminating these problems could save 25 percent – or $20 billion – of the Government’s annual information technology budget. (5) GAO has identified strategic sourcing as a potential source of spending reductions. In 2011 GAO estimated that saving 10 percent of the total or all Federal procurement could generate over $50 billion in savings annually. (6) Federal agencies reported an estimated $108 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2012. (7) Under clause 2 of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, each standing committee must hold at least one hearing during each 120 day period following its establishment on waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in Government programs. (8) According to the Congressional Budget Office, by fiscal year 2015, 32 laws will expire, possibly resulting in $693 billion in unauthorized appropriations. Timely reauthorizations of these laws would ensure assessments of program justification and effectiveness. (9) The findings resulting from congressional oversight of Federal Government programs should result in programmatic changes in both authorizing statutes and program funding levels. (b) Policy on deficit reduction through the reduction of unnecessary and wasteful spending Each authorizing committee annually shall include in its Views and Estimates letter required under section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 recommendations to the Committee on the Budget of programs within the jurisdiction of such committee whose funding should be reduced or eliminated. 610. Policy statement on unauthorized spending It is the policy of this resolution that the committees of jurisdiction should review all unauthorized programs funded through annual appropriations to determine if the programs are operating efficiently and effectively. Committees should reauthorize those programs that in the committees’ judgment should continue to receive funding. 611. Policy statement on Federal regulatory policy (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) Excessive regulation at the Federal level has hurt job creation and dampened the economy, slowing our recovery from the economic recession. (2) In the first two months of 2014 alone, the Administration issued 13,166 pages of regulations imposing more than $13 billion in compliance costs on job creators and adding more than 16 million hours of compliance paperwork. (3) The Small Business Administration estimates that the total cost of regulations is as high as $1.75 trillion per year. Since 2009, the White House has generated over $494 billion in regulatory activity, with an additional $87.6 billion in regulatory costs currently pending. (4) The Dodd-Frank financial services legislation ( Public Law 111–203 ) resulted in more than $17 billion in compliance costs and saddled job creators with more than 58 million hours of compliance paperwork. (5) Implementation of the Affordable Care Act to date has added 132.9 million annual hours of compliance paperwork, imposing $24.3 billion of compliance costs on the private sector and an $8 billion cost burden on the states. (6) The highest regulatory costs come from rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); these regulations are primarily targeted at the coal industry. In September 2013, the EPA proposed a rule regulating greenhouse gas emissions from new coal-fired power plants. The proposed standards are unachievable with current commercially available technology, resulting in a de-facto ban on new coal-fired power plants. Additional regulations for existing coal plants are expected in the summer of 2014. (7) Coal-fired power plants provide roughly forty percent of the United States electricity at a low cost. Unfairly targeting the coal industry with costly and unachievable regulations will increase energy prices, disproportionately disadvantaging energy-intensive industries like manufacturing and construction, and will make life more difficult for millions of low-income and middle class families already struggling to pay their bills. (8) Three hundred and thirty coal units are being retired or converted as a result of EPA regulations. Combined with the de-facto prohibition on new plants, these retirements and conversions may further increase the cost of electricity. (9) A recent study by Purdue University estimates that electricity prices in Indiana will rise 32 percent by 2023, due in part to EPA regulations. (10) The Heritage Foundation recently found that a phase out of coal would cost 600,000 jobs by the end of 2023, resulting in an aggregate gross domestic product decrease of $2.23 trillion over the entire period and reducing the income of a family of four by $1200 per year. Of these jobs, 330,000 will come from the manufacturing sector, with California, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, Indiana, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Georgia seeing the highest job losses. (b) Policy on Federal regulation It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should, in consultation with the public burdened by excessive regulation, enact legislation that— (1) seeks to promote economic growth and job creation by eliminating unnecessary red tape and streamlining and simplifying Federal regulations; (2) pursues a cost-effective approach to regulation, without sacrificing environmental, health, safety benefits or other benefits, rejecting the premise that economic growth and environmental protection create an either/or proposition; (3) ensures that regulations do not disproportionately disadvantage low-income Americans through a more rigorous cost-benefit analysis, which also considers who will be most affected by regulations and whether the harm caused is outweighed by the potential harm prevented; (4) ensures that regulations are subject to an open and transparent process, rely on sound and publicly available scientific data, and that the data relied upon for any particular regulation is provided to Congress immediately upon request; (5) frees the many commonsense energy and water projects currently trapped in complicated bureaucratic approval processes; (6) maintains the benefits of landmark environmental, health safety, and other statutes while scaling back this administration’s heavy-handed approach to regulation, which has added $494 billion in mostly ideological regulatory activity since 2009, much of which flies in the face of these statutes’ intended purposes; and (7) seeks to promote a limited government, which will unshackle our economy and create millions of new jobs, providing our Nation with a strong and prosperous future and expanding opportunities for the generations to come. 612. Policy statement on trade (a) Findings The House finds the following: (1) Opening foreign markets to American exports is vital to the United States economy and beneficial to American workers and consumers. The Commerce Department estimates that every $1 billion of United States exports supports more than 5,000 jobs here at home. (2) A modern and competitive international tax system would facilitate global commerce for United States multinational companies and would encourage foreign business investment and job creation in the United States (3) The United States currently has an antiquated system of international taxation whereby United States multinationals operating abroad pay both the foreign-country tax and United States corporate taxes. They are essentially taxed twice. This puts them at an obvious competitive disadvantage. (4) The ability to defer United States taxes on their foreign operations, which some erroneously refer to as a tax loophole, cushions this disadvantage to a certain extent. Eliminating or restricting this provision (and others like it) would harm United States competitiveness. (5) This budget resolution advocates fundamental tax reform that would lower the United States corporate rate, now the highest in the industrialized world, and switch to a more competitive system of international taxation. This would make the United States a much more attractive place to invest and station business activity and would chip away at the incentives for United States companies to keep their profits overseas (because the United States corporate rate is so high). (6) The status quo of the current tax code undermines the competitiveness of United States businesses and costs the United States economy investment and jobs. (7) Global trade and commerce is not a zero-sum game. The idea that global expansion tends to hollow out United States operations is incorrect. Foreign-affiliate activity tends to complement, not substitute for, key parent activities in the United States such as employment, worker compensation, and capital investment. When United States headquartered multinationals invest and expand operations abroad it often leads to more jobs and economic growth at home. (8) American businesses and workers have shown that, on a level playing field, they can excel and surpass the international competition. (b) Policy on trade It is the policy of this resolution to pursue international trade, global commerce, and a modern and competitive United States international tax system in order to promote job creation in the United States. 613. No budget, no pay It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should agree to a concurrent resolution on the budget every year pursuant to section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. If by April 15, a House of Congress has not agreed to a concurrent resolution on the budget, the payroll administrator of that House should carry out this policy in the same manner as the provisions of Public Law 113–3 , the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013, and place in an escrow account all compensation otherwise required to be made for Members of that House of Congress. Withheld compensation should be released to Members of that House of Congress the earlier of the day on which that House of Congress agrees to a concurrent resolution on the budget, pursuant to section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, or the last day of that Congress. Passed the House of Representatives April 10, 2014. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres96eh/xml/BILLS-113hconres96eh.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 97 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 10, 2014 Mr. Terry submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing caregiving as a profession and the need for increased educational opportunities for both paid and family caregivers. Whereas 10,000 people in the United States turn 65 years old every day; Whereas an estimated 40,000,000 people, 13 percent of the population, are 65 years of age and older; Whereas in 2056, for the first time, the population of adults age 65 and over is projected to outnumber the population under age 18; Whereas by 2060, the population age 65 and older will represent just over 1 in 5 people in the United States, up from 1 in 7 today; Whereas the 85+ population is projected to more than triple from 5,900,000 to 18,200,000 by 2060, reaching 4.3 percent of the total population; Whereas more than 5,000,000 people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease today; Whereas by 2050, up to 16,000,000 will have the disease; Whereas an estimated 60 to 70 percent of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias live at home and these individuals are examples of adults who need assistance in their homes with their activities of daily living ; Whereas two-thirds of people over the age of 65 need assistance from special devices or from a caregiver to complete the activities of daily living; Whereas in order to address the surging population of seniors who have significant needs for in-home care, the field of senior caregiving will continue to grow; Whereas there are an estimated 65,700,000 adults in the United States providing care to adult relatives or friends and an estimated 985,000 paid senior caregivers; Whereas both unpaid family caregivers and paid caregivers work together to serve the daily living needs of seniors who live in their own homes; Whereas employment of caregivers is projected to grow 49 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations; and Whereas the more a senior is able to provide for his or her own care, the less burden is placed on public payment systems in Federal and State governments: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) recognizes caregiving as a profession and the need for increased educational opportunities for both paid and family caregivers; (2) supports paid caregivers, the private home care industry, and the efforts of family caregivers nationwide by encouraging individuals to provide care to family, friends, and neighbors; (3) encourages accessible and affordable self-directed care for seniors; (4) supports current and future Federal programs which address the needs of seniors and their family caregivers; and (5) encourages the Secretary of Health and Human Services to continue working to educate people in the United States on the impact of aging and the importance of knowing the options available to seniors when they need care to meet their personal needs.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres97ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres97ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 98 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 15, 2014 Mr. Farenthold submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Urging the President to immediately request the resignation of Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki. Whereas Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki is assigned to provide the Nation’s veterans the quality of care and benefits they deserve and have earned; Whereas Secretary Shinseki’s poor oversight and failed leadership has led to the tragic and avoidable deaths of some of the Nation’s veterans; Whereas officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs revealed inexcusable delays in providing emergency health care to the Nation’s veterans; Whereas Secretary Shinseki has shown ineffectiveness and a lack of transparency as the top official at the Department of Veterans Affairs; Whereas the clerks at the Department of Veterans Affairs were instructed how to falsify appointment records to meet agency goals; Whereas Secretary Shinseki has displayed an unwillingness or inability to change the culture of falsifying documents at the Department of Veterans Affairs; Whereas Secretary Shinseki has failed to implement modern age technology to reduce backlogs in veterans’ claims; Whereas reports indicate that the Department of Veterans Affairs has paid out more than $200,000,000 in wrongful-death claims to the families of nearly 1,000 veterans since September 11, 2001; and Whereas veterans have earned the right to have timely access to quality healthcare: Now, therefore, be it That Congress urges the President, in light of these aforementioned failures, to immediately request the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres98ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres98ih.xml
113-hconres-99
IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 99 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 21, 2014 Mr. Perlmutter (for himself, Ms. Moore , Mr. Costa , Ms. McCollum , Mr. Ellison , Mr. Honda , Ms. Bordallo , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Kind , and Mr. Duffy ) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing support for designation of a National Lao-Hmong Recognition Day . Whereas the Lao-Hmong, which means free people , are Laotian members of the Hmong tribe and are noted for their warrior tradition, loyalty, and bravery; Whereas beginning in 1960, the United States recruited thousands of the Lao-Hmong to fight against the Communist Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese Army regulars in Laos; Whereas the United States relied heavily on the Lao-Hmong Special Guerrilla Units to engage in direct combat with North Vietnamese troops from 1960 to 1975; Whereas the Lao-Hmong conducted tactical guerrilla actions, flew thousands of deadly combat missions in support of the Armed Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency, and fought in conventional and guerrilla combat clashes with extreme casualties; Whereas the Lao-Hmong, although outnumbered, fought against enemy forces to disrupt the flow of troops and war supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail; Whereas the Lao-Hmong protected United States personnel, guarded United States Air Force radar installations, gathered critical intelligence about enemy operations, and undertook rescue missions to save the lives of downed United States pilots; Whereas more than 35,000 of the Lao-Hmong lost their lives, and many more were seriously injured and disabled; Whereas thousands of Lao-Hmong suffered grievous injuries and permanent disabilities, and thousands more were captured and sent to concentration camps; Whereas after the conclusion of the war, many Lao-Hmong soldiers were the victims of acts of retribution and atrocities by the Pathet Lao, causing many of the Lao-Hmong to flee to neighboring Thailand and become refugees; and Whereas beginning with the City Council of Golden, Colorado, in 1995, various State and local governments have issued proclamations declaring July 22 as Lao-Hmong Recognition Day , and the establishment of a National Lao-Hmong Recognition Day would recognize the bravery, sacrifice, and loyalty to the United States exhibited by the Lao-Hmong in Southeast Asia: Now, therefore, be it That Congress— (1) expresses support for the designation of National Lao-Hmong Recognition Day ; and (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe National Lao-Hmong Recognition Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres99ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres99ih.xml
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IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 100 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 22, 2014 Ms. Fudge submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 1. Use of the rotunda of the Capitol for ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 The rotunda of the United States Capitol is authorized to be used on June 24, 2014, for a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the significant impact the Act had on the Civil Rights movement. Physical preparations for the conduct of the ceremony shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113hconres100ih/xml/BILLS-113hconres100ih.xml