[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16750-16791]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       ENSURING TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS THE RIGHT TO APPEAL ACT

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 
495 and as the designee of the majority leader, I call up the bill 
(H.R. 1314) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a 
right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse determinations of 
tax-exempt status of certain organizations, with the Senate amendment 
thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen). The Clerk will designate 
the Senate amendment.
  Senate amendment:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Trade Act 
     of 2015''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                   TITLE I--TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Trade negotiating objectives.
Sec. 103. Trade agreements authority.
Sec. 104. Congressional oversight, consultations, and access to 
              information.
Sec. 105. Notice, consultations, and reports.
Sec. 106. Implementation of trade agreements.
Sec. 107. Treatment of certain trade agreements for which negotiations 
              have already begun.
Sec. 108. Sovereignty.
Sec. 109. Interests of small businesses.
Sec. 110. Conforming amendments; application of certain provisions.
Sec. 111. Definitions.

           TITLE II--EXTENSION OF TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Application of provisions relating to trade adjustment 
              assistance.
Sec. 203. Extension of trade adjustment assistance program.
Sec. 204. Performance measurement and reporting.
Sec. 205. Applicability of trade adjustment assistance provisions.
Sec. 206. Sunset provisions.
Sec. 207. Extension and modification of Health Coverage Tax Credit.
Sec. 208. Customs user fees.
Sec. 209. Child tax credit not refundable for taxpayers electing to 
              exclude foreign earned income from tax.
Sec. 210. Time for payment of corporate estimated taxes.
Sec. 211. Coverage and payment for renal dialysis services for 
              individuals with acute kidney injury.
Sec. 212. Modification of the Medicare sequester for fiscal year 2024.

                   TITLE I--TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Bipartisan Congressional 
     Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 102. TRADE NEGOTIATING OBJECTIVES.

       (a) Overall Trade Negotiating Objectives.--The overall 
     trade negotiating objectives of the United States for 
     agreements subject to the provisions of section 103 are--
       (1) to obtain more open, equitable, and reciprocal market 
     access;
       (2) to obtain the reduction or elimination of barriers and 
     distortions that are directly related to trade and investment 
     and that decrease market opportunities for United States 
     exports or otherwise distort United States trade;
       (3) to further strengthen the system of international trade 
     and investment disciplines and procedures, including dispute 
     settlement;
       (4) to foster economic growth, raise living standards, 
     enhance the competitiveness of the United States, promote 
     full employment in the United States, and enhance the global 
     economy;
       (5) to ensure that trade and environmental policies are 
     mutually supportive and to seek to protect and preserve the 
     environment and enhance the international means of doing so, 
     while optimizing the use of the world's resources;
       (6) to promote respect for worker rights and the rights of 
     children consistent with core labor standards of the ILO (as 
     set out in section 111(7)) and an understanding of the 
     relationship between trade and worker rights;
       (7) to seek provisions in trade agreements under which 
     parties to those agreements ensure that they do not weaken or 
     reduce the protections afforded in domestic environmental and 
     labor laws as an encouragement for trade;
       (8) to ensure that trade agreements afford small businesses 
     equal access to international markets, equitable trade 
     benefits, and expanded export market opportunities, and 
     provide for the reduction or elimination of trade and 
     investment barriers that disproportionately impact small 
     businesses;
       (9) to promote universal ratification and full compliance 
     with ILO Convention No. 182 Concerning the Prohibition and 
     Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of 
     Child Labor;
       (10) to ensure that trade agreements reflect and facilitate 
     the increasingly interrelated, multi-sectoral nature of trade 
     and investment activity;
       (11) to recognize the growing significance of the Internet 
     as a trading platform in international commerce;

[[Page 16751]]

       (12) to take into account other legitimate United States 
     domestic objectives, including, but not limited to, the 
     protection of legitimate health or safety, essential 
     security, and consumer interests and the law and regulations 
     related thereto; and
       (13) to take into account conditions relating to religious 
     freedom of any party to negotiations for a trade agreement 
     with the United States.
       (b) Principal Trade Negotiating Objectives.--
       (1) Trade in goods.--The principal negotiating objectives 
     of the United States regarding trade in goods are--
       (A) to expand competitive market opportunities for exports 
     of goods from the United States and to obtain fairer and more 
     open conditions of trade, including through the utilization 
     of global value chains, by reducing or eliminating tariff and 
     nontariff barriers and policies and practices of foreign 
     governments directly related to trade that decrease market 
     opportunities for United States exports or otherwise distort 
     United States trade; and
       (B) to obtain reciprocal tariff and nontariff barrier 
     elimination agreements, including with respect to those 
     tariff categories covered in section 111(b) of the Uruguay 
     Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3521(b)).
       (2) Trade in services.--(A) The principal negotiating 
     objective of the United States regarding trade in services is 
     to expand competitive market opportunities for United States 
     services and to obtain fairer and more open conditions of 
     trade, including through utilization of global value chains, 
     by reducing or eliminating barriers to international trade in 
     services, such as regulatory and other barriers that deny 
     national treatment and market access or unreasonably restrict 
     the establishment or operations of service suppliers.
       (B) Recognizing that expansion of trade in services 
     generates benefits for all sectors of the economy and 
     facilitates trade, the objective described in subparagraph 
     (A) should be pursued through all means, including through a 
     plurilateral agreement with those countries willing and able 
     to undertake high standard services commitments for both 
     existing and new services.
       (3) Trade in agriculture.--The principal negotiating 
     objective of the United States with respect to agriculture is 
     to obtain competitive opportunities for United States exports 
     of agricultural commodities in foreign markets substantially 
     equivalent to the competitive opportunities afforded foreign 
     exports in United States markets and to achieve fairer and 
     more open conditions of trade in bulk, specialty crop, and 
     value added commodities by--
       (A) securing more open and equitable market access through 
     robust rules on sanitary and phytosanitary measures that--
       (i) encourage the adoption of international standards and 
     require a science-based justification be provided for a 
     sanitary or phytosanitary measure if the measure is more 
     restrictive than the applicable international standard;
       (ii) improve regulatory coherence, promote the use of 
     systems-based approaches, and appropriately recognize the 
     equivalence of health and safety protection systems of 
     exporting countries;
       (iii) require that measures are transparently developed and 
     implemented, are based on risk assessments that take into 
     account relevant international guidelines and scientific 
     data, and are not more restrictive on trade than necessary to 
     meet the intended purpose; and
       (iv) improve import check processes, including testing 
     methodologies and procedures, and certification requirements,

     while recognizing that countries may put in place measures to 
     protect human, animal, or plant life or health in a manner 
     consistent with their international obligations, including 
     the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and 
     Phytosanitary Measures (referred to in section 101(d)(3) of 
     the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3511(d)(3)));
       (B) reducing or eliminating, by a date certain, tariffs or 
     other charges that decrease market opportunities for United 
     States exports--
       (i) giving priority to those products that are subject to 
     significantly higher tariffs or subsidy regimes of major 
     producing countries; and
       (ii) providing reasonable adjustment periods for United 
     States import sensitive products, in close consultation with 
     Congress on such products before initiating tariff reduction 
     negotiations;
       (C) reducing tariffs to levels that are the same as or 
     lower than those in the United States;
       (D) reducing or eliminating subsidies that decrease market 
     opportunities for United States exports or unfairly distort 
     agriculture markets to the detriment of the United States;
       (E) allowing the preservation of programs that support 
     family farms and rural communities but do not distort trade;
       (F) developing disciplines for domestic support programs, 
     so that production that is in excess of domestic food 
     security needs is sold at world prices;
       (G) eliminating government policies that create price 
     depressing surpluses;
       (H) eliminating state trading enterprises whenever 
     possible;
       (I) developing, strengthening, and clarifying rules to 
     eliminate practices that unfairly decrease United States 
     market access opportunities or distort agricultural markets 
     to the detriment of the United States, and ensuring that such 
     rules are subject to efficient, timely, and effective dispute 
     settlement, including--
       (i) unfair or trade distorting activities of state trading 
     enterprises and other administrative mechanisms, with 
     emphasis on requiring price transparency in the operation of 
     state trading enterprises and such other mechanisms in order 
     to end cross subsidization, price discrimination, and price 
     undercutting;
       (ii) unjustified trade restrictions or commercial 
     requirements, such as labeling, that affect new technologies, 
     including biotechnology;
       (iii) unjustified sanitary or phytosanitary restrictions, 
     including restrictions not based on scientific principles in 
     contravention of obligations in the Uruguay Round Agreements 
     or bilateral or regional trade agreements;
       (iv) other unjustified technical barriers to trade; and
       (v) restrictive rules in the administration of tariff rate 
     quotas;
       (J) eliminating practices that adversely affect trade in 
     perishable or cyclical products, while improving import 
     relief mechanisms to recognize the unique characteristics of 
     perishable and cyclical agriculture;
       (K) ensuring that import relief mechanisms for perishable 
     and cyclical agriculture are as accessible and timely to 
     growers in the United States as those mechanisms that are 
     used by other countries;
       (L) taking into account whether a party to the negotiations 
     has failed to adhere to the provisions of already existing 
     trade agreements with the United States or has circumvented 
     obligations under those agreements;
       (M) taking into account whether a product is subject to 
     market distortions by reason of a failure of a major 
     producing country to adhere to the provisions of already 
     existing trade agreements with the United States or by the 
     circumvention by that country of its obligations under those 
     agreements;
       (N) otherwise ensuring that countries that accede to the 
     World Trade Organization have made meaningful market 
     liberalization commitments in agriculture;
       (O) taking into account the impact that agreements covering 
     agriculture to which the United States is a party have on the 
     United States agricultural industry;
       (P) maintaining bona fide food assistance programs, market 
     development programs, and export credit programs;
       (Q) seeking to secure the broadest market access possible 
     in multilateral, regional, and bilateral negotiations, 
     recognizing the effect that simultaneous sets of negotiations 
     may have on United States import sensitive commodities 
     (including those subject to tariff rate quotas);
       (R) seeking to develop an international consensus on the 
     treatment of seasonal or perishable agricultural products in 
     investigations relating to dumping and safeguards and in any 
     other relevant area;
       (S) seeking to establish the common base year for 
     calculating the Aggregated Measurement of Support (as defined 
     in the Agreement on Agriculture) as the end of each country's 
     Uruguay Round implementation period, as reported in each 
     country's Uruguay Round market access schedule;
       (T) ensuring transparency in the administration of tariff 
     rate quotas through multilateral, plurilateral, and bilateral 
     negotiations; and
       (U) eliminating and preventing the undermining of market 
     access for United States products through improper use of a 
     country's system for protecting or recognizing geographical 
     indications, including failing to ensure transparency and 
     procedural fairness and protecting generic terms.
       (4) Foreign investment.--Recognizing that United States law 
     on the whole provides a high level of protection for 
     investment, consistent with or greater than the level 
     required by international law, the principal negotiating 
     objectives of the United States regarding foreign investment 
     are to reduce or eliminate artificial or trade distorting 
     barriers to foreign investment, while ensuring that foreign 
     investors in the United States are not accorded greater 
     substantive rights with respect to investment protections 
     than United States investors in the United States, and to 
     secure for investors important rights comparable to those 
     that would be available under United States legal principles 
     and practice, by--
       (A) reducing or eliminating exceptions to the principle of 
     national treatment;
       (B) freeing the transfer of funds relating to investments;
       (C) reducing or eliminating performance requirements, 
     forced technology transfers, and other unreasonable barriers 
     to the establishment and operation of investments;
       (D) seeking to establish standards for expropriation and 
     compensation for expropriation, consistent with United States 
     legal principles and practice;
       (E) seeking to establish standards for fair and equitable 
     treatment, consistent with United States legal principles and 
     practice, including the principle of due process;
       (F) providing meaningful procedures for resolving 
     investment disputes;
       (G) seeking to improve mechanisms used to resolve disputes 
     between an investor and a government through--
       (i) mechanisms to eliminate frivolous claims and to deter 
     the filing of frivolous claims;
       (ii) procedures to ensure the efficient selection of 
     arbitrators and the expeditious disposition of claims;
       (iii) procedures to enhance opportunities for public input 
     into the formulation of government positions; and
       (iv) providing for an appellate body or similar mechanism 
     to provide coherence to the interpretations of investment 
     provisions in trade agreements; and

[[Page 16752]]

       (H) ensuring the fullest measure of transparency in the 
     dispute settlement mechanism, to the extent consistent with 
     the need to protect information that is classified or 
     business confidential, by--
       (i) ensuring that all requests for dispute settlement are 
     promptly made public;
       (ii) ensuring that--

       (I) all proceedings, submissions, findings, and decisions 
     are promptly made public; and
       (II) all hearings are open to the public; and

       (iii) establishing a mechanism for acceptance of amicus 
     curiae submissions from businesses, unions, and 
     nongovernmental organizations.
       (5) Intellectual property.--The principal negotiating 
     objectives of the United States regarding trade-related 
     intellectual property are--
       (A) to further promote adequate and effective protection of 
     intellectual property rights, including through--
       (i)(I) ensuring accelerated and full implementation of the 
     Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property 
     Rights referred to in section 101(d)(15) of the Uruguay Round 
     Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3511(d)(15)), particularly with 
     respect to meeting enforcement obligations under that 
     agreement; and
       (II) ensuring that the provisions of any trade agreement 
     governing intellectual property rights that is entered into 
     by the United States reflect a standard of protection similar 
     to that found in United States law;
       (ii) providing strong protection for new and emerging 
     technologies and new methods of transmitting and distributing 
     products embodying intellectual property, including in a 
     manner that facilitates legitimate digital trade;
       (iii) preventing or eliminating discrimination with respect 
     to matters affecting the availability, acquisition, scope, 
     maintenance, use, and enforcement of intellectual property 
     rights;
       (iv) ensuring that standards of protection and enforcement 
     keep pace with technological developments, and in particular 
     ensuring that rightholders have the legal and technological 
     means to control the use of their works through the Internet 
     and other global communication media, and to prevent the 
     unauthorized use of their works;
       (v) providing strong enforcement of intellectual property 
     rights, including through accessible, expeditious, and 
     effective civil, administrative, and criminal enforcement 
     mechanisms; and
       (vi) preventing or eliminating government involvement in 
     the violation of intellectual property rights, including 
     cyber theft and piracy;
       (B) to secure fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory market 
     access opportunities for United States persons that rely upon 
     intellectual property protection; and
       (C) to respect the Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and 
     Public Health, adopted by the World Trade Organization at the 
     Fourth Ministerial Conference at Doha, Qatar on November 14, 
     2001, and to ensure that trade agreements foster innovation 
     and promote access to medicines.
       (6) Digital trade in goods and services and cross-border 
     data flows.--The principal negotiating objectives of the 
     United States with respect to digital trade in goods and 
     services, as well as cross-border data flows, are--
       (A) to ensure that current obligations, rules, disciplines, 
     and commitments under the World Trade Organization and 
     bilateral and regional trade agreements apply to digital 
     trade in goods and services and to cross-border data flows;
       (B) to ensure that--
       (i) electronically delivered goods and services receive no 
     less favorable treatment under trade rules and commitments 
     than like products delivered in physical form; and
       (ii) the classification of such goods and services ensures 
     the most liberal trade treatment possible, fully encompassing 
     both existing and new trade;
       (C) to ensure that governments refrain from implementing 
     trade-related measures that impede digital trade in goods and 
     services, restrict cross-border data flows, or require local 
     storage or processing of data;
       (D) with respect to subparagraphs (A) through (C), where 
     legitimate policy objectives require domestic regulations 
     that affect digital trade in goods and services or cross-
     border data flows, to obtain commitments that any such 
     regulations are the least restrictive on trade, 
     nondiscriminatory, and transparent, and promote an open 
     market environment; and
       (E) to extend the moratorium of the World Trade 
     Organization on duties on electronic transmissions.
       (7) Regulatory practices.--The principal negotiating 
     objectives of the United States regarding the use of 
     government regulation or other practices to reduce market 
     access for United States goods, services, and investments 
     are--
       (A) to achieve increased transparency and opportunity for 
     the participation of affected parties in the development of 
     regulations;
       (B) to require that proposed regulations be based on sound 
     science, cost benefit analysis, risk assessment, or other 
     objective evidence;
       (C) to establish consultative mechanisms and seek other 
     commitments, as appropriate, to improve regulatory practices 
     and promote increased regulatory coherence, including 
     through--
       (i) transparency in developing guidelines, rules, 
     regulations, and laws for government procurement and other 
     regulatory regimes;
       (ii) the elimination of redundancies in testing and 
     certification;
       (iii) early consultations on significant regulations;
       (iv) the use of impact assessments;
       (v) the periodic review of existing regulatory measures; 
     and
       (vi) the application of good regulatory practices;
       (D) to seek greater openness, transparency, and convergence 
     of standards development processes, and enhance cooperation 
     on standards issues globally;
       (E) to promote regulatory compatibility through 
     harmonization, equivalence, or mutual recognition of 
     different regulations and standards and to encourage the use 
     of international and interoperable standards, as appropriate;
       (F) to achieve the elimination of government measures such 
     as price controls and reference pricing which deny full 
     market access for United States products;
       (G) to ensure that government regulatory reimbursement 
     regimes are transparent, provide procedural fairness, are 
     nondiscriminatory, and provide full market access for United 
     States products; and
       (H) to ensure that foreign governments--
       (i) demonstrate that the collection of undisclosed 
     proprietary information is limited to that necessary to 
     satisfy a legitimate and justifiable regulatory interest; and
       (ii) protect such information against disclosure, except in 
     exceptional circumstances to protect the public, or where 
     such information is effectively protected against unfair 
     competition.
       (8) State-owned and state-controlled enterprises.--The 
     principal negotiating objective of the United States 
     regarding competition by state-owned and state-controlled 
     enterprises is to seek commitments that--
       (A) eliminate or prevent trade distortions and unfair 
     competition favoring state-owned and state-controlled 
     enterprises to the extent of their engagement in commercial 
     activity, and
       (B) ensure that such engagement is based solely on 
     commercial considerations,

     in particular through disciplines that eliminate or prevent 
     discrimination and market-distorting subsidies and that 
     promote transparency.
       (9) Localization barriers to trade.--The principal 
     negotiating objective of the United States with respect to 
     localization barriers is to eliminate and prevent measures 
     that require United States producers and service providers to 
     locate facilities, intellectual property, or other assets in 
     a country as a market access or investment condition, 
     including indigenous innovation measures.
       (10) Labor and the environment.--The principal negotiating 
     objectives of the United States with respect to labor and the 
     environment are--
       (A) to ensure that a party to a trade agreement with the 
     United States--
       (i) adopts and maintains measures implementing 
     internationally recognized core labor standards (as defined 
     in section 111(17)) and its obligations under common 
     multilateral environmental agreements (as defined in section 
     111(6)),
       (ii) does not waive or otherwise derogate from, or offer to 
     waive or otherwise derogate from--

       (I) its statutes or regulations implementing 
     internationally recognized core labor standards (as defined 
     in section 111(17)), in a manner affecting trade or 
     investment between the United States and that party, where 
     the waiver or derogation would be inconsistent with one or 
     more such standards, or
       (II) its environmental laws in a manner that weakens or 
     reduces the protections afforded in those laws and in a 
     manner affecting trade or investment between the United 
     States and that party, except as provided in its law and 
     provided not inconsistent with its obligations under common 
     multilateral environmental agreements (as defined in section 
     111(6)) or other provisions of the trade agreement 
     specifically agreed upon, and

       (iii) does not fail to effectively enforce its 
     environmental or labor laws, through a sustained or recurring 
     course of action or inaction,

     in a manner affecting trade or investment between the United 
     States and that party after entry into force of a trade 
     agreement between those countries;
       (B) to recognize that--
       (i) with respect to environment, parties to a trade 
     agreement retain the right to exercise prosecutorial 
     discretion and to make decisions regarding the allocation of 
     enforcement resources with respect to other environmental 
     laws determined to have higher priorities, and a party is 
     effectively enforcing its laws if a course of action or 
     inaction reflects a reasonable, bona fide exercise of such 
     discretion, or results from a reasonable, bona fide decision 
     regarding the allocation of resources; and
       (ii) with respect to labor, decisions regarding the 
     distribution of enforcement resources are not a reason for 
     not complying with a party's labor obligations; a party to a 
     trade agreement retains the right to reasonable exercise of 
     discretion and to make bona fide decisions regarding the 
     allocation of resources between labor enforcement activities 
     among core labor standards, provided the exercise of such 
     discretion and such decisions are not inconsistent with its 
     obligations;
       (C) to strengthen the capacity of United States trading 
     partners to promote respect for core labor standards (as 
     defined in section 111(7));
       (D) to strengthen the capacity of United States trading 
     partners to protect the environment through the promotion of 
     sustainable development;
       (E) to reduce or eliminate government practices or policies 
     that unduly threaten sustainable development;
       (F) to seek market access, through the elimination of 
     tariffs and nontariff barriers, for United States 
     environmental technologies, goods, and services;

[[Page 16753]]

       (G) to ensure that labor, environmental, health, or safety 
     policies and practices of the parties to trade agreements 
     with the United States do not arbitrarily or unjustifiably 
     discriminate against United States exports or serve as 
     disguised barriers to trade;
       (H) to ensure that enforceable labor and environment 
     obligations are subject to the same dispute settlement and 
     remedies as other enforceable obligations under the 
     agreement; and
       (I) to ensure that a trade agreement is not construed to 
     empower a party's authorities to undertake labor or 
     environmental law enforcement activities in the territory of 
     the United States.
       (11) Currency.--The principal negotiating objective of the 
     United States with respect to currency practices is that 
     parties to a trade agreement with the United States avoid 
     manipulating exchange rates in order to prevent effective 
     balance of payments adjustment or to gain an unfair 
     competitive advantage over other parties to the agreement, 
     such as through cooperative mechanisms, enforceable rules, 
     reporting, monitoring, transparency, or other means, as 
     appropriate.
       (12) Foreign currency manipulation.--The principal 
     negotiating objective of the United States with respect to 
     unfair currency practices is to seek to establish 
     accountability through enforceable rules, transparency, 
     reporting, monitoring, cooperative mechanisms, or other means 
     to address exchange rate manipulation involving protracted 
     large scale intervention in one direction in the exchange 
     markets and a persistently undervalued foreign exchange rate 
     to gain an unfair competitive advantage in trade over other 
     parties to a trade agreement, consistent with existing 
     obligations of the United States as a member of the 
     International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization.
       (13) WTO and multilateral trade agreements.--Recognizing 
     that the World Trade Organization is the foundation of the 
     global trading system, the principal negotiating objectives 
     of the United States regarding the World Trade Organization, 
     the Uruguay Round Agreements, and other multilateral and 
     plurilateral trade agreements are--
       (A) to achieve full implementation and extend the coverage 
     of the World Trade Organization and multilateral and 
     plurilateral agreements to products, sectors, and conditions 
     of trade not adequately covered;
       (B) to expand country participation in and enhancement of 
     the Information Technology Agreement, the Government 
     Procurement Agreement, and other plurilateral trade 
     agreements of the World Trade Organization;
       (C) to expand competitive market opportunities for United 
     States exports and to obtain fairer and more open conditions 
     of trade, including through utilization of global value 
     chains, through the negotiation of new WTO multilateral and 
     plurilateral trade agreements, such as an agreement on trade 
     facilitation;
       (D) to ensure that regional trade agreements to which the 
     United States is not a party fully achieve the high standards 
     of, and comply with, WTO disciplines, including Article XXIV 
     of GATT 1994, Article V and V bis of the General Agreement on 
     Trade in Services, and the Enabling Clause, including through 
     meaningful WTO review of such regional trade agreements;
       (E) to enhance compliance by WTO members with their 
     obligations as WTO members through active participation in 
     the bodies of the World Trade Organization by the United 
     States and all other WTO members, including in the trade 
     policy review mechanism and the committee system of the World 
     Trade Organization, and by working to increase the 
     effectiveness of such bodies; and
       (F) to encourage greater cooperation between the World 
     Trade Organization and other international organizations.
       (14) Trade institution transparency.--The principal 
     negotiating objective of the United States with respect to 
     transparency is to obtain wider and broader application of 
     the principle of transparency in the World Trade 
     Organization, entities established under bilateral and 
     regional trade agreements, and other international trade fora 
     through seeking--
       (A) timely public access to information regarding trade 
     issues and the activities of such institutions;
       (B) openness by ensuring public access to appropriate 
     meetings, proceedings, and submissions, including with regard 
     to trade and investment dispute settlement; and
       (C) public access to all notifications and supporting 
     documentation submitted by WTO members.
       (15) Anti-corruption.--The principal negotiating objectives 
     of the United States with respect to the use of money or 
     other things of value to influence acts, decisions, or 
     omissions of foreign governments or officials or to secure 
     any improper advantage in a manner affecting trade are--
       (A) to obtain high standards and effective domestic 
     enforcement mechanisms applicable to persons from all 
     countries participating in the applicable trade agreement 
     that prohibit such attempts to influence acts, decisions, or 
     omissions of foreign governments or officials or to secure 
     any such improper advantage;
       (B) to ensure that such standards level the playing field 
     for United States persons in international trade and 
     investment; and
       (C) to seek commitments to work jointly to encourage and 
     support anti-corruption and anti-bribery initiatives in 
     international trade fora, including through the Convention on 
     Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in 
     International Business Transactions of the Organization for 
     Economic Cooperation and Development, done at Paris December 
     17, 1997 (commonly known as the ``OECD Anti-Bribery 
     Convention'').
       (16) Dispute settlement and enforcement.--The principal 
     negotiating objectives of the United States with respect to 
     dispute settlement and enforcement of trade agreements are--
       (A) to seek provisions in trade agreements providing for 
     resolution of disputes between governments under those trade 
     agreements in an effective, timely, transparent, equitable, 
     and reasoned manner, requiring determinations based on facts 
     and the principles of the agreements, with the goal of 
     increasing compliance with the agreements;
       (B) to seek to strengthen the capacity of the Trade Policy 
     Review Mechanism of the World Trade Organization to review 
     compliance with commitments;
       (C) to seek adherence by panels convened under the Dispute 
     Settlement Understanding and by the Appellate Body to--
       (i) the mandate of those panels and the Appellate Body to 
     apply the WTO Agreement as written, without adding to or 
     diminishing rights and obligations under the Agreement; and
       (ii) the standard of review applicable under the Uruguay 
     Round Agreement involved in the dispute, including greater 
     deference, where appropriate, to the fact finding and 
     technical expertise of national investigating authorities;
       (D) to seek provisions encouraging the early identification 
     and settlement of disputes through consultation;
       (E) to seek provisions to encourage the provision of trade-
     expanding compensation if a party to a dispute under the 
     agreement does not come into compliance with its obligations 
     under the agreement;
       (F) to seek provisions to impose a penalty upon a party to 
     a dispute under the agreement that--
       (i) encourages compliance with the obligations of the 
     agreement;
       (ii) is appropriate to the parties, nature, subject matter, 
     and scope of the violation; and
       (iii) has the aim of not adversely affecting parties or 
     interests not party to the dispute while maintaining the 
     effectiveness of the enforcement mechanism; and
       (G) to seek provisions that treat United States principal 
     negotiating objectives equally with respect to--
       (i) the ability to resort to dispute settlement under the 
     applicable agreement;
       (ii) the availability of equivalent dispute settlement 
     procedures; and
       (iii) the availability of equivalent remedies.
       (17) Trade remedy laws.--The principal negotiating 
     objectives of the United States with respect to trade remedy 
     laws are--
       (A) to preserve the ability of the United States to enforce 
     rigorously its trade laws, including the antidumping, 
     countervailing duty, and safeguard laws, and avoid agreements 
     that lessen the effectiveness of domestic and international 
     disciplines on unfair trade, especially dumping and 
     subsidies, or that lessen the effectiveness of domestic and 
     international safeguard provisions, in order to ensure that 
     United States workers, agricultural producers, and firms can 
     compete fully on fair terms and enjoy the benefits of 
     reciprocal trade concessions; and
       (B) to address and remedy market distortions that lead to 
     dumping and subsidization, including overcapacity, 
     cartelization, and market access barriers.
       (18) Border taxes.--The principal negotiating objective of 
     the United States regarding border taxes is to obtain a 
     revision of the rules of the World Trade Organization with 
     respect to the treatment of border adjustments for internal 
     taxes to redress the disadvantage to countries relying 
     primarily on direct taxes for revenue rather than indirect 
     taxes.
       (19) Textile negotiations.--The principal negotiating 
     objectives of the United States with respect to trade in 
     textiles and apparel articles are to obtain competitive 
     opportunities for United States exports of textiles and 
     apparel in foreign markets substantially equivalent to the 
     competitive opportunities afforded foreign exports in United 
     States markets and to achieve fairer and more open conditions 
     of trade in textiles and apparel.
       (20) Commercial partnerships.--
       (A) In general.--With respect to an agreement that is 
     proposed to be entered into with the Transatlantic Trade and 
     Investment Partnership countries and to which section 103(b) 
     will apply, the principal negotiating objectives of the 
     United States regarding commercial partnerships are the 
     following:
       (i) To discourage actions by potential trading partners 
     that directly or indirectly prejudice or otherwise discourage 
     commercial activity solely between the United States and 
     Israel.
       (ii) To discourage politically motivated actions to 
     boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel and to seek the 
     elimination of politically motivated nontariff barriers on 
     Israeli goods, services, or other commerce imposed on the 
     State of Israel.
       (iii) To seek the elimination of state-sponsored 
     unsanctioned foreign boycotts against Israel or compliance 
     with the Arab League Boycott of Israel by prospective trading 
     partners.
       (B) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term ``actions to 
     boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel'' means actions by 
     states, non-member states of the United Nations, 
     international organizations, or affiliated agencies of 
     international organizations that are politically motivated 
     and are intended to penalize or otherwise limit commercial 
     relations specifically with Israel or persons doing business 
     in Israel or in Israeli-controlled territories.

[[Page 16754]]

       (21) Good governance, transparency, the effective operation 
     of legal regimes, and the rule of law of trading partners.--
     The principal negotiating objectives of the United States 
     with respect to ensuring implementation of trade commitments 
     and obligations by strengthening good governance, 
     transparency, the effective operation of legal regimes and 
     the rule of law of trading partners of the United States is 
     through capacity building and other appropriate means, which 
     are important parts of the broader effort to create more open 
     democratic societies and to promote respect for 
     internationally recognized human rights.
       (c) Capacity Building and Other Priorities.--In order to 
     address and maintain United States competitiveness in the 
     global economy, the President shall--
       (1) direct the heads of relevant Federal agencies--
       (A) to work to strengthen the capacity of United States 
     trading partners to carry out obligations under trade 
     agreements by consulting with any country seeking a trade 
     agreement with the United States concerning that country's 
     laws relating to customs and trade facilitation, sanitary and 
     phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, 
     intellectual property rights, labor, and the environment; and
       (B) to provide technical assistance to that country if 
     needed;
       (2) seek to establish consultative mechanisms among parties 
     to trade agreements to strengthen the capacity of United 
     States trading partners to develop and implement standards 
     for the protection of the environment and human health based 
     on sound science;
       (3) promote consideration of multilateral environmental 
     agreements and consult with parties to such agreements 
     regarding the consistency of any such agreement that includes 
     trade measures with existing environmental exceptions under 
     Article XX of GATT 1994; and
       (4) submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate 
     an annual report on capacity-building activities undertaken 
     in connection with trade agreements negotiated or being 
     negotiated pursuant to this title.

     SEC. 103. TRADE AGREEMENTS AUTHORITY.

       (a) Agreements Regarding Tariff Barriers.--
       (1) In general.--Whenever the President determines that one 
     or more existing duties or other import restrictions of any 
     foreign country or the United States are unduly burdening and 
     restricting the foreign trade of the United States and that 
     the purposes, policies, priorities, and objectives of this 
     title will be promoted thereby, the President--
       (A) may enter into trade agreements with foreign countries 
     before--
       (i) July 1, 2018; or
       (ii) July 1, 2021, if trade authorities procedures are 
     extended under subsection (c); and
       (B) may, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), proclaim--
       (i) such modification or continuance of any existing duty,
       (ii) such continuance of existing duty free or excise 
     treatment, or
       (iii) such additional duties,

     as the President determines to be required or appropriate to 
     carry out any such trade agreement.

     Substantial modifications to, or substantial additional 
     provisions of, a trade agreement entered into after July 1, 
     2018, or July 1, 2021, if trade authorities procedures are 
     extended under subsection (c), shall not be eligible for 
     approval under this title.
       (2) Notification.--The President shall notify Congress of 
     the President's intention to enter into an agreement under 
     this subsection.
       (3) Limitations.--No proclamation may be made under 
     paragraph (1) that--
       (A) reduces any rate of duty (other than a rate of duty 
     that does not exceed 5 percent ad valorem on the date of the 
     enactment of this Act) to a rate of duty which is less than 
     50 percent of the rate of such duty that applies on such date 
     of enactment;
       (B) reduces the rate of duty below that applicable under 
     the Uruguay Round Agreements or a successor agreement, on any 
     import sensitive agricultural product; or
       (C) increases any rate of duty above the rate that applied 
     on the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (4) Aggregate reduction; exemption from staging.--
       (A) Aggregate reduction.--Except as provided in 
     subparagraph (B), the aggregate reduction in the rate of duty 
     on any article which is in effect on any day pursuant to a 
     trade agreement entered into under paragraph (1) shall not 
     exceed the aggregate reduction which would have been in 
     effect on such day if--
       (i) a reduction of 3 percent ad valorem or a reduction of 
     \1/10\ of the total reduction, whichever is greater, had 
     taken effect on the effective date of the first reduction 
     proclaimed under paragraph (1) to carry out such agreement 
     with respect to such article; and
       (ii) a reduction equal to the amount applicable under 
     clause (i) had taken effect at 1-year intervals after the 
     effective date of such first reduction.
       (B) Exemption from staging.--No staging is required under 
     subparagraph (A) with respect to a duty reduction that is 
     proclaimed under paragraph (1) for an article of a kind that 
     is not produced in the United States. The United States 
     International Trade Commission shall advise the President of 
     the identity of articles that may be exempted from staging 
     under this subparagraph.
       (5) Rounding.--If the President determines that such action 
     will simplify the computation of reductions under paragraph 
     (4), the President may round an annual reduction by an amount 
     equal to the lesser of--
       (A) the difference between the reduction without regard to 
     this paragraph and the next lower whole number; or
       (B) \1/2\ of 1 percent ad valorem.
       (6) Other limitations.--A rate of duty reduction that may 
     not be proclaimed by reason of paragraph (3) may take effect 
     only if a provision authorizing such reduction is included 
     within an implementing bill provided for under section 106 
     and that bill is enacted into law.
       (7) Other tariff modifications.--Notwithstanding paragraphs 
     (1)(B), (3)(A), (3)(C), and (4) through (6), and subject to 
     the consultation and layover requirements of section 115 of 
     the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3524), the 
     President may proclaim the modification of any duty or staged 
     rate reduction of any duty set forth in Schedule XX, as 
     defined in section 2(5) of that Act (19 U.S.C. 3501(5)), if 
     the United States agrees to such modification or staged rate 
     reduction in a negotiation for the reciprocal elimination or 
     harmonization of duties under the auspices of the World Trade 
     Organization.
       (8) Authority under uruguay round agreements act not 
     affected.--Nothing in this subsection shall limit the 
     authority provided to the President under section 111(b) of 
     the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3521(b)).
       (b) Agreements Regarding Tariff and Nontariff Barriers.--
       (1) In general.--(A) Whenever the President determines 
     that--
       (i) 1 or more existing duties or any other import 
     restriction of any foreign country or the United States or 
     any other barrier to, or other distortion of, international 
     trade unduly burdens or restricts the foreign trade of the 
     United States or adversely affects the United States economy, 
     or
       (ii) the imposition of any such barrier or distortion is 
     likely to result in such a burden, restriction, or effect,

     and that the purposes, policies, priorities, and objectives 
     of this title will be promoted thereby, the President may 
     enter into a trade agreement described in subparagraph (B) 
     during the period described in subparagraph (C).
       (B) The President may enter into a trade agreement under 
     subparagraph (A) with foreign countries providing for--
       (i) the reduction or elimination of a duty, restriction, 
     barrier, or other distortion described in subparagraph (A); 
     or
       (ii) the prohibition of, or limitation on the imposition 
     of, such barrier or other distortion.
       (C) The President may enter into a trade agreement under 
     this paragraph before--
       (i) July 1, 2018; or
       (ii) July 1, 2021, if trade authorities procedures are 
     extended under subsection (c).

     Substantial modifications to, or substantial additional 
     provisions of, a trade agreement entered into after July 1, 
     2018, or July 1, 2021, if trade authorities procedures are 
     extended under subsection (c), shall not be eligible for 
     approval under this title.
       (2) Conditions.--A trade agreement may be entered into 
     under this subsection only if such agreement makes progress 
     in meeting the applicable objectives described in subsections 
     (a) and (b) of section 102 and the President satisfies the 
     conditions set forth in sections 104 and 105.
       (3) Bills qualifying for trade authorities procedures.--(A) 
     The provisions of section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974 (in 
     this title referred to as ``trade authorities procedures'') 
     apply to a bill of either House of Congress which contains 
     provisions described in subparagraph (B) to the same extent 
     as such section 151 applies to implementing bills under that 
     section. A bill to which this paragraph applies shall 
     hereafter in this title be referred to as an ``implementing 
     bill''.
       (B) The provisions referred to in subparagraph (A) are--
       (i) a provision approving a trade agreement entered into 
     under this subsection and approving the statement of 
     administrative action, if any, proposed to implement such 
     trade agreement; and
       (ii) if changes in existing laws or new statutory authority 
     are required to implement such trade agreement or agreements, 
     only such provisions as are strictly necessary or appropriate 
     to implement such trade agreement or agreements, either 
     repealing or amending existing laws or providing new 
     statutory authority.
       (c) Extension Disapproval Process for Congressional Trade 
     Authorities Procedures.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in section 106(b)--
       (A) the trade authorities procedures apply to implementing 
     bills submitted with respect to trade agreements entered into 
     under subsection (b) before July 1, 2018; and
       (B) the trade authorities procedures shall be extended to 
     implementing bills submitted with respect to trade agreements 
     entered into under subsection (b) after June 30, 2018, and 
     before July 1, 2021, if (and only if)--
       (i) the President requests such extension under paragraph 
     (2); and
       (ii) neither House of Congress adopts an extension 
     disapproval resolution under paragraph (5) before July 1, 
     2018.
       (2) Report to congress by the president.--If the President 
     is of the opinion that the trade authorities procedures 
     should be extended to implementing bills described in 
     paragraph (1)(B), the President shall submit to Congress, not 
     later

[[Page 16755]]

     than April 1, 2018, a written report that contains a request 
     for such extension, together with--
       (A) a description of all trade agreements that have been 
     negotiated under subsection (b) and the anticipated schedule 
     for submitting such agreements to Congress for approval;
       (B) a description of the progress that has been made in 
     negotiations to achieve the purposes, policies, priorities, 
     and objectives of this title, and a statement that such 
     progress justifies the continuation of negotiations; and
       (C) a statement of the reasons why the extension is needed 
     to complete the negotiations.
       (3) Other reports to congress.--
       (A) Report by the advisory committee.--The President shall 
     promptly inform the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and 
     Negotiations established under section 135 of the Trade Act 
     of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2155) of the decision of the President to 
     submit a report to Congress under paragraph (2). The Advisory 
     Committee shall submit to Congress as soon as practicable, 
     but not later than June 1, 2018, a written report that 
     contains--
       (i) its views regarding the progress that has been made in 
     negotiations to achieve the purposes, policies, priorities, 
     and objectives of this title; and
       (ii) a statement of its views, and the reasons therefor, 
     regarding whether the extension requested under paragraph (2) 
     should be approved or disapproved.
       (B) Report by international trade commission.--The 
     President shall promptly inform the United States 
     International Trade Commission of the decision of the 
     President to submit a report to Congress under paragraph (2). 
     The International Trade Commission shall submit to Congress 
     as soon as practicable, but not later than June 1, 2018, a 
     written report that contains a review and analysis of the 
     economic impact on the United States of all trade agreements 
     implemented between the date of the enactment of this Act and 
     the date on which the President decides to seek an extension 
     requested under paragraph (2).
       (4) Status of reports.--The reports submitted to Congress 
     under paragraphs (2) and (3), or any portion of such reports, 
     may be classified to the extent the President determines 
     appropriate.
       (5) Extension disapproval resolutions.--(A) For purposes of 
     paragraph (1), the term ``extension disapproval resolution'' 
     means a resolution of either House of Congress, the sole 
     matter after the resolving clause of which is as follows: 
     ``That the ____ disapproves the request of the President for 
     the extension, under section 103(c)(1)(B)(i) of the 
     Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability 
     Act of 2015, of the trade authorities procedures under that 
     Act to any implementing bill submitted with respect to any 
     trade agreement entered into under section 103(b) of that Act 
     after June 30, 2018.'', with the blank space being filled 
     with the name of the resolving House of Congress.
       (B) Extension disapproval resolutions--
       (i) may be introduced in either House of Congress by any 
     member of such House; and
       (ii) shall be referred, in the House of Representatives, to 
     the Committee on Ways and Means and, in addition, to the 
     Committee on Rules.
       (C) The provisions of subsections (d) and (e) of section 
     152 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2192) (relating to 
     the floor consideration of certain resolutions in the House 
     and Senate) apply to extension disapproval resolutions.
       (D) It is not in order for--
       (i) the House of Representatives to consider any extension 
     disapproval resolution not reported by the Committee on Ways 
     and Means and, in addition, by the Committee on Rules;
       (ii) the Senate to consider any extension disapproval 
     resolution not reported by the Committee on Finance; or
       (iii) either House of Congress to consider an extension 
     disapproval resolution after June 30, 2018.
       (d) Commencement of Negotiations.--In order to contribute 
     to the continued economic expansion of the United States, the 
     President shall commence negotiations covering tariff and 
     nontariff barriers affecting any industry, product, or 
     service sector, and expand existing sectoral agreements to 
     countries that are not parties to those agreements, in cases 
     where the President determines that such negotiations are 
     feasible and timely and would benefit the United States. Such 
     sectors include agriculture, commercial services, 
     intellectual property rights, industrial and capital goods, 
     government procurement, information technology products, 
     environmental technology and services, medical equipment and 
     services, civil aircraft, and infrastructure products. In so 
     doing, the President shall take into account all of the 
     negotiating objectives set forth in section 102.

     SEC. 104. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT, CONSULTATIONS, AND ACCESS 
                   TO INFORMATION.

       (a) Consultations With Members of Congress.--
       (1) Consultations during negotiations.--In the course of 
     negotiations conducted under this title, the United States 
     Trade Representative shall--
       (A) meet upon request with any Member of Congress regarding 
     negotiating objectives, the status of negotiations in 
     progress, and the nature of any changes in the laws of the 
     United States or the administration of those laws that may be 
     recommended to Congress to carry out any trade agreement or 
     any requirement of, amendment to, or recommendation under, 
     that agreement;
       (B) upon request of any Member of Congress, provide access 
     to pertinent documents relating to the negotiations, 
     including classified materials;
       (C) consult closely and on a timely basis with, and keep 
     fully apprised of the negotiations, the Committee on Ways and 
     Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Finance of the Senate;
       (D) consult closely and on a timely basis with, and keep 
     fully apprised of the negotiations, the House Advisory Group 
     on Negotiations and the Senate Advisory Group on Negotiations 
     convened under subsection (c) and all committees of the House 
     of Representatives and the Senate with jurisdiction over laws 
     that could be affected by a trade agreement resulting from 
     the negotiations; and
       (E) with regard to any negotiations and agreement relating 
     to agricultural trade, also consult closely and on a timely 
     basis (including immediately before initialing an agreement) 
     with, and keep fully apprised of the negotiations, the 
     Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
     Senate.
       (2) Consultations prior to entry into force.--Prior to 
     exchanging notes providing for the entry into force of a 
     trade agreement, the United States Trade Representative shall 
     consult closely and on a timely basis with Members of 
     Congress and committees as specified in paragraph (1), and 
     keep them fully apprised of the measures a trading partner 
     has taken to comply with those provisions of the agreement 
     that are to take effect on the date that the agreement enters 
     into force.
       (3) Enhanced coordination with congress.--
       (A) Written guidelines.--The United States Trade 
     Representative, in consultation with the chairmen and the 
     ranking members of the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate, respectively--
       (i) shall, not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, develop written guidelines on enhanced 
     coordination with Congress, including coordination with 
     designated congressional advisers under subsection (b), 
     regarding negotiations conducted under this title; and
       (ii) may make such revisions to the guidelines as may be 
     necessary from time to time.
       (B) Content of guidelines.--The guidelines developed under 
     subparagraph (A) shall enhance coordination with Congress 
     through procedures to ensure--
       (i) timely briefings upon request of any Member of Congress 
     regarding negotiating objectives, the status of negotiations 
     in progress conducted under this title, and the nature of any 
     changes in the laws of the United States or the 
     administration of those laws that may be recommended to 
     Congress to carry out any trade agreement or any requirement 
     of, amendment to, or recommendation under, that agreement; 
     and
       (ii) the sharing of detailed and timely information with 
     Members of Congress, and their staff with proper security 
     clearances as appropriate, regarding those negotiations and 
     pertinent documents related to those negotiations (including 
     classified information), and with committee staff with proper 
     security clearances as would be appropriate in the light of 
     the responsibilities of that committee over the trade 
     agreements programs affected by those negotiations.
       (C) Dissemination.--The United States Trade Representative 
     shall disseminate the guidelines developed under subparagraph 
     (A) to all Federal agencies that could have jurisdiction over 
     laws affected by trade negotiations.
       (b) Designated Congressional Advisers.--
       (1) Designation.--
       (A) House of representatives.--In each Congress, any Member 
     of the House of Representatives may be designated as a 
     congressional adviser on trade policy and negotiations by the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives, after consulting 
     with the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Ways 
     and Means and the chairman and ranking member of the 
     committee from which the Member will be selected.
       (B) Senate.--In each Congress, any Member of the Senate may 
     be designated as a congressional adviser on trade policy and 
     negotiations by the President pro tempore of the Senate, 
     after consultation with the chairman and ranking member of 
     the Committee on Finance and the chairman and ranking member 
     of the committee from which the Member will be selected.
       (2) Consultations with designated congressional advisers.--
     In the course of negotiations conducted under this title, the 
     United States Trade Representative shall consult closely and 
     on a timely basis (including immediately before initialing an 
     agreement) with, and keep fully apprised of the negotiations, 
     the congressional advisers for trade policy and negotiations 
     designated under paragraph (1).
       (3) Accreditation.--Each Member of Congress designated as a 
     congressional adviser under paragraph (1) shall be accredited 
     by the United States Trade Representative on behalf of the 
     President as an official adviser to the United States 
     delegations to international conferences, meetings, and 
     negotiating sessions relating to trade agreements.
       (c) Congressional Advisory Groups on Negotiations.--
       (1) In general.--By not later than 60 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, and not later than 30 days 
     after the convening of

[[Page 16756]]

     each Congress, the chairman of the Committee on Ways and 
     Means of the House of Representatives shall convene the House 
     Advisory Group on Negotiations and the chairman of the 
     Committee on Finance of the Senate shall convene the Senate 
     Advisory Group on Negotiations (in this subsection referred 
     to collectively as the ``congressional advisory groups'').
       (2) Members and functions.--
       (A) Membership of the house advisory group on 
     negotiations.--In each Congress, the House Advisory Group on 
     Negotiations shall be comprised of the following Members of 
     the House of Representatives:
       (i) The chairman and ranking member of the Committee on 
     Ways and Means, and 3 additional members of such Committee 
     (not more than 2 of whom are members of the same political 
     party).
       (ii) The chairman and ranking member, or their designees, 
     of the committees of the House of Representatives that would 
     have, under the Rules of the House of Representatives, 
     jurisdiction over provisions of law affected by a trade 
     agreement negotiation conducted at any time during that 
     Congress and to which this title would apply.
       (B) Membership of the senate advisory group on 
     negotiations.--In each Congress, the Senate Advisory Group on 
     Negotiations shall be comprised of the following Members of 
     the Senate:
       (i) The chairman and ranking member of the Committee on 
     Finance and 3 additional members of such Committee (not more 
     than 2 of whom are members of the same political party).
       (ii) The chairman and ranking member, or their designees, 
     of the committees of the Senate that would have, under the 
     Rules of the Senate, jurisdiction over provisions of law 
     affected by a trade agreement negotiation conducted at any 
     time during that Congress and to which this title would 
     apply.
       (C) Accreditation.--Each member of the congressional 
     advisory groups described in subparagraphs (A)(i) and (B)(i) 
     shall be accredited by the United States Trade Representative 
     on behalf of the President as an official adviser to the 
     United States delegation in negotiations for any trade 
     agreement to which this title applies. Each member of the 
     congressional advisory groups described in subparagraphs 
     (A)(ii) and (B)(ii) shall be accredited by the United States 
     Trade Representative on behalf of the President as an 
     official adviser to the United States delegation in the 
     negotiations by reason of which the member is in one of the 
     congressional advisory groups.
       (D) Consultation and advice.--The congressional advisory 
     groups shall consult with and provide advice to the Trade 
     Representative regarding the formulation of specific 
     objectives, negotiating strategies and positions, the 
     development of the applicable trade agreement, and compliance 
     and enforcement of the negotiated commitments under the trade 
     agreement.
       (E) Chair.--The House Advisory Group on Negotiations shall 
     be chaired by the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means 
     of the House of Representatives and the Senate Advisory Group 
     on Negotiations shall be chaired by the Chairman of the 
     Committee on Finance of the Senate.
       (F) Coordination with other committees.--Members of any 
     committee represented on one of the congressional advisory 
     groups may submit comments to the member of the appropriate 
     congressional advisory group from that committee regarding 
     any matter related to a negotiation for any trade agreement 
     to which this title applies.
       (3) Guidelines.--
       (A) Purpose and revision.--The United States Trade 
     Representative, in consultation with the chairmen and the 
     ranking members of the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate, respectively--
       (i) shall, not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, develop written guidelines to 
     facilitate the useful and timely exchange of information 
     between the Trade Representative and the congressional 
     advisory groups; and
       (ii) may make such revisions to the guidelines as may be 
     necessary from time to time.
       (B) Content.--The guidelines developed under subparagraph 
     (A) shall provide for, among other things--
       (i) detailed briefings on a fixed timetable to be specified 
     in the guidelines of the congressional advisory groups 
     regarding negotiating objectives and positions and the status 
     of the applicable negotiations, beginning as soon as 
     practicable after the congressional advisory groups are 
     convened, with more frequent briefings as trade negotiations 
     enter the final stage;
       (ii) access by members of the congressional advisory 
     groups, and staff with proper security clearances, to 
     pertinent documents relating to the negotiations, including 
     classified materials;
       (iii) the closest practicable coordination between the 
     Trade Representative and the congressional advisory groups at 
     all critical periods during the negotiations, including at 
     negotiation sites;
       (iv) after the applicable trade agreement is concluded, 
     consultation regarding ongoing compliance and enforcement of 
     negotiated commitments under the trade agreement; and
       (v) the timeframe for submitting the report required under 
     section 105(d)(3).
       (4) Request for meeting.--Upon the request of a majority of 
     either of the congressional advisory groups, the President 
     shall meet with that congressional advisory group before 
     initiating negotiations with respect to a trade agreement, or 
     at any other time concerning the negotiations.
       (d) Consultations With the Public.--
       (1) Guidelines for public engagement.--The United States 
     Trade Representative, in consultation with the chairmen and 
     the ranking members of the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate, respectively--
       (A) shall, not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, develop written guidelines on public 
     access to information regarding negotiations conducted under 
     this title; and
       (B) may make such revisions to the guidelines as may be 
     necessary from time to time.
       (2) Purposes.--The guidelines developed under paragraph (1) 
     shall--
       (A) facilitate transparency;
       (B) encourage public participation; and
       (C) promote collaboration in the negotiation process.
       (3) Content.--The guidelines developed under paragraph (1) 
     shall include procedures that--
       (A) provide for rapid disclosure of information in forms 
     that the public can readily find and use; and
       (B) provide frequent opportunities for public input through 
     Federal Register requests for comment and other means.
       (4) Dissemination.--The United States Trade Representative 
     shall disseminate the guidelines developed under paragraph 
     (1) to all Federal agencies that could have jurisdiction over 
     laws affected by trade negotiations.
       (e) Consultations With Advisory Committees.--
       (1) Guidelines for engagement with advisory committees.--
     The United States Trade Representative, in consultation with 
     the chairmen and the ranking members of the Committee on Ways 
     and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
     on Finance of the Senate, respectively--
       (A) shall, not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, develop written guidelines on enhanced 
     coordination with advisory committees established pursuant to 
     section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2155) 
     regarding negotiations conducted under this title; and
       (B) may make such revisions to the guidelines as may be 
     necessary from time to time.
       (2) Content.--The guidelines developed under paragraph (1) 
     shall enhance coordination with advisory committees described 
     in that paragraph through procedures to ensure--
       (A) timely briefings of advisory committees and regular 
     opportunities for advisory committees to provide input 
     throughout the negotiation process on matters relevant to the 
     sectors or functional areas represented by those committees; 
     and
       (B) the sharing of detailed and timely information with 
     each member of an advisory committee regarding negotiations 
     and pertinent documents related to the negotiation (including 
     classified information) on matters relevant to the sectors or 
     functional areas the member represents, and with a designee 
     with proper security clearances of each such member as 
     appropriate.
       (3) Dissemination.--The United States Trade Representative 
     shall disseminate the guidelines developed under paragraph 
     (1) to all Federal agencies that could have jurisdiction over 
     laws affected by trade negotiations.
       (f) Establishment of Position of Chief Transparency Officer 
     in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.--
     Section 141(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2171(b)) 
     is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) There shall be in the Office one Chief Transparency 
     Officer. The Chief Transparency Officer shall consult with 
     Congress on transparency policy, coordinate transparency in 
     trade negotiations, engage and assist the public, and advise 
     the United States Trade Representative on transparency 
     policy.''.

     SEC. 105. NOTICE, CONSULTATIONS, AND REPORTS.

       (a) Notice, Consultations, and Reports Before 
     Negotiation.--
       (1) Notice.--The President, with respect to any agreement 
     that is subject to the provisions of section 103(b), shall--
       (A) provide, at least 90 calendar days before initiating 
     negotiations with a country, written notice to Congress of 
     the President's intention to enter into the negotiations with 
     that country and set forth in the notice the date on which 
     the President intends to initiate those negotiations, the 
     specific United States objectives for the negotiations with 
     that country, and whether the President intends to seek an 
     agreement, or changes to an existing agreement;
       (B) before and after submission of the notice, consult 
     regarding the negotiations with the Committee on Ways and 
     Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Finance of the Senate, such other committees of the House and 
     Senate as the President deems appropriate, and the House 
     Advisory Group on Negotiations and the Senate Advisory Group 
     on Negotiations convened under section 104(c);
       (C) upon the request of a majority of the members of either 
     the House Advisory Group on Negotiations or the Senate 
     Advisory Group on Negotiations convened under section 104(c), 
     meet with the requesting congressional advisory group before 
     initiating the negotiations or at any other time concerning 
     the negotiations; and

[[Page 16757]]

       (D) after consulting with the Committee on Ways and Means 
     and the Committee on Finance, and at least 30 calendar days 
     before initiating negotiations with a country, publish on a 
     publicly available Internet website of the Office of the 
     United States Trade Representative, and regularly update 
     thereafter, a detailed and comprehensive summary of the 
     specific objectives with respect to the negotiations, and a 
     description of how the agreement, if successfully concluded, 
     will further those objectives and benefit the United States.
       (2) Negotiations regarding agriculture.--
       (A) Assessment and consultations following assessment.--
     Before initiating or continuing negotiations the subject 
     matter of which is directly related to the subject matter 
     under section 102(b)(3)(B) with any country, the President 
     shall--
       (i) assess whether United States tariffs on agricultural 
     products that were bound under the Uruguay Round Agreements 
     are lower than the tariffs bound by that country;
       (ii) consider whether the tariff levels bound and applied 
     throughout the world with respect to imports from the United 
     States are higher than United States tariffs and whether the 
     negotiation provides an opportunity to address any such 
     disparity; and
       (iii) consult with the Committee on Ways and Means and the 
     Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Agriculture, 
     Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate concerning the results 
     of the assessment, whether it is appropriate for the United 
     States to agree to further tariff reductions based on the 
     conclusions reached in the assessment, and how all applicable 
     negotiating objectives will be met.
       (B) Special consultations on import sensitive products.--
     (i) Before initiating negotiations with regard to agriculture 
     and, with respect to agreements described in paragraphs (2) 
     and (3) of section 107(a), as soon as practicable after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the United States Trade 
     Representative shall--
       (I) identify those agricultural products subject to tariff 
     rate quotas on the date of enactment of this Act, and 
     agricultural products subject to tariff reductions by the 
     United States as a result of the Uruguay Round Agreements, 
     for which the rate of duty was reduced on January 1, 1995, to 
     a rate which was not less than 97.5 percent of the rate of 
     duty that applied to such article on December 31, 1994;
       (II) consult with the Committee on Ways and Means and the 
     Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Agriculture, 
     Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate concerning--

       (aa) whether any further tariff reductions on the products 
     identified under subclause (I) should be appropriate, taking 
     into account the impact of any such tariff reduction on the 
     United States industry producing the product concerned;
       (bb) whether the products so identified face unjustified 
     sanitary or phytosanitary restrictions, including those not 
     based on scientific principles in contravention of the 
     Uruguay Round Agreements; and
       (cc) whether the countries participating in the 
     negotiations maintain export subsidies or other programs, 
     policies, or practices that distort world trade in such 
     products and the impact of such programs, policies, and 
     practices on United States producers of the products;

       (III) request that the International Trade Commission 
     prepare an assessment of the probable economic effects of any 
     such tariff reduction on the United States industry producing 
     the product concerned and on the United States economy as a 
     whole; and
       (IV) upon complying with subclauses (I), (II), and (III), 
     notify the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on 
     Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
     on Finance and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
     Forestry of the Senate of those products identified under 
     subclause (I) for which the Trade Representative intends to 
     seek tariff liberalization in the negotiations and the 
     reasons for seeking such tariff liberalization.
       (ii) If, after negotiations described in clause (i) are 
     commenced--
       (I) the United States Trade Representative identifies any 
     additional agricultural product described in clause (i)(I) 
     for tariff reductions which were not the subject of a 
     notification under clause (i)(IV), or
       (II) any additional agricultural product described in 
     clause (i)(I) is the subject of a request for tariff 
     reductions by a party to the negotiations,

     the Trade Representative shall, as soon as practicable, 
     notify the committees referred to in clause (i)(IV) of those 
     products and the reasons for seeking such tariff reductions.
       (3) Negotiations regarding the fishing industry.--Before 
     initiating, or continuing, negotiations that directly relate 
     to fish or shellfish trade with any country, the President 
     shall consult with the Committee on Ways and Means and the 
     Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committee on Finance and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate, and shall keep the Committees apprised of the 
     negotiations on an ongoing and timely basis.
       (4) Negotiations regarding textiles.--Before initiating or 
     continuing negotiations the subject matter of which is 
     directly related to textiles and apparel products with any 
     country, the President shall--
       (A) assess whether United States tariffs on textile and 
     apparel products that were bound under the Uruguay Round 
     Agreements are lower than the tariffs bound by that country 
     and whether the negotiation provides an opportunity to 
     address any such disparity; and
       (B) consult with the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate concerning the results of the assessment, whether it 
     is appropriate for the United States to agree to further 
     tariff reductions based on the conclusions reached in the 
     assessment, and how all applicable negotiating objectives 
     will be met.
       (5) Adherence to existing international trade and 
     investment agreement obligations.--In determining whether to 
     enter into negotiations with a particular country, the 
     President shall take into account the extent to which that 
     country has implemented, or has accelerated the 
     implementation of, its international trade and investment 
     commitments to the United States, including pursuant to the 
     WTO Agreement.
       (b) Consultation With Congress Before Entry Into 
     Agreement.--
       (1) Consultation.--Before entering into any trade agreement 
     under section 103(b), the President shall consult with--
       (A) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate;
       (B) each other committee of the House and the Senate, and 
     each joint committee of Congress, which has jurisdiction over 
     legislation involving subject matters which would be affected 
     by the trade agreement; and
       (C) the House Advisory Group on Negotiations and the Senate 
     Advisory Group on Negotiations convened under section 104(c).
       (2) Scope.--The consultation described in paragraph (1) 
     shall include consultation with respect to--
       (A) the nature of the agreement;
       (B) how and to what extent the agreement will achieve the 
     applicable purposes, policies, priorities, and objectives of 
     this title; and
       (C) the implementation of the agreement under section 106, 
     including the general effect of the agreement on existing 
     laws.
       (3) Report regarding united states trade remedy laws.--
       (A) Changes in certain trade laws.--The President, not less 
     than 180 calendar days before the day on which the President 
     enters into a trade agreement under section 103(b), shall 
     report to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate--
       (i) the range of proposals advanced in the negotiations 
     with respect to that agreement, that may be in the final 
     agreement, and that could require amendments to title VII of 
     the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.) or to chapter 
     1 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2251 et 
     seq.); and
       (ii) how these proposals relate to the objectives described 
     in section 102(b)(16).
       (B) Resolutions.--(i) At any time after the transmission of 
     the report under subparagraph (A), if a resolution is 
     introduced with respect to that report in either House of 
     Congress, the procedures set forth in clauses (iii) through 
     (vii) shall apply to that resolution if--
       (I) no other resolution with respect to that report has 
     previously been reported in that House of Congress by the 
     Committee on Ways and Means or the Committee on Finance, as 
     the case may be, pursuant to those procedures; and
       (II) no procedural disapproval resolution under section 
     106(b) introduced with respect to a trade agreement entered 
     into pursuant to the negotiations to which the report under 
     subparagraph (A) relates has previously been reported in that 
     House of Congress by the Committee on Ways and Means or the 
     Committee on Finance, as the case may be.
       (ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term 
     ``resolution'' means only a resolution of either House of 
     Congress, the matter after the resolving clause of which is 
     as follows: ``That the ____ finds that the proposed changes 
     to United States trade remedy laws contained in the report of 
     the President transmitted to Congress on ____ under section 
     105(b)(3) of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities 
     and Accountability Act of 2015 with respect to ____, are 
     inconsistent with the negotiating objectives described in 
     section 102(b)(16) of that Act.'', with the first blank space 
     being filled with the name of the resolving House of 
     Congress, the second blank space being filled with the 
     appropriate date of the report, and the third blank space 
     being filled with the name of the country or countries 
     involved.
       (iii) Resolutions in the House of Representatives--
       (I) may be introduced by any Member of the House;
       (II) shall be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
     and, in addition, to the Committee on Rules; and
       (III) may not be amended by either Committee.
       (iv) Resolutions in the Senate--
       (I) may be introduced by any Member of the Senate;
       (II) shall be referred to the Committee on Finance; and
       (III) may not be amended.
       (v) It is not in order for the House of Representatives to 
     consider any resolution that is not reported by the Committee 
     on Ways and Means and, in addition, by the Committee on 
     Rules.
       (vi) It is not in order for the Senate to consider any 
     resolution that is not reported by the Committee on Finance.
       (vii) The provisions of subsections (d) and (e) of section 
     152 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2192) (relating to 
     floor consideration of certain resolutions in the House and 
     Senate) shall apply to resolutions.

[[Page 16758]]

       (4) Advisory committee reports.--The report required under 
     section 135(e)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
     2155(e)(1)) regarding any trade agreement entered into under 
     subsection (a) or (b) of section 103 shall be provided to the 
     President, Congress, and the United States Trade 
     Representative not later than 30 days after the date on which 
     the President notifies Congress under section 103(a)(2) or 
     106(a)(1)(A) of the intention of the President to enter into 
     the agreement.
       (c) International Trade Commission Assessment.--
       (1) Submission of information to commission.--The 
     President, not later than 90 calendar days before the day on 
     which the President enters into a trade agreement under 
     section 103(b), shall provide the International Trade 
     Commission (referred to in this subsection as the 
     ``Commission'') with the details of the agreement as it 
     exists at that time and request the Commission to prepare and 
     submit an assessment of the agreement as described in 
     paragraph (2). Between the time the President makes the 
     request under this paragraph and the time the Commission 
     submits the assessment, the President shall keep the 
     Commission current with respect to the details of the 
     agreement.
       (2) Assessment.--Not later than 105 calendar days after the 
     President enters into a trade agreement under section 103(b), 
     the Commission shall submit to the President and Congress a 
     report assessing the likely impact of the agreement on the 
     United States economy as a whole and on specific industry 
     sectors, including the impact the agreement will have on the 
     gross domestic product, exports and imports, aggregate 
     employment and employment opportunities, the production, 
     employment, and competitive position of industries likely to 
     be significantly affected by the agreement, and the interests 
     of United States consumers.
       (3) Review of empirical literature.--In preparing the 
     assessment under paragraph (2), the Commission shall review 
     available economic assessments regarding the agreement, 
     including literature regarding any substantially equivalent 
     proposed agreement, and shall provide in its assessment a 
     description of the analyses used and conclusions drawn in 
     such literature, and a discussion of areas of consensus and 
     divergence between the various analyses and conclusions, 
     including those of the Commission regarding the agreement.
       (4) Public availability.--The President shall make each 
     assessment under paragraph (2) available to the public.
       (d) Reports Submitted to Committees With Agreement.--
       (1) Environmental reviews and reports.--The President 
     shall--
       (A) conduct environmental reviews of future trade and 
     investment agreements, consistent with Executive Order 13141 
     (64 Fed. Reg. 63169), dated November 16, 1999, and its 
     relevant guidelines; and
       (B) submit a report on those reviews and on the content and 
     operation of consultative mechanisms established pursuant to 
     section 102(c) to the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate at the time the President submits to Congress a copy 
     of the final legal text of an agreement pursuant to section 
     106(a)(1)(E).
       (2) Employment impact reviews and reports.--The President 
     shall--
       (A) review the impact of future trade agreements on United 
     States employment, including labor markets, modeled after 
     Executive Order 13141 (64 Fed. Reg. 63169) to the extent 
     appropriate in establishing procedures and criteria; and
       (B) submit a report on such reviews to the Committee on 
     Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Finance of the Senate at the time the President 
     submits to Congress a copy of the final legal text of an 
     agreement pursuant to section 106(a)(1)(E).
       (3) Report on labor rights.--The President shall submit to 
     the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate, 
     on a timeframe determined in accordance with section 
     104(c)(3)(B)(v)--
       (A) a meaningful labor rights report of the country, or 
     countries, with respect to which the President is 
     negotiating; and
       (B) a description of any provisions that would require 
     changes to the labor laws and labor practices of the United 
     States.
       (4) Public availability.--The President shall make all 
     reports required under this subsection available to the 
     public.
       (e) Implementation and Enforcement Plan.--
       (1) In general.--At the time the President submits to 
     Congress a copy of the final legal text of an agreement 
     pursuant to section 106(a)(1)(E), the President shall also 
     submit to Congress a plan for implementing and enforcing the 
     agreement.
       (2) Elements.--The implementation and enforcement plan 
     required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:
       (A) Border personnel requirements.--A description of 
     additional personnel required at border entry points, 
     including a list of additional customs and agricultural 
     inspectors.
       (B) Agency staffing requirements.--A description of 
     additional personnel required by Federal agencies responsible 
     for monitoring and implementing the trade agreement, 
     including personnel required by the Office of the United 
     States Trade Representative, the Department of Commerce, the 
     Department of Agriculture (including additional personnel 
     required to implement sanitary and phytosanitary measures in 
     order to obtain market access for United States exports), the 
     Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the 
     Treasury, and such other agencies as may be necessary.
       (C) Customs infrastructure requirements.--A description of 
     the additional equipment and facilities needed by U.S. 
     Customs and Border Protection.
       (D) Impact on state and local governments.--A description 
     of the impact the trade agreement will have on State and 
     local governments as a result of increases in trade.
       (E) Cost analysis.--An analysis of the costs associated 
     with each of the items listed in subparagraphs (A) through 
     (D).
       (3) Budget submission.--The President shall include a 
     request for the resources necessary to support the plan 
     required by paragraph (1) in the first budget of the 
     President submitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of 
     title 31, United States Code, after the date of the 
     submission of the plan.
       (4) Public availability.--The President shall make the plan 
     required under this subsection available to the public.
       (f) Other Reports.--
       (1) Report on penalties.--Not later than one year after the 
     imposition by the United States of a penalty or remedy 
     permitted by a trade agreement to which this title applies, 
     the President shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance 
     of the Senate a report on the effectiveness of the penalty or 
     remedy applied under United States law in enforcing United 
     States rights under the trade agreement, which shall address 
     whether the penalty or remedy was effective in changing the 
     behavior of the targeted party and whether the penalty or 
     remedy had any adverse impact on parties or interests not 
     party to the dispute.
       (2) Report on impact of trade promotion authority.--Not 
     later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, and not later than 5 years thereafter, the United States 
     International Trade Commission shall submit to the Committee 
     on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Finance of the Senate a report on the economic 
     impact on the United States of all trade agreements with 
     respect to which Congress has enacted an implementing bill 
     under trade authorities procedures since January 1, 1984.
       (3) Enforcement consultations and reports.--(A) The United 
     States Trade Representative shall consult with the Committee 
     on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Finance of the Senate after acceptance of a 
     petition for review or taking an enforcement action in regard 
     to an obligation under a trade agreement, including a labor 
     or environmental obligation. During such consultations, the 
     United States Trade Representative shall describe the matter, 
     including the basis for such action and the application of 
     any relevant legal obligations.
       (B) As part of the report required pursuant to section 163 
     of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2213), the President 
     shall report annually to Congress on enforcement actions 
     taken pursuant to a trade agreement to which the United 
     States is a party, as well as on any public reports issued by 
     Federal agencies on enforcement matters relating to a trade 
     agreement.
       (g) Additional Coordination With Members.--Any Member of 
     the House of Representatives may submit to the Committee on 
     Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and any Member 
     of the Senate may submit to the Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate the views of that Member on any matter relevant to a 
     proposed trade agreement, and the relevant Committee shall 
     receive those views for consideration.

     SEC. 106. IMPLEMENTATION OF TRADE AGREEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Notification and submission.--Any agreement entered 
     into under section 103(b) shall enter into force with respect 
     to the United States if (and only if)--
       (A) the President, at least 90 calendar days before the day 
     on which the President enters into the trade agreement, 
     notifies the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 
     President's intention to enter into the agreement, and 
     promptly thereafter publishes notice of such intention in the 
     Federal Register;
       (B) the President, at least 60 days before the day on which 
     the President enters into the agreement, publishes the text 
     of the agreement on a publicly available Internet website of 
     the Office of the United States Trade Representative;
       (C) within 60 days after entering into the agreement, the 
     President submits to Congress a description of those changes 
     to existing laws that the President considers would be 
     required in order to bring the United States into compliance 
     with the agreement;
       (D) the President, at least 30 days before submitting to 
     Congress the materials under subparagraph (E), submits to 
     Congress--
       (i) a draft statement of any administrative action proposed 
     to implement the agreement; and
       (ii) a copy of the final legal text of the agreement;
       (E) after entering into the agreement, the President 
     submits to Congress, on a day on which both Houses of 
     Congress are in session, a copy of the final legal text of 
     the agreement, together with--
       (i) a draft of an implementing bill described in section 
     103(b)(3);
       (ii) a statement of any administrative action proposed to 
     implement the trade agreement; and

[[Page 16759]]

       (iii) the supporting information described in paragraph 
     (2)(A);
       (F) the implementing bill is enacted into law; and
       (G) the President, not later than 30 days before the date 
     on which the agreement enters into force with respect to a 
     party to the agreement, submits written notice to Congress 
     that the President has determined that the party has taken 
     measures necessary to comply with those provisions of the 
     agreement that are to take effect on the date on which the 
     agreement enters into force.
       (2) Supporting information.--
       (A) In general.--The supporting information required under 
     paragraph (1)(E)(iii) consists of--
       (i) an explanation as to how the implementing bill and 
     proposed administrative action will change or affect existing 
     law; and
       (ii) a statement--

       (I) asserting that the agreement makes progress in 
     achieving the applicable purposes, policies, priorities, and 
     objectives of this title; and
       (II) setting forth the reasons of the President regarding--

       (aa) how and to what extent the agreement makes progress in 
     achieving the applicable purposes, policies, and objectives 
     referred to in subclause (I);
       (bb) whether and how the agreement changes provisions of an 
     agreement previously negotiated;
       (cc) how the agreement serves the interests of United 
     States commerce; and
       (dd) how the implementing bill meets the standards set 
     forth in section 103(b)(3).
       (B) Public availability.--The President shall make the 
     supporting information described in subparagraph (A) 
     available to the public.
       (3) Reciprocal benefits.--In order to ensure that a foreign 
     country that is not a party to a trade agreement entered into 
     under section 103(b) does not receive benefits under the 
     agreement unless the country is also subject to the 
     obligations under the agreement, the implementing bill 
     submitted with respect to the agreement shall provide that 
     the benefits and obligations under the agreement apply only 
     to the parties to the agreement, if such application is 
     consistent with the terms of the agreement. The implementing 
     bill may also provide that the benefits and obligations under 
     the agreement do not apply uniformly to all parties to the 
     agreement, if such application is consistent with the terms 
     of the agreement.
       (4) Disclosure of commitments.--Any agreement or other 
     understanding with a foreign government or governments 
     (whether oral or in writing) that--
       (A) relates to a trade agreement with respect to which 
     Congress enacts an implementing bill under trade authorities 
     procedures; and
       (B) is not disclosed to Congress before an implementing 
     bill with respect to that agreement is introduced in either 
     House of Congress,

     shall not be considered to be part of the agreement approved 
     by Congress and shall have no force and effect under United 
     States law or in any dispute settlement body.
       (b) Limitations on Trade Authorities Procedures.--
       (1) For lack of notice or consultations.--
       (A) In general.--The trade authorities procedures shall not 
     apply to any implementing bill submitted with respect to a 
     trade agreement or trade agreements entered into under 
     section 103(b) if during the 60-day period beginning on the 
     date that one House of Congress agrees to a procedural 
     disapproval resolution for lack of notice or consultations 
     with respect to such trade agreement or agreements, the other 
     House separately agrees to a procedural disapproval 
     resolution with respect to such trade agreement or 
     agreements.
       (B) Procedural disapproval resolution.--(i) For purposes of 
     this paragraph, the term ``procedural disapproval 
     resolution'' means a resolution of either House of Congress, 
     the sole matter after the resolving clause of which is as 
     follows: ``That the President has failed or refused to notify 
     or consult in accordance with the Bipartisan Congressional 
     Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 on 
     negotiations with respect to ________ and, therefore, the 
     trade authorities procedures under that Act shall not apply 
     to any implementing bill submitted with respect to such trade 
     agreement or agreements.'', with the blank space being filled 
     with a description of the trade agreement or agreements with 
     respect to which the President is considered to have failed 
     or refused to notify or consult.
       (ii) For purposes of clause (i) and paragraphs (3)(C) and 
     (4)(C), the President has ``failed or refused to notify or 
     consult in accordance with the Bipartisan Congressional Trade 
     Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015'' on negotiations 
     with respect to a trade agreement or trade agreements if--
       (I) the President has failed or refused to consult (as the 
     case may be) in accordance with sections 104 and 105 and this 
     section with respect to the negotiations, agreement, or 
     agreements;
       (II) guidelines under section 104 have not been developed 
     or met with respect to the negotiations, agreement, or 
     agreements;
       (III) the President has not met with the House Advisory 
     Group on Negotiations or the Senate Advisory Group on 
     Negotiations pursuant to a request made under section 
     104(c)(4) with respect to the negotiations, agreement, or 
     agreements; or
       (IV) the agreement or agreements fail to make progress in 
     achieving the purposes, policies, priorities, and objectives 
     of this title.
       (2) Procedures for considering resolutions.--(A) Procedural 
     disapproval resolutions--
       (i) in the House of Representatives--
       (I) may be introduced by any Member of the House;
       (II) shall be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
     and, in addition, to the Committee on Rules; and
       (III) may not be amended by either Committee; and
       (ii) in the Senate--
       (I) may be introduced by any Member of the Senate;
       (II) shall be referred to the Committee on Finance; and
       (III) may not be amended.
       (B) The provisions of subsections (d) and (e) of section 
     152 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2192) (relating to 
     the floor consideration of certain resolutions in the House 
     and Senate) apply to a procedural disapproval resolution 
     introduced with respect to a trade agreement if no other 
     procedural disapproval resolution with respect to that trade 
     agreement has previously been reported in that House of 
     Congress by the Committee on Ways and Means or the Committee 
     on Finance, as the case may be, and if no resolution 
     described in clause (ii) of section 105(b)(3)(B) with respect 
     to that trade agreement has been reported in that House of 
     Congress by the Committee on Ways and Means or the Committee 
     on Finance, as the case may be, pursuant to the procedures 
     set forth in clauses (iii) through (vii) of such section.
       (C) It is not in order for the House of Representatives to 
     consider any procedural disapproval resolution not reported 
     by the Committee on Ways and Means and, in addition, by the 
     Committee on Rules.
       (D) It is not in order for the Senate to consider any 
     procedural disapproval resolution not reported by the 
     Committee on Finance.
       (3) Consideration in senate of consultation and compliance 
     resolution to remove trade authorities procedures.--
       (A) Reporting of resolution.--If, when the Committee on 
     Finance of the Senate meets on whether to report an 
     implementing bill with respect to a trade agreement or 
     agreements entered into under section 103(b), the committee 
     fails to favorably report the bill, the committee shall 
     report a resolution described in subparagraph (C).
       (B) Applicability of trade authorities procedures.--The 
     trade authorities procedures shall not apply in the Senate to 
     any implementing bill submitted with respect to a trade 
     agreement or agreements described in subparagraph (A) if the 
     Committee on Finance reports a resolution described in 
     subparagraph (C) and such resolution is agreed to by the 
     Senate.
       (C) Resolution described.--A resolution described in this 
     subparagraph is a resolution of the Senate originating from 
     the Committee on Finance the sole matter after the resolving 
     clause of which is as follows: ``That the President has 
     failed or refused to notify or consult in accordance with the 
     Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability 
     Act of 2015 on negotiations with respect to _____ and, 
     therefore, the trade authorities procedures under that Act 
     shall not apply in the Senate to any implementing bill 
     submitted with respect to such trade agreement or 
     agreements.'', with the blank space being filled with a 
     description of the trade agreement or agreements described in 
     subparagraph (A).
       (D) Procedures.--If the Senate does not agree to a motion 
     to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to a resolution 
     described in subparagraph (C), the resolution shall be 
     committed to the Committee on Finance.
       (4) Consideration in the house of representatives of a 
     consultation and compliance resolution.--
       (A) Qualifications for reporting resolution.--If--
       (i) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives reports an implementing bill with respect to 
     a trade agreement or agreements entered into under section 
     103(b) with other than a favorable recommendation; and
       (ii) a Member of the House of Representatives has 
     introduced a consultation and compliance resolution on the 
     legislative day following the filing of a report to accompany 
     the implementing bill with other than a favorable 
     recommendation,

     then the Committee on Ways and Means shall consider a 
     consultation and compliance resolution pursuant to 
     subparagraph (B).
       (B) Committee consideration of a qualifying resolution.--
     (i) Not later than the fourth legislative day after the date 
     of introduction of the resolution, the Committee on Ways and 
     Means shall meet to consider a resolution meeting the 
     qualifications set forth in subparagraph (A).
       (ii) After consideration of one such resolution by the 
     Committee on Ways and Means, this subparagraph shall not 
     apply to any other such resolution.
       (iii) If the Committee on Ways and Means has not reported 
     the resolution by the sixth legislative day after the date of 
     its introduction, that committee shall be discharged from 
     further consideration of the resolution.
       (C) Consultation and compliance resolution described.--A 
     consultation and compliance resolution--
       (i) is a resolution of the House of Representatives, the 
     sole matter after the resolving clause of which is as 
     follows: ``That the President has failed or refused to notify 
     or consult in accordance with the Bipartisan Congressional 
     Trade

[[Page 16760]]

     Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 on negotiations 
     with respect to _____ and, therefore, the trade authorities 
     procedures under that Act shall not apply in the House of 
     Representatives to any implementing bill submitted with 
     respect to such trade agreement or agreements.'', with the 
     blank space being filled with a description of the trade 
     agreement or agreements described in subparagraph (A); and
       (ii) shall be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
       (D) Applicability of trade authorities procedures.--The 
     trade authorities procedures shall not apply in the House of 
     Representatives to any implementing bill submitted with 
     respect to a trade agreement or agreements which are the 
     object of a consultation and compliance resolution if such 
     resolution is adopted by the House.
       (5) For failure to meet other requirements.--Not later than 
     December 15, 2015, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation 
     with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, 
     the Attorney General, and the United States Trade 
     Representative, shall transmit to Congress a report setting 
     forth the strategy of the executive branch to address 
     concerns of Congress regarding whether dispute settlement 
     panels and the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization 
     have added to obligations, or diminished rights, of the 
     United States, as described in section 102(b)(15)(C). Trade 
     authorities procedures shall not apply to any implementing 
     bill with respect to an agreement negotiated under the 
     auspices of the World Trade Organization unless the Secretary 
     of Commerce has issued such report by the deadline specified 
     in this paragraph.
       (6) Limitations on procedures with respect to agreements 
     with countries not in compliance with trafficking victims 
     protection act of 2000.--
       (A) In general.--The trade authorities procedures shall not 
     apply to any implementing bill submitted with respect to a 
     trade agreement or trade agreements entered into under 
     section 103(b) with a country to which the minimum standards 
     for the elimination of trafficking are applicable and the 
     government of which does not fully comply with such standards 
     and is not making significant efforts to bring the country 
     into compliance (commonly referred to as a ``tier 3'' 
     country), as determined in the most recent annual report on 
     trafficking in persons submitted under section 110(b)(1) of 
     the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 
     7107(b)(1)).
       (B) Minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking 
     defined.--In this paragraph, the term ``minimum standards for 
     the elimination of trafficking'' means the standards set 
     forth in section 108 of the Trafficking Victims Protection 
     Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7106).
       (c) Rules of House of Representatives and Senate.--
     Subsection (b) of this section, section 103(c), and section 
     105(b)(3) are enacted by Congress--
       (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and as such are 
     deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, and 
     such procedures supersede other rules only to the extent that 
     they are inconsistent with such other rules; and
       (2) with the full recognition of the constitutional right 
     of either House to change the rules (so far as relating to 
     the procedures of that House) at any time, in the same 
     manner, and to the same extent as any other rule of that 
     House.

     SEC. 107. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TRADE AGREEMENTS FOR WHICH 
                   NEGOTIATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.

       (a) Certain Agreements.--Notwithstanding the prenegotiation 
     notification and consultation requirement described in 
     section 105(a), if an agreement to which section 103(b) 
     applies--
       (1) is entered into under the auspices of the World Trade 
     Organization,
       (2) is entered into with the Trans-Pacific Partnership 
     countries with respect to which notifications have been made 
     in a manner consistent with section 105(a)(1)(A) as of the 
     date of the enactment of this Act,
       (3) is entered into with the European Union,
       (4) is an agreement with respect to international trade in 
     services entered into with WTO members with respect to which 
     a notification has been made in a manner consistent with 
     section 105(a)(1)(A) as of the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, or
       (5) is an agreement with respect to environmental goods 
     entered into with WTO members with respect to which a 
     notification has been made in a manner consistent with 
     section 105(a)(1)(A) as of the date of the enactment of this 
     Act,

     and results from negotiations that were commenced before the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, subsection (b) shall 
     apply.

       (b) Treatment of Agreements.--In the case of any agreement 
     to which subsection (a) applies, the applicability of the 
     trade authorities procedures to implementing bills shall be 
     determined without regard to the requirements of section 
     105(a) (relating only to notice prior to initiating 
     negotiations), and any resolution under paragraph (1)(B), 
     (3)(C), or (4)(C) of section 106(b) shall not be in order on 
     the basis of a failure or refusal to comply with the 
     provisions of section 105(a), if (and only if) the President, 
     as soon as feasible after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act--
       (1) notifies Congress of the negotiations described in 
     subsection (a), the specific United States objectives in the 
     negotiations, and whether the President is seeking a new 
     agreement or changes to an existing agreement; and
       (2) before and after submission of the notice, consults 
     regarding the negotiations with the committees referred to in 
     section 105(a)(1)(B) and the House and Senate Advisory Groups 
     on Negotiations convened under section 104(c).

     SEC. 108. SOVEREIGNTY.

       (a) United States Law To Prevail in Event of Conflict.--No 
     provision of any trade agreement entered into under section 
     103(b), nor the application of any such provision to any 
     person or circumstance, that is inconsistent with any law of 
     the United States, any State of the United States, or any 
     locality of the United States shall have effect.
       (b) Amendments or Modifications of United States Law.--No 
     provision of any trade agreement entered into under section 
     103(b) shall prevent the United States, any State of the 
     United States, or any locality of the United States from 
     amending or modifying any law of the United States, that 
     State, or that locality (as the case may be).
       (c) Dispute Settlement Reports.--Reports, including 
     findings and recommendations, issued by dispute settlement 
     panels convened pursuant to any trade agreement entered into 
     under section 103(b) shall have no binding effect on the law 
     of the United States, the Government of the United States, or 
     the law or government of any State or locality of the United 
     States.

     SEC. 109. INTERESTS OF SMALL BUSINESSES.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the United States Trade Representative should 
     facilitate participation by small businesses in the trade 
     negotiation process; and
       (2) the functions of the Office of the United States Trade 
     Representative relating to small businesses should continue 
     to be reflected in the title of the Assistant United States 
     Trade Representative assigned the responsibility for small 
     businesses.
       (b) Consideration of Small Business Interests.--The 
     Assistant United States Trade Representative for Small 
     Business, Market Access, and Industrial Competitiveness shall 
     be responsible for ensuring that the interests of small 
     businesses are considered in all trade negotiations in 
     accordance with the objective described in section 102(a)(8).

     SEC. 110. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS; APPLICATION OF CERTAIN 
                   PROVISIONS.

       (a) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Advice from united states international trade 
     commission.--Section 131 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
     2151) is amended--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section 2103(a) or (b) 
     of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``subsection (a) or (b) of section 103 of the 
     Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability 
     Act of 2015''; and
       (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``section 2103(b) of the 
     Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 103(b) of the Bipartisan Congressional 
     Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015'';
       (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``section 2103(a)(3)(A) 
     of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 103(a)(4)(A) of the Bipartisan 
     Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 
     2015''; and
       (C) in subsection (c), by striking ``section 2103 of the 
     Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 103(a) of the Bipartisan Congressional 
     Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''.
       (2) Hearings.--Section 132 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
     U.S.C. 2152) is amended by striking ``section 2103 of the 
     Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 103 of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade 
     Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''.
       (3) Public hearings.--Section 133(a) of the Trade Act of 
     1974 (19 U.S.C. 2153(a)) is amended by striking ``section 
     2103 of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 
     2002'' and inserting ``section 103 of the Bipartisan 
     Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 
     2015''.
       (4) Prerequisites for offers.--Section 134 of the Trade Act 
     of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2154) is amended by striking ``section 
     2103 of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 
     2002'' each place it appears and inserting ``section 103 of 
     the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and 
     Accountability Act of 2015''.
       (5) Information and advice from private and public 
     sectors.--Section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
     2155) is amended--
       (A) in subsection (a)(1)(A), by striking ``section 2103 of 
     the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 103 of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade 
     Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''; and
       (B) in subsection (e)--
       (i) in paragraph (1)--

       (I) by striking ``section 2103 of the Bipartisan Trade 
     Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``section 103 of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade 
     Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''; and
       (II) by striking ``not later than the date on which the 
     President notifies the Congress under section 2105(a)(1)(A) 
     of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``not later than the date that is 30 days after the 
     date on which the President notifies Congress under section 
     106(a)(1)(A) of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities 
     and Accountability Act of 2015''; and

[[Page 16761]]

       (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``section 2102 of the 
     Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 102 of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade 
     Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''.
       (6) Procedures relating to implementing bills.--Section 151 
     of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2191) is amended--
       (A) in subsection (b)(1), in the matter preceding 
     subparagraph (A), by striking ``section 2105(a)(1) of the 
     Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 106(a)(1) of the Bipartisan Congressional 
     Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''; and
       (B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``section 2105(a)(1) 
     of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002'' and 
     inserting ``section 106(a)(1) of the Bipartisan Congressional 
     Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015''.
       (7) Transmission of agreements to congress.--Section 162(a) 
     of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2212(a)) is amended by 
     striking ``section 2103 of the Bipartisan Trade Promotion 
     Authority Act of 2002'' and inserting ``section 103 of the 
     Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability 
     Act of 2015''.
       (b) Application of Certain Provisions.--For purposes of 
     applying sections 125, 126, and 127 of the Trade Act of 1974 
     (19 U.S.C. 2135, 2136, and 2137)--
       (1) any trade agreement entered into under section 103 
     shall be treated as an agreement entered into under section 
     101 or 102 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2111 or 2112), 
     as appropriate; and
       (2) any proclamation or Executive order issued pursuant to 
     a trade agreement entered into under section 103 shall be 
     treated as a proclamation or Executive order issued pursuant 
     to a trade agreement entered into under section 102 of the 
     Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2112).

     SEC. 111. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Agreement on agriculture.--The term ``Agreement on 
     Agriculture'' means the agreement referred to in section 
     101(d)(2) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 
     3511(d)(2)).
       (2) Agreement on safeguards.--The term ``Agreement on 
     Safeguards'' means the agreement referred to in section 
     101(d)(13) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 
     3511(d)(13)).
       (3) Agreement on subsidies and countervailing measures.--
     The term ``Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing 
     Measures'' means the agreement referred to in section 
     101(d)(12) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 
     3511(d)(12)).
       (4) Antidumping agreement.--The term ``Antidumping 
     Agreement'' means the Agreement on Implementation of Article 
     VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 
     referred to in section 101(d)(7) of the Uruguay Round 
     Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3511(d)(7)).
       (5) Appellate body.--The term ``Appellate Body'' means the 
     Appellate Body established under Article 17.1 of the Dispute 
     Settlement Understanding.
       (6) Common multilateral environmental agreement.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``common multilateral 
     environmental agreement'' means any agreement specified in 
     subparagraph (B) or included under subparagraph (C) to which 
     both the United States and one or more other parties to the 
     negotiations are full parties, including any current or 
     future mutually agreed upon protocols, amendments, annexes, 
     or adjustments to such an agreement.
       (B) Agreements specified.--The agreements specified in this 
     subparagraph are the following:
       (i) The Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
     Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, done at Washington March 3, 
     1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249).
       (ii) The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the 
     Ozone Layer, done at Montreal September 16, 1987.
       (iii) The Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International 
     Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, 
     done at London February 17, 1978.
       (iv) The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance 
     Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, done at Ramsar February 2, 
     1971 (TIAS 11084).
       (v) The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine 
     Living Resources, done at Canberra May 20, 1980 (33 UST 
     3476).
       (vi) The International Convention for the Regulation of 
     Whaling, done at Washington December 2, 1946 (62 Stat. 1716).
       (vii) The Convention for the Establishment of an Inter-
     American Tropical Tuna Commission, done at Washington May 31, 
     1949 (1 UST 230).
       (C) Additional agreements.--Both the United States and one 
     or more other parties to the negotiations may agree to 
     include any other multilateral environmental or conservation 
     agreement to which they are full parties as a common 
     multilateral environmental agreement under this paragraph.
       (7) Core labor standards.--The term ``core labor 
     standards'' means--
       (A) freedom of association;
       (B) the effective recognition of the right to collective 
     bargaining;
       (C) the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory 
     labor;
       (D) the effective abolition of child labor and a 
     prohibition on the worst forms of child labor; and
       (E) the elimination of discrimination in respect of 
     employment and occupation.
       (8) Dispute settlement understanding.--The term ``Dispute 
     Settlement Understanding'' means the Understanding on Rules 
     and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes referred 
     to in section 101(d)(16) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act 
     (19 U.S.C. 3511(d)(16)).
       (9) Enabling clause.--The term ``Enabling Clause'' means 
     the Decision on Differential and More Favourable Treatment, 
     Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries 
     (L/4903), adopted November 28, 1979, under GATT 1947 (as 
     defined in section 2 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 
     U.S.C. 3501)).
       (10) Environmental laws.--The term ``environmental laws'', 
     with respect to the laws of the United States, means 
     environmental statutes and regulations enforceable by action 
     of the Federal Government.
       (11) GATT 1994.--The term ``GATT 1994'' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 2 of the Uruguay Round Agreements 
     Act (19 U.S.C. 3501).
       (12) General agreement on trade in services.--The term 
     ``General Agreement on Trade in Services'' means the General 
     Agreement on Trade in Services (referred to in section 
     101(d)(14) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 
     3511(d)(14))).
       (13) Government procurement agreement.--The term 
     ``Government Procurement Agreement'' means the Agreement on 
     Government Procurement referred to in section 101(d)(17) of 
     the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3511(d)(17)).
       (14) ILO.--The term ``ILO'' means the International Labor 
     Organization.
       (15) Import sensitive agricultural product.--The term 
     ``import sensitive agricultural product'' means an 
     agricultural product--
       (A) with respect to which, as a result of the Uruguay Round 
     Agreements, the rate of duty was the subject of tariff 
     reductions by the United States and, pursuant to such 
     Agreements, was reduced on January 1, 1995, to a rate that 
     was not less than 97.5 percent of the rate of duty that 
     applied to such article on December 31, 1994; or
       (B) which was subject to a tariff rate quota on the date of 
     the enactment of this Act.
       (16) Information technology agreement.--The term 
     ``Information Technology Agreement'' means the Ministerial 
     Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products of 
     the World Trade Organization, agreed to at Singapore December 
     13, 1996.
       (17) Internationally recognized core labor standards.--The 
     term ``internationally recognized core labor standards'' 
     means the core labor standards only as stated in the ILO 
     Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and 
     its Follow-Up (1998).
       (18) Labor laws.--The term ``labor laws'' means the 
     statutes and regulations, or provisions thereof, of a party 
     to the negotiations that are directly related to core labor 
     standards as well as other labor protections for children and 
     minors and acceptable conditions of work with respect to 
     minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational safety and 
     health, and for the United States, includes Federal statutes 
     and regulations addressing those standards, protections, or 
     conditions, but does not include State or local labor laws.
       (19) United states person.--The term ``United States 
     person'' means--
       (A) a United States citizen;
       (B) a partnership, corporation, or other legal entity that 
     is organized under the laws of the United States; and
       (C) a partnership, corporation, or other legal entity that 
     is organized under the laws of a foreign country and is 
     controlled by entities described in subparagraph (B) or 
     United States citizens, or both.
       (20) Uruguay round agreements.--The term ``Uruguay Round 
     Agreements'' has the meaning given that term in section 2(7) 
     of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3501(7)).
       (21) World trade organization; wto.--The terms ``World 
     Trade Organization'' and ``WTO'' mean the organization 
     established pursuant to the WTO Agreement.
       (22) WTO agreement.--The term ``WTO Agreement'' means the 
     Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization entered 
     into on April 15, 1994.
       (23) WTO member.--The term ``WTO member'' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 2(10) of the Uruguay Round 
     Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3501(10)).

           TITLE II--EXTENSION OF TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Trade Adjustment 
     Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 202. APPLICATION OF PROVISIONS RELATING TO TRADE 
                   ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE.

       (a) Repeal of Snapback.--Section 233 of the Trade 
     Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-
     40; 125 Stat. 416) is repealed.
       (b) Applicability of Certain Provisions.--Except as 
     otherwise provided in this title, the provisions of chapters 
     2 through 6 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974, as in 
     effect on December 31, 2013, and as amended by this title, 
     shall--
       (1) take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act; 
     and
       (2) apply to petitions for certification filed under 
     chapter 2, 3, or 6 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 on or 
     after such date of enactment.
       (c) References.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
     title, whenever in this title an amendment or repeal is 
     expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a 
     provision of chapters 2 through 6 of title II of the Trade 
     Act of

[[Page 16762]]

     1974, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
     provision of any such chapter, as in effect on December 31, 
     2013.

     SEC. 203. EXTENSION OF TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

       (a) Extension of Termination Provisions.--Section 285 of 
     the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 note) is amended by 
     striking ``December 31, 2013'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``June 30, 2021''.
       (b) Training Funds.--Section 236(a)(2)(A) of the Trade Act 
     of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2296(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking 
     ``shall not exceed'' and all that follows and inserting 
     ``shall not exceed $450,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 
     through 2021.''.
       (c) Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance.--Section 
     246(b)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2318(b)(1)) is 
     amended by striking ``December 31, 2013'' and inserting 
     ``June 30, 2021''.
       (d) Authorizations of Appropriations.--
       (1) Trade adjustment assistance for workers.--Section 
     245(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2317(a)) is 
     amended by striking ``December 31, 2013'' and inserting 
     ``June 30, 2021''.
       (2) Trade adjustment assistance for firms.--Section 255(a) 
     of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2345(a)) is amended by 
     striking ``fiscal years 2012 and 2013'' and all that follows 
     through ``December 31, 2013'' and inserting ``fiscal years 
     2015 through 2021''.
       (3) Trade adjustment assistance for farmers.--Section 
     298(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2401g(a)) is 
     amended by striking ``fiscal years 2012 and 2013'' and all 
     that follows through ``December 31, 2013'' and inserting 
     ``fiscal years 2015 through 2021''.

     SEC. 204. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING.

       (a) Performance Measures.--Section 239(j) of the Trade Act 
     of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2311(j)) is amended--
       (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Data 
     Reporting'' and inserting ``Performance Measures'';
       (2) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
       (i) by striking ``a quarterly'' and inserting ``an 
     annual''; and
       (ii) by striking ``data'' and inserting ``measures'';
       (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``core'' and inserting 
     ``primary''; and
       (C) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``that promote 
     efficiency and effectiveness'' after ``assistance program'';
       (3) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Core indicators 
     described'' and inserting ``Indicators of performance''; and
       (B) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(A) Primary indicators of performance described.--
       ``(i) In general.--The primary indicators of performance 
     referred to in paragraph (1)(A) shall consist of--

       ``(I) the percentage and number of workers who received 
     benefits under the trade adjustment assistance program who 
     are in unsubsidized employment during the second calendar 
     quarter after exit from the program;
       ``(II) the percentage and number of workers who received 
     benefits under the trade adjustment assistance program and 
     who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth calendar 
     quarter after exit from the program;
       ``(III) the median earnings of workers described in 
     subclause (I);
       ``(IV) the percentage and number of workers who received 
     benefits under the trade adjustment assistance program who, 
     subject to clause (ii), obtain a recognized postsecondary 
     credential or a secondary school diploma or its recognized 
     equivalent, during participation in the program or within one 
     year after exit from the program; and
       ``(V) the percentage and number of workers who received 
     benefits under the trade adjustment assistance program who, 
     during a year while receiving such benefits, are in an 
     education or training program that leads to a recognized 
     postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving 
     measurable gains in skills toward such a credential or 
     employment.

       ``(ii) Indicator relating to credential.--For purposes of 
     clause (i)(IV), a worker who received benefits under the 
     trade adjustment assistance program who obtained a secondary 
     school diploma or its recognized equivalent shall be included 
     in the percentage counted for purposes of that clause only if 
     the worker, in addition to obtaining such a diploma or its 
     recognized equivalent, has obtained or retained employment or 
     is in an education or training program leading to a 
     recognized postsecondary credential within one year after 
     exit from the program.'';
       (4) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``data'' and 
     inserting ``measures'';
       (B) by striking ``quarterly'' and inserting ``annual''; and
       (C) by striking ``data'' and inserting ``measures''; and
       (5) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Accessibility of state performance reports.--The 
     Secretary shall, on an annual basis, make available 
     (including by electronic means), in an easily understandable 
     format, the reports of cooperating States or cooperating 
     State agencies required by paragraph (1) and the information 
     contained in those reports.''.
       (b) Collection and Publication of Data.--Section 249B of 
     the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2323) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (3)--
       (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``enrolled in'' and 
     inserting ``who received'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (B)--

       (I) by striking ``complete'' and inserting ``exited''; and
       (II) by striking ``who were enrolled in'' and inserting ``, 
     including who received'';

       (iii) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``complete'' and 
     inserting ``exited'';
       (iv) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``complete'' and 
     inserting ``exit''; and
       (v) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(G) The average cost per worker of receiving training 
     approved under section 236.
       ``(H) The percentage of workers who received training 
     approved under section 236 and obtained unsubsidized 
     employment in a field related to that training.''; and
       (B) in paragraph (4)--
       (i) in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking ``quarterly'' 
     each place it appears and inserting ``annual''; and
       (ii) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(C) The median earnings of workers described in section 
     239(j)(2)(A)(i)(III) during the second calendar quarter after 
     exit from the program, expressed as a percentage of the 
     median earnings of such workers before the calendar quarter 
     in which such workers began receiving benefits under this 
     chapter.''; and
       (2) in subsection (e)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
     subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
       (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
       ``(B) the reports required under section 239(j);''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``a quarterly'' and 
     inserting ``an annual''.
       (c) Recognized Postsecondary Credential Defined.--Section 
     247 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2319) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(19) The term `recognized postsecondary credential' means 
     a credential consisting of an industry-recognized certificate 
     or certification, a certificate of completion of an 
     apprenticeship, a license recognized by a State or the 
     Federal Government, or an associate or baccalaureate 
     degree.''.

     SEC. 205. APPLICABILITY OF TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE 
                   PROVISIONS.

       (a) Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers.--
       (1) Petitions filed on or after january 1, 2014, and before 
     date of enactment.--
       (A) Certifications of workers not certified before date of 
     enactment.--
       (i) Criteria if a determination has not been made.--If, as 
     of the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Labor has not made a determination with respect to whether to 
     certify a group of workers as eligible to apply for 
     adjustment assistance under section 222 of the Trade Act of 
     1974 pursuant to a petition described in clause (iii), the 
     Secretary shall make that determination based on the 
     requirements of section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974, as in 
     effect on such date of enactment.
       (ii) Reconsideration of denials of certifications.--If, 
     before the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
     made a determination not to certify a group of workers as 
     eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under section 222 
     of the Trade Act of 1974 pursuant to a petition described in 
     clause (iii), the Secretary shall--

       (I) reconsider that determination; and
       (II) if the group of workers meets the requirements of 
     section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on such 
     date of enactment, certify the group of workers as eligible 
     to apply for adjustment assistance.

       (iii) Petition described.--A petition described in this 
     clause is a petition for a certification of eligibility for a 
     group of workers filed under section 221 of the Trade Act of 
     1974 on or after January 1, 2014, and before the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (B) Eligibility for benefits.--
       (i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), a 
     worker certified as eligible to apply for adjustment 
     assistance under section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974 
     pursuant to a petition described in subparagraph (A)(iii) 
     shall be eligible, on and after the date that is 90 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, to receive 
     benefits only under the provisions of chapter 2 of title II 
     of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on such date of 
     enactment.
       (ii) Computation of maximum benefits.--Benefits received by 
     a worker described in clause (i) under chapter 2 of title II 
     of the Trade Act of 1974 before the date of the enactment of 
     this Act shall be included in any determination of the 
     maximum benefits for which the worker is eligible under the 
     provisions of chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974, 
     as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (2) Petitions filed before january 1, 2014.--A worker 
     certified as eligible to apply for adjustment assistance 
     pursuant to a petition filed under section 221 of the Trade 
     Act of 1974 on or before December 31, 2013, shall continue to 
     be eligible to apply for and receive benefits under the 
     provisions of chapter 2 of title II of such Act, as in effect 
     on December 31, 2013.
       (3) Qualifying separations with respect to petitions filed 
     within 90 days of date of enactment.--Section 223(b) of the 
     Trade Act of

[[Page 16763]]

     1974, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
     shall be applied and administered by substituting ``before 
     January 1, 2014'' for ``more than one year before the date of 
     the petition on which such certification was granted'' for 
     purposes of determining whether a worker is eligible to apply 
     for adjustment assistance pursuant to a petition filed under 
     section 221 of the Trade Act of 1974 on or after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and on or before the date that is 
     90 days after such date of enactment.
       (b) Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms.--
       (1) Certification of firms not certified before date of 
     enactment.--
       (A) Criteria if a determination has not been made.--If, as 
     of the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Commerce has not made a determination with respect to whether 
     to certify a firm as eligible to apply for adjustment 
     assistance under section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974 
     pursuant to a petition described in subparagraph (C), the 
     Secretary shall make that determination based on the 
     requirements of section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974, as in 
     effect on such date of enactment.
       (B) Reconsideration of denial of certain petitions.--If, 
     before the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
     made a determination not to certify a firm as eligible to 
     apply for adjustment assistance under section 251 of the 
     Trade Act of 1974 pursuant to a petition described in 
     subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall--
       (i) reconsider that determination; and
       (ii) if the firm meets the requirements of section 251 of 
     the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on such date of 
     enactment, certify the firm as eligible to apply for 
     adjustment assistance.
       (C) Petition described.--A petition described in this 
     subparagraph is a petition for a certification of eligibility 
     filed by a firm or its representative under section 251 of 
     the Trade Act of 1974 on or after January 1, 2014, and before 
     the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (2) Certification of firms that did not submit petitions 
     between january 1, 2014, and date of enactment.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce shall certify a 
     firm described in subparagraph (B) as eligible to apply for 
     adjustment assistance under section 251 of the Trade Act of 
     1974, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
     if the firm or its representative files a petition for a 
     certification of eligibility under section 251 of the Trade 
     Act of 1974 not later than 90 days after such date of 
     enactment.
       (B) Firm described.--A firm described in this subparagraph 
     is a firm that the Secretary determines would have been 
     certified as eligible to apply for adjustment assistance if--
       (i) the firm or its representative had filed a petition for 
     a certification of eligibility under section 251 of the Trade 
     Act of 1974 on a date during the period beginning on January 
     1, 2014, and ending on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of this Act; and
       (ii) the provisions of chapter 3 of title II of the Trade 
     Act of 1974, as in effect on such date of enactment, had been 
     in effect on that date during the period described in clause 
     (i).

     SEC. 206. SUNSET PROVISIONS.

       (a) Application of Prior Law.--Subject to subsection (b), 
     beginning on July 1, 2021, the provisions of chapters 2, 3, 
     5, and 6 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 
     et seq.), as in effect on January 1, 2014, shall be in effect 
     and apply, except that in applying and administering such 
     chapters--
       (1) paragraph (1) of section 231(c) of that Act shall be 
     applied and administered as if subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
     (C) of that paragraph were not in effect;
       (2) section 233 of that Act shall be applied and 
     administered--
       (A) in subsection (a)--
       (i) in paragraph (2), by substituting ``104-week period'' 
     for ``104-week period'' and all that follows through ``130-
     week period)''; and
       (ii) in paragraph (3)--

       (I) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
     substituting ``65'' for ``52''; and
       (II) by substituting ``78-week period'' for ``52-week 
     period'' each place it appears; and

       (B) by applying and administering subsection (g) as if it 
     read as follows:
       ``(g) Payment of Trade Readjustment Allowances To Complete 
     Training.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     section, in order to assist an adversely affected worker to 
     complete training approved for the worker under section 236 
     that leads to the completion of a degree or industry-
     recognized credential, payments may be made as trade 
     readjustment allowances for not more than 13 weeks within 
     such period of eligibility as the Secretary may prescribe to 
     account for a break in training or for justifiable cause that 
     follows the last week for which the worker is otherwise 
     entitled to a trade readjustment allowance under this chapter 
     if--
       ``(1) payment of the trade readjustment allowance for not 
     more than 13 weeks is necessary for the worker to complete 
     the training;
       ``(2) the worker participates in training in each such 
     week; and
       ``(3) the worker--
       ``(A) has substantially met the performance benchmarks 
     established as part of the training approved for the worker;
       ``(B) is expected to continue to make progress toward the 
     completion of the training; and
       ``(C) will complete the training during that period of 
     eligibility.'';
       (3) section 245(a) of that Act shall be applied and 
     administered by substituting ``June 30, 2022'' for ``December 
     31, 2007'';
       (4) section 246(b)(1) of that Act shall be applied and 
     administered by substituting ``June 30, 2022'' for ``the date 
     that is 5 years'' and all that follows through ``State'';
       (5) section 256(b) of that Act shall be applied and 
     administered by substituting ``the 1-year period beginning on 
     July 1, 2021'' for ``each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007, 
     and $4,000,000 for the 3-month period beginning on October 1, 
     2007'';
       (6) section 298(a) of that Act shall be applied and 
     administered by substituting ``the 1-year period beginning on 
     July 1, 2021'' for ``each of the fiscal years'' and all that 
     follows through ``October 1, 2007''; and
       (7) section 285 of that Act shall be applied and 
     administered--
       (A) in subsection (a), by substituting ``June 30, 2022'' 
     for ``December 31, 2007'' each place it appears; and
       (B) by applying and administering subsection (b) as if it 
     read as follows:
       ``(b) Other Assistance.--
       ``(1) Assistance for firms.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     assistance may not be provided under chapter 3 after June 30, 
     2022.
       ``(B) Exception.--Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), any 
     assistance approved under chapter 3 pursuant to a petition 
     filed under section 251 on or before June 30, 2022, may be 
     provided--
       ``(i) to the extent funds are available pursuant to such 
     chapter for such purpose; and
       ``(ii) to the extent the recipient of the assistance is 
     otherwise eligible to receive such assistance.
       ``(2) Farmers.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     assistance may not be provided under chapter 6 after June 30, 
     2022.
       ``(B) Exception.--Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), any 
     assistance approved under chapter 6 on or before June 30, 
     2022, may be provided--
       ``(i) to the extent funds are available pursuant to such 
     chapter for such purpose; and
       ``(ii) to the extent the recipient of the assistance is 
     otherwise eligible to receive such assistance.''.
       (b) Exceptions.--The provisions of chapters 2, 3, 5, and 6 
     of title II of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, shall continue to apply on 
     and after July 1, 2021, with respect to--
       (1) workers certified as eligible for trade adjustment 
     assistance benefits under chapter 2 of title II of that Act 
     pursuant to petitions filed under section 221 of that Act 
     before July 1, 2021;
       (2) firms certified as eligible for technical assistance or 
     grants under chapter 3 of title II of that Act pursuant to 
     petitions filed under section 251 of that Act before July 1, 
     2021; and
       (3) agricultural commodity producers certified as eligible 
     for technical or financial assistance under chapter 6 of 
     title II of that Act pursuant to petitions filed under 
     section 292 of that Act before July 1, 2021.

     SEC. 207. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF HEALTH COVERAGE TAX 
                   CREDIT.

       (a) Extension.--Subparagraph (B) of section 35(b)(1) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``before 
     January 1, 2014'' and inserting ``before January 1, 2020''.
       (b) Coordination With Credit for Coverage Under a Qualified 
     Health Plan.--Subsection (g) of section 35 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (13), and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(11) Election.--
       ``(A) In general.--This section shall not apply to any 
     taxpayer for any eligible coverage month unless such taxpayer 
     elects the application of this section for such month.
       ``(B) Timing and applicability of election.--Except as the 
     Secretary may provide--
       ``(i) an election to have this section apply for any 
     eligible coverage month in a taxable year shall be made not 
     later than the due date (including extensions) for the return 
     of tax for the taxable year, and
       ``(ii) any election for this section to apply for an 
     eligible coverage month shall apply for all subsequent 
     eligible coverage months in the taxable year and, once made, 
     shall be irrevocable with respect to such months.
       ``(12) Coordination with premium tax credit.--
       ``(A) In general.--An eligible coverage month to which the 
     election under paragraph (11) applies shall not be treated as 
     a coverage month (as defined in section 36B(c)(2)) for 
     purposes of section 36B with respect to the taxpayer.
       ``(B) Coordination with advance payments of premium tax 
     credit.--In the case of a taxpayer who makes the election 
     under paragraph (11) with respect to any eligible coverage 
     month in a taxable year or on behalf of whom any advance 
     payment is made under section 7527 with respect to any month 
     in such taxable year--
       ``(i) the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year 
     shall be increased by the excess, if any, of--

       ``(I) the sum of any advance payments made on behalf of the 
     taxpayer under section 1412 of the Patient Protection and 
     Affordable Care Act and section 7527 for months during such 
     taxable year, over
       ``(II) the sum of the credits allowed under this section 
     (determined without regard to paragraph (1)) and section 36B 
     (determined without regard to subsection (f)(1) thereof) for 
     such taxable year, and

       ``(ii) section 36B(f)(2) shall not apply with respect to 
     such taxpayer for such taxable year, except that if such 
     taxpayer received any advance

[[Page 16764]]

     payments under section 7527 for any month in such taxable 
     year and is later allowed a credit under section 36B for such 
     taxable year, then section 36B(f)(2)(B) shall be applied by 
     substituting the amount determined under clause (i) for the 
     amount determined under section 36B(f)(2)(A).''.
       (c) Extension of Advance Payment Program.--
       (1) In general.--Subsection (a) of section 7527 of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``August 
     1, 2003'' and inserting ``the date that is 1 year after the 
     date of the enactment of the Trade Adjustment Assistance 
     Reauthorization Act of 2015''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (1) of section 7527(e) 
     of such Code is amended by striking ``occurring'' and all 
     that follows and inserting ``occurring--
       ``(A) after the date that is 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization 
     Act of 2015, and
       ``(B) prior to the first month for which an advance payment 
     is made on behalf of such individual under subsection (a).''.
       (d) Individual Insurance Treated as Qualified Health 
     Insurance Without Regard to Enrollment Date.--
       (1) In general.--Subparagraph (J) of section 35(e)(1) of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking 
     ``insurance if the eligible individual'' and all that follows 
     through ``For purposes of'' and inserting ``insurance. For 
     purposes of''.
       (2) Special rule.--Subparagraph (J) of section 35(e)(1) of 
     such Code, as amended by paragraph (1), is amended by 
     striking ``insurance.'' and inserting ``insurance (other than 
     coverage enrolled in through an Exchange established under 
     the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act).''.
       (e) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (m) of section 6501 
     of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting 
     ``, 35(g)(11)'' after ``30D(e)(4)''.
       (f) Effective Date.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
     amendments made by this section shall apply to coverage 
     months in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2013.
       (2) Plans available on individual market for use of tax 
     credit.--The amendment made by subsection (d)(2) shall apply 
     to coverage months in taxable years beginning after December 
     31, 2015.
       (3) Transition rule.--Notwithstanding section 
     35(g)(11)(B)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as 
     added by this title), an election to apply section 35 of such 
     Code to an eligible coverage month (as defined in section 
     35(b) of such Code) (and not to claim the credit under 
     section 36B of such Code with respect to such month) in a 
     taxable year beginning after December 31, 2013, and before 
     the date of the enactment of this Act--
       (A) may be made at any time on or after such date of 
     enactment and before the expiration of the 3-year period of 
     limitation prescribed in section 6511(a) with respect to such 
     taxable year; and
       (B) may be made on an amended return.
       (g) Agency Outreach.--As soon as possible after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of the Treasury, 
     Health and Human Services, and Labor (or such Secretaries' 
     delegates) and the Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty 
     Corporation (or the Director's delegate) shall carry out 
     programs of public outreach, including on the Internet, to 
     inform potential eligible individuals (as defined in section 
     35(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) of the 
     extension of the credit under section 35 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 and the availability of the election to 
     claim such credit retroactively for coverage months beginning 
     after December 31, 2013.

     SEC. 208. CUSTOMS USER FEES.

       (a) In General.--Section 13031(j)(3) of the Consolidated 
     Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C. 
     58c(j)(3)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``September 30, 
     2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(D) Fees may be charged under paragraphs (9) and (10) of 
     subsection (a) during the period beginning on July 29, 2025, 
     and ending on September 30, 2025.''.
       (b) Rate for Merchandise Processing Fees.--Section 503 of 
     the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation 
     Act (Public Law 112-41; 125 Stat. 460) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(c) Further Additional Period.--For the period beginning 
     on July 15, 2025, and ending on September 30, 2025, section 
     13031(a)(9) of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 
     Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C. 58c(a)(9)) shall be applied and 
     administered--
       ``(1) in subparagraph (A), by substituting `0.3464' for 
     `0.21'; and
       ``(2) in subparagraph (B)(i), by substituting `0.3464' for 
     `0.21'.''.

     SEC. 209. CHILD TAX CREDIT NOT REFUNDABLE FOR TAXPAYERS 
                   ELECTING TO EXCLUDE FOREIGN EARNED INCOME FROM 
                   TAX.

       (a) In General.--Section 24(d) of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(5) Exception for taxpayers excluding foreign earned 
     income.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any taxpayer for 
     any taxable year if such taxpayer elects to exclude any 
     amount from gross income under section 911 for such taxable 
     year.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 
     2014.

     SEC. 210. TIME FOR PAYMENT OF CORPORATE ESTIMATED TAXES.

       Notwithstanding section 6655 of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986, in the case of a corporation with assets of not less 
     than $1,000,000,000 (determined as of the end of the 
     preceding taxable year)--
       (1) the amount of any required installment of corporate 
     estimated tax which is otherwise due in July, August, or 
     September of 2020 shall be increased by 2.75 percent of such 
     amount (determined without regard to any increase in such 
     amount not contained in such Code); and
       (2) the amount of the next required installment after an 
     installment referred to in paragraph (1) shall be 
     appropriately reduced to reflect the amount of the increase 
     by reason of such paragraph.

     SEC. 211. COVERAGE AND PAYMENT FOR RENAL DIALYSIS SERVICES 
                   FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY.

       (a) Coverage.--Section 1861(s)(2)(F) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)(F)) is amended by inserting before 
     the semicolon the following: ``, including such renal 
     dialysis services furnished on or after January 1, 2017, by a 
     renal dialysis facility or provider of services paid under 
     section 1881(b)(14) to an individual with acute kidney injury 
     (as defined in section 1834(r)(2))''.
       (b) Payment.--Section 1834 of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1395m) is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subsection:
       ``(r) Payment for Renal Dialysis Services for Individuals 
     With Acute Kidney Injury.--
       ``(1) Payment rate.--In the case of renal dialysis services 
     (as defined in subparagraph (B) of section 1881(b)(14)) 
     furnished under this part by a renal dialysis facility or 
     provider of services paid under such section during a year 
     (beginning with 2017) to an individual with acute kidney 
     injury (as defined in paragraph (2)), the amount of payment 
     under this part for such services shall be the base rate for 
     renal dialysis services determined for such year under such 
     section, as adjusted by any applicable geographic adjustment 
     factor applied under subparagraph (D)(iv)(II) of such section 
     and may be adjusted by the Secretary (on a budget neutral 
     basis for payments under this paragraph) by any other 
     adjustment factor under subparagraph (D) of such section.
       ``(2) Individual with acute kidney injury defined.--In this 
     subsection, the term `individual with acute kidney injury' 
     means an individual who has acute loss of renal function and 
     does not receive renal dialysis services for which payment is 
     made under section 1881(b)(14).''.

     SEC. 212. MODIFICATION OF THE MEDICARE SEQUESTER FOR FISCAL 
                   YEAR 2024.

       Section 251A(6)(D)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a(6)(D)(ii)) is 
     amended by striking ``0.0 percent'' and inserting ``0.25 
     percent''.


                Motion Offered by Mr. Rogers of Kentucky

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the motion.
  The text of the motion is as follows:

       Mr. Rogers of Kentucky moves that the House concur in the 
     Senate amendment to H.R. 1314 with the amendment printed in 
     part A of House Report 114-315 modified by the amendment 
     printed in part B of that report.

  The text of the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the text 
is as follows:

       In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the Senate 
     amendment, insert the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Bipartisan 
     Budget Act of 2015''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                      TITLE I--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT

Sec. 101. Amendments to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
              Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 102. Authority for fiscal year 2017 budget resolution in the 
              Senate.

                         TITLE II--AGRICULTURE

Sec. 201. Standard Reinsurance Agreement.

                          TITLE III--COMMERCE

Sec. 301. Debt collection improvements.

                 TITLE IV--STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE

Sec. 401. Strategic Petroleum Reserve test drawdown and sale 
              notification and definition change.
Sec. 402. Strategic Petroleum Reserve mission readiness optimization.
Sec. 403. Strategic Petroleum Reserve drawdown and sale.
Sec. 404. Energy Security and Infrastructure Modernization Fund.

                           TITLE V--PENSIONS

Sec. 501. Single employer plan annual premium rates.
Sec. 502. Pension Payment Acceleration.
Sec. 503. Mortality tables.
Sec. 504. Extension of current funding stabilization percentages to 
              2018, 2019, and 2020.

[[Page 16765]]

                         TITLE VI--HEALTH CARE

Sec. 601. Maintaining 2016 Medicare part B premium and deductible 
              levels consistent with actuarially fair rates.
Sec. 602. Applying the Medicaid additional rebate requirement to 
              generic drugs.
Sec. 603. Treatment of off-campus outpatient departments of a provider.
Sec. 604. Repeal of automatic enrollment requirement.

                          TITLE VII--JUDICIARY

Sec. 701. Civil monetary penalty inflation adjustments.
Sec. 702. Crime Victims Fund.
Sec. 703. Assets Forfeiture Fund.

                      TITLE VIII--SOCIAL SECURITY

Sec. 801. Short title.

        Subtitle A--Ensuring Correct Payments and Reducing Fraud

Sec. 811. Expansion of cooperative disability investigations units.
Sec. 812. Exclusion of certain medical sources of evidence.
Sec. 813. New and stronger penalties.
Sec. 814. References to Social Security and Medicare in electronic 
              communications.
Sec. 815. Change to cap adjustment authority.

     Subtitle B--Promoting Opportunity for Disability Beneficiaries

Sec. 821. Temporary reauthorization of disability insurance 
              demonstration project authority.
Sec. 822. Modification of demonstration project authority.
Sec. 823. Promoting opportunity demonstration project.
Sec. 824. Use of electronic payroll data to improve program 
              administration.
Sec. 825. Treatment of earnings derived from services.
Sec. 826. Electronic reporting of earnings.

            Subtitle C--Protecting Social Security Benefits

Sec. 831. Closure of unintended loopholes.
Sec. 832. Requirement for medical review.
Sec. 833. Reallocation of payroll tax revenue.
Sec. 834. Access to financial information for waivers and adjustments 
              of recovery.

    Subtitle D--Relieving Administrative Burdens and Miscellaneous 
                               Provisions

Sec. 841. Interagency coordination to improve program administration.
Sec. 842. Elimination of quinquennial determinations relating to wage 
              credits for military service prior to 1957.
Sec. 843. Certification of benefits payable to a divorced spouse of a 
              railroad worker to the Railroad Retirement Board.
Sec. 844. Technical amendments to eliminate obsolete provisions.
Sec. 845. Reporting requirements to Congress.
Sec. 846. Expedited examination of administrative law judges.

           TITLE IX--TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT

Sec. 901. Temporary extension of public debt limit.
Sec. 902. Restoring congressional authority over the national debt.

                       TITLE X--SPECTRUM PIPELINE

Sec. 1001. Short title.
Sec. 1002. Definitions.
Sec. 1003. Rule of construction.
Sec. 1004. Identification, reallocation, and auction of Federal 
              spectrum.
Sec. 1005. Additional uses of Spectrum Relocation Fund.
Sec. 1006. Plans for auction of certain spectrum.
Sec. 1007. FCC auction authority.
Sec. 1008. Reports to Congress.

         TITLE XI--REVENUE PROVISIONS RELATED TO TAX COMPLIANCE

Sec. 1101. Partnership audits and adjustments.
Sec. 1102. Partnership interests created by gift.

             TITLE XII--DESIGNATION OF SMALL HOUSE ROTUNDA

Sec. 1201. Designating small House rotunda as ``Freedom Foyer''.

                      TITLE I--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT

     SEC. 101. AMENDMENTS TO THE BALANCED BUDGET AND EMERGENCY 
                   DEFICIT CONTROL ACT OF 1985.

       (a) Revised Discretionary Spending Limits.--Section 251(c) 
     of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 
     1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(c)) is amended by striking paragraphs (3) 
     and (4) and inserting the following:
       ``(3) for fiscal year 2016--
       ``(A) for the revised security category, $548,091,000,000 
     in new budget authority; and
       ``(B) for the revised nonsecurity category $518,491,000,000 
     in new budget authority;
       ``(4) for fiscal year 2017--
       ``(A) for the revised security category, $551,068,000,000 
     in new budget authority; and
       ``(B) for the revised nonsecurity category, 
     $518,531,000,000 in new budget authority;''.
       (b) Direct Spending Adjustments for Fiscal Years 2016 and 
     2017.--Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a), is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (5)(B), by striking ``paragraph (10)'' and 
     inserting ``paragraphs (10) and (11)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(11) Implementing direct spending reductions for fiscal 
     years 2016 and 2017.--(A) OMB shall make the calculations 
     necessary to implement the direct spending reductions 
     calculated pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) without regard 
     to the amendment made to section 251(c) revising the 
     discretionary spending limits for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 
     by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.
       ``(B) Paragraph (5)(B) shall not be implemented for fiscal 
     years 2016 and 2017.''.
       (c) Extension of Direct Spending Reductions for Fiscal Year 
     2025.--Section 251A(6) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a(6)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause 
     (i), by striking ``and for fiscal year 2024'' and by 
     inserting ``for fiscal year 2024, and for fiscal year 2025'';
       (2) by striking subparagraph (C) and redesignating 
     subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and
       (3) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated), by striking 
     ``fiscal year 2024'' and inserting ``fiscal year 2025''.
       (d) Overseas Contingency Operations Amounts.--In fiscal 
     years 2016 and 2017, the adjustments under section 
     251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)) for Overseas 
     Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism appropriations 
     will be as follows:
       (1) For budget function 150--
       (A) for fiscal year 2016, $14,895,000,000; and
       (B) for fiscal year 2017, $14,895,000,000.
       (2) For budget function 050--
       (A) for fiscal year 2016, $58,798,000,000; and
       (B) for fiscal year 2017, $58,798,000,000.
       This subsection shall not affect the applicability of 
     section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985.

     SEC. 102. AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 BUDGET RESOLUTION IN 
                   THE SENATE.

       (a) Fiscal Year 2017.--For the purpose of enforcing the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, after April 15, 2016, and 
     enforcing budgetary points of order in prior concurrent 
     resolutions on the budget, the allocations, aggregates, and 
     levels provided for in subsection (b) shall apply in the 
     Senate in the same manner as for a concurrent resolution on 
     the budget for fiscal year 2017 with appropriate budgetary 
     levels for fiscal years 2018 through 2026.
       (b) Committee Allocations, Aggregates, and Levels.--After 
     April 15, 2016, but not later than May 15, 2016, the Chairman 
     of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate shall file--
       (1) for the Committee on Appropriations, committee 
     allocations for fiscal year 2017 consistent with 
     discretionary spending limits set forth in section 251(c)(4) 
     of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 
     1985, as amended by this Act, for the purpose of enforcing 
     section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974;
       (2) for all committees other than the Committee on 
     Appropriations, committee allocations for fiscal years 2017, 
     2017 through 2021, and 2017 through 2026 consistent with the 
     most recent baseline of the Congressional Budget Office, as 
     adjusted for the budgetary effects of any provision of law 
     enacted during the period beginning on the date such baseline 
     is issued and ending on the date of submission of such 
     statement, for the purpose of enforcing section 302 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974;
       (3) aggregate spending levels for fiscal year 2017 in 
     accordance with the allocations established under paragraphs 
     (1) and (2), for the purpose of enforcing section 311 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974;
       (4) aggregate revenue levels for fiscal years 2017, 2017 
     through 2021, and 2017 through 2026 consistent with the most 
     recent baseline of the Congressional Budget Office, as 
     adjusted for the budgetary effects of any provision of law 
     enacted during the period beginning on the date such baseline 
     is issued and ending on the date of submission of such 
     statement, for the purpose of enforcing section 311 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974; and
       (5) levels of Social Security revenues and outlays for 
     fiscal years 2017, 2017 through 2021, and 2017 through 2026 
     consistent with the most recent baseline of the Congressional 
     Budget Office, as adjusted for the budgetary effects of any 
     provision of law enacted during the period beginning on the 
     date such baseline is issued and ending on the date of 
     submission of such statement, for the purpose of enforcing 
     sections 302 and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
       (c) Additional Matter.--The filing referred to in 
     subsection (b) may also include for fiscal year 2017 the 
     matter contained in subtitles A and B of title IV of S. Con. 
     Res. 11 (114th Congress) updated by 1 fiscal year.
       (d) Expiration.--This section shall expire if a concurrent 
     resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017 is agreed to by 
     the Senate and the House of Representatives pursuant to 
     section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

[[Page 16766]]



                         TITLE II--AGRICULTURE

     SEC. 201. STANDARD REINSURANCE AGREEMENT.

       Section 508(k)(8) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 
     U.S.C. 1508(k)(8)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause 
     (i), by striking ``may renegotiate'' and all that follows 
     through the end of clause (ii) and inserting the following: 
     ``shall renegotiate the financial terms and conditions of 
     each Standard Reinsurance Agreement--
       ``(i) not later than December 31, 2016; and
       ``(ii) not less than once during each period of 5 
     reinsurance years thereafter.''; and
       (2) by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(E) Cap on overall rate of return.--Notwithstanding 
     subparagraph (F), the Board shall ensure that the Standard 
     Reinsurance Agreement renegotiated under subparagraph (A)(i) 
     establishes a target rate of return for the approved 
     insurance providers, taken as a whole, that does not exceed 
     8.9 percent of retained premium for each of the 2017 through 
     2026 reinsurance years.''.

                          TITLE III--COMMERCE

     SEC. 301. DEBT COLLECTION IMPROVEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--Section 227(b) of the Communications Act 
     of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by inserting ``, unless such 
     call is made solely to collect a debt owed to or guaranteed 
     by the United States'' after ``charged for the call''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, is made solely 
     pursuant to the collection of a debt owed to or guaranteed by 
     the United States,'' after ``purposes''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(H) may restrict or limit the number and duration of 
     calls made to a telephone number assigned to a cellular 
     telephone service to collect a debt owed to or guaranteed by 
     the United States.''.
       (b) Deadline for Regulations.--Not later than 9 months 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal 
     Communications Commission, in consultation with the 
     Department of the Treasury, shall prescribe regulations to 
     implement the amendments made by this section.

                 TITLE IV--STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE

     SEC. 401. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE TEST DRAWDOWN AND SALE 
                   NOTIFICATION AND DEFINITION CHANGE.

       (a) Notice to Congress.--Section 161(g) of the Energy 
     Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6241(g)) is amended by 
     striking paragraph (8) and inserting the following:
       ``(8) Notice to congress.--
       ``(A) Prior notice.--Not less than 14 days before the date 
     on which a test is carried out under this subsection, the 
     Secretary shall notify both Houses of Congress of the test.
       ``(B) Emergency.--The prior notice requirement in 
     subparagraph (A) shall not apply if the Secretary determines 
     that an emergency exists which requires a test to be carried 
     out, in which case the Secretary shall notify both Houses of 
     Congress of the test as soon as possible.
       ``(C) Detailed description.--
       ``(i) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     on which a test is completed under this subsection, the 
     Secretary shall submit to both Houses of Congress a detailed 
     description of the test.
       ``(ii) Report.--A detailed description submitted under 
     clause (i) may be included as part of a report made to the 
     President and Congress under section 165.''.
       (b) Definition Change.--Section 3(8)(C)(iii) of the Energy 
     Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6202(8)(C)(iii)) is 
     amended by striking ``sabotage or an act of God'' and 
     inserting ``sabotage, an act of terrorism, or an act of 
     God''.

     SEC. 402. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE MISSION READINESS 
                   OPTIMIZATION.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary shall--
       (1) complete a long-range strategic review of the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve; and
       (2) develop and submit to Congress a proposed action plan, 
     including a proposed implementation schedule, that--
       (A) specifies near- and long-term roles of the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve relative to the energy and economic 
     security goals and objectives of the United States;
       (B) describes whether existing legal authorities that 
     govern the policies, configuration, and capabilities of the 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve are adequate to ensure that the 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve can meet the current and future 
     energy and economic security goals and objectives of the 
     United States;
       (C) identifies the configuration and performance 
     capabilities of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and 
     recommends an action plan to achieve the optimal--
       (i) capacity, location, and composition of petroleum 
     products in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; and
       (ii) storage and distributional capabilities; and
       (D) estimates the resources required to attain and maintain 
     the long-term sustainability and operational effectiveness of 
     the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

     SEC. 403. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE DRAWDOWN AND SALE.

       (a) Drawdown and Sale.--Notwithstanding section 161 of the 
     Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6241), except 
     as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of Energy shall 
     draw down and sell--
       (1) 5,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2018;
       (2) 5,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2019;
       (3) 5,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2020;
       (4) 5,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2021;
       (5) 8,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2022;
       (6) 10,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2023;
       (7) 10,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2024; and
       (8) 10,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2025.
       (b) Emergency Protection.--The Secretary shall not draw 
     down and sell crude oil under this section in amounts that 
     would limit the authority to sell petroleum products under 
     section 161(h) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
     U.S.C.6241(h)) in the full amount authorized by that 
     subsection.
       (c) Proceeds.--Proceeds from a sale under this section 
     shall be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury 
     during the fiscal year in which the sale occurs.

     SEC. 404. ENERGY SECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE MODERNIZATION 
                   FUND.

       (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established in the 
     Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the 
     Energy Security and Infrastructure Modernization Fund 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Fund''), consisting 
     of--
       (1) collections deposited in the Fund under subsection (c); 
     and
       (2) amounts otherwise appropriated to the Fund.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Fund is to provide for the 
     construction, maintenance, repair, and replacement of 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities.
       (c) Collection and Deposit of Sale Proceeds in Fund.--
       (1) Drawdown and sale.--Notwithstanding section 161 of the 
     Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6241), to the 
     extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the 
     Secretary of Energy shall draw down and sell crude oil from 
     the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in amounts as authorized 
     under subsection (e), except as provided in paragraph (2). 
     Amounts received for a sale under this paragraph shall be 
     deposited into the Fund during the fiscal year in which the 
     sale occurs. Such amounts shall remain available in the Fund 
     without fiscal year limitation.
       (2) Emergency protection.--The Secretary shall not draw 
     down and sell crude oil under this subsection in amounts that 
     would limit the authority to sell petroleum products under 
     section 161(h) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
     U.S.C.6241(h)) in the full amount authorized by that 
     subsection.
       (d) Authorized Uses of Fund.--
       (1) In general.--Amounts in the Fund may be used for, or 
     may be credited as offsetting collections for amounts used 
     for, carrying out the program described in paragraph (2)(B), 
     to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts.
       (2) Program to modernize the strategic petroleum reserve.--
       (A) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (i) The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is one of the Nation's 
     most valuable energy security assets.
       (ii) The age and condition of the Strategic Petroleum 
     Reserve have diminished its value as a Federal energy 
     security asset.
       (iii) Global oil markets and the location and amount of 
     United States oil production and refining capacity have 
     dramatically changed in the 40 years since the establishment 
     of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
       (iv) Maximizing the energy security value of the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve requires a modernized infrastructure that 
     meets the drawdown and distribution needs of changed domestic 
     and international oil and refining market conditions.
       (B) Program.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve modernization program to protect 
     the United States economy from the impacts of emergency 
     product supply disruptions. The program may include--
       (i) operational improvements to extend the useful life of 
     surface and subsurface infrastructure;
       (ii) maintenance of cavern storage integrity; and
       (iii) addition of infrastructure and facilities to optimize 
     the drawdown and incremental distribution capacity of the 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated (and

[[Page 16767]]

     drawdowns and sales under subsection (c) in an equal amount 
     are authorized) for carrying out subsection (d)(2)(B), 
     $2,000,000,000 for the period encompassing fiscal years 2017 
     through 2020.
       (f) Transmission of Department Budget Requests.--The 
     Secretary of Energy shall prepare and submit in the 
     Department's annual budget request to Congress--
       (1) an itemization of the amounts of funds necessary to 
     carry out subsection (d); and
       (2) a designation of any activities thereunder for which a 
     multiyear budget authority would be appropriate.
       (g) Sunset.--The authority of the Secretary to draw down 
     and sell crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve under 
     this section shall expire at the end of fiscal year 2020.

                           TITLE V--PENSIONS

     SEC. 501. SINGLE EMPLOYER PLAN ANNUAL PREMIUM RATES.

       (a) Flat-rate Premium.--
       (1) In general.--Section 4006(a)(3)(A)(i) of the Employee 
     Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 
     1306(a)(3)(A)(i)) is amended by striking ``and'' at the end 
     of subclause (IV), by striking the period at the end of 
     subclause (V) and inserting a semicolon, and by inserting 
     after subclause (V) the following:

       ``(VI) for plan years beginning after December 31, 2016, 
     and before January 1, 2018, $69;
       ``(VII) for plan years beginning after December 31, 2017, 
     and before January 1, 2019, $74; and
       ``(VIII) for plan years beginning after December 31, 2018, 
     $80.''.

       (2) Premium rates after 2019.--Section 4006(a)(3)(G) of 
     such Act (29 U.S.C. 1306(a)(3)(G)) is amended--
       (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
     ``2016'' and inserting ``2019''; and
       (B) in clause (i)(II) by striking ``2014'' and inserting 
     ``2017''.
       (b) Variable-rate Premium Increases.--
       (1) In general.--Section 4006(a)(8)(C) of such Act (29 
     U.S.C. 1306(a)(8)(C)) is amended--
       (A) in the subparagraph heading, by striking ``increase in 
     2014 and 2015'' and inserting ``increases'';
       (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (C) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iv) in the case of plan years beginning in calendar year 
     2017, by $3;
       ``(v) in the case of plan years beginning in calendar year 
     2018, by $4; and
       ``(vi) in the case of plan years beginning in calendar year 
     2019, by $4.''.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 4006(a)(8) of such Act 
     (29 U.S.C. 1306(a)(8)) is amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (ii) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(v) for plan years beginning after calendar year 2017, 
     the amount in effect for plan years beginning in 2017 
     (determined after application of subparagraph (C));
       ``(vi) for plan years beginning after calendar year 2018, 
     the amount in effect for plan years beginning in 2018 
     (determined after application of subparagraph (C)); and
       ``(vii) for plan years beginning after calendar year 2019, 
     the amount in effect for plan years beginning in 2019 
     (determined after application of subparagraph (C)).''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (D)--
       (i) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (ii) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(v) 2015, in the case of plan years beginning after 
     calendar year 2017;
       ``(vi) 2016, in the case of plan years beginning after 
     calendar year 2018; and
       ``(vii) 2017, in the case of plan years beginning after 
     calendar year 2019.''.
       (3) Effective date.-- The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to plan years beginning after December 31, 2016.

     SEC. 502. PENSION PAYMENT ACCELERATION.

       Notwithstanding section 4007(a) of the Employee Retirement 
     Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1307(a)) and section 
     4007.11 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, for plan 
     years commencing after December 31, 2024, and before January 
     1, 2026, the premium due date for such plan years shall be 
     the fifteenth day of the ninth calendar month that begins on 
     or after the first day of the premium payment year.

     SEC. 503. MORTALITY TABLES.

       (a) Credibility.--For purposes of subclause (I) of section 
     430(h)(3)(C)(iii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
     subclause (I) of section 303(h)(3)(C)(iii) of the Employee 
     Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the determination of 
     whether plans have credible information shall be made in 
     accordance with established actuarial credibility theory, 
     which--
       (1) is materially different from rules under such section 
     of such Code, including Revenue Procedure 2007-37, that are 
     in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, and
       (2) permits the use of tables that reflect adjustments to 
     the tables described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 
     430(h)(3) of such Code, and subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
     section 303(h)(3) of such Act, if such adjustments are based 
     on the experience described in subclause (II) of section 
     430(h)(3)(C)(iii) of such Code and in subclause (II) of 
     section 303(h)(3)(C)(iii) of such Act.
       (b) Effective Date.--This section shall apply to plan years 
     beginning after December 31, 2015.

     SEC. 504. EXTENSION OF CURRENT FUNDING STABILIZATION 
                   PERCENTAGES TO 2018, 2019 AND 2020.

       (a) Funding Stabilization Under the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986.--The table in subclause (II) of section 
     430(h)(2)(C)(iv) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
     amended to read as follows:


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            The applicable minimum
      ``If the calendar year is:                percentage is:           The applicable maximum percentage is:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017,     90%..........................  110%
 2018, 2019, or 2020.
2021..................................  85%..........................  115%
2022..................................  80%..........................  120%
2023..................................  75%..........................  125%
After 2023............................  70%..........................  130%''.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       (b) Funding Stabilization Under Employee Retirement Income 
     Security Act of 1974.--
       (1) In general.--The table in subclause (II) of section 
     303(h)(2)(C)(iv) of the Employee Retirement Income Security 
     Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1083(h)(2)(C)(iv)) is amended to read 
     as follows:


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            The applicable minimum
      ``If the calendar year is:                percentage is:           The applicable maximum percentage is:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017,     90%..........................  110%
 2018, 2019, or 2020.
2021..................................  85%..........................  115%
2022..................................  80%..........................  120%
2023..................................  75%..........................  125%
After 2023............................  70%..........................  130%''.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       (2) Conforming amendments.--
       (A) In general.--Section 101(f)(2)(D) of such Act (29 
     U.S.C. 1021(f)(2)(D)) is amended--
       (i) in clause (i) by striking ``and the Highway and 
     Transportation Funding Act of 2014'' both places it appears 
     and inserting ``, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act 
     of 2014, and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015'', `and
       (ii) in clause (ii) by striking ``2020'' and inserting 
     ``2023''.
       (B) Statements.--The Secretary of Labor shall modify the 
     statements required under subclauses (I) and (II) of section 
     101(f)(2)(D)(i) of such Act to conform to the amendments made 
     by this section.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to plan years beginning after 
     December 31, 2015.

[[Page 16768]]



                         TITLE VI--HEALTH CARE

     SEC. 601. MAINTAINING 2016 MEDICARE PART B PREMIUM AND 
                   DEDUCTIBLE LEVELS CONSISTENT WITH ACTUARIALLY 
                   FAIR RATES.

       (a) 2016 Premium and Deductible and Repayment Through 
     Future Premiums.--Section 1839(a) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395r(a)) is amended--
       (1) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``Such'' and inserting ``Subject to paragraphs (5) and (6), 
     such''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(5)(A) In applying this part (including subsection (i) 
     and section 1833(b)), the monthly actuarial rate for 
     enrollees age 65 and over for 2016 shall be determined as if 
     subsection (f) did not apply.
       ``(B) Subsection (f) shall continue to be applied to 
     paragraph (6)(A) (during a repayment month, as described in 
     paragraph (6)(B)) and without regard to the application of 
     subparagraph (A).
       ``(6)(A) With respect to a repayment month (as described in 
     subparagraph (B)), the monthly premium otherwise established 
     under paragraph (3) shall be increased by, subject to 
     subparagraph (D), $3.
       ``(B) For purposes of this paragraph, a repayment month is 
     a month during a year, beginning with 2016, for which a 
     balance due amount is computed under subparagraph (C) as 
     greater than zero.
       ``(C) For purposes of this paragraph, the balance due 
     amount computed under this subparagraph, with respect to a 
     month, is the amount estimated by the Chief Actuary of the 
     Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to be equal to--
       ``(i) the amount transferred under section 1844(d)(1); plus
       ``(ii) the amount that is equal to the aggregate reduction, 
     for all individuals enrolled under this part, in the income 
     related monthly adjustment amount as a result of the 
     application of paragraph (5); minus
       ``(iii) the amounts payable under this part as a result of 
     the application of this paragraph for preceding months.
       ``(D) If the balance due amount computed under subparagraph 
     (C), without regard to this subparagraph, for December of a 
     year would be less than zero, the Chief Actuary of the 
     Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shall estimate, and 
     the Secretary shall apply, a reduction to the dollar amount 
     increase applied under subparagraph (A) for each month during 
     such year in a manner such that the balance due amount for 
     January of the subsequent year is equal to zero.''.
       (b) Transitional Government Contribution.--Section 1844 of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:
     ``In applying paragraph (1), the amounts transferred under 
     subsection (d)(1) with respect to enrollees described in 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such subsection shall be treated 
     as premiums payable and deposited in the Trust Fund under 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, of paragraph (1).''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d)(1) For 2016, there shall be transferred from the 
     General Fund to the Trust Fund an amount, as estimated by the 
     Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
     Services, equal to the reduction in aggregate premiums 
     payable under this part for a month in such year (excluding 
     any changes in amounts collected under section 1839(i)) that 
     is attributable to the application of section 1839(a)(5)(A) 
     with respect to--
       ``(A) enrollees age 65 and over; and
       ``(B) enrollees under age 65.
     Such amounts shall be transferred from time to time as 
     appropriate.
       ``(2) Premium increases affected under section 1839(a)(6) 
     shall not be taken into account in applying subsection (a).
       ``(3) There shall be transferred from the Trust Fund to the 
     General Fund of the Treasury amounts equivalent to the 
     additional premiums payable as a result of the application of 
     section 1839(a)(6), excluding the aggregate payments 
     attributable to the application of section 
     1839(i)(3)(A)(ii)(II).''.
       (c) Conforming Application of High Income Adjustments to 
     Increased Monthly Premium in Same Manner as for Regular 
     Medicare Premiums.--Section 1839(i)(3)(A)(ii) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395r(i)(3)(A)(ii)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``amount.-200 percent'' and inserting the 
     following: ``amount.-
       ``(I) 200 percent''; and
       (2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
     plus''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subclause:

       ``(II) 4 times the amount of the increase in the monthly 
     premium under subsection (a)(6) for a month in the year.''.

       (d) Conditional Application to 2017 if No Social Security 
     COLA for 2017.--If there is no increase in the monthly 
     insurance benefits payable under title II with respect to 
     December 2016 pursuant to section 215(i), then the amendments 
     made by this section shall be applied as if--
       (1) the reference to ``2016'' in paragraph (5)(A) of 
     section 1839(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395r(a)), as added by subsection (a)(2), was a reference to 
     ``2016 and 2017'';
       (2) the reference to ``a month during a year, beginning 
     with 2016'' in paragraph (6)(B) of section 1839 of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395r(a)), as added by subsection (a)(2), was a 
     reference to ``a month in a year, beginning with 2016 and 
     beginning with 2017, respectively''; and
       (3) the reference to ``2016'' in subsection (d)(1) of 
     section 1844 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w), as added by 
     subsection (b)(2), was a reference to ``each of 2016 and 
     2017''.
     Any increase in premiums effected under this subsection shall 
     be in addition to the increase effected by the amendments 
     made by subsection (a).
       (e) Construction Regarding No Authority to Initiate 
     Application to Years After 2017.--Nothing in subsection (d) 
     or the amendments made by this section shall be construed as 
     authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
     initiate application of such subsection or amendments for a 
     year after 2017.

     SEC. 602. APPLYING THE MEDICAID ADDITIONAL REBATE REQUIREMENT 
                   TO GENERIC DRUGS.

       (a) In General.--Section 1927(c)(3) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-8(c)(3)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``The amount'' and 
     inserting ``Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the 
     amount''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(C) Additional rebate.--
       ``(i) In general.--The amount of the rebate specified in 
     this paragraph for a rebate period, with respect to each 
     dosage form and strength of a covered outpatient drug other 
     than a single source drug or an innovator multiple source 
     drug of a manufacturer, shall be increased in the manner that 
     the rebate for a dosage form and strength of a single source 
     drug or an innovator multiple source drug is increased under 
     subparagraphs (A) and (D) of paragraph (2), except as 
     provided in clause (ii).
       ``(ii) Special rules for application of provision.--In 
     applying subparagraphs (A) and (D) of paragraph (2) under 
     clause (i)--

       ``(I) the reference in subparagraph (A)(i) of such 
     paragraph to `1990' shall be deemed a reference to `2014';
       ``(II) subject to clause (iii), the reference in 
     subparagraph (A)(ii) of such paragraph to `the calendar 
     quarter beginning July 1, 1990' shall be deemed a reference 
     to `the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2014'; and
       ``(III) subject to clause (iii), the reference in 
     subparagraph (A)(ii) of such paragraph to `September 1990' 
     shall be deemed a reference to `September 2014';
       ``(IV) the references in subparagraph (D) of such paragraph 
     to `paragraph (1)(A)(ii)', `this paragraph', and `December 
     31, 2009' shall be deemed references to `subparagraph (A)', 
     `this subparagraph', and `December 31, 2014', respectively; 
     and
       ``(V) any reference in such paragraph to a `single source 
     drug or an innovator multiple source drug' shall be deemed to 
     be a reference to a drug to which clause (i) applies.

       ``(iii) Special rule for certain noninnovator multiple 
     source drugs.--In applying paragraph (2)(A)(ii)(II) under 
     clause (i) with respect to a covered outpatient drug that is 
     first marketed as a drug other than a single source drug or 
     an innovator multiple source drug after April 1, 2013, such 
     paragraph shall be applied--

       ``(I) by substituting `the applicable quarter' for `the 
     calendar quarter beginning July 1, 1990'; and
       ``(II) by substituting `the last month in such applicable 
     quarter' for `September 1990'.

       ``(iv) Applicable quarter defined.--In this subsection, the 
     term `applicable quarter' means, with respect to a drug 
     described in clause (iii), the fifth full calendar quarter 
     after which the drug is marketed as a drug other than a 
     single source drug or an innovator multiple source drug.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply to rebate periods beginning after the date that 
     is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 603. TREATMENT OF OFF-CAMPUS OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENTS OF A 
                   PROVIDER.

       Section 1833(t) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395l(t)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)(B)--
       (A) in clause (iii), by striking ``but'' at the end;
       (B) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
       ``(v) does not include applicable items and services (as 
     defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (21)) that are 
     furnished on or after January 1, 2017, by an off-campus 
     outpatient department of a provider (as defined in 
     subparagraph (B) of such paragraph).''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(21) Services furnished by an off-campus outpatient 
     department of a provider.--
       ``(A) Applicable items and services.--For purposes of 
     paragraph (1)(B)(v) and this paragraph, the term `applicable 
     items and services' means items and services other than items 
     emergency department (as defined in section 489.24(b) of 
     title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations).

[[Page 16769]]

       ``(B) Off-campus outpatient department of a provider.--
       ``(i) In general.--For purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(v) and 
     this paragraph, subject to clause (ii), the term `off-campus 
     outpatient department of a provider' means a department of a 
     provider (as defined in section 413.65(a)(2) of title 42 of 
     the Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect as of the date 
     of the enactment of this paragraph) that is not located--

       ``(I) on the campus (as defined in such section 
     413.65(a)(2)) of such provider; or
       ``(II) within the distance (described in such definition of 
     campus) from a remote location of a hospital facility (as 
     defined in such section 413.65(a)(2)).

       ``(ii) Exception.--For purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(v) and 
     this paragraph, the term `off-campus outpatient department of 
     a provider' shall not include a department of a provider (as 
     so defined) that was billing under this subsection with 
     respect to covered OPD services furnished prior to the date 
     of the enactment of this paragraph.
       ``(C) Availability of payment under other payment 
     systems.--Payments for applicable items and services 
     furnished by an off-campus outpatient department of a 
     provider that are described in paragraph (1)(B)(v) shall be 
     made under the applicable payment system under this part 
     (other than under this subsection) if the requirements for 
     such payment are otherwise met.
       ``(D) Information needed for implementation.--Each hospital 
     shall provide to the Secretary such information as the 
     Secretary determines appropriate to implement this paragraph 
     and paragraph (1)(B)(v) (which may include reporting of 
     information on a hospital claim using a code or modifier and 
     reporting information about off-campus outpatient departments 
     of a provider on the enrollment form described in section 
     1866(j)).
       ``(E) Limitations.--There shall be no administrative or 
     judicial review under section 1869, section 1878, or 
     otherwise of the following:
       ``(i) The determination of the applicable items and 
     services under subparagraph (A) and applicable payment 
     systems under subparagraph (C).
       ``(ii) The determination of whether a department of a 
     provider meets the term described in subparagraph (B).
       ``(iii) Any information that hospitals are required to 
     report pursuant to subparagraph (D).''.

     SEC. 604. REPEAL OF AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENT.

       The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et 
     seq.) is amended by repealing section 18A (as added by 
     section 1511 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care 
     Act (Public Law 111-148)).

                          TITLE VII--JUDICIARY

     SEC. 701. CIVIL MONETARY PENALTY INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 
     Improvements Act of 2015''.
       (b) Amendments.--The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation 
     Adjustment Act of 1990 (28 U.S.C. 2461 note) is amended--
       (1) in section 4--
       (A) by striking the matter preceding paragraph (1) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(a) In General.--Not later than July 1, 2016, and not 
     later than January 15 of every year thereafter, and subject 
     to subsections (c) and (d), the head of each agency 
     shall--'';
       (B) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``by regulation adjust'' and inserting ``in 
     accordance with subsection (b), adjust''; and
       (ii) by striking ``, the Tariff Act of 1930, the 
     Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, or the Social 
     Security Act'' and inserting `` or the Tariff Act of 1930'';
       (C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``such regulation'' and 
     inserting ``such adjustment''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Procedures for Adjustments.--
       ``(1) Catch up adjustment.--For the first adjustment made 
     under subsection (a) after the date of enactment of the 
     Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements 
     Act of 2015--
       ``(A) the head of an agency shall adjust civil monetary 
     penalties through an interim final rulemaking; and
       ``(B) the adjustment shall take effect not later than 
     August 1, 2016.
       ``(2) Subsequent adjustments.--For the second adjustment 
     made under subsection (a) after the date of enactment of the 
     Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements 
     Act of 2015, and each adjustment thereafter, the head of an 
     agency shall adjust civil monetary penalties and shall make 
     the adjustment notwithstanding section 553 of title 5, United 
     States Code.
       ``(c) Exception.--For the first adjustment made under 
     subsection (a) after the date of enactment of the Federal 
     Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 
     2015, the head of an agency may adjust the amount of a civil 
     monetary penalty by less than the otherwise required amount 
     if--
       ``(1) the head of the agency, after publishing a notice of 
     proposed rulemaking and providing an opportunity for comment, 
     determines in a final rule that--
       ``(A) increasing the civil monetary penalty by the 
     otherwise required amount will have a negative economic 
     impact; or
       ``(B) the social costs of increasing the civil monetary 
     penalty by the otherwise required amount outweigh the 
     benefits; and
       ``(2) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
     concurs with the determination of the head of the agency 
     under paragraph (1).
       ``(d) Other Adjustments Made.--If a civil monetary penalty 
     subject to a cost-of-living adjustment under this Act is, 
     during the 12 months preceding a required cost-of-living 
     adjustment, increased by an amount greater than the amount of 
     the adjustment required under subsection (a), the head of the 
     agency is not required to make the cost-of-living adjustment 
     for that civil monetary penalty in that year.'';
       (2) in section 5--
       (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``to the nearest--'' and 
     all that follows through the end of subsection (a) and 
     inserting ``to the nearest multiple of $1.''; and
       (B) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
       ``(b) Definition.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), for 
     purposes of subsection (a), the term `cost-of-living 
     adjustment' means the percentage (if any) for each civil 
     monetary penalty by which--
       ``(A) the Consumer Price Index for the month of October 
     preceding the date of the adjustment, exceeds
       ``(B) the Consumer Price Index for the month of October 1 
     year before the month of October referred to in subparagraph 
     (A).
       ``(2) Initial adjustment.--
       ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (C), for the 
     first inflation adjustment under section 4 made by an agency 
     after the date of enactment of the Federal Civil Penalties 
     Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, the term 
     `cost-of-living adjustment' means the percentage (if any) for 
     each civil monetary penalty by which the Consumer Price Index 
     for the month of October, 2015 exceeds the Consumer Price 
     Index for the month of October of the calendar year during 
     which the amount of such civil monetary penalty was 
     established or adjusted under a provision of law other than 
     this Act.
       ``(B) Application of adjustment.--The cost-of-living 
     adjustment described in subparagraph (A) shall be applied to 
     the amount of the civil monetary penalty as it was most 
     recently established or adjusted under a provision of law 
     other than this Act.
       ``(C) Maximum adjustment.--The amount of the increase in a 
     civil monetary penalty under subparagraph (A) shall not 
     exceed 150 percent of the amount of that civil monetary 
     penalty on the date of enactment of the Federal Civil 
     Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 
     2015.'';
       (3) in section 6, by striking ``violations which occur'' 
     and inserting ``civil monetary penalties, including those 
     whose associated violation predated such increase, which are 
     assessed''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 7. IMPLEMENTATION AND OVERSIGHT ENHANCEMENTS.

       ``(a) OMB Guidance.--Not later than February 29, 2016, not 
     later than December 15, 2016, and December 15 of every year 
     thereafter, the Director of the Office of Management and 
     Budget shall issue guidance to agencies on implementing the 
     inflation adjustments required under this Act.
       ``(b) Agency Financial Reports.--The head of each agency 
     shall include in the Agency Financial Report submitted under 
     OMB Circular A-136, or any successor thereto, information 
     about the civil monetary penalties within the jurisdiction of 
     the agency, including the adjustment of the civil monetary 
     penalties by the head of the agency under this Act.
       ``(c) GAO Review.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall annually submit to Congress a report assessing 
     the compliance of agencies with the inflation adjustments 
     required under this Act, which may be included as part of 
     another report submitted to Congress.''.
       (c) Repeal.--Section 31001(s) of the Debt Collection 
     Improvement Act of 1996 (28 U.S.C. 2461 note) is amended by 
     striking paragraph (2).

     SEC. 702. CRIME VICTIMS FUND.

       There is hereby rescinded and permanently canceled 
     $1,500,000,000 of the funds deposited or available in the 
     Crime Victims Fund created by section 1402 of the Victims of 
     Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10601).

     SEC. 703. ASSETS FORFEITURE FUND.

       Of the amounts deposited in the Department of Justice 
     Assets Forfeiture Fund, $746,000,000 are hereby rescinded and 
     permanently cancelled.

                      TITLE VIII--SOCIAL SECURITY

     SEC. 801. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Social Security Benefit 
     Protection and Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2015''.

        Subtitle A--Ensuring Correct Payments and Reducing Fraud

     SEC. 811. EXPANSION OF COOPERATIVE DISABILITY INVESTIGATIONS 
                   UNITS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than October 1, 2022, the 
     Commissioner of Social Security shall take any necessary 
     actions, subject to

[[Page 16770]]

     the availability of appropriations, to ensure that 
     cooperative disability investigations units have been 
     established, in areas where there is cooperation with local 
     law enforcement agencies, that would cover each of the 50 
     States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the 
     Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and American 
     Samoa.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act and annually thereafter until the 
     earlier of 2022 or the date on which nationwide coverage is 
     achieved, the Commissioner of Social Security shall submit to 
     the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a 
     report describing a plan to implement the nationwide coverage 
     described in subsection (a) and outlining areas where the 
     Social Security Administration did not receive the 
     cooperation of local law enforcement agencies.

     SEC. 812. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN MEDICAL SOURCES OF EVIDENCE.

       (a) In General.--Section 223(d)(5) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 423(d)(5)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(C)(i) In making any determination with respect to 
     whether an individual is under a disability or continues to 
     be under a disability, the Commissioner of Social Security 
     may not consider (except for good cause as determined by the 
     Commissioner) any evidence furnished by--

       ``(I) any individual or entity who has been convicted of a 
     felony under section 208 or under section 1632;
       ``(II) any individual or entity who has been excluded from 
     participation in any Federal health care program under 
     section 1128; or
       ``(III) any person with respect to whom a civil money 
     penalty or assessment has been imposed under section 1129 for 
     the submission of false evidence.

       ``(ii) To the extent and at such times as is necessary for 
     the effective implementation of clause (i) of this 
     subparagraph--

       ``(I) the Inspector General of the Social Security 
     Administration shall transmit to the Commissioner information 
     relating to persons described in subclause (I) or (III) of 
     clause (i);
       ``(II) the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
     transmit to the Commissioner information relating to persons 
     described in subclause (II) of clause (i); and''.

       (b) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Social 
     Security shall issue regulations to carry out the amendment 
     made by subsection (a).
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to determinations of disability made 
     on or after the earlier of--
       (1) the effective date of the regulations issued by the 
     Commissioner under subsection (b); or
       (2) one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 813. NEW AND STRONGER PENALTIES.

       (a) Conspiracy to Commit Social Security Fraud.--
       (1) Amendment to title ii.--Section 208(a) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 408(a)) is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (7)(C), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (8), by adding ``or'' at the end; and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:
       ``(9) conspires to commit any offense described in any of 
     paragraphs (1) through (4),''.
       (2) Amendment to title viii.--Section 811(a) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1011(a)) is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (4), by striking the comma and adding ``; 
     or'' at the end; and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
       ``(5) conspires to commit any offense described in any of 
     paragraphs (1) through (3),''.
       (3) Amendment to title xvi.--Section 1632(a) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1383a(a)) is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (4), by adding ``or'' at the end; and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
       ``(5) conspires to commit any offense described in any of 
     paragraphs (1) through (3),''.
       (b) Increased Criminal Penalties for Certain Individuals 
     Violating Positions of Trust.--
       (1) Amendment to title ii.--Section 208(a) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 408(a)), as amended by subsection 
     (a), is further amended by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``, except that in the case of a person who 
     receives a fee or other income for services performed in 
     connection with any determination with respect to benefits 
     under this title (including a claimant representative, 
     translator, or current or former employee of the Social 
     Security Administration), or who is a physician or other 
     health care provider who submits, or causes the submission 
     of, medical or other evidence in connection with any such 
     determination, such person shall be guilty of a felony and 
     upon conviction thereof shall be fined under title 18, United 
     States Code, or imprisoned for not more than ten years, or 
     both.''.
       (2) Amendment to title viii.--Section 811(a) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1011(a)), as amended by subsection (a), is further 
     amended by striking the period at the end and inserting ``, 
     except that in the case of a person who receives a fee or 
     other income for services performed in connection with any 
     determination with respect to benefits under this title 
     (including a claimant representative, translator, or current 
     or former employee of the Social Security Administration), or 
     who is a physician or other health care provider who submits, 
     or causes the submission of, medical or other evidence in 
     connection with any such determination, such person shall be 
     guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be fined 
     under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned for not 
     more than ten years, or both.''.
       (3) Amendment to title xvi.--Section 1632(a) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1383a(a)), as amended by subsection (a), is 
     further amended by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``, except that in the case of a person who 
     receives a fee or other income for services performed in 
     connection with any determination with respect to benefits 
     under this title (including a claimant representative, 
     translator, or current or former employee of the Social 
     Security Administration), or who is a physician or other 
     health care provider who submits, or causes the submission 
     of, medical or other evidence in connection with any such 
     determination, such person shall be guilty of a felony and 
     upon conviction thereof shall be fined under title 18, United 
     States Code, or imprisoned for not more than ten years, or 
     both.''.
       (c) Increased Civil Monetary Penalties for Certain 
     Individuals Violating Positions of Trust.--Section 1129(a)(1) 
     of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-8(a)(1)) is 
     amended, in the matter following subparagraph (C), by 
     inserting after ``withholding disclosure of such fact'' the 
     following: ``, except that in the case of such a person who 
     receives a fee or other income for services performed in 
     connection with any such determination (including a claimant 
     representative, translator, or current or former employee of 
     the Social Security Administration) or who is a physician or 
     other health care provider who submits, or causes the 
     submission of, medical or other evidence in connection with 
     any such determination, the amount of such penalty shall be 
     not more than $7,500''.
       (d) No Benefits Payable to Individuals for Whom a Civil 
     Monetary Penalty Is Imposed for Fraudulently Concealing Work 
     Activity.--Section 222(c)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 422(c)(5)) is amended by inserting after ``conviction 
     by a Federal court'' the following: ``, or the imposition of 
     a civil monetary penalty under section 1129,''.

     SEC. 814. REFERENCES TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE IN 
                   ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS.

       (a) In General.--Section 1140(a)(1) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-10(a)(1)) is amended by inserting 
     ``(including any Internet or other electronic 
     communication)'' after ``or other communication''.
       (b) Each Communication Treated as Separate Violation.--
     Section 1140(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-10(b)) is 
     amended by inserting after the second sentence the following: 
     ``In the case of any items referred to in subsection (a)(1) 
     consisting of Internet or other electronic communications, 
     each dissemination, viewing, or accessing of such a 
     communication which contains one or more words, letters, 
     symbols, or emblems in violation of subsection (a) shall 
     represent a separate violation''.

     SEC. 815. CHANGE TO CAP ADJUSTMENT AUTHORITY.

       Section 251(b)(2)(B) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(B)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in clause (i)--
       (A) in the matter before subclause (I), by striking ``and 
     for the cost associated with conducting redeterminations of 
     eligibility under title XVI of the Social Security Act'' and 
     inserting ``, for the cost associated with conducting 
     redeterminations of eligibility under title XVI of the Social 
     Security Act, for the cost of co-operative disability 
     investigation units, and for the cost associated with the 
     prosecution of fraud in the programs and operations of the 
     Social Security Administration by Special Assistant United 
     States Attorneys'';
       (B) in subclause (VI), by striking ``$1,309,000,000'''' and 
     inserting ``$1,546,000,000'';
       (C) in subclause (VII), by striking ``$1,309,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$1,462,000,000'';
       (D) in subclause (VIII), by striking ``$1,309,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$1,410,000,000''; and
       (E) in subclause (X), by striking ``$1,309,000,000'' and 
     inserting ``$1,302,000,000'';
       (2) in clause (ii)(I), by inserting ``, including work-
     related continuing disability reviews to determine whether 
     earnings derived from services demonstrate an individual's 
     ability to engage in substantial gainful activity'' before 
     the semicolon; and

[[Page 16771]]

       (3) in clause (ii)(III), by striking ``and 
     redeterminations'' and inserting ``, redeterminations, co-
     operative disability investigation units, and fraud 
     prosecutions''.

     Subtitle B--Promoting Opportunity for Disability Beneficiaries

     SEC. 821. TEMPORARY REAUTHORIZATION OF DISABILITY INSURANCE 
                   DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AUTHORITY.

       (a) Termination Date.--Section 234(d)(2) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 434(d)(2)) is amended by striking 
     ``December 18, 2005'' and inserting ``December 31, 2021, and 
     the authority to carry out such projects shall terminate on 
     December 31, 2022''.
       (b) Authority to Waive Compliance With Benefits 
     Requirements.--Section 234(c) of such Act is amended by 
     striking ``December 17, 2005'' and inserting ``December 30, 
     2021''.

     SEC. 822. MODIFICATION OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AUTHORITY.

       (a) In General.--Section 234(a)(1) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 434(a)(1)) is amended in the matter preceding 
     subparagraph (A) by inserting ``to promote attachment to the 
     labor force and'' after ``designed''.
       (b) Congressional Review Period.--Section 234(c) of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 434(c)), as amended by section 
     821(b) of this Act, is further amended by inserting 
     ``including the objectives of the experiment or demonstration 
     project, the expected annual and total costs, and the dates 
     on which the experiment or demonstration project is expected 
     to start and finish,'' after ``thereof,''
       (c) Additional Requirements.--Section 234 of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 434), as amended by subsection (b), 
     is further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Additional Requirements.--In developing and carrying 
     out any experiment or demonstration project under this 
     section, the Commissioner may not require any individual to 
     participate in such experiment or demonstration project and 
     shall ensure--
       ``(1) that the voluntary participation of individuals in 
     such experiment or demonstration project is obtained through 
     informed written consent which satisfies the requirements for 
     informed consent established by the Commissioner for use in 
     such experiment or demonstration project in which human 
     subjects are at risk;
       ``(2) that any individual's voluntary agreement to 
     participate in any such experiment or demonstration project 
     may be revoked by such individual at any time; and
       ``(3) that such experiment or demonstration project is 
     expected to yield statistically significant results.''.
       (d) Annual Reporting Deadline.--Section 234(d)(1) of such 
     Act is amended by striking ``June 9'' and inserting 
     ``September 30''.

     SEC. 823. PROMOTING OPPORTUNITY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

       Section 234 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 434), as 
     amended by section 822 of this Act, is further amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Promoting Opportunity Demonstration Project.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Commissioner shall carry out a 
     demonstration project under this subsection as described in 
     paragraph (2) during a 5-year period beginning not later than 
     January 1, 2017.
       ``(2) Benefit offset.--Under the demonstration project 
     described in this paragraph, with respect to any individual 
     participating in the project who is otherwise entitled to a 
     benefit under section 223(a)(1) for a month--
       ``(A) any such benefit otherwise payable to the individual 
     for such month (other than a benefit payable for any month 
     prior to the 1st month beginning after the date on which the 
     individual's entitlement to such benefit is determined) shall 
     be reduced by $1 for each $2 by which the individual's 
     earnings derived from services paid during such month exceeds 
     an amount equal to the individual's impairment-related work 
     expenses for such month (as determined under paragraph (3)), 
     except that such benefit may not be reduced below $0;
       ``(B) no benefit shall be payable under section 202 on the 
     basis of the wages and self-employment income of the 
     individual for any month for which the benefit of such 
     individual under section 223(a)(1) is reduced to $0 pursuant 
     to subparagraph (A);
       ``(C) entitlement to any benefit described in subparagraph 
     (A) or (B) shall not terminate due to earnings derived from 
     services except following the first month for which such 
     benefit has been reduced to $0 pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
     (and the trial work period (as defined in section 222(c)) and 
     extended period of eligibility shall not apply to any such 
     individual for any such month); and
       ``(D) in any case in which such an individual is entitled 
     to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII by 
     reason of section 226(b) and such individual's entitlement to 
     a benefit described in subparagraph (A) or (B) or status as a 
     qualified railroad retirement beneficiary is terminated 
     pursuant to subparagraph (C), such individual shall be deemed 
     to be entitled to such benefits or to occupy such status 
     (notwithstanding the termination of such entitlement or 
     status) for the period of consecutive months throughout all 
     of which the physical or mental impairment, on which such 
     entitlement or status was based, continues, and throughout 
     all of which such individual would have been entitled to 
     monthly insurance benefits under title II or as a qualified 
     railroad retirement beneficiary had such termination of 
     entitlement or status not occurred, but not in excess of 93 
     such months.
       ``(3) Impairment-related work expenses.--
       ``(A) In general.--For purposes of paragraph (2)(A) and 
     except as provided in subparagraph (C), the amount of an 
     individual's impairment-related work expenses for a month is 
     deemed to be the minimum threshold amount.
       ``(B) Minimum threshold amount.--In this paragraph, the 
     term `minimum threshold amount' means an amount, to be 
     determined by the Commissioner, which shall not exceed the 
     amount sufficient to demonstrate that an individual has 
     rendered services in a month, as determined by the 
     Commissioner under section 222(c)(4)(A). The Commissioner may 
     test multiple minimum threshold amounts.
       ``(C) Exception for itemized impairment-related work 
     expenses.--
       ``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), in any 
     case in which the amount of such an individual's itemized 
     impairment-related work expenses (as defined in clause (ii)) 
     for a month is greater than the minimum threshold amount, the 
     amount of the individual's impairment-related work expenses 
     for the month shall be equal to the amount of the 
     individual's itemized impairment-related work expenses (as so 
     defined) for the month.
       ``(ii) Definition.--In this subparagraph, the term 
     `itemized impairment-related work expenses' means the amount 
     excluded under section 223(d)(4)(A) from an individual's 
     earnings for a month in determining whether an individual is 
     able to engage in substantial gainful activity by reason of 
     such earnings in such month, except that such amount does not 
     include the cost to the individual of any item or service for 
     which the individual does not provide to the Commissioner a 
     satisfactory itemized accounting.
       ``(D) Limitation.--Notwithstanding the other provisions of 
     this paragraph, for purposes of paragraph (2)(A), the amount 
     of an individual's impairment-related work expenses for a 
     month shall not exceed the amount of earnings derived from 
     services, prescribed by the Commissioner under regulations 
     issued pursuant to section 223(d)(4)(A), sufficient to 
     demonstrate an individual's ability to engage in substantial 
     gainful activity.''.

     SEC. 824. USE OF ELECTRONIC PAYROLL DATA TO IMPROVE PROGRAM 
                   ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--Title XI of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1301, et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
     1183 the following: ``


           ``information exchange with payroll data providers

       ``Sec. 1184.  (a) In General.--The Commissioner of Social 
     Security may enter into an information exchange with a 
     payroll data provider for purposes of--
       ``(1) efficiently administering--
       ``(A) monthly insurance benefits under subsections 
     (d)(1)(B)(ii), (d)(6)(A)(ii), (d)(6)(B), (e)(1)(B)(ii), and 
     (f)(1)(B)(ii) of section 202 and subsection (a)(1) of section 
     223; and
       ``(B) supplemental security income benefits under title 
     XVI; and
       ``(2) preventing improper payments of such benefits without 
     the need for verification by independent or collateral 
     sources.
       ``(b) Notification Requirements.--Before entering into an 
     information exchange pursuant to subsection (a), the 
     Commissioner shall publish in the Federal Register a notice 
     describing the information exchange and the extent to which 
     the information received through such exchange is--
       ``(1) relevant and necessary to--
       ``(A) accurately determine entitlement to, and the amount 
     of, benefits described under subparagraph (A) of subsection 
     (a)(1);
       ``(B) accurately determine eligibility for, and the amount 
     of, benefits described in subparagraph (B) of such 
     subsection; and
       ``(C) prevent improper payment of such benefits; and
       ``(2) sufficiently accurate, up-to-date, and complete.
       ``(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
       ``(1) Payroll data provider.--The term `payroll data 
     provider' means payroll providers, wage verification 
     companies, and other commercial or non-commercial entities 
     that collect and maintain data regarding employment and 
     wages, without regard to whether the entity provides such 
     data for a fee or without cost.
       ``(2) Information exchange.--The term `information 
     exchange' means the automated comparison of a system of 
     records maintained by the commissioner of Social Security 
     with records maintained by a payroll data provider.''.
       (b) Authorization to Access Information Held by Payroll 
     Data Providers.--
       (1) Amendment to title ii.--Section 225 of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 425) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:
       ``(c) Access to Information Held by Payroll Data 
     Providers.--(1) The Commissioner of Social Security may 
     require each

[[Page 16772]]

     individual who applies for or is entitled to monthly 
     insurance benefits under subsections (d)(1)(B)(ii), 
     (d)(6)(A)(ii), (d)(6)(B), (e)(1)(B)(ii), and (f)(1)(B)(ii) of 
     section 202 and subsection (a)(1) of section 223 to provide 
     authorization by the individual for the Commissioner to 
     obtain from any payroll data provider (as defined in section 
     1184(c)(1)) any record held by the payroll data provider with 
     respect to the individual whenever the Commissioner 
     determines the record is needed in connection with a 
     determination of initial or ongoing entitlement to such 
     benefits.
       ``(2) An authorization provided by an individual under this 
     subsection shall remain effective until the earliest of--
       ``(A) the rendering of a final adverse decision on the 
     individual's application or entitlement to benefits under 
     this title;
       ``(B) the termination of the individual's entitlement to 
     benefits under this title; or
       ``(C) the express revocation by the individual of the 
     authorization, in a written notification to the Commissioner.
       ``(3) The Commissioner of Social Security is not required 
     to furnish any authorization obtained pursuant to this 
     subsection to the payroll data provider.
       ``(4) The Commissioner shall inform any person who provides 
     authorization pursuant to this clause of the duration and 
     scope of the authorization.
       ``(5) If an individual who applies for or is entitled to 
     benefits under this title refuses to provide, or revokes, any 
     authorization under this subsection, subsection (d) shall not 
     apply to such individual beginning with the first day of the 
     first month in which he or she refuses or revokes such 
     authorization.''.
       (2) Title xvi.--Section 1631(e)(1)(B) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(e)(1)(B)) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(iii)(I) The Commissioner of Social Security may require 
     each applicant for, or recipient of, benefits under this 
     title to provide authorization by the applicant, recipient or 
     legal guardian (or by any other person whose income or 
     resources are material to the determination of the 
     eligibility of the applicant or recipient for such benefits) 
     for the Commissioner to obtain from any payroll data provider 
     (as defined in section 1184(c)(1)) any record held by the 
     payroll data provider with respect to the applicant or 
     recipient (or any such other person) whenever the 
     Commissioner determines the record is needed in connection 
     with a determination of initial or ongoing eligibility or the 
     amount of such benefits.
       ``(II) An authorization provided by an applicant, recipient 
     or legal guardian (or any other person whose income or 
     resources are material to the determination of the 
     eligibility of the applicant or recipient) under this clause 
     shall remain effective until the earliest of--
       ``(aa) the rendering of a final adverse decision on the 
     applicant's application for eligibility for benefits under 
     this title;
       ``(bb) the cessation of the recipient's eligibility for 
     benefits under this title;
       ``(cc) the express revocation by the applicant, or 
     recipient (or such other person referred to in subclause (I)) 
     of the authorization, in a written notification to the 
     Commissioner; or
       ``(dd) the termination of the basis upon which the 
     Commissioner considers another person's income and resources 
     available to the applicant or recipient.
       ``(III) The Commissioner of Social Security is not required 
     to furnish any authorization obtained pursuant to this clause 
     to the payroll data provider.
       ``(IV) The Commissioner shall inform any person who 
     provides authorization pursuant to this clause of the 
     duration and scope of the authorization.
       ``(V) If an applicant for, or recipient of, benefits under 
     this title (or any such other person referred to in subclause 
     (I)) refuses to provide, or revokes, any authorization 
     required by subclause (I), paragraph (2)(B) and paragraph 
     (10) shall not apply to such applicant or recipient beginning 
     with the first day of the first month in which he or she 
     refuses or revokes such authorization.''.
       (c) Reporting Responsibilities for Beneficiaries Subject to 
     Information Exchange With Payroll Data Provider.--
       (1) Amendment to title ii.--Section 225 of the Social 
     Security (42 U.S.C. 425), as amended by subsection (b)(1), is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) An individual who has authorized the Commissioner of 
     Social Security to obtain records from a payroll data 
     provider under subsection (c) shall not be subject to a 
     penalty under section 1129A for any omission or error with 
     respect to such individual's wages as reported by the payroll 
     data provider.''.
       (2) Amendment to title xvi.--Section 1631(e) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(e)) is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) by striking ``In the case of the failure'' and 
     inserting ``(A) In the case of the failure'';
       (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) as 
     clauses (i) through (iii), respectively; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the Commissioner of 
     Social Security shall find that good cause exists for the 
     failure of, or delay by, an individual in submitting a report 
     of an event or change in circumstances relevant to 
     eligibility for or amount of benefits under this title in any 
     case where--
       ``(i) the individual (or another person referred to in 
     paragraph (1)(B)(iii)(I)) has provided authorization to the 
     Commissioner to access payroll data records related to the 
     individual; and
       ``(ii) the event or change in circumstance is a change in 
     the individual's employer.''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(10) An individual who has authorized the Commissioner of 
     Social Security to obtain records from a payroll data 
     provider under paragraph (1)(B)(iii) (or on whose behalf 
     another person described in subclause (I) of such paragraph 
     has provided such authorization) shall not be subject to a 
     penalty under section 1129A for any omission or error with 
     respect to such individual's wages as reported by the payroll 
     data provider.''.
       (d) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Social 
     Security shall prescribe by regulation procedures for 
     implementing the Commissioner's access to and use of 
     information held by payroll providers, including--
       (1) guidelines for establishing and maintaining information 
     exchanges with payroll providers, pursuant to section 1184 of 
     the Social Security Act;
       (2) beneficiary authorizations;
       (3) reduced wage reporting responsibilities for individuals 
     who authorize the Commissioner to access information held by 
     payroll data providers through an information exchange; and
       (4) procedures for notifying individuals in writing when 
     they become subject to such reduced wage reporting 
     requirements and when such reduced wage reporting 
     requirements no longer apply to them.
       (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 825. TREATMENT OF EARNINGS DERIVED FROM SERVICES.

       (a) In General.--Section 223(d)(4) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 423(d)(4)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(C)(i) Subject to clause (ii), in determining when 
     earnings derived from services demonstrate an individual's 
     ability to engage in substantial gainful activity, such 
     earnings shall be presumed to have been earned--
       ``(I) in making a determination of initial entitlement on 
     the basis of disability, in the month in which the services 
     were performed from which such earnings were derived; and
       ``(II) in any other case, in the month in which such 
     earnings were paid.
       ``(ii) A presumption made under clause (i) shall not apply 
     to a determination described in such clause if--
       ``(I) the Commissioner can reasonably establish, based on 
     evidence readily available at the time of such determination, 
     that the earnings were earned in a different month than when 
     paid; or
       ``(II) in any case in which there is a determination that 
     no benefit is payable due to earnings, after the individual 
     is notified of the presumption made and provided with an 
     opportunity to submit additional information along with an 
     explanation of what additional information is needed, the 
     individual shows to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that 
     such earnings were earned in another month.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect upon the date of the enactment of this Act, 
     or as soon as practicable thereafter.

     SEC. 826. ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF EARNINGS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than September 30, 2017, the 
     Commissioner of Social Security shall establish and implement 
     a system that--
       (1) allows an individual entitled to a monthly insurance 
     benefit based on disability under title II of the Social 
     Security Act (or a representative of the individual) to 
     report to the Commissioner the individual's earnings derived 
     from services through electronic means, including by 
     telephone and Internet; and
       (2) automatically issues a receipt to the individual (or 
     representative) after receiving each such report.
       (b) Supplemental Security Income Reporting System as 
     Model.--The Commissioner shall model the system established 
     under subsection (a) on the electronic wage reporting systems 
     for recipients of supplemental security income under title 
     XVI of such Act.

            Subtitle C--Protecting Social Security Benefits

     SEC. 831. CLOSURE OF UNINTENDED LOOPHOLES.

       (a) Presumed Filing of Application by Individuals Eligible 
     for Old-age Insurance Benefits and for Wife's or Husband's 
     Insurance Benefits.--
       (1) In general.--Section 202(r) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 402(r)) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) and 
     (2) and inserting the following:
       ``(1) If an individual is eligible for a wife's or 
     husband's insurance benefit (except in the case of 
     eligibility pursuant to clause (ii) of subsection (b)(1)(B) 
     or subsection (c)(1)(B), as appropriate), in any month for 
     which the individual is entitled to an old-age insurance

[[Page 16773]]

     benefit, such individual shall be deemed to have filed an 
     application for wife's or husband's insurance benefits for 
     such month.
       ``(2) If an individual is eligible (but for section 
     202(k)(4)) for an old-age insurance benefit in any month for 
     which the individual is entitled to a wife's or husband's 
     insurance benefit (except in the case of entitlement pursuant 
     to clause (ii) of subsection (b)(1)(B) or subsection 
     (c)(1)(B), as appropriate), such individual shall be deemed 
     to have filed an application for old-age insurance benefits--
       ``(A) for such month, or
       ``(B) if such individual is also entitled to a disability 
     insurance benefit for such month, in the first subsequent 
     month for which such individual is not entitled to a 
     disability insurance benefit.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 202 of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402) is amended--
       (A) in subsection (b)(1), by striking subparagraph (B) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(B)(i) has attained age 62, or
       ``(ii) in the case of a wife, has in her care (individually 
     or jointly with such individual) at the time of filing such 
     application a child entitled to a child's insurance benefit 
     on the basis of the wages and self-employment income of such 
     individual,''; and
       (B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking subparagraph (B) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(B)(i) has attained age 62, or
       ``(ii) in the case of a husband, has in his care 
     (individually or jointly with such individual) at the time of 
     filing such application a child entitled to a child's 
     insurance benefit on the basis of the wages and self-
     employment income of such individual,''.
       (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
     shall apply with respect to individuals who attain age 62 in 
     any calendar year after 2015.
       (b) Voluntary Suspension of Benefits.--
       (1) In general.--Section 202 of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 402) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(z) Voluntary Suspension.--(1)(A) Except as otherwise 
     provided in this subsection, any individual who has attained 
     retirement age (as defined in section 216(l)) and is entitled 
     to old-age insurance benefits may request that payment of 
     such benefits be suspended--
       ``(i) beginning with the month following the month in which 
     such request is received by the Commissioner, and
       ``(ii) ending with the earlier of the month following the 
     month in which a request by the individual for a resumption 
     of such benefits is so received or the month following the 
     month in which the individual attains the age of 70.
       ``(2) An individual may not suspend such benefits under 
     this subsection, and any suspension of such benefits under 
     this subsection shall end, effective with respect to any 
     month in which the individual becomes subject to--
       ``(A) mandatory suspension of such benefits under section 
     202(x);
       ``(B) termination of such benefits under section 202(n);
       ``(C) a penalty under section 1129A imposing nonpayment of 
     such benefits; or
       ``(D) any other withholding, in whole or in part, of such 
     benefits under any other provision of law that authorizes 
     recovery of a debt by withholding such benefits.
       ``(3) In the case of an individual who requests that such 
     benefits be suspended under this subsection, for any month 
     during the period in which the suspension is in effect--
       ``(A) no retroactive benefits (as defined in subsection 
     (j)(4)(B)(iii)) shall be payable to such individual;
       ``(B) no monthly benefit shall be payable to any other 
     individual on the basis of such individual's wages and self-
     employment income; and
       ``(C) no monthly benefit shall be payable to such 
     individual on the basis of another individual's wages and 
     self-employment income.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 202(w)(2)(B)(ii) of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(w)(2)(B)(ii)) is amended 
     by inserting ``under section 202(z)'' after ``request''.
       (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
     shall apply with respect to requests for benefit suspension 
     submitted beginning at least 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 832. REQUIREMENT FOR MEDICAL REVIEW.

       (a) In General.--Section 221(h) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 421(h)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(h) An initial determination under subsection (a), (c), 
     (g), or (i) shall not be made until the Commissioner of 
     Social Security has made every reasonable effort to ensure--
       ``(1) in any case where there is evidence which indicates 
     the existence of a mental impairment, that a qualified 
     psychiatrist or psychologist has completed the medical 
     portion of the case review and any applicable residual 
     functional capacity assessment; and
       ``(2) in any case where there is evidence which indicates 
     the existence of a physical impairment, that a qualified 
     physician has completed the medical portion of the case 
     review and any applicable residual functional capacity 
     assessment.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to determinations of disability made 
     on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 833. REALLOCATION OF PAYROLL TAX REVENUE.

       (1) Wages.--Section 201(b)(1) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 401(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``and (R) 1.80 
     per centum of the wages (as so defined) paid after December 
     31, 1999, and so reported'' and inserting ``(R) 1.80 per 
     centum of the wages (as so defined) paid after December 31, 
     1999, and before January 1, 2016, and so reported, (S) 2.37 
     per centum of the wages (as so defined) paid after December 
     31, 2015, and before January 1, 2019, and so reported, and 
     (T) 1.80 per centum of the wages (as so defined) paid after 
     December 31, 2018, and so reported,''.
       (2) Self-employment income.--Section 201(b)(2) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 401(b)(2)) is amended by striking ``and (R) 1.80 
     per centum of the amount of self-employment income (as so 
     defined) so reported for any taxable year beginning after 
     December 31, 1999'' and inserting ``(R) 1.80 per centum of 
     the amount of self-employment income (as so defined) so 
     reported for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 
     1999, and before January 1, 2016, (S) 2.37 per centum of the 
     amount of self-employment income (as so defined) so reported 
     for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2015, and 
     before January 1, 2019, and (T) 1.80 per centum of the amount 
     of self-employment income (as so defined) so reported for any 
     taxable year beginning after December 31, 2018''.
       (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to wages paid after December 31, 
     2015, and self-employment income for taxable years beginning 
     after such date.

     SEC. 834. ACCESS TO FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR WAIVERS AND 
                   ADJUSTMENTS OF RECOVERY.

       (a) Access to Financial Information for Old-age, Survivors, 
     and Disability Insurance Waivers.--Section 204(b) of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 404(b)) is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(b)(1) In any case in which more than the correct amount 
     of payment has been made, there shall be no adjustment of 
     payments to, or recovery by the United States from, any 
     person who is without fault if such adjustment or recovery 
     would defeat the purpose of this title or would be against 
     equity and good conscience.
       ``(2) In making for purposes of this subsection any 
     determination of whether any individual is without fault, the 
     Commissioner of Social Security shall specifically take into 
     account any physical, mental, educational, or linguistic 
     limitation such individual may have (including any lack of 
     facility with the English language).
       ``(3)(A) In making for purposes of this subsection any 
     determination of whether such adjustment or recovery would 
     defeat the purpose of this title, the Commissioner of Social 
     Security shall require an individual to provide authorization 
     for the Commissioner to obtain (subject to the cost 
     reimbursement requirements of section 1115(a) of the Right to 
     Financial Privacy Act) from any financial institution (within 
     the meaning of section 1101(1) of such Act) any financial 
     record (within the meaning of section 1101(2) of such Act) 
     held by the institution with respect to such individual 
     whenever the Commissioner determines the record is needed in 
     connection with a determination with respect to such 
     adjustment or recovery.
       ``(B) Notwithstanding section 1104(a)(1) of the Right to 
     Financial Privacy Act, an authorization provided by an 
     individual pursuant this paragraph shall remain effective 
     until the earlier of--
       ``(i) the rendering of a final decision on whether 
     adjustment or recovery would defeat the purpose of this 
     title; or
       ``(ii) the express revocation by the individual of the 
     authorization, in a written notification to the Commissioner.
       ``(C)(i) An authorization obtained by the Commissioner of 
     Social Security pursuant this paragraph shall be considered 
     to meet the requirements of the Right to Financial Privacy 
     Act for purposes of section 1103(a) of such Act, and need not 
     be furnished to the financial institution, notwithstanding 
     section 1104(a) of such Act.
       ``(ii) The certification requirements of section 1103(b) of 
     the Right to Financial Privacy Act shall not apply to 
     requests by the Commissioner of Social Security pursuant to 
     an authorization provided under this paragraph.
       ``(iii) A request by the Commissioner pursuant to an 
     authorization provided under this paragraph is deemed to meet 
     the requirements of section 1104(a)(3) of the Right to 
     Financial Privacy Act and the flush language of section 1102 
     of such Act.
       ``(D) The Commissioner shall inform any person who provides 
     authorization pursuant to this paragraph of the duration and 
     scope of the authorization.
       ``(E) If an individual refuses to provide, or revokes, any 
     authorization for the Commissioner of Social Security to 
     obtain from any financial institution any financial record, 
     the Commissioner may, on that basis, determine that 
     adjustment or recovery would not defeat the purpose of this 
     title.''.
       (b) Access to Financial Information for Supplemental 
     Security Income Waivers.--
       (1) In general.--Section 1631(b)(1)(B) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(b)(1)(B)) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following: ``In making for purposes of this 
     subparagraph a determination of whether an adjustment or 
     recovery would defeat the purpose of this title, the 
     Commissioner of Social

[[Page 16774]]

     Security shall require an individual to provide authorization 
     for the Commissioner to obtain (subject to the cost 
     reimbursement requirements of section 1115(a) of the Right to 
     Financial Privacy Act) from any financial institution (within 
     the meaning of section 1101(1) of such Act) any financial 
     record (within the meaning of section 1101(2) of such Act) 
     held by the institution with respect to such individual 
     whenever the Commissioner determines that the record is 
     needed in connection with a determination with respect to 
     such adjustment or recovery, under the terms and conditions 
     established under subsection (e)(1)(B).''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 1631(e)(1)(B)(ii)(V) of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(e)(1)(B)(ii)(V)) is amended by 
     inserting ``, determine that adjustment or recovery on 
     account of an overpayment with respect to the applicant or 
     recipient would not defeat the purpose of this title, or 
     both'' before the period at the end.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to determinations made on or after 
     the date that is 3 months after the date of the enactment of 
     this section.

    Subtitle D--Relieving Administrative Burdens and Miscellaneous 
                               Provisions

     SEC. 841. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION TO IMPROVE PROGRAM 
                   ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--Title XI of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
     1127 the following:


      ``interagency coordination to improve program administration

       ``Sec. 1127A.  (a) Coordination Agreement.--Notwithstanding 
     any other provision of law, including section 207 of this 
     Act, the Commissioner of Social Security (referred to in this 
     section as `the Commissioner') and the Director of the Office 
     of Personnel Management (referred to in this section as `the 
     Director') shall enter into an agreement under which a system 
     is established to carry out the following procedure:
       ``(1) The Director shall notify the Commissioner when any 
     individual is determined to be entitled to a monthly 
     disability annuity payment pursuant to subchapter V of 
     chapter 84 of subpart G of part III of title 5, United States 
     Code, and shall certify that such individual has provided the 
     authorization described in subsection (f).
       ``(2) If the Commissioner determines that an individual 
     described in paragraph (1) is also entitled to past-due 
     benefits under section 223, the Commissioner shall notify the 
     Director of such fact.
       ``(3) Not later than 30 days after receiving a notification 
     described in paragraph (2) with respect to an individual, the 
     Director shall provide the Commissioner with the total amount 
     of any disability annuity overpayments made to such 
     individual, as well as any other information (in such form 
     and manner as the Commissioner shall require) that the 
     Commissioner determines is necessary to carry out this 
     section.
       ``(4) If the Director provides the Commissioner with the 
     information described in paragraph (3) in a timely manner, 
     the Commissioner may withhold past-due benefits under section 
     223 to which such individual is entitled and may pay the 
     amount described in paragraph (3) to the Office of Personnel 
     Management for any disability annuity overpayments made to 
     such individual.
       ``(5) The Director shall credit any amount received under 
     paragraph (4) with respect to an individual toward any 
     disability annuity overpayment owed by such individual.
       ``(b) Limitations.--
       ``(1) Priority of Other Reductions.--Benefits shall only be 
     withheld under this section after any other reduction 
     applicable under this Act, including sections 206(a)(4), 224, 
     and 1127(a).
       ``(2) Timely Notification Required.--The Commissioner may 
     not withhold benefits under this section if the Director does 
     not provide the notice described in subsection (a)(3) within 
     the time period described in such subsection.
       ``(c) Delayed Payment of Past-due Benefits.--If the 
     Commissioner is required to make a notification described in 
     subsection (a)(2) with respect to an individual, the 
     Commissioner shall not make any payment of past-due benefits 
     under section 223 to such individual until after the period 
     described in subsection (a)(3).
       ``(d) Review.--Notwithstanding section 205 or any other 
     provision of law, any determination regarding the withholding 
     of past-due benefits under this section shall only be subject 
     to adjudication and review by the Director under section 8461 
     of title 5, United States Code.
       ``(e) Disability Annuity Overpayment Defined.--For purposes 
     of this section, the term `disability annuity overpayment' 
     means the amount of the reduction under section 8452(a)(2) of 
     title 5, United States Code, applicable to a monthly annuity 
     payment made to an individual pursuant to subchapter V of 
     chapter 84 of subpart G of part III of such title due to the 
     individual's concurrent entitlement to a disability insurance 
     benefit under section 223 during such month.
       ``(f) Authorization to Withhold Benefits.--The 
     authorization described in this subsection, with respect to 
     an individual, is written authorization provided by the 
     individual to the Director which authorizes the Commissioner 
     to withhold past-due benefits under section 223 to which such 
     individual is entitled in order to pay the amount withheld to 
     the Office of Personnel Management for any disability 
     overpayments made to such individual.
       ``(g) Expenses.--The Director shall pay to the Social 
     Security Administration an amount equal to the amount 
     estimated by the Commissioner as the total cost incurred by 
     the Social Security Administration in carrying out this 
     section for each calendar quarter.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall apply to past-due disability insurance benefits payable 
     on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this section.

     SEC. 842. ELIMINATION OF QUINQUENNIAL DETERMINATIONS RELATING 
                   TO WAGE CREDITS FOR MILITARY SERVICE PRIOR TO 
                   1957.

       Section 217(g)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     417(g)(2)) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``through 2010'' after ``each fifth year 
     thereafter''; and
       (2) by inserting after the first sentence the following: 
     ``The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall revise the 
     amount determined under paragraph (1) with respect to the 
     Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund under title XVIII in 
     2015 and each fifth year thereafter through such date, and 
     using such data, as the Secretary determines appropriate on 
     the basis of the amount of benefits and administrative 
     expenses actually paid from such Trust Fund under title XVIII 
     and the relevant actuarial assumptions set forth in the 
     report of the Board of Trustees of such Trust Fund for such 
     year under section 1817(b).''.

     SEC. 843. CERTIFICATION OF BENEFITS PAYABLE TO A DIVORCED 
                   SPOUSE OF A RAILROAD WORKER TO THE RAILROAD 
                   RETIREMENT BOARD.

       Section 205(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     405(i)) is amended by inserting ``or divorced wife or 
     divorced husband'' after ``the wife or husband''.

     SEC. 844. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO ELIMINATE OBSOLETE 
                   PROVISIONS.

       (a) Elimination of Reference in Section 226 to a Repealed 
     Provision.--Section 226 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     426) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (i); and
       (2) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (i).
       (b) Elimination of Reference in Section 226A to a Repealed 
     Provision.--Section 226A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 426-1) is 
     amended by striking the second subsection (c).

     SEC. 845. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO CONGRESS.

       (a) Report on Fraud and Improper Payment Prevention 
     Activities.--Section 704(b) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 904(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) For each fiscal year beginning with 2016 and ending 
     with 2021, the Commissioner shall include in the annual 
     budget prepared pursuant to subparagraph (A) a report 
     describing the purposes for which amounts made available for 
     purposes described in section 251(b)(2)(B) of the Balanced 
     Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 for the 
     fiscal year were expended by the Social Security 
     Administration and the purposes for which the Commissioner 
     plans for the Administration to expend such funds in the 
     succeeding fiscal year, including--
       ``(A) the total such amount expended;
       ``(B) the amount expended on co-operative disability 
     investigation units;
       ``(C) the number of cases of fraud prevented by co-
     operative disability investigation units and the amount 
     expended on such cases (as reported to the Commissioner by 
     the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration);
       ``(D) the number of felony cases prosecuted under section 
     208 (as reported to the Commissioner by the Inspector 
     General) and the amount expended by the Social Security 
     Administration in supporting the prosecution of such cases;
       ``(E) the amount of such felony cases successfully 
     prosecuted (as reported to the Commissioner by the Inspector 
     General) and the amount expended by the Social Security 
     Administration in supporting the prosecution of such cases;
       ``(F) the amount expended on and the number of completed--
       ``(i) continuing disability reviews conducted by mail;
       ``(ii) redeterminations conducted by mail;
       ``(iii) medical continuing disability reviews conducted 
     pursuant to section 221(i);
       ``(iv) medical continuing disability reviews conducted 
     pursuant to 1614(a)(3)(H);
       ``(v) redeterminations conducted pursuant to section 
     1611(c); and
       ``(vi) work-related continuing disability reviews to 
     determine whether earnings derived from services demonstrate 
     an individual's ability to engage in substantial gainful 
     activity;
       ``(G) the number of cases of fraud identified for which 
     benefits were terminated as a result of medical continuing 
     disability reviews (as reported to the Commissioner by the 
     Inspector General), work-related continuing disability 
     reviews, and redeterminations,

[[Page 16775]]

     and the amount of resulting savings for each such type of 
     review or redetermination; and
       ``(H) the number of work-related continuing disability 
     reviews in which a beneficiary improperly reported earnings 
     derived from services for more than 3 consecutive months, and 
     the amount of resulting savings.''.
       (b) Report on Work-related Continuing Disability Reviews.--
     The Commissioner of Social Security shall annually submit to 
     the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a 
     report on the number of work-related continuing disability 
     reviews conducted each year to determine whether earnings 
     derived from services demonstrate an individual's ability to 
     engage in substantial gainful activity. Such report shall 
     include--
       (1) the number of individuals receiving benefits based on 
     disability under title II of such Act for whom reports of 
     earnings were received from any source by the Commissioner in 
     the previous calendar year, reported as a total number and 
     separately by the source of the report;
       (2) the number of individuals for whom such reports 
     resulted in a determination to conduct a work-related 
     continuing disability review, and the basis on which such 
     determinations were made;
       (3) in the case of a beneficiary selected for a work-
     related continuing disability review on the basis of a report 
     of earnings from any source--
       (A) the average number of days--
       (i) between the receipt of the report and the initiation of 
     the review,
       (ii) between the initiation and the completion of the 
     review, and
       (iii) the average amount of overpayment, if any;
       (B) the number of such reviews completed during such 
     calendar year, and the number of such reviews that resulted 
     in a suspension or termination of benefits;
       (C) the number of such reviews initiated in the current 
     year that had not been completed as of the end of such 
     calendar year;
       (D) the number of such reviews initiated in a prior year 
     that had not been completed as of the end of such calendar 
     year;
       (4) the total savings to the Trust Funds and the Treasury 
     generated from benefits suspended or terminated as a result 
     of such reviews; and
       (5) with respect to individuals for whom a work-related 
     continuing disability review was completed during such 
     calendar year--
       (A) the number who participated in the Ticket to Work 
     program under section 1148 during such calendar year;
       (B) the number who used any program work incentives during 
     such calendar year; and
       (C) the number who received vocational rehabilitation 
     services during such calendar year with respect to which the 
     Commissioner of Social Security reimbursed a State agency 
     under section 222(d).
       (c) Report on Overpayment Waivers.--Not later than January 
     1 of each calendar year, the Commissioner of Social Security 
     shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate 
     a report on--
       (1) the number and total value of overpayments recovered or 
     scheduled to be recovered by the Social Security 
     Administration during the previous fiscal year of benefits 
     under title II and title XVI, respectively, including the 
     terms and conditions of repayment of such overpayments; and
       (2) the number and total value of overpayments waived by 
     the Social Security Administration during the previous fiscal 
     year of benefits under title II and title XVI, respectively.

     SEC. 846. EXPEDITED EXAMINATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Office of Personnel Management shall, upon request 
     of the Commissioner of Social Security, expeditiously 
     administer a sufficient number of competitive examinations, 
     as determined by the Commissioner, for the purpose of 
     identifying an adequate number of candidates to be appointed 
     as Administrative Law Judges under section 3105 of title 5, 
     United States Code. The first such examination shall take 
     place not later than April 1, 2016 and other examinations 
     shall take place at such time or times requested by the 
     Commissioner, but not later than December 31, 2022. Such 
     examinations shall proceed even if one or more individuals 
     who took a prior examination have appealed an adverse 
     determination and one or more of such appeals have not 
     concluded, provided that--
       (1) the Commissioner of Social Security has made a 
     determination that delaying the examination poses a 
     significant risk that an adequate number of Administrative 
     Law Judges will not be available to meet the need of the 
     Social Security Administration to reduce or prevent a backlog 
     of cases awaiting a hearing;
       (2) an individual whose appeal is pending is provided an 
     option to continue their appeal or elects to take the new 
     examination, in which case the appeal is considered vacated; 
     and
       (3) an individual who decides to continue his or her appeal 
     and who ultimately prevails in the appeal shall receive 
     expeditious consideration for hire by the Office Personnel 
     Management and the Commissioner of Social Security.
       (b) Payment of Costs.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, the Commissioner of Social Security shall pay the 
     full cost associated with each examination conducted pursuant 
     to subsection (a).

           TITLE IX--TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT

     SEC. 901. TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT.

       (a) In General.--Section 3101(b) of title 31, United States 
     Code, shall not apply for the period beginning on the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and ending on March 15, 2017.
       (b) Special Rule Relating to Obligations Issued During 
     Extension Period.--Effective March 16, 2017, the limitation 
     in effect under section 3101(b) of title 31, United States 
     Code, shall be increased to the extent that--
       (1) the face amount of obligations issued under chapter 31 
     of such title and the face amount of obligations whose 
     principal and interest are guaranteed by the United States 
     Government (except guaranteed obligations held by the 
     Secretary of the Treasury) outstanding on March 16, 2017, 
     exceeds
       (2) the face amount of such obligations outstanding on the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 902. RESTORING CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONAL 
                   DEBT.

       (a) Extension Limited to Necessary Obligations.--An 
     obligation shall not be taken into account under section 
     901(b)(1) unless the issuance of such obligation was 
     necessary to fund a commitment incurred pursuant to law by 
     the Federal Government that required payment before March 16, 
     2017.
       (b) Prohibition on Creation of Cash Reserve During 
     Extension Period.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall not 
     issue obligations during the period specified in section 
     901(a) for the purpose of increasing the cash balance above 
     normal operating balances in anticipation of the expiration 
     of such period.

                       TITLE X--SPECTRUM PIPELINE

     SEC. 1001. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Spectrum Pipeline Act of 
     2015''.

     SEC. 1002. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
     means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
     and Information.
       (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
     Communications Commission.
       (3) Federal entity.--The term ``Federal entity'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 113(l) of the National 
     Telecommunications and Information Administration 
     Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923(l)).
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.

     SEC. 1003. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

       Each range of frequencies described in this title shall be 
     construed to be inclusive of the upper and lower frequencies 
     in the range.

     SEC. 1004. IDENTIFICATION, REALLOCATION, AND AUCTION OF 
                   FEDERAL SPECTRUM.

       (a) Identification of Spectrum.--Not later than January 1, 
     2022, the Secretary shall submit to the President and to the 
     Commission a report identifying 30 megahertz of 
     electromagnetic spectrum (in bands of not less than 10 
     megahertz of contiguous frequencies) below the frequency of 3 
     gigahertz (except for the spectrum between the frequencies of 
     1675 megahertz and 1695 megahertz) for reallocation from 
     Federal use to non-Federal use or shared Federal and non-
     Federal use, or a combination thereof.
       (b) Clearing of Spectrum.--The President shall--
       (1) not later than January 1, 2022, begin the process of 
     withdrawing or modifying the assignment to a Federal 
     Government station of the electromagnetic spectrum identified 
     under subsection (a); and
       (2) not later than 30 days after completing the withdrawal 
     or modification, notify the Commission that the withdrawal or 
     modification is complete.
       (c) Reallocation and Auction.--
       (1) In general.--The Commission shall--
       (A) reallocate the electromagnetic spectrum identified 
     under subsection (a) for non-Federal use or shared Federal 
     and non-Federal use, or a combination thereof; and
       (B) notwithstanding paragraph (15)(A) of section 309(j) of 
     the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)), not later 
     than July 1, 2024, begin a system of competitive bidding 
     under such section to grant new initial licenses for the use 
     of such spectrum, subject to flexible-use service rules.
       (2) Proceeds to cover 110 percent of federal relocation or 
     sharing costs.--Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed 
     to relieve the Commission from the requirements of section 
     309(j)(16)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
     309(j)(16)(B)).

     SEC. 1005. ADDITIONAL USES OF SPECTRUM RELOCATION FUND.

       (a) In General.--Section 118 of the National 
     Telecommunications and Information Administration 
     Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 928) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i); and

[[Page 16776]]

       (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
       ``(g) Additional Payments for Research and Development and 
     Planning Activities.--
       ``(1) Amounts available.--Notwithstanding subsections (c) 
     through (e)--
       ``(A) there are appropriated from the Fund on the date of 
     the enactment of the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015, and 
     available to the Director of OMB for use in accordance with 
     paragraph (2), not more than $500,000,000 from amounts in the 
     Fund on such date of enactment; and
       ``(B) there are appropriated from the Fund after such date 
     of enactment, and available to the Director of OMB for use in 
     accordance with such paragraph, not more than 10 percent of 
     the amounts deposited in the Fund after such date of 
     enactment.
       ``(2) Use of amounts.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Director of OMB may use amounts made 
     available under paragraph (1) to make payments requested by 
     Federal entities for research and development, engineering 
     studies, economic analyses, activities with respect to 
     systems, or other planning activities intended to improve the 
     efficiency and effectiveness of the spectrum use of Federal 
     entities in order to make available frequencies described in 
     subparagraph (C) for reallocation for non-Federal use or 
     shared Federal and non-Federal use, or a combination thereof, 
     and for auction in accordance with such reallocation.
       ``(B) Systems that improve efficiency and effectiveness of 
     federal spectrum use.--For purposes of a payment under 
     subparagraph (A) for activities with respect to systems that 
     improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the spectrum use 
     of Federal entities, such systems include the following:
       ``(i) Systems that have increased functionality or that 
     increase the ability of a Federal entity to accommodate 
     spectrum sharing with non-Federal entities.
       ``(ii) Systems that consolidate functions or services that 
     have been provided using separate systems.
       ``(iii) Non-spectrum technology or systems.
       ``(C) Frequencies described.--The frequencies described in 
     this subparagraph are, with respect to a payment under 
     subparagraph (A), frequencies that--
       ``(i) are assigned to a Federal entity; and
       ``(ii) at the time of the activities conducted with such 
     payment, are not identified for auction.
       ``(D) Conditions.--The Director of OMB may not make a 
     payment to a Federal entity under subparagraph (A)--
       ``(i) unless--

       ``(I) the Federal entity has submitted to the Technical 
     Panel established under section 113(h)(3) a plan describing 
     the activities that the Federal entity will conduct with such 
     payment;
       ``(II) the Technical Panel has approved such plan under 
     subparagraph (E); and
       ``(III) the Director of OMB has submitted the plan approved 
     under subparagraph (E) to the congressional committees 
     described in subsection (d)(2)(C); and

       ``(ii) until 60 days have elapsed after submission of the 
     plan under clause (i)(III).
       ``(E) Review by technical panel.--
       ``(i) In general.--Not later than 120 days after a Federal 
     entity submits a plan under subparagraph (D)(i)(I) to the 
     Technical Panel established under section 113(h)(3), the 
     Technical Panel shall approve or disapprove such plan.
       ``(ii) Criteria for review.--In considering whether to 
     approve or disapprove a plan under this subparagraph, the 
     Technical Panel shall consider whether--

       ``(I) the activities that the Federal entity will conduct 
     with the payment will--

       ``(aa) increase the probability of relocation from or 
     sharing of Federal spectrum;
       ``(bb) facilitate an auction intended to occur not later 
     than 8 years after the payment; and
       ``(cc) increase the net expected auction proceeds in an 
     amount not less than the time value of the amount of the 
     payment; and

       ``(II) the transfer will leave sufficient amounts in the 
     Fund for the other purposes of the Fund.

       ``(h) Prioritization of Payments.--In determining whether 
     to make payments under subsections (f) and (g), the Director 
     of OMB shall, to the extent practicable, prioritize payments 
     under subsection (g).''.
       (b) Administrative Support for Technical Panel.--Section 
     113(h)(3)(C) of the National Telecommunications and 
     Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 
     923(h)(3)(C)) is amended by striking ``this subsection and 
     subsection (i)'' and inserting ``this subsection, subsection 
     (i), and section 118(g)(2)(E)''.
       (c) Eligible Federal Entities.--Section 113 of the National 
     Telecommunications and Information Administration 
     Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (g)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``authorized to use a band of eligible 
     frequencies described in paragraph (2) and'';
       (ii) by inserting ``eligible'' after ``auction of'';
       (iii) by inserting ``eligible'' after ``reallocation of''; 
     and
       (B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``previously assigned 
     to such entity or the sharing of spectrum frequencies 
     assigned to such entity'' and inserting ``or the sharing of 
     spectrum frequencies''; and
       (2) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ``authorized to use 
     any such frequency''.

     SEC. 1006. PLANS FOR AUCTION OF CERTAIN SPECTRUM.

       (a) Reports to Congress.--In accordance with each paragraph 
     of subsection (c), the Commission, in coordination with the 
     Assistant Secretary, shall submit to the Committee on Energy 
     and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate a report containing a proposed plan for the assignment 
     of new licenses for non-Federal use of the spectrum 
     identified under such paragraph, including--
       (1) an assessment of the operations of Federal entities 
     that operate Federal Government stations authorized to use 
     such spectrum;
       (2) an estimated timeline for the competitive bidding 
     process; and
       (3) a proposed plan for balance between unlicensed and 
     licensed use.
       (b) Information for Assessment of Federal Entity 
     Operations.--The Assistant Secretary, in coordination with 
     the affected Federal entities, shall provide to the 
     Commission the necessary information to carry out subsection 
     (a)(1).
       (c) Report Deadlines; Identification of Spectrum.--The 
     Commission shall submit reports under subsection (a) as 
     follows:
       (1) Not later than January 1, 2022, for at least 50 
     megahertz of spectrum (in bands of not less than 10 megahertz 
     of contiguous frequencies) below 6 gigahertz, to be 
     identified by the Commission, in coordination with the 
     Assistant Secretary, from spectrum other than the spectrum 
     identified under section 1004(a).
       (2) Not later than January 1, 2024, for at least 50 
     megahertz of spectrum (in bands of not less than 10 megahertz 
     of contiguous frequencies) below 6 gigahertz, to be 
     identified by the Commission, in coordination with the 
     Assistant Secretary, from spectrum other than the spectrum 
     identified under paragraph (1) or section 1004(a).

     SEC. 1007. FCC AUCTION AUTHORITY.

       Section 309(j)(11) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
     U.S.C. 309(j)(11)) is amended by inserting before the period 
     at the end the following: ``, except that, with respect to 
     the electromagnetic spectrum identified under section 1004(a) 
     of the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015, such authority shall 
     expire on September 30, 2025''.

     SEC. 1008. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

       Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress--
       (1) a report containing an analysis of the results of the 
     rules changes relating to the frequencies between 3550 
     megahertz and 3650 megahertz; and
       (2) a report containing an analysis of proposals to promote 
     and identify additional spectrum bands that can be shared 
     between incumbent uses and new licensed, and unlicensed 
     services under such rules and identification of at least 1 
     gigahertz between 6 gigahertz and 57 GHz for such use.

         TITLE XI--REVENUE PROVISIONS RELATED TO TAX COMPLIANCE

     SEC. 1101. PARTNERSHIP AUDITS AND ADJUSTMENTS.

       (a) Repeal of TEFRA Partnership Audit Rules.--Chapter 63 of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking 
     subchapter C (and by striking the item relating to such 
     subchapter in the table of subchapters for such chapter).
       (b) Repeal of Electing Large Partnership Rules.--
       (1) In general.--Subchapter K of chapter 1 of such Code is 
     amended by striking part IV (and by striking the item 
     relating to such part in the table of parts for such 
     subchapter).
       (2) Assessment rules relating to electing large 
     partnerships.--Chapter 63 of such Code is amended by striking 
     subchapter D (and by striking the item relating to such 
     subchapter in the table of subchapters for such chapter).
       (c) Partnership Audit Reform.--
       (1) In general.--Chapter 63 of such Code, as amended by the 
     preceding provisions of this section, is amended by inserting 
     after subchapter B the following new subchapter:

               ``Subchapter C--Treatment of Partnerships

                          ``Part I--In General

                   ``Part II--Partnership Adjustments

                         ``Part III--Procedure

                ``Part IV--Definitions and Special Rules

                          ``PART I--IN GENERAL

``Sec. 6221. Determination at partnership level.
``Sec. 6222. Partner's return must be consistent with partnership 
              return.
``Sec. 6223. Designation of partnership representative.

     ``SEC. 6221. DETERMINATION AT PARTNERSHIP LEVEL.

       ``(a) In General.--Any adjustment to items of income, gain, 
     loss, deduction, or credit of a partnership for a partnership 
     taxable year (and any partner's distributive share thereof) 
     shall be determined, any tax attributable thereto shall be 
     assessed and

[[Page 16777]]

     collected, and the applicability of any penalty, addition to 
     tax, or additional amount which relates to an adjustment to 
     any such item or share shall be determined, at the 
     partnership level pursuant to this subchapter.
       ``(b) Election Out for Certain Partnerships With 100 or 
     Fewer Partners, etc.--
       ``(1) In general.--This subchapter shall not apply with 
     respect to any partnership for any taxable year if--
       ``(A) the partnership elects the application of this 
     subsection for such taxable year,
       ``(B) for such taxable year the partnership is required to 
     furnish 100 or fewer statements under section 6031(b) with 
     respect to its partners,
       ``(C) each of the partners of such partnership is an 
     individual, a C corporation, any foreign entity that would be 
     treated as a C corporation were it domestic, an S 
     corporation, or an estate of a deceased partner,
       ``(D) the election--
       ``(i) is made with a timely filed return for such taxable 
     year, and
       ``(ii) includes (in the manner prescribed by the Secretary) 
     a disclosure of the name and taxpayer identification number 
     of each partner of such partnership, and
       ``(E) the partnership notifies each such partner of such 
     election in the manner prescribed by the Secretary.
       ``(2) Special rules relating to certain partners.--
       ``(A) S corporation partners.--In the case of a partner 
     that is an S corporation--
       ``(i) the partnership shall only be treated as meeting the 
     requirements of paragraph (1)(C) with respect to such partner 
     if such partnership includes (in the manner prescribed by the 
     Secretary) a disclosure of the name and taxpayer 
     identification number of each person with respect to whom 
     such S corporation is required to furnish a statement under 
     section 6037(b) for the taxable year of the S corporation 
     ending with or within the partnership taxable year for which 
     the application of this subsection is elected, and
       ``(ii) the statements such S corporation is required to so 
     furnish shall be treated as statements furnished by the 
     partnership for purposes of paragraph (1)(B).
       ``(B) Foreign partners.--For purposes of paragraph 
     (1)(D)(ii), the Secretary may provide for alternative 
     identification of any foreign partners.
       ``(C) Other partners.--The Secretary may by regulation or 
     other guidance prescribe rules similar to the rules of 
     subparagraph (A) with respect to any partners not described 
     in such subparagraph or paragraph (1)(C).

     ``SEC. 6222. PARTNER'S RETURN MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH 
                   PARTNERSHIP RETURN.

       ``(a) In General.--A partner shall, on the partner's 
     return, treat each item of income, gain, loss, deduction, or 
     credit attributable to a partnership in a manner which is 
     consistent with the treatment of such income, gain, loss, 
     deduction, or credit on the partnership return.
       ``(b) Underpayment Due to Inconsistent Treatment Assessed 
     as Math Error.--Any underpayment of tax by a partner by 
     reason of failing to comply with the requirements of 
     subsection (a) shall be assessed and collected in the same 
     manner as if such underpayment were on account of a 
     mathematical or clerical error appearing on the partner's 
     return. Paragraph (2) of section 6213(b) shall not apply to 
     any assessment of an underpayment referred to in the 
     preceding sentence.
       ``(c) Exception for Notification of Inconsistent 
     Treatment.--
       ``(1) In general.--In the case of any item referred to in 
     subsection (a), if--
       ``(A)(i) the partnership has filed a return but the 
     partner's treatment on the partner's return is (or may be) 
     inconsistent with the treatment of the item on the 
     partnership return, or
       ``(ii) the partnership has not filed a return, and
       ``(B) the partner files with the Secretary a statement 
     identifying the inconsistency,
     subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to such item.
       ``(2) Partner receiving incorrect information.--A partner 
     shall be treated as having complied with subparagraph (B) of 
     paragraph (1) with respect to an item if the partner--
       ``(A) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary 
     that the treatment of the item on the partner's return is 
     consistent with the treatment of the item on the statement 
     furnished to the partner by the partnership, and
       ``(B) elects to have this paragraph apply with respect to 
     that item.
       ``(d) Final Decision on Certain Positions Not Binding on 
     Partnership.--Any final decision with respect to an 
     inconsistent position identified under subsection (c) in a 
     proceeding to which the partnership is not a party shall not 
     be binding on the partnership.
       ``(e) Addition to Tax for Failure to Comply With Section.--
     For addition to tax in the case of a partner's disregard of 
     the requirements of this section, see part II of subchapter A 
     of chapter 68.

     ``SEC. 6223. PARTNERS BOUND BY ACTIONS OF PARTNERSHIP.

       ``(a) Designation of Partnership Representative.--Each 
     partnership shall designate (in the manner prescribed by the 
     Secretary) a partner (or other person) with a substantial 
     presence in the United States as the partnership 
     representative who shall have the sole authority to act on 
     behalf of the partnership under this subchapter. In any case 
     in which such a designation is not in effect, the Secretary 
     may select any person as the partnership representative.
       ``(b) Binding Effect.--A partnership and all partners of 
     such partnership shall be bound--
       ``(1) by actions taken under this subchapter by the 
     partnership, and
       ``(2) by any final decision in a proceeding brought under 
     this subchapter with respect to the partnership.

                   ``PART II--PARTNERSHIP ADJUSTMENTS

``Sec. 6225. Partnership adjustment by Secretary.
``Sec. 6226. Alternative to payment of imputed underpayment by 
              partnership.
``Sec. 6227. Administrative adjustment request by partnership.

     ``SEC. 6225. PARTNERSHIP ADJUSTMENT BY SECRETARY.

       ``(a) In General.--In the case of any adjustment by the 
     Secretary in the amount of any item of income, gain, loss, 
     deduction, or credit of a partnership, or any partner's 
     distributive share thereof--
       ``(1) the partnership shall pay any imputed underpayment 
     with respect to such adjustment in the adjustment year as 
     provided in section 6232, and
       ``(2) any adjustment that does not result in an imputed 
     underpayment shall be taken into account by the partnership 
     in the adjustment year--
       ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), as a 
     reduction in non-separately stated income or an increase in 
     non-separately stated loss (whichever is appropriate) under 
     section 702(a)(8), or
       ``(B) in the case of an item of credit, as a separately 
     stated item.
       ``(b) Determination of Imputed Underpayments.--For purposes 
     of this subchapter--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (c), 
     any imputed underpayment with respect to any partnership 
     adjustment for any reviewed year shall be determined--
       ``(A) by netting all adjustments of items of income, gain, 
     loss, or deduction and multiplying such net amount by the 
     highest rate of tax in effect for the reviewed year under 
     section 1 or 11,
       ``(B) by treating any net increase or decrease in loss 
     under subparagraph (A) as a decrease or increase, 
     respectively, in income, and
       ``(C) by taking into account any adjustments to items of 
     credit as an increase or decrease, as the case may be, in the 
     amount determined under subparagraph (A).
       ``(2) Adjustments to distributive shares of partners not 
     netted.--In the case of any adjustment which reallocates the 
     distributive share of any item from one partner to another, 
     such adjustment shall be taken into account under paragraph 
     (1) by disregarding--
       ``(A) any decrease in any item of income or gain, and
       ``(B) any increase in any item of deduction, loss, or 
     credit.
       ``(c) Modification of Imputed Underpayments.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish procedures 
     under which the imputed underpayment amount may be modified 
     consistent with the requirements of this subsection.
       ``(2) Amended returns of partners.--
       ``(A) In general.--Such procedures shall provide that if--
       ``(i) one or more partners file returns (notwithstanding 
     section 6511) for the taxable year of the partners which 
     includes the end of the reviewed year of the partnership,
       ``(ii) such returns take into account all adjustments under 
     subsection (a) properly allocable to such partners (and for 
     any other taxable year with respect to which any tax 
     attribute is affected by reason of such adjustments), and
       ``(iii) payment of any tax due is included with such 
     return,
     then the imputed underpayment amount shall be determined 
     without regard to the portion of the adjustments so taken 
     into account.
       ``(B) Reallocation of distributive share.--In the case of 
     any adjustment which reallocates the distributive share of 
     any item from one partner to another, paragraph (2) shall 
     apply only if returns are filed by all partners affected by 
     such adjustment.
       ``(3) Tax-exempt partners.--Such procedures shall provide 
     for determining the imputed underpayment without regard to 
     the portion thereof that the partnership demonstrates is 
     allocable to a partner that would not owe tax by reason of 
     its status as a tax-exempt entity (as defined in section 
     168(h)(2)).
       ``(4) Modification of applicable highest tax rates.--
       ``(A) In general.--Such procedures shall provide for taking 
     into account a rate of tax lower than the rate of tax 
     described in subsection (b)(1)(A) with respect to any portion 
     of the imputed underpayment that the partnership demonstrates 
     is allocable to a partner which--

[[Page 16778]]

       ``(i) in the case of ordinary income, is a C corporation, 
     or
       ``(ii) in the case of a capital gain or qualified dividend, 
     is an individual.
     In no event shall the lower rate determined under the 
     preceding sentence be less than the highest rate in effect 
     with respect to the income and taxpayer described in clause 
     (i) or clause (ii), as the case may be. For purposes of 
     clause (ii), an S corporation shall be treated as an 
     individual.
       ``(B) Portion of imputed underpayment to which lower rate 
     applies.--
       ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), the 
     portion of the imputed underpayment to which the lower rate 
     applies with respect to a partner under subparagraph (A) 
     shall be determined by reference to the partners' 
     distributive share of items to which the imputed underpayment 
     relates.
       ``(ii) Rule in case of varied treatment of items among 
     partners.--If the imputed underpayment is attributable to the 
     adjustment of more than 1 item, and any partner's 
     distributive share of such items is not the same with respect 
     to all such items, then the portion of the imputed 
     underpayment to which the lower rate applies with respect to 
     a partner under subparagraph (A) shall be determined by 
     reference to the amount which would have been the partner's 
     distributive share of net gain or loss if the partnership had 
     sold all of its assets at their fair market value as of the 
     close of the reviewed year of the partnership.
       ``(5) Other procedures for modification of imputed 
     underpayment.--The Secretary may by regulations or guidance 
     provide for additional procedures to modify imputed 
     underpayment amounts on the basis of such other factors as 
     the Secretary determines are necessary or appropriate to 
     carry out the purposes of this subsection.
       ``(6) Year and day for submission to secretary.--Anything 
     required to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be 
     submitted to the Secretary not later than the close of the 
     270-day period beginning on the date on which the notice of a 
     proposed partnership adjustment is mailed under section 6231 
     unless such period is extended with the consent of the 
     Secretary.
       ``(7) Decision of secretary.--Any modification of the 
     imputed underpayment amount under this subsection shall be 
     made only upon approval of such modification by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(d) Definitions.--For purposes of this subchapter--
       ``(1) Reviewed year.--The term `reviewed year' means the 
     partnership taxable year to which the item being adjusted 
     relates.
       ``(2) Adjustment year.--The term `adjustment year' means 
     the partnership taxable year in which--
       ``(A) in the case of an adjustment pursuant to the decision 
     of a court in a proceeding brought under section 6234, such 
     decision becomes final,
       ``(B) in the case of an administrative adjustment request 
     under section 6227, such administrative adjustment request is 
     made, or
       ``(C) in any other case, notice of the final partnership 
     adjustment is mailed under section 6231.

     ``SEC. 6226. ALTERNATIVE TO PAYMENT OF IMPUTED UNDERPAYMENT 
                   BY PARTNERSHIP.

       ``(a) In General.--If the partnership--
       ``(1) not later than 45 days after the date of the notice 
     of final partnership adjustment, elects the application of 
     this section with respect to an imputed underpayment, and
       ``(2) at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
     provide, furnishes to each partner of the partnership for the 
     reviewed year and to the Secretary a statement of the 
     partner's share of any adjustment to income, gain, loss, 
     deduction, or credit (as determined in the notice of final 
     partnership adjustment),

     section 6225 shall not apply with respect to such 
     underpayment and each such partner shall take such adjustment 
     into account as provided in subsection (b). The election 
     under paragraph (1) shall be made in such manner as the 
     Secretary may provide and, once made, shall be revocable only 
     with the consent of the Secretary.
       ``(b) Adjustments Taken Into Account by Partner.--
       ``(1) Tax imposed in year of statement.--Each partner's tax 
     imposed by chapter 1 for the taxable year which includes the 
     date the statement was furnished under subsection (a) shall 
     be increased by the aggregate of the adjustment amounts 
     determined under paragraph (2) for the taxable years referred 
     to therein.
       ``(2) Adjustment amounts.--The adjustment amounts 
     determined under this paragraph are--
       ``(A) in the case of the taxable year of the partner which 
     includes the end of the reviewed year, the amount by which 
     the tax imposed under chapter 1 would increase if the 
     partner's share of the adjustments described in subsection 
     (a) were taken into account for such taxable year, plus
       ``(B) in the case of any taxable year after the taxable 
     year referred to in subparagraph (A) and before the taxable 
     year referred to in paragraph (1), the amount by which the 
     tax imposed under chapter 1 would increase by reason of the 
     adjustment to tax attributes under paragraph (3).
       ``(3) Adjustment of tax attributes.--Any tax attribute 
     which would have been affected if the adjustments described 
     in subsection (a) were taken into account for the taxable 
     year referred to in paragraph (2)(A) shall--
       ``(A) in the case of any taxable year referred to in 
     paragraph (2)(B), be appropriately adjusted for purposes of 
     applying such paragraph, and
       ``(B) in the case of any subsequent taxable year, be 
     appropriately adjusted.
       ``(c) Penalties and Interest.--
       ``(1) Penalties.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), 
     any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amount shall 
     be determined as provided under section 6221 and the partners 
     of the partnership for the reviewed year shall be liable for 
     any such penalty, addition to tax, or additional amount.
       ``(2) Interest.--In the case of an imputed underpayment 
     with respect to which the application of this section is 
     elected, interest shall be determined--
       ``(A) at the partner level,
       ``(B) from the due date of the return for the taxable year 
     to which the increase is attributable (determined by taking 
     into account any increases attributable to a change in tax 
     attributes for a taxable year under subsection (b)(2)), and
       ``(C) at the underpayment rate under section 6621(a)(2), 
     determined by substituting `5 percentage points' for `3 
     percentage points' in subparagraph (B) thereof.

     ``SEC. 6227. ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENT REQUEST BY 
                   PARTNERSHIP.

       ``(a) In General.--A partnership may file a request for an 
     administrative adjustment in the amount of one or more items 
     of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of the 
     partnership for any partnership taxable year.
       ``(b) Adjustment.--Any such adjustment under subsection (a) 
     shall be determined and taken into account for the 
     partnership taxable year in which the administrative 
     adjustment request is made--
       ``(1) by the partnership under rules similar to the rules 
     of section 6225 (other than paragraphs (2), (6) and (7) of 
     subsection (c) thereof) for the partnership taxable year in 
     which the administrative adjustment request is made, or
       ``(2) by the partnership and partners under rules similar 
     to the rules of section 6226 (determined without regard to 
     the substitution described in subsection (c)(2)(C) thereof).
     In the case of an adjustment that would not result in an 
     imputed underpayment, paragraph (1) shall not apply and 
     paragraph (2) shall apply with appropriate adjustments.
       ``(c) Period of Limitations.--A partnership may not file 
     such a request more than 3 years after the later of--
       ``(1) the date on which the partnership return for such 
     year is filed, or
       ``(2) the last day for filing the partnership return for 
     such year (determined without regard to extensions).
     In no event may a partnership file such a request after a 
     notice of an administrative proceeding with respect to the 
     taxable year is mailed under section 6231.

                          ``PART 1--PROCEDURE

``Sec. 6231. Notice of proceedings and adjustment.
``Sec. 6232. Assessment, collection, and payment.
``Sec. 6233. Interest and penalties.
``Sec. 6234. Judicial review of partnership adjustment.
``Sec. 6235. Period of limitations on making adjustments.

     ``SEC. 6231. NOTICE OF PROCEEDINGS AND ADJUSTMENT.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall mail to the 
     partnership and the partnership representative--
       ``(1) notice of any administrative proceeding initiated at 
     the partnership level with respect to an adjustment of any 
     item of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of a 
     partnership for a partnership taxable year, or any partner's 
     distributive share thereof,
       ``(2) notice of any proposed partnership adjustment 
     resulting from such proceeding, and
       ``(3) notice of any final partnership adjustment resulting 
     from such proceeding.
     Any notice of a final partnership adjustment shall not be 
     mailed earlier than 270 days after the date on which the 
     notice of the proposed partnership adjustment is mailed. Such 
     notices shall be sufficient if mailed to the last known 
     address of the partnership representative or the partnership 
     (even if the partnership has terminated its existence). The 
     first sentence shall apply to any proceeding with respect to 
     an administrative adjustment request filed by a partnership 
     under section 6227.
       ``(b) Further Notices Restricted.--If the Secretary mails a 
     notice of a final partnership adjustment to any partnership 
     for any partnership taxable year and the partnership files a 
     petition under section 6234 with respect to such notice, in 
     the absence of a showing of fraud, malfeasance, or 
     misrepresentation of a material fact, the Secretary shall not 
     mail another such notice to such partnership with respect to 
     such taxable year.
       ``(c) Authority to Rescind Notice With Partnership 
     Consent.--The Secretary may, with the consent of the 
     partnership, rescind any notice of a partnership adjustment 
     mailed to such partnership. Any notice so rescinded shall not 
     be treated as a notice of a

[[Page 16779]]

     partnership adjustment for purposes of this subchapter, and 
     the taxpayer shall have no right to bring a proceeding under 
     section 6234 with respect to such notice.

     ``SEC. 6232. ASSESSMENT, COLLECTION, AND PAYMENT.

       ``(a) In General.--Any imputed underpayment shall be 
     assessed and collected in the same manner as if it were a tax 
     imposed for the adjustment year by subtitle A, except that in 
     the case of an administrative adjustment request to which 
     section 6227(b)(1) applies, the underpayment shall be paid 
     when the request is filed.
       ``(b) Limitation on Assessment.--Except as otherwise 
     provided in this chapter, no assessment of a deficiency may 
     be made (and no levy or proceeding in any court for the 
     collection of any amount resulting from such adjustment may 
     be made, begun or prosecuted) before--
       ``(1) the close of the 90th day after the day on which a 
     notice of a final partnership adjustment was mailed, and
       ``(2) if a petition is filed under section 6234 with 
     respect to such notice, the decision of the court has become 
     final.
       ``(c) Premature Action May Be Enjoined.--Notwithstanding 
     section 7421(a), any action which violates subsection (b) may 
     be enjoined in the proper court, including the Tax Court. The 
     Tax Court shall have no jurisdiction to enjoin any action 
     under this subsection unless a timely petition has been filed 
     under section 6234 and then only in respect of the 
     adjustments that are the subject of such petition.
       ``(d) Exceptions to Restrictions on Adjustments.--
       ``(1) Adjustments arising out of math or clerical errors.--
       ``(A) In general.-- If the partnership is notified that, on 
     account of a mathematical or clerical error appearing on the 
     partnership return, an adjustment to a item is required, 
     rules similar to the rules of paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
     section 6213(b) shall apply to such adjustment.
       ``(B) Special rule.--If a partnership is a partner in 
     another partnership, any adjustment on account of such 
     partnership's failure to comply with the requirements of 
     section 6222(a) with respect to its interest in such other 
     partnership shall be treated as an adjustment referred to in 
     subparagraph (A), except that paragraph (2) of section 
     6213(b) shall not apply to such adjustment.
       ``(2) Partnership may waive restrictions.--The partnership 
     may at any time (whether or not any notice of partnership 
     adjustment has been issued), by a signed notice in writing 
     filed with the Secretary, waive the restrictions provided in 
     subsection (b) on the making of any partnership adjustment.
       ``(e) Limit Where No Proceeding Begun.--If no proceeding 
     under section 6234 is begun with respect to any notice of a 
     final partnership adjustment during the 90-day period 
     described in subsection (b) thereof, the amount for which the 
     partnership is liable under section 6225 shall not exceed the 
     amount determined in accordance with such notice.

     ``SEC. 6233. INTEREST AND PENALTIES.

       ``(a) Interest and Penalties Determined From Reviewed 
     Year.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except to the extent provided in section 
     6226(c), in the case of a partnership adjustment for a 
     reviewed year--
       ``(A) interest shall be computed under paragraph (2), and
       ``(B) the partnership shall be liable for any penalty, 
     addition to tax, or additional amount as provided in 
     paragraph (3).
       ``(2) Determination of amount of interest.--The interest 
     computed under this paragraph with respect to any partnership 
     adjustment is the interest which would be determined under 
     chapter 67 for the period beginning on the day after the 
     return due date for the reviewed year and ending on the 
     return due date for the adjustment year (or, if earlier, the 
     date payment of the imputed underpayment is made). Proper 
     adjustments in the amount determined under the preceding 
     sentence shall be made for adjustments required for 
     partnership taxable years after the reviewed year and before 
     the adjustment year by reason of such partnership adjustment.
       ``(3) Penalties.--Any penalty, addition to tax, or 
     additional amount shall be determined at the partnership 
     level as if such partnership had been an individual subject 
     to tax under chapter 1 for the reviewed year and the imputed 
     underpayment were an actual underpayment (or understatement) 
     for such year.
       ``(b) Interest and Penalties With Respect to Adjustment 
     Year Return.--
       ``(1) In general.--In the case of any failure to pay an 
     imputed underpayment on the date prescribed therefor, the 
     partnership shall be liable--
       ``(A) for interest as determined under paragraph (2), and
       ``(B) for any penalty, addition to tax, or additional 
     amount as determined under paragraph (3).
       ``(2) Interest.--Interest determined under this paragraph 
     is the interest that would be determined by treating the 
     imputed underpayment as an underpayment of tax imposed in the 
     adjustment year.
       ``(3) Penalties.--Penalties, additions to tax, or 
     additional amounts determined under this paragraph are the 
     penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts that would 
     be determined--
       ``(A) by applying section 6651(a)(2) to such failure to 
     pay, and
       ``(B) by treating the imputed underpayment as an 
     underpayment of tax for purposes of part II of subchapter A 
     of chapter 68.

     ``SEC. 6234. JUDICIAL REVIEW OF PARTNERSHIP ADJUSTMENT.

       ``(a) In General.--Within 90 days after the date on which a 
     notice of a final partnership adjustment is mailed under 
     section 6231 with respect to any partnership taxable year, 
     the partnership may file a petition for a readjustment for 
     such taxable year with--
       ``(1) the Tax Court,
       ``(2) the district court of the United States for the 
     district in which the partnership's principal place of 
     business is located, or
       ``(3) the Claims Court.
       ``(b) Jurisdictional Requirement for Bringing Action in 
     District Court or Claims Court.--
       ``(1) In general.--A readjustment petition under this 
     section may be filed in a district court of the United States 
     or the Claims Court only if the partnership filing the 
     petition deposits with the Secretary, on or before the date 
     the petition is filed, the amount of the imputed underpayment 
     (as of the date of the filing of the petition) if the 
     partnership adjustment was made as provided by the notice of 
     final partnership adjustment. The court may by order provide 
     that the jurisdictional requirements of this paragraph are 
     satisfied where there has been a good faith attempt to 
     satisfy such requirement and any shortfall of the amount 
     required to be deposited is timely corrected.
       ``(2) Interest payable.--Any amount deposited under 
     paragraph (1), while deposited, shall not be treated as a 
     payment of tax for purposes of this title (other than chapter 
     67).
       ``(c) Scope of Judicial Review.--A court with which a 
     petition is filed in accordance with this section shall have 
     jurisdiction to determine all items of income, gain, loss, 
     deduction, or credit of the partnership for the partnership 
     taxable year to which the notice of final partnership 
     adjustment relates, the proper allocation of such items among 
     the partners, and the applicability of any penalty, addition 
     to tax, or additional amount for which the partnership may be 
     liable under this subchapter.
       ``(d) Determination of Court Reviewable.--Any determination 
     by a court under this section shall have the force and effect 
     of a decision of the Tax Court or a final judgment or decree 
     of the district court or the Claims Court, as the case may 
     be, and shall be reviewable as such. The date of any such 
     determination shall be treated as being the date of the 
     court's order entering the decision.
       ``(e) Effect of Decision Dismissing Action.--If an action 
     brought under this section is dismissed other than by reason 
     of a rescission under section 6231(c), the decision of the 
     court dismissing the action shall be considered as its 
     decision that the notice of final partnership adjustment is 
     correct, and an appropriate order shall be entered in the 
     records of the court.

     ``SEC. 6235. PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS ON MAKING ADJUSTMENTS.

       ``(a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
     section, no adjustment under this subpart for any partnership 
     taxable year may be made after the later of--
       ``(1) the date which is 3 years after the latest of--
       ``(A) the date on which the partnership return for such 
     taxable year was filed,
       ``(B) the return due date for the taxable year, or
       ``(C) the date on which the partnership filed an 
     administrative adjustment request with respect to such year 
     under section 6227, or
       ``(2) in the case of any modification of an imputed 
     underpayment under section 6225(c), the date that is 270 days 
     (plus the number of days of any extension consented to by the 
     Secretary under paragraph (4) thereof) after the date on 
     which everything required to be submitted to the Secretary 
     pursuant to such section is so submitted, or
       ``(3) in the case of any notice of a proposed partnership 
     adjustment under section 6231(a)(2), the date that is 270 
     days after the date of such notice.
       ``(b) Extension by Agreement.--The period described in 
     subsection (a) (including an extension period under this 
     subsection) may be extended by an agreement entered into by 
     the Secretary and the partnership before the expiration of 
     such period.
       ``(c) Special Rule in Case of Fraud, etc.--
       ``(1) False return.--In the case of a false or fraudulent 
     partnership return with intent to evade tax, the adjustment 
     may be made at any time.
       ``(2) Substantial omission of income.--If any partnership 
     omits from gross income an amount properly includible therein 
     and such amount is described in section 6501(e)(1)(A), 
     subsection (a) shall be applied by substituting `6 years' for 
     `3 years'.
       ``(3) No return.--In the case of a failure by a partnership 
     to file a return for any taxable year, the adjustment may be 
     made at any time.
       ``(4) Return filed by secretary.--For purposes of this 
     section, a return executed by the Secretary under subsection 
     (b) of section

[[Page 16780]]

     6020 on behalf of the partnership shall not be treated as a 
     return of the partnership.
       ``(d) Suspension When Secretary Mails Notice of 
     Adjustment.--If notice of a final partnership adjustment with 
     respect to any taxable year is mailed under section 6231, the 
     running of the period specified in subsection (a) (as 
     modified by the other provisions of this section) shall be 
     suspended--
       ``(1) for the period during which an action may be brought 
     under section 6234 (and, if a petition is filed under such 
     section with respect to such notice, until the decision of 
     the court becomes final), and
       ``(2) for 1 year thereafter.

                ``PART 2--DEFINITIONS AND SPECIAL RULES

``Sec. 6241. Definitions and special rules.

     ``SEC. 6241. DEFINITIONS AND SPECIAL RULES.

       ``For purposes of this subchapter--
       ``(1) Partnership.--The term `partnership' means any 
     partnership required to file a return under section 6031(a).
       ``(2) Partnership adjustment.--The term `partnership 
     adjustment' means any adjustment in the amount of any item of 
     income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of a partnership, or 
     any partner's distributive share thereof.
       ``(3) Return due date.--The term `return due date' means, 
     with respect to the taxable year, the date prescribed for 
     filing the partnership return for such taxable year 
     (determined without regard to extensions).
       ``(4) Payments nondeductible.--No deduction shall be 
     allowed under subtitle A for any payment required to be made 
     by a partnership under this subchapter.
       ``(5) Partnerships having principal place of business 
     outside united states.--For purposes of sections 6234, a 
     principal place of business located outside the United States 
     shall be treated as located in the District of Columbia.
       ``(6) Partnerships in cases under title 11 of united states 
     code.--
       ``(A) Suspension of period of limitations on making 
     adjustment, assessment, or collection.--The running of any 
     period of limitations provided in this subchapter on making a 
     partnership adjustment (or provided by section 6501 or 6502 
     on the assessment or collection of any imputed underpayment 
     determined under this subchapter) shall, in a case under 
     title 11 of the United States Code, be suspended during the 
     period during which the Secretary is prohibited by reason of 
     such case from making the adjustment (or assessment or 
     collection) and--
       ``(i) for adjustment or assessment, 60 days thereafter, and
       ``(ii) for collection, 6 months thereafter.
     A rule similar to the rule of section 6213(f)(2) shall apply 
     for purposes of section 6232(b).
       ``(B) Suspension of period of limitation for filing for 
     judicial review.--The running of the period specified in 
     section 6234 shall, in a case under title 11 of the United 
     States Code, be suspended during the period during which the 
     partnership is prohibited by reason of such case from filing 
     a petition under section 6234 and for 60 days thereafter.
       ``(7) Treatment where partnership ceases to exist.--If a 
     partnership ceases to exist before a partnership adjustment 
     under this subchapter takes effect, such adjustment shall be 
     taken into account by the former partners of such partnership 
     under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
       ``(8) Extension to entities filing partnership return.--If 
     a partnership return is filed by an entity for a taxable year 
     but it is determined that the entity is not a partnership (or 
     that there is no entity) for such year, then, to the extent 
     provided in regulations, the provisions of this subchapter 
     are hereby extended in respect of such year to such entity 
     and its items and to persons holding an interest in such 
     entity.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of subchapters for 
     chapter 63 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended 
     by the preceding provisions of this section, is amended by 
     inserting after the item relating to subchapter B the 
     following new item:

             ``subchapter c. treatment of partnerships.''.

       (d) Binding Nature of Partnership Adjustment Proceedings.--
     Section 6330(c)(4) of such Code is amended by striking ``or'' 
     at the end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the 
     end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ``; or'', and by 
     inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(C) a final determination has been made with respect to 
     such issue in a proceeding brought under subchapter C of 
     chapter 63.''.
       (e) Restriction on Authority to Amend Partner Information 
     Statements.--Section 6031(b) of such Code is amended by 
     adding at the end the following: ``Except as provided in the 
     procedures under section 6225(c), with respect to statements 
     under section 6226, or as otherwise provided by the 
     Secretary, information required to be furnished by the 
     partnership under this subsection may not be amended after 
     the due date of the return under subsection (a) to which such 
     information relates.''.
       (f) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Section 6031(b) of such Code is amended by striking the 
     last sentence.
       (2) Section 6422 of such Code is amended by striking 
     paragraph (12).
       (3) Section 6501(n) of such Code is amended by striking 
     paragraphs (2) and (3) and by striking ``Cross References'' 
     and all that follows through ``For period of limitations'' 
     and inserting ``Cross Reference.--For period of 
     limitations''.
       (4) Section 6503(a)(1) of such Code is amended by striking 
     ``(or section 6229'' and all that follows through ``of 
     section 6230(a))''.
       (5) Section 6504 of such Code is amended by striking 
     paragraph (11).
       (6) Section 6511 of such Code is amended by striking 
     subsection (g).
       (7) Section 6512(b)(3) of such Code is amended by striking 
     the second sentence.
       (8) Section 6515 of such Code is amended by striking 
     paragraph (6).
       (9) Section 6601(c) of such Code is amended by striking the 
     last sentence.
       (10) Section 7421(a) of such Code is amended by striking 
     ``6225(b), 6246(b)'' and inserting ``6232(c)''.
       (11) Section 7422 of such Code is amended by striking 
     subsection (h).
       (12) Section 7459(c) of such Code is amended by striking 
     ``section 6226'' and all that follows through ``or 6252'' and 
     inserting ``section 6234''.
       (13) Section 7482(b)(1) of such Code is amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``section 6226, 6228, 
     6247, or 6252'' and inserting ``section 6234'',
       (B) by striking subparagraph (F), by striking ``or'' at the 
     end of subparagraph (E) and inserting a period, and by 
     inserting ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (D), and
       (C) in the last sentence, by striking ``section 6226, 
     6228(a), or 6234(c)'' and inserting ``section 6234''.
       (14) Section 7485(b) of such Code is amended by striking 
     ``section 6226, 6228(a), 6247, or 6252'' and inserting 
     ``section 6234''.
       (g) Effective Date.--
       (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
     subsection, the amendments made by this section shall apply 
     to returns filed for partnership taxable years beginning 
     after December 31, 2017.
       (2) Administrative adjustment requests.--In the case of 
     administrative adjustment request under section 6227 of such 
     Code, the amendments made by this section shall apply to 
     requests with respect to returns filed for partnership 
     taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.
       (3) Adjusted partners statements.--In the case of a 
     partnership electing the application of section 6226 of such 
     Code, the amendments made by this section shall apply to 
     elections with respect to returns filed for partnership 
     taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.
       (4) Election.--A partnership may elect (at such time and in 
     such form and manner as the Secretary of the Treasury may 
     prescribe) for the amendments made by this section (other 
     than the election under section 6221(b) of such Code (as 
     added by this Act)) to apply to any return of the partnership 
     filed for partnership taxable years beginning after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act and before January 1, 2018.

     SEC. 1102. PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS CREATED BY GIFT.

       (a) In General.--Section 761(b) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following: 
     ``In the case of a capital interest in a partnership in which 
     capital is a material income-producing factor, whether a 
     person is a partner with respect to such interest shall be 
     determined without regard to whether such interest was 
     derived by gift from any other person.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 704(e) of such Code is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking paragraph (1) and by redesignating 
     paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), 
     respectively,
       (2) by striking ``this section'' in paragraph (2) (as so 
     redesignated) and inserting ``this subsection'', and
       (3) by striking ``Family Partnerships'' in the heading and 
     inserting ``Partnership Interests Created by Gift''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to partnership taxable years beginning after 
     December 31, 2015.

             TITLE XII--DESIGNATION OF SMALL HOUSE ROTUNDA

     SEC. 1201. DESIGNATING SMALL HOUSE ROTUNDA AS ``FREEDOM 
                   FOYER''.

       The first floor of the area of the House of Representatives 
     wing of the United States Capitol known as the small House 
     rotunda is designated the ``Freedom Foyer''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 495, the motion 
shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the 
majority leader and the minority leader or their designees.
  The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative

[[Page 16781]]

days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous 
material on the further consideration of H.R. 1314, and that I may 
include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to present the House amendment to the 
Senate amendment to H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2015, 
an agreement that helps advance this Nation toward our goals of fiscal 
stability, strong national security, and entitlement reform.
  These are goals that we have been advocating for years, ones that 
will secure significant long-term savings, provide our economy with the 
certainty needed to grow and prosper, and ensure the readiness of our 
military to meet current and emerging threats.
  First, this agreement prevents the economic damage of a default, 
which could happen as early as next week, by suspending the debt limit 
through March 2017.
  Next, the agreement includes the first significant reform to Social 
Security since 1983. These structural reforms will help maintain the 
solvency of vital Social Security trust funds by closing loopholes, 
increasing program integrity, and cracking down on fraud, resulting in 
$168 billion in long-term savings. The agreement also finds savings in 
other mandatory programs, including over $30 billion in Medicare 
entitlement savings.
  As I have said many, many times before--and I have heard it said many 
times by others here on the floor--mandatory and entitlement programs 
make up two-thirds of the Nation's budget and are the primary drivers 
of our deficits and our debt. In fact, we have saved $195 billion on 
discretionary spending in these last 4 years. In the meantime, the 
entitlement-mandatory side of the budget continues to zoom skyward.
  Reforms to these programs are necessary and overdue, and I hope that 
this bill today paves the way for additional action in the future.
  This bill also repeals a flawed provision of the President's 
healthcare law, eliminating the automatic enrollment mandate that 
forces workers into employer-sponsored healthcare coverage that they 
may not want or need.
  Finally--and, in my opinion, most importantly--this agreement 
provides for new top-line spending caps for the next 2 years. This will 
roll back the harmful, automatic, meat-ax approach of sequestration 
cuts which gut important Federal programs and slice the good with the 
bad, including slicing into our military strength.
  A 2-year plan, why is that so important? Well, it provides much-
needed certainty to the appropriations process and to the Defense 
Department and all the other agencies of the government, ensuring our 
ability to make thoughtful, responsible funding decisions over that 
time.
  Having established agreed-upon, top-line numbers for both fiscal 2016 
and 2017 will allow Congress to do its work on behalf of the American 
people and avoid a harmful government shutdown or the threat thereof. 
This is particularly crucial when it comes to our national security. It 
provides the Pentagon with the certainty needed to plan for the future, 
maintain readiness, and provide for our troops.
  These adjustments are fully offset by mandatory spending cuts and 
other savings, not through tax increases, as the administration 
proposed in its budget submission earlier this year.
  These new levels do not undermine our remarkable success in limiting 
Federal discretionary spending. Since 2011, as I have said before, we 
have reduced discretionary spending--that is what we appropriate here 
on the floor--by $175 billion. We remain on track to save taxpayers 
more than $2 trillion if you extrapolate those numbers through 2024.
  With passage of this important agreement, my committee stands ready, 
coiled, poised to implement the details of this deal, going line by 
line through budgets and making the tough, but necessary, decisions to 
fund the entire government in a responsible way.
  We will begin work with our Senate counterparts as soon as this bill 
is signed.
  We have our eye on the December 11 deadline, and it is my goal to 
complete our appropriations work ahead of that date to avoid any more 
delays, continuing resolutions, or shutdown showdowns that hurt 
important Federal programs, our economy, and, coincidentally, the trust 
of the people in the Congress.
  I want to thank and commend our leaders for their courage, their 
tenacity, and their resolve. While I know that this deal is not 
perfect, there are things I would change if I had the chance. The 
process by which it emerged is less than ideal. I believe, still, it is 
in the best interest of the country that we move forward with this 
arrangement.
  This agreement takes steps in the right direction, from finding 
savings in our entitlement programs to protecting our economy from a 
dangerous default, to providing for the future of the Nation through 
funding certainty.
  These are goals that I believe we can all get behind. So I ask my 
colleagues to support this bipartisan agreement today.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I want to start by joining the comments of the 
chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, Mr. Rogers, in 
congratulating all those who came together to iron out their 
differences and produce this agreement.
  It is not a perfect agreement, but it is far better than the 
alternative, the alternative which we would have seen which would have 
produced great damage to the economy, as opposed to this agreement, 
which will help boost economic growth and make important national 
investments.
  What a difference a week makes, Madam Speaker. Just last week, we had 
on the floor of this House a bill that would have jeopardized the full 
faith and credit of the United States. It was a piece of legislation 
that says the United States Government only has to pay some of its 
bills, doesn't have to pay all of its bills. That would have been an 
awful precedent that would have put the economy at risk.
  Even worse, it said, well, when we decide which bills we are going to 
pay, we are first going to pay all the bondholders, like China and the 
folks on Wall Street, rather than our soldiers and our veterans and the 
doctors who provide Medicare to our seniors. I am glad we have gotten 
beyond that, Madam Speaker.
  This will ensure the full faith and credit of the United States. It 
will also lift the very damaging sequester caps that have been put in 
place that, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, 
were going to slow down economic growth over the next couple years.
  Instead, we are going to be able to make some vital investments in 
key areas: in education, in scientific research, in transportation, and 
in military readiness. Now, I know those decisions are going to be left 
to Mr. Rogers and the appropriators, and I wish them all the best in 
making those decisions. I hope we come back by mid-December with an 
agreement to go forward without further threats of government shutdown.
  This agreement at least provides the room and space to make those 
important investments. It also prevents a looming 20 percent cut in 
Social Security disability benefits and provides that reassurance to 
millions of Americans who otherwise would have been on the edge.
  It prevents what would have been a whopping increase in Medicare part 
B premiums for millions of seniors around this country, who would have 
been stretched extremely thin and probably not been able to make all 
their payments--whether they were mortgage payments, rent payments, or

[[Page 16782]]

food payments--at the same time they were facing those huge Medicare 
part B premium increases. So that was addressed as well.
  Now, like Mr. Rogers, there are lots of things that I would like to 
have seen in this bill that are not included; but on balance, this is 
an important step forward, certainly a great improvement over where we 
were just a week ago.
  So, again, I want to express my gratitude to everybody who helped 
make this possible.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions), the distinguished chairman of the 
House Committee on Rules.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, last night in the Committee on Rules we 
looked at this bill. We talked about it and its importance to the 
Nation.
  Madam Speaker, first let me say that this is an agreement between the 
White House, the Senate, and the House. This is an agreement that we 
can move forward on and avoid many destructive things that might have 
happened not only to the American people and the economy, but, really, 
our own credibility. Our ability to work together at this very careful 
time is important so that we show the American people that this can 
happen.
  There are a lot of things that I agree and disagree with that were 
said. First of all, harm the economy? Good gosh, when you only have a 1 
percent GDP growth, the President has already done that with massive 
tax increases. The President has done that with rules and regulations. 
We are trying to make sure that what we are doing in this bill is to 
stick to the Republican plan.
  What is the Republican plan? It has been--going into our sixth year--
that we are going to hold government spending flat. We do that 
essentially not only with a CR, which we will do again in a few weeks, 
but through effective use of sequestration. What we have done is been 
able to take the sequestration dollars and to utilize them in such a 
way that, as the chairman was speaking about, we are pulling in 
mandatory spending.
  We believe, after 5 years of staying flat with government spending, 
that we are in a more dangerous world than ever, and our military must 
have more money, our security operations must have more money. What we 
are going to do is to look at the entire process, come up with an idea 
about bringing in more money that funds our security, that funds our 
military, and offsets that so that we can do this by looking at long-
term mandatory spending that will bring in over 170 billion dollars' 
worth of savings over the mirror that we look at, over the timeframe 
that is important for the American people to have confidence that we 
will not bankrupt this country and that we can continue.
  Now, the bottom line to this whole exercise is that what we have done 
is worked together. Working together, we now have a plan to move 
forward; and we will simply go to the next exercise, and that is 
funding the government for the year.
  The Republican plan is simple. We are not going to give this 
government one extra penny to put us into a bankruptcy circumstance, 
but we are asking also, back, that the President of the United States 
give us an opportunity to grow our economy. Taxes are too high, and we 
have too many rules and regulations; but the Republican Party will 
stick to our plan, and that is what we are doing here.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), the distinguished ranking member 
of the Committee on Ways and Means.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, first and foremost, this bill takes the 
important step of protecting the full faith and credit of the United 
States. We will pay our obligations--and not only to foreign 
bondholders, but to our citizens, whether veterans or our children--
unlike the Republican majority bill last week.
  It protects millions of seniors from a 50 percent increase in their 
monthly Medicare part B premiums and spreads out the cost of paying for 
the fix over a number of years. It ensures that all 11 million 
Americans that rely on Social Security disability insurance won't see 
their benefits cut by 20 percent. It is fiscally responsible, while not 
undermining or changing the structure of vital programs in any way.
  Let me repeat that. It is fiscally responsible, while not undermining 
or changing the structure of vital programs in any way.
  It ensures, in Social Security, a uniform national process for 
disability evaluations, and it closes a loophole used mostly by higher 
income individuals to receive higher Social Security benefits than 
intended. It regularizes payments in Medicare for care given in 
outpatient facilities.
  Finally, the agreement raises the spending caps for 2 years for 
domestic spending, not only for defense priorities, as some have 
earlier proposed. I just want to repeat that so it is clear. The 
agreement raises the spending caps for 2 years for both domestic and 
defense spending. That means we can better fund critical domestic 
programs that were cut under sequestration, increasing support for 
education, health research, food safety, job training, and health care 
for veterans.
  This was a product of a lot of effort, of Members, of staff in 
various committees, the leadership on a bipartisan basis working with 
the administration. I just want to leave expressing my support and 
expressing we will truly have a broad, bipartisan vote for this bill 
today.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the distinguished 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on 
Appropriations.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Madam Speaker, I will be brief.
  I rise in support of the agreement before us this afternoon.
  Madam Speaker, as my colleagues are aware, the Department of Defense 
and the intelligence community have borne the brunt of our efforts to 
reduce the budget deficit and control our burgeoning national debt. 
Under the Budget Control Act of 2011, roughly half of all the 
discretionary spending reductions were taken from programs in the 
national security area.
  My colleagues, 2011 was a different time. The security environment 
has changed significantly. Since that time, threats from terrorist 
groups and nation-states have risen dramatically. The security spending 
reductions envisioned 4 years ago seem extremely unwise and dangerous 
today.
  In this agreement, the Department of Defense will receive additional 
resources, badly needed resources: $30 billion this year, and $15 
billion next year. But almost more important, this agreement gives the 
Pentagon and our intelligence community predictability, certainty, the 
ability to organize and plan its activities for 2 years. It also gives 
our soldiers and their families a degree of certainty that they will be 
supported as they do the work of freedom.
  Senior leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines--and the 
Department itself--will now be able to plan as to how they will 
configure, equip, train, sustain, and deploy our forces in the most 
effective and efficient manner possible. This ability will result in 
budget savings and a more effective fighting force.
  Madam Speaker, this agreement is by no means perfect, but this 
agreement does require support because it provides predictable funding 
for our Nation's security at a time of changing and growing defense. 
Every Member ought to support it.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from the great State of Maryland (Mr. Cummings), the very distinguished 
ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Bipartisan 
Budget Agreement.
  I am very encouraged that this agreement includes provisions from my 
bill, H.R. 2391, the Medicaid Generic Drug Price Fairness Act, which I 
introduced back on May 18. My legislation requires generic drug 
manufacturers to

[[Page 16783]]

provide rebates to Medicaid when they raise prices faster than the rate 
of inflation.
  My legislation will help Americans get lifesaving prescriptions they 
need. It will save $1 billion over 10 years, according to the 
Congressional Budget Office.
  Just this morning, the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation issued a 
report finding that this issue, the skyrocketing prices of prescription 
drugs, is the number one healthcare priority for the American people. 
The report found that 77 percent of those surveyed, including 
Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, identified the issue as their 
top health concern overall.
  This legislation is a strong and welcome step to help keep drugs 
affordable, but we must do more. We need to investigate drug companies 
that are taking advantage of the American people by jacking up their 
prices just to boost corporate profits and make their executives rich.
  Over the past month, press reports have been filled with almost daily 
accounts of drug company executives trying to justify the obscene price 
increases while lining their pockets. My colleagues may have heard 
about the so-called ``pharma bro'' Martin Shkreli, who increased the 
price of a drug that treats life-threatening infections from about $14 
to $750 overnight. He then called his price gouging ``a great thing for 
society.''
  My colleagues also may have heard about Michael Pearson, the CEO of 
Valeant Pharmaceuticals, which increased the prices of two drugs used 
to treat heart failure and hypertension by 212 percent and 525 percent 
on the same day it acquired them. This company is currently obstructing 
congressional oversight and refusing to provide documents relating to 
its increases.
  I am very pleased to support this budget bill, and I urge my 
colleagues to vote in favor of it.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry), the distinguished chairman of 
the House Armed Services Committee.
  Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, if one takes into account the effects 
of inflation, we cut our military budget 21 percent from 2010 to 2014.
  Madam Speaker, I think everybody in this body will acknowledge the 
world is not 21 percent safer today than it was just 4 years ago.
  As a matter of fact, if you look around the world, whether it is the 
growth of ISIS into more countries or the continued challenge of al 
Qaeda and its various affiliates, to the morass of Syria with historic 
Russian re-insertion today, to China building islands in the South 
Pacific, to North Korea's saber rattling, to Iran intentionally 
violating an agreement it made on its missile testing just after the 
U.S. ratified the nuclear deal, to daily cyber attacks, the world is 
growing increasingly dangerous.
  Into that danger we send men and women who wear the uniform of the 
United States to meet that danger. Yet, we cut their budget 21 percent.
  We saw last week the President of the United States used them as a 
political bargaining chip to try to force Congress to comply with his 
domestic agenda.
  The bottom line for me, Madam Speaker, is our troops deserve better 
than that. That is the reason I support this Bipartisan Budget Act of 
2014. It stops the cuts in defense.
  It increases the money going to our troops. It prevents them from 
being used as a bargaining chip in the future because it sets the 
military budget for fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2017 so that that 
is decided. They can't be used as leverage for some other agenda. I 
think that is the sort of stability and predictability they need and 
that they deserve.
  I think the great question, Madam Speaker, is: If not this, then 
what?
  We know that this budget agreement at least comes close to meeting 
what the President has asked for on defense and comes close to the 
Congressional budget, within $5 billion.
  Now, that is not enough money to repair all the damage that has been 
done over the past 5 years, but it is in the ball park. If we do not 
approve this budget, then what?
  Well, then we are back to continuing resolutions and sequester, which 
means, for example, the Army has said they will have to cut another 
40,000 troops out of their ranks on top of the 70,000 they have already 
cut.
  Now, that is just a sampling of what not passing this bill could well 
mean. If we go back to CRs and the sequester level, it would be drastic 
reductions to the military, a much less safe world for the United 
States and its interests.
  I believe that this measure, on that basis alone, deserves our 
support.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I agree with the gentleman that the investments in military readiness 
are important. I also believe the investments to help our economy grow 
and invest in education and scientific research are important.
  What the President said to the Congress is what the vast majority of 
the American public believed, that it is vital to have a strong 
national defense. But a strong national defense requires a strong 
economy. It requires an educated workforce. It requires investments in 
innovation and technology. It requires a 21st century infrastructure.
  So I am pleased that the President insisted that we make investments 
not just in the military, but also vital investments to help the 
economy grow, grow more jobs, which are estimated to be in the range of 
350,000 in 2016 alone. So those are vital investments that also help 
strengthen America.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York 
(Mrs. Lowey), somebody who has been on the front lines of making those 
important investments for our country, the very distinguished ranking 
member of the Appropriations Committee.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, as ranking member of the Appropriations 
Committee, I rise to support this bipartisan legislation that ensures 
the full faith and credit of the United States and sets a path to a 
responsible appropriations process this year and next.
  Since the beginning of this year's appropriations process, Democrats 
have called for relief from damaging, austerity-level budget caps so 
Congress can invest in our Nation's future.
  Unfortunately, the majority's budget resolution and appropriation 
bills would have strangled economic growth and not met our Nation's 
needs with cuts to Pell Grants that help families pay college tuition 
and law enforcement grants, for example. The list goes on and on.
  From the start of the appropriations process, I urged my majority 
colleagues to negotiate reasonable spending caps that protect our 
economy and national priorities.
  I am pleased these talks finally happened and resulted in this 
bipartisan package that provides an additional $40 billion for defense, 
$40 billion for non-defense, over 2 years. These investments are 
critical.
  Upon its passage, I look forward to working together in a similarly 
responsible manner to reach bipartisan consensus on the spending bills 
to avoid a government shutdown in mid-December.
  I urge passage of this bill so we can immediately begin our 
appropriations work, already overdue.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, may I inquire of the time 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky has 15\1/2\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Maryland has 19 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart), the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. I thank the chairman.
  Madam Speaker, I, in essence, only want to make four brief points. 
Number one is that, I, too, have concerns with lots of parts of this 
bill. There are parts that I wish were different. I think all of us do. 
But there are a number of reasons why I think it is important

[[Page 16784]]

that we move forward on this legislation.
  Number one, this helps avoid a devastating hit to senior citizens in 
the district that I represent and, frankly, senior citizens across the 
entire country that deserve to be protected by those of us that 
represent them up here in Washington.
  Number two, when we are able to move forward on the appropriations 
process, which this legislation will allow us to do, that is a way that 
allows every Member of this House to have input. Every Member of this 
House has been part of that process.
  So for those of us who believe in regular order and inclusiveness and 
in making sure that every Member has a word and a say as to how we move 
forward, this bill will allow us to move forward on that very open 
process.
  Lastly--and we have heard this before--it is no secret that the world 
has gotten a lot more dangerous, and you have heard the numbers. We are 
devastating our military at a time when we are asking them to do more 
and more and when the world is becoming more and more dangerous.
  So let me just leave with this last, final point. Are we going to 
allow our military to continue to receive cuts at a time when they 
should actually be helped and should actually have increased spending 
or are we going to permit the devastating of our men and women in 
uniform, of the U.S. military, at this time in our history?
  My dear friends, I, for one, am not going to sit back, if I can do 
anything about it, and allow the U.S. military to be devastated by more 
budget cuts.
  So, therefore, I respectfully urge a ``yes'' vote on this 
legislation.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison), a distinguished member of the 
Financial Services Committee.
  Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time.
  I plan on voting for this bill, but I am not here to pound and 
celebrate that.
  It does things that are good. It lifts the debt ceiling and puts us 
in a position where we don't have to fear defaulting on America's 
debts. It avoids ruinous cuts in Medicare part B, and disability 
insurance benefit cuts won't go down.
  But the fact is no one here, no one in this room, can say that this 
piece of legislation that we are looking at now is going to advance 
America, bring us progress that we actually really need.
  Do you know that, since 2012, we have seen 640 fewer National 
Institutes of Health grants? We haven't been making the investments we 
need in embassy security, housing, health care, education. We are not 
advancing America.
  This is not a progress budget. This is a survival budget. And we need 
to survive; so, I'm going to vote for this piece of legislation.
  But we must come to the moment in time when we are looking to advance 
our country, to move forward and offer real leadership to the world, 
rather than just obsessing over how much we can cut and how much we can 
take.
  The fact is that the Progressive Caucus offered a budget. It meets 
our minimal conditions, but it doesn't advance our real progress that 
we need.
  We have principles that we have been talking about that are about 
pushing this country forward: child nutrition, affordable care, college 
education, housing, transit. This is what is going to make our country 
strong.
  This budget keeps us above water, keeps us from defaulting on our 
debts, and that is a good thing. But can't we do more?
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).
  Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I am a member of the majority.
  When the majority brings a bill to the floor, you normally start off 
with ``yes'' and hope to stay there. In this case, I started off with 
``likely'' and didn't arrive at a ``yes.'' So, reluctantly, I am going 
to vote ``no'' on this bill.
  I am not going to vote ``no'' because of what it seeks to do. I am 
certainly not going to vote ``no'' knowing that we need to fund our 
troops in the field in a war that has dragged on for 15 years and now 
has re-ignited.
  But I am going to vote ``no'' because of how this bill is paid for. I 
have done as much as I can as long as I can to tolerate how we 
``score'' things.
  At the risk of being wrong, I will remind people that I am only as 
good as the information that my staff has given me. But according to 
CBO, $2.5 billion worth of this pay-for comes from premium payments 
that are accelerated, meaning we are robbing from the future to pay for 
today.
  Another one comes from extended pension smoothing, $9 billion. This 
is a time-shifting on money over 10 years. Again, we are robbing from 
the future to pay for this year.
  Another one, $4 billion, comes from Social Security disability. But 
it is a double count. It has already been scored elsewhere previously.
  And $5 billion comes from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This will 
be the third time this year that we have brought a bill saying we are 
going to sell this oil at its low price.
  Ultimately, the real question is: Aren't we selling off an asset 
today to pay for current expenses?
  $3.5 billion will come from FCC bandwidth sales. I can live with 
that. I'm not thrilled with it. I think we should make more bandwidth 
available to the public so that, in fact, space we can all use without 
paying would be available.
  But here is the one that really broke me: Extending the Medicare 
sequester rate saves $14 billion, but the one-time saving is based on 
an occurrence in the year 2025.
  So, in closing, Madam Speaker, I will not sell our future for this 
year's budget; and, therefore, I recommend a ``no'' because of the pay-
fors on this budget.

                              {time}  1615

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Vermont (Mr. Welch), somebody who has been very focused on making 
sure we keep the full faith and credit of the United States.
  Mr. WELCH. I thank the gentleman.
  Madam Speaker, there are a few reasons why this agreement deserves 
our support:
  First, it is good public policy. This finally unleashes the shackles 
of the sequester that have prevented Congress from making decisions 
and, instead, just had across-the-board cuts. The gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) is going to have an opportunity for his 
Appropriations Committee--Republicans and Democrats--to do its job.
  Second, it averts enormous increases in Medicare part B premiums.
  Third, it keeps Social Security disability funds solvent through 
2022, and there are a number of other things.
  The second major reason why this is so important is this: It is an 
agreement. We have finally come together, through the leadership of 
Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi, to legislate. We have been part of a 
legislative body that is on strike, that hasn't legislated. We cannot 
underestimate the power that is unleashed by the capacity of this 
Congress to give certainty to the American people and to our agencies 
as to what comes ahead and what they have to do.
  Secondly, what Speaker Boehner did--and I am so indebted to him, as 
all of us should be--is that he took out of the hands of those of us in 
Congress two weapons which, when used, are very destructive, and those 
are: the threat of shutting the government down, and the threat of 
defaulting on America's full faith and credit. We can't do that.
  And Speaker Boehner, to his credit, when there was the Planned 
Parenthood dispute about funding and he was in favor of cutting 
funding, he opposed shutting down government to achieve that goal.
  We have suspended the debt ceiling through 2017, which means this 
body is going to have not just the opportunity, but the responsibility 
to do its job.
  Finally, what we have seen here, when Speaker Boehner reached out to 
Leader Pelosi, is that he had in the minority leader a willing partner 
who was willing to sit down, work hard, and reach an agreement. That 
sets the foundation for progress ahead.

[[Page 16785]]

  I wish the best success to Speaker-to-be Ryan. He has willing and 
able partners in the whole Caucus to make progress for America.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Sanford), the distinguished former 
Governor of South Carolina, who is a Member of this great body.
  Mr. SANFORD. Madam Speaker, I will say to the chairman from Kentucky 
that I am absolutely sympathetic in the way that he and others in the 
leadership are really caught between a rock and a hard place.
  If you think about 100 members of the defense community saying, 
``Wait a minute. We won't vote for it unless we get more there''; folks 
in the AG community saying, ``We don't like this particular 
provision''; advocates of Medicare saying, ``We have got to have a bit 
more here,'' the realities of a debt ceiling, a President who said, ``A 
clean ceiling or nothing at all,'' I mean, they really have been 
between a rock and a hard place.
  But that having been said, we are still left at the end of the day 
with a $1.5 trillion problem that has grown on top of an $18 trillion 
problem; and I, therefore, believe that the simple notion is the key to 
getting out of a hole is to quit digging. Fundamentally, I believe that 
this bill does more digging than not. And I say that from three 
different points:
  One, there is a process question. In fairness to the chairman and 
others, in some ways, this was handed to them, and I think that there 
are serious questions that any of us should have with regard to 
process.
  Two, it does remove the caps. As draconian as they are, they 
represent the only piece of financial restraint in Washington, D.C., 
that has encumbered this entity. That, I think, has a lot to do with 
the fiscal restraint that we have seen on domestic discretionary 
spending.
  And finally, as my colleague from California just pointed out, there 
is borrowing from Peter to pay for Paul. And if you look at where 
disability insurance is getting money from the standpoint of old age 
survivors, if you look at the bandwidth question, if you look at the 
strategic oil question, if you look at pension smoothing and a whole 
number of other areas, you are left with this larger question of this 
still does not solve the problem of this upward trajectory that we have 
with regard to spending in this place.
  Therefore, I would remind everyone of what Admiral Mike Mullen said, 
who is the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He said that 
the greatest threat to our civilization was the national debt. At the 
end of the day, this bill compounds it; and for that reason, I would 
respectfully encourage a ``no.''
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal), a distinguished member of the Ways and 
Means Committee.
  Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, today's effort is a moment of satisfaction 
but not delectation. This stands before us as a testament that Congress 
cannot be dictated to by a minority of the majority. This institution 
cannot work based upon the principle that a minority of the majority 
can dictate the outcome of legislative life.
  I am glad we are finding common ground and common purpose. It is 
similar to the Congress that I joined a lot of years ago.
  But rather than a moment of gloating, we should all take a look at 
what has happened to the process that once governed this institution. 
And my plea to the new Speaker of the House is going to be: Remember 
that the committee system is the vertebra of Congress. It is within the 
structure of the committee system that we find the way forward.
  And to Speaker Boehner, a good man and a good friend who leaves here 
in the next couple of days, congratulations, as well as to Leader 
Pelosi, Leader McConnell, and Leader Reid. But the sad commentary is 
this could never have happened if they didn't take it upon themselves 
to do the actual negotiation. The polarization in this institution 
would have prevented that.
  We cannot keep taking America to the financial precipice. We need 
some predictability, some confidence in building the economy. By 
embracing this proposal, we allow that opportunity to perhaps happen. 
We take default off the table. The full faith and credit of the United 
States will not be impugned. We will not allow the country to be 
hijacked by extremist views.
  I say to those here, that small number that want to dictate the 
outcome of what happens in this institution: Pay some attention to the 
skill and the art of legislating as opposed to just the talking points 
that lend themselves to the incendiary commentary that flows from this 
institution now. Work with both sides to try to find an outcome that 
the American people can look at as having accomplished with some pride.
  We look at this institution with great regard, and what has happened 
to it is a shameful exercise in allowing this rule that prevents us 
from moving forward because of the advances that are made by a minority 
of the majority.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy and his hard 
work over the years on the budget.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to stand today to support this agreement. 
It allows us to limp along. There is no shutdown for now. We avoid the 
damage of default. There is a slight relaxation in sequestration. There 
is equity for seniors and the disabled.
  There was a time when many of these provisions would not necessarily 
be a cause for celebration, but it is today. This is a signal 
accomplishment for stability.
  I take my hat off to Speaker Boehner, Leader Pelosi, the Senate 
leadership, and the President and his team for delivering an agreement 
that came together for Congress at relatively warp speed, working 
behind the scenes for days. It wins the House some breathing space, not 
lurching from crisis to crisis, and I hope that we take advantage of 
this achievement.
  This was an important week here on Capitol Hill:
  We have made a transition on the Republican side with a new Speaker, 
a friend that I respect and admire, the gentleman from Wisconsin, Paul 
Ryan. I look forward to working with him.
  It was important that the House was able to work its will on the Ex-
Im Bank. We found a piece of legislation supported not just 
overwhelmingly by the House, but by a majority of Republicans, bottled 
up in committee by a minority, and it broke loose. I think that is 
important.
  I hope this breathing room allows us to do one other thing, and that 
is to prioritize our budget requirements. We are going to spend over $1 
trillion in the years ahead on nuclear weapons that we cannot afford to 
use and can't afford to buy. We can do better for the American people, 
and I hope this agreement allows us to do so.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), a distinguished member of the Committee on 
Appropriations.
  Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I am one who comes to this floor to 
support this agreement. It means the great work that we are doing on 
the Appropriations Committee--working with my colleagues, like Chairman 
Rogers and Tom Cole from Oklahoma--the work we are doing on brain 
health-related issues, the creation of a process to map the human 
brain, to create a national brain observatory, to help lead the world 
in an area in which we can finally find answers to a whole range of 
diseases going forward. We will be able to move our appropriations 
bills on a whole range of issues--from youth mentoring, to housing, to 
health care--because the Congress and its leadership have come 
together.
  So I commend both sides, and I commend the White House. I am pleased 
that this agreement has happened.

[[Page 16786]]

  Yesterday I announced a $10 million TIGER grant for Philadelphia. 
This agreement means that there will be other Members who will be 
making said announcements out in the future because we will be doing 
the work that helps keep America number one in the world.
  For all of our challenges, we have the most powerful Nation in the 
world. This agreement helps to move us forward, and I am here to 
applaud it and to vote in favor of it.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Pelosi), somebody who knows how to lead, who knows 
how to get things done, who knows how to find common ground, and who 
was a vital part of bringing us to the progress we are making today, 
the Democratic leader.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen) for 
yielding and for his kind words, and I return the compliment to him.
  To the staff of the Budget Committee, the staff of the other 
committees of jurisdiction on both sides of the aisle who enabled this 
important agreement to come forward, thank you very much.
  Madam Speaker, today we are proud to come to the floor with 
legislation that moves America forward, affirming the full faith and 
credit of the United States of America, as our Constitution says should 
never be in doubt, and passing a budget agreement that creates jobs, 
protects seniors, and invests in our future.
  Today we cast our votes for a bipartisan budget package that 
represents significant progress for hardworking American families.
  Throughout the budget process, I am proud that Democrats have been 
united by our values and our determination to win progress for those 
hardworking American families. We showed we had the votes and the 
resolve to sustain the President's vetoes of funding bills that did not 
meet the needs of those people.
  Working with our Republican colleagues on a compromise enabled us at 
long last to bring to the floor a bill, a bill with which we have 
broken the sequester stranglehold on our national defense and our 
investments in good-paying jobs and the future of America.
  In this agreement before the House, we achieve equal funding; we 
honor the principle of parity between defense and domestic priorities. 
We achieve equal funding increases for defense and domestic 
initiatives, amounting to $112 billion over the next 2 years. We 
prevent a 20 percent cut in disability benefits for millions of people 
in 2016 and extend the solvency of the Social Security Disability 
Insurance program. We prevent a drastic increase in Medicare part B 
premiums and deductibles for millions of seniors next year. And we 
affirm the full faith and credit of the United States is nonnegotiable 
and unbreakable, with a clean debt limit suspension.

                              {time}  1630

  We push through the gridlock to provide more economic certainty and, 
according to the Council of Economic Advisers, create an additional 
340,000 jobs in 2016 alone.
  Budget and senior groups and groups for disability are lining up in 
strong support of this agreement. As AARP wrote to congressional 
leaders--I'm sure you saw this, Mr. Rogers, and thank you for your 
courageous support of this legislation, our great chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee--AARP wrote, ``AARP strongly supports the 
bipartisan agreement you have reached to avert deep reductions in 
Social Security Disability Insurance benefits in 2016, and to address 
the imminent spike in Medicare Part B premiums which many older 
Americans would otherwise experience. Your efforts to reach across the 
aisle and together find sensible solutions to significant problems are 
appreciated and commended.''
  Working together, Madam Speaker, Democrats and Republicans, we have 
found a way forward for the American people. I thank the Republican 
leadership for their partnership in reaching this agreement.
  Again, I thank the staffs of the committees of jurisdiction: the 
Budget Committee, the Ways and Means Committee, the Appropriations 
Committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee, and others. I commend our 
colleagues for speaking out on this important agreement.
  Let us pass this agreement. Let's vote ``yes'' today together. Let us 
pass this agreement, move swiftly to keep government open, and make 
progress for the American people.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I hope it is a big strong 
one.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, might I inquire of the 
gentleman how many speakers he has remaining?
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I have about four more speakers.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer). He is somebody who has been a key leader on 
budget and fiscal issues, someone from the great State of Maryland, and 
our distinguished Democratic whip.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentlelady.
  I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding. I thank him for his 
outstanding leadership as ranking member of the Budget Committee on 
fiscal stability and fiscal responsibility and his willingness to lead 
in ensuring that America invests in its future.
  I thank the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I think I quote 
the chairman of the Appropriations Committee as much as I quote any 
other Member: Unrealistic and ill-advised. Those two words of his 
relating to the sequester are emblazoned on my frontal lobe, and I 
thank him for that statement.
  Madam Speaker, this agreement represents a bipartisan effort to 
prevent a catastrophic default and lessen the chance of a government 
shutdown in December--lessens the chance. It doesn't preclude it. It 
shows what is possible when Democrats and Republicans work together to 
get something done in a bipartisan way.
  This has been a unique week. The Export-Import Bank passed with a 
majority of Republicans and an overwhelmingly majority--all but one--of 
Democrats. This is going to pass, in my view, with overwhelming numbers 
of Republicans and overwhelming numbers of Democrats voting for it. 
That is what Americans want, and that is what they expect. They want us 
to work together, not always agree with one other, but to work 
together.
  Madam Speaker, this bill replaces the sequester, that ill-advised 
policy that is hurting our country. It replaces it for 2 years and does 
so with parity for defense and non-defense sequester relief. It 
protects Medicare part B beneficiaries from seeing higher premiums, and 
it saves the Social Security Disability Insurance program from 
insolvency. All of those are worthwhile objectives.
  This legislation will give us a chance to work on a long-term 
solution to our fiscal challenges over the next 2 years. This 
agreement, like Ryan-Murray, is a short-term agreement, and the end of 
it comes sooner than we expect.
  Congress ought not to wait until this agreement is about to expire 2 
years from now to act. We should get to work right now on a big, 
bipartisan deal to put America's fiscal house back in order and enable 
our Nation to afford investments in a stronger economic future.
  Americans are not looking for a rickety bridge to 2017, but a sturdy 
one that can carry us into a stronger economic future. Businesses 
across the country are clamoring for long-term certainty, for Congress 
to find a way to replace the sequester and remove the uncertainty that 
it has created and continues to create.
  So I hope, Madam Speaker, the history that is written about this 
legislation is that it was a bipartisan first step towards securing the 
kind of long-term agreement all of us know we must achieve.
  I had the opportunity to serve with Mr. Rogers for a couple of 
decades on the Appropriations Committee. He and

[[Page 16787]]

I have served in this Congress together for a long period of time.
  He is a responsible leader in the Congress of the United States, and 
I quote him because his perspective and mine are the same--although we 
differ on many issues--and it is that we owe it to the American people, 
we owe it to America, and we owe it to future generations to create the 
fiscal stability that will allow the Appropriations Committee, very 
frankly, to again become the center of decisionmaking, which it was for 
many of the years that I served on it.
  Too often now we ignore the Appropriations Committee whose job is to 
set priorities and to apply the resources of our country to those 
priority items. If we don't adhere to that process, that will not 
happen.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, we need to get a long-term fiscal 
resolution. This is a short term. I will support it. It is good for the 
country. But we need a long-term solution. I thank the chairman, and I 
thank the ranking member, Mr. Van Hollen, my friend, who has done such 
a terrific job.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Ranking Member, let me thank you. And to the 
chairman of the Appropriations Committee, let me thank you as well.
  This was a tough call. And I do want to thank the leadership, Speaker 
Boehner, and our leadership, Leader Pelosi, Whip Hoyer, and, of course, 
our ranking member of the Budget Committee, and the Ways and Means 
leadership as well. This is an important step forward because I can say 
to my constituents: We fixed some of your pain and your anguish.
  Madam Speaker, this bill quickly provides $80 billion, but I am so 
grateful that part of that deals with the plussing up of non-defense 
discretionary funding: child care, National Institutes of Health, and 
other very important issues.
  My seniors, I think it is very important to note that your Medicare 
premium part B will not go up in a 50 percent increase in 2016 and 
there will be less deep cuts in Social Security, more jobs being 
created, and as well we will have the opportunities, as I indicated, to 
increase NIH funding.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 
10 seconds.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. What we must be careful of is that we do not 
increase any mandatory minimums and some of the penalties that are in 
place, and we must be careful that we do protect Social Security and 
Medicare. We will continue to monitor this for a budget that will lift 
the debt ceiling until 2017 and have this country stand on its feet and 
pay its bills.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding and I rise to 
speak on the rule and the underlying legislation, which is the Senate 
Amendment to H.R. 1314, the ``Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2015.''
  The bill before us is not perfect--far from it--but it is a modest 
and positive step toward preventing Republicans from shutting down the 
government again and manufacturing crises that only harm our economy, 
destroy jobs, and weaken our middle class.
  I have reviewed the agreement carefully and have concluded that on 
balance the good outweighs the bad for the following reasons:
  1. The agreement provides $80 billion of significant sequester relief 
over the next two years for both defense and non-defense priorities, 
which is nearly 90 percent of the relief requested by the President in 
his 2016 budget;
  2. The Bipartisan Budget Agreement prevents a roughly 50 percent 
increase in the Medicare Part B premium in 2016, protecting thousands 
of seniors in my congressional district, and millions more across the 
country, from cost increases;
  3. The Bipartisan Budget Agreement avoids deep cuts to Social 
Security Disability Insurance (DI) benefits that would occur at the end 
of next year;
  4. Hundreds of thousands of American jobs will be created over the 
next two years due to the avoidance of manufactured budget crises;
  5. The Bipartisan Budget Agreement provides additional resources and 
the funding stability needed to protect our homeland, counter future 
threats, and take care of our troops while preventing deep cuts that 
would result from locking in sequestration;
  6. The agreement is paid for in a balanced way that avoids harmful 
cuts to Medicare or Social Security beneficiaries; and
  7. Prevents a catastrophic default and protects the full faith and 
credit of the United States and by suspending the national debt limit 
until March 15, 2017.
  But as with any compromise there are some things in the agreement 
that I support and some things that I do not.
  For example, while providing $80 billion in relief over two years, 
instead of abolishing sequestration, as I would prefer, the agreement 
retains the sequestration principle and extends its applicability for 
two additional years, until 2025.
  Of this $80 billion, $50 billion will be available in FY 2016 and $30 
billion in FY 2017, to be equally divided and allocated by the House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees among the various federal agencies 
and programs.
  This modest increase in discretionary domestic funding holds open the 
promise of increased investments in critical areas such as basic 
research in health and science, education, veterans' medical care, and 
job training.
  And these investments are desperately needed if we are to position 
our nation to prevail in an increasingly interconnected economy.
  Madam Speaker, in the absence of this agreement, we would have to 
rely upon a full-year continuing resolution which would result in $1 
billion less in NIH funding and nearly 1,000 fewer NSF grants than 
under the President's budget.
  Were we to operate under a continuing resolution through the end of 
FY 2016, per-pupil education funding would fall to the lowest levels 
since 2000, and Head Start would be flat-funded, which would mean 
roughly 17,000 fewer children served than in 2014.
  Madam Speaker, a full-year CR at sequestration levels would mean $1 
billion less than the President requested for veterans' medical care 
relative even though all of us here agree that our veterans deserve 
more, much more, support than they have received.
  The Bipartisan Budget Agreement will allow us to provide funding for 
job training for two million more workers than would be possible if we 
continued to operate through the end of FY 2016 under a continuing 
resolution subject to sequestration.
  Madam Speaker, I strongly support the provision in the Bipartisan 
Budget Agreement that prevents an increase of nearly 50 percent in the 
Medicare Part B premium for 2016 and 2017 by spreading out the cost of 
replenishing the Medicare Supplemental Medical Insurance Trust Fund 
over a number of years.
  Without Congressional action, the monthly 2015 Part B premium of 
$104.90 would increase by $54.40 in 2016 to $159.30 for beneficiaries 
not held harmless (i.e., those who did not receive an increase in their 
Social Security benefits).
  The Bipartisan Budget Agreement maintains the hold harmless provision 
in current law and prevents a dramatic premium increase on 
beneficiaries not held harmless by setting a new 2016 basic Part B 
premium for the beneficiaries not held harmless at $120, which is the 
amount the Part B premium would otherwise be for all beneficiaries in 
2016 if the hold harmless provision in current law did not apply.
  To replenish the Medicare Trust Fund, in 2016 there would be a loan 
of general revenue from the Federal Treasury, which will be repaid 
beginning in 2016 by an additional $3 surcharge in the monthly Part B 
premium of beneficiaries not subject to the hold harmless.
  Madam Speaker, it is worth noting that a functioning, effective 
federal government is critical to people with disabilities who 
disproportionately rely on government services to live, learn and work 
in their communities.
  That is why I also strongly support the provision in the Bipartisan 
Budget Agreement that avoids deep cuts to Social Security Disability 
Insurance.
  Specifically, the agreement ensures that the Social Security 
Disability Insurance program will continue to provide the full benefits 
that workers have earned, preventing a 20 percent cut that would have 
been applied to workers and their families at the end of 2016.
  Madam Speaker, another reason I support the Bipartisan Budget 
Agreement is that it eliminates the temptation of House Republicans to 
once again resort to the brinksmanship politics of defaulting on the 
national debt.
  The full faith and credit of the United States is too valuable a 
national asset to be trifled

[[Page 16788]]

with, as Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first and greatest Treasury 
Secretary, understood.
  In 1789, in the dawn of the nation's birth, Hamilton recognized and 
acted upon the belief that the path to American prosperity and 
greatness lay in its creditworthiness which provided the affordable 
access to capital needed to fund internal improvements and economic 
growth.
  According to Hamilton, the nation's creditworthiness was one of its 
most important national assets and ``the proper funding of the present 
debt, will render it a national blessing.''
  But to maintain this blessing, or to ``render public credit 
immortal,'' Hamilton warned that it was necessary that ``the creation 
of debt should always be accompanied with the means of 
extinguishment.''
  In other words, to retain and enjoy the prosperity that flows from 
good credit, it is necessary for a nation to pay its bills.
  Defaulting on the national debt would vitiate the full faith and 
credit of the United States, cost American jobs, hurt businesses of all 
sizes, and do irreparable damage to the economy.
  On the other hand, suspending the national debt until March 15, 2017, 
is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to create 340,000 
additional American jobs in 2016 alone and more than 500,000 job-years 
in 2017.
  Additionally, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors 
forecasts that the indirect effect of increased certainty and 
confidence could further boost job creation and economic growth above 
these estimates.
  What is more, increased long-term growth and rising middle-class 
incomes can be expected to result from the greater investments in human 
capital and infrastructure made possible by the Bipartisan Budget 
Agreement.
  Madam Speaker, perhaps the most immediate benefit of the Bipartisan 
Budget Agreement is that it paves the way for the House and Senate to 
reach agreement on the FY2016 spending bills needed to keep the federal 
government open and avoid another disastrous shutdown like the one 
House Republicans inflicted on the nation in October 2013.
  That shutdown lasted 16 days, cost the economy $24 billion, and 
inflicted untold harm on federal employees and the people they serve.
  Madam Speaker, the past several years have been an extraordinary time 
in America.
  We have seen the Legislative and Executive Branches of our government 
and the constitutional balance that the framers of the Constitution 
intended regarding matters related to public purse tested.
  It is extraordinary when a matter that should be dealt with in the 
regular order of the business of the House and Senate becomes a matter 
so grave that a broad and diverse coalition call on Members of this 
body to do what we were elected to do: manage the business of the 
people through cooperation and compromise.
  That is why we have heard from a broad and diverse range of American 
voices, including the AARP, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National 
Education Association, and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human 
Rights, calling for the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Agreement.
  By supporting the Bipartisan Budget Agreement we can show the 
American people that we understand that we were sent here to address 
their problems and concerns by working together to reach agreement that 
responsibly makes the investments needed to keep our nation competitive 
in a global economy and enables all of our people to reach their 
potential and realize their dreams.

  Updated II: Some of the Key Groups Supporting the Bipartisan Budget 
                               Agreement

                           (October 28, 2015)

       AARP: ``On behalf of our 38 million members and as the 
     largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing the 
     interests of Americans age 50 and older and their families, 
     AARP strongly supports the bipartisan agreement you have 
     reached to avert deep reductions in Social Security 
     Disability Insurance benefits in 2016, and to address the 
     imminent spike in Medicare Part B premiums which many older 
     Americans would otherwise experience. . . . By finding a 
     sensible solution to keep premiums manageable for over 16 
     million beneficiaries, Congress is helping to prevent 
     financial hardship for many beneficiaries at a time when 
     there is no Social Security cost of living adjustment.  . . . 
     Finally, AARP appreciates that the agreement modifies 
     sequestration for discretionary programs for fiscal year 
     2016. The higher discretionary cap may prevent unwise cuts to 
     countless programs serving older Americans. Sequestration 
     relief for many health care, nutrition and supportive service 
     programs is critically important to seniors as funding for 
     them has declined over the past decade despite substantial 
     increases in population requiring this assistance.''
       Center for Medicare Advocacy: ``Congress is considering the 
     Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. This proposed budget agreement 
     would reduce an expected spike in the Medicare Part B 
     deductible and premiums for 2016. . . . We are glad people 
     who rely on Medicare can breathe a bit easier--knowing that 
     premiums and deductibles will not skyrocket next year.''
       Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities: The Consortium 
     for Citizens with Disabilities' (CCD) Fiscal Policy Task 
     Force commends the House and Senate leadership for 
     negotiating the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA). . . . We 
     commend the negotiators for reaching a deal that provides 
     relief from sequestration and raises the budget caps for 
     discretionary programs in Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017. The 
     package provides welcome stability in the appropriations 
     process and avoids a devastating 20% benefit cut in 2016 for 
     Social Security Disability beneficiaries and their 
     families.''
       Federation of American Hospitals: ``The Federation of 
     American Hospitals acknowledges that it is incumbent upon 
     Congress to act on the debt ceiling and establish a federal 
     budget. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 agreement, which 
     accomplishes these goals, includes Medicare cuts as offsets. 
     . . . The FAH understands that Congressional leaders did 
     their best to minimize the effects of these cuts on the 
     hospitals that care for the nation's seniors. By extending 
     without increasing the overall effect of the Medicare 
     sequester and focusing a limited payment change on certain 
     physician-hospital arrangements, the bill is carefully 
     crafted to meet its objectives.''
       American College of Physicians: ``The American College of 
     Physicians is pleased that today's proposed bipartisan budget 
     agreement will provide two years of relief from existing 
     `sequestration' level spending caps that could result in cuts 
     to programs that are vital to the nation's healthcare, 
     including the National Institutes of Health, Agency for 
     Healthcare Research and Quality, and Primary Care Training 
     Programs authorized by Section 747 of Title VII of the Public 
     Health Service Act. . . . We [also] strongly support the 
     proposal to ensure all new hospital acquisitions of private 
     physician practices would only be eligible for Medicare 
     payments equal to those for the same care services provided 
     in the freestanding, community-based setting.''
       American Academy of Family Physicians: ``On behalf of the 
     Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), which represents 120,900 
     family physicians and medical students across the country, I 
     write in support of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. . . . 
     The AAFP notes that the bill will make two important reforms 
     to Medicare. First, the bill will mitigate an anticipated 
     spike in 2016 in premiums and deductibles for America's 
     Medicare Part B enrollees, which will help avoid disruption 
     in access to physicians' services to seniors. Second, the 
     bill removes an incentive in the Medicare hospital outpatient 
     payment system that has driven health systems to purchase 
     Physician practices, in turn increasing healthcare costs 
     without any corresponding benefit to patient care.''
       Chamber of Commerce: ``The U.S. Chamber of Commerce . . . 
     urges Congress to pass the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 
     (BBA2015) to bring certainty to next year's appropriations 
     process, raise the debt limit through March 15, 2017, 
     strengthen America's national security, and constructively 
     resolve a handful of other outstanding issues.''
       NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby: 
     ``NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby is 
     encouraged to hear that a budget deal has been reached that 
     will surpass sequester budget caps for the next two years and 
     raise the debt ceiling to prevent a default on our nation's 
     financial obligations. . . . We are encouraged by the White 
     House and Congressional leaderships' work on the proposed 
     budget deal that lifts the caps on non-defense spending. 
     Unaddressed, sequester would have caused hardship for many 
     hardworking and vulnerable people in our nation.''
       The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights: ``We 
     applaud the White House and congressional leaders who 
     negotiated the budget deal introduced late last night for 
     their hard work in crafting a bipartisan, two-year bill that 
     will raise the caps on spending for both defense and non-
     defense discretionary spending and provided needed relief for 
     underfunded programs that serve our communities.
       Robert Greenstein, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: 
     ``If approved by Congress, the new budget deal from the White 
     House and congressional leaders will mark a significant 
     achievement by an otherwise polarized Washington. . . . The 
     package would effectively eliminate about 90 percent of the 
     sequestration budget cuts for non-defense discretionary 
     programs in fiscal year 2016, and about 60 percent of them in 
     2017 . . . extend the solvency of Social Security Disability 
     Insurance through 2022, thereby avoiding across-the-board 
     cuts of nearly 20 percent in disability benefits starting in 
     late 2016, which will otherwise occur, and avoid, for 
     Medicare, an estimated 52 percent increase in deductibles for 
     physician and other

[[Page 16789]]

     outpatient services in 2016, and a 52 percent increase in 
     Part B premiums that roughly 30 percent of Medicare 
     beneficiaries otherwise would face. . . . The deal is a 
     major, multi-faceted package that addresses a number of 
     contentious issues. . . . Overall, the deal is a significant 
     achievement that includes an array of sound policies and 
     policy reforms and accomplishes important goals.''
       National Education Association: ``On behalf of the three 
     million members of the National Education Association (NEA) 
     and the students they serve, we urge you to Vote Yes on the 
     Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 which could be voted on as 
     early as Wednesday. We applaud the bipartisan leadership 
     exhibited to craft a bill that takes needed steps toward 
     ending harmful sequester level funding so that necessary 
     investments can be made in programs that will grow our 
     economy and our future. Votes associated with this issue may 
     be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 114th 
     Congress.
       Committee for Education Funding: ``The Committee for 
     Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of 122 national 
     education associations and institutions spanning early 
     learning to postgraduate education, writes to express our 
     support for the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2015. The bill 
     will eliminate most of the harmful sequester spending caps 
     for nondefense discretionary (NDD) programs for Fiscal Year 
     (FY) 2016 and FY 2017, thereby providing room for critically 
     important investments in education programs through 
     appropriations.''
       League of Conservation Voters: ``We comment Leader Pelosi, 
     Leader Reid, and President Obama for negotiating a deal free 
     of ideological attacks on our environment that finally ends 
     the cuts that hamper investment in our economy and the 
     priorities of our families. We urge Congress to pass this 
     budget deal and then pass a clean spending bill free of anti-
     environmental riders that fund all federal agencies at a 
     level that allows them to continue protecting our air, water, 
     lands and wildlife.''
       Easter Seals: ``Easter Seals is encouraged by the framework 
     presented in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA). This 
     compromise is designed to restore order to the federal budget 
     and appropriations process, and will allow for much needed 
     investments in people with disabilities. A functioning, 
     effective federal government is critical to people with 
     disabilities who disproportionately rely on government 
     services to live, learn and work in their communities. We 
     commend the negotiators for reaching a deal that provides 
     partial relief from sequestration and raises the budget caps 
     for discretionary programs in Fiscal Year 2016 and 2017 and 
     provides stability.''
       NDD United: ``NDD United--an alliance of more than 2,500 
     national, state, and local organizations working to protect 
     investments in core government functions--strongly supports 
     and urges you to support the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 
     (BBA). This deal, brokered by all four corners of 
     Congressional leadership and the President, restores critical 
     funding equally to both defense and nondefense spending that 
     keeps Americans healthy, safe and secure and ensures that we 
     do not risk the full faith and credit of the United States by 
     suspending the debt ceiling through March 2017.''
       AAUW: ``On behalf of the over 170,000 members and supports 
     of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), I 
     urge Rep. Pelosi to support the Balanced Budget Act of 2015 
     (H.R. 1314). The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 lifts 
     sequestration in a fair and responsible manner that ensures 
     communities are healthy, safe, and secure. Cuts as a result 
     of sequestration take a direct toll on our communities.  . . 
     . We . . . saw cuts to . . . important programs such as food 
     assistance programs for women and children, cancer 
     screenings, services for domestic violence survivors, and 
     federal funding for low-income schools.''
       American Public Health Association: ``The deal will allow 
     Congress to provide much needed additional funding for 
     nondefense discretionary programs in 2016, including public 
     health, which continues to be woefully underfunded. The 
     proposal would also reduce a pending premium increase for 
     many Medicare Part B beneficiaries and extend the solvency of 
     the Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund.''
       Alliance for Retired Americans: ``The Alliance for Retired 
     Americans is relieved that this budget deal would protect 
     millions of seniors from significant increases to their 
     Medicare Part B deductibles while preventing a 20% cut to 
     Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in 2016. 
     The reallocation between the Social Security Old Age and 
     Survivors Insurance (OASI) and SSDI trust funds would prevent 
     a massive cut in benefits for the disabled. The transfer 
     would not impact the long-term solvency of Social Security.''
       AFL-CIO: ``Congressional leaders and the President 
     successfully eluded the traps set by a conservative faction 
     in Congress who have tried to hold our economy hostage to 
     achieve their radical agenda. The full faith and credit of 
     the United States will be preserved as we pay our bills on 
     time--preventing brinksmanship over the debt until 2017. . . 
     . It reduces the spike in [Medicare] deductibles for everyone 
     and avoids a sharp increase in premiums for many. It ensures 
     that 11 million Americans on Social Security Disability 
     Insurance continue to receive full benefits through 2022.''
       SEIU: ``This deal makes significant progress in eliminating 
     some of the extraordinary hardship and uncertainty associated 
     with the sequester--as well as helps to head off a 
     catastrophic government shutdown . . .''

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains on 
this side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maryland has 3\3/4\ 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Lee), a great member of the Budget Committee.
  Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, first, let me thank our ranking member, 
Congressman Van Hollen, for yielding and for his tremendous leadership 
on the Budget Committee.
  Also, to Leader Pelosi and to Speaker Boehner, I just have to thank 
you for demonstrating that we can work together in a bipartisan way on 
behalf of the American people.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1314, which is the 
bipartisan budget agreement of 2015. Let me just say, as a member of 
the Appropriations and Budget Committees, I really know how difficult 
it has been to get us to where we were today. So thank you very much.
  This budget deal, though, is not perfect. It averts a shutdown and 
prevents a catastrophic default on the Federal debt. Most importantly, 
though, it provides relief from the sequester and it begins--it 
begins--to invest in the American people through programs like food 
stamps, a safety net which many, many people need until they are 
through this economic recession.
  We must do more to create good-paying jobs for individuals who want 
to work. This begins to invest in early childhood education and in 
public housing.
  This agreement also prevents a massive hike in healthcare costs for 
our seniors. So while this agreement is an important step forward, much 
work remains.
  It is past time that we start addressing the priorities of the 
American people, including passing bipartisan comprehensive immigration 
reform, making education affordable and accessible from pre-K through 
college, investing in workforce training through our community 
colleges, and building pathways out of poverty.
  So, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this 
agreement so we can get Congress back to work putting people first. The 
American Dream has really turned into a nightmare for so many. 
Hopefully, our action today will give people hope that the American 
Dream may be achievable. But we must do more.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle), a terrific new 
Member of Congress.
  Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank the 
gentleman.
  Madam Speaker, for the cynics who believe that nothing can happen in 
Washington and that we are permanently doomed to disarray, this has 
been a very bad week.
  First, with the Export-Import Bank, we see a majority of Republicans 
and an overwhelming majority of Democrats come together and reach a 
bipartisan compromise, and now here again with this big budget 
agreement, something that would avoid the catastrophic default, the 
first in American history if it were to happen.
  Madam Speaker, I don't agree with everything that is in this bill, 
but I agree with the majority of it. It is about time this body stopped 
allowing the 10 or 20 percent we disagree with to block the 70, 80, and 
90 percent we agree with. This is a step in the right direction. This 
is progress. This is what we need to do more of. I am proud to support 
it.

[[Page 16790]]


  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, may I ask how much time remains on 
this side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maryland has 45 seconds 
remaining.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Where we close is where we started. As we all recognize, this 
agreement is not perfect, but it certainly beats the alternative and is 
a positive step forward.
  It ensures the full faith and credit of the United States. We will 
pay our bills on time. It prevents damaging sequester cuts to our 
economy and allows us to invest more in education, in scientific 
research, and military readiness.
  It prevents a 20 percent cut to Social Security Disability 
beneficiaries, and it prevents a whopping Medicare part B increase for 
millions of American seniors.
  So, again, while many of us would like to see more--and I agree with 
those who have said that we need to invest more and address many of the 
other big issues our country faces--this is a positive step forward.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank everybody who helped come together to 
make it possible. I urge its adoption.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  Madam Speaker, it has been my goal, as chairman of the Appropriations 
Committee for these 4 years, to get us back into regular order.
  When I first came here and for many years thereafter, we passed 12 
individual appropriations bills funding the entire government, but 
separate bills so that every Member had a chance to dissect each of 
these bills, offer amendments, debate them, fight them, promote them, 
what have you, but at least everyone had their day in court.
  Then somehow we got off on a tangent to where we could not 
appropriate separate bills. So at the end of the fiscal year, we had no 
choice but to pass what is called a continuing resolution, which means 
we just continue spending as we had for the last year, regardless of 
the needs of the moment.
  That is a terrible way to do business. Agencies, particularly the 
military, would not have a way to plan their work or to make orders or 
to deploy troops and the like, a terrible way to do business. We lurch 
from one crisis to another, it seems.

                              {time}  1645

  My goal has been just to get back to that business of appropriating 
12 separate bills so that we don't need a CR. We hear current needs. In 
a CR, you are spending money on projects no longer needed, but, 
nevertheless, they are required to spend the money, for example. A 
terrible waste of money.
  So to get back on track, the appropriations process, our committee 
needs to have a top line number to which we appropriate. We have not 
been getting that number for one reason or the other. But now in this 
bill, not only are we getting a number for fiscal '16, which we will 
now use to write an omnibus appropriations bill for current needs and 
finish it by September 11, the deadline, we will do that, but it will 
be made up of the bills that have passed both the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees and in conversations between the two bodies.
  Not only do we have the number for fiscal '16, but we have it for 
fiscal '17, and that is very important. It gives us a year to plan our 
work to try to marshal through 12 separate bills for the first time in 
many, many years so that we, with the Senate, can send to the President 
12 bills that have the polish and the content put into it and on it by 
the Members of our bodies, the House and the Senate. That is my goal. 
That is why I am so strong for this bill. That is the biggest thing in 
it from my perspective.
  It is important that we are helping our folks who are on Social 
Security Disability to take the worry away from them that they have 
that that fund will be drying up, which it will be. It is great that we 
are taking care of the problem with Medicare benefit increases, the 
interest on Medicare. It is important, very important, of course, that 
we avoid the default in our debt ceiling coming up momentarily. All of 
these things you have heard about in this debate are great.
  But for me, the 2 years that we have now to get back on regular order 
and stop lurching from crisis to crisis, to stop that business, this 
bill will give us that great chance.
  I urge Members to support the bill. It is a good one. It is not 
perfect, not ideal, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is the 
best we can do with what we have, and the alternative would be 
disaster. I urge an ``aye'' vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOM PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, today the House is scheduled 
to consider the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 which would increase the 
discretionary spending caps for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 set in the 
Budget Control Act of 2011 and would include offsets over 10 years. 
While the legislation would provide funding certainty for discretionary 
programs in fiscal years 2016 and 2017, it has some concerning 
provisions as explained below.
  The bill provides additional resources for base discretionary non-
defense spending far in excess of the levels in the fiscal year 2016 
budget conference agreement (S. Con. Res. 11). The amount of base 
nondefense discretionary increases for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 are 
$30 billion and $15 billion, respectively, above the levels approved by 
Congress just over 5 months ago when the budget conference agreement 
was adopted. The bill also provides an additional adjustment through 
the Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism (OCO/GWOT) 
category of $14.9 billion for the State Department and International 
Affairs budget category, which is $7.9 billion--more than double--what 
the President requested in his FY16 Budget. If this adjustment becomes 
law, it will allow non-defense budgetary resources to be shifted from 
the base discretionary category, which has spending limits, to the OCO/
GWOT category which has no spending limits. When both the base and OCO/
GWOT increases for non-defense are considered, the total non-defense 
increase for 2016 and 2017 is $37.9 billion and $22.9 billion, 
respectively, above the budget conference agreement.
  The bill also includes language that directs the Senate to file 
budget allocations in fiscal year 2017 at levels consistent with the 
discretionary amounts included in the bill and at the Congressional 
Budget Office baseline amounts for all other spending, unless a budget 
conference agreement is reached. This provision makes it highly likely 
that regular order for the budget process in the Senate will be 
circumvented and that the Senate will not offer a new budget in fiscal 
year 2017. If this outcome occurs, it will further erode the integrity 
of the Congressional budget process by preventing a fiscal year 2017 
budget from being adopted that reflects the will of the Majority in the 
House and Senate. It also means reconciliation will not be available 
for fiscal year 2017 and Congress will no longer have a balanced budget 
agreement in place.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Bipartisan 
Budget Agreement of 2015. While I have concerns about portions of the 
bill, including the impact it may have on some of our hospitals, there 
are important provisions in the bill that are essential to protecting 
the well-being of many Americans.
  For example, the bill provides two years of sequester relief, and 
allows us to increase our investments in critical areas, including 
education, housing, healthcare, transportation, homeland security, and 
defense. The agreement also suspends the debt limit until March 15, 
2017. This will allow us to get back on track and plan for the future 
rather than continue governing from crisis to crisis.
  The measure keeps Medicare Part B premium costs down for millions of 
seniors and protects all Medicare beneficiaries from the projected 
increases in their deductibles.
  I am encouraged by this framework and hope that as the bill moves 
through the process, some of the areas of concern will be worked out 
and that we will be able to pass bipartisan appropriations measures for 
fiscal years 2016 and 2017. I urge my colleagues to support the 
Bipartisan Budget Agreement for the good of our country.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 495, the previous question is ordered.

[[Page 16791]]

  The question is on the motion to concur by the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, this 15-
minute vote on the motion to concur will be followed by a 5-minute vote 
on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal, if ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 266, 
nays 167, not voting 2, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 579]

                               YEAS--266

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Ashford
     Barr
     Bass
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Benishek
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Boehner
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brooks (IN)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Buchanan
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Calvert
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Carter (TX)
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu, Judy
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Collins (NY)
     Comstock
     Conaway
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Cook
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello (PA)
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Curbelo (FL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     Davis, Rodney
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Dold
     Donovan
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Duckworth
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fitzpatrick
     Fortenberry
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Frelinghuysen
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Gibson
     Graham
     Granger
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Guthrie
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hanna
     Harper
     Hartzler
     Hastings
     Heck (WA)
     Higgins
     Himes
     Hinojosa
     Honda
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Israel
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jolly
     Joyce
     Kaptur
     Katko
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kirkpatrick
     Kline
     Kuster
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Lynch
     MacArthur
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McCarthy
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McSally
     Meehan
     Meng
     Messer
     Mica
     Miller (MI)
     Moore
     Moulton
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nolan
     Norcross
     Nunes
     O'Rourke
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree
     Pittenger
     Pocan
     Poliquin
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rangel
     Reed
     Reichert
     Rice (NY)
     Richmond
     Rigell
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Scalise
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schrader
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Sherman
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Stefanik
     Stivers
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takai
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Titus
     Tonko
     Torres
     Tsongas
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Van Hollen
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walden
     Walters, Mimi
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters, Maxine
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Wilson (SC)
     Womack
     Yarmuth

                               NAYS--167

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amash
     Amodei
     Babin
     Barletta
     Barton
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (MI)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Blum
     Boustany
     Brat
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Carter (GA)
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Clawson (FL)
     Coffman
     Collins (GA)
     Crawford
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers (NC)
     Emmer (MN)
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Garrett
     Gibbs
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guinta
     Hardy
     Harris
     Heck (NV)
     Hensarling
     Herrera Beutler
     Hice, Jody B.
     Hill
     Holding
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurd (TX)
     Hurt (VA)
     Issa
     Jenkins (KS)
     Jenkins (WV)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Jordan
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     Knight
     Labrador
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Latta
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Love
     Lummis
     Marchant
     Marino
     Massie
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McKinley
     Meadows
     Miller (FL)
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (PA)
     Neugebauer
     Newhouse
     Noem
     Nugent
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Pitts
     Poe (TX)
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price, Tom
     Ratcliffe
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rice (SC)
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney (FL)
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Rouzer
     Russell
     Salmon
     Sanford
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Stewart
     Stutzman
     Tipton
     Trott
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walker
     Walorski
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Williams
     Wittman
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (IA)
     Young (IN)
     Zeldin
     Zinke

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Hudson
     Meeks

                              {time}  1721

  Messrs. GUINTA, RUSSELL, Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER, and Mr. NUGENT changed 
their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
  Mses. LEE and SEWELL of Alabama and Messrs. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia 
and McDERMOTT changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the motion to concur was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________