O’ROURKE, BETO (a Representative from Texas)

Articles and editorials

Kidnap and Kill a Girl in Olancho, La Tribuna (Honduran publication), H7138 [31JY]

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

Afghanistan: require fulfillment of requirements under the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework relative to anti-corruption and certain other benchmarks in order to continue to receive U.S. assistance (see H. Res. 430), H1515 [31JA]

Africa: assist sub-Saharan African countries develop mix of power solutions for more broadly distributed electricity access to support poverty alleviation and drive economic growth (see H.R. 2548), H1431 [27JA]

American Education Week: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 755), H8226 [1DE]

American Revolution: award a Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War (see H.R. 4045), H1770 [11FE]

Animals: restrict use of exotic and nondomesticated animals in traveling circuses and exhibitions (see H.R. 4525), H7893 [18SE]

Armed Forces: allow aliens granted deferred action and work authorization to be appointed to and attend a military service academy and to be appointed as a commissioned officer (see H.R. 4723), H5187 [9JN]

——— encourage Congress to debate and vote on a statutory authorization for any sustained combat role in Iraq or Syria (see H. Con. Res. 114), H7894 [18SE]

——— leave no member unaccounted for in the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan (see H. Res. 296), H474 [15JA]

——— repeal authority to use against those responsible for hijacking and crashing of commercial aircraft into the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Somerset County, PA (see H.R. 4608), H7455 [11SE]

Best Buddies International, Inc.: provide assistance to support expansion and development of mentoring programs (see H.R. 1008), H3058 [8AP]

Business and industry: impose a tax on certain trading transactions to strengthen financial security, reduce market volatility, expand opportunity, and stop the shrinking of the middle class (see H.R. 1579), H4476 [19MY]

Children and youth: allow State child protective services systems to better serve the needs of children who are victims of trafficking (see H.R. 4636), H4064 [13MY]

——— bolster U.S. diplomacy and assistance aimed at ensuring children have permanent, safe, nurturing, and loving families and strengthen intercountry adoption to the U.S. and around the world (see H.R. 4143), H5073 [5JN]

——— issue a semipostal stamp to support programs targeted at improving permanency outcomes for youth in foster care (see H.R. 2149), H1512 [29JA]

Commission To Accelerate the End of Breast Cancer: establish (see H.R. 1830), H4685 [20MY]

Commission To Study the Potential Creation of a National Women’s History Museum: establish (see H.R. 863), H72 [8JA]

Corporations: constitutional amendment to exclude from rights given to natural persons, prohibit corporate spending on elections, and affirm power of Congress and States to regulate corporations and elections (see H.J. Res. 34), H2962 [4AP]

Cosmetics: phase out cosmetic animal testing and the sale of cosmetics tested on animals (see H.R. 4148), H2435 [13MR]

Crime: protect pets of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence (see H.R. 5267), H7894 [18SE]

Dept. of Commerce: establish the Network for Manufacturing Innovation (see H.R. 2996), H3242 [28AP]

Dept. of Defense: establish programs to track, retain, and analyze information relative to suicides involving Armed Forces Reserve components members and dependents of Armed Forces members (see H.R. 4504), H7455 [11SE]

——— limit and regulate transfer of surplus military equipment to State and local law enforcement agencies (see H.R. 5478), H7677 [17SE]

Dept. of Education: allow certain student loan borrowers to refinance current loans (see H.R. 4582), H4476 [19MY]

——— establish American Dream Grant program to encourage States to increase access to higher education to low-income students regardless of immigration status (see H.R. 3921), H2066 [27FE]

——— establish grant program to assist institutions of higher education in establishing, maintaining, and improving veteran student centers (see H.R. 5589), H8226 [1DE]

——— expand and improve Federal Pell Grant Program (see H.R. 4373), H2853 [2AP]

——— protect students from inappropriate seclusion and physical restraint in schools (see H.R. 1893), H2566 [21MR]

Dept. of HHS: limit copayment, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing requirements applicable to prescription drugs in a specialty drug tier to the amount applicable to drugs in a non-preferred brand drug tier (see H.R. 460), H5640 [23JN]

——— prevent and treat diabetes, promote and improve care of individuals with diabetes, and reduce health disparities, relative to diabetes, within racial and ethnic minority groups (see H.R. 3322), H5249 [10JN]

Dept. of Homeland Security: amend laws relative to calculation of transactions for the lease of land ports of entry and international bridges (see H.R. 1266), H3241 [28AP]

——— ensure humane treatment of detainees, provide alternatives to detention, inspect detention facilities regularly, and penalize noncompliant facilities (see H.R. 4620), H7129 [30JY]

——— improve discipline, accountability, and transparency in acquisition program management (see H.R. 4228), H2645 [25MR]

——— train personnel to effectively deter, detect, disrupt, and prevent human trafficking during the course of their primary roles and responsibilities (see H.R. 5116), H6296 [15JY]

Dept. of Justice: appoint counsel for unaccompanied alien children and aliens with serious mental disabilities (see H.R. 4936), H5639 [23JN]

Dept. of Labor: establish State Manufacturing Employment Programs to encourage employment of veterans in manufacturing positions (see H.R. 4629), H4830 [22MY]

Dept. of Transportation: establish a pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure credit assistance pilot program (see H.R. 3978), H2303 [11MR]

——— set separate performance measures for motorized and non-motorized safety and allow States to set their own safety targets and to choose the best methods to meet them (see H.R. 3494), H163 [10JA]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: amend the definition of spouse for purposes of veterans’ benefits to recognize new State definitions of spouse (see H.R. 2529), H2645 [25MR]

——— authorize health care providers to provide recommendations and opinions to veterans regarding participation in State marijuana programs (see H.R. 5762), H8169 [20NO]

——— carry out a grant program to provide burials for homeless veterans (see H.R. 3876), H2696 [26MR]

——— carry out pilot program to reduce shortage of psychiatrists in Veterans Health Administration by offering competitive employment incentives to certain psychiatrists (see H.R. 4234), H3144 [9AP]

——— clarify manner in which an advance educational assistance payment is charged against the entitlement of a veteran to such assistance (see H.R. 4184), H2256 [6MR]

——— clarify qualifications of hearing aid specialists (see H.R. 3508), H5559 [19JN]

——— clarify that caregivers for veterans with serious illnesses are eligible for assistance and support services (see H.R. 3672), H9305 [11DE]

——— clarify which children to whom entitlement to educational assistance may be transferred under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program (see H.R. 3600), H2098 [28FE]

——— enter into contracts for provision of medical care at non-departmental facilities for certain patients, assess health care delivery system, and limit employee awards and bonuses (see H.R. 4810), H5185 [9JN]

——— establish a registry of certain veterans who were stationed at Fort McClellan, AL (see H.R. 411), H1515 [31JA]

——— establish presumption of service connection for mental health conditions related to military sexual trauma (see H.R. 4344), H2744 [27MR]

——— establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the U.S. merchant marine during World War II (see H.R. 1936), H7939 [12NO]

——— establish the Physician Ambassadors Helping Veterans program (see H.R. 5686), H7937 [12NO]

——— extend the pilot program on assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury (see H.R. 3958), H2258 [6MR]

——— improve access of veterans to medical services by improving scheduling, staff training and hiring, access to care from non-departmental providers, and administrative matters (see H.R. 4841), H5725 [24JN]

——— improve research of Gulf War Illness and provide for the independent operation of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses (see H.R. 4261), H2746 [27MR]

——— improve the performance appraisal system for senior executives (see H.R. 4399), H4911 [28MY]

——— improve treatment of medical evidence provided by non-departmental medical professionals in support of disability claims (see H.R. 4191), H2300 [11MR]

——— include the cost of applying to an institution of higher learning as part of the benefits provided under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program (see H.R. 4793), H8133 [19NO]

——— increase number of graduate medical education residency positions at departmental hospitals (see H.R. 4942), H5640 [23JN]

——— provide emergency supplemental appropriations for the Office of the Inspector General (see H.R. 4948), H5877 [8JY]

——— provide for removal of Senior Executive Service employees based on performance (see H.R. 4031), H2066 [27FE]

——— require provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all departmental medical centers (see H.R. 921), H3058 [8AP]

Depts. of Defense and Veterans Affairs: evaluate mental health care and suicide prevention programs, review discharge or separation of certain individuals, and require a loan repayment pilot program for psychiatrists (see H.R. 5059), H6297 [15JY]

Doris Miller Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, TX: designate (see H.R. 4199), H2301 [11MR]

Drugs: exclude therapeutic hemp and cannabidiol from the definition of marijuana (see H.R. 5226), H7456 [11SE]

——— focus limited Federal resources on the most serious offenders by modifying sentencing guidelines for certain drug offenses (see H.R. 3382), H73 [8JA]

——— prohibit Federal prosecution of residents who are acting in accordance with their State’s marijuana laws (see H.R. 1523), H72 [8JA]

——— reduce deaths occurring from overdoses (see H.R. 4169), H2611 [24MR]

Education: call on schools and State and local educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed (see H. Res. 456), H2199 [5MR]

——— improve early learning opportunities for prekindergarten children (see H.R. 3461), H1772 [11FE]

——— require certain protections for student loan borrowers and provide reasonable and flexible repayment options, access to earned credentials, and loan cancellation in exchange for public service (see H.R. 3892), H2488 [18MR]

Elections: constitutional amendment on contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections (see H.J. Res. 20), H2991 [7AP] (see H.J. Res. 119), H6297 [15JY]

Eximbank: reauthorize (see H.R. 4950), H5724 [24JN]

FAA: provide guidance and limitations relative to the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into U.S. airspace in order to inform the public and protect individual privacy (see H.R. 2868), H135 [9JA]

FCC: restore rules relative to open Internet and broadband industry practices until final action is taken in proceedings on such rules that were remanded by a court decision (see H.R. 3982), H2066 [27FE]

Federal agencies and departments: prohibit requirement that private entities design or alter their commercial information technology products to facilitate Government surveillance (see H.R. 5800), H8668 [4DE]

Federal employees: increase rates of pay for General Schedule and prevailing rate employees (see H.R. 4306), H5065 [30MY]

——— provide certain benefits to domestic partners (see H.R. 3135), H73 [8JA]

FEMA: delay increases in flood insurance premium rates under the National Flood Insurance Program until completion of affordability study, provide certain reimbursements, and accurately determine flood risk (see H.R. 3370), H1777 [14FE]

Financial institutions: create protections for depository institutions that provide financial services to marijuana-related businesses (see H.R. 2652), H1881 [21FE]

Foreign aid: ensure the provision of foreign assistance does not contribute to human trafficking and combat human trafficking by requiring greater transparency in recruitment of foreign workers (see H.R. 3344), H3242 [28AP]

——— require the President to establish guidelines for, and increase transparency of, foreign assistance programs (see H.R. 2638), H7619 [16SE]

Health: support role of the U.S. in ensuring children in poor countries have access to vaccines and immunization through the GAVI Alliance (organization) (see H. Res. 688), H9305 [11DE]

Health care professionals: protect certain sports medicine professionals who provide certain medical services in a secondary State (see H.R. 3722), H4785 [21MY]

Hunting and trapping: prohibit body-gripping traps in National Wildlife Refuge System (see H.R. 3513), H2611 [24MR]

Immigration: establish legal orientation programs at immigration detention facilities to inform detainees of their legal rights (see H.R. 3914), H1593 [4FE]

——— expand access to health care services, including sexual, reproductive, and maternal health services, for immigrant women, men, and families by removing legal barriers to health insurance coverage (see H.R. 4240), H2566 [21MR]

——— provide for appointment of additional immigration judges (see H.R. 4990), H6036 [9JY]

Insurance: ensure that employers that provide health benefits to their employees cannot deny any specific health benefits, including contraception coverage (see H.R. 5051), H6297 [15JY]

Intelligence services: require Presidents’ annual budget submissions to include the total dollar amount requested for intelligence or intelligence-related activities of the Government (see H.R. 3855), H1246 [17JA]

Lake Berryessa: transfer recreational management authority from Bureau of Reclamation to BLM (see H.R. 4166), H3293 [29AP]

Law enforcement: limit domestic use of drones in investigating regulatory and criminal offenses (see H.R. 637), H1431 [27JA]

——— mandate basic educational, regulatory, and management actions necessary for the prevention of racial profiling practices (see H.R. 3560), H2362 [12MR]

Local Radio Freedom Act: support (see H. Con. Res. 16), H2962 [4AP]

Medicaid: provide equitable treatment of primary care services (see H.R. 5353), H7939 [12NO]

Medicare: apply exceptions process fairly for tiered formulary drugs in prescription drug plans (see H.R. 2827), H5187 [9JN]

——— count a period of outpatient observation in a hospital toward satisfying the 3-day inpatient hospital requirement for coverage of skilled nursing facility services (see H.R. 1179), H1592 [4FE]

——— ensure more timely access to home health services for beneficiaries (see H.R. 2504), H2962 [4AP]

——— modify durable medical equipment face-to-face encounter documentation requirement (see H.R. 3833), H3058 [8AP]

——— provide coverage of pharmacist services in medically underserved areas (see H.R. 4190), H7939 [12NO]

——— provide for coverage of continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) (see H.R. 5644), H7940 [12NO]

——— remove the physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services (see H.R. 3991), H3144 [9AP]

——— repeal the sustainable growth rate and improve payments for physicians and other professionals (see H.R. 4015), H2002 [26FE] (see H.R. 4209), H2435 [13MR]

——— waive coinsurance for colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of whether therapeutic intervention is required during the screening (see H.R. 1070), H7938 [12NO]

Members of Congress: prohibit payment of death gratuities to the surviving heirs of deceased Members (see H.R. 3594), H73 [8JA]

Middle East: prevent Hezbollah and associated entities from gaining access to international financial and other institutions (see H.R. 4411), H4785 [21MY]

National Foster Care Month: designate (see H. Res. 577), H4016 [8MY]

National Purple Heart Hall of Honor: mint coins in commemoration (see H.R. 3867), H2435 [13MR]

News media: maintain free flow of information to the public by providing conditions for the federally compelled disclosure of information by persons connected with the news media (see H.R. 1962), H2065 [27FE]

Nicklaus, Jack: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 2203), H3409 [1MY]

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: allow employees’ dependents access to tax credits if the cost of family coverage through the employer is greater than a certain percentage of household income (see H.R. 4865), H5363 [12JN]

Peace Corps: subject volunteers to same limitations regarding coverage of abortion services as Peace Corps employees (see H.R. 4578), H5820 [26JN]

Political campaigns: reform the financing of congressional elections by broadening participation by small dollar donors (see H.R. 20), H1657 [5FE]

Railroads: require a minimum of 2-person crews for freight trains (see H.R. 3040), H1772 [11FE]

Religion: condemn anti-Semitism and comparison of Israel to Nazis perpetrating the Holocaust and reject attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred as an acceptable disapproval of political events in the Middle East (see H. Res. 707), H7530 [15SE]

SEC: prohibit mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements (see H.R. 2998), H1545 [3FE]

Social Security: extend and improve State Children’s Health Insurance Program (see H.R. 5364), H7939 [12NO]

Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act: reauthorize (see H.R. 1008), H3058 [8AP]

Specialist Keith Erin Grace Jr., Memorial Post Office, Baytown, TX: designate (see H.R. 4651), H6353 [16JY]

SSA: confer spousal benefits to any legally married individual regardless of marriage laws in the State of residence (see H.R. 4664), H5065 [30MY]

——— establish a trust fund to provide for paid family and medical leave benefits for certain individuals (see H.R. 3712), H2645 [25MR]

SSI: modify certain requirements for countable resources and income (see H.R. 4583), H3446 [6MY]

Supreme Court: anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education decision (see H. Res. 561), H4064 [13MY]

Tariff: increase and adjust for inflation the maximum value of articles that may be imported duty-free by one person on one day (see H.R. 1020), H3058 [8AP]

Taxation: allow the work opportunity credit for hiring veterans or Ready Reserve or National Guard members, make such credit permanent, and expand and make permanent the employer wage credit for active duty servicemen (see H.R. 3649), H1720 [10FE]

——— extend exclusion from gross income of discharges of qualified principal residence indebtedness (see H.R. 2994), H7389 [9SE]

——— modify exclusion for transportation benefits (see H.R. 2288), H224 [14JA]

——— prevent corporations from exploiting tax treaties to evade taxation of U.S. income (see H.R. 1556), H2485 [14MR]

——— reduce international tax avoidance and restore a level playing field for U.S. businesses (see H.R. 1555), H2485 [14MR]

——— restrict use of abusive tax shelters and offshore tax havens to inappropriately avoid Federal taxation (see H.R. 1554), H2485 [14MR]

Transportation: ensure that all transportation system users can travel safely and conveniently on and across federally funded streets and highways (see H.R. 2468), H7676 [17SE]

Unemployment: extend unemployment benefits (see H.R. 3824), H184 [13JA] (see H.R. 4415), H3144 [9AP]

Voting: require a voter-verified permanent paper ballot (see H.R. 5741), H8132 [19NO]

——— revise criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to certain protections against racial discrimination in voting (see H.R. 3899), H5769 [25JN]

Water: strengthen EPA WaterSense program, create EPA local conservation and efficiency program, support recycling, storage and management projects, and provide for drought preparedness (see H.R. 5363), H9305 [11DE]

Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission: establish (see H.R. 4640), H4058 [9MY]

Wildlife: prohibit import, export, transportation, sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce of any live animal of any prohibited wildlife species (see H.R. 2856), H7619 [16SE]

World War I: mint coins in commemoration of centennial (see H.R. 2366), H6400 [17JY]

World War II: award Congressional Gold Medal to Monuments Men in recognition of their role in preservation, protection, and restitution of monuments, works of art, and articles of cultural importance (see H.R. 3658), H2199 [5MR]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Armed Forces: provide that members performing hazardous humanitarian services in West Africa to combat the spread of the ebola outbreak shall be entitled to tax benefits as if serving in a combat zone (see H.R. 5804), H8867 [8DE]

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection: increase transparency, accountability, and community engagement, provide independent border security oversight, and improve training of agents and officers (see H.R. 4303), H2695 [26MR]

Closset, Marcel: French Legion of Honor Medal of Chevalier recipient (see H. Res. 752), H7938 [12NO]

Dept. of Transportation: modify criteria for selecting communities to participate in the Small Community Air Service Development Program (see H.R. 5766), H8169 [20NO]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: carry out a pilot program to provide veterans the option of using an alternative appeals process to more quickly determine disability claims (see H.R. 4616), H4015 [8MY]

——— conduct annual surveys of veterans on experiences obtaining hospital care and medical services from departmental facilities (see H.R. 4971), H5768 [25JN]

Political campaigns: require all contributions over a certain amount be reported to the FEC within 48 hours (see H.R. 4397), H2914 [3AP] (see H.R. 4442), H3143 [9AP]

Constitutional authority statements

Armed Forces: provide that members performing hazardous humanitarian services in West Africa to combat the spread of the ebola outbreak shall be entitled to tax benefits as if serving in a combat zone (H.R. 5804), H8868 [8DE]

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection: increase transparency, accountability, and community engagement, provide independent border security oversight, and improve training of agents and officers (H.R. 4303), H2695 [26MR]

Dept. of Transportation: modify criteria for selecting communities to participate in the Small Community Air Service Development Program (H.R. 5766), H8171 [20NO]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: carry out a pilot program to provide veterans the option of using an alternative appeals process to more quickly determine disability claims (H.R. 4616), H4016 [8MY]

——— conduct annual surveys of veterans on experiences obtaining hospital care and medical services from departmental facilities (H.R. 4971), H5769 [25JN]

Political campaigns: require all contributions over a certain amount be reported to the FEC within 48 hours (H.R. 4397), H2914 [3AP]

——— require all contributions over a certain amount be reported to the FEC within 48 hours (H.R. 4442), H3143 [9AP]

Remarks

Appropriations: making continuing (H.J. Res. 124), H7649 [17SE]

Black History Month: observance (H. Res. 481), H1997 [26FE]

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection: increase transparency, accountability, and community engagement, provide independent border security oversight, and improve training of agents and officers (H.R. 4303), H2649 [26MR]

——— reform the Border Patrol agent pay schedule (S. 1691), H8950 [10DE]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: conduct annual surveys of veterans on experiences obtaining hospital care and medical services from departmental facilities (H.R. 4971), H5735 [25JN]

Dominguez, Monica: American School Counselor Association School Counselor of the Year finalist, E131• [28JA]

El Paso, TX: anniversary of Catholic Diocese of El Paso, E299• [4MR]

——— anniversary of NAACP branch, E1418• [16SE]

——— tribute to the DAV, Northeast Chapter 187, E1618• [18NO]

Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas (organization): tribute, E1614• [18NO]

House Rules: allow consideration of motions to suspend rules and consider certain legislation (H. Res. 700), H7197 [1AU]

——— same-day consideration of resolutions allowing consideration of certain legislation (H. Res. 700), H7197 [1AU]

Immigration: making supplemental appropriations to address border crisis concerning unaccompanied alien children, border security and law enforcement, and humanitarian and repatriation assistance (H.R. 5230), H7197 [1AU]

——— making supplemental appropriations to address border crisis concerning unaccompanied alien children, border security and law enforcement, and humanitarian and repatriation assistance (H.R. 5230), consideration (H. Res. 696), H7137, H7138 [31JY]

——— prohibit certain actions relative to deferred actions for aliens not lawfully present in the U.S. (H.R. 5272), H7197 [1AU]

——— prohibit certain actions relative to deferred actions for aliens not lawfully present in the U.S. (H.R. 5272), consideration (H. Res. 696), H7137, H7138 [31JY]

——— reform (H.R. 15), unanimous-consent request, H7196 [1AU]

Political campaigns: reform the financing of congressional elections by broadening participation by small dollar donors (H.R. 20), H2357, H2358 [12MR]

Syria: authorize assistance, including training, equipment, supplies, and sustainment to appropriately vetted Syrian groups to combat threat of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) (terrorist organization), H7649 [17SE]

Votes: position on missed, H7204• [1AU]

Tributes

Garcia, Phillip G., E1041• [20JN]

Márquez, Juan C., E94• [16JA]