TSONGAS, NIKI (a Representative from Massachusetts)
Amendments
Dept. of Defense: authorizing appropriations for military activities, prescribing personnel strengths, and military construction (H.R. 4435), H4771 [21MY]
National Environmental Policy Act: ensure application to the declaration of national monuments (H.R. 1459), H2679 [26MR]
Bills and resolutions cosponsored
Air Force: require a demonstration program on the accession as officers of candidates with auditory impairments (see H.R. 5296), H7126 [30JY]
Ali, Muhammad: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 1084), 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), H2258 [6MR]
Angelou, Maya: issue commemorative postage stamp honoring life (see H. Res. 684), H6814 [24JY]
Architect of the Capitol: place a chair honoring American POW/MIA on the Capitol Grounds (see H.R. 5391), H9305 [11DE]
Armed Forces: afford each member of a Reserve component with the opportunity for a physical examination before separation from the Armed Forces (see H.R. 2841), H3242 [28AP]
——— 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]
——— authorize the award of a military service medal to members exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of participation in testing nuclear weapons or other circumstances (see H.R. 4778), H5365 [12JN]
——— 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]
——— ensure women members and their families have access to contraception and family planning (see H.R. 5524), H7675 [17SE]
——— extend maternity leave for women serving in the military (see H.R. 4628), H4058 [9MY]
——— modify per-fiscal year calculation of days of certain active duty or service used to reduce minimum age at which Reserve component members may retire for non-regular service (see H.R. 690), H6297 [15JY]
——— require mental health assessments before enlistment or commissioning as an officer (see H.R. 4305), H2746 [27MR]
BLM: adjust minimum bids and annual rentals for oil and gas and tar sands leases to reflect inflation (see H.R. 3859), H2066 [27FE]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: authorize appropriations for firearms safety or gun violence prevention research (see H.R. 4707), H4784 [21MY]
Children and youth: provide for identification and dissemination of best practices for medical professionals and other health care providers relative to neonatal abstinence syndrome (see H.R. 4888), H6137 [11JY]
Climate: provide communities with tools to respond to extreme weather and implement a strategy to protect, restore, and conserve natural resources on which tourism and recreation jobs and local economies depend (see H.R. 5065), H7939 [12NO]
Colleges and universities: require institutions that receive Federal funds to adopt policies to prevent harassment and bullying (see H.R. 482), H8226 [1DE]
Conservation of energy: express that performance-based contracts for energy savings are a budget-neutral means to support reduced Government energy consumption while supporting jobs and economic development (see H. Res. 737), H7887 [18SE]
Credit: empower States to set the maximum annual percentage rates applicable to consumer credit transactions (see H.R. 4183), H3293 [29AP]
——— establish a national usury rate for consumer credit transactions (see H.R. 5130), H6397 [17JY]
——— establish requirements for treatment of a private education loan upon the death or bankruptcy of a cosigner of the loans (see H.R. 4643), H4058 [9MY]
Crime: protect pets of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence (see H.R. 5267), H7894 [18SE]
Dept. of Commerce: enable concrete masonry products manufacturers and importers to carry out coordinated program of research, education, and promotion to improve, maintain, and develop markets (see H.R. 1563), H2962 [4AP]
——— establish the Network for Manufacturing Innovation (see H.R. 2996), H1938 [25FE]
Dept. of Defense: improve management of cyber and information technology ranges and facilities (see H.R. 4500), H3240 [28AP]
——— provide additional enhancements of sexual assault prevention and response programs and activities (see H.R. 4485), H3196 [10AP]
——— require payment of full amount of separation pay otherwise due to former members of the Armed Forces discharged for sexual orientation (see H.R. 5009), H6108 [10JY]
Dept. of Education: allow certain student loan borrowers to refinance current loans (see H.R. 4582), H3446 [6MY]
——— establish an awards program recognizing excellence exhibited by public school system employees providing services to students in pre-kindergarten through higher education (see H.R. 1763), H183 [13JA]
Dept. of Energy: establish a Financing Energy Efficient Manufacturing Program (see H.R. 4162), H3409 [1MY]
——— establish Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy as the lead Federal agency for coordinating Federal, State, and local assistance to promote the energy retrofitting of schools (see H.R. 4092), H3242 [28AP]
Dept. of HHS: improve the quality of infant and toddler care under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program (see H.R. 4680), H5187 [9JN]
——— reauthorize and modernize the Community Services Block Grant Program (see H.R. 3854), H5640 [23JN]
Dept. of HUD: support goals and ideals of Community Development Block Grant Program (see H. Res. 668), H6978 [28JY]
Dept. of State: prioritize fight against human trafficking according to congressional intent in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act without increasing the size of the Federal Government (see H.R. 2283), H6656 [22JY]
——— provide a report on U.S. efforts to survey and secure the return, protection, and restoration of stolen or otherwise unreturned Christian properties in Turkey and Turkish occupied territories (see H.R. 4347), H5598 [20JN]
Dept. of the Interior: conduct a special resource study of the West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA (see H.R. 4119), H6656 [22JY]
——— establish Ocean Energy Safety Institute to promote the use of best available and safest offshore drilling technologies (see H.R. 3780), H136 [9JA]
Dept. of Transportation: improve cruise passenger security and safety (see H.R. 2800), H3242 [28AP]
——— 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: 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), H7893 [18SE]
——— 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), H3409 [1MY]
——— establish a registry of certain veterans who were stationed at Fort McClellan, AL (see H.R. 411), H7041 [29JY]
——— establish presumption of service connection for mental health conditions related to military sexual trauma (see H.R. 4344), H2962 [4AP]
——— 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), H5495 [18JN]
——— provide unlimited eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat service during certain periods of hostilities and war (see H.R. 1725), H7041 [29JY]
——— repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans’ dependency and indemnity compensation (see H.R. 32), H6399 [17JY]
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), H7893 [18SE]
Disabled: promote and ensure delivery of special education and related services to students with visual and hearing disabilities through appropriate instructional methodologies (see H.R. 4040), H8226 [1DE]
Diseases: express that current Ebola outbreak in Africa is an international health crisis (see H. Res. 701), H7242 [1AU]
——— issue semipostal stamp to support Alzheimer’s disease research (see H.R. 1508), H1777 [14FE]
——— mint coins in recognition of the fight against breast cancer (see H.R. 3680), H5249 [10JN]
Doolittle Tokyo Raiders: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 1209), H72 [8JA]
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), H3058 [8AP]
Elections: constitutional amendment on contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections (see H.J. Res. 119), H6297 [15JY]
EPA: take certain actions relative to pesticides that may affect pollinators (see H.R. 2692), H3448 [6MY]
Eximbank: reauthorize (see H.R. 4950), H5724 [24JN]
Explosives: condemn bombings at the Boston Marathon, express condolences to victims and their families, and call for international reduction and support for victims of improvised explosive devices (see H. Res. 190), H3243 [28AP]
Fab Foundation: provide a Federal charter for the National Fab Lab Network, a network of digital fabrication facilities providing community access to advanced manufacturing tools (see H.R. 1289), H6656 [22JY]
Family and Medical Leave Act: allow leave to care for a same-sex spouse, domestic partner, parent-in-law, adult child, sibling, grandchild, or grandparent with a serious health condition (see H.R. 1751), H5725 [24JN]
FCC: promulgate regulations that prohibit certain preferential treatment or prioritization of Internet traffic (see H.R. 4880), H7619 [16SE]
——— 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), H3242 [28AP]
Federal Housing Finance Agency: establish a moratorium on foreclosure of mortgages guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on homes of individuals who have lost their unemployment benefits (see H.R. 4255), H3199 [10AP]
Financial institutions: restore certain provisions of law to separate investment banking from commercial banking (see H.R. 129), H1252 [23JA]
Forests: provide for wildfire suppression and prevention operations (see H.R. 3992), H6217 [14JY]
Health: extend health information technology assistance eligibility to behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse professionals and facilities (see H.R. 2957), H5073 [5JN]
——— promote development of meaningful treatments for patients (see H.R. 3116), H10336 [2JA]
Higher Education Act: establish requirements for preferred banking arrangements (see H.R. 4714), H5024 [29MY]
House of Representatives: mandate all Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioner to complete annual ethics training conducted by the Committee on Ethics (House) (see H.R. 5095), H6400 [17JY]
House Rules: prohibit Committee on Ethics (House) waiver of requirement to include travel reimbursement information in financial disclosure reports of Members, officers, and employees of the House (see H. Res. 659), H5876 [8JY]
——— require a reading of the names of Armed Forces members who died in the previous month as a result of combat operations (see H. Res. 412), H2746 [27MR]
Housing Act: revise census data and population requirements for areas to be considered rural areas (see H.R. 858), H473 [15JA]
Insurance: ensure that employers that provide health benefits to their employees cannot deny any specific health benefits, including contraception coverage (see H.R. 5051), H6035 [9JY]
International Service Day: observance (see H. Con. Res. 70), H2066 [27FE]
Investments: exempt certain college savings plans from asset limitations when determining SSI, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, or LIHEAP eligibility (see H.R. 5783), H8365 [3DE]
IRS: issue regulations to allow enrolled agents to use or display their credentials when advertising their services or representing clients (see H.R. 2313), H4060 [9MY]
Lake Berryessa: transfer recreational management authority from Bureau of Reclamation to BLM (see H.R. 4166), H3058 [8AP]
Medicaid: require coverage of optometrists (see H.R. 855), H7892 [18SE]
Medicare: delay enforcement of two-midnight rule for short inpatient hospital stays until the implementation of a new payment methodology for short inpatient hospital stays (see H.R. 3698), H184 [13JA]
——— increase access to ambulance services (see H.R. 5460), H10336 [2JA]
——— provide coverage of certain lymphedema compression treatment items as items of durable medical equipment (see H.R. 3877), H6036 [9JY]
——— repeal the sustainable growth rate and improve payments for physicians and other professionals (see H.R. 4209), H2435 [13MR]
——— require State licensure and performance guarantees for entities submitting bids under the durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive acquisition program (see H.R. 4920), H7939 [12NO]
——— waive coinsurance for colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of whether therapeutic intervention is required during the screening (see H.R. 1070), H7892 [18SE]
Mental health: strengthen mental health infrastructure and firearm prohibitions for at-risk individuals, and improve reporting of mental health records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (see H.R. 4783), H5187 [9JN]
Mining and mineral resources: modify requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands consistent with the principles of self-initiation of mining claims (see H.R. 5060), H6217 [14JY]
National Foster Care Month: designate (see H. Res. 577), H4016 [8MY]
National parks and recreation areas: provide a lifetime America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass to any veteran with a service-connected disability (see H.R. 3976), H2099 [28FE]
National Small Business Week: observance (see H. Res. 583), H4064 [13MY]
National Women’s History Month: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 525), H5598 [20JN]
Nicklaus, Jack: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 2203), H3242 [28AP]
Nigeria: condemn abduction of female students by Boko Haram (terrorist organization) armed militants in Borno province and urge continued U.S. support and assistance (see H. Res. 573), H4017 [8MY]
NIH: submit an annual budget estimate for Alzheimer’s disease initiatives (see H.R. 4351), H4476 [19MY]
Older Americans Act: authorize appropriations (see H.R. 3850), H7979 [13NO]
Political campaigns: reform system of public financing of Presidential elections (see H.R. 270), H5068 [2JN]
——— reform the financing of congressional elections by broadening participation by small dollar donors (see H.R. 20), H2065 [27FE]
Pope Francis: congratulate on election and recognize inspirational statements and actions (see H. Res. 440), H3294 [29AP]
Postal Service: ensure continuation of 6-day mail delivery service (see H. Res. 30), H3243 [28AP]
——— recalculate and restore retirement annuity obligations, eliminate Retiree Health Benefits Fund prefunding requirement, restrict closure of facilities, create innovation incentives, and maintain level of service (see H.R. 630), H2696 [26MR]
Power resources: promote domestic development and deployment of clean energy technologies (see H.R. 4426), H3057 [8AP]
Privacy: reform Federal authority to require production of business records, conduct surveillance, and certain forms of information gathering for foreign intelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal purposes (see H.R. 3361), H2149 [4MR]
——— update privacy protections for electronic communications information that is stored by third-party service providers in order to protect consumer privacy while meeting law enforcement needs (see H.R. 1852), H2696 [26MR]
Product safety: ban use of bisphenol A in food and beverage containers (see H.R. 5033), H6034 [9JY]
Pullman National Historical Park: establish (see H.R. 3929), H5399 [17JN]
Renewable energy: promote development of renewable energy on public lands (see H.R. 596), H5364 [12JN]
SEC: require certain investment advisers to pay fees to help cover the costs of inspecting and examining investment advisers (see H.R. 1627), H7188 [31JY]
Secondary School Student Athletes’ Bill of Rights: support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 72), H7901 [19SE]
Small business: increase lending to small businesses (see H.R. 4652), H4059 [9MY]
Social Security: provide for 12-month continuous enrollment of individuals under Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (see H.R. 1698), H5399 [17JN]
——— provide States with the option of providing services to children with medically complex conditions under Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program through a care coordination program (see H.R. 4930), H9305 [11DE]
——— repeal the windfall elimination provision and protect the retirement of public servants (see H.R. 5697), H9305 [11DE]
SSA: establish a trust fund to provide for paid family and medical leave benefits for certain individuals (see H.R. 3712), H2066 [27FE]
Taxation: allow credit for amounts paid by a spouse of an Armed Forces member for a new State license or certification required due to permanent change in duty station of such member to another State (see H.R. 1620), H3198 [10AP]
——— allow small employers a credit against income tax for the cost of on-the-job training expenses (see H.R. 4473), H3196 [10AP]
——— deny any deduction for marketing directed at children to promote consumption of food of poor nutritional quality (see H.R. 2831), H7996 [14NO]
——— disallow a deduction for any fine paid by an owner of a professional sports franchise (see H.R. 4544), H4830 [22MY]
——— encourage domestic insourcing and discourage foreign outsourcing (see H.R. 851), H6217 [14JY]
——— expand denial of deduction for certain excessive employee remuneration (see H.R. 3970), H2645 [25MR]
——— expand rehabilitation credit (see H.R. 5655), H7940 [12NO]
——— extend exclusion from gross income of discharges of qualified principal residence indebtedness (see H.R. 2994), H3365 [30AP] (see H.R. 3856), H1515 [31JA]
——— extend publicly traded partnership ownership structure to energy power generation projects and transportation fuels (see H.R. 1696), H6107 [10JY]
——— extend tax incentives for empowerment zones and renewal communities (see H.R. 4471), H3196 [10AP]
——— extend time period for contributing military death gratuities to Roth IRAs and Coverdell education savings accounts (see H.R. 4559), H3407 [1MY]
——— make permanent the moratorium on Internet access taxation and multiple and discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce (see H.R. 3086), H3293 [29AP]
——— modify rules relative to inverted corporations in order to prevent tax avoidance by domestic companies moving operations to foreign countries (see H.R. 4679), H7619 [16SE]
——— modify rules relative to inverted corporations in order to prevent tax avoidance by domestic companies moving operations to foreign countries and transfer such revenues to Highway Trust Fund (see H.R. 4985), H7455 [11SE]
——— modify substantiation rules for donation of vehicles of a certain value (see H.R. 4960), H6297 [15JY]
Tibet: promote access for U.S. officials, journalists, and citizens to Tibetan areas of China (see H.R. 4851), H6746 [23JY]
Unemployment: extend unemployment benefits (see H.R. 3546), H2066 [27FE] (see H.R. 3824), H184 [13JA] (see H.R. 4415), H3144 [9AP]
——— prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of an individual’s status or history of unemployment (see H.R. 3972), H1545 [3FE]
Veterans: extend to all veterans with a serious service-connected injury eligibility to participate in the family caregiver services program (see H.R. 3383), H7242 [1AU]
Voting: improve ballot accessibility and voter registration opportunities, strengthen voting rights, and provide voter assistance to absent overseas uniformed services voters (see H.R. 3576), H474 [15JA]
——— permit an individual required to present identification to vote in a Federal election to meet requirement by presenting a sworn written statement attesting to the individual’s identification (see H.R. 1748), H20 [7JA]
——— 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 pollution: require disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and repeal the oil and gas industry exemption from the Safe Drinking Water Act (see H.R. 1921), H4685 [20MY]
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), H7241 [1AU]
Women: combat international violence against women and girls (see H.R. 3571), H3242 [28AP]
——— remove deadline for ratification of constitutional amendment to ensure equal rights (see H.J. Res. 113), H2744 [27MR]
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), H1881 [21FE]
Bills and resolutions introduced
Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 4693), H4684 [20MY]
Dept. of Defense: assess cloud security requirements (see H.R. 4505), H3240 [28AP]
——— 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), H3240 [28AP]
——— improve national defense laboratories by increasing retention and hiring flexibility to enable performance of breakthrough research and fulfill the needs of Armed Forces members (see H.R. 4410), H2961 [4AP]
SSI: modify certain requirements for countable resources and income (see H.R. 4583), H3446 [6MY]
Constitutional authority statements
Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society: award Congressional Gold Medal (H.R. 4693), H4685 [20MY]
Dept. of Defense: assess cloud security requirements (H.R. 4505), H3241 [28AP]
——— establish programs to track, retain, and analyze information relative to suicides involving Armed Forces Reserve components members and dependents of Armed Forces members (H.R. 4504), H3241 [28AP]
——— improve national defense laboratories by increasing retention and hiring flexibility to enable performance of breakthrough research and fulfill the needs of Armed Forces members (H.R. 4410), H2961 [4AP]
SSI: modify certain requirements for countable resources and income (H.R. 4583), H3447 [6MY]
Remarks
Abortion: prohibit taxpayer funded abortions (H.R. 7), consideration (H. Res. 465), H1449 [28JA]
Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society: award Congressional Gold Medal (H.R. 4693), H4788 [22MY]
Armed Forces: appropriate funds necessary to ensure that Reserve component members who perform inactive-duty training continue to receive pay during a Government shutdown (H.R. 3230), E1242• [25JY]
——— appropriate funds necessary to ensure that Reserve component members who perform inactive-duty training continue to receive pay during a Government shutdown (H.R. 3230), motion to instruct conferees, H6795 [24JY]
——— remove from Iraq, except for Armed Forces required to protect U.S. diplomatic facilities and personnel (H. Con. Res. 105), E1242• [25JY]
Children and youth: enable State child protective services systems to improve identification and assessment of child victims of sex trafficking (H.R. 5081), E1242• [25JY]
Cyprus: anniversary of Turkish occupation, E1174• [16JY]
——— support reunification agreement, E1174• [16JY]
Daughters of Penelope Foundation, Inc.: anniversary, E1766• [9DE]
Dept. of Defense: authorizing appropriations for military activities, prescribing personnel strengths, and military construction (H.R. 4435), H4546 [20MY]
——— improve treatment of Armed Forces members and veterans who are victims of military sexual assault, H6795 [24JY]
Dept. of the Interior: install in the area of the World War II Memorial a suitable plaque or inscription with the words that Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed on D-Day, June 6, 1944 (S. 1044), H5607, H5608 [23JN]
Dept. of Veterans Affairs: improve access of veterans to medical services by improving scheduling, staff training and hiring, access to care from non-departmental providers, and administrative matters, H6795 [24JY]
Depts. of the Interior and Agriculture: prohibit the taking of privately held water rights and uphold longstanding State water laws (H.R. 3189), H2392 [13MR]
Immigration: reform (H.R. 15), unanimous-consent request, H7196 [1AU]
Nashua River: designate segments for potential addition to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System (H.R. 412), H5609 [23JN]
National Environmental Policy Act: ensure application to the declaration of national monuments (H.R. 1459), H2679 [26MR]
Native Americans: revoke the charter of incorporation of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma (H.R. 4002), H5608 [23JN]
NIH: funding, E1629• [19NO]
Public lands: preserve the ability of the President to declare certain military cultural and historic sites as national monuments regardless of size, H2679 [26MR]
Taxation: extend production tax credit for wind power, H1945 [26FE]
——— improve the child tax credit (H.R. 4935), E1242• [25JY]
Unemployment: extend unemployment benefits (H.R. 3936), H1449 [28JA]