BERA, AMI (a Representative from California)

Articles and editorials

American Hero, Former POW, Remembered, Seoul Times (Internet site), E1702• [3DE]

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

Abortion: ensure affordable abortion coverage for every woman (see H.R. 2972), H5118 [13JY]

——— limit restrictions on the provision of abortion services to protect a women’s right to determine whether and when to bear a child or end a pregnancy (see H.R. 448), H479 [21JA]

Africa: encourage countries to provide first-time access to electricity and power services for a minimum number of people in sub-Saharan Africa (see H.R. 2847), H6894 [7OC]

AID: implement policies to end preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths globally (see H.R. 3706), H9329 [15DE]

American Infrastructure Fund: establish to provide loans or guarantees to State or local governments for qualified infrastructure projects (see H.R. 413), H430 [20JA]

Animals: outlaw the practice of animal crushing and production or distribution of any videos depicting such acts (see H.R. 2293), H9307 [11DE]

——— prohibit the sale or transport of equines or equine parts in interstate or foreign commerce for human consumption (see H.R. 1942), H6228 [24SE]

Armed Forces: ensure women members and their families have access to contraception and family planning (see H.R. 742), H812 [4FE]

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: observance (see H. Res. 283), H3561 [21MY]

Bearss, Edwin C.: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 2059), H2496 [28AP]

Boys Town (organization): mint coins in commemoration of anniversary (see H.R. 893), H3254 [15MY]

Budget: establish biennial cycle (see H.R. 1610), H2032 [25MR]

Bureau of Reclamation: participate in design, planning and construction of the South Sacramento County Agriculture and Habitat Lands Water Recycling Project (see H.R. 796), H855 [5FE]

California Coastal National Monument: expand boundary (see H.R. 3565), H9329 [15DE]

——— include the Santa Cruz Redwoods Public Lands as part of the National Landscape Conservation System (see H.R. 908), H1902 [24MR]

Camp Pendleton Medal of Honor Post Office, Camp Pendleton, CA: designate (see H.R. 136), H5172 [14JY]

CBO: modernize scoring of preventive health legislation to assess long-term health savings (see H.R. 3660), H6787 [1OC]

——— prepare long-term scoring estimates for reported bills and joint resolutions that could have significant economic and fiscal effects outside normal scoring periods (see H.R. 282), H7027 [20OC]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: authorize appropriations for firearms safety or gun violence prevention research (see H.R. 2612), H9013 [3DE]

Civil rights: award a Congressional Gold Medal to participants in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, or the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March, which served as a catalyst for the Voting Rights Act (see H.R. 431), H641 [27JA]

——— improve remedies for discrimination in the payment of wages based on sex (see H.R. 1619), H2032 [25MR]

Commission on Government Transformation: establish (see H.R. 2826), H4541 [18JN]

Commission To Accelerate the End of Breast Cancer: establish (see H.R. 1197), H6937 [8OC]

Commission To Verify Iranian Nuclear Compliance: establish (see H.R. 3741), H6973 [9OC]

Contracts: prohibit use of certain clauses in form contracts that restrict ability of consumers to communicate relative to goods or services that were the subject of the contract (see H.R. 2110), H3391 [19MY]

Corps of Engineers: clarify term ‘‘water resources project’’ and ‘‘water resources development project’’ include water supply and environmental infrastructure projects (see H.R. 2689), H5525 [27JY]

——— update and improve reservoir operations (see H.R. 813), H866 [9FE]

Cosmetics: phase out cosmetic animal testing and the sale of cosmetics tested on animals (see H.R. 2858), H7028 [20OC]

Crime: denounce attacks on healthcare centers for women, providers of healthcare for women, and patients and affirm right of women to access reproductive services without fear of violence or intimidation (see H. Res. 558), H9079 [8DE]

——— protect pets of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence (see H.R. 1258), H9307 [11DE]

Defense of Marriage Act: repeal and ensure respect for State regulation of marriage (see H.R. 197), H4593 [23JN]

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. 985), H4774 [25JN]

Dept. of Education: reinstate year-round access to Pell Grants (see H.R. 242), H2211 [14AP]

Dept. of Energy: enter into contracts for storage of certain high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, take title to such materials, and make certain expenditures from the Nuclear Waste Fund (see H.R. 3643), H9206 [9DE]

Dept. of HHS: establish direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratio requirements in hospitals (see H.R. 1602), H4003 [9JN]

——— provide for the participation of optometrists in the National Health Service Corps scholarship and loan repayment programs (see H.R. 1312), H3214 [14MY]

——— raise awareness of, and educate breast cancer patients anticipating surgery regarding the availability and coverage of breast reconstruction, prostheses, and other options (see H.R. 2540), H9329 [15DE]

Dept. of Homeland Security: making appropriations (see H.R. 861), H1072 [13FE]

Dept. of Justice: allow the denial of transfer of firearms or the issuance of firearms and explosives licenses to known or suspected terrorists (see H.R. 1076), H8971 [2DE]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: clarify presumptions relating to exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of Vietnam (see H.R. 969), H1806 [19MR]

Depts. of the Interior and Agriculture: adjust certain discretionary spending to provide for wildfire suppression and prevention operations (see H.R. 167), H4773 [25JN]

Discrimination: prohibit on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity (see H.R. 3185), H5465 [23JY]

——— prohibit on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity (see H. Res. 208), H2308 [16AP]

Diseases: mint coins in recognition of the fight against breast cancer (see H.R. 2722), H4135 [10JN]

Drought: provide drought assistance and improved water supply reliability to California, other Western States, and the nation (see H.R. 2983), H4955 [8JY]

Education: provide for the preparation of career and technical education teachers (see H.R. 4263), H9373 [16DE]

Employment: allow Americans to earn paid sick time to address their own health needs and the health needs of their families (see H.R. 932), H2500 [28AP]

Equal Pay Day: observance (see H. Con. Res. 35), H2210 [14AP]

Eximbank: reauthorize (see H.R. 1031), H1166 [25FE]

Families and domestic relations: prohibit discrimination in adoption or foster care placements based on sexual orientation, gender identification, or marital status of any prospective parent or the child involved (see H.R. 2449), H7333 [28OC]

FDA: exempt certain user fees from budget sequestration (see H.R. 1078), H6893 [7OC]

Federal agencies and departments: create an expedited procedure to enact GAO recommendations for consolidation and elimination to reduce duplication (see H.R. 484), H2356 [21AP]

——— modify the Do Not Pay Initiative and improve detection, prevention, and recovery of improper payments to deceased individuals (see H.R. 2003), H7139 [22OC]

——— promote strategic sourcing principles (see H.R. 1760), H2152 [13AP]

——— reduce duplication and increase efficiency (see H.R. 614), H4003 [9JN]

——— review efforts to reduce travel expenses through the use of video conferencing (see H.R. 2810), H4491 [17JN]

Financial institutions: provide certain credit unions with the authority to make additional member business loans (see H.R. 1188), H3916 [4JN]

Firearms: ensure prohibited purchasers are included in National Instant Criminal Background Check System, require background checks for commercial sales, and establish a National Commission on Mass Violence (see H.R. 1217), H6893 [7OC]

——— prohibit transfer or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices (see H.R. 752), H1501 [27FE]

Flag—U.S.: require purchase of domestically made U.S. flags for use by the Federal Government (see H.R. 916), H1032 [12FE]

Foreign aid: prohibit application of restrictive eligibility requirements to foreign nongovernmental organizations based on provision of certain health services (see H.R. 2740), H4242 [11JN]

France: condemn terrorist attacks in Paris, offer condolences to families of the victims, express solidarity with the people of France, and support pursuit of justice against those involved in such attacks (see H. Res. 524), H8282 [17NO]

Freedom Riders: award a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their unique contribution to civil rights, which inspired a revolutionary movement for equality in interstate travel (see H.R. 671), H754 [3FE]

Health: accelerate discovery, development, and delivery of 21st century lifesaving cures and devices (see H.R. 6), H4383 [15JN]

Health care professionals: protect certain sports medicine professionals who provide certain medical services in a secondary State (see H.R. 921), H7027 [20OC]

Hinduism: issue commemorative postage stamp honoring the holiday of Diwali (see H. Res. 32), H406 [14JA]

Horse Protection Act: designate additional unlawful acts, strengthen penalties for violations, and improve Dept. of Agriculture enforcement (see H.R. 3268), H6977 [13OC]

Human rights: submit reports on definitions of placement and recruitment fees for purposes of enabling compliance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (see H.R. 400), H757 [3FE]

Immigration: reform EB–5 immigrant investor visa program (see H.R. 616), H1624 [6MR]

India: call for continued strengthening relations with the U.S. and recognize shared democratic values (see H. Res. 52), H639 [27JA]

Iran: immediately release U.S. citizens that it holds and provide all known information on any U.S. citizens that have disappeared within its borders (see H. Res. 233), H3254 [15MY]

——— use parts of fines levied against companies that do business with Iran to establish a fund to pay claims to Americans held hostage in Iran and their families identified in a certain court case (see H.R. 3338), H5976 [11SE]

Korea, Republic of: provide high-skilled visas for nationals (see H.R. 1019), H4652 [24JN]

Land and Water Conservation Fund: reauthorize (see H.R. 1814), H4957 [8JY]

Marilyn Monroe Post Office, Van Nuys, CA: designate (see H.R. 3938), H8149 [5NO]

Medicare: add physical therapists to the list of providers allowed to utilize locum tenens arrangements (see H.R. 556), H9329 [15DE]

——— authorize a blanket significant hardship exception for meaningful electronic health records use due to delay in timely publication of certain meaningful use rules (see H.R. 3940), H9329 [15DE]

——— ensure more timely access to home health services for beneficiaries (see H.R. 1342), H6975 [9OC]

——— modify payment for outpatient department procedures that utilize drugs as supplies (see H.R. 1178), H2500 [28AP]

——— prevent increase in part B premiums and deductibles (see H.R. 3696), H6981 [16OC]

——— promote health care technology innovation and access to medical devices and services for which patients choose to self-pay (see H.R. 2597), H9376 [16DE]

——— provide coverage of an initial comprehensive care plan for beneficiaries newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (see H.R. 1559), H4003 [9JN]

——— provide coverage of pharmacist services in medically underserved areas (see H.R. 592), H2655 [29AP]

——— reform practices of recovery audit contractors (see H.R. 2156), H4003 [9JN]

——— repeal outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps (see H.R. 775), H2655 [29AP]

——— waive coinsurance for colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of whether therapeutic intervention is required during the screening (see H.R. 1220), H4544 [18JN]

Medicare/Medicaid: curb waste, fraud, and abuse (see H.R. 818), H866 [9FE]

Members of Congress: prohibit receipt of pay after October 1 of any fiscal year in which a concurrent budget resolution and regular appropriations bills have not been approved (see H.R. 187), H103 [7JA]

——— reduce rate of pay during a Government shutdown (see H.R. 2023), H4774 [25JN]

——— withhold pay in the event of a shutdown of the Dept. of Homeland Security (see H.R. 1032), H1113 [24FE]

Mental health: make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals diagnosed with mental illness and families in mental health crisis (see H.R. 2646), H4957 [8JY]

Minimum wage: increase, and index future increases to the median wage (see H.R. 2150), H2768 [30AP]

Minorities: strike outdated and disrespectful terms for minority groups from the U.S. Code, and replace them with culturally appropriate terms (see H.R. 4238), H9306 [11DE]

National Spine Ability Month: designate (see H. Res. 432), H9330 [15DE]

National Strategic Agenda: establish and include goals of job creation, balanced budget, securing Medicare and Social Security, and energy security (see H. Res. 207), H2307 [16AP]

National Stress Awareness Month: designate (see H. Res. 221), H2465 [23AP]

Nepal: express condolences to and solidarity with the people of Nepal following earthquake (see H. Res. 235), H2654 [29AP]

New York, NY: reauthorize the World Trade Center Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (see H.R. 1786), H6260 [25SE]

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: modify definition of small employer relative to employer health insurance mandate (see H.R. 1624), H5524 [27JY]

——— repeal excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage (see H.R. 2050), H6228 [24SE]

——— repeal provisions providing for the Independent Payment Advisory Board (see H.R. 1190), H1524 [2MR]

——— repeal provisions relative to annual period for disenrollment from Medicare Advantage plans to elect to receive original Medicare fee-for-service benefits (see H.R. 588), H2356 [21AP]

Political campaigns: reform the financing of congressional elections by broadening participation by small dollar donors (see H.R. 20), H477 [21JA]

——— reinstate limits for contributions made to national parties to support Presidential nominating conventions, national party headquarters buildings, and recounts (see H.R. 154), H157 [8JA]

Postal Service: ensure continuation of 6-day mail delivery service (see H. Res. 12), H1117 [24FE]

——— restore pre-existing service standards relative to overnight mail deliveries and elimination of delays (see H. Res. 54), H2467 [23AP]

SBA: extend availability of low-interest mortgage refinancing under the local development business loan program (see H.R. 2266), H2876 [12MY]

——— increase funding available for certain general business loans (see H.R. 3132), H5525 [27JY]

Schools: address and take action to prevent bullying and harassment of students (see H.R. 2902), H7626 [3NO]

——— end discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools (see H.R. 846), H1116 [24FE]

Sierra National Forest: designate a mountain in John Muir Wilderness as ‘‘Sky Point’’ (see H.R. 979), H1067 [13FE]

Sikhism: honor celebration of Vaisakhi (see H. Res. 192), H2153 [13AP]

Social Security: repeal Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions (see H.R. 973), H2115 [26MR]

——— revise medical criteria for evaluating disability in a person with Huntington’s disease and waive Medicare waiting period for individuals disabled by Huntington’s disease (see H.R. 842), H6975 [9OC]

Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis ‘Lou’ J. Langlais Post Office Building, Santa Barbara, CA: designate (see H.R. 3218), H5522 [27JY]

SSA: establish a trust fund to provide for paid family and medical leave benefits for certain individuals (see H.R. 1439), H1768 [18MR]

Taxation: eliminate lower threshold for refundable portion of child tax credit and adjust credit for inflation (see H.R. 1286), H2500 [28AP]

——— extend and modify the railroad track maintenance credit (see H.R. 721), H4003 [9JN]

——— improve certain education savings plans (see H.R. 529), H814 [4FE]

——— increase and improve credit for dependent care expenses and provide a credit for education of employees of child care centers (see H.R. 1492), H3391 [19MY]

——— limit authority of States to tax certain income of employees for employment duties performed in other States (see H.R. 2315), H5469 [23JY]

——— make permanent and expand the temporary minimum credit rate for the low-income housing tax credit program (see H.R. 1142), H9329 [15DE]

——— provide an additional religious exemption from the individual health coverage mandate (see H.R. 631), H1618 [4MR] (see H.R. 2061), H3582 [29MY]

——— repeal excise tax on medical devices (see H.R. 160), H41 [6JA]

Technology: provide for investment in innovation through research and development and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to improve U.S. competitiveness (see H.R. 1898), H2353 [21AP]

Terrorism: require a report on U.S. strategy to combat terrorist use of social media (see H.R. 3654), H9080 [8DE]

Tibet: call for substantive dialogue, without preconditions, in order to address Tibetan grievances and secure a negotiated agreement for the Tibetan people (see H. Res. 337), H4650 [24JN]

Travel and tourism: facilitate international travel to the U.S. by reforming visa procedures for certain foreign nationals (see H.R. 1401), H2500 [28AP]

U.S. Code: replace references to ‘‘wives’’ and ‘‘husbands’’ in Federal law with references to ‘‘spouses’’ (see H.R. 2976), H4955 [8JY]

Unemployment: ensure that individuals in an authorized job training program or completing degree or certificate work remain eligible for regular unemployment compensation (see H.R. 2219), H2791 [1MY]

Voting: modernize voter registration, promote access to voting for disabled individuals, and protect the right to vote (see H.R. 12), H3564 [21MY]

——— revise criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to certain protections against racial discrimination in voting (see H.R. 885), H9329 [15DE]

W. Ronald Coale Memorial Post Office Building, Stockton, CA: designate (see H.R. 1132), H1626 [10MR]

Women: constitutional amendment to ensure equal rights (see H.J. Res. 52), H3212 [14MY]

——— ensure reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition (see H.R. 2654), H3913 [4JN]

——— ensure timely access to affordable birth control (see H.R. 3163), H5402 [22JY]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Dept. of HHS: provide for a national public outreach and education campaign to raise public awareness of women’s preventive health (see H.R. 2355), H3251 [15MY]

Dept. of Justice: provide grants for prescription drug disposal sites (see H.R. 2463), H3505 [20MY]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: establish Office of Health Care Quality in the Veterans Health Administration (see H.R. 3951), H8150 [5NO]

Health care professionals: provide incentives to foreign-born physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities or VA hospitals (see H.R. 1272), H1610 [4MR]

India: recognize independence anniversary and contributions of Americans of Indian descent and call for continued strengthening of relations and advancing the strategic partnership with the U.S. (see H. Res. 395), H5769 [29JY]

Taxation: determine eligibility for health insurance subsidies without regard to amounts included in income by reason of conversion to a Roth individual retirement account (see H.R. 4217), H9269 [10DE]

Constitutional authority statements

Dept. of HHS: provide for a national public outreach and education campaign to raise public awareness of women’s preventive health (H.R. 2355), H3253 [15MY]

Dept. of Justice: provide grants for prescription drug disposal sites (H.R. 2463), H3506 [20MY]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: establish Office of Health Care Quality in the Veterans Health Administration (H.R. 3951), H8153 [5NO]

Health care professionals: provide incentives to foreign-born physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities or VA hospitals (H.R. 1272), H1615 [4MR]

Taxation: determine eligibility for health insurance subsidies without regard to amounts included in income by reason of conversion to a Roth individual retirement account (H.R. 4217), H9271 [10DE]

Motions

Drought: provide drought assistance to California (H.R. 2898), H5281 [16JY]

Energy and water development: making appropriations (H.R. 2028), H2781 [1MY]

Remarks

Abortion: prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion (H.R. 3504), H6148 [18SE]

——— prohibit taxpayer funded abortions, H2041 [26MR]

——— protect pain-capable unborn children (H.R. 36), H2933 [13MY]

American Infrastructure Fund: establish to provide loans or guarantees to State or local governments for qualified infrastructure projects (H.R. 413), H5187 [15JY]

Asian American Hotel Owners Association: anniversary, E527• [17AP]

Drought: protect California’s water supply for drinking and to fight wildfires, H5281 [16JY]

——— provide drought assistance to California (H.R. 2898), motion to recommit, H5281 [16JY]

Energy and water development: emergency drought relief and electric power transmission grid reliability funding for related agencies, H2781 [1MY]

——— making appropriations (H.R. 2028), motion to recommit, H2781 [1MY]

France: tribute to U.S. citizens who helped foil a terrorist attack on a French train, H5870 [10SE], E1277• [15SE]

Government: shutdown relative to budget process, H6089 [17SE]

Hinduism: observance of the holiday of Diwali, H7400 [3NO]

Medicaid: allow for greater State flexibility relative to excluding providers who are involved in abortions (H.R. 3495), H6331 [29SE]

Medicare: repeal the sustainable growth rate and improve payments for physicians and other professionals (H.R. 2), consideration (H. Res. 173), H2041 [26MR]

NASA: space program funding, H4606 [24JN]

Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.: prohibit funding, H6331 [29SE]

Roads and highways: extend Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other Highway Trust Fund-funded programs (H.R. 3038), H5187 [15JY]

Social Security: extend State Children’s Health Insurance Program (H.R. 2), consideration (H. Res. 173), H2041 [26MR]

Votes: position on missed, H6109• [17SE], E840• [4JN]

Tributes

O’Dowd, Paul T., Jr., E1702• [3DE]

Oliver, Danny, H413 [20JA]

Patel, Pratik, E527• [17AP]