(This measure has not been amended since the House agreed with an amendment to the Senate amendment on December 11, 2014. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Highlights:
The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 provides appropriations for most of the federal government through the end of FY2015 and continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security through February 27, 2015.
The Act includes eleven of the twelve regular appropriations bills. Compared to FY2014 levels, the Act increases total funding for seven bills and decreases funding for four bills.
The Act increases total funding above FY2014 levels for:
It decreases total funding below FY2014 levels for:
The Act includes a continuing resolution that funds the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through February 27, 2015, or enactment of homeland security appropriations legislation.
It also includes Overseas Contingency Operations and emergency funding for activities related to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the spread of the Ebola virus.
In addition to providing appropriations, the Act includes provisions that:
Also included in the Act is a provision that amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to expand the permissible derivatives activities of financial institutions receiving federal assistance such as deposit insurance.
Full Summary:
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 - (Sec. 3) Provides that references to "this Act" included in any division refer only to the provisions of the division unless the Act expressly provides otherwise.
(Sec. 4) Provides that the explanatory statement printed in the Congressional Record regarding this Act shall have the same effect as a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference.
(Sec. 5) Provides that the sums in this Act are appropriated for FY2015.
(Sec. 6) Provides that amounts designated by this Act as an emergency requirement or for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall only be available (or rescinded, if applicable) if the President subsequently designates the amounts and transmits the designations to Congress.
(Sec. 7) Permits the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to make specified adjustments to discretionary spending limits to account for estimating differences with the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
(Sec. 8) Prohibits cost of living adjustments for Members of Congress during FY2015.
(Sec. 9) Requires the Department of the Interior to establish a team of experts to: (1) develop an energy action plan for each of the insular areas (American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) and Freely Associated States (the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau); and (2) assist in implementing the plan.
Requires the plan to include: (1) recommendations to reduce reliance on fuel from outside the United States, to develop and utilize domestic fuel energy sources, and to improve performance of energy infrastructure and efficiency; (2) a schedule for implementing the recommendations; (3) a financial and engineering plan for implementing and sustaining projects; and (4) benchmarks for measuring progress.
Establishes reporting requirements. Requires Interior to approve the plan prior to implementation.
(Sec. 10) Extends the transition period for establishing, administering, and enforcing a program to regulate immigration in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands through December 31, 2019, including the annual reduction in the allocation of permits for admission of nonimmigrant workers during the period.
(Sec. 11) Provides funding for the Department of the Interior's Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program to compensate local governments for lost tax revenue due to the presence of federal land.
Division A: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides FY2015 appropriations to the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and related agencies.
Title I: Agricultural Programs - Makes FY2015 appropriations for the following Department of Agriculture programs and services:
Title II: Conservation Programs - Provides FY2015 appropriations for: (1) the Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, and (2) the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Title III: Rural Development Programs - Provides FY2015 appropriations for: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development, (2) Rural Development Salaries and Expenses, (3) Rural Housing Service, (4) Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and (5) Rural Utilities Service.
Title IV: Domestic Food Programs - Provides FY2015 appropriations for: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services; and (2) Food and Nutrition Service, including Child Nutrition Programs; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps); the Commodity Assistance Program; and Nutrition Programs Administration.
Title V: Foreign Assistance and Related Programs - Provides FY2015 appropriations for the Foreign Agricultural Service, including the Food for Peace Act (P.L. 480) and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.
Title VI: Related Agencies and Food and Drug Administration - Provides FY2015 appropriations to: (1) the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and (2) the Farm Credit Administration (FCA).
Title VII: General Provisions - Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this Act and other appropriations Acts.
(Sec. 701) Permits USDA to use funds provided by this Act for the purchase, replacement, and hire of passenger motor vehicles.
(Sec. 702) Permits USDA to transfer unobligated balances to the Working Capital Fund for the acquisition of plant and capital equipment for financial, administrative, and information technology services. Permits the transferred funds to remain available until expended and specifies restrictions on the use of the funds.
(Sec. 703) Prohibits appropriations provided by this Act from remaining available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless the Act expressly provides otherwise.
(Sec. 704) Limits negotiated indirect costs on cooperative agreements between USDA and nonprofit institutions to 10% of the total direct cost of the agreement.
(Sec. 705) Permits appropriations for direct and guaranteed loans to remain available until expended to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year for: (1) the Rural Development Loan Fund program account, (2) the Rural Electrification and Telecommunication Loans program account, and (3) the Rural Housing Insurance Fund program account.
(Sec. 706) Prohibits USDA from using funds provided by this Act to acquire or upgrade information technology systems without approval of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Executive Information Technology Investment Review Board.
Restricts the transfer of funds made available by this Act to the CIO without prior approval of Congress. Requires the CIO to approve information technology projects over $25,000. Permits the CIO to authorize the obligation of funds without written approval for projects up to $250,000.
(Sec. 707) Permits FY2015 funds provided to USDA under specified conservation programs to remain available until expended to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year.
(Sec. 708) Makes a former Rural Utility Service borrower that has repaid or prepaid a loan under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 or any not-for profit utility qualified to receive a loan under the Act eligible for rural economic development and job creation assistance in the same manner as a borrower.
(Sec. 709) Rescinds $125 million of the unobligated balances provided for supplemental agricultural disaster assistance pursuant to the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
(Sec. 710) Permits up to $20 million of the unobligated balances from appropriations by this Act for salaries and expenses of the Farm Services Agency to remain available through FY2016 for information technology expenses.
Permits unobligated balances from appropriations by this Act for salaries and expenses for the Rural Development mission area to remain available for information technology expenses through FY2016.
(Sec. 711) Permits USDA to authorize a state agency to exceed the maximum amount of liquid infant formula that regulations permit to be issued to participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
(Sec. 712) Prohibits first-class travel by employees of agencies funded by this Act.
(Sec. 713) Provides that Commodity Credit Corporation funds authorized or required to be used for specified programs: (1) shall be available for salaries and administrative expenses without regard to allotment and transfer limits, and (2) shall not be considered to be a fund transfer or allotment for purposes of applying the limits.
(Sec. 714) Limits funds available for USDA advisory committees, panels, commissions, and task forces.
(Sec. 715) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to pay indirect costs charged against any agricultural research, education, or extension grant awards issued by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture that exceed 30% of total federal funds provided under each award.
(Sec. 716) Limits funds appropriated by this or any other Act that may be used for the following programs:
(Sec. 717) Limits funds for the following domestic food assistance categories: (1) Child Nutrition Programs Entitlement Commodities, (2) State Option Contracts, and (3) Removal of Defective Commodities.
Limits FY2015 funds for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program that provides fruit and vegetables to students in participating elementary schools.
Prohibits USDA from using funds for payments authorized by Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935 to increase purchasing power of agricultural producers or for surplus removal or price support activities authorized by the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.
Rescinds $203 million in unobligated balances provided for domestic food assistance programs.
(Sec. 718) Prohibits the use of funds to prepare proposals for the President's budget that assume savings from certain user fee proposals without identifying additional spending reductions that should occur if the proposals are not enacted.
(Sec. 719) Prohibits funds from being used through a reprogramming or transfer of funds to: (1) create new programs; (2) eliminate a program, project, or activity; (3) relocate an office or employees; (4) reorganize offices, programs, or activities; (3) privatize federal employee functions; or (5) increase funds or personnel for any project for which funds have been denied or restricted unless Congress is notified.
Prohibits, without congressional notification, funds from being used through a reprogramming of funds in excess of $500,000 or 10%, whichever is less: (1) to augment existing programs, projects, or activities; (2) to reduce by 10% funding or personnel for any existing program, or (3) that results from a reduction in personnel which would change existing programs.
Prohibits, without congressional notification, funds from being used for: (1) modifying funding levels for major capital investments in excess of $500,000 or 10% of the total cost, whichever is less; (2) realigning or reorganizing positions or agency activities to establish a center, office, or branch with five or more personnel; or (3) or carrying out activities or functions that were not described in the budget request.
(Sec. 720) Permits USDA to assess a one-time fee for any guaranteed business and industry loan in an amount that does not exceed 3% of the guaranteed principal portion of the loan.
(Sec. 721) Prohibits funds from being used to make questions or responses to questions requested for the appropriations hearing process available to anyone not employed by USDA, HHS, or the FCA.
(Sec. 722) Prohibits any executive branch agency from using funds provided by this Act to produce a prepackaged news story for U.S. broadcast or distribution unless it includes clear notification that it was produced or funded by the agency.
(Sec. 723) Prohibits USDA employees from being detailed to any other USDA agency or office for more than 60 days unless the individual's employing agency is reimbursed by the receiving agency for the salary and expenses of the employee.
(Sec. 724) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to provide nonrecourse marketing assistance loans for mohair.
(Sec. 725) Appropriates funds for direct reimbursement payments for geographically disadvantaged farmers or ranchers to transport agricultural commodities.
(Sec. 726) Appropriates funds for a pilot program to demonstrate new technologies that increase growth of re-forested hardwood trees on private nonindustrial forests lands on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
(Sec. 727) Directs the USDA, FDA, and FCA to submit to Congress a plan for spending funds provided by this Act.
(Sec. 728) Provides that funds for title II of the Food for Peace Act may only be used to assist nations if the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) determines that adequate monitoring and controls exist to ensure that food aid is received by the intended beneficiaries in areas affected by food shortages and not diverted for unauthorized purposes.
(Sec. 729) Directs USDA to: (1) continue the pilot program in effect for FY2013 for packaging and reviewing direct loans for single family rural housing, and (2) enter into additional agreements to increase the number of participating organizations to at least 10.
(Sec. 730) Permits USDA to increase the program level by up to 25% for certain loans and loan guarantees that do not require budget authority and have program levels established by this Act. Requires congressional notification prior to implementing any increase.
(Sec. 731) Prohibits the use of funds to advance or enforce specified proposed and existing Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration rules establishing criteria to determine whether conduct in the livestock and poultry industries violates provisions of the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 intended to ensure a fair marketplace.
Prohibits advancing the proposed rule entitled "Implementation of Regulations Required Under Title XI of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008; Conduct in Violation of the Act" unless the combined annual cost to the economy of the rules does not exceed $100 million.(Sec. 732) Provides that certain credit card refunds or rebates transferred to the Working Capital Fund: (1) shall not be available for obligation without congressional approval; and (2) shall only be available for acquisition of plant and capital equipment for USDA financial, administrative, and information technology services.
(Sec. 733) Provides that, beginning with FY2014, losses under the supplemental agricultural disaster assistance program shall not be considered the "same loss" for purposes of the noninsured crop assistance program and the crop insurance program to make a loss eligible for benefits under the disaster assistance program and the other programs.
(Sec. 734) Prohibits the FDA from using specified funds for salaries and expenses until the draft guidance entitled "Guidance for Industry: Abuse-Deterrent Opioids- Evaluation and Labeling" is finalized. (Opioids are a type of medication that relieves pain and include hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, codeine, and related drugs.)
Requires the funds to be made available to FDA's Office of Criminal Investigation for assisting federal, state, and local agencies to combat the diversion and illegal sales of controlled substances if the guidance is not finalized by June 30, 2015.
(Sec. 735) Prohibits funds from being used to develop a plan to provide for repair or replacement of bulk fuel storage tanks in Alaska that are not in compliance with applicable federal or state laws.
(Sec. 736) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to procure processed poultry products from China for the National School Lunch Program, the Child and Adult Food Care Program, the Summer Food Service Program, or the School Breakfast Program.
(Sec. 737) Provides appropriations to remain available until expended for implementing non-renewable agreements for wetlands preservation on eligible lands, including flooded agricultural lands.
(Sec. 738) Permits HHS to: (1) relinquish to Arkansas the U.S. jurisdiction over lands and properties encompassing the Jefferson Labs campus that are under HHS supervision; and (2) enter into an agreement with Arkansas, an agency of the state, or a public or private entity for a technology research and commercialization center in Jefferson County, Arkansas, near the Jefferson Labs campus.
(Sec. 739) Directs USDA to set aside specified additional funds for Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zones.
(Sec. 740) Permits USDA to respond to a community with inadequate drinking water supplies due to a natural disaster by providing potable water through the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant Program for up to 120 days beyond the time period established in the program.
(Sec. 741) Prohibits funds from being used for the Safe Meat and Poultry Inspection Panel.
(Sec. 742) Establishes the Nonrecurring Expenses Fund in the Treasury and permits certain unobligated balances of expired USDA appropriations to be transferred to the Fund. Permits the funds to be used for USDA facilities infrastructure capital acquisition if the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approves, and Congress is notified in advance.
(Sec. 743) Appropriates funds to remain available until expended for: (1) the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, (2) the Emergency Forestry Restoration Program, and (3) the Emergency Conservation Program. Designates the funds as being for disaster relief pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
(Sec. 744) Limits funds appropriated for an assessment of the scope of domestic hunger and food insecurity that may be used for administrative purposes.
(Sec. 745) Rescinds $1.5 million in unobligated balances appropriated to the Agricultural Research Service for the Buildings and Facilities account.(Sec. 746) Rescinds unobligated balances appropriated for expenses for ocean freight differential grants under title I of the Food for Peace Act (P.L. 480).
(Sec. 747) Amends provisions of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 related to USDA programs to promote organic agricultural commodities.
(Sec. 748) Rescinds $8 million in unobligated balances appropriated for repowering assistance to encourage biorefineries to replace fossil fuels with systems that use or produce energy from renewable biomass.
(Sec. 749) Specifies the matching requirements that apply to funds appropriated for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
(Sec. 750) Prohibits funds from being used to inspect horses for slaughter purposes.
(Sec. 751) Requires USDA to permit states to grant exemptions from whole grain requirements for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program that took effect on or after July 1, 2014.
Requires states to establish a process for responding to exemption requests, provided that school food authorities demonstrate hardship in procuring whole grain products compliant with new standards and comply with whole grain standards in effect prior to July 1, 2014.
(Sec. 752) Prohibits funds from being used to implement regulations requiring a specified reduction in sodium in federally reimbursed meals, foods, and snacks sold in schools until the latest scientific research establishes that the reduction is beneficial for children.
(Sec. 753) Prohibits funds from being used to exclude or restrict any variety of fresh vegetable without added sugars, fats, or oils from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Title VIII: Ebola Response and Preparedness - Provides appropriations for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) activities related to the response to the Ebola virus and the development of necessary medical countermeasures and vaccines. Designates the funding provided as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Division B: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Title I: Department of Commerce - Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for the Department of Commerce for FY2015 for:
(Sec. 104) Adopts by reference and makes applicable to FY2015 requirements of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012, that prohibit NOAA from entering into a contract for development of a major program (a program with an estimated life-cycle cost of more than $250 million) unless the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere makes specified determinations, including that: (1) the technical, cost, and schedule risks are clearly identified and the program has developed a plan to manage those risks; and (2) the technologies required for the program have been demonstrated in a relevant laboratory or test environment. Specifies the life cycle costs for the Joint Polar Satellite System and for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series Program.
(Sec. 105) Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to furnish services to facilitate the use or occupancy of the Herbert C. Hoover Building, Washington, D.C., or other buildings for which the Secretary is responsible.
(Sec. 106) Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent a grant recipient from deterring child pornography, copyright infringement, or any other unlawful activity over its networks.
(Sec. 107) Authorizes the Administrator of NOAA to use the resources of federal, state, local, or tribal agencies and other entities to carry out the responsibilities of any statute administered by NOAA.
(Sec. 108) Requires the Department of Commerce to provide a monthly report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on any official travel to China by any Department of Commerce employee.
(Sec. 109) Prohibits NIST from charging for a copy of any report or document generated by the legislative branch unless it has provided information on how an electronic copy of such report or document may be accessed and downloaded for free online.
(Sec. 110) Expands the authority of the Administrator of NOAA to enter into transactions and receive and expend funds made available on a consensual basis to carry out agency responsibilities.
(Sec. 111) Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to waive the requirement for bonds with respect to contracts for the construction, alternation, or repair of vessels when the contract is made under the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947.
Title II: Department of Justice - Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) for FY2015 for:
(Sec. 202) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act to: (1) pay for an abortion, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or in the case of rape; or (2) require any person to perform or facilitate the performance of an abortion.
(Sec. 204) Reaffirms the obligation of the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to provide escort services necessary for a female inmate to receive an abortion outside a federal facility.
(Sec. 206) Authorizes the Attorney General to extend through FY2015 the Personnel Management Demonstration Project without limitation on the number of employees or the positions covered.
(Sec. 207) Prohibits the use of funds made available under this Act to: (1) transport a maximum or high security prisoner other than to a prison or facility certified by the Bureau of Prisons as appropriately secure; (2) purchase cable television services or rent equipment used primarily for recreational purposes in federal prisons, except for inmate training, religious, or educational purposes; (3) purchase a new or enhanced information technology program having estimated development costs in excess of $100 million without appropriate program management controls and oversight mechanisms in place; (4) begin, continue, finish, process, or approve a public-private competition under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76 for work performed by employees of the Bureau of Prisons or of Federal Prison Industries, Inc.; (5) facilitate the transfer of an operable firearm to an individual known or suspected to be an agent of a drug cartel, unless U.S. law enforcement personnel continuously monitor or control the firearm at all times; or (6) deny the DOJ Inspector General timely access to all records, documents, and other materials in the custody or possession of DOJ.
(Sec. 217) Prohibits income retained in the DOJ Working Capital Fund from being available for obligation in FY2015, except for amounts to implement a unified DOJ financial management system.
(Sec. 219) Permits discretionary funds made available in this Act for the Office of Justice Programs to be used to participate in Performance Partnership Pilots authorized under the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014.
Title III: Science - Science Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for FY2015 for: (1) the Office of Science and Technology Policy; and (2) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including for the Office of the Inspector General; and (3) the National Science Foundation (NSF), including for the Office of the National Science Board and the Office of the Inspector General.
Title IV: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY2015 for: (1) the Commission on Civil Rights, (2) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), (3) the International Trade Commission, (4) the Legal Services Corporation, (5) the Marine Mammal Commission, (6) the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and (7) the State Justice Institute.
Title V: General Provisions - (Sec. 501) Sets forth restrictions and prohibitions on the use of funds under this Act, including prohibitions against the use of funds to:
(Sec. 506) Renders any person who mislabels a product sold in or shipped to the United States as "Made in America" ineligible to receive any contract or subcontract funded by this Act. Requires funds made available by this Act to be used for the purchase of items that are manufactured, produced, or assembled in the United States or its territories or possessions.
(Sec. 514) Requires the Inspectors General of the Department of Commerce, DOJ, NASA, NSF, and the Legal Services Corporation to conduct audits of grants or contracts under this Act and to make the results of such audits available, with appropriate redaction of confidential information.
(Sec. 521) Requires program managers of projects of the Departments of Commerce or Justice, NASA, or the NSF totaling more than $75 million to notify such agencies if project costs have increased by 10%.
(Sec. 522) Authorizes funding for intelligence-related activities during FY2015 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2015.
(Sec. 523) Prohibits contracting with or awarding grants in excess of $5 million to a contractor or grantee unless such contractor or grantor certifies compliance with tax return requirements and has not been convicted of a criminal tax offense.
(Sec. 524) Rescinds unobligated balances available for Department of Commerce, Departmental Management, Franchise Fund and for economic development assistance programs. Requires the rescission, not later than September 30, 2015, of specified unobligated balances available for certain DOJ programs.
(Sec. 527) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act in a manner that is inconsistent with the principal negotiating objective of the United States with respect to trade remedy laws to preserve the ability of the United States to: (1) enforce vigorously its trade laws, (2) avoid agreements that lessen the effectiveness of domestic and international disciplines on unfair trade or safeguards to protect competition, and (3) address and remedy market distortions that lead to dumping and subsidization.
(Sec. 528) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act to: (1) transfer or release to or within the United States or its territories and possessions Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who is not a U.S. citizen or a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and who is or was held on or after June 24, 2009, at the U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by the Department of Defense (DOD); or (2) construct, acquire, or modify any facility in the United States or its territories or possessions to detain or imprison such a detainee.
(Sec. 530) Directs that funds made available in this Act be used to purchase light bulbs that are "Energy Star" qualified or have the "Federal Energy Management Program" designation.
(Sec. 537) Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act under the heading "Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery" for grant guidelines or requirements to establish minimum riparian buffers.
(Sec. 540) Continues through FY2015 the responsibility of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration with respect to Internet domain system functions.
(Sec. 541) Continues during calendar year 2015 the application of provisions of the Trade Act of 1974 relating to adjustment assistance.
Title VI: Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 - Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 - (Sec. 602) - Amends the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (TPA) to revise qualification requirements for members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Travel Promotion.
(Sec. 603) Revises requirements for the Corporation's annual report to the Secretary of Commerce to require a description of and rationales for: (1) the Corporation's efforts to focus on specific countries and populations; and (2) the Corporation's combination of media channels employed in meeting the promotional objectives of its marketing campaign, the ratio in which such channels are used, and a justification for such use and ratio.
(Sec. 604) Directs the Corporation and the Secretary to meet biannually to review procedures to determine the fair market value of goods and services received by the Corporation from non-federal sources. Reduces from 80 to 70 the percentage of the fair market value of those goods and services the Corporation may receive from non-federal sources each fiscal year, increasing the federal matching rate from 20% to 30%.
Requires the Secretary, in coordination with the Corporation, to establish formal, publicly available procedures specifying time frames and conditions for: (1) making and agreeing to revisions of the Corporation's in-kind contributions policy; and (2) addressing and resolving disagreements between the Corporation and its partners, including the Secretary, regarding the in-kind contribution policy.
(Sec. 605) Includes U.S. territories among the states and the District of Columbia whose benefit the Corporation's international travel promotion plan must ensure.
Extends the TPA and the Corporation through FY2020.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend through FY2020 the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to charge a fee for use of the electronic travel authorization system to determine, in advance, an alien's eligibility to travel to the United States.
(Sec. 606) Amends the TPA to lower from $5 million to $500,000 the threshold in the Corporation's budget for a forthcoming fiscal year expenditures above which require an explanation from the Board to the Secretary.
Requires the Corporation to establish performance metrics including, time frames, evaluation methodologies, and data sources for measuring:
Requires the Corporation to: (1) conduct periodic program evaluations in response to the data resulting from such measurements, and (2) report to Congress on actions it has taken in response to Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations.
Directs the Corporation to: (1) establish a competitive procurement process, and (2) certify, in its annual report to Congress, that any contracts it has entered into were in compliance with that process.
(Sec. 607) Repeals the Corporation's authority to impose an annual assessment on certain U.S. members of the international travel and tourism industry represented on the Board.
Title VII: Revitalize American Manufacturing And Innovation Act of 2014 - Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2014 - (Sec. 703) Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) a Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program to:
Requires the Secretary to establish a network of centers for manufacturing innovation (CMIs), to be known as the Network for Manufacturing Innovation.
Identifies as key advanced manufacturing technologies:
Considers the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute and other manufacturing centers formally recognized as manufacturing innovation centers pursuant to federal law or executive actions, or under pending interagency review for such recognition, to be CMIs but prohibits them from receiving any financial assistance under this Act.
Allows a manufacturing center substantially similar to a CMI but not receiving such financial assistance to be recognized as a CMI, upon its request, in order to participate in the Network.
Directs the Secretary to award financial assistance to a person or group of persons to assist the organization in planning, establishing, or supporting such CMIs.
Prescribes requirements for awarding assistance, including an open process for soliciting applications and a competitive merit-review selection process that includes peer review by a diverse group of individuals with relevant expertise from private and public sectors.
Prohibits political appointees from participating on a peer review panel. Requires the Secretary to implement a conflict of interest policy, with full disclosure of any real or potential conflicts of interest on the parts of individuals that participate in the merit selection process.
Discontinues financial assistance seven years after a CMI first receives an award. Specifies federal matching fund requirements. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) make an exception to these requirements for large capital facilities or equipment purchases, and (2) give a weighted preference to applicants seeking less than the maximum federal share of funds allowed.
Requires the amount of financial assistance to a CMI to decrease after its second year of funding and in each year thereafter, unless the Secretary determines that:
Authorizes the Secretary, to the extent provided for in advance by appropriations to the NIST Industrial Technical Services Account, to use up to $5 million from such amounts for each of FY2015-FY2024 to carry out this Act.
Authorizes the Secretary of Energy (DOE), to the extent provided for in advance by appropriations Acts for advanced manufacturing research and development within the departmental Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account, to transfer to NIST up to $250 million from such amounts for FY2015-FY2024 for the Secretary of Commerce to carry out this Act.
Directs the Secretary to establish within NIST the National Office of the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program to: (1) oversee the Program, (2) develop and periodically update a strategic plan for the Program, (3) establish a clearinghouse of public information related to Program activities, and (4) act as a convener of the Network.
Requires the Secretary to ensure that the Office incorporates the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership into Program planning to ensure that the results of the Program reach small- and medium-sized entities.
Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to assess the Program's operation biennially.
(Sec. 704) Amends the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 to revise the Committee on Technology's duties under the National Science and Technology Council.
Directs the Committee to develop and update, in coordination with the National Economic Council, a strategic plan to improve government coordination and provide long-term guidance for federal programs and activities in support of U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, including advanced manufacturing research and development.
Requires the President to submit such plan, as well as quadrennial updates, to Congress and to publish it on an Internet website accessible to the public.
Directs the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology to provide input, perspective, and recommendations to assist in the development and updates of the strategic plan.
(Sec. 705) Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to modify the Regional Innovation Program (RIP).
Requires the Secretary of Commerce to conduct outreach to public and private sector entities in rural communities to encourage their participation in RIP regional innovation cluster activities.
Authorizes the Secretary to accept funds from other federal agencies to support in RIP grants and activities.
Eliminates science and research park development grants and loan guarantees for science park infrastructure.
Postpones until three years after enactment of this Act the deadline for the Secretary to enter into a contract with an independent entity, such as the National Academy of Sciences, to evaluate RIP.
Authorizes the Secretary, to the extent provided for in advance by appropriations Acts, to use not to exceed $10 million from amounts appropriated for economic development assistance programs for each of FY2015-FY2019 to carry out RIP.
Division C: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015 - Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2015.
Title I: Military Personnel - Provides appropriations for active-duty and reserve personnel in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force (the military departments), and for National Guard personnel in the Army and Air Force.
Title II: Operation and Maintenance - Provides appropriations for Operation and Maintenance (O&M) for the military departments, other agencies of the DOD, the reserve components, and the Army and Air National Guard. Appropriates funds for: (1) the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; (2) Environmental Restoration for the military departments, DOD, and at formerly used defense sites; (3) Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid; (4) the Cooperative Threat Reduction Account; and (5) the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Fund.
Title III: Procurement - Provides appropriations for procurement by the military departments, including for the procurement of aircraft, missiles, weapons, tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, and for shipbuilding and conversion by the Navy. Appropriates funds for: (1) DOD Procurement, and (2) Defense Production Act Purchases.
Title IV: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation - Provides appropriations for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) by the military departments and defense agencies. Appropriates funds for the independent activities of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation.
Title V: Revolving and Management Funds - Provides appropriations for the Defense Working Capital Funds and the National Defense Sealift Fund.
Title VI: Other Department of Defense Programs - Provides appropriations for: (1) the Defense Health Program, (2) Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, (3) Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, (4) the Office of the Inspector General, and (5) Support for International Sporting Competitions.
Title VII: Related Agencies - Provides appropriations for the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund, and the Intelligence Community Management Account.
Title VIII: General Provisions - Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this Act.
(Sec. 8001) Prohibits appropriations contained in this Act from being used for publicity or propaganda purposes not authorized by Congress.
(Sec. 8002) Provides that during the current fiscal year, provisions of law prohibiting compensating or employing foreign nationals shall not apply to DOD if certain conditions are met.
(Sec. 8003) Prohibits funding provided by this Act from remaining available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless this Act expressly provides otherwise.
(Sec. 8004) Prohibits more than 20% of the appropriations provided by this Act for the current fiscal year from being obligated during the last two months of the fiscal year.
(Sec. 8005) Permits specified Working Capital Funds provided by this Act for military functions (except military construction) to be transferred between appropriations or funds available for the same purposes, subject to specified restrictions and the approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Requires DOD to notify Congress of all transfers made pursuant to this section.
(Sec. 8006) Requires tables included in the explanatory statement regarding this Act to be treated as if they were included in the text of this Act.
(Sec. 8007) Requires DOD to submit a report to Congress to establish the baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer authorities for FY2015.
(Sec. 8008) Prohibits cash balances in DOD Working Capital Funds from exceeding the level necessary for cash disbursements to be made from the funds.
Permits transfers between Working Capital Funds; the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Defense account; and the Operation and Maintenance account. Requires OMB approval and congressional notification prior to the transfers.Prohibits Working Capital Funds from being used to procure or increase the value of war reserve material inventory unless Congress is notified in advance.
(Sec. 8009) Prohibits the initiation of a special access program without notifying Congress in advance.
(Sec. 8010) Establishes limitations and conditions on the use of funds to initiate or terminate certain multi-year contracts.
(Sec. 8011) Appropriates O&M funds for the costs of humanitarian and civic assistance provided in conjunction with military operations.
(Sec. 8012) Prohibits the management of DOD civilian personnel on the basis of any end-strength during FY2015.
(Sec. 8013) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used to directly or indirectly influence congressional action on legislation or appropriation matters pending before Congress.
(Sec. 8014) Prohibits compensation from being paid to any member of the Army participating as a full-time student and receiving benefits from the Defense Education Benefits Fund if the time spent as a student is counted toward the member's service commitment.
(Sec. 8015) Permits funds appropriated in title III of this Act for the Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protege Program to be transferred to any other account to implement a developmental assistance agreement under the program.(Sec. 8016) Prohibits DOD from purchasing certain anchor and mooring chains unless they are manufactured in the United States.
(Sec. 8017) Provides appropriations for construction, renovation, repair, and expansion of elementary and secondary public schools on military installations.
(Sec. 8018) Prohibits funds from being used to demilitarize or dispose of certain small firearms or small arms ammunition.
(Sec. 8019) Limits funding for the relocation of any DOD entity into or within the National Capital Region. Permits DOD to waive the limitation by certifying to Congress that a relocation is required in the best interest of the government.
(Sec. 8020) Provides appropriations for incentive payments for federal contracts involving contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers that are Indian organizations or Indian-owned economic enterprises.
(Sec. 8021) Prohibits funds for the Defense Media Activity from being used for national or international political or psychological activities.
(Sec. 8022) Permits DOD to incur obligations of up to $350 million for DOD military compensation, construction projects, and supplies and services in anticipation of contributions from the government of Kuwait.
(Sec. 8023) Provides appropriations from specified accounts for the Civil Air Patrol Corporation to support operation and maintenance, readiness, counterdrug activities, and drug demand reduction activities involving youth programs.
(Sec. 8024) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to establish a new DOD federally-funded research and development center (FFRDC). Limits compensation for FFRDC members or consultants.
Prohibits a defense FFRDC from using FY2015 DOD funds for new building construction, cost-sharing payments for projects funded by government grants, absorption of contract overruns, or certain charitable contributions.
Limits the staff years that may be funded for FFRDCs from FY2015 funds, and requires DOD to submit a report on the allocation of FY2016 staff years with the budget request.
Reduces the total amount appropriated by this Act for FFRDCs by $40 million.
(Sec. 8025) Prohibits DOD from procuring carbon, alloy, or armor steel plating not melted and rolled in the United States or Canada. Permits DOD to waive the prohibition if adequate domestic supplies are not available and an acquisition is necessary for national security purposes.
(Sec. 8026) Specifies that "congressional defense committees" include the Senate and House Armed Services Committees and Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense.
(Sec. 8027) Permits DOD to acquire the modification, depot maintenance, and repair of aircraft, vehicles, and vessels; and production of components through competition between DOD activities and private firms.(Sec. 8028) Revokes blanket waivers of the Buy American Act if DOD determines that a country has violated the terms of a specified agreement by discriminating against products produced in the United States.
(Sec. 8029) Permits funds in the Department of Defense Overseas Military Facility Investment Recovery Account to remain available until expended.
(Sec. 8030) Permits the Air Force to convey to Indian tribes located in Nevada, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington relocatable military housing units currently located at Grand Forks, Malmstrom, Mountain Home, Elllsworth, and Minot Air Force Bases that are excess to the needs of the Air Force. Requires the Operation Walking Shield Program to resolve any housing unit conflicts arising among requests of Indian tribes for these conveyances.
(Sec. 8031) Permits DOD O&M appropriations to be used to purchase items with an investment unit cost of not more than $250,000.
(Sec. 8032) Prohibits the use of DOD Working Capital Funds from being used to purchase specified investment items.
(Sec. 8033) Provides restrictions on the availability of certain funds appropriated by this Act to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
(Sec. 8034) Permits funds made available by this Act to the Defense Intelligence Agency to be used for the design, development, and deployment of General Defense Intelligence Program intelligence communication and intelligence information systems for the Services, the Unified and Specified Commands, and the component commands.
(Sec. 8035) Provides appropriations for the mitigation of environmental impacts on Indian lands resulting from DOD activities.
(Sec. 8036) Requires DOD to comply with the Buy American Act.
(Sec. 8037) Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used for contracts for studies, analysis, or consulting services entered into without competition on the basis of an unsolicited proposal unless specified conditions are met.
(Sec. 8038) Prohibits funds in this Act from being used to: (1) establish a field operating agency, or (2) pay a member of the Armed Forces or civilian employee transferred or reassigned from a headquarters activity if the employee's place of duty remains at headquarters. Specifies exceptions, and permits waivers that will reduce personnel or financial requirements of the department.
(Sec. 8039) Prohibits funds in this Act from being used to convert a function performed by DOD civilian employees to performance by a contractor unless specific requirements are met.
(Sec. 8040) Rescinds funds provided to specified accounts and programs in prior defense appropriations Acts.
(Sec. 8041) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to reduce authorized positions for military technicians (dual status) of the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve, and Air Force Reserve unless the reductions are a direct result of a reduction in military force structure.
(Sec. 8042) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used for assistance to North Korea unless specifically appropriated for that purpose.
(Sec. 8043) Permits O&M funds provided by this Act to be used to reimburse the National Guard and Reserve for providing intelligence or counterintelligence support to the combatant commands, defense agencies, and joint intelligence activities.
(Sec. 8044) Permits specified funds for Working Capital Fund, Army to be used to maintain competitive rates at the arsenals.
(Sec. 8045) Prohibits the transfer of DOD or Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) drug interdiction or counter-drug activity funds to any other department or agency except as specifically provided in an appropriations law.
(Sec. 8046) Requires ball and roller bearings purchased using funds provided by this Act to be produced by a domestic source. Permits DOD to waive the prohibition if adequate domestic supplies are not available and an acquisition is necessary for national security.
(Sec. 8047) Appropriates funds to DOD for grants to the United Service Organizations and the Red Cross.
(Sec. 8048) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to purchase any supercomputer not manufactured in the United States unless it is unavailable from U.S. manufacturers and is necessary for national security.
(Sec. 8049) Requires the Small Business Innovation Research program and the Small Business Technology Transfer program set-asides to be taken proportionately from all programs, projects, or activities that contribute to the extramural budget.
(Sec. 8050) Prohibits DOD funds from being used to transfer defense articles or services to another nation or international organization for international peacekeeping, peace-enforcement, or humanitarian assistance operations unless Congress is notified in advance.
(Sec. 8051) Prohibits funds in this Act from being used for contractor bonuses being paid due to a business restructuring.
(Sec. 8052) Permits the transfer of specified O&M funds to pay military personnel for support and services for eligible organizations and activities outside DOD.(Sec. 8053) Permits DOD to dispose of negative unliquidated or unexpended balances for expired or closed accounts by charging an obligation to a current account for the same purpose as the expired or closed account.
(Sec. 8054) Permits the National Guard to allow the use of equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project by any person or entity on a space-available, reimbursable basis.
(Sec. 8055) Permits the Air Force to use funds to implement cost effective agreements for required heating facility modernization in the Kaiserslautern Military Community, Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center, and Ramstein Air Base in Germany subject to specified requirements.
(Sec. 8056) Requires specified O&M funds to be used for the Sexual Assault Special Victims' Counsel Program and high priority Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program requirements and activities.
(Sec. 8057) Prohibits the use of funds provided in title IV to procure end-items for delivery to military forces for operational training, operational use, or inventory requirements. Includes exceptions and permits a waiver for national security purposes.
(Sec. 8058) Permits DOD to waive limitations on the procurement of defense items from a foreign country if: (1) the limitations would invalidate cooperative programs or reciprocal trade agreements, and (2) the country does not discriminate against the same or similar items procured in the United States. Provides exceptions.
(Sec. 8059) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used for training, equipment, or other assistance for a unit of a foreign security force that has committed a gross violation of human rights. Includes exceptions if DOD determines that the government of the country has taken all necessary corrective steps, or the assistance is necessary for disaster relief operations or other humanitarian or national security emergencies.
Permits a waiver if DOD determines it is required by extraordinary circumstances. Requires DOD to report to Congress on waivers and exceptions.
(Sec. 8060) Prohibits funds from being used for repairs or maintenance for military family housing units.
(Sec. 8061) Requires DOD to submit a report to Congress before obligating specified RDT&E funds appropriated by this Act for any new start advanced concept technology demonstration project or joint capability demonstration project. Permits DOD to waive the restriction by certifying to Congress that it is in the national interest.
(Sec. 8062) Requires DOD to provide a classified quarterly report to Congress on matters specified in the classified annex accompanying this Act.
(Sec. 8063) Prohibits DOD from using funds to support another U.S. department or agency that is more than 90 days late in paying DOD for goods or services previously provided. Includes an exception if DOD is authorized to support the agency on a nonreimbursable basis. Permits a waiver for national security.
(Sec. 8064) Permits members of the National Guard serving on full-time duty to support ground-based elements of the National Ballistic Missile Defense System.
(Sec. 8065) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to transfer specified armor-piercing ammunition to any nongovernmental entity, except for demilitarization purposes.
(Sec. 8066) Permits the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to waive payment for the lease of personal property to certain youth, social, charitable, or fraternal nonprofit organizations.
(Sec. 8067) Requires the President's budget to include funding requests for the Army for Arlington National Cemetery in the Cemeterial Expenses, Army account and not in the O&M, Army account.
(Sec. 8068) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated in this Act to support the procurement of malt beverages and wine with nonappropriated funds for resale on a military installation located in the United States unless the beverages are procured within the state in which the installation is located and specified conditions are met.
(Sec. 8069) Permits specified O&M, Army funds to remain available until expended. Permits DOD to: (1) transfer the funds to other activities of the federal government; and (2) contract for the acquisition of real property, construction, personal services, and operations related to projects carrying out the purpose of this section.
(Sec. 8070) Prohibits funds from being used to make specified modifications to the National Intelligence Program's budget and appropriations process.
(Sec. 8071) Permits the transfer of specified O&M funds to the Global Security Contingency Fund if Congress is notified in advance.
(Sec. 8072) Provides appropriations to remain available until expended for grants for the construction and furnishing of additional Fisher Houses to meet the needs of military family members confronted with the illness or hospitalization of an eligible military beneficiary.
(Sec. 8073) Requires DOD to issue regulations to: (1) prohibit the sale of tobacco or tobacco-related products in military resale outlets in the United States, its territories, and possessions at a price below the most competitive price in the local community; and (2) require the prices in overseas military retail outlets to be within the range of prices established for military retail systems stores in the United States.
(Sec. 8074) Provides specified Procurement and RDT&E funds for the Israeli Cooperative Programs for the Iron Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats, the Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense program, and related programs.
(Sec. 8075) Permits specified Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy funds to remain available through FY2015 to fund prior year shipbuilding cost increases. Requires the funds to be transferred to specified accounts.
(Sec. 8076) Deems funds provided by this Act for intelligence activities to be authorized by Congress during FY2015 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2015.
(Sec. 8077) Prohibits fund appropriated by this Act from being used for a reprogramming of funds that creates or initiates a new program, project, or activity unless it must be undertaken immediately for national security and Congress is notified in advance.
(Sec. 8078) Requires the FY2016 budget to include separate budget justification documents for costs of the Armed Forces' participation in contingency operations for the Military Personnel, O&M, Procurement, and RDT&E accounts.
(Sec. 8079) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used for RDT&E, procurement, or deployment of nuclear armed interceptors of a missile defense system.
(Sec. 8080) Reduces the total amount appropriated in this Act by approximately $386 million to reflect savings due to favorable foreign exchange rates.
(Sec. 8081) Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being used to reduce or disestablish the operation of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserve if the actions reduce the WC-130 Weather Reconnaissance mission below the levels funded in this Act. Permits the Squadron to perform other missions in support of national defense requirements during the non-hurricane season.
(Sec. 8082) Prohibits funds from being used for integrating foreign intelligence information unless the information has been lawfully collected and processed during authorized foreign intelligence activities.
(Sec. 8083) Requires reserve members called or ordered to active duty to be notified in writing of their expected mobilization period. Permits DOD to waive the requirement for a national security emergency or to meet dire operational requirements.
(Sec. 8084) Provides specified Air Force military procurement funds for the acceleration of a competitively awarded Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle mission. Requires competitions be open to all certified providers and consider bids from two or more providers.
(Sec. 8085) Permits DOD to transfer funds from any Department of the Navy appropriation to any Navy ship construction appropriation for liquidating necessary changes resulting from inflation, market fluctuations, or rate adjustments for any ship construction program. Specifies limits and requirements for the transfers.
(Sec. 8086) Prohibits funds in this Act from being used to transfer research and development, acquisition, or other program authority related to current tactical unmanned aerial vehicles from the Army. Requires the Army to retain responsibility for and operational control of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.(Sec. 8087) Provides specified Navy O&M funds for the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative Program for enabling the Pacific Command to execute theater security cooperation activities such as humanitarian assistance and the payment of incremental and personnel costs of training and exercising with foreign security forces.
(Sec. 8088) Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act for programs of the Office of the Director of Intelligence from being obligated beyond the current fiscal year except for research and technology, which remains available through FY2016.
(Sec. 8089) Provides for the adjustment of obligations within the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy appropriation.
(Sec. 8090) Requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit a report to Congress establishing the baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer authorities for FY2015. Prohibits funds provided by this Act for the National Intelligence Program from being transferred or reprogrammed until the report is submitted unless the action is necessary for an emergency.
(Sec. 8091) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to eliminate, restructure, realign, or make disproportionate personnel reductions at Army Contracting Command-New Jersey sites without notifying Congress in advance.
(Sec. 8092) Prohibits the use of funds to support any military training or operation that includes child soldiers unless the assistance is permitted by the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008.
(Sec. 8093) Makes specified Intelligence Community Management Account funds available for transfer by the DNI to other departments and agencies for government-wide information sharing activities, subject to the approval of OMB.
(Sec. 8094) Provides specific restrictions on the reprogramming or transfer of funds provided to the National Intelligence Program.
(Sec. 8095) Directs the DNI to submit annually to Congress a future-years intelligence program reflecting estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations included in the President's budget.
(Sec. 8096) Specifies committees included in "congressional intelligence committees" for the purposes of this Act.
(Sec. 8097) Requires DOD to continue to report incremental contingency operations costs for Operation Inherent Resolve (operations in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or ISIL), Operation Enduring Freedom (war in Afghanistan) on a monthly basis, and other operations identified by DOD on a semiannual basis.
(Sec. 8098) Permits specified O&M funds provided in title II to be transferred by the military department concerned to its central fund established for Fisher Houses and Suites.
(Sec. 8099) Permits O&M funds to be used for payments and transfers to the Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Fund.
(Sec. 8100) Requires agencies receiving funds in this Act to post reports required to be submitted to Congress on the public web site of the agency if it serves the national interest. Provides exceptions for national security or proprietary information.
(Sec. 8101) Prohibits the use of funds for federal contracts in excess of $1 million unless the contractor meets specific requirements regarding the resolution of claims under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin). Allows DOD to waive the requirements to avoid harm to national security.
(Sec. 8102) Provides specified O&M funds for operations of the integrated Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Chicago, Illinois. Permits additional funds to be transferred to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund if Congress is notified.
(Sec. 8103) Prohibits the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from employing more Senior Executive employees than are specified in the classified annex.
(Sec. 8104) Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used to pay a retired general or flag officer to serve as a senior mentor advising DOD unless the retired officer files a public financial disclosure form with the Office of Government Ethics.
(Sec. 8105) Allows DOD funds to be used to purchase armored vehicles for the physical security of personnel or force protection and limits the cost to $250,000 per vehicle.
(Sec. 8106 ) Prohibits the use of funds for providing certain missile defense information to the Russian Federation.
(Sec. 8107) Prohibits DOD from using funds made available by this Act to occupy more than 3,000 parking spaces (other than handicap-reserved spaces) provided by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 133 project in Alexandria, Virginia. Permits a waiver of the limitation if certain conditions are met.
(Sec. 8108) Requires DOD to provide quarterly reports to Congress including the numbers of civilian personnel end strength by appropriation account.
(Sec. 8109) Permits the transfer of up to $2 billion of funds made available by this Act to the National Intelligence Program if OMB approves and the Director of National Intelligence determines it is necessary and in the national interest. Requires transfer authority be used for higher priority items based on unforeseen intelligence requirements. Prohibits transfer authority from being used when the item for which funds are requested has been denied by Congress.
(Sec. 8110) Appropriates specified funds for the Ship Modernization, Operations and Sustainment Fund to remain available through FY2021. Specifies restrictions and requirements for transfers from the Fund to other specified accounts.
(Sec. 8111) Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used in contravention of provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2014 to adopt any new camouflage pattern design or uniform fabric for any combat or camouflage utility uniform.
(Sec. 8112) Prohibits funds from being used to transfer or release any individual detained at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Guantanamo) who is not a U.S. citizen or member of the Armed Forces into the United States, its territories, or possessions.
(Sec. 8113) Prohibits funding to modify any United States facility (other than the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) to house any individual detained at Guantanamo.
(Sec. 8114) Prohibits funds provided in this Act from being used to transfer any individual detained at Guantanamo to the custody or control of the individual's country of origin, or any other foreign country or entity, except in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014.
(Sec. 8115) Prohibits the use of DOD funds in contravention of federal laws against human trafficking or forced labor.
(Sec. 8116) Prohibits funds from being used in violation of the Wars Powers Resolution.
(Sec. 8117) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used to lease or purchase new light duty vehicles for any executive fleet inventory except in accordance with a specific Presidential Memorandum related to federal fleet performance.
(Sec. 8118) Prohibits funds from being used to enter into specified agreements and transactions with Russian arms supplier Rosoboronexport. Permits DOD to waive the restriction if specific conditions are met.
(Sec. 8119) Prohibits the use of funds for the purchase or manufacture of U.S. flags unless they are treated as covered items under Buy American requirements.
(Sec. 8120) Prohibits the use of funds for the personal benefit of the President of Afghanistan.
(Sec. 8121) Permits funds provided by this Act to be used for payments to local military commanders for damage, personal injury, or death that is incident to combat operations in a foreign country.
(Sec. 8122) Prohibits funds made available in this Act from being used to reduce strategic delivery vehicles and launchers below levels necessary to implement the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), as set forth in a report provided to Congress pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.
(Sec. 8123) Require DOD to post grant awards on a public web site in a searchable format.
(Sec. 8124) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to cancel the avionics modernization program of record for the C-130 aircraft. Permits the Air Force to proceed with a reduced scope program to address safety and airspace compliance requirements.
(Sec. 8125) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to reduce the force structure at Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal.
(Sec. 8126) Prohibits O&M funds made available in this Act from being used in contravention of laws requiring air carriers providing airlift services to hold air carrier certificates and meet other specified requirements.
(Sec. 8127) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used for flight demonstration teams outside of the United States if flight demonstration teams in the United States have been canceled due to insufficient funding.
(Sec. 8128) Prohibits the National Security Agency (NSA) from using funds provided by this Act to target a U.S. person under authorities granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA).
(Sec. 8129) Permits the transfer of specified Navy O&M funds to the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development Trust Fund.
(Sec. 8130) Provides additional funding for the basic housing allowance for military personnel.
(Sec. 8131) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to divest E-3 airborne warning and control system aircraft or disestablish any units of the active or reserve component associated with the aircraft.
(Sec. 8132) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to implement the Arms Trade Treaty regulating international trade in conventional arms until it is ratified by the Senate.
(Sec. 8133) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to transfer or divest AH-64 Attack helicopters from the Army National Guard to the Army.
(Sec. 8134) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to initiate or expand support for foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals supporting U.S. Special Operations Forces activities to combat terrorism unless Congress is notified in advance in accordance with the classified annex of this Act.
(Sec. 8135) Requires DOD to submit a report to Congress assessing the justification and approval requirements for sole-source contracts. Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to analyze the DOD report and review the justification and approval requirements.
(Sec. 8136) Requires the Air Force to designate a facility located on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois to be named after Senator Alan J. Dixon.
(Sec. 8137) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to require that seafood procured for DOD from sustainably managed fisheries in the United States, as determined by the National Marine Fisheries Service, be required to also meet the sustainability certification criteria of third-party nongovernmental organizations.
(Sec. 8138) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to disestablish, close, downgrade from host to extension center, or place on probation any Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.
(Sec. 8139) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to retire, divest, or transfer the entire KC-10 fleet during FY2015.
(Sec. 8140) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used for activities in Iraq in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.
(Sec. 8141) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to divest, retire, transfer, or place in storage any A-10 aircraft, or to disestablish any units of the active or reserve components associated with the aircraft.
Title IX: Overseas Deployments and Other Activities - Provides appropriations for FY2015 for overseas contingency operations directly related to the Global War on Terrorism. Designates the funds provided in this title as for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Provides appropriations for active-duty and reserve personnel in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force (the military departments), and for National Guard personnel in the Army and Air Force.
Provides appropriations for Operation and Maintenance (O&M) for the military departments, other agencies of DOD, the reserve components, and the Army and Air National Guard.
Provides appropriations for: (1) the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, (2) the Iraq Train and Equip Fund, (3) the Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund, (4) and the European Reassurance Initiative.
Provides appropriations for procurement by the military departments, other DOD agencies, reserve components, and National Guard, including for the procurement of aircraft, missiles, weapons, tracked combat vehicles, and ammunition.
Provides appropriations for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and other DOD agencies.
Provides appropriations for the Defense Working Capital Funds.
Provides appropriations for: (1) the Defense Health Program; (2) Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense; (3) the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund; and (4) the Office of the Inspector General.
Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this title.
(Sec. 9001) Provides that funds made available in this title are in addition to amounts appropriated to DOD for FY2015.
(Sec. 9002) Permits DOD to transfer up to $3.5 billion between the appropriations in this title if it is in the national interest, OMB approves, and Congress is notified.
(Sec. 9003) Permits supervision, administration, and design costs for a construction project funded with O&M or the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund in direct support of overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan to be obligated when a construction contract is awarded.
(Sec. 9004) Permits DOD to use funds appropriated in this title to purchase motor vehicles for use by military and civilian DOD employees in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Limits the cost of each passenger and armored vehicle.
(Sec. 9005) Permits the use of a limited amount of O&M funding to be used for the Commander's Emergency Response Program for humanitarian relief and reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan.
(Sec. 9006) Allows DOD O&M funds to be used to provide supplies, services, transportation, and other logistical support to coalition forces supporting military and stability operations in Afghanistan. Requires DOD to report quarterly to Congress regarding the support.
(Sec. 9007) Prohibits funds from being used to: (1) establish any military installation or base for providing for the permanent stationing of Armed Forces in Iraq or Afghanistan, or (2) exercise U.S. control over any oil resource of Iraq.
(Sec. 9008) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used in contravention of specified laws or regulations implementing the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
(Sec. 9009) Prohibits funds provided for the Afghanistan Security Forces Funds from being obligated prior to the approval of a financial and activity plan by the Afghanistan Resources Oversight Council of DOD.
(Sec. 9010) Permits O&M funds provided in this title to be used to purchase items with an investment unit cost of up to $250,000. Permits the purchase of items with an investment cost of up to $500,000 if DOD determines that it is necessary to meet the operational requirements of a Commander of a Combatant Command engaged in contingency operations overseas.
(Sec. 9011) Permits a limited amount of O&M funding to be used to support U.S. transition activities in Iraq by funding the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq and security assistance teams.
(Sec. 9012) Prohibits DOD O&M funds from being used for payments to Pakistan as reimbursement for support provided to U.S. military operations unless DOD certifies to Congress that the government of Pakistan has met specific conditions. Permits DOD to waive the restriction for national security.
(Sec. 9013) Rescinds specified amounts appropriated to the Army for procurement and the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund.
(Sec. 9014) Prohibits the use of funds for Syria in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.
(Sec. 9015) Appropriates funds to conduct surface and subsurface clearance of unexploded ordnance at closed training ranges used by the Armed Forces in Afghanistan and makes the funds available through FY2016.
(Sec. 9016) Authorizes DOD to provide assistance to elements of the Syrian opposition and other Syrian groups for: (1) defending the Syrian people from attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and securing territory controlled by the Syrian opposition; (2) protecting the United States, its friends and allies, and the Syrian people from the threats posed by terrorists in Syria; and (3) promoting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria.
Permits specified funds appropriated for the Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund to be used for activities authorized by this section. Permits DOD to accept and retain contributions, including assistance in-kind, from foreign governments to carry out activities authorized by this section subject to specified restrictions. Prohibits funds accepted from being obligated until a reprogramming action is submitted to Congress.
Requires the President and DOD to comply with reporting requirements specified in the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015. Terminates the authority provided by this section at the end of FY2015.
(Sec. 9017) Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used to transfer additional C-130 cargo aircraft to the Afghan National Security Forces until DOD provides Congress with a review of the Afghanistan Air Force's requirements.
(Sec. 9018) Provides additional appropriations to DOD and permits the funding to be transferred to O&M accounts for the purpose of improving military readiness.
Title X: Ebola Response and Preparedness - Provides FY2015 appropriations for Defense-Wide Procurement for expenses related to the Ebola outbreak.
Appropriates Defense-Wide Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation funds for expenses related to developing technologies relevant to the Ebola outbreak.
Designates the amounts provided in this title as emergency requirements pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Division D: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides FY2015 appropriations for the energy and water development programs of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation and Central Utah Project, the Department of Energy (DOE), and independent agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Title I: Corps of Engineers-Civil - Provides appropriations to the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers-Civil, for authorized civil functions pertaining to river and harbor, flood and storm damage reduction, shore protection, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and related efforts.
Provides appropriations to the Corps of Engineers for: (1) Investigations; (2) Construction; (3) Mississippi River and Tributaries, including flood damage reduction projects and related efforts in the Mississippi River alluvial valley below Cape Girardeau, Missouri; (4) Operation and Maintenance; (5) the Regulatory Program pertaining to navigable waters and wetlands; (6) the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program for clean-up of early atomic energy program contamination; (7) Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies, including hurricanes and other natural disasters; (8) Expenses necessary for the supervision and general administration of the civil works program; and (9) the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
(Sec. 101) Establishes reprogramming guidelines and requirements. Prohibits the availability of funds for obligation or expenditure through reprogramming that would: (1) create or initiate a new program, project, or activity; (2) eliminate a program, project, or activity; (3) increase funds or personnel for any program, project, or activity for which funds are either denied or restricted by this Act; (4) use funds directed for a specific activity for a different purpose; or (5) increase or reduce funds directed for specific projects, programs, or activities by more than specified amounts.
(Sec. 102) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used for a contract that commits funds beyond the amounts appropriated for that program, project, or activity that remain unobligated. Includes exception for funds made available through reprogramming pursuant to section 101.
(Sec. 103) Permits up to $4.7 million in operation and maintenance funds to be transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to mitigate for fisheries lost due to Corps of Engineers projects.
(Sec. 104) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 to increase the authorization of appropriations for research and development to improve salmon survival.
(Sec. 105) Requires the Corps of Engineers to allocate funds made available by this Act in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the explanatory statement.
(Sec. 106) Prohibits the Corps of Engineers from using funds made available by this Act to continue the study of the Missouri River and its tributaries, authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 to determine actions required to mitigate losses of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, recover federally listed endangered species, and restore the ecosystem.
(Sec. 107) Prohibits the Corps of Engineers from using funds made available by this Act to implement or enforce the "Modified Charleston Method" methodology for calculating wetlands mitigation in Louisiana.
(Sec. 108) Rescinds specified unobligated funds previously appropriated to the Corps of Engineers.
(Sec. 109) Prohibits the Corps of Engineers from using funds to develop, adopt, implement, administer, or enforce any change to regulations in effect on October 1, 2012, pertaining to the definitions of "fill material" or "discharge of fill material" for the purposes of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act).
(Sec. 110) Requires the limited reevaluation report initiated in FY2012 for the Mobile Harbor, Alabama navigation project to include evaluation of the full depth of the project as authorized at the same non-federal cost share as in the design agreement executed on August 14, 2012.
(Sec. 111) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used to require a permit for the discharge of dredged or fill material under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) for specified activities.
(Sec. 112) Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army to withdraw an interpretive rule addressing the applicability of an exemption from permitting under the Clean Water Act to discharges of dredged or filled material associated with certain agricultural practices.
Title II: Department of the Interior - Provides FY2015 appropriations to the Department of the Interior for: (1) the Central Utah Project; and (2) the Bureau of Reclamation, including for Water and Related Resources, the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund, California Bay-Delta Restoration, and Policy and Administration.
Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the Bureau of Reclamation Loan Program Account.
Permits appropriations to the Bureau of Reclamation to be used for purchasing replacements for up to five passenger motor vehicles.
(Sec. 201) Prohibits funds provided in this title for Water and Related Resources from being used for a reprogramming that would: (1) create or initiate a new program, project, or activity; (2) eliminate an existing program, project, or activity; (3) increase funds for any program, project, or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted by this Act; (4) restart or resume any program, project, or activity for which funds are not provided in this Act unless prior approval is received from Congress or (5) transfer funds in excess of specified limits or in violation of specified requirements without the approval of Congress.
(Sec. 202) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to determine the final point of discharge for the interceptor drain for the San Luis Unit until Interior and California develop a plan to minimize any detrimental effect of the San Luis drainage waters. Requires the plan to conform to California water quality standards as approved by the EPA.
Directs Interior to classify the costs of the Kesterson Reservoir Cleanup Program and the San Joaquin Valley Drainage Program as either reimbursable or nonreimbursable and collected until fully repaid pursuant to specified alternative repayment plans.
Requires future federal obligations of funds regarding drainage service or drainage studies for the San Luis Unit to be fully reimbursable by San Luis Unit beneficiaries of the service or studies.
(Sec. 203) Amends the Secure Water Act of 2009 to increase the authorization of appropriations for grants and cooperative agreements for water management improvement from $200 million to $300 million.
(Sec. 204) Amends the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to extend the authorization through 2017.
(Sec. 205) Amends the Calfed Bay-Delta Authorization Act to extend the authorization through 2016.
(Sec. 206) Permits Interior to fund or participate in pilot projects to increase Colorado River System water in Lake Mead and the initial units of Colorado River Storage project reservoirs. Permits Interior to fund the projects through grants or other appropriate financial arrangements through FY2018. Requires Interior to submit a report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot projects.
Title III: Department of Energy - Provides FY2015 appropriations to the Department of Energy (DOE) for energy programs, including:
Provides appropriations to DOE for atomic energy defense activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, including for Weapons Activities, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, Naval Reactors, and Federal Salaries and Expenses.
Provides appropriations to DOE for environmental and other defense activities for Defense Environmental Cleanup, Defense Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning, and Other Defense Activities.
Provides appropriations for Power Marketing Administration, including (1) Bonneville Power Administration Fund; (2) Southeastern Power Administration Operation and Maintenance; (3) Southwestern Power Administration Operation and Maintenance; (4) Western Area Power Administration Operation and Maintenance, Construction, and Rehabilitation; and (5) the Falcon and Amistad Operating and Maintenance Fund.
Provides appropriations for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Rescinds unobligated balances from specified DOE accounts.
(Sec. 301) Prohibits the use of funds provided in this title for programs, projects, or activities that have not been funded by Congress. Prohibits specified grants, contracts, allocations, and agreements unless Congress is notified in advance. Prohibits funds from being used for certain multiyear DOE, Energy Programs activities unless specified conditions are met and Congress is notified. Establishes requirements and restrictions for the reprogramming of funds provided in this title.
(Sec. 302) Permits unexpended balances of prior appropriations provided for activities in this Act to be transferred and merged with appropriations accounts established in this Act.
(Sec. 303) Deems funds appropriated by this Act for intelligence activities to be specifically authorized by Congress during FY2015 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2015.
(Sec. 304) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this title to construct specified high-hazard nuclear facilities unless independent oversight is conducted by the Office of Independent Enterprise Assessments to ensure compliance with nuclear safety requirements.
(Sec. 305) Prohibits the use of funds provided in this title to approve certain critical decisions for construction projects exceeding $100 million until a separate independent cost estimate has been developed.
(Sec. 306) Requires DOE determinations regarding certain uranium sales and transfers to remain valid for not more than two calendar years. Requires DOE to notify Congress prior to the provision of uranium in any form and specifies requirements for the notification.
(Sec. 307) Prohibits funds made available for Department of Energy, Energy Programs, Science from being used for any multiyear contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction agreement of $1 million or less unless the agreement is funded for the full period of performance anticipated at the time of award.
(Sec. 308) Requires DOE to submit to Congress a report that provides an analysis of alternatives for major warhead refurbishment programs that reach a certain stage.
(Sec. 309) Rescinds specified unobligated balances available from prior year appropriations from several DOE accounts.
(Sec. 310) Prohibits Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation funds from being used for contracts with or agreements for federal assistance to the Russian Federation. Permits DOE to waive the prohibition if the activity is in the national security interests of the United States and a report justifying the waiver is submitted to Congress.
(Sec. 311) Prohibits funds DOE authorizes for laboratory directed research and development from being used to charge any individual program, project, or activity more than the statutory maximum authorized for the activities.
(Sec. 312) Prohibits DOE from using funds for the construction of centrifuges for the production of enriched uranium for national security needs in FY2015.
Requires DOE to submit a report to Congress including: (1) an accounting of availability of enriched uranium and tritium to meet defense needs, and (2) a cost-benefit analysis of options available to supply enriched uranium for defense purposes.
(Sec. 313) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used to implement or enforce certain regulations and statutory provisions related to energy conservation standards for incandescent lamps.
(Sec. 314) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used in contravention of sections of the USEC Privatization Act related to the United States Enrichment Corporation and the sale or transfer of uranium.
(Sec. 315) Prohibits funds from being used to carry out a test drawdown and sale or exchange of petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) unless DOE notifies Congress in advance. Specifies requirements for the notification DOE submits to Congress.
Prohibits DOE from establishing any new regional petroleum product reserve unless funding is explicitly requested in advance and approved by Congress.
Requires DOE to submit reports to Congress on operation of the refined petroleum products reserve and SPR expansion.
Title IV: Independent Agencies - Provides FY2015 appropriations to: (1) the Appalachian Regional Commission, (2) the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, (3) the Delta Regional Authority, (4) the Denali Commission, (5) the Northern Border Regional Commission, (6) the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, (7) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and (8) the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
(Sec. 401) Requires the NRC Chairman to notify Congress not later than one day after the Chairman begins performing specified functions under the Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1980, or after a member of the NRC who was delegated emergency functions under that Plan begins performing those functions.
(Sec. 402) Requires the NRC to comply with specified internal procedures when responding to congressional requests for information.
(Sec. 403) Require the NRC and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit reports to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of specified requirements for securing radiological material.
(Sec. 404) Requires each independent agency receiving funding under this title to submit a budget justification and detailed annual report to Congress for each fiscal year.
Title V: General Provisions - (Sec. 501) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used to influence congressional action on any legislation or appropriation matters pending before Congress.
(Sec. 502) Prohibits transfers of funds made available in title III (Department of Energy) of this Act except pursuant to specified authorities for transferring funds or providing goods and services to another entity of the U.S. government.
Requires agencies that utilize transfer authority to provide a semiannual report to Congress detailing the transfer authority used, including the amounts transferred and the purposes for which they were transferred.
(Sec. 505) Prohibits the use of funds to contravene Executive Order No. 12898 of February 11, 1994 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations).
Division E: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2015 - Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides FY2015 appropriations for financial services and general government, including programs in the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the federal judiciary, the District of Columbia, and several independent agencies.
Title I: Department of the Treasury - Department of the Treasury Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides appropriations to the Department of the Treasury for Departmental Offices, including:
Provides appropriations to the Department of the Treasury for: (1) the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, (2) the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, (3) the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, (4) the U.S. Mint, and (5) and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Program Account.
Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the Treasury Forfeiture Fund.
Provides appropriations to the Department of the Treasury for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including for Taxpayer Services, Enforcement, Operations Support, and Business Systems Modernization.
(Sec. 101) Permits up to 5% of any IRS appropriation provided by this Act to be transferred to any other IRS appropriation upon advance approval of Congress.
(Sec. 102) Requires the IRS to maintain an employee training program that includes taxpayers' rights, dealing courteously with taxpayers, cross-cultural relations, ethics, and the impartial application of tax law.
(Sec. 103) Requires the IRS to institute and enforce policies and procedures to safeguard the confidentiality of taxpayers' information and protect against identity theft.
(Sec. 104) Permits the IRS to use funds for improved facilities and increased staffing to provide sufficient and effective 1-800 help line service for taxpayers.
(Sec. 105) Bars the IRS from using funds made available in this Act to make a video unless the Service-Wide Video Editorial Board determines in advance that making the video is appropriate, taking into account its cost, topic, tone, and purpose.
(Sec. 106) Requires the IRS to confirm any address change related to employment tax payments.
(Sec. 107) Prohibits the IRS from using funds made available in this Act to target U.S. citizens for exercising any rights guaranteed under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
(Sec. 108) Prohibits the IRS from using funds made available in this Act to target groups for regulatory scrutiny based on their ideological beliefs.
(Sec. 109) Prohibits the IRS from using funds made available in this Act for conferences that do not adhere to procedures, verification processes, documentation requirements, and policies issued as a result of recommendations in an audit report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (Review of the August 2010 Small Business/Self-Employed Division's Conference in Anaheim, California).
(Sec. 110) Prohibits the IRS from using funds made available by this Act to contravene a provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 related to confidentiality and disclosure of returns and return information.
(Sec. 111) Permits Treasury to use funds provided by this Act for specified purposes, including uniforms; maintenance, repairs, and cleaning; insurance for official motor vehicles operated in foreign countries; purchase of motor vehicles; contracts with the Department of State for health and medical services for employees in foreign countries; and employment of temporary or intermittent experts and consultants.
(Sec. 112) Permits up to 2% of funds provided to specified accounts to be transferred between the accounts upon approval by Congress. Prohibits any transfer that increases or decreases any appropriation by more than 2%.(Sec. 113) Permits up to 2% of funds provided by this Act to the IRS to be transferred to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration upon approval by Congress. Prohibits any transfer that increases or decreases an appropriation by more than 2%.
(Sec. 114) Bars Treasury or the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from using funds to redesign the $1 Federal Reserve note.
(Sec. 115) Permits Treasury to transfer funds from Bureau of Fiscal Services, Salaries and Expenses to the Debt Collection Fund to cover the costs of debt collection. Requires the transferred amounts to be reimbursed from debt collections received in the Fund.
(Sec. 116) Prohibits the U.S. Mint from using funds to construct or operate any museum without the explicit approval of Congress.
(Sec. 117) Prohibits the use of funds to merge the U.S. Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing without the explicit approval of Congress.
(Sec. 118) Deems any funds made available by this Act for intelligence activities to be specifically authorized by Congress for purposes of the National Security Act of 1947 during FY2015, until enactment of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2015.
(Sec. 119) Permits up to $5,000 to be made available from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's Industrial Revolving Fund for necessary official reception and representation expenses.
(Sec. 120) Requires Treasury to submit a Capital Investment Plan to Congress.
(Sec. 121) Requires the Office of Financial Stability and the Office of Financial Research to report quarterly to Congress on their activities and make officials available to testify on the reports.
(Sec. 122) Requires Treasury to submit a report to Congress including the amounts charged by each office to the Franchise Fund and specified details.
(Sec. 123) Requires Treasury to report to Congress on economic warfare and financial terrorism.
Title II: Executive Office of the President and Funds Appropriated to the President - Executive Office of the President Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides FY2015 appropriations to the Executive Office of the President and designated agencies and accounts, including:
(Sec. 201) Sets forth permissible transfers of funds and requirements for the transfers.
(Sec. 202) Requires OMB to report to Congress on the costs of implementing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank).
(Sec. 203) Requires OMB to include a statement of budgetary impact with any executive order issued during FY2015.
(Sec. 204) Requires the Office of National Drug Control Policy to submit a detailed narrative and financial plan to Congress prior to obligating more than 20% of the funds provided to the Office by this Act.
(Sec. 205) Permits up to 2% of the appropriations provided by this Act to the Office of National Drug Control Policy to be transferred between programs upon the advance approval of Congress. Prohibits any transfer that increases or decreases an appropriation by more than 3%.
(Sec. 206) Permits up to $1 million of the appropriations provided by this Act to the Office of National Drug Control Policy to be reprogrammed upon the advance approval of Congress.(Sec. 207) Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 to replace a requirement that OMB transfer funds for data-driven innovation projects with a provision permitting the transfer.
Title III: The Judiciary - Judiciary Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides FY2015 appropriations to the judiciary for: (1) the U.S Supreme Court; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; (3) the U.S. Court of International Trade; (4) Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial services, including Defender Services, Fees of Jurors and Commissioners, and Court Security; (5) the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts; (6) the Federal Judicial Center; and (7) the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
(Sec. 301) Permits funds provided by this title for salaries and expenses to be used for the employment of temporary or intermittent experts and consultants.
(Sec. 302) Permits up to 5% of the appropriations provided by this Act for the judiciary to be transferred between specified accounts. Prohibits any transfer that increases accounts other than those specified by more than 10%.
(Sec. 303) Permits up to $11,000 of appropriations provided for salaries and expenses for Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services to be used for official representation expenses of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
(Sec. 304) Permits the delegation of authority to the judiciary for contracts for repairs up to $100,000.
(Sec. 305) Requires the U.S. Marshals Service to provide a court security pilot program.
(Sec. 306) Amends the Judicial Improvement Act of 1990; the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006; and the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act to extend several temporary judgeships.
(Sec. 307) Establishes a place of holding court in Bakersfield, California.
(Sec. 308) Eliminates a requirement that chief pretrial services officers and probation officers submit an annual report on pretrial services to the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Requires that case file, statistical, and other information concerning the work of pretrial services be provided to the Director.
Title IV: District of Columbia - District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides FY2015 appropriations to the District of Columbia, including federal payments for: (1) Resident Tuition Support; (2) Emergency Planning and Security Costs in the District of Columbia; (3) District of Columbia Courts; (4) Defender Services in District of Columbia Courts; (5) the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia; (6) the District of Columbia Public Defender Service; (7) the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority; (8) the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; (9) Judicial Commissions, including the Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure and the Judicial Nomination Commission; (10) School Improvement; (11) the District of Columbia National Guard, and (12) Testing and Treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Provides local funds for the operation of the District of Columbia out of the General Fund of the District of Columbia as set forth in the FY2015 Budget Request Act of 2014 that the District of Columbia submitted to Congress.
Title V: Independent Agencies - Provides FY2015 appropriations for:
Requires the USPS to continue six day delivery and rural delivery of the mail at not less than the 1983 level.
(Sec. 501) Amends the Universal Service Antideficiency Temporary Suspension Act to extend the exemption for the FCC's Universal Service Fund from provisions of the Antideficiency Act limiting the expenditure and obligation of funds by federal employees.
(Sec. 502) Prohibits the FCC from using funds provided by this Act to change the rules or regulations for universal service payments to implement specified recommendation regarding single connection or primary line restrictions on payments.
(Sec. 510) Permits the GSA to use funds to hire passenger motor vehicles.
(Sec. 511) Permits funds made available for activities of the Federal Buildings Fund to be transferred between activities if necessary to meet program requirements with the advance approval of Congress.
(Sec. 512) Requires budget requests for courthouse construction funds to meet specific standards.
(Sec. 513) Prohibits funds provided in this Act from being used to increase square footage, provide cleaning services or security enhancements, or provide any other service usually provided through the Federal Buildings Fund to any agency that does not pay the assessed rent.
(Sec. 514) Permits GSA to use specified funds to pay claims against the federal government that are under $250,000 and arise from direct construction projects and building acquisitions if Congress is notified in advance.
(Sec. 515) Requires GSA, if specified congressional committees adopt a resolution granting lease authority pursuant to a specified GSA prospectus, to ensure that the delineated area of procurement matches the prospectus.
(Sec. 516) Requires GSA to submit a spending plan and explanation to Congress for: (1) each project funded with the Major Repairs and Alterations and Judiciary Capital Security Program accounts, and (2) E-Government projects funded with the Federal Citizen Services Fund account.
(Sec. 517) Requires any consolidation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters to result in a full consolidation.
Title VI: General Provisions - This Act - Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this Act.
(Sec. 601) Prohibits the use of funds in this Act to pay expenses or otherwise compensate non-federal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this Act.
(Sec. 602) Prohibits funds in this Act from being obligated beyond the current fiscal year or transferred to other appropriations unless authority is expressly provided by this Act.
(Sec. 603) Limits expenditures for consulting services to contracts where expenditures are a matter of public record, except where otherwise permitted under existing law.
(Sec. 604) Prohibits funds in this Act from being transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality of the U.S. government, except pursuant to transfer authority provided by an appropriations Act.
(Sec. 605) Prohibits funds in this Act from being used to engage in activities that prohibit enforcement of a Tariff Act of 1930 provision barring the importation of goods manufactured using convict labor.
(Sec. 606) Prohibits the expenditure of funds under this Act by an entity unless it agrees to comply with the Buy American Act.
(Sec. 607) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act by any person or entity convicted of violating the Buy American Act.
(Sec. 608) Provides authority, restrictions, and requirements for reprogramming. Requires agencies funded in this Act to submit a report to Congress establishing a baseline for the application of reprogramming and transfer authorities.
(Sec. 609) Permits up to 50% of unobligated balances remaining at the end of FY2015 for salaries and expenses to remain available through FY2016, subject to reprogramming guidelines and the approval of Congress.
(Sec. 610) Prohibits the Executive Office of the President from using funds provided in this Act to request either a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background investigation or an IRS determination with respect to tax exempt status under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Includes exceptions if an individual requests a background investigation or if the request is required due to extraordinary circumstances involving national security.
(Sec. 611) Makes certain cost accounting standards inapplicable to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program contract.
(Sec. 612) Permits OPM to accept and utilize (without regard to restrictions on unanticipated travel expenses) funds made available for resolving litigation and implementing any settlement agreements regarding the nonforeign area cost-of-living allowance program.
(Sec. 613) Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used to pay for an abortion, or the administrative expenses in connection with any health plan under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program which provides any benefits or coverage for abortions.
(Sec. 614) Provides exceptions to the prohibition in section 613 if the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.
(Sec. 615) Waives Buy American Act restrictions for commercial information technology acquired by the federal government.
(Sec. 616) Prohibits an officer or employee of any regulatory agency or commission funded by this Act from accepting payments or reimbursements for travel, subsistence, or related expenses from a person or entity regulated by the agency or commission, unless the person or entity is a nonprofit tax-exempt organization.
(Sec. 617) Permits the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the SEC to use funds for the interagency funding and sponsorship of a joint advisory committee to advise on emerging regulatory issues.
(Sec. 618) Requires agencies covered by this Act to consult with GSA before seeking new office space or making alterations to existing office space. Permits any agency with authority to enter into an emergency lease to do so during any period declared by the President to require emergency leasing authority.
(Sec. 619) Appropriates amounts required under current law for:
(Sec. 620) Permits the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to obligate specified funds to remain available until expended for the scholarship program established by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
(Sec. 621) Prohibits the FTC from using funds in this Act to complete the draft report entitled "Interagency Working Group on Food Marketed to Children: Preliminary Proposed Nutrition Principles to Guide Industry Self-Regulatory Efforts" unless the Working Group complies with Executive Order 13563 ("Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review").
(Sec. 622) Bars the use of funds to pay the salaries and expenses for the following positions: (1) Director of the White House Office of Health Reform, (2) Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, (3) Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury assigned to the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry and Senior Counselor for Manufacturing Policy, and (4) White House Director of Urban Affairs.
(Sec. 623) Prohibits OPM from using funds provided by this Act to permit security clearance-related background investigators to conduct final quality reviews of their own work.
(Sec. 624) Extends the Internet Tax Freedom Act through October 1, 2015.(Sec. 625) Requires agencies funded by this Act to ensure that the Chief Information Office of the agency has the authority to participate in budgeting decisions related to information technology. Requires funding for information technology to be allocated consistent with guidance provided by appropriations Acts, OMB, and the agency's Chief Information Officer.
(Sec. 626) Prohibits funds from being used in contravention of the Federal Records Act.
(Sec. 627) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used to award contracts to corporations incorporated or chartered in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands if they were previously incorporated in the United States.
(Sec. 628) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used to lease or purchase new light duty vehicles for any executive fleet inventory except in accordance with a specific Presidential Memorandum related to federal fleet performance. Includes an exception if no appropriate alternative fueled vehicle is commercially available for a particular light duty vehicle class.
(Sec.629) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the Securities and Exchange Commission Reserve Fund established by Dodd-Frank.
(Sec. 630) Amends a provision in Dodd-Frank known as the swaps "pushout" rule to expand the permissible derivative activities of financial institutions that receive federal assistance such as deposit insurance or access to the Federal Reserve Board's discount window.
Title VII: General Provisions - Government-Wide - Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for appropriations by designated departments, agencies, and corporations.
(Sec. 701) Prohibits the use of appropriations by any federal department, agency, or instrumentality unless it administers a policy designed to ensure that all workplaces are free from the illegal use, possession, or distribution of controlled substances.
(Sec. 702) Establishes price limitations on vehicles purchased by the federal government. Includes exceptions for buses, ambulances, law enforcement, protective, undercover surveillance, electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
(Sec. 703) Permits appropriations for the current fiscal year to be used for quarters and cost-of-living allowances.
(Sec. 704) Prohibits the use of funds to compensate employees of the federal government in the United States unless they are citizens or qualify under specified exceptions.
(Sec. 705) Permits appropriations provided to any department or agency for necessary expenses such as maintenance and operating expenses to be used for payments to GSA for space and services.
(Sec. 706) Permits agencies to use receipts from the sale of materials through recycling or waste prevention programs for: (1) acquisition, waste reduction and prevention, and recycling programs; (2) other federal agency environmental management programs; and (3) other employee programs authorized by law or deemed appropriate by the head of the agency.
(Sec. 707) Permits funds provided by this Act for administrative expenses of certain government corporations and agencies to be used for rent in the District of Columbia, employment of temporary or intermittent experts and consultants, and other objects specified in this Act.
(Sec. 708) Prohibits interagency financing of boards, commission, councils, committees, or similar groups absent prior statutory approval.
(Sec. 709) Prohibits funds from being used to implement, administer, or enforce any regulation which has been disapproved pursuant to a joint resolution.
(Sec. 710) Prohibits spending more than $5000 to redecorate or furnish the office of the head of a department or agency in specified circumstances unless Congress is notified in advance.
(Sec. 711) Permits interagency funding of national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications initiatives.
(Sec. 712) Requires agencies to certify that certain appointments were not created solely or primarily to detail an individual to the White House.
(Sec. 713) Bars payment of any employee who prohibits, threatens, prevents, or otherwise penalizes another employee from communicating with Congress.
(Sec. 714) Prohibits funds from being used for training that is not directly related to the performance of official duties, contains elements likely to induce high levels of emotional response or stress, does not require prior employee notification of the content and written end of course evaluation, contains religious content, or is offensive to or designed to change participants' personal values or lifestyle.
(Sec. 715) Prohibits an agency of the executive branch from using funds for publicity or propaganda purposes and for the preparation or distribution of materials designed to support or defeat legislation pending before Congress.
(Sec. 716) Prohibits an agency from providing a federal employee's home address to any labor organization absent employee authorization or a court order.
(Sec. 717) Prohibits funds from being used to provide any non-public information such as mailing, telephone, or electronic mailing lists to any organization outside the federal government without approval of Congress.
(Sec. 718) Prohibits funds from being used for propaganda and publicity purposes not authorized by Congress.
(Sec. 719) Directs agency employees to use official time in an honest effort to perform official duties.
(Sec. 720) Allows the use of funds to finance an appropriate share of the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board administrative costs.
(Sec. 721) Permits agencies to transfer funds to GSA to support specified government-wide and multiagency activities that meet certain requirements and are approved by OMB.
(Sec. 722) Permits breastfeeding at any location in a federal building or on federal property if the woman and child are authorized to be present at the location.
(Sec. 723) Permits interagency funding of the National Science and Technology Council, and requires OMB to provide a report describing the budget and resources connected with the council.
(Sec. 724) Requires specified forms and publications used in distributing federal funds to states to indicate the agency providing the funds, the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number, and the amount provided.
(Sec. 725) Prohibits federal agencies from using funds to monitor individuals' internet use. Includes exceptions for data that is voluntarily submitted or does not identify particular people.
(Sec. 726) Prohibits the use of funds for health plans with prescription drug coverage unless contraceptive coverage is included. Includes exemptions for certain religious plans. Prohibits plans from discriminating against individuals who refuse to provide contraceptives due to religious beliefs or moral convictions.
(Sec. 727) States that the United States is committed to ensuring the health of its Olympic, Pan American, and Paralympic athletes, and supports the strict adherence to antidoping in sports through testing, adjudication, education, and research.
(Sec. 728) Permits federal agencies and department to use funds appropriated for official travel to participate in the fractional aircraft ownership pilot program, if consistent with OMB Circular A-126 regarding official travel for government personnel.
(Sec. 729) Prohibits funds from being used to implement OPM regulations limiting executive branch detailees to the legislative branch or to implement limitations on the Coast Guard Fellowship Program.
(Sec. 730) Prohibits agencies from using funds for additional law enforcement training facilities that are not within or contiguous to existing locations without the approval of Congress. Permits the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to obtain the temporary use of additional facilities for training which cannot be accommodated in existing facilities.
(Sec. 731) Prohibits agencies from using funds to produce any prepackaged news story intended for broadcast or distribution in the United States, unless the story includes a notification that it was prepared or funded by the agency.
(Sec. 732) Prohibits the use of funds in contravention of the Privacy Act or associated regulations.
(Sec. 733) Prohibits the use of funds for contracts with any foreign incorporated entity which is an inverted domestic corporation. Requires a waiver if necessary for national security. Exempts contracts entered into prior to enactment of this Act.
(Sec. 734) Requires agencies to pay a fee to OPM for processing retirements of employees who separate under Voluntary Early Retirement Authority or receive Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments.
(Sec. 735) Bars the use of funds to recommend or require any entity submitting an offer for a federal contract to disclose specified political contribution as a condition of submitting the offer.
(Sec. 736) Bars the use of funds for portraits of a federal officer or employee, including the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, or the head of an executive branch agency or legislative branch office.
(Sec. 737) Limits pay increases for certain categories of prevailing rate employees.
(Sec. 738) Eliminates automatic pay increases for the Vice President and certain categories of political appointees.
(Sec. 739) Requires agencies to submit annual reports to Inspectors General or senior ethics officials regarding the costs and contracting procedures for conferences that cost more than $100,000.
(Sec. 740) Prohibits the use of funds to increase, eliminate, or reduce funding for a program, project, or activity, unless the changes have been enacted into law or made using transfer or reprogramming authority provided in an appropriations Act.(Sec. 741) Prohibits funds from being used for an OPM rule revising the definition of competitive area used in reductions-in-force for federal employees.
(Sec. 742) Prohibits funds from being used to begin or announce a study or public-private competition regarding the conversion of functions performed by federal employees to contractor performance.
(Sec. 743) Prohibits funds from being used to require contractors or employees to sign confidentiality agreements or statements restricting or prohibiting the reporting of waste, fraud, or abuse to investigative or law enforcement representatives.
(Sec. 744) Prohibits the use of funds for specified transactions with any corporation with certain unpaid federal tax liabilities, unless an agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and decided that further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the government.
(Sec. 745) Prohibits the use of funds for specified transactions with any corporation that was convicted of a felony within the preceding 24 months, unless an agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and decided that further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the government.
(Sec. 746) Requires OMB to consult with specified agencies and stakeholders to develop criteria and recommendations to improve financial reporting and government transparency.
(Sec. 747) Prohibits the use of funds to implement or enforce a nondisclosure agreement unless it meets specified criteria.
(Sec. 748) Requires the CFPB to notify Congress of any request for a transfer of funds from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(Sec. 749) Prohibits funds from being used to implement a new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard until the Administration has solicited and considered input from governors, mayors, and other stakeholders.
(Sec. 750) Provides that references to "this Act" shall not apply to titles IV (District of Columbia) or VIII (General Provisions: District of Columbia) unless it is included in those titles or expressly provided for in this Act.
Title VIII: General Provisions (District of Columbia) - Sets forth permitted, restricted, and prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this Act for the District of Columbia.
(Sec. 801) Appropriates District of Columbia funds for making refunds and paying settlements or judgments against the District of Columbia government.
(Sec. 802) Prohibits the use of federal funds provided in this Act for publicity or propaganda purposes or implementation of any policy including boycott designed to support or defeat legislation pending before Congress or any state legislature.
(Sec. 803) Establishes reprogramming procedures for federal funds.
(Sec. 804) Prohibits the use of federal funds for the salaries and expenses of shadow U.S. Representatives or Senators.
(Sec. 805) Requires official vehicles provided to any officer or employee of the District of Columbia to be used only for performance of official duties, which excludes travel between home and work. Includes exceptions.
(Sec. 806) Prohibits the District of Columbia Attorney General or any other officer or entity of the District government from using federal funds contained in this Act to assist a petition drive or civil action seeking voting representation in Congress for the District.
(Sec. 807) Bars the use of federal funds contained in this Act to distribute needles or syringes for preventing the spread of blood borne pathogens in any location that local public health or law enforcement authorities have determined to be inappropriate for distribution.
(Sec. 808) Provides that nothing in this Act prevents the Council or the Mayor from addressing contraceptive coverage by health insurance plans. Expresses the intent of Congress that legislation enacted on the issue should include a conscience clause providing exceptions for religious beliefs and moral convictions.
(Sec. 809) Prohibits the use of federal funds contained in this Act to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties for the possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative (THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana).
Prohibits the use of funds contained in by this Act to legalize or reduce penalties for possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance under the Controlled Substance Act or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative (THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana) for recreational purposes.
(Sec. 810) Prohibits funds provided by this Act from being used for abortions except where the mother's life would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or in cases of rape or incest.
(Sec. 811) Requires the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the District of Columbia to submit to Congress, the Mayor, and the Council a revised operating budget for agencies requiring a reallocation to address unanticipated changes in program requirements.
(Sec. 812) Requires the CFO of the District of Columbia to submit to Congress, the Mayor, and the Council a revised operating budget for the District of Columbia Public Schools that aligns the school budget to actual enrollment.
(Sec. 813) Permits the District of Columbia to reprogram or transfer funds between operating funds and capital and enterprise funds. Prohibits the transfer of any funds derived from bonds, notes, or other obligations issued for capital projects.
(Sec. 814) Prohibits federal funds from being obligated beyond the current fiscal year or transferred unless expressly permitted in this Act.
(Sec. 815) Permits up to 50% of unobligated balances available at the end of FY2015 from federal appropriations for salaries and expenses to remain available through FY2016, if Congress approves the expenditure. Requires requests for expenditures of funds to comply with reprogramming guidelines.
(Sec. 816) Appropriates local funds to the District of Columbia for FY2016 if no continuing resolution or regular appropriation for the District of Columbia is in effect. Provides the funds under the same authorities, conditions, and manner as provided for FY2015.
(Sec. 817) Provides that references to "this Act" in this title or title IV (District of Columbia) refer only to those titles, unless this Act expressly provides otherwise.
Division F: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides appropriations to the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and related agencies for FY2015.
Title I: Department of the Interior - Provides appropriations to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for: (1) Management of Lands and Resources; (2) Land Acquisition; (3) Oregon and California Grant Lands; (4) Range Improvements; (5) Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures; and (6) Miscellaneous Trust Funds.
Prohibits appropriations from being used for: (1) the destruction of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and burros in the care of BLM or its contractors, or (2) the sale of wild horses and burros that results in their destruction for processing into commercial products.
Provides appropriations to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for: (1) Resource Management, (2) Construction, (3) Land Acquisition, (4) the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, (5) the National Wildlife Refuge Fund, (6) the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, (7) Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation, (8) the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, and (9) State and Tribal Wildlife Grants.
Provides appropriations to the National Park Service for: (1) Operation of the National Park System, (2) National Recreation and Preservation, (3) the Historic Preservation Fund, (4) Construction, (5) Land Acquisition and State Assistance, and (6) the Centennial Challenge.
Rescinds contract authority provided for FY2015 by the Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965.
Provides appropriations to: (1) the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for Surveys, Investigations, and Research; (2) the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; (3) the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, including Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Oil Spill Research; and (4) the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for Regulation and Technology and the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund.
Provides appropriations to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education for: (1) Operation of Indian Programs, (2) Construction, (3) Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements and Miscellaneous Payments to Indians, and (4) the Indian Guaranteed Loan Program Account.
Provides appropriations to the Department of the Interior for: (1) the Office of the Secretary for Departmental Operations; (2) Insular Affairs, including Assistance to Territories and the Compact of Free Association; (3) the Office of the Solicitor; (4) the Office of Inspector General; and (5) the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians.
Provides appropriations to the Department of the Interior for Department-Wide Programs, including: (1) Wildland Fire Management, (2) the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund, (3) the Central Hazardous Materials Fund, (4) Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration, and (5) the Working Capital Fund.
(Sec. 101) Permits appropriations provided by this title to be available for expenditure or transfer within bureaus or offices for the emergency reconstruction, replacement, or repair of aircraft, buildings, utilities, or other facilities or equipment damaged or destroyed by fire, flood, storm, or other unavoidable causes. Prohibits this authority from being used until emergency funding provided to Interior has been exhausted. Requires funds used pursuant to this section to be replenished by supplemental appropriations requested as promptly as possible.
(Sec. 102) Permits Interior to transfer appropriations made available in this title for specified emergency activities and priorities.
(Sec. 103) Permits Interior to use appropriations provided in this title for: employing temporary or intermittent experts and consultants; purchasing and replacing motor vehicles; hiring, maintenance, and operation of aircraft; hiring of passenger motor vehicles; purchasing reprints; paying for telephone services in private residences in the field; and paying for library membership in certain societies or associations.
(Sec. 104) Permits the transfer of funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education and the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians for Indian trust management and reform activities.
(Sec. 105) Permits Interior to reallocate any Tribal Priority Allocation funds to alleviate tribal funding inequities by transferring funds to address identified unmet needs, dual enrollment, overlapping service areas, or inaccurate distribution methodologies.
(Sec. 106) Authorizes the acquisition of lands and waters for operating and maintaining facilities that support visitors to Ellis, Governors, and Liberty Islands in New Jersey and New York.
(Sec. 107) Directs Interior to collect a nonrefundable Outer Continental Shelf inspection fee to be deposited in the Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement account. Specifies fees for facilities that are above the waterline, excluding drilling rigs, and in place at the start of the fiscal year. Specifies fees for drilling rigs to be assessed for all inspections completed in FY2015.
(Sec. 108) Allows Interior to implement an oil and gas leasing Internet program under which lease sales may be conducted through methods other than oral bidding.
(Sec. 109) Permits Interior to transfer funds to implement a reorganization of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. Requires the transfers to conform with reprogramming guidelines.
(Sec. 110) Permits Interior to enter into multiyear cooperative agreements and contracts of up to ten years with nonprofits and other entities for the long-term care and maintenance of excess wild free roaming horses and burros on private land.
(Sec. 111) Directs the USFWS to implement a system of mass marking of salmonid stocks intended for harvest that are released from federally operated or financed hatcheries.
(Sec. 112) Prohibits any proposed new use of the Arizona & California Railroad Company's right of way unless Interior certifies that the use is within the scope of the right of way.
Prohibits Interior from using funds for: (1) storage of water underground for the purpose of export, or (2) approval of or activities associated with any right-of-way on the Mojave National Preserve or lands managed by the BLM Needles Field Office.(Sec. 113) Extends the authorization for certain payments to the Republic of Palau through FY2015.
(Sec. 114) Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 to require a person to exhaust administrative hearings and appeal procedures prior to bringing a civil action challenging BLM actions concerning grazing on public lands.
(Sec. 115) Prohibits funds from being used to implement, administer, or enforce Secretarial Order No. 3310 issued by the Secretary of the Interior, which requires BLM to inventory and protect public lands with wilderness characteristics.
(Sec. 116) Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 to extend the authority of Interior to enter into rental or lease agreements that benefit Bureau of Indian Education operated schools.
(Sec. 117) Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 to permit funds made available to the Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund to be used for salvage timber sales and forest ecosystem health and recovery activities through FY2020.
(Sec. 118) Increases the annual authorization of appropriations for the Volunteers in Parks program from $3.5 million to $5 million.
(Sec. 119) Permits the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education to record obligations from state, local, and tribal governments against accounts receivable from those entities when working with those entities, provided that total obligations at the end of the fiscal year do not exceed total budgetary resources.
(Sec. 120) Extends Interior's authority to provide grants or assistance for the Automobile National Heritage Area of Michigan through FY2015.
Amends the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 to increase the annual authorization of appropriations for the Wheeling National Heritage Area in West Virginia from $10 million to $11 million.(Sec. 121) Ratifies and approves specified payments made by the National Park Service from FY1976 through the date of enactment of this Act to school districts as reimbursement for the use of educational facilities.
(Sec. 122) Prohibits funds from being used to write or issue rules pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and related to the sage-grouse.
Title II: Environmental Protection Agency - Provides appropriations to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for: (1) Science and Technology, (2) Environmental Programs and Management, (3) Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund, (4) Office of Inspector General, (5) Buildings and Facilities, (6) Hazardous Substance Superfund, (7) Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program, (8) Inland Oil Spill Programs, and (9) State and Tribal Assistance Grants.
Permits the EPA to award cooperative agreements to federally recognized Indian tribes or intertribal consortia to assist in implementing environmental programs, except that no agreements may be awarded from funds designated for state financial assistance agreements.
Authorizes the EPA to collect and obligate pesticide registration service fees in accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
Permits the EPA to transfer up to $300 million of the funds appropriated for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to any federal department or agency for activities that would support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Permits the EPA to make grants to governmental entities, nonprofits, institutions, and individuals to further the Initiative and the Agreement.
Permits the Science and Technology, Environmental Programs and Management, Office of Inspector General, Hazardous Substance Superfund, and Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program accounts to be used for the construction, alteration, repair, rehabilitation, and renovation of facilities, provided that the cost does not exceed $150,000 per project.
Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 to extend EPA's authority to make specified appointments to the Office of Research and Development through FY2020.
Permits the EPA to make grants to federally recognized Indian tribes notwithstanding certain provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act).
Permits the EPA to use FY2015 funds provided for Environmental Programs and Management to implement the Southeastern New England Watershed Restoration Program.
Rescinds $40 million in unobligated balances from the State and Tribal Assistance Grants account, excluding any amounts Congress designated as emergency requirements.
Title III: Related Agencies - Provides appropriations to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the Forest Service for: (1) Forest and Rangeland Research; (2) State and Private Forestry; (3) the National Forest System; (4) Capital Improvement and Maintenance; (5) Land Acquisition; (6) the Range Betterment Fund; (7) Gifts, Donations, and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland Research; (8) Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses in Alaska; (9) Wildland Fire Management; and (10) the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund.
Permits Forest Service appropriations to be used for: the purchase and use of motor vehicles and aircraft; employment of temporary or intermittent experts and consultants; purchase, erection, and alteration of buildings and other public improvements; acquisition of land and waters; expenses pursuant to the Volunteers in the National Forest Act of 1972; uniforms; and debt collection contracts.
Permits Forest Service appropriations to be transferred to the Wildland Fire Management account for forest fire fighting, emergency rehabilitation of burned-over or damaged lands or waters, and fire preparedness due to severe burning conditions, provided that USDA notifies Congress that all fire suppression funds will be obligated within 30 days. Requires that funds used be replenished by a supplemental appropriation requested as promptly as possible.
Permits Forest Service appropriations to be used for forest and rangeland research, technical information, and related forestry and natural resources activities in foreign countries.
Permits Forest Service appropriations to be transferred to the BLM for removal, preparation, and adoption of excess wild horses and burros from National Forest System lands, and for the performance of surveys to designate the boundaries of the lands.
Prohibits Forest Service appropriations from being transferred using authority provided in several specified statutory provisions.
Prohibits Forest Service appropriations from being reprogrammed except with prior approval of Congress and in accordance with procedures contained in the explanatory statement accompanying this Act.
Prohibits the Forest Service from transferring more than $82 million to the USDA Working Capital Fund and more than $14.5 million to USDA for Department Reimbursable Programs (commonly referred to as Greenbook charges).
Permits the Forest Service to use up to $5 million for priority projects within the scope of the approved budget to be carried out by the Youth Conservation Corps.
Permits the Chief of the Forest Service to use up to $4,000 for official reception and representation expenses.
Permits up to $3 million in Forest Service appropriations to be advanced in a lump sum to the National Forest Foundation to aid conservation partnership projects in support of the Forest Service mission with certain restrictions.
Permits up to $3 million in Forest Service appropriations to be advanced to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in a lump sum to aid cost-share conservation projects on or benefitting National Forest System lands or related programs with certain matching requirements.
Permits Forest Service appropriations to be used for interactions with and providing technical assistance to rural communities and natural resource-based businesses for sustainable rural development purposes.
Permits Forest Service appropriations to be used for payments to counties within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
Permits Forest Service appropriations to be used to meet the non-federal share requirement included in a provision of the Older Americans Act of 1965 related to the older American community service employment program.
Permits the Forest Service to use up to $55 million for the purpose of performing fire, administrative, and other facilities maintenance and decommissioning.
Permits the Forest Service to use up to $500,000 to reimburse the USDA Office of the General Counsel (OGC) for travel and related expenses incurred as a result of OGC assistance or participation requested by the Forest Service at meetings, training sessions, management reviews, land purchase negotiations, and similar non-litigation related matters.
Permits an individual employed under any project funded under title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 to be considered a federal employee.
Provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for: (1) the Indian Health Service (IHS), (2) the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and (3) the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Provides appropriations to: (1) the Executive Office of the President for the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality; (2) the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; (3) the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation; (4) the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; (5) the Smithsonian Institution; (6) the National Gallery of Art; (7) the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; (8) the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; (9) the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities; (10) the Commission of Fine Arts; (11) National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs; (12) the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; (13) the National Capital Planning Commission; (14) the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; and (15) the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission.
Title IV: General Provisions - Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided in this Act.
(Sec. 401) Prohibits funds from being used for any activity or the publication or distribution of literature that promotes public support or opposition to any legislative proposal before Congress.
(Sec. 402) Prohibits any appropriation contained in this Act from remaining available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly provided for in this Act.
(Sec. 403) Requires specified administrative expenses to be presented in annual budget justifications and approved by Congress.
(Sec. 404) Prohibits funds from being used to accept or process applications for a patent for any mining or mill site claim located under the general mining laws, subject to exceptions. Requires Interior to report to Congress on actions taken pursuant to a plan submitted for processing specified applications for patents under general mining laws.
(Sec. 405) Limits the use of FY1994-FY2013 funds for contract support costs on Indian contracts.
(Sec. 406) Limits the use of FY2014 funds for contract support costs on Indian contracts.
(Sec. 407) Limits the use of FY2015 funds for contract support costs on Indian contracts.
(Sec. 408) Permits Forest Service forest management plans to be more than 15 years old if USDA is acting in good faith to revise the plans.
(Sec. 409) Prohibits funds provided in this Act from being used to conduct preleasing, leasing, and related activities under either the Mineral Leasing Act or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act within the boundaries of a National Monument as it existed on January 20, 2001, except where the activities are allowed under the presidential proclamation establishing the monument.
(Sec. 410) Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act for the acquisition of lands or interests in lands from being used for filing of declarations of taking or complaints in condemnation without the approval of Congress. Includes exceptions for funds appropriated to implement the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 or to assist Florida in acquiring lands for Everglades restoration.
(Sec. 411) Sets forth provisions regarding the sale of timber from a specified region in Alaska.
(Sec. 412) Prohibits no-bid contracts and grants except under certain circumstances where a contract is authorized by federal law or was awarded prior to the date of enactment of this Act.
(Sec. 413) Requires agencies receiving funds in this Act to post on their public websites any report required to be submitted by Congress if it serves the national interest. Includes exceptions for national security or proprietary information.
(Sec. 414) Establishes grant guidelines for the NEA.
(Sec. 415) Establishes priorities for programs administered by the NEA.
(Sec. 416) Amends the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act to modify existing caps for indemnity agreements for loss or damage to works during international or domestic exhibitions.
(Sec. 417) Directs Interior, the EPA, the Forest Service, and the IHS to provide Congress with quarterly reports on the status of balances of appropriations.
(Sec. 418) Directs the President to submit a comprehensive report to Congress detailing all federal agency funding for climate change programs, projects, and activities in FY2014 and FY2015.
(Sec. 419) Prohibits funds from being used for any regulation requiring the issuance of permits under the Clean Air Act for carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions resulting from biological processes associated with livestock production.
(Sec. 420) Prohibits the use of funds to implement any provision in a rule requiring mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems.
(Sec. 421) Amends the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to extend the authorization of appropriations for American Battlefield Protection program grants through FY2021.
(Sec. 422) Amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to extend current recreation fee authority.
(Sec. 423) Amends the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 to extend the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission. Prohibits the Commission from issuing a solicitation or contract for construction of the memorial for FY2015.
(Sec. 424) Prohibits any funds made available by a drinking water treatment revolving loan fund as authorized by the Safe Drinking Water Act from being used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public water system or treatment works unless all of the iron and steel products used in the project are produced in the United States, subject to specified exceptions and waiver procedures.
(Sec. 425) Prohibits funds from being used to regulate the lead content of ammunition, ammunition components, or fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act or any other law.
Division G: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Title I: Department of Labor - Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for FY2015 to the Department of Labor.
Provides appropriations to the Employment and Training Administration for Job Corps, Community Service Employment for Older Americans, Federal Unemployment Benefits and Allowances, State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Operations, Advances to the Unemployment Trust Fund and Other Funds, and Program Administration.
Provides appropriations to the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Wage and Hour Division, the Office of Labor Management-Standards, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.
Provides appropriations to the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs for Special Benefits, Special Benefits for Disabled Coal Miners, and Administrative Expenses of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Fund, the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.
Provides appropriations to the the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Office of Disability Employment Policy.
Provides appropriations for Departmental Management, including Salaries and Expenses, Veterans Employment and Training, IT Modernization, and the Office of Inspector General.
Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided by this title.
(Sec. 101) Prohibits the use of Job Corps funds to pay individual salary and bonuses at a rate in excess of Executive Level II.
(Sec. 102) Allows up to 1% of discretionary funds for the current fiscal year for Labor in this Act to be transferred between programs, projects, or activities. Prohibits this authority from being used to increase funding for a program, project, or activity by more than 3% or create a new program.
(Sec. 103) Prohibits funds from being obligated or expended to procure goods made or services rendered by forced or indentured child labo.
(Sec. 104) Prohibits grant funds under the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 from being used for any purpose except for competitive grants for training students in the occupations and industries for which employers are using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, and necessary related activities.
(Sec. 105) Prohibits recipients of employment and training funds from using them to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual at a rate in excess of Executive Level II, with an exception for vendors providing goods and services. Authorizes states to establish lower limits for salaries and bonuses.
(Sec. 106) Authorizes Labor to transfer to the Program Administration account funds made available to the Employment and Training Administration for technical assistance services to grantees, if those services will be more efficiently performed by federal staff.
(Sec. 107) Limits the funds that may be reserved for evaluation of programs. Requires the Chief Evaluation Officer to submit a plan to the appropriations committees describing the evaluations 15 days in advance of transferring funds to be used for evaluations.
(Sec. 108) Allows an employer in the seafood industry, upon Labor's approval of a petition for H-2B nonimmigrants (temporary nonagricultural workers), to bring the H-2B workers into the United States at any time during 120 days after the start date without filing another petition. Prohibits the employer, however, from bringing H-2B workers into the United States after 90 days following the start date unless the employer completes a new assessment of the local labor market and offers the job to an equally or better qualified U.S. worker.
(Sec. 109) Prohibits the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation from using funds for any asserted liability resulting from a substantial cessation of operations by an employer under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Sets forth that this section ceases to apply upon enactment of a bill that amends the relevant provision of ERISA.
(Sec. 110) Allows Labor to reserve up to 0.25% from specified appropriations for information technology purchases and upgrades. Requires reserved funds to be transferred to Departmental Management for use by the Office of the Chief Evaluation Officer. Makes funds available only if the Chief Evaluation Officer, 15 days in advance of any transfer, submits a plan to the appropriations committees describing the purchases and upgrades and why the funds are not needed in the donor accounts.
(Sec. 111) Exempts from maximum hours provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 for two years after a state or federal declaration of a disaster or catastrophe, employees adjusting or evaluating claims resulting from the disaster who are not employed by an insurance company.Title II: Department of Health and Human Services - Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for FY2015 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for: (1) the Health Resources and Services Administration, (2) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), (3) the National Institutes of Health (NIH), (4) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, (5) the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, (6) the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), (7) the Administration for Children and Families, (8) the Administration for Community Living, and (9) the Office of the Secretary.
(Sec. 202) Requires HHS to make Public Health Service employees available to assist in child survival activities and to work in AIDS programs through and with funds provided by the Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), or the World Health Organization (WHO).
(Sec. 204) Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being expended to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of programs authorized under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), except for funds specifically provided for in the PHSA, or for other taps and assessments made by any HHS office, before reporting to the appropriations committees detailing the planned uses of such funds.
(Sec. 205) Caps at 2.5% the amount of funds appropriated to a program under the PHSA that may be made available to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of programs funded in this title.
(Sec. 206) Allows up to 1% of discretionary funds for the current fiscal year for HHS in this Act to be transferred between programs, projects, or activities. Prohibits this authority from being used to increase funding for a program, project, or activity by more than 3% or create a new program.
(Sec. 207) Authorizes NIH, jointly with the Office of AIDS Research, to transfer up to 3% among institutes and centers from amounts identified as funding for HIV research, provided that the appropriations committees are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer. Requires these funds to be made available to the Office of AIDS Research for disbursement to NIH agencies in accordance with the comprehensive plan for the conduct and support of all AIDS activities of NIH.
(Sec. 209) Prohibits the use of funds for voluntary family planning projects unless the applicant certifies that it encourages family participation in the decision of minors to seek family planning services and that it provides counseling to minors on how to resist attempts to coerce minors into engaging in sexual activities.
(Sec. 210) Prohibits any provider of voluntary planning services under the PHSA from being exempt from any state law requiring notifications or the reporting of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest.
(Sec. 211) Prohibits the use of funds to carry out the Medicare Advantage program if HHS denies participation in the program to an otherwise eligible entity because it will not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or provide referrals for abortions.
(Sec. 212) Allows HHS to exercise certain authority in order to carry out international health activities during FY2015.
(Sec. 215) Sets a cap on the total amount of funds NIH may use for the alteration, repair, or improvement of facilities and limits the amount that can be spent per project.
(Sec. 217) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used to advocate or promote gun control.
(Sec. 218) Requires HHS to establish a publicly accessible website to provide information regarding the uses of funds made available to the Prevention and Public Health Fund.
(Sec. 219) Requires HHS to transfer funds appropriated for the Prevention and Public Health Fund to specific accounts for specified activities. Prohibits HHS from further transferring such amounts, notwithstanding requirements that HHS use these funds to increase funding over the FY2008 level for programs authorized by the PHSA for prevention, wellness, and public health activities.
Declares that funds transferred for the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Grant Program shall be made available without regard to the allocation of those funds in the PHSA.
(Sec. 220) Authorizes the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to enter into a contract for 1 to 10 years for the purchase of research services or of security countermeasures if funds are available and obligated for: (1) the full period of the contract or for the first fiscal year in which the contract is in effect, and (2) the estimated costs associated with a necessary termination of the contract. Sets as an additional condition on such a multi-year contract that HHS determine that the contract will serve the best interests of the federal government by encouraging full and open competition or promoting economic in administration, performance, and operation of BARDA's programs.
(Sec. 221) Requires HHS to publish in the FY2016 budget justification and on the departmental website information concerning the employment of full-time equivalent federal employees or contracts for the purpose of implementing, administering, enforcing, or otherwise carrying out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in the proposed fiscal year and the four prior fiscal years.
(Sec. 222) Authorizes HHS to transfer to the CMS for Program Management up to an additional $305 million from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund (Medicare Trust Funds) to support program management activity related to the Medicare program. Prohibits any other use of these funds to support any provision of PPACA or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or any amendment made by either law, or to supplant any other amounts within such account.
(Sec. 223) Revises the time frame in which HHS may terminate a Public Health Service loan repayment contract with an individual from 45 days before the end of the fiscal year in which the contract was entered to 60 days after the execution of a contract awarded in 2015.
(Sec. 224) Amends the PHSA to rename the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Replaces references to “alternative medicine” with “integrative health.” Requires the Center to study the integration of new and non-traditional approaches into health care treatment and consumption instead of the integration of alternative treatment with conventional medicine.
(Sec. 225) Requires payments made to NIH for research organisms or substances to be credited to the appropriations account of NIH and made available through FY2016.(Sec. 226) Requires HHS to publish information in the FY2016 budget that details: (1) the uses of all funds used by CMS specifically for health insurance marketplaces for each fiscal year since the enactment of PPACA, and (2) the proposed uses for such funds for FY2016.
(Sec. 227) Prohibits funds from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Supplemental Medical Insurance Trust Fund, or transferred from other accounts funded by this Act to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services--Program Management account, from being used for payments relating to the risk corridors program established by PPACA for health plans.
(Sec. 228) Extends FY2014 funding authorizations through FY2015 for part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act and grants for U.S. territories under TANF and part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act.
Makes appropriations for the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs for FY2015 and FY2016. Waives the requirement for the Contingency Fund to reserve funds for the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities in FY2015 and FY2016.
Makes funding available through the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs for research on the benefits, effects, and costs of operating different state TANF programs and the Bureau of the Census to use the Survey of Income and Program Participation to enable the evaluation of the impact of amendments to TANF made by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
(Sec. 229) Requires remaining unobligated balances of FY2015 appropriations for abstinence education to be reallocated to states that require implementation of all the elements of abstinence education and that submit a valid application consistent with the original formula for this funding.
(Sec. 230) Requires NIH, in each fiscal year through FY2025, to submit to the President for review and transmittal to Congress an annual budget estimate for NIH initiatives pursuant to the National Alzheimer's Plan.Title III: Department of Education - Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2015 - Provides FY 2015 appropriations to the Department of Education (ED) for: (1) Education for the Disadvantaged; (2) Impact Aid; (3) School Improvement Programs; (4) Indian Education; (5) Innovation and Improvement; (6) Safe Schools and Citizenship Education; (7) English Language Acquisition; (8) Special Education; (9) Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research; (10) Special Institutions for Persons With Disabilities, including the American Printing House for the Blind, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and Gallaudet University; (11) Career, Technical, and Adult Education; (12) Student Financial Assistance; (13) Student Aid Administration; (14) Higher Education; (15) Howard University; (16) the College Housing and Academic Facilities Loans Program; (17) the Historically Black College and University Capital FinancingProgram Account; (18) the Institute of Education Sciences; and (19) Departmental Management, including Program Administration, the Office for Civil Rights, and the Office of Inspector General.
Sets the maximum individual Pell Grant amount to $4,860 during award year 2015-2016.
Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this title.
(Sec. 301) Prohibits the use of funds to transport teachers or students in order to: (1) overcome racial imbalance in any school, or (2) carry out a racial desegregation plan.
(Sec. 302) Prohibits the use of funds to require, directly or indirectly, the transportation of any student to a school other than the school nearest the student's home, except for the transportation of a student requiring special education to the school offering that special education, in order to comply with title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Declares that a prohibited indirect requirement of transportation of students includes the transportation of students to carry out a plan involving the reorganization of the grade structure of schools, the pairing of schools, the clustering of schools, or any combination of grade restructuring, pairing, or clustering. Exempts the establishment of magnet schools from such prohibition.
(Sec. 303) Prohibits the use of funds to prevent the implementation of programs of voluntary prayer and meditation in public schools.
(Sec. 304) Allows up to 1% of discretionary funds for the current fiscal year for ED in this Act to be transferred between programs, projects, or activities. Prohibits this authority from being used to increase funding for a program, project, or activity by more than 3% or create a new program.
(Sec. 305) Authorizes the Outlying Areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands) to consolidate funds received under this Act under part A (Innovative Programs) of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(Sec. 306) Amends the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 to continue the eligibility of the government, institutions, and people of Palau for Pell Grant and supplemental education grant funding until the end of FY2015 to the extent they were eligible for such funding in FY2003.
(Sec. 307) Authorizes ED to reserve funds for studies and evaluations of programs funded under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 without regard to the source of funds for those activities.
(Sec. 308) Directs ED to: (1) modify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid so that it contains a box for identifying students who are foster youth or who were in the foster care system, and (2) use that identification as a tool to notify those students of their potential eligibility for federal student aid.
(Sec. 309) Allows students who are not high school graduates and have not met home schooling requirements to receive student assistance under title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) if they are enrolled in an eligible career pathway program and demonstrate that they can benefit from the education or training being offered by an institution of higher education.
Prohibits students eligible for Federal Pell Grants under this section from receiving the annual increase to the Federal Pell Grant.
(Sec. 310) Allows an institution that maintains an endowment supported with funds appropriated for institutional aid under the HEA for FY2015, including for historically black colleges and Hispanic-serving institutions, to use those funds for scholarships, as long as the institution does not spend more than 50% of the aggregate endowment income. Sets forth that the use of those funds for scholarships in accordance with this section prior to enactment of this Act was an allowable use of that income. Applies this section until titles III and V of the HEA are reauthorized.
(Sec. 311) Requires ED to award grants for student support services projects for low-income individuals, first generation college students, and individuals with disabilities.
Title IV: Related Agencies - Provides FY2015 appropriations for: (1) the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled; (2) the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS); (3) the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; (4) the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; (5) the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission; (6) the Institute of Museum and Library Services; (7) the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission; (8) the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC); (9) the National Council on Disability; (10) the National Labor Relations Board; (11) the National Mediation Board; (12) the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission; (13) the Railroad Retirement Board; and (14) the Social Security Administration, including Payments to Social Security Trust Funds, the Supplemental Security Income Program, Limitation on Administrative Expenses, and ) the Office of Inspector General.
(Sec. 405) Authorizes state Commissions on National and Community Service established under the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to receive criminal history record information.
(Sec. 406) Prohibits the National Labor Relations Board from using any appropriations to issue a new administrative directive or regulation that would provide employees a way to vote through electronic means in an election to determine a collective bargaining representative.
Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this Act.
(Sec. 501) Authorizes Labor, HHS, and ED to transfer unexpended balances of prior appropriations to accounts corresponding to current appropriations provided in this Act, to be used for the same purpose, and for the same periods of time, for which they were originally appropriated.
(Sec. 503) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act for lobbying before Congress or a state legislature, including activities designed to influence enactment of proposed or pending federal or state regulations, administrative actions, or Executive orders. Includes under such prohibitions any activity to advocate or promote any proposed, pending, or future federal, state, or local tax increase, or any proposed, pending, or future requirement or restriction on any legal consumer product, including guns.
(Sec. 506) Prohibits the expenditure of funds appropriated in this Act, and in any trust fund to which funds are appropriated in this Act, for: (1) any abortion, or (2) health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion.
(Sec. 507) Declares that the prohibition on funding abortion does not apply: (1) if the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest; or (2) in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed.
Declares that the prohibition on funding abortion shall not be construed as: (1) prohibiting the expenditure by a state, locality, entity, or private person of state, local, or private funds (other than Medicaid matching funds); or (2) restricting the ability of any managed care provider from offering abortion coverage or the ability of a state or locality to contract separately with such a provider for such coverage with state funds (other than Medicaid matching funds).
Bars the availability of funds to a federal agency or program, or to a state or local government, if it subjects any institutional or individual health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.
(Sec. 508) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act for: (1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; or (2) research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death greater than that allowed for research on fetuses in utero under certain federal regulations and the Public Health Service Act.
(Sec. 509) Bars the use of funds for activities promoting the legalization of any drug or other substance included in schedule I of the schedules of controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act, except for normal and recognized executive-congressional communications.
Makes such limitation inapplicable when there is significant medical evidence of a therapeutic advantage to the use of such drug or other substance or that federally sponsored clinical trials are being conducted to determine therapeutic advantage.
(Sec. 510) Bars the use of funds to promulgate or adopt any final standard under the Social Security Act providing for, or providing for the assignment of, a unique health identifier for an individual (except in an individual's capacity as an employer or a health care provider), until legislation is enacted specifically approving the standard.
(Sec. 511) Bars the obligation or expenditure of funds to enter into or renew a contract with a contractor that is required to submit an annual report to Labor concerning employment of certain veteransif the contractor has not submitted the report for the most recent applicable year.
(Sec. 512) Prohibits the transfer of funds made available in this Act to any federal department, agency, or instrumentality, except pursuant to an appropriations Act.
(Sec. 513) Prohibits the availability of funds under the Library Services and Technology Act, as amended by the Children's Internet Protection Act, to certain libraries unless they have made specified required certifications.
(Sec. 515) Prohibits the use of funds to: (1) request that a candidate for appointment to a federal scientific advisory committee disclose his or her political affiliation or voting history or the position he or she holds with respect to political issues not directly related to and necessary for the work of the committee involved, or (2) disseminate information that is deliberately false or misleading.
(Sec. 516) Requires each department and related agency funded through this Act, within 45 days of enactment of this Act, to submit an operating plan that details at the program, project, and activity level any funding FY2015 allocations that are different than those specified in this Act, the detailed table accompanying a specified explanatory statement, or the FY2015 budget request.
(Sec. 517) Requires Labor, HHS, and ED each to report to the congressional appropriations committees on the number, amount, and other specified details of contracts, non-formula grants, and cooperative agreements exceeding $500,000 in value and awarded on a noncompetitive basis during each quarter of FY2015.
(Sec. 518) Prohibits the Social Security Administration (SSA), while administering Social Security benefit payments under title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act, from expending or obligating appropriations in this Act to process a claim for credit for a quarter of coverage based on work performed under a Social Security account number that is not the claimant's number when the performance of that work was the basis for the claimant's conviction for specified OASDI-related fraud.
(Sec. 519) Prohibits the SSA from using appropriations in this Act to pay the compensation of SSA employees to administer Social Security benefit payments, under any agreement between the United States and Mexico establishing totalization arrangements between the U.S. Social Security system and the social security system of Mexico, which would not otherwise be payable but for the agreement.
(Sec. 520) Rescinds specified funds made available for performance bonus payments under title XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act.
(Sec. 521) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated in this Act to carry out any program of distributing sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug.
(Sec. 522) Rescinds specified funds made available for FY2015 for the Independent Payment Advisory Board established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to develop and submit to the President, for Congress to consider, detailed proposals to reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending.
(Sec. 523) Requires Labor, HHS, ED, and SSA, beginning with the first quarter of FY2013, to make quarterly reports to specified congressional committees on the status of appropriations balances. Requires such reports to identify separately the amounts attributable to each source year of appropriation (beginning with FY2012, or, to the extent feasible, earlier fiscal years) from which were derived any balances that are unobligated and uncommitted, committed, and obligated but unexpended.
(Sec. 524) Authorizes the use of federal discretionary funds made available in this Act to carry out up to 10 Performance Partnership Pilots (which seek to demonstrate cost-effective strategies for providing services at the state, regional, or local level that involve two or more federally administered programs, at least one of which is administered, in whole or in part, by a state, local, or tribal government) designed to improve outcomes for disconnected youth (youth ages 14-24 who are low-income and either homeless, in foster care, involved in the juvenile justice system, unemployed, or not enrolled in or at risk of dropping out of an educational institution), in addition to previously authorized Performance Partnership Pilots.
(Sec. 525) Requires each federal agency or bureau (or operating division) in an agency with multiple bureaus, which is funded under this Act and has research and development expenditures exceeding $100 million per year, to develop a federal research public access policy.
Requires such a policy to provide for: (1) submission to the agency, agency bureau, or design ated entity acting on the agency's behalf, a machine-readable version of the author's final peer-reviewed manuscripts that have been accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals describing research supported, in whole or in part, by federal funding; (2) free online public access to such final peer-reviewed manuscripts or published versions within 12 months after the official publication date; and (3) compliance with all relevant copyright laws.
(Sec. 526) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act to maintain or establish a computer network unless it blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. Declares, however, that nothing in this prohibition shall limit the use of funds necessary for any federal, state, tribal, or local law enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
(Sec. 527) Requires, when carrying out travel spending efficiency requirements relating to conference attendance and expenditures, the operating divisions of HHS to be considered agencies and scientific conference attendance and support to be tabulated separately from agency totals.
(Sec. 528) Requires funds made available to ED under Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research or Program Administration under Departmental Management for functions that have been transferred to the Administration for Community Living to be obligated, expended, and transferred in accordance with that transfer.
(Sec. 529) Prohibits funds made available under any Act or any prior appropriations Act from being provided to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, allied organizations, or successors.
Title VI: Ebola Response and Preparedness - Provides FY2015 appropriations to the CDC, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Ebola domestically and internationally.
(Sec. 601) Allows HHS to use funds provided in this title for: (1) CDC facilities outside of the United States for use either by the U.S. government or by public or nonprofit private institutions or agencies; (2) the CDC to contract experts who have scientific or other professional qualifications; and (3) repatriation of citizens, notwithstanding limitations on repatriation assistance in the Social Security Act. Requires HHS to notify the appropriations committees within 15 days of the use of these provisions.
(Sec. 603) Allows grants awarded by HHS with funds made available by this title to be conditional on the awardee complying with HHS guidance regarding control of the spread of Ebola.
(Sec. 604) Allows funds appropriated in this title to be transferred to other appropriation accounts of the CDC, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, or the NIH for the purposes specified in this title, provided that the appropriations committees are notified 10 days in advance of any such transfer and that unneeded funds may be transferred back to that appropriation. Prohibits transfer of these funds to other accounts or for the evaluation of a program.Division H: Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2015 - Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2015 - Title I: Legislative Branch - Makes appropriations to the Senate for FY2015 for: (1) expense allowances; (2) representation allowances for the Majority and Minority Leaders; (3) salaries of specified officers, employees, and committees (including the Committee on Appropriations); (4) agency contributions for employee benefits; (5) inquiries and investigations; (6) the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control; (7) the Offices of the Secretary and of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate; (8) miscellaneous items; (9) the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account; and (10) official mail costs.
(Sec. 1) Amends the Revised Statutes to repeal the requirement that stationery for the Senate be purchased according to a bidding process.
(Sec. 2) Amends the Legislative Appropriations Act, 2003 to extend the Office of the President Pro Tempore Emeritus of the Senate through the 114th Congress.
Makes appropriations to the House of Representatives for FY2015 for: (1) salaries and/or expenses of the House leadership offices, committees (including the Committee on Appropriations), and officers and employees; and (2) Members' representational allowances.
(Sec. 101) Requires deposit in the Treasury of any amounts of a Member's representational allowance remaining after all payments are made, to be used for federal deficit reduction, or, if there is no deficit, federal debt reduction.
(Sec. 102) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act to deliver a printed copy of: (1) a bill, joint resolution, or resolution to the office of a Member of the House of Representatives unless the Member requests a copy; or (2) any version of the Congressional Record to the office of a Member.
(Sec. 104) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House to make any payments from any Members' Representational Allowance for the leasing of a vehicle (except mobile district offices) in an aggregate amount that exceeds $1,000 for the vehicle in any month.
(Sec. 105) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act to: (1) provide an aggregate number of more than 50 printed copies of any edition of the U.S. Code to all House offices; or (2) deliver to a Member's office a printed copy of the report of disbursements for House operations, or the House Daily Calendar prepared by the House Clerk.
Makes appropriations for salaries and/or expenses of: (1) the Joint Economic Committee; (2) the Joint Committee on Taxation; (3) the Office of the Attending Physician; (4) the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services; (5) the Capitol Police; (6) the Office of Compliance; (7) the Congressional Budget Office (CBO); and (8) the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), including for the care and operation of Capitol buildings and grounds, Senate office buildings, House office buildings, the Capitol power plant, the Library of Congress buildings and grounds, the Capitol Police buildings, grounds, and security, the Botanic Garden, and the Capitol Visitor Center.
(Sec. 1001) Amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to revise requirements for the Office of Compliance program of education for Members of Congress and other employing authorities of the legislative branch respecting the laws applying to them as well as a program to inform individuals of their rights under such laws.
Modifies the requirement that the Office distribute its telephone number, address, and the procedures for consideration of alleged violations of rights and protections under specified laws to the residences of covered employees. Requires instead that the information and procedures be distributed to the covered employees by the end of each fiscal year.
(Sec. 1101) Bars the use of AOC funds made available in this Act to make incentive or award payments (bonuses) to contractors for work on contracts or programs for which the contractor is behind schedule or over budget, unless the AOC, or agency-employed designee, determines that any such deviations are due to unforeseeable events, government-driven scope changes, or are not significant within the overall scope of the project and/or program.
(Sec. 1102) Authorizes the AOC, subject to the direction of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, to enter into: (1) cooperative agreements with entities to support the Botanic Garden; and (2) a no-cost agreement with a qualified entity to conduct, or provide support for, an educational exhibit, program, class, or outreach that benefits the Botanic Garden's educational mission.
(Sec. 1103) Bars the use of funds made available by this Act for scrims containing photographs of buildings facades during restoration or construction projects performed by the AOC.
Appropriates funds for: (1) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, the Copyright Office, Congressional Research Service (CRS), and Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; (2) the Government Publishing Office (GPO) for congressional publishing; (3) GPO for public information programs of the Office of Superintendent of Documents; (4) the Government Publishing Office Business Operations Revolving Fund; (5) the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for salaries and expenses; (6) a payment to the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund; and (7) a payment to the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Development Trust Fund.
(Sec. 1201) Establishes an upper limit of $203.058 million for the FY2015 obligational authority of the Library of Congress with regard to certain reimbursable and revolving fund activities.
(Sec. 1301) Redesignates the Government Printing Office as the Government Publishing Office.
Renames: (1) the Public Printer as the Director of the Government Publishing Office, and (2) the Deputy Public Printer as the Deputy Director.
Revises requirements with respect to the qualifications and duties of the Director and the Deputy Director.
(Sec. 1401) Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to establish the Center for Audit Excellence within GAO to:
Authorizes GAO to:
Prohibits GAO from accepting or using such a gift if its acceptance or use would compromise or appear to compromise GAO's integrity.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Center should be staffed primarily by GAO personnel not otherwise engaged in carrying out other GAO duties, so as to ensure that the Center's operation will not have a negative impact on GAO's ability to maintain a consistently high level of service to Congress.
Establishes in the Treasury (as a separate GAO account) the Center for Audit Excellence Account consisting of fees deposited by GAO and such other amounts as may be appropriated under law.
Makes amounts in the Account available to GAO in amounts specified in appropriations Acts and without fiscal year limitation to carry out this Act.
Authorizes appropriations.
Prohibits GAO from operating the Center until:
Title II: General Provisions - Specifies authorized and prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this Act identical or similar to corresponding provisions of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2014.
(Sec. 206) Authorizes the AOC to maintain and improve the landscape features, excluding streets, in specified grassy areas of Washington, DC, SW.
(Sec. 208) Prohibits the use of funds made available to the AOC in this Act to eliminate or restrict guided tours of the U.S. Capitol led by congressional employees and interns.
Allows temporary suspension or restriction of such tours for security or related reasons to the same extent as guided tours of the U.S. Capitol led by the AOC.
Division I: Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and related agencies for FY2015.
Title I: Department of Defense - Provides appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) Military Construction for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force (military departments), DOD, the Army and Air National Guard and the Army, Navy, and Air Force Reserves; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (3) Family Housing Construction and related Operation and Maintenance for the military departments and DOD; (4) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; (5) Chemical Demilitarization Construction; and (6) the Department of Defense Base Closure Account.
Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses for funds provided in this title.
Prohibits funds made available by this title from being used to construct a squadron operations facility at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico until DOD submits a report to Congress. Specifies requirements for the report.
(Sec. 101) Limits the use of funds made available in this title for cost-plus-a-fixed-fee contracts for construction exceeding $25,000 without DOD approval.
(Sec. 102) Permits funds made available in this title for construction to be used for hiring passenger motor vehicles.(Sec. 103) Permits funds made available in this title for construction to be used for advances to the Federal Highway Administration for the construction of access roads DOD has certified as important to national defense.
(Sec. 104) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used to begin construction of new bases in the United States without a specific appropriation.
(Sec. 105) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used to purchase land or land easements in excess of 100% of the value. Includes exceptions for: (1) determinations of value by a federal court, (2) purchases negotiated by the Attorney General or a designee, (3) values less than $25,000, and (4) DOD determinations that the purchase is in the public interest.
(Sec. 106) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used to acquire land, provide for site preparation, or install utilities for family housing, except housing for which appropriations have been provided.
(Sec. 107) Prohibits funds made available in this title for minor construction from being used to transfer or relocate any activity from one base or installation to another without notifying Congress in advance
(Sec. 108) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used to procure steel for construction unless American producers, fabricators, and manufacturers have been allowed to compete for the procurement.
(Sec. 109) Prohibits funds made available to DOD for military construction or family housing during the current fiscal year from being used to pay real property taxes in any foreign nation.
(Sec. 110) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used to initiate a new installation overseas without notifying Congress in advance.
(Sec. 111) Prohibits funds made available in this title from being used for architect and engineer contracts for specified overseas projects exceeding $500,000 unless the contracts are awarded to U.S. firms or joint ventures with U.S. firms.
(Sec. 112) Prohibits funds made available in this title for military construction in U.S. territories and possessions in the Pacific and on Kwajalein Atoll, or in countries bordering the Arabian Gulf from being used to award a contract over $1 million to a foreign contractor. Includes exceptions.(Sec. 113) Requires DOD to notify Congress in advance of military exercises if construction costs are expected to exceed $100,000.
(Sec. 114) Prohibits more than 20% of the funds made available in this title for FY2015 from being obligated during the last two months of the fiscal year.
(Sec. 115) Permits funds appropriated to DOD for construction in prior years to be used for construction projects authorized during the current session of Congress.
(Sec. 116) Permits expired or lapsed funds to be used to pay for supervision, inspection, overhead, engineering, and design costs for military construction or housing projects being completed with lapsed or expired funds.
(Sec. 117) Permits military construction funds to be available for five years if the funds obligated: (1) are available for military construction, and (2) do not exceed the amount appropriated or permitted by law.
(Sec. 118) Permits the transfer of proceeds between Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) accounts.
(Sec. 119) Permits the following transfers if Congress is notified and specified conditions are met:
(Sec. 120) Permits the transfer of funds from the Department of Defense Base Closure Account for expenses associated with the Homeowners Assistance Program under the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966.
(Sec. 121) Provides that funds for operation and maintenance of family housing in this title shall be the only source of funds for repair and maintenance of all family housing units, including general or flag officer quarters. Sets forth limitations and requirements for expenditures for maintenance and repair of general or flag officer quarters.
(Sec. 122) Appropriates funds contained in the Ford Island Improvement Account to remain available until expended or transferred.
(Sec. 123) Permits the transfer of unobligated balances of expired military construction and family housing funds into the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Construction, Defense account.
(Sec. 124) Prohibits the Army from using funds made available by this Act to relocate a unit that: (1) performs a required testing mission not performed by any other unit, and (2) is located at a military installation where the total number of Army civilian employees and contractor personnel exceeds 10% of the regular and reserve Army personnel. Allows an exception if the Army notifies Congress of the relocation's compliance with Army Regulation 5-10 concerning stationing actions.
(Sec. 125) Permits funds provided to an account in this title to be transferred among projects and activities within the account subject to specified DOD reprogramming guidelines for military and family housing construction.
(Sec. 126) Prohibits DOD military construction funds provided in this title from being used for the planning, design, and construction of projects at Arlington National Cemetery.
(Sec. 127) Provides appropriations to remain available through FY2018 for specified previously authorized military construction projects. Requires DOD to submit an expenditure plan to Congress for the funds.
(Sec. 128) Provides appropriations to remain available through FY2019 for specified accelerated military construction projects requested by the Department of the Army. Requires the Army to submit an expenditure plan to Congress for the funds.(Sec. 129) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the Military Construction, Army account.
(Sec. 130) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps account.(Sec. 131) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the Military Construction, Air Force account.
(Sec. 132) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the NATO Security Investment Program.
(Sec. 133) Rescinds specified unobligated balances from the fund established for expenses associated with the Homeowners Assistance Program.
(Sec. 134) Defines "congressional defense committees" to include the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and Appropriations Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.
(Sec. 135) Prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used for the closure or abandonment of any facility at Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal.
Title II: Department of Veterans Affairs - Provides appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the Veterans Benefits Administration, including: (1) Compensation and Pensions, (2) Readjustment Benefits, (3) Veterans Insurance and Indemnities, (4) the Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund, (5) the Vocational Rehabilitation Loans Program Account, and (6) the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program Account.
Provides appropriations to the VA for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), including: (1) Medical Services, (2) Medical Support and Compliance, (3) Medical Facilities, and (4) Medical and Prosthetic Research.
Provides appropriations to the VA for the National Cemetery Administration.
Provides appropriations to the VA for Departmental Administration, including: (1) General Administration; (2) the Board of Veterans Appeals; (3) General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration; (4) Information Technology Systems; (5) the Office of Inspector General; (6) Construction, Major Projects; (7) Construction, Minor Projects; (8) Grants for Construction of State Extended Care Facilities; and (9) Grants for Construction of Veterans Cemeteries.
Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses of funds appropriated in this title.
(Sec. 201) Permits funds to be transferred between the Compensation and Pensions, Readjustment Benefits, and Veterans Insurance and Indemnities accounts if approved by Congress.
(Sec. 202) Permits funds to be transferred between the Medical Services, Medical Support and Compliance, and Medical Facilities accounts, subject to specified requirements and the approval of Congress for certain transfers.(Sec. 203) Permits appropriations for salaries and expenses to be used for employment of temporary or intermittent experts and consultants, hire of passenger vehicles, lease of a facility or land, and uniforms.
(Sec. 204) Prohibits appropriations in this title other than Construction, Major Projects and Construction, Minor Projects from being used for land acquisition or construction of any new hospital or home.
(Sec. 205) Limits the use of funds provided in this title for hospitalization or examination to beneficiaries entitled to the medical services under specified laws unless the VA is reimbursed.
(Sec. 206) Permits appropriations provided in this title for Compensation and Pensions, Readjustment Benefits, and Veterans Insurance and Indemnities to be used for payments of prior year accrued obligations for the accounts.
(Sec. 207) Permits appropriations provided in this title to be used to pay specified prior year obligations. Requires obligations from trust fund accounts to be paid only from the Compensation and Pensions account.
(Sec. 208) Permits the VA to use surplus earnings from the National Service Life Insurance Fund, the Veterans' Special Life Insurance Fund, and the United States Government Life Insurance Fund to administer those programs during FY2015.
(Sec. 209) Permits amounts deducted from enhanced-use lease proceeds for reimbursement of administrative expenses from a prior year to be obligated in the year in which the proceeds are received.
(Sec. 210) Permits funds provided by this title for salaries and other administrative expenses to be used to reimburse the Office of Resolution Management and the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication within specified limits.
(Sec. 211) Prohibits funds provided by this title from being used for any lease with an annual rental cost above $1 million unless it is approved by Congress.
(Sec. 212) Requires the VA to collect third-party reimbursement information prior to providing hospital care, nursing home care, or medical services for a non-service connected disability. Permits the VA to recover reasonable charges for care from anyone who has not provided the required disclosures.(Sec. 213) Permits enhanced-use leasing revenues to be deposited into the Construction, Major Projects and Construction, Minor Projects accounts to be used for construction, alterations, and improvements of VA medical facilities.
(Sec. 214) Permits funds provided for Medical Services to be used for: (1) furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and equipment; and (2) funeral and burial expenses.
(Sec. 215) Permits funds deposited in the Medical Care Collections Fund to be transferred to the Medical Services account and remain available until expended.
(Sec. 216) Permits the VA to enter into agreements with certain Indian tribes and tribal organizations in rural Alaska to provide health care to veterans.
(Sec. 217) Permits funds deposited into the Department of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Fund to be transferred to the Construction, Major Projects and Construction, Minor Projects accounts to remain available until expended.
(Sec. 218) Bars the use of funds provided in this title to prohibit the Directors of the Veterans Integrated Services Networks from conducting outreach or marketing to enroll new veterans.(Sec. 219) Directs the VA to submit a quarterly report to Congress on the financial status of the Veterans Health Administration.
(Sec. 220) Permits specified FY2015 VA funds to be transferred to or from the Information Technology Systems account if approved by Congress.
(Sec. 221) Prohibits more than 20% of the funds provided to the Medical Facilities account for nonrecurring maintenance from being obligated during the last two months of the fiscal year. Permits the VA to waive the requirements after notifying Congress.
(Sec. 222) Permits specified FY2015 VA funds to be transferred to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund and used for the operation of combined federal medical facilities.
(Sec. 223) Permits specified FY2016 VA funds to be transferred to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund and used for the operation of combined federal medical facilities.
(Sec. 224) Permits transfers from the Medical Care Collections Fund to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund for the operation of combined federal medical facilities.(Sec. 225) Permits specified VA funds to be transferred to the DOD-VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund to remain available until expended.
(Sec. 226) Rescinds FY2015 appropriations for the VA Medical Services, Medical Support and Compliance, and Medical Facilities accounts and reappropriates the funds to remain available through FY2016.
(Sec. 227) Directs the VA to notify Congress of all bid savings in major construction projects that total at least $5 million or 5% of the programmed amount of the project, whichever is less.
(Sec. 228) Prohibits the scope of work for a project included in Construction, Major Projects from being increased above the original budget request.
(Sec. 229) Requires the VA to submit to Congress quarterly reports from each Veterans Benefits Administration regional office including:
(Sec. 230) Requires the VA to submit a reprogramming request to Congress whenever funding for a medical care initiative identified in the FY2015 expenditure plan is adjusted by more than $25 million from the allocation included in the budget request.
(Sec. 231) Limits funds permitted to be obligated from the Medical Services and Medical Support and Compliance accounts for the VistA Evolution and electronic health record interoperability projects. Requires the VA to notify Congress before obligating additional funds above specified amounts.
(Sec. 232) Directs the VA to notify Congress before organizational changes that result in the transfer of 25 or more full-time equivalent staff from one organizational unit to another.
(Sec. 233) Rescinds $41 million from appropriations provided to the VA for FY2015 and requires the VA to submit to Congress a report allocating the rescission.
(Sec. 234) Requires the VA to report to Congress quarterly regarding any single national outreach and awareness campaign exceeding $2 million.(Sec. 235) Prohibits the VA from: closing hospitals, domiciliaries, or clinics; conducting an environmental assessment; or diminishing health care services at medical facilities in Veterans Integrated Service Network 23 as a part of planned realignment until the VA provides a specified report to Congress. Includes an exception for capital projects which have been authorized or approved by Congress.
(Sec. 236) Prohibits the VA from using funds to replace the current system by which the Veterans Integrated Service Networks select and contract for diabetes monitoring supplies and equipment.
(Sec. 237) Prohibits the VA from using funds to expand the dialysis pilot program or create any new dialysis capability in a facility that is not part of the program until the later of: (1) the end of FY2015, or (2) the submission of an independent analysis of the program to Congress.
(Sec. 238) Permits the VA to transfer funds to the Medical Services account if the transfer is necessary to address the needs of the Veterans Health Administration, meets specified requirements, and is approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress.
(Sec. 239) Permits FY2015 funds provided for Board of Veterans Appeals and General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration to be transferred between those accounts if Congress approves the transfer.
(Sec. 240) Rescinds $15 million in unobligated balances from the DOD-VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund.
(Sec. 241) Amends the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 to expand the pilot program for using contract physicians for disability examinations from no more than 10 regional offices to no more than:
(Sec. 242) Amends the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 to specify payment rates for VA medical care in Alaska and in states with an all-payer model agreement under the Social Security Act effective on January 1, 2014.
(Sec. 243) Expands the eligibility period for VA health benefits under the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 from a minimum 30-day presence at Camp Lejeune during the period of January 1, 1957, through December 31, 1987, to the period from August 1, 1953, to December 31, 1987.
(Sec. 244) Creates authority to provide advance appropriations (budget authority that becomes available one or more fiscal years after the fiscal year for which the appropriation Act was enacted) for three Veterans Benefits Administration programs: Compensation and Pensions, Readjustment Benefits, and Veterans Insurance and Indemnities.Title III: Related Agencies - Provides appropriations for: (1) the American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; (3) Cemeterial Expenses, Army; and (4) the Armed Forces Retirement Home.
(Sec. 301) Permits funds for Cemeterial Expenses, Army to be provided to Arlington County, Virginia to relocate a water main at Arlington National Cemetery.
Title IV: Overseas Contingency Operations - Provides appropriations for DOD Military Construction projects related to the Global War on Terrorism.
Appropriates funds for European Reassurance Initiative Military Construction. Prohibits the funds from being obligated or expended until DOD submits a spending plan and specified forms to Congress.
Designates the amounts provided in this title as for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth permissible, restricted, and prohibited uses of funds appropriated in this Act.
(Sec. 501) Prohibits the obligation of funds in this Act beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly permitted in this Act.(Sec. 502) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for programs, projects, or activities not in compliance with federal laws related to risk assessment, the protection of private property rights, or unfunded mandates.
(Sec. 503) Encourages all departments and agencies funded in this Act to expand their use of "E-Commerce" technologies and procedures.
(Sec. 504) Specifies the congressional committees that are to receive all reports and notifications required by this Act.
(Sec. 505) Prohibits the transfer of funds to any part of the U.S. government without authority provided by an appropriations Act.(Sec. 506) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act for a project or program named for an individual serving as a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner of the House of Representatives.
(Sec. 507) Requires agencies to post reports submitted to Congress on the public web site of the agency. Includes exceptions for national security and confidential or proprietary information.
(Sec. 508) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for a computer network unless pornography is blocked, with the exception of law enforcement, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
(Sec. 509) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for first-class travel by an employee of the executive branch.
(Sec. 510) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for any contract where the contractor has not complied with E-Verify requirements for verification of eligibility for employment.(Sec. 511) Prohibits DOD or the VA from using funds provided by this Act to purchase or lease a new vehicle except in accordance with Presidential Memorandum - Federal Fleet Performance.
(Sec. 512) Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for the renovation, expansion, or construction of any facility in the United States to house any individual detained at the United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Includes an exception for modification to the facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Division J: Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2015 - Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2015 - Title I: Department of State and Related Agency - Makes FY2015 appropriations for the Department of State (Department in this Division) for:
Title II: United States Agency for International Development - Makes FY2015 appropriations for:
Title III: Bilateral Economic Assistance - Makes FY2015 appropriations for:
Title IV: International Security Assistance - Makes FY2015 appropriations for:
Title V: Multilateral Assistance - Makes FY2015 appropriations for:
Sets forth limitations on callable capital subscriptions with respect to:
Title VI: Export and Investment Assistance - Makes FY2015 appropriations for:
Title VII: General Provisions - Sets forth certain limits and prohibitions on the use of appropriations for specified activities.
(Sec. 7002) Requires any federal department or agency that has funds made available to it under this Act to provide Congress with a quarterly accounting of the cumulative balances of any unobligated funds received during FY2015 or in any previous fiscal year.
(Sec. 7003) Limits the use of funds under title I of this Act for any consulting service through procurement contracts to those contracts available for public inspection.
(Sec. 7004) Sets forth restrictions on office space for federal employees with respect to U.S. diplomatic facility construction, with an exception for Marine Corps use.
Prohibits the use of certain funding sources for site acquisition and mitigation, planning, design or construction of the New London Embassy, United Kingdom.
Declares that certain embassy security, construction, and maintenance appropriations may be obligated for the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See only if the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and embassy staff will retain their independence from other U.S. missions in Rome, and any relocation of the chancery will not increase annual operating costs or result in a reduction in staff, and will enhance the Embassy's overall security.
Authorizes the transfer and merger of specified funds if necessary to implement the recommendations of the Benghazi Accountability Review Board.
(Sec. 7005) States that costs incurred by an agency or department funded under title I of this Act resulting from personnel actions taken in response to funding reductions included in this Act shall be absorbed within such agency's or department's budgetary resources.
(Sec. 7006) Authorizes local guard contracts to be awarded on a best value basis for high risk, high threat posts.
(Sec. 7007) Prohibits the use of funds under titles III through VI of this Act for direct assistance or reparations to Cuba, North Korea, Iran, or Syria.
(Sec. 7008) Prohibits the use of funds under titles III through VI this Act for assistance to any country whose elected head of government is deposed by military or military-supported coup or decree.
Permits resuming assistance if a democratic government is subsequently elected to office.
(Sec. 7009) Limits certain agency, Department, and Broadcasting Board of Governors transfer authority.
(Sec. 7010) Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary in this title unless otherwise indicated) to report to Congress on funds expended during FY2014 for international military education and training, peacekeeping operations, and foreign military financing program.
(Sec. 7011) Prohibits, with specified exceptions, appropriations under this Act from remaining available for obligation after the expiration of the current fiscal year unless expressly provided for.
(Sec. 7012) Prohibits funds under titles III through VI of this Act from being used for assistance to any country in default in excess of a year on payments on a U.S. loan unless the President determines that such assistance is in the U.S. national interest.
(Sec. 7013) Prohibits funds under titles III through VI of this Act from being used for assistance under a new bilateral agreement unless such assistance is exempt from taxation, or reimbursed, by the foreign government.
Exempts from this prohibition assistance to any country or entity that:
(Sec. 7014) Authorizes specifically designated appropriations under titles III through VI of this Act to be reprogrammed for other programs within the same account.
Extends the availability of program-specific appropriations for one fiscal year if the Secretary or USAID reports to Congress that program termination or changed circumstances makes it unlikely that such appropriations can be obligated during the original period of availability.
States that ceilings and specifically designated funding levels under this Act shall not be applicable to funds or authorities appropriated or otherwise made available by any subsequent Act unless such Act specifically so directs.
(Sec. 7015) Prohibits funds that remain available for FY2015 obligation under titles I and II of this Act or in prior appropriations Acts from being made available for specified reprogramming purposes unless the appropriate congressional committees are notified 15 days in advance of such programming.
States that the requirements of this section or any similar provision may be waived if failure to do so would pose a substantial risk to human health or welfare.
Prohibits the use of funds under titles III through VI of this Act for Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bolivia, Burma, Cambodia, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe except through the regular notification procedures of the appropriate congressional committees.
(Sec. 7016) Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to notify Congress before: (1) providing certain excess defense articles under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, or (2) issuing a letter of offer to sell certain defense articles under the Arms Export Control Act.
(Sec. 7017) States that certain funds appropriated under titles I and III through VI of this Act that are returned or not made available for international organizations and programs shall remain available for obligation until September 30, 2017.
(Sec. 7018) Prohibits certain funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 from being: (1) used to pay for abortions, involuntary sterilizations, or related biomedical research as a method of family planning; or (2) obligated or expended for any country or organization if such funds' use would violate specified provisions related to abortions and involuntary sterilizations.
(Sec. 7019) Allocates funds for specified accounts.
(Sec. 7020) Prohibits the obligation of certain funds to pay for alcoholic beverages or entertainment expenses for recreational activities.
(Sec. 7021) Prohibits the provision of funds under titles III through VI of this Act to any foreign government that provides lethal military equipment to a country that supports international terrorism unless the President reports to Congress that such assistance is in the U.S. national interest.
Prohibits bilateral assistance from being made to a government that: (1) grants sanctuary from prosecution to any individual or group which has committed an act of international terrorism, (2) otherwise supports international terrorism, or (3) is controlled by a terrorist organization. Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition for humanitarian or national security purposes.
(Sec. 7022) Extends, with an exception, certain authorities necessary to expend Department and foreign assistance funds.
(Sec. 7024) States that, unless expressly provided to the contrary, provisions authorizing or making appropriations for the Department, foreign operations, and related programs shall not be construed to prohibit activities authorized by the Peace Corps Act, the Inter-American Foundation Act, or the African Development Foundation Act.
(Sec. 7025) Prohibits funds under titles III through VI of this Act and funds available to the Export-Import Bank and OPIC from being used for production of any export commodity by a foreign country if the commodity is likely to be in surplus on world markets and will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a similar or competing commodity (with exceptions for benefits to U.S. producers).
(Sec. 7026) Directs USAID to require countries that receive foreign assistance which results in the generation of local currencies to deposit such currencies in a separate account to be used to finance foreign assistance activities.
(Sec. 7027) States that: (1) restrictions on assistance for a country shall not be construed to restrict specified assistance for nongovernmental organizations from certain funds under this Act, and (2) nothing in this section shall be construed to alter existing prohibitions against abortion or involuntary sterilizations in this or any other Act.
States that: (1) during FY2015 restrictions contained in this or any other Act with respect to assistance for a country shall not be construed to restrict assistance under the Food for Peace Act, and (2) this section shall not apply to assistance restrictions regarding support of international terrorism and human rights violations.
(Sec. 7028) Sets forth the conditions under which funds available under this Act for USAID may be provided for limited competitions through local entities.
(Sec. 7029) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive director of each international financial institution to seek to require that such institution conducts:
Prohibits payments under title V of this Act to any international financial institution while the U.S. executive director to the institution is compensated at a rate in excess of that for Level IV of the Executive Schedule, or any alternate U.S. director is compensated at a rate in excess of that for Level V of such Schedule.
Urges the Secretary to support Inter-American Development Bank efforts to promote Caribbean regional economic cooperation and integration.
(Sec. 7030) Authorizes nongovernmental organizations which are USAID grantees or contractors to place funds made available to them under title III of this Act in interest bearing accounts in order to enhance their participation in debt-for-development and debt-for-nature exchanges.
(Sec. 7031) Sets forth requirements for direct government-to government assistance.
(Sec. 7032) Urges that specified amounts be made available for democracy programs.
Makes funds available to: (1) support freedom of religion, including in the Middle East and North Africa; and (2) maintain a database of prisons and gulags in North Korea.
(Sec. 7033) Conditions the use of funds appropriated by this Act to make any pledge for future year funding for any multilateral or bilateral program funded in titles III through VI of this Act.
(Sec. 7034) Makes funds under titles III through VI of this Act available for: (1) war victims, (2) displaced children, (3) displaced Burmese, and (4) victims of trafficking in persons and to combat such trafficking.
Expands authorities under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for civilian police assistance for a regional, district, municipal, or other sub-national entity emerging from instability.
Makes specified funds available for:
Urges the Secretary to withhold funds under title III of this Act for the central government of any country that is not taking appropriate steps to comply with the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abductions.
Authorizes the Secretary to transfer unobligated expired FY2015 diplomatic and consular program balances to the protection of foreign missions account, except for funds designated for overseas contingency operations and the war on terror.
Directs the Secretary to implement the requirement of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 that A-3 and G-5 visas to applicants of a diplomatic mission or international organization be suspended if its employees are found to have a record of exploiting nonimmigrant employees.
Extends:
Declares that:
(Sec. 7035) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Arab League boycott of Israel (reinstated in 1997), and the secondary boycott of American firms that have commercial ties with Israel, is an impediment to regional peace and to U.S. investment and trade in the Middle East and North Africa and should be terminated; and (2) the President should report annually to Congress on steps taken to encourage Arab League states to normalize their relations with Israel to end the boycott.
(Sec. 7036) Prohibits, with a national security interest waiver, the use of funds under titles III through VI of this Act from being used to support a Palestinian state unless the Secretary certifies to Congress that:
Expresses the sense of Congress that the governing entity should enact a constitution assuring the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and respect for human rights, and should enact other laws assuring accountable governance.
(Sec. 7037) Prohibits the obligation of funds appropriated under titles II through VI of this Act, except for acquisition of additional space for the Consulate General, to create in Jerusalem a new U.S. agency office for the purpose of conducting official U.S. business with the PA over Gaza and Jericho (or any successor Palestinian governing entity) provided for in the Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization Declaration of Principles.
(Sec. 7038) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to provide equipment, technical support, consulting services, or any other assistance to the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation.
(Sec. 7039) Directs the Secretary, for FY2015, to certify to Congress prior to the initial obligation of funds for the bilateral West Bank and Gaza program that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will have access to necessary financial information to evaluate the uses of U.S. assistance. Requires USAID audits at least once a year to ensure compliance with this section.
Directs the Secretary, before obligating economic support funds under this Act for the West Bank and Gaza, to take steps to ensure that such assistance is not provided to or through any individual or entity that advocates or engages in terrorist activity.
Prohibits funds under titles III through VI of this Act from being used to honor individuals who commit, or have committed, acts of terrorism. Requires and obligates funds for program audits.
(Sec. 7040) Prohibits specified assistance to the PA unless the President certifies to Congress that it is in the U.S. national security interest. States that any such waiver shall: (1) not be for more than six months at a time, and (2) not apply beyond 12 months after enactment of this Act. Requires a report to Congress when such waiver is exercised.
Prohibits the use of appropriations under titles III through VI of this Act for salaries of PA personnel in Gaza or for assistance to Hamas or any Hamas-controlled or power-sharing government unless the President certifies to Congress that it has accepted Israel's right to exist and is adhering to previous agreements with the United States, Israel, and the international community.
Prohibits the obligation of funds under titles III through VI of this Act for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
(Sec. 7041) Makes funds under this Act available for the government of Egypt only if the Secretary certifies to Congress that such government is: (1) sustaining the strategic relationship with the United States, and (2) meeting its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.
Makes specified funds available to Egypt for:
Requires withholding from obligation of an amount equivalent to that expended by the United States for bail, and by nongovernmental organizations for legal and court fees, associated with democracy-related trials in Egypt until the Secretary certifies to Congress that Egypt has dismissed the convictions in Public Prosecution Case No. 1110 for the Year 2012 (against staff of five international nongovernmental organizations).
Declares that no convictions in such Case against a U.S. citizen, national, or lawfully admitted permanent resident shall be considered valid under U.S. law.
Makes funds available to Egypt for counterterrorism, border security, nonproliferation programs, and development activities in the Sinai if in the U.S. national security interest.
States that it is U.S. policy to prevent Iran from achieving the capability to produce nuclear weapons.
Prohibits the use of specified funds by the Export-Import Bank of the United States to provide new financing to any person subject to sanctions under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress every 30 days until September 30, 2015, on the implementation of the Joint Plan of Action between the P5+1 and Iran, and any extension of or successor to that agreement.
Authorizes funds under this Act to be made available for assistance for Iraq to promote governance, security, and internal and regional stability, including in Kurdistan and other areas impacted by the conflict in Syria, and among Iraq's religious and ethnic minority populations.
Prohibits the availability of funds under this Act for construction of a permanent U.S. consulate in Iraq on property for which no land-use agreement has been entered into by the governments of the United States and Iraq.
Urges that law enforcement and foreign military financing funds under this Act available for assistance for Iraq be made available also to enhance the Kurdistan Regional Government's security services.
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding steps taken to address the plight, including resettlement needs, of Iranian dissidents located at Camp Liberty/Hurriya in Iraq.
Makes specified funds available to Jordan for foreign military financing, economic support, and costs related to regional instability.
Prohibits the availability of funds under this Act for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) if the LAF is controlled by a foreign terrorist organization.
Makes foreign military financing funds available for Lebanon to professionalize the LAF, strengthen border security, and combat terrorism.
Prohibits the availability of funds under this Act for the central government of Libya unless the Secretary reports to Congress that Libya is cooperating with U.S. efforts to bring to justice those responsible for the Benghazi attack in September 2012. Exempts from such limitation funding for protecting U.S. government personnel or facilities.
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding the claims against Libya filed with the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission in connection with the Claims Settlement Agreement between the United States of America and the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya of August 14, 2008.
Makes funds under title III of this Act available for the Western Sahara.
Limits the use of certain foreign military financing assistance for Morocco.
Makes specified funds available for Syria to:
Directs the Secretary, before any obligation of funds under this Act for Syria, to ensure that mechanisms are in place for the adequate monitoring and control of assistance inside Syria.
Requires congressional consultation before making funds under this section available for Syria.
Directs the Secretary, before any obligation of Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act for the Palestinian Authority (PA), to report to Congress that the purpose of such assistance is to:
Prohibits the availability of Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act for the PA if the Palestinians:
Allows a limited waiver of such prohibitions.
Reduces Economic Support Fund assistance for the PA by the amount expended by the PA as payments for acts of terrorism by individuals who are imprisoned after being fairly tried and convicted for acts of terrorism and by individuals who died committing acts of terrorism during the previous calendar year.
Prohibits the availability of funds under this Act to the Armed Forces of Yemen if they are controlled by a foreign terrorist organization.
(Sec. 7042) Makes funds under this Act for the Central African Republic available for reconciliation and peace building programs, including for programs to prevent crimes against humanity.
Urges that specified funds be made available for the trans-Sahara counterterrorism partnership program and the partnership for regional East Africa counterterrorism program.
Makes specified funds available to counter extremism in East Africa.
Authorizes the transfer and merger of specified funds under this Act for crisis response in Africa.
Prohibits military and police assistance to Ethiopia unless the Secretary certifies to Congress that Ethiopia is: (1) implementing policies to protect judicial independence, due process, and freedom of expression; and (2) permitting access to human rights and humanitarian organizations to the Somalia region of Ethiopia.
Exempts from such restriction: (1) Ethiopian military efforts in support of international peacekeeping operations, (2) counterterrorism efforts, (3) assistance to the Ethiopian Defense Command and Staff College.
States that specified funds under this Act for the lower Omo and Gambella regions of Ethiopia: (1) shall not be used to support forced evictions, but (2) shall support local development initiatives.
Makes specified military education and training assistance for Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Zimbabwe available only for training related to international peacekeeping operations and expanded military education and training. Urges that such funds not be made available for Equatorial Guinea.
Makes funds under this Act available for programs in areas affected by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) consistent with the goals of the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act.
Makes funds under this Act for Nigeria available for assistance for women and girls targeted by the terrorist organization Boko Haram.
Obligates specified funds for pilot programs to address: (1) health and development challenges in Africa and promote increased economic opportunities with the United States, and (2) security challenges in Africa.
States that Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act for Somalia shall be used to: (1) promote reconciliation between the central government and Somali regions, and (2) strengthen the rule of law.
Urges that funds under this Act for assistance for South Sudan should:
Withholds, with specified exceptions, certain funds from the central government of South Sudan until the Secretary certifies to Congress that such government is taking steps to:
Prohibits, with specified exceptions, funds under this Act from being made available for: (1) the government of Sudan, and (2) the cost of modifying loans and loan guarantees held by the government of Sudan.
Prohibits foreign military financing funds to Rwanda, with specified exceptions, if it is supporting armed groups in the the Democratic Republic of the Congo that are involved in the illegal exportation of minerals, wildlife, or contraband, or have violated human rights. Reaffirms the support of Congress for the efforts of the International Criminal Tribunal
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct U.S. executive directors to international financial institutions to vote against any loan extensions to the government of Zimbabwe, except to meet basic human needs or to promote democracy, unless the Secretary reports to Congress that Zimbabwe has restored the rule of law.
Prohibits funds under this Act from being made to the government of Zimbabwe, except for health and education, unless the rule of law has been reestablished.
(Sec. 7043) Makes specified funds available to strengthen maritime security and naval capacities in the Asia region (countries and territories in Oceania, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans bordering those countries and territories).
Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress: (1) a multi-year strategy to increase maritime security cooperation with Asian countries, and (2) a comprehensive narrative on U.S. foreign policy for the Asia region.
Prohibits the availability of funds to equip or train China's armed forces.
Authorizes funds under titles III and IV of this Act for U.S. participation in the Information Sharing Centre located in Singapore.
Makes specified funds under this Act available:
Authorizes Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act for Burma, except that such funds shall not be made available to any successor of the State Peace and Development Council controlled by former Council members who promote its repressive policies.
States that funds under title III of this Act for Burma:
Prohibits military education and financing funds under this Act from being made available to Burma.
Makes funds available to Burma for implementation of a democracy and human rights strategy.
States that funds under this Act should be made available to the government of Burma only if it has implemented constitutional reforms providing for inclusive participation in presidential and parliamentary elections.
Makes funds under title III of this Act available for democracy and human rights programs in Cambodia. Declares that such funds shall not include costs associated with a U.S. contribution to a Khmer Rouge tribunal.
Makes funds available for: (1) basic education programs in Cambodia, and (2) a U.S. contribution to a Khmer Rouge tribunal under specified conditions.
Makes specified funds under this Act available for: (1) broadcasts into North Korea; and (2) refugees from North Korea, including for protection activities in China.
Prohibits Economic Support Fund assistance from being made available for the government of North Korea.
Prohibits:
Conditions the availability of foreign military financing for the Philippine army.
Urges the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct U.S. executive directors of international financial institutions to support projects in Tibet if such projects do not provide incentives for the migration and settlement of non-Tibetans into Tibet or facilitate the transfer of ownership of Tibetan land and natural resources to non-Tibetans.
Makes Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act available to nongovernmental organizations to preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in Tibetan communities in the Tibetan Autonomous Region and in other Tibetan communities in China.
Makes Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act available for remediation of dioxin contaminated areas in Vietnam.
(Sec. 7044) Prohibits the availability of specified funds for construction and renovation of U.S. government facilities in Afghanistan to accommodate federal employee positions or to expand aviation facilities or assets above those notified by the Department and USAID or contractors in addition to those in place on the date of enactment of this Act.
Exempts from such restriction funds that are necessary to protect such facilities or the security and welfare of U.S. personnel.
Withholds specified assistance from Afghanistan until the Secretary submits a required report to Congress regarding Department and USAID transition and security plans.
States that specified funds under this Act for Afghanistan:
Makes assistance available for rule of law programs.
Prohibits the obligation of specified funds under this Act for the government of Afghanistan unless the Secretary certifies to Congress that Afghanistan is:
Reduces assistance for the government of Afghanistan by $5 for every $1 that Afghanistan imposes in taxes or other fees on the transport of U.S. government property entering or leaving Afghanistan.
Makes funds under this Act available for programs in Central and South Asia relating to a transition in Afghanistan, including expanding regional linkages.
Prohibits U.S. government use of funds under this Act to enter into a permanent basing rights agreement between the United States and Afghanistan.
Makes specified funds available for Bangladesh to strengthen the capacity of independent workers' organizations in Bangladesh's ready-made garment, shrimp, and fish export sectors.
Makes certain military financing funds available for Nepal only if the Secretary certifies to Congress that Nepal is investigating and prosecuting violations of human rights and the laws of war, and the Nepal army is cooperating fully with civilian judicial authorities. Exempts assistance for humanitarian relief and reconstruction activities from such restriction.
Withholds specified assistance for Pakistan until the Secretary certifies to Congress that Pakistan is:
Authorizes the availability of specified military assistance to Pakistan only for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency capabilities in Pakistan.
Withholds specified foreign military financing funds from Pakistan until the Secretary reports to Congress that Dr. Shakil Afridi has been released from prison and cleared of all charges relating to the assistance provided to the United States in locating Osama bin Laden.
Makes Economic Support Fund assistance available to increase the number of certain women's scholarships in FY2015. Obligates at least 50% of such amounts for Pakistani women
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress detailing the costs and objectives associated with significant infrastructure projects supported by the United States in Pakistan.
Prohibits, with humanitarian, demining, and disaster relief exceptions, the availability of specified funds, the issuance of defense export licenses, and the sale or transfer of military equipment or technology to Sri Lanka unless the Secretary certifies to Congress that Sri Lanka is meeting specified conditions.
States that, if the Secretary makes such certification, foreign military financing funds should be used to support the recruitment and training of Tamils into the Sri Lankan military, Tamil language training for Sinhalese military personnel, and human rights training for all military personnel.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct U.S. executive directors at international financial institutions to vote against any loan, agreement, or other financial support for Sri Lanka, except to meet basic human needs, unless the Secretary makes specified certifications.
Makes specified economic support funds available for cross border stabilization and development programs between Afghanistan and Pakistan or between either country and the Central Asian countries.
(Sec. 7045) Directs the Secretary to submit a strategy to Congress to address the key factors in the countries in Central America contributing to the migration of unaccompanied, undocumented minors to the United States.
Requires such strategy to address: (1) border security, (2) economic and social development, (3) judicial and law enforcement reform, and (4) repatriation and reintegration.
Authorizes the use of funds under this Act for Columbia for a campaign against narcotics trafficking, illegal armed groups, and foreign terrorist organizations and to protect human health and welfare in emergency circumstances.
Limits certain funding under this Act for aerial drug eradication in Colombia and for the Colombian armed forces until the Secretary makes certain certifications to Congress.
Urges that Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act be made available for Cuba.
Conditions the availability of assistance for the Guatemalan army.
Prohibits the availability of funds under this Act for the government of Haiti until the Secretary certifies to Congress that Haiti is: (1) taking steps to hold free and fair parliamentary elections and a new Haitian Parliament, (2) respecting the independence of the judiciary, and (3) combating corruption and improving governance.
Makes Haiti eligible to purchase U.S. defense articles and services for its Coast Guard.
Makes certain law enforcement/narcotics control and military funds under this Act available for the Mexican and Honduran armies and police only in accordance with specified requirements. Exempts from such limitation assistance to promote anti-corruption, border and maritime security, respect for the rule of law within the army and police, and to combat human trafficking (with respect to Honduras).
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on efforts to establish mechanisms with Mexico to: (1) improve the transparency of data on, and predictability of, the water deliveries from Mexico to the United States to meet annual water apportionments to the Rio Grande; and (2) minimize or eliminate the water deficits owed to the United States.
Urges that specified funds under this Act be made available for labor and environmental capacity building activities relating to free trade agreements with countries of Central America, Colombia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.
(Sec. 7046) Prohibits the use of funds under titles III through VI of this Act to pay any assessments, arrearages, or dues of any U.N. member, or from certain funds under this Act for the costs for attendance of another country's delegation at international conferences held under the auspices of multilateral or international organizations.
(Sec. 7047) Permits the President to provide up to a specified amount of commodities and services to the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal if doing so will contribute to a just resolution of charges regarding genocide or other violations of international law in the former Yugoslavia.
(Sec. 7048) Withholds specified funds under titles I and V of this Act for contributions to any U.N. agency or the Organization of American States (OAS) if the Secretary reports to Congress that the agency or organization is not taking specified actions regarding whistle blower protection and financial and performance transparency.
Prohibits, unless in the U.S. national interest, funds under title I of this Act from being used:
Prohibits funds under this Act from being made available for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) unless the Secretary reports to Congress that UNRHC participation is in the U.S. national interest.
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on whether the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is:
Prohibits the use of funds under this Act for the design, renovation, or construction of the U.N. Headquarters in New York.
(Sec. 7049) Authorizes the use of specified funds under titles III and IV of this Act to enhance the effectiveness and accountability of civilian police authority through human rights training and through the promotion of civilian police roles that support democratic governance, including programs on conflict prevention, police-community relations, disaster assistance, and gender-based violence.
(Sec. 7050) Prohibits the availability of funds under this Act to promote the sale or export of tobacco or tobacco products, or to seek the reduction or removal by any foreign country of restrictions on the marketing of tobacco or tobacco products, except for restrictions which are not applied equally to all tobacco or tobacco products of the same type.
(Sec. 7051) Prohibits the use of specified funds to send or otherwise pay for the attendance of more than 50 U.S.-stationed employees from a federal department or agency at any single conference outside the United States unless such attendance is important to the national interest.
(Sec. 7052) Authorizes the transfer of certain aircraft including for the transportation of active and standby Civilian Response Corps personnel and equipment.
Requires that the use of Department and USAID aircraft used primarily to transport personnel be coordinated under the authority of the appropriate Chief of Mission.
(Sec. 7053) Withholds assistance from a foreign country in an amount equal to 110% of the total unpaid property tax and unpaid parking fines and penalties incurred April 1, 1997-September 30, 2014, and owed by the country to the District of Columbia or New York City.
(Sec. 7054) Authorizes disposal on a grant basis in foreign countries of demining equipment used in support of the clearance of land mines and unexploded ordnance for humanitarian purposes.
Restricts military assistance for cluster munitions.
(Sec. 7055) Prohibits the use of funds for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States that were not authorized before the enactment of this Act.
Makes specified funds available for USAID assistance to private and voluntary organizations engaged in facilitating public discussion of hunger and other related issues.
(Sec. 7056) Limits the amount of funds under title II of this Act that may be used for official USAID residence expenses.
(Sec. 7057) Allocates specified funds under title III of this Act for USAID to hire up to 175 persons per fiscal year on a limited appointment basis in the United States and abroad. Conditions such hirings upon an equivalent elimination of USAID nondirect-hire employees. Terminates such authority on September 30, 2016.
Authorizes up to four-year extensions for limited-appointment Foreign Service personnel.
Authorizes specified funds under title III of this Act for the costs of persons detailed to or employed by USAID to carry out natural or man-made disaster response programs.
Authorizes specified funds under this Act to be used by USAID to employ up to 40 personal services contractors in the United States for new or expanded overseas programs until permanent personnel are hired. Limits to 15 the number of such contractors that may be assigned to any bureau or office.
Continues USAID authority to appoint into the Senior Foreign Service and employ up to 10 individuals for programs in Afghanistan or Pakistan.
(Sec. 7058) States that funds appropriated by titles III and IV of this Act for bilateral assistance for child survival activities or disease programs, including HIV/AIDS research, prevention and treatment activities, may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law with specified exceptions.
Authorizes the use of specified funds under this Act for family planning/reproductive health.
Authorizes funds under title III of this Act to combat a pandemic virus if the President reports to Congress that the virus is severe and is spreading internationally.
Withholds specified funds from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria until the Secretary reports to Congress that the Fund is implementing a policy of transparency and maintaining a policy to protect whistle blowers from retaliation.
(Sec. 7059) Makes specified funds under this Act available for: (1) gender programs, (2) programs to increase political opportunities for women in countries where women and girls suffer severe forms of discrimination, and (3) a multi-year strategy to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in countries where it is common.
Makes funds under this Act available to empower women as equal partners in conflict prevention, peace building, and reconstruction efforts.
States that programs funded under titles III and IV of this Act to train foreign police and judicial and military personnel shall: (1) address prevention and response to gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, and (2) promote the integration of women into the police and other security forces of their countries.
(Sec. 7060) Allocates specified funds for:
(Sec. 7061) Applies specified human-rights-based conditions on assistance to the government of Uzbekistan under this Act, except that the Secretary may waive such conditions for six-month periods through September 30, 2016, if in the U.S. national security interest and necessary to obtain access to and from Afghanistan.
(Sec. 7062) Prohibits funds under this Act from being obligated or expended to implement the Arms Trade Treaty until the Senate approves a resolution of ratification for the Treaty.
(Sec. 7063) Makes: (1) specified funds available in FY2015 for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and (2) funds that are not made available to UNFPA available for family planning, maternal, and reproductive health activities.
Prohibits UNFPA use of funds under this Act for a program in China.
(Sec. 7064) Prohibits funds under titles III through VI of this Act from being provided to a nongovernmental organization or contractor which fails to provide documents, files, or records for USAID auditing requirements.
(Sec. 7065) Obligates specified funds under this Act for assistance to eliminate inhumane conditions in foreign prisons and other detention facilities.
(Sec. 7066) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act to support or justify the use of torture, cruel, or inhumane treatment by any U.S. government official or contract employee.
Makes funds under titles III and IV of this Act available for assistance to eliminate torture by foreign police, military or other security forces in countries receiving assistance under this Act.
(Sec. 7067) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act (other than funds for narcotics control and law enforcement, refugee assistance, or antiterrorism activities) to assist the government of a country with which the United States has diplomatic relations and an extradition treaty and refuses to extradite to the United States any individual charged with a criminal offense for which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment without parole, or for killing a law enforcement officer.
Authorizes the Secretary to waive such restriction on a case-by-case basis if important to U.S. national interests.
(Sec. 7068) Authorizes the commercial leasing of certain defense articles (instead of the government-to-government sale) to Israel, Egypt, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members, and major non-NATO allies if the President determines that there are compelling foreign policy or national security reasons.
(Sec. 7069) Prohibits funds under this Act, subject to a U.S. national interest waiver, from being made available for a government of an Independent State of the former Soviet Union that directs any action in violation of the territorial integrity or national sovereignty of any other Independent State of the former Soviet Union.
Authorizes Economic Support Fund assistance under this Act to specified countries pursuant to the Support for Eastern European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989 and the FREEDOM Support Act.
(Sec. 7070) Prohibits funds under this Act from being made available for assistance to the government of the Russian Federation.
Prohibits, unless in the U.S. national interest, funds under this Act from being made available for assistance for the central government of a country that has supported the Russian Federation's annexation of Crimea.
Prohibits funds under this Act from being made available for:
Makes funds under this Act for assistance for the Eastern Partnership countries available to advance the implementation of Association Agreements, trade agreements, and visa liberalization agreements with the European Union (EU), and to reduce their vulnerability to Russian economic and political pressure.
Makes funds under this Act available for the advancement of democracy and the rule of law in the Russian Federation, including to promote Internet freedom.
(Sec. 7071) Extends certain IMF transparency requirements to this Act.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) instruct the U.S. Executive Director of the IMF to ensure that any loan will be repaid to the IMF before other private creditors, and (2) ensure that the IMF is implementing whistle blower best practices.
(Sec. 7072) Requires any agency receiving funds under this Act to post on its public website any report required by this Act to be submitted to Congress, upon a determination by the agency head that to do so is in the national interest.
(Sec. 7073) Authorizes the transfer of certain funds under title III of this Act for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).
(Sec. 7074) Obligates funds for the Special Defense Acquisition Fund, to remain available for obligation until September 30, 2017.
(Sec. 7075) Prohibits funds under titles III through VI of this Act from being made available for Enterprise Funds unless Congress is notified 15 days in advance.
Directs the President to submit to Congress a plan for the distribution of the assets of an Enterprise Fund before any distribution resulting from liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Fund.
(Sec. 7076) Requires each department, agency, or organization funded under titles I and II, and VI of this Act, and the Department of the Treasury and the independent agencies funded under title III of this Act to submit to Congress an operating plan for funds appropriated or otherwise available for obligation in FY2015.
Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress a spend plan for funds made available under titles III and IV of this Act for:
(Sec. 7077) States that if the President makes a determination not to comply with any provision of this Act on constitutional grounds, the head of the relevant federal agency shall notify Congress within five days regarding the basis for such determination and any resulting program and policy changes.
(Sec. 7078) Obligates specified funds under titles I and III of this Act for programs to promote Internet freedom globally. Prioritizes such funds for those countries whose governments restrict Internet freedom and that are important to U.S. national interests.
(Sec. 7079) Makes specified funds available for USAID programs for people with disabilities in developing countries.
(Sec. 7080) Establishes within USAID a small grants program (in lieu of the development grants program) to provide small grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance mechanisms to small nongovernmental organizations, universities, and other small entities for specified development assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
Provides that funds under this section shall remain available for obligation until September 30, 2019;
(Sec. 7081) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act for first-class travel by employees of agencies funded by this Act.
(Sec. 7082) Directs the Secretary to notify Congress within five days of the terms of any agreement with a country to receive individuals detained at the U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including whether certain funds will be made available for assistance for such country pursuant to that agreement.
(Sec. 7083) Amends the Asian Development Bank Act to authorize: (1) the United States Governor of the Asian Development Bank to contribute on behalf of the United States to the tenth replenishment of the resources of the Asian Development Fund, and (2) appropriations for the contribution.
Amends the The International Development Association Act to authorize: (1) The United States Governor of the International Development Association to contribute to the seventeenth replenishment of the Association, and (2) appropriations for the contribution.
Authorizes: (1) the Secretary of the Treasury to make a contribution to the International Development Association for funding debt relief costs under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative incurred in the period governed by the seventeenth replenishment of resources of the Association, and (2) appropriations for the contribution.
Amends the African Development Fund Act to authorize: (1) the United States Governor of the African Development Fund to contribute to the thirteenth replenishment of the Fund, and (2) appropriations for the contribution.
Authorizes: (1) the Secretary of the Treasury to make a contribution to the African Development Fund for funding debt relief costs under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative incurred in the period governed by the thirteenth replenishment of resources of the Fund, and (2) appropriations for the contribution.
(Sec. 7084) Rescinds specified amounts from unexpended balances for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs.
(Sec. 7085) Amends the Vietnam Education Foundation Act of 2000 to: (1) authorize the Secretary to award one or more grants to support the establishment of an independent, not-for-profit academic institution in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and (2) make excess FY2015-FY2016 funds from the Vietnam Debt Repayment Fund available for such grants.
(Sec. 7086) Prohibits the provision of funds under titles III through VI of this Act for: (1) any financial incentive to a business for purposes of inducing it to relocate outside the United States if it will reduce the number of U.S. employees, or (2) assistance for any program that contributes to the violation of internationally recognized workers rights in the recipient country.
Title VIII: Overseas Contingency Operations - Appropriates additional funds to the State Department for: (1) diplomatic and consular programs; (2) conflict stabilization operations; (3) the Office of Inspector General; and (4) embassy security, construction, and maintenance.
Appropriates additional funds for: (1) international organizations, and (2) international broadcasting operations.
Appropriates additional funds to USAID for operating expenses.
Appropriates additional bilateral assistance funds to the President for: (1) international disaster assistance, (2) the Economic Support Fund, (3) transition initiatives, and (4) the Complex Crises Fund.
Appropriates additional bilateral assistance funds to the Department for migration and refugee assistance.
Appropriates additional security assistance funds to the Department for: (1) international narcotics control and law enforcement; (2) nonproliferation, antiterrorism, and demining; and (3) peacekeeping operations.
Appropriates additional funds to the President for the foreign military financing program.
(Secs. 8001-8002) States that: (1) funds appropriated in this title are in addition to amounts appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act for FY2015, and (2) such additional funds shall be available under the authorities and conditions applicable to such appropriations accounts.
(Sec. 8003) Authorizes the transfer of specified funds under this title.
Title IX: Ebola Response and Preparedness - Appropriates additional funds to the State Department, to remain available until September 30, 2016, to: (1) prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Ebola virus outbreak; and (2) mitigate the risk of illicit acquisition of the Ebola virus and to promote biosecurity practices associated with Ebola outbreak response efforts.
Appropriates additional funds to USAID for: (1) operating expenses, and (2) the Office of Inspector General.
Appropriates additional bilateral assistance funds to the President for: (1) global health programs, (2) international disaster assistance, and (3) the Economic Support Fund.
(Sec. 9001) Authorizes the transfer of specified funds under this title.
(Sec. 9002) Authorizes the use of specified funds under this title to reimburse USAID and the Department for obligations incurred to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Ebola virus disease outbreak before the enactment of this Act.
(Sec. 9003) Prohibits the availability for obligation of funds under this title, except for international disaster assistance, unless the Secretary or the Administrator of USAID notifies Congress least 15 days prior to such obligation.
(Sec. 9004) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress within 30 days after enactment of this Act regarding the proposed uses of funds on a country and project basis for which the obligation of funds is anticipated.
(Sec. 9005) Authorizes specified funds under this title for the Comptroller General to oversee activities supported and reimbursements made pursuant to section 9002 of this title.
Division K: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 - Title I: Department of Transportation - Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for FY2015 to the Department of Transportation (DOT), including: (1) the Office of the Secretary, (2) the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), (3) the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), (4) the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), (5) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), (6) the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), (7) the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), (8) the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, (9) the Maritime Administration, (10) the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), (11) the Office of Inspector General, and (12) the Surface Transportation Board (STB).
Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds and transfers of funds appropriated under this title.
(Sec. 102) Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary in this title) or designee to lobby states and state legislators to consider proposals for the reduction of motorcycle fatalities.
(Sec. 103) Authorizes the DOT's Working Capital fund to provide advanced payments to vendors to carry out the federal transit pass transportation fringe benefit program for federal employees.
(Sec. 104) Directs the Secretary to: (1) post on the DOT website a schedule of all Credit Council meetings, including the agenda for each meeting; and (2) require the Council to record the decisions and actions of the meetings.
Rescinds permanently all unobligated balances authorized for FY2015 and prior years for a specified adjustment to FAA airport improvement program (AIP) funding.
(Sec. 110) Prohibits the use of funds to compensate more than 600 technical staff-years under the federally funded research and development center contract between the FAA and the Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development during FY2015.
(Sec. 111) Prohibits the use of funds to pursue or adopt guidelines or regulations requiring airport sponsors to provide to the FAA without cost building construction, maintenance, utilities and expenses, or space in airport sponsor-owned buildings for services relating to air traffic control, air navigation, or weather reporting. Exempts from this prohibition any negotiations between the agency and airport sponsors to: (1) achieve agreement on "below-market" rates for these items, or (2) grant assurances that require airport sponsors to provide land without cost to the FAA for air traffic control facilities.
(Sec. 112) Authorizes the FAA Administrator to reimburse amounts made available from certain fees to carry out the Essential Air Service (EAS) program.
(Sec. 113) Requires that amounts collected for safety-related training and operational services to foreign aviation authorities be credited to the appropriation current at the time of collection, to be merged with and available for the same purposes of such appropriation.
(Sec. 114) Prohibits the availability of funds for paying premium pay (pay for Sunday and holiday work) to an FAA employee unless the employee actually performed worked during the time corresponding to such pay.
(Sec. 115) Prohibits the obligation of funds for an FAA employee to purchase a store gift card or gift certificate through use of a government-issued credit card.
(Sec. 116) Requires the Secretary to make the minimum apportionment for primary and cargo airports to sponsors of airports that: (1) received scheduled or unscheduled air service from large certified air carriers; and (2) had more than 10,000 passenger boardings in the preceding calendar year.
(Sec. 117) Prohibits the obligation of funds for retention bonuses for an FAA employee without the prior written approval of the DOT Assistant Secretary for Administration.
(Sec. 118) Caps at 20% the maximum allowable local share of costs of an airport sponsor or state or local government with jurisdiction over an airport in cases where the operating costs of an air traffic tower under the Contract Air Traffic Control Tower Program exceed the benefits.
(Sec. 119) Prohibits the use of funds to implement, or to continue to implement, any limitation on the ability of a private aircraft owner or operator, upon a request to the FAA Administrator, to block, with respect to its noncommercial flights, the display of the owner's or operator's registration number in the Aircraft Situational Display to Industry data provided by the FAA to the public, unless the data has been made available to a government agency.
(Sec. 119A) Prohibits the availability of funds for salaries and expenses of more than nine FAA political and presidential appointees.
(Sec. 119B) Prohibits the use of funds to increase fees the FAA Administrator may assess a state, federal agency, public or private organization, or individual to conduct special services or develop special products relating to navigation, transportation, or public safety, until the FAA justifies to Congress all aeronautical navigation product fees and explains how they are consistent with Executive Order 13642.
(Sec. 119C) Bars the use of funds to change weight restrictions or prior permission rules at Teterboro airport in Teterboro, New Jersey.
(Sec. 119D) Bars the use of funds to close an FAA regional operations center or reduce its services unless the FAA Administrator notifies Congress at least 90 full business days in advance.
(Sec. 119E) Revises the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, with respect to reauthorization through FY2015 of the FAA Center for Excellence for Applied Research and Training in the Use of Advanced Materials in Transport Aircraft, to specify the Center as the FAA Center for Excellence for Applied Research and Training in the Use of Joint Advanced Materials and Structures.
(Sec. 119F) Revises the federal share of the costs for a primary non-hub AIP project located in a state containing unappropriated and unreserved public lands and nontaxable Indian lands of more than 5% of the total area of all lands in the state. Requires the federal share for a non-hub airport located in such a state within 15 miles of another such state to be an average of the federal share applicable to any AIP project in each of the states. (Under current law, the allowable federal share of costs for AIP projects shall not exceed the lesser of 93.75% or the highest percentage federal share applicable to any such project in a state.)
(Sec. 120) Prescribes requirements, including a formula, for certain FY2015 distributions from the obligation limitation for federal-aid highways.
(Sec. 121) Allows crediting to the federal-aid highways account of funds received by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics from the sale of data products to reimburse the Bureau for necessary expenses.
(Sec. 122) Requires the Secretary to make an informal public notice and comment opportunity on the intent of the waiver before waiving any Buy American requirement for federal-aid highway projects.
(Sec. 123) Prohibits the use of funds to approve or authorize the imposition of a toll on any segment of a federal highway in the state of Texas that is not already tolled, is constructed with federal assistance, and is in actual operation.
States that this prohibition does not apply to: (1) any federal-aid system highway segment that will have the same number of nontoll lanes as existed before a toll is imposed, or (2) any high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane converted to a toll lane if an HOV may use the toll lane without paying a toll or the HOV lane was constructed as a temporary lane to be replaced by a toll lane.
(Sec. 124) Prohibits the use of funds to DOT to provide credit assistance (secured or direct loans, loan guarantees, or lines of credit) for eligible infrastructure projects unless the Secretary notifies Congress at least three days before approval of any loan or credit application.
(Sec. 125) Permits the continued operation of trucks on any segment of the U.S. Route 41 corridor in Wisconsin designated as a route on the Interstate System that could operate legally on such segment before that designation without regard to federal weight limitation requirements.
Permits the continued operation of trucks on any segment of U.S. Route 78 in Mississippi from mile marker 0 to mile marker 113 that is designated as a route on the Interstate System that could operate legally on such segment before that designation without regard to federal weight limitation requirements.
Permits the continued operation of trucks on any segment of the U.S. Route 41 corridor in Wisconsin designated as a route on the Interstate System that could operate legally on such segment before that designation without regard to federal weight limitation requirements.
Permits the continued operation of trucks on the following segments designated as routes on the Interstate System that could operate legally on such segments before that designation, without regard to federal weight limitation requirements:
(Sec. 130) Subjects funds appropriated or limited in this Act to certain safety examination and other requirements of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 and the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 relating to Mexico-domiciled motor carriers involved in cross-border trucking between the United States and Mexico.
(Sec. 131) Requires the FMCSA to send a notice of commercial motor vehicle safety violations, subject to expedited action, by certified mail, registered mail, or another manner of delivery which records the receipt of the notice by the persons responsible for the violations.
(Sec. 132) Bars the use of funds made available by this Act to enforce any regulation prohibiting a state from issuing a commercial learner's permit to individuals under age 18 if that state had a law authorizing the issuance of permits to those individuals as of May 9, 2011.
(Sec. 133) Bars the use of funds made available by this Act or any other Act to enforce during a specified period the 2011 restart rule ("Hours of Service of Drivers"), which applies to operators of commercial motor vehicles of property subject to maximum DOT driving requirements.
Suspends the 2011 restart rule between the date of enactment of this Act and the later of: (1) September 30, 2015, or (2) the date of submission of the Secretary's final report required by this Act. Makes the restart rule as it was on June 30, 2013, in effect again during this period. Requires the Secretary to publish a Notice in the Federal Register and on the FMCSA website announcing this suspension of enforcement and the temporary resumption period of the old restart rule.
Directs the Secretary to initiate a naturalistic study of the operational, safety, health, and fatigue impacts of the suspended new and the temporarily resumed old restart rule on commercial motor vehicle drivers.
Requires the Secretary to submit to the DOT Inspector General (IG) for review and comment beforehand a plan outlining the study's scope and methodology.
Requires the Secretary, after receiving the IG's comments, to submit to the IG a final report on the study's findings, conclusions, and recommendations on whether the new restart rule in effect on July 1, 2013, provides a greater net benefit than the old rule for its operational, safety, health, and fatigue impacts.
(Sec. 134) Bars the use of motor carrier safety operations and programs funds to deny an application to renew a Hazardous Materials Safety Program permit for a motor carrier based on that carrier's Hazardous Materials Out-of-Service rate, unless the Secretary determines the carrier's corrective actions or corrective action plan is insufficient to address the safety concerns that resulted in that rate.
(Sec. 140) Makes certain additional funds available to NHTSA to pay for: (1) travel and related expenses for state management reviews, and (2) core competency development training and related expenses for highway safety staff.
(Sec. 141) Declares that certain limitations on obligations for NHTSA programs shall not apply to any obligational authority made available in previous public laws, except to the extent that the obligational authority has not lapsed or been used.
(Sec. 142) Prohibits the use of funds to implement establishment in the DOT of a National Highway Safety Advisory Committee.
(Sec. 150) Authorizes the Secretary to receive cash or spare parts from non-federal sources to repair damages to or replace federally-owned automated track inspection cars and equipment as a result of third party liability for such damages.
(Sec. 151) Authorizes the Secretary to allow the issuer of any preferred stock heretofore sold to DOT to redeem or repurchase it upon the payment to DOT of an amount the Secretary determines.
(Sec. 152) Bars the use of funds for Amtrak to pay overtime costs in excess of $35,000 for any Amtrak employee.
Authorizes the president of Amtrak to waive such cap in cases where it poses a risk to the safety and operational efficiency of the Amtrak system.
(Sec. 153) Makes certain additional funds available until expended for the Secretary to make grants for grade crossing and track improvements on rail routes that transport energy products.
(Sec. 160) Declares that the limitations on obligations for FTA programs shall not apply to any grant authority previously made available for obligation, or to any other authority previously made available for obligation.
(Sec. 161) Declares that funds appropriated by this Act for specified FTA fixed guideway capital investment projects which are not obligated by September 30, 2019, and other recoveries, shall be directed to projects eligible to use the funds for the purposes for which they were originally provided.
(Sec. 162) Authorizes certain transfers of any public transportation funds appropriated before October 1, 2014, that remain available for expenditure.
(Sec. 163) Prohibits the Secretary from enforcing federal charter bus service regulations against any transit agency that during FY2008 was both initially granted a 60-day period to comply with such regulations, and then was subsequently granted an exception from them.
(Sec. 164) Authorizes the Secretary, when applying project justification and local commitment criteria to a New Starts project, to consider the costs and ridership of any connected project where private parties are making significant financial contributions to the construction of the connected project. Authorizes the Secretary also to consider the significant financial contributions of such parties to the connected project when calculating the non-federal share of net capital project costs for the New Starts project.
(Sec. 165) Bars the use of funds to enter into a full funding grant agreement for a major transit capital project with a New Starts program share greater than 60%.
(Sec. 166) Bars the use of funds to advance in any way a new light or heavy rail project towards a full funding agreement for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, if the proposed capital project is constructed on (or planned to be constructed on) Richmond Avenue west of South Shepherd Drive or on Post Oak Boulevard north of Richmond Avenue in Houston, Texas.
(Sec. 167) Requires the Secretary to consider Small Starts Projects, including streetcars, in developing guidance implementing a Program of Interrelated Projects under a fixed guideway capital investment grant.
(Sec. 168) Authorizes certain unobligated FY2011 or prior fiscal year funding to carry out the discretionary bus and bus facilities program under the fixed guideway capital investment grant program to be used for new bus rapid transit projects recommended in the President's FY2015 budget request, subject to specified terms and conditions.
(Sec. 170) Authorizes the Maritime Administration to furnish utilities and services and make necessary repairs in connection with any lease, contract, or occupancy of property under its control.
(Sec. 171) Bars the use of funds by DOT or the Maritime Administration to negotiate or execute, enter into, facilitate or perform fee-for-service contracts for vessel disposal, scrapping, or recycling, unless there is no qualified domestic ship recycler that will pay to purchase and scrap or recycle a vessel owned or operated by the Maritime Administration or that is part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
(Sec. 182) Prohibits the availability of the funds in this Act for salaries and expenses of more than 110 political and presidential appointees in DOT. Prohibits assignment of any of such appointees on temporary detail outside DOT.
(Sec. 183) Bars recipients of funds made available in this Act from disseminating personal information obtained by a state department of motor vehicles in connection with a motor vehicle record, except as permitted under specified federal criminal law. Prohibits the Secretary, however, from withholding funds for any grantee if a state fails to comply with this prohibition.
(Sec. 185) Requires the Secretary to notify the congressional appropriations committees at least three full business days before announcing any project competitively selected to receive a discretionary grant award, letter of intent, loan commitment, loan guarantee commitment, line of credit commitment, or full funding grant agreement from certain grant programs, including the federal highway emergency relief program, the FAA AIP, any FRA program, any FTA program other than the formula grants and fixed guideway modernization programs, any Maritime Administration program, or any funding for national infrastructure investments.
(Sec. 187) Makes available for reimbursement of recovery costs any recovered funds that the Secretary has determined represent improper DOT payments to a third party contractor under a financial assistance award.
(Sec. 189) Prohibits the use of funds by the STB to charge or collect any filing fee for rate complaints filed with it in an amount in excess of that authorized for district court civil suit filing fees under the federal judicial code.
(Sec. 190) Authorizes the obligation of funds appropriated to the modal administrations for the Office of the Secretary for costs related to assessments or reimbursable agreements only when such amounts are for the costs of goods or services purchased to provide a direct benefit to such administrations.
(Sec. 191) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a program to establish uniform standards for developing and supporting agency transit pass and transit benefits, including distribution of such benefits by various paper and electronic media.
Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development - Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2015 - Makes appropriations for FY2015 to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for: (1) administration, operations, and management; (2) the Office of Public and Indian Housing; (3) the Office of Community Planning and Development; (4) the Office of Housing and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA); (5) the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae); (6) Office of Policy Development and Research; (7) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity; (8) the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes; and (9) the Office of Inspector General.
(Sec. 201) Requires rescission of 50% of the amounts of budget authority (or, in the alternative, remittance to the Treasury of 50% of the associated cash amounts) that are recaptured from certain state-, local government-, or local housing agency-financed projects under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1988. Requires such recaptured budget authority or funds, as well as any budget authority or cash recaptured and not rescinded or remitted to the Treasury, to be used by state housing finance agencies or local governments or local housing agencies with HUD-approved projects for which settlement occurred after January 1, 1992.
Authorizes the Secretary of HUD (Secretary in this title), all the same, to award up to 15% of the budget authority or cash recaptured and not rescinded or remitted to the Treasury to provide project owners with incentives to refinance their projects at a lower interest rate.
(Sec. 202) Prohibits the use of funds during FY2015 to investigate or prosecute under the Fair Housing Act any otherwise lawful activity engaged in by one or more persons, including the filing or maintaining of a non-frivolous legal action, that is engaged in solely to achieve or prevent action by a government official or entity, or a court of competent jurisdiction.
(Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to make a grant under certain authority of the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act for any state that received an allocation in a prior fiscal year, but is not otherwise eligible for an FY2015 allocation because the areas in the state outside of qualifying metropolitan statistical areas in FY2015 (modified to reflect revised delineations established by the Office of Management and Budget [OMB] and Executive Order No. 10253) do not have the number of cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) otherwise required.
Prescribes a formula for the allocation of such grants to Jersey City and Paterson, New Jersey.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) adjust the funds allocated for FY2015 under the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act to Wilmington, Delaware, on behalf of the Wilmington, Delaware-Maryland-New Jersey Metropolitan Division; and (2) allocate a portion to the state of New Jersey according to a specified formula.
Directs the Secretary to allocate to Wake County, North Carolina, certain funds that otherwise would be allocated for FY2015 under such Act to Raleigh, North Carolina, on behalf of the Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area (as modified).
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) adjust FY2015 allocations under such Act upon the written request of a grant applicant for a formula allocation on behalf of a metropolitan statistical area (as modified), and (2) designate the state or states in which the metropolitan statistical area is located as the eligible grantee(s) of the allocation.
(Sec. 204) Requires any grant, cooperative agreement, or other assistance made pursuant to this title to be made on a competitive basis and in accordance with the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989.
(Sec. 205) Makes certain funds available, without regard to limitations on administrative expenses, for: (1) legal services on a contract or fee basis; and (2) payment for services and facilities of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Ginnie Mae, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), the Federal Financing Bank, Federal Reserve banks, Federal Home Loan banks, and any bank insured under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Act.
(Sec. 207) Authorizes any HUD corporations and agencies subject to the Government Corporation Control Act to make expenditures, contracts, and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as necessary to carry out their FY2015 budgets.
(Sec. 208) Directs the Secretary to report quarterly to congressional appropriations committees regarding all uncommitted, unobligated, recaptured, and excess funds in each program and activity within HUD jurisdiction, along with additional, updated budget information upon request.
(Sec. 209) Requires the President's formal budget request for FY2016 and HUD's congressional budget justifications to use the identical account and subaccount structure provided under this Act.
(Sec. 210) Declares that a PHA (or other entity) that administers federal housing assistance for the Housing Authority of the county of Los Angeles, California, or the states of Alaska, Iowa, or Mississippi shall not be required to include a resident of public housing or a recipient of section 8 rental assistance (under the United States Housing Act of 1937) on the agency or entity governing board.
Requires each such PHA (or other entity) that chooses not to include such individuals on its governing board to establish an advisory board, which shall meet at least quarterly, consisting of at least six residents of public housing or section 8 rental assistance recipients.
(Sec. 211) Prohibits the use of funds provided under this title for an audit of Ginnie Mae that applies certain requirements of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.
(Sec. 212) Authorizes the Secretary for FY2015-FY2016, subject to specified conditions, to authorize the transfer of some or all project-based assistance, debt, and statutorily required low-income and very low-income use restrictions, associated with one or more multifamily housing project, to another multifamily housing project or projects.
(Sec. 213) Prohibits any section 8 rental assistance to any individual who: (1) is enrolled as a student at an institution of higher education; (2) is under age 24; (3) is not a veteran; (4) is unmarried; (5) does not have a dependent child; (6) is not a person with disabilities, and was not receiving section 8 assistance as of November 30, 2005; and (7) is not otherwise individually eligible, or has parents who, individually or jointly, are not eligible, to receive such assistance.
Declares that, for section 8 rental assistance eligibility purposes, any financial assistance (in excess of amounts received for tuition) that an individual receives under the Higher Education Act of 1965, from private sources, or an institution of higher education shall be considered income to that individual, except for a person over age 23 with dependent children.
(Sec. 214) Requires that the funds made available for Native American Housing Block Grants in title II of this Act be allocated to the same recipients that received funds in FY2005.
(Sec. 215) Authorizes the Secretary through FY2015 to insure, and enter into commitments to insure, home equity conversion mortgages (HECMs, or reverse mortgages) for elderly homeowners.
(Sec. 216) Requires the Secretary during FY2015, in managing and disposing of any multifamily property that is owned or has a mortgage held by HUD, and during the process of foreclosure on any property with a contract for section 8 rental assistance payments or other federal programs, to maintain any rental assistance payments attached to any dwelling units in the property. Authorizes the Secretary, however, to the extent that such a multifamily property is not feasible for continued payments, based on specified cost, operation, or environmental considerations, to: (1) contract, in consultation with the property's tenants, for project-based rental assistance payments with an owner or owners of other existing housing properties; or (2) provide other rental assistance.
(Sec. 217) Authorizes the use of Community Development Loan Guarantee funds in FY2015 to guarantee, or make commitments to guarantee, notes or other obligations issued by any state on behalf of its non-entitlement communities.
(Sec. 218) Authorizes PHAs that own and operate 400 or fewer public housing units to elect to be exempt from any asset management requirements imposed by the Secretary in connection with the operating fund rule.
Prohibits exemption from such requirements, however, for an agency seeking a discontinuance of a reduction of subsidy under the operating fund formula.
(Sec. 219) Prohibits the Secretary, with respect to the use of funds for the operation, capital improvement, and management of public housing authorized by the United States Housing Act of 1937, from imposing any asset management requirement or guideline that restricts or limits in any way the use of capital funds for central office costs.
Prohibits a PHA, however, from using capital funds authorized for eligible operation and management activities with operating funds in excess of specified permitted amounts.
(Sec. 220) Prohibits designation of a HUD official or employee as an allotment holder unless he or she has: (1) implemented an adequate system of funds control, and (2) received training in funds control procedures and directives.
(Sec. 221) Requires the Secretary to report annually to congressional appropriations committees on the status of all section 8 project-based housing, including the number of all project-based units by region, as well as an analysis of all federally subsidized housing being refinanced under the Mark-to-Market program.
(Sec. 222) Requires the Secretary for FY2015 to notify the public through the Federal Register and other appropriate means of the issuance of a notice of the availability of assistance or notice of funding availability (NOFA) for any program or discretionary fund that is to be awarded competitively.
Authorizes the Secretary for such period to make the NOFA available only on the Internet at the appropriate government website or through other electronic media.
(Sec. 223) Requires payment of attorney fees in program-related litigation from the individual program office and Office of General Counsel personnel funding.
(Sec. 225) Considers the HUD-administered Disaster Housing Assistance Programs as a HUD program under the McKinney Act for income verification and matching purposes.
(Sec. 226) Requires the Secretary to take specified actions when a multifamily housing project with a section 8 contract or contract for similar project-based assistance: (1) receives a Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) score of 30 or less; or (2) receives a REAC score between 31 and 59 and fails to certify in writing to HUD, within 60 days, that all deficiencies have been corrected, or receives consecutive scores of less than 60 on REAC inspections.
Applies such requirements to insured and noninsured projects with section 8 rental assistance attached to the units; but not to units receiving PHA project-based assistance under the voucher program, or to public housing units assisted with capital or operating funds.
(Sec. 227) Prohibits during any PHA FY2015 the use of funds, made available for specified purposes of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (including the section 8 tenant-based rental assistance program), by any PHA for any amount of salary, including bonuses, for its chief executive officer, or any other official or employee that exceeds the annual rate of basic pay for a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule.
(Sec. 228) Bars the use of funds made available by this Act for the HUD doctoral dissertation research grant program.
(Sec. 229) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to extend through FY2015 the authorization of appropriations for: (1) demolition, site revitalization, replacement housing, and tenant-based assistance grants for severely distressed public housing projects; and (2) grants for assisting affordable housing developed through main street projects in smaller communities.
(Sec. 230) Bars the use of funds in this Act provided to HUD to make a grant award unless the Secretary notifies congressional appropriations committees at least three full business days before any project, state, locality, housing authority, tribe, nonprofit organization, or other entity selected to receive a grant award is announced by HUD or its offices.
(Sec. 231) Allows up to $2.5 million out of funds appropriated for salaries and expenses under all accounts under this title (except for the Office of Inspector General account) to be transferred and merged with amounts appropriated for the Information Technology Fund account.
(Sec. 232) Amends the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 to extend through October 1, 2017, the FHA-Insured Multifamily Housing Mortgage and Housing Assistance Program and the Office of Multifamily Housing Assistance Restructuring.
(Sec. 233) Bars the use of funds in this Act to require or enforce the Physical Needs Assessment (PNA).
(Sec. 234) Modifies funding requirements for Rental Assistance Demonstration provided in the Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2012. Extends indefinitely a specified program for conversion of tenant-based rental assistance vouchers to PHA project-based vouchers.
(Sec. 235) Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act or any receipts or amounts collected under any FHA program to implement the Homeowners Armed with Knowledge (HAWK) program.
(Sec. 236) Bars the use of funds made available in this Act by FHA, Ginnie Mae, or HUD to insure, securitize, or establish a federal guarantee of any mortgage or mortgage-backed security that refinances or otherwise replaces a mortgage that has been subject to eminent domain condemnation or seizure, by a state, municipality, or any other local government.
(Sec. 237) Rescinds permanently all unobligated balances, including recaptures and carryover, remaining from funds appropriated to HUD for: (1) brownfields redevelopment, (2) drug elimination grants for low income housing, and (3) the Youthbuild program under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.
(Sec. 238) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended by the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014, to revise requirements with respect to the flat rental amount established by a public housing agency (PHA) for a PHA dwelling unit at levels no lower than 80% of the applicable fair market rental.
Repeals the requirement that the rental value of the unit be determined by the PHA.
Authorizes the Secretary, in the alternative, to establish another applicable fair market rental that more accurately reflects local market conditions, based on a market area geographically smaller than the one otherwise used for such purposes.
Permits a PHA to apply to the Secretary for exception allowing for a flat rental amount for a property lower than the amount otherwise determined under the Act. Authorizes the Secretary to grant such an exception if: (1) the fair market rental determined pursuant to either the primary or alternative calculation does not reflect the property's actual market value, and (2) the proposed lower flat rental amount is based on a market analysis of the applicable market and complies with the further requirement that rent structures not create a disincentive for continued residency in public housing by families who are attempting to become economically self-sufficient through employment or who have attained a level of self-sufficiency through their own efforts.
Repeals the June 1, 2014, deadline for PHA compliance with the requirement to establish a flat rental amount for a PHA dwelling unit at such levels.
(Sec. 239) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act to require or carry out any relocation of any asset management position of the HUD Office of Multifamily Housing in existence as of enactment of this Act.
(Sec. 240) Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act to terminate the status of a unit of general local government as a metropolitan city with respect to community development grants under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.
(Sec. 241) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to modify requirements with respect to loan guarantees for Indian housing.
Requires the holder of a guarantee, before any payment under a loan guarantee is made, among other things to give good faith consideration to making a loan modification as well as meet standards for servicing loans in default.
Title III: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY2015 to: (1) the Access Board, (2) the Federal Maritime Commission, (3) the Office of Inspector General for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), (4) the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), (5) the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, and (6) the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Title IV: General Provisions (This Act) - Specifies certain uses and limits on or prohibitions against the use of funds appropriated by this Act.
(Sec. 401) Prohibits the use of funds for the planning or execution of any program to pay the expenses of, or otherwise compensate, nonfederal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this Act.
(Sec. 404) Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds made available in this Act for any employee training that meets specified negative criteria. Declares that nothing in this prohibition shall prohibit, restrict, or otherwise preclude an agency from conducting training bearing directly upon the performance of official duties.
(Sec. 407) Prohibits the use of funds to support any federal, state, or local projects that seek to use the power of eminent domain, unless eminent domain is employed only for a public use.
(Sec. 408) Requires all federal agencies and departments funded by this Act to report by July 30, 2015, to the congressional appropriations committees on all sole source contracts.
(Sec. 409) Prohibits the transfer of duns made available in this Act to any federal department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, except pursuant to a transfer made by, or transfer authority provided in, this Act or any other appropriations Act.
(Sec. 410) Prohibits payment of the salary from any appropriation under this Act for any person filling a position (other than temporary) formerly held by an employee who has: (1) left to enter the U.S. Armed Forces; (2) satisfactorily completed his or her period of active military or naval service; (3) within 90 days after release from such service, or from hospitalization continuing after discharge for up to one year, applied for restoration to his former position; and (4) been certified by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as still qualified to perform the duties of his or her former position, but not been restored to it.
(Sec. 411) Prohibits the expenditure of funds appropriated under this Act by an entity unless the entity agrees to comply with the Buy American Act.
(Sec. 412) Prohibits the availability of funds to any person or entity that has been convicted of violating the Buy American Act.
(Sec. 413) Prohibits the use of funds under this Act for first-class airline accommodations in contravention of specified federal regulations.
(Sec. 414) Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act in contravention of the 5th or 14th Amendment to the Constitution or title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
(Sec. 415) Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act to approve a new foreign air carrier permit, or an application for exemption from a permit, for an air carrier already holding an air operators certificate issued by a country that is party to the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement, where approval would contravene U.S. law or the Agreement.
Declares that nothing in this Act shall prohibit, restrict, or otherwise preclude the DOT Secretary from granting a foreign air carrier permit or an exemption to such an air carrier where authorization is consistent with the Agreement and federal law.
(Sec. 416) Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act:
(Sec. 420) Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should not pass any legislation that authorizes spending cuts that would increase poverty in the United States.
(Sec. 421) Requires all agencies and departments funded by this Act to report to Congress at the end of the fiscal year a complete inventory of the total number of vehicles owned, permanently retired, and purchased during FY2015 as well as the total cost of the vehicle fleet, including maintenance, fuel, storage, purchasing, and leasing.
(Sec. 422) Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act to send or otherwise pay for the attendance of more than 50 employees of a single federal agency or department, who are stationed in the United States, at any single international conference occurring outside the United States unless the relevant Secretary reports to specified congressional committees at least 5 days in advance that such attendance is important to the national interest. Specifies that such an international conference involves representatives of the U.S. government and of foreign governments, international organizations, or nongovernmental organizations.
(Sec. 423) Requires any agency receiving funds made available in this Act to post on its public website any report required to be submitted by the Committee in this or any other Act, upon the determination by the agency's head that it shall serve the national interest. Exempts a report from such requirement if its public posting would compromise national security, or if it contains proprietary information.
(Sec. 424) Requires any federal agency or department funded under this Act to respond to in a timely manner to any recommendation made to it by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Division L: Further Continuing Appropriations, 2015 - (Sec. 101) Amends the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 to extend appropriations for e Department of Homeland Security (DHS) until the first of the following occurs: (1) enactment of an appropriation for the activity, (2) enactment of an FY2015 appropriations act without any provision for the activity, or (3) February 27, 2015.
Terminates the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. (The Commission was extended by P.L. 113-271 on December 18, 2014.)
Funds the U.S. Secret Service at a rate necessary for presidential candidate nominee protection. Requires DHS to notify the appropriations committees on each use of this authority.
Requires DHS to continue preparations to award the construction contract for the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility by May 1, 2015.
(Sec. 102) Terminates aviation insurance offered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), excluding insurance for government property.
Division M: Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014 - Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014 - (Sec. 3) Exempts from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (except employer reporting provisions and the tax on high cost employer sponsored plans) expatriate health plans, employers in their capacity as plan sponsors of expatriate health plans, and expatriate health insurance issuers with respect to expatriate health plans.
Sets forth that expatriates enrolled in expatriate health plans are not a U.S. health risk.
Requires expatriate health plans to provide specified coverage in countries where the expatriate is present or where designated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and to have an actuarial value at least equivalent to a bronze plan offered on a health exchange (60%).
Includes as “qualified expatriates”: (1) foreign nationals assigned to work in the United States temporarily, (2) U.S. citizens working outside of the United States for at least 180 days in a 12-month period, and (3) U.S. citizens who are part of a group traveling or relocating internationally for a non-profit purpose.
Division N: Other Matters - (Sec. 101) Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to triple the dollar value limits on contributions to political committees of national political parties used to pay for presidential nominating conventions, acquisition and operation of one or more headquarters buildings, or election recounts or other legal proceedings.
(Sec. 102) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include expenditures by Blue Cross or Blue Shield organizations on activities that improve health care quality for enrollees as medical expenses when calculating medical loss ratio.
Division O: Multiemployer Pension Reform - Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 - Title I: Modifications to Multiemployer Plan Rules - Subtitle A: Amendments to Pension Protection Act of 2006 - (Sec. 101) Amends the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to repeal the December 31, 2014, sunset of, and make permanent, the PPA multiemployer funding rules.
(Sec. 102) Amends ERISA and the IRC to authorize the sponsor of a multiemployer plan that is not in critical status for a plan year, but that is projected by the plan actuary to be in critical status in any of the succeeding five plan years, to elect to be in critical status effective for the current plan year.
Prescribes annual certification and notice requirements.
(Sec. 103) Revises requirements for the emergence of a plan from critical status to add a requirement that the plan actuary certify that the plan is not projected to become insolvent for any of the 30 succeeding plan years. Requires an emerged plan to reenter critical status only if it meets either of the current or the new criterion for critical status.
(Sec. 104) Declares that a plan shall cease to be in endangered status for a plan year if:
(Sec. 105) Revises the formula for determining an increase in a plan's funding percentage, which is one of the two goals of a funding improvement plan that must be adopted for multiemployer plans in endangered status.
(Sec. 106) Revises rules for operation of a plan in endangered status during the period of adoption of a funding improvement plan.
(Sec. 107) Revises requirements for the imposition of a schedule for multiemployer plans in endangered or critical status where, after a collective bargaining agreement expires, the bargaining parties fail to adopt a contribution schedule under a funding improvement plan (endangered status) or a rehabilitation plan (critical status).
(Sec. 108) Repeals rules for the reorganization of multiemployer plans, including related minimum contribution requirements, the overburden credit against minimum contribution requirements, and requirements for adjustments in accrued benefits.
Treats remaining references to plans in reorganization as plans in critical status.
(Sec. 109) Revises requirements for rehabilitation plans that must be adopted for multiemployer plans in critical status.
Revises in particular the requirements, when determining an employer's withdrawal liability, for the disregard of:
Requires the disregard of surcharges, as well, in determining the highest contribution rate.
Requires disregard also, in determining the allocation of unfunded vested benefits to an employer, and in determining the highest contribution rate, of any increase in the contribution rate (or any other increase in contribution requirements unless due to increased levels of work, employment, or periods for which compensation is provided) that is required or made in order to enable the multiemployer plan to meet the requirements of the funding improvement plan or rehabilitation plan.
Declares that, in the case of such disregarded increases in the contribution rate (or other increases in contribution requirements unless due to increased levels of work, employment, or periods for which compensation is provided), these requirements shall cease to apply once a collective bargaining agreement expires which was in effect when the multiemployer plan emerged from endangered or critical status.
(Sec. 110) Declares that a qualified preretirement survivor annuity payable to the surviving spouse of a participant under a multiemployer plan which becomes insolvent or is terminated shall not be treated as forfeitable solely because the participant has not died as of the date on which the plan became insolvent or was terminated. (Thus guarantees, in the absence of other disqualifying factors, the payment by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation [PBGC] of a qualified preretirement survivor annuity to a participant of a multiemployer pension plan which becomes insolvent or is terminated.)
Makes this prohibition retroactive to multiemployer plan benefit payments payable on or after January 1, 1985, except where the surviving spouse has died before enactment of this Act.
(Sec. 111) Expands the sorts of information the administrator of a multiemployer define benefit plan must furnish, upon request, to any plan participant or beneficiary, employee representative, or employer obliged to contribute to the plan. Adds to the list, among other things, copies of the current plan document, the latest summary plan description, the current trust agreement, an employer's participation agreement, audited plan financial statements, and the latest funding improvement or rehabilitation plan and related contribution schedules for any plan in critical or endangered status.
Authorizes any employee representative, or any employer obliged to contribute to a plan, to bring a civil action to: (1) enjoin any act or practice which violates these disclosure requirements, or (2) obtain appropriate equitable relief to redress a violation or enforce the requirements.
Subtitle B: Multiemployer Plan Mergers and Partitions - (Sec. 121) Authorizes the PBGC, upon sponsor request, to take appropriate action to promote and facilitate the merger of two or more multiemployer plans if it determines that the transaction is in the interests of the participants and beneficiaries of at least one of the plans and is not reasonably expected to be adverse to the overall interests of the participants and beneficiaries of any of the plans.
Permits such facilitation to include training, technical assistance, mediation, communication with stakeholders, and support with related requests to other government agencies.
Authorizes the PBGC to enable one or more of the plans involved in a merger to avoid or postpone insolvency by providing financial assistance to a merged plan, but only if:
(Sec. 122) Revises requirements for the partition of a plan.
Makes a multiemployer plan eligible for partition only if:
Requires a partition order to provide for a transfer to a successor plan of the minimum amount of the partitioned plan's liabilities necessary for the plan to remain solvent.
Prescribes requirements for:
Requires any successor plan that provides a benefit improvement effective after the partition's effective date to pay the PBGC a specified amount related to the increase in benefit payments for each year during the 10-year period following partition.
Requires the partitioned plan to pay the premiums imposed by the PBGC with respect to participants whose benefits were transferred to the successor plan for each year during that 10-year period.
Subtitle C: Strengthening the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation - (Sec. 131) Increases the annual premium rate payable to the PBGC by a multiemployer plan for basic benefits guaranteed to $26 for each individual participant in the plan during each plan year beginning after December 31, 2014. Prescribes a formula for this rate for each plan year beginning in a calendar year after 2015.
Requires that specified amounts of premiums received with respect to the fund used for basic multiemployer plan guaranteed benefits be placed in a noninterest-bearing account within the fund. Requires that any PBGC financial assistance to prevent a plan from becoming insolvent be withdrawn proportionately from the noninterest-bearing and other accounts within the fund.
Title II: Remediation Measures for Deeply Troubled Plans - (Sec. 201) Revises conditions, limitations, distribution and notice requirements, and the approval process for benefit suspensions under multiemployer plans in critical and declining status.
Allows a plan sponsor, by plan amendment, to suspend benefits temporarily or permanently, in accordance with certain requirements, if a plan is in declining as well as critical status, if it is projected to become insolvent during the current plan year or any of the 14 succeeding plan years (19 succeeding plan years if the plan has a ratio of inactive participants to active participants that exceeds 2 to 1, or if the funded percentage of the plan is less than 80%).
Requires any suspension of benefits to remain in effect until the earlier of when the plan sponsor provides benefit improvements or the suspension expires by its own terms. Declares that the plan shall not be liable for any benefit payments not made as a result of a suspension of benefits.
Requires the sponsor of a plan with 10,000 or more participants, not later than 60 days before applying to suspend benefits, to select a plan participant in pay status to act as a retiree representative to advocate for the interests of the retired and deferred vested participants and plan beneficiaries throughout the suspension approval process.
Prescribes as conditions for suspending benefits that:
Specifies limitations on any suspension of benefits, including that:
Allows a plan sponsor, in its sole discretion, to provide benefit improvements while any suspension of benefits remains in effect.
Prohibits the sponsor, however, from increasing plan liabilities by reason of any benefit improvement for any participant or beneficiary not in pay status by the first day of the plan year for which the benefit improvement takes effect, unless certain conditions are met, including an equitable distribution of such improvements.
Prescribes requirements for: (1) notice to participants and beneficiaries, (2) the process for approval of a suspension application by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the PBGC and the Secretary of Labor, and (3) a participant ratification voting process.
Permits a suspension of benefits to be implemented, notwithstanding rejection of suspension by a participant ratification vote, if the plan is systemically important (i.e., the present value of its PBGC-projected financial assistance payments exceeds $1 billion if suspensions are not implemented).
Subjects to judicial review any plan sponsor action to challenge denial of an application for suspension of benefits.
Division P: Other Retirement-Related Modifications - (Sec. 1) Amends ERISA with respect to the treatment as a substantial employer subject to specified liability of any employer that ceases operations at a facility in any location with the result that more than 20% percent of the total number of the employees participating under the employer's single-employer pension plan are separated from employment.
(The substantial employer liability referred to as specified under current law is the liability of a substantial employer for withdrawal from, or termination of, single-employer plans under multiple controlled groups.)
Revises the meaning of a substantial cessation of operations.
Eliminates the requirement that more than 20% of the total number of the employer's employees who participate under its single-employer plan be separated from employment.
Exempts from the general rule any single employer plan if, for the plan year preceding the plan year in which the substantial cessation of operations occurred: (1) there were fewer than 100 participants with accrued benefits under the plan as of its valuation date, or (2) the ratio of the market value of the assets of the plan to the plan's funding target for the plan year was 90% or greater.
Redefines "substantial cessation of operations" as a permanent cessation of operations at a facility which results in a workforce reduction of a number of eligible employees at the facility equivalent to more than 15% of the number of all the employer's eligible employees, determined immediately before the earlier of: (1) the date of the employer's decision to implement the cessation; or (2) the earliest date on which any such eligible employee was separated from employment in the case of a workforce reduction including one or more eligible employees whose separation, during the three years before the cessation, is nonetheless related to permanent cessation of operations at the facility.
Precludes from taking into account in computing a workforce reduction any separated employee replaced, within a reasonable period of time, at the same or another facility located in the United States, by a U.S. citizen or resident.
Prescribes criteria for disregarding in the computation of a workforce reduction either an eligible employee separated from employment with the transferor employer at a facility or an eligible employee who continues to be employed at the facility by the transferee employer.
Prescribes requirements for treatment of eligible separated employees when a portion of operations, otherwise substantially ceased, are subsequently conducted by another (transferee) employer by reason of a sale or other disposition of the assets or stock of a contributing sponsor (or any member of the same controlled group as the sponsor) of the plan.
Permits an employer to satisfy its liability with respect to a plan by reason of the treatment accorded under this Act in the event of a substantial cessation of operations at a facility by making contributions to the plan, in addition to any minimum required contribution, and in amount determined according to a specified formula, for each plan year in the seven-plan-year period beginning when the cessation occurred.
Waives an employer's obligation to make such additional contributions, however, with respect to: (1) the first plan year (after the cessation occurs) for which the ratio of the market value of the plan assets to the plan's funding target for the plan year is 90% or greater, or (2) any plan year following such a year. Makes such a waiver permanent if the Secretary of the Treasury issues the funding waiver for a plan year within the seven-plan-year period beginning when the cessation occurred.
Prescribes requirements for enforcement of any additional plan contributions elected.
Declares that, for purposes of this Act, an employer shall not be treated as ceasing operations at a qualified lodging facility (hotel, motel, or any other establishment more than half of whose dwelling units are used on a transient basis) if those operations are continued by an eligible independent contractor pursuant to an agreement with the employer.
(Sec. 2) Formulates a special rule for determining normal retirement age for certain existing defined benefit plans.
Exempts from the established normal retirement age requirement any defined benefit plan whose terms, on or before December 8, 2014, provided for a normal retirement age which is the earlier of:
States that a plan shall not fail to be treated as an applicable plan solely because this alternative normal retirement age only applied to certain participants or only applied to employees of certain employers in the case of a multiemployer plan. Allows such a plan to expand the application of its alternative normal retirement age to additional participants or to employees of additional employers maintaining the plan, as long as they: (1) became participants on or before January 1, 2017; or (2) were employees before this date of any employer maintaining the plan, and who become plan participants after January 1, 2017.
(Sec. 3) Amends both ERISA and the IRC to apply the rules for cooperative and small employer charity pension plans to a defined benefit employee pension plan (other than a multiemployer plan) maintained, as of June 25, 2010, by a tax-exempt charitable organization:
Division Q: Budgetary Effects - (Sec. 1) Exempts the budgetary effects of division 0 (Multiemployer Pension Reform) and division P (Other Retirement- Related Modifications) from provisions of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 and the FY2008 Senate Budget Resolution requiring offsets for legislation increasing the budget deficit. Provides that the budget effects of the two divisions shall not be estimated for the purposes of enforcing discretionary spending limits or specified provisions of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.
Received in the Senate.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 436.
Motion by Senator Reid to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment made in Senate. (consideration: CR S6740-6741; text: CR S6741)
Cloture motion on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S6741; text: CR S6741)
Motion by Senator Reid to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment with an amendment (SA 4100) made in Senate. (consideration: CR S6741)
Motion by Senator Reid to refer to Senate Committee on Appropriations the House message to accompany the bill with instructions to report back forthwith with amendment SA4102 made in Senate. (consideration: CR S6741)
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6796-6797, S6809-6814)
Cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 19. Record Vote Number: 352. (consideration: CR S6809-6810; text: CR S6809)
Roll Call #352 (Senate)Motion by Senator Reid to refer to Senate Committee on Appropriations the House message to accompany the bill with instructions to report back forthwith with amendment SA 4102 fell when cloture invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment in Senate. (consideration: CR S6796; text: CR S6796)
Point of order (Cruz Constitutional point of order against the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 83) raised in Senate.
Enacted as Public Law 113-235
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Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S3845)
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 430.
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 4800 as unfinished business.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 472.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 372.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 412.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 390.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 411.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 412.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 435.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 400.
By a decision of the Senate the point of order that the measure violates the Constitution re: the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment was not well taken by Yea-Nay Vote. 22 - 74. Record Vote Number: 353.
Roll Call #353 (Senate)Motion by Senator Reid to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment with an amendment (SA4100) withdrawn in Senate.
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 83 by Yea-Nay Vote. 56 - 40. Record Vote Number: 354.(consideration: CR S6813-6814)
Roll Call #354 (Senate)Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 83 by Yea-Nay Vote. 56 - 40. Record Vote Number: 354. (consideration: CR S6813-6814)
Roll Call #354 (Senate)Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 122, enrollment corrections on H.R. 83 have been made.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Became Public Law No: 113-235.
Became Public Law No: 113-235.