ACCESS Denied (to the courtroom)

Rep. Ken Calvert (R., CA) has introduced the ACCESS Act, designed to protect small businesses from getting sued because of a lack of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The bill imposes a notice and compliance period for businesses before a private civil suit can be filed. Partial press release below. 

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Rep. Calvert Introduces the ACCESS Act 
Legislation Designed to Help Small Businesses Comply with ADA Law 

Washington, D. C., Wednesday, March 06, 2013 -

Today, Representative Ken Calvert (R-Corona) introduced the ACCESS Act, H.R. 994, legislation designed to help small businesses comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

"The Americans with Disabilities Act was created to protect the rights and access of disabled Americans, it was not created to penalize our small businesses," said Rep. Calvert.  "In recent years we have seen a disturbing trend of frivolous lawsuits being filed against small businesses with the goal of obtaining financial settlements.  Our goal should be improving access for disabled Americans to go about their day, not improving access for trial lawyers to the pockets of our small business owners."

The ACCESS (ADA Compliance for Customer Entry to Stores and Services) Act would alleviate the financial burden small businesses are facing, while still fulfilling the purpose of the ADA.  Any person aggrieved by a violation of the ADA would provide the owner or operator with a written notice of the violation, specific enough to allow such owner or operator to identify the barrier to their access.  Within 60 days the owner or operator would be required to provide the aggrieved person with a description outlining improvements that would be made to address the barrier.  The owner or operator would then have 120 days to remove the infraction.  The failure to meet any of these conditions would allow the suit to go forward. ...

Sunshine at SCOTUS?

Rep. Steve King (R., IA) has introduced the Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2013, that would authorize a presiding judge of any US appellate court (include SCOTUS), to "permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising to the public of court proceedings." Partial press release below. 

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King: Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Bring More Transparency to Federal Courtrooms
Thursday, February 28, 2013

Washington, DC– Congressman Steve King and Senator Chuck Grassley, both of Iowa, are leading an effort to bring more transparency into federal courtrooms by introducing the "Sunshine in the Courtroom Act." The legislation allows judges at all federal court levels to open their courtrooms to television cameras and radio broadcasts.

"The federal court system is unknown to many Americans. C-SPAN's coverage of the House and Senate has led to greater transparency of the legislative branch of government, and transparency leads to accountability. Video coverage of our courts can be a great learning tool for the American people and will contribute to a better understanding of the American judicial system," Grassley said.

"The responsible televising of courtroom proceedings will allow Americans to better understand the important decisions that are made in the federal judiciary every day, that affect all of our lives," said King. "The Sunshine in the Courtroom Act will provide that much needed transparency by allowing Federal judges to televise coverage of proceedings in their courtrooms. This is a common sense step towards matching the overwhelming number of states that allow televising of at least some trial court proceedings, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and the House to make this a reality."

The bicameral, bipartisan bill includes a 3-year sunset to provide Congress the opportunity to study the effects of the legislation before making any permanent changes. The bill protects the privacy and safety of non-party witnesses by giving them the right to have their faces and voices obscured, and it prohibits the televising of jurors. The bill also includes a provision to protect the due process rights of each party.

The Senate bill is being introduced with Senator Chuck Schumer, who has joined with Grassley in introducing the bill since 1999. King is joined in the House by Representatives Jason Chaffetz, Ted Deutch and Zoe Lofgren. ...

Poultry Capital of the World

An Arkansas bill sponsored by Sen. Jon Woods would name Springdale, AR, the "Poultry Capital of the World." The subtitle of the bill reads as follows: "AN ACT TO PROCLAIM THE CITY OF SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS, TO BE THE POULTRY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD." The measure has passed the state House and Senate, and now heads to Governor Mike Beebe's desk for his signature. 

Doubly Safe

Sen. Harry Reid (D., NV) introduced the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013, which also includes the Fix Gun Checks Act of 2013, the School and Campus Safety Enhancements Act of 2013, and the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013. Press release below. 

Reid Statement On Gun Violence Bill

March 21, 2013 Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement tonight: “Later tonight, I will start the process of bringing a bill to reduce gun violence to the Senate floor. This bill will include the provisions on background checks, school safety and gun trafficking reported by the Judiciary Committee. I hope negotiations will continue over the upcoming break to reach a bipartisan compromise on background checks, and I am hopeful that they will succeed. If a compromise is reached, I am open to including it in the base bill. But I want to be clear: in order to be effective, any bill that passes the Senate must include background checks. “The bill I advance tonight will serve as the basis for opening debate. Once debate begins, I will ensure that a ban on assault weapons, limits to high-capacity magazines, and mental health provisions receive votes, along with other amendments. In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for all of these provisions to receive votes, and I will ensure that they do.” ###

NY Stayin' SAFE?

NY recently enacted the NY SAFE (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement) Act of 2013, which has upset particular groups. Partial press release from Gov. Cuomo included below. 

Governor Cuomo Signs NY Safe Act in Rochester

Albany, NY (January 16, 2013)

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today traveled to Rochester to sign the NY SAFE Act (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act) that will give New York State the toughest gun laws in the nation. The legislation includes provisions to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons and potentially dangerous mental health patients, and ban high capacity magazines and assault weapons.

Under the legislation, New York will be the first state in the nation to ban any magazine that can hold more than seven rounds and run instant background checks on all ammunition purchases at the time of sale. The legislation will allow authorities to track ammunition purchases in real time to alert law enforcement to high volume buys, and will include a statewide standard requiring recertification of pistol permits every five years. The legislation also closes a private sale loophole to ensure all gun purchases are subject to a background check, and toughens criminal penalties on those who use illegal guns.

"It is appropriate to sign the NY SAFE Act here in Rochester, where just weeks ago a gunman senselessly murdered two first responders as they responded to a fire in Webster," Governor Cuomo said. "This new law will limit gun violence through common sense, reasonable reforms that will make New York a safer place to live. When society confronts serious issues, it is the function of government to do something, and the NY SAFE Act will now give New York State the toughest, strongest protections against gun violence in the nation."

State Senator Ted O’Brien said, "For too long, communities across the state suffered from tragedy after tragedy caused by gun violence – and Rochester has been no exception. Governor Cuomo’s NY SAFE Act will combat gun violence and help prevent future loss of innocent lives. This new legislation gives our state the toughest gun laws in the country, by banning high capacity magazines and assault weapons and keeping guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous individuals. These are common sense improvements to our gun laws, and the NY SAFE Act will go far in protecting our families. I am proud to support the Governor’s new law and work with him to make our state safer for all." ...

Hold Those Regulatory REINS!

Rep. Todd Young's (R., IN) REINS (Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny) Act of 2013 clears House subcommittee and now heads to full Judiciary Committee. 

Young's REINS Act clear subcommittee

03/20/13

By a vote of 6-3, the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law passed H.R. 367, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.  The bill now heads to the full House Committee on the Judiciary.

The REINS Act was introduced by Congressman Todd Young (R-IN9) and currently has 147 co-sponsors.  It would require any federal rule or regulation with an economic impact of $100 million or more to come before Congress before an up-or-down vote before it could take effect.

“Regulatory reform is long overdue, especially at a time when our economy struggles to recover,” said Young, who introduced the bill.  “In order to spur growth and increase the incomes of middle class Americans, the role of the federal government should be to remove barriers to economic expansion.  Unfortunately, we seem to see more barriers being placed than removed, largely because Congress has a tendency to pass vague legislation that results in federal agencies writing regulations to fill in the blanks.  Too often those regulations are burdensome and too far removed from public scrutiny.  The REINS Act would ensure that Americans affected by regulations could weigh in on regulations before they were enacted, and would remove the incentive for Congress to pass ambiguous legislation in the first place.”

Indiana’s 9^th District includes all or parts of Brown, Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Johnson Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, Scott, and Washington Counties in southeastern Indiana.

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Acronym Bender

On March 14, 2013 Sen. Mary Landrieu (D., LA) went on an acronym bender, introducing not one, not two, not three, but four acronym-titled bills: EXCEL (Expanding Access to Capital for Entrepreneurial Leaders) Act, CLEAR SBA (Communicating Lender Activity Reports from the Small Business Administration) Act, CREED (Commercial Real Estate and Economic Development) Act, and the DREDGE (Dredging for Restoration and Economic Development for Global Exports) Act. Below is a partial press release for the DREDGE Act. 

Sen. Landrieu, Rep. Richmond Introduce DREDGE Act to Deepen the Mississippi River, Restore Wetlands

March 14, 2013

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., and U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., today introduced the Dredging for Restoration and Economic Development for Global Exports (DREDGE) Act of 2013 in the Senate and House to direct the Corps of Engineers to achieve, operate and maintain a 50-foot channel from Baton Rouge to the mouth of the Mississippi River. The bill also includes a pilot project to expand beneficial use of the dredged materials to rebuild wetlands in the river's birdsfoot delta, which has drawn support from the Gulf Oyster Industry Council (GOIC).

To keep project costs low, the bill allows the Corps to deepen the river using existing maintenance funds over the next three years. The Corps would focus on dredging the Southwest Pass first, allowing vessels with 50 feet of draft to transit the first 175 miles of the river. ...

Alliterative Push

Sen. Durbin (D., IL) gives S.552 an alliterative push forward with the title: Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act. 

Titles: S.522 [113th]

Latest Title:

Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act

Jump to Official Titles

Short Titles:

Short Titles - Senate

Short Titles as Introduced:

Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act

Official Titles:

Official Titles - Senate

Official Titles as Introduced:

A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to establish, or expand upon, master's degree or doctoral degree programs in orthotics and prosthetics, and for other purposes.

This Bill's Got SKILLS

Rep. Foxx (R., NC) introduces the SKILLS (Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills) Act, which attempts to strengthen the federal workforce development system (partial press release below). 

Leading Workforce Education Officials Laud Reforms in Foxx's SKILLS Act

02/27/13

LEADING WORKFORCE EDUCATION OFFICIALS LAUD REFORMS IN FOXX’S SKILLS ACT
Courtesy of the House Committee on Education & the Workforce

Higher Education & Workforce Training Subcommittee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx presents the SKILLS Act, H.R. 803, legislation to reform and modernize federal workforce development programs in order to better serve job seekers and employers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Tuesday held a hearing on the urgent need to strengthen the federal workforce development system. Members discussed a number of legislative proposals intended to address flaws in federal job development policies, including the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act.  

“Today’s workforce development system is failing workers, employers, and taxpayers,” said Chairwoman Foxx.“Instead of a dynamic network of employment support, we have a massive bureaucracy that stifles innovation and wastes resources. The need to fundamentally change the status quo has never been greater. President Obama said last year that it was ‘time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system.’ That is precisely what the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act will do.”

The SKILLS Act (H.R. 803) reauthorizes the Workforce Investment Act, which has not been reformed since 1998. State and local workforce development leaders described the need to reauthorize federal law and discussed the positive reforms reflected in the legislation. ...

Two Days, Two Acronyms

On March 5th Rep. Farenthold (R., TX) introduced the PACE (Protecting America’s Civilian Employees) Act (partial press release below) and on March 6th he introduced the FACT (Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency) Act of 2013. 

REP. FARENTHOLD INTRODUCES PACE ACT TO PROTECT AMERICA’S FEDERAL WORKFORCE

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

WASHINGTON—Congressman Blake Farenthold (R-TX27), Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, introduced the Protecting America’s Civilian Employees (PACE) Act to keep America’s federal employees from facing furloughs due to sequestration cuts. The PACE Act requires the Office of Management and Budget to submit a report to Congress indicating how to most efficiently transfer funds within agencies and departments for fiscal year 2013 to avoid all furloughs or reductions in America’s federal workforce. “Our federal workforce needs to be operating at 100%.  They should not be punished because the President, Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats failed to do their jobs and replace the sequester. “My bill will require the Office of Management and Budget to submit a plan to Congress that implements the President’s cuts without harming our civilian employee’s ability to keep pace with their demands and provide for their families. ...

A Non-Ryan White CARE Act

Rep. Rahall (D., WV) introduces the CARE (Coal Accountability and Retired Employee) Act of 2013, designed to increase funding for health care, legal protections and pension for retired coal miners and their families. 

Rahall Stands Up to Protect Benefits and Health Care for West Virginia Coal Miners

Mar 6, 2013 Issues: Mining & Energy

Washington, DC – As part of his longtime effort to strengthen and improve the quality of life for coal miners in retirement, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-W.Va.) today introduced the Coalfield Accountability and Retired Employee Act (CARE Act), legislation that strengthens the legal protections and funding for the health care and pension benefits promised to retired coal workers and their families.

“Every effort must be made to preserve health care benefits for our retired coal miners who worked so hard to produce the coal that powered this Nation,” said Rahall. “This legislation that Senator Rockefeller and I are introducing today keeps faith with the federal commitment that has been made to our coal miners.  It ensures that those who participated in the noble but dangerous job of working underground to provide our energy security are secure in the retirement.”

Thousands of retired coal miners across the country, including nearly 40,000 in West Virginia, are now facing the loss of or a significant reduction in the health care and retirement benefits they earned.  At present, there are only about 10,000 active mineworkers supporting pension payments for nearly 95,000 retirees.  This severe underfunding of the UMWA’s 1974 pension plan coupled with the stress the fund is experiencing as a result of the recent finical crisis has placed it on a path to insolvency. ...