Results for

  • Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act

    S #71 | Last Action: 1/9/2019
    Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act This bill codifies certain Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations that govern the appointment, oversight, and removal of a special counsel. Additionally, the bill provides new statutory limitations and requirements with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel. Finally, the bill requires DOJ to notify Congress when a special counsel is appointed, before a special counsel is removed, and after a special counsel's investigation concludes.
  • Special Counsel Transparency Act

    S #236 | Last Action: 1/28/2019
    Special Counsel Transparency Act This bill establishes reporting requirements with respect to a special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Specifically, it requires a special counsel to submit a report, within 30 days, to DOJ and Congress (1) at the conclusion of an investigation; or (2) when the special counsel is removed from office, transferred within DOJ, or resigns before the completion of the investigation. The report must include the factual findings of the investigation and significant expenditures, explain prosecutorial decisions, and be made publicly available. Additionally, a special counsel must submit periodic reports to DOJ and Congress on budgetary requirements and expenditures, personnel, and performance statistics. Finally, the bill requires DOJ to notify Congress when a special counsel is removed or transferred.
  • Special Counsel Transparency Act

    HR #1356 | Last Action: 2/26/2019
    Special Counsel Transparency Act This bill establishes reporting requirements with respect to a special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Specifically, it requires a special counsel to submit a report, within 30 days, to DOJ and Congress (1) at the conclusion of an investigation; or (2) when the special counsel is removed from office, transferred within DOJ, or resigns before the completion of the investigation. The report must include the factual findings of the investigation and significant expenditures, explain prosecutorial decisions, and be made publicly available. Additionally, a special counsel must submit periodic reports to DOJ and Congress on budgetary requirements and expenditures, personnel, and performance statistics. Finally, the bill requires DOJ to notify Congress when a special counsel is removed or transferred.
  • Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act

    HR #197 | Last Action: 1/3/2019
    Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act This bill sets forth requirements and limitations with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel appointed by the Attorney General, or of another official appointed by the Attorney General who exercises a similar degree of independence from the Department of Justice (DOJ) chain of command. Specifically, a special counsel or other appointed official * may only be removed by the Attorney General or the most senior Senate-confirmed DOJ official, in certain circumstances; * may only be removed for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or other good cause; * must be provided written notice that specifies the reason for removal; and * may file an action to challenge the removal not later than 10 days after notice was provided.
  • Military Special Victims Protection Act of 2019

    S #1500 | Last Action: 5/16/2019
    Military Special Victims Protection Act of 2019 This bill modifies and establishes requirements relating to the prosecution of sexual misconduct and domestic violence in the Armed Forces, including by restricting initial case determinations to officers of at least a certain grade with special authority and by requiring additional review of certain decisions. The bill also expands legal services and options for victims, including by allowing certain victims who were discharged from service to correct their military records with respect to specified mental health diagnoses.
  • TRUMP Special Counsel Act

    HR #47 | Last Action: 1/3/2019
    Trusted, Reliable, Unquestioned Method of Procedure for Special Counsel Appointment, Limitations, and Powers Act of 2019 or the TRUMP Special Counsel Act This bill provides statutory authority for the appointment, oversight, and removal of a special counsel. The bill establishes the qualifications, scope of jurisdiction, and authority of a special counsel. It also sets forth requirements and limitations with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel. Finally, the bill requires the Department of Justice to notify Congress when a special counsel is appointed, when a special counsel is removed, and after a special counsel's investigation concludes.
  • District of Columbia Courts Improvement Act of 2020

    HR #7941 | Last Action: 8/4/2020
    District of Columbia Courts Improvement Act of 2020 This bill revises provisions related to jurors, magistrates, and other judicial officers, and otherwise makes changes to provisions related to the District of Columbia courts. The bill expands authority for magistrate judges of the District's courts to perform certain judicial functions, including to issue arrest and search warrants, and punish an individual for contempt. The bill (1) provides that grand and petit jurors serving in the Superior Court of the District must receive fees and expenses equivalent to those provided to jurors serving in the U.S. district courts, (2) allows service of prospective jurors to be made by electronic communication, and (3) permits individuals 70 years of age or older to opt-out of jury service. The Joint Committee on Judicial Administration in the District and the District's Public Defender Service may each establish a voluntary separation incentive payments program for its employees substantially similar to that for certain federal employees and members of the uniformed services, except that the maximum payment amount to any individual may not exceed $25,000. The bill removes provisions for fixed hourly rates for legal representation of indigent defendants and criminal investigative and expert services for such defendants. The bill revises appointment and removal authority for the Executive Officer of the District's courts to include the Register of Wills. The District's courts may give retroactive pay increases to employees on board at the time an increase is ordered, and to those that have retired (not resigned) or died between the date the increase becomes effective and the date it is ordered.
  • Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should ratify the Rome Statute and join the International Criminal Court.

    HRES #855 | Last Action: 2/12/2020
    This resolution urges the United States to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, a multilateral treaty that established the court. The resolution calls on (1) the Department of State to lift visa restrictions on personnel of the court and (2) the United States to encourage non-party foreign countries to join the court.
  • Special Counsel Reporting Act

    HR #1357 | Last Action: 2/26/2019
    Special Counsel Reporting Act This bill establishes reporting requirements with respect to a special counsel appointed under Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations. Specifically, it establishes these requirements: * a special counsel must report periodically on the status of an investigation; * a special counsel who is removed from office must report on the status of an investigation, as of the date of dismissal; and * DOJ must report on the status of an investigation following the removal of a special counsel. The reports must be made publicly available.
  • Citizen Participation Act of 2020

    HR #7771 | Last Action: 7/24/2020
    Citizen Participation Act of 2020 This bill establishes that an act in furtherance of the constitutional right of petition or free speech, without knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard of falsity on the actor's part, shall be immune from civil liability. The bill also contains other related provisions. The party seeking to overcome this immunity shall have the burden of proving that the party claiming the immunity acted with knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard of falsity. A party in such a case may file a special motion to dismiss any claim related to an act of petitioning the government or free speech. The court involved shall hear such a motion on an expedited basis. Furthermore, a party asserting immunity under this bill in state court may remove the case to federal court. In addition, if a party in such a case in federal court is seeking an order to obtain the personal identifying information of a person, that person may file a special motion to quash the order seeking that personal identifying information. A party that successfully obtains a special motion to dismiss or motion to quash under this bill shall be entitled to litigation costs, including reasonable attorney's fees.
  • Eric’s Law

    S #2264 | Last Action: 7/25/2019
    Eric's Law This bill modifies procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings. If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.
  • Eric's Law

    HR #3980 | Last Action: 7/25/2019
    Eric's Law This bill modifies procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings. If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.
  • National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2019

    S #1638 | Last Action: 5/23/2019
    National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of2019 This bill doubles the number of authorized special masters in the Office of Special Masters within the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which decides claims under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
  • National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2019

    HR #3003 | Last Action: 5/23/2019
    National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of2019 This bill doubles the number of authorized special masters in the Office of Special Masters within the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which decides claims under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
  • Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act

    HR #7073 | Last Action: 6/1/2020
    Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act This bill makes special districts eligible for payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund if more than $150 billion is appropriated to the fund. The bill also directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to include special districts as eligible issuers in the Municipal Liquidity Facility program. A special district is a political subdivision, formed pursuant to general law or special act of a state, for the purpose of performing one or more governmental or proprietary functions. Services that such districts provide include first responders, firefighting, public health, or transit.
  • COURTS Act

    S #2587 | Last Action: 9/26/2019
    Continuation of Useful Resources to States Act or COURTS Act This bill extends funding through FY2023 for (1) the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program, and (2) a formula-based grant program to improve foster-care and adoption proceedings in state courts. In addition, the bill makes changes to the latter program, including by requiring grantees to expend a portion of funds on data collection and data sharing activities and by reserving funding for a competitive grant program for tribal courts.
  • Restore Integrity of Special Prosecutors Act

    S #4056 | Last Action: 6/24/2020
    Restore Integrity of Special Prosecutors Act This bill bars an individual who has worked for a special counsel investigation or prosecution targeting a President or presidential candidate from serving in a position that requires the advice and consent of the Senate. This prohibition shall last for seven years from the end of the individual's work with the special counsel.
  • Restore Integrity of Special Prosecutors Act

    HR #7322 | Last Action: 6/24/2020
    Restore Integrity of Special Prosecutors Act This bill bars an individual who has worked for a special counsel investigation or prosecution targeting a President or presidential candidate from serving in a position that requires the advice and consent of the Senate. This prohibition shall last for seven years from the end of the individual's work with the special counsel.
  • Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act

    S #4308 | Last Action: 7/23/2020
    Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act This bill makes special districts eligible for the Coronavirus Relief Fund and the Municipal Liquidity Facility program. Specifically, the bill makes special districts eligible for payments from amounts paid to states from any new appropriations to the fund. A special district must submit a request for payment to the state with information demonstrating that the special district has experienced or is likely to experience during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency * reduced revenue or operational funding derived from provided services, taxes, fees, or other sources of revenue; * reduced indirect funding from the federal government, the state, or a unit of general government below the state level; or * as a result of the COVID-19 emergency, increased expenditures necessary to continue operations. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall include special districts as eligible issuers in the Municipal Liquidity Facility program, which was created in response to the COVID-19 emergency to buy municipal securities.
  • Supreme Court Ethics Act

    S #393 | Last Action: 2/7/2019
    Supreme Court Ethics Act This bill establishes a new statutory requirement for the Judicial Conference of the United States (Judicial Conference) to issue a judicial code of conduct for judges and justices of U.S. courts (including Justices of the Supreme Court). Currently, the Judicial Conference issues a code of conduct for judges of U.S. courts (but not for Justices of the Supreme Court).
  • Supreme Court Ethics Act

    HR #1057 | Last Action: 3/22/2019
    Supreme Court Ethics Act This bill establishes a new statutory requirement for the Judicial Conference of the United States (Judicial Conference) to issue a judicial code of conduct for judges and justices of U.S. courts (including Justices of the Supreme Court). Currently, the Judicial Conference issues a code of conduct for judges of U.S. courts (but not for Justices of the Supreme Court).
  • Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act

    S #238 | Last Action: 1/28/2019
    Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act This bill establishes the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism as an ambassador-rank official, appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who leads the Office to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism within the Department of State. (Under current law, the special envoy is appointed by the Secretary of State.) The President may nominate the special envoy from among State Department officers and employees. The special envoy shall be the primary advisor in the government relating to monitoring and combating anti-Semitism in foreign countries and shall be of recognized distinction in combating anti-Semitism.
  • Twenty-First Century Courts Act

    HR #6017 | Last Action: 2/28/2020
    Twenty-First Century Courts Act This bill requires that certain information regarding Supreme Court Justices, federal judges, and court proceedings be made publicly available. It also requires the Supreme Court to establish a code of ethics for Justices. If a Justice or judge disqualifies himself or herself from a case, the relevant court must publish on its website a notice explaining the circumstances of the disqualification, with exceptions for health and privacy concerns. In addition, the financial disclosure of each Justice and judge must be available on a public website. Audio recordings of public proceedings before the Supreme Court or a federal court of appeals must be made available online in real time to the extent practicable. The recordings must remain available online for specified lengths of time. Additionally, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts must establish a single system for all public federal court records. The system must be publicly accessible at no cost.
  • Special Envoy for Refugees Act

    HR #5791 | Last Action: 3/10/2020
    Special Envoy for Refugees Act This bill requires the President to appoint a Special Envoy for Refugees whose duties shall include (1) representing the United States in diplomacy related to global displacement, migration, refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced and stateless individuals; and (2) leading interagency coordination to oversee research related to the global refugee crisis and the U.S. refugee program.
  • Eyes on the Courts Act of 2020

    HR #5645 | Last Action: 1/16/2020
    Eyes on the Courts Act of 2020 This bill requires U.S. appellate courts to permit the photographing, recording, broadcasting, televising, or streaming of court proceedings unless the presiding judge determines that doing so would violate the due process rights of any party to the proceedings or is otherwise not in the interests of justice.