BILLS PASSED IN CONGRESS
The following are the bills the House and Senate passed last month. The bills were passed by voice vote except where indicated. Roll call votes for the House are found here, and for the Senate here. The descriptions of bills are essentially taken verbatim from the Congressional Record Daily Digest (Index).
Page numbers of bills are based on the pdf display of the latest version from the Government Printing Office.
SENATE 10 bills, 62 pages
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act: Committee on Veterans' Affairs was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4114, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2012, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and the bill was then passed. 6 pages
Taking Essential Steps for Testing Act: Senate passed H.R. 6118, to amend section 353 of the Public Health Service Act with respect to suspension, revocation, and limitation of laboratory certification. 4 pages
Undertaking Spam, Spyware, And Fraud Enforcement With Enforcers beyond Borders Act: Senate passed H.R. 6131, to extend the Undertaking Spam, Spyware, And Fraud Enforcement With Enforcers beyond Borders Act of 2006. 4 pages
PREEMIE Reauthorization Act: Senate passed S. 1440, to reduce preterm labor and delivery and the risk of pregnancy-related deaths and complications due to pregnancy, and to reduce infant mortality caused by prematurity, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, 10 pages
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008: Senate passed H.R. 6570, to amend the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to consolidate certain CBO reporting requirements. 4 pages
Child Protection Act: Committee on the Judiciary was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6063, to amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to child pornography and child exploitation offenses, and the bill was then passed. 12 pages
Economic Espionage Act: Senate passed S. 3642, to clarify the scope of the Economic Espionage Act of 1996. 4 pages
DART Act: Senate passed S. 1998, to obtain an unqualified audit opinion, and improve financial accountability and management at the Department of Homeland Security, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. 6 pages
No-Hassle Flying Act: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation was discharged from further consideration of S. 3542, to authorize the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) to modify screening requirements for checked baggage arriving from preclearance airports, and the bill was then passed, 6 pages
Hatch Act Modernization Act: Senate passed S. 2170, to amend the provisions of title 5, United States Code, which are commonly referred to as the “Hatch Act'', to scale back the provision forbidding certain State and local employees from seeking elective office, clarify the application of certain provisions to the District of Columbia, and modify the penalties which may be imposed for certain violations under subchapter III of chapter 73 of that title, after agreeing to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute and the committee amendment to the title. 6 pages
HOUSE 23 bills, 182 pages
European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act: S. 1956, to prohibit operators of civil aircraft of the United States from participating in the European Union's emissions trading scheme; 6 pages
Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act: H.R. 6371, to amend title 40, United States Code, to transfer certain functions from the General Accountability Office to the Department of Labor relating to the processing of claims for the payment of workers who were not paid appropriate wages under certain provisions of such title, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 361 yeas to 3 nays, Roll No. 604; 4 pages
Extending the application of certain space launch liability provisions through 2014: H.R. 6586, to extend the application of certain space launch liability provisions through 2014. 4 pages
New York City Natural Gas Supply Enhancement Act: Concurred in the Senate amendment to H.R. 2606, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to allow the construction and operation of natural gas pipeline facilities in the Gateway National Recreation Area; 8 pages
Amending the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to consolidate certain CBO reporting requirements: H.R. 6570, to amend the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to consolidate certain CBO reporting requirements; 4 pages
Amending the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide for direct appeals to the United States Supreme Court of decisions of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court: H.R. 6116, amended, to amend the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide for direct appeals to the United States Supreme Court of decisions of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court. 4 pages
Stop Tobacco Smuggling in the Territories Act of 2012: H.R. 5934, to amend title 18, United States Code, to include certain territories and possessions of the United States in the definition of State for the purposes of chapter 114, relating to trafficking in contraband cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. 4 pages
Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Act: Concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 2453, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of Mark Twain, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 370 yeas to 19 nays, Roll No. 607. 10 pages
Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal Act of 2012: The House passed H.R. 6156, to authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to products of the Russian Federation and Moldova and to require reports on the compliance of the Russian Federation with its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization, by a yea-and-nay vote of 365 yeas to 43 nays, Roll No. 608. 38 pages
Mandatory Operational Control Reporting and Performance Measures Act of 2012: H.R. 6025, amended, to provide for annual reports on the status of operational control of the international land and maritime borders of the United States and unlawful entries; 4 pages
DHS Accountability Act of 2012: H.R. 5913, amended, to create an independent advisory panel to comprehensively assess the management structure and capabilities related to the Department of Homeland Security and make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the management of the Department; 18 pages
Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act: Concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 915, to establish a Border Enforcement Security Task Force program to enhance border security by fostering coordinated efforts among Federal, State, and local border and law enforcement officials to protect United States border cities and communities from trans-national crime, including violence associated with drug trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal alien trafficking and smuggling, violence, and kidnapping along and across the international borders of the United States, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 397 yeas to 4 nays, Roll No. 610; 8 pages
Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act: H.R. 5997, amended, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to codify authority under existing grant guidance authorizing use of Urban Area Security Initiative and State Homeland Security Grant Program funding for enhancing medical preparedness, medical surge capacity, and mass prophylaxis capabilities, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 397 yeas to 1 nay, Roll No. 609; 4 pages
Clothe a Homeless Hero Act: H.R. 6328, to amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) to transfer unclaimed clothing recovered at airport security checkpoints to local veterans organizations and other local charitable organizations. 4 pages
Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Federal Building Designation Act: H.R. 6604, to designate the federal building currently known as Federal Office Building 8, located at 200 C Street Southwest in the District of Columbia, as the “Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Federal Building''; 4 pages
Trinka Davis Veterans Village Designation Act: H.R. 6374, to designate the facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 180 Martin Drive in Carrollton, Georgia, as the “Trinka Davis Veterans Village''; 4 pages
National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson Post Office Designation Act: H.R. 5788, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 103 Center Street West in Eatonville, Washington, as the “National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson Post Office''; 4 pages
Lance Cpl. Anthony A. DiLisio Clinton-Macomb Carrier Annex: H.R. 5738, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 15285 Samohin Drive in Macomb, Michigan, as the “Lance Cpl. Anthony A. DiLisio Clinton-Macomb Carrier Annex''; 4 pages
Private First Class Victor A. Dew Post Office Designation Act: H.R. 3892, amended, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 8771 Auburn Folsom Road in Roseville, California, as the “Private First Class Victor A. Dew Post Office''; 4 pages
Harry T. and Harriette Moore Post Office Designation Act: H.R. 2338, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 600 Florida Avenue in Cocoa, Florida, as the “Harry T. and Harriette Moore Post Office''; 4 pages
Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull Post Office Building Designation Act: H.R. 3912, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 110 Mastic Road in Mastic Beach, New York, as the “Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull Post Office Building''; 4 pages
Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building Designation Act: H.R. 5954, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at D974320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the “Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building''. 4 pages
STEM Jobs Act of 2012: The House passed H.R. 6429, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to promote innovation, investment, and research in the United States and to eliminate the diversity immigrant program, by a yea-and-nay vote of 245 yeas to 139 nays, Roll No. 613.
28 pages