SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO RECOUP BONUSES OR AWARDS PAID TO EMPLOYEES OF
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 714. Recoupment of bonuses or awards paid to employees of
              Department
    ``(a) Recoupment.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary may issue an order directing an employee of the Department to
repay the amount, or a portion of the amount, of any award or bonus
paid to the employee under title 5, including under chapters 45 or 53
of such title, or this title if--
            ``(1) the Secretary determines such repayment appropriate
        pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary to carry
        out this section; and
            ``(2) the employee is afforded notice and an opportunity
        for a hearing conducted by the Secretary.
    ``(b) Review.--The decision of the Secretary regarding a repayment
by an employee pursuant to subsection (a) is final and may not be
reviewed by any other agency or any court.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``714. Recoupment of bonuses or awards paid to employees of
                            Department.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--Section 714 of title 38, United States Code,
as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to an award or
bonus paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to an employee of the
Department of Veterans Affairs before, on, or after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
    (d) Construction.--Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by
this Act may be construed to modify the certification issued by the
Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget
regarding the performance appraisal system of the Senior Executive
Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTS UNDER CONTRACTS WITH SMALL BUSINESS
              CONCERNS OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 8127 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (m); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (k) the following new
        subsection (l):
    ``(l) Limitations on Subcontracting.--(1)(A) The requirements
applicable to a covered small business concern under section 46 of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657s) shall apply with respect to a small
business concern owned and controlled by a veteran with a service-
connected disability or a small business concern owned and controlled
by a veteran that is awarded a contract that is counted for purposes of
meeting the goals under subsection (a).
    ``(B) For purposes of applying the requirements of section 46 of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657s) pursuant to subparagraph (A),
the term `similarly situated entity' used in such section 46 includes a
subcontractor for a small business concern owned and controlled by a
veteran with a service-connected disability or a small business concern
owned and controlled by a veteran described in such subparagraph (A).
    ``(2) Before awarding a contract that is counted for purposes of
meeting the goals under subsection (a), the Secretary shall obtain from
an offeror a certification that the offeror will comply with the
requirements described in paragraph (1)(A) if awarded the contract.
Such certification shall--
            ``(A) specify the exact performance requirements applicable
        under such paragraph; and
            ``(B) explicitly acknowledge that the certification is
        subject to section 1001 of title 18.
    ``(3) If the Secretary determines that a small business concern
that is awarded a contract that is counted for purposes of meeting the
goals under subsection (a) did not act in good faith with respect to
the requirements described in paragraph (1)(A), the small business
concern shall be subject to the penalties specified in--
            ``(A) section 16(g)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
        645(g)(1)); and
            ``(B) section 1001 of title 18.
    ``(4)(A) The Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization for the Department, established pursuant to section 15(k)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(k)), and the Chief Acquisition
Officer of the Department, established pursuant to section 1702 of
title 41, shall jointly implement a process using the systems described
in section 16(g)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 645(g)(2)), or
any other systems available, to monitor compliance with this
subsection. The Director and the Chief Acquisition Officer shall
jointly refer any violations of this subsection to the Inspector
General of the Department.
    ``(B) Not later than November 30 of each year, the Inspector
General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate and House of Representatives a report for the fiscal year
preceding the fiscal year during which the report is submitted that
includes, for the fiscal year covered by the report--
            ``(i) the number of referred violations received under
        subparagraph (A); and
            ``(ii) the disposition of such referred violations,
        including the number of small business concerns suspended or
        debarred from Federal contracting or referred to the Attorney
        General for prosecution.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Subsection (l) of section 8127 of title 38,
United States Code, as added by subsection (a) shall apply with respect
to a contract entered into after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. REVIEW OF LISTS OF FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR.

    (a) Review of Lists of Prisoners of War.--The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall review the VA POW list and the DOD POW list to identify
any discrepancies in such lists.
    (b) Inspector General Review of Process.--The Inspector General of
the Department of Veterans Affairs shall review the process by which
the Secretary determines that a veteran is a former prisoner of war,
including whether the Secretary is following guidelines established by
the Secretary to determine that a veteran is a former prisoner of war.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit
to Congress a report on the VA POW list, including the following:
            (1) Any discrepancies, by period of conflict, in the number
        of prisoners of war included on the VA POW list and the DOD POW
        list.
            (2) With respect to veterans included on the VA POW list
        who are not included on the DOD POW list, information regarding
        how such determinations were made, including what types of
        evidence were used, in a manner that does not personally
        identify such veterans.
            (3) The results of the review of the Inspector General
        under subsection (b), without change.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``DOD POW list'' means the list maintained by
        the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Defense Prisoner
        of War/Missing Personnel Office, of members of the Armed Forces
        who were prisoners of war.
            (2) The term ``VA POW list'' means the list maintained by
        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of veterans whom the
        Secretary determines are former prisoners of war.

SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON EXPANSION OF DIALYSIS PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Limitation.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall not expand
the dialysis pilot program or create any new dialysis capability
provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs in any facility that is
not an initial facility until after the date that--
            (1) the Secretary has implemented the dialysis pilot
        program at each initial facility for a period of not less than
        two years;
            (2) an independent analysis of the dialysis pilot program
        has been conducted at each initial facility; and
            (3) the report required by subsection (b) has been
        submitted.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
completion of the independent analysis required by subsection (a)(2),
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that--
            (1) includes the results of that independent analysis,
        including a comparison of not only cost but non-cost factors
        such as access to care, quality of care, and Veteran
        satisfaction; and
            (2) addresses any recommendations with respect to the
        dialysis pilot program provided in a report prepared by the
        Government Accountability Office.
    (c) Use of Existing Dialysis Resources.--In order to increase the
access of veterans to dialysis care and decrease the amount of time
such veterans are required to travel to receive such care, the
Secretary shall fully use the dialysis resources of the Department that
exist as of the date of the enactment of this Act, including any
community dialysis provider with which the Secretary has entered into a
contract or agreement for the provision of such care.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``dialysis pilot program'' means the pilot
        demonstration program established by the Secretary in 2009 to
        provide dialysis care to patients at certain outpatient
        facilities operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) The term ``initial facility'' means one of the four
        outpatient facilities identified by the Secretary to
        participate in the dialysis pilot program prior to the date of
        the enactment of this Act.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend title 38,
        United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans
        Affairs to recoup certain bonuses or awards paid to employees
        of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other
        purposes.''.

Summary: Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to issue an order directing a VA employee to repay the amount, or a portion of the amount, of an award or bonus paid to the employee if: (1) the Secretary determines that such repayment is appropriate, and (2) the employee is afforded notice and an opportunity for a hearing. Makes the Secretary's repayment decisions final and unreviewable by any other agency or any court. Extends subcontracting limitations that apply to certain small businesses awarded contracts under various Small Business Administration (SBA) programs to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with or without service-connected disabilities who are awarded VA contracts. Requires, for purposes of applying such subcontracting limitations to veterans with small businesses awarded such VA contracts, that: (1) small businesses owned and controlled by veterans be treated in the same manner as small businesses owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities, and (2) quot, similarly situated entitiesquot. Include subcontractors for small businesses owned and controlled by a veteran with or without a service-connected disability . Directs the Secretary, before awarding such a contract, to obtain a certification from the offeror: (1) specifying and promising to comply with the subcontracting performance requirements applicable to such offeror, and (2) acknowledging that the certification is subject to criminal laws concerning false or fraudulent statements or representations. Subjects small businesses to fines, imprisonment, or both for not acting in good faith. Requires the VA's Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the VA's Chief Acquisition Officer to: (1) establish a process to monitor the subcontracting requirement compliance of veterans' small businesses that are awarded VA contracts, and (2) refer violations to the VA's Inspector General. Directs the Inspector General to submit annual reports to Congress regarding such violations. Requires: (1) the Secretary to review the prisoner of war (POW) lists of the VA and the Department of Defense to identify any discrepancies. And (2) the VA's Inspector General to review the process by which the Secretary determines that a veteran is a former prisoner of war. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the VA's POW list, including information on: (1) such discrepancies, and (2) the results of the Inspector General's review. Prohibits the Secretary from expanding the dialysis pilot program or creating any new VA dialysis capability in any facility other than an initial facility until after: the Secretary has implemented the pilot program at each initial facility for at least two years, an independent analysis of the program has been conducted at each initial facility, and the Secretary has submitted a report on such analysis to Congress. Requires the Secretary, in order to increase veterans' access to dialysis care and decrease the travel time required to receive such care, to fully use existing VA dialysis resources, including any community dialysis provider with which the Secretary has entered into a contract or agreement to provide such care.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recoup certain bonuses or awards paid to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure
Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. AMENDING CERTAIN DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTAURANTS,
              SIMILAR RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, AND VENDING MACHINES.

    Section 403(q)(5)(H) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21
U.S.C. 343(q)(5)(H)) is amended--
            (1) in subclause (ii)--
                    (A) in item (I)(aa) by striking ``the number of
                calories contained in the standard menu item, as
                usually prepared and offered for sale'' and inserting
                ``the number of calories contained in the whole
                product, or the number of servings and number of
                calories per serving, or the number of calories per the
                common unit division of the product, such as for a
                multi-serving item that is typically divided before
                presentation to the consumer'';
                    (B) in item (II)(aa), by striking ``the number of
                calories contained in the standard menu item, as
                usually prepared and offered for sale'' and inserting
                ``the number of calories contained in the whole
                product, or the number of servings and number of
                calories per serving, or the number of calories per the
                common unit division of the product, such as for a
                multi-serving item that is typically divided before
                presentation to the consumer''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following flush text:
                        ``In the case of restaurants or similar retail
                        food establishments where the majority of
                        orders are placed by customers who are off-
                        premises at the time such order is placed, the
                        information required to be disclosed under this
                        subclause may be provided by a remote-access
                        menu, such as one available on the internet,
                        instead of an on-premises menu.'';
            (2) in subclause (iv)--
                    (A) by striking ``For the purposes of this
                clause,'', inserting the following (and indenting the
                text that follows appropriately):
                                    ``(I) In general.--For the purposes
                                of this clause,'';
                    (B) by striking ``and other reasonable means'' and
                inserting ``or other reasonable means''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(II) Reasonable basis defined.--
                                For purposes of this subclause, with
                                respect to a nutrient disclosure, the
                                term `reasonable basis' means that the
                                nutrient disclosure is within
                                acceptable allowances for variation in
                                nutrient content. Such acceptable
                                allowances shall include allowances for
                                variation in serving size, inadvertent
                                human error in formulation of menu
                                items, and variations in
                                ingredients.'';
            (3) in subclause (v)--
                    (A) by inserting ``contained in the whole product,
                or the number of servings and information per serving,
                or the common unit division of the product, such as for
                a multi-serving item that is typically divided before
                presentation to the consumer,'' before ``that come in
                different flavors, varieties, or combinations,'';
                    (B) by striking ``, through means determined by the
                Secretary, including ranges, averages, or other
                methods''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end, after the period, the
                following: ``A restaurant or similar retail food
                establishment may determine and disclosure such content
                by using any of the following methods: ranges,
                averages, individual labeling of flavors or components;
                or labeling of one preset standard build. In addition
                to such methods, the Secretary may allow the use of
                other methods, to be determined by the Secretary, for
                which there is a reasonable basis (as such term is used
                in subclause (iv)).''; and
            (4) in subclause (xi)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``Definition'' and
                inserting ``Definitions'';
                    (B) by striking ``clause, the term `menu''' and
                inserting the following (and indenting the text that
                follows appropriately): ``clause:
                                    ``(I) Menu; menu board.--The term
                                `menu'''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(II) Preset standard build.--The
                                term `preset standard build' means the
                                finished version of a menu item most
                                commonly ordered by consumers.
                                    ``(III) Restaurant or similar
                                retail food establishment.--The term
                                `restaurant or similar retail food
                                establishment' means a retail food
                                establishment that derives more than 50
                                percent of its total revenue from the
                                sale of food of the type described in
                                subclause (i) or (ii) of clause (A).''.

Summary: Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2012 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise the nutritional information that restaurants and retail food establishments must disclose. Requires the nutrient content disclosure statement on the menu or menu board to include: (1) the number of calories contained in the whole product. (2) the number of servings and number of calories per serving. Or (3) the number of calories per the common unit division of the product, such as for a multi-serving item that is typically divided before presentation to the consumer. Permits such information to be provided by a remote-access menu, such as through the internet, for food establishments where the majority of orders are placed by customers who are off-premises at the time the order is placed. Defines “reasonable basis” for a restaurant or similar food establishment’s nutrient content disclosures to mean that the nutrient disclosure is within acceptable allowances for variation in nutrient content, which shall include allowances for variations in serving size, inadvertent human error in formulation of menu items, and variations in ingredients. Sets forth the methods a restaurant or similar food establishment may use to determine nutritional content for disclosure, including ranges, averages, individual labeling of flavors or components, or labeling of one preset standard build. Defines preset standard build as the finished version of a menu item most commonly ordered by consumers. Applies the nutritional disclosure requirements to retail food establishments that derive more than 50 of their total revenue from the sale of food.

To amend section 403 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve and clarify certain disclosure requirements for restaurants, similar retail food establishments, and vending machines.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Restitution and Responsibility
Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General is authorized to provide
grants to States to enable the States to--
            (1) collect data on victim restitution over a specified
        period of time as determined by the Attorney General;
            (2) create or expand automated data systems to track
        restitution payments;
            (3) make improvements in the manner in which restitution is
        ordered and collected; and
            (4) enhance and expand methods of enforcement of
        restitution orders.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act,
a State shall--
            (1) submit an application to the Attorney General, in such
        form as the Attorney General shall require, that meets the
        requirements of subsection (c); and
            (2) certify that the State has a victim advocacy program
        that--
                    (A) provides assistance to victims of crime
                throughout the judicial process; and
                    (B) provides courts with a victim impact statement
                prior to sentencing.
    (c) Application.--An application meets the requirements of this
subsection if it includes--
            (1) a description of the State's victim advocacy program;
            (2) a description of the method by which the State compiles
        or will compile data on restitution, including information on--
                    (A) restitution amounts ordered and collected;
                    (B) collection rates for incarcerated offenders and
                offenders who are on probation;
                    (C) collection rates for offenders committing
                felonies and for those committing misdemeanors; and
                    (D) rates of partial and full payment rates of
                collection;
            (3) documentation of a State's current problems in
        ordering, collecting, and enforcing restitution;
            (4) a description of State laws and practices related to
        restitution;
            (5) a description of administrative and legislative options
        to improve ordering, collecting, and enforcing restitution;
            (6) a description of the State's proposal to create or
        expand an automated data processing system to track restitution
        payments;
            (7) a description of the State's plan to improve the
        ordering of restitution, including--
                    (A) provisions to ensure that courts order
                restitution whenever a victim suffers economic loss as
                a result of unlawful conduct by a defendant;
                    (B) provisions to ensure that restitution is
                ordered in the full amount of the victim's loss, as
                determined by the court;
                    (C) the prioritization of restitution in the
                ordering and disbursing of fees; and
                    (D) such other provisions consistent with the
                purposes of this Act;
            (8) a description of how the State will improve collection
        of restitution payments, including--
                    (A) the establishment of a central accounting,
                billing, and collection system that tracks the
                offender's obligations and status in meeting those
                obligations;
                    (B) a process by which information about an
                offender's restitution payments is made available to
                probation officials;
                    (C) adopting methods to ensure payments such as
                automatic docketing, billing, wage withholding,
                privatization of collection, withholding State grant
                privileges, or seizure of state income tax refunds; and
                    (D) other provisions consistent with the purposes
                of this Act;
            (9) a description of how the State will enforce restitution
        payments, including--
                    (A) assigning an agency responsible for the
                enforcement of a restitution order;
                    (B) adopting policies to increase the intensity of
                sanctions if an offender defaults on payments,
                including--
                            (i) revoking a term of probation or parole;
                            (ii) modifying the terms or conditions of
                        probation or parole;
                            (iii) holding a defendant in contempt of
                        court;
                            (iv) entering a restraining order or
                        injunction; or
                            (v) ordering the sale of property of the
                        defendant;
                    (C) adopting procedures to ensure restitution
                orders are entered as civil judgments upon entry to
                allow a victim to execute judgment if restitution
                payments are delinquent;
                    (D) such other provisions consistent with the
                purposes of this Act; and
            (10) the establishment of a community restitution fund
        administered by a State agency into which restitution payments
        are made by an offender (in addition to victim restitution
        payments) and can be used to pay indigent offenders for
        performing public service work.
    (d) Waiver.--The Attorney General may waive the requirements under
subsection (c) for a State that demonstrates sufficient cause for lack
of compliance.
    (e) Grant Period.--A grant under this Act shall be awarded for a
period of not more than 5 years.

SEC. 3. REPORT.

    Each State receiving a grant under this Act shall submit an annual
report to the Attorney General that includes an evaluation of the
progress of the projects funded through the grant, an accounting of
expenditures, and such other provisions as may be required by the
Attorney General. The Attorney General shall issue an annual report to
Congress that includes the information submitted by States under this
section.

SEC. 4. EVALUATION.

    (a) Final Evaluation.--Within a month after the award of the first
grant made under this Act, the Attorney General shall contract with an
independent organization to do a final evaluation of the projects
funded by this Act at the end of 5 years.
    (b) Interim Evaluation.--The Attorney General shall conduct an
interim evaluation of the projects funded by this Act 3 years after the
first grant made under this Act.
    (c) Content of Reports.--The reports required by subsections (a)
and (b) shall include the following information:
            (1) An evaluation of data collection efforts.
            (2) An assessment of whether ordering of restitution
        increased and whether prioritizing restitution in fees
        collected improved restitution payments.
            (3) An analysis of whether the project was successful in
        improving significantly restitution collection rates.
            (4) An evaluation of most effective methods in improving
        restitution collection and in enforcing restitution payments.
            (5) An analysis of how effective automated data systems
        were in increasing restitution collection.
            (6) An analysis of States' use of the community restitution
        fund and its effectiveness in ensuring indigent offenders pay
        restitution.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 in each of
fiscal years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 to carry out this Act.

Summary: Restitution and Responsibility Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to provide grants to enable the States to: (1) collect data on victim restitution over a specified period as determined by the Attorney General. (2) create or expand automated data systems to track restitution payments. (3) make improvements in the manner in which restitution is ordered and collected. And (4) enhance and expand methods of enforcement of restitution orders. Requires a State, to be eligible, to certify that it has a victim advocacy program that provides assistance to crime victims throughout the judicial process and provides courts with a victim impact statement prior to sentencing. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) application requirements, (2) waivers, (3) grant period, (4) reporting requirements, and (5) grant evaluation. Authorizes appropriations.

Restitution and Responsibility Act


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act of
2011''.

SEC. 2. NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SAFETY.

    (a) Amendment.--Chapter 14 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42
U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
    ``Sec. 170J. Revision of Nuclear Power Plant Safety Regulations.--
    ``a. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the
Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act of 2011, the Commission shall initiate a
rulemaking proceeding, including notice and opportunity for public
comment, to be completed not later than 18 months after such date of
enactment, to revise its regulations to ensure that each utilization
facility licensed under this Act can withstand and adequately respond
to--
            ``(1) an earthquake, tsunami (for a facility located in a
        coastal area), strong storm, or other event that threatens a
        major impact to the facility;
            ``(2) a loss of the primary operating power source for at
        least 14 days; and
            ``(3) a loss of the primary backup operating power source
        for at least 72 hours.
    ``b. The revision of regulations under this section shall provide
for--
            ``(1) a requirement that each licensed utilization
        facility, including any onsite spent nuclear fuel facilities,
        be equipped with resilient containment, safety, and diagnostic
        systems sufficient to withstand the circumstances described in
        subsection a., including requirements to ensure that the
        reactor core remains cooled, that the containment remains
        intact, and that the spent fuel cooling and spent fuel pool
        integrity are maintained;
            ``(2) a requirement that licensees have at least 14 days
        worth of emergency power system fuel onsite with which to power
        the licensed facility in the event of a loss of the primary
        operating power source;
            ``(3) a requirement that licensees have sufficient
        secondary emergency power to power the licensed facility in the
        event of a loss of both the primary operating power source and
        the emergency power system described in paragraph (2) for at
        least 72 hours;
            ``(4) a requirement that licensees develop, and obtain
        approval from the Commission for, a plan to obtain sufficient
        additional fuel or batteries in the event of a long duration
        loss of operating power or total station blackout;
            ``(5) a requirement that licensees amend, and obtain
        approval from the Commission for, any guidance and strategies
        developed by the licensees that are intended to maintain or
        restore core cooling, containment, and spent fuel pool cooling
        capabilities under the circumstances associated with loss of
        large areas of the plant due to explosions or fire, in order to
        incorporate lessons learned from the Fukushima nuclear power
        plant meltdown into such guidance and strategies;
            ``(6) a requirement that spent nuclear fuel rods be moved
        from storage pools to certified dry cask storage within one
        year of the nuclear fuel rods being qualified to be placed in
        the certified dry casks;
            ``(7) a requirement to configure spent nuclear fuel rods in
        spent nuclear fuel pools in a manner that would minimize the
        chance of a fire in the event of the loss of the water in the
        spent nuclear fuel pool;
            ``(8) a requirement that emergency response exercises
        include scenarios that are based on the near-simultaneous
        occurrence of circumstances described in subsection a. such as
        the near-simultaneous earthquake, tsunami, and total station
        blackout that occurred at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in
        2011; and
            ``(9) appropriate requirements for periodic verification of
        compliance with the regulations issued under this section.
    ``c. The Commission shall not issue an approval for any
construction permit, operating license, license extension, design
certification, combined license, design approval, or manufacturing
license until the revisions of regulations under this section take
effect.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954 is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 170I the following new item:

``Sec. 170J. Revision of nuclear power plant safety regulations.''.

SEC. 3. LOAN GUARANTEES.

    Section 1702(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16512(b)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``In the case of a guarantee for advanced nuclear energy facilities,
the Secretary shall ensure that the cost of the obligation is
calculated using a consideration of the Tohoku earthquake of 2011 to
estimate the risk characteristics of the project.''.

Summary: Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act of 2011 - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to revise nuclear power plant safety regulations to ensure that each licensed utilization facility can withstand and adequately respond to: (1) an earthquake, tsunami , strong storm, or other event that threatens a major impact to the facility. (2) a loss of the primary operating power source for at least 14 days. And (3) a loss of the primary backup operating power source for at least 72 hours. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005, in connection with loan guarantees, to require the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to ensure, in the case of a guarantee for advanced nuclear energy facilities, that the cost of the obligation is calculated using a consideration of the Tohoku earthquake of 2011 to estimate the risk characteristics of the project.

To ensure that nuclear power plants can withstand and adequately respond to earthquakes, tsunamis, strong storms, or other events that threaten a major impact.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Kosova Peace and Democracy Act of
1994''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The political rights of the Albanian majority in Kosova
        were curtailed in 1989 when the former Yugoslav Government in
        Belgrade illegally amended the Yugoslav federal constitution,
        revoking Kosova's autonomous status.
            (2) In September 1990, a referendum on the question of
        independence for Kosova was held in which 87 percent of those
        eligible to participate voted, and 99 percent of those voting
        supported independence for Kosova.
            (3) In May 1992, a Kosovar national parliament was elected
        and Dr. Ibrahim Rugova was overwhelmingly elected President of
        the Republic of Kosova.
            (4) The government in Belgrade has not allowed the new
        Kosovar government to assemble on Kosovar territory.
            (5) Credible reports of Serbian ``ethnic cleansing'' in
        Kosova have been received by the United Nations Special
        Rapporteur on Human Rights, and Serbian leader Slobodan
        Milosevic has called for the transfer of ethnic Albanians from
        their homes in Kosova to areas outside of Kosovar territory and
        their replacement by Serbs.
            (6) Since 1990, tens of thousands of Kosovars of Albanian
        origin have been dismissed from their jobs solely on the basis
        of their ethnicity.
            (7) Reports of brutal beatings of ethnic Albanians in
        Kosova by the mostly Serbian police are received almost daily.
            (8) The government in Belgrade has severely restricted the
        access of ethnic Albanians in Kosova to all levels of education
        solely on the basis of their ethnicity.
            (9) All forms of the media in Kosova, especially those in
        the Albanian language, are strictly controlled by the
        government in Belgrade and dissenting political views are
        systematically deleted from all forms of the media.
            (10) Under the ``Special Measures'' decree adopted in 1991,
        the government in Belgrade intentionally undermined the
        independent character of the judiciary of Kosova by dismissing
        hundreds of ethnic Albanian judges, replacing them with Serbs
        or Montenegrins, and changing the official court language to
        Serbian, which is not native to the Albanian majority.
            (11) Those expressing political views in opposition to the
        current government are frequently jailed and tortured while in
        prison by Serbian authorities, and occasional deaths of
        detainees have been reported.
            (12) Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe
        observers dispatched to Kosova in 1991, were expelled by the
        government in Belgrade in July 1993.
            (13) Following the departure of such observers, several
        international human rights organizations, including Amnesty
        International, Human Rights Watch, and the Helsinki Federation
        for Human Rights, have documented an increase in humanitarian
        abuses in Kosova.
            (14) The economy of Kosova is under severe pressure caused
        by the combination of the closing of small businesses by
        Serbian authorities and the effect of international sanctions.
            (15) Radio Free Europe recently began broadcasts to the
        former Yugoslavia in Serbian and Croatian, but not in Albanian.
            (16) Congress has provided for the opening of a United
        States Information Agency cultural center in Prishtina, Kosova,
        in section 223 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act,
        Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993, but security conditions have
        prevented the establishment of such center.
            (17) The closing of the airport in Prishtina, Kosova,
        represents an obstacle to the delivery of humanitarian goods
        into Kosova and a barrier to a return to normalcy.
            (18) The President has explicitly warned the government in
        Belgrade that ``in the event of conflict in Kosova caused by
        Serbian action, the United States will be prepared to employ
        military force against the Serbs in Kosova and in Serbia
        proper.''.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) ``ethnic cleansing'' and other acts of repression
        against the citizens of Kosova by the government in Belgrade
        must be halted immediately;
            (2) members of the elected government of Kosova should be
        allowed to assemble and exercise their legitimate mandate as
        elected representatives of the people of Kosova;
            (3) all individuals in Kosova whose employment was
        terminated on the basis of their ethnicity should be reinstated
        to their previous positions immediately;
            (4) the education system in Kosova should be reopened to
        all residents of Kosova regardless of ethnicity, and the
        majority ethnic Albanian population should be allowed to be
        educated in its native tongue;
            (5) all decrees undermining the autonomous and indigenous
        character of the Kosovar bar and judiciary should be reversed;
            (6) the right of the press and all forms of media in
        Kosova, including those in the Albanian language, relating to
        freedom of expression should be respected;
            (7) Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe
        observers, expelled by the government in Belgrade in July 1993,
        should be readmitted to Kosova and their numbers expanded;
            (8) the United Nations should dispatch observers to Kosova
        to monitor human rights and to limit violence;
            (9) the airport in Prishtina, Kosova should be reopened;
            (10) the United States Information Agency should open a
        cultural center in Prishtina, Kosova, as provided in section
        223 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years
        1992 and 1993, as soon as possible;
            (11) the ``no-fly-zone'', currently covering Bosnia, should
        be expanded to cover Kosova;
            (12) the United States should reiterate warnings to the
        government in Belgrade that it is prepared to respond with all
        necessary means in the event that Serbia expands the military
        conflict into Kosova; and
            (13) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should develop
        plans to halt the spread of the Balkan conflict to Kosova.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON LIFTING OF SANCTIONS AGAINST SERBIA AND
              MONTENEGRO UNTIL CERTAIN CONDITIONS MET.

    (a) Codification of Executive Branch Sanctions.--The sanctions
imposed on Serbia and Montenegro, as in effect on the date of the
enactment of this Act, that were imposed by or pursuant to the
following directives of the executive branch shall (except as provided
under subsection (e)) remain in effect until the President certifies to
the Congress that the conditions described in subsection (d) have been
met:
            (1) Executive Order 12808 of May 30, 1992, as continued in
        effect on May 25, 1993.
            (2) Executive Order 12810 of June 5, 1992.
            (3) Executive Order 12831 of January 15, 1993.
            (4) Executive Order 12846 of April 25, 1993.
            (5) Department of State Public Notice 1427, effective July
        11, 1991.
            (6) Proclamation 6389 of December 5, 1991 (56 Fed. Register
        64467).
            (7) Department of Transportation Order 92-5-38 of May 20,
        1992.
            (8) Federal Aviation Administration action of June 19, 1992
        (14 C.F.R. Part 91).
    (b) Prohibition on Assistance.--No funds appropriated or otherwise
made available by law may be obligated or expended on behalf of the
government of Serbia or the government of Montenegro until the
President certifies to the Congress that the conditions described in
subsection (d) have been met.
    (c) International Financial Institutions.--The Secretary of the
Treasury shall instruct the United States executive director of each
international financial institution to use the voice and vote of the
United States to oppose any assistance from that institution to the
government of Serbia or the government of Montenegro, except for basic
human needs, until the President certifies to the Congress that the
conditions described in subsection (d) have been met.
    (d) Conditions Described.--The conditions described in this
subsection are the following:
            (1) There is substantial progress toward the restoration of
        the independent identity and autonomy of Kosova.
            (2) There is substantial improvement in the human rights
        situation in Kosova, including improvement in those factors
        listed in paragraphs (5) through (11) of section 2.
            (3) International human rights observers are allowed to
        return to Kosova.
            (4) The elected government of Kosova is permitted to meet
        and carry out its legitimate mandate as elected representatives
        of the people of Kosova.
    (e) Waiver Authority.--
            (1) In general.--The President may waive or modify the
        application, in whole or in part, of any sanction described in
        subsection (a), the prohibition in subsection (b), or the
        requirement in subsection (c).
            (2) Certification.--Such a waiver or modification may only
        be effective upon certification by the President to Congress
        that the President has determined that the waiver or
        modification is necessary--
                    (A) to meet emergency humanitarian needs; or
                    (B) to achieve a negotiated settlement of the
                conflict in Kosova that is acceptable to the parties.

SEC. 5. PROGRAMMING BY RADIO FREE EUROPE AND RADIO LIBERTY IN THE
              ALBANIAN LANGUAGE TO KOSOVA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC
              OF MACEDONIA, AND OTHER AREAS.

    Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting shall submit
to the Congress a plan, together with a detailed budget, for the
establishment of a surrogate home service under the auspices of Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty for Albanian populations living in Kosova and
other areas of the former Yugoslavia. Such service shall be in the
Albanian language and shall be broadcast not less than one hour per
day.

Summary: Kosova Peace and Democracy Act of 1994 - Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to ethnic relations and human rights in Kosova. Continues specified sanctions imposed against Serbia and Montenegro until the President certifies to the Congress that: (1) there is progress toward restoration of the independent identity and autonomy of Kosova. (2) there is improvement in the human rights situation in Kosova. (3) international human rights observers are allowed to return to Kosova. And (4) the elected government of Kosova is permitted to meet. Prohibits any funding on behalf of Serbia and Montenegro until such conditions have been met. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the US executive directors of the international financial institutions to oppose assistance to Serbia or Montenegro, except for basic human needs, until such conditions have been met. Authorizes the President to waive or modify such sanctions, prohibitions, or conditions if necessary to meet emergency humanitarian needs or achieve a settlement of the conflict in Kosova acceptable to the parties. Directs the Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting to submit a plan and a budget for the establishment of a surrogate home service under the auspices of Radio Free EuropeRadio Liberty for Albanian populations living in Kosova and other areas of the former Yugoslavia.

Kosova Peace and Democracy Act of 1994


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Women, Peace, and Security Act of
2016''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Around the world, women remain under-represented in
        conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict
        peace building efforts.
            (2) Despite the historic under-representation of women in
        conflict resolution processes, women in conflict-affected
        regions have nevertheless achieved significant success in--
                    (A) moderating violent extremism;
                    (B) countering terrorism;
                    (C) resolving disputes through nonviolent mediation
                and negotiation; and
                    (D) stabilizing societies by enhancing the
                effectiveness of security services, peacekeeping
                efforts, institutions, and decision-making processes.
            (3) Research shows that--
                    (A) peace negotiations are more likely to end in a
                peace agreement when women's groups play an influential
                role in the negotiation process;
                    (B) once reached, a peace agreement is 35 percent
                more likely to last at least 15 years if women have
                participated in the negotiation process; and
                    (C) when women meaningfully participate, peace
                negotiations are more likely to address the underlying
                causes of the conflict, leading to more sustainable
                outcomes.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the meaningful participation of women in conflict
        prevention and conflict resolution processes helps to promote
        more inclusive and democratic societies and is critical to the
        long-term stability of countries and regions;
            (2) the political participation and leadership of women in
        fragile environments, particularly during democratic
        transitions, is critical to sustaining lasting democratic
        institutions; and
            (3) the United States should be a global leader in
        promoting the meaningful participation of women in conflict
        prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict
        relief and recovery efforts.

SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It shall be the policy of the United States to promote the
meaningful participation of women in all aspects of conflict
prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict relief and
recovery efforts, reinforced through diplomatic efforts and programs
that--
            (1) integrate the perspectives and interests of affected
        women into conflict-prevention activities and strategies;
            (2) encourage partner governments to adopt plans to improve
        the meaningful participation of women in peace and security
        processes and decision-making institutions;
            (3) promote the physical safety, economic security, and
        dignity of women and girls;
            (4) support the equal access of women to aid distribution
        mechanisms and services;
            (5) collect and analyze gender data for the purpose of
        developing and enhancing early warning systems of conflict and
        violence;
            (6) adjust policies and programs to improve outcomes in
        gender equality and the empowerment of women; and
            (7) monitor, analyze, and evaluate the efforts related to
        each strategy submitted under section 5 and the impact of such
        efforts.

SEC. 5. UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO PROMOTE THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN
              CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE BUILDING.

    (a) Requirement.--Not later than October 1, 2017, October 1, 2022,
and October 1, 2027, the President, in consultation with the heads of
the relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees and make publicly available a
single government-wide strategy, to be known as the Women, Peace, and
Security Strategy, that provides a detailed description of how the
United States intends to fulfill the policy objectives in section 4.
The strategy shall--
            (1) support and be aligned with plans developed by other
        countries to improve the meaningful participation of women in
        peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace
        building, transitional processes, and decision-making
        institutions; and
            (2) include specific and measurable goals, benchmarks,
        performance metrics, timetables, and monitoring and evaluation
        plans, to ensure the accountability and effectiveness of all
        policies and initiatives carried out under the strategy.
    (b) Specific Plans for Agencies.--Each strategy under subsection
(a) shall include a specific implementation plan from each of the
relevant Federal departments and agencies that describes--
            (1) the anticipated contributions of the department or
        agency, including technical, financial, and in-kind
        contributions, to implement the strategy; and
            (2) the efforts of the department or agency to ensure that
        the policies and initiatives carried out pursuant to the
        strategy are designed to achieve maximum impact and long-term
        sustainability.
    (c) Department of State Implementation.--Within each relevant
bureau of the Department of State, the Secretary of State shall task
the current Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary with the
responsibility for the implementation of the strategy under subsection
(a) and the specific implementation plan for the Department under
subsection (b), with respect to the roles and responsibilities of such
bureau. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretaries tasked with such
responsibility shall meet, at least twice a year, to review the
implementation of the strategy and the plan and to contribute to the
report under section 8(b).
    (d) Coordination.--The President should promote the meaningful
participation of women in conflict prevention, in coordination and
consultation with international partners, including multilateral
organizations, stakeholders, and other relevant international
organizations, particularly in situations in which the direct
engagement of the United States is not appropriate or advisable.
    (e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
President, in implementing each strategy submitted under subsection
(a), should--
            (1) provide technical assistance, training, and logistical
        support to female negotiators, mediators, peace builders, and
        stakeholders;
            (2) address security-related barriers to the meaningful
        participation of women;
            (3) increase the participation of women in existing
        programs funded by the United States Government that provide
        training to foreign nationals regarding law enforcement, the
        rule of law, or professional military education;
            (4) support appropriate local organizations, especially
        women's peace building organizations;
            (5) support the training, education, and mobilization of
        men and boys as partners in support of the meaningful
        participation of women;
            (6) encourage the development of transitional justice and
        accountability mechanisms that are inclusive of the experiences
        and perspectives of women and girls;
            (7) expand and apply gender analysis to improve program
        design and targeting; and
            (8) conduct assessments that include the perspectives of
        women before implementing any new initiatives in support of
        peace negotiations, transitional justice and accountability,
        efforts to counter violent extremism, or security sector
        reform.

SEC. 6. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS REGARDING THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN
              CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE BUILDING.

    (a) Foreign Service.--The Secretary of State, in conjunction with
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, shall ensure that all appropriate personnel (including
special envoys, members of mediation or negotiation teams, relevant
members of the civil service or Foreign Service, and contractors)
responsible for or deploying to countries or regions considered to be
at risk of, undergoing, or emerging from violent conflict obtain
training, as appropriate, in the following areas, each of which shall
include a focus on women and ensuring meaningful participation by
women:
            (1) Conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution.
            (2) Protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and
        trafficking in persons.
            (3) International human rights law and international
        humanitarian law.
    (b) Department of Defense.--The Secretary of Defense shall ensure
that relevant personnel receive training, as appropriate, in the
following areas:
            (1) Training in conflict prevention, peace processes,
        mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that
        specifically addresses the importance of meaningful
        participation by women.
            (2) Gender considerations and meaningful participation by
        women, including training regarding--
                    (A) international human rights law and
                international humanitarian law, as relevant; and
                    (B) protecting civilians from violence,
                exploitation, and trafficking in persons.
            (3) Effective strategies and best practices for ensuring
        meaningful participation by women.

SEC. 7. CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State and the Administrator of
the United States Agency for International Development shall establish
guidelines for overseas United States personnel of the Department or
the Agency, as the case may be, to consult with stakeholders regarding
United States efforts to--
            (1) prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and
            (2) enhance the success of mediation and negotiation
        processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women.
    (b) Frequency and Scope.--The consultations required under
subsection (a) shall take place regularly and include a range and
representative sample of stakeholders, including local women, youth,
ethnic and religious minorities, and other politically under-
represented or marginalized populations.
    (c) Collaboration and Coordination.--The Secretary of State should
work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to
increase the meaningful participation of women in international
peacekeeping operations, and should promote training that provides
international peacekeeping personnel with the substantive knowledge and
skills needed to ensure effective physical security and meaningful
participation of women in conflict prevention and peace building.

SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Briefing.--The Secretary of State, in conjunction with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
and the Secretary of Defense, shall brief the appropriate congressional
committees, not later than 1 year after the date of the first
submission of a strategy required under section 5, on--
            (1) existing, enhanced, and newly established training
        carried out pursuant to section 6; and
            (2) the guidelines established for overseas United States
        personnel to engage in consultations with stakeholders,
        pursuant to section 7.
    (b) Report on Women, Peace, and Security Strategy.--Not later than
2 years after the date of the submission of each strategy required
under section 5, the President shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report that--
            (1) summarizes and evaluates the implementation of such
        strategy and the impact of United States diplomatic efforts and
        foreign assistance programs, projects, and activities to
        promote the meaningful participation of women;
            (2) describes the nature and extent of the coordination
        among the relevant Federal departments and agencies on the
        implementation of such strategy;
            (3) outlines the monitoring and evaluation tools,
        mechanisms, and common indicators to assess progress made on
        the policy objectives in section 4; and
            (4) describes the existing, enhanced, and newly established
        training carried out pursuant to section 6.

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee
                on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign
                Relations of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee
                on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs
                of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Stakeholders.--The term ``stakeholders'' means non-
        governmental and private sector entities engaged in or affected
        by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace building,
        protection, security, transition initiatives, humanitarian
        response, or related efforts, including--
                    (A) registered or non-registered nonprofit
                organizations, advocacy groups, business or trade
                associations, labor unions, cooperatives, credit
                unions, relief or development organizations, community
                and faith-based organizations, philanthropic
                foundations, and tribal leaders or structures;
                    (B) independent media, educational, or research
                institutions; and
                    (C) private enterprises, including international
                development firms, banks, and other financial
                institutions, particularly small businesses and
                businesses owned by women or disadvantaged groups.
            (3) Meaningful participation.--The term ``meaningful
        participation'' means safe, genuine, and effective access to,
        and present and active involvement in the full range of formal
        or informal processes related to negotiation or mediation with
        respect to any efforts toward the following:
                    (A) Conflict prevention.
                    (B) Resolution or mitigation of, or transition
                from, violent conflict.
                    (C) Peacekeeping and peace building.
                    (D) Post-conflict reconstruction, transition
                initiatives, elections, and governance.
                    (E) Humanitarian response and recovery.
            (4) Relevant federal departments and agencies.--The term
        ``relevant Federal departments and agencies'' means--
                    (A) the United States Agency for International
                Development;
                    (B) the Department of State;
                    (C) the Department of Defense;
                    (D) the Department of Homeland Security; and
                    (E) any other department or agency specified by the
                President for purposes of this Act.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 15, 2016.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.

Summary: Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2016 This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should be a global leader in promoting the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts. And (2) the political participation and leadership of women in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining democratic institutions. The President, not later than October 1 of 2017, 2022, and 2027, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make public a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, which shall: be aligned with other nations' plans to improve the participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision-making institutions. And include goals and evaluation plans to ensure strategy effectiveness. Such a strategy shall include a specific implementation plan from each relevant federal agency. The President is urged to promote women's participation in conflict prevention. It is the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) provide technical assistance and training to female negotiators, peace builders, and stakeholders, (2) address security-related barriers to women's participation. (3) increase women's participation in US-funded programs that provide foreign nationals with law enforcement, rule of law, or military education training, (4) support appropriate local organizations, especially women's peace building organizations. And (5) expand gender analysis to improve program design. The Department of State shall ensure that personnel responsible for, or deploying to, countries or regions considered to be at risk of undergoing, or emerging from, violent conflict obtain training in the following areas, each of which shall include a focus on ensuring participation by women: conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution, protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons. And international human rights law. The Department of Defense shall ensure that relevant personnel receive training in: conflict prevention, peace processes, mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that addresses the importance of participation by women. And gender considerations and participation by women, including training regarding international human rights law and protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons. The State Department and the US Agency for International Development shall establish guidelines for overseas US personnel to consult with stakeholders regarding US efforts to: prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict. And enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. The State Department is urged to work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to increase the participation of women in international peacekeeping operations. The State Department shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on: (1) training regarding the participation of women in conflict resolution, and (2) guidelines established for overseas personnel to engage in stakeholder consultations. The President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that evaluates the implementation of such strategy and the impact of US diplomatic efforts and foreign assistance programs to promote the participation of women.

Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2016


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``State Court Interpreter Grant
Program Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the fair administration of justice depends on the
        ability of all participants in a courtroom proceeding to
        understand that proceeding, regardless of their English
        proficiency;
            (2) 18 percent of the population of the United States over
        5 years of age speaks a language other than English at home;
            (3) only qualified court interpreters can ensure that
        persons with limited English proficiency comprehend judicial
        proceedings in which they are a party;
            (4) the knowledge and skills required of a qualified court
        interpreter differ substantially from those required in other
        interpretation settings, such as social service, medical,
        diplomatic, and conference interpreting;
            (5) the Federal Government has demonstrated its commitment
        to equal administration of justice regardless of English
        proficiency;
            (6) Executive Order 13166, issued August 11, 2000, requires
        Federal Agencies, including courts, to improve access for
        persons who have limited English proficiency;
            (7) 29 States have developed, or are developing, court
        interpreting programs;
            (8) robust, effective court interpreter programs--
                    (A) actively recruit skilled individuals to be
                court interpreters;
                    (B) train those individuals in the interpretation
                of court proceedings;
                    (C) develop and use a thorough, systematic
                certification process for court interpreters;
                    (D) have sufficient funding to ensure that a
                qualified interpreter will be available to the court
                whenever necessary; and
            (9) Federal funding is necessary to--
                    (A) encourage States that do not have court
                interpreter programs to develop them;
                    (B) assist States with nascent court interpreter
                programs to implement them;
                    (C) assist States with limited court interpreter
                programs to enhance them; and
                    (D) assist States with robust court interpreter
                programs to make further improvements and share
                successful programs with other States.

SEC. 3. STATE COURT INTERPRETER PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the Office of Justice
        Programs of the Department of Justice (referred to in this
        section as the ``Administrator'') shall make grants, in
        accordance with such regulations as the Attorney General may
        prescribe, to States to develop and implement programs to
        assist individuals with limited English proficiency to access
        and understand State court proceedings in which they are a
        party.
            (2) Technical assistance.--The Administrator shall
        allocate, for each fiscal year, $500,000 of the amount
        appropriated pursuant to section 4 to be used to establish a
        court interpreter technical assistance program to assist States
        receiving grants under this Act.
    (b) Use of Grants.--Grants awarded pursuant to subsection (a) may
be used by States to--
            (1) assess regional language demands;
            (2) develop a court interpreter program for the State;
            (3) develop, institute, and administer language
        certification examinations;
            (4) recruit, train, and certify qualified court
        interpreters;
            (5) pay for salaries, transportation, and technology
        necessary to implement the court interpreter program developed
        pursuant to paragraph (2); and
            (6) engage in other related activities, as prescribed by
        the Attorney General.
    (c) Application.--Each State desiring a grant under this section
shall submit an application to the Administrator at such time, in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Administrator may
reasonably require.
    (d) State Allotments.--
            (1) Base allotment.--From amounts appropriated for each
        fiscal year pursuant to section 4, the Administrator shall
        allocate $100,000 to each State, which has an application
        approved under subsection (c).
            (2) Discretionary allotment.--From amounts appropriated for
        each fiscal year pursuant to section 4, the Administrator shall
        allocate a total of $5,000,000 to the States that have
        extraordinary needs that must be addressed in order to develop,
        implement, or expand a State court interpreter program.
            (3) Additional allotment.--In addition to the allocations
        made under paragraphs (1) and (2), the Administrator shall
        allocate to each State, which has an application approved under
        subsection (c), an amount equal to the product reached by
        multiplying--
                    (A) the unallocated balance of the amount
                appropriated for each fiscal year pursuant to section
                4; and
                    (B) the ratio between the number of people over 5
                years of age who speak a language other than English at
                home in the State and the number of people over 5 years
                of age who speak a language other than English at home
                in all the States that receive an allocation under
                paragraph (1), as those numbers are determined by the
                Bureau of the Census.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for each of the
fiscal years 2005 through 2008 to carry out this Act.

Summary: State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act - Directs the Administrator of the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice to: (1) make grants to States to develop and implement programs to assist individuals with limited English proficiency to access and understand State court proceedings in which they are a party. And (2) allocate specified funds to establish a court interpreter technical assistance program to assist States receiving grants under this Act. Authorizes the use of grant awards by States to: (1) assess regional language demands, (2) develop a court interpreter program, (3) develop, institute, and administer language certification examinations, (4) recruit, train, and certify qualified court interpreters. And (5) pay for salaries, transportation, and technology necessary to implement the programs.

A bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to States to develop and implement State court interpreter programs.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Employees and Retirees in
Municipal Bankruptcies Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. DETERMINATION OF MUNICIPALITY ELIGIBILITY TO BE A DEBTOR UNDER
              CHAPTER 9 OF TITLE 11 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE.

    (a) Requirements.--Section 109(c) of title 11, United States Code,
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B) by inserting ``(but with
                respect to creditors who are employees or retirees of
                such entity, the term `good faith' shall have the same
                meaning as such term has in the National Labor
                Relations Act)'' after ``creditors'' the first place it
                appears,
                    (B) in subparagraph (C) by striking
                ``impracticable'' and inserting ``impossible'', and
                    (C) in subparagraph (D) by striking the period at
                the end and inserting a semicolon, and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
``and establishes by clear and convincing evidence that it satisfies
the requirements of this subsection.''.
    (b) Repeal of Limitation on Authority To Issue Stay Pending
Appeal.--The first sentence of section 921(e) of title 11, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``; nor'' and all that follows
through ``appeal''.
    (c) Direct Immediate Appeal to Court of Appeals.--Section 158(d) of
title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
    ``(3) The appropriate court of appeals shall have jurisdiction of
an appeal of a determination made by a bankruptcy court under section
109(c) of title 11 that an entity is eligible to be a debtor under
chapter 9 of title 11 and shall consider and determine such appeal on
an expedited basis. Such appeal shall be a direct appeal to be reviewed
and heard de novo on the merits. The doctrine of equitable mootness
shall not apply to appeals under this paragraph.''.

SEC. 3. PROTECTING EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.

    Section 943 of title 11, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (6) by striking ``and'' at the
                end,
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph
                (8), and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
            ``(7) in a case in which the plan modifies a collective
        bargaining agreement, or modifies a retiree benefit, including
        an accrued pension, retiree health, or other retirement benefit
        otherwise protected by State or municipal law, or a retiree
        benefit as defined in section 1114(a), in any manner otherwise
        prohibited by nonbankruptcy law, the authorized representative
        of the employees covered by such agreement, or the authorized
        representative of individuals receiving the retiree benefits,
        as the case may be, agrees to the plan; and'', and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c)(1) For purposes of this section, and except as provided in
paragraphs (2) and (3), the authorized representative of those
individuals receiving any retiree benefit covered by any collective
bargaining agreement shall be the labor organization that is signatory
to such agreement unless such organization no longer represents active
employees in the bargaining unit the retirees belonged to when they
were active employees. In such case, the labor organization that
currently represents active employees in that bargaining unit shall be
the authorized representative of such individuals.
    ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply if--
            ``(A) such labor organization elects not to serve as the
        authorized representative of such individuals; or
            ``(B) the court, upon a motion by a party in interest,
        after notice and hearing, determines that different
        representation of such individuals is appropriate.
    ``(3) In a case in which the labor organization referred to in
paragraph (2) elects not to serve as the authorized representative of
those individuals receiving any retiree benefits covered by any
collective bargaining agreement to which that labor organization is
signatory, or in a case where the court, pursuant to paragraph (2)
finds different representation of such individuals appropriate, the
court, upon a motion by a party in interest, and after notice and a
hearing, shall order the United States trustee to appoint a committee
of retired employees if the debtor seeks to modify or not pay the
retiree benefits or if the court otherwise determines that it is
appropriate, from among such individuals, to serve as the authorized
representative of such individuals under this section. The party
requesting such relief has the burden of proof.
    ``(d) For retired employees not covered by a collective bargaining
agreement, the court, upon a motion by a party in interest, and after
notice and a hearing, shall issue an order requiring the United States
trustee to appoint a committee of retired employees if the debtor seeks
to modify or not pay the retiree benefits, or if the court otherwise
determines that it is appropriate, to serve as the authorized
representative under this section of such employees. Such party has the
burden of proof with respect to such motion.
    ``(e) To comply with an order issued under subsection (c)(3) or
(d), notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the United
States trustee shall appoint, on a proportional basis per capita based
on organization membership, individuals chosen from among members of
organizations that represent the retirees with respect to whom such
order is entered.
    ``(f) Members of a committee appointed under subsection (c)(3) or
(d) may not recommend modification of any right to a retiree benefit
unless not less than \2/3\ of such members vote in support of such
recommendation.''.

Summary: Protecting Employees and Retirees in Municipal Bankruptcies Act of 2014 - Amends federal bankruptcy law with respect to the requirement for a municipality to be a debtor under Chapter 9 that the municipality has negotiated in good faith with creditors and failed to obtain the agreement of those holding at least a majority in amount of the claims of each class that the municipality intends to impair under a plan. Requires that, with respect to creditors who are the municipality's employees or retirees, quot, good faithquot. Has the same meaning as it does in the National Labor Relations Act. Requires the municipality also to establish by clear and convincing evidence that it satisfies all eligibility criteria. Repeals the limitation placed upon on court authority to issue a stay pending an appeal of an order for relief. Amends the Judicial Code to confer upon the appropriate court of appeals jurisdiction of any appeal of a bankruptcy court determination that an entity is eligible to be a municipal debtor. Requires the appellate court to consider and determine such appeal on an expedited basis as a direct appeal, which shall be reviewed and heard de novo on the merits. Requires the court to confirm the bankruptcy plan of a municipality which modifies a collective bargaining agreement or a retiree benefit in any manner otherwise prohibited by nonbankruptcy law if the plan is agreed to by the authorized representative of either the employees covered by collective bargaining or the individuals receiving the retiree benefits. Designates the labor organization signatory to a collective bargaining agreement as the authorized representative of individuals receiving retiree benefits covered by that agreement. Sets forth procedures for court appointment of an authorized representative if a labor organization elects not to serve as one, or if the retired employees are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.


SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM TO
              INCLUDE RETIRED MEMBERS AND DEPENDENTS WHO ARE MEDICARE
              ELIGIBLE.

    (a) Federal Employee Health Benefits Program Option.--The Secretary
of Defense, after consulting with the other administering Secretaries
under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, shall enter into an
agreement with the Office of Personnel Management under which certain
persons are offered enrollment in a health benefits plan under chapter
89 of title 5, United States Code, in lieu of receiving care in
treatment facilities of the uniformed services or through the Civilian
Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services or the TRICARE
program. The agreement may provide for enrollment limitations if the
Office of Personnel Management determines that the limitations are
necessary to allow for adequate planning for access for services under
chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code.
    (b) Eligible Persons.--(1) The following persons shall be eligible
for enrollment under this section:
            (A) A member or former member of the uniformed services
        described in section 1074(b) of title 10, United States Code,
        who is or becomes entitled to hospital insurance benefits under
        part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
        1395c et seq.).
            (B) A dependent of a person described in subparagraph (A)
        if the dependent is otherwise eligible for health care under
        chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code and is or becomes
        entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title
        XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c et seq.).
    (2) Persons described in paragraph (1) shall not be required to
satisfy any eligibility criteria specified in chapter 89 of title 5,
United States Code, as a condition for enrollment in a health benefits
plan offered through the Federal Employee Health Benefits program
pursuant to subsection (a).
    (c) Contributions.--(1) In the case of a person described in
subsection (b) who enrolls in a health benefits plan offered through
the Federal Employee Health Benefits program pursuant to subsection
(a), the administering Secretary concerned shall be responsible for
Government contributions that the Office of Personnel Management
determines are necessary to cover all costs in excess of beneficiary
contributions under paragraph (2).
    (2) The contribution required from an enrolled person under this
section shall be equal to the amount that would be withheld from the
pay of a similarly situated Federal employee who enrolls in a health
benefits plan under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Management of Participation.--The authority responsible for
approving retired or retainer pay or equivalent pay in the case of a
member or former member shall manage the participation of the member or
former member, and dependents of the member or former member, who
enroll in a health benefits plan offered through the Federal Employee
Health Benefits program pursuant to subsection (a). The Office of
Personnel Management shall maintain separate risk pools for persons
described in subsection (b) until such time as the Director of the
Office of Personnel Management determines that complete inclusion
chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, of persons described in
subsection (b) will not adversely affect Federal employees and
annuitants enrolled in health benefits plans under such chapter.
    (e) Effect of Cancellation.--The cancellation by a person described
in subsection (b) of coverage under the Federal Employee Health
Benefits program shall be irrevocable for purposes of this section.
    (f) Reporting Requirements.--Not later than November 1 of each
year, the Secretary of Defense and the Director of the Office of
Personnel Management shall jointly submit a report to Congress
describing the provision of health care services to persons under this
section during the preceding fiscal year. The report shall address or
contain the following:
            (1) The number of persons enrolled in health benefits plans
        offered through the Federal Employee Health Benefits program
        pursuant to subsection (a), both in terms of total number and
        as a percentage of all persons receiving health care through
        the health care system of the uniformed services.
            (2) The out-of-pocket cost to enrollees under such health
        benefits plans.
            (3) The cost to the Government (including the Department of
        Defense, the Department of Transportation, and the Department
        of Health and Human Services) of providing care under such
        health benefits plans.
            (4) A comparison of the costs determined under paragraphs
        (2) and (3) and the costs that would have otherwise been
        incurred by the Government and enrollees under alternative
        health care options available to the administering Secretaries.
            (5) The effect of this section on the cost, access, and
        utilization rates of other health care options under the health
        care system of the uniformed services.
    (g) Time for Option.--The Secretary of Defense shall begin to offer
the health benefits option under subsection (a) not later than October
1, 1997.
    (h) Conforming Amendments.--Chapter 89 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended--
            (1) in section 8905--
                    (A) by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as
                subsections (e) through (g), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after subsection (c) the following
                new subsection:
    ``(d) An individual whom the Secretary of Defense determines is an
eligible person under the special authority provided to the Secretary
may enroll in a health benefits plan under this chapter in accordance
with the agreement between the Secretary and the Office and applicable
regulations under this chapter.'';
            (2) in section 8906(b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraphs (2)
                and (3)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``paragraphs
                (2), (3), and (4)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new
                paragraph:
    ``(4) In the case of individuals who enroll in a health plan in
accordance with section 8905(d) of this title, the Government
contribution shall be determined in accordance with the agreement
between the Secretary and the Office.''; and
            (3) in section 8906(g)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2)''
                and inserting in lieu thereof ``paragraphs (2) and
                (3)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new
                paragraph:
    ``(3) The Government contribution described in subsection (b)(4)
for beneficiaries who enroll in accordance with section 8905(d) of this
title shall be paid in accordance with the agreement between the
Secretary and the Office.''.

Summary: Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under which current or former military personnel who are or become entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act are offered enrollment in a Federal employees health benefits plan in lieu of receiving care in military treatment facilities or through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS). Allows such enrollment for any dependent of such individual if the dependent is entitled to health care under CHAMPUS and is or becomes entitled to hospital insurance benefits under Medicare. Outlines provisions concerning: (1) contributions for such coverage, (2) management of member participation. And (3) cancellation of coverage. Directs the Secretary and the OPM Director to report jointly to the Congress each year on the provision of such services to eligible persons during the preceding fiscal year. Requires the Secretary to offer such health benefits option no later than October 1, 1997.

To permit Medicare-eligible retired members of the Armed Forces and their Medicare-eligible dependents to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Accelerating Kids' Access to Care
Act''.

SEC. 2. STREAMLINED SCREENING AND ENROLLMENT PROCESS FOR ELIGIBLE OUT-
              OF-STATE MEDICAID PROVIDERS AND SUPPLIERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1902(kk) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396a(kk)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
            ``(10) Streamlined screening and enrollment process for
        eligible out-of-state providers and suppliers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subsection (a)(65),
                the State adopts a streamlined screening and enrollment
                process for eligible out-of-State providers and
                suppliers.
                    ``(B) Streamlined screening and enrollment
                process.--For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term
                `streamlined screening and enrollment process' means a
                process that enables an eligible out-of-State provider
                or supplier to enroll as a provider or supplier in the
                State plan on a simplified and streamlined basis in
                accordance with the requirements of subparagraph (D).
                    ``(C) Eligible out-of-state provider or supplier.--
                For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term `eligible
                out-of-State provider or supplier' means a provider or
                supplier of medical or other items or services
                furnished to a child for which payment is available
                under the State plan under this title that is located
                in another State and with respect to which the
                Secretary has determined there is a limited risk of
                fraud, waste, or abuse for purposes of determining the
                level of screening to be conducted under section
                1866(j)(2)(B).
                    ``(D) Requirements.--For purposes of subparagraph
                (B), the requirements of this subparagraph are the
                following:
                            ``(i) An eligible out-of-State provider or
                        supplier that elects to be and is enrolled in
                        the program established under this title in
                        accordance with the process established by the
                        Secretary under section 2(b) of the
                        Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act is
                        enrolled in the State plan under this title
                        without being subject to any additional
                        screening and enrollment activities required by
                        the State.
                            ``(ii) An eligible out-of-State provider or
                        supplier that is enrolled in the State plan
                        through the streamlined screening and
                        enrollment process shall be enrolled for a
                        period of 5 years before being required to
                        obtain revalidation.
                            ``(iii) An eligible out-of-State provider
                        or supplier that is enrolled in the State plan
                        through the streamlined screening and
                        enrollment process shall be permitted to order
                        all clinically necessary follow-up care,
                        including with respect to the prescribing of
                        medications.''.
    (b) Coordination With Medicare.--The Secretary shall establish a
process for permitting a provider or a supplier, as the case may be,
the option when enrolling in the program established under the Medicare
program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act pursuant to
subpart P of part 424 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (or any
successor regulation), to elect, at the same time, to enroll in the
Medicaid program under title XIX of such Act for purposes of all State
plans under such title XIX. The Secretary may utilize the Medicare
Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (referred to as
``PECOS''), or another national, standardized, and widely accessible
platform to establish such process.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 1902(a)(77) of the Social Security Act (42
        U.S.C. 1396a(a)(77)) is amended by inserting ``enrollment,''
        after ``screening,''.
            (2) Section 1902(kk) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(kk)), as
        amended by subsection (a), is further amended--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting
                ``Enrollment,'' after ``Screening,''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (9), by striking ``Nothing'' and
                inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (10)(D)(i),
                nothing''.
            (3) Section 2107(e)(1)(G) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
        1397gg(e)(1)(G)) is amended by inserting ``enrollment,'' after
        ``screening,''.
    (d) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
        amendments made by this section take effect on January 1, 2019.
            (2) Exception for state legislation.--In the case of a
        State plan for medical assistance under title XIX of the Social
        Security Act or a State child health plan under title XXI of
        such Act which the Secretary of Health and Human Services
        determines requires State legislation (other than legislation
        appropriating funds) in order for the plan to meet the
        additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this
        section, such State plan shall not be regarded as failing to
        comply with the requirements of such title solely on the basis
        of its failure to meet these additional requirements before the
        first day of the first calendar quarter beginning after the
        close of the first regular session of the State legislature
        that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. For
        purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a State that
        has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such session
        shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the State
        legislature.

Summary: Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act This bill requires: (1)nbsp. State Medicaid programs to adopt a streamlined screening and enrollment process for eligible out-of-state providers and suppliers, and (2)nbsp, the Centers for Medicare amp, Medicaid Services tonbsp. Establish a process for providers and suppliers to enroll simultaneously in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act