Acts include public and private laws, which are enacted after being passed by Congress and signed by the President, however if the President vetoes a bill it can still be enacted by a two-thirds vote in both houses. The Senate alone considers treaties, which are ratified by a two-thirds vote.
The 112th Congress, which was divided between a Democratic Senate and Republican House, passed only 283 acts. In terms of legislation enacted, it was the least productive Congress since modern records began in 1947,[1] passing far fewer than the 906 passed by the 80th Congress (the "Do-nothing Congress").[2]
Summary of actions
In this Congress, all of the statutes have been promulgated (signed) by President Barack Obama. None have been enacted by Congress over the President's veto.
Repealed the increased requirements for the reporting of certain payment to the Internal Revenue Service and increased certain health care-related tax credits.
Further expanded programs extended by Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States)112–1 (text)(PDF) and required all SBIR or STTR funds to be awarded pursuant to competitive and merit-based selection procedures.
Made appropriations for fiscal year 2011 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, as well as establishing various intelligence requirements; expressed congress' sense that railway transportation security should be prioritized; commended intelligence community members for their role in the death of Osama bin Laden.
To provide the Consumer Product Safety Commission with greater authority and discretion in enforcing the consumer product safety laws, and for other purposes.
Extended a number of provisions until October 4, 2011, and made a number of appropriations, primarily for the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.
Made appropriations for facilities construction or leases, established requirements for funding requests, named a facility in Craig, Colorado after William Edward Adams, and extended some authorities and programs until 2018 or beyond.
Increased the rates of various veterans compensations (as of December 2011) by the same amount as increases under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act.
Made FY 2012 for various departments and agencies by consolidating three bills: Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies; and Transportation, HUD and Related Agencies. Funding under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 was extended for other departments until December 16, 2011.
Repealed a 3% withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities, provided job-training aid for veterans, and modified excluded social security income from calculation of modified adjusted gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain healthcare-related programs
Amended the Immigration and Nationality Act to toll, during active-duty service abroad in the Armed Forces, the 90-day periods of time for an alien spouse or petitioning spouse to file a petition and appear for an interview to remove the conditional basis for permanent resident status.
Clarified the meaning of "the United States or an officer or agency thereof" with respect to the extended 60-day period to file appeals appeal in federal court.
Final part of the 2012 United States federal budget, covering amongst others the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State, the Interior, the Treasury.
Required that Congressional Gold Medals in honor be awarded to the victims of the 9/11 attacks, and allowed for the production and sales of bronze duplicates.
Omnibus act that extended payroll tax holidays, unemployment compensation and Medicare physician payment, and covered issues related to the Keystone XL pipeline as well as minor aspects of Congressional process.
Made appropriations related to Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and defense-wide activities with a number of nonbudgetary provisions, and extended the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs through 2017.
Performed a land transfer to the Quileute Tribe reservation on the Olympic Peninsula for the moving of infrastructure outside of disaster-threatened areas.
Amended securities law by creating an "emerging growth company" category, increasing flexibility related to various measures and in particular crowdfunding.
Forced the resumption of authorizations to provide commercial services via commercial stock operations (horse and mule transportation) in parts of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Issuance of such permits had been suspended in the wake of High Sierra Hikers Association v. Blackwell, 390 F.3d 630 (9th Cir. 2004).
Ratified the Salmon Lake Area Land Ownership Consolidation Agreement made under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act between the United States, the state of Alaska and the Bering Straits Native Corporation.
Corrected a technical error in Public Law 108-359 that prevented church pension plans from investing in collective trusts (which was the goal of that law).
Allowed for land exchange between the Department of Homeland Security and the South Carolina State Ports Authority for extension of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
Allowed Indian tribes to enter into certain leases without prior express approval from the Secretary of the Interior, and to rely on federal rather than tribal environmental review processes in certain situations.
Created or expanded various veterans' benefits programs dealing mainly with healthcare (notably exposition to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune until the late 80s), housing, education and management of the Arlington National Cemetery.
Amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act with regard to South Sudan, made tariff changes regarding free trade with the Dominican Republic, renewed certain provisions of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 for three years, raised some 2017 corporate taxes and extended certain custom fees until 2021.
Eliminated senate approval for a number of positions, added requirements for the director of the census and required the Government Accountability Office to report on presidential appointments that do not require senate approval.
Allowed for National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin surcharges to be used for retiring debt associated with the construction of the Museum and Center.
Required the Joint Committee on the Library to accept a statue of Frederick Douglass donated by the District of Columbia and display it in Emancipation Hall.
Increased sentences related to theft and trafficking of medical supplies, and provided for wiretapping authorizations and victim restitution in cases related to such crimes.
Changes certain commercial driver license requirements that state are subject to and authorized them to emit such permits to active Armed Forces member who are not resident of, but stationed in that state.
Increases compensation rates for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of some disabled veterans
Clarifies which disclosures of information are protected from prohibited personnel practices; requires a statement in non-disclosure policies, forms, and agreements that they conform with disclosure protections; provides certain authority for the Special Counsel
Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act
Establish a Border Enforcement Security Task Force program to enhance border security among federal, state, and local law enforcement and border personnel.
Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 20 years for transporting, receiving, distributing, selling, or possessing pornographic images of a child under the age of 12.
To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to products of the Russian Federation and Moldova and to require reports on the compliance of the Russian Federation with its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization, and for other purposes.
Declares approximately 39.36 acres of federal land in Mono County, California, to be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Bridgeport Indian Colony.
To allow the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to determine the requirements for membership in that tribe.
Makes any U.S. citizen of Pascua Yaqui blood who is enrolled by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe eligible for the federal services and benefits made available to members of federally recognized tribes.
Authorizes the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration [TSA]) to determine whether checked baggage on a flight or flight segment originating at an airport outside the United States must be re-screened in the United States for explosives before it can continue on any additional flight or flight segment if the baggage has already been screened in the foreign airport in accordance with an aviation security preclearance agreement between the United States and the country in which the airport is located.
To amend the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide for direct review by the United States Supreme Court of decisions of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court, and for other purposes.
To amend section 1059(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 to clarify that a period of employment abroad by the Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator, interpreter, or in a security-related position in an executive or managerial capacity is to be counted as a period of residence and physical presence in the United States for purposes of qualifying for naturalization, and for other purposes.
To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to revise certain administrative authorities of the District of Columbia courts, and to authorize the District of Columbia Public Defender Service to provide professional liability insurance for officers and employees of the Service for claims relating to services furnished within the scope of employment with the Service.
To amend the provisions of title 5, United States Code, which are commonly referred to as the 'Hatch Act', to scale back the provision forbidding certain State and local employees from seeking elective office, clarify the application of certain provisions to the District of Columbia, and modify the penalties which may be imposed for certain violations under subchapter III of chapter 73 of that title.
Removes references to the word "lunatic" from rules of construction of the U.S. Code and banking law provisions concerning: (1) trust powers of banks, and (2) bank consolidations and mergers.
A bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 2601 2nd Avenue North, Billings, Montana, as the "James F. Battin United States Courthouse".
Amends the Public Interest Declassification Act of 2000 to: (1) require any appointment to the Public Interest Declassification Board to be for three years from the date of the appointment, (2) remove the requirement that a board member appointed to fill a vacancy before the expiration of a term serve for the remainder of such term, and (3) extend Board authority through 2014.
Amends the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 to apply the prohibition against the theft of trade secrets to a trade secret that is related to a product or service used in or intended for use interstate or foreign commerce (currently, a trade secret that is related to or included in a product that is produced for or placed interstate or foreign commerce).
A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program, to designate certain Federal buildings, and for other purposes.
Amends the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend until December 31, 2017: (1) the date for repeal of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (procedures concerning the electronic surveillance of certain persons outside the United States for foreign intelligence information purposes); and (2) any order, authorization, or directive issued or made under that title.
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.
To extend certain tax relief provisions enacted in 2001 and 2003, and to provide for expedited consideration of a bill providing for comprehensive tax reform, and for other purposes
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a demonstration project under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to evaluate the benefits of providing payment for items and services needed for the administration, within the homes of Medicare beneficiaries, of intravenous immune globin (IVIG) for the treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to amend an existing contract or enter into one or more new contracts with the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District for the storage and conveyance of nonproject water in Norman project facilities to augment municipal and industrial supplies for the cities served by the District, if the Secretary determines that there is enough excess capacity in the reservoir on the Little River known as Lake Thunderbird that nonproject water can be stored there.
Establishes Pinnacles National Park in California to: (1) preserve and interpret for the benefit of future generations the chaparral, grasslands, blue oak woodlands, and majestic valley oak savanna ecosystems of the park's area, the areas's geomorphology, riparian watersheds, unique flora and fauna, and the ancestral and cultural history of Native Americans, settlers, and explorers; and (2) interpret the recovery program for the California Condor and the international significance of that program.
Abolishes Pinnacles National Monument and includes the lands and interests therein Pinnacles National Park. Redesignates the Pinnacles Wilderness as the Hain Wilderness.
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive policy to improve outreach and transparency to veterans and members of the Armed Forces through the provision of information on institutions of higher learning, and for other purposes.
Directs the Attorney General to make grants to assist states with costs associated with the implementation of minimum or enhanced DNA collection processes. Defines such processes for the purpose of this Act.
Amends the federal criminal code to eliminate certain limitations on the length of Secret Service protection for former Presidents and their spouses and children. Authorizes the Secret Service to protect: (1) former Presidents and their spouses for their lifetimes, except that protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of remarriage; and (2) children of a former President who are under age 16.
Amends provisions of the federal criminal code authorizing a video tape service provider to disclose personally identifiable information concerning any consumer to any person with the informed, written consent of the consumer to: (1) allow such consent to be provided through an electronic means using the Internet; (2) require such consent be in a form distinct and separate from any form setting forth other legal or financial obligations of the consumer; (3) allow such consent to be given in advance for a set period of time, not to exceed two years or until consent is withdrawn by the consumer, whichever is sooner; and (4) require the video tape service provider to provide an opportunity for the consumer to withdraw such consent on a case-by-case basis or to withdraw from ongoing disclosures, at the consumer's election.
Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish a casket or urn of sufficient quality for a dignified burial for the burial in a national cemetery of a deceased veteran in any case where the Secretary is unable to identify the veteran's next-of-kin and determines that sufficient resources for such casket or urn are not otherwise available.
Directs the Secretary of State to designate a representative to regularly brief Congress on U.S. efforts to advocate for the best interests of North Korean children and children of one North Korean parent, including efforts to address the adoption of such children living outside North Korea without parental care.
To amend title 28, United States Code, to clarify the statutory authority for the longstanding practice of the Department of Justice of providing investigatory assistance on request of State and local authorities with respect to certain serious violent crimes, and for other purposes.
To prevent the introduction into commerce of unsafe drywall, to ensure the manufacturer of drywall is readily identifiable, to ensure that problematic drywall removed from homes is not reused, and for other purposes.
Amends the federal criminal code to increase the maximum fine for economic espionage (i.e., stealing or obtaining, duplicating or conveying, or buying or possessing trade secrets without authorization, intending or knowing that the offense will benefit any foreign government, foreign instrumentality, or foreign agent) committed by individuals (from $500,000 to $5 million) or by organizations (from $10 million to $10 million or 3 times the value of the stolen trade secret to the organization).
Extends through FY2019 the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to use power revenues collected pursuant to the Colorado River Storage Project Act for annual base funding of endangered fish recovery implementation programs for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins.
Directs the Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Transportation Security Administration [TSA] ) to transfer unclaimed clothing recovered at airport security checkpoints to the local airport authority or other local authorities for donation to charity, including local veterans organizations or other local charitable organizations for distribution to homeless or needy veterans and their families. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to enter into agreements with airport authorities for disposing of such clothing.
Establishes the World War I Centennial Commission to: (1) plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I; (2) encourage private organizations and state and local governments to organize and participate in such activities; (3) facilitate and coordinate such activities throughout the United States; (4) serve as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information about centennial events and plans; and (5) develop recommendations for Congress and the President for commemorating the centennial of World War I.
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.
To authorize the Secretary of State to pay a reward to combat transnational organized crime and for information concerning foreign nationals wanted by international criminal tribunals, and for other purposes.
An act of Congress is a statute enacted by the United States Congress. Acts may apply only to individual entities, or to the general public. For a bill to become an act, the text must pass through both houses with a majority, then be either signed into law by the president of the United States, be left unsigned for ten days while Congress remains in session, or, if vetoed by the president, receive a congressional override from 2⁄3 of both houses.
Ratification is a principal's legal confirmation of an act of its agent. In international law, ratification is the process by which a state declares its consent to be bound to a treaty. In the case of bilateral treaties, ratification is usually accomplished by exchanging the requisite instruments, and in the case of multilateral treaties, the usual procedure is for the depositary to collect the ratifications of all states, keeping all parties informed of the situation.
The Hurricane Sandy relief bill is a law enacted by the 113th United States Congress, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 is a law that aims to make information on federal expenditures more easily accessible and transparent. The law requires the U.S. Department of the Treasury to establish common standards for financial data provided by all government agencies and to expand the amount of data that agencies must provide to the government website, USASpending. The goal of the law is to improve the ability of Americans to track and understand how the government is spending their tax dollars.
↑ "European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011"(PDF). Government Printing Office. November 27, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012. An Act To prohibit operators of civil aircraft of the United States from participating in the European Union's emissions trading scheme, and for other purposes.
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