H.R. 3004: Kate’s Law

This was a vote to pass H.R. 3004 in the House.

H.R. 3004 is intended to protect public safety by enhancing penalties for deported felons who return to the United States. Specifically, the bill provides for: A sentence of not more than 10 years for an alien convicted of 3 or more misdemeanors or a felony; Imprisonment of not more than 15 years for an alien convicted of a felony and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of at least 30 months; Imprisonment of not more than 20 years for an alien convicted of a felony and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of at least 60 months; Imprisonment of not more than 25 years for an alien convicted of murder, rape, kidnapping, terrorism, or 3 or more felonies of any kind. Imprisonment of not more than 10 years for an alien who has been denied admission, deported, or removed 3 or more times, who then reenters the U.S. In addition, any alien who is removed prior to completion of a term of imprisonment who then reenters the U.S. can have the remainder of their sentence reapplied.

Passed.

H.R. 3003: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act

This was a vote to pass H.R. 3003 in the House.

H.R. 3003 strengthens current law to combat sanctuary policies that shield illegal immigrants from federal immigration enforcement. Specifically, the bill clarifies U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer authority, the legal means used by federal immigration enforcement officers to pick up immigrants detained in local jails. In addition, the bill withholds certain federal grants from jurisdictions that violate federal law by prohibiting their officers from cooperating with ICE. Jurisdictions that comply with detainers are protected from being sued and victims of certain crimes are allowed to sue jurisdictions that refuse to comply and subsequently release criminal immigrants onto the streets. Finally, the underlying bill includes Sarah and Grant’s Law, which ensures illegal immigrants convicted of drunk driving or who are arrested for other dangerous crimes are detained during their removal proceedings.

Passed.

H.R. 1215: Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017

This was a vote to pass H.R. 1215 in the House.

H.R. 1215 caps at $250,000 medical malpractice damages that do not have a direct economic impact, such as lost wages or medical bills. By capping damages, it costs less to practice medicine, which in turn lowers prices for patients.

Passed.

H.Amdt. 152 (Hudson) to H.R. 1215: To allow a physician to apologize to a patient for an unintended outcome without having the apology count against them in the court of law.

This was a vote to approve or reject amendment H.Amdt. 152 to H.R. 1215. It allows a physician to apologize to a patient for an unintended outcome without having the apology count against them in the court of law. It requires a plaintiff to provide a notice of intent to the physician 90 days before the lawsuit is filed. The amendment also defers to various state laws regarding lawsuits and outlines requirements witnesses must meet for testimony during trial.

Passed.

H.R. 2842: Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act

This was a vote to pass H.R. 2842 in the House.

H.R. 2842 connects low-income Americans looking for work with employers looking to fill job openings, including through apprenticeships and other forms of on-the-job training. Specifically, the legislation provides funding for states to subsidize employment for a limited time for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients to provide work experience in exchange for benefits. The bill reserves $100 million from the FY18 TANF Contingency Fund to test whether states subsidizing the wage of TANF recipients can be an effective means of helping them enter and remain in the workforce. States may subsidize up to 50 percent of the recipients wage, with the remainder covered by the employer. Each state must describe how wage subsidies will be provided and how they expect each individual to maintain employment when the subsidies end. A state shall ensure that no one is laid off from the same or a substantially similar job to create positions for such participants. Finally, a state has to submit a report that specifies the number of individuals whose employment is subsidized, the structure of state activities, the percentage of recipients who received a subsidy who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after the subsidies ended, and the median earning of recipients after the subsidies end.

Passed.

Source: GovTrack