WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., has introduced legislation (H.R. 3969) to improve efforts to combat marine debris. The bill was introduced on July 25 and has 10 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Don S. Beyer, D-Va., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Francis Rooney, R-Fla., Rick Larsen, D-Wash., Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., Ed Case, D-Hawaii, Don Young, R-Alaska, Chris Pappas, D-N.H., Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and Sean Casten, D-Ill. The legislation was jointly referred to the Hous  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Matthew Cartwright, D-Pa., has introduced legislation (H.R. 4007) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and direct the Secretary of the Interior "to conduct a study with respect to stormwater runoff from oil and gas operations." The bill was introduced on July 25 and has 48 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., Nanette D. Barragan, D-Calif., Don S. Beyer, D-Va., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., Steve Cohen, D-Tenn.,  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Matthew Cartwright, D-Pa., has introduced legislation (H.R. 4006) to "require regulation of wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy under the Solid Waste Disposal Act." The bill was introduced on July 25 and has 48 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., Nanette D. Barragan, D-Calif., Don S. Beyer, D-Va., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., Steve Cohen, D-Te  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has introduced legislation (H.R. 4050) to "direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to award grants for projects that are consistent with zero-waste practices." The bill was introduced on July 25 and has 10 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Raul M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., Debra Haaland, D-N.M., Betty McCollum, D-Minn., Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Henry C. Johnson, D-Ga., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Chel  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has introduced legislation (H.R. 3981) to "establish requirements for quality and discard dates that are, at the option of food labelers, included in food packaging." The bill was introduced on July 25 and was co-sponsored by Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. It was jointly referred to the House Energy and Commerce and Agriculture committees. For more information, Rep. Chellie Pingree, 2162 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515; 202/  more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., has introduced legislation (H.R. 3882) to amend the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to provide pay equity for amateur athletes and other personnel. The bill was introduced on July 23 and has 32 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., Brenda Lawrence, D-Mich., Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, Debra Haaland, D-N.M., Grace F. Napolitano, D-Calif., Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Conn., Kathy Castor, D-Fla., Barbara Lee, D-Calif., An  more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., has introduced legislation (H.R. 3874) to "protect human rights and enhance opportunities for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Intersex (LGBTI) people around the world." The bill was introduced on July 22 and has 52 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. David N. Cicilline, D-R.I., Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., Mark Takano, D-Calif., Eliot L. Engel, D-N.Y., Debra Haaland, D-N.M., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., Mike Quigley, D-Ill.,   more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., has introduced legislation (S. 2262) to "provide for phased-in payment of Social Security Disability Insurance payments during the waiting period for individuals with a terminal illness." The bill was introduced on July 25 and has seven co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Margaret Wood Hassan, D-N.H., and Susan M. Collins, R-Mai  more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, has introduced legislation (S. 2214) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 "to provide a better defined recruitment and retention incentive program for volunteer emergency service workers." The bill was introduced on July 23 and was co-sponsored by Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. For more information, Sen. Susan M. Collins, 413 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; 202/224-2  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., has introduced legislation (S. 2293) to "extend the authority of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. and to modify the quorum requirement of the Bank." The bill was introduced on July 25 and has nine co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, Christopher Coons, D-Del., Margaret Wood Hassan, D-N.H., and Patty Murr  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., has introduced legislation (S. 2257) to reform the financing of Senate elections. The bill was introduced on July 24 and has 24 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., Christopher Coons, D-Del., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Kamala D. Harris, D-Calif., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Mazie K. Hirono, D-Haw  more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Okla., has introduced legislation (S. 2198) to promote the launch of aviation's next era. The bill was introduced on July 22 and was co-sponsored by Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. For more information, Sen. James M. Inhofe, 205 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-3603; 202/224-4721; or in the state at 3817 N.W. Expressway, Ste. 780, Oklahoma City, OK 73112; 405/208-8841; 1924 S. U  more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., has introduced legislation (S. 2199) to provide patient protections with respect to the cost of insulin. The bill was introduced on July 22 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, Thomas R. Carper, D-Del., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. For more information, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, 506 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; 202/224-2841; or in the state at 2 Wall St., Ste. 2  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., has introduced legislation (S. 2288) to amend title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 "to establish a Federal energy efficiency resource standard for electricity and natural gas suppliers." The bill was introduced on July 25 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. It was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. For more information, Sen. Tina Smith, 720 Hart   more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., has introduced legislation (S. 2298) to amend the Clean Air Act to eliminate the corn ethanol mandate for renewable fuel. The bill was introduced on July 25 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Susan M. Collins, R-Maine. It was referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. For more information, Sen. Patrick Toomey, 248 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; 202/224-4254; or in the state   more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., has introduced legislation (S. 2242) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 "to clarify the obligation to report acts of foreign election influence and require implementation of compliance and reporting systems by presidential campaigns to detect and report such acts." The bill was introduced on July 23 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and K  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., has introduced legislation (S. 2300) to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 "to establish a program to incentivize innovation and to enhance the industrial competitiveness of the U.S. by developing technologies to reduce emissions of nonpower industrial sectors." The bill was introduced on July 25 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Cory Booker, D-N.J., a  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Margaret Wood-Hassan, D-N.H., has introduced legislation (S. 2277) to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 "to make innovative technology loan guarantees available for battery storage technologies." The bill was introduced on July 25 and was co-sponsored by Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine. It was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. For more information, Sen. Margaret Wood-Hassan, 324 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC, 20510; 202/224  more