The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TEXT OF AMENDMENTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S2730 on May 16, 2018.
The State Department is responsibly for international relations with a budget of more than $50 billion. Tenure at the State Dept. is increasingly tenuous and it's seen as an extension of the President's will, ambitions and flaws.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TEXT OF AMENDMENTS
SA 2243. Mr. HELLER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 36, setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2019 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2020 through 2028; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON PAY FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
IF THE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET AND
APPROPRIATIONS ARE NOT COMPLETED IN A TIMELY
MANNER.
It is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) both Houses of Congress should approve a concurrent resolution on the budget and all the regular appropriations bills before October 1 of each fiscal year;
(2) if a concurrent resolution on the budget and all the regular appropriations bills are not approved by October 1 of each fiscal year, no funds should be appropriated or otherwise be made available from the Treasury of the United States for the pay of any Member of Congress during any period after October 1 that a concurrent resolution on the budget and all the regular appropriations bills are not completed; and
(3) no retroactive pay should be provided to any Member of Congress for any period for which pay is not made available as described in paragraph (2).
______
SA 2244. Mr. McCONNELL (for Mr. Tillis) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 2772, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for requirements relating to the reassignment of Department of Veterans Affairs senior executive employees; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans Affairs Senior Executive Accountability Act of 2018'' or the
``SEA Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. SEMIANNUAL REPORTS ON REASSIGNMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS SENIOR EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEES.
(a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 727. Reassignment of senior executives
``(a) Approval of Reassignments.--No individual employed in a senior executive position at the Department may be reassigned to another such position at the Department unless such reassignment is approved in writing and signed by the Secretary.
``(b) Semiannual Reports Required.--(1) Not later than June 30 and December 31 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the reassignment of individuals employed in senior executive positions at the Department to other such positions at the Department during the period covered by the report.
``(2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall describe the purpose of each reassignment and the costs associated with such reassignment.
``(3) For purposes of paragraph (2), costs associated with a reassignment may only include the following:
``(A) A salary increase.
``(B) Temporary travel expenses for the individual or the family of the individual.
``(C) Moving expenses.
``(D) A paid incentive.
``(c) Senior Executive Position Defined.--In this section, the term `senior executive position' has the meaning given such term in section 713(d) of this title.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 725 the following new item:
``727. Reassignment of senior executives.''.
______
SA 2245. Mr. McCONNELL (for Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Peters)) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 3249, to authorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program, and for other purposes; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``firearms offenses'' means an offense under section 922 or 924 of title 18, United States Code;
(2) the term ``Program'' means the Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program established under section 3; and
(3) the term ``transnational organized crime group'' has the meaning given such term in section 36(k)(6) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2708(k)(6)).
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
The Attorney General of the United States is authorized to establish and carry out a program, to be known as the
``Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program'' within the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice.
SEC. 4. PURPOSE.
(a) Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program.--The purpose of the Program is to foster and improve existing partnerships between Federal, State, and local agencies, including the United States Attorney in each Federal judicial district, entities representing members of the community affected by increased violence, victims' advocates, and researchers to create safer neighborhoods through sustained reductions in violent crimes by--
(1) developing and executing comprehensive strategic plans to reduce violent crimes, including the enforcement of gun laws, and prioritizing efforts focused on identified subsets of individuals or organizations responsible for increasing violence in a particular geographic area;
(2) developing evidence-based and data-driven intervention and prevention initiatives, including juvenile justice projects and activities which may include street-level outreach, conflict mediation, provision of treatment and social services, and the changing of community norms, in order to reduce violence; and
(3) collecting data on outcomes achieved through the Program, including the effect on the violent crime rate, incarceration rate, and recidivism rate of the jurisdiction.
(b) Additional Purpose Areas.--In addition to the purpose described in subsection (a), the Attorney General may use funds authorized under this Act for any of the following purposes--
(1) competitive and evidence-based programs to reduce gun crime and gang violence;
(2) the Edward Byrne criminal justice innovation program;
(3) community-based violence prevention initiatives; or
(4) gang and youth violence education, prevention and intervention, and related activities.
SEC. 5. RULES AND REGULATIONS.
(a) In General.--The Attorney General shall issue guidance to create, carry out, and administer the Program in accordance with this section.
(b) Funds to Be Directed to Local Control.--Amounts made available as grants under the Program shall be, to the greatest extent practicable, locally controlled to address problems that are identified locally.
(c) Task Forces.--Thirty percent of the amounts made available as grants under the Program each fiscal year shall be granted to Gang Task Forces in regions experiencing a significant or increased presence of criminal or transnational organizations engaging in high levels of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
(d) Priority.--Amounts made available as grants under the Program shall be used to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of individuals who have an aggravating or leadership role in a criminal or transnational organization described in subsection (c).
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General to carry out the Program $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2021.
____________________
