Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds for the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Internal Revenue Service for fiscal year 2015-2016.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $1.4 billion to the Securities and Exchange Commission for salaries and expenses (Sec. 512).

• Prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from using funds appropriated by this act to finalize, issue, or implement any rule regarding the disclosure of political contributions, contributions to tax exempt organizations, or dues paid to trade associations (Sec. 626).  

• Prohibits funds made available by this act from being used to complete any of the following (Sec. 913): 
• Designate any nonbank financial company as “too big to fail”;
• Designate any nonbank financial company as a “systematically important financial institution”; or
• Determine that “material financial distress” at a nonbank financial company “could pose a threat to the financial stability” of the United States. 

• Prohibits funds made available by this act from being used to study, promulgate, draft, review, implement, or enforce any rule concerning the study and rulemaking obligations of brokers, dealers, and investment advisors (Sec. 914).  

• Requires the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection to notify certain congressional committees of a request for funds and requires the notification to include the following information (Sec. 503):
• The amount of funds requested;
• An explanation of how the funds will be allocated; and
• Why the funds are necessary to protect consumers. 

• Appropriates $4.95 billion to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax enforcement activities (Title I). 

• Prohibits funds appropriated by this act from being used by the IRS to “target” groups for regulatory scrutiny based on their ideological beliefs (Sec. 108). 

• Prohibits funds appropriated by this act from being used by the IRS to implement or enforce the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Sec. 111).

• Prohibits funds from being used to pay performance awards to any employee of the IRS (Sec. 915).

• Appropriates $175 million to the Department of the Treasury for salaries and expenses (Title I).

• Appropriates $230 million for community development financial institutions (Title I).

• Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from using funds appropriated by this act to prevent states from implementing their own state laws regarding broadband Internet access service (Sec. 920).

• Prohibits funds appropriated by this act from being used to penalize financial institutions solely because the institution provides financial services to marijuana businesses pursuant to state or local law in certain states or in the District of Columbia (Sec. 916).

• Prohibits the District of Columbia from using funds appropriated by this act from being used for any program that distributes sterile needles or syringes for the injection of any illegal drug (Sec. 807).

• Prohibits the District of Columbia from using funds appropriated by this act to enact or carry out any law legalizing or reducing penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any Schedule I substance or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative for recreational purposes (Sec. 809).

• Prohibits the District of Columbia from using funds appropriated by this act for abortion expenses, except where the life of the patient is endangered if the fetus were carried to term or where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest (Sec. 810). 

• Prohibits the Government of the District of Columbia from using funds appropriated by this bill to enforce any provision of the following District of Columbia Acts (Sec. 922): 
• The Firearms Registration Amendment Act of 2008; 
• The Firearms Amendment Act of 2012; and
• The Administrative Disposition for Weapons Offenses Amendment Act of 2012.

• Appropriates $12.7 million for White House operating expenses (Title II).

• Appropriates $1.67 million for the allowances and office staff for former presidents (Sec. 504).

• Prohibits funds appropriated by this act from being used to pay for the painting of a portrait of an officer or employee of the federal government including the president, the vice president, or a member of Congress (Sec. 736).

• Requires the United States Postal Service to maintain 6 day delivery and rural delivery of mail (Sec. 513).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text