Police oversight bill headed to Obama

The Senate passed a bill Wednesday to investigate the deaths of people being held under police custody.

H.R. 1447, the Death in Custody Reporting Act, would require states receiving some federal funds to report to the U.S. attorney general every quarter on whether any person arrested or detained died while in police custody.

{mosads}The bill, which comes after several unarmed African-American men have been killed by local law enforcement, would also require the attorney general to study how it could reduce the number of deaths that occur under police custody. 

The House passed the measure by voice vote last year. The Senate passed it through a unanimous consent agreement, meaning it now heads to President Obama’s desk for him to sign it into law.

The Senate passed several other bills by unanimous consent as it aims to wrap up business for the year. A list follows:

– H.R. 3374, the American Savings Promotion Act, allows banks to offer “savings promotion raffles” to encourage Americans to save more. The House passed the bill in September, meaning it now heads to Obama’s desk.

– S. 2822, the Dignified Interment of Our Veterans Act, requires the secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to Congress on the interring of veterans’ unclaimed remains in national cemeteries. This bill goes to the House for further consideration.

– H.R. 5705, the Propane Education and Research Enhancement Act, directs the Propane Education and Research Council to develop training programs on how to deal with price spikes for propane distributors and consumers. The House passed the bill in December so it now goes to the president.

– H.R. 4193, the Smart Savings Act, makes the default investment in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) an age-appropriate target date asset allocation investment fund (L Fund), instead of the Government Securities Investment Fund for uniformed service members. The House passed the bill in July so it will head to Obama’s desk for his signature.

– H.R. 4926 designates part of Interstate Route 35 in Minnesota as the “James L. Oberstar Memorial Highway.” The House passed the bill in December, meaning it heads to Obama’s desk.