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![Official portrait of Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000578_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
2,598 records where Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2020
Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act of 2020 This bill modifies certain Department of Veterans Affairs programs and services for homeless veterans, including by increasing the per diem rate for grant recipients that provide services to homeless veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
Recognition of Local Interests in NEPA Decision Making This bill sets forth requirements for determining the venue for judicial review of an agency action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, the bill requires a proceeding for judicial review of an agency's compliance with NEPA to be brought in the U.S. district court for a district in which the authorized activity is proposed to be carried out or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
This resolution supports the announcements of (1) the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain, and (2) the suspension of Israeli actions to apply sovereignty in parts of the West Bank. Further, it calls on each of these countries to encourage greater people-to-people normalization, and it calls on other Arab and Muslim countries to establish full relations with Israel. It also reaffirms the House of Representatives' support for a negotiated, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
WIFIA Improvement Act of 2020 This bill allows certain federal water infrastructure loans to have maturity dates of up to 55 years. For a secured loan for a water infrastructure project with a useful life of more than 35 years, the final maturity date of the loan shall be no later than the earlier of (1) 55 years after the project's substantial completion, or (2) the useful life of the project. Currently, the latest possible maturity date of for this type of loan is 35 years from the project's substantial completion.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
Support for Workers, Families, and Social Security Act This bill exempts employees from the payment of employment taxes for the period beginning on September 1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020. This exemption does not affect the determination of Social Security retirement benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2020
Managing Predators Act This bill gives states the authority to manage the populations of gray wolves and to determine if the wolves are endangered or threatened species. Specifically, the bill permanently removes the populations of gray wolf in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wyoming from the federal endangered and threatened species list. In addition, the bill revises requirements for the gray wolf in any state other than Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wyoming. If the population of the gray wolf, as estimated by such state, is at or above a population goal established by the state, then the Department of the Interior may not make a determination that the wolf in such state is an endangered or threatened species.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2020
Higher Education Research Protection Act of 2020 This bill establishes within the Federal Bureau of Investigation an initiative to investigate incidents of individuals participating in federally funded research at institutions of higher education and the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine as agents of the Chinese government.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2020
Wildland Firefighter Recognition Act This bill requires the Office of Personnel Management to develop a distinct wildland firefighter occupational series. The series must apply to the following positions forestry technician; range technician; other positions related to significant prevention, preparedness, control, suppression, or management activities for wildland firefighters; and other positions conducting activities necessary to meet any other emergency incident. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture must use the series in the advertising and hiring of a wildland firefighter. The bill requires an employee in a wildland firefighter occupational series to receive a pay differential based on the unusual physical hardship or hazardous nature of the position. An individual employed as a wildland firefighter on the date on which the occupational series takes effect may (1) remain in the occupational series in which the individual is working, or (2) be included in the wildland firefighter occupational series.
United States · United States Congress · 25 August 2020
Increase Federal Disaster Cost Share Act of 2020 This bill increases the federal cost share from 75% to 90% for any federal disaster declaration beginning on January 20, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 18 August 2020
Protect Conservation Funds Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of the Interior to issue a grant for the conservation of a species or the habitat of a species that is listed as threatened or endangered under state law only if the listing is consistent with specified federal standards or such species is listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
United States · United States Congress · 14 August 2020
Chinese Research Funds Accounting Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on federal funding made available to entities located in China or majority owned or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party for research in the five years prior to enactment of this bill. Not later than 120 days after the enactment of this bill, the GAO shall brief Congress on the data that is available with respect to federal funding made available to such entities for research.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2020
End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act of 2020 This bill modifies provisions relating to federal funding for, and health insurance coverage of, gender reassignment medical interventions, which include surgical remedies and hormone therapy arising from a conflict between an individual's gender identity and the sex the individual has or was identified as having at birth. Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for gender reassignment medical interventions or for health coverage that includes such interventions. Additionally, such interventions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. Under current law, coverage of these interventions through Medicare and Medicaid is generally determined at the state level. The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply to treatment of individuals with medically verifiable disorders of sex development, such as individuals born with atypical development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for gender reassignment medical interventions. Further, plans that include coverage for such interventions are not eligible for federal subsidies.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2020
Protecting Children From Experimentation Act of 2020 This bill establishes a new criminal offense for performing gender reassignment medical interventions on minors. It also provides that a minor who receives such an intervention may bring a civil action against each person who performed that intervention. The bill defines these interventions as certain surgeries or the use of hormones to change the body of an individual to correspond to a sex that is discordant with the individual's biological sex. It excludes, however, interventions in cases where an individual has ambiguous external biological sex characteristics or where a physician has determined that an individual does not have normal sex chromosome structure, sex steroid hormone production, or sex steroid hormone action. An individual who performs these interventions on a minor is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. A minor who receives these medical interventions may not be arrested or prosecuted for an offense under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Veteran Benefits Enhancement and Expansion Act of 2020 This bill modifies provisions related to Department of Veterans Affairs programs and benefits for veterans, including those related to education benefits, burial benefits, the home loan program, service-connected disability matters, pension matters, and representation and financial exploitation matters.
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act of 2020 This bill addresses wildfire preparedness and response. Among other things, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to select three forest landscapes on which to conduct projects to reduce the risk of wildfire, restore ecological health, or adapt to the increased risk of wildfire due to climate change. USDA and the Department of the Interior shall expedite the placement of wildfire detection equipment in areas at risk of wildfire, expedite related permitting, expand the use of satellite data to assist wildfire response, and establish a center to train individuals in methods to mitigate wildfire risk. The bill excludes certain forest management activities from environmental review requirements. Interior may make a determination that an emergency situation exists regarding National Forest System land and authorize specified emergency actions. Such a determination and such actions are not subject to administrative review. Interior shall provide grants, loans, and loan guarantees to support biomass conversion facilities. The bill allows the export of unprocessed timber of dead and dying trees from federal land in California. Interior shall establish a grant program to assist in the development and utilization of innovative activities relating to workforce development in the forest sector, raise public awareness about the forest sector, and connect individuals to careers in the forest sector. The Department of Energy shall provide support to improve the energy resilience, power needs, and energy efficiency of critical facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 183 San Geronimo Valley Drive in Woodacre, California, as the "Marylu Giddings Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2020
Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2020 This bill modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo (i.e., without giving deference to the agency's interpretation) all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of (1) constitutional and statutory provisions, and (2) rules made by agencies. No law may exempt a civil action from the standard of review required by this bill except by specific reference to such provision.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act This bill directs the Agricultural Marketing Service of the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to award grants to states or state departments of agriculture to provide support to agricultural fairs for losses sustained by such fairs due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Grant amounts shall be based on the difference between the average attendance at agricultural fairs in the state for a month occurring in 2019 compared to the corresponding month in 2020. As a condition of receiving a grant, recipients shall agree to (1) prioritize supporting agricultural fairs in the state facing the greatest financial hardship, and (2) use not more than 1% of grant funds for administrative costs incurred in providing support to agricultural fairs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
This resolution offers sincere thanks and appreciation for the nation's law enforcement officers. It also recognizes the sacrifices of law enforcement officers and rejects efforts to defund and dismantle law enforcement agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
Repairing Existing Public Lands by Adding Necessary Trees Act or the REPLANT Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) annually for each of the 10 years after enactment of this bill to transmit to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to be appropriated, in addition to the funds available from other sources, to replant and otherwise treat an acreage equal to the acreage to be cut over that year, plus a sufficient portion of the backlog of lands found to be in need of treatment to eliminate the backlog within the 10-year period. After such 10-year period, USDA shall transmit annually to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to replant and otherwise treat all lands being cut over and maintain planned timber production on all other forested lands in the National Forest System to prevent the development of a backlog of needed work larger than the needed work at the beginning of the fiscal year. Each reforestation activity included in a renewable resource assessment shall be carried out in accordance with applicable Forest Service management practices and definitions, including those contained in a specified amendment and regulations related to silvicultural practices. The Forest Service shall, based on recommendations from regional foresters, create a priority list of reforestation projects that primarily take place on priority land, promote effective reforestation following unplanned events, and may include activities to ensure adequate and appropriate seed availability. USDA shall give priority to projects on the priority list.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 This bill modifies a social media company's immunity from liability for screening and blocking offensive content on its platform. Under current law, the immunity applies for action taken to restrict content that is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable. The bill eliminates immunity for restricting content that is otherwise objectionable and applies such immunity when a company restricts content that is unlawful or that promotes violence or terrorism. Under current law, such immunity also applies to actions taken to enable or make available the technical means to restrict access to such content. The bill applies this immunity to actions taken that provide users with the option to restrict access to any material, regardless of whether such material is constitutionally protected.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2020
This resolution states that Hong Kong's loss of judicial and political autonomy renders individuals residing in the United States vulnerable to a Chinese-controlled judicial system. The resolution urges the United States to suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong until the reestablishment of Hong Kong's judicial independence can be certified.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2020
Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act This bill modifies loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill provides for automatic forgiveness of a paycheck protection loan that is not more than $150,000 if the recipient submits a one-page form. Such form must allow a recipient to submit specified demographc and expenditure information, and certain individuals (e.g., the President, the Vice President, or the head of an executive department) are not eligible for such forgiveness. Further, the bill prohibits any enforcement or other action against a lender relating to loan origination, forgiveness, or guarantee based on the lender's reliance on certifications or documentation submitted by a loan applicant or recipient.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2020
Defend COVID Research from Hackers Act This bill authorizes the President to impose visa-blocking, property-blocking, or economic sanctions on a foreign person that is involved in activities that are reasonably likely to result in a significant threat to U.S. national security, foreign policy, public health, economic health, or financial stability. The Department of State must submit a report detailing the extent of known or attempted cyber-enabled activities by foreign persons related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and assessing whether those activities qualify for the imposition of sanctions. Further, the bill provides penalties for a person who knowingly traffics in access to a protected computer if the trafficker knows the protected computer has been damaged in a prohibited manner. The bill also authorizes an injunction against a person who causes damage through accessing a protected computer or transmitting a program, information, code, or command to a protected computer.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make payments to a timber harvesting business or timber hauling business that, as a result of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, experienced a loss of not less than 10% in gross revenue during the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on July 31, 2020, as compared to its gross revenue during the same period in 2019. The amount of a payment made to an eligible entity shall be equal to 10% of the gross revenue of the business during the period beginning on January 1, 2019, and ending on July 31, 2019. USDA shall make such a payment only to a business that certifies that the payment will be used only for operating expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020
This bill increases the borrowing authority limit of the Commodity Credit Corporation and indexes this limit to inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020
Protect America's Statues Act of 2020 This bill makes certain jurisdictions ineligible for historic preservation grants or fixed guideway capital investment grants. Ineligible jurisdictions are those with any law, regulation, policy, or procedure within its control in contravention of federal criminal law relating to the destruction of veterans' memorials or rioting. The Department of the Interior may not award historic preservation grants to ineligible jurisdictions. An ineligible jurisdiction awarded a grant in the fiscal year in which this bill is enacted or after must return 75% of the grant amount. Interior may not approve a fixed guideway capital investment grant for a project in an ineligible jurisdiction. Any obligation or commitment made under a fixed guideway capital investment grant may be revoked if the project is in an ineligible jurisdiction. The Department of Justice shall annually submit to Interior and Congress a list of the jurisdictions that are ineligible.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020
National Statuary Hall Collection Policy Act This bill establishes an additional requirement for the replacement of a statue in National Statuary Hall. Currently, a state's request to replace a statue it has provided for display shall only be considered if (1) the request has been approved by the legislature and the governor of the state, and (2) the statue to be replaced has been displayed in the U.S. Capitol for at least 10 years as of the time the request is made. The bill adds the requirement that at least two-thirds of the Members of Congress who represent a requesting state approve any request to replace a statue in National Statuary Hall.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020
Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to provide grants and other forms of emergency assistance to certain providers of transportation services that have experienced a significant revenue loss as a direct or indirect result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Treasury must ensure equal access to the assistance for small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses. As a condition of receipt of assistance, Treasury must require that a provider of transportation services agree to (1) use the funds, on a priority basis, to maintain through December 31, 2020, pay, paid administrative leave, and benefits to all employees after making any adjustments required for retirement or voluntary employee separation; and (2) recall or rehire any employee laid off, furloughed, or terminated because of reduced service as a result of COVID-19, to the extent warranted by increased service levels.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020
GI Internship Program Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a program to match veterans who are entitled to educational assistance with internships to provide such veterans with work experience and marketable skills. The VA shall establish criteria that employers must meet to participate in the program. The following employers are excluded from participating in the program: (1) government agencies, (2) employers who cannot provide the VA with certain assurances, and (3) employers who have previously participated in the program and failed to abide by its requirements. The VA shall pay individuals who are full-time participants in such an internship the amount of educational assistance payable to those participating in a full-time apprenticeship or other on-job training programs. Interns shall be considered as employees of the VA, not the program employer, for purposes of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Additionally, each intern and employer shall provide the VA with a monthly certification that the intern worked at least 35 hours each week performing functions that provided the individual with valuable experience. The VA and the Department of Labor shall create and publicize a website to serve as a portal for the program. The VA shall (1) minimize the administrative burdens incurred by employers due to their participation in the program, and (2) ensure that employer participation is at no cost to the employer.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020
Protecting Lands Against Narcotics Trafficking Act of 2020 or the PLANT Act of 2020 This bill enhances criminal penalties for illegally producing controlled substances on federal property in a manner that causes environmental damage, establishes a fund to facilitate the recovery of lands and water damaged by illegal marijuana cultivation activities, and establishes the Public Lands Eradication and Remediation Partnership to coordinate activities to remediate lands affected by illegal marijuana cultivation or associated illegal activities.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Flexible Financing for Rural America Act of 2020 This bill allows rural utility service providers to submit to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a request to adjust the interest rate or modify the terms of certain loans. The request shall include a report summarizing how the adjustment or modification will assist the borrower in providing critical utility services to a rural community. Specifically, on receipt of a request, USDA must adjust the interest rate on the loan to match certain interest rates in effect when the bill is enacted for obligations of comparable maturity to the term remaining on the loan (or a higher rate requested by the borrower), and make modifications to the loan terms as necessary to address changes in the financial position of the borrower due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency and to promote the financial sustainability of the borrower. In carrying out the adjustments or modifications, USDA shall not impose or collect any fee from, or impose any penalty on, a borrower. The bill also provides funding to implement the adjustments and modifications.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020
Mandatory End to Needle Distribution in Our Neighborhoods Act This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from using federal funds to support needle exchange or syringe exchange programs. Historically, language in appropriations bills prohibited federal funds from being used to support these programs. However, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 authorized federal support for them under certain circumstances, provided no funds are used to purchase needles or syringes.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020
Mount Rushmore Protection Act This bill prohibits the use of any federal funds to alter, change, destroy, or remove any name, face, or other feature on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020
Protecting America From Spies Act This bill expands the grounds for barring aliens who have engaged in acts relating to espionage or sabotage from entering the United States. Specifically, any alien shall be inadmissible if the alien has engaged in or will engage in an act that (1) violates a U.S. law relating to espionage or sabotage; (2) would violate any U.S. law relating to espionage or sabotage if it occurred in the United States; or (3) violates any U.S. law prohibiting the export of goods, technology, or sensitive information. Currently, an alien shall be inadmissible if the alien seeks to enter the United States to engage in such an action. Furthermore, the bill expands these grounds of inadmissibility and other security-related grounds to cover the spouse or child of the barred alien if the act occurred in the last five years. The bill also modifies the authority of the Department of Justice to waive certain security-related grounds of inadmissibility for an alien applying for a nonimmigrant visa.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
The COVID-19 Hospital and Health Provider Loan Forgiveness Act of 2020 This bill establishes and otherwise modifies requirements for the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The program provides Medicare payments in advance to eligible providers experiencing claims or cash flow disruptions, such as during national emergencies; the program was specifically expanded in response to COVID-19 to encompass more types of providers, subject to certain recoupment and repayment provisions. The bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to waive recoupment and repayment for providers who meet specified requirements. Among other criteria, providers must not have engaged in surprise billing practices with respect to COVID-19 patients. Providers must still repay any amounts not used for COVID-19 expenses; the bill caps the interest rate on such repayments at 2% upon a demonstration of hardship. The bill also requires private health insurers to treat out-of-network COVID-19 services as in-network for purposes of payment and cost-sharing.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
This resolution expresses that any jurisdiction that seeks to dismantle or reduce funding for a police force should review its local rules to ensure such rules do not place an undue burden on residents who seek to defend themselves, including through the legal purchase of a firearm and training services; such a review should be based on standards set forth by the Supreme Court that confirmed the Second Amendment to the Constitution to be an individual right and that no law can prohibit an individual from possessing and using a firearm in the home for self-defense; and any jurisdiction that seeks to dismantle or reduce funding for police agencies must remove rules that hinder individual gun ownership or access to firearms.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Surface Transportation Advanced through Reform, Technology, and Efficient Review Act or the STARTER Act This bill addresses provisions related to federal-aid highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, innovation, and resiliency programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Among other provisions, the bill extends FY2020 enacted levels through FY2025 for federal-aid highway, transit, and safety programs; requires DOT to provide competitive grants for projects to provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on the federal-aid highway system; authorizes DOT to modify loan interest rates under the transportation infrastructure finance and innovation (TIFIA) program for borrowers impacted by COVID-19 (i.e. coronavirus disease 2019); specifies that projects that provide access to hospitals and health care providers in areas of limited public transportation options are eligible to be carried out as public transportation research projects; creates a public awareness campaign to reduce instances of driving while under the influence of prescription and over-the-counter medications; directs DOT to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21; establishes new competitive grant programs to spur innovation of connected vehicle applications into practical and effective operational deployments, and to test the safe integration of automated driving system technologies into the on-road transportation system; and addresses projects to improve the resiliency of federal-aid highways and bridges on and off the National Highway System.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Just and Unifying Solutions To Invigorate Communities Everywhere Act of 2020 or the JUSTICE Act This bill addresses policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. The bill funds state and local grants, incentivizes state and local reporting on the use of certain policing practices, creates new federal offenses for certain misconduct, establishes a commission to study the conditions affecting Black men and boys, and establishes best practices and training requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2020
Infrastructure Bank for America Act of 2020 This bill provides for the establishment of the Infrastructure Bank Holding Company (IBHC), which shall be the parent company of the Infrastructure Bank for America (the bank). The bank shall provide (1) equity investments, direct loans, indirect loans, and loan guarantees for the construction or maintenance of revenue-producing infrastructure projects in the United States with sufficient revenue sources and guarantees to support the interest and principal payments to such bank; and (2) direct and indirect loans and loan guarantees to state and local governments and state infrastructure banks for the construction or maintenance of infrastructure projects. At least 7% of the dollar amount of the loans, equity investments, and loan guarantees shall be for infrastructure projects in rural areas. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall have oversight and supervisory authority over the IBHC and the bank. The Department of the Treasury shall oversee and supervise the issuance of bonds by the IBHC and the bank. The bank shall establish an Infrastructure Guarantee Fund to cover loans and loan guarantees in the event of nonpayment by loan recipients. The bill provides for a taxpayer credit in an amount equal to 10% of the amount such taxpayer paid to the IBHC for an equity investment at its original issue.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2020
Utility Resilience and Reliability Act This bill addresses the reliability of electric energy provided by the bulk-power system, which includes facilities and control systems necessary for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission network. Specifically, the Electric Reliability Organization must file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission a proposed reliability standard that addresses the resilience of the bulk-power system. For example, the standard must address the system's ability to withstand and rapidly recover from disruptions, such as extreme weather conditions. The standard must take into account regional differences. In addition, the Department of Energy (DOE) must establish a program to provide information and recommendations to states and electric utilities on how to improve the resilience of electric grids. DOE must also post on its website a report that provides recommendations on how to minimize the need for, effects of, and duration of planned electric power outages that are due to extreme weather conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2020
America: Foreign Influence Resistance Starts with Transparency Act or the America FIRST Act This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) to disclose additional information related to gifts and contracts from foreign sources. Specifically, the bill requires IHEs, nonprofit departments within IHEs, and affiliates of IHEs (e.g., professors and researchers) to disclose in the byline of publications the total value of gifts, contracts, and financial assets received by them from foreign sources. The Department of Education (ED) must determine appropriate enforcement actions for failures to do so, such as imposing a probationary period or limiting eligibility for federal funds. Additionally, IHEs must report to ED a gift or contract from a foreign source that has an annual value of $50,000 or more, considered in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with a foreign source. The fair market value of in-kind gifts is included in such limit. (Currently, a report is due if the annual value is $250,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with a foreign source.) Such reports to ED must also include the content of the contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2020
One Federal Decision Act of 2020 This bill provides statutory authority for the policy that requires federal agencies to coordinate environmental reviews and authorization decisions for major infrastructure projects. It also sets a goal for completing environmental reviews within two years. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must review existing practices, procedures, programmatic agreements, and applicable laws to identify potential changes that would facilitate an efficient environmental review process for projects. All authorization decisions for construction of a major project must be completed within 90 days of the issuance of a record of decision for the project, although the lead agency could extend the deadline in some cases. The lead agency must develop an environmental review schedule with the project sponsor that is consistent with an agency average of not more than two years for the completion of the environmental review process for major projects. DOT must also (1) establish a performance accountability system to track each major project, and (2) provide other relevant federal agencies with a list of categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act that are applicable to highway projects and that would accelerate project delivery.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
This bill specifies types of programs the Bureau of Reclamation may participate in, such as land idling (i.e., refraining from cultivating crops on certain land), for the purpose of aligning water supply and demand for users of irrigation water associated with the Klamath Project in Oregon and California.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
Coronavirus County Relief and Stability Act This bill appropriates $36 billion for a Coronavirus County Relief Fund to make payments to counties to compensate for revenue lost and costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. Specifically, a county shall use the funds to compensate for direct loss of revenue due to the public health emergency or to cover its costs that are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency, were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of February 29, 2020, and were incurred from March 1, 2020-December 30, 2020. Each county shall receive a flat payment plus an amount based on its population. The bill provides funding for the Office of Inspector General of the Department of the Treasury to conduct monitoring and oversight of the receipt, disbursement, and use of such funds. The bill reauthorizes the payments in lieu of taxes program, which compensates local governments for tax revenue lost due to tax-exempt federal lands within their boundaries.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes a grant program, as well as a new center within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to facilitate access to investigational therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (i.e., ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive and fatal disease). Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants for the provision of investigational drugs for ALS and other rapidly progressing neurodegenerative diseases through an expanded access (i.e., compassionate use) program. HHS may award these grants to (1) a small business that is the sponsor of an investigational new drug application, or (2) a participating clinical trial site for such a sponsor. Additionally, HHS must establish within the FDA a Center of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases. The center shall have duties and authorities similar to those of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence, which helps expedite the development of medical products and assists providers in requesting access to investigational drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Stop Funding the PLA Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to establish a list of entities the securities of which a U.S. person shall be prohibited from purchasing or holding. Specifically, the Treasury must submit a report specifying each foreign industrial defense corporation with substantial contacts with, ties to, or support from any PLA entity (any entity of the Chinese military). The bill prohibits U.S. persons from purchasing a security of a foreign industrial defense corporation specified in the report, and it requires U.S. persons who own any such security to divest themselves of it.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2020
American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act of 2020 This bill addresses the availability, development, and production of domestic critical minerals, including by providing incentives to increase domestic production of critical minerals that are needed to ensure the economic and national security of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2020
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2141 Ferry Street in Anderson, California, as the "Norma Comnick Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2020
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 This bill modifies provisions related to the forgiveness of loans made to small businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program implemented in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill establishes a minimum maturity of five years for a paycheck protection loan that has a remaining balance after the application of forgiveness. The bill also extends the covered period during which the recipient of a paycheck protection loan may use such funds for certain expenses while remaining eligible for forgiveness of the loan. Further, the bill prohibits the Small Business Administration from limiting the non-payroll portion of a forgivable covered loan amount. Currently, only 25% of a paycheck protection loan may be allocated to non-payroll expenses such as rent and utilities. The bill extends the period of time in which an employer may rehire or eliminate a reduction in employment, salary, or wages that would otherwise reduce the forgivable amount of a paycheck protection loan. However, the forgivable amount must be determined without regard to a reduction in the number of employees if the recipient is (1) unable to rehire an employee, (2) able to demonstrate an inability to hire a similarly qualified employee, or (3) able to demonstrate an inability to return to the same level of business activity. Lastly, the bill eliminates a provision that makes a paycheck protection loan recipient who has such indebtedness forgiven ineligible to defer payroll tax payments.