United States · United States Congress · 21 January 2021
Safe Routes to School Expansion Act This bill expands eligibility under the Highway Safety Improvement Program to include certain safety projects related to safe routes to school infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, bus stop shelters or protected waiting areas. The bill increases the federal share for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to fund improvements for pedestrian or bicyclist safety, safety of people with disabilities, and safe routes to school infrastructure. DOT must also carry out a safe routes to school program for the benefit of children in primary, middle, and high schools.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 2021
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2021 This bill allows a refundable tax credit equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent of the taxpayer. Qualified access technology is hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats useable by blind individuals. The credit is limited to (1) costs that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,000 per blind individual in any period of three consecutive taxable years. The credit must be adjusted for inflation after 2021 and terminates after 2026.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 2021
Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill modifies pay rates for federal employees in 2022. Specifically, the bill increases rates under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 2.2%, and increases locality pay by 1%.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2021
Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021 This bill establishes new requirements to expand the availability of information on domestic terrorism, as well as the relationship between domestic terrorism and hate crimes. It authorizes domestic terrorism components within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to monitor, analyze, investigate, and prosecute domestic terrorism. The domestic terrorism components of DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must jointly report on domestic terrorism, including white-supremacist-related incidents or attempted incidents. DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must review the anti-terrorism training and resource programs of their agencies that are provided to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. It creates an interagency task force to analyze and combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed services and federal law enforcement agencies. Finally, it directs the FBI to assign a special agent or hate crimes liaison to each field office to investigate hate crimes incidents with a nexus to domestic terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2021
Wear Your Mask Act This bill requires each federal agency to take action to ensure that an individual is required to wear a face mask inside a federal facility under its jurisdiction if the individual is within six feet of another individual to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Each agency shall make face masks available at each entrance to a federal facility at which such agency maintains a presence. The bill terminates such requirements when the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases determines, and publishes in the Federal Register a notification, that the requirement to wear a mask is no longer necessary to prevent such transmission.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2021
Delivering COVID-19 Vaccinations to All Regions and Vulnerable Communities Act of 2021 or the COVID-19 Delivery Act This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccination programs. At the request of a state or local government, FEMA must coordinate vaccination efforts. Specifically, FEMA must manage vaccine deliveries, set up vaccination centers, design communication systems and software applications, and develop a public education program on vaccine safety and availability. Additionally, HHS must carry out a program to increase vaccination rates to achieve herd immunity. As part of this program, HHS must temporarily collect data on COVID-19 vaccine administrations. Data collected under this program is subject to relevant privacy protections that apply to other health data. HHS must report on its activities on a daily or weekly basis. The CDC must also report on the effectiveness of state and local COVID-19 vaccination programs.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2021
Saving the Civil Service Act This bill nullifies the executive order titled Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service , which was issued on October 21, 2020. The order places executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new schedule in the excepted service (Schedule F) instead of the competitive service. The order also requires any such positions in the excepted service to be reclassified to Schedule F. The bill also specifically prohibits positions or appointments in the competitive service or the Senior Executive Service from being converted to the excepted service, and prohibits certain noncompetitive appointments that were reclassified or made under the executive order from subsequently acquiring competitive status.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2021
Preventing a Patronage System Act or the PPSA Act This bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in Schedules A through E as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. On October 21, 2020, the President issued an executive order titled Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service . The order places executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new schedule in the excepted service (Schedule F) instead of the competitive service. The order also requires any such positions in the excepted service to be reclassified to Schedule F.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2021
This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of Korean American Day and honors the 118th anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2021
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should ensure that the U.S. Postal Service is not privatized and remains an independent establishment of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2021
This resolution requires a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner of the House of Representatives to wear a mask in the Capitol complex until it is no longer recommended to do so by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also establishes a $1,000 fine for each violation of this requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2021
Big Cat Public Safety Act This bill revises requirements governing the trade of big cats (i.e., species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species). Specifically, it revises restrictions on the possession and exhibition of big cats, including to restrict direct contact between the public and big cats.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2021
Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from requiring payment from a veteran for any contraceptive item that is required to be covered by health insurance plans without a cost-sharing requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2021
This resolution expresses support for meeting key goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including achieving gender equality, ending extreme poverty, and improving public health. The resolution also states that the agenda's Sustainable Development Goals form a critical blueprint to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people can live in peace and prosperity by 2030.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2021
Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the imposition of a death penalty sentence for a violation of federal law. A person sentenced to death before enactment of this bill must be resentenced.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2021
This resolution impeaches President Donald John Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors. Specifically, the resolution sets forth two articles of impeachment. The first article states that President Trump abused the powers of the presidency by attempting to unlawfully overturn the results of Georgia's presidential election. The article specifies that President Trump, on a recorded call, repeatedly asked the Secretary of State of Georgia to overturn the verified results of the election and threatened consequences for a failure to do so. The second article states that President Trump abused the powers of the presidency by inciting violence and orchestrating an attempted coup. The article specifies that, on January 6, 2021, President Trump incited a crowd of supporters to attack the Capitol while Congress was in session to certify the results of the election. The article further specifies that, after those supporters had violently breached the Capitol, President Trump made a statement repeating his false claims of election fraud and expressing affection for the supporters. Both articles state that, by such conduct, President Trump warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification from holding U.S. office.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2021
This resolution impeaches President Donald John Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors. Specifically, the resolution sets forth an article of impeachment stating that President Trump incited an insurrection against the government of the United States. The article states that prior to the joint session of Congress held on January 6, 2021, to count the votes of the electoral college, President Trump repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the presidential election results were fraudulent and should not be accepted by the American people or certified by state or federal officials; shortly before the joint session commenced, President Trump reiterated false claims to a crowd near the White House and willfully made statements to the crowd that encouraged and foreseeably resulted in lawless action at the Capitol; members of the crowd, incited by President Trump, unlawfully breached and vandalized the Capitol and engaged in other violent, destructive, and seditious acts, including the killing of a law enforcement officer; President Trump's conduct on January 6, 2021, followed his prior efforts to subvert and obstruct the certification of the presidential election, which included a threatening phone call to the Secretary of State of Georgia on January 2, 2021; President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government, threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of government; and by such conduct, President Trump warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold U.S. office.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2021
This resolution calls upon Vice President Michael R. Pence (1) to immediately use his powers under section 4 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment to convene and mobilize the principal officers of the executive departments to declare that the President is unable to successfully discharge the duties and powers of his office, and (2) to transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House notice that he will be immediately assuming the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
Social Security Fairness Act of 2021 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security survivors' benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. These changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
Emmett Till Antilynching Act This bill specifies that an offense involving lynching is a hate crime act. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
Bringing Registered Apprenticeships to Veterans Education Act or the BRAVE Act This bill requires the Department of Labor, in the implementation of the Transition Assistance Program, to provide information concerning apprenticeship programs to members of the Armed Forces who are separating from active duty. The bill expands an existing monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 GI Bill by authorizing the stipend to be used for other purposes. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in coordination with Labor, must establish a publicly accessible and user-friendly website on which veterans can find specified information about apprenticeship programs that are approved under VA education benefit provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for admission into the United States of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The commonwealth shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the commonwealth. The bill applies current District laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings. The commonwealth (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. District territory excluded from the commonwealth shall be known as the Capital and shall be the seat of the federal government. The bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property. The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President. The bill continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, courts, and college tuition assistance, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over the authorities and responsibilities. The bill establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise the President, Congress, and District and commonwealth leaders on the transition.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission shall examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. The commission shall identify (1) the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, (2) forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and (3) lingering negative effects of slavery on living African Americans and society.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
For the People Act of 2021 This bill addresses voter access, election integrity and security, campaign finance, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill requires states to establish independent redistricting commissions to carry out congressional redistricting. Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. Further, the bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The bill addresses ethics in all three branches of government, including by requiring a code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices, prohibiting Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, and establishing additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for those offices to disclose 10 years of tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2021 This bill establishes measures to address global public health risks posed by wildlife markets, which are commercial markets that sell or slaughter wildlife for human consumption as food or medicine in communities where alternative nutritional or protein sources are available. Specifically, the bill prohibits importing, exporting, purchasing, or selling live wild animals in the United States for human consumption as food or medicine. The Department of the Interior must hire, train, and deploy at least 50 new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement attachés around the world, and the U.S. Agency for International Development must increase specified activities to address the threats and causes of zoonotic (animal-to-human transmission) disease outbreaks. Additionally, the United States must work with other United Nations member states to urge a global ban on commercial wildlife markets and enforcement of laws to end wildlife trafficking. Further, the President may impose sanctions against a foreign country or foreign nationals that the Department of State has determined are taking certain actions that enable or facilitate commercial wildlife markets. Among other reports required by the bill, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine must conduct a study and submit a report that includes an evaluation of (1) the impact that consumption of terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine has on the transmission of novel viral and other pathogens, (2) the role of consuming terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine in the transmission of microbes from animals to humans, and (3) the conditions at live wildlife markets that lead to this transmission.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2021
Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the imposition of a death penalty sentence for a violation of federal law. It eliminates statutory authority for the death penalty as a sentencing option for federal offenses. It also requires a person who was sentenced to death before enactment of this bill to be resentenced.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2020
This resolution declares that public transit benefits all Americans and is a national priority. It finds that prioritizing public transit requires the federal government to provide funding to public transit that is equal to the level of highway funding.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2020
Keeping All Students Safe Act This bill prohibits the use of seclusion and limits the use of physical restraint in schools and Head Start programs that receive federal funding. It also establishes enforcement provisions, including a private right of action for a student who has been subjected to unlawful seclusion or restraint, and creates a grant program for state educational agencies to implement the procedures required by the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2020
This resolution congratulates the National Urban League on its 110 years of service and commends its efforts to continue addressing systemic racism and economic inequality and fighting for the rights of all Americans to live with freedom, dignity, and prosperity.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2020
This resolution urges the United States to uphold its commitments under U.S. law and international treaties related to asylum seekers and also urges the Department of Homeland Security to stop detentions for legitimate asylum seekers. The resolution also calls on the government of Cameroon to respect the fundamental rights of its citizens.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2020
This resolution supports the naming of new or undedicated Department of Veterans Affairs facilities after women veterans and minority veterans to reflect the diversity of all who have served in the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2020
Analyzing Kinetic Impact Projectiles Against Americans Act of 2020 This bill requires a study on injuries caused by kinetic impact projectiles. These include rubber and plastic bullets, bean bag rounds, and other projectiles commonly used for crowd control. The Department of Health and Human Services must, within 30 days, enter an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct the study.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2020
This resolution acknowledges that same-sex couples rely upon court cases that uphold protections for same-sex couples and recognizes that all Americans should be treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2020
Saving the Civil Service Act This bill nullifies the executive order titled Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service , which was issued on October 21, 2020. The order places executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, in the excepted service instead of the competitive service.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2020
Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities to support research on and facilitate access to investigational drugs that diagnose or treat ALS. The Food and Drug Administration shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other severely debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. HHS shall also establish the Collaborative for Neurodegenerative Diseases, which shall support the development and regulatory approval of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2020
This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide grants to certain entities, including the academic community and seafood industry, to conduct research on the conservation, restoration, or management of oysters in estuarine ecosystems. Grant awards may not exceed 85% of the research project's total cost unless NOAA waives such requirement. Additionally, NOAA must ensure that grant funding is apportioned according to the historic baseline (i.e., the estimated population of oysters in an estuary in 1850) oyster population of each estuary of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2020
Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2020 This bill implements various ocean-based policies, programs, and goals to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including by establishing the Blue Carbon Program to further conservation objectives for fish and wildlife habitat conservation and restoration and coastal resilience.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2020
This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' affirmation of and commitment to the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme on the occasion of its being awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2020
This bill nullifies a September 22, 2020, executive order prohibiting government contractors and other entities from conducting specified workplace training related to race or sex.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2020
Emergency Social Security COLA for 2021 Act This bill applies a 3% cost-of-living increase to Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payable in calendar year 2021. The bill also disregards this increase for purposes of determining an individual's eligibility for federally funded, means-tested programs.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020
Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2020 This bill establishes measures to address global public health risks posed by wildlife markets, which are commercial markets that sell or slaughter wildlife for human consumption as food or medicine in communities where alternative nutritional or protein sources are available. Specifically, the bill prohibits importing, exporting, purchasing, or selling live wild animals in the United States for human consumption as food or medicine. The Department of the Interior must hire, train, and deploy at least 50 new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement attachés around the world, and the U.S. Agency for International Development must increase specified activities to address the threats and causes of zoonotic (animal-to-human transmission) disease outbreaks. Additionally, the United States must work with other United Nations member states to urge a global ban on commercial wildlife markets and enforcement of laws to end wildlife trafficking. Further, the President may impose sanctions against a foreign country or foreign nationals that the Department of State has determined are taking certain actions that enable or facilitate commercial wildlife markets. Among other reports required by the bill, the State Department must conduct a study and submit a report that includes an evaluation of (1) the impact that consumption of terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine has on the transmission of novel viral and other pathogens, (2) the role of consuming terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine in the transmission of microbes from animals to humans, and (3) the conditions at live wildlife markets that lead to this transmission.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2020
This resolution condemns the performance of unwanted, unnecessary medical procedures on individuals without their informed consent and recognizes the need for additional accountability, oversight, and transparency to protect individuals from such medical procedures while they are in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It also calls on the Department of Homeland Security to fully cooperate with investigations about, and take other actions related to, medical procedures in one of its detention centers.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2020
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain and place in National Statuary Hall a statue or bust of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020
Jobs and Justice Act of 2020 This bill addresses a wide variety of domestic policy matters and focuses on economically distressed communities, opportunities for minorities and the disadvantaged, and civil rights enforcement. Included in the programs and requirements affected are those concerning the following areas: workforce development, including job training and wage standards; economic development, including through assistance to minority businesses; antipoverty measures, including programs to specifically address child poverty and persistent poverty; housing and savings matters, including housing affordability, discrimination, homelessness assistance, tenant protections, public housing funding, home ownership and foreclosure mitigation, and lead-safe housing; savings and consumer finance, including financial literacy and lending discrimination; public contracting; infrastructure development; job training for youth and older Americans; veterans' and military family benefits; health care coverage and access, including Medicare and Medicaid coverage; small business investment and commercial investment in underserved areas, including through tax benefits; elementary and secondary education, including education of girls and minorities and teacher preparation; higher education access, including through community college attendance; science, technology, and information security education; law enforcement officer conduct, resources and administration, juvenile justice, sentencing procedures, hate crimes, correctional facilities, and firearms sales and possession; election administration and voting rights; and environmental, agriculture, and energy matters, including climate change, environmental justice, and energy efficiency and transition to alternative and renewable resources.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020
Air Carrier Worker Support Extension Act of 2020 This bill extends authority for the Department of the Treasury to provide financial assistance to passenger air carriers, cargo air carriers, and contractors of passenger air carriers for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits. The maximum amounts of financial assistance that may be provided by Treasury for this purpose are $25.5 billion for passenger air carriers, $300 million for cargo air carriers, and $3 billion for contractors . The bill provides specific deadlines and procedures under which Treasury must provide financial assistance to air carriers and contractors. To be eligible for financial assistance, an air carrier or contractor must (1) agree not to reduce pay and benefits or conduct involuntary furloughs until March 31, 2021; and (2) agree, through March 31, 2022, not to repurchase stock, pay dividends, or make other capital distributions. Additionally, Treasury may require carriers that receive assistance to maintain service to points served before March 1, 2020. Such authority terminates on April 1, 2022. The bill limits the maximum allowable compensation of an officer or employee of an air carrier or contractor that receives assistance.
![Official portrait of Rep. Brown, Anthony G. [D-MD-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001304_200.jpg)