United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2020
Emergency Assistance for Safe Elections Act or the EASE Act This bill directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to make payments to assist states with administering elections during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. Further, it establishes a specified technology committee and unit within the EAC to address the security of election technology. It also makes a state ineligible to receive certain funding for elections unless it generally prohibits the knowing collection and transmission of a ballot in a federal election that was mailed to another person (commonly referred to as ballot harvesting).
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Strengthening Behavioral Health Supports for Schools Act of 2020 This bill establishes the Center for School Behavioral Health Technical Assistance within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to provide technical assistance and training, collect data, support research, and disseminate best practices on evidence-based mental health and substance use disorder services in schools and school systems.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Help Independent Tracks Succeed Act or the HITS Act This bill permits taxpayers to treat as currently deductible expenses the cost of qualified sound recording productions not exceeding $150,000 in a taxable year. The bill defines qualified sound recording production as certain sound recordings produced and recorded in the United States.
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 · 23 July 2020
Long-Term Care Pharmacy Definition Act of 2020 This bill establishes a statutory definition for long-term care pharmacy under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Currently, there is no statutory definition. Regulations from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) define a long-term care pharmacy as a pharmacy that is owned by or under contract with a long-term care facility to provide prescription drugs to the facility's residents. Additional requirements are set out in CMS guidance relating to the Medicare prescription drug benefit; pharmacies are also subject to regulations and guidance from other agencies (e.g., packaging requirements from the Food and Drug Administration). The bill defines a long-term care pharmacy as a state-licensed pharmacy that is able to provide enhanced pharmacy and clinical services to individuals who have certain comorbid and medically complex chronic conditions and who reside in skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, or any other applicable setting (as determined by the CMS). The term enhanced pharmacy and clinical services includes medication dispensed in special packaging, drug utilization review, and 24-7 availability of medication delivery and on-call pharmacists.
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
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 · 13 July 2020
Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2020 This bill makes changes to the administration and management of the Strategic National Stockpile. Among these changes, the bill authorizes through September 30, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to transfer supplies from the stockpile to any federal departments or agencies under certain conditions. HHS must also ensure the contents of the stockpile remain in working order and may enter into maintenance service contracts to carry out this requirement. Furthermore, as part of its management of the stockpile, HHS must establish and maintain domestic reserves of certain supplies, including through purchases, leases, or joint ventures to access facilities and equipment to produce these supplies. The authority for such purchases, leases, or joint ventures terminates on September 30, 2023. Additionally, the bill temporarily authorizes HHS to award grants to states for maintaining stockpiles of certain equipment and supplies for use during public health emergencies. HHS must also develop transparent processes for the use and distribution of supplies from the stockpile that address, for example, the prioritization of requests. Additionally, during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response must report monthly on requests for supplies from states, tribes, and other jurisdictions. These reports must include the rationale for any partially fulfilled or denied requests. Lastly, the Government Accountability Office must study the feasibility of establishing user fees to offset costs for procuring single-source materials for, and distributing such materials from, the stockpile.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020
State Stockpile Readiness Act of 2020 This bill temporarily authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award matching grants to states for expanding or maintaining stockpiles of commercially available medical equipment and supplies for use during public health emergencies.
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 · 25 June 2020
Proportional Reviews for Broadband Deployment Act This bill excludes certain wireless facility modification requests from specified review requirements. Specifically, the bill excludes from specified environmental and historic preservation review any request for modification of an existing wireless tower or base station that involves (1) collocation of new transmission equipment, (2) removal of transmission equipment, or (3) replacement of transmission equipment.
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
Limiting Infant Fatality and Empowering Nonprofit Organization Workforces or the LIFE NOW Act This bill modifies the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill expands the program to encompass any nonprofit organization regardless of size, and it strikes the affiliation requirements applicable to nonprofit organizations and veterans organizations. The bill also makes any entity that provides abortions ineligible to receive a paycheck protection loan. An exception is allowed for abortions performed at hospitals or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or endangers the life of the mother.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 111 James Street in Reidsville, Georgia, as the "Senator Jack Hill Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
Advancing Facial Recognition Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to study and report on the impact of facial recognition on U.S. businesses conducting interstate commerce. Such study shall involve, among other things, (1) listing industry sectors that develop and use facial recognition technology and public-private partnerships focused on promoting the adoption and use of such technology, (2) establishing a list of federal agencies asserting jurisdiction over such industry sectors and entities, (3) assessing risks and trends in the marketplace and supply chain of facial recognition technology, and (4) identifying potential harms to individuals related to the use of such technology. Commerce must report to Congress the results of such study and any recommendations to promote the adoption of facial recognition technology.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
Manufacturing API, Drugs, and Excipients in America Act of 2020 or the MADE in America Act of 2020 This bill establishes a tax credit for taxpayers engaged in medical production activities in certain areas and contains other provisions related to pharmaceuticals. An eligible taxpayer may claim a tax credit equal to 30% of qualified expenditures related to the production of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or other related items in a designated qualified opportunity zone with a poverty rate higher than 30%. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration shall continue a program to evaluate new drug manufacturing technologies included in an application for approval of a drug or biological product. The bill imposes various requirements on this program, including deadlines for evaluating such a technology. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Human Services shall establish or expand programs to promote regulatory consistency and cooperation with drug regulatory authorities in other countries.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
Expanding Medical Partnerships with Israel to Lessen Dependence on China Act or the EMPIL-DOC Act This bill authorizes a bilateral grant program with Israel to develop health technologies, with an emphasis on the use of technology, personalized medicine, and data in relation to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Technologies to be developed through this program include, among others, artificial intelligence, respiratory assist devices, and diagnostic tests. In addition, the program conditions funding on a matching contribution from the government of Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2020
This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress on the actions of the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to the spread of the virus responsible for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The report shall address topics including (1) the failures of the WHO to address the spread of the virus, (2) the extent to which the WHO withheld information from United Nations member states, and (3) the relationship between the WHO and China.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2020
Limit Ongoing Shortages and Stabilize Supply Act of 2020 or the LOSS Act of 2020 This bill addresses drug shortages, including by requiring drug manufacturers to conduct risk assessments and implement risk-mitigation plans with respect to such shortages.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2020
This bill provides $50 billion in FY2020 supplemental appropriations for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support agricultural producers impacted by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. The supplemental appropriations are designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. USDA may not apply any payment limitations to payments made to producers using funding provided by this bill, except to ensure that the total payments made to producers do not exceed the total damages related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2020
This concurrent resolution establishes the Joint Select Committee on the Events and Activities Surrounding China's Handling of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus to investigate and report to Congress and the executive branch, including recommendations on the origins and causes of the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19); certain coronavirus-related policies, decisions, and activities by the government of China; accountability for policies, decisions, and activities related to influencing the World Health Organization's response to the coronavirus outbreak; vulnerabilities in the U.S. domestic and global supply chain to combat a global pandemic due to reliance on Chinese manufacturing; information related to lessons learned from China's handling of the coronavirus; and actions the federal government should take in response to China's handling of the coronavirus.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2020
Combating Pandemic Scams Act of 2020 This bill requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in consultation with relevant agencies, to inform the public about mail, telemarketing, and internet scams related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The FTC must establish a national database for such information and must also disseminate information on how to report COVID-19-related scams to the appropriate agency.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2020
Immediate Relief for Rural Facilities and Providers Act of 2020 This bill establishes grant programs and other forms of financial assistance for health care providers in response to the national emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill establishes (1) a grant program to provide emergency assistance to critical access hospitals, certain rural hospitals, and providers participating in Medicare; (2) a grant program to provide emergency assistance to health care practices and ambulatory surgery centers for staff salaries; and (3) a loan program to provide low-interest loans to health care practices and ambulatory surgery centers. The bill also temporarily increases reimbursements to rural hospitals under the Medicare swing-bed program. (The program allows rural hospitals to use beds, as needed, for either acute care or skilled nursing facility care.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2020
Trillion Trees Act This bills establishes requirements and incentives to plant trees and conduct other land management practices for the purposes of capturing and storing carbon.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2020
This resolution expresses support for Australia, as well as greater collaboration between the United States and Australia to promote wildfire mitigation and prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2020
This resolution states that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is unable to perform an essential part of her administrative duties and is consequently incapacitated. Furthermore, such incapacity creates a vacancy in the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2019
This bill prohibits the Fish and Wildlife Service from awarding specified wildlife conservation grants to entities that fund or support certain persons or entities that are credibly alleged to have committed gross human rights violations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2019
Jimmy Carter National Historical Park Redesignation Act This bill redesignates the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Georgia as the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2019
Combating Online Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2019 This bill requires (1) the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking to develop recommendations and establish a working group to address wildlife trafficking online and on social media, and (2) the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to create a strategy for engaging with internet and social media companies to address wildlife trafficking on their platforms.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2019
Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2019 This bill establishes and modifies several requirements to address prescription drug prices under Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs. The bill generally limits payment amounts for drugs and biologics under Medicare medical services, reduces cost-sharing under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, modifies certain authorities and requirements under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, revises provisions relating to regulatory approval and commercial availability of generics and biosimilars, and establishes several reporting requirements for drug manufacturers with respect to drug prices.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2019
Public Health Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to (1) update its public health data systems; and (2) provide grants to state and local public health agencies to increase collaboration and information sharing in support of disease and health condition detection and public health emergency preparedness, among other objectives.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2019
Know Your Social Security Act This bill requires the Social Security Administration to provide Social Security account statements by mail to each individual who is 25 or older and who is eligible for, but not currently receiving, Social Security retirement benefits. Individuals may choose to receive their account statements electronically.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2019
Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act of 2019 This bill requires pass-through pricing models, and prohibits spread-pricing, for payment arrangements with pharmacy benefit managers under Medicaid. The bill also extends funding for retail pharmacy surveys and requires additional information with respect to price concessions, dispensing fees, and survey participation to be made publicly available.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2019
This resolution reaffirms the commitment of the United States to Israel's security and expresses support for Israel's right to defend itself against terrorist groups. The resolution also expresses concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2019
Patients' Right to Know Their Medication Act of 2019 This bill directs the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the authorship, content, format, color, printing, and dissemination of patient medication information that is required to be in the labeling of prescription drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2019
Birth Access Benefiting Improved Essential Facility Services Act or the BABIES Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish a Medicaid demonstration program to improve freestanding birth center services for women with low-risk pregnancies. Among other things, the CMS must (1) publish criteria for freestanding birth centers to participate in the program, including specified accreditation, licensure, and service requirements; (2) publish guidance for states to establish prospective payment systems under Medicaid for program participants; and (3) award planning grants for states to develop program proposals. The CMS may choose up to six states to participate in the program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2019
Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act of 2019 or the Helping MOMS Act of 2019 This bill allows states to provide one year of postpartum coverage under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). (Current law requires 60 days of postpartum coverage.) Additionally, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission must report on specified information relating to coverage of doula services under state Medicaid programs, including coverage barriers and recommendations for improvement.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2019
Medication Access and Training Expansion Act of 2019 or the MATE Act of 2019 This bill requires prescribers of controlled substances, as a condition of obtaining or renewing their registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration, to complete specified education or training on the prevention, treatment, and management of opioid-use and other substance-use disorders. This education and training shall also satisfy the training requirements currently needed to obtain waivers to prescribe certain medication-assisted treatments for opioid-use disorders in settings other than opioid treatment programs.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2019
Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2019 This bill establishes several requirements for prescription drug plans under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Specifically, the bill requires prescription drug plans to allow any pharmacy located in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area to be included as an in-network pharmacy if the plan already has other in-network pharmacies in the same area. The bill also establishes certain standards for prescription drug plans regarding pharmacy reimbursements and related disclosures. Among other things, the bill prohibits prescription drug plans from reimbursing a pharmacy in an amount that is less than the amount the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) reimburses an affiliated pharmacy (i.e., a pharmacy that has a shared ownership interest with the PBM) for the same services.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2019
This bill establishes additional requirements for prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors that use formularies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Specifically, the bill requires PDP formularies to include covered generic drugs and biosimilars for which the wholesale acquisition cost is less than that of the reference (i.e., brand-name) product. PDP sponsors must also establish specific cost-sharing tiers that apply lower cost-sharing requirements for such covered generic drugs and biosimilars as compared to those for brand-name products. The bill also prohibits PDP sponsors from instituting certain requirements relating to access to such covered generic drugs and biosimilars that are more restrictive than those for brand-name products (e.g., prior authorization requirements).
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2019
General James N. Mattis Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to General James N. Mattis in recognition of his distinguished military career. Following the award, the medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for display as appropriate and made available for research. The U.S. Mint may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2019
Patient Navigation Assistance Act This bill requires state Medicaid programs to cover patient navigator services. Patient navigators help individuals who are seeking prevention and treatment services for chronic diseases (e.g., cancer) to access appropriate services, obtain relevant information, and otherwise navigate the health care system.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2019
Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act This bill limits which orphan drugs may be granted a market exclusivity period by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (Generally, an orphan drug is one that is not economically viable because of the rarity of the disease that it treats; the sponsor of an FDA-designated orphan drug may be granted various incentives, such as a seven-year period in which the FDA may not grant market approval to a different sponsor for the same drug to treat the same disease.) Specifically, when determining whether to grant an exclusivity period to a drug that has orphan status due to low expected sales, the FDA shall consider the sales of all drugs from the sponsor that have the same core molecule or ion that is responsible for the drug's physiological or pharmacological action.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2019
Countering Turkish Aggression Act of 2019 This bill directs the President to impose sanctions related to Turkey. The President shall impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on (1) specified officials of Turkey's government, such as the president and vice president of Turkey; (2) any foreign person that knowingly sells to, provides support to, or conducts a transaction with Turkey's armed forces; and (3) any foreign person that supplies goods or services that support petroleum production for use by Turkey's armed forces. The President may temporarily stop the application of such sanctions upon certifying to Congress that Turkey (1) is not operating in certain parts of Syria without U.S. support, and (2) has withdrawn its troops and Turkey-supported rebel groups from occupied areas. The President shall impose additional sanctions on Turkey based on Turkey's purchase of a surface-to-air defense system from Russia. No funds may be obligated or expended to transfer to Turkey's armed forces any U.S. defense articles, services, or technology.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
National World War II Memorial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia. The design of the coins shall be emblematic of the memorial and the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during World War II. All surcharges received from the sale of such coins shall be paid to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the memorial, and for educational and commemorative programs.
![Official portrait of Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001103_200.jpg)