United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2021
Health Freedom for All Act This bill prohibits the Department of Labor from issuing an emergency temporary occupational safety or health standard requiring employers to ensure that their employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine or undergo COVID-19 testing.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2021
This resolution recognizes the cultural and historical significance of the Hmong New Year and wishes Hmong Americans and all individuals who observe this holiday a happy new year.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2021
Foreign Robocall Elimination Act This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish an interagency task force to study the most effective ways to combat unlawful robocalls made into the United States from foreign sources.
United States · United States Congress · 3 September 2021
Curriculum Review of Teachings Transparency Act or the CRT Transparency Act This bill requires a local educational agency, in order to receive certain federal education grants, to post on a publicly accessible website the curriculum for each grade level of its elementary and secondary schools.
United States · United States Congress · 31 August 2021
Teleabortion Prevention Act of 2021 This bill restricts the use of telehealth for chemical abortions (also known as medication abortions). Specifically, it requires a provider who dispenses or prescribes medication for a chemical abortion to physically examine the patient, be physically present at the location of the chemical abortion, and schedule a follow-up visit. The bill provides an exception for a chemical abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, injury, or condition. The bill establishes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both—for a provider who does not comply with the requirements. A patient who undergoes a chemical abortion may not be prosecuted.
United States · United States Congress · 31 August 2021
This bill posthumously provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of the 13 service members who died on August 26, 2021, while stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan.
United States · United States Congress · 23 August 2021
Open Schools Responsibly Act This bill limits civil liability for elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education relating to any harm arising from exposure to, or infection by, COVID-19 suffered by a student, employee, or visitor. Specifically, a school or institution shall not be liable for such harm if the school or institution was in compliance with applicable state requirements. However, a school or institution may be liable for acts or omissions that constitute willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed.
United States · United States Congress · 20 August 2021
Afghanistan Accountability Act This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on certain foreign persons, such as Taliban officials, and requires reports related to Afghanistan. The President must impose asset- and visa-blocking sanctions on any foreign person who (1) is an official, agent, or instrumentality of the Taliban; (2) has acted to undermine democratic institutions or threaten the stability of Afghanistan; (3) has acted to limit or penalize freedom of expression in Afghanistan, particularly the freedom of expression of women; (4) has committed serious human rights abuses in Afghanistan; or (5) operates in the mining sector in Afghanistan. The sanctions also apply to certain immediate relatives of such persons and those who provide material support to such persons. The bill also requires reports to Congress on (1) the intelligence provided to the President and policymakers prior to and concerning the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, (2) whether the Taliban meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization, and (3) human rights violations by the Taliban against individuals who supported U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.
United States · United States Congress · 17 August 2021
Empowering Local Curriculum Act This bill specifies that nothing in federal education law shall be construed to require the use, teaching, promotion, or recommendation of any academic discipline, program, or activity that holds certain principles related to race or sex.
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2021
Bringing Enhanced Treatments and Therapies to ESRD Recipients Kidney Care Act or the BETTER Kidney Care Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish a demonstration program for Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Under the program, renal dialysis facilities, kidney disease specialists, physician practices, and other health care practitioners may form an organization that partners with certain health care entities to provide integrated care to beneficiaries with ESRD. Such care must include all covered Medicare benefits as well as transition services for transplantations, palliative care, and hospice. Each organization must have a minimum number or percentage of participating beneficiaries (350 or 60% of beneficiaries served at the organization's facilities) and must also comply with certain fiscal, governance, and quality of care requirements. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must study certain data that is reported to the CMS regarding pediatric dialysis care, as well as the effects of race-based corrections to a specified kidney function test on referrals of ESRD patients for transplant evaluations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2021
Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls Act of 2021 or the DO NOT Call Act of 2021 This bill increases and establishes criminal penalties, which include imprisonment for up to one year, for an intentional violation of the prohibition on automated telephone marketing and messaging. In addition, a person may be imprisoned for up to three years for an aggravated violation of such prohibition if the person (1) previously has been convicted of such an offense, (2) initiates a certain high volume of such calls during specified periods of time, (3) commits the offense in the furtherance of a felony, or (4) causes losses of at least $5,000 during any one year period to one or more persons. The bill also increases from $10,000 to $20,000 the fine for intentionally transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller identification information.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2021
Federal Insurance Office Elimination Act This bill eliminates the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) within the Department of the Treasury. The bill also removes the FIO director as a nonvoting member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Combating the Persecution of Christians in China Act This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should promote religious freedom in China and makes statements of policy related to such freedom. In particular, the bill states that it is U.S. policy to consider senior Chinese government officials who are responsible for the persecution of Christians in China to have committed (1) a gross violation of internationally recognized human rights for the purpose of imposing certain sanctions, and (2) a particularly severe violation of religious freedom for the purpose of determining whether such an individual is admissible into the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution This concurrent resolution requires the congressional budget committees to conduct an annual joint hearing to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General regarding (1) the Government Accountability Office's audit of the financial statement of the executive branch, and (2) the financial position and condition of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Interstate Milk Freedom Act of 2021 This bill prohibits federal regulation of the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk or milk products packaged for direct human consumption under specified circumstances. Specifically, the prohibition applies if such products (1) would be considered in violation of federal law solely because they are unpasteurized; (2) are allowed by the state of origin to be distributed for direct human consumption by any means; (3) are produced, packaged, and moved in compliance with the laws of such state; and (4) are moved from the state of origin with the intent to transport them to another state that allows the distribution of such products for direct human consumption.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Criminal Alien Removal Clarification Act of 2021 This bill subjects to deportation an alien who at any time after admission has been convicted of a felony or two misdemeanors under state or federal law. Currently, an alien is subject to deportation for a single conviction for certain felonies (such as an aggravated felony), two or more convictions for crimes involving moral turpitude, or being a drug addict.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
No CRT for our Military Kids Act This bill prohibits funding for the Department of Defense Education Activity from being used to (1) teach critical race theory in any school operated by the activity, or (2) develop or distribute any curriculum that incorporates critical race theory.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act This bill relaxes requirements that allow entities with a special wage certificate to pay subminimum wages to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the bill eliminates a requirement that an individual with disabilities who is younger than 24 receive pre-employment transition services and meet specified vocational rehabilitation criteria before beginning subminimum wage work. The bill also relaxes career counseling and service referral requirements that apply to an individual with disabilities who is paid at a subminimum wage. Current law requires an entity to ensure that an individual employed by the entity at a subminimum wage receives periodic career counseling, information, and referrals to employment-related supports and resources in the area provided by the designated state agency. Under the bill, this requirement is satisfied if the employer makes documented effort to contact the state agency for those resources on behalf of the employee and the state agency fails to respond.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Workplace Choice and Flexibility for Individuals with Disabilities Act This bill modifies the definition of competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, particularly with respect to (1) types of workplace interactions, and (2) payment for employment under certain contracts. Current law provides for certain resources to assist individuals with disabilities in securing or maintaining competitive integrated employment.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Consumer Financial Protection Commission Act This bill removes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from the Federal Reserve System, converts the bureau into an independent commission, and modifies its leadership structure. Specifically, the bill eliminates the positions of director and deputy director and establishes a five-person commission appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
UNRWA Accountability and Transparency Act This bill makes changes to U.S. foreign policy in matters concerning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). For purposes of this policy, the bill defines Palestinian refugee as a person who (1) resided from June 1946 to May 1948 in Mandatory Palestine (a region controlled by Britain until 1948), (2) was personally displaced as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, and (3) has not accepted citizenship or other permanent adjustment in status in another country. The bill withholds U.S. funding for the UNRWA unless the Department of State makes certifications concerning the UNRWA's staff, partners, and funding. Specifically, the State Department must certify that neither UNRWA staff and partners nor its funding and facilities are affiliated with terrorism or engaged in the dissemination of anti-American, anti-Israel, or anti-Semitic ideologies. Additionally, the State Department must certify that the UNRWA is subject to comprehensive financial audits by an independent auditing firm and is unaffiliated with any financial institutions that the United States considers to be complicit in money laundering or terror financing. The bill also requires the State Department to implement a plan to encourage other countries to align their activities and efforts regarding the UNRWA with U.S. policy objectives, including the phase out of the UNRWA by resettling Palestinian refugees in countries other than Israel and in territories not controlled by Israel. The State Department must report to Congress on this plan.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
Say No to Indoctrination Act This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to teach or advance concepts that separate individuals based on race, color, or national origin; assign characteristics to individuals based on race, color, or national origin; or imply that the United States is an inherently racist country.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2021
Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 This bill sets out programs and otherwise directs the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to carry out activities to prevent and treat malnutrition globally. Specifically, the USAID must leverage resources to address malnutrition through the Global Nutrition Coordination Plan (an interagency effort to strengthen the impact of U.S. investments in nutrition) and its role on the board of directors of the International Development Finance Corporation. The USAID must also select countries based on specified malnutrition-related indicators for purposes of targeting malnutrition prevention and treatment programs and update the selection within five years. Additionally, the USAID may establish the Nutrition Leadership Council to coordinate activities to prevent and treat malnutrition across the agency; target resources and nutrition interventions to the populations most susceptible to severe malnutrition and otherwise support efforts to prevent and treat malnutrition globally; and coordinate activities among partner countries, United Nations agencies, civil society, private sector actors, and others to, for example, build capacity in partner countries to sustain nutrition interventions. The bill also requires the USAID to provide to Congress an implementation plan and annual reports concerning its programs for treating and preventing malnutrition. The bill's provisions terminate seven years after its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2021
This resolution applauds and expresses support for the continued cooperation between the United States and the European Union in thwarting Hezbollah's terrorist activities. It also urges the European Union to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2021
Resilient Federal Forests Act This bill modifies and sets forth provisions regarding forest management activities on National Forest System, public, and tribal lands. The bill provides for, among other things the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Interior to conduct fireshed management projects in fireshed management areas, certain categorical exclusions for various purposes, the balancing of the short- and long-term effects of forest management activities while considering injunctive relief, USDA and Interior to establish their own discretionary arbitration pilot programs as an alternative dispute resolution process for forest management activities, increasing the maximum term for a stewardship end result contract to 20 years, demonstration projects to support the development and commercialization of biochar on Indian forest lands or rangelands and in nearby communities by providing reliable supplies of feedstock from federal lands, the decommissioning of certain Forest Service Roads within designated high fire-prone areas, repealing of the Eastside Screens requirements on National Forest System lands, making the Northwest Forest Plan Survey and Manage Mitigation Measure Standards and Guidelines inapplicable to any National Forest System lands or public lands, development of a protection plan for giant sequoia trees on National Forest System lands and public lands, and permanent rights of access to the Oregon and California Railroad grant lands and the Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands for private landowners issued reciprocal road rights-of-way.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2021
Certainty for General Aviation Pilots Act of 2021 This bill deems that individuals who provide flight instruction or testing (including phased testing of experimental aircraft) are not operating an aircraft carrying persons or property for hire. Under current law, individuals must generally obtain a regulatory exemption or other authority to deviate from regulatory requirements to provide compensated flight training or testing.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2021
Balancing the Rights Of Web Surfers Equally and Responsibly Act of 2021 or the BROWSER Act of 2021 This bill establishes information privacy protections that require broadband internet access services and certain websites or mobile applications to provide users with the ability to opt-in or opt-out of the using, disclosing, or accessing of their user information depending on the sensitivity of the information. Covered service providers must provide opt-in approval through express user consent to use sensitive information such as financial data, health information, browsing history, or other specified personally identifiable information. Such service providers must obtain opt-out approval for the use of non-sensitive user information by a user failing to object to such use after being provided notice of the provider's privacy policies. Service providers also must allow users to opt-in or opt-out of such approval at any time. The bill permits service providers to use and disclose user information without approval for specified purposes, including for services necessary for provision of the service and to initiate, render, bill, and collect for the service. The bill further prohibits providers from conditioning access to service on users' agreeing to waive their privacy rights.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2021
Restoring Military Focus Act This bill eliminates the position of Chief Diversity Officer within the Department of Defense (DOD), as well as the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within the military departments. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds to establish similar positions to that of Chief Diversity Officer or Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2021
Responsible Borrowing Act of 2021 This bill authorizes institutions of higher education (IHEs) to prorate or limit the amount of a Federal Direct Loan that an enrolled student may borrow for an academic year. The bill specifies the factors that an IHE may use to limit these loans. These factors include the average starting salary for typical occupations pursued by graduates of the program, the enrollment status of the student (i.e., full- or part-time enrollment), the credential level of the program (e.g., degree or certificate), and the year of the program for which the student is seeking the loan. Upon request of a student whose loan has been prorated or limited, an IHE may increase the amount of the loan within otherwise applicable limits if the student demonstrates special circumstances or exceptional need.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2021
Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the award of federal funds to an institution of higher education (IHE) that hosts or is affiliated with a school-based service site that provides abortion drugs or abortions to its students or to employees of the IHE or the site. An IHE that hosts or is affiliated with a site must, in order to remain eligible for federal funds, annually certify that the site does not provide abortion drugs or abortions to students or employees.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2021
This bill permits a borrower to discharge in bankruptcy a nonprofit, government, or private student loan, or an obligation to repay an educational benefit, scholarship, or stipend.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2021
Value in Health Care Act of 2021 This bill makes a series of changes to certain methodologies and components used in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The program enables accountable care organizations (ACOs) to receive payments for savings stemming from care coordination and management. Among other changes, the bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to increase the shared savings rate for participating ACOs, as specified, and to establish a program that assists ACOs with start-up and operational costs of participation. The bill also extends certain incentive payments for health professionals who participate in eligible alternative payment models. The Government Accountability Office must report on health outcomes and racial disparities among beneficiaries who receive care from providers under alternative payment models compared to beneficiaries who receive care from providers under the traditional fee-for-service system.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2021
Entrepreneurs Need Timely Replenishment (for) Eating Establishments Act or the ENTRÉE Act This bill provides FY2021 supplemental appropriations for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and modifies requirements related to administration of the fund. The fund was established in response to COVID-19 to make grants to eligible food and beverage purveyors for covering specified costs such as payroll, operational expenses, and paid sick leave. The bill correspondingly rescinds unobligated amounts previously made available for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds. Further, the bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to (1) review and process grant applications in the order in which they are received; (2) impose requirements on applicants that reduce waste, fraud, and abuse; and (3) submit and report monthly on an oversight and audit plan outlining the SBA's policies, procedures, and activities with respect to these grants.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2021
Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to permit a Member of Congress (upon request) to use a VA facility to meet with constituents. The VA and the General Services Administration must jointly identify available spaces in VA facilities for such purposes. The VA must prescribe regulations regarding such use of a VA facility by a Member of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2021
Securing the Homeland from International Entrants with Life-threatening Diseases Act or the SHIELD Act This bill suspends for one year the admission and parole into the United States of certain categories of individuals who are from or were recently in a country that fails to meet certain criteria related to COVID-19. This restriction applies to certain individuals entering the United States from Mexico or Canada through a port of entry or U.S. Border Patrol station and (1) whose country of origin has not been categorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a low-risk country for COVID-19, or (2) who was in such a country at any time in the 30 days before arriving in the United States. The bill exempts certain individuals from this restriction, including U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, members of the Armed Forces, and persons from a foreign country who arrive at a designated port of entry with valid travel documents. The Department of Homeland Security shall transport barred individuals to a foreign location, such as an individual's country of origin, to the extent practicable.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2021
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides essential protection for our country from foreign and domestic threats and that defunding DHS would be detrimental to our national security.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2021
Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2021 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2021 This bill prohibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurance plans from discriminating against health providers participating in the 340B drug pricing program, including pharmacies contracted with such providers to dispense 340B drugs. The 340B program allows certain providers to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices from manufacturers. Specifically, PBMs and insurance plans may not reimburse 340B participants at a lower rate than other entities not participating in the program; impose differing terms (such as fees, charge-backs, or audits) on 340B participants; interfere with an individual's choice to receive drugs from a 340B participant; require 340B participants to identify which drugs fall within the program; or refuse to contract with a 340B participant on the basis that they utilize the program. Violations of this bill are subject to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 per violation per day. These prohibitions also apply to prescription drug (Part D) sponsors under Medicare. The bill also provides for a process to prevent duplicate 340B drug discounts to states under Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2021
Cancer Drug Parity Act of 20 21 This bill requires group health plans that cover anticancer medications administered by a health care provider to provide no less favorable cost sharing for patient-administered anticancer medications. This requirement applies to medications that are (1) approved by the Food and Drug Administration; (2) medically necessary for the cancer treatment; and (3) clinically appropriate in terms of type, frequency, extent site, and duration. To comply with this requirement, plans may not, with respect to anticancer medications (1) change or replace benefits to increase out-of-pocket costs, (2) reclassify benefits to increase costs, or (3) apply more restrictive limitations to orally administered medications than to intravenously administered or injected medications.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2021
This resolution expresses the sense that welfare programs discourage marriage and hurt the institution of the family. It also supports action to review and change governmental programs, tax credits, or policies that financially penalize married couples as opposed to unmarried individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2021
The bill directs the Joint Committee on the Library to remove the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the Capitol and to obtain a bust of Clarence Thomas with which to replace it.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2021
Stop Inflationary Spending Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to provide inflation projections for bills that Congress considers using the budget reconciliation process. Specifically, the CBO must estimate the impact on inflation that will occur from implementing each reconciliation bill, including the impact on inflation that will occur during each of the first five years after the enactment of the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2021
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Fraud Protection Act This bill creates several requirements for states to address fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), temporarily increases penalties for fraud related to PUA, and requires each state to establish a hotline for victims of unemployment fraud. Specifically, the bill requires states to cross reference PUA claims with federal and state prison records and E-Verify to ensure that claimants are eligible for PUA, submit to the Department of Labor plans to recover fraudulently obtained PUA, develop an anti-fraud task force to investigate and recover fraudulently obtained PUA, make restitution to Labor for the amount of any overpayment of PUA made by the state, and establish a hotline designed to encourage individuals who are victims of unemployment fraud and have received an incorrect statement of unemployment compensation to report that fraud. The bill also temporarily enhances the maximum penalty for fraud related to PUA through December 31, 2021, so that the offense is classified as fraud in relation to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency and punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2021
Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2021 This bill expands tax incentives and federal assistance for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) that are sponsored by S corporations. The bill provides additional tax incentives for ESOPs by (1) extending to all domestic corporations, including S corporations, provisions allowing deferral of tax on gain from the sale of employer securities to an ESOP; and (2) allowing a tax deduction for 50% of the interest received by a bank on loans to S corporation-sponsored ESOPs for the purchase of employer securities. The Department of the Treasury must establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations. The bill defines an ESOP business concern for purposes of the Small Business Act as a business concern that was eligible for a loan, preference, or other program under such Act before more than 49% of the business concern was acquired by an ESOP.