United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2020
Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020 This bill makes a series of changes related to health care costs and billing practices. Among other things, the bill applies the in-network cost-sharing amount to certain emergency and related nonemergency services that are provided out-of-network, applies the in-network cost-sharing amount to nonemergency services that are provided out-of-network at an in-network facility unless specified written notice requirements are met, establishes procedures for health insurance plans to negotiate reimbursement amounts paid to out-of-network providers in states without such a process, requires insurance plans to establish publicly available databases that list the contact information for in-network providers and facilities, requires health care providers and insurance plans to provide certain cost estimates for services scheduled at least three days in advance, requires plans to continue benefits for specified long-term care when an insurance plan's contractual relationship with a provider or facility changes or terminates, requires insurance plans to include specified consumer assistance and benefits information on a plan holder's membership card and maintain certain price comparison tools for in-network services, establishes reporting requirements related to air ambulance services, establishes a temporary income tax deduction for specified expenses resulting from out-of-network and emergency services.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2020
HIV Epidemic Loan-Repayment Program Act of 2020 or the HELP Act of 2020 This bill directs the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to carry out a loan repayment program for certain health care providers who agree to provide HIV treatment or HIV dental care in (1) a designated health professional shortage area, (2) a clinical site that is funded under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, or (3) an area that meets requirements specified by HRSA. For each qualifying year of service, HRSA pays one-fifth of the principal and interest on any eligible loan, with total loan repayment after five years; repayment is capped at $250,000 per borrower.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2020
This concurrent resolution authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center on April 21, 2020, for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2020
This resolution acknowledges the impact of redlining (i.e., geographic discrimination) and states that the federal government has a responsibility to ameliorate its effects.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2020
Access to Counsel Act of 2020 This bill establishes various protections for aliens in certain immigration-related proceedings or inspections. When an alien is undergoing certain types of inspections or is subject to a removal, exclusion, or deportation proceeding, the alien shall be entitled to representation by counsel of the alien's choice, at no cost to the government. The current statute only states that an alien is entitled to representation in removal proceedings. If such an alien is subject to detention or inspection at a port of entry and cannot meet with counsel, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shall provide for remote communication with counsel. If such an alien has been denied access to counsel, the alien may not submit paperwork to abandon lawful permanent resident status or to withdraw an application for admission. The detention of an individual at a port of entry or a CBP or ICE facility shall (1) be limited to the briefest term and the least restrictive conditions necessary, and (2) include access to food, water, and restrooms.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2020
This concurrent resolution directs the President to terminate the use of U.S. Armed Forces in hostilities against Iran unless (1) Congress has declared war or specifically authorized such use in statute, or (2) such use is necessary and appropriate to defend against an imminent armed attack upon the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2019
Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act This bill establishes (1) a professional exchange program between the United States and India with a focus on the legacies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi, (2) a development training initiative based on principles of nonviolence, and (3) a foundation to address development priorities in India. Specifically, the bill establishes a professional exchange program comprised of both an annual educational forum for scholars from the United States and India, as well as an undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate student exchange for students in the United States and India. The bill also establishes a professional development training initiative on conflict resolution tools based on the principles of nonviolence. Further, the bill establishes the United States-India Gandhi-King Development Foundation to identify development priorities in India (e.g., pollution and climate change, education, and tuberculosis) and administer competitively awarded grants to nongovernmental entities to address those priorities.
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 · 6 December 2019
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the War on Drugs has failed to achieve its goal of reducing drug use and that activities continuing the War on Drugs should end. Further, the House of Representatives apologizes to those harmed through the War on Drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2019
Protect SNAP Act This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture from modifying work requirements for able-bodied adults receiving benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program). The bill also prohibits the use of federal funds (including fees) to implement or enforce the Food and Nutrition Service rule titled Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Requirements for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents , published on February 1, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2019
Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2019 or the CROWN Act of 2019 This bill prohibits discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment. Persons shall not be deprived of equal rights under the law and shall not be subjected to prohibited practices based on their hair texture or style. The bill provides for enforcement procedures under the applicable laws.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2019
This resolution expresses disapproval for the President's notification to the United Nations of his intent to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement and commends the entities that have expressed their support for the Paris Agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2019
Researching and Ending Disparities by Understanding and Creating Equity Act of 2019 or the REDUCE Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement a Health in All Policies demonstration project. States, territories, tribes, and certain local government entities may apply for grants through the project to establish or enhance collaborative approaches to improve the health of individuals and communities. The grant funds must be used to (1) integrate health considerations in policymaking across sectors; (2) address health, equity, and sustainability; and (3) target a significant proportion of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibles, or long-term care Medicaid recipients. The bill also directs the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine or another appropriate entity to produce a report on eliminating health disparities to improve health equity.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2019
Creating Opportunities in Research for Environmental Justice Act of 2019 or the CORE Justice Act of 2019 This bill allows certain educational institutions a tax credit for up to 30% of amounts paid that are necessary for a qualified environmental justice program. The bill defines "qualified environmental justice program" as a program conducted by educational institutions that is designed to address, or improve data about, qualified environmental stressors (i.e., contaminations of air, water, soil, or food) for the primary purpose of improving, or facilitating the improvement of, health and economic outcomes of individuals residing in low-income areas or areas populated disproportionately by racial or ethnic minorities. The bill requires (1) the allocation of credit amounts to educational institutions over a five-year period, and (2) public disclosure of the identity of educational institutions receiving allocations and the amount of each allocation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2019
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2019 This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2019
This resolution recognizes and honors the importance of statutes giving all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States the full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of persons and property as well as the right to enforce contracts, sue and be sued, and give evidence in court. The resolution also reaffirms commitment to the Thirteenth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, and Fifteenth Amendment and the laws declaring that all persons born in the United States are citizens and are equally protected by the law.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2019
Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2019 This bill modifies, expands, and reauthorizes through FY2024 the Family Violence and Prevention Services program, which funds emergency shelters and supports related assistance for victims of domestic violence. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants and enter cooperative agreements with state and tribal domestic violence coalitions, and community-based organizations, to support prevention services. Depending on the type of organization, grant recipients must use funding to (1) provide technical assistance; (2) promote evidence-informed prevention strategies; (3) implement coordinated, community responses to reduce risk factors for family violence; and (4) develop prevention partnership strategies, among other uses. Further, HHS must award specified grants to organizations that provide population-specific services in underserved communities and to community-based organizations that provide culturally competent domestic violence services to racial and ethnic minority groups. The bill also establishes a grants program for tribal domestic violence coalitions to support the provision of local, tribal, family domestic or dating violence services and requires HHS to award a grant for the administration of a hotline dedicated to serving Indians affected by domestic violence. In addition, the bill modifies certain program-wide definitions; changes the requirements for specified grant applications, eligibility criteria, and use of funds; and makes other technical revisions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2019
This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2019
Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act This bill (1) declares that Congress commits to deeming Puerto Rico to be a state of the United States if it chooses statehood; and (2) requires Puerto Rico to conduct a plebiscite, a vote of the people, on statehood in conjunction with the November 2020 election.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2019
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 · 22 October 2019
Neighborhood Noise Barriers Act of 2019 This bill permits the use of funds out of the Highway Trust Fund to construct certain Type II noise barriers along federal-aid highways. The bill also makes the planning, design, or construction of such noise barriers eligible for surface transportation block grant program funding.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2019
This resolution commends the Inter-American Foundation for its contributions to promoting economic and social development, democracy, and peace in Latin America and the Caribbean. The resolution also recognizes the foundation's bottom-up approach to empower individuals in marginalized and underserved communities and expresses continued support for the vital work of the foundation as an independent agency.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2019
Home Visiting to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Act This bill increases FY2021 and FY2022 funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program to address high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity and other unmet needs in states, tribes, and territories.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2019
This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Vitiligo Awareness Day and recognizes the importance of providing support for individuals diagnosed with vitiligo. (Vitiligo is a condition in which skin color is lost in patches.)
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
College Affordability Act This bill reauthorizes and revises the Higher Education Act of 1965, including to revise federal student financial aid programs, consolidate federal student loans and expand loan forgiveness , increase college access and success for certain students, and revise accountability measures. Specifically, the bill revises financial aid programs, including to (1) increase the maximum federal Pell Grant award, (2) provide incentives for states to fund public institutions of higher education (IHEs), and (3) increase and make permanent funding for minority-serving IHEs. The bill also revises federal student loan programs, including to (1) replace existing student loan repayment plans with one income-based repayment plan and one fixed repayment plan, (2) allow existing borrowers to lower their payments by switching to the new plans, and (3) expand public service loan forgiveness programs (e.g., TEACH grants) and create appeal processes for denied applications. In addition, the bill increases college access and success for certain students (e.g., students with low-income, children, or the disabled) through investments and practices, such as student support services and accelerated learning opportunities. Finally, the bill revises accountability measures for IHEs (including for-profit IHEs), job training programs, college accrediting agencies, and lenders. In particular, the bill updates the performance goals of the Office of Federal Student Aid and requires the Department of Education to be responsible for the oversight of the office.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2019
Equitable Student Aid Access Act This bill revises certain income requirements for calculating federal student financial aid amounts, and it requires the Department of Education (ED) to publish certain requirements for financial aid offers. Specifically, the bill eliminates the simplified needs test in financial aid applications for families with income below a specified threshold, and it increases the income threshold that automatically qualifies a student for certain financial aid. When determining the total income of an applicant or an applicant's household, ED shall provide for the use of data from the second preceding tax year to simplify applications used for the estimation and determination of financial aid eligibility. ED must also conduct consumer testing to serve as the basis for determining requirements for financial aid offers. A financial aid offer must contain information such as cost of attendance and sources of available financial aid, as well as a standardized quick reference box to enable comparison of information on college costs and financial aid.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2019
This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Nonviolence Week to raise awareness of youth violence and the benefits of practicing nonviolence principles.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Minority Diabetes Initiative Act This bill allows the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to provide treatment for diabetes in minority communities. HHS must ensure that these grants cover a variety of diabetes-related health care services, including routine care for diabetic patients, public education on diabetes prevention and control, eye care, foot care, and treatment for kidney disease and other complications of diabetes.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Quality Higher Education Act of 2019 This bill revises the accreditation standards under which an accrediting agency or association must assess an institution of higher education (IHE), and it requires the Department of Education to establish procedures for an agency or association to follow when an IHE fails to meet these standards. An accrediting agency or association must measure an IHE's success in student achievement against at least one standard for completion, workforce participation, and progress toward meeting such completion and workforce participation standards. An agency or association must also make certain information such as student achievement standards and IHE performance benchmarks available on a publicly accessible website. Additionally, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity must evaluate the effectiveness of the revised standards and compare similar accrediting agencies or associations based on their assessments of IHEs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2019
Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act This bill establishes an alternative formula to calculate Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits for those who receive pensions for certain non-covered employment. (The existing formula is known as the windfall elimination provision.) The alternative formula adjusts an individual's total lifetime earnings based on the proportion of covered earnings (i.e., earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes). It applies to individuals who (1) first become eligible for benefits after 2021, (2) have earnings from non-covered service performed after 1977 and (3) have less than 30 years of coverage (i.e., years in which a beneficiary is considered to have contributed a substantial amount into the Social Security trust funds). Beneficiaries receive the higher benefit amount as calculated under the alternative method or the existing formula. In addition, the bill provides rebates for certain beneficiaries currently impacted by the existing formula. The Social Security Administration must include non-covered earnings in Social Security account statements, and the Government Accountability Office must study the availability of certain information related to retirement plans maintained by state and local governments.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2019 This bill expands research endowments available through the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to include former centers of excellence at certain historically black colleges and universities and at biomedical and behavioral research institutions with a significant number of minority students.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit the scope of downward attribution rules to 50% of stock ownership in applying constructive ownership rules to controlled foreign corporations.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2019
This concurrent resolution recognizes the 38th anniversary of the International Day of Peace and urges all U.S. citizens to reflect upon the importance of peace and nonviolence.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2019
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Assets for Independence Reauthorization Act of 2019 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and otherwise makes changes to certain demonstration projects that fund individual development accounts (IDAs). (IDAs are matched savings accounts through which low-income individuals may save targeted amounts for qualifying purposes such as first-time home ownership or post-secondary education.) Specifically, the bill (1) expands qualifying expenses for purposes of education and home replacement, repair, or improvement; (2) allows public housing agencies to participate in demonstration projects; (3) increases income eligibility limits; and (4) makes other changes with respect to terminated projects, reporting, and other requirements. The Department of Health and Human Services must give special consideration to applications from certain categories of individuals, including individuals who are or have been in foster care. In addition, an individual who is a recent or current victim of domestic violence shall not, for purposes of project participation, fail to qualify as a first-time homebuyer by reason of having a co-ownership interest in a principal residence with a person who committed domestic violence against the individual.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2019
Look-back Elimination Act of 2019 This bill expands eligibility for payments for foster care by removing eligibility requirements that are based on the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, which was replaced with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2019
Back to Basics Job Creation Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to make grants to states, tribes, or local governments to assist low-income individuals and individuals who have been unemployed for at least three months in developing self-employment opportunities.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2019
National Poverty Research Center Authorization Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to institutions of higher education for National Poverty Research Centers. In addition to conducting poverty policy research, such centers must coordinate nationwide research networks to inform public policies aimed at reducing poverty in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2019
Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act of 2019 This bill modifies the criminal civil rights statute that prohibits the deprivation of rights under color of law. Currently, the second prong of the prohibition bars the application of different punishments, pains, or penalties based on an individual's alien status, color, or race. This bill specifies that the application of any pressure to a person's throat or windpipe which may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air (e.g., a chokehold) constitutes a punishment, pain, or penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
Stop the Wait Act This bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period that applies to the payment of certain Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for workers and surviving spouses and the 24-month waiting period that applies to Medicare coverage for workers who are eligible for SSDI benefits. In addition, the National Academy of Medicine must study disabling conditions that can be delayed or prevented if individuals access health care services and coverage before the condition reaches disability levels.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2019
This resolution expresses support for victims of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and urges the President to make available the necessary resources to assist the Bahamas in its recovery.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2019
Protect America’s Wildlife and Fish In Need of Conservation Act of 2019 or the PAW and FIN Conservation Act of 2019 This bill nullifies the 2019 rules relating to the listing of endangered or threatened species and the designation of critical habitats. Among other things, the restored rules automatically give threatened species the same protections as endangered species; revise requirements governing when an agency must consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service about endangered species, threatened species, or their habitats; prohibit economic assessments from being considered in listing decisions; and revise the criteria used for designating critical habitats for the species.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2019
This resolution directs the House Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether the House of Representatives should impeach Associate Justice Kavanaugh.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Bahamas TPS Act of 2019 This bill designates the Bahamas as a temporary protected status (TPS) country for 18 months from the enactment of this bill. (Qualified nationals of a TPS-designated country shall have work authorization and may not be removed from the United States while the designation is in effect.) A Bahamian national shall qualify for temporary protected status if the individual (1) has been continuously physically present in the United States since the bill's enactment, (2) meets certain admissibility and eligibility requirements generally required for such status, and (3) registers with the Department of Homeland Security.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
This resolution affirms that reducing access to a firearm for individuals with a history of violence against women is critical to reducing the fatality of intimate partner violence in the United States. Additionally, it calls on the Senate to immediately consider the following: H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019; H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019; and H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2019
Enhance Access To SNAP Act of 2019 or the EATS Act of 2019 This bill expands eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to students attending institutions of higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2019
TPS for Victims of Hurricane Dorian Act of 2019 This bill designates the Bahamas as a temporary protected status (TPS) country for 18 months from the enactment of this bill. (Qualified nationals of a TPS-designated country shall have work authorization and may not be removed from the United States while the designation is in effect.) A Bahamian national shall qualify for temporary protected status if the individual (1) has been continuously physically present in the United States since the bill's enactment, (2) meets certain admissibility and eligibility requirements generally required for such status, and (3) registers with the Department of Homeland Security.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2019
Rare disease Advancement, surveillance Research, and Education Act of 2019 or the RARE Act of 2019 The bill reauthorizes through FY2024 the National Institutes of Health Rare Disease Regional Centers of Excellence and expands activities to facilitate research and increase awareness of rare diseases and conditions. (Rare diseases and conditions are those with a prevalence of fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may expand infrastructure and activities to track the epidemiology of up to four rare diseases and conditions and incorporate this information into a National Rare Disease or Condition Surveillance System. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must expand its activities to increase health care providers' awareness of rare diseases and conditions. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, or another appropriate entity, must update the 2010 report Rare Diseases and Orphan Products: Accelerating Research and Development.
![Official portrait of Rep. Lewis, John [D-GA-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000287_200.jpg)