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![Official portrait of Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/6a676627c5d96ff79e3a8b71_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
2,612 records where Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2020
This resolution supports the designation of National Clean Energy Week.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2020
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Integrity Act This bill requires applicants for pandemic unemployment assistance to provide state unemployment agencies with documentation substantiating their employment or planned commencement of employment, including self-employment.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2020
Sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7664) to permit the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to deem certain nonprofit organizations serving developmentally disabled individuals as eligible to participate in the paycheck protection program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2020
This bill establishes funding for, expands, and provides additional economic assistance to small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the Small Business Administration is authorized to provide second draw loans of up to $2 million under the Paycheck Protection Program. A recipient shall be eligible for forgiveness of a second draw loan in the same manner as an initial paycheck protection loan. Further the bill modifies the Paycheck Protection Program by, among other things, (1) expanding forgivable expenses, (2) allowing borrowers to select an eight-week period through December 31, 2020, to use their paycheck protection loan, (3) simplifying the forgiveness application for smaller loans, (4) expanding eligibility to certain chambers of commerce and destination marketing organizations, and (5) establishing a specific loan calculation for farmers and ranchers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
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 · 14 September 2020
Government Spectrum Valuation Act of 2020 This bill requires estimation of the value of federal electromagnetic spectrum. Specifically, the bill requires (1) the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission and the Office of Management and Budget, to estimate the value of spectrum assigned or allocated to each federal agency; and (2) each agency to report, in its annual budget and financial statement, the estimated value of the spectrum that has been assigned or allocated to it.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2020
This bill excludes the creation of separate payment classes and monthly payment rates for oxygen items under Medicare from certain budget neutrality requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 28 August 2020
American Competitiveness Of a More Productive Emerging Tech Economy Act or the American COMPETE Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce and the Federal Trade Commission to study and submit reports on the state of specified technology industries (e.g., artificial intelligence, quantum computing, blockchain technology, and unmanned delivery services) and the impact of these industries on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 25 August 2020
Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act or the DIGIT Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to convene a working group of federal stakeholders to provide recommendations regarding the Internet of Things (IoT), and it establishes a steering committee composed of stakeholders outside the federal government to advise the working group. The IoT is a system of interrelated devices connected to a network and each other that exchange data without requiring human interaction (e.g., smart home devices, medical monitoring devices, and wearable fitness trackers). The working group must (1) identify federal laws and regulations, grant practices, budgetary or jurisdictional challenges, and other sector-specific policies that affect IoT development; (2) consider policies or programs that encourage and improve coordination among federal agencies with relevant responsibilities; (3) consider implementing recommendations from the steering committee; (4) examine how federal agencies can benefit from, use, prepare for, and secure the IoT; and (5) consult with nongovernmental stakeholders. The steering committee must advise the working group about laws, budgets, individual privacy, security, small business challenges, and any international proceedings or negotiations affecting the IoT. Lastly, the Federal Communications Commission must (1) seek public comment on the IoT's spectrum needs, regulatory barriers, and growth with licensed and unlicensed spectrum; and (2) submit a summary of those comments to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 14 August 2020
Chinese Research Funds Accounting Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on federal funding made available to entities located in China or majority owned or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party for research in the five years prior to enactment of this bill. Not later than 120 days after the enactment of this bill, the GAO shall brief Congress on the data that is available with respect to federal funding made available to such entities for research.
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Tribal Health Data Improvement Act of 2020 This bill expands tribal access to public health care data and public health surveillance programs. It also reauthorizes through FY2025 the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and requires the CDC to take certain actions to address the collection and availability of health data for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services must, within 30 days, make available all data related to health care and public health surveillance programs and activities to the Indian Health Service, Indian tribes, and tribal epidemiology centers. The CDC must make grants to and enter into contracts with tribes and tribal epidemiology centers for data collection and related activities. It must also provide technical assistance. In addition, the CDC must (1) develop guidelines for state and local health agencies to improve birth and death record data for American Indians and Alaska Natives; (2) enter into cooperative agreements with tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and tribal epidemiology centers to address certain inaccuracies related to records for American Indians and Alaska Natives; and (3) encourage states to enter into data sharing agreement with tribes and tribal epidemiology centers to improve the quality and accuracy of health data.
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act This bill increases FY2020 funding, raises the maximum age of eligibility, and provides other flexibilities for certain foster care programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act This bill directs the Agricultural Marketing Service of the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to award grants to states or state departments of agriculture to provide support to agricultural fairs for losses sustained by such fairs due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Grant amounts shall be based on the difference between the average attendance at agricultural fairs in the state for a month occurring in 2019 compared to the corresponding month in 2020. As a condition of receiving a grant, recipients shall agree to (1) prioritize supporting agricultural fairs in the state facing the greatest financial hardship, and (2) use not more than 1% of grant funds for administrative costs incurred in providing support to agricultural fairs.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
Helping Open Properties Endeavor Act of 2020 or the HOPE Act of 2020 This bill establishes an equity facility in the Department of the Treasury to assist commercial mortgage borrowers. Specifically, Treasury must guarantee the purchase by financial institutions of certain equity instruments backed by a commercial mortgage. The bill defines commercial mortgage as a mortgage loan secured by an interest in real property owned for rental income. Borrowers with reduced revenues from their commercial property may qualify for an amount not to exceed 10% of the outstanding amount owed on their commercial mortgage. The bill sets forth eligibility requirements for borrowers, as well as requirements for the equity instruments, including rates, fees, repayment, and the rights of purchasers.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
Repairing Existing Public Lands by Adding Necessary Trees Act or the REPLANT Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) annually for each of the 10 years after enactment of this bill to transmit to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to be appropriated, in addition to the funds available from other sources, to replant and otherwise treat an acreage equal to the acreage to be cut over that year, plus a sufficient portion of the backlog of lands found to be in need of treatment to eliminate the backlog within the 10-year period. After such 10-year period, USDA shall transmit annually to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to replant and otherwise treat all lands being cut over and maintain planned timber production on all other forested lands in the National Forest System to prevent the development of a backlog of needed work larger than the needed work at the beginning of the fiscal year. Each reforestation activity included in a renewable resource assessment shall be carried out in accordance with applicable Forest Service management practices and definitions, including those contained in a specified amendment and regulations related to silvicultural practices. The Forest Service shall, based on recommendations from regional foresters, create a priority list of reforestation projects that primarily take place on priority land, promote effective reforestation following unplanned events, and may include activities to ensure adequate and appropriate seed availability. USDA shall give priority to projects on the priority list.
United States · United States Congress · 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
Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Commerce to conduct an interagency review of the global competitiveness of the United States in attracting foreign direct investment and addressing foreign trade barriers that firms in advanced technology sectors face in the global digital economy. Such review shall include an assessment of (1) the current economic impact of foreign direct investment in the United States, (2) trends in global cross-border investment and data flows, (3) federal government policies that are linked to the ability of the United States to attract and retain foreign direct investment, and (4) the adequacy of federal government efforts to increase the ease for foreign firms considering investment in the United States. Commerce must report the findings of such review and submit recommendations for increasing the global competitiveness of the United States in attracting foreign direct investment and developing new technologies and services.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2020
Protecting the Health and Wellness of Babies and Pregnant Women in Custody Act This bill contains provisions related to the medical needs of incarcerated women. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) shall provide women in its custody access to certain reproductive health services. The bill also requires the BOP to (1) comply with requirements related to the health of a pregnant incarcerated woman, such as providing appropriate meals and medical services; and (2) provide appropriate health care to a woman with a high-risk pregnancy. The bill also modifies restrictions on using restraints on an incarcerated woman during pregnancy, labor, or after delivery. The bill prohibits such restraints unless the relevant corrections official and a health care professional determine that the restraints are appropriate for the woman's medical safety. The health care professional must review this determination every six hours. The current statute allows using such restraints if the corrections official determines that restraints are needed due to a flight risk or threat of harm, and does not require periodic review. The bill also prohibits the BOP from placing a pregnant woman into restrictive housing, such as solitary confinement, unless the relevant corrections official determines that such an action is necessary to address a serious and immediate risk of physical harm. This determination shall be reviewed every four hours. The Department of Justice may make grants to eligible entities, such as a state department of corrections, to provide obstetrical care, gynecological care, and related services to women in custody. The Bureau of Justice Statistics shall collect certain data related to the health needs of pregnant incarcerated women.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020
This resolution supports the designation of a National Day of Civility. The resolution encourages a national campaign to promote civility and calls on all Americans to practice civility.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020
This resolution supports the designation of National Women's Suffrage Month. It also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the passage and ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which provided for women's suffrage.
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 · 30 June 2020
This resolution condemns the advancement of China's national security legislation for Hong Kong. The resolution also advises the United States to coordinate with allies to respond to developments in Hong Kong, including by providing Hong Kong residents who face well-founded fears of persecution an opportunity to emigrate from Hong Kong.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020
Protecting American Energy Production Act This bill prohibits the President from declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the moratorium. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that states should maintain primacy for the regulation of hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production on state and private lands.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020
Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act This bill expands provisions related to hydropower production and revises the hydropower licensing process.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020
Wildfire Wireless Resiliency Act This bill excludes certain communications facility replacement projects from specified review requirements. Specifically, the bill excludes from specified environmental and historic preservation review a project that replaces a communications facility damaged by a major disaster or a wildfire and that could reasonably be considered as necessary (1) for recovery from such disaster or emergency, or (2) to prevent or mitigate future disasters or emergencies.
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 · 18 June 2020
Small Manufacturer Cybersecurity Enhancement Act This bill authorizes the Office of Economic Adjustment to make grants to a Manufacturing Extension Center established under the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership for the purpose of providing cybersecurity services to small manufacturers. Grant funds may be used by a center to employ trained personnel to deliver cybersecurity services to small manufacturers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2020
Nationwide Dig Once Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to facilitate the installation of broadband infrastructure in each state. DOT must ensure that each state that receives funding under the federal-aid highway program meets certain requirements, including to (1) identify a broadband coordinator that is responsible for facilitating the broadband infrastructure right-of-way efforts within the state; (2) establish a process to notify broadband providers of highway construction that may present opportunities for coordinating installation of broadband infrastructure; and (3) install broadband conduit (conduit or inner duct for fiber optic cables or wireless facilities that support broadband service) as part of a federally funded highway construction project, unless a broadband provider has committed to deploy the conduit or broadband infrastructure as part of such project. DOT must issue guidance for best practices related to the installation of broadband conduit and of conduit and similar infrastructure for intelligent transportation systems that may utilize the broadband conduit. A state may waive the required installation of broadband conduit if it makes certain determinations, including if broadband infrastructure, terrestrial broadband infrastructure, aerial broadband fiber cables, or broadband conduit is present near a majority of the length of the federal highway construction project. The bill establishes a Dig Once Funding Task Force to (1) estimate the annual cost for implementing and administering a nationwide dig once requirement, and (2) propose and evaluate options for funding such a requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2020
PPP Access for Rural Hospitals Act This bill includes within the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), certain rural hospitals or hospitals serving low-income patients that are designated as critical care hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2020
Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act or the CHIPS for America Act This bill establishes investments and incentives to support U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and supply chain security. Specifically, the bill provides an income tax credit for semiconductor equipment or manufacturing facility investment through 2026. The bill also establishes a trust fund to be allocated upon reaching an agreement with foreign government partners to promote (1) consistency in policies related to microelectronics, (2) transparency in microelectronic supply chains, and (3) alignment in policies towards nonmarket economies. The Department of Commerce shall, through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), carry out a program of research and development investment to accelerate the design, development, and manufacturability of next generation microelectronics, including through the creation of a Manufacturing USA institute for semiconductor manufacturing. Commerce shall also establish a program to match state and local government incentives offered to private entities for the purposes of building fabrication facilities relating to semiconductor manufacturing. Further, Commerce shall assess the capabilities of the U.S. industrial base to support the national defense in light of the global nature of supply chains and interdependencies between the industrial bases of the U.S. and foreign countries with respect to the manufacture and design of semiconductors. The Department of Defense shall prioritize the use of specified available amounts for programs, projects, and activities in connection with semiconductor and related technologies. The President shall establish within NIST a subcommittee on matters relating to U.S. leadership in semiconductor technology and innovation, which shall develop a national strategy on semiconductor research.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
SFC Heath Robinson Burn Pit Transparency Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit quarterly reports on veterans' burn pit exposure, and to inform veterans of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry if a veteran presents at a medical facility for treatment related to exposure to toxic chemicals caused by open burn pits. A burn pit is an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes a grant program, as well as a new center within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to facilitate access to investigational therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (i.e., ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive and fatal disease). Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants for the provision of investigational drugs for ALS and other rapidly progressing neurodegenerative diseases through an expanded access (i.e., compassionate use) program. HHS may award these grants to (1) a small business that is the sponsor of an investigational new drug application, or (2) a participating clinical trial site for such a sponsor. Additionally, HHS must establish within the FDA a Center of Excellence for Neurodegenerative Diseases. The center shall have duties and authorities similar to those of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence, which helps expedite the development of medical products and assists providers in requesting access to investigational drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
This bill requires states to certify a process for distributing Coronavirus Relief Funds to local governments. Specifically, each state that received such funds shall provide the Department of the Treasury, by June 12, 2020, with a certification that the state has in effect a procedure to distribute the funds to units of local government, including a detailed description of such procedure. If a state fails to comply with this requirement, 25% of such payment shall be booked as a debt owed to the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2020
American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act of 2020 This bill addresses the availability, development, and production of domestic critical minerals, including by providing incentives to increase domestic production of critical minerals that are needed to ensure the economic and national security of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
Generating Artificial Intelligence Networking Security Act or the GAINS Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to study and report on the impact of artificial intelligence, including machine learning, on U.S. businesses conducting interstate commerce. Such study shall involve, among other things, (1) listing industry sectors that develop and use artificial intelligence 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 and determining how these agencies are reducing barriers to business adoption and use of artificial intelligence, and (3) assessing risks and trends in the marketplace and supply chain of artificial intelligence. Commerce must report to Congress the results of such study and any recommendations to promote the adoption of artificial intelligence.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2020
This resolution supports the designation of ALS Awareness Month and commends efforts to improve the quality and length of life for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2020
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 This bill modifies provisions related to the forgiveness of loans made to small businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program implemented in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill establishes a minimum maturity of five years for a paycheck protection loan that has a remaining balance after the application of forgiveness. The bill also extends the covered period during which the recipient of a paycheck protection loan may use such funds for certain expenses while remaining eligible for forgiveness of the loan. Further, the bill prohibits the Small Business Administration from limiting the non-payroll portion of a forgivable covered loan amount. Currently, only 25% of a paycheck protection loan may be allocated to non-payroll expenses such as rent and utilities. The bill extends the period of time in which an employer may rehire or eliminate a reduction in employment, salary, or wages that would otherwise reduce the forgivable amount of a paycheck protection loan. However, the forgivable amount must be determined without regard to a reduction in the number of employees if the recipient is unable to rehire an employee and is able to demonstrate an inability to hire a similarly qualified employee. Lastly, the bill eliminates a provision that makes a paycheck protection loan recipient who has such indebtedness forgiven ineligible to defer payroll tax payments.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
This bill allows a participant in a health flexible spending arrangement to carry over any portion of the balance in such participant's account at the end of the 2020 plan year to the plan year beginning in 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2020
Small Business Expense Protection Act of 2020 This bill amends the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide that tax deductions for ordinary business expenses and other tax incidents shall not be affected by the exclusion from gross income of amounts related to loan forgiveness received in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
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 · 8 May 2020
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act This bill makes previously unused immigrant visas available to nurses and physicians who petition for such a visa before the date that is 90 days after the end of the declared national emergency relating to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak. The number of visas available shall be the total number of unused employment-based immigrant visas from FY1992-FY2020, up to 40,000. Of such visas, 25,000 shall be reserved for nurses and 15,000 for physicians. Certain family members may accompany the principal beneficiary of a visa provided under this bill, and visas for such family members shall (1) be made available from the unused visas from FY1992-FY2020, and (2) not be counted against the 40,000 cap. Visas provided under this bill shall be exempt from per-country limitations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Caring for Startup Employees Act of 2020 This bill expands the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), to encompass certain small businesses that have accepted funding from an investment company. The investment company may not be a majority stakeholder of the small business, and the small business may not distribute any proceeds of a program loan to the investment company, including through dividends, redemptions, security repurchases, or other transfers or transactions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2020
Protecting Life in Crisis Act This bill specifies that federal funds allocated for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) response efforts may not, in general, be used for abortions. Current law (specifically, language that has historically been included in certain appropriations bills, commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment) generally prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions. The bill also restricts the use of federal tax credits or other federal funding for health insurance coverage if the coverage includes abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2020
Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act of 2020 This bill modifies the Paycheck Protection Program implemented by the Small Business Administration in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to include certain entities and exclude certain individuals. Specifically, the bill expands the program to encompass organizations with 300 or fewer employees that (1) operate under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (other than a professional football league), or (2) are a destination marketing organization engaged in promoting communities and facilities to businesses and leisure travelers. The bill also narrows the definition of payroll costs under the program to exclude any compensation of an employee who is a registered lobbyist from the calculation for loan amounts or for allowable uses of funds provided under the program.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2020
Farmers Feeding Families Coronavirus Response Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use specified federal funding to purchase specialty crops, dairy, meat, and poultry products from specific agricultural producers relying on markets affected by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to provide to food assistance programs, including the Emergency Food Assistance Program. USDA must also provide additional funding to the states for the purpose of procuring food products to support food assistance programs within each state. USDA and the states must use at least 10% of the funding to purchase crops and products that would otherwise have been sold through direct-to-consumer, direct-to-institution, direct-to-retail, or direct-to-restaurant marketing channels.
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 · 24 April 2020
Girls' Leadership, Engagement, Agency, and Development Act of 2019 or the Girls LEAD Act This bill directs the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to jointly report to Congress a strategy to strengthen the participation of adolescents, particularly girls, in democracy, human rights, and governance. The State Department and the USAID shall (1) implement activities to achieve this goal, including activities to increase adolescent girls' civic and political knowledge and skills and address barriers to political participation; and (2) prioritize foreign assistance funding for democracy, human rights, and governance programs toward achieving the goals in this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2020
Taxpayers and Savers Protection Act or the TSP Act This bill prohibits any sums in the Thrift Savings Fund from being invested in a security that is listed on an exchange in a jurisdiction in which the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (1) has never conducted the mandatory inspection or investigation of a registered public accounting firm, and (2) is prevented from conducting such inspection or investigation because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2020
Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0 This bill directs certain penalties assessed by the Securities Exchange Commission against pharmaceutical companies for specified violations to the 10-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund, an existing fund that supports pediatric disease research. In making allocations from that fund, the National Institutes of Health shall prioritize pediatric research that does not duplicate existing research activities.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2020
This resolution condemns the United Nations decision to appoint China a seat on its Human Rights Council and demands serious human rights reform.