United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2020
Veterans Community Care Fairness Act This bill requires covered veterans to submit a notification of the care or services they received within 30 days of being admitted for emergency care under the Veterans Community Care Program as a condition for authorization of such care by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Covered veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system or those who are not enrolled but are eligible for care due to a service-connected disability.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2020
This resolution acknowledges that same-sex couples rely upon court cases that uphold protections for same-sex couples and recognizes that all Americans should be treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2020
Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities to support research on and facilitate access to investigational drugs that diagnose or treat ALS. The Food and Drug Administration shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other severely debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. HHS shall also establish the Collaborative for Neurodegenerative Diseases, which shall support the development and regulatory approval of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2020
Securing Affordable Vaccines Equally for Seniors Act or the SAVE for Seniors Act This bill specifies that vaccines for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) that are authorized for emergency use must be covered under Medicare without cost-sharing. The bill applies retroactively.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2020
Emergency Social Security COLA for 2021 Act This bill applies a 3% cost-of-living increase to Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payable in calendar year 2021. The bill also disregards this increase for purposes of determining an individual's eligibility for federally funded, means-tested programs.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2020
VA/DoD Deployment Interoperability Act This bill directs the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to update interoperable electronic health record systems to include certain information about deployments. Specifically, the records must include the following information: (1) whether a member or veteran of the Armed Forces was deployed outside of the United States, (2) the number of such deployments, (3) the length of each such deployment, and (4) whether the member or veteran served in a theater of combat operations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2020
Keeping Seniors Safe from COVID-19 Through Home Design Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Health and Human Services to study improved home and housing design features in nursing homes and assisted living facilities that can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Pandemic Assistance for Student Veterans Act of 2020 This bill addresses the administration of educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in relation to the COVID-19 emergency, Specifically, the VA must provide educational assistance, including housing stipends and allowances, to individuals who are negatively affected by the COVID-19 emergency. The bill ensures that entitlement to educational assistance will not be charged or counted against the aggregate period in situations where an individual was unable to complete a course or program due to the COVID-19 emergency. The VA must treat an individual's withdrawal from a program of education due to COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and December 21, 2021, as a mitigating circumstance and not charge the individual's educational assistance entitlement. The bill modifies the time limitation for use of Montgomery Bill benefits or vocational rehabilitation benefits during the pandemic so the window of eligibility does not expire during the COVID-19 emergency. Additionally, the bill adjusts the administration of certain benefits for veterans participating in an apprenticeship or other on-job training during the period between March 1, 2020, and December 21, 2021, including by proportionately reducing the 120-hour monthly training requirement to reflect an individual's period of unemployment without a reduction in training assistance. The bill expands educational assistance to include programs or courses of education at training establishments (e.g., establishment providing apprentice or other on-job training) during the COVID-19 emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Guaranteeing Israel's QME Act of 2020 This bill requires the President to seek to consult with appropriate officials of the Israeli government before making a determination that the sale or export of defense articles or services to a country in the Middle East will not adversely affect Israel's qualitative military edge. The President must also submit a determination with regard to the impact on Israel's qualitative military edge of fulfilling a letter of request for defense articles or defense services sent by a country in the Middle East.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020
HOV Lanes for Heroes Act This bill provides authority for a public authority to allow a disabled veteran to use a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) facility if such veteran has a license plate that clearly identifies the vehicle, a registered transponder, or other method of qualifying identification. The public authority may not charge a toll to the veteran for use of the HOV facility.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020
Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2020 This bill establishes measures to address global public health risks posed by wildlife markets, which are commercial markets that sell or slaughter wildlife for human consumption as food or medicine in communities where alternative nutritional or protein sources are available. Specifically, the bill prohibits importing, exporting, purchasing, or selling live wild animals in the United States for human consumption as food or medicine. The Department of the Interior must hire, train, and deploy at least 50 new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement attachés around the world, and the U.S. Agency for International Development must increase specified activities to address the threats and causes of zoonotic (animal-to-human transmission) disease outbreaks. Additionally, the United States must work with other United Nations member states to urge a global ban on commercial wildlife markets and enforcement of laws to end wildlife trafficking. Further, the President may impose sanctions against a foreign country or foreign nationals that the Department of State has determined are taking certain actions that enable or facilitate commercial wildlife markets. Among other reports required by the bill, the State Department must conduct a study and submit a report that includes an evaluation of (1) the impact that consumption of terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine has on the transmission of novel viral and other pathogens, (2) the role of consuming terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine in the transmission of microbes from animals to humans, and (3) the conditions at live wildlife markets that lead to this transmission.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2020
This resolution condemns the performance of unwanted, unnecessary medical procedures on individuals without their informed consent and recognizes the need for additional accountability, oversight, and transparency to protect individuals from such medical procedures while they are in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It also calls on the Department of Homeland Security to fully cooperate with investigations about, and take other actions related to, medical procedures in one of its detention centers.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2020
This resolution supports the designation of Disabled American Veterans Day and acknowledges that Disabled American Veterans chapters demonstrate their unending commitment to ill and injured veterans of all generations and conflicts.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2020
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain and place in National Statuary Hall a statue or bust of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2020
This resolution condemns terrorist attacks on U.S. citizens and calls for justice for Sara Duker and all other victims of terrorist attacks. Further, it renounces the practice of martyr payments (i.e., payments made by the Palestinian Authority to the families of terrorists) and calls on the international community to condemn this practice.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2020
Foster Accountability, Integrity, Trust, and Honor in Congress Act or the FAITH in Congress Act This bill establishes prohibitions related to the compensation of Members of Congress, lobbying activities, and consideration of legislation. Specifically, the bill prohibits Members of Congress from being paid if both chambers of Congress have not (1) agreed to a budget resolution for the next fiscal year by April 15, or (2) passed each of the regular appropriations bills for the next fiscal year by September 30. In addition, the bill eliminates automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress, and it prohibits generally the use of funds provided for official travel expenses of Members of Congress and legislative branch employees from being used for airline accommodations that are not coach class. Further, the bill prohibits former Members of Congress and elected officers of Congress from lobbying Congress, and it prohibits the House of Representatives from considering legislation that does not have demonstrable bipartisan support.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2020
I Am Vanessa Guillen Act of 2020 This bill addresses the response of the Department of Defense to sex-related offenses committed against members of the Armed Forces, including allowing a member to confidentially allege a complaint of sexual harassment to an individual outside the immediate chain of command of that member.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020 This bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases associated with exposure to open burn pits (an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) and other toxins by veterans who meet certain criteria. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. The bill also makes disability or death from certain diseases due to service in support of a military operation for at least 15 days in a specified location compensable as a work injury.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
This resolution supports the announcements of (1) the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain, and (2) the suspension of Israeli actions to apply sovereignty in parts of the West Bank. Further, it calls on each of these countries to encourage greater people-to-people normalization, and it calls on other Arab and Muslim countries to establish full relations with Israel. It also reaffirms the House of Representatives' support for a negotiated, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2020
National Women's Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, half-dollar clad coins, and proof silver $1 coins in recognition and celebration of the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York. All minted coins shall include a specified surcharge, which shall be paid to the National Women's Hall of Fame Foundation to establish an endowment fund to provide for the long-term financing of the hall's operations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 August 2020
Uniform National Guard Implementation To End this Disaster Act or the UNITED Act This bill requires the federal government to pay states for 100% of the cost of National Guard duty in connection with the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The requirement applies retroactively. Presidential memoranda issued on August 3, 2020, required most states to pay 25% of the cost for such duty beginning on August 21, 2020, but maintained a 100% federal cost share for Texas and Florida.
United States · United States Congress · 22 August 2020
Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act This bill establishes several grant programs and otherwise requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take actions to improve mental and behavioral health and prevent burnout among health care providers. Specifically, HHS must award grants to (1) health professions schools, state or local governments, or nonprofits to provide training for health care providers on suicide prevention, other behavioral health issues, and strategies to improve well-being; and (2) health care providers, prioritizing those in COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) hot spots, to establish or expand programs to promote mental and behavioral health among health care providers involved with COVID-19 response efforts. HHS must also study issues related to, and develop policy recommendations on, preventing burnout and improving mental and behavioral health among health care providers, removing barriers to accessing care and treatment, and identifying strategies to promote resiliency. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must conduct a campaign to encourage health care providers to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns.
United States · United States Congress · 14 August 2020
State and Local IT Modernization and Cybersecurity Improvement Act This bill establishes in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant programs to assist states and Indian tribal governments with emergency information technology (IT) expenses and modernization, and to assist state, local, tribal, or territorial governments to address cybersecurity risks and threats. Specifically, the bill establishes a Public Health Emergency Information Technology Grant Program to make grants to states and tribal governments for emergency IT expenses during a public health emergency, specifically COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The bill establishes in DHS the Modernizing IT Grant Program to make grants to states and Indian tribal governments to modernize IT to securely enable digital delivery of government services. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) shall distribute grants to states for addressing cybersecurity risks and threats to the information systems of state, local, tribal, or territorial governments. The CISA must (1) establish a State and Local Cybersecurity Resiliency Committee; (2) develop and make publicly available a Homeland Security Strategy to Improve the Cybersecurity of State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments; (3) conduct a study to assess the feasibility of implementing a short-term rotational program for the detail of approved government employees in cyber workforce positions to the agency; and (4) develop a resource guide for use by state, local, tribal, and territorial government officials.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2020
Delivering for America Act This bill prohibits the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from making changes to operations or levels of service from those that were in effect on January 1, 2020. Specifically, the USPS may not, during the period beginning on enactment of this bill and ending on the last day of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency or January 1, 2021, whichever is later, implement or approve any change to the operations or the level of service that would impede prompt, reliable, and efficient services, including changes in the nature of services that will generally affect service on a nationwide basis; revisions of service standards; closures or consolidations of post offices or reduction of facility hours; prohibitions on payment of overtime pay to USPS officers or employees; changes that would prevent the USPS from meeting its service standards or that would reduce measurements of performance concerning those standards; changes that would have the effect of delaying mail, allowing non-delivery to a delivery route, or increasing the volume of undelivered mail.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2020
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of Justice (DOJ) should defend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in ongoing litigation. Currently, DOJ supports the ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that upheld a district court ruling that certain provisions of the PPACA are not severable from the remainder of the Act and therefore that the entire law is invalid. The Fifth Circuit's ruling is currently pending appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court.
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Fighting Emerging Narcotics Through Additional Nations to Yield Lasting Results Act or the FENTANYL Results Act This bill creates two programs, establishes a reporting requirement, and otherwise modifies provisions to facilitate global cooperation against synthetic drug trafficking. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of State to establish a program to provide capacity-building assistance for law enforcement agencies of specified countries to identify, track, and detect certain synthetic drugs (e.g., fentanyl). The State Department must also carry out an international exchange program for drug demand reduction experts to provide educational and professional development on demand-reduction matters relating to the illicit use of narcotics and other drugs. The bill requires the State Department to include new sections in its annual international narcotics control strategy report that contain (1) an assessment of the countries likely involved in the trafficking of synthetic opioids; and (2) policies of responding to new psychoactive substances. The bill also expands the definition of major illicit drug producing country to include countries that produce synthetic drugs. Under current law, foreign assistance may be withheld from such countries.
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that its handling of intelligence is consistent with privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties. Specifically, the DHS senior official with primary responsibility for privacy policy shall ensure that intelligence information is shared, retained, and disseminated in a manner consistent with protecting privacy rights. The DHS Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties shall ensure that intelligence information is shared, retained, and disseminated in a manner consistent with protecting civil rights and civil liberties. The Office of Intelligence and Analysis within DHS shall ensure that intelligence information is handled in a manner consistent with the guidance from the DHS privacy official and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
This bill waives certain eligibility requirements for hospitals participating in the 340B drug discount program (i.e., a program that allows entities to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices from manufacturers) during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. For example, the bill waives the required minimum proportion of low-income patients served for hospitals that were participating or applied to participate in the program prior to the COVID-19 emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
Eliminating the Provider Relief Fund Tax Penalties Act of 2020 This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any grant or other assistance provided by the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
Support Working Families Act of 2020 This bill expands access to pandemic unemployment assistance for individuals with caregiving responsibilities when, due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), a school or facility is closed or only partially open, care is not available or affordable during the hours of available work, or attending a school or facility presents an unacceptable risk to a child or household.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2020
Save our Stages Act or the SOS Act This bill authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to make grants to eligible live venue operators, producers, promoters, or talent representatives to address the economic effects of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on certain live venues. Specifically, the SBA may make (1) an initial grant of up to $12 million dollars to an eligible operator, promoter, producer, or talent representative; and (2) a supplemental grant that is equal to 50% of the initial grant. An initial grant must be used for costs incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, but a supplemental grant may be used for expenses incurred through June 30, 2021. Such grants shall be used for specified expenses such as payroll costs, rent, utilities, and personal protective equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020
Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020 This bill allows states to provide pandemic unemployment assistance to individuals who earn a combination of regular wages and a minimum of $7,250 of self-employed annual income (1) instead of regular unemployment compensation if they are otherwise eligible, or (2) if they are still employed at their regular-wage job, but unable to earn self-employed income due to circumstances related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Under current law, individuals earning such mixed income are only eligible for pandemic unemployment assistance if they are not eligible for regular unemployment and unable to work due to COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020
Protecting Access to Post-COVID–19 Telehealth Act of 2020 This bill modifies requirements relating to coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill (1) authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to generally waive coverage restrictions during national emergencies, (2) allows rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner), (3) removes restrictions that require the originating site (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) to be in a rural area, and (3) allows the home of a beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services (rather than for only certain services). Additionally, the CMS must report on the utilization of telehealth services specifically during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020
Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to provide grants and other forms of emergency assistance to certain providers of transportation services that have experienced a significant revenue loss as a direct or indirect result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Treasury must ensure equal access to the assistance for small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses. As a condition of receipt of assistance, Treasury must require that a provider of transportation services agree to (1) use the funds, on a priority basis, to maintain through December 31, 2020, pay, paid administrative leave, and benefits to all employees after making any adjustments required for retirement or voluntary employee separation; and (2) recall or rehire any employee laid off, furloughed, or terminated because of reduced service as a result of COVID-19, to the extent warranted by increased service levels.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2020
Local Journalism Sustainability Act This bill allows individual and business taxpayers certain tax credits for the support of local newspapers and media. Specifically, individual taxpayers may claim an income tax credit up to $250 for a local newspaper subscription. The bill also allows local newspaper employers a payroll tax credit for wages paid to an employee for service as a journalist and certain small businesses a tax credit for local newspaper and media advertising expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2020
Transition for Success Act This bill allows members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces to participate in the Department of Defense's Skillbridge program. (The Skillbridge program provides job training to service members who are transitioning into civilian life.)
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020
Crack Down on Dark Money Act This bill prohibits tax-exempt 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations from using more than 10% of their total expenditures on covered political expenditures (i.e., direct or indirect expenditures for an exempt function, including influencing or attempting to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of any individual to any federal, state, or local public office or office in a political organization, or the election of presidential or vice-presidential electors, whether or not such individual or electors are selected, nominated, elected, or appointed). The bill also requires a social welfare organization that spends funds on political intervention to publicly disclose the name and address of any contributor donating $5,000 or more to such organization. The term political intervention includes advocacy for the election, defeat, nomination or recall of a political candidate, the making of contributions to a political campaign, communications to the electorate about political candidates, and political use of resources.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020
Stopping Malign Activities from Russian Terrorism Act This bill directs the Department of State to report to Congress as to whether Russia qualifies as a state sponsor of terrorism. The State Department shall also report to Congress as to whether the following armed entities qualify as foreign terrorist organizations: (1) entities in the Donbas region of Ukraine controlled or aided by Russia, and (2) entities controlled by or associated with the Donetsk People's Republic or Lugansk People's Republic.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020
VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Project Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish the Zero Suicide Initiative pilot program for the purpose of improving safety and suicide care for veterans. The program must be implemented at five VA medical centers, including one that serves veterans in rural and remote areas.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2020
COVID-19 Youth Sports and Healthy Working Families Relief Act This bill establishes measures to provide economic assistance to youth sports providers, programs, and organizations in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill (1) requires the Small Business Administration to establish a loan program for youth sports providers affected by COVID-19, (2) expands the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to include expenses for youth physical activities, (3) makes certain sports and fitness expenses eligible to be paid for with Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and (4) increases the maximum contribution per household for Dependent Care FSAs.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2020
COVID Preparedness, Response, and Effective Planning for Advanced Requirements by the Executive Branch Act or the COVID PREPARE Act This bill requires federal agencies to submit to Congress plans for responding to any resurgence of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, each agency shall submit (1) an initial report detailing an action plan, informed by research and best practices learned from the onset of COVID-19 and previous presidentially declared emergencies, for addressing the needs and mitigating and eliminating the risks and challenges associated with any resurgence in COVID-19 cases; and (2) subsequent reports, on a quarterly basis until the President ends the declared emergency, that update the details submitted in the plan. The initial report shall include agency priorities for preparing for and responding to any resurgence; measurable goals specific to priorities and a time line for addressing each priority; anticipated challenges to addressing priorities and how the agency will address such challenges; how the agency will consult with Congress, the public, state and municipal governments, and relevant stakeholders while working remotely; and how the agency plans to issue relevant guidance to entities under the jurisdiction of the agency.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
SAFE Workers Act or the Secure And Fair Elections for Workers Act This bill requires the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to provide employees with the ability to vote remotely by telephone or the internet in union representation elections during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The bill further permits the NLRB's use of appropriations to issue directives or regulations providing for electronic voting methods.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards A Recovery in Twenty-twenty Act or the RESTART Act This bill establishes a loan program whereby the Small Business Administration (SBA) shall guarantee loan amounts to certain businesses affected by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires the SBA to guarantee 100% of program loan amounts made to certain small businesses that have not more than than 5,000 full-time employees. The terms for such loans shall include (1) a maximum duration of not more than seven years; (2) an amount that is not greater than 45% of 2019 gross receipts, up to $12 million; and (3) no payment on principal for the first two years of the loan. A lender that is otherwise approved to make paycheck protection loans may make and approve loans established by the bill, and a recipient may use loan funds for specified allowable expenses including payroll costs, rent, utilities, and personal protective equipment. Such loans may be forgiven up to the amount of total losses incurred by the recipient in the taxable year 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Preventing China from Exploiting COVID-19 Act This bill directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress on efforts by China's government to exploit the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic to advance its national security and foreign policy interests. The report shall contain elements including (1) an assessment of Chinese government efforts to retaliate against countries seeking an inquiry into China's role in the spread of COVID-19, (2) a description of Chinese economic aid or medical assistance to countries affected by COVID-19 and how such activities may affect Chinese and U.S. foreign policy interests, and (3) an identification of different ways the Chinese government may be using the global disruption caused by COVID-19 to more aggressively pursue long-standing domestic and foreign policy objectives.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2020
Protect Telehealth Access Act of 2020 This bill modifies requirements relating to coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill removes restrictions that require the originating site (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) to be in a rural area, and allows the home of a beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services (rather than for only certain services).
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020
This bill requires the Department of State to develop a strategy titled the Department of State Strategy for Countering White Identity Terrorism Globally, and it establishes related reporting requirements. Such strategy shall include (1) an assessment of the global threat from white identity terrorism abroad, (2) detailed plans for using public diplomacy to degrade and delegitimize white identity terrorist ideologues and ideology globally, and (3) an outline of how the State Department plans to use designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist or foreign terrorist organization to support the strategy. Annual country reports on terrorism must include all credible information about white identity terrorism, and the President must determine whether the foreign persons, organizations, and networks identified in such reports satisfy the criteria to be designated as (1) foreign terrorist organizations, or (2) Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The State Department must also contract with a federally funded research and development center to facilitate a study that provides for a comprehensive social network analysis of the global white identity terrorism movement.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2020
This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to provide technical assistance to certain organizations to expand access to and awareness of mental health and substance use prevention and treatment services during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention Act of 20 20 or the STANDUP Act of 2020 This bill requires state, tribal, and local education agencies that receive grant funding for priority mental-health needs, including through the Project AWARE State Education Agency Grant Program, to establish and implement evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention training policies. In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in coordination with the Department of Education, must provide educational agencies with best practices for these trainings.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
Taxpayer Research and Coronavirus Knowledge Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with specified federal agencies, to compile a public, searchable database of federal contracts, tax benefits, and other support for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) biomedical research and development, including information regarding the source and amount of such support. HHS must develop the database within one month and update it every two weeks.
