United States · United States Congress · 21 December 2020
Sets forth the rule for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 133) to promote economic partnership and cooperation between the United States and Mexico; providing for disposition of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1520) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2020
Cat Abuse in Testing Stops Act of 2020 or the CATS Act of 2020 This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs, in carrying out research within the Veterans Health Administration, from purchasing, breeding, transporting, housing, feeding, maintaining, disposing of, or experimenting on cats as part of the conduct of any study that causes significant pain or distress.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2020
Keeping All Students Safe Act This bill prohibits the use of seclusion and limits the use of physical restraint in schools and Head Start programs that receive federal funding. It also establishes enforcement provisions, including a private right of action for a student who has been subjected to unlawful seclusion or restraint, and creates a grant program for state educational agencies to implement the procedures required by the bill.
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
This resolution denounces efforts by the Nicolás Maduro regime to hold fraudulent legislative elections and joins members of the international community in rejecting the regime's efforts to carry out those elections. Further, it urges that elections in Venezuela be conducted as soon as possible according to international standards for free, fair, and transparent electoral processes. Additionally, the resolution calls on the Maduro regime to cease its persecution of Venezuala's independent political parties and release all political prisoners, and it calls for Nicolás Maduro and senior members of his regime to be held accountable for their actions.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2020
Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2020 This bill implements various ocean-based policies, programs, and goals to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including by establishing the Blue Carbon Program to further conservation objectives for fish and wildlife habitat conservation and restoration and coastal resilience.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2020
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4755 Southeast Dixie Highway in Port Salerno, Florida, as the "Joseph Bullock Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2020
Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of the Office Act This bill establishes in the legislative branch a Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of the Office to determine whether the President is mentally or physically unable to discharge the powers and duties of office. The commission (1) within 72 hours after Congress adopts a concurrent resolution directing it to do so, shall conduct a medical examination to determine if the President is temporarily or permanently impaired by physical illness or disability, mental illness, mental deficiency, alcohol or drug use, or any other condition or contingency rendering the President unable to execute the powers and duties of the office of President; and (2) within 72 hours after completing the examination, shall report its findings and conclusions to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate. Any refusal by the President to undergo such examination shall be taken into consideration by the commission in reaching a conclusion.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2020
Protecting Residents with Oversight, Transparency, and Enforcement for Compassionate Treatment in Long Term Care Facilities Act or the PROTECT Long Term Care Facilities Act This bill establishes a series of requirements for Medicare skilled nursing facilities and Medicaid nursing facilities during declared emergencies relating to infectious disease outbreaks, including specific survey and reporting requirements, and provides funds for state survey agencies to conduct related investigations.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2020
Promoting Restoration of Emergency Preparedness and Advancing Response to Epidemics in Long-Term Care Act or the PREPARE LTC Act This bill provides statutory authority for certain infection control and emergency preparedness requirements for Medicare skilled nursing facilities and Medicaid nursing facilities, and expands certain requirements to apply to other infectious disease outbreaks beyond COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
This resolution calls for the release of, and provision of medical attention to, Cuban political prisoner Silverio Portal Contreras, and it condemns the politically motivated imprisonment of dissidents in Cuba. Further, it calls for the release of all who have been arbitrarily detained due to their advocacy for human rights and democracy, and it urges the lifting of all legal restrictions that limit the freedoms of expression and association in Cuba.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Set Sail Safely Act This bill establishes a Maritime Task Force to address the health and safety of passengers, crew, and associated workers, logistical issues relating to the continuation of maritime travel, and the resumption of cruise operations in United States waters during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The task force must consist of members from several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Transportation. It must work together with input from private sector stakeholders to develop a plan about policies and procedures that need to be adopted for the safe resumption of the cruise line industry during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Rosewood Study Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to complete a special resource study of the site of the Rosewood massacre in Levy County, Florida.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Visit America Act This bill implements measures to support the U.S. travel and tourism industry and to address the declining percentage of international visitors to the United States. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Commerce to develop a 10-year travel and tourism strategy with the goal of achieving, by 2028, 116 million annual international visitors to the United States and $445 billion in travel exports. The bill also establishes the role of Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism, whose responsibilities shall include (1) setting an annual goal for the number of international visitors to the United States, (2) providing support for improved visitor visa processing, and (3) promoting travel exports abroad. Further, the assistant secretary must develop and implement a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic recovery strategy to assist the recovery of the U.S. travel and tourism industry from travel restrictions necessitated by the pandemic. The bill also provides statutory authority for the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, which shall aid the assistant secretary in developing and implementing the COVID-19 pandemic recovery strategy.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
Vital Standardization of Thoughtful Administrative Techniques and Statistics Act of 2020 or the Vital STATS Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Medicine to study coordination and standardization of vital-statistics reporting and data sharing between federal, state, and local agencies.
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 · 29 September 2020
Coronavirus College Access and Completion Emergency Relief Act This bill provides additional appropriations to the Department of Education for TRIO programs. (These outreach and student services programs identify and provide services to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.) The bill provides the funding to (1) expand program capacity to serve more low-income, first-generation students, students with disabilities, veterans, unemployed adults, and other qualified individuals; and (2) provide such students with technology support.
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 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 · 24 September 2020
This resolution expresses support for organizations that distribute diapers to families in need, particularly during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, and encourages donations to such organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020
This bill requires senior government officials to report certain payments received from the federal government by the officials or certain immediate family members, and it revises availability requirements for certain financial disclosures. Specifically, the bill requires senior government officials, including the President, Members of Congress, and certain government employees, to file a report of certain payments made or promised to be made by the federal government (e.g., loan agreements, contracts, and grants). This report must include (1) an identification of the type of payment or thing of value applied for or received, (2) the name of the recipient and the recipient's relation to the person required to file the report, (3) the dates of the application for and receipt of the payment or thing of value, and (4) the amount of the payment or thing of value. Further, the bill requires that certain financial disclosure reports that must be filed by senior government officials be available in a manner that (1) allows the public to search, sort, and download report data using specified criteria; (2) allows access through an application programming interface (i.e., a mobile application); and (3) complies fully with accessibility guidelines for online content.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020
Protecting Our Democracy Act This bill addresses issues involving (1) abuses of presidential power; (2) checks and balances, accountability, and transparency; and (3) foreign interference in elections. Specifically, regarding abuses of presidential power, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the President to submit to Congress specified materials relating to certain pardons; prohibits self-pardons by the President; suspends the statute of limitations for any federal offense committed by a sitting President or Vice President; prohibits the acceptance of foreign or domestic emoluments, authorizes civil actions by Congress concerning foreign emoluments, and requires the President to make certain disclosures; and sets forth provisions regarding enforcement authority of the Office of Government Ethics and Office of Special Counsel jurisdiction. To address checks and balances, accountability, and transparency, the bill, among other things authorizes specified actions to enforce congressional subpoenas, requires appropriations to be made available for obligation in a timely manner, imposes limits on presidential declarations of emergencies, requires DOJ to maintain a log of communications between it and the White House regarding certain investigations, requires cause for removal of inspectors general, increases whistleblower protections, reauthorizes the Merit Systems Protection Board, and establishes penalties for political appointees who engage in prohibited political activities. To protect against foreign interference in elections, the bill requires federal campaign reporting of foreign contacts, requires federal campaigns to establish a foreign contacts compliance policy, and specifies that foreign donations to political campaigns and candidates of nonpublic information relating to a candidate are prohibited.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020
Air Carrier Worker Support Extension Act of 2020 This bill extends authority for the Department of the Treasury to provide financial assistance to passenger air carriers, cargo air carriers, and contractors of passenger air carriers for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits. The maximum amounts of financial assistance that may be provided by Treasury for this purpose are $25.5 billion for passenger air carriers, $300 million for cargo air carriers, and $3 billion for contractors . The bill provides specific deadlines and procedures under which Treasury must provide financial assistance to air carriers and contractors. To be eligible for financial assistance, an air carrier or contractor must (1) agree not to reduce pay and benefits or conduct involuntary furloughs until March 31, 2021; and (2) agree, through March 31, 2022, not to repurchase stock, pay dividends, or make other capital distributions. Additionally, Treasury may require carriers that receive assistance to maintain service to points served before March 1, 2020. Such authority terminates on April 1, 2022. The bill limits the maximum allowable compensation of an officer or employee of an air carrier or contractor that receives assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020
This resolution supports the designation of National Hispanic Nurses day and recognizes the contribution of these nurses to the U.S. health care system.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020
This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2020
COVID-19 Hospice Respite Care Relief Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to waive certain limitations with respect to Medicare coverage of hospice care during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the CMS may allow respite care to be provided in other settings besides inpatient facilities and may allow such care to be provided for up to 15 (rather than up to 5) consecutive days.
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
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 · 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 · 15 September 2020
This resolution declares that Congress and the President will have a duty to act in 2021 on the self-determination choice of the people of Puerto Rico if the territory's plebiscite chooses statehood. The resolution (1) recognizes that implementation legislation will need to include measures to phase-in the equal treatment of the territory and its residents in federal laws, and (2) states that such measures should implement equality for Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans as expeditiously as possible.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2020
Curbing Realistic Exploitative Electronic Pedophilic Robots Act 2.0 or the CREEPER Act 2.0 This bill expands the federal prohibition on importing or transporting obscene materials to include child sex dolls and makes it a crime to buy, sell, or distribute a child sex doll in interstate or foreign commerce. An individual who imports, transports, buys, sells, distributes, or possesses these dolls is subject to a fine, a prison term, or both.
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 · 8 September 2020
This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Middleburg, Florida, as the A.K. Baker V.A. Clinic.
United States · United States Congress · 18 August 2020
This resolution expresses support for the designation of James Weldon Johnson Park in Jacksonville, Florida, as part of the National Park Service's African American Civil Rights Network. The park stood at the center of the 1960s race riots in Jacksonville where ax handles were used to beat African Americans who were attempting to desegregate lunch counters. The resolution recognizes designating James Weldon Johnson Park as part of the National Park Service's African American Civil Rights Network shall mark the day of the Ax Handle Saturday attack as a reminder of what happened and honor those who stood up for justice.
United States · United States Congress · 14 August 2020
Community Immunity During COVID-19 Act of 2020 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to award grants to governmental health departments to increase rates of recommended immunizations during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The CDC must also develop, in consultation with specified entities, guidance for health care providers on counseling patients about COVID-19 vaccines.
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 support for the designation of Hemming Park in Jacksonville, Florida, as part of the National Park Service's African American Civil Rights Network. Hemming Park stood at the center of the 1960s race riots in Jacksonville, Florida, where ax handles were used to beat African Americans who were attempting to desegregate lunch counters. The resolution recognizes designating Hemming Park as part of the National Park Service's African American Civil Rights Network shall mark the day of the Ax Handle Saturday attack as a reminder of what happened and honor those who stood up for justice.
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 · 31 July 2020
This resolution recognizes the role of Lebanon and its institutions as historic examples of democratic values in the Middle East and expresses support for the continuation of democracy and democratic ideals in Lebanon. Further, the resolution recognizes the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as the sole institution entrusted with the defense of the sovereignty of Lebanon and supports strengthening U.S. partnerships with the LAF. The resolution also expresses support for the rights of the Lebanese people, and it encourages Lebanon to combat corruption in government, execute structural reforms, and work with international financial institutions to stabilize the economy.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Strengthening America's Families Act of 2020 This bill provides statutory authority for the Infant and Toddler Court Program and permits the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand the program, including by awarding grants to states, tribes, and territories. This program supports case management services and other activities to improve the health, well-being, and development of infants, toddlers, and families in the child welfare system.
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.