United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2021
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for admission into the United States of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The commonwealth shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the commonwealth. The bill applies current District laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings. The commonwealth (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. District territory excluded from the commonwealth shall be known as the Capital and shall be the seat of the federal government. The bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property. The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President. The bill continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, courts, and college tuition assistance, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over the authorities and responsibilities. The bill establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise the President, Congress, and District and commonwealth leaders on the transition.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2021
Raise the Wage Act of 2021 This bill increases the federal minimum wage for regular employees over a 5-year period, for tipped employees, and for newly hired employees who are less than 20 years old. The bill sets forth a schedule of annual increases in the federal minimum wage for individuals with disabilities. The Department of Labor shall no longer issue special certificates for the payment of subminimum wages to such individuals after the final wage increase under this bill for such individuals takes effect. Labor shall provide, upon request, technical assistance and information to employers to (1) help them transition their practices to comply with wage increases and other requirements under this bill for individuals with disabilities, and (2) ensure continuing employment opportunities for such individuals. The bill eliminates the separate minimum wage requirements for tipped, newly hired, and disabled employees. After a specified period, these employees shall be paid the same minimum wage as regular employees. Labor must publish any increase in the minimum wage in the Federal Register and on its website 60 days before it takes effect.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2021
Ally's Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover certain hearing devices and systems (e.g., bone-anchored auditory implants) and related items and services. The bill also imposes limits on cost sharing.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2021
Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission shall examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. The commission shall identify (1) the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, (2) forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and (3) lingering negative effects of slavery on living African Americans and society.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2021
This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2021
Officer Eugene Goodman Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman for his actions to protect the Senate chamber during the security breach at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2021
Direct Support for Communities Act This bill provides FY2021 supplemental appropriations to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to award additional Community Development Block Grants to units of local government and counties to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus and the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. Specifically, within 30 days, HUD must distribute 50% of such funds to metropolitan cities and other units of local government and 50% to counties and parishes. These funds may be used to cover costs or replace lost, delayed, or decreased revenues stemming from the COVID-19 public health emergency. Additionally, the bill designates the funding as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2021
This resolution honors the memory of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick for sacrificing his life in the line of duty on January 6, 2021, and it calls for justice to be brought to those responsible for the attack on the Capitol and the death of Officer Sicknick.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2020
This resolution congratulates the National Urban League on 110 years of service empowering African Americans and other underserved communities while helping to foster a more just, equitable, and inclusive United States.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2020
Economic Justice Act This bill provides emergency funding to address economic disparities and the impact of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) in communities, particularly with respect to low-income and minority populations. Among other programs, the bill provides funding for child care, health services, job training, family support services, small businesses, and housing, as well as for hospital, school, and broadband infrastructure. The bill also includes provisions that raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, incentivize Medicaid expansion, establish a tax credit for first-time homebuyers, and institute clean water and air programs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2020
Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act of 2020 This bill revises requirements governing (1) investigations of mine accidents, (2) miners' rights and protections (e.g., whistle-blower rights and protections), (3) mine health and safety standards, (4) underground coal mines, and (5) health and safety training for miners. The Department of Labor, when investigating coal or other mines, must (1) determine why an accident occurred and whether there were violations of law, mandatory health and safety standards, or other requirements; and (2) make recommendations to avoid a recurrence of an accident. The bill expands Labor's enforcement authority, including by requiring Labor to (1) revoke the approval of mine operators' plans or programs based on certain criteria, and (2) order mine operators to withdraw all persons from a mine until Labor approves a new plan. The bill revises civil and criminal penalties, including by subjecting a mine operator who knowingly violates health or safety standards to a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $1 million fine. Underground coal mine operators must implement a communication program to brief miners of current mine conditions and install atmospheric monitoring systems. The bill amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to expand its coverage to government employees and increase civil and criminal penalties for violations of the act. The bill also expands whistle-blower rights and protections against retaliation under the act, establishes employee rights with respect to work-related bodily injuries or death, and establishes procedures for correcting serious, willful, or repeated violations of occupational safety and health standards.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2020
Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2020 This bill establishes several requirements and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Specifically, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards, including the ability to provide real-time decisions in response to requests for items and services that are routinely approved; (2) annually publish specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2020
Community College Student Success Act of 2020 This bill establishes two grant programs for public two-year institutions of higher education (IHEs) to plan and implement programs that are designed to increase the rate at which their students graduate, the rate at which their students transfer to a four-year IHE, and the number of credits that students apply to a degree in their major.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2020
Encouraging Americans to Save Act This bill sets forth provisions to provide matching payments for retirement savings and Individual Retirement Account (IRA) contributions for lower income individuals. Specifically, it allows an enhanced 50% tax credit, up to $2,000, for deductible retirement savings contributions and for IRA contributions. The bill also directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish the R-Bond Program as a permanent program for the establishment and maintenance of Roth IRAs and directs the IRS to educate taxpayers on the benefits of the savings programs provided by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2020
This resolution congratulates the National Urban League on 110 years of service empowering African Americans and other underserved communities while helping to foster a more just, equitable, and inclusive United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2020
Human-Services Emergency Logistic Program Act of 2020 or the HELP Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to allot funding to states and territories to improve 2-1-1 call systems. These systems connect callers seeking non-emergency assistance with appropriate local human services, such as homelessness and suicide prevention resources.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2020
This resolution mourns the death of former Senator Paul Spyros Sarbanes and requests that an enrolled copy of this resolution be transmitted to the family of the Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2020
COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Support Act of 2020 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local health departments or nonprofits to disseminate information about COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), including regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2020
This concurrent resolution (1) affirms, on the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first slave ship, that the nation owes a debt of remembrance not only to those who lived through the injustices of slavery but also to their descendants; and (2) urges the establishment of a U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation to properly acknowledge, memorialize, and be a catalyst for progress, including toward permanently eliminating persistent racial inequities.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2020
COVID HCBS Relief Act of 2020 This bill temporarily increases the applicable Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) under Medicaid for certain approved home- and community-based services that are provided between October 1, 2020, and September 30, 2022. As a condition for receiving the increased rate, a state must agree to undertake activities to improve the delivery of such services.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2020
Supporting Best Practices for Healthy Moms Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to publish guidance on ways to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and to report on the Medicaid payment methodologies that apply to facility transfers of pregnant women.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2020
American Worker Holiday Relief Act of 2020 This bill revises and extends unemployment compensation eligibility requirements for workers affected by COVID-19. It also requires states to offer workers claiming compensation the option to withhold federal income tax from payments and requires states to report to the Department of Labor on backlogs of unemployment claims.
United States · United States Congress · 30 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 · 18 November 2020
This bill nullifies the executive order titled Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service , which was issued on October 21, 2020. The order places executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, in the excepted service instead of the competitive service.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2020
Assimilating Health and Equity Assessments into Decision-making of 2020 or AHEAD Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) to study, and make certain recommendations concerning, the use of health impact assessments or other tools to evaluate the effect of proposed federal legislation on health and health disparities. When developing recommendations to incorporate these tools into the federal legislative process, the National Academies must consult with the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Congressional Research Service.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2020
This resolution designates September 30, 2020, as Impact Aid Recognition Day to recognize the 70th anniversary of the Impact Aid Program. The program provides funding to local educational agencies that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property or to those that have experienced increased expenditures due to enrollment of federally connected children (e.g., children living on Indian lands or military bases).
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2020
This resolution designates the week beginning September 13, 2020, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week and commends the contributions of direct support professionals who provide integral services to people with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2020
This resolution expresses the Senate's affirmation of and commitment to the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme on the occasion of its being awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2020
Daniel J. Harvey Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to jointly implement a five-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing specified counseling and services as part of the Transition Assistance Program for members of the Armed Forces as a means of reducing the incidence of suicide among veterans. Specifically, the pilot program would involve a three-hour counseling module and the provision of contact information for a counseling or similar facility in the locality where the veteran intends to reside. Additionally, the participating veterans must submit medical records in connection with their service in the Armed Forces, regardless of whether they intend to file a claim for benefits for a service-connected disability. Under the program, a social worker or behavioral health coordinator from the VA must contact the veteran within 90 days after the member is discharged or released from service to schedule a follow-up appointment. At least 10 DOD Transition Assistance Centers must be jointly selected to carry out the pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2020
This resolution expresses the sorrow of the Senate upon the death of former Senator Mark Andrews and requests that an enrolled copy of this resolution be transmitted to the family of the Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2020
Helping Adults Protect Immunity Act or the HAPI Act This bill requires state Medicaid programs to cover, without cost-sharing, vaccines for adults that are recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2020
Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness Act or the REEF Act This bill provides that payments made from the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Account shall not be subject to reduction with respect to unemployment compensation programs for qualified railroad employees.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2020
Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2020 This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 and expands the Full-Service Community Schools program. The program provides support for full-service community schools that serve children and their families, particularly for children who attend high-poverty elementary and secondary schools. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to eligible entities to plan, implement, expand, and support full-service community schools. An eligible entity is a consortium of (1) one or more local educational agencies or the Bureau of Indian Education; and (2) one or more community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, or other entities. A community school refers to a public elementary or secondary school that incorporates the four pillars of community schools. These four pillars are defined by the bill as (1) integrated student supports that address out-of-school barriers to learning (e.g., medical care and assistance with housing, transportation, or nutrition); (2) expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities (e.g., before- and after-school programs); (3) family and community engagement (e.g., adult education); and (4) collaborative leadership and practices, which must include a school-based leadership team, a community school coordinator, and a community-wide leadership team. Further, the bill directs ED to award grants to states to plan, implement, and expand community schools. A state educational agency that receives a grant must meet certain requirements, such as providing subgrants to local educational agencies, establishing a state-level steering committee, and establishing goals for the implementation and expansion of community schools throughout the state.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2020
This resolution directs the Department of State to transmit to Congress a statement on human rights practices in Azerbaijan, including the steps the United States has taken to promote human rights in the region and an assessment of whether circumstances exist that necessitate a continuation of security assistance for Azerbaijan.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2020
This resolution directs the Department of State to transmit to Congress a statement on human rights practices in Turkey, including the steps the United States has taken to promote human rights in the region and an assessment of whether circumstances exist that necessitate a continuation of security assistance for Turkey. The resolution also calls for information on whether U.S.-built F-16s have been used by Turkey in the conflict in the South Caucasus.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2020
Fairness for Seniors and People with Disabilities During COVID-19 Act of 2020 This bill restricts the recovery by the Social Security Administration (SSA) of certain overpayments of benefits made between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The bill also specifies that an individual who received Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or similar payments from a state, for any month during that period shall not be deemed ineligible for Medicaid coverage for that month on the basis that the individual is later determined to be ineligible for SSI or similar payments. Specifically, the SSA shall not recover any overpayments of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits, SSI benefits, or benefits for certain World War II veterans made during this period, unless the overpayments resulted from fraud or the misuse of benefits by a representative payee. For actions underway to recover overpayments, including those initiated before March 2020, the SSA must also notify individuals of their opportunity to request a reduction or suspension of adjustments to their benefits or a suspension of certain installment payments during the specified period. Additionally, the SSA must report on the time frame for resuming overpayment processing and collection activities. Beginning in March 2020, the SSA has operated under modified work processes in response to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2020) emergency, including the suspension of certain procedures for identifying changes to eligibility status and adjusting benefits to account for them. However, in August 2020, the SSA issued an interim final rule concerning the resumption of these procedures, which included a simplified waiver process for beneficiaries who incurred an overpayment between March 1, 2020, and September 30, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2020
Heroes Small Business Lifeline Act This bill provides economic support to small business affected by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) by extending and expanding existing initiatives such as the Paycheck Protection Program, establishing a new lifeline grant program, and providing dedicated assistance for industries such as restaurants and live entertainment.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2020
Fair Access to Financial Services Act of 2020 This bill prohibits financial institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill also provides an aggrieved person with a private right of action for preventive relief.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2020
This resolution requires all individuals in a Senate building to (1) adhere to social distancing guidelines, and (2) wear a mask while in any public area. It also requires the Senate to develop and implement a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) testing and contact tracing program for Senators and Senate workers.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Community-Based Response Act This bill establishes a program to assist communities with implementing alternative emergency response models in vulnerable populations to resolve crisis situations that may not require a law enforcement response or situations where a law enforcement response may increase the risk of harm. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice, must award grants to eligible partnerships to establish or expand these models. The partnerships must consist of a unit of local or tribal government that is independent of law enforcement agencies and a nonprofit, community-based organization or consortium of such organizations. The partnerships may also include other entities, such as nonprofit or public institutions of higher education and behavioral health organizations. A partnership may use grant funds for a variety of purposes, such as triaging 9–1–1 calls to refer certain emergencies to entities other than law enforcement. In awarding these grants, HHS must prioritize partnerships that include community-based organizations that have a record of effectively serving, and are led by members of, vulnerable populations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Asuncion Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Labor to promulgate an occupational safety or health standard on prevention of exposure to excessive heat. Excessive heat includes outdoor or indoor exposure to heat at levels that exceed the capacities of the body to maintain normal body functions and may cause heat-related injury, illness, or fatality. In addition, the bill establishes requirements concerning (1) training and education to prevent and respond to heat illness, and (2) whistle-blower protections.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
This resolution recognizes the importance of the Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the Bosnian War and brought peace to the region, and condemns human rights abuses that took place during the conflict
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
This resolution supports the designation of the week of September 20, 2020, as National Small Business Week in celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners and the invaluable contribution small businesses make to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act of 2020 This bill requires federal agencies to develop and disclose reopening plans that incorporate certain information before sending employees back to work during a public health emergency, such as the emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires an agency to post a reopening plan on its website at least 30 days before reopening a facility. Among other information, the plan must detail (1) the personal protective equipment (PPE) that the agency will provide to its employees; (2) protections for employees whose work requires them to be in nonfederal buildings, such as auditors; and (3) potential measures to reverse the reopening that still ensure the continuity of operations. Each agency's Office of the Inspector General must report on whether the agency has complied with this bill's requirements and whether the agency has provided adequate PPE for its employees.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
This resolution designates September 2020 as National Kinship Care Month and encourages community stakeholders to work together to improve well-being for vulnerable children and families.
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