Sen. Butler, Laphonza R. [D-CA]

PRICE Act

United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2023

Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act

United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2023

Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2023

Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2023 This bill expands eligibility for Post-9/11 GI bill benefits and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan program by updating terminology related to certain Black veterans. Specifically, the bill explicitly includes the following individuals as eligible veterans under the programs: Black veterans who served on active duty during World War II and can certify they were denied a specific benefit on the basis of race; and the living surviving spouses, children, grandchildren, or other direct descendants of such veterans described above who can certify the veteran was denied a specific benefit on the basis of race. Eligible veterans must apply for educational or home loan benefits within the five-year period after the bill is enacted. The Government Accountability Office must report on the number of individuals who received VA educational or housing loan benefits due to the amendments made by the bill and the total value of such benefits. Finally, the VA must appoint a panel of independent experts to develop recommendations regarding additional benefits and assistance for female and minority members of the Armed Forces.

Puerto Rico Status Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 November 2023

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that paraprofessionals and education support staff should have fair compensation, benefits, and working conditions.

United States · United States Congress · 6 November 2023

This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that paraprofessionals and education support staff should receive a living wage, have access to affordable health care and health care benefits, and have access to other specified employment benefits and working conditions. Additionally, in recognition of the importance of collective bargaining in maintaining good working conditions, employers of paraprofessionals and education support staff should engage in good faith negotiations.

A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2023

This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Equal COLA Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2023

CHILD Labor Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2023

Protecting Unaccompanied Children Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2023

A resolution recognizing the month of October 2023 as "National Women's Small Business Month".

United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2023

This resolution recognizes October 2023 as National Women's Small Business Month, honoring the role of women small business owners and entrepreneurs and encouraging the support and creation of women-owned small businesses.

HCBS Relief Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023

HCBS Relief Act of 2023 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 during FY2024-FY2025. As a condition for receiving the increased rate, a state must agree to undertake activities to improve the delivery of such services, such as by providing additional benefits to home health workers and by helping individuals who were relocated to nursing facilities move back to their homes.

Safe Schools Improvement Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023

Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics), disability, or religion. Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

A resolution designating Betty K. Koed as Historian Emerita of the United States Senate.

United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2023

This resolution designates Betty K. Koed as Historian Emerita of the Senate in appreciation of her long and faithful service.

SHINE Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2023

A resolution standing with Israel against terrorism.

United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2023

This resolution states that the Senate stands with Israel as it defends itself, reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense, and calls on all countries to unequivocally condemn Hamas' war on Israel. The resolution also reaffirms the United States' commitment to Israel's security, supports emergency resupply and certain other types of assistance to Israel, and calls on the United States to lead an international effort to deprive Hamas of Iranian and other sources of funding and lethal assistance. Furthermore, the resolution states that it may not be construed as a declaration of war or an authorization for the use of military force.

A resolution supporting the nearly 150,000 United Auto Workers currently negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the "Big Three" automakers.

United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2023

This resolution expresses support for members of the United Auto Workers union in their negotiations with automakers General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford (known as the  Big Three) . The resolution supports workers' rights to organize and to collectively bargain. It also calls on the automakers to negotiate in good faith and offer their workers a fair contract.

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2023

A resolution to honor the life and death of Richard Clarence Clark, former Senator for the State of Iowa.

United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2023

This resolution expresses the sorrow of the Senate regarding the death of Richard C. Clark, former Senator for the state of Iowa.

A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Dianne Feinstein, the late Senator for the State of California.

United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2023

This resolution expresses the sorrow of the Senate regarding the death of Dianne Feinstein, a Senator for the state of California.

Youth Voting Rights Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2023

Youth Voting Rights Act This bill expands voting access for youth. Specifically, the bill establishes a private right of action to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote based on age. Further, the bill authorizes the Department of Justice to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment against age-based restrictions for voting by mail. Additionally, the bill directs each state to designate as voter registration agencies all offices within public institutions of higher education (IHEs) that provide assistance to students, implement a preregistration process to allow minors who are 16 years or older to register to vote in federal elections that take place when or after the preregistered individual turns age 18, and ensure the availability of polling places on campuses of IHEs (with the availability of waivers). The bill prohibits durational residency requirements for voting in all federal elections. Currently, this prohibition applies only to voting for the offices of President and Vice President. States and local jurisdictions with voter identification requirements must treat IHE-issued student identification cards as voter identification. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must make grants to states to increase the involvement of individuals under age 18 in public election activities. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on trends related to voter registration, absentee voting, and provisional voting. The EAC must also collect and make publicly available certain data from states.

Expanding the VOTE Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2023

Expanding the Voluntary Opportunities for Translations in Elections Act or the Expanding the VOTE Act This bill expands access to voting materials for individuals with limited proficiency in the English language. Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) requires covered states and political subdivisions to provide voting materials and other language assistance to persons who are American Indian, Asian American, Alaskan Natives, or of Spanish heritage and whose ability to speak or understand English limits electoral participation. A state or political subdivision that is subject to Section 203 is prohibited from providing English-only voting materials in an election. Among other requirements, this bill (1) requires the Department of Justice to issue a notice of prohibition, including the trigger threshold at which the prohibition applies, to certain states and political subdivisions; and (2) requires covered states and political subdivisions to provide written translations of all voting materials, with the consent of any applicable tribal government, to election workers. Additionally, the bill requires the Election Assistance Commission to make incentive grants for states and political subdivisions to provide translated voting materials. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the impact of (1) reducing the threshold requirement under Section 203 of the VRA, and (2) expanding the definition of  language minorities to include native speakers of additional languages.

Supporting Farmworkers' Mental Health Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2023

Supporting Farmworkers' Mental Health Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and modifies the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) Program. (The FRSAN Program funds projects that aim to maintain a network connecting individuals engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations to stress assistance programs.) Specifically, the bill makes individuals engaged in farm work eligible for assistance under the FRSAN Program. The bill also expands the types of programs eligible for FRSAN grants to include those that deliver peer-to-peer mental health support to individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, farm work, and other agriculture-related occupations. 

Billie Jean King Congressional Gold Medal Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2023

Billie Jean King Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Billie Jean King in recognition of her courageous and groundbreaking leadership in advancing equal rights for women in athletics, education, and society.

Same Day Registration Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2023

Same Day Registration Act This bill requires states with a voter registration requirement to make same-day voter registration available at the polling place on any day voting is permitted.

Rural Veterinary Workforce Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2023

Rural Veterinary Workforce Act  This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, student loan repayment or forgiveness assistance provided to veterinarians practicing in rural areas of a state. 

Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023

Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Education to (1) award grants to Hispanic-serving institutions of higher education (IHEs) to improve and expand innovative collaboration agreements between local educational agencies and IHEs to better serve Hispanic and Latino students, (2) provide technical assistance to such IHEs, and (3) contract with a third party to conduct an independent evaluation of grant activities. Such grants must be used for specific activities, such as improving school-based and institutional practices to prepare students for postsecondary education and addressing nonacademic needs of students that are barriers to college enrollment.

FABRIC Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.

Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024

United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023

Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2023 This bill promotes the remediation of abandoned hardrock mine sites by Good Samaritans. A Good Samaritan means a person that is (1) not a past or current owner or operator of the abandoned site; (2) had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue; and (3) is not potentially liable under any law for the remediation, treatment, or control of the historic mine residue. The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a Good Samaritan pilot program. Under the program, the EPA may issue permits to allow Good Samaritans to remediate historic mine residue at abandoned hardrock mine sites without being subject to enforcement or liability under specified environmental laws for past, present, or future releases, threats of releases, or discharges of hazardous substances or other contaminants at or from the abandoned mine site. In addition, the bill establishes a Good Samaritan Mine Remediation Fund for land management agencies that authorize Good Samaritans to conduct remediation projects on federal land.

Child Care Stabilization Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023

Child Care Stabilization Act This bill provides additional funding through FY2028 for child care stabilization grants under which lead state agencies make subgrants to child care providers for personnel costs, facility costs, the purchase of personal protective equipment, and other costs related to providing child care services.

Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023

Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2023

Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 202 3 This bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants to eligible partnerships to support demonstration and pilot projects relating to the training needs of workers who are, or are likely to become, dislocated workers as a result of automation. Specifically, the bill expands training programs for such workers, including activities that prepare the individuals for occupations in the technology sector, authorizes the award of national dislocated worker grants to provide employment and training assistance to workers affected by advances in automation technology, and expands the funding authorization for national dislocated worker grants.

Voice for Farm Workers Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Voice for Farm Workers Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes and expands the duties of the Farmworker Coordinator at the Department of Agriculture (USDA). (Part of the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, the coordinator identifies challenges faced by farmworkers and coordinates with USDA programs and other federal agencies to address the community’s needs.) Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the position of Farmworker Coordinator through FY2029. Under the bill, the coordinator must assess the effectiveness of USDA farmworker outreach programs, develop and implement a plan to coordinate USDA farmworker outreach activities and services, collaborate with USDA's agencies and offices on farmworker-related programmatic and policy decisions, communicate to employers of farmworkers information about federal programs for employees, identify research priorities to inform USDA farmworker-related research activities, measure and analyze the outcomes of USDA farmworker programs and activities, and recommend new initiatives and programs to USDA.  Further, the bill expands the coordinator's existing duties to include (1) serving as a liaison to institutions of higher education and local educational agencies, and (2) consulting with community-based nonprofit organizations on areas such as technical skills and job training programs. The bill also directs the coordinator to hire such staff as necessary to carry out the coordinator's activities. 

Name Accuracy in Credit Reporting Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Name Accuracy in Credit Reporting Act This bill prohibits, upon a consumer's request, a credit reporting agency from including on a consumer credit report a consumer's prior name after a legal name change. 

Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and modifies the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program as well as a pilot program that allows regional foresters to appoint members to SRS resource advisory committees. Under the existing SRS program, states and counties containing federal land may receive payments from the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior respectively for schools and certain other municipal services. The bill extends the authority of the Forest Service and Interior to (1) calculate and provide payments to states and counties under the SRS program through FY2026, and (2) initiate projects using funds provided by the program through FY2028. It also extends the deadline to obligate those funds until the end of FY2029. Additionally, the bill expands the pilot program to allow regional foresters in all states, not just those in Montana and Arizona, to appoint members to the advisory committees in their regions.

MAHSA Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2023 This bill applies existing anti-money laundering requirements to digital assets providers and facilitators. Specifically, the bill makes digital assets providers and facilitators financial institutions under the Bank Secrecy Act. Under the act, financial institutions must keep records, file disclosures, and report suspicious activity to federal regulators to aid in detecting money laundering and terrorist financing activities. The bill also directs specified federal financial regulators to establish rules regarding digital assets. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) must require U.S. persons to report cryptocurrency transactions through foreign accounts of over $10,000. FinCEN must also require digital asset kiosk owners and administrators to submit and update every 90 days the physical addresses of the kiosks. The Department of the Treasury must establish regulations to mitigate risks for financial institutions handling, using, or transacting business with (1) digital asset mixers, privacy coins, and other anonymity-enhancing technologies; and (2) digital assets that have been anonymized by these technologies. Treasury, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission must establish risk examination and review processes for their respective anti-money laundering programs.  

A resolution calling for the immediate release of Eyvin Hernandez, a United States citizen and Los Angeles County public defender, who was wrongfully detained by the Venezuelan regime in March 2022.

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

This resolution calls on the government of Venezuela to immediately release Eyvin Hernandez, a U.S. citizen and Los Angeles County public defender, from unjust imprisonment. The resolution urges the President and other U.S. government officials to use all tools at their disposal to secure the immediate release of Eyvin Hernandez. The resolution also expresses support for all American citizens wrongfully detained in Venezuela.

Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 This bill expands eligibility for a program that authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to, at its discretion, provide lawful permanent resident status to certain long-term residents of the United States, including individuals who are unlawfully present. Currently, this program, sometimes referred to as the Registry program, is only available to eligible non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who entered the United States before January 1, 1972. The bill removes this entry cutoff date and opens up the program to eligible individuals who have resided in the United States for at least seven years. Existing requirements (e.g., the individual must not be inadmissible or deportable due to certain grounds related to crime or terrorism) continue to apply.

Supporting Our Farm and Food System Workforce Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Supporting Our Farm and Food System Workforce Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce to improve awareness of and access to USDA programs for farm and food system workers. USDA must also establish the Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee. The advisory committee must include farm and food system workers, civil rights representatives, and representatives from nonprofit organizations, labor unions, and institutions of higher education.  The bill further requires USDA to establish the Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency Council to facilitate interagency, cabinet-level leadership in planning, policymaking, coordination, and program development for services available to farm and food system workers.   The advisory committee and interagency council must each submit an annual report to USDA and Congress that is publicly available on USDA's website. The annual reports must include recommendations for legislative or administrative action for the following year.  

Protecting Farmers from Drought Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Protecting Farmers from Drought Act of 2023 This bill modifies insurance coverage for prevented planting under the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) to create a special rule for counties experiencing extreme drought. (The FCIP provides coverage for prevented planting due to insured causes of loss, such as adverse weather conditions, drought, floods, and other natural events. Prevented planting is the inability to plant an insured crop by the final planting date or during the late planting period.) Under this bill, the FCIP must modify eligibility requirements for prevented planting coverage for a county that experienced extreme drought (per the U.S. Drought Monitor) at any time during the normal planting period over the course of three consecutive years. For counties experiencing an extreme drought, the bill requires the planting of a crop once in the five most recent crop years (i.e., the 1 in 5 rule).  Currently, in order to be eligible for prevented planting payments, the insured acres must have been planted, insured, and harvested at least once in the previous four crop years (i.e., the 1 in 4 rule). 

EQIP Water Conservation Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

A joint resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the article of amendment commonly known as the "Equal Rights Amendment" has been validly ratified and is enforceable as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and the Archivist of the United States must certify and publish the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment without delay.

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

This joint resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, was ratified by more than three-fourths of the states and is therefore a valid constitutional amendment, effective January 27, 2020 (the date of Virginia's ratification). The Equal Rights Amendment was originally proposed to the states in 1972. The original proposal included a deadline for ratification of March 22, 1979; Congress subsequently extended the deadline to June 30, 1982. Although the requisite 38 states have ratified the amendment, three of these states did so after the deadlines, and five states subsequently rescinded their ratifications. The status of the amendment has been the subject of litigation.

Agricultural Emergency Relief Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Agricultural Emergency Relief Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish an Emergency Relief Program to provide payments each crop year to producers that experience a qualified loss as a result of a disaster that occurred during the crop year. (Under current law, USDA provides payments under a temporary Emergency Relief Program for losses that occurred following disasters in 2020, 2021, or 2022.) The bill defines a qualified loss as a loss incurred by a producer in a crop, trees, bushes, or vines as a consequence of a disaster (i.e., a drought, wildfire, hurricane, flood, derecho, excessive heat, excessive moisture, a winter storm, and a freeze event, including a polar vortex). Further, a qualified loss includes a loss incurred as a result of being prevented from planting a crop due to a disaster and a loss in the quality of a crop, trees, bushes, or vines due to a disaster or smoke exposure from a wildfire. As a condition of receiving a payment under this program, a producer must purchase (for the next two years) Federal Crop Insurance or, if Federal Crop Insurance is not available, coverage under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. An eligible producer under the program is an individual or entity that is eligible to receive assistance under a Farm Service Agency administered disaster assistance program. The bill specifies that a producer does not include a joint venture or a general partnership.

Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023

Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement for Animals Act of 2023 or the Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023 This bill modifies enforcement provisions under the Animal Welfare Act, including by allowing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to bring civil actions against violators of the act for appropriate relief, such as removing animals, revoking violators' licenses, or issuing civil penalties. DOJ must use the penalties to pay for the temporary care for animals pending the disposition of civil or criminal proceedings that allege violations of the act with respect to such animals.

Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023

Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act This bill modifies the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act to increase the federal cost share of certain salinity control programs that reduce the salt load in the Colorado River and other waters in the basin.

Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023

Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023

Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2023 This bill establishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health among education professionals and other school staff. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants or contracts to educational agencies, institutions of higher education, or consortia of such entities for programs to promote mental health and resiliency among education professionals and other school staff. In addition, HHS may award grants for educator preparation programs and training. Additionally, HHS must conduct a campaign to (1) encourage education professionals and other school staff to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns, and (2) disseminate best practices to prevent suicide and improve mental health and resiliency among education professionals and other school staff. HHS must also study and develop policy recommendations on improving mental and behavioral health among education professionals and other school staff, removing barriers to accessing care and treatment, and identifying strategies to promote resiliency. Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office must report on the extent to which relevant federal grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions and substance use disorders among education professionals and other school staff.

Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2023

Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act of 2023 This bill amends the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) to increase the premium assistance rate for beginning and veteran farmers or ranchers. Specifically, the bill amends the amount of percentage points that are added to the premium assistance rate for beginning and veteran farmers or ranchers for an applicable insurance policy or plan (currently 10 percentage points) to provide 15 percentage points in each of the 1st and 2nd reinsurance years, 13 percentage points in the 3rd year, 11 percentage points in the 4th year, and 10 percentage points in each of the 5th through the 10th reinsurance years. The bill also amends the FCIP definition of beginning farmer or rancher to include a farmer or rancher who has not actively operated and managed a farm or ranch for more than 10 crop years (currently more than 5 crop years).