United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2020
Worker First Act of 2020 This bill provides incentive payments to states for unemployment compensation programs if the states implement certain policies with respect to worker safety, employment separation, compensation for individuals working reduced hours, and the minimum duration of benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2020
Protect Access to Birth Control Act This bill nullifies interim final rules issued by the Department of Labor, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Health and Human Services that allow employers with religious or moral objections to be exempt from the requirement that their health insurance plans cover contraceptive services without cost-sharing.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2020
Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America's Streets Act This bill imposes limitations on federal law enforcement officers and members of the Armed Forces (or the National Guard) engaging in law enforcement activities related to crowd control. When engaged in certain law enforcement activities related to crowd control, such an officer or member (1) shall clearly display certain identifying information, such as the individual's last name or unique identifier; and (2) shall not use an unmarked vehicle to apprehend or arrest civilians. Such an officer or member may only engage in certain law enforcement activities, such as crowd or riot control and arrest of individuals engaged in civil disobedience, on or in the immediate vicinity of federal property, unless (1) a state or local government has requested federal support, or (2) the President has invoked certain authorities to suppress insurrection. If such an officer or member is conducting a law enforcement function in violation of the limitations in this bill, the officer or member may not arrest an individual in the United States. If such an officer or member is deployed to respond to any riot, public disturbance, or crowd control incident, the responsible federal agency or branch of the Armed Forces shall, within 24 hours of the deployment, notify the public and provide certain information on its website.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Emergency Housing Assistance for Older Adults Act of 2020 This bill authorizes additional assistance for supportive housing for the elderly. Among other things, the bill authorizes additional rental assistance for low-income elderly persons and additional grants to certain federally assisted housing projects to provide service coordinators to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
This resolution designates August 2020 as National Women's Suffrage Month. It honors the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which provided for women's suffrage.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Library Stabilization Fund Act of 2020 This bill establishes and provides funds for a Library Stabilization Fund to assist libraries with responding to and recovering from the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, the bill directs the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to allocate funding to states, Indian tribes, and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians. From these allocated funds, the IMLS must also make emergency library relief grants to state library administrative agencies with approved five-year plans, Indian tribes, and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians. Additionally, the IMLS must allocate funding to carry out activities that strengthen the ability of libraries to provide services to communities affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The IMLS may enter into arrangements (e.g., grants and contracts) and other forms of assistance with libraries, library consortia and associations, and institutions of higher education to carry out these activities. Funds allocated by the bill may be used to provide support to libraries, such as by supporting general operations; paying staff; purchasing cleaning supplies; training library staff on the safe handling of library materials; providing access to computers and other technology; purchasing digital resources; expanding resources related to early education and literacy, distance learning, and workforce development training; and ensuring access to community services and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 2 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 · 2 July 2020
Small Business Disaster Loan Enhancement Act of 2020 This bill authorizes and provides funding for additional disaster loans and grants made to small businesses by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and temporarily limits the interest rate for certain economic injury disaster loans. Specifically, the bill authorizes an additional disaster loan to a prior recipient that received such a loan during the period between February 15, 2020, and December 31, 2020, up to an aggregate amount of $2 million. Further, the bill prohibits the SBA from imposing a maximum loan amount limit that is lower than $2 million for an initial disaster loan; rather, the SBA shall only consider the financial need and ability of the applicant to repay. The bill also authorizes a recipient of such additional lending to request an additional advance, up to an aggregate amount of $10,000. A recipient that suffered a decline in revenue of not less than 50% between March 2, 2020, and December 31, 2020, may request an advance of not more than $25,000. Further, the interest rate for any economic injury disaster loan made between February 15, 2020, and December 31, 2020, shall not exceed 1%. Any amounts made available to provide loans under the Paycheck Protection Program established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) that are unobligated as of August 8, 2020, shall be made available for SBA disaster loans.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act of 2020 This bill extends and modifies various child welfare programs. Specifically, it provides additional funding to states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations for services related to foster care, such as kinship caregiving outside the foster care system, case management, caseworker training, and adoption support. Further, through FY2022, the bill (1) modifies the six-month residency requirement for a child to be eligible for kinship guardianship assistance payments, (2) waives limits on foster care services based on an individual's age, and (3) increases the federal matching for kinship guardian programs and foster care and prevention services. The bill also extends through FY2028 supports for family preservation, family reunification, and community-based family services and modifies grants related to state and tribal foster care and adoption proceedings. Additionally, the bill provides funding through FY2022 for states to provide training to caseworkers and child welfare agency staff on de-escalation strategies regarding law enforcement interactions with children, youth, and families coming to the attention of child welfare agencies and children and youth in foster care.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Minority Business Resiliency Act of 2020 This bill permanently authorizes the Minority Business Development Agency and provides additional funding for the agency to assist minority businesses affected by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires the agency to (1) promote and administer minority business development programs in the public and private sectors, and (2) carry out programs that increase access to capital, management, and technology for such businesses. The bill provides statutory authority for the agency's existing initiatives. Such initiatives include the Minority Business Development Center Program, which is a national network of public-private partnerships that assist, provide counseling and mentoring to, and facilitate the growth of minority businesses. The bill also establishes new initiatives to promote resiliency for minority businesses, such as (1) an annual government-business forum to review the status of problems and programs relating to capital formation by minority businesses, (2) an agency study on opportunities to provide alternative financing solutions to minority businesses, and (3) grants to institutions of higher education for developing and implementing entrepreneurship curricula.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 2020
Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act of 2020 This bill requires the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Assessment and Monitoring Program. Under the program, the USGS must assess, monitor, and conserve saline lake ecosystems in the Great Basin as well as the wildlife that depend on those ecosystems.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2020
Bank on Students Coronavirus Emergency Loan Refinancing Act of 2020 This bill establishes refinancing programs for federal and private student loans. Specifically, it allows certain borrowers to refinance their federal student loans down to lower interest rates, and creates the Federal Direct Refinanced Private Loan to allow certain borrowers to refinance their private student loans.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2020
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that (1) the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) should not close post offices or facilities, reduce its standards of service, or raise prices in a way that jeopardizes the affordability and accessibility of its products and services; and (2) Congress should appropriate funds to offset lost revenues of the USPS during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency and should ensure that it maintains its services and remains an accessible, independent establishment of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2020
Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act This bill establishes measures related to expanding broadband infrastructure and access in unserved and underserved communities. The bill creates the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth, and it provides funding for programs that (1) promote digital equity and broadband capacity building, (2) provide discounts on broadband service for low-income consumers, and (3) subsidize internet services for schools and libraries. The bill establishes specified transparency requirements, such as making federal broadband data available to local governments. It also requires the Federal Communications Commission to expand broadband access for unserved and underserved communities and make the provision of Wi-Fi access on school buses eligible for support under the E-Rate program.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2020
American Workforce Rescue Act of 2020 This bill revises and extends pandemic unemployment programs established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act, including linking the availability and amounts of specified benefits to a state's unemployment rate.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2020
Coronavirus Medicaid Response Act This bill increases the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for states and U.S. territories that experience economic downturns (i.e., high unemployment) beginning on or after January 1, 2020, in accordance with specified requirements and limitations. The bill's increase is in addition to previously enacted FMAP increases relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) but may not result in an FMAP greater than 95%.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2020
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate 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 · 30 June 2020
This resolution recognizes June 2020 as Immigrant Heritage Month in honor of the contributions immigrants and their children have made to the United States throughout its history. The resolution also welcomes immigrants currently in the United States and those seeking to immigrate to the United States to contribute to the health, safety, diversity, and prosperity of the United States by finding their place in our vibrant, multiethnic, and integrated society.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020
Coronavirus Housing Counseling Improvement Act This bill authorizes additional housing counseling services, provided through the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, with priority for funding given to counseling organizations that target and provide their services to low-income and minority homeowners, renters, individuals experiencing homelessness, and individuals at risk of homelessness.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2020
No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act This bill prohibits any explosive nuclear testing from being conducted by the United States after the enactment of this bill and no funds may be obligated or expended to conduct such testing unless (1) a foreign state conducts a nuclear test after that date, or (2) there is a technical need for such testing. The President must submit a notification to Congress that describes the proposed testing and states the reasons for conducting such testing. The bill sets forth procedures for a congressional joint resolution of approval for explosive nuclear testing for which there is a technical need.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020
Removing Confederate Names and Symbols from Our Military Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to remove from its property, and prohibits DOD from using or displaying in the future, any name, symbol, display, monument, or paraphernalia that honors or commemorates the Confederacy or anyone who served voluntarily with the Confederacy. The removal requirement does not apply to grave markers.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2020
Carson City Public Land Correction Act This bill provides for the conveyance of federal land in Carson City, Nevada. The Department of the Interior must convey approximately 258 acres of identified federal land to Carson City. The Department of Agriculture shall convey to Carson City, without consideration, a parcel of approximately 0.45 acres of identified Forest Service land for the expansion of a roadway in the city. Interior shall dispose of approximately 28 acres of federal land identified as the Prison Hills Property. On the disposal of such land, Carson City shall retain (1) a public utility easement, concurrent with Koontz Lane and Conti Drive in the city, that provides waterlines and access to the water tank immediately east of such parcels of federal land; and (2) an existing drainage easement for a future detention basin. If Carson City offers to convey to Interior the approximately 21 acres of land identified as Bennett Ave Properties and Pinion Hills Dr Property, Interior shall accept the offer and then dispose of the land conveyed to it. Carson City may enter into an agreement to sell, lease, or otherwise convey all or a portion of the approximately 75 acres of identified city land in which the Bureau of Land Management has a reversionary interest to third parties for public purposes. The bill provides for the disposition of the proceeds of the land sales conducted pursuant to this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2020
Military Aviators Cancer Incidence Study Act This bill directs the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive database and repository on military aviators documenting the cancers, date of diagnosis, and mortality of such aviators and to conduct a study on cancer among military aviators in two phases.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2020
Fair and Accurate Census Act This bill extends the deadline for the U.S. Census Bureau to complete the 2020 decennial census of population and related tabulations and provides $400 million to address the impacts of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) on the census and to support enhanced census activities. The bill requires the bureau to report specified information, such as (1) the total number of field staff, sorted by category; (2) the anticipated schedule of census operations; (3) total spending on media, advertisements, and partnership specialists; and (4) post-enumeration survey schedule and completion progress, including anticipated schedule for release of results from the coverage measurement survey. An institution of higher education may provide to the bureau information requested for purposes of enumeration for the 2020 decennial census of population, subject to certain public notice requirements. The institution may not provide any information to the bureau on an individual's immigration or citizenship status. The bureau may not compile, produce, or publish any data product or tabulation as part of, in combination with, or in connection with the 2020 decennial census of population or any such census data that includes topics specific to the 2020 census that were not part of a report submitted on March 28, 2017, and the 2018 End-to-End Census Test conducted in Providence County, Rhode Island. The bill provides funding for specified activities, including expanded communications and advertising targeted to low self-response communities in rural and urban areas, Alaska Native villages, and on tribal lands.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020 This bill revises and establishes voting procedures for federal elections. For example, states must establish plans to enable voting during an emergency and must take certain actions to facilitate early voting and absentee voting.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Safeguarding American Innovation Act This bill addresses the security of federally funded research and development grants and export-controlled goods, technologies, or sensitive information. The bill establishes in the Office of Management and Budget a Federal Research Security Council to develop federally funded research and development grant making policy and management guidance to protect the national and economic security interests of the United States. Each executive agency on the council shall be responsible for assessing federal research security risks posed by persons participating in federally funded research and development. The bill prohibits any individual from knowingly (1) preparing or submitting a federal grant application that fails to disclose the receipt of any outside compensation, including foreign compensation, by the individual; or (2) forging, counterfeiting, or otherwise falsifying a document to obtain a federal grant. An alien shall be inadmissible to the United States if a consulate or the Department of Justice knows the alien seeks to enter the United States to acquire export-controlled goods, technologies, or sensitive information if the Department of State has determined that such acquisition would be contrary to U.S. national security (including economic security). The bill revises provisions relating to the disclosure of foreign gifts.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed To Survive Act of 2020 or the RESTAURANTS Act of 2020 This bill temporarily establishes and provides funding for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, from which the Department of the Treasury shall make grants to eligible food and beverage purveyors to cover specified costs. For the grant program's initial period, Treasury must (1) prioritize awarding grants to marginalized and underrepresented communities, and (2) only award grants to eligible food and beverage purveyors with annual revenues of less than $1.5 million. Further, an entity that received a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) may not apply for or use a restaurant revitalization grant for the same expenses for which the entity received the paycheck protection loan.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
This bill modifies U.S. policy and establishes requirements with respect to knowledge diplomacy (i.e., the role of international science and technology agreements in foreign relations). Specifically, the bill declares it to be U.S. policy that federally supported international science and technology agreements should serve U.S. national security and economic interests. Further, it requires the Department of State to (1) identify vulnerabilities in international cooperation that may place federally funded research at risk, (2) strengthen the security and integrity of U.S. scientific and research collaborations with foreign partners, and (3) encourage the international scientific community to adopt and adhere to U.S. scientific values. The bill also requires the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to submit a biennial report on compliance with U.S. policy across such science and technology agreements.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Women's Economic Empowerment in Trade Act of 2020 This bill modifies eligibility requirements for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), requires the President to collect specified information on beneficiary developing countries that receive preferential trade treatment under the GSP, and requires the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to review the laws of each country that receives such preferential trade treatment. Specifically, the bill makes ineligible for designation as a beneficiary developing country any country that (1) does not substantially afford equal rights and protection under the law, regardless of gender; or (2) engages in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights. The President must take into account the extent to which a country engages in such practices when determining whether to designate any country as a beneficiary developing country. The President must also collect and publish information on the extent to which a country meets these eligibility criteria, and the USTR must publish a notice of, and the rationale for, any determination with respect to a petition for review of a country's eligibility for designation. The USTR must annually review the laws of each beneficiary developing country relating to their compliance with internationally recognized worker rights and the affording of equal rights and protection under the law, regardless of gender. If a country fails to meet these eligibility criteria for five consecutive years, the benefits provided to that country shall be commensurately reduced.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2020
Financial Compensation for CFPB Whistleblowers Act This bill requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to provide rewards to whistleblowers who report information relating to a violation of consumer financial law resulting in certain monetary sanctions exceeding $1 million. Specifically, the bureau must award compensation to whistleblowers for 10%-30% of the collected monetary sanctions. In cases where the bureau is unable to collect at least $1 million of the imposed sanctions, the bureau must award any single whistleblower 10% of the amount collected or $50,000, whichever is greater. The bill also sets forth requirements regarding the legal representation of a whistleblower and provides for confidentiality regarding the whistleblower's identity.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2020
This resolution expresses support for the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. The resolution r ecognizes that LGBTQ rights are human rights and protected by the laws of the United States and international treaties. Additionally, the resolution encourages the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month in June.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2020
End Double Taxation of Successful Consumer Claims Act This bill allows a deduction from gross income (above-the-line deduction) for attorney fees and court costs in connection with a claim of a consumer protection violation.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2020
COVID-19 as a Presumptive Disease in Wildland Firefighters Act This bill entitles federal wildland firefighters who contract COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to federal workers' compensation benefits and also establishes certain testing and screening requirements for such firefighters during the wildfire season (May 15-November 15, 2020). Specifically, the bill provides that if a federal wildland firefighter exhibits specified symptoms, tests positive, or is otherwise determined by a physician as likely having COVID-19 during the wildfire season or during a specific wildfire (or in the following 28 days), the firefighter is presumed to have incurred an injury while on duty that qualifies for workers' compensation benefits. Additionally, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture must ensure that all of their firefighters are tested for COVID-19 or related symptoms, or self-quarantine for at least 14 days with no symptoms, before the wildfire season or before responding to a wildfire.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2020
This concurrent resolution condemns the President for ordering federal officers to use gas and rubber bullets against the Americans who were peaceably protesting in Lafayette Square in the District of Columbia on the night of June 1, 2020, thereby violating the constitutional rights of those protestors.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2020
Child Care Is Essential Act This bill establishes and provides $50 billion in appropriations for the Child Care Stabilization Fund to award grants to child care providers during and after the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. The bill establishes the fund within the existing Department of Health and Human Services Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program, and the grants must be administered by the existing CCDBG lead agencies of states, tribes, or territories. Child care providers that are currently open or temporarily closed due to COVID-19 are eligible to receive grant awards, which are based on the provider's operating costs before the COVID-19 public health emergency and adjusted to account for the increased costs of providing child care as a result of COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2020
Community Solutions for COVID-19 Act This bill provides funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to nongovernmental entities for programs to reduce or eliminate disparities related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Eligible entities must have experience working to address issues related to health equity among those disproportionally impacted by adverse health outcomes. Grant funds may be used to improve access to testing, treatment, and other services with respect to COVID-19 and for other purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Public Health Emergency Shelter Act of 2020 This bill authorizes additional grants under the Emergency Solutions Grants program to assist individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness and to otherwise address needs arising from the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2020
Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards A Recovery in Twenty-twenty Act or the RESTART Act This bill extends the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), for certain businesses, and it establishes a loan program whereby the Small Business Administration (SBA) shall guarantee loan amounts to certain businesses affected by COVID-19. Specifically, the bill provides a paycheck protection loan recipient with 16 weeks to use such funds if the recipient has (1) less than 500 full-time employees, and (2) suffered a decline in revenues of at least 25%. The bill also establishes a loan program whereby the SBA shall guarantee 100% of program loan amounts made to certain small businesses that have not more 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 · 20 May 2020
This resolution recognizes the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month as an important time to celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States. The resolution also recognizes that the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
This resolution declares that the Senate (1) has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Thomas Allen Coburn, former member of the U.S. Senate; (2) recognizes his life and achievements; and (3) expresses condolences to the family of the former Senator on his passing. Furthermore, this resolution declares that when the Senate adjourns on May 19, 2020, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the Honorable Thomas Allen Coburn.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
Nursing Home COVID-19 Protection and Prevention Act of 2020 This bill establishes several programs and requirements to address the outbreak of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) in skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and psychiatric hospitals. Specifically, the bill provides specified funds for states to support cohorting (i.e., separating and grouping) individuals in such facilities based on COVID-19 status. States may use funds for specified items and activities, including testing kits, staffing, and facility development. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must issue related guidance that includes, among other things, which facilities are permitted to cohort individuals and strategies for effective implementation; such guidance must account for certain factors, including a facility's compliance with Medicare and Medicaid requirements regarding infection control and emergency preparedness. The CMS must also (1) publish and update daily, on its website and on the Nursing Home Compare website, specified information relating to COVID-19 cases and deaths in these facilities; (2) ensure these facilities provide timely notice of new cases or symptoms to residents, families, and specified government agencies; and (3) provide monthly congressional briefings on the outbreak in these facilities and related agency actions.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
Pandemic Responder Service Award Act This bill establishes a monetary award for health care workers who provide eligible services during the COVID-19 (i.e. coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. The award may only be used by the worker or their dependents for specified purposes, such as repaying student loans or starting a business. Eligible services include, among others, emergency medical services, health care or patient care services, and mortuary services in environments that present an elevated risk of contracting COVID-19. The maximum award amount is $10,000 in 2021, with amounts in subsequent years increased by cost-of-living adjustments. Recipients receive a percentage of that amount based on the number of days they provided eligible services during the pandemic. The Department of the Treasury must establish application processes and guidelines for the award and maintain savings accounts for eligible health care workers or their dependents to receive distributions of award amounts.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2020
Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of the Interior to deposit specified interest payments into the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Water Rights Development Fund and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Operation and Maintenance Fund. These funds were established under the water rights settlement agreement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2020
This resolution recognizes historic U.S. leadership and international achievements to address global health crises, encourages the international community to remain committed to preventing the further spread of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), and urges the United States to participate in and support the global efforts to address COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2020
Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 This bill imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region and requires various reports on the topic. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list identifying foreign individuals and entities responsible for such human rights abuses. The President shall impose (1) property-blocking sanctions on the identified individuals and entities, and (2) visa-blocking sanctions on the identified individuals. The bill requires reports to Congress on (1) human rights abuses in Xinjiang; (2) efforts to protect U.S. citizens and residents, including ethnic Uyghurs and Chinese nationals studying or working in the United States, from harassment and intimidation by the Chinese government; and (3) the Chinese government's acquisition and development of technology to facilitate internment and mass surveillance in Xinjiang. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall submit a classified report to Congress on (1) Chinese government policies in Xinjiang that constitute gross violations of human rights, and (2) the scope and scale of the detention and forced labor of Muslim minority groups in China.