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![Official portrait of Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000563_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
11,330 records where Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
This resolution designates July 30, 2020, as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2020
COVID-19 Safer Detention Act of 2020 This bill modifies programs that allow for early release of certain federal inmates, including by expanding eligibility for the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program and making vulnerability to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) a basis for compassionate release during the public health emergency.
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 · 22 June 2020
Juneteenth National Independence Day Act This bill designates Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19, as a legal public holiday.
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
Protecting Nonprofits from Catastrophic Cash Flow Strain Act of 2020 This bill permits certain governmental entities, federally recognized tribes, and nonprofit organizations to make up front payments of 50% of unemployment benefits into the state Unemployment Trust Fund (in lieu of contributions) to be used exclusively to reduce such payments resulting from the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. Currently, the Department of Labor issued guidance on April 27, 2020 (UIPL 18-20), requiring states to collect 100% of such payments up front and then reimburse them by 50% later. In addition, the bill allows states to opt to issue such reimbursements or to reduce the amounts required to be paid for weeks of employment on or after March 13, 2020, and before enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
This resolution designates June 20, 2020, as American Eagle Day and applauds the issuance of bald eagle commemorative coins to generate funds for the protection of the bald eagle.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act of 2020 This bill extends the 6% interest rate limitation on debt entered into during a service member's military service to any debt entered into to consolidate or refinance one or more student loans incurred before such service.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program Act or the P4 Act This bill authorizes new lending under the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), for specified small businesses that have experienced a significant loss in revenue. Specifically, the bill authorizes one supplemental paycheck protection loan for a small business that (1) has no more than 100 employees, (2) operates under a sole proprietorship or as an independent contractor, or (3) is self-employed. To be eligible for a supplemental paycheck protection loan, such small business must demonstrate a loss of revenue of 50% or more and have either already expended an initial paycheck protection loan or be on pace to exhaust such loan prior to disbursal of the supplemental loan. The bill also extends the application deadline for an initial paycheck protection loan to December 31, 2020, and it authorizes loan recipients to apply for forgiveness as early as eight weeks after the loan's disbursal. The Small Business Administration must (1) issue guidance instructing lenders of paycheck protection loans to prioritize loan processing for and disbursement to underserved businesses, (2) update the loan application for paycheck protection loans to collect borrowers' demographic information, and (3) publish specified program information on its website.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2020
Keeping Women and Girls Safe from the Start Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of State to carry out activities under the Safe from the Start program to prevent, mitigate, and respond to gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies around the world. (The Safe from the Start program addresses childhood exposure to violence.) Such activities shall include (1) training and capacity building for humanitarian personnel; (2) deployment of, and support for, gender advisors and female humanitarian aid workers; (3) use of standards, guidelines, and best practices to address gender-based violence; (4) expanding and improving empowerment activities; and (5) establishing accountability mechanisms and monitoring and reporting tools to prevent and respond to incidents of sexual or other gender-based exploitation or abuse. The State Department must submit an annual report that includes an analysis of data and research regarding the key drivers of gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies, as well as a detailed description of the programs, diplomatic efforts, and other activities taken to implement Safe from the Start.
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
District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act This bill makes the Mayor of the District of Columbia, rather than the President of the United States, the Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard of the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2020
Coronavirus 2019 Special Enrollment Period Act This bill establishes a special enrollment period beginning July 1, 2020, and ending October 1, 2020, for health plans offered through health insurance exchanges.
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 · 16 June 2020
Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service Act or the CORPS Act This bill expands, and modifies the priorities and administration of, national service programs, including AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, to address the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and its recovery period.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2020
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that the activities of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, his affiliated entities, and the Wagner Group pose a threat to U.S. national security. The resolution calls on the President to work with Congress to develop a strategy to counter these threats. (Prigozhin is a Russian businessman accused of interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, and the Wagner Group is a private, Russian paramilitary organization.)
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2020
This resolution designates June 2020 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month and June 27, 2020, as National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day. The resolution supports (1) the education of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, their families, and the public about post-traumatic stress; and (2) efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to foster cultural change around the issue of post-traumatic stress. The resolution also encourages the leadership of the Armed Forces to support treatment of members of the Armed Forces who suffer from post-traumatic stress.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2020
COVID–19 Whistleblower Protection Act This bill establishes whistleblower protections for government contractors and private sector workers who may witness waste, fraud, or abuse or be victims of misconduct with respect to a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic-related program, project, or activity. Specifically, employers may not discharge, demote, or otherwise discriminate against such protected individuals who disclose information concerning fraud, misuse, or other misconduct related to COVID-19 program funds. A protected individual may submit to the Department of Labor a complaint alleging a violation of these protections and Labor may adjudicate such complaints and award relief in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service whistleblower procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2020
This resolution designates June 19, 2020, as "Juneteenth Independence Day" to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2020
Confederate Monument Removal Act This bill prohibits a state from providing for display in National Statuary Hall a statue of a person who voluntarily served with the Confederate States of America, and it provides for the removal, return, and replacement of any statue currently on display that depicts such a person.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2020
Computer and Internet Access Equity Act This bill increases broadband service support for low-income consumers, establishes a grant program to provide internet safety education or training, and provides a tax credit for certain computer and education costs. Specifically, the bill modifies the broadband service support program known as Lifeline, which assists low-income consumers with access to telecommunications and broadband services, to (1) give up to $83.33 per month to a provider of Lifeline services for each low-income consumer to whom the provider supplies such services, (2) allow consumers with household incomes that are at or below 435% (rather than 135%) of the Federal Poverty Guidelines to qualify for participation in the program, and (3) allow a broadband service provider to receive Lifeline support for providing such service to a low-income consumer without being designated an eligible telecommunications carrier. The bill also requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish a grant program to develop and implement internet safety education or training programs for low-income individuals. Further, the bill provides a tax credit, not to exceed $2,000 in a taxable year or $10,000 in a lifetime, for amounts paid or incurred for technology such as computers and printers and for education on how to use such technology. The Department of the Treasury must establish a program for making advance payments of this credit.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2020
Justice in Policing Act of 2020 This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. It includes measures to increase accountability for law enforcement misconduct, to enhance transparency and data collection, and to eliminate discriminatory policing practices. The bill facilitates federal enforcement of constitutional violations (e.g., excessive use of force) by state and local law enforcement. Among other things, it does the following: lowers the criminal intent standard—from willful to knowing or reckless—to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution, limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer or state correctional officer, and authorizes the Department of Justice to issue subpoenas in investigations of police departments for a pattern or practice of discrimination. The bill also creates a national registry—the National Police Misconduct Registry—to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. It establishes a framework to prohibit racial profiling at the federal, state, and local levels. The bill establishes new requirements for law enforcement officers and agencies, including to report data on use-of-force incidents, to obtain training on implicit bias and racial profiling, and to wear body cameras.
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 · 4 June 2020
Congressional Power of the Purse Act This bill modifies the budget and appropriations process to establish various requirements for federal agencies, add several new disclosure and reporting requirements, and expand congressional oversight authorities. Among other changes, the bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to release funding to agencies at least 90 days before the funding expires; certain presidential emergency declarations to expire within 30 days unless Congress approves the declaration; federal agencies to make various reports, documents, and legal opinions available to Congress and the public; and federal agencies to respond to certain Government Accountability Office requests within 20 days unless the request includes a different deadline.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2020
Office of International Disability Rights Act This bill establishes disability inclusion measures at the Department of State, including the creation of the Office of International Disability Rights. Specifically, the bill establishes the Office of International Disability Rights, which shall coordinate U.S. efforts regarding human rights for people with disabilities and advance the status of people with disabilities in U.S. foreign policy. The bill also requires the State Department to develop and adopt a formal policy for disability inclusion in U.S. foreign assistance programming and disaster response programming. The State Department must take specified steps to prioritize accessibility practices when hiring, recruiting, and assigning civil service employees and foreign service officers with disabilities. Further, the State Department must ensure that embassies, consulates, and their services are accessible to people with disabilities. Additionally, the State Department must require mandatory disability inclusion training for all civil service and foreign service personnel, which shall include country-specific and cultural considerations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2020
Preserving Leadership Against Nuclear Explosives Testing Act of 2020 or the PLANET Act This bill prohibits the use of federal funds for FY2021 to conduct or make preparations for any explosive nuclear weapons test that produces any yield.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2020
This resolution urges the Senate to (1) provide advice and consent to executive branch nominees only if those nominees have been truthful in their dealings with Congress and the executive branch; (2) not vote on any nominee who has made verifiably false statements to Congress or the executive branch and who refuses to correct those statements; and (3) not vote on the nomination of Michael Pack to be Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media unless and until he corrects his statements to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the Internal Revenue Service.
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
COVID-19 Pandemic Moment of Silence Act This bill directs the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe a moment of silence on June 1, 2020, to honor the memory of the lives lost in the United States due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2020
Coronavirus Oversight and Recovery Ethics Act of 2020 or the CORE Act This bill establishes requirements for oversight, accountability, and transparency in the disbursement and supervision of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) relief funds. Among other things, the bill prohibits conflicts of interest in the selection or hiring of contractors or advisors and in the distribution of relief grants and loans; allows inspectors general to be fired only for specified reasons; grants the Congressional Oversight Commission, established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), subpoena authority for testimony and documents and expands its jurisdiction to include all COVID-19 relief funding, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of the Small Business Administration (SBA); requires the Department of the Treasury to submit a weekly list of any instances in which the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Relief or the Pandemic Relief Accountability Committee believe the executive branch has unreasonably denied them information; requires lobbyists to make monthly disclosures regarding all lobbying related to COVID-19 relief spending or lending; establishes whistle-blower protections for government contractors and private sector workers who may witness waste, fraud, or abuse or be victims of misconduct; requires the SBA to publicly disclose information about PPP lenders and recipients, including loan amounts; and allows any individual harmed by a company's misuse of industry stabilization funds to seek recourse through the courts.
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 · 1 June 2020
Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act This bill establishes the Commission on Ensuring Health Equity During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and adds reporting requirements for certain demographic data related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Among other activities, the commission must (1) determine approaches to using data to reduce demographic disparities in COVID-19 prevalence and outcomes, and (2) submit findings and recommendations to Congress on a specified timeline until the end of the public health emergency. During the public health emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must publish, and update daily, data on COVID-19 testing, treatment, and outcomes that is disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other demographic characteristics on the CDC website. In addition, the Indian Health Service shall consult with tribes with respect to COVID-19 data collection and reporting. The Department of Health and Human Services must make a summary of final statistics related to COVID-19 publicly available and report specified information to Congress within 60 days of the end of the 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 · 21 May 2020
Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act This bill extends the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and expands the allowable uses for paycheck protection loans. Specifically, the bill extends the deadline to apply for a paycheck protection loan to December 31, 2020, and it allows recipients up to 16 weeks to use any funds received. Within the extended 16-week period, a recipient may elect an 8-week safe harbor in which to maintain payroll and outside of which the amount of loan forgiveness shall not be reduced because of a reduction in workforce or salary and wages. The bill also expands loan forgiveness under the program to include amounts expended on worker protection, such as physical barriers or particulate filtering respirators that are needed to comply with requirements related to sanitation, social distancing, or worker or customer safety.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2020
Food Supply Protection Act of 2020 This bill provides assistance to food organizations to protect the continuity of the food supply chain during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency, including by providing grants that support the purchase or distribution of surplus perishable food or meals prepared with such food.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2020
COVID-19 Pandemic Moment of Silence Act This bill directs the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe a moment of silence on June 1, 2020, to honor the memory of the lives lost in the United States due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2020
Paycheck Security Act This bill modifies and increases the employee retention tax credit, allows a refundable payroll tax credit for the operating costs of employers, and provides a rebate in 2020 for certain small businesses and other business entities. The bill also authorizes additional appropriations to carry out the provisions of this bill and to provide for oversight by the Inspector General for Tax Administration of the Department of the Treasury. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the operative provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2020
This bill recognizes April 22, 2020, as the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and commends the leadership of its founder, Senator Gaylord Nelson.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2020
This resolution expresses support for the designation of June 2020 as National Gun Violence Awareness Month and the designation of June 5, 2020, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2020
National Guard COVID-19 Response Stability Act This bill extends the authority of a governor of a state to maintain the National Guard on active duty in connection with the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency through the date that is 30 days after the termination of the emergency.
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
H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2020 This bill modifies requirements related to H-1B (specialty occupation) and L-1 (intracompany transfers) nonimmigrant visas and contains related provisions. Provisions relating to H-1B visas include requiring the Department of Labor to review petitions for indicators of fraud or misrepresentation of material fact; requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize certain petitions, with top priority for workers with advanced degrees in science, technology, or engineering; requiring an H-1B worker to possess at minimum a bachelor's degree to meet specialty occupation requirements (currently, relevant experience may be used instead); and prohibiting an alien classifiable in certain H-1B categories from obtaining a B-1 (temporary business visitor) visa. Provisions relating to L-1 visas include requiring a waiver from Labor for an L-1 worker to be primarily stationed with an employer other than the petitioning employer; prohibiting an alien from receiving an L-1 visa to open or be employed in a new office if the alien has received two or more such visas in the last two years; and increasing the L-1 worker minimum wage to the highest of certain amounts, such as the median wage for the worker's occupational classification in the area of employment (currently, an L-1 worker must be paid at least the higher of the federal or state minimum wage). In regards to both visas, the bill (1) expands the authority of DHS and Labor to take various enforcement actions, and (2) directs DHS to conduct annual audits of a certain percentage of employers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
This resolution designates Michael P. DiSilvestro as Director Emeritus of Senate Security of the United States Senate, effective May 23, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
Renewable Fuel Feedstock Reimbursement Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to carry out a program to provide payments to certain renewable fuel producers to reimburse them for purchases of renewable fuel feedstock that were made between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2020. The payment amount shall be equal to 75% of the purchase price of such feedstock.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2020
This resolution designates May 2020 as ALS Awareness Month and commends efforts to improve the quality and length of life for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
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.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2020
Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments Improvement Act This bill establishes and otherwise modifies requirements for the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The program provides Medicare payments in advance to eligible providers experiencing claims or cash flow disruptions, such as during national emergencies; the program was specifically expanded in response to COVID-19 to encompass more types of providers, subject to certain recoupment and repayment provisions. Under the current program, recoupment of advance payments (through claims offsets) begins up to four months after the payment is made. Additionally, certain hospitals have one year to repay the full amount; other types of providers have seven months. Repayments made after this period are subject to the prevailing interest rate set by the Department of the Treasury (generally around 10% in FY2020). The bill delays recoupment for one year and caps the recoupment at 25% of a claim. The bill also gives all providers up to two years for full repayment and caps the interest rate at 1%. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may waive repayment entirely upon a demonstration of extreme hardship, among other factors. The bill also requires the CMS to continue to make the program available to providers of Medicare medical services for the duration of the public health emergency. (The CMS suspended the program for such providers on April 26, 2020.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2020
This resolution condemns Iran's state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the international covenants on human rights. Further, it calls on Iran to immediately release all imprisoned or detained Baha'is, and it urges the President and the Department of State to impose sanctions on Iranian officials and others who are responsible for serious human rights abuses, including abuses against Iran's Baha'i community.