United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2022
This resolution commends the courage, resolve, and restraint shown by the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of sovereignty and democracy and reaffirms unwavering U.S. support for a secure, democratic, and independent Ukraine. It also condemns Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014 and denounces Russia's military buildup of over 150,000 troops on Ukraine's border.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2022
Northern Border Regional Commission Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill makes various changes to the authorities and programs of regional economic and infrastructure development commissions. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the Southwest Border Regional Commission, the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) and establishes and expands NBRC grant programs. The NBRC must establish a state capacity building program to provide grants to commission states (Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont) to better support business retention and expansion in eligible counties and for other specified purposes. Each commission state shall provide to the NBRC an annual work plan that includes the proposed use of the grant. Additionally, the NBRC may make grants for the planning, construction, equipment, and operation of demonstration health, nutrition, and child care projects. Such grants must give special emphasis to projects and activities to address substance use disorders, including opioid and methamphetamine use. The bill authorizes these regional commissions (as part of economic and infrastructure development grants) to (1) design, build, implement, or upgrade transportation or basic public infrastructure or workforce capacity to support the adaptation to and mitigation of climate challenges; and (2) promote the production of housing to meet economic development and workforce needs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2022
This concurrent resolution recognizes that people with disabilities experience barriers to access every day and pledges to make universal and inclusive design a guiding principle for all infrastructure bills and projects.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2022
Civil Rights Cold Case Investigations Support Act of 2022 This bill extends the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board until 2026 (or 2027 if the board opts for an additional one-year extension). The board reviews the decisions of federal agencies to postpone the disclosure of civil rights cold case records (i.e., unsolved civil rights cases from 1940-1979).
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2022
This resolution supports the designation of February 2022 as Career and Technical Education Month to celebrate career and technical education across the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2022
Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022 This bill extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to certain public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder following a stressful situation while on duty. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2022
Employee Retention Tax Credit Reinstatement Act This bill provides for a reinstatement of the employee retention tax credit through 2021. The credit was established to compensate employers whose businesses were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for wages paid to their employees.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2022
Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2027 programs and activities under the Violence Against Women Act that seek to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The bill also authorizes new programs, makes changes to federal criminal laws, and establishes new protections to promote housing stability and economic security for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2022
Gas Prices Relief Act of 2022 This bill provides for a temporary exemption through 2022 from the excise tax on gasoline (other than aviation gasoline) and from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund financing rate. The Department of the Treasury must transfer from the general fund to the Highway Trust Fund and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund amounts resulting from the exemption provided by this bill. The bill also expresses congressional policy that consumers immediately receive the benefit of this exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2022
First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment, collectively, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2022
Middle Class Mortgage Insurance Premium Act of 2022 This bill increases the adjusted gross income threshold for the phaseout of the mortgage insurance premium tax deduction and makes such deduction permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2022
Medical Countermeasures Surge Capacity Act of 2022 This bill expands the scope of research and development activities carried out by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to include support for maintaining and improving domestic manufacturing surge capacity and capabilities for vaccines, diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures. In particular, BARDA must enter into transactions with facilities to ensure that domestic manufacturing surge capacity is available to manufacture medical countermeasures and related products in the event of a public health emergency (e.g., by supporting flexible or advanced manufacturing). The Government Accountability Office must report on these efforts. In addition, BARDA must address support for domestic manufacturing surge capacity in its strategic plan for countermeasure research, development, and procurement. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2028 a program through which BARDA may support innovative technologies to assist in medical countermeasure research and development using grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2022
Minority Depository Institution and Community Bank Deposit Access Act of 2022 This bill specifies that certain custodial deposits at eligible institutions shall not be considered to be brokered deposits, which are subject to additional regulatory requirements, including those related to liquidity. The bill generally defines a custodial deposit as a deposit made by a certain entity serving as an agent, trustee, or custodian at an insured depository institution for the purpose of providing deposit insurance for the benefit of a third party. Among other requirements, the bill provides that an eligible institution includes small depository institutions, community development financial institutions, and minority depository institutions. Additionally, the bill specifies that only low-income credit unions and minority depository institutions that are federally insured credit unions are eligible for certain community development revolving loans.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2022
Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act This bill updates policies and procedures related to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances. Specifically, the bill extends the eligibility period for VA hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for combat veterans who served after September 11, 2001, and were exposed to toxic substances, radiation, or other conditions, including those who did not enroll to receive VA care during the eligibility period. The VA must incorporate into its existing health care screening a screening to help determine potential exposures to toxic substances during military service. Among other requirements, the VA must also provide annual training to health care and benefits personnel with respect to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances; analyze total and respiratory disease mortality in veterans who served in specified locations on specified dates; conduct an epidemiological study on the health trends of veterans who served in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001; conduct a study to determine trends in the rates of the incidence of cancer in veterans; publish a list of VA resources for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances, families and caregivers of such veterans, and survivors of such veterans who are receiving death benefits; and report on the data quality of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record and its usefulness in supporting veterans in receiving VA health care and benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2022
Drone Act of 2022 This bill creates a federal statutory framework to criminalize various conduct involving the misuse of drones. Among its provisions, the bill generally prohibits the operation of a drone that poses an imminent safety hazard to vessels or motor vehicles; weaponization of a drone (e.g., attaching a firearm or explosive); and operation of a drone that interferes with a law enforcement, emergency response, or military operation or activity of the federal government or of a state, local, or tribal government.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2022
Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act This bill authorizes through FY2027 specified provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for early childhood education. Specifically, the bill authorizes Part B, Section 619 (grants to states for preschool programs serving children with disabilities ages three to five) and Part C (grants to aid states in implementing early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families).
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2022
Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act of 2022 or the EARN IT Act of 2022 This bill revises the federal framework governing the prevention of online sexual exploitation of children. The bill establishes the National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention. The commission must develop best practices for interactive computer services providers (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) to prevent, reduce, and respond to the online sexual exploitation of children. Additionally, the bill limits the liability protections of interactive computer service providers with respect to claims alleging violations of child sexual exploitation laws. The bill replaces various statutory references to child pornography and material that contains child pornography with child sexual abuse material . Finally, the bill makes changes to the reporting requirements for electronic communication service providers and remote computing service providers (providers) who report apparent instances of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Among the changes, the bill requires providers to report facts and circumstances sufficient to identify and locate each minor and each involved individual. The bill also increases the amount of time that providers must preserve the contents of a report.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2022
Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 This bill temporarily waives certain requirements related to the President's authority to lend or lease defense articles if the defense articles are intended for Ukraine's government and necessary to protect civilians in Ukraine from Russian military invasion. An agreement to lend or lease defense articles under this bill shall not be subject to certain requirements and provisions that typically apply to such lend-lease agreements, including (1) a requirement that prohibits a loan period from exceeding five years, (2) a requirement that the United States may recall the loaned defense article at any time, (3) a requirement that the receiving party has agreed to pay the United States all costs incurred in leasing the defense article, and (4) a provision that allows Congress to prohibit certain transfers of defense articles upon the enactment of a joint resolution. The waivers provided by this bill shall be in effect until (1) the conflict beginning with Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014 has ceased, and (2) Russia has reduced its military force on Ukraine's eastern border to the levels maintained prior to March 1, 2021. The President must establish expedited procedures to ensure the timely delivery of defense articles loaned or leased under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2022
This resolution expresses gratitude for the personnel of the U.S. Capitol and the U.S. Capitol Police for their bravery and service to the United States and reaffirms the dedication of the Senate to strengthening the rights of and support to those personnel.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2022
Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act of 2022 This bill authorizes security assistance for Ukraine, requires sanctions against Russia if it escalates hostilities in or against Ukraine, and addresses related issues. The bill (1) authorizes the Department of Defense to use various authorities to provide and expedite the delivery of defense articles to support Ukraine's armed forces, (2) allows the President to exercise drawdown authority to provide defense articles to Ukraine, and (3) authorizes the Department of State to provide International Military Education and Training assistance to Ukraine. The President must periodically determine whether Russia's government is significantly escalating hostilities in or against Ukraine and whether such an escalation has the aim or effect of undermining Ukraine's government or interfering with Ukraine's sovereignty or territorial integrity. If the President determines that Russia's government has engaged in such escalation, the President must impose sanctions on (1) certain government officials, including Russia's president and prime minister; (2) certain Russian financial institutions; (3) entities involved in certain transactions involving Russian debt; (4) entities (and corporate officers of such entities) involved in constructing or operating Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline; and (5) certain entities involved in Russian resource extraction industries. The President may terminate such sanctions after certifying to Congress that Russia's government has taken certain actions, such as entering into an agreed settlement with Ukraine's legitimate democratic government. The bill also authorizes Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to explore opening new bureaus to reach new audiences on Russia's periphery. The State Department must establish an initiative to deepen and foster ties with the Baltic states.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2022
Safe Equitable Campus Resources and Education Act of 2022 This bill requires the annual campus security report provided by institutions of higher education to current and prospective students and employees to address the needs of individuals with disabilities. Among other requirements, the report and its related materials must (1) be made available free of charge, in a timely manner, and in accessible formats to individuals with disabilities; (2) include current campus policies that ensure that their needs are included in emergency response and evacuation procedures; and (3) include an assurance that campus security personnel and others receive training about working with these individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions Act or the SEED Act This bill expands the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to include early childhood educators.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
Stop Iranian Drones Act of 2021 This bill expands existing provisions requiring sanctions against individuals or entities that provide certain types of weapons to Iran. Specifically, the bill modifies the provisions by adding unmanned combat aerial vehicles to the list of weapons covered by the sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
This bill modifies the tax deduction for the expenses of an eligible educator (an individual who is a kindergarten through grade 12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in a school for at least 900 hours during a school year) to include as an eligible educator an interscholastic sports administrator or coach. It also eliminates the exclusion of nonathletic supplies for courses of instruction in health or physical education as a deductible expense.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2021
Emergency Use Transparency Act This bill expands existing statutory provisions requiring the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to publish notices of authorizations, terminations, or revocations of emergency use authorizations for medical products. Specifically, the bill requires the FDA to publish such notices on its website. The bill also allows the FDA's disclosures to include a summary of data or information from additional types of submissions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2021
This bill addresses Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and care for covered children. Under the bill, a covered child is an individual, regardless of age or marital status, who is the natural child of a Vietnam veteran or a veteran of specified service in Korea or Thailand who was conceived after the date on which the veteran entered service in Vietnam, Korea, or Thailand. The bill requires the VA to establish an advisory council on health care and benefits for covered children. Additionally, the VA must establish care and coordination teams for covered children. At least every 180 days, the teams must conduct outreach to ensure the continued care of the children and assist with any necessary changes in care. The VA must report to Congress a list of conditions that will trigger outreach to covered children, and contact such children as soon as practicable after the identification of a condition. The bill requires the VA to provide a covered child with health care and benefits for the duration of the child's life, regardless of the death of a parent preceding the death of the child. The Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health Administration must enter into a memorandum of understanding to better assist covered children and establish conditions to be included in the report required by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2021
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing, subject to civil penalties. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment. The bill specifies exceptions to these prohibitions, including if such animal testing (1) is conducted outside the United States to comply with a foreign regulatory authority; (2) is pursuant to a specified finding that there are no nonanimal alternatives to test the safety of a potentially dangerous cosmetic product or ingredient; (3) is of a product or ingredient for a drug or device subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or (4) is required for a noncosmetic purpose pursuant to a state, federal, or foreign regulatory authority. Further, no animal-testing evidence may be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic product or ingredient that is regulated by the FDA after the effective date of this bill, subject to limited exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2021
VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to report on the costs of its Electronic Health Record Modernization Program, including by describing all expenses driven by the program.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2021
Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act This bill expressly prohibits health care providers and other entities involved in matching donated organs with recipients from denying or restricting an individual's access to organ transplants solely on the basis of the individual's disability, except in limited circumstances. Specifically, these entities may consider an individual's disability when making decisions about transplants only if a physician finds, based on an individualized evaluation, that the individual's physical or mental disability is medically significant to the provision of the transplant. A disability shall not be considered medically significant if the individual has an adequate support system in place to comply with transplant-related medical requirements. These entities must also make reasonable changes to their policies to make transplants and related care more available to individuals with disabilities. Aggrieved individuals may bring claims of discrimination to the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services or before a federal court. The bill provides for expedited resolutions of these claims.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2021
PrEP Access and Coverage Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover prescription drugs that prevent HIV, including related screenings, diagnostic procedures, administrative fees, and clinical follow-ups, without any cost-sharing obligation for the plan holder. Further, insurance plans must not impose any preauthorization requirement for this coverage. These coverage requirements also apply to public health insurance programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Additionally, the bill prohibits denying, limiting, or qualifying coverage or increasing premiums for disability insurance, long-term care insurance, or life insurance policies based on an individual taking medication for HIV prevention. The bill further requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to states, or directly to eligible local organizations, to provide uninsured individuals and underinsured individuals access to prescription drugs and related services that prevent HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also must develop a public awareness campaign that focuses efforts in communities with a high need for HIV prevention treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2021
IDEA Full Funding Act This bill provides permanent, mandatory funding for the grant program that assists states and outlying areas in providing special education and related services to children with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act of 2021 This bill prohibits food packaging that contains intentionally added PFAS (i.e., a perfluoroalkyl substance or a polyfluoroalkyl substance that is man-made with at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom).
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
Teacher, Principal, and Leader Residency Access Act This bill expands the federal work-study programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) to include work-study programs that compensate students serving in a residency program at the IHE. R esidency program refers to a school-based educator preparation program in which a prospective teacher, principal, or school leader (1) works for one academic year with a mentor teacher, principal, or other school leader; (2) receives concurrent instruction from the IHE; (3) acquires effective teaching or school leader skills; and (4) attains certification or licensure prior to completion of the program.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
Rachel Booth Act This bill provides eligibility for transitional compensation to dependents of members of the Armed Forces in situations where a member (1) has been convicted of a dependent-abuse offense in a civilian court but has been separated from duty for an offense other than the abuse offense, or (2) has been accused but not convicted of such an offense but has been determined to have committed the offense by a commander and required to forfeit pay and allowances pursuant to an offense other than the abuse offense.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 This bill allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. This action is available only to individuals who were exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days. The bill prohibits the U.S. government from asserting specified immunity from litigation in response to such a lawsuit. The bill also prohibits an individual who brings such an action from bringing a separate tort action against the United States based on the same harm.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
This resolution requires the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate to establish the SFC Sean Cooley and SPC Christopher Horton Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program for family members of members of the Armed Forces who die in the line of duty or of veterans who die of service-connected injuries. Under the fellowship program, an individual may serve a 24-month fellowship in a Senator's office.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2021
Inspector General Reporting Modernization Act of 2021 This bill revises the required contents of semiannual reports submitted by inspectors general of certain federal departments, boards, commissions, corporations, and related entities.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2021
This bill requires the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment within the Department of Defense (DOD) to review unmanned aerial systems to determine and develop appropriate actions related to sourcing and industrial capacity. The bill also requires designated senior DOD officials to conduct annual assessments of workforce, infrastructure, and industrial base capabilities and capacity to support a strategy to support domestic manufacturing and industrial base capabilities to support future defense requirements. The Government Accountability Office must brief Congress and report on, among other topics, its findings related to the strategy, effectiveness, and responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2021
Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2021 or the POWER 2.0 Act This bill makes permanent the requirement for the chief judge of each federal judicial district to lead, at least annually, a public event to promote pro bono legal services for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The requirement was enacted in 2018; it is scheduled to sunset after a four-year period.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2021
Federal Secure Cloud Improvement and Jobs Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) within the General Services Administration (GSA). FedRAMP is a government-wide program that provides a standardized, reusable approach to security assessment and authorization for cloud computing products and services that process unclassified information used by agencies. The bill establishes a FedRAMP Board to provide input and recommendations to the GSA regarding the requirements and guidelines for, and the prioritization of, security assessments of cloud computing products and services. The GSA may determine the requirements for accreditation of a third-party organization to perform independent assessments and other activities that will improve the overall performance of FedRAMP and reduce the cost of FedRAMP authorizations for cloud service providers. Such requirements may include developing or requiring certification programs for individuals employed by the third-party organization seeking accreditation. The Government Accountability Office must publish a report that, among other requirements, includes an assessment of the costs incurred by agencies and cloud service providers related to the issuance of FedRAMP authorizations. The bill establishes the Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee.