United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2021
Public Health Emergency Privacy Act This bill imposes privacy, confidentiality, and security requirements on the use and disclosure of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency health data. This is data that is linked to an individual or device, such as test results. The requirements apply to organizations that collect, use, or disclose emergency health data electronically or that manage websites or applications for contact tracing and other COVID-19 response activities. These organizations must provide notice of privacy and other policies. They must also ensure the accuracy of, prevent discrimination based on, and limit disclosure of the data. If an organization collects data from at least 100,000 individuals, it must publicly report additional information about how it uses and discloses the data. Furthermore, the bill prohibits the use of emergency health data for commercial advertising or in ways that restrict access to opportunities, services, and other accommodations. It also prohibits government entities and organizations from using this data to infringe on the right to vote. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on the civil rights impact of the collection, use, and disclosure of health data. The bill provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission, states, and a private right of action. It further specifies that certain dispute resolution mechanisms, such as arbitration, are unenforceable with respect to disputes arising under the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2021
New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act of 2021 This bill allows meat and poultry products inspected by State Meat and Poultry Inspection programs to be sold in interstate commerce. Under the inspection programs, the Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service allows states that meet certain requirements to inspect meat and poultry. The state-inspected products are currently limited to intrastate commerce, unless a state opts into a separate Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2021
First Responder Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned Act of 2021 or the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act This bill allows disabled federal first responders (e.g., law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officers, and firefighters) to continue receiving federal retirement benefits in the same manner as though they had not been disabled. Under current law, federal first responders are subject to a mandatory retirement age of 57. To facilitate this earlier retirement, federal first responders are required to pay a greater percentage of their salary towards retirement. Additionally, their annuity amount is calculated at a higher rate than other federal employees. This bill allows a federal first responder to remain in the accelerated retirement system if they are placed in another civil service position outside of that system after returning to work from a work-related injury or illness. Further, if such an employee is separated from service before they are entitled to receive an annuity, they may receive a refund of their accelerated contributions.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2021
Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act or the EQUAL Act This bill eliminates the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill eliminates the lower quantity thresholds for crack cocaine offenses. Under the bill, the same threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. The change applies to future cases and cases pending on the date of enactment. With respect to past cases, the bill authorizes resentencing of a defendant who was convicted or sentenced for a crack cocaine offense before the date of enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2021
Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide states and tribal entities with grants to increase access to licensed child care services. The grants may be used to develop and expand the child care workforce or child care facilities in locations with insufficient available child care. Specifically, grants cover 50% of the cost of programs to support the education and training of caregivers or projects to build, expand, or renovate child care facilities in these areas.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2021
Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act This bill establishes that a foreign nongovernmental organization shall not be disqualified from receiving certain U.S. international development assistance solely because the organization provides medical services using non-U.S. government funds if the medical services are legal in both the United States and the country in which they are being provided. Such foreign organizations shall not be subject to requirements relating to their use of non-U.S. funds for advocacy or lobbying activities, other than those that apply to U.S. nongovernmental organizations. Current U.S. policy prohibits various foreign assistance from going to a foreign nongovernmental organization unless it agrees to not perform or actively promote abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2021
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act This bill imposes importation limits on goods produced using forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China and imposes sanctions related to such forced labor. The Department of Homeland Security shall report to Congress a strategy for preventing the importation of goods produced in Xinjiang using forced labor. The strategy must contain certain information, including a list of entities working with the government in Xinjiang to move forced labor or Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or members of other persecuted groups out of Xinjiang. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall generally presume that goods produced by these entities are barred from importation into the United States. The bill also expands existing asset- and visa-blocking sanctions related to Xinjiang to cover foreign individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights abuses in connection with forced labor. The Department of State shall report to Congress (1) an assessment of whether human rights abuses committed by China's government against persecuted groups in Xinjiang constitute genocide under U.S. law, and (2) a strategy to enhance international awareness of forced labor in Xinjiang and to address such forced labor.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2021
This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2021
Officer Eugene Goodman Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman for his actions to protect the Senate chamber during the security breach at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2021
This resolution honors the memory of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick for sacrificing his life in the line of duty on January 6, 2021, and it calls for justice to be brought to those responsible for the attack on the Capitol and the death of Officer Sicknick.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2020
Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2020 This bill authorizes grants and other forms of assistance for smaller and very small meat and poultry processing establishments, including competitive grants for training programs and activities related to COVID-19 response and recovery.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2020
This resolution designates rooms S-124 and S-115 of the U.S. Capitol as the U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith Room and the U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski Room, respectively, in recognition of their service to the Senate and the people of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2020
Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA), in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish (1) objectives for increased net carbon stock for the forest, grassland, wetland, and coastal blue carbon habitat ecosystems of the United States that are owned or managed by the federal government; and (2) objectives that shall be developed collaboratively between one or more nonfederal entities and one or more federal partners for increased net carbon stock for the forest, grassland, wetland, and coastal blue carbon habitat ecosystems of the United States that are owned or managed by a state or local government, an Indian Tribe, or a private person. USDA shall establish a program, to be known as the Rural Forest Market Investment Program, to guarantee an environmental impact bond, loan, or other investment vehicle issued for the sole purpose of financing eligible projects developed to facilitate the sale of credits in the voluntary carbon market or other recognized environmental market to enable rural private forest landowners to participate in an innovative market for forest carbon or other products. USDA may enter into an agreement, or expand on existing partnerships, with a nonprofit organization to establish an International Forest Foundation to, among other things, support forest landscape restoration, end deforestation, and conserve and restore grasslands, wetlands, and blue carbon habitats around the world.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2020
Improving Data Collection for Adverse Childhood Experiences Act This bill authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect data, in cooperation with states, through relevant public health surveillance systems or surveys for a longitudinal study on the links between adverse childhood experiences and negative outcomes. In addition, the CDC may provide, directly or through grants or other agreements with public or nonprofit entities, technical assistance related to this data collection.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2020
Air Source Heat Pump Act of 2020 This bill allows a new refundable tax credit for qualified air source heat pump expenditures. The bill defines qualified air source heat pump expenditures as expenditures for property that uses an air source heat pump to heat and cool a dwelling unit located in the United States and used as the taxpayer's principal residence. The air source heat pump must also meet specified performance and other requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2020
This bill provides statutory authority for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Department of State to compensate employees and certain family members for qualifying brain injuries sustained while stationed in a foreign country. Under the bill, the CIA and the State Department may provide compensation for a covered individual who has a partial or total disability resulting from a qualifying brain injury for which the individual is not receiving disability payments from the United States. Existing requirements and limitations related to compensation for injuries sustained by CIA and State Department employees shall apply to compensation provided under the bill. The bill shall apply to qualifying injuries sustained before or after the bill's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2020
This resolution mourns the death of former Senator Paul Spyros Sarbanes and requests that an enrolled copy of this resolution be transmitted to the family of the Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2020
Direct Support Worker Training Reimbursement Act This bill establishes a 75% federal matching rate for direct support worker training programs under Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2020
Mollie Baldwin Upskilling of Personal and Home Care Aides Act This bill provides funding for the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to states, community-based organizations, and other eligible entities to train individuals for careers as home health aides, nursing assistants, or similar direct support professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2020
Career Advancement for Direct Support Aid Workers Act or the CADSAW Act This bill provides funding for the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to states, tribal nations, institutions of higher education, and other organizations to conduct demonstration projects to train individuals for careers as home health aides or nursing assistants. It also increases Medicare payments for services furnished by an individual who has completed training through such a project.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2020
York River Wild and Scenic River Act of 2020 This bill designates specified segments of the main stem and the tributaries of the York River in Maine as a recreational river. The Department of the Interior may enter into cooperative agreements to provide for the long-term protection, preservation, and enhancement of the river segments. No land or interest in land within the watersheds of the river segments may be acquired by condemnation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2020
EIDL Forgiveness Act This bill modifies the loan forgiveness determination for a paycheck protection loan by excluding from such determination any advance amount for an economic injury disaster loan that was made to the recipient in relation to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2020
This bill nullifies the executive order titled Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service , which was issued on October 21, 2020. The order places executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, in the excepted service instead of the competitive service.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2020
This resolution designates the week beginning September 13, 2020, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week and commends the contributions of direct support professionals who provide integral services to people with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2020
This resolution (1) recognizes October 2020 as National Principals Month and supports its goals and ideals; and (2) honors the contributions of principals in elementary, middle, and high schools in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 2020
This resolution expresses the sorrow of the Senate upon the death of former Senator Mark Andrews and requests that an enrolled copy of this resolution be transmitted to the family of the Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2020
This resolution designates October 2020 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month and calls on Congress, schools, and educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2020
Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities to support research on and facilitate access to investigational drugs that diagnose or treat ALS. The Food and Drug Administration shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other severely debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. HHS shall also establish the Collaborative for Neurodegenerative Diseases, which shall support the development and regulatory approval of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2020
This resolution directs the Department of State to transmit to Congress a statement on human rights practices in Turkey, including the steps the United States has taken to promote human rights in the region and an assessment of whether circumstances exist that necessitate a continuation of security assistance for Turkey. The resolution also calls for information on whether U.S.-built F-16s have been used by Turkey in the conflict in the South Caucasus.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2020
Heroes Small Business Lifeline Act This bill provides economic support to small business affected by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) by extending and expanding existing initiatives such as the Paycheck Protection Program, establishing a new lifeline grant program, and providing dedicated assistance for industries such as restaurants and live entertainment.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2020
Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act of 2020 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to, within 30 days, establish a new tribal priority window for the 2.5 gigahertz band, through which tribes in rural areas may apply for unassigned spectrum. The new window is subject to the same terms and conditions as the tribal priority window that was adopted by the FCC on July 10, 2019, and that closed on September 2, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2020
This resolution requires all individuals in a Senate building to (1) adhere to social distancing guidelines, and (2) wear a mask while in any public area. It also requires the Senate to develop and implement a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) testing and contact tracing program for Senators and Senate workers.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020
Cyber Sense Act of 20 20 This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a voluntary Cyber Sense program to test the cybersecurity of products and technologies intended for use in the bulk-power system. The bulk-power system includes facilities and control systems necessary for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission network, and electric energy from generation facilities needed to maintain transmission system reliability.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act of 2020 This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover, without cost sharing, three primary care visits and three behavioral health care visits during a plan year.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
This bill reduces funding for executive agencies that do not comply with reasonable vehicle utilization standards and establish uniform methods and procedures for evaluating vehicle fleets. Specifically, the bill directs the General Services Administration (GSA) to establish vehicle usage standards for the executive branch and uniform methods and procedures (1) for use by agencies in determining the appropriate size of their vehicle fleet, and (2) that require the vehicle fleet management component of the agency to maintain the procedures and documentation for deciding to keep a vehicle in an easily accessible manner. The GSA must make publicly available the government-wide vehicle usage standards, including documentation requirements and metrics, and the uniform vehicle fleet methods and procedures. An agency may establish and implement separate vehicle usage standards, subject to annual review by the GSA. The bill provides for a reduction in budget for weaker standards or for failure to implement standards. The bill requires (1) each agency to document an annual review of the vehicle fleet to identify underutilized vehicles and actions taken to remove such vehicles from the fleet or a justification for their continued use, and (2) the inspector general of each agency to conduct audits at least once every two years of vehicle fleet management practices.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020
Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act This bill provides funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for improving its core public health infrastructure and awarding grants to strengthen such infrastructure in state, tribal, territorial, and local health departments. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions (i.e., disease surveillance and emergency response).
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020
This resolution designates the week of October 5-October 9, 2020, as Malnutrition Awareness Week and recognizes the work of nutrition professionals and others in advancing awareness and prevention of malnutrition. It also recognizes the importance of federal nutrition programs and other efforts in preventing and treating malnutrition, particularly during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020
Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises Act or the PREPARE Act This bill permanently reauthorizes the pre-disaster mitigation loan program of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Under this program, the SBA may loan up to $500,000 in a 12-month period to small businesses so that such businesses may use mitigation techniques to protect their commercial real estate, equipment, inventory, supplies, and materials from damages related to disasters. The SBA must submit a report on the program that includes information such as (1) the geographic areas in which loan recipients are located, (2) the number and dollar value of loans made, and (3) the estimated aggregate value resulting from the use of funded mitigation techniques. The bill also authorizes the SBA to increase the amount of a disaster loan by up to 30% of the aggregate costs of any damage or destruction to enable a business to take mitigating measures that protect from possible future disasters.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020
Care Corps Demonstration Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to certain public entities and private nonprofits to implement care corps programs through which volunteers provide long-term services and supports to older adults and people with disabilities. Volunteers who participate in these programs receive benefits, such as living and travel allowances and post-service educational awards.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020
This resolution recognizes September 22, 2020, as National Voter Registration Day and encourages those eligible to vote to register, verify their personal information on record with local election officials, and vote.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020
Small Business Debt Relief Extension Act of 2020 This bill extends the Small Business Debt Relief Program, under which the Small Business Administration (SBA), in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), was authorized to make six months of payments for certain SBA-backed loan products on behalf of the recipients of these loans.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2020
Emergency Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2020 This bill allows, and provides funds for, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants and loans, as well as loan forgiveness, modification, and refinancing, to rural water, wastewater, or waste disposal facilities. Specifically, USDA may provide such assistance for purposes of ensuring public health, safety, and order and to address financial hardships, in particular those due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2020
Social-Emotional Learning for Families Act of 2020 or the SELF Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to local educational agencies to develop, implement, and evaluate educator and school leader professional development programs on social-emotional learning and family engagement.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2020
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain are historic achievements. Further, it encourages other Arab nations to establish full relations with Israel, and it reaffirms the Senate's support for a negotiated, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2020
Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020 This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley. After the award the medal shall be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
![Official portrait of Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/k000383_200.jpg)