United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2021
Protecting Access to Credit for Small Businesses Act This bill prohibits the Small Business Administration from directly making a loan under the 7(a) Program, which authorizes loans and loan guaranties to small businesses that meet certain requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2021
Congressional Review of Agency Legal Settlements Act of 2021 This bill requires federal agencies to submit certain settlement agreements to Congress and allows Congress to disapprove of such agreements. The bill applies to proposed voluntary compromise settlements that include (1) a financial award paid by an agency that is more than $10 million aggregated across all similarly situated cases or legal claims against the agency, or (2) an agreement to modify or alter an agency rule. Before an agency may enter into such an agreement, the agency must submit to Congress a report that includes specified information, such as the terms and class of claimants covered by the agreement. The bill (1) specifies the effect of passage of a joint resolution of disapproval related to such an agreement, and (2) provides for an expedited procedure for such resolutions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2021
Masih Alinejad Harassment and Unlawful Targeting Act of 2021 or the Masih Alinejad HUNT Act of 2021 This bill imposes sanctions on foreign persons (i.e., individuals or entities) that are acting on behalf of Iran's government and involved in the harassment of certain individuals, such as human rights activists. The Department of State must periodically report to Congress the identities of foreign persons acting on behalf of Iran's government that are knowingly responsible for or complicit in the surveillance, harassment, imprisonment, or killing of citizens of Iran or the United States who seek to (1) expose corruption or illegal activity by Iranian government officials; (2) obtain, defend, or promote internationally recognized human rights; or (3) obtain, defend, or promote the rights and well-being of women, religious and ethnic minorities, and the LGBTQ community in Iran. The report must include foreign persons involved in such actions that occur inside or outside Iran. The President must impose property-blocking sanctions on persons identified in the report, as well as visa-blocking sanctions on the identified individuals. The Department of the Treasury must submit to Congress a report identifying any foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts a significant transaction with a person sanctioned under this bill. Treasury may prohibit the opening, or prohibit or impose strict conditions on the maintaining of a U.S. correspondent account or a payable-through account by such a financial institution.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2021
Food Donation Improvement Act of 2021 This bill expands liability protections for the donation of food and grocery products. Specifically, the bill expands the liability protections to include donations of an apparently fit grocery product or apparently wholesome food for which the recipient is charged a good Samaritan reduced price that is no greater than the cost of handling, administering, and distributing the food or product; or that is donated directly to a needy individual by a retail grocer, wholesaler, agricultural producer, restaurant, caterer, school food authority, or institution of higher education. The Department of Agriculture must issue regulations that clarify the quality and labeling standards that food products donated under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act must meet to be eligible for liability protection.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2021
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor emergency temporary standard for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in employment settings. Under the standard issued on November 5, 2021, employers with 100 or more employees must require their onsite employees to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
This bill extends until September 30, 2026, the use of Highway 209, a federally owned road within the boundaries of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, by certain commercial vehicles that serve local businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2021
Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act This bill prohibits using federal funds to make settlement payments to compensate any individuals for being separated from family members while detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection if the detention was (1) a result of the individual improperly entering (or attempting to improperly enter) the United States, and (2) in accordance with a Department of Justice memorandum that adopted a zero-tolerance policy for such improper entry into the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2021
Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act of 2021 This bill allows the adjusted basis of certain assets (including any common stock in a C corporation, any digital asset, and tangible property used in a trade or business) to be indexed for inflation for the purpose of determining the gain or loss of a taxpayer (other than a corporation) who has held the asset for more than three years. The bill sets forth rules for applying the inflation adjustment to short sales; regulated investment companies; real estate investment trusts; other pass-through entities, including partnerships, S corporations, and common trust funds; dispositions between related persons; and improvements to property or contributions of capital. The Internal Revenue Service may disallow an adjustment if any person transfers cash, debt, or any other property to another person for the principal purpose of securing or increasing the adjustment allowed by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2021
Investor Freedom Act of 2021 This bill prohibits banning the practice of payment for order flow (i.e., payment received by a stock brokerage firm for directing orders to another firm that buys and sells stock).
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2021
Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Law Act of 2021 This bill prohibits using federal funds to establish any diplomatic facility in Jerusalem other than the U.S. Embassy to Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2021
No GSE Subsidies for Investor Properties Act This bill prohibits government-sponsored enterprises (i.e., Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) from purchasing or acquiring a mortgage secured by an investor property loan (i.e., a property comprised of 1-to-4 family dwelling units that is not the principal residence or a second home of the borrower) 18 months after the date of enactment. Further, these enterprises must implement a plan to gradually reduce the purchase and acquisition of such loans.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2021
Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring a financial institution to report the balances, transactions, or the transfers into and out of a financial account. This prohibition does not apply to laws or regulations in effect on the date of enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2021
This resolution designates the week beginning on October 17, 2021, as National Chemistry Week. The resolution also recognizes the need to promote the fields of science, including chemistry, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and to encourage youth, including from underrepresented groups, to pursue careers in these fields.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2021
Bicameral Congressional Trade Authority Act of 2021 This bill requires congressional approval for a presidential import adjustment due to a national security threat from an import related to military equipment, energy resources, or critical infrastructure essential to national security. Specifically, the bill requires the President to submit a proposal to Congress, which Congress may approve by a joint resolution. Under current law, the President determines whether any adjustment of an import is necessary and must submit to Congress the reasons for any action taken or not taken. The Department of Defense (currently, the Department of Commerce) must investigate the effect of these imports on national security. The bill retroactively applies to any proposed action made four years before enactment of this bill. In general, any rate of duty modification occurring in the time period beginning four years before and ending the day before enactment of this bill must revert to the previous rate unless it receives congressional approval.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2021
Full Faith and Credit Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to prioritize certain obligations if the federal debt limit is reached and provides for a limited increase in the debt limit to fund these priorities. If the federal government reaches the debt limit, the following obligations must be given equal priority over all other federal obligations: the principal and interest on the debt held by the public; Social Security benefits; pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces on active duty and members of the U.S. Coast Guard; compensation, pensions, and payments for medical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Medicare programs. If the debt limit has been reached and incoming revenue will be insufficient to pay the priority obligations over an upcoming two-week period, the bill requires (1) Treasury to notify Congress of the expected revenue shortfall for the two-week period, and (2) the debt limit to be increased by the amount of the expected shortfall. If the incoming revenue exceeds the expected shortfall, the excess revenue must be held in reserve and applied to the following two-week period.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2021
End Government Shutdowns Act This bill provides continuing appropriations to prevent a government shutdown if any appropriations measure for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the fiscal year begins or a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not in effect. For an initial 120-day period, the bill provides appropriations to continue programs, projects, and activities for which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year. The bill reduces the continuing appropriations by 1% after the first 120-day period and by an additional 1% for each subsequent 90-day period until the applicable appropriations legislation is enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2021
Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 or the RPM Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the modification of a vehicle's air emission controls for vehicles that are not legal for operation on a street or highway and are used solely for competition. In relation to the exemption of competition vehicles from anti-tampering provisions, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is prohibited from creating or authorizing a database of vehicle registration information that is required to be consulted at the point of manufacture, sale, installation, or use of parts or components. Additionally, the EPA may not require the registration of a vehicle, or part or component of a vehicle, by the manufacturer, seller, purchaser, installer, or user of the vehicle. The regulation prescribed by the EPA regarding the exemption must include certain components, including a description of the reasonable conditions for the applicability of the exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2021
Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to Dustoff crews (helicopter air ambulance crews) of the Vietnam War in recognition of their heroic military service.
United States · United States Congress · 10 August 2021
This joint resolution nullifies the order submitted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions in Communities With Substantial or High Transmission of COVID-19 To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19 and published on August 6, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 10 August 2021
This joint resolution nullifies the order submitted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions in Communities With Substantial or High Transmission of COVID-19 To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19 and published on August 6, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 9 August 2021
Consumer Financial Choice and Capital Markets Protection Act of 2021 This bill allows a money market fund, under specified conditions, to elect to operate using a different method of valuation than is otherwise required. A money market fund that elects to do so shall not be subject to specified requirements related to the imposition of liquidity fees. (A money market fund is a type of mutual fund that invests in liquid, short-term assets.) Current law limits the provision of certain federal assistance directly to any money market fund. The bill requires disclosure of this limitation on federal assistance in a money market's advertising and sales literature.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Repeal Insurance Plans of the Multi-State Program Act or the RIP MSP Act This bill repeals the multi-state insurance plan program. (The multi-state plan program requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to contract with insurance issuers to provide a qualified health plan through the health insurance exchanges in multiple states.) The OPM must report about the process and timeline for ending the program within 60 days.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2021
Fair Sugar Policy Act of 20 21 This bill makes several modifications to the Department of Agriculture's sugar program. Among other modifications, the bill decreases the rate for price support loans, repeals the marketing allotments, revises the administration of import quotas, and repeals the Feedstock Flexibility Program.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2021
Long-Term Care Affordability Act This bill allows the use of tax-exempt retirement plan distributions to pay for long-term health care insurance. Specifically, it excludes such distributions from the gross income of an insured individual up to $2,500 for per individual in a taxable year. It also imposes reporting requirements on plans and insured individuals and requires a description of long-term care insurance arrangements and facts sheets for employers and workers.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2021
Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2021 This bill revises the renewable fuel program to eliminate the annual renewable fuel standard. The existing standard requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel that is produced from renewable biomass to be blended into transportation fuel by 2022. The renewable fuel standard includes fuels that are produced from renewable biomass, such as corn. The bill would not affect the standards under the program for advanced biofuel, cellulosic biofuel, or biomass-based diesel.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2021
Semiquincentennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $25.00 gold coins, $2.50 silver coins, 25 cent clad coins, and proof silver $2.50 coins in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the United States. The designs of the coins shall be emblematic of the semiquincentennial anniversary of the establishment of the United States of America and celebrate 250 years of our nation. On each coin there shall be a designation of the value of the coin; an inscription of the years 1776-2026; and inscriptions of the words Liberty , In God We Trust , United States of America , and E Pluribus Unum . Treasury may issue coins under this bill only during the period beginning on January 1, 2026, and ending on December 31, 2026. All sales of coins issued shall include a surcharge as prescribed by this bill. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins shall be paid to the America 250 Foundation to fund the restoration, rehabilitation, and interpretation of units of the U.S. National Park System and its related areas, as a legacy of the semiquincentennial commemoration.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2021
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies provide critical benefits to the people and communities of the United States and their work should continue to be promoted.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2021
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2021 or the PAST Act of 2021 This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2021
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Foreign-Trade Zone Modernization Act of 2021 or the USMCA FTZ Modernization Act of 2021 This bill requires the International Trade Commission to investigate tariff policies related to foreign-trade zones (FTZs), which are designated sites at which special customs procedures may be used to allow for domestic activity involving foreign items prior to formal customs entry. The investigation must examine (1) differences in tariff treatment by the United States, Canada, and Mexico; (2) any effects of such differences on the cost-competitiveness of U.S.-manufactured products compared to products manufactured in Canada or Mexico; and (3) how FTZs in the United States could be better employed to redress and mitigate any inequities.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2021
Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 This bill modifies a program providing special immigrant visas to eligible citizens or nationals of Afghanistan who assisted U.S. efforts there and addresses related issues. The bill extends the program through 2023 and increases the number of visas available. An individual may become eligible for a visa after assisting U.S. efforts in Afghanistan for one year, whereas currently some individuals must have served for two years. Furthermore, for an applicant qualifying for a visa by performing duties with a NATO mission in Afghanistan, the bill eliminates a requirement that the duties performed qualify as sensitive and trusted duties. The bill removes a requirement that the individual has experienced or is facing an ongoing serious threat due to their assistance to the United States or NATO. The Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security may postpone the program's medical examination requirement. An individual who received a postponement must undergo a medical exam within 90 days of admission into the United States. The bill also expands surviving family member benefits for the Afghanistan program (and a similar program for Iraq) to a surviving spouse or child of an individual who submitted an application to the Chief of Mission that would have been approved but for the individual's death. Currently, such survivor benefits only apply if the deceased individual's petition was approved.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2021
This resolution offers the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of Senator John William Warner and expresses deep appreciation for his outstanding and important service to his country.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2021
This resolution condemns the recent rise in anti-Semitic violence and harassment targeting Jewish Americans. The resolution (1) recommits to combating anti-Semitism in all forms; and (2) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil society leaders to denounce and combat all manifestations of anti-Semitism. The resolution urges the President to continue the leadership role of the United States in combating anti-Semitism internationally, advance accurate Holocaust education and counter Holocaust denial and distortion, ensure the physical security of Jewish institutions and organizations, and produce an analysis that accounts for the level and scope of the threat that anti-Semitism poses to the people of the United States. The resolution urges law enforcement agencies to fully participate in the data collection process of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to improve anti-Semitic hate crime data collection.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2021
This resolution congratulates the students, families, teachers, administrators, and staff of public charter schools across the United States for (1) making ongoing contributions to public education, (2) making impressive strides in closing the academic achievement gap in U.S. schools, and (3) improving and strengthening the public school system. The resolution supports the ideals and goals of the 22nd annual National Charter Schools Week.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2021
Water Quality Certification Improvement Act of 2021 This bill limits the authority of states with respect to water quality certifications. Specifically, the bill limits the authority of states to review federally permitted activities that may result in discharges into navigable waters.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2021
Don't Weaponize the IRS Act This bill codifies regulations promulgated by the Trump Administration exempting certain tax-exempt organizations from specified reporting requirements. Specifically the bill increases from $5,000 to $50,000 the gross receipts threshold used to determine the eligibility of tax-exempt organizations for the exemption from certain disclosure and reporting requirements; expands the definition of organization to include tax-exempt charitable organizations and organizations with no significant activities relating to lobbying, political activity, and the operation of a trade or business; exempts from disclosure the names and addresses of contributors to an organization in its annual informational return; and extends exemptions from reporting requirements to political action committees (i.e., 527 organizations).
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2021
Eric's Law This bill modifies procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings. If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence and there is a motion by the attorney for the government, the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2021
Preventing Foreign Attempts to Erode Healthcare Innovation Act This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to support, allow, or facilitate the negotiation or approval of any measure at the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property rights, including the waiver proposed by India and South Africa to suspend certain provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights to facilitate the prevention, containment, and treatment of COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2021
Lifesaving Gear for Police Act This bill invalidates any regulation, rule, guidance, recommendation, or policy issued on or after May 15, 2015, that limits the sale or donation of excess federal property to state and local law enforcement agencies unless it is enacted by Congress. Additionally, it prohibits the use of federal funds to implement such regulation, rule, guidance, recommendation, or policy. Property that was recalled or seized on or after May 15, 2015, must be returned, replaced, or reissued to the state or local law enforcement agency.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2021
Improving Medicaid Programs' Response to Overdose Victims and Enhancing Addiction Care Act or the IMPROVE Addiction Care Act This bill establishes additional requirements for state Medicaid drug-use review programs with respect to individuals who experience opioid-related overdoses. Specifically, programs must include protocols that (1) connect individuals who have experienced an opioid-related overdose within a certain period to appropriate treatment; (2) notify providers who prescribe opioids about subsequent fatal overdoses; (3) ensure providers are notified about an individual's history of opioid-use disorder, overdoses, or poisonings; and (4) educate providers about proper prescribing practices for these individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2021
Thin Blue Line Act This bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.