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 · 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 · 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 · 21 October 2020
Veterans Legal Support Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide support, including financial support, to one or more university law school programs to provide veterans with legal assistance.
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
Protecting Employees from Surprise Taxes Act of 2020 This bill prohibits employers from deferring payment of payroll taxes unless affected employees provide written consent to a deferral. Employers must also provide notice to their employees of the right to provide or withhold written consent and the future tax liability resulting from providing consent to the deferral of such taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
This bill designates the airport traffic control tower located at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the Senator Kay Hagan Airport Traffic Control Tower .
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act of 2020 This bill requires federal agencies to develop and disclose reopening plans that incorporate certain information before sending employees back to work during a public health emergency, such as the emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires an agency to post a reopening plan on its website at least 30 days before reopening a facility. Among other information, the plan must detail (1) the personal protective equipment (PPE) that the agency will provide to its employees; (2) protections for employees whose work requires them to be in nonfederal buildings, such as auditors; and (3) potential measures to reverse the reopening that still ensure the continuity of operations. Each agency's Office of the Inspector General must report on whether the agency has complied with this bill's requirements and whether the agency has provided adequate PPE for its employees.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020
Federal Worker Leave Fairness Act of 2020 This bill restores leave that is lost by federal employees during a public health emergency relating to a pandemic. Specifically, the bill restores leave for employees of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government that was lost because the employee's accumulated leave exceeded the maximum amount that is otherwise allowable. The bill applies to leave that is lost on or after the date of enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020
Promoting Responsible and Effective Virtual Experiences through Novel Technology to Deliver Improved Access and Better Engagement with Tested and Evidence-based Strategies Act or the PREVENT DIABETES Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow online or virtual diabetes prevention programs that meet standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to participate in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Expanded Model. The model provides CDC-approved training on dietary changes, physical activity, and other behavioral strategies for beneficiaries who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
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
Giving Relief to American Communities in Emergencies Act or the GRACE Act This bill extends authority through FY2022 for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to distribute formula funding for certain programs using the 2000 Census for areas that lost their urbanized area designation because their population fell below 50,000 after the 2000 census as a result of a major disaster. Upon request by a state in which an urbanized area that experiences a disaster-related population decrease is located, DOT may elect for purposes of the public transportation emergency relief program to (1) use the population of such area, as determined in the decennial census before the most recent decennial census; and (2) continue to treat the area as an urbanized area.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2020
Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site Expansion Act This bill expands the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site currently located in Topeka, Kansas, to include additional sites in Clarendon County, South Carolina, and establishes as affiliated areas specified sites in Farmville, Virginia; Wilmington and Hockessin, Delaware; and the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2020
America Labor, Economic competitiveness, Alliances, Democracy and Security Act or the America LEADS Act This bill addresses science and technology development, global infrastructure, U.S. manufacturing, foreign relations, and other topics. Provisions of the bill include those authorizing through FY2025 various federal research and development activities; requiring the Department of State to take actions to advance the development and adoption of quality global infrastructure; requiring the use of domestically produced aluminum in certain federal projects; requiring the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Commerce to take actions to encourage the development and production of measurably secure microelectronics and semiconductors; expanding disclosure requirements for U.S. institutions of higher education that receive foreign gifts; authorizing various programs to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics training, as well as language skills education; requiring the President to impose sanctions to combat malign behavior by China's government and related persons; authorizing annual contributions to the World Bank's Clean Technology Fund and the United Nations's Green Climate Fund; prohibiting the use of federal funds to withdraw or reduce the presence of the Armed Forces or DOD in Japan or South Korea; prioritizing the transfer of excess defense articles to certain allies in the Indo-Pacific region; authorizing the State Department to provide assistance to increase maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region; authorizing the United States to cofinance infrastructure projects that would otherwise be included within China's Belt and Road initiative; requiring the President to establish a Special Representative for the Arctic; and providing priority refugee status to certain residents of Hong Kong or Xinjiang.
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.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2020
Delivering for America Act This bill prohibits the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from making changes to operations or levels of service from those that were in effect on January 1, 2020, establishes requirements for the processing of election mail, and provides additional funding for the Postal Service Fund. Specifically, the USPS may not, during the period beginning on enactment of this bill and ending on the last day of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency or January 31, 2021, whichever is later, implement or approve any change to the operations or the level of service that would reduce service performance or impede prompt, reliable, and efficient services. Such changes include the following: changes in the nature of services that will generally affect service on a nationwide basis; revisions of service standards; closures or consolidations of post offices or facilities or reduction of hours; prohibitions or restrictions on the use of overtime or payment of overtime pay to USPS officers or employees; changes that would prevent the USPS from meeting its service standards or that would reduce measurements of performance concerning those standards; changes that would have the effect of delaying, deferring, or curtailing mail, allowing non-delivery to a delivery route, or increasing the volume of undelivered mail; treating election mail as any class of mail other than first-class mail, regardless of whether this requires overtime pay; any removal or stoppage of mail sorting machines, other than for routine maintenance; removing or eliminating any mail collection box available to the public; enacting any rule, policy, or standard the purpose or effect of which would delay delivery of mail to or from a government entity; and instituting any hiring freeze. The USPS shall reverse any initiative or action that is causing delay in processing or delivery or non-delivery of mail. With regard to election mail specifically, the bill (1) establishes USPS policy to postmark, with imprinted indicia of the date of receipt, all processed election mail; and (2) directs the USPS to ensure that election mail is processed and cleared from any postal facility on the same day it is received. The term election mail means voter registration materials, absentee and other mail-in applications and ballots, and other materials mailed by state or local election officials to individuals registered to vote in the election. The bill appropriates $25 billion as an additional payment to the Postal Service Fund, of which $15 million shall be transferred to the USPS Office of Inspector General.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2020
This resolution honors service members and veterans, condemns the President's denigration of members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and demands that the President defend members of the Armed Forces against hostile actions by Russia.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2020
This resolution condemns abuses committed by state security forces and armed groups in the northwest and southwest regions of Cameroon, and it affirms that the United States continues to hold Cameroon responsible for safeguarding the security and constitutional rights of all of its citizens, regardless of their region, religion, or political views. Further, it urges all parties to the conflict in Cameroon, the government of Cameroon, U.S. foreign relations entities, and members of the international community to take specified steps toward resolving the ongoing civil conflict in Cameroon.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2020
Poll Worker Recruitment Act of 2020 This bill requires states and local jurisdictions to allow individuals to serve as poll workers in the November 2020 general election in any county or jurisdiction of the state in which they are registered to vote.
United States · United States Congress · 13 August 2020
This resolution expresses the Senate's affirmation that U.S. assistance should be delivered directly to the Lebanese people following the recent explosion in Beirut. Further, it calls on Lebanon to conduct a transparent investigation into the cause of, and responsibility for, the explosion and to prioritize policies and programs that advance the interests of the Lebanese people.
United States · United States Congress · 13 August 2020
This resolution condemns China's use of military force at the Line of Actual Control (i.e., the effective border between India and China) and supports a diplomatic solution that restores the line's demarcation in accordance with China's previous agreement with India. The resolution also commends India's efforts to secure its telecommunications infrastructure from Chinese security threats and expresses support for a strengthened U.S. partnership with India.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 2020
Coronavirus Language Access Act This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal agencies to take actions to expand access to information about COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) for those with limited English proficiency. It also provides emergency funding to the Administration on Community Living for FY2020 to increase access to such information for those who have limited English proficiency and are older individuals, individuals with disabilities, or individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Among other requirements, the CDC must award grants to, or enter cooperative agreements with, community-based organizations or governmental health departments to offer interpretive services for individuals receiving COVID-19 tests and otherwise provide information about COVID-19 and other public health activities in certain languages other than English. The CDC must also translate, within seven days, certain COVID-19 materials into specified languages other than English and must operate a hotline staffed by trained interpreters to provide information about COVID-19 to the public. In addition, any federal agency that receives funding pursuant to a COVID-19 response law must translate, within seven days, materials that describe programs and opportunities related to COVID-19 into specified languages other than English and must provide oral language assistance services to those with limited English proficiency.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2020
Health Care Improvement Act of 2020 This bill makes various changes to the health care marketplace, such as expanding premium assistance, encouraging states to expand Medicaid, and establishing a public health insurance option.
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act This bill revises payment rules and establishes several requirements relating to coverage of orthotics and prosthetics under Medicare. Specifically, the bill requires suppliers of orthotics and prosthetics to meet certain standards with respect to licensure and accreditation, physical facilities, and liability insurance. Orthotists and prosthetists may also issue written orders for commercial purposes that meet specified standards; such orders must be signed by the treating physician. The bill also prohibits payment under Medicare for certain prosthetics and orthotics that are delivered via drop shipment (i.e., direct shipment to a beneficiary who has not received corresponding patient care from a health care practitioner).
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
USTR Inspector General Act of 2020 This bill requires the President to appoint an Inspector General of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), who shall conduct an audit of the process for excluding articles from certain duties with respect to articles imported from China. The required audit shall include an assessment of whether USTR officials (1) uniformly applied the criteria used to review a request for, or objection to, excluding such articles from duties; (2) met with any interested parties to discuss a request or objection while the request or objection was pending; and (3) at any time permitted the resubmission of a previously submitted request or objection after the submission deadline.
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act of 2020 This bill creates certain administrative and judicial remedies for federal employees whose right to provide information to Congress is interfered with or denied. Under current law, federal employees have the right to petition or furnish information to Congress or to individual Members of Congress, and this right may not be interfered with or denied. The bill explicitly allows employees who are aggrieved by a violation of this right to seek administrative remedies that are currently available to whistleblowers who are fired or experience other forms of retaliation. The bill also establishes a private right of action for aggrieved employees, including the option of a jury trial, if an administrative remedy is not issued within 210 days of a complaint being made. The bill applies to employees and contractors of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, including members of the intelligence community.
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
This resolution commemorates the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Further, the Senate reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the act continues to protect the voting rights of U.S. citizens. In addition, the Senate commits itself to fully restoring Section 4 of the act (which contained a coverage formula to determine the states and jurisdictions that had to obtain preclearance before making legal changes that would affect voting rights).
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
Getting Early Treatment and Comprehensive Assessments Reduces Emergencies Act of 2020 or the GET CARE Act of 2020 This bill directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to undertake actions to increase the number of individuals seeking recommended preventive care services, particularly during the COVID-19 (i.e, coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. It also authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to states, other jurisdictions, and certain nonprofits for activities and research related to preventive care services. Specifically, the CDC must award competitive grants to carry out a national campaign to increase awareness of, and disseminate information about, preventive care services. In carrying out the campaign, the CDC must consult with relevant public health and health care experts. The campaign must focus particularly on medically underserved communities, communities of color, and communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. It must address, among other topics, misinformation about seeking preventive care during the COVID-19 emergency and the safety of health care facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
Pipeline Fairness, Transparency, and Responsible Development Act of 2020 This bill addresses provisions related to natural gas pipeline projects, including provisions related to the permitting process, eminent domain, environmental reviews, and the visual impacts of such projects on national scenic trails.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2020
Long Bridge Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to, upon request, convey to Virginia or the District of Columbia approximately 4.4 acres of NPS land for the construction of rail and other infrastructure relating to the Long Bridge Project.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2020
Fair Drug Prices for Kids Act This bill allows states to apply the requirements of the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program to covered outpatient drugs under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2020
Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020 This bill allows states to provide pandemic unemployment assistance to individuals who earn a combination of regular wages and a minimum of $7,250 of self-employed annual income (1) instead of regular unemployment compensation if they are otherwise eligible, or (2) if they are still employed at their regular-wage job, but unable to earn self-employed income due to circumstances related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Under current law, individuals earning such mixed income are only eligible for pandemic unemployment assistance if they are not eligible for regular unemployment and unable to work due to COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2020
Governors' Broadband Development Fund Act of 2020 This bill establishes the Broadband Development Grant Program, under which the Federal Communications Commission shall make grants of at least $75 million to states for broadband development. A state that receives such a grant must give priority to opportunity zones and unserved areas or locations and must expend at least 5% of the grant funds in a technologically neutral manner to support broadband adoption by populations that face barriers to digital equity.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2020
Protect Our Services Today Act of 2020 or the POST Act This bill prohibits the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from closing any USPS facility during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency period.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that (1) the 130th year anniversary of the 1890 Land-Grant Educational Institutions should be observed with appropriate ceremonies and activities to recognize the collective contributions that these 19 historically Black federal land-grant educational institutions have made to the United States, (2) the Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture should remain committed to supporting the goals of the Second Morrill Act and the Smith-Lever Act, and (3) the Second Morrill Act and the Smith-Lever Act have helped the United States develop agricultural leaders.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Air America Act of 2020 This bill establishes the service of Air America employees as qualifying service for purposes of the Civil Service Retirement System. (Air America was a government-owned airline that provided air transport for certain covert operations in Southeast Asia, including Laos and Vietnam, between 1950 and 1976.) The bill applies to U.S. citizens who were employees of Air America or another affiliated company, as specified, between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 1976. Benefit applications must be filed within two years of the date of enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2020
This resolution declares that (1) the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable John Lewis, a late Member of the House of Representatives; and (2) when the Senate adjourns on July 28, 2020, it will stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the Honorable John Lewis.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2020
Federal Labor-Management COVID Partnership Act This bill establishes the Coronavirus Rapid Response Federal Labor-Management Partnership Task Force. The task force must assess the response of federal agencies to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency with respect to agency employees, including the adequacy of agency communications and necessary physical assets. The task force must also provide guidance to prepare for future pandemics, including with respect to equipment levels, cleaning protocols, and leave and telework policies, and must also recommend ways to ensure labor organizations participate in agency decision-making. Each agency must also establish its own working group that addresses similar issues for the future.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2020
Time to Rescue United States Trusts Act of 2020 or the TRUST Act of 2020 This bill establishes congressional rescue committees to develop recommendations and legislation to improve critical social contract programs. A critical social contract program is a federal program for which a federal trust fund is established (e.g., Social Security, Medicare, and federal highway programs), with outlays of at least $20 billion during the year preceding the year in which this bill is enacted, and for which the amount of dedicated federal funds and federal trust fund balances will be inadequate to meet the total amount of outlays of the program that would otherwise be made. Each rescue committee may develop recommendations and legislation to improve the program for which it was established, including by (1) increasing the duration of positive balances of the federal trust fund established for the program, and (2) providing for the solvency of the federal trust fund established for the program during a 75-year period. Congress must use specified expedited legislative procedures to consider legislation that is approved and submitted by the rescue committees.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2020
Don't Punish Schools for Uncontrolled Pandemics Act of 2020 This bill prohibits the Department of Education from requiring a local school program to conduct in-person instruction during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2020
Emergency Portable Benefits for Independent Workers Act This bill establishes grants for states to provide workers in alternative work arrangements such as independent contractors, domestic workers, temporary workers, or self-employed individuals with portable, work-related benefits. Specifically, states must use such grants to address the state's administration of unemployment compensation and design and implement approaches to provide individuals in alternative work arrangements with benefits that may be maintained upon changing jobs including, but not limited to, paid leave, expanded unemployment compensation, and retirement savings options.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2020
Save our Stages Act or the SOS Act This bill authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to make grants to eligible live venue operators, producers, promoters, or talent representatives to address the economic effects of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on certain live venues. Specifically, the SBA may make (1) an initial grant of up to $12 million dollars to an eligible operator, promoter, producer, or talent representative; and (2) a supplemental grant that is equal to 50% of the initial grant. An initial grant must be used for costs incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, but a supplemental grant may be used for expenses incurred through June 30, 2021. Such grants shall be used for specified expenses such as payroll costs, rent, utilities, and personal protective equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2020
Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act of 2020 This bill imposes requirements related to firearms. Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first conducts a background check, with some exceptions. Furthermore, a person that is not a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer may not purchase more than one handgun in a 30-day period, with certain exceptions. The bill also establishes a grant program to help states and Indian tribes implement extreme risk protection order laws and carry out related activities. (An extreme risk protection order is a court-issued order or warrant, with the purpose of reducing firearm-related death or injury, that prohibits a named individual from obtaining or possessing a firearm.) A person subject to such an order shall be prohibited from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting a firearm or ammunition. The bill also makes it unlawful for a person to (1) not notify law enforcement within 48 hours of a firearm becoming lost or stolen, and (2) recklessly leave a loaded and unsecured firearm in a manner that endangers another person under the age of 14. Furthermore, for the purposes of criminal provisions related to firearms, an intimate partner may be a current or former dating partner. Similarly, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence shall include those involving a dating partner. A person may not transport or possess a firearm or ammunition if that person (1) is subject to certain ex parte restraining orders, or (2) has been convicted of misdemeanor stalking.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2020
John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. (Preclearance is the process of receiving federal preapproval before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.) In addition, the bill expands voting access on tribal lands.