Taxation

Family First Medisave Empowerment Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020

Family First Medisave Empowerment Act This bill creates tax-exempt Medisave accounts to pay the qualified medical expenses of account beneficiaries. The bill defines qualified medical expenses as the medical expenses of the taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse and dependents that are not covered by insurance. The bill excludes amounts paid from a Medisave account from the gross income of an account beneficiary for income tax purposes. The bill also allows a partially refundable tax credit, limited to $1,000 for all taxable years, for contributions to Medisave accounts made by certain low-income taxpayers before the end of the first year after the enactment of this bill. The bill provides grants for providing fair and impartial information to consumers about Medisave accounts and facilitating enrollment in such accounts.

Hurricane Laura Recovery Opportunity Zones Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020

Hurricane Laura Recovery Opportunity Zones Act This bill designates certain low-income community areas as qualified Hurricane Laura Recovery Opportunity Zones. Such zones are areas for which a major disaster has been declared before September 30, 2020, and which have been determined by the President to warrant individual or public assistance by reason of Hurricane Laura. The bill sets forth special rules for the treatment of capital gains in Hurricane Laura Recovery Opportunity Zones. It also expresses the sense of Congress that the rate of tax on income from capital gains in effect on the enactment date of this bill should not be changed.

A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Retirement Security Month, including raising public awareness of the various tax-preferred retirement vehicles, increasing personal financial literacy, and engaging the people of the United States on the keys to success in achieving and maintaining retirement security throughout their lifetimes.

United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020

This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Retirement Security Month and acknowledges the need to raise public awareness of a variety of tax-preferred retirement vehicles.

Protect Parent Organized Direction of Students Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020

Protect Parent Organized Direction of Students Act This bill prohibits states and localities that regulate the free formation of educational pods from receiving federal emergency education funding for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) relief. An educational pod refers to a small group of three or more students at the elementary or secondary school level who are from more than one family and learn together in person outside of the school. In addition, the bill temporarily expands the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to include certain home educators.

Territory Economic Development Tax Credit Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020

Territory Economic Development Tax Credit Act This bill establishes a new tax credit for wages and tangible investments made by U.S. domestic corporations with branches operating in U.S. territories. It requires that 80% of credible income must be derived from a territory during a 3-year period, and 75% must come from an active trade or business in a territory. The credit is equal to 40% of eligible wages and benefits paid or provided to employees in the territory, subject to certain limitations.

A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program of the Federal Communications Commission for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020.

United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2020

This bill provides FY2020 supplemental appropriations to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Under the program, the FCC provides funding for health care providers to purchase telecommunications services, information services, and devices necessary to provide critical connected care services during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. The bill designates the funding as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits.

To prohibit certain signatures on checks and notices issued by the Department of the Treasury, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020

This bill prohibits signatures of certain government officials, including the President, Vice-President, and cabinet officials, on 2020 recovery rebate checks issued to a taxpayer. A recovery rebate is a stimulus payment made to individual taxpayers to compensate them for losses due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.

Providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 925) to extend the authorization of appropriations for allocation to carry out approved wetlands conservation projects under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act through fiscal year 2024.

United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020

Sets forth the rule for consideration of the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 925) to extend the authorization of appropriations for allocation to carry out approved wetlands conservation projects under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act through fiscal year 2024.

To treat certain face coverings and disinfectants as medical expenses for purposes of certain Federal tax benefits.

United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2020

This bill allows a medical expense tax deduction for face masks, surface disinfectants, and hand sanitizers during the period of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency beginning on the enactment of this bill and ending when the COVID-19 emergency period has terminated.

STARTS Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

Safe Teachers Assistance and Return To School Act of 2020 or the STARTS Act of 2020 This bill allows an increase in the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers in 2020 or 2021 for the purchase of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) national health emergency. Specifically, the amount of the deduction is increased from $250 to $1,500, and $1,200 of such increase may only be used to purchase personal protective equipment or cleaning supplies to combat the spread of COVID-19. Any unused deduction amount for taxable year 2020 may be carried over to taxable year 2021.

Direct Primary Care for America Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

Direct Primary Care for America Act This bill allows participants in health savings accounts to pay for direct primary care service arrangements from such accounts. A direct primary care service arrangement is primary medical care provided by primary care practitioners if the sole compensation for such care is a fixed periodic fee. The bill allows waivers to states under Medicaid to provide direct primary care to low-income Medicaid recipients. The bill also allows health care facilities to participate in the National Health Service Corps Scholarship or Loan Repayment Program if they offer direct primary care service arrangements and are in a health professional shortage area.

Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 This bill sets forth tax relief provisions for taxpayers residing in a disaster zone. Specifically, the bill allows penalty-free qualified disaster distributions from tax-exempt retirement plans up to $100,000, allows recontributions of distributions for home purchases cancelled due to disasters, increases to $100,000 the limit on loans from retirement plans not treated as distributions, allows an employee retention tax credit for 40% of wages paid by employers affected by a disaster, expands eligibility for disaster-related personal casualty losses, permits the calculation of the earned income tax credit based upon income earned prior to 2020, and suspends the limitation on corporate charitable contributions.

End Oil and Gas Tax Subsidies Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

End Oil and Gas Tax Subsidies Act of 2020 This bill limits or repeals certain fossil fuel oil and gas subsidies for oil companies. Specifically, it increases to seven years the amortization period for geological and geophysical expenditures; repeals the tax credits for producing oil and gas from marginal wells and for enhanced oil recovery; repeals the tax deduction for the intangible drilling and development costs of oil and gas wells; repeals percentage depletion; repeals the tax deduction for tertiary injectant expenses; repeals the passive loss exception for working interests in oil and gas property; denies the tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities for oil and gas activities; prohibits the use of the last-in, first-out (LIFO) accounting method by major integrated oil companies; limits the foreign tax credit for dual capacity taxpayers (i.e., taxpayers who are subject to a levy of a foreign country or U.S. possession and receive specific economic benefits from such country or possession); and expands the definition of crude oil for purposes of the excise tax on petroleum and petroleum products to include any oil derived from a bitumen or bituminous mixture (tar sands), and any oil derived from kerogen-bearing sources (oil shale).

FAIR FIGHT Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

Freeing Americans' Interest Reimbursements From Improper Governmental Holdover Taxes Act or the FAIR FIGHT Act This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any interest allowed and paid upon a tax refund amount.

Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

The Heroes Act This bill provides additional appropriations, modifies existing programs and requirements, and establishes new programs to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.

CALMER Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

Culture, Arts, Libraries, and Museums Emergency Relief Act of 2020 or the CALMER Act of 2020 This bill appropriates additional amounts for (1) the National Endowment For the Arts, (2) the National Endowment for the Humanities, and (3) the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Specifically, the funds shall be used to expand digital network access, to purchase tablets and other internet-enabled devices, to provide technical support services, to assist museums with operational expenses, to develop and share distance learning content, and for pandemic recovery planning and implementation. The bill (1) eliminates the $300 limitation on the tax deduction for the charitable contributions of nonitemizing taxpayers and extends such deduction through 2021, (2) extends the modification of the limitation on the tax deduction for charitable contributions through 2021, (3) exempts tax-exempt charitable organizations from payment of employment taxes in 2020, (4) extends eligibility for the Main Street Lending Program to tax-exempt organizations, and (5) extends eligibility for the Paycheck Protection Program to all tax-exempt charitable organizations.

Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act of 20 20 This bill limits the aggregate amount of a partner's annual tax deductions for qualified conservation contributions of a partnership to 2.5 times the partner's adjusted basis in the partnership. (Under current law, a qualified conservation contribution is the contribution of a qualified real property interest to a qualified organization exclusively for conservation purposes.) The limitation applies for the first three taxable years after the individual becomes a partner in the partnership. It does not apply to certain family partnerships.

A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish COVID Recovery Bonds, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2020

This bill establishes a program of COVID Recovery Bonds which are treated as exempt facility bonds for tax purposes. It also provides for tax-exempt financing of qualified government buildings. The bill defines qualified government buildings to include (1) an elementary or secondary school, (2) a facility of a state college or university used for educational purposes, (3) a library open to the general public, (4) a court of law, (5) a hospital or health care facility, (6) a laboratory or research facility, and (7) a public safety facility.

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009

United States · United States Senate · 25 September 2020

TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009

United States · United States Senate · 25 September 2020

End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2020

End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act This bill prohibits tax deductions for expenses relating to direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs. Direct-to-consumer advertising is any dissemination, by or on behalf of a sponsor of a prescription drug product, of an advertisement that is (1) in regard to the drug product, and (2) primarily targeted to the general public.

University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a program to identify and convey available federal land in Alaska to the University of Alaska for a land grant to support higher education. No later than two years after enactment of the bill, Alaska and the university may jointly identify no more than 500,000 acres of land for inclusion in the program. Upon the request of Alaska and the university, the BLM shall provide technical assistance in the identification of land. If Alaska and the university submit to the BLM one or more joint letters concurring with the conveyance of all or a portion of the land identified for conveyance, the BLM shall convey the land to the Board of Regents of the university, to be held in trust for the exclusive use and benefit of the university. The BLM shall convey no more than 360,000 acres of land to the university. The BLM shall notify Congress upon conveyance of the land.

University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a program to identify and convey available federal land in Alaska to the University of Alaska for a land grant to support higher education. No later than two years after enactment of the bill, Alaska and the university may jointly identify no more than 500,000 acres of land for inclusion in the program. Upon the request of Alaska and the university, the BLM shall provide technical assistance in the identification of land. If Alaska and the university submit to the BLM one or more joint letters concurring with the conveyance of all or a portion of the land identified for conveyance, the BLM shall convey the land to the Board of Regents of the university, to be held in trust for the exclusive use and benefit of the university. The BLM shall convey no more than 360,000 acres of land to the university. The BLM shall notify Congress upon conveyance of the land.

Workforce Development Investment Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

Workforce Development Investment Act of 2020 This bill allows employers tax credits for partnering with educational institutions to improve workforce development and job training for students and for engaging in job training and apprenticeship programs.

CEO Accountability and Responsibility Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

CEO Accountability and Responsibility Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the corporate income tax rate for publicly traded corporations that pay their chief executive officers or highest paid employees more than 100 times the median compensation of all their U.S. employees or that increase the number of contracted or foreign employees. The bill also requires an executive agency, in the evaluation of bids or proposals for federal contracts, to give preference to a bidder that has a compensation ratio of highly paid to all employees of less than 50 to 1 in the previous calendar year.

Small Business Disaster Relief Equity Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

Small Business Disaster Relief Equity Act of 2020 This bill makes state-legal cannabis businesses eligible for disaster assistance, and it requires each agency that administers disaster assistance to allow these businesses to retroactively apply. Disaster assistance is any service, grant, loan, tax credit, tax deduction, or any other assistance that is made available in connection with (1) a federally declared disaster, or (2) specified COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) relief programs.

Improving Diaper Affordability Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

Improving Diaper Affordability Act of 2020 This bill includes diapers as deductible medical expenses and allows payments for diapers from certain tax-preferred spending and reimbursement accounts. The bill prohibits state or local governments from imposing a sales tax on the retail purchase of diapers.

Acting on the Annual Duplication Report Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

Acting on the Annual Duplication Report Act of 2020 This bill establishes requirements to facilitate the implementation of recommendations made in the annual reports of the Government Accountability Office on reducing duplications, fragmentation, and overlap in federal programs. Specifically, the Department of the Treasury must prescribe certain standards for the security of tax return information and information technology systems. The bill also establishes a penalty for authorized providers of electronic filing services that fail to comply with electronic return security standards. Further, the Internal Revenue Service must develop an organizational plan to coordinate all aspects of its efforts to protect return information while it is being held or transmitted by authorized providers of electronic filing services. The Department of Housing and Urban Development must report on aspects of the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), including (1) the adequacy of Ginnie Mae's guarantee fee for single-family mortgage-backed securities, (2) the workforce composition and workforce challenges of Ginnie Mae, and (3) alternate ways of overseeing Ginnie Mae. Additionally, the Navy must submit a specified report after identifying a critical operating and support cost estimate breach in a major defense ship acquisition program.

Worker Health Coverage Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

Worker Health Coverage Protection Act This bill provides health insurance premium assistance to individuals who become unemployed or are furloughed during the period beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending on January 31, 2021. Specifically, the bill treats such premiums as paid for individuals who (1) are terminated from employment and elect to continue insurance coverage through the COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) program during such period, or (2) receive more than a 30% reduction in work hours during such period but remain eligible for coverage under a group health plan. The bill also specifies requirements for individuals changing, or enrolling in, health plans under the program. Additionally, the bill requires employers to provide eligible individuals specified written notice about the premium assistance program, including, among other information, available health plan enrollment options and the date that such assistance expires. The Department of the Treasury must reimburse employers, group health plans, and insurance issuers through a payroll tax credit or refund for unpaid premiums that were treated as paid under the program. Premium assistance is not considered income for federal income tax purposes or for determining eligibility for federal or state benefits or assistance.

Small Business Disaster Relief Equity Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

Small Business Disaster Relief Equity Act of 2020 This bill makes state-legal cannabis businesses eligible for disaster assistance, and it requires each agency that administers disaster assistance to allow these businesses to retroactively apply. Disaster assistance is any service, grant, loan, tax credit, tax deduction, or any other assistance that is made available in connection with (1) a federally declared disaster, or (2) specified COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) relief programs.

Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Tax Relief Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2020

Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Tax Relief Act This bill excludes from employee gross income, for income tax purposes, unemployment compensation received in taxable years beginning in 2020 that does not exceed $10,200.

COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021

United States · United States Senate · 23 September 2020

A concurrent resolution to correct the enrollment of S. 2330.

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020

This concurrent resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to make corrections in the enrollment of S. 2330 (Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020). The resolution requires the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to make a mandatory $20 million payment on January 4, 2021, to the U.S. Center for Safe Sport for the center's operating costs for FY2021 and equivalent payments for subsequent fiscal years.

Jobs and Justice Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020

Jobs and Justice Act of 2020 This bill addresses a wide variety of domestic policy matters and focuses on economically distressed communities, opportunities for minorities and the disadvantaged, and civil rights enforcement. Included in the programs and requirements affected are those concerning the following areas: workforce development, including job training and wage standards; economic development, including through assistance to minority businesses; antipoverty measures, including programs to specifically address child poverty and persistent poverty; housing and savings matters, including housing affordability, discrimination, homelessness assistance, tenant protections, public housing funding, home ownership and foreclosure mitigation, and lead-safe housing; savings and consumer finance, including financial literacy and lending discrimination; public contracting; infrastructure development; job training for youth and older Americans; veterans' and military family benefits; health care coverage and access, including Medicare and Medicaid coverage; small business investment and commercial investment in underserved areas, including through tax benefits; elementary and secondary education, including education of girls and minorities and teacher preparation; higher education access, including through community college attendance; science, technology, and information security education; law enforcement officer conduct, resources and administration, juvenile justice, sentencing procedures, hate crimes, correctional facilities, and firearms sales and possession; election administration and voting rights; and environmental, agriculture, and energy matters, including climate change, environmental justice, and energy efficiency and transition to alternative and renewable resources.

VA Fiscal Responsibility Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020

VA Fiscal Responsibility Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to automate the collection of outstanding, overdue, and incomplete payments of third-party health insurance claims, regardless of the amount owed under any single claim. The VA must seek to enter a contract using competitive procedures and select a contractor that has proven expertise in the private sector through the use of automated small-balance recovery and appeal processes.

PTC Elimination Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020

PTC Elimination Act This bill repeals the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources (e.g., wind, biomass, trash, geothermal or solar energy facilities). The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that such credit should be allowed to expire and should not be extended.

Poverty Measurement Improvement Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020

Poverty Measurement Improvement Act This bill requires the Bureau of the Census to determine income and poverty levels in the United States in a manner that accounts for the receipt of federal benefits. Specifically, beginning in FY2021, the bureau must supplement the data collected under the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey with data from administering agencies related to participation in any federal benefit program and the monetary or cash equivalent value of such benefit for an individual, where possible, and otherwise for resource units or households; the total amount of earned income for individuals; the total amount of entitlement and other income for individuals; payment of income taxes and payroll taxes for individuals; total resource unit income; and total earned resource unit income. The bill requires each administering agency to make available to the bureau such data (including income tax data) as the bureau shall require for the purpose of carrying out this bill. The bureau shall (1) submit to Congress, by January 1, 2023, a report detailing the implementation of this bill; and (2) for 2024 and subsequent years, adjust the poverty thresholds used for determining poverty rates by using the personal consumption expenditure price index (as published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis). The bill (1) establishes within the bureau the Commission on Valuation of Federal Benefits, and (2) requires the Government Accountability Office to periodically report to Congress regarding poverty rates and related measures.

PTC Elimination Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020

PTC Elimination Act This bill repeals the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources (e.g., wind, biomass, trash, geothermal or solar energy facilities). The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that such credit should be allowed to expire and should not be extended.

A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an exclusion from gross income for certain waste water management subsidies.

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2020

This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, a taxpayer subsidy provided by a state or local government to a resident for the purchase or installation of any wastewater management measure intended solely for the taxpayer's principal residence.

Recognizing and celebrating the 70th anniversary of Impact Aid on September 30, 2020.

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020

This resolution recognizes and celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Impact Aid Program. The program provides funding to local educational agencies that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property or to those that have experienced increased expenditures due to enrollment of federally connected children (e.g., children living on Indian lands or military bases).

Helping Parents During COVID Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020

Helping Parents During COVID Act of 2020 This bill allows a tax credit through 2021 for the education costs of a dependent child who is an elementary or secondary student (including kindergarten), if the school district in which the child resides was closed during any part of the taxable year due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The bill also allows a $1,200 refundable tax credit for family education assistance.

Angel Tax Credit Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020

Angel Tax Credit Act This bill allows a new business-related tax credit for 25% of equity investments of $25,000 or more in a domestic corporation or partnership that (1) has its headquarters in the United States, (2) has gross revenues for the taxable year of less than $1 million, (3) employs fewer than 25 full-time employees, (4) has been in existence for less than 7 years as of the date of the investment, (5) has more than 50% of its employees performing substantially all of their services in the United States, and (6) is engaged in a high technology trade or business. The bill limits the allowable amount of such credit to $250,000 in any taxable year and imposes an overall limitation on such credit of $500 million for each of calendar years 2020 through 2024.

Great Lakes Navigation Act of 2020

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020

Great Lakes Navigation Act of 2020 This bill requires that at least 12% of funds made available each fiscal year from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund be used for projects that are located within the Great Lakes Navigation System.

A resolution calling on the President of the United States to take executive action to broadly cancel Federal student loan debt.

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2020

This resolution calls on the President to take executive action to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers. Further, it encourages the President to (1) ensure that borrowers have no tax liability from the debt cancellation, (2) ensure that the debt cancellation helps close racial wealth gaps, and (3) pause student loan payments and interest accumulation on federal student loans for the duration of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4447) to establish an energy storage and microgrid grant and technical assistance program; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6270) to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require issuers to make certain disclosures relating to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8319) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2021, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2020

Sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4447) to establish an energy storage and microgrid grant and technical assistance program; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6270) to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require issuers to make certain disclosures relating to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8319) making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2021.

No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2020

No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act This bill amends health care plan provisions of the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to provide for enrollment of newborns in a health care plan for the first 30-day period after the newborn's date of birth and establish a uniform 60-day enrollment period thereafter. It would also require all health plans and insurers to notify parents of newborns if they receive a bill for a newborn who is not enrolled in a health insurance plan.

Hong Kong Refugee Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2020

Hong Kong Refugee Protection Act This bill removes statutory authority for the President to allow the admission of more than 50,000 refugees in a fiscal year for humanitarian concerns or national interest considerations and suspends the diversity visa program through FY2025. (The program makes immigrant visas available to aliens from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.) The bill also provides certain Hong Kong residents with priority refugee status or special visas. An individual and certain family members shall have priority refugee status if the individual (1) is a Hong Kong resident who suffered persecution or has a well-founded fear of persecution as a result of peaceful political activity; or (2) has been formally charged, detained, or convicted for certain peaceful actions. The general presumption that an alien is seeking immigrant status shall not apply to certain Hong Kong residents (generally, those who participated in pro-democracy protests in 2019 and 2020) seeking asylum. (Typically, an alien seeking admission as a nonimmigrant must establish that the alien does not intend to immigrate to the United States.) The Department of Homeland Security shall admit up to 30,000 eligible Hong Kong residents as immigrants using a points system each year through FY2025. Points shall be awarded to an individual based on various characteristics including age, educational attainment, commitment to invest certain amounts in the United States, and salary. Every six months, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall invite the individuals with the highest point totals to apply for admission.

Disaster RELIEF Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2020

Disaster Recovery for Economies, Local Individuals, Employers, and Families Act of 2020 or the Disaster RELIEF Act This bill provides tax relief measures for individual and business taxpayers in qualified disaster areas during a specified period, other than areas for which a disaster has been declared solely by reason of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill provides employers in a disaster area a tax credit designed to retain employees by allowing a credit for 40% of their employee wages, not exceeding $6,000 for each employee. It also allows an enhanced tax deduction for personal casualty losses incurred in a disaster area.

Directing the Secretary of the Senate to make a correction in the enrollment of the bill S. 2330.

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2020

This concurrent resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to make corrections in the enrollment of S. 2330 (Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020). The resolution requires the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to make a mandatory $20 million payment on January 4, 2021, to the U.S. Center for Safe Sport for the center's operating costs for FY2021 and equivalent payments for subsequent fiscal years.

To amend title 54, United States Code, to increase public access to recreational areas on Federal land.

United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2020

This bill increases, of the amounts made available for expenditure in any fiscal year under the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the minimum amounts to be made available for certain recreational public access projects (e.g., certain projects involving access to hunting and fishing). Specifically, the amounts shall be not less than the greater of (1) 10% (rather than 3%) of those amounts, or (2) $50 million (rather than $15 million).