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Bill· SS. 4576 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
This bill extends certain lease protections for service members under stop movement orders in response to a local, national, or global emergency to members of the U.S. Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is operating in the service of the Department of Homeland Security.
Bill· SS. 4577 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to ensure that private sector entities administering the TSA PreCheck Program provide a secure end-to-end online web or mobile application enrollment capability that leverages electronic technologies to remotely capture biometrics and validate identity documents. (The PreCheck Program allows pre-approved passengers to use expedited security lanes at passenger screening checkpoints in airports.) The TSA must also ensure that any individual who enrolled in the PreCheck Program under the Universal Enrollment Services program is eligible for renewal of the individual's enrollment under the renewal process of the Universal Enrollment Services program. The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice must enter into a memorandum of understanding with respect to cooperatively evaluating and approving a capability for remote collection of biometric information from a mobile device and associated vetting of individuals' criminal histories for trusted traveler enrollment programs of the TSA. The TSA must submit a plan for the implementation of the new online enrollment capability that (1) identifies appropriate security and privacy protections; and (2) includes a strategy for ensuring that the private sector entities administering the PreCheck Program operate locations for enrollment that are geographically dispersed from locations required for enrollment under the Universal Enrollment Services program, or otherwise increase enrollment beyond existing capabilities and current geographic markets.
Bill· SS. 4570 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2020
Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act of 2020 This bill directs the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct icebreaking operations in the Great Lakes in accordance with specific performance standards. Specifically, the Coast Guard must keep channels and harbors in the Great Lakes open to navigation not less than 90% of the hours that commercial vessels and ferries attempt to transit ice-covered waterways; in a year in which the Great Lakes are not open to navigation because of ice of a thickness that occurs on average only once every 10 years, keep channels and harbors open to navigation at least 70% of the hours that commercial vessels and ferries attempt to transit ice-covered waterways; and coordinate Great Lakes icebreaking operations with operators of commercial vessels. The Coast Guard must prioritize icebreaking in the United States waters of the Great Lakes over icebreaking in Canadian waters of the Great Lakes.
Bill· HRH.R. 8246 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2020
Community Parks Revitalization Act This bill provides assistance for local park and recreation facilities, programs, and infrastructure. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to carry out a community revitalization program to award grants to local governments for various park and recreation purposes. The grants must be used for (1) rehabilitation and construction of recreational areas and facilities, (2) recreation programming and innovation in delivering such programming, and (3) development of local parks and recreation recovery action programs. To be eligible to receive a rehabilitation and construction grant or recreation programming grant, a local government must submit a local park and recreation recovery action program. Additionally, HUD may make secured loans for parks and infrastructure projects to entities such as governmental entities, special purpose districts, and corporations. Among other purposes, such loans may be used to develop parks and recreational facilities and to plan, design, and construct trails for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Bill· HRH.R. 8223 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
Cyber Essentials Act This bill requires the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to develop, publish, and maintain evidence-based guidelines and processes that individuals can follow to defend against common cybersecurity threats and risks.
Bill· HRH.R. 8205 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
Ensuring Transparent Honest Information on COVID-19 Act or the ETHIC Act This bill retroactively requires states and other jurisdictions to report specified COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a condition of receiving certain COVID-19 funding. It also directs the CDC and others to take additional actions to address public health data systems, public health infrastructure, and health disparities. Specifically, the bill directs the CDC to improve its data systems, develop relevant data and technology systems, and expand its public health infrastructure. The CDC must also award grants to government health departments to modernize their data systems, infrastructure, and collection of health disparities data. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Human Services must commission a study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on public health data infrastructure, and the Indian Health Service must, as advised by a panel of tribal representatives, conduct research on health inequities among tribal populations, including inequities related to COVID-19.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 1106 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Rail Safety Week.
Bill· HRH.R. 8233 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
Restoring Essential Service to Small Airports Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to reinstitute a subsidy under the Essential Air Service program for all airports that were removed from such program after FY2015. The Essential Air Service program was established to ensure that small communities that were served by certificated air carriers before deregulation would continue to receive scheduled passenger service, with subsidies if necessary.
Bill· HRH.R. 8202 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 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 .
Bill· HRH.R. 8217 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
WIFIA Improvement Act of 2020 This bill allows certain federal water infrastructure loans to have maturity dates of up to 55 years. For a secured loan for a water infrastructure project with a useful life of more than 35 years, the final maturity date of the loan shall be no later than the earlier of (1) 55 years after the project's substantial completion, or (2) the useful life of the project. Currently, the latest possible maturity date of for this type of loan is 35 years from the project's substantial completion.
Bill· HRH.R. 8222 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2020
Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2020 This bill precludes absolute liability in any action against a property owner or contractor for projects that are federally owned or operated or are receiving federal financial assistance for infrastructure and transportation development for any injury associated with an elevation- or gravity-related risk occurring on those projects. In any such claim, a state shall apply a liability standard that considers the comparative negligence of the injured person, when such negligence is a proximate cause of an injury.
Bill· SS. 4565 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2020
Federal Aviation Administration Accountability Enhancement Act This bill addresses provisions related to whistleblower complaints of misconduct by managers within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Among other provisions, the bill renames the Aviation Safety Whistleblower Investigation Office as the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP); requires the OAWP to investigate whistleblower complaints that it receives or that are referred to it concerning misconduct by managers or a violation of any other provision of federal law relating to aviation safety, and make recommendations for any disciplinary action arising from such investigations; creates an Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman within the FAA to educate employees about whistleblower rights and prohibitions on retaliation, and serve as an independent resource for agency employees to discuss their rights and remedies for any allegations of misconduct; establishes an Office of Professional Responsibility within the FAA that receives and assesses any complaints of misconduct by managers within the FAA; directs the FAA to establish a policy that governs misconduct investigations according to best practices to ensure independent and objective investigations; and sets forth a discipline management policy that governs adjudication of misconduct investigations.
Bill· HRH.R. 8166 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2020
Western Water Storage Infrastructure Act This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to provide grants to support qualifying water storage projects in western states. For such grants, Interior may enter into agreements for the design, study, construction, upgrade, or capital repair of qualifying federal and nonfederal water storage projects.
Bill· HRH.R. 8175 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2020
Consumers Rebate to ban Emissions and Boost AlTernative Energy Act or the Consumers REBATE Act This bill imposes an excise tax on the carbon dioxide content of coal, oil, and natural gas. The tax must be paid by the producer, miner, or importer of the taxable carbon substance and does not apply to exports of the substances. Beginning in 2021, the tax rate is $25 per ton of carbon dioxide content of the life-cycle emissions from the taxable carbon substance. After 2021, the tax increases by $10 each year and does not apply if specified emissions reduction benchmarks have been attained. The bill also includes provisions that require certain fees or refunds for taxable carbon substances that are exported or imported. Funds equivalent to the revenues received from the tax must be transferred to a Carbon Trust Fund established by this bill. The funds must be used, as provided by appropriations Acts, to offset reductions in individual income tax rates, pay quarterly dividends to certain individuals with valid Social Security numbers; and for specified worker transition assistance, energy, research, and infrastructure priorities.
Bill· HRH.R. 8129 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 August 2020
Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Transportation to provide competitive grants to states to educate the public on the dangers of drug-impaired driving. A state may use the grant to provide funds to local government agencies, Indian tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations in such state that will educate the public on the dangers of drug-impaired driving. A state that receives a grant or an entity using funds provided by a state must use certain evidence and strategies to educate the public, including those recommended by the Congressional Research Service in the publication titled Marijuana Use and Highway Safety , published on May 14, 2019.
Bill· HRH.R. 8098 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 August 2020
Hospital Competition Act of 2020 This bill provides grants to states to improve hospital infrastructure, addresses anticompetitive mergers and practices by hospital systems, modifies the requirements for publishing the prices of the most common services used in hospitals, provides the Federal Trade Commission with additional oversight authority, and requires the development of a database to inform patients about the cost, quality, and value of their care.
Bill· HRH.R. 8103 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 August 2020
Protecting Federal Networks Act This bill includes within the responsibilities of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency hunting for and identifying threats and vulnerabilities within federal information systems. The Department of Homeland Security shall issue a binding operational directive to implement this change.
Bill· HRH.R. 8089 (116th)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 August 2020
Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act This bill expands Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to provide premium processing services for certain immigration-related applications and contains other related provisions. DHS may collect a fee to provide premium processing of an application for any immigration benefit that DHS considers appropriate, subject to certain requirements. Currently, DHS only has statutory authority to provide premium processing for employment-based applications. Under current law, DHS must use such premium fees to provide premium processing services and make infrastructure improvements. Under this bill, such fees shall be used for these purposes and other activities that offset the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services. DHS may suspend premium processing of applications only if circumstances prevent the timely processing of a significant number of such applications. DHS shall provide those who have requested premium processing with access to case status information and communications channels to the premium processing units. DHS may expand premium processing to certain immigrant benefits and set fees for such processing without following certain rulemaking procedures if DHS meets certain requirements, such as limiting the premium fee to specified amounts. The bill also increases the premium fees charged to applicants. DHS may, subject to requirements, biennially adjust premium fees to reflect inflation without following certain rulemaking requirements.
Bill· HRH.R. 8085 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 August 2020
Pipeline Safety Pilot Program Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish and carry out pilot safety-enhancing testing programs through FY2026 to evaluate innovative technologies and operational practices testing the safe operation of natural gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facilities. Such programs (1) may not exceed 5% of the total pipeline mileage of all hazardous liquid or natural gas pipelines in the United States; (2) are prohibited from being conducted in high population areas, high consequence areas, or unusually sensitive areas; and (3) are limited to a duration of four years. DOT may select up to five owners or operators of pipeline facilities to carry out a testing program under a single application. The bill allows states to opt-out of the testing programs.
Bill· HRH.R. 8078 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 August 2020
Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act This bill expands Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to provide premium processing services for certain immigration-related applications and contains other related provisions. DHS may collect a fee to provide premium processing of an application for any immigration benefit that DHS considers appropriate, subject to certain requirements. Currently, DHS only has statutory authority to provide premium processing for employment-based applications. Under current law, DHS must use such premium fees to provide premium processing services and make infrastructure improvements. Under this bill, such fees shall be used for these purposes and other activities that offset the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services. DHS may suspend premium processing of applications only if circumstances prevent the timely processing of a significant number of such applications. DHS shall provide those who have requested premium processing with access to case status information and communications channels to the premium processing units. DHS may expand premium processing to certain immigrant benefits and set fees for such processing without following certain rulemaking procedures if DHS meets certain requirements, such as limiting the premium fee to specified amounts. The bill also increases the premium fees charged to applicants. DHS may, subject to requirements, biennially adjust premium fees to reflect inflation without following certain rulemaking requirements.
Bill· HRH.R. 8080 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 August 2020
Health Standards To Advance Transparency, Integrity, Science, Technology Infrastructure, and Confidential Statistics Act of 2020 or the Health STATISTICS Act of 2020 This bill directs various departments and agencies to undertake activities concerning the collection, reporting, and use of public health data. Specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must take certain actions, including establishing a working group, to develop uniform standards for reporting public health data. Furthermore, the CDC must, in consultation with the National Institutes of Health, establish specific standards within 30 days for reporting COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) data, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must disseminate this data subject to privacy and other requirements. HHS may also award grants to entities that report public health data to support the adoption of uniform standards. In addition, the Office of Management and Budget must issue directives concerning federal health data collection that address, for example, the use of determinants of health data and access to data for evidence-building initiatives. The bill also directs the National Center for Health Statistics to expand an existing program that links different federal datasets to facilitate statistical public health research, including to address social determinants of health. The program must assess the availability of datasets, use existing authorities to link these datasets, and support linkage to a specified database of death record information. Additionally, the CDC shall support research entities and public health departments to increase capacity for statistical public health research.
Bill· HRH.R. 8048 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 August 2020
State and Local IT Modernization and Cybersecurity Improvement Act This bill establishes in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant programs to assist states and Indian tribal governments with emergency information technology (IT) expenses and modernization, and to assist state, local, tribal, or territorial governments to address cybersecurity risks and threats. Specifically, the bill establishes a Public Health Emergency Information Technology Grant Program to make grants to states and tribal governments for emergency IT expenses during a public health emergency, specifically COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The bill establishes in DHS the Modernizing IT Grant Program to make grants to states and Indian tribal governments to modernize IT to securely enable digital delivery of government services. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) shall distribute grants to states for addressing cybersecurity risks and threats to the information systems of state, local, tribal, or territorial governments. The CISA must (1) establish a State and Local Cybersecurity Resiliency Committee; (2) develop and make publicly available a Homeland Security Strategy to Improve the Cybersecurity of State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments; (3) conduct a study to assess the feasibility of implementing a short-term rotational program for the detail of approved government employees in cyber workforce positions to the agency; and (4) develop a resource guide for use by state, local, tribal, and territorial government officials.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 680 (116th)referred
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.
Bill· HRH.R. 7998 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2020
NIST COVID-19 Cybersecurity Act This bill instructs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to consider institutions of higher education when facilitating and supporting the development of a voluntary, consensus-based, industry-led set of standards, guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes to cost-effectively reduce cyber risks to critical infrastructure. In using such authority, NIST shall disseminate and make publicly available resources to help research institutions and institutions of higher education identify, assess, manage, and reduce their cybersecurity risk related to conducting research with respect to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).
Bill· HRH.R. 7987 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
TSA Security Threat Assessment Application Modernization Act This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to standardize the enrollment and renewal system for individuals applying for or renewing multiple TSA Security Threat Assessment programs, including the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, Hazardous Materials Endorsement, and TSA PreCheck programs. The standardization shall permit an individual to (1) enroll at a TSA-designated universal enrollment center once and use the application for one of such programs to enroll in two or more of such programs, (2) pay a fee that is less than the sum of the fees charged individually for each separate application, and (3) undergo a streamlined and expeditious renewal process. Additionally, the TSA must publish on its website information relating to the standardization of the enrollment system.
Bill· HRH.R. 7991 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2020 This bill establishes programs that address water pollution along the U.S.-Mexico border. Specifically, the bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Tijuana River Public Health and Water Quality Restoration Program. Under the program, the EPA must plan, implement, coordinate, and provide grants for public health and water quality restoration and protection activities in the Mexican Tijuana River watershed and the American Tijuana River watershed in California. In addition, the EPA must establish the California New River Public Health and Water Quality Restoration Program to plan, implement, coordinate, and provide grants for water quality restoration and protection activities in the New River watershed. Finally, the bill provides statutory authority for the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program to provide assistance for activities related to the construction of infrastructure for drinking water treatment or distribution, wastewater management, or stormwater management.
Bill· HRH.R. 7962 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act This bill requires that transportation projects included in an adopted metropolitan area transportation plan be selected through a publicly available transparent process using criteria that directly support specified factors, national transportation goals, and applicable state transportation goals.
Bill· HRH.R. 7956 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 August 2020
Critical Medical Infrastructure Right-to-Repair Act of 2020 This bill removes certain intellectual property-related restrictions on repairing or maintaining critical medical infrastructure (i.e., a device or product used to provide medical services). During the declared COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency, it shall not be copyright infringement for an owner or licensee of service materials (such as manuals or computer diagnostic software) to copy such materials if (1) the copying is incidental to the repair or maintenance of critical medical infrastructure, and (2) such repair or maintenance is in response to the emergency. Similarly, during the emergency, the prohibition against circumventing technology to control access to a work (or trafficking in circumvention tools) shall not apply to an owner or licensee of critical medical infrastructure if the circumvention is done to repair or maintain critical medical infrastructure in response to the emergency. During the emergency, it shall also not be design patent infringement if the owner or licensee of critical medical infrastructure fabricates a patented part on a noncommercial basis in order to repair or maintain the infrastructure in response to the emergency. The bill also nullifies any contract provision that restricts the ability of the owner or licensee of critical medical infrastructure to repair or maintain such infrastructure in response to the emergency. The manufacturer of critical medical infrastructure shall (1) offer for sale on reasonable terms any tool or information for servicing or repairing such infrastructure, and (2) provide information for making such tools to aftermarket tool manufacturers. The Federal Trade Commission shall have the authority to enforce these requirements.
Bill· SS. 4473 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
Critical Medical Infrastructure Right-to-Repair Act of 2020 This bill removes certain intellectual property-related restrictions on repairing or maintaining critical medical infrastructure (i.e., a device or product used to provide medical services). During the declared COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency, it shall not be copyright infringement for an owner or licensee of service materials (such as manuals or computer diagnostic software) to copy such materials if (1) the copying is incidental to the repair or maintenance of critical medical infrastructure, and (2) such repair or maintenance is in response to the emergency. Similarly, during the emergency, the prohibition against circumventing technology to control access to a work (or trafficking in circumvention tools) shall not apply to an owner or licensee of critical medical infrastructure if the circumvention is done to repair or maintain critical medical infrastructure in response to the emergency. During the emergency, it shall also not be design patent infringement if the owner or licensee of critical medical infrastructure fabricates a patented part on a noncommercial basis in order to repair or maintain the infrastructure in response to the emergency. The bill also nullifies any contract provision that restricts the ability of the owner or licensee of critical medical infrastructure to repair or maintain such infrastructure in response to the emergency. The manufacturer of critical medical infrastructure shall (1) offer for sale on reasonable terms any tool or information for servicing or repairing such infrastructure, and (2) provide information for making such tools to aftermarket tool manufacturers. The Federal Trade Commission shall have the authority to enforce these requirements.
Bill· SS. 4462 (116th)open
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act or the FLOODS Act This bill addresses forecasting and the communication of flood, tornado, and hurricane events by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Among other provisions, the bill directs NOAA to establish a National Integrated Flood Information System to better inform and provide for more timely decision-making to reduce flood-related effects and costs; establishes partnerships with institutions of higher education and federal agencies to improve total water predictions; designates a service coordination hydrologist at each National Weather Service River Forecast Center to increase impact-based decision support services at the state and local level; requires NOAA to evaluate and improve flood watches and warnings and communication of information to support preparation and responses to floods; ensures that the tornado warning improvement and extension program periodically examines the value of incorporating innovative observations, such as acoustic or infrasonic measurements, observations from phased array radars, and observations from mesonets; requires NOAA to estimate and communicate the frequency of precipitation; and establishes an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Water Management to ensure that federal agencies that engage in water-related matters, including water storage and supplies, water quality and restoration activities, water infrastructure, transportation on rivers and inland waterways, and water forecasting, work together where such agencies have joint or overlapping responsibilities.
Bill· SS. 4468 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2020
Investments in Rural Transit Act of 2020 This bill increases the federal share of operating costs to 80% for projects in certain rural areas with high transit dependency that receive grants under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program of the Federal Transit Administration. The program provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000. To qualify for the increased federal share, a project must serve an area that is an area of persistent poverty (a county in which at least 20% of the population has lived in poverty during the most recent 30-year period); a county in which at least 25% of residents are age 65 or older, a county designated as a health professional shortage area on the basis of a primary care or mental health care shortage, or a county with low population density of not more than 20 people per square mile of land area.
Bill· SS. 4449 (116th)referred
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.
Bill· SS. 4417 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2020
Impact Aid Infrastructure Act This bill authorizes additional Impact Aid construction grants for FY2022. These grants provide infrastructure assistance 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).
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 666 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2020
This resolution recognizes the skill, bravery, and loyalty of the veterans of Civil Air Transport and Air America and honors the sacrifices they made while protecting the United States. (Civil Air Transport was an airline acquired by the Central Intelligence Agency during the Cold War that flew covert missions in various theaters in Asia. Air America was Civil Air Transport's successor airline that also flew such missions.)
Bill· SS. 4405 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2020
Neighborhood Economic Development and Opportunity Act of 2020 This bill establishes, and provides emergency funding for, grants to support the revitalization of opportunity zones and areas with long-term poverty, including in Baltimore, Maryland. The bill designates the funding as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. The Department of Commerce shall provide grants to qualifying nongovernmental, nonprofit, faith-based, or charitable organizations to carry out in these areas programs that help individuals acquire or improve skills. Such a program may include a development project that revitalizes physical infrastructure. For qualifying projects in Baltimore, Maryland, Commerce may also provide grants to the city or to the state.
Bill· SS. 4404 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2020
Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail Designation Act This bill designates the trail extending approximately 3,292 miles and following the route operated by the Butterfield Overland Mail Company, known as the Ox-Bow Route, to transport mail and passengers between the eastern end points of St. Louis, Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee, and extending westward through the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, to the western end point of San Francisco, California, as the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail. The United States shall not acquire for the trail any land or interest in land outside of the exterior boundary of any federally administered area without the consent of the owner of such land or interest in land.
Bill· HRH.R. 7897 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2020
Bias In Automobile Stops Act of 2020 or the BIAS Act of 2020 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to provide grants to institutions of higher education for research and training in the operation or establishment of an implicit bias training program as it relates to racial profiling at traffic stops. To be eligible for grants such institutions must (1) have an active research program or demonstrate that the applicant is beginning a research program to study implicit bias as it relates to racial profiling before and during traffic stops, and (2) partner with state and local police departments to conduct the research and carry out the implementation of implicit bias training with state and local police departments.
Bill· HRH.R. 7904 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2020
Critical Infrastructure Employee Protection Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Transportation to support state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions in providing (1) priority COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) testing for essential critical infrastructure employees; and (2) priority access to personal protective equipment, sanitizers, face coverings, and health-related or protective supplies necessary to safely perform essential critical infrastructure work. ( Essential critical infrastructure employees include, but are not limited to, medical and health care, telecommunications, information technology systems, defense, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, water and wastewater, law enforcement, and public works.)
Bill· HRH.R. 7876 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Polar Bear Cub Survival Act of 2020 This bill prohibits oil and gas activities within one mile of polar bear habitat on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as specified by the bill. Prohibited activities include exploration, development, production, or transportation and other infrastructure activities.
Bill· HRH.R. 7869 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
National Bridge Replacement and Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a national bridge replacement and improvement grant program. Under the program, DOT may provide competitive grants to governmental entities and planning organizations to assist a bridge project that is eligible for federal-aid highway funding and will (1) restore or increase the structural capacity of the bridge; (2) correct a major safety defect of the bridge; or (3) replace an existing bridge with a new bridge that meets specific requirements, including being located in the same general traffic corridor as the bridge being replaced.
Bill· HRH.R. 7867 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Healthy Flights Act of 2020 This bill provides authority for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to impose any requirements on passenger and cargo air travel to protect the health and safety of air carrier crewmembers and passengers and to reduce the spread of such infectious disease through the aviation system during public health emergencies such as COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Among other provisions, the bill sets forth requirements relating to the use of masks and other protective equipment for airline passengers and certain airline employees; requires the FAA to provide certain employees, including any air traffic controller and airway transportation systems specialist, with masks and other protective equipment; mandates the development of a national aviation preparedness plan to ensure the aviation system is prepared to respond to epidemics and pandemics of infectious diseases; directs each air carrier operating an aircraft with a seating capacity of 20 or more to implement appropriate measures on a flight in air transportation for the purpose of reducing the likelihood of any passenger or crewmember contracting an infectious disease; requires the FAA to enter into an agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study on the transmission of infectious diseases, including airborne diseases, in the cabins of passenger airplanes; and establishes a Center of Excellence for Infectious Disease Response and Prevention in Aviation within the FAA.
Bill· HRH.R. 7857 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Connect America Now Act or the CAN Act This bill allows an exclusion from gross income, for income tax purposes, of gain from the sale or exchange of the entire interest in a wholly-owned rural incumbent local exchange carrier. A rural incumbent local exchange carrier is a carrier that serves an area where it is required to provide communications services to any customer regardless of cost, and an area other than an urbanized area with not fewer than 50,000 periople, and a core where there are not fewer than 1,000 people per square mile. The bill requires recapture of tax for income from the sale or exchange of stock in a carrier not held for at least one year. The bill allows an investment tax credit for 30% of expenditures to purchase, maintain, or improve property to provide voice telephone service or broadband internet access in rural empowerment zones. The bill increases the volume cap for private activity bonds and allows the use of bond proceeds for infrastructure for broadband internet access service.
Bill· HRH.R. 7878 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Scenic Trail Viewshed Protection Act This bill authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a natural gas pipeline project that crosses or impacts the view from a national scenic trail under certain conditions. Specifically, FERC may issue such certificate only if it determines that the pipeline is the only alternative to meet an overriding public need; the applicant considered alternatives in order to result in no, or minimal, adverse effect to the trail; minimal road construction will be required to construct and operate the pipeline; construction of the pipeline will use the best available technology in order to minimize the potential for leakage; the pipeline will intersect the trail at a point that already has significant infrastructure crossing and only crosses the trail once; the pipeline will not affect the viewshed of a trail in an area of high conservation, recreational, or scenic value, a protected wilderness area, an old-growth forest or alpine area, or the designated location for a shelter or campsite; construction techniques for the pipeline will produce a minimal disturbance to the trail and surrounding conserved lands; plans for the ongoing maintenance and operation of the pipeline ensure that it is done in a way that minimizes impact on the trail; and the applicant acknowledges that it has a duty to protect the trail and ensure the health and safety of the public who use such trail and the surrounding environment.
Bill· SS. 4383 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Affordable Child Care for Economic Strategies and Success Act or the ACCESS Act This bill authorizes the Department of Commerce to provide grants for public works and economic development projects that will directly or indirectly increase the accessibility of affordable, quality child care, including grants for planning, and training, research, and technical assistance related to such projects. Commerce must issue regulations to establish criteria for whether a project directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of affordable, quality child care. Such criteria shall consider (1) the availability, validity, and accessibility of timely data, (2) the extent to which a project contributes to a family's financial security, and (3) the extent to which a project addresses child care needs in child care deserts or areas otherwise recognized as experiencing a shortage. A child care desert is an area in which the number of children who are under age five is more than three times the number of slots provided by child care providers who are licensed or registered by the state involved, or a community that the state or tribal entity involved determines has a low supply of quality, affordable child care. Commerce must also issue guidance on how to include the accessibility of affordable, quality child care in a comprehensive economic development strategy.
Bill· SS. 4380 (116th)referred
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.
Bill· SS. 4395 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2020
Maritime Transportation System Emergency Relief Act of 2020 This bill authorizes the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to provide financial assistance to states and maritime industry entities during an emergency such as COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, MARAD may provide grants for operating costs involved with an emergency response operation, including costs for cleaning, sanitizing, janitorial services, staffing, paid leave, and procuring personal protective equipment; and the costs of capital projects to protect, repair, reconstruct, or replace equipment and facilities of the United States maritime transportation system that are in danger of suffering serious damage, or has suffered serious damage, as a result of an emergency. The federal share payable of the costs for which a grant is provided under the bill shall be 100%.
Bill· SS. 4352 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2020
Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2020 This bill establishes programs that address water pollution along the U.S.-Mexico border. Specifically, the bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Tijuana River Public Health and Water Quality Restoration Program. Under the program, the EPA must plan, implement, coordinate, and provide grants for public health and water quality restoration and protection activities in the Mexican Tijuana River watershed and the American Tijuana River watershed in California. In addition, the EPA must establish the California New River Public Health and Water Quality Restoration Program to plan, implement, coordinate, and provide grants for water quality restoration and protection activities in the New River watershed. Finally, the bill provides statutory authority for the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program to provide assistance for activities related to the construction of infrastructure for drinking water treatment or distribution, wastewater management, or stormwater management.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 659 (116th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2020
This resolution designates September 2020 as School Bus Safety Month.
Bill· SS. 4336 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2020
Reforming, Expanding, and Simplifying Investment for Local Infrastructure to Enhance our Neighborhoods and Towns Act or the RESILIENT Act This bill establishes the Rural Partnerships Office within the Department of Agriculture and otherwise authorizes policies and programs within various federal agencies to assist rural communities in the strategic planning, design, financing, and implementation of infrastructure (e.g., water, transportation, broadband, and energy) projects, including by providing technical assistance for such projects.
Bill· SS. 4335 (116th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2020
Fly Together Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a policy directing all air carriers that provide passenger air transportation to ensure children age 13 and under are seated adjacent to their family members on flights without mandating extra fees unless such policy would require an upgrade or violate safety guidelines.