U.S. Citizenship Act This bill establishes a path to citizenship for certain undocumented individuals. The bill also replaces the term alien with noncitizen in the immigration statutes and addresses other related issues. Specifically, the bill establishes a new status of lawful prospective immigrant . This status shall be available to an applying noncitizen who meets certain requirements, including being continually present in the United States from January 1, 2021, and passing background checks. After at least five years with this status, an eligible noncitizen may apply for and receive permanent resident status. The bill also provides permanent resident status to certain applying noncitizens, specifically for eligible noncitizens who (1) entered the United States as a minor, (2) were eligible for temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure on January 1, 2017, or (3) worked a certain amount of agricultural labor in the five years prior to applying. Among other things, the bill also redefines for immigration purposes the term conviction to exclude convictions that have been expunged or vacated, requires the Department of State to implement a strategy to advance reforms in Central America and address key factors contributing to migration from the region to the United States, requires the State Department to establish refugee processing centers in Central America, requires Customs and Border Patrol sectors and stations to have a certain number of employees with certain qualifications such as paramedic training, generally prohibits religious discrimination in granting or denying immigration benefits, and establishes grant programs for providing training and services to immigrants.
Sponsored bills
Officer Eugene Goodman Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman for his actions to protect the Senate chamber during the security breach at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act This bill requires the Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Marshal Service, and state and local correctional facilities to publish on their websites and report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention certain data on COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) cases, vaccinations, and outcomes.
Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021 This bill revises the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to make the online redemption of benefits, including the acceptance of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, more widely available by requiring the implementation of online SNAP purchasing in every state and providing funding for an online redemption portal and a technical assistance center. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must award on a competitive basis one or more contracts to develop an EBT Online Redemption Portal to (1) allow program participants to use online or mobile electronic benefits transactions to purchase program foods from, and make online payments to, authorized program retailers under SNAP; and (2) facilitate food purchase delivery for program participants using such electronic benefits transactions. The Food and Nutrition Service of USDA must award competitive grants or enter into cooperative agreements with nonprofit entities to establish a SNAP Online Purchasing Technical Assistance Center to provide state agencies, authorized program retailers, and program participants information on and technical assistance with accepting SNAP benefits through online transactions and use of the portal. In providing technical assistance, the center must give priority to entities that are small and limited-resource retailers. The bill provides funding for both the online redemption portal and the technical assistance center. USDA must maintain on its website a publicly available listing, organized and searchable by region, locality, and state, of all approved retail food stores accepting benefits from recipients of SNAP, including through online transactions.
This resolution recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on U.S. history and to commemorate the contributions of African Americans. It calls for the United States to (1) honor the contribution of pioneers who helped to ensure its legacy; and (2) move forward as a nation "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
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.
End Diaper Need Act of 2021 This bill establishes and expands programs to provide low-income families and other vulnerable groups with access to diapers and related supplies. Specifically, it provides additional funding for FY2022-FY2025 to meet the diapering needs of certain low-income families and adults through the Social Services Block Grant Program. This grant program provides a flexible funding stream to states and territories to support social services for vulnerable children, adults, and families. The bill exempts these funds from sequestration. Sequestration is a process of automatic, across-the-board reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals. In particular, these funds must be used to meet the diapering needs of low-income families with one or more infants, toddlers, or medically complex children (i.e., children who are age three or older and diagnosed with a serious condition such as bowel or bladder incontinence); and low-income adults and adults with disabilities who rely on diapers and other adult incontinence materials. Additionally, the bill permits states to use Medicaid funds to provide medically necessary diapers and supplies to low-income families with one or more medically complex children. It also allows individuals to buy medically necessary diapers and supplies with funds from health savings accounts and other tax-advantaged accounts for health care expenses.
Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency Act or the SECURE Act This bill allows qualified nationals of a country that has or had a temporary protected status designation to obtain permanent resident status. Such an alien qualifies for permanent residence if the alien had temporary protected status, qualified for such status on certain dates, or was present in the United States due to having been granted deferred enforced departure status that extended past a certain date; has been continuously present in the United States for three years before applying for adjustment or before being removed after a certain date; is not inadmissible or deportable for certain reasons; and passes applicable background checks. The continuous presence requirement may be waived in certain instances. A spouse, domestic partner, child, or unmarried child of a qualifying alien may also obtain permanent resident status under the bill upon meeting certain requirements. An alien with a pending application shall receive work authorization and be eligible for travel authorization. An alien may not be removed if the alien (1) has a pending application, or (2) is prima facie eligible for permanent resident status under this bill and intends to apply. Information from applications may not be used or shared for immigration enforcement, with limited exceptions such as for identifying fraudulent claims. The Department of Homeland Security must report to Congress when terminating a country's temporary protected status designation with an explanation justifying the termination.
Timely ReAuthorization of Necessary Stem-cell Programs Lends Access to Needed Therapies Act of 2021 or the TRANSPLANT Act of 2021 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2026 the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, which provides support to patients who need a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant or umbilical cord blood transplant. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a periodic review of the science of using adult stem cells and birthing tissues in therapeutic treatments. In addition, the Government Accountability Office must report on the regenerative medicine workforce.
Arctic Refuge Protection Act of 2021 This bill designates approximately 1,559,538 acres of land within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.