Sen. Bernard Sanders

This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.

This resolution designates February 1-February 5, 2021, as National School Counseling Week.

This resolution supports the designation of February 2021 as Career and Technical Education Month to celebrate career and technical education across the United States.

Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the imposition of a death penalty sentence for a violation of federal law. A person sentenced to death before enactment of this bill must be resentenced.

Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill modifies pay rates for federal employees in 2022. Specifically, the bill increases rates under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 2.2%, and increases locality pay by 1%.

Ban Conflicted Trading Act This bill prohibits a Member of Congress or certain congressional officers or employees from (1) purchasing or selling specified investments, (2) entering into a transaction that creates a net short position in a security, or (3) serving as an officer or member of any board of any for-profit entity.

Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2021 This bill establishes new federal firearms restrictions for individuals who are convicted of misdemeanor stalking offenses. The bill expands the categories of persons who are prohibited from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting a firearm or ammunition. Specifically, it adds a new category of prohibited persons: persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. The term misdemeanor crime of stalking means a misdemeanor stalking offense under federal, state, tribal, or municipal law and a course of harassment, intimidation, or surveillance of another person that (1) places such person in reasonable fear of harm to themselves, an immediate family member, a household member, or a spouse or intimate partner (including a current or former dating partner); or (2) causes emotional distress to such person. The bill also specifically prohibits dating partners who are convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or who are subject to certain restraining orders from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting a firearm or ammunition. Currently, such restrictions generally only apply to spouses, co-parents, and cohabitants.

Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act of 2021 This bill modifies the funding rules and provides financial assistance for certain pension plans that are underfunded or insolvent. First, the bill expands the authority of, and provides funding for, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to provide special partition assistance to a multiemployer pension plan that is insolvent or at risk of insolvency. The bill expands eligibility for partition assistance, provides funding for a plan to reach a projected funded ratio of 80% over a 30-year period, and does not require a plan to repay such assistance. The bill further permits a multiemployer pension plan to elect to retain its funding zone status from the previous year for either (1) the first plan year beginning during the period from March 1, 2020, through February 28, 2021; or (2) the next succeeding plan year, as designated by the plan sponsor. A plan may also extend by five years the funding improvement or rehabilitation period if the plan is designated as in endangered or critical status for a plan year beginning in 2020 or 2021. A plan in critical and declining status may not suspend payment of plan benefits. Additionally, the bill adjusts the minimum funding standards for a multiemployer pension plan to account for investment losses and other losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic and modifies the PBGC guarantee formula to increase the maximum potential benefits under a multiemployer pension plan.

Background Check Expansion Act This bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. The prohibition does not apply to certain firearm transfers, such as a gift between spouses in good faith.

Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act of 2021 This bill imposes a tax on the net value of all taxable assets of the taxpayer on the last day of any calendar year (wealth tax). The amount of such tax shall be equal to the sum of 2% of the amount of taxpayer assets exceeding $50 million but not in excess of $1 billion, plus the applicable percentage (3% or 6% if certain legislation is in effect) of the net value of such taxable assets exceeding $1 billion. There is no tax on the net value of taxable assets not in excess of $50 million. The bill defines net value of all taxable assets as the value of all property of the taxpayer, real or personal, tangible or intangible, wherever situated reduced by any debts (including secured debts) owed by the taxpayer. The definition excludes property with a value of $50,000 or less, tangible personal property, certain property used in a trade or business, and collectibles. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must audit annually not less than 30% of taxpayers required to pay the tax imposed by this bill. The bill provides funding to the IRS for FY2022-FY2032 for enforcement of the requirements of this bill, taxpayer services, and for business system modernization.