Original Slavery Remembrance Day Resolution of 2021 This resolution supports the designation of a Slavery Remembrance Day and condemns slavery and its progenies.
Housing Access Improvement Act This bill increases from 20% to 50% the amount of funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program that a public housing agency (PHA) may use for project-based vouchers. (This program subsidizes rent for low-income recipients.) Under current law, a PHA must use at least 80% of its funding for tenant-based vouchers (which subsidize recipients' rental of any private apartment that meets program guidelines) and may use up to 20% of its funding for project-based vouchers (which attach to a specific rental unit that the landlord commits to make available for voucher recipients for a contracted term).
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, election as the first African American woman in Congress, and campaign to be the first African American to gain the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes programs to combat human trafficking and addresses related issues. The bill reauthorizes through FY2026 various programs, including (1) Department of State and Department of Justice activities to combat human trafficking internationally; and (2) the Angel Watch Center, a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement program that notifies foreign countries of the pending arrival of certain convicted sex offenders. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may carry out a program to prevent the re-exploitation of certain victims of trafficking by helping such individuals reintegrate into society and achieve self-sufficiency. The bill modifies an existing HHS grant program to provide training to school staff and students to recognize and avoid human trafficking, including by (1) renaming the program the Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grants program, and (2) modifying the prioritization for awarding such grants. The U.S. Agency for International Development must encourage integration of activities to counter human trafficking into its broader assistance programs. The bill also reauthorizes the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking through FY2031.
American Families United Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) to exercise discretion in certain immigration cases. The bill also removes certain requirements related to birthright citizenship. Under this bill, DOJ or DHS may, on a case-by-case basis, exercise discretion by declining to remove an alien or bar an alien from entering the United States to prevent hardship for the alien's U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child. However, DOJ or DHS may not exercise this discretion if the alien is removable or inadmissible due to certain grounds, including specified crime- and security-related grounds. The bill also removes certain requirements related to birthright citizenship for a child born outside of the United States to one U.S. citizen parent and one alien parent. Specifically, the bill removes a provision that requires the U.S. citizen parent to be physically present in the United States for at least five years before the child's birth in order for the child to acquire U.S. citizenship at birth.
Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2022 This bill removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers and the disclosure of gun trace data in civil actions. Specifically, the bill repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm. Additionally, the bill states that firearms trace data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is not immune from legal process. Such data is subject to discovery; is admissible as evidence; and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in a civil action or administrative proceeding.
Right to Contraception Act This bill sets out statutory protections for an individual's right to access and a health care provider's right to provide contraception and related information. Contraception refers to an action taken to prevent pregnancy, including the use of contraceptives (i.e., a device or medication used to prevent pregnancy), fertility-awareness based methods, and sterilization procedures. Generally, the bill prohibits measures that single out and impede access to contraception and related information. However, a party may defend against a claim that a measure violates the bill's prohibitions by demonstrating, through clear and convincing evidence, that the measure significantly advances access to contraception and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or health care providers may bring a lawsuit to enforce this bill, and states are not immune from suits for violations.
Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area Act This bill establishes the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area in Alabama, consisting of land in Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Washington, and Wilcox Counties. The Center for the Study of the Black Belt at the University of West Alabama shall prepare and submit a management plan for the heritage area.
Elizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act of 2022 or the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act This bill addresses home care and caregiver programs for veterans.
Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act This bill prohibits anyone acting under state law from interfering with a person's ability to access out-of-state abortion services. ( Abortion services includes the use of any drugs that are approved to terminate pregnancies and any health care services related to an abortion, whether or not provided at the same time or on the same day.) Specifically, the bill prohibits any person acting under state law from preventing, restricting, impeding, or retaliating against health care providers who provide legal abortion services to out-of-state residents, any person or entity who helps health care providers to provide such services, any person who travels to another state to obtain such services, any person or entity who helps another person travel to another state to obtain such services, or the movement in interstate commerce of drugs that are approved to terminate pregnancies. The Department of Justice may enforce this bill through civil actions; the bill also establishes a private right of action for violations.
