Enhanced Pay for Election Workers Act This bill directs the Election Assistance Commission to establish a program to make payments to states to provide enhanced pay for election workers, including individuals serving as election officials or poll workers on a temporary or unpaid basis.
Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez
Sponsored bills
Achieving Equity in the Treatment of Dual Eligible Beneficiaries Act This bill temporarily establishes geographic adjustments for certain Medicare Advantage payment formulations, and specifies that a certain percentage of corresponding payment increases must be directed toward payments for basic benefits. It also requires U.S. territories to establish Medicare Savings Programs (currently optional in the territories).
Protecting Our Kids Act This bill makes various changes to federal firearms laws, including to establish new criminal offenses and to expand the types of weapons and devices that are subject to regulation. Among the changes, the bill generally prohibits the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals who are under 21 years of age; establishes new federal criminal offenses for gun trafficking and related conduct; establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate ghost guns (i.e., guns without serial numbers); establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels; subjects bump stocks to regulation under federal firearms laws; generally prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices; and requires the Department of Justice to report on the demographic data of persons who are determined to be ineligible to purchase a firearm based on a background check performed by the national instant criminal background check system.
Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act of 2021 This bill prohibits self-bonding practices for coal reclamation, establishes limits on bonding practices associated with surface coal mining operations, and establishes requirements for coal mining operations to provide sufficient financial resources to complete mine reclamation. Currently, self-bonding practices allow coal mining operations to demonstrate that they have sufficient corporate assets to complete reclamation, without requiring cash or collateral up-front as in the case of surety or collateral bonds. The bill prohibits the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement (OSMRE) and state regulatory authorities from accepting new self-bonds for coal reclamation. In addition, the bill requires any existing self-bonds or corporate bonds utilized for coal reclamation to be converted to surety or collateral bonds. The OSMRE must issue rules establishing limitations on surety bonds to minimize the financial liability to the federal or state government. The OSMRE may approve state or federal alternative coal mining bond programs that result in no greater risk of financial liability to the federal government than a surety or collateral bond program.
This resolution condemns in the strongest terms the great replacement theory, which it describes as a white supremacist conspiracy theory that has been used to falsely justify racially motivated, violent acts of terrorism domestically and internationally.
This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against the Houthis in Yemen within 30 days of the enactment of this joint resolution unless Congress authorizes a later withdrawal date, issues a declaration of war, or specifically authorizes the use of the Armed Forces. Prohibited activities include sharing intelligence or providing logistical support to enable offensive strikes by the coalition led by Saudi Arabia. This joint resolution shall not affect any military operations directed at Al Qaeda or associated forces.
This resolution encourages the people of the United States to observe Menstrual Hygiene Day, and recognizes the need to raise awareness with respect to menstrual hygiene and to increase research on access to menstrual health management.
Affordability is Access Act This bill establishes several requirements relating to health insurance coverage of, and access to, over-the-counter contraceptives. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury to specify that private health insurance plans must cover over-the-counter contraceptives that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), even without a prescription. Under current law, private health insurance plans (with some exceptions) must cover FDA-approved prescription contraceptives, without cost-sharing requirements. The bill also prohibits retailers from interfering with an individual's access to oral contraceptives that are meant for routine, daily use and are FDA-approved for use without a prescription.
Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 This bill establishes new requirements to expand the availability of information on domestic terrorism, as well as the relationship between domestic terrorism and hate crimes. It authorizes domestic terrorism components within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to monitor, analyze, investigate, and prosecute domestic terrorism. The domestic terrorism components of DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must jointly report on domestic terrorism, including white-supremacist-related incidents or attempted incidents. DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must review the anti-terrorism training and resource programs of their agencies that are provided to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, DOJ must make training on prosecuting domestic terrorism available to its prosecutors and to assistant U.S. attorneys. It creates an interagency task force to analyze and combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed services and federal law enforcement agencies. Finally, it directs the FBI to assign a special agent or hate crimes liaison to each field office to investigate hate crimes incidents with a nexus to domestic terrorism.
Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022 This bill addresses support for restaurants, arts and entertainment venues, and small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill provides an additional $42 billion in FY2021 for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and gives priority to previous applicants who have not received a grant. The Small Business Administration (SBA) must provide to applicants an explanation for denied applications, establish a reconsideration process for denied applications, and institute an audit and oversight plan with respect to grant recipients. Additionally, the bill establishes the Hard Hit Industries Award Program for small businesses that suffered a pandemic-related revenue loss of 40% or more. Aggregate grant amounts are capped at $1 million. Funds may be used for expenses including mortgage, rent, and utility payments and payroll. SBA must prioritize entities that have experienced significant pandemic-related revenue loss, with first priority going to those that experienced a loss of at least 80%, and second priority going to those that experienced a loss of at least 60%. Finally, the bill extends to March 11, 2023 (or a later date as determined by the SBA), the time frame during which Shuttered Venue Operators Grant recipients may use grant funds to cover their expenses.