Sen. Richard J. Durbin

Community College to Career Fund in Higher Education Act This bill requires the Department of Education and the Department of Labor to award grants to community colleges for education and workforce training programs or related activities. Such programs or activities must lead to or expand opportunities for students to obtain recognized postsecondary credentials (e.g., associate degrees or industry-recognized certifications).

This resolution recognizes and supports measures to protect and assist Venezuelan refugees and migrants, with particular emphasis on the humanitarian needs of women and children impacted by the displacement crisis and COVID-19.

This resolution declares that Congress remains steadfast in its commitment to the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist in restoring the islands to their full potential and that Congress will not abandon U.S. citizens living there or on the U.S. mainland in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

Financial Compensation for CFPB Whistleblowers Act This bill requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to provide rewards to whistleblowers who report information relating to a violation of consumer financial law resulting in certain monetary sanctions exceeding $1 million. Specifically, the bureau must award compensation to whistleblowers for 10%-30% of the collected penalties. In cases where the bureau collects less than $1 million in penalties, the bureau must award any single whistleblower 10% of the amount collected or $50,000, whichever is greater. The bill also sets forth requirements regarding the legal representation of a whistleblower and provides for confidentiality regarding the whistleblower's identity.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.

America's Children Act or the Protecting Children of Long-term Visa Holders Act of 2021 This bill provides lawful permanent resident status to certain college graduates who entered the United States as children and addresses other immigration-related issues. Specifically, this bill allows an alien to apply for lawful permanent resident status if the alien (1) was lawfully admitted into the United States as a dependent child of an alien on a temporary worker visa, (2) was in the United States with such status for at least four years, (3) has graduated from an institution of higher education in the United States, and (4) is not deportable or otherwise inadmissible. In addition, the alien must have been lawfully present in the United States for at least 10 years at the time of the application. The bill also modifies various provisions related to the calculation of an alien's age for immigration purposes and the priority date of certain immigration-related applications.

Do No Harm Act This bill prohibits the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) to specified federal laws or the implementation of such laws. Currently, RFRA prohibits the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest when using the least restrictive means. Under the bill, RFRA is inapplicable to laws or the implementation of laws that protect against discrimination or the promotion of equal opportunity (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964); require employers to provide wages, other compensation, or benefits, including leave; protect collective activity in the workplace; protect against child labor, abuse, or exploitation; or provide for access to, information about, referrals for, provision of, or coverage for, any health care item or service. The bill prevents RFRA from being used to deny (1) goods or services the government has contracted, granted, or made an agreement to provide to a beneficiary of or participant in a program or activity funded by such government contract, grant, agreement, or other award; or (2) a person's full and equal enjoyment of a government-provided good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation. In order for a person to assert a RFRA claim or defense in a judicial proceeding, the government must be a party to the proceeding.

This resolution supports the designation of a Muslim-American Heritage Month. The resolution also honors the contributions and integral role of Muslim Americans in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.

This resolution recognizes the courage and resolve shown by the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of sovereignty and democracy. It also condemns the illegal military invasion and occupation of Crimea by Russia and the violence fomented by proxies of Russia in eastern Ukraine.

For the People Act of 2021 This bill addresses voter access, election integrity and security, campaign finance, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill requires states to establish independent redistricting commissions to carry out congressional redistricting. Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. Further, the bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The bill addresses ethics in all three branches of government, including by requiring a code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices, prohibiting Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, and establishing additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for those offices to disclose 10 years of tax returns.