This concurrent resolution recognizes the disparity between wages paid to Latina women, and its impact on women, families, and the nation and reaffirms Congress' commitment to supporting equal pay and to narrowing the gender wage gap.
This resolution strongly disapproves of the escalation of political tensions between the government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front into armed conflict, and it calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities in the Tigray region as well as an end to violence throughout Ethiopia. Further, the resolution urges all parties to work to protect human rights, and it calls on relevant U.S. agencies to take specified actions that encourage an end to the conflict and that provide humanitarian support.
This resolution calls for the creation of a Green New Deal with the goals of achieving greenhouse gas and toxic emissions reductions needed to stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming; establishing millions of high-wage union jobs and ensuring economic security for all; investing in infrastructure and industry; securing clean air and water, climate and community resiliency, healthy food, access to nature, and a sustainable environment for all; and promoting justice and equality. The resolution calls for accomplishment of these goals through a 10-year national mobilization effort. The resolution also enumerates the goals and projects of the mobilization effort, including building smart power grids (i.e., power grids that enable customers to reduce their power use during peak demand periods); upgrading all existing buildings and constructing new buildings to achieve maximum energy and water efficiency; removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and agricultural sectors; cleaning up existing hazardous waste and abandoned sites; ensuring businesspersons are free from unfair competition; and providing higher education, high-quality health care, and affordable, safe, and adequate housing to all.
This resolution recognizes the opportunity for Black Maternal Health Week to raise national awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States.
Syrian Partner Protection Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide special immigrant status to qualified aliens who assisted U.S. efforts in Syria against the Islamic State. (A special immigrant is qualified to become a permanent resident.) A qualifying alien is a Syrian national (or stateless person who habitually resided in Syria) who (1) partnered with or worked for the United States in Syria in a sensitive and trusted capacity (such as an interpreter) on or after January 1, 2014, for at least one year, and (2) provided documented service to U.S. efforts against the Islamic State. The spouse or child of such an alien shall also qualify for special immigrant status. DHS may admit up to 4,000 principal aliens under this bill each fiscal year for the five fiscal years after this bill's enactment. Unused visas at the end of a fiscal year shall carry forward and be available the next year. Aliens admitted under this bill shall not be subject to other numerical limitations. If a qualifying alien applying for special immigrant status under this bill is in imminent danger, the Department of State shall provide protection to that alien. An alien who has received special immigrant status under this bill shall be eligible for benefits generally available to admitted refugees, such as resettlement assistance.
Honduras Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Act of 2021 This bill temporarily imposes sanctions and other penalties on Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez and the government of Honduras for systemic corruption and human rights violations, with particular focus on the Honduran police and military. Specifically, the President must impose asset- and visa-blocking sanctions on Juan Orlando Hernandez due to his corrupt practices, including the use of the state apparatus to protect and facilitate drug trafficking. Additionally, the President must prohibit, within 30 days, the issuance of licenses to export defense articles and services and specified munitions to the Honduran police or military. The bill also (1) makes Honduras ineligible for security assistance to equip and train police and military, and (2) requires U.S. representatives at multilateral development banks to oppose any loans for Honduran police or military. Furthermore, the Department of the Treasury must instruct U.S. leadership of international financial institutions and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to promote human rights due diligence and risk management in any loan, grant, policy, or strategy related to Honduras. The sanctions and other penalties put in place under this bill terminate in five years but may be lifted earlier if specified conditions are met.
Green New Deals for Cities Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide funding to states, local governments, or Native American nations to carry out Green New Deal projects, such as projects to clean up pollution, climate adaptation measures, or conservation projects on family farms. In order to receive such funding, a state, local government, or Native American nation must have a local Green New Deal program proposal and meet other requirements as specified by the bill. A proposal must contain certain commitments, including a commitment to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers.
Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits a federal criminal defendant from asserting, as a defense, that the nonviolent sexual advance of an individual or a perception or belief of the gender, gender identify or expression, or sexual orientation of an individual excuses or justifies conduct or mitigates the severity of an offense.
Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of Fentanyl Act of 2021 or the STOP Fentanyl Act of 2021 This bill addresses data collection, treatment, harm reduction, and other issues related to substance misuse and addiction. It particularly focuses on opioids, fentanyl, and related substances. Specifically, the bill expands surveillance of fentanyl and related substances. This includes establishing a pilot program to screen for contaminants in illicit drugs and a grant program to collect data on fentanyl-involved overdoses. The bill also specifies requirements concerning the collection and use of information about drugs seized by law enforcement. Additionally, the bill establishes and modifies requirements to increase access to treatment and prevention services. For example, the Bureau of Prisons must make certain services, including medication-assisted treatments, available to individuals in its custody. The bill also repeals a provision that requires dependence on opioids for at least one year before an individual may be admitted to certain treatment programs; allows providers to prescribe medications to treat substance use disorders following a telehealth evaluation; creates grant programs for treatment and harm reduction activities; and addresses issues pertaining to opioid overdose reversal drugs. Furthermore, the bill limits civil and criminal liability under specified laws for individuals who administer opioid overdose reversal drugs to an individual who reasonably appears to be experiencing an overdose, as well as for individuals who seek medical attention for themselves or on behalf of another for a drug overdose. The bill also requires multiple reports, including a report by the Department of State on foreign sources of certain drugs.
Voter Empowerment Act of 2021 This bill expands voter registration and voting access. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration by requiring states to (1) make available online voter registration, (2) establish automatic voter registration systems, (3) permit same-day voter registration, and (4) accept voter registration applications from individuals under age 18. Further, the bill limits removing voters from voter rolls and prohibits interference with voter registration or voting. Next, the bill requires states to allow individuals with disabilities to use absentee registration procedures and to vote by absentee ballot in federal elections. The bill also prohibits voter caging (the practice of sending mail to addresses on voter rolls, compiling a list of the undeliverable mail, and using the list to remove registered voters from voter rolls). Next, the bill expands voting access by requiring states to allow early voting and voting by mail without additional conditions. It also requires states to provide secured drop boxes at which individuals may drop off their completed absentee ballots. In addition, the bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any federal election shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence. Finally, the bill permanently reauthorizes the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). It also directs the EAC to make grants to states for specified activities, including to implement automatic voter registration systems.
