Rep. Joaquin Castro

Southeast Asia Strategy Act This bill directs the Department of State to submit to Congress a strategy for engagement with Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The strategy shall include various elements including (1) an identification of enduring U.S. interests in the region and efforts to bolster ASEAN's effectiveness; (2) a list of ongoing and planned initiatives to strengthen U.S. relationships in the region, including efforts to promote inclusive economic growth and energy innovation; and (3) a summary of ongoing efforts to promote human rights and democracy and strengthen the rule of law.

This resolution condemns the actions taken by the governments of China and Hong Kong to put in place national security legislation that violates the freedoms and rights guaranteed to the people of Hong Kong. (Hong Kong is a part of China but, by agreement, has operated a legal and economic system largely separate from China's.)

Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and other sectors. Specifically, Labor must issue an interim occupational safety and health standard that requires certain employers to take actions to protect workers and other personnel from workplace violence. The standard applies to employers in the health care sector, in the social service sector, and in sectors that conduct activities similar to those in the health care and social service sectors. In addition, Labor must promulgate a final standard within a specified time line.

Fire Fighters and EMS Employer-Employee Cooperation Act This bill requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether a state substantially provides fire and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel the right to form and join a labor organization; recognition by fire and EMS employers of the employees' labor organization, agreement to bargain with the organization, and reduction of any agreements to writing in a contract or memorandum of understanding; the right to bargain over hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment; and arbitration or other mechanisms to resolve an impasse in collective bargaining negotiations. The bill makes the authority responsible for (1) determining the appropriateness of units for labor representation; (2) supervising elections; (3) conducting hearings and resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; and (4) protecting the right of employees to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from doing so. An employer, fire and EMS personnel, or labor organization may not engage in a lockout, sickout, work slowdown, strike, or any other organized job action that will measurably disrupt the delivery of emergency services and is designed to compel an employer, fire and EMS personnel, or labor organization to agree to the terms of a proposed contract.

Tax Fairness for Workers Act This bill allows an above-the-line tax deduction for union dues and expenses. (An above-the-line deduction is subtracted from gross income and is available whether or not a taxpayer itemizes other deductions.) The bill also reinstates the miscellaneous itemized tax deduction for unreimbursed expenses attributable to the performance of services as an employee (Under current law, all miscellaneous itemized deductions are suspended through 2025).

Stopping Activities Underpinning Development In Weapons of Mass Destruction Act or the SAUDI WMD Act This bill establishes measures to inhibit the development of nuclear weapons by Saudi Arabia. Specifically, the bill restricts the sale of specified munitions items to Saudi Arabia if, in the last three fiscal years, Saudi Arabia has taken certain steps towards developing nuclear weapons. Further, the bill requires the President to submit to Congress a written determination detailing (1) whether any foreign person knowingly engaged in the trade of specified weapons subject to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) with Saudia Arabia in the last three fiscal years, and (2) the sanctions the President has imposed or intends to impose against those persons. (The MTCR is an informal political understanding among states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology.) The bill also requires the Department of State and the Department of Energy to submit a report on MTCR compliance and a strategy to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and missiles in the Middle East.

Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission shall examine slavery and discrimination in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. The commission shall identify (1) the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, (2) forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and (3) lingering negative effects of slavery on living African Americans and society.

Healthy Families Act This bill provides for paid and unpaid sick leave for employees to meet their own medical needs and those of their families. It requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide their employees with at least one hour of earned paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours of paid sick leave in a year. An employer with fewer than 15 employees may also provide the same amount of paid sick leave, but may opt out of such requirement, in which case such employer must provide its employees at least 56 hours of unpaid leave in a year. An employee may use sick leave for absences (1) resulting from a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition; (2) resulting from obtaining professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventive medical care; (3) to care for a child, parent, spouse, a domestic partner, or other blood or close relative; and (4) resulting from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill makes it unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of an employee's right to accrue sick leave as provided by this bill. An employee may take legal action to enforce the right to sick leave granted by this bill and the Department of Labor must investigate complaints of violations of the requirements of this bill. Labor is authorized to conduct a public awareness campaign to educate and inform the public of the requirements for paid sick leave provided by this bill.

This resolution declares that respect for human rights is foundational to U.S. bilateral and international engagement with Nigeria, and it condemns the violence by Nigerian security forces against peaceful protestors. Further, the resolution supports the demands of the movement for justice, accountability, and meaningful police and security-sector reform in Nigeria, and it calls on the Nigerian government to release everyone who has been wrongfully arrested for participating in or supporting this movement.

This resolution calls on the government of Azerbaijan to immediately return all Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians. The resolution also urges the Department of State to engage with Azerbaijani authorities to bring about this result.