This resolution expresses support for the designation of Second Chance Month to promote awareness of unnecessary legal and social barriers that prevent individuals with criminal records from becoming productive members of society.
Maddy summaryHRES 344 is a non-binding resolution that declares racism a public health crisis in the United States, directly affecting Black, Latino, Native American, and other communities of color who experience severe health disparities. It cites historical and ongoing systemic racism as a root cause of unequal health outcomes, including higher infant mortality, chronic disease rates, and barriers to care. The resolution commits the federal government to developing a national strategy to address health inequities, dismantle systemic racism, and tackle social determinants of health affecting marginalized groups. It does not create new laws or funding but urges cross-government action based on established public health criteria.
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.
Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act of 2021 or the FAIR Act This bill revises federal laws governing civil asset forfeiture. Specifically, the bill makes various changes to the general rules governing civil forfeiture proceedings. Among the changes, the bill requires counsel for an indigent property owner regardless of whether the owner requests counsel, raises the evidentiary standard from preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence, and sets forth factors courts must consider in determining whether a forfeiture of facilitating property is excessive. Additionally, the bill eliminates statutory authority for equitable sharing and directs forfeiture proceeds to be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury instead of the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund. Finally, the bill makes changes with respect to the civil forfeiture of money involved in structuring offenses (i.e., structuring currency transactions to evade currency reporting requirements). Among the changes, the bill specifies an evidentiary standard of knowingly for structuring offenses, and requires a prompt probable cause hearing following the seizure of money involved in a structuring offense.
Sara's Law and the Preventing Unfair Sentencing Act of 2021 This bill modifies federal sentencing options for individuals who commit criminal offenses as juveniles. Specifically, the bill authorizes federal sentencing courts to do the following: impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum for a juvenile who was convicted of a violent offense against a person who engaged in certain conduct (e.g., trafficking, abuse, or assault) against the juvenile, impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum by up to 35% to reflect the juvenile's age and prospect for rehabilitation, and reduce a prison term imposed on a defendant convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a juvenile if the defendant has served at least 20 years in custody and is not a danger to public safety.
Protecting Miranda Rights for Kids Act This bill establishes procedural requirements related to the custodial interrogation of a minor. Among the requirements, the custodial interrogation of a minor must comply with the following: an arresting officer must notify the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the arrest and provide the location where the minor is being detained; and a minor who is subject to a custodial interrogation must consult with legal counsel in person before waiving the privilege against self-incrimination or the right to counsel. If a custodial interrogation does not comply with the requirements, then a statement by a minor during the custodial interrogation and any evidence derived from that statement are inadmissible.
Protecting the Rights Of Towns against federal Enforcement contrary to Constitutional Tenets for Immigration Act of 2021 or the PROTECT Immigration Act of 2021 This bill establishes that the authority to investigate, apprehend, or detain aliens for the purposes of immigration enforcement is limited to immigration officers and authorized Department of Homeland Security employees, except when such authority is provided to other individuals under specified statutes. Specifically, this restriction does not apply in certain instances involving (1) an actual or imminent mass influx of aliens, (2) persons bringing in and harboring aliens in violation of immigration laws, or (3) an alien illegally present in the United States who had previously left or was deported after being convicted of a felony. The bill repeals the authority allowing the Department of Justice to enter into agreements authorizing state or local government employees to perform immigration enforcement functions.
Families Belong Together Act This bill provides various immigration benefits for eligible alien parents (or legal guardians) and minor children who were separated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021. Generally, to be an eligible parent or minor child under this bill, the alien must not be inadmissible for certain crime- or security-related grounds, though DHS may waive certain grounds for humanitarian or public interest reasons. Furthermore, an eligible child who was separated as a minor remains eligible for the immigration benefits after reaching majority. DHS must grant humanitarian parole into the United States to an eligible alien who requests such parole, regardless of whether the alien is physically present in the United States. An eligible alien in the United States may apply for lawful permanent resident status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall grant a qualifying alien's lawful permanent resident status within 30 days of receiving the alien's application. An alien who receives lawful permanent resident status under this bill shall be eligible for benefits and services that are available to an alien who is admitted as a refugee. Certain annual numerical limitations shall not apply to aliens who receive lawful permanent resident status under this bill. If an alien seeks judicial review of a denial of an application for lawful permanent resident status under this bill, the Department of Justice shall appoint counsel to represent that alien upon request.
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.
