Rep. Karen Bass

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.

Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2021 This bill expands provisions prohibiting discrimination against disabled individuals by an air carrier. Specifically, it enumerates certain actions that an air carrier must take or may not take with respect to a disabled individual. It also requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that disabled individuals traveling in air transportation are able to file complaints with DOT in response to disability-related discrimination and receive assistance from DOT through a hotline or comparable electronic means. The bill authorizes an aggrieved individual and the Department of Justice to bring a civil action for discrimination. The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board shall prescribe regulations setting forth minimum standards for aircraft with new or existing type certificates to ensure the accessibility of individuals with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs. The standards shall address, among other things, boarding and deplaning equipment, seating accommodations, lavatories, visually accessible announcements, and proper stowage of assistive devices in the cargo hold to prevent damage.

Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act This bill restricts the Department of Defense (DOD) from transferring certain surplus military property to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies. Specifically, DOD may not transfer to such agencies specified property such as controlled firearms, ammunition, grenade launchers, explosives, certain vehicles or trucks, armored or weaponized drones, certain controlled aircraft, silencers, or long-range acoustic devices. DOD may waive this limitation and transfer certain vehicles or trucks if DOD determines that the transfer is necessary for disaster or rescue purposes or for another purpose where life and public safety are at risk. As a condition for a transfer of allowable property, DOD must require the federal or state agency that receives the property to return the property if the agency is investigated by the Department of Justice for civil liberties violations or is otherwise found to have engaged in widespread abuses of civil liberties. DOD must also periodically submit certain transfer-related information and certifications to Congress. Furthermore, as a condition for transfer, the recipient must receive the approval of its local governing body, provide specified notice to the local community, and submit specified information and certifications to DOD. A federal or state agency that receives controlled property under such a transfer may never take ownership of the property. The bill also eliminates the requirement for DOD to give preference to transfers of property that will be used in counter-drug, counterterrorism, disaster-related emergency preparedness, or border security activities.

Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the use of certain foreign assistance funds to provide comprehensive reproductive health care services in developing countries, including abortion services, training, and equipment.

Donald Payne Sr. Colorectal Cancer Detection Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment, subject to specified frequency limits, of certain colorectal cancer screening blood-based tests.

George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. It increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, restricts the use of certain policing practices, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices and training requirements. The bill enhances existing enforcement mechanisms to remedy violations by law enforcement. Among other things, it does the following: lowers the criminal intent standard—from willful to knowing or reckless—to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution, limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer, and grants administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in pattern-or-practice investigations. It establishes a framework to prevent and remedy racial profiling by law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels. It also limits the unnecessary use of force and restricts the use of no-knock warrants, chokeholds, and carotid holds. The bill creates a national registry—the National Police Misconduct Registry—to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. It also establishes new reporting requirements, including on the use of force, officer misconduct, and routine policing practices (e.g., stops and searches). Finally, it directs DOJ to create uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and requires law enforcement officers to complete training on racial profiling, implicit bias, and the duty to intervene when another officer uses excessive force.

Social Determinants for Moms Act This bill directs various federal departments to address social determinants of maternal health. These are nonclinical factors, such as economic or social factors, that impact maternal health outcomes. First, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must convene a task force to coordinate federal efforts on social determinants of maternal health. HHS must also award grants to support access to free child care during prenatal and postpartum appointments; and address social determinants of, and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in, maternal health. Second, the Department of Housing and Urban Development must award grants to community-based organizations and government entities to assist pregnant and postpartum individuals with affordable housing. Grantees may use funds to, for example, provide individuals with direct financial assistance. Third, the Department of Transportation must report on transportation barriers that prevent pregnant and postpartum individuals from accessing health care and other services. Fourth, the bill extends to 24 months the postpartum eligibility period for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Currently, WIC eligibility lasts for six months postpartum or one year for those breastfeeding. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must evaluate the impact of this extension. USDA must also establish a grant program to deliver healthy foods and supplies to pregnant and postpartum individuals in food deserts. Last, the Environmental Protection Agency must enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study the impact of environmental conditions and contaminants on maternal and infant health outcomes.

Girls' Leadership, Engagement, Agency, and Development Act of 2021 or the Girls LEAD Act This bill directs the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to jointly report to Congress a strategy to strengthen the participation of adolescents, particularly girls, in democracy, human rights, and governance. The State Department and the USAID shall (1) implement activities to achieve this goal, including activities to increase adolescent girls' civic and political knowledge and skills and address barriers to political participation; and (2) prioritize foreign assistance funding for democracy, human rights, and governance programs toward achieving the goals in this bill.

New Way Forward Act This bill makes changes to immigration enforcement, including ending mandatory detention in certain cases. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall not enter into or extend any contract with any public or private for-profit entity to own or operate a facility to detain aliens in DHS custody. The bill provides for various protections related to detaining aliens, such as (1) requiring DHS to make an initial custody determination and establish probable cause within 48 hours of taking an alien into custody, (2) establishing in hearings related to such determinations a presumption that the alien be released, and (3) requiring immigration judges to impose the least restrictive detention conditions necessary. A DHS officer may not interrogate a person as to immigration status based on factors such as the person's race, religion, sexual orientation, or spoken language. The bill removes mandatory detention requirements for certain aliens, such as asylum seekers with a credible fear of persecution. Removal proceedings against certain aliens previously admitted into the United States must commence within five years of the alien becoming deportable or inadmissible. The bill also removes certain crime-related grounds of inadmissibility and deportability. The bill gives immigration judges discretion to provide relief from removal if the removal is not based on certain crime-related grounds. State or local officers are prohibited from performing certain immigration enforcement functions, such as apprehending aliens. The National Crime Information Center database shall not contain an alien's immigration information. The bill repeals provisions providing criminal penalties for improper entry or reentry into the United States.

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.