Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky

Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2021 This bill addresses harassment at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to include in its annual security report a statement of policy regarding harassment on the basis of a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, and a sex stereotype), disability, or religion. In addition, the Department of Education may award grants to IHEs to initiate, expand, or improve programs to (1) prevent the harassment of students; (2) provide counseling or redress services to students who have been harassed or accused of subjecting other students to harassment; or (3) educate and train students, faculty, or staff to prevent harassment or address harassment if it occurs.

Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 This bill expressly authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to place a moratorium on residential evictions to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The bill also requires HHS to implement a moratorium nationwide to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This moratorium must remain in effect for at least 60 days following the termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Current law authorizes HHS to take measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. As part of the COVID-19 response, HHS delegated this authority to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which then issued (and extended) several orders banning residential evictions. Whether these orders exceed the CDC's statutory and constitutional authority has been the subject of multiple legal challenges; the Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the most recent order on August 26, 2021.

Securing the Rights our Veterans Earned Act or the SERVE Act This bill provides eligibility for specified Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to former members of the Armed Forces who were separated or discharged (honorably or otherwise) by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity.

This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Canada should not allow construction of a nuclear waste repository within the Great Lakes Basin and that the President and the Department of State should work with Canada to prevent such construction and craft a long-term solution for nuclear waste storage that does not threaten the Great Lakes.

Extend Unemployment Assistance Act of 2021 This bill extends pandemic unemployment compensation provisions set to expire on September 6, 2021, until February 1, 2022. Extended provisions include benefits to covered individuals who are not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or traditional extended benefits, the $300 weekly benefit increase, waiting week benefits, and federal reimbursement of short-time compensation. The bill also increases the maximum duration of compensation from 79 weeks to 100 weeks.

Expediting Assistance to Renters and Landlords Act of 2021 This bill modifies the Department of the Treasury's Emergency Rental Assistance program by extending time limits on payments, allowing landlords to seek rents and arrears from the program without renter consent, and allowing renters to prove eligibility through attestation. The program provides grants to state and local governments to assist eligible households in paying rent and utility costs and other expenses related to housing incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill extends the availability of program assistance from 18 to 24 months for eligible households. The bill also relaxes requirements for proof of eligibility by requiring only that households attest that they meet eligibility requirements instead of requiring proof of eligibility. It also allows for direct payment of funds to eligible households where the landlord refuses direct payment. Additionally, the bill allows a landlord to apply for program funds without the consent of a renter if the landlord agrees to certain terms, including a 120-day bar on evicting the renter for nonpayment. This bill also expands the stable housing services available under the program to additional low-income households. Further, the bill requires Treasury and state and local governments to increase outreach to renters and landlords and allows for coordination with public entities to provide application assistance services.

Manufacturing Reinvestment Corporation Act This bill establishes the Manufacturing Reinvestment Corporation within the Department of Commerce. The corporation must set national strategic objectives for the manufacturing industry with an emphasis on equity and inclusion. Based on specified criteria, the corporation also must establish and make grants to 30 local Manufacturing Renaissance Councils to support the corporation's objectives. Each council must have a governing board comprised of at least nine members, which include community stakeholder organizations, local governments, educational institutions, and manufacturing companies. Each council must use grants from the corporation for economic development programs in the community, education and training, and wraparound services such as child care and mental health services. Additionally, the bill provides for the composition of the corporation's board of directors as well as the appointment of an executive director and other employees. The corporation must report annually about its national strategy and finances. The bill requires financial audits of the corporation and of each grantee and contractor.

Streamlining Nutrition Assistance Paperwork Act of 2021 or the SNAP Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for a Department of Agriculture (USDA) waiver that allows states to use a written record to document telephonic signatures for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications. Under current law, states may allow individuals to sign their SNAP applications over the telephone, but states must preserve audio recordings of those telephonic signatures. During the COVID-19 emergency, USDA waived the requirement to preserve the audio recording and allowed states to document the telephonic signatures through written records.

John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights. A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself; or 3 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years and the state administers the elections. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as changes to methods of election and redistricting. Further, states and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. Next, the bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights. The bill also outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the extent of any history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.