Rep. James P. McGovern

Jamal Khashoggi Press Freedom Accountability Act of 2021 This bill establishes measures to protect the human rights of journalists. Specifically, the bill (1) expands the scope of required reports related to violations of the human rights of journalists, (2) requires the President to impose certain property- and visa-blocking sanctions on persons responsible for gross violations of the human rights of journalists, and (3) prohibits certain foreign assistance to a governmental entity of a country if an official acting under authority of the entity has committed a gross violation of human rights against a journalist.

Empower our Girls Act This bill allows certain grants authorized under the Violence Against Women Act to be used to support victims of female genital mutilation. Such grants already support victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to classify female genital mutilation as a Part II crime (i.e., a less serious offense) in the Uniform Crime Reports. (The FBI compiles and periodically publishes crime statistics through the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Currently, the FBI does not compile and publish information about female genital mutilation.)

This concurrent resolution calls for renewed U.S. leadership in addressing the climate crisis that is disproportionately affecting the health, economic opportunity, and fundamental rights of children. It also recognizes the need for the departments and agencies of the executive branch with delegated authority over energy and climate policy to prepare a climate recovery plan that puts the United States on a trajectory consistent with reducing global atmospheric carbon dioxide to below 350 parts per million by the year 2100.

Access to Counsel Act of 2021 This bill provides various protections for covered individuals subject to secondary or deferred inspections when seeking admission into the United States. Covered individuals include U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, aliens in possession of a visa, returning asylees, and refugees. The Department of Homeland Security shall ensure that a covered individual subject to secondary or deferred inspection has a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel and certain related parties, such as a relative, within an hour of the start of the secondary inspection and as necessary during the inspection process. The counsel and related party shall be allowed to advocate on behalf of the covered individual, including by providing evidence and information to the examining immigration officer. A lawful permanent resident subject to secondary or deferred inspection may not abandon lawful permanent resident status until the individual has had a meaningful opportunity to seek advice from counsel, unless the individual voluntarily and knowingly waives in writing this opportunity to seek counsel's advice.

National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act or the NO BAN Act This bill imposes limitations on the President's authority to suspend or restrict aliens from entering the United States. It also prohibits religious discrimination in various immigration-related decisions, such as whether to issue an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa, unless there is a statutory basis for such discrimination. The President may temporarily restrict the entry of any aliens or class of aliens after the Department of State determines that the restriction would address specific and credible facts that threaten U.S. interests such as security or public safety. The bill also imposes limitations on such restrictions, such as requiring the President, State Department, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to (1) only issue a restriction when required to address a compelling government interest, and (2) narrowly tailor the suspension to use the least restrictive means to achieve such an interest. Before imposing a restriction, the State Department and DHS shall consult with Congress. The State Department and DHS shall report to Congress about the restriction within 48 hours of the restriction's imposition. If such a report is not made, the restriction shall immediately terminate. Individuals or entities present in the United States and unlawfully harmed by such a restriction may sue in federal court. DHS may suspend the entry of aliens traveling to the United States on a commercial airline that failed to comply with regulations related to detecting fraudulent travel documents.

Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for admission into the United States of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The commonwealth shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the commonwealth. The bill applies current District laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings. The commonwealth (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. District territory excluded from the commonwealth shall be known as the Capital and shall be the seat of the federal government. The bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property. The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President. The bill continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, courts, and college tuition assistance, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over the authorities and responsibilities. The bill establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise the President, Congress, and District and commonwealth leaders on the transition.

Tax on Wall Street Speculation Act This bill imposes an excise tax on the transfer of ownership in certain securities (covered transaction), including any share of stock in a corporation; any partnership or beneficial interest in a partnership or trust; any note, bond, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (excluding tax-exempt municipal bonds); and derivative financial instruments. The bill includes exceptions for initial issues, certain traded short-term indebtedness, and securities lending arrangements. The bill also (1) imposes a penalty on taxpayers who fail to include a covered transaction on their tax return or information statement, and (2) allows an individual taxpayer whose modified adjusted gross income does not exceed $50,000 ($75,000 for married taxpayers filing joint returns) a tax credit for the amount of tax paid on covered transactions.

This resolution states that the August 9, 2020, election in Belarus was neither free nor fair and, as such, the House of Representatives does not recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as the country's legitimate president. The resolution also states that the people of Belarus have the right to determine the country's future without unwelcome intervention from outside actors and condemns the human rights violations committed by Belarusian authorities.

Access to Contraception for Servicemembers and Dependents Act of 2021 This bill addresses Department of Defense (DOD) contraceptive care and family planning services. Specifically, the bill prohibits cost-sharing with respect to TRICARE beneficiaries for specified prescription contraceptives. Additionally, the bill prohibits cost-sharing for TRICARE Select and TRICARE Prime beneficiaries in relation to any in-network method of contraception or contraceptive care (including with respect to insertion, removal, and follow-up), any sterilization procedure, or any related patient education or counseling service. The bill requires DOD to provide information on all methods of emergency contraception and care to sexual assault survivors at its medical treatment facilities. Upon request by a sexual assault survivor, DOD must provide such emergency contraception or a prescription for emergency contraception. Finally, DOD must establish a uniform standard curriculum for education programs on family planning for all members of the Armed Forces. Such education programs must be provided to service members during their first year of service and at other appropriate times, as determined by each military department.

Civilian Climate Corps for Jobs and Justice Act This bill establishes a Civilian Climate Corps Program and generally revises benefits provided to national service program participants. The bill establishes a Civilian Climate Corps to operate (1) a national climate service program; and (2) a national climate service grant program to help communities respond to climate change and transition to a clean economy, including through reducing carbon emissions. The bill also provides for allowances for participants in certain national service programs, including the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program and the National Civilian Community Corps. The bill expands the exclusion from gross income, for income tax purposes, to exclude amounts received as educational awards or benefits and income attributable to discharges of student loan debt under the National and Community Service Act of 1990.