Prosper Africa Act This bill requires actions to promote trade, investment, and strategic partnerships between the United States and countries in Africa. The President must establish the Prosper Africa Initiative to prioritize and coordinate U.S. government activities and diplomatic efforts aimed at increasing two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa. The President must also establish (1) the Prosper Africa Directorate to perform various functions to support the initiative, including by developing and implementing policies to promote such trade and investment; (2) an interagency leadership committee to provide strategic guidance to the initiative and coordinate federal agency efforts; and (3) an advisory council to advise the President on the extent to which the directorate and federal agencies are meeting the objectives established in this bill. Designated staff in U.S. embassies located in Africa shall also support the initiative to the extent practicable. The President must seek to convene a meeting every two years between the U.S. government and the heads of state of African countries to advance shared priorities and strengthen partnerships. The bill also requires the President to (1) report to Congress and make publicly available a government-wide strategy to achieve this bill's objectives, and (2) annually report to Congress on matters related to U.S. government efforts to achieve this bill's objectives.
Rep. David N. Cicilline
Sponsored bills
Keeping Girls in School Act This bill authorizes the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to enter into agreements to address social, cultural, health, and other barriers that adolescent girls face in accessing quality secondary education. The USAID shall seek to ensure that such activities meet various requirements related to monitoring and evaluating outcomes, collecting data, and using specified indicators and methodologies for international basic education. The Department of State shall periodically update and report to Congress a publicly available U.S. global strategy to empower adolescent girls, and the USAID shall periodically report to Congress on the activities initiated under this bill and efforts to monitor and evaluate such activities.
Original Slavery Remembrance Day Resolution of 2021 This resolution supports the designation of a Slavery Remembrance Day and condemns slavery and its progenies.
Atrocity Crimes, Relief and Accountability Act or the ACRA Act The bill requires the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to provide assistance to suspected victims, survivors, and witnesses of war crimes; establishes a Ukraine victims trust fund; and establishes a Ukraine atrocity crimes rewards fund. The bill also allows the International Criminal Court to conduct limited activities in the United States relating solely to foreign nationals suspected of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, election as the first African American woman in Congress, and campaign to be the first African American to gain the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.
Overdraft Protection Act of 2021 This bill prohibits a financial institution from engaging in unfair or deceptive acts in connection with overdraft coverage. Each financial institution that offers overdraft coverage for accounts must disclose overdraft coverage fees. It must also disclose that the consumer's transaction may be declined if there are insufficient funds in the related account, and the consumer will not be charged a fee if such transaction is declined. A financial institution must provide certain other disclosures regarding its overdraft protection program, including prompt notification of the account's overdraft status. The bill limits the number of overdraft fees a consumer may be charged each month and year, and provides that such fees must be reasonable. The bill prohibits an overdraft coverage fee if the overdraft results solely from a debit hold amount that exceeds the actual dollar amount of the transaction. The bill also prohibits a financial institution from charging a non-sufficient fund fee for any automated teller machine or debit card transaction, or reporting negative information regarding consumer use of overdraft coverage to any consumer reporting agency when the overdraft amounts and coverage fees are paid under the terms of an overdraft coverage program.
Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2022 This bill removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers and the disclosure of gun trace data in civil actions. Specifically, the bill repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm. Additionally, the bill states that firearms trace data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is not immune from legal process. Such data is subject to discovery; is admissible as evidence; and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in a civil action or administrative proceeding.
Making College More Affordable Act This bill creates federal interest-free education loans for undergraduate students. The loans must generally have the same terms and conditions and benefits to borrowers as Federal Direct Stafford Loans. Interest on these loans may only accrue during periods when a borrower is earning taxable income, is in repayment on such loans, and is not making payments under a repayment plan. The Department of Education (ED) must carry out a repayment plan program for the interest-free loans under which loan payments are automatically withheld from the wages of the borrower. ED must cancel any outstanding balance of principal or interest due on those interest-free loans made to a borrower who has made 360 monthly payments. The bill also allows for a tax deduction for amounts paid on these loans.
Bassam Barabandi Rewards for Justice Act This bill expands the Department of State's rewards program to allow rewards for providing information that leads to the identification or location of an entity or individual that knowingly violates U.S. or United Nations sanctions.
LGBTQI+ and Women's History Education Act of 2022 This bill directs the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution to carry out, among other things (1) the development and national dissemination of accurate, relevant, and accessible national resources for classrooms to administer LGBTQI+ and women's history education in an inclusive and intersectional approach; (2) the development, national dissemination, and implementation of principles of sound pedagogy for administering LGBTQI+ and women's history education; and (3) the development, operation, and expansion of a teacher fellowship program to cultivate and support leaders in LGBTQI+ and women's history education. In addition to the activities described in this bill, the museum shall develop and maintain on its website content designated for educators, students, and families to improve their awareness and understanding of LGBTQI+ and women's history education.