Rep. Steve Cohen

Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission must (1) compile documentary evidence of slavery in the United States; (2) study the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery; (3) analyze discriminatory laws and policies against freed African slaves and their descendants; and (4) recommend ways the United States may recognize and remedy the effects of slavery and discrimination on African Americans, including through a formal apology and compensation (i.e., reparations). The commission consists of individuals from civil society and reparations organizations and individuals appointed by the President and congressional leadership; Members of Congress and governmental employees may not serve on the commission. The commission may hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and records, and contract with other entities to conduct its work. The commission must submit its final report within 18 months of its first meeting.

Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2023 This bill modifies the treatment of certain student loans in bankruptcy. Specifically, it allows private student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy regardless of whether a debtor demonstrates undue hardship. Under current law, student loans may be discharged in bankruptcy only if the loans impose an undue hardship on the debtor.

Cover Outstanding Vulnerable Expansion-eligible Residents Now Act or the COVER Now Act This bill establishes a demonstration program to allow local governments to provide health benefits to the Medicaid expansion population in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Under the program, local governments may provide coverage for individuals who are newly eligible for Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (i.e., the Medicaid expansion population) for a maximum of 10 years, or until their respective states expand Medicaid. The bill provides a 100% federal matching rate for the first three years of program participation. The bill prohibits states from taking certain actions against participating localities, such as withholding funding, increasing taxes, or restricting provider participation. States that violate these requirements are subject to certain funding penalties.

Sustaining America's Fisheries for the Future Act of 202 2 This bill sets forth and revises various provisions relating to fisheries conservation and management, including to increase the adaptive capacity of fishery management to the impacts of climate change, implement working waterfront plans, establish an innovation prize for data collection technology used in fisheries management, and establish a national standardized reporting program for bycatch.

American Music Fairness Act of 2022 This bill establishes that the copyright holder of a sound recording shall have the exclusive right to perform the sound recording through an audio transmission and addresses other related issues. (Currently, the public performance right only covers performances through a digital audio transmission in certain instances, which means that nonsubscription terrestrial radio stations generally do not have to secure a license to publicly perform a copyright-protected sound recording.) Under the bill, a nonsubscription broadcast transmission must have a license to publicly perform such sound recordings. The Copyright Royalty Board must periodically determine the royalty rates for such a license. When determining the rates, the board must base its decision on certain information presented by the parties, including the radio stations' effect on other streams of revenue related to the sound recordings. Terrestrial broadcast stations (and the owners of such stations) that fall below certain revenue thresholds may pay certain flat fees, instead of the board-established rate, for a license to publicly perform copyright-protected sound recordings.

Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2022 This bill establishes a variety of requirements to reduce carbon emissions and protect oceans, coastal habitats, marine mammals, and fish populations from climate change and other threats.

Insular Area Climate Change Act This bill provides support through programs and financial assistance for climate change planning, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience in U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and the Freely Associated States (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau). For example, the bill requires the Technical Assistance Program of the Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs to provide technical assistance for climate change planning, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience to the territories and Freely Associated States. It also establishes an Insular Area National Program Office within the Environmental Protection Agency to build and strengthen infrastructure to withstand natural disasters, expand renewable energy and energy efficiency, and provide technical assistance in the territories and Freely Associated States. Additionally, the bill establishes several grant programs to assess and reduce the impacts of climate change, expand renewable energy and energy efficiency, or expand sustainable infrastructure to withstand natural disasters in the territories and Freely Associated States.

Environmental Justice For All Act This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs and modifies the scope of environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The bill sets forth provisions to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. It also prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. For example, agencies must prepare community impact reports that assess the potential impacts of their actions on environmental justice communities under certain circumstances. It also raises coal, oil, and gas royalty rates to create a funding source to support fossil fuel-dependent communities and displaced workers as they transition away from fossil fuel industries. Additionally, the bill creates a variety of advisory bodies and positions, such as the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. Among other things, the council must issue an environmental justice strategy. It also establishes requirements and programs concerning chemicals or toxic ingredients in certain products. For example, the bill (1) requires certain products (e.g., cosmetics) to include a list of ingredients or warnings; and (2) provides grants for research on designing safer alternatives to chemicals in certain consumer, cleaning, toy, or baby products that have an inherent toxicity or that are associated with chronic adverse health effects. Finally, it creates a variety of funding programs, such as a grant program to enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in urban areas.

This act designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2245 Rosa L Parks Boulevard in Nashville, Tennessee, as the Thelma Harper Post Office Building.

This resolution condemns the actions of a White supremacist mob that drove Black residents out of Atlanta, Georgia in 1906 and supports the designation of a national day of remembrance for the victims of forced migrations of Black Americans.