Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Securing Universal Communications Connectivity to Ensure Students Succeed Act or the SUCCESS Act This bill provides additional funding for the Emergency Connectivity Fund, which supports remote learning during the COVID-19 emergency period by covering reasonable costs of laptop and tablet computers, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons.

Worker Relief and Credit Reform Act of 2021 or the WRCR Act of 2021 This bill modifies the earned income tax credit to (1) make the credit available to certain students, (2) modify the age requirement for the credit, (3) include care-giving and learning as compensated work for purposes of the credit, (4) revise the definition of qualifying dependents eligible for the credit, (5) increase the credit for certain unmarried individuals with two or more qualifying children, and (6) require the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a program for making direct advance monthly payments of the credit to eligible taxpayers. The bill directs the IRS to establish a program to educate taxpayers about the availability of the earned income tax credit and the advance monthly payments of such credit.

Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt Act or the POST GRAD Act This bill authorizes graduate and professional students to receive subsidized Stafford Loans. These students have been ineligible to receive subsidized Stafford Loans since July 1, 2012.

Medicaid Saves Lives Act This bill requires and provides funds for the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a program that provides health benefits to the Medicaid expansion population in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Specifically, the program must provide coverage for individuals who are newly eligible for Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (i.e., the Medicaid expansion population) without premiums and in accordance with Medicaid cost-sharing and other requirements. The bill also extends and increases the temporarily enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for states that elect to participate in Medicaid expansion if they have not already done so.

Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act of 2021 or the Allies Act of 2021 This bill increases the number of special immigrant visas available to qualified Afghan nationals who worked for the U.S. government or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) missions in Afghanistan. The bill also relaxes certain qualifications for such visas. Specifically, this bill makes available an additional 8,000 visas for principal aliens under this special visa program, to be available until all such visas have been issued. (The numerical limitations in this program apply only to the principal alien who applies for the visa, not to any accompanying spouse or child.) Under this bill, an alien may qualify based on a credible basis for concern about the possibility of an ongoing serious threat in Afghanistan due to their work with the U.S. government or a NATO mission, where currently the alien must have experienced such a threat. The bill also eliminates a requirement for each applicant to submit a credible sworn statement describing that threat. Furthermore, for an applicant qualifying for a visa by performing duties for U.S. military personnel stationed with a NATO mission, this bill eliminates a requirement that the duties performed qualify as sensitive and trusted duties. If an alien submits a visa application that included an accompanying spouse or child but the alien passes away before the application is granted, the surviving spouse or child shall remain eligible to receive a visa under that application. Currently, a surviving spouse or child retains eligibility only if the application was approved before the alien passed away.

Universal School Meals Program Act of 2021 This bill revises requirements under the food and nutrition programs of the Department of Agriculture, such as the school lunch and breakfast programs. For example, the bill permanently provides free meals to all school children regardless of income. The bill increases the reimbursement rate for school food authorities participating in the food and nutrition programs. The bill also prohibits school food authorities from (1) physically segregating or otherwise discriminating against any child participating in the free breakfast program, or (2) overtly identifying a child participating in the program with a special token or announcement. Additionally, the bill expands the summer food service program by making all children eligible for participation in the program. Further, the bill revises eligibility determinations for measuring poverty to include runaway or homeless youth, foster children, migratory children, and children participating in specified programs (e.g., Head Start).

VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 This bill adds a new source of revenue for the Crime Victims Fund and makes changes to formula grants supported by the fund. Specifically, the bill directs revenues collected from deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements to be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. Currently, such revenues are deposited into the general fund of the Treasury. Additionally, the bill increases the percentage—from 60% to 75%—of state compensation payments to crime victims in the prior fiscal year used to calculate formula grants for state victim compensation programs. Finally, the bill directs states to waive the matching requirement for recipients of state victim assistance formula grants during and for one year after a pandemic-related national emergency. It also allows states to waive the matching requirement pursuant to a policy established by the state.

Fight Notario Fraud Act of 2021 This bill prohibits certain types of fraud or misrepresentations related to immigration matters, provides for criminal penalties for such actions, and contains related provisions. Specifically, a person shall be subject to fines, imprisonment, or both, if that person knowingly executes a scheme related to immigration laws to (1) defraud another, or (2) receive anything of value from another based on false pretenses or representations. Such a person shall be subject to additional criminal penalties if that person (1) threatens to report another to federal or state authorities, (2) takes actions or makes attempts to adversely impact another's immigration status, or (3) demands or retains anything of value for services fraudulently performed or not performed. Similarly, a person shall be subject to fines, imprisonment, or both, if the person knowingly and falsely claims to be an attorney or an accredited representative in any matter arising under the immigration laws. (An accredited representative is an individual authorized by the Executive Office of Immigration Review to represent clients in certain immigration matters.) The bill provides for longer terms of imprisonment for a person who causes a cumulative loss of more than $10,000 through actions prohibited under this bill. The Department of Justice shall establish at least 15 Special U.S. Attorney positions to enforce these provisions and take other actions related to enforcement and protecting consumers from fraudulent immigration schemes.

Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take certain actions with the goal of countering cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center of DHS may disseminate protocols to counter cybersecurity vulnerabilities, including in circumstances in which such vulnerabilities exist because software or hardware is no longer supported by a vendor. The Science and Technology Directorate may establish a competition to develop remedies for cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Preserving Home and Office Numbers in Emergencies Act of 2021 or the PHONE Act of 2021 This bill restricts the reassignment of a telephone number assigned to a subscriber for the provision of fixed wireline voice service. Specifically, for up to one year after a major disaster has been declared, a number may not be reassigned except at the request of the subscriber. At the request of a subscriber, this prohibition must be extended for an additional year. Further, a subscriber may cancel service without a cancellation fee and resubscribe with the same number and no fee if the subscriber is located in a disaster area and the residence where the number is located is inaccessible or uninhabitable.