Rep. Vicente Gonzalez

Libya Stabilization Act This bill provides for sanctions and aid related to the conflict in Libya. The bill provides statutory authority for an April 19, 2016, executive order imposing property- and visa-blocking sanctions on persons contributing to the violence in Libya. The President must impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on any foreign person that (1) knowingly supports or engages in a significant transaction with a foreign person knowingly operating in Libya on behalf of Russia in a military capacity, (2) engages in significant actions threatening peace or stability in Libya, (3) misappropriates Libyan state assets or natural resources, or (4) is knowingly responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses in Libya. These sanctions shall expire on December 31, 2026. Further, the President is authorized to expand educational and cultural exchange programs with Libya. The bill urges the U.S. Agency for International Development to provide humanitarian assistance to individuals and communities in Libya, including health assistance, food, shelter, and support for an effective COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) response. The Department of State must work to strengthen Libya's democratic governance, including by providing assistance to (1) unify Libya's financial and governing institutions, and (2) ensure free and credible future elections in Libya. The Department of the Treasury must vote and argue for international financial institutions to support an economic recovery in Libya that complements the establishment of democratic institutions and rule of law.

Permanently Preserving America's Investment in Manufacturing Act This bill makes permanent the allowance for depreciation, amortization, or depletion for purposes of determining the income limitation on the tax deduction for business interest.

2020 WHIP+ Reauthorization Act This bill expands disaster indemnity programs through which the Department of Agriculture provides payments to agricultural producers for crop and milk losses resulting from hurricanes, wildfires, and other qualifying natural disasters. In particular, the bill extends the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+), the On-Farm Storage Loss Program, and the Milk Loss Program to make losses that occurred in the 2021 and 2022 calendar years eligible for payments. Under current law, these programs provide disaster payments to agricultural producers with crop and milk losses resulting from qualifying natural disasters that occurred in the 2018 and 2019 calendar years.

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.

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.

Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue 50,000 $5 gold coins, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the service that working dogs provide to society. The designs of the coins minted under this bill shall be emblematic of the contributions of working dogs to society, including in detection, military service, therapy and assistance. Treasury may issue coins only during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2023. All sales of coins shall include a surcharge, which shall be paid to America's VetDogs for general expenses associated with the fulfillment of its mission.

Member Business Loan Expansion Act This bill revises requirements related to the terms and lending limits of certain credit union loans. Specifically, the bill (1) allows the National Credit Union Administration Board to lengthen the maturity term of certain loans made by a credit union, and (2) raises the credit limit for credit union member businesses under which such loans are excluded from overall credit union lending limits. Finally, the bill expands the definition of a community financial institution by (1) allowing insured credit unions to qualify, and (2) raising the average asset limit. (Community financial institutions are subject to reduced asset requirements for purposes of Federal Home Loan Bank membership.)

This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in San Angelo, Texas, as the Colonel Charles and JoAnne Powell VA Clinic.

Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the Harlem Hellfighters, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service during World War I.

Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act or the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act This bill implements a program and a policy related to service dog therapy for veterans. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as an element of a complementary and integrative health program. Eligible veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have been recommended for participation by a qualified mental health care provider or clinical team. The VA must seek to enter agreements containing specified elements with accredited nongovernmental entities that have demonstrated ability to provide canine training. Veterans who participate in the program are authorized to adopt the dog they assisted in training if their health provider determines it is in the best interest of the veteran. The VA must establish processes to document and track the progress of participating veterans with respect to health benefits and improvements. The Government Accountability Office must brief Congress and submit a report on the program. The bill also authorizes the VA to provide service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses, regardless of whether they have a mobility impairment.