Do No Harm Act This bill prohibits the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) to specified federal laws or the implementation of such laws. Currently, RFRA prohibits the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest when using the least restrictive means. Under the bill, RFRA is inapplicable to laws or the implementation of laws that protect against discrimination or the promotion of equal opportunity (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964); require employers to provide wages, other compensation, or benefits, including leave; protect collective activity in the workplace; protect against child labor, abuse, or exploitation; or provide for access to, information about, referrals for, provision of, or coverage for, any health care item or service. The bill prevents RFRA from being used to deny (1) goods or services the government has contracted, granted, or made an agreement to provide to a beneficiary of or participant in a program or activity funded by such government contract, grant, agreement, or other award; or (2) a person's full and equal enjoyment of a government-provided good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation. In order for a person to assert a RFRA claim or defense in a judicial proceeding, the government must be a party to the proceeding.
Sponsored bills
Protect the Youth Vote Act of 2021 This bill outlines specific practices that violate the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution, identifies actions that are voting offenses, and provides for the enforcement of the amendment. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment sets the voting age at 18 and prohibits states or the federal government from denying or restricting the right to vote based on age. First, the bill specifies those actions by a state or political subdivision that qualify as a violation of the right to vote based on age, including laws that reduce or restrict the ability of students who attend an institution of higher education and reside in the jurisdiction of the institution to register to vote in that jurisdiction. It also provides for (1) criminal penalties for such violations, and (2) preventive relief such as an injunction or a restraining order. Next, the bill allows for the appointment of federal observers to enforce voting rights related to age. The Department of Justice may monitor and enforce such voting rights whenever federal observers are appointed. Further, the bill specifies other actions that are voting offenses. It also establishes criminal penalties for certain voting offenses, including those related to duplicative voting and the deprivation of voting rights. The bill also sets forth requirements for a state or political subdivision to notify the public about changes with respect to the voting procedures for federal elections.
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2021 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2021 This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements. First, the bill prohibits foreign nationals from participating in the decision-making process regarding an election expenditure. Additionally, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) must conduct an audit after each federal election cycle to determine the incidence of illicit foreign money. Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the FEC to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle. Finally, the bill requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 This bill removes the requirement that a health care practitioner apply for a separate waiver through the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to dispense certain narcotic drugs (e.g., buprenorphine) for maintenance or detoxification treatment (i.e., substance use disorder treatment). Further, a community health aide or community health practitioner may dispense certain narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment without registering with the DEA if the drug is prescribed by a health care practitioner through telemedicine. It preempts state laws related to licensure for this activity. The bill also directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct a national campaign to educate health care practitioners and encourage them to integrate substance use disorder treatment into their practices.
No Money Bail Act of 2021 This bill restricts the use of money bail (i.e., the payment of money as a condition of pretrial release) in criminal cases. Specifically, it prohibits the use of money bail in federal criminal cases. Additionally, it makes a state that uses a money bail system ineligible for funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.
Juror Non-Discrimination Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the exclusion of individuals from jury service on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
U.S. Citizenship Act This bill establishes a path to citizenship for certain undocumented individuals. The bill also replaces the term alien with noncitizen in the immigration statutes and addresses other related issues. Specifically, the bill establishes a new status of lawful prospective immigrant . This status shall be available to an applying noncitizen who meets certain requirements, including being continually present in the United States from January 1, 2021, and passing background checks. After at least five years with this status, an eligible noncitizen may apply for and receive permanent resident status. The bill also provides permanent resident status to certain applying noncitizens, specifically for eligible noncitizens who (1) entered the United States as a minor, (2) were eligible for temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure on January 1, 2017, or (3) worked a certain amount of agricultural labor in the five years prior to applying. Among other things, the bill also redefines for immigration purposes the term conviction to exclude convictions that have been expunged or vacated, requires the Department of State to implement a strategy to advance reforms in Central America and address key factors contributing to migration from the region to the United States, requires the State Department to establish refugee processing centers in Central America, requires Customs and Border Patrol sectors and stations to have a certain number of employees with certain qualifications such as paramedic training, generally prohibits religious discrimination in granting or denying immigration benefits, and establishes grant programs for providing training and services to immigrants.
Preventing Tragedies Between Police and Communities Act of 2021 This bill requires a state or local government that receives funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program to train law enforcement officers on de-escalation techniques and require law enforcement to use such techniques. The Department of Justice (DOJ) may reduce the JAG allocation of a state or local government that fails to comply with the training requirement. DOJ must reduce by 15% the JAG allocation of a state or local government that fails to require law enforcement officers to use de-escalation techniques.
This resolution condemns the bigotry that fueled those who stormed the U.S. Capitol, the elected officials who stoked that bigotry, including former President Trump, and the Members of Congress who have continued to support those individuals. It reaffirms that harmful rhetoric and violent behavior against individuals based on factors including religion, race, immigration status, and sex will not be tolerated.
Justice is Not For Sale Act of 2021 This bill prohibits private for-profit entities from operating confinement facilities (e.g., prisons) or providing electronic monitoring of released persons at the federal, state, and local levels. The bill also establishes various requirements related to the standards of detention and availability of services at confinement facilities. The bill provides for the establishment of limits on the fees and charges for financial services (e.g., money transfer services), caps on the rates charged for communications services, detention standards and oversight requirements related to the detention of noncitizens, and community-based alternatives to the detention or separation of family units apprehended under immigration authorities.