Earmark Elimination Act of 2021 This bill establishes a point of order in the Senate against considering legislation that includes an earmark. An earmark is generally any congressionally directed spending, tax benefit, or tariff benefit that benefits a specific entity, state, locality, or congressional district other than through a statutory or administrative formula or competitive award process. The point of order may be waived by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Senate. If the point of order is successfully raised and sustained, the earmark must be stricken from the legislation.
Sponsored bills
Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2021 This bill restricts the President's authority to unilaterally undertake certain actions with respect to Iran and increases congressional oversight of those actions. Specifically, the President must report to Congress before terminating or waiving sanctions related to Iran or taking a licensing action that significantly alters U.S. foreign policy with respect to Iran. Each report must (1) describe the proposed action and its rationale, and (2) indicate whether or not the action is intended to significantly alter foreign policy concerning Iran. If the intention is to alter that policy, the report must provide additional information about the policy objectives and anticipated effects of the action. After the President submits a report, the bill provides Congress with a 30-day period to review it; this period is extended to 60 days for reports submitted between July 10 and September 7. During this period, Congress may enact a joint resolution approving or disapproving the action. During the review period, the President may not take the action unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval; if Congress enacts a joint resolution of disapproval, the bill prohibits the President from taking the action. The bill also outlines procedures for the introduction and consideration of these types of joint resolutions.
This bill authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to James Megellas for acts of valor on January 28, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Protect Act This bill duplicates certain requirements for private health insurance plans with respect to preexisting conditions, enrollment eligibility, genetic testing, and discrimination based on health-related factors.
Working Families Flexibility Act of 2021 This bill revises requirements for the receipt of compensatory time off for private sector employees. Specifically, the bill authorizes private employers to provide compensatory time off to their employees at a rate of one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime compensation otherwise is required; employees may accrue a maximum of 160 hours of compensatory time. Employers are prohibited from interfering with an employee's right to or not request compensatory time off in lieu of payment of overtime compensation or from requiring an employee to use such compensatory time, and must give their employees 30-days notice before discontinuing a compensatory time policy. Employers are liable to employees for damages from violations of these requirements.
Assuring that Robust, Thorough, and Informed Congressional Leadership is Exercised Over National Emergencies Act or the ARTICLE ONE Act This bill terminates a declaration of national emergency made by the President after 30 days unless Congress votes to extend the declaration. (Currently, Congress can cancel an emergency declaration only by passing a resolution that can withstand a presidential veto.) The bill establishes procedures for congressional review of declarations of national emergencies. The President shall (1) transmit specified information to Congress with any proclamation declaring or renewing a national emergency, including a description of the circumstances necessitating the declaration or renewal of a national emergency declaration and its estimated duration; and (2) report periodically on the status of the emergency.
American Values Act This bill expands and makes permanent certain restrictions that prohibit the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortion services overseas. Current law generally prohibits the use of foreign assistance for abortions through language included in appropriations bills. This bill specifically prohibits the use of any funds under the Foreign Assistance Act for (1) abortions or involuntary sterilization as methods of family planning, or (2) biomedical research that relates to these practices as methods of family planning. In addition, the bill makes permanent prohibitions on the use of such funds to (1) lobby for or against abortion, or (2) fund any organization or program that supports or participates in coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. The bill also makes permanent a prohibition on the use of funds made available to the Peace Corps to pay for abortions.
This resolution designates January 24-January 30, 2021, as National School Choice Week.
This resolution honors the life and legacy of Henry Louis Aaron for his accomplishments on and off the baseball field and for defying racism and breaking down racial barriers in the fight for equality.
Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act of 2021 This bill establishes a reciprocal marketing approval process that allows for the sale of a drug, biological product, or medical device that has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) if the product is approved for sale in another country and there is an unmet need. Specifically, the bill requires the product's sponsor to demonstrate, among other things, that (1) the product has been approved in one of the specified countries, (2) neither the FDA nor any of the specified countries have withdrawn approval for the product because of safety or effectiveness concerns, and (3) there is a public health or unmet medical need for the product. The FDA may decline approval if the FDA determines that the product is not safe or effective. The FDA may condition reciprocal approval on the conduct of postmarket studies. The FDA must issue a decision on whether to grant a request for reciprocal marketing approval within 30 days of receiving the request. Congress may pass a joint resolution to grant reciprocal marketing approval of a product that the FDA declines to approve through the reciprocal process.