This resolution designates September 2021 as National Democracy Month.
One-Stop Pilot Program Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a pilot program at not more than six foreign last point of departure airports to permit passengers and their accessible property to bypass domestic security rescreening at a connecting airport in the United States. Screening may be bypassed if (1) the country of departure has an aviation screening agreement with the United States setting standards and protocols comparable to those in the United States; (2) passengers cannot access their checked baggage until arriving at their final destination; and (3) upon arrival in the United States, passengers do not come into contact with other arriving international passengers (or their property) or persons who have not been screened. The TSA must ensure there is no reduction in the level of security or specific aviation security standards and requirements for screening passengers and their property prior to boarding an international flight bound for the United States, including standards or requirements regarding (1) high risk passengers; and (2) weapons, explosives, and incendiaries. If the TSA determines that the foreign countries participating in the screening agreements have not maintained and implemented comparable standards and protocols to those in the United States, it must ensure that passengers and their property arriving from the foreign airports are rescreened in the United States before they are permitted into sterile areas of the airports. The pilot program shall terminate six years after the enactment of the bill.
This resolution recognizes September 28, 2021, as National Voter Registration Day and encourages those eligible to vote to register, verify their personal information on record with local election officials, and vote.
Cambodia Democracy Act of 2021 This bill directs the President to impose sanctions on individuals responsible for acts to undermine democracy in Cambodia, including acts that constituted serious human rights violations. The sanctions shall be directed at senior Cambodian government, military, or security forces officials responsible for such actions, as well as entities controlled or owned by such individuals. The sanctions shall include blocking assets and restricting the entry of sanctioned individuals into the United States, and shall not apply to the importation of goods. The President may waive the sanctions with respect to a person or entity if it is in the national interest of the United States. The President may suspend the sanctions if Cambodia makes meaningful progress toward ending government efforts to undermine democracy or committing human rights violations.
Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act of 2021 or the EQUAL Act of 2021 This bill eliminates the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill eliminates the lower quantity thresholds for crack cocaine offenses. Under the bill, the same threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. The change applies to future cases and cases pending on the date of enactment. With respect to past cases, the bill authorizes a sentencing court to impose a reduced sentence on a defendant who was convicted or sentenced for a specified crack cocaine offense before this bill's enactment. A defendant does not have to be present at the sentence reduction hearing. Finally, the bill prohibits the reduction of a sentence that was previously reduced.
This resolution honors the life of Robert Dove, Parliamentarian Emeritus of the Senate, and offers the condolences of the Senate regarding his death.
This resolution designates the week beginning September 12, 2021, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week and commends the contributions of direct support professionals who provide integral services to people with disabilities.
This resolution designates the week of September 20-September 24, 2021, as Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week.
This resolution designates September 20-September 24, 2021, as National Clean Energy Week.
This resolution honors the life, legacy, and achievements of MacNolia Cox.
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.
This resolution addresses issues related to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the resolution recognizes the importance of independent living for individuals with disabilities made possible by the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and encourages all Americans to celebrate the advancement of inclusion and equality of opportunity made possible by its enactment; pledges to continue to work on a bipartisan basis to identify and address the remaining barriers that undermine the national goals of equality of opportunity, independent living, economic self-sufficiency, and full participation for individuals with disabilities; pledges to work with states to improve access to home- and community-based services for individuals with disabilities; calls on the Department of Labor to provide information, resources, and technical assistance to enable individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency; and calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to provide information, resources, and technical assistance regarding such services that enable individuals with disabilities to live independently.
