My Votes – Week of December 7th

SUSPENSION BILLS

**A suspension bill is a bill passed by the House through suspending the rules to move quickly, circumventing the House Rules Committee. Suspension bills are typically less controversial pieces of legislation, and as the rules are being suspended, they require a higher threshold, two-thirds of those voting in the House, to pass. Additionally, these bills are often passed by a voice vote, without a formal roll call vote.

Result and Date	Bill #	Bill Title	My Vote	What it means for you and your family
12/7/2020 PASSED 386-3-1	H.Res. 512	Calling for the global repeal of blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws	YES	This resolution calls on the President and the Department of State to make the repeal of blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws a priority in bilateral relationships between the United States and countries that have such laws; designate countries that enforce such laws as countries of particular concern for religious freedom; and  oppose efforts by the United Nations to implement an international anti-blasphemy norm. The resolution also calls on the governments of countries that enforce such laws to amend or repeal them and to release anyone imprisoned pursuant to them.
12/7/2020 PASSED 388-6	S. 461	HBCU PARTNERS Act	YES	This important legislation addresses the capacity of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to participate in federal programs. Specifically, the bill requires certain agencies to submit annual plans for strengthening the capacity of HBCUs to participate in federal programs. Among other things, the plans must establish how the agencies intend to increase the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.
12/8/2020 PASSED 400-1	H.R. 8354	Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act of 2020	YES	Establishes the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.  The initiative will serve as legal and policy advisor on DOJ’s efforts to enforce criminal and civil laws that impact service members, veterans, and their families; develop policy recommendations for improved enforcement of federal law to support service members, veterans, and their families; serve as the liaison and point of contact between DOJ and the military departments; provide counsel for the Office of Justice Programs to ensure that funding decisions take into account service members, veterans, and their families; and enforce federal laws that protect service members and veterans.
12/8/2020 PASSED 335-78-1	H.R. 6395	Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6395	YES	The FY21 NDAA provides $740.5B for national defense discretionary programs, as requested by the President and consistent with the bipartisan budget agreement. This includes: a 3% pay raise for troops, authorizes extra pay for troops in combat zones, and supports their families with the care and benefits they deserve; establishes the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to fund emergent technologies, support our allies, and deter China; and 26 recommendations from the bipartisan Cyber Solarium Commission that strengthen and empower the government to better protect and respond to a cyber-attack. President Trump vetoed the legislation based on: Failure to terminate or make meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act; Requirement to rename certain military installations; Restrictions on the President’s ability to preserve national security by limiting the amount of military construction funds that can be used to respond to a national emergency; and Restrictions on the President’s ability to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, Germany, and South Korea.
12/9/2020 PASSED 343-67	H.R. 8900	Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other Extensions Act	YES	This bill provides continuing FY2021 appropriations to federal agencies and extends expiring programs that address health care (including the Teaching Health Center GME), surface transportation, agriculture, veterans benefits, and other issues.
12/9/2020 PASSED 396-2	H.R. 5758	Ceiling Fan Improvement Act of 2020	YES	Revises the energy conservation standard for ceiling fans. Specifically, it sets forth energy efficiency standards for electricity used by large-diameter ceiling fans manufactured on or after January 21, 2020, and exempts such fans from certain requirements under the rule titled Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Ceiling Fans.
12/10/2020 PASSED 283-105	S. 906	Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act	NO	This bill is a blanket prohibition on the use of drift gillnets in federal waters to catch swordfish, a top down approach that could hurt the economic livelihood of fishermen and fishing communities. Currently, the use of large-scale drift gillnets with a total length of 2.5 kilometers or more is prohibited in the United States. The bill expands the definition of large-scale driftnet fishing to prohibit the use of gillnets with a mesh size of 14 inches or greater.
12/10/2020 PASSED 382-6	H.R. 5040	AIR Safety Act of 2020	YES	This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management to study the effects of drone incursions on the suppression of wildfires concerning lands managed by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.
12/7/2020 PASSED VOICE	H. Res 1100	Reaffirming the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and Mongolia	YES	Reaffirms the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and Mongolia
12/7/2020 PASSED VOICE	H. Res 823	Condemning the Government of Iran’s state-sponsored persecution of its Baha’i minority and its continued violation of’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.	YES	This resolution condemns Iran’s state-sponsored persecution of its Baha’i minority and its continued violation of human rights agreements. Further, it calls on Iran to immediately release all imprisoned or detained Baha’is, and it urges the President and the Department of State to impose sanctions on Iranian officials and others who are responsible for serious human rights abuses, including abuses against Iran’s Baha’i community.
12/7/2020 PASSED VOICE	H. Res 189	Supporting sustained United States leadership to accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition and supporting United States Agency for International Development’s commitment to global nutrition through its multi-sectoral nutrition strategy.	YES	This resolution expresses support for increased U.S. efforts to combat malnutrition among women and children and acknowledges the contributions of the U.S. Agency for International Development in addressing global nutritional needs.
12/7/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 8428	Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act of 2020	YES	Provides for temporary protected status (TPS) and refugee status for qualifying Hong Kong residents and contains other immigration-related provisions.
12/7/2020 PASSED VOICE	S. 1153	Stop Student Debt Relief Scams Act of 2019	YES	This bill establishes criminal penalties for unauthorized access of certain student loan information and expands the requirements for student loan exit counseling.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	S. 1811	Water Resources Development Act of 2020	YES	Extends for an additional five years a pilot program administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of allowing nonfederal interests to carry out flood risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction, coastal harbor and channel inland navigation, and aquatic ecosystem restoration projects. The bill also authorizes the Corps of Engineers to administer water conservation and efficiency, land idling, and groundwater use programs for waters associated with the Klamath Project in California and Oregon.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	S. 1014	Route 66 Centennial Commission Act	YES	Establishes the Route 66 Centennial Commission to honor U.S. Route 66 on the occasion of its centennial anniversary.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	S. 4902	ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2019	YES	This bill eliminates the five-month waiting period for disability benefits under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord). Under current law, individuals must wait five months after becoming disabled before their disability insurance benefit payments may begin.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	S. 578	Condemning the practice of politically motivated imprisonment and calling for the immediate release of political prisoners in the Russian Federation and urging action by the United States Government to impose sanctions with respect to persons responsible for that form of human rights abuse	YES	Condemns political imprisonments in Russia and calls on Russia to release its political prisoners. The resolution also urges the United States to advocate for the release of such prisoners and to identify the Russian officials responsible for their imprisonment.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 1375	PAID Act	YES	Requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide, in response to an inquiry from certain non-group health plans (e.g., liability insurers), whether an individual was enrolled in Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or the Medicare prescription drug benefit during the preceding three-year period.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 2477	BENES Act of 2020	YES	This bill makes a series of changes to, and requires additional notifications regarding, the Medicare enrollment process. Specifically, the bill changes the Medicare general enrollment period to October 15-December 31, and requires coverage to begin on the first day of the month following enrollment. (Currently, the general enrollment period is January 1-March 31, and coverage begins July 1.) The bill also generally requires coverage to begin on the first day of the month following enrollment for individuals who enroll in the latter months of their initial enrollment period. (Currently, the longer an individual waits to enroll, the more delayed the effective date of coverage.) The bill also requires Social Security account statements for individuals ages 60 to 64 to include information about Medicare eligibility, late enrollment penalties, coordination of benefits, and special enrollment populations (e.g., veterans).
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 8161	The One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act of 2020	YES	Authorizes grants to connect offenders transitioning from prisons or jails to the community with local reentry services.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	S. 2258	Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act of 2019	YES	Prohibits employers from retaliating against certain employees who report criminal antitrust violations to the federal government.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 683	PRRADA	YES	This bill requires professionals employed in debt adjustment cases involving Puerto Rico to file verified statements disclosing their connections with the debtor, creditors, and other interested parties before seeking compensation for their services.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	S. 134	Combat Online Predators Act	YES	Increases the maximum prison term for a stalking offense, if the victim is under 18 years of age. The Department of Justice must report on best practices for enforcing laws related to stalking.
12/8/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 8235	Open Courts Act of 2020	YES	This bill requires the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to establish a single electronic system for all public court records that is publicly accessible for free. Under the existing Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system, users are charged fees for accessing court documents.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H. Res. 549	Reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity.	YES	Reaffirms the House of Representatives’ commitment to media diversity and expresses its pledge to eliminate barriers to such diversity.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 3361	RIVER Act	YES	Extends through FY2036 authorization and eligibility for the program of hydroelectric production incentives and incentive payments to the owners or operators of hydroelectric facilities at existing dams to make capital improvements directly related to improving efficiency.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 5541	Tribal Power Act	YES	Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to reauthorize programs to assist consenting Indian Tribes in meeting energy education, planning, and management needs.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 1426	Timely Review of Infrastructure Act	YES	Authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to address insufficient compensation of its personnel without regard to civil service laws. FERC must consult with the Office of Personnel Management when making a determination of the appropriate compensation for its personnel.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 3797	Medical Marijuana Research Act	YES	Establishes a new, separate registration process to facilitate medical marijuana research.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 1570	Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2020	YES	This bill modifies cost-sharing requirements for colorectal cancer screening tests, and drug manufacturer reporting requirements, under Medicare medical services.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 1966	Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act of 2019	YES	Requires the Government Accountability Office to complete a study reviewing how federal agencies address barriers to participation in federally-funded cancer clinical trials by individuals from underrepresented populations and provide recommendations for addressing such barriers.
12/9/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 7898	To amend the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to consider certain recognized security practices of covered entities and business associates when making certain determinations, and for other purposes	YES	Authorizes the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services to obtain information, assistance, and other support from federal agencies when investigating claims of information blocking by developers of, or entities offering, health information technologies.
12/10/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 970	Robert E. Lee Statue Removal Act	YES	This bill directs the National Park Service to remove and appropriately dispose of the monument to General Robert E. Lee at the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland.
12/10/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 1240	Young Fishermen’s Development Act	YES	This bill directs the National Sea Grant Office in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Young Fishermen’s Development Grant Program to provide training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen.
12/10/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 5040	AIR Safety Act of 2020	YES	Directs the Bureau of Land Management to study the effects of drone incursions on the suppression of wildfires concerning lands managed by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.
12/10/2020	H.R. 5458	Rocky Mountain National Park Boundary Modification Act	YES	Authorizes the Department of the Interior to acquire, by donation, approximately 40 acres of specified nonfederal land for inclusion in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Upon acquisition, Interior shall (1) modify the boundary of the park to include the acquisition, and (2) administer the acquired land as part of the park.
12/10/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 5459	Rocky Mountain National Park Ownership Correction Act	YES	This bill directs the Department of the Interior to convey specified federal land to the owner of specified nonfederal land if the owner of the nonfederal land offers to exchange the land. The values of the federal and nonfederal land to be exchanged shall be considered to be of equal value.The nonfederal land that is acquired by Interior shall be administered as part of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.
12/10/2020 PASSED VOICE	H.R. 7489	Long Bridge Act of 2020	YES	Authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to convey to Virginia or the District of Columbia any federal land or interest in federal land under the jurisdiction of the NPS that is identified by Virginia or the District as necessary for the Long Bridge Project, a project to expand commuter and regional passenger rail service and provide bicycle and pedestrian access crossings over the Potomac River. The NPS may allow the temporary use of any federal land under the jurisdiction of the NPS that is identified by Virginia or the District as necessary for the construction of the Long Bridge Project.

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