WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-La., has introduced legislation (H.R. 6921) to amend the Animal Health Protection Act "with respect to the importation of live dogs." The bill was introduced on May 19 and was co-sponsored by Reps. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., and Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. It was referred to the House Agriculture Committee. For more information, Rep. Ralph Abraham, 417 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515; 202/225-8490; or in the district offices at 426 DeSiard St., M  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C., has introduced legislation (H.R. 6967) to "require the Secretary of Defense to provide to certain members of the National Guard serving on active service in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) the transitional health benefits provided to members of the reserve components separating from active duty." The bill was introduced on May 22 and has seven co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Steven M. Palazzo, R-Miss., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Pe  more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., has introduced legislation (H.R. 6918) to "direct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a grant program for employers adversely affected by COVID-19." The bill was introduced on May 19 and has 92 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., Adam B. Schiff, D-Calif., Sean Casten, D-Ill., Mark Pocan, D-Wis., Katie Porter, D-Calif., Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, Alma S. Adams, D-N.C., Karen Bass, D-Calif., Joyce Beatty, D-Ohi  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Rep. Ann Kuster, D-N.H., has introduced legislation (H.R. 6980) to "extend the period in which Governors of States may order members of the National Guard to active duty in connection with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)." The bill was introduced on May 22 and has 37 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., James McGovern, D-Mass., Alcee L. Hastings, D-Fla., Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.,  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., has introduced legislation (H.R. 6957) to "direct the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to treat a period of full-time National Guard duty, performed in response to the national emergency declared on March 13, 2020, by the President with respect to COVID-19, as not shorter than 90 days." The bill was introduced on May 22 and has 38 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., Pete King, R-N.Y., Gerald E. Connolly, D  more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., has introduced legislation (H.R. 6955) to amend the Public Health Service Act "to authorize a program of death and hospitalization benefits for essential workers who die as a result of COVID-19 or related complications." The bill was introduced on May 19 and has 26 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Reps. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., Max Rose, D-N.Y., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Andre Carson, D-Ind., Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, Eliot L. E  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., has introduced legislation (S. 3820) to amend the U.S. International Broadcasting Act of 1994 "to authorize the Open Technology Fund of the U.S. Agency for Global Media." The bill was introduced on May 21 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore. It was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. For more information, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, 357 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Wa  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., has introduced legislation (S. 3819) to "encourage the protection and promotion of internationally recognized human rights during the novel coronavirus pandemic." The bill was introduced on May 21 and has nine co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Todd Young, R-Ind., Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.,  more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa., has introduced legislation (S. 3763) to "establish the Pandemic Responder Service Award program to express our gratitude to front-line health care workers." The bill was introduced on May 19 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. For more information, Sen. Robert Casey Jr., 393 Russell Senate Office Building,   more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa., has introduced legislation (S. 3764) to create Federal child savings accounts. The bill was introduced on May 19 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. For more information, Sen. Robert Casey Jr., 393 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; 202/224-6324; or in the state at 200 N. 3rd St., Ste. 14-A, Harrisburg, PA 17101; 717/231-7540; 2000  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has introduced legislation (S. 3791) to "extend the period in which Governors of States may order members of the National Guard to active duty in connection with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)." The bill was introduced on May 20 and has 18 co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Mark R. Warner, D-Va., Robert Menend  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has introduced legislation (S. 3783) to "direct the Secretary of Defense to standardize, collect, and analyze information on the demographics of applicants to military service academies." The bill was introduced on May 20 and was co-sponsored by Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. It was referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee. For more information, Sen. Kirs  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has introduced legislation (S. 3790) to "provide reimbursements for certain costs of health care items and services, including prescription drugs, furnished during the public health emergency declared with respect to COVID-19." The bill was introduced on May 20 and has seven co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Jef  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has introduced legislation (S. 3841) to protect 2020 recovery rebates for individuals from assignment or garnishment. The bill was introduced on May 21. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. For more information, Sen. Chuck Grassley, 135 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; 202/224-3744; or in the state at 201 W. 2nd St., Ste. 720, Davenport, IA 52801; 563/322-4331; 120 Federal Bldg., 320 6th St., Sioux City, IA 51101;  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Kamala D. Harris, D-Calif., has introduced legislation (S. 3787) to "permit the Secretary of the Treasury to provide direct funding to certain entities." The bill was introduced on May 20 and has seven co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Jack Reed, D-R.I. The legislation was referred to the Senate Finance Committ  more

WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has introduced legislation (S. 3758) to amend the Klamath Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2000 "to make certain technical corrections." The bill was introduced on May 19 and was co-sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. It was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. For more information, Sen. Jeff Merkley, 313 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; 202/224-3753; or in the state at 121 S.W. Salmon St., Ste. 1  more

WASHINGTON, May 22 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has introduced legislation (S. 3786) to "reimburse U.S. citizens for costs incurred for commercial flights arranged by the Department of State to evacuate them from foreign countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to waive promissory notes and the obligation to repay emergency repatriation loans related to such travel." The bill was introduced on May 20 and was co-sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. It was referred to the Senate Foreign Relatio  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., has introduced legislation (S. 3793) to amend the CARES Act "to modify the employee retention tax credit to secure the paychecks and benefits of workers, to provide a refundable credit against payroll taxes for the operating costs of employers, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a small business rebate." The bill was introduced on May 21 and has eight co-sponsors. Co-sponsors include Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Doug Jones, D-  more