June Legislative Recap: What You Might Have Missed
Legislation Introduced
No Trace Act
Given the ever-changing nature of technology, Congress must ensure that our laws are updated to prevent sensitive information like geolocation data from being shared with law enforcement agencies without due process. The No Trace Act would prevent government agencies from accessing an American’s geolocation information without first obtaining a warrant.
Learn more here.
ACCESS Act
I introduced the Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching (ACCESS) Act of 2021 as part of the most aggressive bipartisan effort in recent memory to strengthen America’s antitrust laws. The ACCESS Act would tackle anticompetitive behavior by online companies by lowering barriers to entry and making it easier for consumers and businesses to switch platforms.
Learn more here.
Courtroom Dogs Act
One of the challenges of representing victims of crime and abuse, particularly children, is that testifying in court can be scary and inflict additional trauma. Allowing participants in court proceedings to have the comfort of a therapy dog is one small step we can take to ensure our most vulnerable victims have the support they need when testifying.
Learn more here.
Veterans Medical Legal Partnerships Act of 2021
The physical and emotional trauma experienced by veterans often leaves them vulnerable to interconnected medical and legal challenges. Medical Legal Partnerships can be a critical factor in addressing the complex issues that many vets must deal with, including mental health challenges, physical disability, and economic or housing instability.
Learn more here.
More Legislative Action:
Secured over $20 million in funding for seven projects in PA-05 as part of the House’s surface transportation reauthorization bill, the INVEST in America Act
The repairs, upgrades, and expansions that federal dollars could facilitate will translate directly into jobs and economic activity, as well as improved accessibility and better road safety.
Learn more here.
Welcomed Chairman Jim McGovern to PA-05 as part of a series of events highlighting the reality of hunger in America and ways to combat it
Read more here.
Celebrated the House’s passage of my Juvenile Justice Act
This bill will help youth in the criminal or juvenile justice system by exempting them from the Prison Litigation Reform Act, which places burdensome requirements on those who seek legal recourse to address abuse.
Learn more here.
Managed debate on the House floor for the National Juneteenth Independence Day Act
Committee Hearings
House Judiciary Committee — Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
The January 6th terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol was not a surprise. It was planned unabashedly, transparently, and publicly. We must know why the FBI failed to anticipate the violence.
House Judiciary — Undoing the Damage of the War on Drugs: A Renewed Call for Sentencing Reform
Over the past couple of decades, plea bargains have largely replaced trials in our justice system. And those defendants that do choose to go to trial face massive sentences if they lose. The so-called “trial penalty” punishes individuals for exercising their constitutional right. I asked witnessed about the impact pressure to avoid the trial penalty has on our younger defendants and what we can do to reform it.
Learn more here.
House Administration Committee — Oversight Of The January 6th Attack: United States Capitol Police Containment Emergency Response Team And First Responders Unit 6/16
I asked Inspector Bolton about the conclusions in his June flash report addressing the lack of coordination and strategic planning between and within the various departments and agencies under USCP, especially the department’s Containment Emergency Response Team (or CERT) and the First Responder Unit.
House Judiciary Committee — Secrecy Orders and Prosecuting Leaks: Potential Legislative Responses to Deter Prosecutorial Abuse of Power
I am deeply troubled by recent reporting detailing the Trump administration’s pattern of seizing, or attempting to seize, the private phone records and emails of journalists, members of Congress, and government employees.
Learn more here.
What else you might have missed:
Celebrated Pride Month
Listen to the discussion I joined with Billy Penn about the challenges transgender Americans face and how we can address them through legislation like the Equality Act here.
Hosted a press conference to remind non-filers that it’s not too late to sign up to receive the Child Tax Credit
Millions of families will start receiving their automatic monthly Child Tax Credit payment beginning July 15th. Learn more here.
