Even though it’s summer break for federal legislators, we wanted to focus on some bills from our nation’s capital – check them out below!
Federal
- Anti-Digital Redlining Act
- Why we’re watching: Redlining has robbed entire families of intergenerational wealth and still happens to this day. Internet service providers lay high-speed fiber in only high-income areas, effectively blocking minority neighborhoods from accessing modern internet speeds. If this bill passes, that won’t happen anymore.
- For the People Act
- Why we’re watching: The federal focus on voting rights legislation has taken a backseat to, well, summer vacation. Legislators are back in their home districts after Republicans procedurally blocked a vote on the For the People Act. When weighing the filibuster again voting rights of Americans, we side with the latter every time.
- FY2022 Budget Reconciliation
- Why we’re watching: Tucked away in the budget reconciliation bill is a provision that would create “a lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants.” That bill passed the Senate earlier this week and despite a lack of clarity on the specifics of the reform, it’s a great sign for undocumented immigrants in our country.
- R. 40
- Why we’re watching: Sometimes, legislation is awfully slow. This might be the year Congress votes on H.R. 40, a bill first introduced in 1989, to study the feasibility and benefits of reparations for Black Americans. The House Judiciary Committee passed a bill earlier this spring, but its fate in the full House and Senate remains up in the air.
- Right to Vote Act
- Why we’re watching: Believe it or not, but there is no statutory right to voting in America. That’s why so many politicians can focus their energy on reducing our voting power. Sen. Ossoff, however, recently introduced legislation that would codify this sacred right alongside his fellow senators.
What do you think of the bills in this week’s legislative roundup? Did we miss anything? Drop us a line on any of our social channels or hit us up through our contact us form. Let us know what’s happening in YOUR neighborhood!
