Analysis 

The Protect Act would encourage State and local demilitarization by incentivizing the return of purchases made through the LESO program, and for other purposes. It is effectively a ‘carrot’, whereas bills like S.Amdt.2522 are a ‘stick’. 

In other words, the bill would incentivize state and local police departments to return military equipment which has become the subject of demilitarization efforts. It would do this through requiring the Department of Justice to create a “Gear for Grants program”, a program which would apportion funds toward those state and local government who participate in an exchange program through which police departments would return military-grade weapons in exchange for de-escalation and anti-racist trainings, stopping the transfer of small arms and ammunition, while limiting any transfer to only counter-terrorism initiatives

Analysis 

S.Amdt.2252 would strengthen oversight, transparency, and accountability of DoD’s 1033 surplus military equipment transfer program, while continuing to ensure that state and local law enforcement agencies can acquire appropriate equipment necessary for public safety. 

Builds on Executive Order 13688, prohibiting the transfer of specific military-grade weapons that have no business with law enforcement agencies (bayonets, grenade launchers, tracked combat vehicles), and adding a few others (e.g. .50 caliber firearms, armor piercing ammunition, and weaponized drones). 

Also prohibits use of equipment against protestors. Mandates law enforcement agencies who use equipment against protestors to return equipment and renders them ineligible to participate in the 1033 program for 5 years. In addition, the amendment pauses the transfer of equipment to law enforcement agencies that are under active investigations for widespread civil rights abuses and requires that property be returned if there is a finding of responsibility for widespread abuses.

Which human? Whose security?

Would protect all Americans, since all are policed by departments who would have access to military equipment.

Analysis 

H.R. 125 would mandate sensitivity training for police officers and incentivize state governments to pass laws requiring the independent investigation and prosecution of police officers suspected of using deadly force. 

Which human? Whose security?

All citizens, and especially the primarily poor people who suffer the brunt of police violence.

Analysis 

H.R. 7100 would “encourage greater community accountability of law enforcement agencies,” through the development of standards and procedures for: use of police force, civilian review, data collection and transparency, early warning and related intervention programs, etc; the establishment of grant programs for “effective community and problem solving strategies”, the study law enforcement organization management, as well as the training, recruitment, and oversight of police officers. It would also create protocols for performance evaluation for tasks delimited by the bill and discipline for transgressions. It would also commit funds toward the streamlining of communication over claims made against law enforcement officers and to addressing police misconduct through the DOJ’s Community Relations Service. 

Which human? Whose security?

This bill would build trust and structures of accountability between community and law enforcement while also bolstering the procedural standards by which police must abide.

Analysis

It would “expand no-excuse absentee vote-by-mail while also ensuring the safety and accessibility of in-person voting and voter registration during exigent circumstances, including the current pandemic.

Which human? Whose security?

All Americans, as all Americans vote and if they choose not to, are still impacted by election results.

Analysis 

Would undo the harmful prohibition of electronic voting in union elections and require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to conduct elections remotely due to the public health risks of in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic.

Analysis 

Would prohibit biometric surveillance by the Federal Government without explicit statutory authorization and withhold certain Federal public safety grants from State and local governments that engage in biometric surveillance. 

Which human? Whose security?

All people, as all medical or strategic addresses of COVID-19 come with threats to civil liberties.

Analysis 

Would protect against drug price gouging by:  

• Prohibiting pharmaceutical monopolies on new, taxpayer-funded COVID-19 drugs in order to ensure universal access to these drugs;

• Requiring the federal government to mandate reasonable, affordable pricing of any new, taxpayer-funded COVID-19 drug used to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or treat COVID-19

• Ensuring transparency and requiring manufacturers to publicly report a specific breakdown of total expenditures on any COVID-19 drug, including what percentage of those expenditures were derived from federal funds; and

• Preventing excessive pricing of drug used to treat any disease that causes a public health emergency by waiving exclusive licenses and compensating with a reasonable royalty

Which human? Whose security?

Security of the whole country, through provision of needed medical care. H.R.7296 would require any COVID-19 drug developed in whole or in part with Federal support to be affordable and accessible by prohibiting monopolies and price gouging, and for other purposes.

Analysis

• Mandates the federal government cover up to 100% of base payroll costs for businesses suffering COVID-19 related revenue losses.

• Mitigates adverse effects to economic recovery by keeping workers attached to jobs and their health insurance, and covering business costs like rent and utilities.

• Directs the Treasury Department to award grants to employers with certain amounts of revenue losses.

• Establishes a Congressional Paycheck Recovery Program Implementation Oversight Board to ensure employers that receive grants use the funds appropriately and comply with all conditions.

Which human? Whose security?

Security of the whole country, through protection of all workers (and consequently all consumers).

Analysis

The PAID Leave Act closes loopholes in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) like limited paid sick days and paid leave, the paid leave mandate exemptions for large businesses whose employees make up a majority of the labor force, and the narrow list of reasons one might be able to take leave under the FFCRA.

Which human? Whose security?

Protects ALL American workers by expanding the pool of organizations compelled to offer paid sick leave as well as the list of reasons employees might be able to use their newly minted PSL.

Analysis

The Economic Justice Act would “make $350 billion in immediate and long-term investments in Black communities and other communities of color” by “re-programming $200 billion of unspent CARES Act funds” toward the same provisions included in the House-passed HEROES Act, and investing $135 billion in additional funds toward “child care, mental health and primary care, and jobs.” $215 billion of the $350 billion would go toward “a down payment for infrastructure, a homeowner down payment tax credit, Medicaid expansion, and more.”

Which human? Whose security?

Would direct financial and infrastructural support to disempowered people and, in so doing, address social cleavages which impact all people regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity.