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.