SB 106-05: New Great Society Act (Passed)

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AN ACT
To make investments in our country and expand essential social programs

Be it enacted by the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

Section I. Title

This act may be cited as the New Great Society Act.

Section II. Infrastructure investments

1. Highway programs - $75,000,000,000 is appropriated for each of fiscal years of 2022 through 2026 for the purpose of to improving  roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure in the Republic of Atlasia.

2. Rail Service - There is appropriated $15,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to make quarterly grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for the operation of intercity passenger rail.

3. Airports - There is appropriated $2,500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to implement airport improvement and noise compatibility projects at public-use airports.

4. Broadband Initiatives Program - Out of funds of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated $2,500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 for the broadband initiatives program established under title VI of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb et seq.) to expand the access and quality of broadband service across rural Atlasia.

Section III. CUBI benefit enhancements

The Children's Universal Basic Income Act is amended as follows:

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Children's Universal Basic Income Act.

Section 2. Monthly Universal Basic Income for Families with Children

1. Beginning in January of 2022, parents or legal guardians of persons under the age of 18 and have a disposable income of less than $100,000 shall be entitled to $2,000 monthly checks.

2. The income received shall not be taxed or counted toward existing benefits.

3. This program shall run until 2028, but may be extended by Congress.

Section IV. Pell Grant Expansion

Section 401 (20 U.S.C. 1070a), as amended by section 703 of the FAFSA Simplification Act (title VII of division FF of Public Law 116–260) (referred to in this Act as the “FAFSA Simplification Act”), is further amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(2)(F), by striking “10 percent” and inserting “5 percent”;

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (1)(B)(i), by striking “paragraph (5)(A)” and inserting “paragraph (5)”;

(B) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:

“(5) MAXIMUM FEDERAL PELL GRANT.—

“(A) AWARD YEAR 2023–2024.—For award year 2023–2024, the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award shall be $9,000.

“(B) AWARD YEAR 2024–2025.—For award year 2024–2025, the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award shall be $10,000.

“(C) AWARD YEAR 2025–2026.—For award year 2025–2026, the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award shall be $11,000.

“(D) AWARD YEAR 2026–2027.—For award year 2026–2027, the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award shall be $12,000.

“(E) AWARD YEAR 2027–2028.—For award year 2027–2028, the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award shall be $13,000.

“(F) AWARD YEAR 2028–2029 AND SUBSEQUENT YEARS.—For award year 2028–2029, and each subsequent award year, the total maximum Federal Pell Grant award shall be $13,000—

“(i) increased by the adjustment percentage for the award year for which the amount under this subparagraph is being determined; and

“(ii) rounded to the nearest $50.

 B.) Clarification of Eligible Institutions

Section 401(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, for purposes of this section, the terms ‘eligible institution’, ‘institution of higher education’, ‘eligible program’, and ‘institution’ include a program of education that—

“(A) consists of vocational or technical training, flight training, or apprenticeship or other on-job training;

“(B) an individual may pursue using educational assistance pursuant to section 3313(g) of title 38, Atlasian Code;

“(C) is less than 600 clock hours of instruction, 16 semester hours, or 24 quarter hours, offered during a period of less than 15 weeks;

“(D) is not required to be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary pursuant to part H;

“(E) is not required to lead to a recognized educational credential;

Section V. Social Security Benefits Enhancement and Payroll Tax Increase

(A) In General.—Section 215(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(a)(1)(B)) is amended—

(1) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv); and

(2) by inserting after clause (ii) the following new clause:

“(iii) For individuals who initially become eligible for old-age or disability insurance benefits, or who die (before becoming eligible for such benefits) in any calendar year after 2024, each of the amounts determined under clause (ii) of this subparagraph for purposes of subparagraph (A)(i) shall be increased by—

“(I) for calendar year 2025, 1 percent;

“(II) for each of calendar years 2026 through 2038, the percent determined under this clause for the preceding year increased by 1 percentage point; and

“(III) for calendar year 2039 and each year thereafter, 15 percent.”.

(B). Payroll Tax Increase:

1.) Subchapter A, Section 3101 of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act is amended by striking “6.2 percent” and inserting “7.2 percent”.

2.) Subchapter B, Section 3111, subparagraph (a) of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act is amended by striking “6.2 percent” and inserting “7.2 percent”.

Section VI. Universal School Breakfast and Lunch

A. In General.—Section 4(a) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773(a)) is amended, in the first sentence—

(1) by striking “is hereby” and inserting “are”; and

(2) by inserting “to provide free breakfast to all children enrolled at those schools” before “in accordance”.


B. Section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758) is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

“(b) Eligibility.—All children enrolled in a school that participates in the school lunch program under this Act shall be eligible to receive free lunch under this Act.”.


Section VII. Tuition Cap

For students enrolled in a Community College, HBCU, Institution of Higher Education, Public 4-year Institution of Higher education, Tribal College or University, 2-year Tribal College or University, 4-year Tribal College or University, the tuition amount owed by any individual student shall not exceed $8,000 per year.

Sponsor: Western Democrat

The gentleman from Oregon is recognized.

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Yes it has.

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24 hours to object.

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The amendment will go to a vote.

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Well I would've objected to that amendment if I had a chance, and I didn't but I do believe it deserves a vote, so I'll introduce this, with the hope that Western objects:

5. Use of Atlasian iron, steel, and manufactured goods
None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this title may be used for a infrastructure project unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the Republic of Atlasia

I also don't believe something this important should go without a vote, even if the outcome of this vote is pre-determined since I'm probably the only ultraliberal globalist in Congress.

What is your objection to this provision?

I don't see the need to restrict where we get our iron and steel from, especially if foreign iron and steel is ultimately more cost-efficient.

Relying on cheap steel and iron imports is quite harmful to domestic industry. This bill invests heavily in our infrastructure, and in doing so we should support our workers by relying on Atlasian steel, Atlasian iron, and Atlasian goods for those projects. This is a common sense provision and I urge that it be kept in the bill.

The amendment will go to a vote.

Is the vote open now or not?

yeah

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Aye

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The amendment has failed

3-12-0-2

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A vote has been opened.

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Western's Amendment has been adopted. 

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Are we proceeding to a final vote now?

yeah

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Has the vote been opened, I'm confused?

The vote's been opened. I forgot to say that the amendment has been adopted.