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

[Joseph Cao]

Couple of things that stood out:

Let's Get Wired already covers pretty much all the goals of the broadband initiatives program in §II.4. The total appropriations we made a few months back come to something like $20 billion, some of which is already being used for the upcoming fiscal year. Or are we just pumping more money into the same programs?

If we didn't already, we should probably take this opportunity to clarify that §V.B.2 doesn't reinstate the tax deductions we made for businesses in the Urban Investment and Redevelopment Act.

I may be mistaken but it seems that §IV actually raises the value of a minimum Pell Grant award, from 10% of $1,060 ($106) to 5% of $9,000 ($450) and rising. Is that the intended effect?

[Joseph Cao]

Senators have 24 hours to object to WD's amendment.

I'm going to ask a senator to amend the bill to keep the UBI amount at $1,000 and instead make the program available to all adults including non-parents, with the similar $100 monthly gradual reduction during the final ten months of the program to avoid the "benefit cliff" that AGA warned about.

Well there goes the Children's Universal Basic Income Act.

Still not totally on board with a universal expansion at this stage when we've only just launched the family one, but I'm sure another senator might disagree.

[Joseph Cao]

I’m unsure what you mean by tax deductions, because if I’m not mistaken, I don’t see anything in this bill which could be construed as doing as such.

Section IV. Programs for Urban Economic Action Districts
i. Businesses that open new locations within UEADs shall receive a 3% federal corporate tax rebate, exclusive to the UEAD, for the new location for up to three tax years.
ii. Small businesses within UEADs owned by residents of the UEAD are eligible to apply to receive a 5% reduction in federal income tax for up to three tax years.
iii. Businesses receiving the aforementioned tax incentives shall also be exempt from employer-paid payroll taxes on new hires that are residents of the UEAD for up to one tax year.

If the employer tax isn't related to the the exemption granted here then that language should probably be made clearer too.

My amendment for the broadband section:

4. Broadband Initiatives Program - Section 3 of the Let’s Get Wired Act is as follows:

3.) $30 billion shall hereby be appropriated over the next 5 years to aims and objectives of the LGW Act. The $30 billion is hereby broken down in the following areas.  

3A.) $12 billion of this funding is for the up-front cost of installing new broadband route in areas currently not receiving an connection of least 25 megabits per second, an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second.

3B.) $7 billion is hereby granted to the regions of Atlasia to spend on the improving and expanding broadband access.

3C.) $4 billion is hereby allocated for the installation of broadband for rural areas and areas under the oversight of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

3D.) $3 billion is hereby allocated for a federal jobs training and apprenticeship scheme designed to train employees for the skills needed in the installation of broadband infrastructure.

3E.) $3 billion is hereby allocated for public schools and libraries to improve and expand broadband access.

WD's first amendment from somewhere up top is adopted with no objections. Senators have 24 hours to object to this one.

Also, is the current CUBI not working well enough or something? I'm not sure where the pressing need for an expansion or amount increase is when we've only just got the program going and haven't actually seen anything come of it yet. Why not leave it as is?

[Joseph Cao]

I’m unsure what you mean by tax deductions, because if I’m not mistaken, I don’t see anything in this bill which could be construed as doing as such.

Section IV. Programs for Urban Economic Action Districts
i. Businesses that open new locations within UEADs shall receive a 3% federal corporate tax rebate, exclusive to the UEAD, for the new location for up to three tax years.
ii. Small businesses within UEADs owned by residents of the UEAD are eligible to apply to receive a 5% reduction in federal income tax for up to three tax years.
iii. Businesses receiving the aforementioned tax incentives shall also be exempt from employer-paid payroll taxes on new hires that are residents of the UEAD for up to one tax year.

If the employer tax isn't related to the the exemption granted here then that language should probably be made clearer too.

Reiterating this.

Incidentally I did not recall if WD ever provided a source for the various figures for infrastructure spending; those would probably be good to know as well.

[Joseph Cao]

I’m unsure what you mean by tax deductions, because if I’m not mistaken, I don’t see anything in this bill which could be construed as doing as such.

Section IV. Programs for Urban Economic Action Districts
i. Businesses that open new locations within UEADs shall receive a 3% federal corporate tax rebate, exclusive to the UEAD, for the new location for up to three tax years.
ii. Small businesses within UEADs owned by residents of the UEAD are eligible to apply to receive a 5% reduction in federal income tax for up to three tax years.
iii. Businesses receiving the aforementioned tax incentives shall also be exempt from employer-paid payroll taxes on new hires that are residents of the UEAD for up to one tax year.

If the employer tax isn't related to the the exemption granted here then that language should probably be made clearer too.

Reiterating this.

Incidentally I did not recall if WD ever provided a source for the various figures for infrastructure spending; those would probably be good to know as well.

Oh, just how the 75 billion figure and the other figures came about when you were writing the bill.

I’m not quite sure what you mean.

[Joseph Cao]

Nay on the amendment.

[Joseph Cao]

I’ll sponsor the amendment, and of course no objection on my part.

Has the amendment been adopted?

[Joseph Cao]

Nay.

As I've said, I remain concerned about the UBI in general, although I am glad AGA's concerns were addressed and Battista remembered to include them.

[Joseph Cao]

The bill passes by a vote of 10-3-1-4.

[Joseph Cao]

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 - Section 3 of the Let’s Get Wired Act is amended as follows:

3.) $30 billion shall hereby be appropriated over the next 5 years to aims and objectives of the LGW Act. The $30 billion is hereby broken down in the following areas.  

3A.) $12 billion of this funding is for the up-front cost of installing new broadband route in areas currently not receiving an connection of least 25 megabits per second, an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second.

3B.) $7 billion is hereby granted to the regions of Atlasia to spend on the improving and expanding broadband access.

3C.) $4 billion is hereby allocated for the installation of broadband for rural areas and areas under the oversight of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

3D.) $3 billion is hereby allocated for a federal jobs training and apprenticeship scheme designed to train employees for the skills needed in the installation of broadband infrastructure.

3E.) $3 billion is hereby allocated for public schools and libraries to improve and expand broadband access.

5. 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.


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 Universal Basic Income Act of 2021.

Section 2. Monthly Universal Basic Income for Families with Children

1. Beginning in January of 2022, individual adults who 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, with the monthly amount decreasing by $100 per each of the twenty remaining months of the program's effectiveness, but may be extended by Congress.

Section IV. Pell Grant Expansion

A.) 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 total amount, including tuition and fees, owed by any individual student shall not exceed $8,000 per year.

Passed 10-3-1-4 in the Atlasian Senate assembled,


Joseph Cao, president pro tempore