H.R. 615: Keeping the Lights On Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-01-28 · Taxation · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-01-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Keeping the Lights On Act of 2021

Plain summary

Keeping the Lights On Act of 2021 This bill allows an eligible employer a payroll tax credit equal to 50% of a limited amount of qualified fixed expenses paid by such employer in a calendar quarter. Qualified fixed expenses include a mortgage, rent, or a utility payment. An employer is eligible for such payroll credit if the employer was carrying on a trade or business that had not more than 1,500 full-time employees or not more than $41.5 million in gross receipts in 2019. The employer's business must have been suspended in a calendar quarter due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and have experienced a significant decline in gross receipts due to that pandemic. The credit may not be claimed by the federal government or by any state or tribal government, or by U.S. possessions, but may be claimed by tax-exempt organizations.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Keeping the Lights On Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Steven Horsford (D-NV), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5] reported raising $5.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr615.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr615 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117