United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2021
Rebuild Rural America Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Rural Innovation and Partnership Administration and the Rural Future Partnership Fund to provide five-year renewable rural partnership block grants to certified rural regions to implement locally-developed regional revitalization plans. For purposes of these grants, the following areas may constitute a rural region: a micropolitan statistical area (i.e., at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000 people); a collection of rural census tracts or counties that fall outside of a micropolitan or metropolitan statistical area (i.e., 50,000 people or more) and that demonstrate evidence of economic, social, and cultural cooperation; or an Indian reservation. To be eligible to receive a grant, a rural region must be certified by its state (or in the case of an Indian reservation, approved by USDA) after having formed a rural partnership council made up of representatives from across different sectors. USDA must provide each rural partnership council with training, education, support, and advice to enhance the technical assistance, research, organizational, and other capacities of the council. The bill also establishes a Rural Future Corps to (1) help rural communities expand critical services such as child care, health, nutrition assistance, education, and job training; and (2) strengthen the capacity of local governments and economic and community development organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Prohibition of Medicaid Funding for Conversion Therapy Act This bill prohibits state Medicaid programs from covering conversion therapy. The bill defines conversion therapy as any practice or treatment that seeks to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity in exchange for monetary compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act of 2021 This bill establishes an alternative formula to calculate Social Security retirement benefits for those who receive pensions for certain non-covered employment. (The existing formula is known as the windfall elimination provision.) The alternative formula adjusts an individual's total lifetime earnings based on the proportion of covered earnings (i.e., earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes). It applies to individuals who (1) first become eligible for benefits after 2022, (2) have earnings from non-covered service performed after 1977, and (3) have less than 30 years of coverage (i.e., years in which a beneficiary is considered to have contributed a substantial amount into the Social Security trust funds). Beneficiaries receive the higher benefit amount as calculated under the alternative method or the existing formula. In addition, the bill provides rebates for certain beneficiaries currently impacted by the existing formula. The Social Security Administration must include non-covered earnings in Social Security account statements, and the Government Accountability Office must study the availability of certain information related to retirement plans maintained by state and local governments.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act of 2021 or the 911 SAVES Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget, by 30 days after the bill's enactment, to categorize public safety telecommunicators as a protective service occupation under the Standard Occupational Classification System.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2021
This bill authorizes the National Park Service to designate a tour route, to be known as the September 11th National Memorial Trail Route, to link the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York, New York, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act This bill authorizes appropriations through FY2026 to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on the federal-aid highway system. DOT must provide competitive grants to states, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and certain public agencies for projects that provide parking for commercial motor vehicles on federal-aid highways or on a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility. The federal share for a project carried out in accordance with the bill must be 100%.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Flexible Financing for Rural America Act This bill allows rural utility service providers to submit to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a request to adjust the interest rate or modify the terms of certain loans. The request shall include a report summarizing how the adjustment or modification will assist the borrower in providing critical utility services to a rural community. Specifically, on receipt of a request, USDA or the Department of the Treasury (in the case of a loan owned by the Federal Financing Bank) must adjust the interest rate on the loan to match certain interest rates for obligations of comparable maturity to the term remaining on the loan (or a higher rate requested by the borrower), and make modifications to the loan terms as necessary to address changes in the financial position of the borrower due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and to promote the financial sustainability of the borrower. In carrying out the adjustments or modifications, USDA or Treasury shall not impose or collect any fee from, or impose any penalty on, a borrower. The bill also provides funding to implement the adjustments and modifications and for the liquidation of residual intragovernmental amounts owed by the Federal Financing Bank in connection with certain loans.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Safe Routes Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to waive vehicle weight limits for covered logging vehicles. The term covered logging vehicle means a vehicle that (1) is transporting raw or unfinished forest products, including logs, pulpwood, biomass, or wood chips; (2) is traveling a distance not greater than 150 air miles from origin to a storage or processing facility; and (3) meets state legal weight tolerances and vehicle configurations for transporting raw or unfinished forest products within the state boundaries in which the vehicle is operating.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Willie O'Ree or, if unavailable, to a member of his family, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and recreational opportunity.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, if it creates a presumption of service-connection between the occurrence of a disease and exposure to an herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces between January 9, 1962, and June 30, 1976, at a military base in Thailand, such presumption must also apply to exposure at any military base in Thailand, regardless of where on the base the veteran was located or what military job specialty the veteran performed.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Civilian Climate Corps Act of 2021 This bill requires the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to enter into an interagency agreement establishing a Civilian Climate Corps, to be operated in accordance with the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. A project carried out by the corps must (1) prioritize efforts to assist disproportionately impacted communities, or be carried out in partnership with a qualified youth service or conservation corps; (2) be coordinated with tribal and Native American communities to protect natural cultural resources; and (3) accomplish one or more of particular objectives such as conserving, monitoring, and restoring public land and water to help mitigate and adapt to climate change.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley. After the award the medal shall be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Ensuring Parity in MA and PACE for Audio-Only Telehealth Act of 2021 This bill allows audio-only diagnoses that are made via telehealth to be used for purposes of determining risk adjustments to payments under Medicare Advantage. Additionally, the bill requires payments for Medicare telehealth services that are furnished during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to be made in the same amounts as those for in-person services.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Protecting Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act This bill limits a social media company's immunity from liability if it promotes certain content on its platform. Specifically, the bill removes this immunity from a social media company with more than 10 million monthly users if it utilizes an algorithm, model, or other computational process to amplify or recommend content to a user that is directly relevant to a claim involving (1) interference with civil rights, (2) neglect to prevent interference with civil rights, or (3) acts of international terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Freedom To Invest in Tomorrow's Workforce Act This bill allows the use of funds in a qualified tuition program (commonly known as a 529 account) to pay for expenses associated with obtaining or maintaining recognized postsecondary credentials.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Safe Step Act This bill requires a group health plan to establish an exception to medication step-therapy protocol in specified cases. A medication step-therapy protocol establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs are covered by a group health plan or a health insurance issuer. A request for such an exception to the protocol must be granted if (1) an otherwise required treatment has been ineffective, (2) such treatment is expected to be ineffective and delaying effective treatment would lead to irreversible consequences, (3) such treatment will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction to the individual, (4) such treatment is expected to prevent the individual from performing daily activities or occupational responsibilities, (5) the individual is stable based on the prescription drugs already selected, or (6) there are other circumstances as determined by the Employee Benefits Security Administration. The bill requires a group health plan to implement and make readily available a clear process for an individual to request an exception to the protocol, including required information and criteria for granting an exception. The bill further specifies timelines under which plans must respond to such requests.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Housing Supply and Affordability Act This bill allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development to award grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations for the development and implementation of housing policy plans. These plans must increase the housing supply while avoiding resident displacement, increase housing affordability, and reduce barriers to housing development. The amounts provided by the bill are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (PAYGO) and the Senate PAYGO rule. (This excludes the budget effects from being counted for the purposes of enforcing the PAYGO rules.)
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2021
Stop shielding Assets from Corporate Known Liability by Eliminating non-debtor Releases Act or the SACKLER Act This bill prohibits a bankruptcy court from releasing claims against non-debtors brought by states, tribes, municipalities, or the federal government. However, the bankruptcy court may issue a stay not exceeding 90 days regarding such a claim. Complex bankruptcies may involve creditor claims against non-debtors associated with the debtor, such as the debtor's officers, directors, or employees. Currently, in carrying out a bankruptcy plan, certain courts may release non-debtors from liability (there is a circuit split regarding this practice).
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2021
Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act This bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases becoming manifest in certain veterans to a degree of disability of 10% or more within 15 years of the veteran's separation from active military, naval, or air service. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific diseases or disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. Veterans addressed by this bill are those who (1) are trained in fire suppression, and (2) served on active duty in a military occupational specialty or career field with a primary responsibility of firefighting or damage control for at least five years in the aggregate.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2021
Foreign Advanced Technology Surveillance Accountability Act This bill requires the Department of State to include information on the status of surveillance and use of advanced technology in each foreign country in its annual country reports on human rights practices. Specifically, the State Department must describe in such reports the status of excessive surveillance and the use of advanced technology (e.g., facial recognition or biometric data collection) to impose (1) arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; or (2) unlawful or unnecessary restrictions on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, or other internationally recognized human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2021
Student Loan Disclosure Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires lenders disbursing federal student loans to disclose additional information to borrowers and increase the frequency of such disclosures. Specifically, prior to disbursement, the lender making a loan must disclose (1) the principal amount, interest rate, and number of required monthly payments to be made on the loan; (2) the estimated balance owed by the borrower; and (3) the estimated aggregate amount the borrower will pay. Prior to repayment, the lender must disclose the projected total of interest charges that the borrower will pay on the loan, as well as projections of the borrower's monthly repayment amount. The bill also requires certain disclosures for the life of the loan. In particular, lenders must disclose information about loans on a monthly, rather than periodic, basis. Lenders must also provide borrowers who are not in a repayment status (e.g., a borrower who is in school or in a deferment period) with a monthly statement. The Department of Education must obtain feedback from borrowers and report on the usefulness and effectiveness of such disclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Environmental Justice For All Act This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. For example, agencies must prepare community impact reports that assess the potential impacts of their actions on environmental justice communities under certain circumstances. Further, it creates a variety of advisory bodies and positions, such as the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. Among other things, the council must issue an environmental justice strategy. It also establishes requirements and programs concerning chemicals or toxic ingredients in certain products. For example, the bill (1) requires certain products (e.g., cosmetics) to include a list of ingredients or warnings; and (2) provides grants for research on designing safer alternatives to chemicals in certain consumer, cleaning, toy, or baby products that have an inherent toxicity or that are associated with chronic adverse health effects. Finally, it creates a variety of funding programs, such as a grant program to enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban areas.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Medication Access and Training Expansion Act of 2021 or the MATE Act of 2021 This bill requires health care providers, as a condition of receiving or renewing a registration to prescribe potentially addictive drugs, to complete a one-time training on managing patients with substance use disorders. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must award grants to health professional associations and education programs for integrating substance use disorder training into relevant curricula.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Repairing Existing Public Land by Adding Necessary Trees Act or the REPLANT Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) annually for each of the 10 years after enactment of this bill to transmit to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to be appropriated, in addition to the funds available from other sources, to replant and otherwise treat an acreage equal to the acreage to be cut over that year, plus a sufficient portion of the backlog of lands found to be in need of treatment to eliminate the backlog within the 10-year period. After such 10-year period, USDA shall transmit annually to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to replant and otherwise treat all lands being cut over and maintain planned timber production on all other forested lands in the National Forest System to prevent the development of a backlog of needed work larger than the needed work at the beginning of the fiscal year. Each reforestation activity included in a renewable resource assessment shall be carried out in accordance with applicable Forest Service management practices and definitions, including definitions relating to silvicultural practices and forest management. The Forest Service shall, based on recommendations from regional foresters, create a priority list of reforestation projects that primarily take place on priority land, promote effective reforestation following unplanned events, and may include activities to ensure adequate and appropriate seed availability. USDA shall give priority to projects on the priority list.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act This bill revises the evidentiary standard for age discrimination by establishing an unlawful employment practice when the complaining party demonstrates that age or participation in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation related to an age discrimination claim was a motivating factor for an adverse practice, even though other factors also motivated the practice (thereby allowing what are commonly known as mixed motive claims). The bill (1) permits the complaining party to rely on any type or form of admissible evidence, which need only be sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to find that an unlawful practice occurred; and (2) declares that the complaining party shall not be required to demonstrate that age or retaliation was the sole cause of the employment practice (thereby rejecting the Supreme Court's decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. , which requires the complainant to prove that age was the but-for cause for the employer's decision). The bill applies this evidentiary standard to other employment discrimination and retaliation claims, including claims under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In a claim in which age discrimination is shown, but where the employer demonstrates that it would have taken the same action absent the motivating factor of age, the bill authorizes courts to grant declaratory and injunctive relief, but prohibits the court from awarding damages or issuing an order requiring any admission, reinstatement, hiring, promotion, or payment. This limitation also applies to claims of discrimination based on disability.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act This bill requires health insurers to provide coverage for newborns of enrollees for the first 30-day period after the newborn's date of birth and to provide a special enrollment period for the newborn that extends at least 60 days after the initial coverage period. It also requires insurers to notify an enrollee if they receive a claim for the enrollee's newborn who is not enrolled in a health insurance plan.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Outdated AUMF Repeal Act This bill repeals the authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq (dated January 14, 1991, and October 16, 2002) and repeals a joint resolution authorizing the provision of military assistance in the general area of the Middle East (dated March 9, 1957).
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2021 or the JOBS Act of 2021 This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Job Training Federal Pell Grant program. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to award a job training Pell Grant to a student who does not have a degree; attends an institution of higher education (IHE); is enrolled in a career and technical education program at an IHE that provides 150 to 600 clock hours of instructional time over a period of 8 to 15 weeks and provides training aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors (i.e., job training programs); and meets all other eligibility requirements for a Pell Grant. It also specifies that any period during which a student receives a job training Pell Grant counts toward that student's Pell Grant eligibility period.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2021
Harmful Algal Bloom Essential Forecasting Act This bill requires the Harmful Algal Bloom Operational Forecast System to continue to operate during a government shutdown by designating certain services related to the system as excepted services under the Anti-Deficiency Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2021
VA Employee Fairness Act of 2021 This bill repeals provisions excluding any matter or question concerning professional conduct or competence; peer review; or the establishment, determination, or adjustment of employee compensation from the applicability of collective bargaining rights for Veterans Health Administration employees.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2021
Promoting United States International Leadership in 5G Act of 2021 This bill directs the President to establish an interagency working group to provide assistance and technical expertise to enhance U.S. leadership in international bodies that set standards for 5th and future generations of mobile telecommunications (5G) technology, such as the International Telecommunication Union. The President shall also work to increase the participation of allies, partners, and the private sector. (International bodies develop standards for certain technologies, such as those used in wireless data transmission, to ensure interoperability between different companies' products; stakeholders, such as companies that manufacture equipment that uses such technologies or companies that hold relevant patents, typically participate in the standards-setting process.) The interagency working group must report to Congress on (1) its strategy to promote U.S. leadership in the standards-setting bodies relevant to 5G technology; (2) its strategy for diplomatic engagement with allies and partners to share security-risk information related to 5G; (3) its strategy for engagement with private sector communications and information service providers; and (4) China's activities in standards-setting bodies for 5G technology, including the scope and scale of such activities.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2021
Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment of congenital anomalies and birth defects, such as reconstructive services and items. Coverage must include services and items that functionally improve, repair, or restore any body part that is medically necessary for normal bodily functions or appearance, as determined by the treating physician. Coverage limits and cost-sharing requirements for such services and items may not be more restrictive than those applicable to all medical and surgical benefits under the plan.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2021
This resolution calls on the government of Azerbaijan to immediately return all Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians. The resolution also urges the Department of State to engage with Azerbaijani authorities to bring about this result.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2021
Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2021
Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act This bill provides for the refinancing or deferral of certain federal student loans. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education to establish a program to refinance the outstanding principal, interest, and late charges on federal student loans in order to give borrowers fixed interest rates equal to the 10-year Treasury note rate plus one percentage point. Further, the bill eliminates origination fees on the loans. In addition, the bill allows borrowers in medical, veterinary, or dental internship or residency programs to defer student loan payments until the completion of their programs.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2021
Transportation Security Transparency Improvement Act This bill addresses policies of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) related to sensitive security information and international aviation security. Among other requirements, the TSA must ensure clear and consistent designation of Sensitive Security Information , including reasonable security justifications for such designation; develop and implement a schedule to regularly review and update TSA Sensitive Security Information Identification guidelines; conduct outreach to relevant stakeholders (e.g., air carriers, airport operators, and state and local law enforcement) that regularly are granted access to Sensitive Security Information to raise awareness of the TSA's policies and guidelines governing the designation and use of Sensitive Security Information; and develop and implement guidelines with respect to last point of departure airports to conduct engagement with foreign partners on the implementation of security directives and emergency amendments.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2021
This resolution (1) recognizes Girl Scouts of the United States of America for 109 years of inspiring girl leadership and encourages them to continue to support the leadership development of girls, and (2) congratulates all Girl Scouts who earned the Gold Award in 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2021
Save Oak Flat Act This bill repeals the requirement for the Department of Agriculture to convey the 2,422 acres of Forest System land located in Tonto National Forest in Pinal County, Arizona, known as Oak Flat, to Resolution Copper Mining, LLC, in exchange for various parcels of land owned by Resolution Copper. Oak Flat is withdrawn from (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the legacy of Harriet Tubman as an abolitionist. The Secretary may issue coins under this bill only during the period of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid equally to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and The Harriet Tubman Home, Inc. in Auburn, New York, for the purpose of accomplishing and advancing their missions.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
Assault Weapons Ban of 2021 This bill makes it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; or (4) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. The bill also exempts from the prohibition the following, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The bill also allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
DHS Industrial Control Systems Capabilities Enhancement Act of 2021 This bill requires the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to maintain certain capabilities to identify and address threats to industrial control systems. Specifically, the bill requires CISA's National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to ensure that its activities address the security of both information and operational technology, including industrial control systems. Additionally, CISA must maintain capabilities to identify and address threats and vulnerabilities to products and technologies intended for use in the automated control of critical infrastructure processes by (1) leading efforts to identify and mitigate cybersecurity threats to industrial control systems; (2) maintaining threat hunting and incident response capabilities to respond to cybersecurity risks and incidents; (3) providing cybersecurity technical assistance to stakeholders; and (4) collecting, coordinating, and providing vulnerability information to the industrial control systems community. CISA shall provide to the homeland security committees a briefing on its industrial control systems capabilities at specified intervals.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
COVID - 19 Hate Crimes Act This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) hate crimes and reports of COVID-19 hate crimes. It defines COVID-19 hate crime as a violent crime that is motivated by two things: (1) the actual or perceived characteristic (e.g., race or ethnicity) of any person, and (2) the actual or perceived relationship to the spread of COVID-19 of any person because of that characteristic. The bill requires DOJ to issue guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies on (1) the establishment of online hate crime reporting processes and the availability of online reporting in multiple languages, and (2) the expansion of culturally competent education campaigns. Additionally, DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must issue guidance on best practices for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2026, revises, and establishes grants and activities to promote access to broadband internet and other telecommunication services. The bill addresses digital equity and inclusion through grants and by requiring studies on barriers to adoption of broadband services and related matters. The bill addresses broadband affordability and access. It (1) reauthorizes and expands various programs that subsidize or otherwise support broadband services for eligible households, schools and libraries, and tribal lands and populations; and (2) establishes a program for expanding broadband service for underserved areas and community support organizations (e.g., schools and religious organizations). Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must award grants and take other actions to expand programs that verify an individual's eligibility for subsidized services. The bill addresses broadband data collection, disclosure, and sharing. The FCC must (1) issue rules regarding the collection of pricing data and labels that disclose information about broadband plans to consumers, and (2) collaborate and share data with federal agencies and other stakeholders. The bill makes financing (e.g., low-interest loans) available to communities and public-private partnerships for broadband infrastructure investments. Additionally, the Department of Transportation must require states to install conduits for broadband cables as part of certain highway projects. The bill also sets up a task force on nationwide dig once requirements (i.e., policies or practices to minimize excavations of highway rights-of-way when installing telecommunications infrastructure). Further, the bill preempts state laws that prohibit certain telecommunications service providers (e.g., public providers) from providing high-speed broadband services.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
PPP Extension Act of 2021 This bill extends the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), through June 30, 2021. Currently, the program is set to expire on March 31, 2021. For the final 30 days of the program (i.e., from June 1 until June 30), the Small Business Administration may only process applications submitted prior to June 1, and it may not accept any new loan applications.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2021 This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow only fat-free milk to be flavored. The bill removes these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
Reserve Employers Comprehensive Relief and Uniform Incentives on Taxes Act of 2021 or the RECRUIT Act of 2021 This bill allows employers with less than 500 employees a new tax credit for 40% of the wages paid to a member of the National Guard or a reserve component of the Armed Forces. The employer may elect to claim a payroll tax credit for wages paid to such service members.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2021
Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More Act of 2021 or the RECLAIM Act of 2021 This bill revises requirements concerning the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, including by expanding the eligible uses of the fund. Specifically, the bill allows the fund to be used to provide support for economic revitalization, diversification, and development in economically distressed mining communities through the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by abandoned coal mines. In addition, it requires specified amounts to be annually distributed from the fund through FY2026 to states and Indian tribes for reclaiming and restoring lands and waters so affected.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2021
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2021 This bill reauthorizes the Department of the Interior to collect fees on the production of coal through FY2036, expands the eligible uses of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, and revises requirements concerning the fund. Under current law, operators of active coal mines must pay such fees through FY2021. Revenue from the fees are deposited into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, which is used for the reclamation of abandoned coal mines. The bill authorizes Interior to reimburse states and tribal governments from the fund for the emergency restoration, reclamation, abatement, control, or prevention of adverse effects of coal mining practices. It also increases the minimum amount of funds from $3 million to $5 million that Interior must award to states and Indian tribes that have approved abandoned mine reclamation programs.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2021
NICS Denial Notification Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Justice to notify state and local law enforcement authorities following a firearms-related background check that results in a denial.
![Official portrait of Rep. Spanberger, Abigail Davis [D-VA-7]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s001209_200.jpg)