United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
Gun Rights And Marijuana Act or the GRAM Act This bill removes federal firearms-related restrictions on certain individuals who use or are addicted to marijuana. Currently, federal firearms law prohibits the sale or disposition of a firearm or ammunition to persons who are unlawful users of or addicted to a controlled substance. This bill exempts from the prohibition an adult whose use of or addiction to marijuana is lawful in the state or on the tribal lands where the person resides.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment Act or the SURVIVE Act This bill establishes a grant program through which the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime must make grants for Indian tribes to provide programs and services to crime victims. These programs and services include domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, child abuse programs, child advocacy centers, elder abuse programs, medical care, legal services, relocation assistance, and transitional housing. In addition, the bill makes 5% of the Crime Victims Fund available for these grants.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to take certain actions promoting the normalization of relations between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. Specifically, the State Department must develop a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords (the term used to refer collectively to agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain marking the public normalization of relations between the two Arab countries and Israel). The strategy must include a description of how the U.S. government will encourage further normalization of relations with Israel. In addition, the State Department must report on options for U.S. international efforts to promote the strengthening of ties between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The State Department must also report on the status of the normalization of relations with Israel, including information on (1) laws that punish individuals for people-to-people relations with Israelis (i.e., anti-normalization laws), and (2) evidence of steps taken by Arab governments toward permitting or encouraging normalized relations between their citizens or residents and Israeli citizens.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
Finish the Wall Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume activities related to the construction of a barrier system along the U.S.-Mexico border and addresses other border-related issues. DHS must resume all such construction activities that were planned or underway prior to January 20, 2021. DHS must also expend all funds appropriated or explicitly obligated since October 1, 2016, for construction of this barrier system. DHS may not cancel contracts for activities related to such construction entered into on or before January 20, 2021. Furthermore, within 14 days of this bill's enactment, DHS must certify to Congress that U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities that process adults taken into custody at the border are fully compliant with certain laws related to the collection of DNA. (Among other things, these laws allow for the collection of DNA samples from non-U.S. persons detained under U.S. authority.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Natural Gas Export Expansion Act This bill revises requirements regarding natural gas imports or exports to expand the expedited application and approval process to any nation, even if not a party to a free trade agreement with the United States, that is not specifically excluded by this bill. The bill excludes any nation subject to sanctions or trade restrictions imposed by the United States or excluded by the President or Congress for national security reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
2020 Census Deadline Extensions Act This bill extends certain deadlines for the 2020 decennial census. Specifically, the Department of Commerce must (1) complete the tabulation of total population by states, report the tabulation to the President, and make the tabulation public by May 1, 2021; and (2) complete tabulations of population related to state plans for legislative districting expeditiously, taking into account state deadlines, and report the tabulations by October 1, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2021
Trillion Trees Act This bills establishes a variety of requirements and incentives to plant trees and conduct other land management practices for the purposes of capturing and storing carbon in domestic and international trees and forests. Additionally, the bill provides incentives to research or develop other carbon sequestration tools. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to set targets to increase forest carbon stock through January 1, 2100, for the purposes of sequestering and storing carbon in U.S. forests. It also establishes and provides funding for the Trillion Trees Challenge Fund to provide grants to nonfederal entities for activities related to reforestation efforts on public or private lands. In addition, it raises the cap on the Reforestation Trust Fund to enhance forest health in the National Forest System and requires the USDA to establish a Tree City USA Grant Program. The bill also allows the U.S. Agency for International Development to enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization to establish an International Forest Foundation to promote reforestation and prevent deforestation. Additionally, it establishes requirements and incentives to address seedling shortages and support nurseries. Finally, the bill provides market incentives to research or develop other carbon sequestration tools relating to biochar, sustainable building practices, biochemical and bioplastic products, and biomass energy.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2021
Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2021 This bill expands Medicare coverage of chiropractic services to include all services provided by chiropractors, rather than only subluxation corrections through manual manipulation of the spine.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act This bill provides guidance related to veterans and medical marijuana that shall be effective for five years. Specifically, the bill authorizes (1) a veteran to use, possess, or transport medical marijuana in accordance with applicable state or Native American tribal law; (2) a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) physician to discuss with a veteran the use of medical marijuana as a treatment if the physician is in a state or on tribal land that authorizes such treatment; or (3) a VA physician to recommend, complete forms for, or register veterans for participation in a medical marijuana treatment program in accordance with applicable state or tribal law. The bill requires the VA to report on (1) the effects of medical marijuana on veterans in pain; and (2) the relationship between state-approved medical marijuana treatment programs, program access, and opioid use and abuse reduction.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
SFC Heath Robinson Burn Pit Transparency Act This bill implements reporting requirements and policies related to the treatment and documentation of veterans who have been exposed to open burn pits. A burn pit is an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment. First, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit quarterly reports on veterans' burn pit exposure The bill also requires the VA to collaborate with the Department of Defense to submit an annual report detailing specified information about veterans who have been exposed to open burn pits, such as the number of claims for disability compensation approved and denied (including the rationale for denials). The bill authorizes the survivor of a deceased veteran to report a veteran's exposure to toxic substances from an open burn pit in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, even if the veteran was not included prior to their death. VA medical professionals must inform veterans of the registry if they present at a medical facility for treatment related to exposure to toxic chemicals by open burn pits. Finally, the Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of any memorandum of understanding entered into by the VA with respect to the processing of reported cases of burn pit exposure and the coordination of care and provision of health care related to such cases at VA and non-VA facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
Careful Resumption Under Improved Safety Enhancements Act or the CRUISE Act This bill requires various activities to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the operation of cruise ships. Specifically, the bill establishes a working group comprised of specified federal departments and industry stakeholders to develop recommendations for resuming cruise ship operations. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must issue (within 30 days) separate recommendations on mitigating the introduction, transmission, and spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships and to communities onshore. The CDC must consult with the working group on these recommendations. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Human Services must revoke by July 4, 2021, its order issued on November 4, 2020, which restricts the operation of cruise ships in U.S. waters.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2021 This bill revises provisions of the low-income housing tax credit and renames it as the affordable housing credit . The bill increases the per capita dollar amount of the credit and its minimum ceiling amount beginning in 2021 and extends the inflation adjustment for such amounts. The bill modifies tenant income eligibility requirements and the average income formula for determining such income. It also revises rules for student occupancy of rental units and tenant voucher payments, and prohibits any refusal to rent to victims of domestic abuse. The bill further modifies the credit to increase state allocations of the credit; repeal the qualified census tract population cap; prohibit local approval and contribution requirements; increase the credit for certain projects designated to serve extremely low-income households; increase the credit for certain bond-financed projects designated by state agencies; eliminate the basis reduction for properties that receive certain energy-related tax benefits; and increase the population cap for difficult development areas (i.e., areas with high construction, land, and utility costs relative to area median gross income). The bill also includes Indian and rural areas as difficult development areas and modifies other requirements relating to casualty losses, acquisition credits, and foreclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2021
Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2021 This bill provides federal workers' compensation to firefighters who contract certain illnesses as a result of their service. Specifically, the bill provides that (1) heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for at least 5 years are presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of employment; and (2) the disability or death of the employee due to such disease is presumed to result from personal injury sustained in the performance of duty. These presumptions also apply to fire protection employees (regardless of the length of employment) who contract any communicable disease at the center of a designated pandemic or any chronic infectious disease that the Department of Labor determines is related to job-related hazards. An employee in fire protection activities is a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2021
University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a program to identify and convey available federal land in Alaska to the University of Alaska for a land grant to support higher education. The bill also permits the BLM or the Department of Agriculture to acquire by purchase or exchange, with the university's consent, university-owned inholdings within conservation system units. Any land exchanged shall be of equal value. No later than two years after enactment of the bill, Alaska and the university may jointly identify no more than 500,000 acres of land for inclusion in the program, of which not more than 360,000 acres may be conveyed and patented to the university. Upon the request of Alaska and the university, the BLM shall provide technical assistance in the identification of land. If Alaska and the university notify the BLM in writing that Alaska and the university jointly concur with the conveyance of all or a portion of the land identified for conveyance, and that Alaska relinquishes its selection rights to the land covered by the notification, the BLM shall convey the land to the university, to be held in trust for the exclusive use and benefit of the university. The BLM shall notify Congress of the land conveyed and patented.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2021
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) clean water is a national priority, and (2) the 2020 final rule titled The Navigable Waters Protection Rule: Definition of "Waters of the United States" should not be withdrawn or vacated.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2021
Urban Forests Act of 2021 This bill provides for support to maintain urban forests. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall establish a grant program to be known as the Tree City USA Grant Program to provide competitive grants to qualifying local governments to enhance and maintain urban forests. USDA and the Department of Labor shall jointly establish Civilian Conservation Centers in urban and community areas. A specified five-year report on state forests and their resources shall contain an analysis of forest carbon over the previous two decades. Such report shall demonstrate the efforts taken by the Forest Service to conduct a strategic national forest inventory by measuring field plots in combination with advanced technology to improve data, information, and estimates of precision; and use advanced geospatial technologies to improve the area and volume estimates of those field plots, especially for sub-state regions and smaller areas. USDA shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Labor, and Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency to identify strategies to increase equitable access to urban forests through existing programs and authorities; and conduct research on the benefits of urban forests for air quality, heat island mitigation, energy burden reduction, and enhanced shading for heat-resilient housing and active transit.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2021
Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), during FY2022, to establish and maintain three new centers of the Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) Program in areas with interest from personnel and a need for additional mental health care for rural veterans. The RANGE Program serves veterans in rural areas who are experiencing mental illness. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study and report on whether the VA has sufficient resources to serve rural veterans who need mental health care that is more intensive than traditional outpatient therapy.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2021
Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to concede, for the purposes of health care benefits and wartime disability compensation, that a veteran was exposed to certain toxic substances, chemicals, and hazards from burn pits if such veteran served on active duty in a covered location during a specified time frame (unless there is affirmative evidence to establish that the veteran was not exposed during such service). A burn pit is an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment. Specifically, the bill covers the following locations and corresponding time periods: Iraq between August 2, 1990, and February 28, 1991, as well as from March 19, 2003, until burn pits are no longer used in this location; Somalia and Southwest Asia (including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar) from August 2, 1990, until burn pits are no longer used in these locations; and Afghanistan, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, and Djibouti from September 11, 2001, until burn pits are no longer used in these locations. Under the bill, if an exposed veteran submits insufficient evidence to establish a service-connection for purposes of disability compensation, the VA shall provide a medical examination and request a medical opinion regarding a causal link between the disability and a toxin, chemical, or hazard.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2021
This resolution supports the naming of surviving family members of veterans who die by suicide as Gold Arrow Families . The resolution also promotes awareness for the needs of such family members and determines that suicide by veterans can be reduced through the adoption of programs and legislation that provide Gold Arrow Families with resources.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2021
Veterans' Right to Breathe Act This bill provides a presumption of service-connection to burn pit-exposed veterans for certain diseases. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions 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. A burn pit-exposed veteran is a veteran who was supporting a contingency operation on or after January 1, 1990, and was stationed at a location where an open burn pit (an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) was used.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2021
Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2021 This bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases associated with exposure to burn pits (an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) and other toxins by veterans who were awarded specified medals on or after August 2, 1990. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions 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. Under the bill, if the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) receives a written petition to add a disease to the list, the VA must request a determination by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with respect to whether there is a positive association between the exposure of humans to a covered toxin and the occurrence of the disease in humans. The bill makes disability or death of certain employees from specified diseases compensable as a work injury. Specifically, such employees are those who were employees of the Department of State, the Department of Defense, or an element of the intelligence community on or after August 2, 1990, and carried out job responsibilities for at least 30 days during a contingency operation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Military Hunger Prevention Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to pay a basic needs allowance to certain low-income members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, those eligible for the basic needs allowance are members who (1) have completed initial entry training, (2) have a gross household income that did not exceed an amount equal to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and (3) do not elect to decline the allowance. In situations where a household contains two or more eligible members, the bill specifies that only one allowance may be paid per year to one member they jointly elect. The amount of the allowance must be the aggregate amount equal to 130% of the HHS federal poverty guidelines minus the gross household income of the covered member during the preceding year divided by 12. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) of DOD must notify, in writing, individuals determined to be eligible for the allowance. The notice must include information regarding financial management and assistance programs administered by DOD for which the individuals are also eligible. Individuals who seek to receive the allowance must submit specified information to DFAS.
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
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2023-FY2029; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. Additionally, one-third of the positions that are made available under the bill must be allocated to hospitals that are already operating above applicable resident limits. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
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
Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of Education to make a grant to or enter into a contract with an eligible entity (e.g., an institution of higher education) to establish, operate, and staff a Native American language resource and training center. The center must serve as a resource to improve the capacity to teach and learn Native American languages.
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
Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 20 21 This bill modifies, expands, and reauthorizes through FY2026 the Family Violence and Prevention Services program, which funds emergency shelters and supports related assistance for victims of domestic violence. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants and enter cooperative agreements with state and tribal domestic violence coalitions, and community-based organizations, to support prevention services. Depending on the type of organization, grant recipients must use funding to (1) provide technical assistance; (2) promote evidence-informed prevention strategies; (3) implement coordinated, community responses to reduce risk factors for family violence; and (4) develop prevention partnership strategies, among other uses. Further, HHS must award specified grants to organizations that provide population-specific services in underserved communities and to community-based organizations that provide culturally specific domestic violence services to racial and ethnic minority groups. The bill also establishes a grants program for tribal domestic violence coalitions to support the provision of local, tribal, family domestic or dating violence services and requires HHS to award a grant for the administration of a hotline dedicated to serving Indians affected by domestic violence. In addition, the bill modifies certain program-wide definitions; changes the requirements for specified grant applications, eligibility criteria, and use of funds; and makes other technical revisions.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Toxic Exposure in the American Military Act or the TEAM Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand health care, benefits, and resources for veterans with conditions related to exposure to toxic substances. Specifically, the bill expands eligibility for VA hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to include veterans who (1) were exposed to toxic substances, radiation, or other conditions, and were awarded certain medals (e.g., the Armed Forces Service Medal); (2) are eligible for inclusion in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry; or (3) have been identified by the Department of Defense to have been possibly exposed during service to an open burn pit, toxic substance, or specified hazardous sites. (A burn pit is an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment.) The bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain toxic substances and that become manifest within a certain time period; the VA must specify such diseases and requirements through regulations. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions 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. The bill also requires the VA to take specified actions to (1) evaluate scientific evidence regarding associations between diseases and exposure to toxic substances; (2) train its health care personnel on identifying, treating, and assessing illnesses related to such exposure; and (3) provide resources to veterans exposed to toxic substances.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. It also honors and recognizes the contributions of veterans who served in Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
This resolution honors and recognizes the patriotism and contributions made by generations of veterans service organizations and commends the members of such organizations for their dedicated service to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, their families, and their communities. Additionally, the resolution encourages citizens to volunteer their support and services to veterans service organizations and to promote awareness of the contributions of such organizations to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Expanded Telehealth Access Act This bill permanently allows audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other providers designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide telehealth services under Medicare. Currently, the CMS is authorized to waive requirements for Medicare telehealth services during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19, and it has done so to allow all providers that are otherwise eligible to furnish in-person services under Medicare to also furnish telehealth services.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Motorcyclist Advisory Council Reauthorization Act This bill provides statutory authority for the establishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council whose duties are to advise the Department of Transportation on transportation issues of concern to motorcyclists, including (1) barrier design; (2) road design, construction, and maintenance practices; and (3) the architecture and implementation of intelligent transportation system technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Securing Access for Venue Equity Act or the SAVE Act This bill expands a grant program established to support venue operators in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to include hospitality businesses, such as amusement and theme parks, scenic and sightseeing transportation businesses, and travel arrangement and reservation services.
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 · 19 March 2021
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021 This bill extends through FY2023 payments made to states and eligible counties containing certain federal land under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture shall carry out a pilot program to allow the Chief of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to nominate members of resource advisory committees. County funds may be used to provide or expand access to (1) broadband telecommunications services at local schools, or (2) the technology and connectivity necessary for students to use a digital learning tool at or outside of a local school campus. Any county funds that were obligated by a county before October 1, 2017, but are unspent on October 1, 2020, may be used by the county for any authorized use and shall be available for projects initiated after October 1, 2020. No county funds may be used for lobbying activity, regardless of the purpose for which the funds are obligated on or before the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2021
Local Opportunities, Conservation, and American Lands Act or the LOCAL Act This bill directs that the headquarters for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) shall remain located in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Department of the Interior shall study the feasibility of relocating more existing BLM employee positions to Grand Junction or Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. Interior must determine, among other things, whether such relocation will improve management of federal lands, increase coordination with local communities, and strengthen tourism, conservation, outdoor recreation, grazing, or responsible energy production.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Indian Buffalo Management Act This bill establishes a permanent program within the Department of the Interior to develop and promote tribal ownership and management of buffalo and buffalo habitat on Indian lands. Specifically, the bill requires Interior to (1) enter into contracts, award grants, and provide technical assistance to Indian tribes and tribal organizations for activities related to buffalo restoration or management; (2) consult with tribes and tribal organizations on initiatives that affect buffalo or buffalo habitat, including efforts to contain or eradicate diseased buffalo; and (3) develop a policy relating to buffalo and buffalo habitat management activities on Indian land. Additionally, Interior may enter into agreements with tribes or tribal organizations to transport surplus buffalo from federal land onto Indian land.
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
This bill expands eligibility for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to members of the National Guard who perform certain full-time service at the request of the President or the Secretary of Defense (i.e., full-time National Guard duty). Specifically, the bill eliminates the existing requirement that eligible full-time service must be in response to a declared national emergency. The bill also specifies that training is not included as full-time service for purposes of eligibility for these members.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2021 or the SAFE Banking Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits a federal banking regulator from penalizing a depository institution for providing banking services to a legitimate cannabis-related business. Prohibited penalties include terminating or limiting the deposit insurance or share insurance of a depository institution solely because the institution provides financial services to a legitimate cannabis-related business and prohibiting or otherwise discouraging a depository institution from offering financial services to such a business. Additionally, proceeds from a transaction involving activities of a legitimate cannabis-related business are not considered proceeds from unlawful activity. Proceeds from unlawful activity are subject to anti-money laundering laws. Furthermore, a depository institution is not, under federal law, liable or subject to asset forfeiture for providing a loan or other financial services to a legitimate cannabis-related business. The bill also provides that a federal banking agency may not request or order a depository institution to terminate a customer account unless (1) the agency has a valid reason for doing so, and (2) that reason is not based solely on reputation risk. Valid reasons for terminating an account include threats to national security and involvement in terrorist financing, including state sponsorship of terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Huntington's Disease Disability Insurance Access Act of 2021 This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with Huntington's disease. This is an inherited disorder that causes brain cells to die, including in areas of the brain that help to control voluntary movement. Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with Huntington's disease. Under current law, individuals generally must wait five months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2021
Wise Investment in Children Act of 2021 or the WIC Act of 20 21 This bill expands eligibility for children to receive benefits under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Specifically, the bill extends eligibility for the program until the period that ends on the earlier of the sixth birthday of a child or when the child enters kindergarten; extends the certification period under the program for infants to up to two years, instead of the current one year; and increases the certification time under the program for postpartum women to a period of up to two years. The bill also authorizes the Department of Agriculture to grant a waiver to a state, on request, that waives certification deadline requirements for the eligibility extensions if such state demonstrates there are unusual technological barriers to implementation, operational costs are not affordable within the nutrition services and administration grant of the state, or it is in the best interest of the program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2021
Japanese American Confinement Education Act This bill establishes a museum program on the historical importance of Japanese American confinement during World War II and permanently reauthorizes the Japanese American Confinement Sites preservation program. The bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish a program of grants to a Japanese American museum to educate individuals in the United States on the historical importance of such confinement and the commitment of the United States to equal justice.
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 bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award additional funds to the Indian Health Service Sanitation Facilities Construction Program. This program provides American Indian and Alaska Native homes and communities with water supply, sewage disposal, and solid waste disposal facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2021
Improving Access to Indian Health Services Act This bill permanently extends certain Medicaid flexibilities relating to Indian health care providers. Specifically, the bill permanently expands coverage to include clinical services that are furnished outside of a clinic by an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility, a tribe or tribal organization, or an Urban Indian Organization (UIO). Current guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services allows IHS and tribal facilities to receive payment for clinical services provided outside of clinics through October 31, 2021; facilities are expected to work with their state Medicaid programs to transition to other, more permanent payment options for these services. The bill also permanently establishes a 100% federal matching rate, also known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), for UIO services. Current law provides a 100% FMAP for UIO services during the eight fiscal quarters after March 11, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2021
Impact Aid Infrastructure Act This bill authorizes additional Impact Aid construction grants for FY2022. These grants provide infrastructure assistance to local educational agencies that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property or to those that have experienced increased expenditures due to enrollment of federally connected children (e.g., children living on Indian lands or military bases).
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
One Federal Decision Act of 202 1 This bill provides statutory authority for the policy that requires federal agencies to coordinate environmental reviews and authorization decisions for major infrastructure projects. It also sets a goal for completing environmental reviews within two years. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must review existing practices, procedures, programmatic agreements, and applicable laws to identify potential changes that would facilitate an efficient environmental review process for projects. All authorization decisions for construction of a major project must be completed within 90 days of the issuance of a record of decision for the project, although the lead agency could extend the deadline in some cases. The lead agency must develop an environmental review schedule with the project sponsor that is consistent with an agency average of not more than two years for the completion of the environmental review process for major projects. DOT must also (1) establish a performance accountability system to track each major project, and (2) provide other relevant federal agencies with a list of categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act that are applicable to highway projects and that would accelerate project delivery. The bill also eliminates the two-year limitation on filing claims seeking judicial review of permits, licenses, or approvals issued by a federal agency for railroad projects.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2021
This resolution supports the vision, mission, and goals of the Global Partnership for Education, and it affirms the role of the United States in improving access to quality public education and improved learning outcomes for children and adolescents (particularly for girls) in the poorest countries.
![Official portrait of Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_ak_0_young_don_200.jpg)