United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2021
Artificial Intelligence for the Military Act of 2021 This bill requires the implementation of training and education related to emerging technologies and artificial intelligence for certain military personnel. The bill requires expansion of the curriculum for military junior leader education to incorporate training material related to focuses that include problem definition and curation and a conceptual understanding of the artificial intelligence life cycle. Such training and education should include the use of existing artificial intelligence-enabled systems and tools. The Department of Defense (DOD) must ensure that the curriculum for professional military education is revised in each of the military services to incorporate periodic courses on militarily significant emerging technologies. DOD must establish a short course on emerging technologies for general and flag officers and senior executive-level civilian leaders. The course must be taught on an iterative, two-year cycle and address the most recent and relevant technologies and the application of these technologies to military and business outcomes in DOD. DOD must ensure that the military services code appropriate billets to be filled by emerging technology-qualified officers and develop a process for qualification of officers in emerging technologies. The process for qualifying officers for emerging technology-coded billets must be modeled on a streamlined version of the joint qualification process and may include credit for serving in emerging technology-focused (1) fellowships, (2) talent exchanges, (3) government positions, and (4) education courses.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2021
Retirement Security and Savings Act of 2021 This bill modifies various tax policies, credits, and requirements that apply to employer-provided retirement plans and Individual Retirement Accounts.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2021
Don't Weaponize the IRS Act This bill codifies regulations promulgated by the Trump Administration exempting certain tax-exempt organizations from specified reporting requirements. Specifically the bill increases from $5,000 to $50,000 the gross receipts threshold used to determine the eligibility of tax-exempt organizations for the exemption from certain disclosure and reporting requirements; expands the definition of organization to include tax-exempt charitable organizations and organizations with no significant activities relating to lobbying, political activity, and the operation of a trade or business; exempts from disclosure the names and addresses of contributors to an organization in its annual informational return; and extends exemptions from reporting requirements to political action committees (i.e., 527 organizations).
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2021
Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 This bill addresses the finances and operations of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The bill requires the Office of Personnel Management to establish, within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, the Postal Service Health Benefits Program for USPS employees and retirees and provides for coordinated enrollment of retirees under this program and Medicare. The bill repeals the requirement that the USPS annually prepay future retirement health benefits. Additionally, the USPS may establish a program to enter into agreements with an agency of any state government, local government, or tribal government, and with other government agencies, to provide certain nonpostal products and services that reasonably contribute to the costs of the USPS and meet other specified criteria. The USPS must develop and maintain a publicly available dashboard to track service performance and must report regularly on its operations and financial condition. The bill requires mail delivery to occur at least six days a week. The Postal Regulatory Commission must annually submit to the USPS a budget of its expenses. It must also conduct a study to identify the causes and effects of postal inefficiencies relating to flats (e.g., large envelopes). The USPS Office of Inspector General shall perform oversight of the Postal Regulatory Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2021
Artificial Intelligence Capabilities and Transparency Act of 2021 or the AICT Act of 2021 This bill addresses artificial intelligence capabilities related to national defense and security. The bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to designate a chief digital recruiting officer within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to oversee a digital recruiting office. The office must be responsible for (1) identifying DOD needs for specific types of digital talent, (2) recruiting technologists, (3) integrating federal scholarship for service programs into DOD civilian recruiting, and (4) partnering with human resource teams in the military services and DOD components to use direct-hire authorities to accelerate hiring. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Energy must also designate chief digital recruiting officers to be responsible for the same objectives in those departments. DOD must carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of establishing the Artificial Intelligence Development and Prototyping Fund. DOD must plan for the development of a modern digital ecosystem to enable development, testing, fielding, and continuous update of artificial intelligence-powered applications at speed and scale from headquarters to the tactical edge. The National Institute of Standards and Technology within the Department of Commerce must establish a program to provide accreditation to organizations that are determined to be competent at evaluating the specified effects of artificial intelligence systems used by persons in DOD, an element of the intelligence community, or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2021
Rebuilding Our Communities by Keeping aggregates Sustainable Act of 2021 or the ROCKS Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a working group of stakeholders (e.g., state, tribal, and local transportation and planning agencies) with knowledge and expertise in the production and transportation of materials used in the construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure projects to conduct a study on access to such materials, including access to stone, sand, and gravel.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2021
Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act This bill addresses the overpayment of retired or retainer pay to a joint account (bearing the name of the decedent and the decedent's designated beneficiary) during the month of the death of a retired member of the armed forces. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to forgive or offset the overpayment if the decedent was enrolled in the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). In the case of an offset, each of the first 12 SBP annuity payments after the death of the retired service member must be reduced by one-twelfth of the overpayment. If the decedent was not enrolled in the SBP, DOD is authorized to forgive the overpayment.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2021
Student Veterans Transparency and Protection Act of 2021 This bill addresses the maintenance of the GI Bill Comparison Tool and administration of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance. The VA must maintain the tool and ensure its historical data remains easily and prominently accessible on the VA's benefits website for at least seven years from the initial publication. The VA must retain, maintain, and publish feedback from students and state approving agencies regarding the quality of instruction, recruiting practices, and post-graduation employment placement of approved institutions of higher learning for the duration that the institution is approved for VA benefit purposes. The bill provides institutions of higher learning with up to 30 days to review and respond to any feedback and address issues before the feedback is published. The bill requires that the GI Bill Comparison Tool include updated information, including descriptions of each federal student aid program and the amount of educational assistance an individual may be eligible to receive under the program. The VA must train personnel that provide education benefits counseling, vocational or transition assistance, or similar functions to properly use the comparison tool and provide appropriate education counseling services. The VA must restore entitlement to educational assistance in situations where there is a civil enforcement action or VA action against an educational institution, and an individual was unable to complete the course or program of education due to such action. Individuals may be charged against their entitlement at their request.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2021
This resolution requires the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate to establish a McCain-Mansfield Fellowship Program through which certain veterans may participate in a two-year fellowship in the personal office of a Senator.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2021
Harnessing Effective and Appropriate Long-Term Health for Moms On Medicaid Act of 2021 or the HEALTH for MOM Act of 2021 This bill allows state Medicaid programs to cover services that are provided by maternity health homes (designated providers or health teams that provide pregnancy and postpartum coordinated care services). Participating maternity health homes must meet standards set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), including the ability to coordinate prompt access to services, develop individualized care plans, provide supportive services, and coordinate with pediatric care providers. States must conduct outreach to providers, pregnant women, and other relevant stakeholders on the availability of such health homes and must report specified information relating to the implementation and outcomes of such services. The CMS must award grants to states to develop plans for implementation. The bill also temporarily increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for maternity health home services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2021
Greatest Generation Memorial Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia. The design of the coins shall be emblematic of the memorial and the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during World War II. All surcharges received from the sale of such coins shall be paid to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the memorial, and for educational and commemorative programs.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2021
Back the Blue Act of 2021 This bill establishes new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. Additionally, the bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or firefighter or other first responder; broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge. Finally, it directs the Department of Justice to make grants to law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to promote trust and improve relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2021
This resolution supports the designation of May 2-May 8, 2021, as Public Service Recognition Week. It also commends public servants for their contributions during the COVID-19 crisis.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2021
Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act This bill requires state Medicaid programs to establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may enroll as participating providers without undergoing additional screening requirements. Among other things, a qualifying provider must (1) serve minors, or adults whose condition began as a minor; and (2) have previously been screened for Medicare participation or for participation in the Medicaid program of the state in which the provider is located.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2021
Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act This bill modifies the methodology and application of Medicare Advantage nursing and allied health education payments for hospitals. Specifically, for 2010-2019, the bill eliminates the annual cap on total payments and excludes any resulting increase from factoring into calculations for graduate medical education payments for such hospitals. (The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently issued guidance providing for the recalculation and correction of certain payments to account for the annual payment cap.)
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2021
Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2021 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that charges for payphone services, including advanced (e.g., audio or video) communications services in correctional institutions, are just and reasonable.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2021
REO Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Reentry Employment Opportunities Program to make grants for the purpose of providing job training opportunities to formerly incarcerated adults, youths, and young adults who have dropped out of school. Grants are awarded to entities such as nonprofit organizations, organizations serving women or a minority population, and state and local governments to carry out projects related to apprenticeship programs, occupational skills education, on-the-job training, work experience, job referrals, basic skills remediation, educational services, and work readiness activities for such individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
This resolution sets forth procedures that allow Senators to cast their votes from outside of the Senate chamber. Specifically, these votes may be cast using certain technology approved by the Secretary of the Senate and Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper if the majority leader and minority leader jointly determine that an extraordinary crisis of national extent exists in which it would be infeasible for Senators to cast their votes in person.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021 or the CONNECT for Health Act of 2021 This bill expands coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Among other provisions, the bill allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to waive certain restrictions, such as restrictions on the types of technology that may be used; permanently removes geographic restrictions on originating sites (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) and allows the home of the beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services; permanently allows federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner); and allows the CMS to generally waive coverage restrictions during any public health emergency. Additionally, the CMS must report on the effects of expanded telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency, including with respect to the utilization, quality, and outcomes of services. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation may also test alternative payment models relating to expanded telehealth services.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the President to provide assistance to implement a comprehensive five-year strategy to contribute toward the global goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths by 2030.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
Supporting and Empowering the Nation to Improve Outcomes that Reaffirm Careers, Activities, and Recreation for the Elderly Act or the SENIOR CARE Act This bill expands eligibility for the Medicaid Ticket to Work Program to include individuals who are 65 years of age or older. (Under the current program, states may establish a Medicaid buy-in option for working individuals with disabilities whose income exceeds the customary limits and who are between the ages of 16 and 64.)
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2021 This bill allows a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. A qualified individual must (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid state-issued concealed carry permit, or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2021 This bill modifies definitions relating to homeless individuals and homeless children or youth as used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to verify eligibility for HUD homeless assistance programs, including the Continuum of Care program. Specifically, the bill aligns these terms with the definitions of homeless used to verify eligibility for other federal assistance programs. The definitions are also amended to increase access to federal homeless programs by homeless children, youth, and families. Additionally, the community-wide homeless management information system shall be made available to the public on HUD's website.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
This resolution condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism and anti-Asian and Pacific Islander or ethnic intolerance and calls for specified actions by the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and federal law enforcement. The resolution (1) calls on the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider holding a hearing related to the surge in violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and (2) applauds DOJ's commitment to conducting a 30-day review of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The resolution calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to expeditiously and vigorously investigate all reports of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, work to improve the reporting of such hate crimes, and hold the perpetrators of those crimes accountable and bring the perpetrators to justice.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
Technology Standards Task Force Act of 2021 This bill directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish a task force on setting emerging technology standards, to be known as the Emerging Technology Standards-Setting Task Force. The task force shall develop a long-term strategic plan for the United States to lead emerging technology standards-setting processes.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2021
Linear Generator Parity Act This bill modifies the tax credit for investments in energy property to make qualified fuel cell property (certain fuel cell power plants) that uses an electromechanical process eligible for the credit.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2021
Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133rd Signal Services Company, known collectively as the Ghost Army , in recognition of unique and highly distinguished service during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2021
This bill provides for the award of Congressional Gold Medals posthumously to Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith (four Americans who were killed in the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya) in recognition of their contributions to the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2021
This resolution condemns Iran's state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the international covenants on human rights. Further, it calls on Iran to immediately release all imprisoned or detained Baha'is, and it urges the President and the Department of State to impose sanctions on Iranian officials and others who are responsible for serious human rights abuses, including abuses against Iran's Baha'i community.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2021
Homecare for Seniors Act This bill allows tax-exempt distributions from health savings accounts (HSAs) to be used for qualified home care. Qualified home care includes a contract to provide three or more of the following services in the residence of the service recipient assistance with eating, assistance with toileting, assistance with transferring, assistance with bathing, assistance with dressing, assistance with continence, and medication adherence. The Department of Health and Human Services must carry out a campaign to increase public awareness of the in-home service expenses that are eligible for tax-free distribution from HSAs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2021
Abortion Providers Loan Elimination Act This bill makes abortion providers ineligible to receive a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program, which was established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19. This prohibition shall not apply to hospitals or entities that exclusively provide abortions (1) where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or (2) where the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother. The Inspector General of the Small Business Administration must report on the number of paycheck protection loans made to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and to other abortion providers.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
Advancing American AI Act This bill requires specified federal agencies to take steps to promote artificial intelligence (AI) while aligning with U.S. values, such as the protection of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. The Office of Management and Budget must establish mechanisms to continually refine guidance issued to agencies regarding AI as best practices evolve, issue a memorandum to each agency that articulates the method by which the agency shall make public information about the agency's use of AI, and identify at least five new use cases for the application of cross-enterprise AI-enabled systems to support modernization initiatives across agencies. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Chief Acquisition Officers Council or a council working group shall develop a process to ensure that contracts involving AI align with agency guidance and address protection of privacy. The Department of Homeland Security shall revise the legal and approval processes for the procurement and use of AI-enabled systems to ensure that full consideration is given to the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties impacts of such systems. The bill revises and extends pilot programs regarding the acquisition of innovative commercial items and certain research and development projects.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
Make PPE in America Act This bill requires procurement contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) to be long-term and for domestically manufactured PPE. Specifically, contracts entered into by the Departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Defense, Education, or Veterans Affairs for the procurement of PPE must be for a duration of at least three years, including a base period and all option periods, to incentivize investment in the production of PPE, and materials and components of PPE, in the United States. The bill provides exceptions (1) where a nonavailability determination has been made, (2) where a sufficient quantity of a satisfactory quality cannot be procured as and when needed at U.S. market prices, and (3) where the department certifies every 120 days that it is necessary to procure PPE under alternate procedures to respond to the immediate needs of a public health emergency. Such departments may transfer to the Strategic National Stockpile any excess PPE acquired under a contract.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
Build America, Buy America Act This bill requires federal infrastructure programs to provide for the use of materials produced in the United States. Each federal agency must submit to the Office of Management and Budget and to Congress a report that identifies each federal financial assistance program for infrastructure administered by the agency and (1) identify domestic content procurement preferences applicable to the assistance, (2) assess the applicability of such requirements, (3) provide details on any applicable domestic content procurement preference requirement, and (4) include a description of the type of infrastructure projects that receive funding under the program. Each agency shall ensure that none of the funds made available for such a program may be used for a project unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured products used in the project are produced in the United States, subject to waivers where inconsistent with the public interest, where not produced in sufficient quantities or satisfactory quality, or where such inclusion will increase the cost of the project by more than 25%.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
Safeguarding American Innovation Act This bill addresses the security of federally funded research and development grants and export-controlled goods, technologies, or sensitive information. The bill establishes in the Office of Management and Budget a Federal Research Security Council to develop federally funded research and development grant making policy and management guidance to protect the national and economic security interests of the United States. Each executive agency on the council shall be responsible for assessing federal research security risks posed by persons participating in federally funded research and development. The bill prohibits any individual from knowingly (1) preparing or submitting a federal grant application that fails to disclose the receipt of any outside compensation, including foreign compensation, by the individual; or (2) forging, counterfeiting, or otherwise falsifying a document to obtain a federal grant. An alien shall be inadmissible to the United States if a consulate or the Department of Justice knows the alien seeks to enter the United States to acquire export-controlled goods, technologies, or sensitive information if the Department of State has determined that such acquisition would be contrary to U.S. national security (including economic security). The bill revises provisions relating to the disclosure of foreign gifts.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
Cyber Response and Recovery Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to declare a significant incident in the event of a breach of a public or private network and establishes a Cyber Response and Recovery Fund. Specifically, DHS may make the declaration upon determining that a specific significant incident has occurred or is likely to occur imminently and that otherwise available resources, other than the fund, are likely insufficient to respond to or mitigate the incident effectively. Upon a declaration, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency must coordinate (1) the response activities of each federal agency; and (2) with other responding entities, including local governments and law enforcement agencies. The fund shall be available for the coordination of such activities and for response and recovery support.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
National Aviation Heritage Area Reauthorization Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2036 assistance from the National Park Service for the National Aviation Heritage Area in Ohio.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2021
Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2021 This bill expands tax incentives and federal assistance for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) that are sponsored by S corporations. The bill extends to all domestic corporations, including S corporations, provisions allowing deferral of tax on gain from the sale of employer securities to an ESOP. The Department of the Treasury must establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations. The bill defines an ESOP business concern and allows such a concern to continue to qualify as a small business for the purposes of programs under the Small Business Act. An ESOP business concern is a business concern that was a small business concern eligible for a loan, preference, or other program under the Small Business Act before more than 49% of the business concern was acquired by an ESOP.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
Time to Rescue United States Trusts Act of 2021 or the TRUST Act of 2021 This bill establishes congressional rescue committees to develop recommendations and legislation to improve critical social contract programs. A critical social contract program is a federal program for which a federal trust fund is established (e.g., Social Security, Medicare, and federal highway programs), with outlays of at least $20 billion during the year preceding the year in which this bill is enacted, and for which the amount of dedicated federal funds and federal trust fund balances will be inadequate to meet the total amount of outlays of the program that would otherwise be made. Each rescue committee may develop recommendations and legislation to improve the program for which it was established, including by (1) increasing the duration of positive balances of the federal trust fund established for the program, and (2) providing for the solvency of the federal trust fund established for the program during a 75-year period. Congress must use specified expedited legislative procedures to consider legislation that is approved and submitted by the rescue committees.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2021 or the REFUND Act of 2021 This bill requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in relation to discarded amounts (i.e., amounts remaining after administration) of single-dose vial drugs that are covered under Medicare. Manufacturers that fail to comply are subject to civil penalties. The CMS must determine rebate amounts based on payment claims from providers. (Currently, providers may receive payment under Medicare for discarded amounts of single-dose vial drugs through the use of a specific claims modifier.)
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
This resolution extends condolences to the family and friends of former Vice President Walter Mondale. The resolution acknowledges Mondale's lifetime service to the United States, including as a U.S. Senator and as the first presidential candidate from a major party to select a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, as his running mate.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Endless Frontier Act This bill establishes a Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the National Science Foundation (NSF) and establishes various programs and activities. The goals of the directorate shall be, among other things, the strengthening of U.S. leadership in critical technologies through basic research in key technology focus areas, such as artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and advanced manufacturing, and the commercialization of those technologies to businesses in the United States. The bill gives the NSF the authority to provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information within the United States concerning the NSF’s activities and the results of those activities. The Office of Science and Technology Policy shall annually develop a strategy for the federal government to improve national competitiveness in science, research, and innovation to support the national security strategy. The Department of Commerce shall (1) establish a supply chain resiliency and crisis response program to address supply chain gaps and vulnerabilities in critical industries, (2) designate regional technology hubs to facilitate activities that support regional economic development that diffuses innovation around the United States, and (3) award grants to facilitate development and implementation of comprehensive regional technology strategies. The bill extends through FY2026 the Manufacturing USA Program and expands such program to support innovation and growth in domestic manufacturing.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Safe Cribs Act This bill makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, or distribute crib bumpers. Crib bumpers generally are padded materials inserted around the inside of a crib and intended to prevent the crib occupant from becoming trapped in any part of the crib's openings; they do not include unpadded, mesh crib liners.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a voluntary Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Certification Program to help reduce entry barriers into voluntary environmental credit markets for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners. A voluntary environmental credit market is a market through which agriculture and forestry credits may be bought or sold. Entities eligible to participate in the program are (1) providers of technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, or private forest landowners in carrying out sustainable land use management practices that prevent, reduce, or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, or sequester carbon; or (2) third-party verifiers that conduct the verification of the processes described in the protocols for voluntary environmental credit markets. Among other requirements, USDA must publish (1) a list of protocols and qualifications for eligible entities; (2) information describing how entities may self-certify under the program; (3) information describing how entities may obtain the expertise to meet the protocols and qualifications; and (4) instructions and suggestions to assist farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners in facilitating the development of agriculture or forestry credits and accessing voluntary environmental credit markets. USDA must also establish an advisory council to make recommendations regarding the list of protocols and qualifications, best practices, and voluntary environmental credit markets. The bill also rescinds certain funds provided in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and makes the funds available for the certification program.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
PPP Flexibility for Farmers, Ranchers, and the Self-Employed Act This bill makes various changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) with respect to certain loans, loan applicants, and loan recipients. First, the bill permits farming partnerships with gross farming income from self-employment to request a recalculation of the amount of their PPP loans based on the partners' distributive shares of gross income from the partnership. The recalculation is available retroactively for loans made on or before the date of enactment of this bill. Additionally, applicants for PPP loans may calculate their maximum loan amount based on the applicant's Internal Revenue Service Form 1040, Schedule C (i.e., profit or loss from a business). This applies retroactively to PPP loans made or approved on or before December 27, 2020. The bill also increases the maximum amount of a second draw PPP loan for individuals who received PPP loan forgiveness. The maximum second draw PPP loan amount for an eligible individual includes the increased PPP loan amount the individual would have received under the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act had the individual not already received loan forgiveness. This applies retroactively to second draw loans made on for before the date of enactment of this bill. The bill changes from a quarterly period to any contiguous 90-day period the calculation of revenue loss in determining eligibility for a second draw PPP loan. The bill also extends certain dates with respect to the administration of the PPP.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement Technical Corrections Act This bill prohibits the federal government from using reverse auctions for complex, specialized, or substantial design and construction services. Reverse auctions allow the sellers to bid down the price of a project and typically result in the contractor with the lowest bid winning the contract. The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council must define complex, specialized, or substantial design and construction services . The General Services Administration shall report to specified congressional committees on this bill's effectiveness.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Small Business Tax Fairness and Compliance Simplification Act This bill expands the tax credit for a portion of the employer-paid Social Security taxes for employee cash tips to include beauty service establishments. (Under current law, the credit is limited to tips received for providing, serving, or delivering food or beverages.) The credit applies to tips received in connection with providing beauty services to a customer or client if tipping employees who provide the service is customary. Beauty services include barbering and hair care, nail care, esthetics, and body and spa treatments. The bill also (1) establishes an employer tip reporting safe harbor for beauty service establishments, and (2) specifies reporting requirements for income received from renting space to individuals who provide beauty services. The employer tip reporting safe harbor for beauty service establishments provides an exemption from certain Internal Revenue Service tip examinations for employers who meet certain requirements for educational programs, reporting procedures, compliance with tax law, and recordkeeping.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Domenic and Ed's Law This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to discharge a parent borrower's liability on Federal Family Education Loans if the student on whose behalf the parent incurred the loans becomes disabled. Specifically, ED must discharge the liability on loans that parents incurred on behalf of a student who (1) has become permanently and totally disabled, or (2) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to a physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or has lasted or is expected to last continuously for at least 60 months. Under current law, ED is required to discharge a parent borrower's liability on these loans only if the student dies.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2021
United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2021 This bill recognizes service as a member of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps between July 1, 1943, and December 31, 1948, as active duty service. The active duty designation entitles qualifying individuals to certain benefits afforded to veterans, such as burial benefits (not including interment at Arlington National Cemetery) and honorary veteran status. Under the bill, the Department of Defense (DOD) must issue individuals who served in the corps during the specified period a discharge from their service under honorable conditions if such a discharge is warranted based on the duration and nature of the service. Such individuals are not entitled to Department of Veterans Affairs benefits aside from those related to burials and memorials. The bill also authorizes DOD to produce a service medal or other commendation, memorial plaque, or grave marker to honor the individuals.
![Official portrait of Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000449_200.jpg)