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501 records in US in 2021
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2021
Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the Harlem Hellfighters, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service during World War I.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 2021
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that it should not pass legislation mandating the registration of women for the Selective Service System.
United States · United States Senate · 4 August 2021
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2021
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 This bill authorizes various intelligence-related activities for FY2022 and addresses related issues. For example, the bill requires the National Counterintelligence and Security Center to periodically report to Congress and certain agencies; authorizes the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to support intelligence community activities related to personnel recruitment and retention, diversity, equity, and inclusion; establishes the position of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer of the Intelligence Community within the ODNI; prohibits transferring any National Reconnaissance Office element to the Space Force; establishes within the Central Intelligence Agency the Chaplain Corps to provide pastoral services; establishes a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of offering student loan repayment as a recruitment tool for certain Office of Intelligence and Analysis positions; prohibits any intelligence community element from collecting or analyzing a U.S. person's information based solely on activity protected by the First Amendment; modifies provisions related to submitting whistleblower complaints to Congress; requires intelligence community elements to immediately provide data relating to unidentified aerial phenomena to the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force and the National Air and Space Intelligence Center; requires each executive agency to establish an appeals process for individuals whose access to classified information has been denied or revoked; and requires a policy for the federal government on sharing derogatory information (generally information that may be relevant to the suitability of a federal contractor employee to have access to certain federal facilities) with an individual's employer.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2021
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022 This bill provides FY2022 appropriations for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy (DOE), and independent agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill provides appropriations for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, including for Investigations, Construction, Mississippi River and Tributaries, Operation and Maintenance, the Regulatory Program, the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies, Expenses, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program. The bill provides appropriations to the Department of the Interior for the Central Utah Project and the Bureau of Reclamation. The bill provides appropriations to DOE for energy programs, including Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response; Electricity; Nuclear Energy; Fossil Energy And Carbon Management; Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves; the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve; the Energy Information Administration; Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup; the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund; Science; Nuclear Waste Disposal; Technology Transitions; Clean Energy Demonstrations; the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy; the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program; the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program; the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program; the Office of Indian Energy Policy And Programs; Departmental Administration; and the Office of the Inspector General. The bill also provides appropriations to DOE for Atomic Energy Defense Activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, Environmental and Other Defense Activities, and the Power Marketing Administrations. The bill provides appropriations to several independent agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2021
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022 This bill provides FY2022 appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and related agencies. The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for military construction for the Army; the Navy and Marine Corps; the Air Force; Defense-wide agencies and activities; the Army and Air National Guard; and the Army, Navy, and Air Force Reserves. The bill also provides appropriations to DOD for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; the Base Closure Account; Construction and Operation and Maintenance of Family Housing for the Army, the Navy and Marine Corps, the Air Force, and Defense-wide agencies and activities; the Family Housing Improvement Fund; and the Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund. Within the VA budget, the bill provides appropriations for the Veterans Benefits Administration, the Veterans Health Administration, the National Cemetery Administration, and Departmental Administration. The bill provides appropriations for related agencies and programs, including the American Battle Monuments Commission, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Cemeterial Expenses of the Army, and the Armed Forces Retirement Home. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2021
Restore Everyone's Sleep Tonight Act of 2021 or the REST Act of 20 21 This bill authorizes an airport to impose an access restriction between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. for aircrafts. An airport may impose a noise deterrence penalty on an air carrier or aircraft operator for a violation of the access restriction. The restriction does not apply to the operation of military, law enforcement, and U.S. Coast Guard flights.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2021
Surface Warfare Officer Leadership Enhancement Act or the SWOLE Act This bill addresses Naval operations, including the duties of surface warfare officers. Specifically, the bill requires that any person originally commissioned as a surface warfare officer in the Navy on or after January 1, 2023, be assigned to the ship engineering systems career path or the ship operations and combat systems path. The Department of Defense (DOD) must seek to enter into an agreement with a nonprofit entity or federally funded research and development center independent of DOD to research and analyze the gender gap in retention of surface warfare officers in the Navy. The Navy must not expend more than 75% of the funds authorized to be appropriated in FY2022 for Ship Operations, Operations and Maintenance, Navy, until the Navy certifies to Congress that it has established certain standards and procedures by which a member of the Navy can receive a merchant mariner credential with a national officer endorsement, a national rating endorsement, or a Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping endorsement.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2021
Directed Energy Threat Emergency Response Act This bill requires actions to address anomalous health incidents. The President must designate an appropriate senior official as the Anomalous Health Incidents Interagency Coordinator. The interagency coordinator must (1) coordinate the U.S. government's response to anomalous health incidents, (2) ensure that affected personnel and dependents get access to care, and (3) ensure adequate training and education for relevant U.S. government personnel. The bill also requires certain agencies, including the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to designate an appropriate senior official to serve as the Anomalous Health Incident Agency Coordination Lead. These officials must (1) work with the interagency coordinator to achieve objectives related to anomalous health incidents, and (2) jointly provide quarterly briefings to Congress on its activities. Such agencies must also develop updated workplace guidance to address anomalous health incidents, including processes to self-report suspected exposure to a possible anomalous health incident.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2021
Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act This bill makes the America the Beautiful-National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available, without charge, to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and Gold Star Families. The pass covers the entrance fee and standard amenity recreation fee for all federal recreational lands and waters.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2021
Fly Vets Act This bill adjusts requirements related to utilizing Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance for flight training purposes, including by removing the requirement that an individual must possess a valid private pilot certificate and meet certain medical requirements to utilize such assistance. Individuals enrolled in a program of education at an institution of higher learning in which flight training is required may elect to receive accelerated payments of tuition and fees if they also elect to receive educational counseling. The bill also specifies the calculation and determination of such fees, as well as the calculation of available entitlement in cases of accelerated payments.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2021
Veterans' Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish in its National Surgery Office an interdisciplinary clinical pathway for all stages of prostate cancer. Clinical pathways are health care management tools designed around research and evidence-based practices that provide direction for the care and treatment of a specific condition. The clinical pathway must include specified elements, such as a diagnosis pathway and a treatment pathway. The VA must consult with and incorporate feedback from (1) veterans who have received prostate cancer care at its medical facilities, and (2) experts in multidisciplinary cancer care and clinical research. Additionally, the VA must publish the clinical pathway on a public VA website and annually update the pathway as needed based on medical literature and evidence-based guidelines. The bill also requires the VA to submit a plan to establish a prostate cancer program using the comprehensive prostate cancer clinical pathway.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2021
Connecting the Community To End Military Suicide Act This bill requires each military department to authorize its respective service members to take up to two weeks of permissive temporary duty each year to attend a seminar, retreat, workshop, or outdoor recreational therapy event hosted by a nonprofit organization that focuses on psychological, physical, spiritual, or social wellness.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2021
Nuclear Security Enterprise Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2021 This bill increases the minor construction threshold, associated design threshold, and the notification requirement related to national security projects of the Department of Energy.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2021
Candidates Afforded Dignity, Equality and Training (CADET) Act of 2021 This bill requires the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Transportation to prescribe regulations ensuring that the parental guardianship rights of cadets and midshipmen attending military service academies are protected consistent with individual and academic responsibilities. Cadets and midshipmen with dependents must establish a family care plan with appropriate academy leadership. Pregnant cadets and midshipmen must be provided with, at minimum, the options to (1) take leave from the military service academy for up to one year, (2) fully release from the military service academy and any related obligations, and (3) enlist in active-duty service. Males fathering a child while enrolled at a military service academy must not be required to give up parental rights and must not acquire any benefits or leave considerations as a result of fathering a child, with certain exceptions (e.g., leave to attend the birth).
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2021
Flying Tiger Flight 739 Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to authorize inclusion on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in the District of Columbia of the names of the 93 soldiers who died on Flying Tiger Flight 739 when it crashed in the Pacific Ocean en route to Vietnam on March 16, 1962.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Service Member SCOTUS Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Supreme Court to review by writ of certiorari certain cases in which the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has denied a petition for review or relief.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act This bill addresses the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provision of mammograms and breast cancer treatment. Among other requirements, the VA must submit a strategic plan for improving breast imaging services for veterans, implement a three-year pilot program to provide telemammography services for veterans who live in locations where access to breast imaging services at a VA facility is difficult or unfeasible, upgrade all mammography services at its facilities to use three-dimensional breast imaging, update guidelines to increase the use of testing for the breast cancer gene and genetic counseling for veterans diagnosed with breast cancer, and update its policies and directives to ensure that it confirms the accessibility of a breast imaging site when referring a veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder to a non-VA provider. In addition, the VA must enter into a partnership with at least one cancer center of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in each Veterans Integrated Service Network to expand access to high-quality cancer care for women veterans. In implementing such partnerships, the VA must ensure that veterans with breast cancer who reside in rural areas or states without a partner cancer center are able to receive care through telehealth. Finally, the VA must collaborate with the Department of Defense and report on all current research and health care collaborations between the departments on treating veterans and members of the Armed Forces with breast cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
This bill establishes the Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Veterans to consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the administration of benefits for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) veterans, reports and studies pertaining to LGBTQ veterans, and the needs of such veterans with respect to compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach, and other benefits and programs.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act This bill addresses the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provision of mammograms and breast cancer treatment. Among other requirements, the VA must submit a strategic plan for improving breast imaging services for veterans, implement a three-year pilot program to provide telemammography services for veterans who live in locations where access to breast imaging services at a VA facility is difficult or unfeasible, upgrade all mammography services at its facilities to use three-dimensional breast imaging, update guidelines to increase the use of testing for the breast cancer gene and genetic counseling for veterans diagnosed with breast cancer, and update its policies and directives to ensure that it confirms the accessibility of a breast imaging site when referring a veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder to a non-VA provider. In addition, the VA must enter into a partnership with at least one cancer center of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in each Veterans Integrated Service Network to expand access to high-quality cancer care for women veterans. In implementing such partnerships, the VA must ensure that veterans with breast cancer who reside in rural areas or states without a partner cancer center are able to receive care through telehealth. Finally, the VA must collaborate with the Department of Defense and report on all current research and health care collaborations between the departments on treating veterans and members of the Armed Forces with breast cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
This bill designates the Provo Veterans Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Orem, Utah, as the Gail S. Halvorsen "Candy Bomber" Veterans Center.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Counting Overlooked Base Impact Aid Act or the COBIA Act This bill requires the commanders of each military installation to annually submit written certification to their respective military departments verifying whether they have confirmed the information contained in all Impact Aid source check forms received from local educational agencies (LEAs) as of the date of such certification. Such forms are submitted by LEAs to confirm the number and identity of children eligible to be counted for purposes of the federal Impact Aid program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Stop Copay Overpay Act This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from charging a covered individual (i.e., individuals enrolled under the TRICARE program) a co-payment exceeding a certain rate for an outpatient visit for mental health or behavioral health under the TRICARE program, regardless of whether the visit is furnished by a specialty care provider. Specifically, the co-payment amount may not exceed the amount of a co-payment that would be charged under the TRICARE program for an outpatient visit for primary care services. During the one-year period after this bill is enacted, DOD may not increase the co-payment amount charged to a covered individual for any service (1) furnished by a specialty care provider under the TRICARE program, and (2) that is not mental or behavioral health care.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Charitable Equity for Veterans Act of 2021 This bill expands the deductibility of charitable contributions to all federally-chartered tax-exempt organizations serving current and former members of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
PFAS Exposure Assessment and Documentation Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to include in various health evaluations an assessment of whether a member of the Armed Forces has been exposed to perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. In addition, DOD must establish a task force to address the effects of the release of PFAS from DOD activities. The bill requires DOD to ensure that any periodic health assessment, physical assessment for recently separated members, pre-deployment medical examination, post-deployment medical examination, and post-deployment health reassessment provided to a member of the Armed Forces includes an evaluation of whether the member has been exposed to PFAS or was based or stationed at a military installation with a known or suspected release of PFAS during the period the member was there. If any of the evaluations result in a positive determination of potential exposure to PFAS, DOD must provide blood testing during the evaluation. DOD must pay for blood testing to determine and document potential exposure to PFAS for former members of the Armed Forces or family members of such members who lived at a location identified by DOD as having a known or suspected PFAS release during the individuals' residency. DOD must share results of the evaluations with the Department of Veterans Affairs and establish a registry of members of the Armed Forces who have been exposed to, or are suspected to have been exposed to, PFAS. Members may elect to be excluded from the registry.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
This resolution designates August 1, 2021, as Gold Star Children's Day to honor the sacrifices and hardships of the children of fallen service members.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2021
Charitable Equity for Veterans Act of 2021 This bill expands the deductibility of charitable contributions to all federally-chartered tax-exempt organizations serving current and former members of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Mark O'Brien VA Clothing Allowance Improvement Act This bill modifies the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clothing allowance policy for veterans who, due to a service-connected disability, wear a prosthetic, use an orthopedic appliance (e.g., a wheelchair), or use a prescription skin medication that the VA determines causes irreparable damage to clothing. The bill requires the VA to continue the clothing allowance for such a veteran on an annual basis until the veteran elects to no longer receive the allowance, or the VA determines the veteran is no longer eligible for the allowance, whichever occurs first. The bill sets forth a procedure by which the VA must conduct reviews of clothing allowance claims to determine the continued eligibility of veterans. Specifically, the VA must conduct a review (1) five years after the date on which a veteran initially receives a clothing allowance and periodically thereafter, and (2) whenever the VA receives notice that the veteran no longer meets eligibility requirements. If a veteran is eligible for a clothing allowance based on a circumstance that is not subject to change, the VA does not need to review whether the veteran has continued eligibility. If the VA determines, as the result of a review of a claim, that a veteran no longer meets the eligibility requirements for a clothing allowance, the VA must provide notice of the determination and discontinue the clothing allowance. The notice must include a description of applicable actions that may be taken following the determination (e.g., filing a notice of disagreement).
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Purple Heart Flag Act This bill designates the Purple Heart Flag and specifies locations and dates for its display.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Make Taxpayer-Funded Department of Defense Medical Interventions Affordable Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report on its efforts to comply with provisions of a report related to the licensing of federally owned medical interventions. DOD must also compile into a searchable database information relating to support provided by DOD for biomedical research and development.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
This bill authorizes the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to enter into agreements for the planning, design, and construction of facilities to be operated as shared medical facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Refuge System Protection Act This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ), at the request of the Department of the Interior, to bring in a district court a civil action against any individual or entity that destroys, causes the loss of, causes Interior to make risk mitigation efforts with respect to, or injures any resource that is within the boundaries any land or water that is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bill also authorizes DOJ, at the request of Interior, to bring in a district court an in rem action against any instrumentality (e.g., a vessel, vehicle, or aircraft) that destroys, causes the loss of, causes Interior to make risk mitigation efforts with respect to, or injures any such system resource. Among others, it shall be an affirmative defense in either type of action that the destruction of, loss of, risk mitigation regarding, or injury to a system resource was caused by an otherwise legal act or omission that occurred outside the boundaries of the resource. In either type of action, the court may award response costs and damages.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Open Translation and Analysis Center Authorization Act This bill establishes the Open Translation and Analysis Center as a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Department of State. The center must disseminate translations and analysis of foreign language materials from China and other countries of strategic interest, with a particular focus on government materials (e.g., documents, reports, and speeches of political and military leadership). To carry out its activities, the center must (1) select appropriate materials for translation and analysis; (2) train analysts and linguists; (3) use technologies to expedite translations; and (4) otherwise coordinate its work with federal agencies, foreign allies, and others. Specifically, the center must cooperate and consult with relevant federal agencies and stakeholders, including grantees of the United States Agency for Global Media and research organizations. The center may consult with foreign governments if the State Department certifies that the consultation serves U.S. national interests. Additionally, the center must maintain a publicly available website of all translations and analyses that are not subject to copyright or intellectual property protections. Materials subject to those protections must be made available at no cost on a private website to federal employees and contractors and members of Congress and their staff. The bill designates the State Department as the primary sponsor of the center. However, the State Department may enter into sponsorship agreements with other federal agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
No CRT for our Military Kids Act This bill prohibits funding for the Department of Defense Education Activity from being used to (1) teach critical race theory in any school operated by the activity, or (2) develop or distribute any curriculum that incorporates critical race theory.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
American Science First Act This bill prohibits the National Science Foundation from providing grants or other forms of assistance to any individual or entity that is affiliated or otherwise has a relationship, including but not limited to a research partnership, joint venture, or contract with an entity included on the entity list under the Export Administration Regulations, which identifies foreign entities subject to license requirements for the export, reexport, or transfer of certain items; a Chinese military company operating in the United States or any of its territories or possessions on the list required under the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, or required under the Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, or any successor list; or any parent, subsidiary, affiliate of, or entity owned by or controlled by any such entity.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Onward to Opportunity Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to implement a pilot grant program at five military installations to provide enhanced support and funding to eligible entities to supplement the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) in providing job opportunities for industry-recognized certifications, job placement assistance, and related employment services to service members participating in TAP and their spouses.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act This bill applies certain military consumer credit protections to all consumers. Specifically, the bill caps the interest rate on extensions of consumer credit at 36%.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
This bill designates the Provo Veterans Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Orem, Utah, as the Col. Gail S. Halvorsen "Candy Bomber" Veterans Center.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Brian Neuman Department of Veterans Affairs Clothing Allowance Improvement Act of 2021 This bill modifies the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clothing allowance policy for veterans who, due to a service-connected disability, wear a prosthetic, use an orthopedic appliance (e.g., a wheelchair), or use a prescription skin medication that the VA determines causes irreparable damage to clothing. The bill requires the VA to continue the clothing allowance for such a veteran on an annual basis until the veteran elects to no longer receive the allowance, or the VA determines the veteran is no longer eligible for the allowance, whichever occurs first. The bill sets forth a procedure by which the VA must conduct reviews of clothing allowance claims to determine the continued eligibility of veterans. Specifically, the VA must conduct a review (1) five years after the date on which a veteran initially receives a clothing allowance and periodically thereafter, and (2) whenever the VA receives notice that the veteran no longer meets eligibility requirements. If a veteran is eligible for a clothing allowance based on a circumstance that is not subject to change, the VA does not need to review whether the veteran has continued eligibility. If the VA determines, as the result of a review of a claim, that a veteran no longer meets the eligibility requirements for a clothing allowance, the VA must provide notice of the determination and discontinue the clothing allowance. The notice must include a description of applicable actions that may be taken following the determination (e.g., filing a notice of disagreement).
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Military PFAS Testing Disclosure Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to publicly disclose the results of any testing for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, conducted on or at areas surrounding DOD military installations in the United States and National Guard facilities. DOD must also disclose the expected timing and location of any planned testing for PFAS at the specified sites. DOD may satisfy the disclosure requirements by publishing the information, data sets, and results relating to the testing on a publicly available DOD website or in the Federal Register. Prior to conducting any testing for PFAS, DOD must provide notice to (1) the managers of the public water system serving the areas located immediately adjacent to the military installation being tested, (2) the municipal government serving the areas located immediately adjacent to the military installation being tested, and (3) all Restoration Advisory Board members for the military installation where the testing is to occur. DOD must test for all PFAS for which a method of measurement in drinking water has been validated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2021
Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2021 This bill revises the scope, jurisdiction, and requirements of the Clean Water Act. It specifies the types of water bodies that are navigable waters and therefore receive protection. It defines navigable waters as waters of the United States that are (1) navigable-in-fact; or (2) permanent, standing, or continuously flowing bodies of water that form geographical features commonly known as streams, oceans, rivers, and lakes that are connected to waters that are navigable-in-fact. The bill limits the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over such waters, including by stating that ground water is under the jurisdiction of states. The bill prohibits the EPA from using a significant nexus test to determine federal jurisdiction over navigable waters and waters of the United States. The bill nullifies the Migratory Bird rule and a 2008 guidance document about the definition of waters under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. The bill prohibits the EPA and the Corps from issuing new rules or guidance that expands or interprets the definition of navigable waters unless expressly authorized by Congress. Federal agencies must obtain consent from private property owners to collect information about navigable waters on their land. If regulations relating to navigable waters or waters of United States diminish the value of a property, then the federal government must pay the property owner an amount equal to twice the value of the loss.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
Defense of United States Infrastructure Act of 2021 This bill sets out programs and requirements related to critical infrastructure and cybersecurity threats. The bill establishes a grant program to address cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure and requires the establishment of cybersecurity-focused critical technology centers. The bill limits to five years the term of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) director. Additionally, CISA must establish an information-sharing environment that integrates cyber threat information for use by federal programs. CISA must work with the White House Office of the National Cyber Director to allow private-sector participation in the environment. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must develop guidelines for, and the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and others must conduct oversight of, the environment. DHS may designate entities as systemically important critical infrastructure. DHS must develop an appropriate methodology before designating entities. DHS must create a voluntary program to certify that smartphones and other critical technologies meet security standards. The bill prohibits certain actions (e.g., falsely attesting to certifications) with enforcement through the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The bill establishes within DHS the Bureau of Cybersecurity Statistics. Entities that provide cybersecurity incident response or insurance must report specified information to the bureau. The FTC must enforce this reporting requirement, and the bill limits the use of reported information in some proceedings. The bill also (1) requires a strategy to secure a protocol and naming system that facilitate information exchange on the internet, and (2) expands hiring authorities of the Office of the National Cyber Director.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
Military Spouse Tax Act This bill provides that a spouse of a service member may retain their personal residence or domicile for purposes of taxation. The bill authorizes a service member and the spouse of the member to elect to use the following locations for purposes of taxation: the residence or domicile of the member, the residence or domicile of the spouse, or the permanent duty station of the member.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
Protecting Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assign, for purposes of the disability compensation program, a disability rating of total to a veteran who meets certain parameters and is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to a service-connected disability. Specifically, the VA may make such a disability determination if a veteran has a service-connected disability rated at least 60%, or has two or more service-connected disabilities with one being at least 40% and a combined total of at least 70%. The VA may also make a determination on the disability rating in circumstances where a veteran meeting the specified parameters maintains marginal employment (income is less than the poverty threshold), or if the veteran maintains substantially gainful employment (exceeds the poverty threshold) and the VA determines that the rating is appropriate. The bill prescribes what disabilities may be considered as one disability (e.g., disabilities incurred or aggravated as a prisoner of war). The VA may not consider the age of a veteran or eligibility for retirement benefits when making any determination related to disability rating.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
The Post-Widows Tax Repeal SBP Open Enrollment for Service-Disabled Veterans Act This bill establishes an open enrollment period for the Survivor Benefit Plan for a member or former member of the uniformed services who, on the day before the first day of the enrollment period, discontinued participation in the Survivor Benefit Plan (due to spousal eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation), and is entitled to retired pay, or would be entitled to retired pay but for the fact the individual is under 60 years of age.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
Transition for Success Act This bill allows members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces to participate in the Department of Defense's Skillbridge program, which provides job training to service members who are transitioning into civilian life.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2021
Make Taxpayer-Funded Department of Defense Medical Interventions Affordable Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report on its efforts to comply with provisions of a report related to the licensing of federally owned medical interventions. DOD must also compile into a searchable database information relating to federal support provided by DOD for biomedical research and development.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2021
Cambodia Democracy Act of 2021 This bill directs the President to impose sanctions on individuals responsible for acts to undermine democracy in Cambodia, including acts that constituted serious human rights violations. The sanctions shall be directed at senior Cambodian government, military, or security forces officials responsible for such actions, as well as entities controlled or owned by such individuals. The sanctions shall include blocking assets and restricting the entry of sanctioned individuals into the United States, and shall not apply to the importation of goods. The President may waive the sanctions with respect to a person or entity if it is in the national interest of the United States. The President may suspend the sanctions if Cambodia makes meaningful progress toward ending government efforts to undermine democracy or committing human rights violations.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2021
Department of Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record Testing Improvement Act This bill requires the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation of the Department of Defense (DOD) to test and evaluate the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program at the request of the Department of Veterans Affairs and not less frequently than the interval at which the office tests or evaluates the Defense Healthcare Management System Modernization Program of DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2021
This resolution honors the veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army during World War II for their sacrifice to the United States and for their selfless service.