Agricultural Security Risk Review Act This bill expands the membership of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to include the Secretary of Agriculture. (The committee reviews the national security implications of certain foreign investments in U.S. businesses or real estate, including critical infrastructure or technologies.)
Gigabit Opportunity Act This bill authorizes the designation of qualified gigabit opportunity zones in low-income communities and provides tax incentives for investments in such zones. Governors may submit nominations for a limited number of qualified gigabit opportunity zones in low-income communities to the Department of the Treasury for certification and designation and must give particular consideration to areas that are facing obstacles to economic development due to a lack of geographic broadband coverage or speed; are the focus of mutually reinforcing state, local, or private economic development initiatives; are poised for economic growth that requires access to high speed broadband for commercial purposes; and represent the areas of a state where such service would result in the highest return on investment. For eligible taxpayers who sell certain broadband services, the bill allows (1) deferrals, reductions, or exemptions from taxes on capital gains invested in certain property used to provide broadband services in a zone; and (2) immediate expensing of the costs of the property. The bill also allows tax-exempt private activity bonds to be used for certain broadband projects in the zones. Within one year of enactment of this bill, the Federal Communications Commission must publish a Uniform Model Broadband Deployment Act containing laws for the state regulation of the deployment of broadband services. Qualified zones must either adopt the Act or laws comparable to the Act.
Dr. Neil Compton Conservation Act This bill redesignates the Tyler Bend Visitor Center located on Tyler Bend Road in St. Joe, Arkansas, as the Dr. Neil Compton Visitor Center. The Department of the Interior may display information at the Dr. Neil Compton Visitor Center to educate the public about the contributions of Dr. Neil Compton to the history of the Buffalo National River.
This resolution recognizes April 30, 2021, as National Arbor Day and encourages the people of the United States to participate in National Arbor Day activities.
Chinese Communist Party Influence Transparency Act This bill requires an agent of a Chinese business entity to register as an agent of a foreign principal in certain instances. The bill's provisions shall apply to an entity that (1) is organized under the laws of China and has its principal place of business there, unless the entity is a Chinese subsidy or affiliate of a non-Chinese entity; or (2) has been designated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as being subject to the Chinese Communist Party's extrajudicial direction. Generally, under current law, an agent of a foreign principal engaging in lobbying in the United States must periodically file disclosures with DOJ, with specified exemptions. Under the bill, an existing exemption for a foreign agent that engages only in private and nonpolitical activities to further trade and commerce shall not apply to an agent operating on behalf of such a Chinese entity. Similarly, another existing exemption for an agent that has already registered as a lobbyist shall not apply to an agent working for such a Chinese entity.
Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act This bill revises the requirements for the verification of prescriptions related to the purchase of contact lenses. Specifically, online sellers of prescription contact lenses must provide consumers with a method to transmit a digital copy of their prescriptions to such sellers. Online sellers also must encrypt protected health information they send by email. Additionally, the bill prohibits any seller of prescription contact lenses from using telephone calls with an artificial or prerecorded voice (i.e., robocalls) to verify a consumer's prescription.
Emergency Resupply for IRON DOME Act of 2021 This bill requires the President to make all unexpended funding for assistance to Gaza available instead for grants to Israel for its Iron Dome short-range rocket defense system.
Future Interstate in Oklahoma and Arkansas Act This bill designates the route that generally follows U.S. Route 412 from its intersection with Interstate 35 in Noble County, Oklahoma, passing through Tulsa, Oklahoma, to its intersection with Interstate 49 in Springdale, Arkansas, as (1) a high priority corridor on the National Highway System; (2) a future part of the Interstate System; and (3) a segment of highway, if designated as a route on the Interstate System, that permits the continued operation of vehicles without regard to vehicle weight limitation requirements.
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).
Promoting Programming, Research, Education and Preservation in Civics and Government Act or the PREP Civics and Government Act This bill amends the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 to include the study and interpretation of civics and government under the definition of humanities.
Student Agriculture Protection Act of 2021 This bill modifies the requirements for calculating taxable income to exclude from the gross income of a student agriculturist up to $5,000 of the gain from the sale or exchange of personal property (including livestock, crops, and agricultural mechanics or shop products) produced or raised by the student agriculturist. A student agriculturist is an individual who is under 22 years of age and is enrolled in (1) an FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapter or a program established by the National FFA Organization; (2) a 4H Club or other program established by 4H; or (3) a student agriculture program that is under the direction or guidance of an agricultural educator, advisor, or club leader.
Helping Startups Continue to Grow Act This bill allows certain issuers of securities regulated as emerging growth companies to continue operating under such regulations, including those related to reduced disclosures and other exemptions, for an additional five years.
