Sen. Christopher A. Coons

This resolution designates the week beginning on October 10, 2021, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. The resolution acknowledges the importance of national wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution to local economies. Finally, the resolution reaffirms the support of the Senate for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.

This resolution designates October 16, 2021, and October 16, 2022, as World Food Day and encourages the people of the United States to observe the days with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates October 8, 2021, as "National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day" to recognize the importance of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. It does not create new laws, regulations, or funding, serving solely as a symbolic observance. The bill references hydrogen's role in energy, transportation, and space programs but contains no concrete policy changes. It directly affects no individuals or entities, as it is purely a ceremonial designation by the Senate.

Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 This bill sets out programs and otherwise directs the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to carry out activities to prevent and treat malnutrition globally. In coordination with relevant federal agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors, partner countries, and other stakeholders, the USAID may scale up programs for preventing and treating malnutrition globally. This includes focusing on interventions for the populations most susceptible to severe malnutrition (e.g., pregnant and lactating women and children younger than five years of age). The USAID must select countries based on specified malnutrition-related indicators for purposes of targeting malnutrition prevention and treatment programs and update the selection within five years. To support these programs, the USAID must leverage additional private sector resources in priority countries, including by considering opportunities within the Development Finance Corporation's impact framework for supporting improved nutrition outcomes. The USAID must provide Congress with an implementation plan and annual reports concerning its programs for preventing and treating malnutrition. The bill also establishes the Nutrition Leadership Council, comprised of various USAID bureaus and offices, to coordinate agency activities to prevent and treat malnutrition. The bill's provisions terminate seven years after its enactment.

Arctic Diplomacy Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Arctic Affairs within the Department of State. The position shall maintain continuous observation and coordination of matters pertaining to foreign policy in the Arctic, including trade, the environment, and political-military affairs.

Fostering Overseas Rule of law and Environmentally Sound Trade Act of 2021 or the FOREST Act of 2021 This bill restricts certain commodities produced on illegally deforested land from accessing the U.S. market. Specifically, the bill prohibits the importation of any product made wholly or in part of a covered commodity produced from illegally deforested land. The bill outlines requirements for import declarations of covered commodities. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) must, within 30 days, publish (1) an initial list of covered commodities that consists of palm oil, soybeans, cocoa, cattle, rubber, and wood pulp; and (2) an initial list of covered products that are defined by the bill in accordance with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. These lists must be updated at least on an annual basis. Further, the USTR must identify foreign countries without adequate and effective protection against illegal deforestation caused by the production of commodities that are likely to enter the United States. The USTR must develop an action plan that includes benchmarks for each identified country. Additionally, the bill creates an interagency working group to provide advice and recommendations to the USTR, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant agencies. The bill provides funding to assist foreign governments in combating illegal deforestation. The bill also includes illegal deforestation as a specified unlawful activity under a federal financial crime statute. The bill establishes a federal procurement preference for commodities that are not produced from land subject to deforestation.

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.

This resolution designates September 2021 as National Democracy Month.

Protecting Our Democracy Act This bill addresses issues involving (1) abuses of presidential power; (2) checks and balances, accountability, and transparency; and (3) foreign interference in elections. Specifically, regarding abuses of presidential power, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the President to submit to Congress specified materials relating to certain pardons, prohibits self-pardons by the President, suspends the statute of limitations for federal offenses committed by a sitting President or Vice President, prohibits the acceptance of foreign or domestic emoluments, and sets forth provisions regarding Office of Government Ethics and Office of Special Counsel jurisdiction and enforcement authority. To address checks and balances, accountability, and transparency, the bill authorizes specified actions to enforce congressional subpoenas, imposes limits on presidential declarations of emergencies, requires DOJ to maintain a log of specified communications between itself and the White House, requires cause for removal of inspectors general, increases whistleblower protections, requires a candidate for President or Vice President to submit to the Federal Election Commission a copy of the individual's income tax returns for the 10 most recent taxable years, and establishes penalties for political appointees who engage in prohibited political activities. To protect against foreign interference in elections, the bill requires federal campaign reporting of foreign contacts, requires federal campaigns to establish a foreign contacts compliance policy, and specifies that foreign donations to political campaigns and candidates of nonpublic information relating to a candidate are prohibited.

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for qualified employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. A qualified employee is an employee or applicant who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position, with specified exceptions. Specifically, the bill declares that it is an unlawful employment practice to fail to make reasonable accommodations to known limitations of such employees unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on an entity's business operation; require a qualified employee affected by such condition to accept an accommodation other than any reasonable accommodation arrived at through an interactive process; deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee; require such employees to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided; or take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against a qualified employee requesting or using such reasonable accommodations. The bill sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies that cover different types of employees in relation to such unlawful employment practices. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must provide examples of reasonable accommodations that shall be provided to affected employees unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship. The bill prohibits state immunity under the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution from an action for a violation of this bill.