BuyAmerican.gov Act of 2021 This bill directs the President and specified federal agencies to take steps to increase transparency and limit the use of waivers of Buy American laws. Generally, Buy American requires agencies to procure domestic goods. The bill requires (1) the Department of Commerce to report periodically to Congress and the President on the implementation of, and compliance with, Buy American laws; (2) Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to assess the impacts of all U.S. free trade agreements and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement on the operation of such laws; and (3) the General Services Administration (GSA) to establish a free, publicly available BuyAmerican.gov website. Public interest waivers from Buy American laws shall be construed to ensure the maximum utilization of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States. The President shall develop a mechanism to collect information on requests to waive Buy American laws and other domestic content restrictions for purposes of providing early notice to possible waivers via the website. Executive agencies shall make information concerning the intention to issue a waiver or exception in connection with a federal procurement available to the GSA at least 20 days prior to waiving a Buy American law. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress within two years of this bill's enactment describing the bill's implementation.
Rewarding Efforts to Decrease Unrecycled Contaminants in Ecosystems Act of 2021 or the REDUCE Act of 2021 This bill imposes an excise tax on any taxable virgin plastic resin. The bill establishes a Plastic Waste Reduction Fund to carry out reduction and recycling activities, plastic waste and marine debris reduction, detection, monitoring, and cleanup activities, and address environmental justice and pollution impacts from plastic products.
We Need Eviction Data Now Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish and maintain a national eviction database. The database must contain eviction data compiled annually by state courts. HUD must award grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to collect data from landlords on illegal self-help evictions for inclusion in the database. The bill also requires HUD to establish an advisory committee on eviction research.
This resolution condemns and denounces the actions of the Customs and Border Patrol agents who confronted Haitian migrants on horseback using their reins as lashes.
ESP Family Leave Act This bill allows education support professionals to meet the hours of service requirements for family and medical leave if they have worked a number of hours equal to not less than 60% of the total monthly hours expected for their job descriptions and duties, as assigned for the previous school year. Education support professionals are employees within a public school or public institution of higher education which may include specified staff, such as paraeducators, administrative support staff, custodians, skilled trade workers, and nursing support staff. The Department of Labor may provide a method for calculating such leave for these professionals.
Military Suicide Prevention in the 21st Century Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to carry out a two-year pilot program to program suicide prevention resources onto smart devices issued to members of the Armed Forces and to provide training on these resources.
Two-State Solution Act This bill addresses U.S. policy and related activities to preserve conditions for a two-state solution to resolve territorial disputes between Israel and Palestine. The bill prohibits the United States from providing support for projects in geographic regions that came under Israeli control after June 5, 1967. It also prohibits the use of any U.S. security assistance, defense articles, or defense services provided to Israel for efforts to annex or exercise permanent control over any part of the West Bank or Gaza. Current law designates the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as a terrorist organization and restricts its activities (e.g., prohibiting it from maintaining an office in the United States). The President may waive for up to six months some of these restrictions to serve U.S. national security or diplomatic interests. If the President certifies that the PLO has ceased supporting terrorist actions and met other conditions, the bill automatically terminates the terrorist organization designation. Goods produced in the West Bank or Gaza that are imported into the United States must indicate those areas as the country of origin on their labels. The bill expands the scope of certain foreign and development assistance to foster initiatives, including shared educational opportunities and youth activities, that connect Israelis and Palestinians. Additionally, the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development may jointly award grants to private, nonprofit organizations to promote human rights and democracy, strengthen civil society, and otherwise address the needs of the Palestinian people.
Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2021 This bill addresses harassment at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to include in its annual security report a statement of policy regarding harassment on the basis of a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, and a sex stereotype), disability, or religion. In addition, the Department of Education may award grants to IHEs to initiate, expand, or improve programs to (1) prevent the harassment of students; (2) provide counseling or redress services to students who have been harassed or accused of subjecting other students to harassment; or (3) educate and train students, faculty, or staff to prevent harassment or address harassment if it occurs.
Students and Young Consumers Empowerment Act This bill establishes the Office for Students and Young Consumers within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and eliminates the position of Private Education Loan Ombudsman. (Currently, the Private Education Loan Ombudsman provides assistance to borrowers of private education loans.) The Office for Students and Young Consumers must provide assistance to borrowers of private or federal student loans and enter into an information-sharing agreement with the Department of Education. The office must also report annually regarding campus banking and the student loan marketplace.
Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 This bill expressly authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to place a moratorium on residential evictions to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The bill also requires HHS to implement a moratorium nationwide to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This moratorium must remain in effect for at least 60 days following the termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Current law authorizes HHS to take measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. As part of the COVID-19 response, HHS delegated this authority to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which then issued (and extended) several orders banning residential evictions. Whether these orders exceed the CDC's statutory and constitutional authority has been the subject of multiple legal challenges; the Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the most recent order on August 26, 2021.
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Peace Month.
Every Veteran Counts Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and maintain a database of specified demographics (e.g., age) of veterans. The data must be in a machine-readable format and anonymized to protect sensitive personal information. The VA must provide access to the database on a publicly accessible website that is updated at least once a year. Additionally, the VA must report on the progress, challenges, performance, and opportunities of implementing its data strategy. The report must be made available on the VA's open data website in a machine-readable format.
