This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Ostomy Awareness Day and World Ostomy Day. (Ostomy is type of surgery that creates an opening in the abdomen that allows for the removal of bodily waste when an individual has lost normal functions of the digestive or urinary systems due to birth defects, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or other medical conditions.)
Afghanistan War Commission Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Afghanistan War Commission. The commission must conduct a study of various matters related to the war in Afghanistan, including (1) U.S. actions immediately prior to the attacks on September 11, 2001; (2) U.S. actions during the invasion of Afghanistan; (3) peace negotiations involving the United States, the government of Afghanistan, and the Taliban; and (4) the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The commission must annually report to Congress on the progress of its study. Within four years of the commission's first meeting, it must submit to Congress and the President a final report with its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to address any mistakes in the conduct of the war.
Kids Internet Design and Safety Act or the KIDS Act This bill prohibits operators of commercial online platforms that are directed to children from engaging in certain practices, including implementing features that encourage additional engagement with the platform, promoting certain types of content, and using certain advertising methods.
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.
Indigenous Peoples' Day Act This bill designates Indigenous Peoples' Day as a legal public holiday in lieu of Columbus Day.
School Food Recovery Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide competitive grants and technical assistance for local educational agencies to implement food waste measurement and reporting, prevention, education, and reduction projects. In awarding grants, USDA must give priority to agencies that agree to use grant funds for carrying out specific projects, including (1) experiential education activities that encourage children enrolled in such agencies to participate in food waste measurement and education; and (2) the establishment of food waste measurement, prevention, and reduction projects with long-term sustainability. The federal share of project costs may not exceed 75% of the total cost of carrying out such projects. All projects must comply with the nutrition requirements of the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including by offering no less than the minimum quantities of required food components.
Growing Opportunities in Agriculture Act or the GO Ag Act This bill directs the Department of Education to award competitive grants to eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies) to create new agricultural education programs in secondary schools. Agricultural education refers to career and technical education that is focused on agriculture, including classroom or laboratory instruction, work-based learning, and leadership education that is delivered through career and technical student organizations.
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct outreach to build awareness among former members of the Armed Forces of the process established for the review of discharge characterizations related to sexual orientation (i.e., on the basis of Don't Ask, Don't Tell or a similar policy). DOD must also provide for specified relief for former members of the Armed Forces who were impacted by the discharge characterizations and ensure that DOD oral historians review related facts and receive testimony from affected individuals.
Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to take certain actions promoting the normalization of relations between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. Specifically, the State Department must develop a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords (the term used to refer collectively to agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain marking the public normalization of relations between the two Arab countries and Israel). The strategy must include a description of how the U.S. government will encourage further normalization of relations with Israel. In addition, the State Department must report on options for U.S. international efforts to promote the strengthening of ties between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The State Department must also report on the status of the normalization of relations with Israel, including information on (1) laws that punish individuals for people-to-people relations with Israelis (i.e., anti-normalization laws), and (2) evidence of steps taken by Arab governments toward permitting or encouraging normalized relations between their citizens or residents and Israeli citizens.
Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2021 This bill addresses fertility treatments, counseling, and other health-related programs for veterans and members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide fertility treatments and counseling to covered veterans and active duty service members or a spouse, partner, or gestational surrogate of such veteran or service member. A covered veteran or service member is a former or current member of the Armed Forces who has an infertility condition, unless it is demonstrable that the individual was completely infertile prior to serving in the Armed Forces. In the case of in vitro fertilization treatment, DOD and the VA may not furnish more than three completed cycles or six attempted cycles, whichever occurs first. DOD must establish procedures related to gamete retrieval and storage. Additionally, DOD must provide service members with the opportunity to cryopreserve and store their gametes prior to deployment to a combat zone or a hazardous duty assignment. DOD and the VA must share best practices and facilitate referrals for the furnishing of fertility treatment and counseling to eligible individuals. Fertility counseling and treatment are included within authorized VA medical services. The VA may pay the adoption expenses (for up to three adoptions) for a covered member who is enrolled in the VA health care system. The VA must facilitate specified reproduction and infertility research conducted collaboratively by DOD and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Macadamia Tree Health Initiative Amendments Act This bill expands the research and extension grant program for the macadamia tree health initiative. Under current law, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may provide competitive grants under the initiative to support research and extension activities to combat the insect known as the macadamia felted coccid (Eriococcus ironsidei). Specifically, the bill authorizes USDA to provide competitive grants for developing and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to combat plant pests and noxious weeds that impact macadamia trees; establishing an area-wide integrated pest management program in areas affected by, or at risk of being affected by, the invasive plant pests or noxious weeds; surveying and collecting data on macadamia tree production and health; investigating macadamia tree biology, immunology, ecology, genomics, and bioinformatics; and conducting research on various factors that may contribute to or be associated with macadamia tree immune systems and other serious threats to macadamia trees.
