Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

Access Technology Affordability Act of 2021 This bill allows a refundable tax credit equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent of the taxpayer. Qualified access technology is hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats useable by blind individuals. The credit is limited to (1) costs that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,000 per blind individual in any period of three consecutive taxable years. The credit must be adjusted for inflation after 2022 and terminates after 2026.

Ethan's Law This bill establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels. At the federal level, the bill establishes statutory requirements for firearms on residential premises to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm. An individual who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties. A firearm stored in violation of the requirements is subject to seizure and forfeiture. At the state and tribal levels, the bill requires the Department of Justice to award grants to implement functionally identical requirements for the safe storage of firearms.

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2021 This bill allows medically distressed debtors to exempt certain property from their estates in bankruptcy, which allows them to retain ownership of such property. Specifically, a medically distressed debtor may exempt up to $250,000 of the debtor's interest in (1) specified real or personal property that the debtor or debtor's dependent uses as a residence, or (2) a burial plot for the debtor or debtor's dependent. The bill also waives certain administrative and procedural requirements for a medically distressed debtor. Additionally, the bill allows a medically distressed debtor to discharge in bankruptcy debts for certain education loans. A debtor who seeks relief as a medically distressed debtor must attest in writing that the debtor's medical expenses are genuine and were not incurred to bring the debtor within the meaning of a medically distressed debtor under this bill.

CARES Windfall for the Wealthiest Repeal Act This bill restores and makes permanent the limitation on excess businesses losses of noncorporate taxpayers. It also allows taxpayers a carryback of their net operating losses arising in 2019 and 2020.

Inaugural Committee Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires the presidential inaugural committee to disclose to the Federal Election Commission, by 90 days after the presidential inaugural ceremony, any disbursement made in an amount equal to or greater than $200 and the purpose of each disbursement. The committee must also disclose the name and address of the person to whom the disbursement was made, the date of the disbursement, and the total amount and purpose of the disbursement. The bill prohibits (1) an inaugural committee from soliciting or receiving a donation from a foreign national, in addition to the current ban on a committee accepting such a donation; (2) a person from making a donation to an inaugural committee in the name of another; (3) a foreign national from making a donation or making a promise to make a donation to such a committee; or (4) converting a donation to an inaugural committee to personal use. The committee must disburse any remaining donated funds not later than 90 days after the inaugural ceremony to tax-exempt charitable organizations, but may request an extension of such 90-day period.

Countering Russian and Other Overseas Kleptocracy Act or the CROOK Act This bill requires various actions designed to combat public corruption in foreign countries. The bill establishes within the Department of the Treasury the Anti-Corruption Action Fund to help foreign states fight public corruption and develop rule-of-law-based governance structures. For certain fines and penalties imposed under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, an additional fine shall be imposed and deposited into the fund. The Department of State must (1) manage U.S. government efforts to fight foreign public corruption, and (2) establish an interagency task force to assist in coordinating such efforts. Each U.S. embassy must have a point of contact responsible for coordinating the embassy's anti-corruption efforts. The State Department must report to Congress on its anti-corruption activities and make various reports publicly available online.

Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Fred Korematsu in recognition of his contributions to civil rights, his loyalty and patriotism to the nation, and his dedication to justice and equality.

Stop Subsidizing Multimillion Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act This bill extends the $1 million limit on the deductibility of executive compensation to all employees of publicly traded corporations.

This resolution recognizes January 2021 as National Mentoring Month.

Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2021 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a program to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities by, for example, coordinating activities across the CDC. As part of the program, the CDC must award grants to eligible organizations to build capacity to address social determinants of health. The CDC shall provide for an independent evaluation of certain grants and report findings to Congress.