Lonnie Kilpatrick Central Pacific Relief Act This bill provides a presumption of service-connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents to veterans who served on (1) Guam or American Samoa, or in the territorial waters thereof, between January 9, 1962, and July 31, 1980; or (2) Johnston Atoll or a ship that went to Johnston Atoll between January 1, 1972, and September 30, 1977. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. Additionally, the bill expands eligibility for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans with a disability associated with exposure to certain herbicides during specified times of military service on Guam, American Samoa, or Johnston Atoll.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week per year as Battle Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.
This bill extends through October 18, 2021, the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) titled Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19 and published on September 4, 2020. The bill also permits the CDC to further extend the order as it determines necessary.
This resolution supports the designation of National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.
Candidates Afforded Dignity, Equality and Training (CADET) Act of 2021 This bill requires the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Transportation to prescribe regulations ensuring that the parental guardianship rights of cadets and midshipmen attending military service academies are protected consistent with individual and academic responsibilities. Cadets and midshipmen with dependents must establish a family care plan with appropriate academy leadership. Pregnant cadets and midshipmen must be provided with, at minimum, the options to (1) take leave from the military service academy for up to one year, (2) fully release from the military service academy and any related obligations, and (3) enlist in active-duty service. Males fathering a child while enrolled at a military service academy must not be required to give up parental rights and must not acquire any benefits or leave considerations as a result of fathering a child, with certain exceptions (e.g., leave to attend the birth).
Protecting the Information of our Vulnerable Children and Youth Act or the Kids PRIVCY Act This bill expands the requirements for digital services when handling the personal information of children. Specifically, the bill (1) requires digital services to obtain express, affirmative consent that is specific, informed, and unambiguous before processing the personal information of a child or teenager under the age of 18; (2) prohibits certain targeted advertising; and (3) allows individuals to access, correct, or delete their personal information. The bill increases the civil penalty for violations of the children's online privacy protections and provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and a private right of action.
Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act of 2021 This bill requires certain medical devices with a digital interface to meet nonvisual accessibility standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Specifically, the FDA must establish regulations to require a Class II or Class III medical device with a digital interface to provide a blind or low-vision user access to the same services and information, and generally the same ease of use, as provided to a user who is not low-vision or blind. (The FDA classifies medical devices in three classes. Class I devices are low-risk, Class II devices are moderate-risk, and Class III devices are high-risk.) A Class II or Class III medical device that does not meet the nonvisual accessibility standards established under this bill may not be sold.
Rescinding DHS' Waiver Authority for Border Wall Act This bill rescinds the authority of the Department of Homeland Security to waive legal requirements in order to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads in the vicinity of the U.S. border.
Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act This bill provides rights and protections for domestic workers (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, caretakers, personal assistants, and chauffeurs), including pay and leave rights, and health and safety protections. Specifically, the bill repeals the exemption of domestic live-in employees from certain minimum wage and maximum hour requirements. Employers must provide written notice of termination and provide at least 30 days of lodging and two weeks of severance pay to terminated live-in employees. Live-in employees also must be provided with reasonable access to telephone and internet service during their employment. The bill requires employers to provide domestic workers with a written agreement covering wages, sick leave, benefits, and other matters. Further, domestic workers may request and be granted changes to work schedules due to personal events. The bill also provides domestic workers with certain privacy rights, extends to domestic workers protections against discrimination in employment, and increases the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid-funded medical services provided by domestic workers. The Department of Labor must (1) award grants for a domestic worker national hotline for reporting emergencies, training on hazards facing domestic workers, and workforce investment activities for domestic workers; and (2) establish a Domestic Worker Wage and Standards Board to investigate standards in the domestic workers industry. Labor must publish online a document that describes the rights and protections for domestic workers under this bill.
Protecting Renters from Evictions Act of 2021 This bill extends through December 31, 2021, the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID–19 and published on September 4, 2020.
This resolution condemns the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, and extends condolences to his family and the people of Haiti.
This resolution condemns acts of violence against Afghan women and girls and any effort to limit the ability of women and girls to participate in the civic affairs of Afghanistan. It also urges the President to ensure that Afghan women, youth, and other marginalized groups are meaningfully participating and engaging in all peace talks.
