United States Commitment to Peacekeeping Act of 2021 This bill repeals a limit on U.S. funding for, details U.S. policy objectives for, and revises reporting requirements related to United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping operations. Under current law, the United States may contribute no more than 25% of the assessed costs for a U.N. peacekeeping operation; the bill eliminates that funding restriction. The Department of State must instruct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations to advance the U.S. policy objectives outlined in the bill for standardizing performance assessments of, diversifying the funding base for, and other aspects of U.N. peacekeeping operations. The bill modifies annual reports about U.S. participation in U.N. activities by eliminating a requirement to report on costs of U.N. peacekeeping operations in the prior fiscal year and by adding a requirement to report on U.S. efforts to implement reforms of U.N. peacekeeping. Additionally, the State Department must report on (1) strengthening the role of conflict prevention in U.N. missions, and (2) transitioning U.N. peacekeeping operations to host-country security forces.
Healthy Dog Importation Act This bill imposes requirements on the importation of live dogs. Specifically, the bill prohibits the importation of a live dog into the United States unless the Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines the dog (1) is in good health, (2) has received all necessary vaccinations and demonstrated negative test results as evidenced by a certificate from a licensed veterinarian, and (3) is officially identified by a permanent method approved by USDA. Additionally, dogs entering the United States for transfer must be at least six months of age and accompanied by a USDA permit. Transfer is defined as a change of ownership or control of an imported dog to another person, including by sale, adoption, exchange, or donation. USDA must provide an exception to any requirements under the bill for dogs that are transferred for (1) research purposes; (2) veterinary treatment under certain conditions, including appropriate quarantining; or (3) lawful importation into the state of Hawaii if the dog is not transported out of Hawaii for resale at less than six months of age. USDA also has enforcement authority under the bill.
Saving America's Pollinators Act of 2021 This bill addresses the use of certain pesticides and the health and status of native bees and other pollinators. First, the bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a Pollinator Protection Board to develop an independent review process for pesticides that pose a threat to pollinators and their habitats. All active ingredients and pesticide products that contain one or more specified neonicotinoid pesticides must be deemed to generally cause unreasonable adverse effects to the environment. Under the bill, the registration of all uses of neonicotinoid pesticides must be immediately and permanently canceled. The EPA must revoke any tolerance or exemption that allows the presence of a neonicotinoid pesticide, or any pesticide chemical residue that results from neonicotinoid pesticide use, in or on food. The continued sale or use of existing stocks of neonicotinoid pesticides is prohibited, and the EPA may not register any such pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. The bill requires the Department of the Interior, the EPA, and the Department of Agriculture to coordinate monitoring activities and report on the health and population status of native bees and other pollinators. Finally, a state or federal agency may be granted an exemption to use neonicotinoid pesticides if the board votes that use of the pesticide is warranted (1) in an emergency situation to avert significant risk to threatened or endangered species, (2) to quarantine invasive species, or (3) to protect public health.
Closing the Meal Gap Act of 202 1 This bill revises the requirements for calculating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The bill increases the minimum SNAP benefit and requires benefits to be calculated using the value of a low-cost food plan. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must determine the requirements for the low-cost food plan, which is the diet required to feed a family of four, consisting of a man and a woman 19-50 years of age, a child 6-8 years of age, and a child 9-11 years of age. USDA must (1) reevaluate and publish the market baskets of the plan by January 1, 2027, and every five years thereafter, based on current food prices, food composition data, consumption patterns, and dietary guidance; and (2) make adjustments to the plan to account for household size, changes in the cost of the diet, and the costs of food in specified areas. The bill modifies the requirements for calculating household income to determine SNAP eligibility by (1) authorizing a standard medical expense deduction for households containing an elderly or disabled member, and (2) eliminating the cap on the excess shelter expense deduction. The bill eliminates certain work requirements for SNAP. The requirements apply to able-bodied adults who are ages 18-49 and have no dependent children. The bill allows Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands to participate in SNAP. Currently, the three territories receive block grants instead of participating in SNAP.
This resolution (1) commits to advancing policies that will end roadway fatalities by 2050, and (2) calls on Congress and the Department of Transportation to commit to working together to achieve zero roadway fatalities by the year 2050.
Make Taxpayer-Funded Department of Defense Medical Interventions Affordable Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report on its efforts to comply with provisions of a report related to the licensing of federally owned medical interventions. DOD must also compile into a searchable database information relating to federal support provided by DOD for biomedical research and development.
Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act This bill revises the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to provide for partial loan cancellation based on the length of public service employment. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to cancel 15%, 15%, 20%, 20%, and 30% of the amount a borrower owes after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years of public service employment, respectively, on Federal Direct Loans made after the bill's enactment. Under the current PSLF program, ED must cancel the balance of interest and principal due on a borrower's Federal Direct Loans after the borrower makes 120 monthly loan payments while employed in a public service job.
Finding Alternatives to Mass Incarceration: Lives Improved by Ending Separation Act of 2021 or the FAMILIES Act This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to divert certain defendants who are parents or caregivers away from prison and probation and into a comprehensive support services program. At the federal level, the bill establishes and provides funds for the comprehensive support services program, or FAMILIES Program. The bill authorizes federal courts to sentence a parent or caregiver to participation in the FAMILIES Program as a condition of supervised release or instead of probation or prison. At the state level, the bill funds grants for states to replicate successful state parenting sentencing alternatives programs that have the potential to keep parents out of prison. The bill also provides funds for a study on the effects of incarceration on children of incarcerated parents and for training district court judges to carry out the FAMILIES Program.
Transition for Success Act This bill allows members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces to participate in the Department of Defense's Skillbridge program, which provides job training to service members who are transitioning into civilian life.
Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act This bill revises the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to provide for partial loan cancellation based on the length of public service employment. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to cancel 15%, 15%, 20%, 20%, and 30% of the amount a borrower owes after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years of public service employment, respectively, on Federal Direct Loans made after the bill's enactment. Under the current PSLF program, ED must cancel the balance of interest and principal due on a borrower's Federal Direct Loans after the borrower makes 120 monthly loan payments while employed in a public service job.
Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act This bill shortens the standard workweek under federal law from 40 hours to 32 hours over a three-year phase in period. It also requires specified overtime pay for workdays longer than eight hours.
Veterans Service Organization Modernization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide competitive grants to veterans service organizations for repairs or rehabilitation of existing facilities and for modernization of technologies.
