3D Printed Gun Safety Act of 2021 This bill makes it unlawful to intentionally publish digital instructions for programming a three-dimensional printer to make a firearm.
Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act of 2021 This bill modifies the requirements and penalties applicable to an individual who engages in the business of dealing, importing, or manufacturing firearms (i.e., a federal firearms licensee, or FFL). Among other things, the bill does the following: increases the allowable number of annual compliance inspections; authorizes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to hire at least 80 additional personnel to conduct additional inspections; increases the maximum prison term for an FFL or licensed collector who knowingly makes a false statement or representation in required firearms records; allows the ATF to require an FFL to conduct physical inventories if the FFL unlawfully transfers a firearm or if 10 or more crime guns are traced back to the FFL; allows the ATF to deny an application for a federal firearms license if it would endanger public safety or if the applicant is unlikely to comply with the law; and modifies the liability standard for an FFL who fails to comply with laws or regulations.
Native American Child Protection Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and otherwise revises certain programs related to the prevention, investigation, treatment, and prosecution of family violence, child abuse, and child neglect involving Indian children and families. Specifically, the bill revises the Indian Child Abuse Treatment Grant Program to encourage the use of grants for culturally appropriate treatment services and programs. The bill renames the Indian Child Resource and Family Services Centers as the National Indian Child Resource and Family Services Center. It also requires the center to (1) provide advice, technical assistance, and training to urban Indian organizations; (2) develop technical assistance for Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations; and (3) develop model intergovernmental agreements between tribes and states to prevent, investigate, treat, and prosecute incidents of family violence, child abuse, and child neglect involving Indian children and families. Additionally, the bill revises the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Program to allow Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and intertribal consortia to use program funds for additional activities, such as operational costs for child protective services.
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. (A journeyman lineworker is a person who builds and maintains electrical power systems.)
Improving Worker Safety in Contracting Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop and provide annual training and guidance to acquisition officials, contracting officers, and current and potential contractors. Such training must include information regarding (1) the authorities and requirements of DOD officials to consider workplace safety and health information in the pre-award, award, and contract performance phases of the contracting process; and (2) the availability of relevant contractor safety information on the Occupational Health and Safety Administration website. The Government Accountability Office must submit a report to DOD and Congress on the health and safety records of DOD contractors. DOD must develop a system for assigning safety performance ratings for its contracts in industries that have relatively high rates of occupational injuries (e.g., manufacturing). Beginning in FY2023, DOD contracting officials must (1) assess contractor safety performance at the time of contract completion in industries that have relatively high rates of occupational injuries, and (2) consider information about prospective contractors' records of safety performance as a factor in awarding contracts in industries that have relatively high rates of occupational injuries.
Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2021 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2021 This bill prohibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurance plans from discriminating against health providers participating in the 340B drug pricing program, including pharmacies contracted with such providers to dispense 340B drugs. The 340B program allows certain providers to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices from manufacturers. Specifically, PBMs and insurance plans may not reimburse 340B participants at a lower rate than other entities not participating in the program; impose differing terms (such as fees, charge-backs, or audits) on 340B participants; interfere with an individual's choice to receive drugs from a 340B participant; require 340B participants to identify which drugs fall within the program; or refuse to contract with a 340B participant on the basis that they utilize the program. Violations of this bill are subject to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 per violation per day. These prohibitions also apply to prescription drug (Part D) sponsors under Medicare. The bill also provides for a process to prevent duplicate 340B drug discounts to states under Medicaid.
This bill repeals the joint resolution of March 9, 1957, that provided for the use of certain funds to promote peace and stability in the Middle East.
This bill repeals the January 14, 1991, resolution authorizing the use of military force against Iraq.
National Science Foundation for the Future Act This bill reauthorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) through FY2026 and authorizes programs and activities at the NSF. The bill establishes requirements for the NSF, including to enter into a contract with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine to assess the status and opportunities for Pre-K through 12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science, (STEM) education research; award grants to establish no fewer than three multidisciplinary Centers for Transformative Education Research and Translation to support research and development of STEM education innovations; provide grants for research on programming that engages students in grades Pre-K through 8, including underrepresented and rural students, in STEM in order to prepare such students to pursue degrees or careers in STEM; award grants to support research and development activities to encourage greater collaboration and coordination between institutions of higher education and industry to enhance education, foster hands-on learning experiences, and improve alignment with workforce needs; award grants to establish a network of centers for science and technical education; award grants to advance research on the nature of learning and teaching at community colleges; award grants to establish traineeship programs for graduate students who pursue artificial intelligence-related research leading to a masters or doctorate degree; award grants to carry out research on the cyber workforce; establish a cybersecurity workforce data initiative; carry out a national initiative to facilitate the development of networks and partnerships to broaden participation in STEM studies and careers of groups historically underrepresented in such studies and careers; maintain a Research Security and Policy office to coordinate all research security policy issues across the NSF; award grants to support research to improve our understanding of the climate system and related human and environmental systems; support research to significantly advance our understanding of the food-energy-water system; award grants to advance knowledge of risk assessment and predictability to improve our ability to predict extreme events and natural hazards, including pandemics; and award grants to support basic research that will accelerate innovation to advance critical minerals mining strategies and technologies. The bill also establishes within the NSF a Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions to advance research and development solutions to address societal and national challenges.
Global Learning Loss Assessment Act of 2021 This bill requires the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the agency's basic education programs. This report shall include (1) an assessment of the global learning loss that will result from protracted school closures; (2) evaluations of the effectiveness, cost, accessibility, and reach of the most commonly used forms of distance learning in low- and middle-income countries; and (3) a description of the resources needed for the USAID to support continued distance learning, safe school reopenings, remedial and accelerated learning, and reenrollment campaigns.
LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act This bill requires financial institutions to report certain credit application data to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for the purposes of enforcing fair lending laws. Specifically, financial institutions must report this data regarding lesbian-, gay-, bisexual-, transgender-, or queer-owned businesses. Currently, this data is reported regarding women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses.
Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership Program Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership Program, an interagency program launched in 2005 to partner with countries in the Sahel and Maghreb regions of Africa to counter terrorism and violent extremism. The Department of State, in consultation with the Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development, shall establish the partnership program, which must coordinate all U.S. programs in North and West Africa related to various counterterrorism activities, such as building foreign-military capacity, enhancing border security, promoting youth employment, and supporting independent media to counter terrorist propaganda. The State Department must submit comprehensive, five-year strategies that include specified activities for the Sahel and Maghreb regions and for program counterterrorism efforts. Further, program activities must, among other things (1) be carried out in countries where there is an adequate level of partner country committment, and (2) have clearly defined outcomes and specific plans with indicators to regularly monitor and evaluate outcomes and impact. Such activities must also take into account the counterterrorism and development strategies of partner countries and align with such strategies to the extent possible. The State Department shall notify Congress before obligating funds for such programs, and must submit annual reports about program activities.
