Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety Act of 2021 or the HAULS Act of 202 1 This bill modifies exemptions with respect to commercial motor vehicle safety regulations involving the transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies. The bill allows the federal hours-of-service rules exemption regarding maximum driving and on-duty time for drivers transporting agricultural commodities and farm supplies to apply year-round. Current law provides an exception from the federal hours-of-service rules for the transportation of agricultural commodities within a 150 air-mile radius of the normal work reporting location only during planting and harvest periods which are determined by each state. Additionally, the Department of Transportation must revise the definition of agricultural commodity to include specific commodities that are covered by the federal hours-of-service rules exception.
Sponsored bills
Stop for School Buses Act This bill addresses safety measures and programs to prevent the illegal passing of school buses. Specifically, the Department of Transportation must conduct a review of existing state laws and programs regarding the illegal passing of school buses, including laws that may inhibit school bus loading zone countermeasures; establish and implement a nationwide public safety campaign to highlight the dangers of illegally passing school buses, including by providing students and the public information relating to safe loading and unloading of school buses; review and evaluate the effectiveness of various technologies to enhance school bus safety; review driver education materials in states to determine how the illegal passing of school buses is addressed; and research and prepare a report on the connections between the illegal passing of school buses and other safety issues.
American Innovation and Jobs Act This bill revises and expands the deductibility of research and experimental expenditures to allow immediate expensing of such expenditures. It also allows the amortization over a period of at least 60 months of certain other types of research and experimental expenditures not treated as expenses. The bill increases the maximum amount eligible for the tax credit for new and small businesses and increases to 20% the rate of the credit for business startups.
Trade Security Act of 2021 This bill revises provisions related to the adjustment of U.S. imports due to a national security threat. The bill allows Congress to block a presidential import adjustment through a joint resolution. This provision retroactively applies to adjustments made on or after July 1, 2018. However, it shall not apply to specified steel and aluminum import adjustments. The Department of Defense (currently, the Department of Commerce) must investigate the national security threat of a U.S. import, and report to the President the results of that investigation. Commerce must provide recommendations regarding such imports upon request by the President.
State Fiscal Flexibility Act of 2021 This bill removes a prohibition on states and territories using COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) relief funding under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to offset a reduction in revenue resulting from a reduction in taxes or a delay in the imposition of a tax or tax increase.
This resolution condemns the February 1, 2021, military coup in Burma (Myanmar) and calls on Burmese authorities to allow journalists, human rights organizations, United Nations monitors, and humanitarian actors full and safe access to every part of the country. The resolution also asks neighboring countries to provide immediate and direct cross-border assistance to address the humanitarian needs of refugees.
Let States Cut Taxes Act This bill removes a prohibition on states and territories using COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) relief funding under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to offset a reduction in revenue resulting from a reduction in taxes or a delay in the imposition of a tax or tax increase.
Innovation Zone Act This bill replaces the Experimental Sites Initiative of the Department of Education (ED) with an innovation zone initiative consisting of voluntary experiments by participating institutions of higher education (IHEs). Upon selection of an experiment but prior to choosing the participating IHEs, ED must identify the methodology of data collection and the evaluation methods for determining the impact of the experiment, including any differential impacts for historically underrepresented students (e.g., students of color and low-income students). Under the experiment, ED and the IHEs may test the effectiveness of statutory and regulatory flexibility that aims for (1) an increase in student success (e.g., reductions in student loan debt and increases in student retention and employment outcomes); and (2) a reduction of regulatory burdens on IHEs or ED, without harm to students. The bill also requires ED to conduct a review of existing experiments.
This resolution recognizes the 100th anniversary of The Hoosier Gym in Indiana and the 35th anniversary of the release of the film "Hoosiers."
Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, commonly known as the Hello Girls , in recognition of their military service, devotion to duty, and 60-year struggle for veterans' benefits and recognition as soldiers.