COVID Defense Act This bill rescinds specified defense appropriations and authorizes funding for manufacturing and delivering COVID-19 vaccines internationally.
Small Entrepreneurs' Empowerment and Development Act of 2021 or the SEED Act of 2021 This bill establishes an exemption to certain securities regulations for small offerings of securities. Specifically, securities registration is not required for a sale of securities if the total amount of securities sold by the issuer during the preceding 12-month period sale does not exceed $250,000. Furthermore, the Securities and Exchange Commission must issue rules under which an issuer is disqualified from offering securities through this exemption. These rules must disqualify any such offering or sale of securities by a person subject to specified regulatory disciplinary actions or convicted of certain felonies or misdemeanors.
Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 This bill allows states to receive federal Medicaid payment for services provided to foster care children in qualified residential treatment programs (i.e., programs with trauma-informed treatment models that address the needs of children with serious emotional or behavioral disorders or disturbances).
National Security Reforms and Accountability Act This bill limits presidential authorities related to, and increases congressional oversight of, introducing U.S. armed forces into hostilities, arms transactions, and national emergencies. The bill makes various changes to the War Powers Resolution, which provides procedures for Congress and the President to participate in decisions to send U.S. forces into hostilities. These changes include requiring specific statutory authorization for, and revising congressional procedures to approve or disapprove of, the introduction of U.S. forces into hostilities. The bill also prohibits the use of federal funds for any activity of U.S. forces that lacks the required authorization. The President must also seek congressional approval before entering, renewing, or extending an arms sale or related transaction if the transaction exceeds specified dollar thresholds. This does not apply to transactions with NATO and its member countries, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Israel, New Zealand, or Taiwan. The bill also prohibits transfers of defense articles and services to countries that commit genocide or otherwise violate international humanitarian law. The bill restricts presidential authorities related to national emergencies, including by limiting the period of a declared emergency to 30 days unless Congress authorizes an extension. The bill also establishes procedures for approving or disapproving an extension, requires the President to provide more detailed reports to Congress about national emergencies, and sets out specific provisions for terminating an emergency.
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct outreach to build awareness among former members of the Armed Forces of the process established for the review of discharge characterizations related to sexual orientation (i.e., on the basis of Don't Ask, Don't Tell or a similar policy). DOD must also provide for specified relief for former members of the Armed Forces who were impacted by the discharge characterizations and ensure that DOD oral historians review related facts and receive testimony from affected individuals.
Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to take certain actions promoting the normalization of relations between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. Specifically, the State Department must develop a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords (the term used to refer collectively to agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain marking the public normalization of relations between the two Arab countries and Israel). The strategy must include a description of how the U.S. government will encourage further normalization of relations with Israel. In addition, the State Department must report on options for U.S. international efforts to promote the strengthening of ties between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The State Department must also report on the status of the normalization of relations with Israel, including information on (1) laws that punish individuals for people-to-people relations with Israelis (i.e., anti-normalization laws), and (2) evidence of steps taken by Arab governments toward permitting or encouraging normalized relations between their citizens or residents and Israeli citizens.
Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2021 This bill addresses fertility treatments, counseling, and other health-related programs for veterans and members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide fertility treatments and counseling to covered veterans and active duty service members or a spouse, partner, or gestational surrogate of such veteran or service member. A covered veteran or service member is a former or current member of the Armed Forces who has an infertility condition, unless it is demonstrable that the individual was completely infertile prior to serving in the Armed Forces. In the case of in vitro fertilization treatment, DOD and the VA may not furnish more than three completed cycles or six attempted cycles, whichever occurs first. DOD must establish procedures related to gamete retrieval and storage. Additionally, DOD must provide service members with the opportunity to cryopreserve and store their gametes prior to deployment to a combat zone or a hazardous duty assignment. DOD and the VA must share best practices and facilitate referrals for the furnishing of fertility treatment and counseling to eligible individuals. Fertility counseling and treatment are included within authorized VA medical services. The VA may pay the adoption expenses (for up to three adoptions) for a covered member who is enrolled in the VA health care system. The VA must facilitate specified reproduction and infertility research conducted collaboratively by DOD and the Department of Health and Human Services.
This resolution recognizes September 28, 2021, as National Voter Registration Day and encourages those eligible to vote to register, verify their personal information on record with local election officials, and vote.
This resolution recognizes the cultural and historical significance of the Hmong New Year and wishes Hmong Americans and all individuals who observe this holiday a happy new year.
Save our Stages Extension Act This bill extends to March 11, 2023, the time frame during which Shuttered Venue Operators Grant recipients may use grant funds to cover their expenses. These grants provide funds to certain types of entities in the arts and entertainment industry affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, a recipient may use such funds to cover expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021.
Restoring the America Invents Act This bill modifies various provisions related to administrative patent validity review proceedings conducted before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), a body within the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). For example, the bill expands the scope of inter partes reviews (IPRs), one type of such review proceedings, by allowing challenges to a patent's validity based on statutory or obviousness-type double patenting grounds; authorizes the PTO director to review, modify, or set aside final PTAB decisions; authorizes governmental entities to file IPRs and post-grant reviews (PGRs), a related type of patent review proceeding; requires the PTO to institute an IPR (i.e., a decision to proceed with the full IPR proceeding) if there's a reasonable likelihood that the petitioner will prevail, subject to limited exceptions; establishes in statute factors for a court to consider when deciding a request to stay a patent infringement lawsuit involving a patent subject to a pending IPR or PGR; modifies provisions related to the joinder of parties and handling of multiple proceedings involving the same patent before the PTO; and modifies provisions relating to the time limitation for filing an IPR, including by establishing that a lawsuit dismissed without prejudice does not trigger the time limitation (generally, a petitioner wishing to file an IPR must do so within one year of being served a lawsuit alleging infringement of the patent).
Provider Training in Palliative Care Act This bill allows National Health Service Corps (NHSC) participants to apply for a deferral of their service obligation period in order to receive training in palliative care. The Department of Health and Human Services may grant a deferral for up to one year. The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to primary care, dental, and mental health providers who agree to complete a service obligation period by working in areas designated as having a shortage of those types of providers.
