Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to implement a demonstration program for the establishment or preservation of limited- or zero-equity resident-controlled housing. Limited- or zero-equity resident-controlled housing (e.g., a housing cooperative) restricts the initial and resale price of shares of stock or membership interests in a residence so that the shares or interests remain affordable to families of certain incomes. Specifically, HUD may assist nonprofit organizations to establish or preserve such housing through providing (1) mortgage insurance; and (2) grants for predevelopment costs, monitoring fees, technical assistance, gap funding, and intermediary financing. Housing receiving such assistance must be governed by a board of directors elected by members of a limited- or zero-equity resident-controlled housing corporation with voting structured equitably among all members. A limited- or zero-equity resident-controlled housing corporation may sell corporate shares in such housing to an eligible household for a purchase price that ensures dwelling units in the housing will remain affordable for at least 30 years to households earning less than a certain income.
This resolution urges (1) the President to issue a proclamation recognizing Earth Day; and (2) governments and people to continue building upon the Paris Agreement and other efforts to ensure that future generations inherit a livable, sustainable, and ecologically rich planet. The resolution reaffirms that immediate action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ameliorate environmental injustices in order to protect our planet, public health, and overall well-being of all people and wildlife. In addition, it encourages the American people to mark Earth Day by working to address environmental challenges, educate others about the need for year-round action, and honor the stewardship ethic for which Senator Gaylord Nelson stood.
This resolution condemns the bigotry that fueled those who stormed the U.S. Capitol, the elected officials who stoked that bigotry, including former President Trump, and the Members of Congress who have continued to support those individuals. It reaffirms that harmful rhetoric and violent behavior against individuals based on factors including religion, race, immigration status, and sex will not be tolerated.
Senate Shared Employee Act This bill authorizes Senators and Senate committees, leadership offices, and other offices to share employees, and it establishes certain rules to govern this procedure. These rules include (1) requiring the office that authorizes any travel for official business to pay for the cost of the travel, and (2) setting the basic rate of pay for an individual serving in more than one of certain qualifying positions to be the total basic pay received by the individual from all such positions.
This bill provides statutory authority for the existing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) practice of defining active ingredient more narrowly as active moiety in certain situations, such as when determining whether a new drug is entitled to a market exclusivity period or providing priority review of drugs for treating rare pediatric diseases. Generally, the FDA defines active moiety as the core molecule or ion in a drug responsible for the relevant physiological or pharmacological action. By contrast, the FDA defines an active ingredient as a component in a drug that is intended to furnish pharmacological activity or other direct effect. The FDA's existing practice of interpreting active ingredient as active moiety in certain situations, as statutorily authorized by this bill, tends to exclude some drugs from market exclusivity. The bill replaces references to active ingredient with active moiety in various statutes authorizing FDA activities.
Promoting Responsible and Effective Virtual Experiences through Novel Technology to Deliver Improved Access and Better Engagement with Tested and Evidence-based Strategies Act or the PREVENT DIABETES Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow online or virtual diabetes prevention programs that meet standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to participate in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Expanded Model. The model provides CDC-approved training on dietary changes, physical activity, and other behavioral strategies for beneficiaries who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Agriculture Resilience Act This bill establishes, expands, and revises multiple programs and activities of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) primarily to reduce carbon emissions from the agriculture sector. Specifically, USDA must finalize and implement a plan to achieve net-zero emissions from the sector by 2040. USDA must periodically review and revise the plan, as necessary, and annually report on its implementation. Additionally, the bill expands the scope of various USDA research, extension, and education programs; conservation programs; and livestock programs to incorporate climate change adaption and mitigation. Expanded activities include efforts to improve soil health and preserve farmland and grassland. Further, the bill changes programs that support renewable energy in rural areas to address carbon emissions in the agriculture sector. Among these changes, the bill provides statutory authority for a program for reducing methane emissions from livestock waste that is carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency and transitions the program to USDA. The bill also addresses food waste, for example, by (1) standardizing the voluntary labels used by food producers to indicate the date by which food should be used or discarded, and (2) making composting activities eligible for support through USDA conservation programs. Moreover, the bill establishes grants to reduce and prevent food waste in landfills and in schools.
Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, milk, and cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act or the DAIRY PRIDE Act This bill prohibits the sale of any food that uses the market name of a dairy product (such as milk , yogurt , or cream cheese ) unless the food (1) is the milk of a hooved animal, (2) is derived from such milk, or (3) contains such milk as a primary ingredient.
Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment with respect to certain pharmacist services that (1) are furnished by a pharmacist in a health-professional shortage area, and (2) would otherwise be covered under Medicare if furnished by a physician.
Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act of 2021 This bill establishes a new section in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice to enforce federal laws concerning animal cruelty.
Life at Conception Act This bill declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.
Justice is Not For Sale Act of 2021 This bill prohibits private for-profit entities from operating confinement facilities (e.g., prisons) or providing electronic monitoring of released persons at the federal, state, and local levels. The bill also establishes various requirements related to the standards of detention and availability of services at confinement facilities. The bill provides for the establishment of limits on the fees and charges for financial services (e.g., money transfer services), caps on the rates charged for communications services, detention standards and oversight requirements related to the detention of noncitizens, and community-based alternatives to the detention or separation of family units apprehended under immigration authorities.
