This resolution honors the memory of U.S. Capitol Police Officer William Francis "Billy" Evans for the selfless acts of heroism he displayed on April 2, 2021.
Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act of 2021 This bill provides for the portability of professional licenses of service members and their spouses who are relocated, because of military orders, outside of the jurisdiction that issued the license. Specifically, a professional license in good standing of a service member or spouse shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction for the duration of such military orders. To establish and maintain eligibility, a service member or spouse must (1) provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction; (2) remain in good standing with the licensing authority that issued the license; and (3) submit to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements. The bill also provides that if a service member or spouse is licensed to operate in multiple jurisdictions through an interstate licensure compact, the service member or spouse is subject to the requirements of the compact or the applicable provisions of the state law rather than the provisions of this bill.
Repeal CFPB Act This bill repeals the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Coronavirus Regulatory Repeal Act of 202 1 This bill repeals or modifies any agency rule that is temporarily waived or modified during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency, subject to a review process. The bill specifies procedures for Congress and the heads of agencies to analyze, review, and recommend whether the waiver or modification of a rule should continue and such waiver or modification expires only if a law is enacted in accordance with a recommendation that the rule be reinstated when the emergency period ends.
Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement Act or the BELIEVE Act This bill increases maximum limits on employment-based visas and makes other related changes. The bill increases the worldwide cap on employment-based immigrants admitted each fiscal year, from 140,000 plus certain additions to 270,000 plus the same additions. The bill (1) eliminates existing per-country caps on employment-based immigrants, (2) allows certain employment-based immigrants to comprise a higher percentage of the worldwide level of immigration in a fiscal year than under current law, (3) exempts from numerical caps immigrants coming to work in the United States as physical therapists or professional nurses, and (4) exempts from numerical caps a qualifying alien who graduated from a U.S. institution of higher education and who was admitted into the United States as a dependent of a nonimmigrant. The bill provides various immigration-related benefits, such as work authorization and exemption from certain numerical limits, to qualifying spouses and children of employment-based immigrants. An alien who has properly filed for permanent legal resident status and is awaiting a visa number becoming available shall have lawful status and employment authorization while the application is pending, subject to requirements such as a background check.
Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan Act of 2021 or the HEMP Act of 2021 This bill modifies the definition of hemp to raise the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana) limit from 0.3% to 1%. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and state and tribal governments to test hemp-derived products rather than the hemp flower or plant itself and creates a margin of error in hemp testing using 0.075% as the baseline standard. Further, it requires hemp shipments to contain (1) a copy of a valid license or other authorization from USDA or a state or tribal government, or (2) a copy of a certification from a laboratory showing that such hemp contains a THC concentration of not more than 1% on a dry weight basis.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act This bill makes previously unused immigrant visas available to nurses and physicians who petition for such a visa before the date that is 90 days after the end of the declared national emergency relating to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak. The number of visas available shall be the total number of unused employment-based immigrant visas from FY1992-FY2020, up to 40,000. Of such visas, 25,000 shall be reserved for nurses and 15,000 for physicians. Certain family members may accompany the principal beneficiary of a visa provided under this bill, and visas for such family members shall (1) be made available from the unused visas from FY1992-FY2020, and (2) not be counted against the 40,000 cap. Visas provided under this bill shall be exempt from per-country limitations.
Protecting American Jobs Act This bill limits the authority of the National Labor Relations Board. Specifically, it repeals the authority of the General Counsel ofthe board to issue, and prosecute before the board, complaints of unfair labor practices. The bill also limits the board's rulemaking authority to rules concerning the internal functions of the board and prohibits the board from promulgating regulations affecting the substantive or procedural rights of any person, employer, employee, or labor organization, including rules concerning unfair labor practices and representation elections. Not later than six months after this bill is enacted, the board must review existing regulations and revise or rescind such regulations as necessary to implement these modifications to the board's rulemaking authority. In addition, the bill repeals the board's authority to issue orders preventing unfair labor practices, replacing it with a more limited authority to investigate allegations of such practices. Finally, it repeals the board's authority to petition courts for enforcement of its orders, seek injunctions, or hold hearings on jurisdictional strikes.
Clarifying Law Around Insurance of Marijuana Act or the CLAIM Act This bill generally provides a safe harbor from penalties or other adverse agency action for insurance companies that provide services to cannabis-related legitimate businesses in jurisdictions where such activity is legal. The Government Accountability Office must report on barriers to marketplace entry for minority-owned and women-owned cannabis-related businesses.
Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2021 or the PHIT Act of 2021 This bill allows a medical care tax deduction for up to $1,000 ($2,000 for a joint return or a head of household) of qualified sports and fitness expenses per year. The bill defines qualified sports and fitness expenses as amounts paid exclusively for participating in a physical activity, including (1) fitness facility memberships, (2) physical exercise or activity programs, or (3) equipment for a physical exercise or activity program.
