Save Our Servicemembers Act of 2021 This bill requires the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness within the Department of Defense (DOD) to evaluate and standardize DOD's suicide prevention efforts. Specifically, the bill directs the Defense Suicide Prevention Office to collaborate with each military department to (1) develop and implement a process to ensure that individual nonclinical suicide prevention efforts are assessed for effectiveness, and (2) develop consistent suicide-related definitions for use throughout DOD. The bill also requires the use of such suicide-related definitions in any updated policies of DOD or each military department.
Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make permanent and expand the program that establishes at least two peer specialists in patient aligned care teams at VA medical centers to promote the use and integration of services for mental health, substance use disorder, and behavioral health in a primary care setting.
Caring for Survivors Act of 2021 This bill increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill also adjusts the amount payable to surviving spouses and children of veterans who were rated as totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death.
Captain James C. Edge Gold Star Spouse Equity Act This bill addresses restrictions on benefits for surviving spouses of service members. Specifically, the bill prohibits the termination of the payment of an annuity under the Survivor Benefit Plan for certain surviving spouses of service members who died while on active duty solely because the surviving spouse remarries. The Department of Defense must resume payment of an annuity to surviving spouses who remarried before the age of 55 and before the enactment of this bill. The remarriage of a surviving spouse of a veteran does not bar the provision of dependency and indemnity compensation, regardless of their age when they remarried. The Department of Veterans Affairs must resume payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses who remarried before the age of 57 prior to the enactment of this bill.
This concurrent resolution supports the goals and ideals of the National Day of Silence (during which students vow to remain silent to bring attention to the harassment and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning individuals in schools).
This resolution recognizes the opportunity for Black Maternal Health Week to raise national awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States.
Lander County Land Management and Conservation Act This bill conveys all interest in certain federal land to Lander County, Nevada, and designates wilderness areas in the county. After Lander County selects certain parcels for conveyance, the Department of the Interior and Forest Service must convey the parcels to the county, for no consideration, for use by the county for watershed protection, recreation, and parks. Interior shall convey to Lander County parcels of federal land identified as Kingston Airport to improve the airport facility and related infrastructure. The only costs to the county of the conveyance shall be surveying costs. Land conveyed by this bill reverts to federal land if it is not managed in accordance with the purpose of its conveyance. The bill designates the Cain Mountain and Desatoya Mountains Wildernesses in Nevada as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The bill releases the Augusta Mountain and Desatoya Wilderness Study Areas within Lander County from further study for designation as wilderness.
End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2021 This bill specifies requirements for the leasing of oil and gas resources on federal lands. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), with respect to certain federal land that is covered by a reasonably foreseeable development scenario (i.e., a long-term projection of oil and gas development) shall not offer the land for lease until such scenario includes an assessment of the land's oil and gas potential that specifically identifies the potential for all acres subject to decisions on availability for leasing. If certain federal land that is otherwise available for leasing of oil and gas resources is not covered by a reasonably foreseeable development scenario, the BLM shall complete such a scenario in accordance with the requirements and factors described in this bill. In general, the BLM shall not offer for lease certain federal land otherwise available for leasing of oil and gas resources if such land is designated in the applicable reasonably foreseeable development scenario as having low or no potential for the development of oil or gas resources. However, the bill provides for a variance process. With respect to each of these requirements, exceptions apply for federal land that is leased for the purpose of preventing oil or gas drainage or that meets specified requirements related to size and proximity to an oil- or gas-producing well.
Safeguarding Human Rights in Arms Exports Act of 2021 or the SAFEGUARD Act of 2021 This bill establishes specified measures to prevent the sale, export, or transfer of defense articles or defense services to foreign countries for use in violation of international humanitarian law or internationally recognized human rights. These measures include (1) prohibiting arms sales to countries committing genocide or war crimes, (2) requiring a consideration of human rights practices and democratization in any foreign country to which an arms sale is contemplated, and (3) providing for congressional oversight of arms exports to foreign countries wherein certain human rights violations have occurred.
Gun Rights And Marijuana Act or the GRAM Act This bill removes federal firearms-related restrictions on certain individuals who use or are addicted to marijuana. Currently, federal firearms law prohibits the sale or disposition of a firearm or ammunition to persons who are unlawful users of or addicted to a controlled substance. This bill exempts from the prohibition an adult whose use of or addiction to marijuana is lawful in the state or on the tribal lands where the person resides.
Jaime's Law This bill establishes background check requirements for the sale and transfer of ammunition. Specifically, the bill prohibits a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer from transferring ammunition to an unlicensed individual prior to submitting a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It also establishes penalties for violations. (Currently, background checks are required under these circumstances for the transfer of firearms, but not for ammunition.) Additionally, it prohibits an ammunition transfer between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals) unless a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer first takes possession of the ammunition to conduct a background check. However, this prohibition does not apply to certain ammunition transfers, such as a gift between spouses in good faith.
Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act This bill extends public safety officers' death benefits to Transportation Security Administration employees performing official duties related to protecting the nation's transportation systems.
