Anti-CCP Espionage via Social Media Act of 2021 or the ACES Act of 2021 This bill requires certain actions related to ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese parent company of TikTok (a video-sharing mobile application). Specifically, the bill grants Executive Order 13942 the force and effect of law. That order prohibits certain transactions by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States with ByteDance. The bill provides statutory authority for that prohibition and specifies exceptions. Further, the bill establishes enforcement procedures and penalties for related violations. The bill requires ByteDance, within 90 days of this bill's enactment, to divest itself of (1) any assets or property used to enable or support ByteDance's operation of the TikTok application in the United States, and (2) any data obtained or derived from TikTok application or Musical.ly application users in the United States. The bill outlines further requirements and procedures for such divestment. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) must review proposed sales or transfers by ByteDance to a third party. CFIUS may implement measures as necessary to verify compliance with the required divestment. CFIUS must review and issue a report to the President on the relationship of each covered U.S. business with ByteDance to determine the effects of such relationship on U.S. national security. The President may take actions to suspend or prohibit the relationship.
21st Century Federal Writers' Project Act This bill creates a grant program in the Department of Labor to provide eligible entities with funds to assist individuals who are unemployed or underemployed in order to document in writing and images American society and the broad impacts and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In addition, Labor must (1) establish a repository of works developed through the grant program in which grantees submit completed works from subgrantees, including giving credit to each writer or artist, and make such works available to the public; and (2) forward the completed work to the Library of Congress to archive such material. The Library must establish an archive program in its American Folklife Center for collection and public availability, in a digital format of such written and visual works.
Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2021 This bill makes the tax credit for adoption expenses refundable.
Convening Operations Assistance for Childcare Heroes Act or the COACH Act This bill requires the Small Business Administration to maintain a resource guide for small businesses operating as child care providers that includes guidance on topics such as operations, finances, and compliance with relevant laws.
Zero-Percent Student Loan Refinancing Act This bill establishes a temporary program through which the Department of Education (ED) must make interest-free refinancing loans to borrowers of federal student loans from August 1, 2021, through December 31, 2024. The bill requires ED to automatically refinance Federal Direct Loans and notify each borrower of the refinancing. Borrowers who have other types of eligible loans (i.e., Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and certain health profession and nursing loans) must apply for refinancing. ED and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must carry out a campaign to notify borrowers of these types of loans that they are eligible to apply for refinancing under the program.
China Financial Threat Mitigation Act of 2021 This bill requires U.S. representatives to certain international bodies to advocate for increased international cooperation to mitigate threats caused by the governance, opacity, or instability of financial intermediation in China. (Generally, financial intermediaries provide services, such as accounting and underwriting services, that facilitate financial transactions.) Specifically, this requirement applies to U.S. representatives to the International Monetary Fund, the Group of 20 (G20), and the Financial Stability Board (a technical body established by the G20 to coordinate the group's agenda). The bill also requires the Financial Stability Oversight Council within the Department of the Treasury to report annually to Congress on such threats.
COINTELPRO Full Disclosure Act This bill requires the U.S. government to release and publicly disclose, within six months, all records related to the COINTELPRO operation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) unless disclosure would cause harm. COINTELPRO was a series of covert and illegal projects aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations, including the Black Panther Party. The bill requires the removal of J. Edgar Hoover's name from the FBI headquarters in the District of Columbia. The bill establishes the COINTELPRO Records Review Board to review determinations by government offices that do not fully disclose their records after six months. The review board shall make recommendations to the President regarding whether files that have been only partially disclosed should be fully released. The review board may request the Department of Justice to petition any U.S. court to release any information relevant to COINTELPRO that is held under court seal.
Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians Act or the HELLPP Act This bill adds podiatrists as covered physicians under the Medicaid program. Additionally, the bill revises certain documentation requirements related to Medicare coverage of therapeutic shoes for individuals with diabetes. Finally, the bill subjects payments made to a Medicaid provider or supplier to a continuing levy for federal taxes owed by the provider or supplier.
Investing in American Workers Act This bill allows a business-related tax credit for employers who increase worker training expenditures. The credit is equal to 20% of the excess of (1) the qualified training expenditures for the year, over (2) the average of the adjusted qualified training expenditures for the three previous years. If the employer had no qualified training expenditures in any one of the three previous years, the credit is equal to 10% of the adjusted qualified training expenditures for the year. The credit applies to expenditures for the training of non-highly compensated employees (annual compensation does not exceed $82,000). The training must result in the attainment of a recognized postsecondary credential and be provided through an apprenticeship program; a program of training services that is included on a list of eligible training providers that states are required to maintain under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; a program that is conducted by an area career and technical education school, a community college, or a labor organization; or a program that is sponsored and administered by an employer, industry trade association, industry or sector partnership, or labor organization. Certain small businesses and tax-exempt organizations may apply the credit against payroll taxes, subject to specified limits and requirements. Eligible small businesses may also apply the credit against the alternative minimum tax.
Boosting Long-term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific Act or the BLUE Pacific Act This bill requires and authorizes activities related to U.S. foreign policy in the Pacific Islands, including the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. The bill requires specified departments and agencies to develop and implement strategies in the region to expand the coverage of the International Law Enforcement Academies program; help build the capacity of local civilian and national security institutions; expand trade capacity and promote regional development; assist in preparing for natural disasters and other emergencies; assist in building public health capacity and improving outcomes, including in response to COVID-19; address climate change, with a focus on improving critical infrastructure and supporting ecosystem conservation efforts; provide expanded media content to the Pacific Islands and partner with journalists; support efforts to reduce gender-based violence and promote gender equality; promote educational and professional development of young adult leaders and professionals; and promote the development of civil society. The bill also requires the Department of State to prioritize efforts to help the Pacific Islands ratify and implement international legal conventions related to transnational crime. The State Department must also coordinate with regional allies and partners in providing assistance to the Pacific Islands. The President may provide assistance to the Pacific Islands to promote quality basic education and to promote the dissemination of free and accurate information.
Military and Veteran Caregiver Student Loan Relief Act of 2021 This bill makes designated primary family caregivers of veterans eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Under the PSLF program, the Department of Education must cancel the balance of interest and principal due on a borrower's Federal Direct Loans after the borrower makes 120 monthly loan payments while employed in a public service job. This bill broadens the definition of public service job to include service as a primary family caregiver of an eligible veteran participating in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
National Guard Cybersecurity Support Act This bill authorizes members of the National Guard to perform, at the request of a state and in connection with training or other duty, cybersecurity operations or missions to protect critical infrastructure.
