This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, if it creates a presumption of service-connection between the occurrence of a disease and exposure to an herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces between January 9, 1962, and June 30, 1976, at a military base in Thailand, such presumption must also apply to exposure at any military base in Thailand, regardless of where on the base the veteran was located or what military job specialty the veteran performed.
Fair and Clear Campaign Transparency Act This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission to require certain online public inspection files to be made available to the public in a machine-readable format that supports automated searching, bulk downloading, aggregation, manipulation, sorting, and analysis. Online public inspection files (including political files that contain records of requests to purchase broadcast time by or on behalf of candidates for public office or to communicate a message relating to a political matter of national importance) are files that must be uploaded to the internet by certain television broadcast stations and television systems, AM or FM radio broadcast stations, cable operators, direct broadcast satellite service providers, or satellite digital audio radio service providers.
Donald Payne Sr. Colorectal Cancer Detection Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment, subject to specified frequency limits, of certain colorectal cancer screening blood-based tests.
Puppy Protection Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to expand standards that govern the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals to include new requirements for commercial dog dealers. Specifically, the standards must require dog dealers to provide to dogs adequate housing, exercise, and veterinary care; appropriate and nutritious food; continuous access to potable water; and meaningful socialization with humans and compatible dogs for at least 30 minutes each day. The standards must also include requirements for breeders to use safe breeding practices and make all reasonable efforts to find humane placement for retired breeding dogs.
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2021 This bill sets forth environmental review requirements for the mine permitting process and limits the review to 30 months. Under the bill, projects that provide minerals vital to job creation, energy infrastructure, coastal resilience and restoration, economic competitiveness, and national security must be considered to be infrastructure projects as described in Executive Order 13807, titled Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects and dated August 15, 2017.This order directed agencies to ensure that the environmental review and permitting process for infrastructure is coordinated, predictable, and transparent. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)or the Forest Service must appoint a project lead for the mine permitting process to coordinate with other agencies to ensure that the agencies minimize delays, set and adhere to timelines for completion of the permitting process, set clear permitting goals, and track progress against goals. The project lead must also determine the amount of financial assurance required for reclamation of a mineral exploration or mining site. The bill considers the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969to be satisfied if the BLM or the Forest Service determines that the agency issuing the permit will address specified factors, such as environmental impacts of the permit or alternatives to issuance of the permit. Additionally, the bill exempts projects on National Forest System land from regulations that prohibit timber tree cutting and road construction in areas without roads.
Metropolitan Statistical Area Preservation Act This bill prohibits the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from establishing, for purposes of designating areas as metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), a minimum population for the urban area of such MSA that is more than 50,000. The OMB may, for statistical purposes only, establish other statistical area designations with higher minimum population requirements for such urban areas.
This resolution expresses support for the efforts of health and wellness coaches.
Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2021 This bill makes various changes to the Federal Pell Grant program, including by expanding student eligibility for Pell Grants. The bill also revises student eligibility for federal student-aid programs. Specifically, the bill provides funding to increase the maximum Pell Grant award for each eligible student. Further, the bill requires the award amount to be adjusted for inflation. Next, the bill allows students who receive means-tested federal benefits (e.g., Medicaid) to automatically qualify for the maximum Pell Grant award plus an additional award amount. In addition, the bill moves the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant program into the Pell Grant program. Next, the bill raises from 12 to 18 the total number of semesters during which a student may receive a Pell Grant. The bill makes Dreamer students (i.e., students who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status) who entered the United States before the age of 18 and who meet certain educational criteria eligible for federal financial aid. The bill also revises satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal student-aid programs, including by allowing a student who has not been enrolled in an institution of higher education for two years to regain eligibility for federal student aid.
Resilience Investment, Support, and Expansion from Trauma Act or the RISE from Trauma Act This bill establishes and extends various programs to support infants, children, youth, and families who have experienced, or may experience, trauma. Specifically, the bill allows federal agencies to use specified discretionary funds to implement pilot projects to improve outcomes for children experiencing trauma. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide tool kits and other guidance to train frontline service providers and certain community members about trauma, toxic stress, and resilience. In addition, the Department of Justice (DOJ) must establish a national center to disseminate to law enforcement agencies best practices and other assistance to enhance interactions with infants, children, youth, and families who are exposed to violence and trauma. Furthermore, the bill establishes grants for multi-sector demonstration projects to prevent and mitigate trauma and toxic stress; interventions to improve outcomes for hospital patients who experience drug overdoses, suicide attempts, or violent injury; and clinical training in infant and early childhood mental health. The bill also authorizes DOJ grants to reduce violence and substance use by preventing children's trauma from exposure to violence and substance use. Additionally, it incorporates trauma-informed practices and otherwise addresses trauma in programs for health care professional education, increasing access to health services, and training for educators.
Brandon Act This bill modifies the regulatory requirement for referrals by commanding officers and supervisors of members of the Armed Forces for mental health evaluations. Specifically, the regulations must (1) establish a phrase that enables the member to trigger a referral for a mental health evaluation, (2) require a commanding officer or supervisor to make such referrals as soon as practicable following disclosure by the member of the established phrase, and (3) ensure that the process protects the confidentiality of the member.
Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021 This bill provides an additional $60 billion in FY2021 for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which was established to support restaurants and other food and beverage purveyors in response to COVID-19.
Disarm Hate Act The bill expands the categories of persons who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm. Specifically, it prohibits firearm sale or transfer to and receipt, possession, shipment, or transport by a person (1) who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or (2) who has received an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence.
