Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act of 2021 or the EQUAL Act of 2021 This bill eliminates the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill eliminates the lower quantity thresholds for crack cocaine offenses. Under the bill, the same threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. The change applies to future cases and cases pending on the date of enactment. With respect to past cases, the bill authorizes a sentencing court to impose a reduced sentence on a defendant who was convicted or sentenced for a specified crack cocaine offense before this bill's enactment. A defendant does not have to be present at the sentence reduction hearing. Finally, the bill prohibits the reduction of a sentence that was previously reduced.
Stop Vaccine Mandates Act This bill rescinds the executive order titled Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors and the executive order titled Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees , both published on September 9, 2021. The bill provides that these executive orders shall have no force or effect.
Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2021 This bill excludes Indian tribes and tribal enterprises and institutions on tribal land from requirements for employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). (Currently under the NLRA, employers may not engage in unfair labor practices and must allow employees to form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action.)
Veteran's Electronic Transcript of Residency for Entering New Tenancies Act or the VET RENT Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to establish and implement a standard record of housing history for members of the Armed Forces who reside in housing provided by the United States.
Cancer Patient Equity Act of 2021 This bill provides for coverage of certain cancer diagnostic and laboratory tests under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of microarray analysis, DNA and RNA sequencing, whole-exome sequencing, and other next-generation sequencing for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services must establish an education and awareness program for physicians and the public about genomic testing and the role of genetic counselors.
Armed Services Always Paid Act or the ASAP Act This bill provides funding to continue the pay and allowances of members of the Armed Forces, including reserve personnel, during a lapse in appropriations.
Freedom from Mandates Act This bill nullifies certain executive orders regarding COVID-19 safety and prohibits the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services (HHS) from taking specified actions with respect to vaccination against COVID-19. Specifically, the bill nullifies Executive Order 14042 (relating to ensuring adequate COVID-19 safety protocols for federal contractors) and Executive Order 14043 (requiring COVID-19 vaccination for federal employees). Labor may not issue any rule requiring employers to mandate vaccination of employees against COVID-19 or requiring testing of employees who are unvaccinated. HHS may not (1) require a health care provider, as a condition of participation in the Medicare or Medicaid program, to mandate vaccination of employees against COVID-19 or require testing of employees who are unvaccinated; or (2) otherwise penalize such a provider for failure to mandate such vaccination or require such testing.
Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act This bill directs the Agricultural Marketing Service of the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to award grants to states or state departments of agriculture to provide support to agricultural fairs for losses sustained by such fairs due to COVID-19. As a condition of receiving a grant, recipients shall agree to (1) prioritize supporting agricultural fairs in the state facing the greatest financial hardship, and (2) use not more than 5% of grant funds for administrative costs incurred in providing support to agricultural fairs.
This resolution honors the life of Robert Dove, Parliamentarian Emeritus of the Senate, and offers the condolences of the Senate regarding his death.
No Hearing, No Vote Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the Senate from considering a budget reconciliation bill unless at least one committee hearing has been held regarding the bill. (Reconciliation bills are considered by Congress using expedited legislative procedures that prevent a filibuster and restrict amendments in the Senate.) Specifically, the bill prohibits the Senate from considering a reconciliation bill unless (1) the bill was reported by a committee that received reconciliation instructions or by the Senate Budget Committee after receiving recommendations from committees that received instructions, and (2) each committee that reported the bill or ordered recommendations to be reported to the Senate Budget Committee held at least one hearing regarding any major provision of the bill that is within the jurisdiction of the committee.
This resolution honors the contributions of small businesses in the United States and supports the designation of National Small Business Week.
Full Faith and Credit Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to prioritize certain obligations if the federal debt limit is reached and provides for a limited increase in the debt limit to fund these priorities. If the federal government reaches the debt limit, the following obligations must be given equal priority over all other federal obligations: the principal and interest on the debt held by the public; Social Security benefits; pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces on active duty and members of the U.S. Coast Guard; compensation, pensions, and payments for medical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Medicare programs. If the debt limit has been reached and incoming revenue will be insufficient to pay the priority obligations over an upcoming two-week period, the bill requires (1) Treasury to notify Congress of the expected revenue shortfall for the two-week period, and (2) the debt limit to be increased by the amount of the expected shortfall. If the incoming revenue exceeds the expected shortfall, the excess revenue must be held in reserve and applied to the following two-week period.
