Reforming Disaster Recovery Act This bill addresses the response of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to disasters. The bill establishes the Office of Disaster Management and Resiliency at HUD to coordinate HUD disaster preparedness and response responsibilities. The office must also coordinate with other federal agencies in supporting recovery and resiliency activities. Further, the bill creates the Long-Term Disaster Recovery Fund to fund the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program. The program must provide states, tribes, and communities with grants for rebuilding affordable housing and infrastructure after a disaster. Grantees are required to certify that funds will be administered in compliance with specified fair housing and civil rights laws. Grantees must also prioritize assistance for extremely low-, low-, and moderate-income victims of disasters, as well as other vulnerable groups. The bill also provides for increased data sharing regarding disasters, including by requiring HUD to share data with other federal agencies regarding disaster benefits and by requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration to share data on disaster benefit applicants with HUD.
United States Climate Leadership in International Mitigation, Adaptation, and Technology Enhancement Act of 2021 This bill sets out priorities for climate action, clean energy, energy diplomacy, reduced deforestation, and related U.S. foreign policy. The Department of State must incorporate climate action and climate diplomacy across all bureaus and U.S. missions abroad. In addition, the bill directs increased U.S. involvement in international climate change agreements and activities, including the Paris Agreement (a climate treaty adopted in 2015), the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol (amends a treaty on reducing ozone-depleting compounds to include hydrofluorocarbons) and efforts to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, and Mission Innovation and the Clean Energy Ministerial (global initiatives to advance clean energy technologies and policies). In addition, the bill directs (1) increased U.S. engagement in international economic forums (e.g., G-7 and the World Economic Forum) related to climate action, including with a specific focus on China; and (2) efforts by the U.S. International Finance Development Corporation and U.S. representatives at international financial institutions to prioritize renewable energy projects and advance other climate-related policy objectives. The bill also establishes foreign assistance, financing mechanisms, and other programs to support developing countries transition to renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. Furthermore, the bill outlines climate-related foreign policy and programs for particular regions (the Arctic, sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and North America) and countries (China, India, Brazil, and Indonesia). The bill also addresses climate change and its effects on women and girls.
Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act This bill imposes prohibitions and requirements related to campaign contributions and expenditures from foreign sources. For example, the bill bans campaign contributions and expenditures by domestic business entities that are controlled, influenced, or owned by foreign nationals.
African American History Act This bill authorizes the National Museum of African American History and Culture to carry out educational programs and related activities. Such activities include developing and making available accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to promote the understanding of African American history; and expanding the collection acquisition and collection access processes, including conservation and digitization. The museum may also develop and maintain on its website content designated for educators, students, and families to improve their awareness and understanding of African American history.
Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2021 This bill modifies definitions relating to homeless individuals and homeless children or youth as used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to verify eligibility for HUD homeless assistance programs, including the Continuum of Care program. Specifically, the bill aligns these terms with the definitions of homeless used to verify eligibility for other federal assistance programs. The definitions are also amended to increase access to federal homeless programs by homeless children, youth, and families. Additionally, the community-wide homeless management information system shall be made available to the public on HUD's website.
This resolution recognizes the 73rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, supports the designation of Human Rights Day, and encourages the observation of Human Rights Day and a continued commitment to upholding human rights around the globe.
Food Donation Improvement Act of 2021 This bill expands liability protections for the donation of food and grocery products. Specifically, the bill expands the liability protections to include donations of an apparently fit grocery product or apparently wholesome food for which the recipient is charged a good Samaritan reduced price that is no greater than the cost of handling, administering, and distributing the food or product; or that is donated directly to a needy individual by a retail grocer, wholesaler, agricultural producer, restaurant, caterer, school food authority, or institution of higher education. The Department of Agriculture must issue regulations that clarify the quality and labeling standards that food products donated under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act must meet to be eligible for liability protection.
Protecting Community Television Act This bill revises the definition of a franchise fee that is paid by a cable operator or cable subscriber to encompass only a tax, fee, or other monetary assessment that is imposed by a franchising authority or other governmental entity.
Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act of 2021 or the FAIR Fees Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to prescribe regulations (1) prohibiting an air carrier from imposing specified fees relating to a flight in passenger air transportation that are unreasonable or disproportional to the costs it incurs, and (2) establishing standards for assessing whether such fees are reasonable and proportional to those costs.
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing, subject to civil penalties. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment. The bill specifies exceptions to these prohibitions, including if such animal testing (1) is conducted outside the United States to comply with a foreign regulatory authority; (2) is pursuant to a specified finding that there are no nonanimal alternatives to test the safety of a potentially dangerous cosmetic product or ingredient; (3) is of a product or ingredient for a drug or device subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or (4) is required for a noncosmetic purpose pursuant to a state, federal, or foreign regulatory authority. Further, no animal-testing evidence may be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic product or ingredient that is regulated by the FDA after the effective date of this bill, subject to limited exceptions.
Taiwan Preclearance Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to report to Congress on various issues, including (1) a plan for establishing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility in the Indo-Pacific region; (2) an analysis of the feasibility and advisability of establishing a preclearance facility in Taiwan; and (3) an assessment of the impact that a preclearance facility will have on trade, tourism, and the security partnership between Taiwan and the United States. (Preclearance facilities are stations in designated foreign airports that inspect travelers prior to boarding U.S.-bound flights.)
Telehealth Extension Act of 2021 This bill expands and otherwise modifies coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill permanently (1) removes geographic restrictions on originating sites (i.e., the location of the beneficiary), (2) allows the home of the beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services, and (3) allows federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner). The bill also extends any Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency until two years after the emergency ends and generally allows such flexibilities to be granted during any public health emergency. In addition, the bill (1) allows for Medicare payment of outpatient critical access hospital services consisting of telehealth behavioral therapy until two years after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends; and (2) after the emergency ends, conditions payment for certain high-cost laboratory tests and durable medical equipment that are ordered via telehealth on at least one in-person visit during the preceding six-month period.
