Buffalo Soldiers Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for a Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to the Buffalo Soldier regiments (six all-Black calvary and infantry regiments authorized by Congress in 1866 to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces), in recognition of their vital service to the United States. Following the award of the medal, it shall be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture of the Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be displayed as appropriate and made available for research.
Black History is American History Act This bill requires entities (e.g., institutions of higher education, libraries, and museums), in order to be eligible for certain grants administered by the Department of Education (ED), to include Black history in their teaching of American history. It also requires Black history to be included in tests administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Specifically, the bill mandates the inclusion of Black history as a required component of American history for such entities to be eligible for American History and Civics Academies' competitive grants. These grants support the establishment of (1) Presidential Academies for Teachers of American History and Civics, which offer workshops to teachers of American history and civics to strengthen their knowledge and prepare them to teach in these subjects; and (2) Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics, which support high school students in developing an understanding of these subjects. (Currently, Black history is not a required component of American history for either academy.) In addition, ED must give priority to grant applicants that align their activities with programs and resources of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture. The bill also requires the inclusion of Black history in tests administered by the NAEP, which measures student academic achievement in various subjects.
Restoring Integrity to America's Elections Act This bill revises provisions regarding the Federal Election Commission (FEC), including to change FEC membership. Specifically, the bill reduces the number of appointed members of the FEC from six to five and permits no more than two members to be affiliated with the same political party. Further, it removes the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House as ex officio members. Next, the bill establishes the Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel to recommend to the President individuals for nomination to the FEC. The President shall appoint the FEC chair, subject to Senate confirmation. The bill distributes the FEC's powers between the chair and the other FEC members. Further, it requires the FEC to ensure that its forms allow for the use of an accent mark as part of an individual's identification. The bill modifies the process for (1) the FEC to initiate an investigation, and (2) a party aggrieved by the FEC's dismissal of the party's complaint or the FEC's failure to take action on the party's complaint to seek judicial review in federal court. Additionally, individuals who submit written comments regarding requests for advisory opinions must be given an opportunity to appear at FEC hearings on those requests. The bill also permanently extends the FEC's administrative penalty authority. Finally, the bill provides statutory authority for limitations on ex parte communications as applied to FEC members and employees. It also specifies that FEC attorneys may represent the FEC before the Supreme Court.
Tribal Adoption Parity Act This bill allows Indian tribal governments to determine whether a child has special needs for the purposes of the adoption tax credit.
This bill authorizes the President to invite each U.S. territory to provide and furnish no more than two statues for placement in National Statuary Hall. These statues may be of U.S. citizens or persons who, though not citizens of the United States, owe permanent allegiance to the United States.
Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act of 2021 This bill addresses protections related to sex and sex-segregated spaces. Sex is defined as sex determined solely by a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. The bill prohibits construing the provisions of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 in a manner that would require forgoing the maintenance of sex-segregated spaces (such as bathrooms) and of sex-segregated athletic or academic programs by educational institutions.
Susan Harwood Training Grant Program Authorization Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, which awards grants to employer associations, labor unions, and other organizations to provide education and training to employees and employers on workplace safety and health. This training must include information on employee rights and employer responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Territorial Economic Recovery Act This bill restores the favorable tax treatment of investment in U.S. territories and possessions. It treats such investment as domestic rather than foreign investment and requires investors to have an active trade or business in a U.S. territory or possession with a certain percentage of income derived from such territory or possession.
This bill repeals the limitation on the amount of distilled spirits excise taxes covered over (paid) to the treasuries of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Energy Efficient Appliances Act This bill revises and expands the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program of the Department of Energy (DOE). Under the existing program, DOE sets minimum energy efficiency standards for product categories of certain consumer products (e.g., appliances) or industrial equipment. This bill expands the categories of appliances and equipment for which DOE may issue energy conservation standards. It also expands the meaning of energy conservation standard to include a performance standard that prescribes a minimum level of water efficiency or a maximum quantity of water use. In addition, the bill reduces the lead time for when the standards must come into effect after the standards are issued or updated. If DOE misses deadlines for issuing certain energy efficiency, energy use, or water use standards, then states may set higher standards than the national standard. Finally, the bill repeals the following rules issued by DOE: Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Procedures for Use in New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products and Commercial/Industrial Equipment , and Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Procedures for Evaluating Statutory Factors for Use in New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards .
Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021 This bill limits or repeals certain tax benefits for major integrated oil companies, including (1) the foreign tax credit for companies that are dual capacity taxpayers, (2) the tax deduction for intangible drilling and development costs, (3) the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas wells, and (4) the tax deduction for qualified tertiary injectant expenses. The bill modifies the definition of major integrated oil company to include certain successors in interest that control more than 50% of the crude oil production or natural gas production of the company. The bill establishes a Transportation Block Grant Fund and appropriates to the fund amounts equal to the increase in revenues as a result of this bill. The funds must be used for making grants under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program.
Country of Origin Labeling Requirement Act This bill requires sellers of products online to conspicuously disclose the country of origin of the products. This requirement does not apply to individuals selling products through third-party websites. The Federal Trade Commission must enforce violations of this requirement as unfair or deceptive trade practices.
