Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2021 or the POJA Act of 2021 This bill prohibits employers from limiting, segregating, or classifying job applicants based on an applicant's age. It also requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to study and report on claims received from job applicants involving age discrimination.
This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act This bill makes various changes to the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which reimburses child care centers, day care homes, and other sites for meals and snacks provided to low-income individuals. Among these changes, the bill authorizes reimbursements for an additional meal or snack provided to children who are in care for at least eight hours, allows certain child care centers to certify their eligibility on an annual (rather than a monthly) basis, and establishes an advisory committee to make recommendations to reduce unnecessary recordkeeping requirements for program participants.
Honoring Our Commitment to Elevate America's Neighbor Islands and Allies Act of 2021 or the Honoring OCEANIA Act This bill requires various actions and programs related to the Oceania region, which includes Fiji, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. The bill requires the Department of State to take actions in the region to develop a program to strengthen resilience to disasters; develop a program to help countries protect against threats to critical infrastructure; provide grants and assistance to build public health capacity; support efforts to address dangers from unexploded ordnance, submerged maritime vessels, and related hazards; provide financial and technical assistance to governments and organizations to combat corruption; and take steps to ensure U.S. capacity to support residents of Oceania countries who may become permanently displaced by severe weather. Furthermore, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security must carry out a program to support regional maritime security partnerships. In addition, the President must impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that engage in corruption in Oceania. The Department of Veterans Affairs must commence a demonstration program to provide medical and extended care services to U.S. veterans residing in the freely associated states (i.e., Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia). The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation must establish a strategy for using market-based private investment to support the development goals of Oceania countries. The bill also requires reports on topics related to Oceania, including (1) a strategy to expand the presence of the Peace Corps, (2) the use of technology to address illegal fishing, and (3) the Department of the Treasury's financial intelligence resources.
Honoring Our Promises through Expedition for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 or the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to postpone the medical exam requirement for qualifying citizens or nationals of Afghanistan seeking entry into the United States as special immigrants. Specifically, this bill applies to an existing program that provides special immigrant status to an individual (or the spouse or child of such an individual) who (1) faithfully performed sensitive and trusted duties for the U.S. government or the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan on or after October 7, 2001, and (2) has experienced or is experiencing an ongoing serious threat due to the performance of those duties. Under this bill, the State Department and DHS may jointly issue a blanket waiver of any requirement for such individuals to undergo a medical exam before admission into the United States. DHS shall ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that individuals admitted under such a waiver undergo medical exams no later than 30 days after admission into the United States. Such an individual shall be admitted as a conditional permanent resident. DHS shall remove the conditions once the individual receives and passes a medical examination.
Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2021 This bill exempts from worldwide or numerical limitations certain family-sponsored immigrant visas for the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who were naturalized under certain laws providing for naturalization for service during World War II.
Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses, and Medical Professionals Act This bill removes federal restrictions on, and creates new protections for, marijuana-related conduct and activities that are authorized by state or tribal law. Among other things, the bill does the following: removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana; directs the Food and Drug Administration and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the Department of the Treasury to issue rules to regulate marijuana that are similar to the federal rules regulating alcohol; creates protections for depository institutions that provide financial services to marijuana-related businesses; creates protections for veterans who use, possess, or transport medical marijuana; and requires the National Institutes of Health to study and report on the effects of medical marijuana on individuals who are impaired or in pain and the relationship between state-approved treatment programs involving medical marijuana, access to such programs, and a reduction in opioid abuse.
Marijuana Data Collection Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and relevant state agencies, to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences in order to study the effects of marijuana legalization in states for medicinal or non-medicinal use.
Energy Security and Lightering Independence Act of 2021 This bill authorizes an alien crewman to obtain a permit to land in the United States for up to 180 days if, during this period, the crewman will perform ship-to-ship liquid cargo transfer operations involving a vessel engaged in foreign trade. Currently, an alien crewman may obtain a permit to land for up to 29 days. Under this bill, an alien passing in transit through the United States to board a vessel to perform the above-described liquid cargo transfer operations may qualify as a nonimmigrant in transit. (A qualifying nonimmigrant in transit may obtain a transit visa.)
Comprehensive TB Elimination Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes for FY2022-FY2027 and revises the tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment grant program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Health Resources and Services Administration may also award grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments and specified health care providers (e.g., Native Hawaiian health organizations and federally qualified health centers) for TB prevention and treatment efforts. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on (1) national TB prevention and treatment efforts, and (2) matters concerning TB drug shortages and costs.
This resolution recognizes November 2021 as National Native American Heritage Month and the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.
Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act of 2021 This bill prohibits food packaging that contains intentionally added PFAS (i.e., a perfluoroalkyl substance or a polyfluoroalkyl substance that is man-made with at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom).
