Sen. Raphael G. Warnock

This resolution designates the week of September 19 through September 25, 2021, as Gold Star Families Remembrance Week and recognizes the sacrifices made by veterans' families and the families of members of the Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in order to defend freedom and protect the United States.

Disaster Reforestation Act This bill sets forth a special rule for the tax deduction for casualty losses of uncut timber (including pre-merchantable timber). It provides that in losses of any uncut timber from fire, storm, wood-destroying insects or invasive species, severe drought, or from theft, the basis for determining the amount of the deduction for such loss shall not be less than the excess of the appraised value of such timber determined immediately before such loss was sustained, over the salvage value of such timber. To be eligible for the casualty loss deduction, the uncut timber subject to the loss must be reforested not later than the close of the five-year period beginning on the date of the loss.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.

Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act of 2021 This bill establishes a loan program within the Farm Service Agency to assist agricultural producers in purchasing precision agriculture equipment, such as geospatial mapping, data management and analytics software, and network connectivity products and solutions. Precision agriculture refers to managing, tracking, or reducing crop or livestock production inputs, including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time, at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality.

This bill posthumously provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of the 13 service members who died on August 26, 2021, while stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan.

Device Access for Every American Act This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a program that provides a $400 voucher to a low-income individual for the purchase of a connected device (i.e., a desktop, laptop, or tablet computer) for which the FCC shall reimburse the retailer. The FCC must (1) collaborate with retailers to ensure the wide acceptance of vouchers and the wide availability of covered devices, (2) establish a website that links to offerings by retailers of eligible connected devices, (3) establish a catalog of such offerings that is accessible to consumers without internet access, and (4) advertise the availability of the program.

Keep Children and Families Safe from Lead Hazards Act This bill requires the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs to conduct a risk assessment of properties that receive low-income housing assistance to identify properties with the greatest risk of exposing children under six years old to lead hazards. The office must develop an action plan for remediation and control of lead hazards in identified properties and submit a report on low-income housing properties with lead hazards, including the number of children under six living at those properties.

Public Transportation Expansion Act This bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation to support access to affordable housing and enhanced mobility for residents in certain disadvantaged communities or low-income riders through grants for construction of new fixed guideway capital projects, construction of zero-emission bus rapid transit projects, or other public transportation projects.

This resolution designates August 2021 as National Catfish Month. It also recognizes (1) the contributions of all workers, past and present, that produce, process, and provide catfish for the people of the United States; and (2) that purchasing U.S. farm-raised catfish supports farmers, jobs, and the economy of the United States.

For the People Act of 2021 This bill addresses voter access, election integrity and security, campaign finance, and ethics for the three branches of government. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls. The bill requires states to establish independent redistricting commissions to carry out congressional redistricting. Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including sharing intelligence information with state election officials, supporting states in securing their election systems, developing a national strategy to protect U.S. democratic institutions, establishing in the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions, and other provisions to improve the cybersecurity of election systems. Further, the bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices. The bill addresses ethics in all three branches of government, including by requiring a code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices, prohibiting Members of the House from serving on the board of a for-profit entity, and establishing additional conflict-of-interest and ethics provisions for federal employees and the White House. The bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for those offices to disclose 10 years of tax returns.