Lessening Addiction By Enhancing Labeling Opioids Act of 2021 or the LABEL Opioids Act This bill requires prescription opioids to contain a warning label specifying that the opioids may cause dependence, addiction, and overdose. A registrant (e.g., a pharmacist) who dispenses an opioid in violation of the labeling requirement is subject to penalties.
Domestic Violence Public Health Emergency Guidance Act This bill requires the Department of Justice to issue guidance to law enforcement agencies on model practices for addressing domestic violence and protecting the safety of law enforcement officers during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
White Supremacy in Law Enforcement Information Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ), in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to prepare and release an intelligence assessment describing the relationship between white supremacy and law enforcement. The assessment must include information on white supremacist links to and infiltration of law enforcement agencies. The bill also requires DOJ, in coordination with the FBI, to release (1) past intelligence assessments related to white supremacist links to and infiltration of law enforcement agencies, and (2) actions to address such links and infiltration.
Puppy Protection Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to expand standards that govern the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals to include new requirements for commercial dog dealers. Specifically, the standards must require dog dealers to provide to dogs adequate housing, exercise, and veterinary care; appropriate and nutritious food; continuous access to potable water; and meaningful socialization with humans and compatible dogs for at least 30 minutes each day. The standards must also include requirements for breeders to use safe breeding practices and make all reasonable efforts to find humane placement for retired breeding dogs.
Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act This bill provides funds to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for an affordable child care and early learning program. Children who are at least six weeks of age but not yet required to attend school may participate in the program regardless of family income, disability status, citizenship status, or employment of a family member. Under the program, HHS must support sponsors (e.g., states, local governments, tribal organizations, and nonprofit community organizations) that provide child care and early learning services for families. Families must pay a subsidized fee, based on their income, for the services. The fees are waived for children from families with incomes below 200% of the poverty line. The fees are capped at 7% of a family's income regardless of the family's income level.
America's College Promise Act of 2021 This bill provides funding and establishes grant programs to expand access to higher education, including by providing free community college to students. Specifically, the bill establishes a program to waive resident tuition and fees for community college students. The Department of Education (ED) must award grants to states and Indian tribes to pay the federal share (75% of the average resident community college tuition and fees per student) of the program. As a condition of receiving such a grant, a state must (1) submit a plan to align the requirements for receiving a regular high school diploma with the requirements for entering credit-bearing coursework at community colleges; and (2) submit a plan to improve transfer pathways between institutions of higher education (IHEs), including by ensuring that associate degrees awarded by community colleges are fully transferable to four-year IHEs. Next, the bill directs ED to award grants to states and Indian tribes for implementing evidence-based institutional reforms and innovative practices to improve student outcomes. In addition, ED must award grants to participating historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions to waive or significantly reduce the first 60 credits of tuition and fees for low-income students.
Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments, and Research Act of 2021 or the AFTER Act of 2021 This bill requires departments, agencies, or instrumentalities that operate federal research facilities or exhibit animals to promulgate regulations that facilitate and encourage the adoption of certain animals that are suitable for retirement.
Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act This bill addresses sexual harassment in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields by supporting research regarding sexual harassment and efforts to prevent and respond to sexual harassment. This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or their consortia) to expand research into the factors contributing to, and consequences of, sexual harassment affecting individuals in the STEM workforce, including students and trainees; and examine interventions for reducing the incidence and negative consequences of sexual harassment. The NSF must convene a working group to gather national data on the prevalence, nature, and implications of such harassment in institutions of higher education. The NSF shall enter into agreements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to (1) update a responsible conduct guide issued by the National Academies to include, among other things, evidence-based practices for fostering a climate that is intolerant of sexual harassment; and (2) study the influence of sexual harassment in institutions of higher education on the career advancement of individuals in the STEM workforce. The National Science and Technology Council shall establish an interagency working group to coordinate the federal science agencies' efforts to reduce the prevalence of sexual harassment involving grant personnel. The Office of Science and Technology Policy must develop policy guidelines for such agencies to prevent and respond to reports of sexual harassment and gender harassment.
New Opportunities to Expand Healthy Air Using Sustainable Transportation Act of 2021 or the NO EXHAUST Act of 2021 This bill establishes incentives and related requirements to encourage the manufacture and use of electric, fuel-efficient, or zero-emission vehicles. For example, the bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a program to provide rebates for expenses associated with publicly accessible electric vehicle supply equipment (e.g., power outlets). In addition, the bill reauthorizes existing grant programs and creates new grant programs, such as grants for the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in underserved or disadvantaged communities. It also revises a loan program that provides incentives to manufacture advanced vehicles, including by allowing loans to be awarded through FY2031. Finally, the bill establishes minimum conservation requirements for federal fleets of vehicles.
Prompt Approval of Safe Generic Drugs Act This bill authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve certain applications to market a drug even if the drug's labeling lacks certain safety information. Specifically, an abbreviated application for approval of a generic drug shall not be ineligible for approval solely because the drug's labeling omits safety information that is protected under another drug's exclusivity protections. Similarly, a drug that is approved under this bill shall not be considered mislabeled for lacking such safety information. Generally, an abbreviated application, for the purposes of this bill, is one that (1) uses required information from studies not conducted by the applicant; or (2) seeks approval of a drug that is, for drug approval purposes, a duplicate of an already-approved drug. For any drug approved under this bill, the FDA shall require the drug's labeling to include any safety information that is necessary to assure safe use.
Restoring Neighborhoods and Strengthening Communities Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a grant program to identify infrastructural barriers posed by transportation facilities within certain communities (e.g., communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal or indigenous populations) and study the feasibility of improving, and developing plans to improve, connectivity within these communities by redesigning or removing such barriers. DOT may award grants to states, tribal and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and other entities for (1) community engagement, education, and capacity building, including to educate community members about opportunities to affect transportation and economic development planning and investment decisions; and (2) planning and feasibility studies, including development of designs and artistic renderings to facilitate community engagement. It may also award capital construction grants to the owner of an infrastructural barrier to carry out projects for which all necessary feasibility studies and other planning activities have been completed, including the replacement of an infrastructural barrier with a new use or facility that has been identified by members of the community.
Utility Resilience and Reliability Act This bill addresses the reliability of electric energy provided by the bulk-power system, which includes facilities and control systems necessary for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission network. Specifically, the Electric Reliability Organization must file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission a proposed reliability standard that addresses the resilience of the bulk-power system. For example, the standard must address the system's ability to withstand and rapidly recover from disruptions, such as extreme weather conditions. The standard must take into account regional differences. In addition, the Department of Energy (DOE) must establish a program to provide information and recommendations to states and electric utilities on how to improve the resilience of electric grids. DOE must also post on its website a report that provides recommendations on how to minimize the need for, effects of, and duration of planned electric power outages that are due to extreme weather conditions.
