Well-Informed, Scientific, and Efficient Government Act of 2021 or the WISE Government Act This bill prohibits an agency from entering into a contract for a journal subscription that prohibits disclosure of the cost of the subscription to another agency or the Library of Congress. Each agency library must make policies and procedures for employee access to library subscriptions easily and clearly available to the agency's employees, including regional employees, through the intranet. The General Services Administration shall submit to Congress and each agency library a report on increasing agency library access to serials.
This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) to award maritime career training grants to institutions of higher education and postsecondary vocational institutions for the purpose of developing, offering, or improving educational or career training programs for American workers related to the maritime workforce. Each awarded grant may not exceed $20 million. DOT must award grants based on a determination of the merits of the grant proposal submitted by the institution of higher education or postsecondary vocational institution to develop, offer, or improve maritime educational or career training programs to be made available to workers; an evaluation of the likely employment opportunities available to workers who complete a maritime educational or career training program that the institution proposes to develop, offer, or improve; an evaluation of prior demand for training programs by workers in the community served by the institution, as well as the availability and capacity of existing maritime training programs to meet future demand for training programs; and any prior designation of the institution as a Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education.
This bill permits the Children's Bureau of the Administration for Children & Families to provide grants for programs that reduce child abuse and neglect resulting from the substance use disorder of a parent or caregiver.
Fairness for Craft Beverage Producers Act This bill provides additional economic relief to certain beverage manufacturers in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill gives certain beverage manufacturers (e.g., breweries and wineries that derived at least 35% of their gross annual income during either 2019 or 2020 from in-person sales) access to second draw loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. Further, it makes these beverage manufacturers eligible to receive additional months of subsidized principal and interest payments on certain Small Business Administration loans.
Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment Act or the E-BIKE Act This bill allows a refundable tax credit for 30% of the cost of a qualified electric bicycle. The credit is limited to $1,500 per taxpayer less all credits allowed for the two preceding taxable years. A qualified electric bicycle is a two-wheeled vehicle that is, among other things, equipped with an electric motor of less than 750 watts that is capable of propelling such vehicle.
Reservist Pay Equity Act of 2021 This bill increases the rate of the differential wage payment tax credit from 20% to 50% and requires that the maximum dollar amount of such credit be adjusted for inflation after 2021. The credit is allowed to employers for their employees who are active duty members of the uniformed services.
This bill extends for two years the election and capital gain deferral periods for qualified opportunity zones. An opportunity zone is an economically-distressed community where private investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for capital gain tax incentives.
No taxpayer funding for United Nations Human Rights Council Act This bill prohibits the Department of State from making contributions to the United Nations Human Rights Council, either as a percentage of the U.S. contribution to the regular budget of the United Nations or as a voluntary contribution to the council.
Justice for Student Borrowers Act This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of a dispute relating to a private education loan.
COVID-19 Language Access Act This bill requires each federal agency that receives federal assistance related to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic to translate any English language written material prepared for the general public relating to the pandemic, including COVID-19 vaccine distribution and education, into specified languages not later than seven days after such material is made available in English. Such languages shall include, at a minimum, the following: Spanish, Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, Haitian Creole, French, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Russian, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese, Greek, Polish, Thai, and Portuguese.
"Six Triple Eight" Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (commonly known as the Six Triple Eight) in recognition of their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and contributions to increase the morale of personnel stationed in the European theater of operations during World War II. The medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution and made available for display and research.
Expanding Teaching Health Centers Act of 2021 This bill provides funding through FY2023 to the Department of Health and Human Services to establish and expand medical residency training programs at teaching health centers.
