Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act of 2021 This bill requires certain medical devices with a digital interface to meet nonvisual accessibility standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Specifically, the FDA must establish regulations to require a Class II or Class III medical device with a digital interface to provide a blind or low-vision user access to the same services and information, and generally the same ease of use, as provided to a user who is not low-vision or blind. (The FDA classifies medical devices in three classes. Class I devices are low-risk, Class II devices are moderate-risk, and Class III devices are high-risk.) A Class II or Class III medical device that does not meet the nonvisual accessibility standards established under this bill may not be sold.
Honoring Family-Friendly Workplaces Act This bill establishes the family-friendly certification program that requires the Department of Labor to award certifications and recognize employers that implement certain policies such as (1) assisting employees with paying for adoption services, (2) providing paid family and sick leave, and (3) providing subsidies for child care and other employee support.
Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act This bill provides rights and protections for domestic workers (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, caretakers, personal assistants, and chauffeurs), including pay and leave rights, and health and safety protections. Specifically, the bill repeals the exemption of domestic live-in employees from certain minimum wage and maximum hour requirements. Employers must provide written notice of termination and provide at least 30 days of lodging and two weeks of severance pay to terminated live-in employees. Live-in employees also must be provided with reasonable access to telephone and internet service during their employment. The bill requires employers to provide domestic workers with a written agreement covering wages, sick leave, benefits, and other matters. Further, domestic workers may request and be granted changes to work schedules due to personal events. The bill also provides domestic workers with certain privacy rights, extends to domestic workers protections against discrimination in employment, and increases the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid-funded medical services provided by domestic workers. The Department of Labor must (1) award grants for a domestic worker national hotline for reporting emergencies, training on hazards facing domestic workers, and workforce investment activities for domestic workers; and (2) establish a Domestic Worker Wage and Standards Board to investigate standards in the domestic workers industry. Labor must publish online a document that describes the rights and protections for domestic workers under this bill.
Protecting Renters from Evictions Act of 2021 This bill extends through December 31, 2021, the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID–19 and published on September 4, 2020.
Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 This bill provides FY2021 supplemental appropriations for federal agencies to respond to the events at the U.S. Capitol Complex on January 6, 2021, and assist Afghan refugees. It also provides supplemental appropriations for the legislative branch to address COVID-19 and modifies requirements for certain programs that provide special immigrant status to eligible nationals of Afghanistan or Iraq, TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE This title provides appropriations for the National Guard to respond to the events at the U.S. Capitol Complex on January 6, 2021, and for related purposes. The title also provides appropriations to the Department of Defense for overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid. TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES This title provides appropriations to the Administration for Children and Families for refugee and entrance assistance activities. The funding must be used for activities for Afghan individuals within the United States who have been granted special immigrant status. TITLE III--LEGISLATIVE BRANCH This title provides appropriations for the legislative branch to respond to the events at the U.S. Capitol Complex on January 6, 2021, and address COVID-19. Specifically, the title provides appropriations for the Senate, the House of Representatives, the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Capitol Police Mutual Aid Reimbursements, and the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). The title also provides appropriations for payments to the widows and heirs of deceased Members of Congress, including (1) Susan M. Wright, widow of the late Representative Ronald Wright; and (2) the heirs of the late Representative Alcee Hastings. (Sec. 301) This section designates the wellness program of the U.S. Capitol Police as the Howard C. Liebengood Center for Wellness. (Sec. 302) This section modifies the salary cap for the U.S. Capitol Police during 2021. (Sec. 310) This section prohibits funds from being used to install permanent, above-ground fencing around the perimeter, or any portion thereof, of the U.S. Capitol Grounds. (Sec. 311) With congressional approval, the AOC may accept contributions of, and incur obligations and make expenditures out of available appropriations for, supplies, products, and services necessary to respond to an emergency involving the safety of human life or the protection of property, as determined or declared by the Capitol Police Board. TITLE IV--BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE This title provides appropriations to the Department of State for migration and refugee assistance to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan and to assist Afghan refugees. The title also provides appropriations to the State Department for the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund. (Sec. 401) This section increases the number of special immigrant visas available to qualified Afghan nationals who worked for the U.S. government or a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mission in Afghanistan, extends the deadline for applying for such visas, and relaxes certain qualifications. All applicants for such a visa must establish that the applicant was employed with the U.S. government or a NATO mission for one year, where currently some applicants must prove two years of employment. This section also eliminates a requirement that the applicant faces an ongoing serious threat in Afghanistan due to such employment. Furthermore, for an applicant qualifying for a visa by performing duties for U.S. military personnel stationed with a NATO mission, this section eliminates a requirement that the duties performed qualify as sensitive and trusted duties. This section also relaxes limits to appealing rejections for applications for such visas. (Sec. 402) This bill authorizes the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to jointly postpone the medical exam requirement for individuals seeking entry into the United States under the program described in Section 401. If an individual receives such a postponement, DHS shall ensure to the greatest extent possible that individual undergoes a medical exam no later than 30 days after admission into the United States. Such an individual's status as a lawful permanent resident shall be conditional until the individual undergoes the required medical exam. (Sec. 403) This section modifies the immigration benefits of the surviving family members of certain deceased individuals. The surviving spouse or child of a U.S. government employee abroad shall qualify as a special immigrant if that employee performed at least 15 years of faithful service or was killed in the line of duty. This section also expands surviving family member benefits for certain programs that provide special immigrant status to eligible nationals of Afghanistan or Iraq, including the program described in Section 401. Specifically, if an individual submitted an application to the Chief of Mission that included an accompanying spouse or child and that application would have been approved but for the individual's death, the surviving spouse or child shall remain eligible to receive a visa under the respective program. Currently, such survivor rights only apply if the deceased individual's petition was approved. (Sec. 404) If an individual has an approved petition under a program that provided special immigrant status to translators who worked for the Armed Forces in Afghanistan or Iraq but a visa is not immediately available, the State Department or DHS may convert that petition to an approved petition under another program which provides special immigrant status to certain Iraqi nationals, if there are visas available under that second program. (DHS and the State Department currently only have the authority to convert petitions filed before October 1, 2008.) TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE This title provides appropriations to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for state and local law enforcement assistance. DOJ must use the funds for restoring funds that were used for extraordinary law enforcement and related costs directly associated with protection of the President-elect from November 4, 2020, until the inauguration of the President-elect as President. TITLE VI--GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT (Sec. 601) This section specifies that the funds provided by this bill are in addition to funds otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year involved. (Sec. 602) Funds provided by this bill may not remain available beyond the current fiscal year, unless this bill provides otherwise. (Sec. 603) Unless otherwise specified by this bill, the funds provided by this bill are subject to the authorities and conditions that apply to the applicable appropriations account for FY2021. (Sec. 604) This section specifies that funding provided by this bill may only be used for the purposes specifically described in the bill. The section includes an exception for funds used to restore amounts for obligations incurred prior to the date of the enactment of this bill. (Sec. 605) This section specifies that the term coronavirus in this bill means SARS-CoV-2 or another coronavirus with pandemic potential. (Sec. 606) This section provides that amounts designated by this bill as emergency requirements are only available (or rescinded or transferred, if applicable) if the President subsequently designates the amounts and transmits the designations to Congress. (Sec. 607) This section specifies that the emergency funds that are transferred pursuant to this bill retain the emergency designation.
This resolution condemns the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, and extends condolences to his family and the people of Haiti.
This resolution condemns acts of violence against Afghan women and girls and any effort to limit the ability of women and girls to participate in the civic affairs of Afghanistan. It also urges the President to ensure that Afghan women, youth, and other marginalized groups are meaningfully participating and engaging in all peace talks.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the murder of Alireza Fazeli Monfared should be investigated and prosecuted and that the practice of honor killings in Iran is a violation of internationally recognized human rights. Further, it urges the Department of State to rebuke Iran for this practice and to condemn Iranian human rights abuses against vulnerable populations, including abuses based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender expression.
Mapping Housing Discrimination Act This bill provides grants to institutions of higher education to analyze, digitize, and map historic housing discrimination records. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research must use data submitted by institutions under the bill to create a publicly available national database of historic housing discrimination records. Historic housing discrimination records are (1) deeds or historic property records that demonstrate housing discrimination, or (2) state or local ordinances that permitted housing discrimination.
Judiciary Accountability Act of 2021 This bill applies certain civil rights and employee protection laws to judicial branch employees. Specifically, the bill applies to judicial branch employees laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity), national origin, age, or disability. Further, the bill prohibits retaliation against whistleblowers within the judicial branch. Additionally, the bill establishes (1) the Commission on Judicial Integrity to oversee a program to prevent workplace misconduct; (2) the Office of Judicial Integrity to oversee confidential reporting systems regarding workplace misconduct, training programs on workplace behavior and bystander intervention, and other reporting initiatives regarding employee metrics and demographics; (3) the Special Counsel for Equal Employment Opportunity to investigate alleged workplace misconduct and complaints; and (4) the Office of Employee Advocacy to provide legal assistance, representation, and consultation to judicial employees. Finally, the bill establishes workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation as judicial misconduct.
Journalist Protection Act This bill establishes new criminal offenses for intentional acts (or attempts to commit acts) that cause bodily injury to a journalist.
Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act This bill provides rights and protections for domestic workers (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, caretakers, personal assistants, and chauffeurs), including pay and leave rights, and health and safety protections. Specifically, the bill repeals the exemption of domestic live-in employees from certain minimum wage and maximum hour requirements. Employers must provide written notice of termination and provide at least 30 days of lodging and two weeks of severance pay to terminated live-in employees. Live-in employees also must be provided with reasonable access to telephone and internet service during their employment. The bill requires employers to provide domestic workers with a written agreement covering wages, sick leave, benefits, and other matters. Further, domestic workers may request and be granted changes to work schedules due to personal events. The bill also provides domestic workers with certain privacy rights, extends to domestic workers protections against discrimination in employment, and increases the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid-funded medical services provided by domestic workers. The Department of Labor must (1) award grants for a domestic worker national hotline for reporting emergencies, training on hazards facing domestic workers, and workforce investment activities for domestic workers; and (2) establish a Domestic Worker Wage and Standards Board to investigate standards in the domestic workers industry. Labor must publish online a document that describes the rights and protections for domestic workers under this bill.
