Strengthening Trade, Regional Alliances, Technology, and Economic and Geopolitical Initiatives concerning China Act or the STRATEGIC Act This bill contains provisions addressing China and foreign relations generally. The provisions include directing the Department of State to establish a program to facilitate dialogues between U.S. regulatory and technical agencies and their counterparts in partner countries to promote U.S. regulatory standards; authorizing the State Department to help U.S. companies address China-related supply chain management issues, including by relocating production to other countries; directing the President to establish an interagency working group to strengthen U.S. leadership in international standards-setting bodies for mobile telecommunications technology, including fifth generation (5G) technology; requiring the President to establish a process for a U.S. person to petition for sanctions against a foreign person involved in a significant act of intellectual property theft or the forced transfer of technology; prohibiting any individual who has directly represented the government of a country designated by the President as a country of national security concern from serving in a State Department position that requires Senate confirmation; directing the State Department to establish the Office of Integrity in the United Nations System to counter undue influence by authoritarian nations in the United Nations; and authorizing through FY2026 various State Department programs in Southeast Asia related to maritime security and diplomatic outreach activities.
Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends Act or the FORCE Act This bill prohibits removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism until the President makes the determination that a transition government in Cuba is in power. Further, the President must submit a report that identifies terrorists and fugitives being provided safe haven in Cuba.
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits the federal government, states, tribal nations, or localities from discriminating or taking adverse action against a child welfare provider that declines to provide services due to the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. However, government entities may still take adverse action against a provider that declines to provide adoption or foster care services based on race, color, or national origin. The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold a portion of federal funding for family services and child welfare activities from a government entity that discriminates against a child welfare provider in violation of this bill. Child welfare providers may also sue the government entity for such discrimination. A prevailing provider may recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Furthermore, government entities that accept certain federal funding for family services and child welfare activities must waive sovereign immunity as a defense to lawsuits brought under this bill. (In many cases, sovereign immunity shields states, territories, tribal nations, and some localities against private suits.)
Advanced Nuclear Deployment Act This bill sets forth requirements to provide for the rapid deployment of new nuclear reactors. Specifically, the bill excludes from Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) fees preapplication activities and review of an application for an early site permit to demonstrate an advanced nuclear reactor on a Department of Energy (DOE) or Department of Defense site. The NRC must also develop and implement (1) risk-informed and performance-based strategies and guidance to license and regulate micro-reactors, and (2) schedules to complete review activities applicable to the licensing of micro-reactors within two years. In addition, the NRC must establish and carry out an expedited procedure for issuing a combined license to construct a new nuclear reactor on or adjacent to a site that already has an existing reactor. Finally, the bill establishes a pilot program that allows DOE to make long-term power purchase agreements for power generated by commercial nuclear reactors.
Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act of 2021 This bill provides assistance to rural, multifamily rental-housing projects and tenants. Specifically, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must implement a program for the preservation and revitalization of such housing projects that are financed with USDA loans. As part of this program, USDA may restructure existing housing loans by reducing or eliminating interest and deferring loan payments. When offering to restructure such a loan, USDA must also offer to renew a property owner's contract for rental assistance payments for a term of 20 years, provided that the property owner agrees to maintain the property as decent, safe, and sanitary housing for the full term of the contract. USDA must annually provide written notice explaining the options to restructure such loans to certain property owners. Additionally, USDA may provide technical assistance grants to qualified nonprofit organizations and public housing agencies to help borrowers acquire multifamily rental-housing properties in areas where there is a risk of loss of affordable housing. Further, USDA may provide rural housing vouchers for low-income households (including those not receiving rental assistance) residing in certain properties financed with or insured by USDA loans. The bill also extends existing housing protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking to victims who receive rural housing voucher assistance. These protections include protections against denial or termination of assistance or eviction.
Building on Reemployment Improvements to Deliver Good Employment for Workers Act or the BRIDGE for Workers Act This bill extends eligibility for reemployment services to all individuals claiming unemployment compensation. Currently, only unemployment claimants that are identified as likely to exhaust their regular unemployment compensation are eligible for such reemployment services.
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits the federal government, states, tribal nations, or localities from discriminating or taking adverse action against a child welfare provider that declines to provide services due to the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. However, government entities may still take adverse action against a provider that declines to provide adoption or foster care services based on race, color, or national origin. The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold a portion of federal funding for family services and child welfare activities from a government entity that discriminates against a child welfare provider in violation of this bill. Child welfare providers may also sue the government entity for such discrimination. A prevailing provider may recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Furthermore, government entities that accept certain federal funding for family services and child welfare activities must waive sovereign immunity as a defense to lawsuits brought under this bill. (In many cases, sovereign immunity shields states, territories, tribal nations, and some localities against private suits.)
Speeding Therapy Access Today Act of 2021 This bill requires and authorizes various actions to accelerate the development of therapies for rare diseases. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall establish the Intercenter Institute on Rare Diseases and Conditions. The institute shall (1) coordinate engagement with relevant stakeholders, (2) build the FDA's expertise in the review of medical products to treat rare diseases, (3) coordinate regulatory science initiatives related to rare diseases, (4) establish and implement a program to make recommendations to address challenges associated with developing medical products to treat rare diseases in an individual or in very small populations, (5) convene a stakeholder meeting to consider potential amendments to labels for medical products to treat rare diseases, and (6) establish and carry out a program to facilitate voluntary communication between the sponsors of such medical products and third-party payers (e.g., insurance companies). The bill also authorizes the FDA to make grants to assist in developing practices related to the development and production of individualized therapies or therapies to treat very small populations. The bill also establishes an advisory committee to advise the FDA on issues related to the development of therapies to treat rare diseases.
Empowering Law Enforcement for Safer Firearm Transfers Act of 2021 This bill modifies procedural requirements related to the transfer of machine guns, destructive devices, and certain other firearms. Specifically, the bill requires the chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction in which the transferee primarily resides to be notified of the pending transfer and given 90 days to object.
Biliteracy Education Seal and Teaching Act or the BEST Act This bill directs the Department of Education to award renewable two-year grants to states to establish or improve, and carry out, Seal of Biliteracy programs to recognize student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. Further, these programs must allow speakers of any official Native American language to use equivalent proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in such language in lieu of proficiency in English.
Reviewing Urban and Rural Adjustments to Level Hospital Expenses and Lopsided Payments Act of 2021 or the RURAL HELP Act of 2021 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to determine whether costs incurred by rural hospitals exceed costs incurred by urban hospitals under the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system and to adjust payments accordingly.
Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning Act of 2021 or the SCHOOL Act of 2021 This bill allows certain federal funds for elementary and secondary education to follow the student to the school that they attend (i.e., public, private, or home school), regardless of whether the student is learning in person or remotely. These funds may be used for educational and instructional materials, tutoring, tuition for private school, and extracurricular activities.
