Sen. Brian Schatz

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2021 This bill modifies the tax credit for employment-related expenses incurred for the care of a taxpayer's dependent to (1) increase to $400,000, the adjusted gross income threshold level above which the credit is incrementally reduced; (2) increase the dollar limits on the allowable amount of the credit; (3) specify rules for married couples filing separate returns; (4) allow an inflation adjustment to the adjusted gross income threshold and the maximum credit amounts, beginning after 2022; and (5) make the credit refundable.

American Opportunity Accounts Act This bill establishes tax-exempt American Opportunity Accounts to provide children at birth with a $1,000 savings account with annual contributions up to $2,000 depending on family income. The accounts are available to children at age 18 for specified purposes, including educational expenses, home ownership, and investment that provides long-term returns.

This bill provides funds for assistance to homeowners to prevent mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and displacements of individuals and families experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020. The Department of the Treasury must disburse the funds to state housing finance agencies, territories, and Indian tribes for the provision of such assistance.

Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act or the FAMILY Act This bill entitles every employee to a family and medical leave insurance (FMLI) monthly benefit payment of two-thirds of the employee's regular pay, limited to a maximum of $4,000, for not more than 60 days of qualified caregiving. The bill establishes the Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration to administer the FMLI program. An FMLI benefit payment must be coordinated with any periodic benefits received under a state or local temporary disability insurance or family leave program. The bill imposes a tax on employers, employees, and self-employed individuals to fund FMLI benefits. It also establishes the Federal Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund to hold tax revenues.

Emergency Family Stabilization Act This bill establishes a competitive grant program within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) for family stabilization agencies to provide emergency relief to children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. These agencies include current ACF grantees or subgrantees, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other organizations with expertise providing direct services to those experiencing homelessness. Recipients may use grant funds for, among other purposes, personnel costs, personal protective equipment, and other supplies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), as well as payments for security deposits and other housing-related needs. Additionally, the ACF must award the grants based on factors including the need for the services in the area served by the agency and specified allocation and prioritization requirements.

Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act of 2021 This bill revises antitrust laws applicable to mergers and anticompetitive conduct. Specifically, the bill applies a stricter standard for permissible mergers by prohibiting mergers that (1) create an appreciable risk of materially lessening competition, or (2) unfairly lower the prices of goods or wages because of a lack of competition among buyers or employers (i.e., a monopsony). Under current law, mergers that substantially lessen competition are prohibited. Additionally, for some large mergers or mergers that concentrate markets beyond a certain threshold, the bill shifts the burden of proof to the merging parties to prove that the merger does not violate the law. The bill also prohibits exclusionary conduct that presents an appreciable risk of harming competition. The bill also establishes monetary penalties for violations, requires annual reporting for certain mergers and acquisitions, establishes within the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the Office of the Competition Advocate, and sets forth whistleblower protections. The Government Accountability Office must report on (1) the success of merger remedies required by the Department of Justice or the FTC in recent consent decrees; and (2) the impact of mergers and acquisitions on wages, employment, innovation, and new business formation.

Secure Data and Privacy for Contact Tracing Act of 2021 This bill establishes grants for state, tribal, and territorial health departments to incorporate digital contact tracing technology in COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) contact tracing programs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must award the grants. Any technology developed or procured with these grants must meet privacy, security, and other conditions. Grantees that acquire technology that does not meet these conditions lose eligibility for this, and future, funding for COVID-19 contact tracing technology. In addition, federal privacy standards for personal health information expressly apply to information transmitted or maintained by grant-funded programs. Current law restricts the use and disclosure of personal health information by health care providers, health plans, health clearinghouses, and their business associates. However, there is an exception to these standards for information used by, or disclosed to, a public health authority. The bill also prohibits the use of data derived from the contact tracing technology in legal proceedings or for immigration enforcement. The Government Accountability Office must evaluate this program.

Paycheck Fairness Act This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex. Specifically, it (1) limits an employer's defense that a pay differential is based on a factor other than sex to only bona fide job-related factors in wage discrimination claims, (2) enhances nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) makes it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increases civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs must train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. The bill directs the Department of Labor to (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The bill also establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Finally, the bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.

Global Press Freedom Act This bill establishes the Office of Press Freedom to advance the protection and well-being of members of the press abroad and to engage with foreign governments and global press freedom organizations concerning freedom of the press and of expression. Led by the Ambassador-at-Large for Press Freedom, who shall be appointed by the President, the office must (1) coordinate efforts between relevant U.S. embassy personnel and press organizations or threatened individuals in situations in which press freedom is threatened abroad, (2) publicly and privately denounce oppression of the press abroad, and (3) recommend appropriate responses by the U.S. government when press freedoms are infringed upon. The office must also develop a press freedom curriculum for the National Foreign Affairs Training Center to help Foreign Service officers better understand issues of press freedom and tools that are available to help protect journalists and promote freedom of the press norms. The Government Accountability Office must assess and report on effects and changes resulting from certain requirements related to press freedom.

CARES Windfall for the Wealthiest Repeal Act This bill restores and makes permanent the limitation on excess businesses losses of noncorporate taxpayers. It also allows taxpayers a carryback of their net operating losses arising in 2019 and 2020.