Promoting Apprenticeships through Regional Training Networks for Employers Required Skills Act of 2021 or the PARTNERS Act This bill establishes a grant program to promote registered apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses within in-demand industry sectors, through the establishment and support of eligible partnerships.
Abby Honold Act This bill directs the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice to make competitive grants to law enforcement agencies and victim services organizations to implement evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches in responding to and investigating domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Just and Unifying Solutions To Invigorate Communities Everywhere Act of 2021 or the JUSTICE Act This bill addresses policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. The bill funds state and local grants, incentivizes state and local reporting on the use of certain policing practices, creates new federal offenses for certain misconduct, and establishes best practices and training requirements. The bill funds state and local grants, including to support the use of body-worn cameras, to implement information sharing systems for disciplinary records of law enforcement officers, and to prohibit officers from engaging in sexual acts under color of the law. Further, it requires state and local governments that receive grants under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program to report information related to use-of-force incidents and the use of no-knock warrants. At the federal level, the bill establishes new criminal offenses related to falsifying police reports and engaging in sexual acts under color of law. The bill directs the Department of Justice to develop training on de-escalation tactics, behavioral health crises, alternatives to the use of force, and the duty to intervene when another officer uses excessive force. Finally, the bill establishes and funds the National Criminal Justice Commission. Among other tasks, the commission must develop best practices for policing tactics and procedures.
Teleabortion Prevention Act of 2021 This bill restricts the use of telehealth for chemical abortions (also known as medication abortions). Specifically, it requires a provider who dispenses or prescribes medication for a chemical abortion to physically examine the patient, be physically present at the location of the chemical abortion, and schedule a follow-up visit. The bill provides an exception for a chemical abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, injury, or condition. The bill establishes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both—for a provider who does not comply with the requirements. A patient who undergoes a chemical abortion may not be prosecuted.
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must provide in the case of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. Specifically, a health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as would reasonably be provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure the child is immediately admitted to a hospital. Additionally, a health care practitioner or other employee who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the degree-of-care requirements must immediately report such failure to law enforcement. A health care practitioner who fails to provide the required degree of care, or a health care practitioner or other employee who fails to report such failure, is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. An individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder. The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive under this bill and allows her to bring a civil action against a health care practitioner or other employee for violations.
Pandemic Treatment Access and Affordability Act of 2021 This bill imposes licensing and price restrictions on federally supported drugs and other medicines intended to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or other public health emergencies. With respect to a COVID-19 drug patent developed using certain types of federal support, any license granted by the federal government shall be open and nonexclusive. Similarly, a licensee or assignee for such a patent shall grant open nonexclusive licenses for the patent. An entity that receives a license shall pay reasonable royalties to (1) the patent holder, or (2) the owner of marketing exclusivity rights granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that were terminated under this bill. The bill requires that such drugs be offered at a fair and reasonable price based on certain considerations, such as access. If the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds that the price of any drug to address a public health emergency is excessive, HHS must void any FDA-granted exclusivity for the drug and grant open and nonexclusive licenses to other manufacturers. Such licenses are subject to reasonable royalty requirements.
COVID-19 Justice and Accountability Act This bill provides a cause of action for harm suffered as a result of a violation of certain federal laws relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and suspends certain predispute arbitration agreements and joint-action waivers during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Specifically, individuals may bring a cause of action in U.S. district court against any person for harm suffered as a result of a violation of, or a failure to comply with, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, or the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021. Further, during the COVID-19 public health emergency period and 180 days thereafter, no predispute arbitration agreement or joint-action waiver (an agreement to waive the right to participate in a joint, class, or collective action) is valid or enforceable with respect to employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights disputes.
National Office of New Americans Act This bill establishes the National Office of New Americans (NONA) within the Executive Office of the President to promote and support the integration of immigrants and refugees into the social, cultural, economic, and civic life of the United States. The NONA shall also establish the Federal Initiative on New Americans. The initiative shall establish a coordinated federal program to respond effectively to immigrant and refugee integration issues such as language learning, adult education and workforce training, health care, and naturalization.
This resolution expels Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from the House of Representatives.
This resolution urges the U.S. Capitol Police Board to direct the Architect of the Capitol to remove the fencing installed around the perimeter of the U.S. Capitol complex in response to the attacks of January 6, 2021, and it recommends the end of the National Guard's mission in the District of Columbia in response to those attacks.
This resolution condemns the military coup that took place in Burma (Myanmar) on February 1, 2021. It also calls on the Burmese military to (1) release all those detained arbitrarily in the coup, (2) restore all forms of communications, and (3) return to power all members of the civilian government.
Restored, Equitable, Coronavirus Adjusted Lodging Act of 2021 or the RECAL Act This bill prohibits the General Services Administration (GSA), when determining the FY2022 and FY2023 per diem reimbursement rates for locations within the Continental United States (CONUS), from setting lodging allowances below the FY2020 levels. CONUS per diem reimbursement rates are the maximum allowances that federal employees are reimbursed for official travel expenses. The rates consist of lodging, meals, and incidental expense allowances; the GSA sets rates annually based on data from the prior 12-month period.
