Military Hunger Prevention Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to pay a basic needs allowance to certain low-income members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, those eligible for the basic needs allowance are members who (1) have completed initial entry training, (2) have a gross household income that did not exceed an amount equal to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and (3) do not elect to decline the allowance. In situations where a household contains two or more eligible members, the bill specifies that only one allowance may be paid per year to one member they jointly elect. The amount of the allowance must be the aggregate amount equal to 130% of the HHS federal poverty guidelines minus the gross household income of the covered member during the preceding year divided by 12. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) of DOD must notify, in writing, individuals determined to be eligible for the allowance. The notice must include information regarding financial management and assistance programs administered by DOD for which the individuals are also eligible. Individuals who seek to receive the allowance must submit specified information to DFAS.
Sponsored bills
USTR Inspector General Act of 2021 This bill requires the President to appoint an Inspector General of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Among other responsibilities, the Inspector General shall (1) conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the USTR, (2) recommend policies for preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in those programs, and (3) provide a means for keeping the USTR and Congress informed about problems and deficiencies in those programs and operations.
Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy Act or the THRIVE Act This bill establishes a program to address the economy, racial justice, and climate change. The President must establish a board to advise the President and the heads of federal departments and agencies regarding the implementation of this bill. The President, in consultation with the board, must establish a 10-year plan to create a society that enables and supports greater racial, Indigenous, gender, environmental, and economic justice; work opportunities; healthy communities; a stable climate; and healthy ecosystems. In addition, the President, in consultation with the board, must implement a program that provides support to public or private entities that carry out qualified programs. The programs must meet certain labor, equity, and environmental conditions and support infrastructure, including to expand access to pollution-free, renewable, and affordable energy; care workers and social infrastructure (e.g., health care infrastructure); expanded access to housing; efforts to protect and restore biodiversity or natural habitats and efforts to remediate pollution in communities harmed by environmental, economic, or socioeconomic injustice; agriculture, including agricultural workers; or the development and transformation of the U.S. industrial base, including by expanding manufacturing of clean technologies.
Accessible Voting Act of 2021 This bill addresses voting accessibility for individuals with disabilities and older individuals. First, the bill establishes the Office of Accessibility within the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The office must serve as the advocate on behalf of voters with access needs, ensure state and local election officials are maintaining voting systems that meet Department of Justice accessibility standards, and make payments to states to implement the accessibility requirements outlined by the bill. In addition, the office must establish and operate a National Resource Center on Accessible Voting to provide state and local election officials, poll workers, and volunteers with the information and technical assistance needed to provide accessible voting. The office must also work with state and local election officials to collect data and administer a public national voter accessibility website. The bill requires each state to (1) ensure election websites are accessible and meet specified requirements, (2) designate a single office to provide information on federal elections to individuals with disabilities and older individuals, (3) notify the public of changes to voting practices, (4) expand access to absentee registration procedures and no-excuse mail-in absentee voting in federal elections, and (5) ensure all polling places and voter drop boxes are accessible. The EAC must coordinate with specified agencies to make grants to eligible entities to study, test, and develop accessible voting options. The bill also permanently reauthorizes and expands a Department of Health and Human Services grant program for increasing accessibility to polling places.
Generating Resilient and Energy Efficient Network Communications Act or the GREEN Communications Act This bill establishes a program and sets out other requirements for federal agencies concerning the efficiency and resiliency of communications infrastructure. Specifically, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must competitively award grants and revolving loans to public or private providers, operators, or owners of communications networks or communications infrastructure for efficiency and resiliency projects. The NTIA must also (1) develop best practices concerning energy-efficient and carbon-neutral communications infrastructure, and (2) annually report on the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of communications infrastructure and certain network outages. Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must establish a framework to promote resilient communications networks and communications infrastructure. The FCC must consult with specified federal entities on the framework. The FCC must also report on the feasibility of maintaining a map of projected risks to communications infrastructure arising from severe weather, natural disasters, and climate change; provide technical assistance to a provider, owner, or operator of communications infrastructure concerning risks and vulnerabilities related to severe weather, natural disasters, and climate change; and require broadband network outages to be reported to the Network Outage Reporting System. The bill also requires the Department of Energy to report on the projected growth of electrical consumption of, and recommendations for energy efficiency standards for, data centers in the United States.
Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of Fentanyl Act of 2021 or the STOP Fentanyl Act of 2021 This bill addresses data collection, treatment, harm reduction, and other issues related to substance misuse and addiction. It particularly focuses on opioids, fentanyl, and related substances. Specifically, the bill expands surveillance of fentanyl and related substances. This includes establishing a pilot program to screen for contaminants in illicit drugs and a grant program to collect data on fentanyl-involved overdoses. The bill also specifies requirements concerning the collection and use of information about drugs seized by law enforcement. Additionally, the bill establishes and modifies requirements to increase access to treatment and prevention services. For example, the Bureau of Prisons must make certain services, including medication-assisted treatments, available to individuals in its custody. The bill also repeals a provision that requires dependence on opioids for at least one year before an individual may be admitted to certain treatment programs; allows providers to prescribe medications to treat substance use disorders following a telehealth evaluation; creates grant programs for treatment and harm reduction activities; and addresses issues pertaining to opioid overdose reversal drugs. Furthermore, the bill limits civil and criminal liability under specified laws for individuals who administer opioid overdose reversal drugs to an individual who reasonably appears to be experiencing an overdose, as well as for individuals who seek medical attention for themselves or on behalf of another for a drug overdose. The bill also requires multiple reports, including a report by the Department of State on foreign sources of certain drugs.
Coronavirus Housing Counseling Improvement Act This bill authorizes additional housing counseling services provided through the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. Funding priority is given to counseling organizations that target low-income and minority homeowners, renters, individuals experiencing homelessness, and individuals at risk of homelessness.
This resolution condemns Iran's state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the international covenants on human rights. Further, it calls on Iran to immediately release all imprisoned or detained Baha'is, and it urges the President and the Department of State to impose sanctions on Iranian officials and others who are responsible for serious human rights abuses, including abuses against Iran's Baha'i community.
Block All New Oil Exports Act or the BAN Oil Exports Act This bill requires the President to ban the exportation of crude oil and natural gas from the United States. The President may provide an exemption to the ban in specified circumstances.
Move America Act of 2021 This bill allows tax-exempt Move America bonds and Move America tax credits to be used for certain infrastructure projects. A Move America bond is treated as a tax-exempt private facility bond with certain exceptions. At least 95% of the net proceeds from the issuance of the bond must be used for infrastructure projects, including airports; docks and wharves; mass commuting facilities; facilities for the furnishing of water; sewage facilities; railroads; certain surface transportation projects eligible for federal assistance, projects for an international bridge or tunnel, or facilities for transferring freight from truck to rail or rail to truck; flood diversions; inland waterways; or rural broadband service infrastructure. The bill specifies exceptions and modifications to existing rules for bonds regarding land acquisition, government ownership, rehabilitation expenditures, and the alternative minimum tax. The bonds are subject to a volume cap equal to 50% of a state's current private activity bond volume cap. States may exchange all or a portion of the volume cap for Move America tax credits to be allocated to taxpayers. The credits include (1) an equity credit for a portion of the basis of each qualified facility; and (2) an infrastructure fund credit for investments in qualified infrastructure funds, including a state infrastructure bank, a water pollution control revolving fund, or a drinking water treatment revolving loan fund.