This resolution honors the life and legacy of former Representative John Robert Lewis and commends his achievements in the struggle for civil rights.
This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week to increase understanding of, and interest in, engineering and technology careers. The resolution recognizes that engineering education is a critical component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.
This resolution reaffirms the United States' commitment to supporting democracy and human rights both domestically and internationally. The resolution also calls on the U.S. government to uphold all relevant international human rights agreements ratified by the United States.
This resolution recognizes the roles that development and diplomacy play in advancing American interests and national security, and it expresses support for a substantial U.S. international affairs budget.
Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act or the STURDY Act This bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to revise the safety standards for freestanding clothing storage units such as dressers, bureaus, or chests of drawers. Such standards must include specified testing related to tip overs and new warning requirements for all such products entering the U.S. market.
Rebuild Rural America Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Rural Innovation and Partnership Administration and the Rural Future Partnership Fund to provide five-year renewable rural partnership block grants to certified rural regions to implement locally-developed regional revitalization plans. For purposes of these grants, the following areas may constitute a rural region: a micropolitan statistical area (i.e., at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000 people); a collection of rural census tracts or counties that fall outside of a micropolitan or metropolitan statistical area (i.e., 50,000 people or more) and that demonstrate evidence of economic, social, and cultural cooperation; or an Indian reservation. To be eligible to receive a grant, a rural region must be certified by its state (or in the case of an Indian reservation, approved by USDA) after having formed a rural partnership council made up of representatives from across different sectors. USDA must provide each rural partnership council with training, education, support, and advice to enhance the technical assistance, research, organizational, and other capacities of the council. The bill also establishes a Rural Future Corps to (1) help rural communities expand critical services such as child care, health, nutrition assistance, education, and job training; and (2) strengthen the capacity of local governments and economic and community development organizations.
Pandemic Heroes Compensation Act of 2021 This bill allows essential workers and their family members to file claims and receive compensation for harm or death suffered as a result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). A Special Master appointed by the Department of Justice must review claims submitted and determine if a claimant is eligible for compensation, the extent of the harm to the claimant, and the amount of compensation to be awarded.
COVID-19 Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act of 2021 This bill extends existing provisions that provide relief to debtors in bankruptcy, including those related to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. These provisions (1) exclude certain COVID-19 aid payments from income for the purposes of bankruptcy, and (2) increase the debt eligibility threshold for businesses qualifying for certain types of Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy. Currently, these provisions expire March 27, 2021. The bill extends these provisions for one year. The bill also allows for modification of a Chapter 13 repayment plan for plans confirmed before the date of enactment of this bill if the debtor is experiencing material financial hardship due to COVID-19. Currently, such a modification is only available for plans confirmed before March 27, 2020. In addition, the bill extends through March 27, 2022, other bankruptcy protections that currently expire December 27, 2021. These provisions include those that (1) provide for discharge of certain debts, (2) prohibit denying a party COVID-related mortgage or eviction relief due to a party being a debtor in bankruptcy, and (3) protect against termination of utility services in certain circumstances.
Continued Funding for Senior Services During COVID-19 Act This bill provides additional funding for FY2021 to the Administration for Community Living for social services and programs for individuals aged 60 years or older, including to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). With respect to the additional funding, the bill waives matching requirements that typically apply to funding for these services and programs.
Democracy Restoration Act of 2021 This bill addresses the voting rights of individuals convicted of a criminal offense and the restoration of their voting rights. First, the bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence. Further, the bill provides for enforcement of, and remedies for violations of, the bill. In addition, it sets forth requirements for state and federal notification of individuals of the restoration of their voting rights. Finally, the bill prohibits federal funding of construction or improvement of a place of incarceration unless U.S. citizens incarcerated in that jurisdiction are notified, upon release, of their voting rights.
Permanent Tax Relief for Working Families Act This bill makes permanent the modifications to the child tax credit that were included in P.L. 115-97 (commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act). (The provisions increased the amounts of the credit and created a nonrefundable credit for a taxpayer's dependents who are not qualifying children. Under current law, the provisions are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025.)
K2 Veterans Care Act of 2021 This bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for certain diseases becoming manifest in a veteran who served on active duty at Karshi-Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2005. Specifically, there must be a presumption of service-connection for veterans who manifest illnesses that have a positive association with exposure to jet fuel, volatile organic compounds, high levels of particulate matter, depleted uranium, asbestos, or lead-based paint, as determined by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. Veterans who served at K2 Air Base during the specified period are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for an illness that has been determined by NASEM to have a positive association with exposure to jet fuel, volatile organic compounds, high levels of particulate matter, depleted uranium, asbestos, or lead-based paint.
