This bill extends the authority of the Department of the Interior to provide any assistance for the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area in Illinois for another 15-year period.
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.
This resolution acknowledges the important role of atomic veterans (i.e., veterans who participated in nuclear testing, were part of the military forces in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, or were held as prisoners of war near Hiroshima or Nagasaki). The resolution also supports the designation of National Atomic Veterans Day.
Relief and Equity for Small businesses through Tax Act or the REST Act This bill increases from 20% to 25% the rate of the tax deduction for the business income of taxpayers whose taxable income does not exceed $100,000.
Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act of 2021 This bill allows a tax credit for a portion of a taxpayer's expenses for eldercare. The credit applies to expenses to care for certain relatives or members of the taxpayer's household who have attained the age of 60 and require assistance with activities of daily living. Eldercare expense include amounts paid for: medical care, lodging away from home, adult day services, personal care, respite care, assistive technologies and devices (including remote health monitoring), environmental modifications (including home modifications), and counseling or training for a caregiver. The amount of eldercare expenses incurred during any year that may be taken into account for the credit may not exceed $6,000.
Children Have Opportunities in Classrooms Everywhere Act This bill allows tax-exempt distributions from qualified tuition programs (known as 529 plans) to be used for additional educational expenses in connection with elementary or secondary school. The bill also allows certain federal funds for elementary and secondary education to follow a student from a low-income household to the public school that the student attends or for tax-exempt educational expenses. Under current law, tax-exempt distributions in connection with elementary or secondary school are limited to tuition for a public, private, or religious school. The bill allows these distributions to be used additionally for curriculum and curricular materials, books or other instructional materials, online educational materials, tutoring or educational classes outside the home, testing fees, fees for dual enrollment in an institution of higher education, and educational therapies for students with disabilities. Distributions may also be used for tuition and the purposes above in connection with a home school (whether treated as a home school or a private school under state law). In addition, the bill directs state educational agencies to allocate grant funds to ensure the funding follows students to their public school or for other tax-exempt educational expenses outlined by the bill. Each state that carries out these allocations must establish a plan that allows the parent or guardian of an eligible child to apply for grant funds.
Emergency Resupply for IRON DOME Act of 2021 This bill requires the President to make all unexpended funding for assistance to Gaza available instead for grants to Israel for its Iron Dome short-range rocket defense system.
Hamas International Financing Prevention Act This bill imposes sanctions targeting Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and any affiliate or successor groups. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list of each foreign person or instrumentality that knowingly assists, provides significant support or services to, or is involved in a significant transaction with a senior member or supporter of any of the targeted groups. The President shall impose two or more sanctions on the named persons. Specifically, the person may be (1) denied credit and services from the Export-Import Bank, (2) barred from purchasing certain controlled defense articles, (3) denied exports of items on the U.S. Munitions List, (4) prevented from receiving exports of certain goods or technology controlled for national security reasons, (5) prohibited from receiving financing of more than $10 million from any U.S. financial institution, or (6) subject to property-blocking restrictions. The President shall periodically report to Congress a list of foreign governments that have repeatedly provided material support for the targeted groups' terrorist activities. The President shall bar these governments from receiving for one year (1) U.S. assistance, or (2) exports of controlled munitions. The Department of Treasury shall instruct U.S. leadership of international financial institutions to oppose the provision of assistance to an identified government for one year. The bill provides for certain exceptions and waivers, such as for transactions that would serve U.S. national interests. The President shall report to Congress and periodically provide briefings on other specified topics related to the targeted groups, such as where these groups secure financing and surveillance equipment.
Doctors of Community Act or the DOC Act This bill reauthorizes and provides mandatory funding for graduate medical education programs operated by teaching health centers. The bill sets out funding levels through FY2033. Funding for FY2034 and beyond equals the preceding fiscal year's amount adjusted for medical inflation.
Armed Forces Transgender Dependent Protection Act This bill expands the policy of the Office of Special Needs within the Department of Defense to address transgender dependents. Specifically, the bill codifies the definition of a medical or educational special need to include gender dysphoria. Under the bill, the policy of the office must prohibit the assignment of a military family with special needs to a permanent duty location where the law restricts medically necessary treatment for a medical or educational special need. A member who is serving at a location when such a law is established may elect to be reassigned.
This bill authorizes the President to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Marcelino Serna for acts of valor during his service in the Army during World War I, for which he was previously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2021 This bill deems an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital as an inpatient for purposes of satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital-stay requirement with respect to Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility services.
