Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning Act of 2021 or the SCHOOL Act of 2021 This bill allows certain federal funds for elementary and secondary education to follow the student to the school that they attend (i.e., public, private, or home school), regardless of whether the student is learning in person or remotely. These funds may be used for educational and instructional materials, tutoring, tuition for private school, and extracurricular activities.
Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, commonly known as the Hello Girls , in recognition of their military service, devotion to duty, and 60-year struggle for veterans' benefits and recognition as soldiers.
Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE Safe Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21. Under the program, an apprentice must complete two probationary periods that total 400 hours of on-duty time, of which at least 240 hours must be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle. Additionally, the apprentice must be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver. Further, the bill requires all commercial motor vehicles used in the program for training to be equipped with safety technology such as active braking collision mitigation systems and video event capturing systems. An employer shall not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver under the age of 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the driver is participating in, or has completed, an apprenticeship program that meets the requirements set forth in this bill.
Strengthening Trade, Regional Alliances, Technology, and Economic and Geopolitical Initiatives concerning China Act or the STRATEGIC Act This bill contains provisions addressing China and foreign relations generally. The provisions include directing the Department of State to establish a program to facilitate dialogues between U.S. regulatory and technical agencies and their counterparts in partner countries to promote U.S. regulatory standards; authorizing the State Department to help U.S. companies address China-related supply chain management issues, including by relocating production to other countries; directing the President to establish an interagency working group to strengthen U.S. leadership in international standards-setting bodies for mobile telecommunications technology, including fifth generation (5G) technology; requiring the President to establish a process for a U.S. person to petition for sanctions against a foreign person involved in a significant act of intellectual property theft or the forced transfer of technology; prohibiting any individual who has directly represented the government of a country designated by the President as a country of national security concern from serving in a State Department position that requires Senate confirmation; directing the State Department to establish the Office of Integrity in the United Nations System to counter undue influence by authoritarian nations in the United Nations; and authorizing through FY2026 various State Department programs in Southeast Asia related to maritime security and diplomatic outreach activities.
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits the federal government, states, tribal nations, or localities from discriminating or taking adverse action against a child welfare provider that declines to provide services due to the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. However, government entities may still take adverse action against a provider that declines to provide adoption or foster care services based on race, color, or national origin. The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold a portion of federal funding for family services and child welfare activities from a government entity that discriminates against a child welfare provider in violation of this bill. Child welfare providers may also sue the government entity for such discrimination. A prevailing provider may recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Furthermore, government entities that accept certain federal funding for family services and child welfare activities must waive sovereign immunity as a defense to lawsuits brought under this bill. (In many cases, sovereign immunity shields states, territories, tribal nations, and some localities against private suits.)
Support Our Military Working Dogs Act This bill addresses provisions regarding the care and study of military working dogs. First, the bill authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to accept donations for the purpose of providing long-term care for retired military working dogs that have been adopted. The bill authorizes DOD to enter into a multi-year agreement with a veterans service organization or nonprofit entity to solicit, accept, and transfer funds to provide long-term care for adopted military working dogs. The bill prohibits charging a fee for the adoption of a military animal. The bill updates the duties of the Joint Trauma Education and Training Directorate. Specifically, the bill requires the directorate to develop a comprehensive trauma care registry with respect to military working dogs. Additionally, the directorate must inform and advise the conduct of research on the leading causes of morbidity and mortality of military working dogs in combat. Finally, DOD must establish a personnel management plan for veterinary care.
Reviewing Urban and Rural Adjustments to Level Hospital Expenses and Lopsided Payments Act of 2021 or the RURAL HELP Act of 2021 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to determine whether costs incurred by rural hospitals exceed costs incurred by urban hospitals under the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system and to adjust payments accordingly.
Fair Access to Banking Act This bill restricts certain banks, credit unions, and payment card networks from refusing to do business with a person who is in compliance with the law. Restrictions include prohibiting the use of certain lending programs, initiating the process of terminating an institution's depository insurance, and instituting specified civil penalties.
Nuclear Industrial Base Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the Nuclear Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program. A nuclear industrial base means the persons or organizations within the federal government and the private sector that are engaged in designing, producing, maintaining, developing, or integrating nuclear energy systems, components, parts, or other assets. In carrying out the program, DOE must monitor and assess the needs of the nuclear industrial base, support partnerships to develop and deploy new nuclear power assets, and make recommendations to address supply chain vulnerabilities of such base.
Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2021 This bill expands provisions prohibiting discrimination against disabled individuals by an air carrier. Specifically, it enumerates certain actions that an air carrier must take or may not take with respect to a disabled individual. It also requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that disabled individuals traveling in air transportation are able to file complaints with DOT in response to disability-related discrimination and receive assistance from DOT through a hotline or comparable electronic means. The bill authorizes an aggrieved individual and the Department of Justice to bring a civil action for discrimination. The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board shall prescribe regulations setting forth minimum standards for aircraft with new or existing type certificates to ensure the accessibility of individuals with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs. The standards shall address, among other things, boarding and deplaning equipment, seating accommodations, lavatories, visually accessible announcements, and proper stowage of assistive devices in the cargo hold to prevent damage.
Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent Telehealth Options Act of 2021 or the KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2021 This bill requires certain agencies to report on the availability and effects of expanded telehealth services under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19. Among other information, the Department of Health and Human Services must detail its actions during the emergency to expand access to telehealth services and must analyze telehealth usage by certain demographic groups. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission must report on the improvements and barriers to telehealth access during the emergency and the risks of fraudulent activity associated with expanded access.
Jack Reynolds Memory MediGap Expansion This bill expands guaranteed issue rights with respect to Medigap policies (Medicare supplemental health insurance policies) to all beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease. (Guaranteed issue rights require that a policy be offered to any eligible applicant without regard to health status.)
