Rep. Vicente Gonzalez

Broadband Incentives for Communities Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish a grant program to assist local governments and Indian tribes with efficient review and approval of zoning or permitting applications that facilitate the deployment of broadband infrastructure. Grant recipients must use awarded funds to build application processing capacity or to purchase technology, software, and equipment to facilitate the processing of applications. The NTIA must also establish the Local Broadband Advisory Council to develop solutions to challenges faced by local governments, Indian tribes, and infrastructure providers in facilitating wireless and broadband deployment, including in unserved and underserved communities.

This resolution commends Steve Verett for his lifelong dedication and service to the cotton industry and to Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. It also congratulates Mr. Verett on his retirement and extends him best wishes in all his future endeavors.

Grayfield Redevelopment and Economic Advancement Through Effective Repurposing and Revitalization of Shopping Centers Act of 2021 or the GREATER Revitalization of Shopping Centers Act of 2021 This bill allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make matching grants for projects financed under the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program in an effort to eliminate blight associated with abandoned shopping centers. The Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program allows HUD to provide loan guarantees to participating Community Development Block Grant recipients. These loan guarantees assist those recipients in financing economic and community development projects. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the effectiveness of the program and to recommend improvements.

Rare Earth Magnet Manufacturing Production Tax Credit Act of 2021 This bill allows a new tax credit for the domestic production of rare earth magnets manufactured in the ordinary course of a taxpayer's trade or business. The bill defines rare earth magnet as a permanent magnet comprised of (1) an alloy of neodymium, praseodymium, iron, boron, terbium, or dysprosium; or (2) an alloy of samarium, gadolinium, and cobalt.

Affordable Homeownership Access Act This bill exempts from certain mortgage licensing and registration requirements a person (other than a depository institution) who engages in owner financing. Owner financers (1) originate a limited number of residential mortgage loans in a year, and (2) only originate residential mortgages with respect to property owned by the owner financer.

Hizballah in Latin America Accountability Act of 2021 This bill establishes requirements related to activities of Hizballah in Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, the President must impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on foreign persons determined to have knowingly engaged in significant transactions with, or provided material support to, Hizballah in a Latin American or Caribbean country. The Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the Department of State, must report on illicit activities of Hizballah in Latin America and the Caribbean. This report must include (1) an estimate of how much of Hizbollah's budget derives from such activities, (2) an assessment of interagency efforts and progress in countering such activities, and (3) an identification of financial institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean known to be operating on behalf of or with ties to Hizballah. The Department of Homeland Security must seek to improve (1) data sharing among trade transparency units with respect to operations against malign actors among Latin American and Caribbean countries, and (2) cooperation with federal agencies with respect to trade transparency units.

Twenty-First Century Dams Act This bill addresses dam infrastructure and safety. First, the bill provides resources for programs related to state dam safety, the rehabilitation of high hazard potential dams, and the inspection of dams. In particular, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the National Dam Safety Program. In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 a program related to the rehabilitation of structural measures and a program related to water infrastructure. Next, the bill allows a new tax credit for maintaining and enhancing hydroelectric dams that is equal to 30% of the basis of any qualified dam safety, environmental, and grid resilience enhancement property placed in service in a taxable year. It also allows a 30% credit for qualified obsolete river obstruction removal expenditures for demolishing and removing certain nonpowered or hydroelectric dams. The bill directs the Department of the Army to establish a program to carry out dam removal projects. Further, the bill establishes the Dam Removal Council to (1) coordinate with participating federal agencies to annually notify all known dam owners of the availability of dam removal funding and provide guidance on the existing programs of participating agencies; (2) evaluate and submit to Army recommendations for dam removal projects, technical assistance programs, and funding allocations; and (3) develop a dam removal strategy. The bill requires certain dam assessments, including a joint assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Energy. The bill also authorizes specified federal agencies to undertake certain activities related to federal dam infrastructure.

Passport Backlog Elimination Act This bill requires the Department of State to submit and implement a plan containing specified actionable strategies to eliminate the backlog of passport applications that is due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lonnie Kilpatrick Central Pacific Relief Act This bill provides a presumption of service-connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents to veterans who served on (1) Guam or American Samoa, or in the territorial waters thereof, between January 9, 1962, and July 31, 1980; or (2) Johnston Atoll or a ship that went to Johnston Atoll between January 1, 1972, and September 30, 1977. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific diseases 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. Additionally, the bill expands eligibility for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans with a disability associated with exposure to certain herbicides during specified times of military service on Guam, American Samoa, or Johnston Atoll.

Reimbursing Agricultural Producers for Immigration Damages Act or the RAPID Act This bill temporarily establishes a program to reimburse agricultural producers for damages to livestock, crops, and property that result from the actions of an alien present in the United States without lawful immigration status. The Department of Agriculture may not provide reimbursements on or after September 30, 2023. The bill also rescinds specified unobligated funding available to states, Indian tribes, and territories for mitigating fiscal effects that stem from the COVID-19 pandemic and makes such funding available to carry out the reimbursement program.