Rep. Burgess Owens

Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act of 2021 or the FASTER Act of 2021 This bill expands the definition of major food allergen for purposes of certain food-labeling requirements to specifically include sesame. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must report on certain information related to food allergy research and data collection activities.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of Rush Limbaugh and commends him for his devotion to the United States.

Creating Hope and Opportunity through Increased Choice in Education Act or the CHOICE Act This bill directs the Department of Education to make grants to parents of eligible students for certain education-related expenses. Eligible student refers to a student who (1) is served by a local educational agency that will not provide in-person instruction in a manner consistent with the 2019-2020 school year, and (2) is from a household with a household income that is less than 200% of the reduced-price lunch rate income. Grant funds may be used for tuition and fees for private elementary or secondary schools, private tutoring, home school expenses, or educational materials.

Opposing Business with Chinese Military Companies Act This bill requires the President to exercise certain economic powers, such as investigating or prohibiting payments, with respect to an entity that is engaging in economic activities in the United States and is (1) affiliated with China's government or military, or (2) owned or controlled by an entity affiliated with China's defense industrial base. (The President currently has such powers but is not required to exercise them.) The bill extends to December 31, 2026, a provision requiring the Department to Defense to annually report to Congress an updated list of such entities.

This resolution acknowledges the importance of the U.S.-Egypt partnership and Egypt's role in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. It also urges the Egyptian government to (1) enact serious and legitimate reforms to ensure that Coptic Christians have the same rights and opportunities as other Egyptian citizens, (2) complete the process of church certification, and (3) take steps to end the culture of impunity for attacks on Christians.

This bill extends for two years the election and capital gain deferral periods for qualified opportunity zones. An opportunity zone is an economically-distressed community where private investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for capital gain tax incentives.

"Six Triple Eight" Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (commonly known as the Six Triple Eight) in recognition of their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and contributions to increase the morale of personnel stationed in the European theater of operations during World War II. The medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution and made available for display and research.

Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act This bill allows individual and corporate taxpayers a tax credit for cash contributions to tax-exempt scholarship-granting organizations for elementary and secondary education expenses. It imposes a cap of $5 billion on the amount of contributions that qualify for a tax credit. The bill directs the Department of Education, in coordination with the Department of the Treasury, to establish, host, and maintain a web portal that (1) lists all eligible scholarship-granting organizations; (2) enables contributions to such organizations; (3) provides information about the benefits of this bill; and (4) enables a state to submit and update information about its programs and scholarship-granting organizations, including information on student eligibility and allowable educational expenses.

Reopen Schools Act This bill requires a local educational agency (LEA) to reopen its elementary and secondary schools as a condition for receiving certain supplemental education emergency relief funding. Specifically, an LEA must provide in-person instruction to at least 50% of its students in order to receive the full funding. An LEA that provides in-person instruction to at least some of its students shall have its funding reduced on a pro rata basis.

Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2021 This bill restricts federal funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. or any of its affiliates or clinics for one year. Specifically, it prohibits funding those entities unless they certify that the affiliates and clinics will not perform, and will not provide funds to entities that perform, abortions during that year. If the certification requirement is not met, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture must recoup any federal assistance received by those entities. However, the bill's funding restriction does not apply to abortions performed in cases of rape or incest or when necessary to resolve a physical condition that endangers a woman's life. The bill also provides additional funding for community health centers for the one-year period. These funds are subject to the same abortion-related restrictions and exceptions.