Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People Everywhere To Excel Act or the RECOMPETE Act This bill establishes a grant program to assist economically distressed local communities and labor markets that meet specified economic criteria, including employment criteria. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) must award 10-year grants to a local government, tribal government, economic development district, or consortium of local government units located in such areas. Each grant recipient must develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to address the economic challenges specific to the area. The grants may be used to increase employment opportunities, increase local per capita income, support economic development, and develop infrastructure and housing. Additionally, the EDA must periodically evaluate each grant recipient based on certain benchmark criteria and annually report on the implementation of the program. The bill specifies formulas for determining the grant amount for each community or market and the federal share of the cost of each program or activity conducted under the program.
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that government entities should consider using a portion of proceeds from litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors for drug take-back programs.
This resolution authorizes the Senate Legal Counsel to represent the Senate Committee on Armed Services and Thomas Kirk McConnell in the case of AO Alfa-Bank v. John Doe, et al . The resolution also authorizes Elizabeth King, Majority Staff Director of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, to provide a limited declaration sufficient to demonstrate the applicability of the Speech or Debate Clause privilege in this matter without waiving the committee's privilege.
Securing Our Border States Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to provide grants to states for building barriers and related infrastructure along the U.S.-Mexico border. Within 30 days of receiving a certification from a border state that it intends to use such grant funding for constructing a border barrier, Treasury must disburse funds to the state, with the amount based on the number of miles of border in that state that currently does not have a border barrier. The bill provides $22 billion of funding for this grant program and permanently rescinds $22 billion from funds made available for various assistance programs related to COVID-19.
This resolution denounces socialism and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.
Federal Trade Commission Transparency Act This bill prohibits the Federal Trade Commission from adopting any order, decision, report, or action by vote at a meeting unless it publishes on its website the text of such order, decision, report or action not later than 30 days before the vote is to occur (except when an emergency requires publication less than 30 days before the vote). The bill allows an exemption from this publication requirement if it would result in the disclosure of certain confidential information.
Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to undertake activities to improve maternal health, including in rural areas. Specifically, HHS must award grants for (1) developing best practices to reduce preventable maternal mortality, and (2) training health care professionals to reduce and prevent discrimination when providing maternal health services. Additionally, HHS may award grants for integrated maternal and infant health care services. The bill also provides statutory authority for grants that support perinatal quality collaboratives, which are networks of health care and public health professionals who work to improve pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, the bill requires a study on efforts in health professional schools and training programs to reduce and prevent discrimination in the provision of maternal health services. To address care in rural areas, the bill (1) provides statutory authority for grants that support networks of rural providers to improve and coordinate maternal care, (2) makes maternal care providers eligible for certain telehealth grants, and (3) establishes a demonstration project to improve training on maternal care in rural areas through health professional schools and training programs. The bill also expands the maternal care responsibilities of specified HHS offices and programs.
Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 This bill modifies vaccination programs and coverage for children under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Specifically, the bill expands and otherwise modifies the Vaccines for Children Program, which provides free vaccinations to individuals 18 years of age or younger who are uninsured or underinsured (i.e., with limited or no insurance for vaccines), are eligible for Medicaid, or are American Indians or Alaskan Natives. The bill expands the program to include children enrolled in CHIP and temporarily provides for additional payments to incentivize provider participation. The Government Accountability Office must report on the related effects of the bill's changes. The bill also expands coverage under Medicaid and CHIP to include vaccine counseling and educational services for children and temporarily requires payments to be made at a rate that is no less than the rate under Medicare for equivalent services. It also temporarily increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for states that conduct culturally appropriate outreach regarding the benefits of vaccinations for children.
Entrepreneurs Need Timely Replenishment (for) Eating Establishments Act or the ENTRÉE Act This bill provides FY2021 supplemental appropriations for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and modifies requirements related to administration of the fund. The fund was established in response to COVID-19 to make grants to eligible food and beverage purveyors for covering specified costs such as payroll, operational expenses, and paid sick leave. The bill correspondingly rescinds unobligated amounts previously made available for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds. Further, the bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to (1) review and process grant applications in the order in which they are received; (2) impose requirements on applicants that reduce waste, fraud, and abuse; and (3) submit and report monthly on an oversight and audit plan outlining the SBA's policies, procedures, and activities with respect to these grants.
Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices Uniformity Act This bill eliminates the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to take action against a person or service provider for an abusive act or practice in connection with a consumer financial product or service. Additionally, the bureau is prohibited from taking action against an unfair or deceptive act unless the bureau first consults with the primary financial regulatory agency of the person or service provider. Finally, any rulemaking made by the bureau regarding an unfair or deceptive act must comply with certain Federal Trade Commission rulemaking requirements.
Health Enterprise Zones Act of 2021 This bill provides for the designation of Health Enterprise Zones in certain geographic areas with documented and measurable health disparities. This designation, which expires 10 fiscal years after the bill's enactment, confers eligibility for certain grants, student loan repayment programs, and tax credits for those working to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes in these zones. Specifically, community-based nonprofits or local government agencies, in coalition with health care providers, social service organizations, and others, may apply to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the designation. The application must include a plan to reduce health disparities and achieve other outcomes. In implementing the program, HHS must consult with, among others, the Department of Housing and Urban Development. When approving applications, HHS shall consider factors including geographic diversity and the commitment of supporting funds from the private sector. HHS (1) may award grants to organizations or agencies that applied for the designation to support activities aligned with their plans, and (2) must carry out a student loan repayment program for health care providers who agree to provide services in a Health Enterprise Zone. In addition, the bill establishes tax credits for employers that hire, and individuals who work as, Health Enterprise Zone workers.
Made in America Pandemic Preparedness Act This bill establishes a pandemic preparation tax credit and a requirement to maintain in the Strategic National Stockpile a specified amount of personal protective equipment (PPE). The pandemic preparation tax credit is an amount equal to 20% of the qualified expenses paid or incurred by the taxpayer for purposes of producing PPE that qualifies for addition to the Strategic National Stockpile. The bill requires, with some exceptions, that the PPE in the stockpile be produced domestically. If the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determines that the requirement is not satisfied, it shall (1) notify specified congressional committees on a quarterly basis, and (2) post each notification on a General Services Administration website. The Office of Management and Budget must work with HHS to report biannually on (1) the inventory of PPE in the Strategic National Stockpile and in stockpiles of other federal agencies and nonfederal entities, and (2) the quantities of PPE that would be required for an array of possible emergencies, including a pandemic or other public health emergency that could last at least a year.
