21st Century Aerospace Infrastructure Act of 202 1 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a pilot program, through FY2023, to issue grants to operators of space launch and reentry sites for projects to construct, repair, maintain, or improve transportation infrastructure and facilities at such sites. Launch site is defined as the location on Earth from which a launch takes place and necessary facilities at that location, and reentry site is defined as the location on Earth to which a reentry vehicle (i.e., spacecraft) is intended to return. Grants issued to an operator may not exceed $2.5 million for a fiscal year. DOT may issue supplemental grants to operators in support of state, local, or private matching under specified conditions.
Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 20 21 This bill addresses the sale of shark fins and the inclusion of rays and skates in the Seafood Traceability Program. The Seafood Traceability Program has data reporting and recordkeeping requirements at the time of entry for imported fish or fish products entered into U.S. commerce. The bill makes it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins or any product containing shark fins, except for certain dogfish fins. A person may possess a shark fin that was lawfully taken consistent with a license or permit under certain circumstances. Penalties are imposed for violations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Department of Commerce must revise its regulations to include rays and skates as species that are subject to the Seafood Traceability Program.
Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act This bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases becoming manifest in certain veterans to a degree of disability of 10% or more within 15 years of the veteran's separation from active military, naval, or air service. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific diseases or disabilities 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. Veterans addressed by this bill are those who (1) are trained in fire suppression, and (2) served on active duty in a military occupational specialty or career field with a primary responsibility of firefighting or damage control for at least five years in the aggregate.
Hearing Protection Act This bill removes silencers from the definition of firearms for purposes of the National Firearms Act. It also treats persons acquiring or possessing a firearm silencer as meeting any registration and licensing requirements of such Act. The Department of Justice must destroy certain records relating to the registration, transfer, or making of a silencer. The bill also revises the definitions of firearm silencer and firearm muffler under the federal criminal code and includes such items in the 10% excise tax category.
Telemental Health Care Access Act of 2021 This bill eliminates certain restrictions relating to Medicare coverage of mental health services that are provided through telehealth. Current law allows for coverage of such services regardless of the geographic location of the originating site (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, as long as the beneficiary previously received in-person services and continues to receive in-person services at specified intervals. The bill eliminates these in-person requirements.
Trillion Trees Act This bills establishes a variety of requirements and incentives to plant trees and conduct other land management practices for the purposes of capturing and storing carbon in domestic and international trees and forests. Additionally, the bill provides incentives to research or develop other carbon sequestration tools. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to set targets to increase forest carbon stock through January 1, 2100, for the purposes of sequestering and storing carbon in U.S. forests. It also establishes and provides funding for the Trillion Trees Challenge Fund to provide grants to nonfederal entities for activities related to reforestation efforts on public or private lands. In addition, it raises the cap on the Reforestation Trust Fund to enhance forest health in the National Forest System and requires the USDA to establish a Tree City USA Grant Program. The bill also allows the U.S. Agency for International Development to enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization to establish an International Forest Foundation to promote reforestation and prevent deforestation. Additionally, it establishes requirements and incentives to address seedling shortages and support nurseries. Finally, the bill provides market incentives to research or develop other carbon sequestration tools relating to biochar, sustainable building practices, biochemical and bioplastic products, and biomass energy.
Flexible Financing for Rural America Act This bill allows rural utility service providers to submit to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a request to adjust the interest rate or modify the terms of certain loans. The request shall include a report summarizing how the adjustment or modification will assist the borrower in providing critical utility services to a rural community. Specifically, on receipt of a request, USDA or the Department of the Treasury (in the case of a loan owned by the Federal Financing Bank) must adjust the interest rate on the loan to match certain interest rates for obligations of comparable maturity to the term remaining on the loan (or a higher rate requested by the borrower), and make modifications to the loan terms as necessary to address changes in the financial position of the borrower due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and to promote the financial sustainability of the borrower. In carrying out the adjustments or modifications, USDA or Treasury shall not impose or collect any fee from, or impose any penalty on, a borrower. The bill also provides funding to implement the adjustments and modifications and for the liquidation of residual intragovernmental amounts owed by the Federal Financing Bank in connection with certain loans.
This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of PCOS Awareness Month. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is caused by a hormone imbalance. Symptoms can include infertility, weight gain, excess hair growth, and acne.
Protect Speech Act This bill modifies the immunity from liability of a provider or user of an interactive computer service (e.g., a social media company) for screening and blocking offensive content on its platform. Specifically, the bill provides that this immunity shall not apply to any action taken to restrict access to or availability of material provided by another information content provider unless the action is taken in good faith based on an objectively reasonable belief that the material is (1) obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, promoting terrorism or violent extremism, harassing, promoting self-harm, or unlawful; or (2) violates the applicable terms of service or use. In order to avoid liability for taking action based on either belief, certain good faith requirements must be met, such as (1) making publicly available terms of service or use that plainly state the criteria for content moderation practices, and (2) not restricting access to or availability of material on deceptive grounds. Further, the bill specifies that being responsible in whole or in part for the creation or development of information includes instances in which a person or entity solicits, comments upon, funds, or affirmatively and substantively contributes to, modifies, or alters information provided by another person or entity.
Forest Technology Enhancements for Conservation and Habitat Improvement Act or the Forest TECH Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to either establish a research and development pilot program or expand an applicable existing program to assess new technologies, including unmanned aircraft system, geospatial, or remote sensing technologies, across all reforestation activities; accelerate the deployment and integration of such technologies into the operations of USDA and the Department of the Interior; collaborate and cooperate with state, tribal, and private geospatial information system organizations with respect to such technologies. USDA and Interior shall enter into an agreement to develop consistent protocols and plans for the use of unmanned aircraft system technologies for reforestation activities. Any unmanned aircraft system technology or component of such technology that is used pursuant to this bill shall be made and manufactured in the United States.
Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2021 This bill modifies several tax provisions that refer to married couples to make the provisions equally applicable to legally married same-sex couples.
Trade Related Intellectual Property Protection Act or the TRIPP Act This bill requires the President to oppose any waiver of obligations under the TRIPS Agreement (i.e., the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) held by members of the World Trade Organization unless there is an express, statutory authorization for such a waiver.
