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.
Small Business Credit Protection Act This bill establishes requirements related to breaches of data belonging to small businesses. Specifically, a consumer reporting agency must promptly report any breach of nonpublic small business data. In the event of a breach, a consumer reporting agency may not charge a small business for a credit report. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on the economic harm to small businesses resulting from data breaches at consumer reporting agencies.
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2021 This bill modifies Medicare payment of ground ambulance services in rural areas. Specifically, the bill extends the specialized rate increase for such services for an additional five years (until January 1, 2028). The bill also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to (1) allow an area that has 1,000 or fewer individuals per square mile to retain its status as a rural area even if it would otherwise no longer qualify, and (2) establish an appeals process for providers to seek reconsideration of a change in an area's status.
This bill requires the Department of Labor to estimate and report to Congress the number of jobs projected to be lost as a result of a specified section of the executive order titled Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis , which revoked the March 2019 permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Nullifying Opportunities for Variants to Infect and Decimate Act or the NOVID Act This bill establishes the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Program to coordinate and carry out the U.S. government's global health response to COVID-19, its variants, and other pathogens with pandemic potential. As part of the program, the bill requires, within 30 days, the development of a comprehensive strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy must outline efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccinations worldwide, including through the immediate release of the COVID-19 vaccine doses that the United States committed to sending abroad. The bill also requires a long-term strategy for the program to prevent future pandemics.
This joint resolution recognizes and affirms the sovereign and unilateral authority of states to defend themselves against invasion.
This resolution designates May 2-May 8, 2021, as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. Tardive Dyskinesia is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary and uncontrolled movements of muscles in the face, torso, and extremities. It is caused by prolonged use of certain medications, including ones used to treat schizophrenia.
Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2021 This bill makes changes to the administration and management of the Strategic National Stockpile. Among these changes, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure the contents of the stockpile remain in working order. HHS may enter into maintenance service contracts to carry out this requirement. Furthermore, as part of its management of the stockpile, HHS must establish and maintain domestic reserves of certain supplies, including by entering into cooperative agreements or partnerships to access facilities and equipment to produce these supplies. The authority for such agreements and partnerships terminates on September 30, 2024. Additionally, the bill temporarily authorizes HHS to award grants to states for maintaining stockpiles of certain equipment and supplies for use during public health emergencies. HHS must also develop transparent processes for the use and distribution of supplies from the stockpile that address, for example, the prioritization of requests. Additionally, during the COVID-19 emergency, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response must report monthly on requests for supplies from states, tribes, and other jurisdictions. These reports must include the rationale for any partially fulfilled or denied requests. Lastly, the Government Accountability Office must study the feasibility of establishing user fees to offset costs for procuring single-source materials for, and distributing such materials from, the stockpile.
Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish specified grant programs to support positive maternal health care outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and their infants. Specifically, HHS must award grants to (1) develop best practices to reduce preventable maternal mortality, and (2) train health care professionals to reduce and prevent discrimination when providing maternal health services. In addition, HHS may award grants to establish evidence-informed, integrated health care services to pregnant and postpartum women and their infants. The bill also provides statutory authority for a grant program that supports perinatal quality collaboratives. These are networks of perinatal care providers and public health professionals that work to improve pregnancy outcomes through continuous quality improvement. HHS also must (1) contract with an independent research organization to study and make recommendations on trainings for health professional schools and education programs on reducing and preventing discrimination in the provision of maternal health services, and (2) address pregnant and postpartum women and their infants in public awareness initiatives related to vaccinations.
