Community College to Career Fund in Higher Education Act This bill requires the Department of Education and the Department of Labor to award grants to community colleges for education and workforce training programs or related activities. Such programs or activities must lead to or expand opportunities for students to obtain recognized postsecondary credentials (e.g., associate degrees or industry-recognized certifications).
Startup Opportunity Accelerator Act of 2021 or the SOAR Act This bill requires the Small Business Administration to develop and implement a program to award cash grants of at least $1,000,000 to organizations that support new small businesses. These awards may be used for construction costs, space acquisition, and programmatic purposes, but they may not be used to provide capital or professional services to small businesses directly or through the subaward of funds. The organization must have the support of new small businesses as a primary purpose and be often classified as an accelerator. The term accelerator means an organization that (1) supports new businesses with a focus on technology, research, and development; (2) frequently provides, but is not exclusively designed to provide, seed investment in exchange for a small amount of equity; (3) works with a startup for a predetermined amount of time; (4) provides mentorship and instruction to scale businesses; or (5) offers startup capital or the opportunity to raise capital from outside investors.
Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2021 This bill addresses harassment at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to include in its annual security report a statement of policy regarding harassment on the basis of a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, and a sex stereotype), disability, or religion. In addition, the Department of Education may award grants to IHEs to initiate, expand, or improve programs to (1) prevent the harassment of students; (2) provide counseling or redress services to students who have been harassed or accused of subjecting other students to harassment; or (3) educate and train students, faculty, or staff to prevent harassment or address harassment if it occurs.
No Corrupt Racist Training Act or the No CRT 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, for the 2021-2022 school year, teaches or advances certain curricula or other activities related to race; and (2) is from a household with a household income that is less than 250% 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.
Masks Off 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 required students to wear face masks during in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year, and (2) is from a household with a household income that is less than 250% 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.
Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 This bill expressly authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to place a moratorium on residential evictions to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The bill also requires HHS to implement a moratorium nationwide to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This moratorium must remain in effect for at least 60 days following the termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Current law authorizes HHS to take measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. As part of the COVID-19 response, HHS delegated this authority to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which then issued (and extended) several orders banning residential evictions. Whether these orders exceed the CDC's statutory and constitutional authority has been the subject of multiple legal challenges; the Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the most recent order on August 26, 2021.
This resolution recognizes and supports measures to protect and assist Venezuelan refugees and migrants, with particular emphasis on the humanitarian needs of women and children impacted by the displacement crisis and COVID-19.
This resolution designates the week of September 19-September 25, 2021, as National Estuaries Week.
This resolution declares that Congress remains steadfast in its commitment to the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist in restoring the islands to their full potential and that Congress will not abandon U.S. citizens living there or on the U.S. mainland in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
This resolution supports the designation of Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week.
Off shore Wind American Manufacturing Act of 2021 This bill provides tax credits for investment in manufacturing facilities that produce offshore wind turbine components.
Maritime Technological Advancement Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Maritime Administration to award maritime career training grants to eligible institutions (i.e., postsecondary educational institutions or postsecondary vocational institutions for the purpose of developing, offering, or improving educational or career training programs for American workers in the maritime workforce. Each awarded grant may not exceed $20 million. The Maritime Administration must award grants based on a determination of the merits of the grant proposal submitted by an eligible institution to develop, offer, or improve maritime educational or career training programs; an evaluation of the likely employment opportunities available to workers who complete a maritime educational or career training program; an evaluation of prior demand for training programs by workers, and the availability and capacity of existing maritime training programs to meet future demand for training programs; any prior designation of an eligible institution as a Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education; and an evaluation of the previous experience of the eligible institution in providing maritime educational or career training programs.
