This resolution supports the recognition of Overdose Awareness Day, including by lowering U.S. flags at federal buildings to half-staff.
This resolution urges all levels of government, health care entities, and others to implement plans to allocate COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccines that account for health disparities and inequities related to the disease.
This bill generally addresses the adverse effects of climate change with a particular focus on immigration. Specifically, the bill establishes an immigration pathway to admit climate-displaced persons into the United States. These are individuals (1) who need durable resettlement because of an environmental change that adversely affects their living conditions, and (2) whose government cannot or will not provide a resettlement solution. Persons admitted to the United States under this pathway are entitled to the same resettlement assistance and benefits available to refugees. Additionally, the bill authorizes the President to provide foreign assistance for promoting resilience and reducing vulnerability among communities facing adverse effects of climate change. It also creates the position of Coordinator of Climate Change Resiliency in the Department of State. Moreover, the State Department must implement, and periodically report on, a strategy to mitigate the impact of climate change on displacement and humanitarian emergencies. The State Department must also provide (1) training on climate displacement to foreign service officers assigned to countries from which climate-displaced persons originated, and (2) guidance on the humanitarian impacts associated with climate change to all U.S. diplomatic missions. The bill also requires the President to report on displacement caused by climate change.
Long-Term Unemployment Elimination Act of 2021 This bill creates a federal program to generate job opportunities for full-time students and certain workers who have been unemployed for at least 27 weeks. Specifically, the Department of Labor must establish and administer a jobs initiative for eligible workers (i.e., individuals who are at least 18 years of age, are authorized to be employed in the United States, have not been employed or are full-time students for at least 27 weeks, and are currently seeking or have been seeking employment for at least 4 weeks), carried out through local boards or community-based organizations. Labor shall award grants to local boards and community-based organizations to carry out jobs programs, including any added costs related to them in order to achieve economic development and job growth. Grant recipients must serve (1) high-poverty areas; or (2) areas for which the prime working-age employment-to-population ratio has been low, relative to that ratio for the United States for at least three years.
Public Buildings Renewal Act of 2021 This bill allows tax-exempt financing of certain government-owned buildings by expanding the definition of exempt facility bond to include bonds used for qualified government buildings. A qualified government building is a government-owned building or facility that consists of one or more of the following an elementary or secondary school; a facility of a state college or university used for educational purposes; a public library; a court; a hospital or health care facility; a laboratory or research facility used by a governmental unit; a public safety facility; or an office for government employees. The bill excludes buildings or facilities that include specified recreational equipment or are used for the primary purpose of providing retail food and beverage services, recreation, or entertainment. The bill establishes (1) a $5 billion limit on the amount of tax-exempt financing which may be provided for government buildings, and (2) procedures for allocating and applying for the financing. The bill exempts the bonds for government buildings from the volume cap on private activity bonds.
Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill provides for Medicare coverage of lymphedema compression treatment items. Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of (1) standard and custom fitted gradient compression garments that are prescribed by a physician or other specified health care professional to treat lymphedema, and (2) other devices determined to be effective in the prevention or treatment of lymphedema.
Federal Reserve Racial and Economic Equity Act This bill requires the Federal Reserve Board to carry out its duties in a manner that supports the elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in employment, income, wealth, and access to affordable credit. The board must report on disparities in labor force trends as well as on plans and activities of the board to minimize and eliminate these disparities.
Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2021 This bill expands tax incentives and federal assistance for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) that are sponsored by S corporations. The bill extends to all domestic corporations, including S corporations, provisions allowing deferral of tax on gain from the sale of employer securities to an ESOP. The Department of the Treasury must establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations. The bill defines an ESOP business concern and allows such a concern to continue to qualify as a small business for the purposes of programs under the Small Business Act. An ESOP business concern is a business concern that was a small business concern eligible for a loan, preference, or other program under the Small Business Act before more than 49% of the business concern was acquired by an ESOP.
Consumer Credit Control Act of 2021 This bill requires a consumer's affirmative informed consent before a consumer reporting agency may share that consumer's report with third parties for specified purposes. A consumer reporting agency must verify a consumer's identity when obtaining this consent. (Currently, this sharing is generally allowed unless a consumer opts out.) If the consumer provides consent, a consumer reporting agency may share information with a third party for an extension of credit or the underwriting of insurance. Additionally, in connection with transactions not initiated by the consumer, a consumer reporting agency may provide a consumer report with the consumer's consent only if the transaction consists of a firm offer of credit or insurance. Furthermore, consumer reporting agencies may not charge consumers fees in connection with furnishing consumer reports. The bill also requires consumer reporting agencies to use reasonable efforts to prevent data breaches of consumer reports. The Government Accountability Office must report on how best to protect information collected in consumer files.
Water Resources Research Amendments Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 the Water Resources Research Act Program and otherwise revises the program, including by increasing the federal share of grant funding under the program for water resources research and technology institutes.
Advanced Coursework Equity Act This bill directs the Department of Education to establish three grant programs to increase enrollment and performance of underrepresented students in advanced courses and programs. Local educational agencies receiving grants or subgrants must use such funds for certain activities, such as conducting community engagement, expanding enrollment of underrepresented students in advanced courses, and providing direct services (e.g., tutoring) to underrepresented students.
Home Health Emergency Access to Telehealth Act or the HEAT Act This bill provides for Medicare coverage of home health services that are furnished via telehealth during a public health emergency, in accordance with specified requirements. Specifically, the bill allows telehealth services to substitute for in-person home health services and to be considered as home health visits for purposes of payment under Medicare during a public health emergency. Such services (1) may not constitute more than 50% of the number of billable visits in a 30-day period, (2) must be furnished under a plan of care established by a practitioner with whom the beneficiary has an existing care relationship, and (3) must be furnished in accordance with the beneficiary's consent.
