Expanding Broadcast Ownership Opportunities Act of 2021 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take certain actions to increase diversity of ownership in the broadcasting industry and establishes a related tax incentive. Specifically, the bill requires the FCC to report to Congress regarding (1) recommendations for increasing the total number of broadcast stations that are owned or controlled by members of minority groups or women, (2) the total number of broadcast stations that are owned or controlled by members of minority groups or women, and (3) whether there is a nexus between diversity of ownership or control of broadcast stations and the diversity of the viewpoints expressed on the stations. In addition, the bill allows companies engaged in the qualifying sale of a broadcast station to receive favorable tax treatment by electing nonrecognition of the gain or loss resulting from the sale. To qualify for this treatment, the sale must result in or preserve ownership and control of a broadcast station by socially disadvantaged individuals.
Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act This bill allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by a physician.
Quiet Communities Act of 2021 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to reestablish an Office of Noise Abatement and Control to promote the development of local noise control programs, carry out research, and develop and disseminate educational materials, among other duties.
The Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions To End Up surging Resistance Act of 2021 or the PASTEUR Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into subscription contracts for critical-need antimicrobial drugs, provides $11 billion in appropriations for activities under the bill, and contains other related provisions. A manufacturer of a Food and Drug Administration-approved antimicrobial drug may apply to HHS to have the drug designated as a critical-need antimicrobial, and HHS may enter into a subscription contract for such a critical-need antimicrobial. The bill imposes certain requirements related to such contracts, including a mechanism to lower payments under the contract in certain instances to limit the manufacturer's revenue from the drug. Furthermore, HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shall award grants to support efforts to encourage the appropriate use of antimicrobial drugs and efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance. The CDC shall also track and assess data relating to antibacterial resistance and human antibiotic use and make such data publicly available. HHS shall also establish a Committee on Critical Need Antimicrobials. The committee shall develop a list of prioritized infections for which new antimicrobial drug development is needed, among other duties. Within six years of the bill's enactment, the Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress a study on the bill's effectiveness in developing priority antimicrobial drugs.
Lonnie Kilpatrick Central Pacific Relief Act This bill provides a presumption of service-connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents to veterans who served on (1) Guam or American Samoa, or in the territorial waters thereof, between January 9, 1962, and July 31, 1980; or (2) Johnston Atoll or a ship that went to Johnston Atoll between January 1, 1972, and September 30, 1977. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific diseases 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. Additionally, the bill expands eligibility for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans with a disability associated with exposure to certain herbicides during specified times of military service on Guam, American Samoa, or Johnston Atoll.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week per year as Battle Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.
This bill extends through October 18, 2021, the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) titled Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions To Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19 and published on September 4, 2020. The bill also permits the CDC to further extend the order as it determines necessary.
This resolution expresses the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of the Honorable Mike Enzi, former Senator for Wyoming.
This resolution supports the designation of National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.
Candidates Afforded Dignity, Equality and Training (CADET) Act of 2021 This bill requires the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Transportation to prescribe regulations ensuring that the parental guardianship rights of cadets and midshipmen attending military service academies are protected consistent with individual and academic responsibilities. Cadets and midshipmen with dependents must establish a family care plan with appropriate academy leadership. Pregnant cadets and midshipmen must be provided with, at minimum, the options to (1) take leave from the military service academy for up to one year, (2) fully release from the military service academy and any related obligations, and (3) enlist in active-duty service. Males fathering a child while enrolled at a military service academy must not be required to give up parental rights and must not acquire any benefits or leave considerations as a result of fathering a child, with certain exceptions (e.g., leave to attend the birth).
Protecting the Information of our Vulnerable Children and Youth Act or the Kids PRIVCY Act This bill expands the requirements for digital services when handling the personal information of children. Specifically, the bill (1) requires digital services to obtain express, affirmative consent that is specific, informed, and unambiguous before processing the personal information of a child or teenager under the age of 18; (2) prohibits certain targeted advertising; and (3) allows individuals to access, correct, or delete their personal information. The bill increases the civil penalty for violations of the children's online privacy protections and provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and a private right of action.
Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act of 2021 This bill requires certain medical devices with a digital interface to meet nonvisual accessibility standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Specifically, the FDA must establish regulations to require a Class II or Class III medical device with a digital interface to provide a blind or low-vision user access to the same services and information, and generally the same ease of use, as provided to a user who is not low-vision or blind. (The FDA classifies medical devices in three classes. Class I devices are low-risk, Class II devices are moderate-risk, and Class III devices are high-risk.) A Class II or Class III medical device that does not meet the nonvisual accessibility standards established under this bill may not be sold.
