Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2021 This bill exempts from worldwide or numerical limitations certain family-sponsored immigrant visas for the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who were naturalized under certain laws providing for naturalization for service during World War II.
Freedom to Export to Cuba Act of 2021 This bill repeals both the President's statutory authority to impose an embargo on Cuba and various prohibitions against providing assistance to Cuba. It also repeals provisions related to (1) the President's authority to impose sanctions on countries that provide assistance to Cuba, (2) the prohibition against U.S. investment in domestic telecommunications networks within Cuba, (3) restrictions on vessels that have departed from a port in Cuba within 180 days of loading or unloading freight in the United States, and (4) restrictions on remittances to Cuba. The President is authorized to impose export controls with respect to Cuba and exercise certain emergency economic powers in relation to unusual and extraordinary threats to the United States.
Birth Access Benefiting Improved Essential Facility Services Act or the BABIES Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish a Medicaid demonstration program to improve freestanding birth center services for women with low-risk pregnancies. Among other things, the CMS must (1) publish criteria for freestanding birth centers to participate in the program, including specified accreditation, licensure, and service requirements; (2) publish guidance for states to establish prospective payment systems under Medicaid for program participants; and (3) award planning grants for states to develop program proposals. The CMS may choose up to six states to participate in the program.
Enhanced Whistleblower Engagement Act This bill modifies requirements with respect to whistleblower protections for employees of an office of inspector general (OIG). The bill specifies that the whistleblower protection coordinator in each OIG shall educate that office's employees on specified matters, including prohibitions against retaliation for protected disclosures and rights and remedies against such retaliation. The bill also specifies that best practices developed by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency shall include best practices for the handling and consideration of protected disclosures and allegations of reprisal that are internal to an OIG.
Youth Workforce Readiness Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Labor to award grants to certain national youth-serving organizations for comprehensive workforce readiness programs provided to youth that take place before or after school, during summer vacation or holiday, or on the weekend (i.e., out-of-school-time programs). Such grants must be used to develop and implement youth workforce readiness programs, including for activities such as on-the-job and leadership opportunities, internships, and other supportive services. The bill also requires local workforce development boards to establish youth councils as subgroups of the boards.
Promoting Service in Transportation Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish and administer a transportation workforce outreach program to (1) increase awareness of transportation career opportunities; and (2) increase diversity such as race, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status of professionals in the transportation sector.
This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations for energy-efficiency materials to install in nonprofit buildings.
Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish grants to support sex education and sexual health services for young people (ages 10 through 29) and repeals requirements that apply to certain federally funded sex education programs. HHS must award grants, in coordination with the Department of Education, to (1) provide sex education to young people through elementary and secondary schools, institutions of higher education, and youth-serving organizations; and (2) train education professionals to effectively teach, and otherwise support, sex education. Sex education refers to high quality teaching and learning that follows, to the maximum extent practicable, specified educational standards; covers a variety of topics concerning sex and sexuality; explores values and beliefs about those topics; and helps young people gain skills to navigate relationships and manage sexual health. Additionally, HHS must award grants for the provision of sexual health services to marginalized youth to youth-serving organizations and health care entities that are eligible to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices through the 340B drug discount program. Recipients of any of these grants must comply with certain nondiscrimination requirements. In addition, they may not use funds for sex education programs or sexual health services that provide incomplete or inaccurate medical information or fail to address specified issues. The bill also eliminates prohibitions regarding the content of specified federally funded sexual health education and information programs and repeals the Abstinence Only Until Marriage program.
America Wins Act This bill imposes an excise tax on the carbon dioxide content of coal, petroleum and petroleum products, and natural gas sold by the manufacturer, producer, or importer and requires the revenues to be used for infrastructure, an energy refund program to provide payments to certain low-income households, and other purposes. Refunds or credits for the tax must be issued for carbon substances that are (1) not emitted due to use as a feedstock or through carbon capture and sequestration, or (2) previously taxed carbon substances used to make another taxable carbon substance. The bill includes border adjustment provisions that require certain fees, credits, or refunds for carbon-intensive goods that are exported or imported. The bill also establishes a Build America Trust Fund and appropriates to the fund amounts equal to the increase in revenues attributable to the tax. Specified amounts of the funds must be used, without further appropriation, for infrastructure related to transportation, water, broadband, education, health care, housing, and energy. Specified portions of the funds must also be used for providing assistance to workers and communities reliant on industries that primarily produce taxable carbon substances or carbon-intensive goods, providing assistance to individuals and communities disproportionately impacted by climate change and greenhouse gas pollutants as well as groups underrepresented in the energy sector, an energy refund program to provide payments to certain low-income households, and a refundable tax credit for households that meet specified income requirements.
Manufacturing Abilities Determine Economies in The Americas Act or the MADE in The Americas Act This bill establishes certain manufacturing incentives to increase trade between the United States and other countries in the Western Hemisphere. Specifically, the bill requires the President to develop a strategy to reduce reliance on concentrated supply chains for covered articles (including those essential to U.S. critical infrastructure) and protect against any threats from countries of concern relating to supply chains for these articles. Additionally, the bill establishes within the Executive Office of the President the Manufacturing Security and Resilience Council. The functions of the council include (1) implementing the President's strategy, (2) establishing and maintaining a database of information on manufacturing companies that manufacture a covered article or maintain facilities that may be converted to manufacture covered articles during an emergency, and (3) establishing and carrying out a manufacturing resilience grant program. An eligible manufacturing company may use grant funds to relocate manufacturing facilities and operations out of a country of concern into the United States or another country in the Western Hemisphere. The bill authorizes the President to provide duty-free treatment to any eligible article from any beneficiary Western Hemisphere country. This treatment shall apply to any article (1) that is the growth, product, or manufacture of a beneficiary Western Hemisphere country; and (2) that is needed to support the critical infrastructure of the United States. The bill also includes certain tax incentives, including by establishing an American security product tax credit.
Represent America Abroad Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to establish the Represent America Mid-Career Foreign Service Entry Program to increase diversity in the Foreign Service by recruiting mid-career professionals who are from minority groups. As part of the program, the State Department shall (1) establish and publish eligibility criteria for participation; (2) carry out recruitment efforts to attract highly qualified, mid-career professionals from minority groups; and (3) include appropriate mentorship and other career development opportunities for program participants. The State Department must submit an annual report on the status of the program.
Crimea Annexation Non-Recognition Ac t This bill prohibits any federal agency from taking any action or extending any assistance that recognizes or implies recognition of Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, its airspace, or its territorial waters.
