Rural Forest Markets Act of 202 1 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Rural Forest Market Investment Program to guarantee investments to finance certain projects that will enable rural private forest landowners to participate in an innovative market for forest carbon or other products. In establishing the program, USDA must consider ways to ensure that the program minimizes disruptions to traditional forest products markets. Eligible projects are projects developed by a private entity or a publicly supported, charitable nonprofit organization engaged in the aggregation of sustainable forestry practices implemented by rural private forest landowners to facilitate the sale of credits in the voluntary carbon market or other environmental market using a methodology approved by a credible, third-party entity. USDA may guarantee up to $150 million with respect to each investment. Authority to carry out the program terminates on September 30, 2023.
Protecting Married Seniors from Impoverishment Act This bill makes permanent certain provisions regarding Medicaid eligibility that protect against spousal impoverishment for recipients of home and community-based services. Under current law, these provisions expire on September 30, 2023.
Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the troops from the United States and the Philippines who defended Bataan and Corregidor, in recognition of their personal sacrifice and service during World War II.
Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 20 21 This bill makes it illegal to possess, buy, sell, or transport shark fins or any product containing shark fins, except for certain dogfish fins. A person may possess a shark fin that was lawfully taken consistent with a license or permit under certain circumstances. Penalties are imposed for violations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.The maximum civil penalty for each violation shall be $100,000, or the fair market value of the shark fins involved, whichever is greater.
Making Imperiled Communities Resistant to Outages with Generation that is Resilient, Islandable, and Distributed Act or the MICROGRID Act This bill allows a new tax credit for investment in qualified microgrid property. The bill defines qualified microgrid as an electrical system that incorporates a microgrid controller, includes equipment that is capable of generating not less that 4 kilowatts and not greater than 50 megawatts of electricity, is capable of operating in connection with the electrical grid and as a single controllable entity with respect to such grid, and is capable of operating independently (and disconnected) from such grid.
Healthy Families Act This bill provides for paid and unpaid sick leave for employees to meet their own medical needs and those of their families. It requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide their employees with at least one hour of earned paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours of paid sick leave in a year. An employer with fewer than 15 employees may also provide the same amount of paid sick leave, but may opt out of such requirement, in which case such employer must provide its employees at least 56 hours of unpaid leave in a year. An employee may use sick leave for absences (1) resulting from a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition; (2) resulting from obtaining professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventive medical care; (3) to care for a child, parent, spouse, a domestic partner, or other blood or close relative; and (4) resulting from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill makes it unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of an employee's right to accrue sick leave as provided by this bill. An employee may take legal action to enforce the right to sick leave granted by this bill and the Department of Labor must investigate complaints of violations of the requirements of this bill. Labor is authorized to conduct a public awareness campaign to educate and inform the public of the requirements for paid sick leave provided by this bill.
Wage Equity Act of 2021 This bill addresses workplace wage discrimination based on sex. Specifically, it limits the acceptable reasons for wage disparities based on sex to legitimate business-related factors unrelated to sex. Italso protects from liability for such discrimination those employers who conduct a job and wage analysis audit to identify wage disparities and take reasonable steps to remedy any such disparities. Further, the bill prohibits employers from relying on, or requesting, the wage history of a prospective employee for hiring and wage determination purposes unless it is voluntarily provided by the prospective employee. Employers generally may not prohibit employees from inquiring about, or discussing, wage information concerning another employee or from requesting information from an employer about wage differentials. Finally, the bill permits the Department of Labor to establish a grant program for negotiation skills education for women and girls. It also requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the causes and effects of sex-based wage disparities.
Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act This bill allows two borrowers, who had previously received a joint consolidation loan for their federal student loan debt, to submit a joint application to the Department of Education to sever their consolidated loan into two separate loans. One borrower may submit a separate application in the event that the individual is experiencing domestic or economic abuse from the other individual borrower or is unable to reasonably reach or access the loan information of the other borrower.
Ensuring Safe Disposal of Coal Ash Act This bill updates the requirements related to state permit programs for the regulation of coal combustion residuals units, as administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Specifically, the EPA must revise its regulations related to approved state programs for regulating coal combustion residuals units to include any criteria necessary to protect human health and the environment, including the health of vulnerable or disproportionately exposed subpopulations. The regulation revisions must include specified requirements, for example, requiring meaningful public participation in the issuance and renewal of all permits or other prior approvals. The EPA must promulgate regulations that (1) set forth minimum requirements for state and federal coal combustion residuals permit programs, and (2) require owners of closed coal combustion residuals disposal sites to identify the locations of such sites and record the information in the public record to ensure that the locations are known and can be located in the future. Under the bill, the EPA must also implement a requirement for a public hearing in the approval process for establishing a state permit program; review state permit programs at least once every 5 years (the current requirement is once every 12 years); review such programs not later than one year after it revises applicable criteria for federal regulations related to coal combustion residuals units; and include a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 180 days, for a state to correct deficiencies with respect to its permit program.
This resolution recognizes the Islamic faith as one of the great religions of the world, acknowledges the onset of Ramadan (the holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal for Muslims), and expresses respect to Muslims in the United States and throughout the world on this occasion.
National Institute of Manufacturing Act This bill establishes the National Institute of Manufacturing to serve as the central hub for federal manufacturing programs. The institute shall, among other things, (1) convene key stakeholders to identify the needs and priorities of the U.S. manufacturing sector; (2) support and incentivize manufacturing-focused research, collaboration, and education; and (3) provide small and medium manufacturers with financial support, including loans, counseling, training, technical assistance, and advocacy. Overseen by a Director, the institute shall be composed of various directorates (e.g., a Directorate for Technology Development and a Directorate for Trade), and the functions of specified federal manufacturing programs and offices shall be transferred to the institute and its directorates. Transferred programs and offices include the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership, the Manufacturing USA Program, the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, and the Office of Manufacturing. The bill also permanently reauthorizes the U.S. Manufacturing Council of the International Trade Administration as the National Manufacturing Advisory Council, and it tasks the council with (1) ensuring regular communication between the federal government and the U.S. manufacturing sector, (2) advising the Department of Commerce on government policies and programs that affect U.S. manufacturing, and (3) ensuring the United States remains the leading destination for investment in manufacturing throughout the world.
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act This bill modifies the requirements for calculating taxable income to exclude from gross income payments under the federal veterinary medicine loan repayment program or any state loan repayment or forgiveness program that is intended to provide for increased access to veterinary services in such state.
