Farm System Reform Act of 2021 This bill places a moratorium on large concentrated animal feeding operations; requires country-of-origin labeling for beef, pork, and dairy products; and otherwise revises provisions related to the marketing of livestock, poultry, and meat.
Twenty-First Century Dams Act This bill addresses dam infrastructure and safety. First, the bill provides resources for programs related to state dam safety, the rehabilitation of high hazard potential dams, and the inspection of dams. In particular, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the National Dam Safety Program. In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 a program related to the rehabilitation of structural measures and a program related to water infrastructure. Next, the bill allows a new tax credit for maintaining and enhancing hydroelectric dams that is equal to 30% of the basis of any qualified dam safety, environmental, and grid resilience enhancement property placed in service in a taxable year. It also allows a 30% credit for qualified obsolete river obstruction removal expenditures for demolishing and removing certain nonpowered or hydroelectric dams. The bill directs the Department of the Army to establish a program to carry out dam removal projects. Further, the bill establishes the Dam Removal Council to (1) coordinate with participating federal agencies to annually notify all known dam owners of the availability of dam removal funding and provide guidance on the existing programs of participating agencies; (2) evaluate and submit to Army recommendations for dam removal projects, technical assistance programs, and funding allocations; and (3) develop a dam removal strategy. The bill requires certain dam assessments, including a joint assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Energy. The bill also authorizes specified federal agencies to undertake certain activities related to federal dam infrastructure.
This resolution recognizes the 200th anniversary of the entry of Missouri into the Union as the 24th state.
This resolution expresses the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of the Honorable Maurice Robert Gravel, former Senator from Alaska.
Protect Our Disabled Heroes Act of 2021 This bill imposes criminal penalties and/or fines on individuals for the commission or attempted commission of certain acts (e.g., charging certain fees) in connection with the representation of a veteran who is seeking Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits or filing a claim for such benefits. Additionally, the VA is authorized to prescribe limitations and restrictions on the types and timing of for-profit business transactions which may be entered into by an agent or attorney who is representing a claimant for VA benefits.
Bringing Enhanced Treatments and Therapies to ESRD Recipients Kidney Care Act or the BETTER Kidney Care Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish a demonstration program for Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Under the program, renal dialysis facilities, kidney disease specialists, physician practices, and other health care practitioners may form an organization that partners with certain health care entities to provide integrated care to beneficiaries with ESRD. Such care must include all covered Medicare benefits as well as transition services for transplantations, palliative care, and hospice. Each organization must have a minimum number or percentage of participating beneficiaries (350 or 60% of beneficiaries served at the organization's facilities) and must also comply with certain fiscal, governance, and quality of care requirements. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must study certain data that is reported to the CMS regarding pediatric dialysis care, as well as the effects of race-based corrections to a specified kidney function test on referrals of ESRD patients for transplant evaluations.
Ensuring Meaningful Petition Outreach While Enhancing Rights of States Act or the EMPOWERS Act This bill revises the petition process for listing, delisting, or reclassifying an endangered or threatened species, including by requiring petitioners to notify each county and state in which the species is located of the intent to submit a petition.
Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, commonly known as the Hello Girls , in recognition of their military service, devotion to duty, and 60-year struggle for veterans' benefits and recognition as soldiers.
Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act of 2021 This bill allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development to make competitive grants to local governments, public housing agencies, or nonprofit entities owning a major housing project to implement transformational housing programs in eligible neighborhoods with a concentration of extreme poverty and severely distressed housing. A program must, among other requirements, allow residents of public or assisted housing displaced by such a program to return to the replacement housing provided under the program.
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that it should not pass legislation mandating the registration of women for the Selective Service System.
Global Force Management Oversight Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Defense to annually report on the Global Force Management Allocation Plan and brief Congress on the contents of the reports.
Sanction and Stop Ransomware Act of 2021 This bill addresses ransomware threats to national security. Specifically, the bill requires the promulgation of mandatory cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure entities; requires the instituting of regulatory requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges operating within the United States to reduce the anonymity of users and accounts suspected of ransomware activity; deems ransomware threats to critical infrastructure a national intelligence priority component to the National Intelligence Priorities Framework; and authorizes monitoring of the internet, including the dark web, for evidence of a compromise to critical infrastructure. The Department of State shall annually designate as a state sponsor of ransomware any country the government which has provided support for ransomware demand schemes (including by providing safe haven for individuals engaged in such schemes), and submit to Congress a report listing the designated countries. The National Intelligence Agency shall submit a report to specified congressional committees on the implications of the ransomware threat to national security. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) shall establish ransomware operation reporting capabilities to facilitate the submission of timely, secure, and confidential ransomware notifications by federal agencies and covered entities to CISA. In addition, CISA shall establish a public awareness campaign related to the cybersecurity services of the government. The bill also establishes the Information System and Network Security Fund. Any amounts in the fund may be distributed to eligible entities for a specific network security purpose, including to enable network recovery from an event affecting network cybersecurity.
