This bill provides statutory authority for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to establish and maintain a portal and corresponding database through which it shall receive information on blocked railroad-highway grade crossings as a three-year pilot program. The FRA must use information from the database (1) to assist in identifying the locations and potential impacts of frequent and long-duration blocked railroad-highway grade crossings; (2) as a basis for outreach to communities, emergency responders, and railroads; and (3) to support collaboration in the prevention of incidents at railroad-highway grade crossings. Additionally, the Department of Transportation must evaluate the requirements of its railway-highway crossing program to determine whether the program provides states sufficient flexibility to adequately address current and emerging grade-crossing safety issues, the structure of the program provides sufficient incentive and resources to states and local agencies to make changes at grade crossings that are most effective at reducing deaths and injuries, there are appropriate tools and resources to support states in using data-driven programs to determine the most cost-effective use of program funds, and any statutory changes are necessary to improve the effectiveness of the program.
Sister City Transparency Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study the activities of sister city partnerships involving foreign communities in countries that received a score of 45 or less on Transparency International's 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index. A sister city partnership is a formal agreement between a U.S. community and a foreign community that is recognized by Sister Cities International and that is operating within the United States. Among other elements, the required study must (1) identify oversight practices that U.S communities implement to mitigate the risks of foreign espionage and economic coercion within sister city partnerships, (2) assess the extent to which U.S. communities ensure transparency regarding sister city partnership contracts and activities, and (3) review the range of activities conducted within sister city partnerships.
Hotspots and Online Technology and Services Procurement for Our Tribes and States Act or the HOTSPOTS Act This bill establishes a two-year pilot program through which the Institute of Museum and Library Services must award grants to states, territories, Indian tribes, and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians to purchase and distribute internet-connected devices to libraries in rural and low-income areas.
More Opportunities for Rural Economies from DOT Grants Act or the MORE DOT Grants Act This bill revises the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to high-density public land counties and any units of tribal and local governments within such counties. A high-density public land county is a county that has a population of not more than 100,000 people and in which more than 50% of the land is owned or managed by the federal government. Any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program must be reduced by 50% with respect to such jurisdictions. On request, DOT must provide additional technical assistance to such jurisdictions during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program. DOT must also prioritize grant applications from such jurisdictions that have not received support under the qualifying grant program during the 10-year period preceding the date of the application.
Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE-SAFE Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21. Under the program, an apprentice must complete two probationary periods that total 400 hours of on-duty time, of which at least 240 hours must be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle. Additionally, the apprentice must be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver. Further, the bill requires all commercial motor vehicles used in the program for training to be equipped with safety technology such as active braking collision mitigation systems and video event capturing systems. An employer shall not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver under the age of 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the driver is participating in, or has completed, an apprenticeship program that meets the requirements set forth in this bill.
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.
Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE Safe Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21. Under the program, an apprentice must complete two probationary periods that total 400 hours of on-duty time, of which at least 240 hours must be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle. Additionally, the apprentice must be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver. Further, the bill requires all commercial motor vehicles used in the program for training to be equipped with safety technology such as active braking collision mitigation systems and video event capturing systems. An employer shall not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver under the age of 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the driver is participating in, or has completed, an apprenticeship program that meets the requirements set forth in this bill.
Carbon Capture Modernization Act This bill modifies sequestration and other requirements for the qualifying advanced coal project tax credit.
Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act This bill requires private health insurance plans that cover in-person mental health or substance use disorder services to cover such services on equal terms via telehealth (i.e., information technology used to aid treatment and diagnosis at a physical distance) during and shortly after the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. Specifically, this bill requires plans to, among other things, cover these services at the same rate as in-person services, exclude charges for facility fees, and provide information about how to access these services. Additionally, providers of these services may not charge facility fees to plan enrollees.
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits the federal government, states, tribal nations, or localities from discriminating or taking adverse action against a child welfare provider that declines to provide services due to the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. However, government entities may still take adverse action against a provider that declines to provide adoption or foster care services based on race, color, or national origin. The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold a portion of federal funding for family services and child welfare activities from a government entity that discriminates against a child welfare provider in violation of this bill. Child welfare providers may also sue the government entity for such discrimination. A prevailing provider may recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Furthermore, government entities that accept certain federal funding for family services and child welfare activities must waive sovereign immunity as a defense to lawsuits brought under this bill. (In many cases, sovereign immunity shields states, territories, tribal nations, and some localities against private suits.)
Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans and Every Spouse Act or the SAVE LIVES Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccine to covered individuals during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Under the bill, covered individuals are veterans who are not eligible to enroll in the VA health care system; specified veterans who are eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care abroad; beneficiaries who are eligible for care due to a specified disability or death of a veteran; family caregivers of veterans who are participating in the VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers; caregivers of veterans participating in the VA's Program of General Caregiver Support Services; caregivers of veterans participating in the VA's Medical Foster Home Program, Bowel and Bladder Program, Home Based Primary Care Program, or Veteran Directed Care Program; and the spouses of veterans. The VA must prioritize the vaccination of (1) veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system, (2) veterans who fail to enroll but receive hospital care and medical services for specified disabilities in their first 12 months of separation from service, and (3) caregivers accompanying such prioritized veterans. Under the bill, the VA is authorized to offer a vaccine to the spouse of a veteran near the same time the veteran receives the vaccine.
More Opportunities for Rural Economies from USDA Grants Act or the MORE USDA Grants Act This bill revises the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to high-density public land counties and any units of tribal and local governments within such counties. A high-density public land county is a county that has a population of not more than 100,000 people and in which more than 50% of the land is owned or managed by the federal government. Any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program must be reduced by 50% with respect to such jurisdictions. On request, USDA must provide additional technical assistance to such jurisdictions before and during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program. USDA must also prioritize grant applications from such jurisdictions that have not received support under the qualifying grant program during the 10-year period preceding the date of the application.
