This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' support for the goals and ideals of National Veterans Small Business Week, celebrates the millions of people in the United States—especially veterans and their spouses—who benefit from Small Business Administration programs, and expresses appreciation for the continued service to the United States by the nation's veterans through small business ownership and entrepreneurship.
Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2021 This bill expands eligibility for Post-9/11 GI bill educational assistance benefits and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan program. Specifically, the bill explicitly includes the following persons as eligible veterans: Black veterans who served on active duty during World War II who can certify they were denied a specific benefit on the basis of race; and the living surviving spouses, children, grandchildren, or other direct descendants of such veterans described above who can certify the veteran was denied a specific benefit on the basis of race. Such veterans described above must apply for educational or home loan benefits within the five-year period after the passage of this bill to be eligible for benefits. The Government Accountability Office must report on the number of individuals who received educational or housing loan benefits and the total value of such benefits administered by the VA due to the amendments made by the bill. Finally, the VA must appoint a panel of independent experts to develop recommendations regarding additional benefits and assistance for female and minority members of the Armed Forces.
Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution This concurrent resolution requires the congressional budget committees to conduct an annual joint hearing to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General regarding (1) the Government Accountability Office's audit of the financial statement of the executive branch, and (2) the financial position and condition of the federal government.
This resolution recognizes November 2021 as National Native American Heritage Month and the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.
This resolution requires the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate to establish the SFC Sean Cooley and SPC Christopher Horton Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program for family members of members of the Armed Forces who die in the line of duty or of veterans who die of service-connected injuries. Under the fellowship program, an individual may serve a 24-month fellowship in a Senator's office.
Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act of 2021 This bill prohibits food packaging that contains intentionally added PFAS (i.e., a perfluoroalkyl substance or a polyfluoroalkyl substance that is man-made with at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom).
Teacher, Principal, and Leader Residency Access Act This bill expands the federal work-study programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) to include work-study programs that compensate students serving in a residency program at the IHE. R esidency program refers to a school-based educator preparation program in which a prospective teacher, principal, or school leader (1) works for one academic year with a mentor teacher, principal, or other school leader; (2) receives concurrent instruction from the IHE; (3) acquires effective teaching or school leader skills; and (4) attains certification or licensure prior to completion of the program.
Rachel Booth Act This bill provides eligibility for transitional compensation to dependents of members of the Armed Forces in situations where a member (1) has been convicted of a dependent-abuse offense in a civilian court but has been separated from duty for an offense other than the abuse offense, or (2) has been accused but not convicted of such an offense but has been determined to have committed the offense by a commander and required to forfeit pay and allowances pursuant to an offense other than the abuse offense.
Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 This bill allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. This action is available only to individuals who were exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days. The bill prohibits the U.S. government from asserting specified immunity from litigation in response to such a lawsuit. The bill also prohibits an individual who brings such an action from bringing a separate tort action against the United States based on the same harm.
Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2021 This bill extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouse of a veteran who dies from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) regardless of how long the veteran had such disease prior to death. Under current law, such compensation is paid for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death. For purposes of this bill, a surviving spouse is a person who was married to the veteran for a continuous period of eight years or longer prior to the veteran's death.
This bill expands eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to include veterans of World War II who are not already covered.
Veterans Justice Outreach Improvement Act This bill updates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Justice Outreach Program, which is a program through which the VA identifies justice-involved veterans and provides them with access to VA services. Justice-involved veterans are those with active, ongoing, or recent contact with some component of a local criminal justice system. Specifically, the bill requires the VA to conduct program outreach to justice-involved veterans, military and veterans service organizations, and relevant stakeholders in the criminal justice community (e.g., local law enforcement). The VA must increase the number of program specialists responsible for supporting justice-involved veterans in rural, remote, or underserved areas. Additionally, the VA must establish performance goals, measures, and implementation time lines for the program, specialists, and providing support for research regarding justice-involved veterans. Program specialists must receive training, at least annually, on (1) veteran eligibility for the program, and (2) best practices for identifying and conducting outreach to justice-involved veterans and relevant stakeholders in the criminal justice community.
