Help Our Businesses Recover Act of 2021 This bill eliminates, for taxable years ending in 2020, the base erosion minimum tax rate applicable to certain large corporations that have deductions with respect to amounts paid or accrued to foreign-related parties exceeding 3% of their total deductions.
Foreign Service Families Act of 2021 This bill increases access to career and educational opportunities for eligible family members of foreign service employees. Specifically, the Department of State must use additional hiring preferences and apply appropriate hiring standards to eligible family members seeking employment in certain civil service positions overseas. Additionally, the State Department may take other steps to improve job portability and otherwise support employment of eligible family members who work in the federal civil service or private sector jobs. The State Department must also report on the implementation of the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps, a program that expedites hiring and onboarding processes for family members who are eligible for appointment to positions overseas. Furthermore, each federal agency must include in its telework policy the circumstances under which an employee may temporarily work from an approved location overseas. The bill also makes foreign service employees (or their spouses and dependent children) who are domiciled or assigned to a duty station in a given state eligible for in-state tuition at public institutions of higher education in that state. Such individuals retain their eligibility for in-state tuition provided they maintain continuous enrollment even if their domicile or duty station changes.
Expanding Pathways to Employment Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to provide long-term grant funding for workforce development programs that have demonstrated a positive impact on worker earnings and for postsecondary education programs that have demonstrated a positive impact on student graduation.
Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and implement a three-year pilot program to provide a guaranteed monthly income to individual taxpayers between the ages of 18-65. HHS must consult with the Internal Revenue Service and certain nonpartisan and nonprofit agencies or academic institutions with expertise in social science experimentation to develop and award income subsidies to eligible taxpayers and to conduct a study on the outcomes of the program.
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2021 This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or religion. Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.
COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act This bill establishes and provides funding for the COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Program Fund. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must use the funds to set up at least 10 centers of excellence at academic medical centers to address issues associated with COVID-19 and future pandemic preparedness and response efforts. In addition, HHS must establish an advisory committee comprised of representatives from relevant federal agencies, each center of excellence, and national organizations that work with populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and other health disparities. The committee must facilitate collaboration, information-sharing, and dissemination of best practices relating to COVID-19 and future pandemic responses.
Patient Parity Protection Act of 2021 This bill allows certain off-campus departments of providers to be included in the Medicare prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services. Providers must attest that the department was previously considered on-campus or otherwise met applicable requirements, but is now off-campus due to the provider's forced relocation to meet patient needs.
Native Health and Wellness Act of 2021 This bill establishes two grant programs to improve public health services in tribal communities. First, the bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to Indian tribes or tribal organizations for promoting health, preventing disease, and reducing health disparities among American Indians and Alaska Natives. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must make grants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations for recruiting and mentoring American Indian and Alaska Native youth and young adults in health professions.
Build Local, Hire Local Act This bill imposes various requirements on certain federally assisted infrastructure projects. The bill also creates infrastructure-related grant programs and establishes the Buy America Bureau. Such federally assisted infrastructure projects must (1) employ a certain percentage of local workers to the maximum extent practicable; and (2) prioritize hiring certain individuals, such as veterans and those facing barriers to employment. A certain percentage of funds for these projects must be used for contracts with small businesses that have fewer than 10 employees. When applying for a contract, grant, or loan related to a project, the applying entity must disclose whether there are any rulings, such as a civil judgment, finding that the entity has violated certain federal labor and occupational safety laws in the last three years. In addition, the Department of Transportation must award grants to entities in disadvantaged and underserved communities for infrastructure projects that create connected, economically prosperous, and environmentally healthy communities. Further, the Department of Labor must provide grants to workforce development boards and industry partnerships for job training programs to train certain groups, such as individuals with barriers to employment, for jobs in targeted infrastructure industries. The bill also establishes the Buy America Bureau within the Department of Commerce to oversee project compliance with existing laws that require the use of U.S.-made materials in certain federally funded projects.
Animal Welfare Enforcement Improvement Act This bill revises the licensing process of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for animal dealers and exhibitors to expand USDA's oversight and enforcement of animal welfare requirements. The bill also authorizes citizen suits to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. Dealers and exhibitors must apply to USDA for licenses or renewal licenses each year. In order to obtain the licenses or renewals, dealers and exhibitors must meet certain standards for the humane treatment of animals and pass inspections as specified by this bill. USDA may not issue or renew such licenses if the dealers or exhibitors have violated laws relating to animals or if the issuance of the licenses would facilitate the circumvention of state or local laws that prohibit the private ownership of certain animals. Further, USDA must suspend the licenses of dealers or exhibitors whose violations present a risk to animal welfare. USDA must revoke the licenses if the violations persist or if the licensees commit multiple violations. Dealers and exhibitors with suspended or revoked licenses may not be (1) granted another license, (2) granted another license through another person or entity, or (3) employed by another licensee to work with animals during the period of the suspension or revocation.
Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2021 This bill revises requirements concerning the sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities. Specifically, the bill revises the list of permissible sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities to include dogs and cats obtained (1) from a licensed dealer, (2) from a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that meets specified requirements, (3) by donation from a person who bred and raised the dog or cat or owned it for not less than one year, or (4) from a research facility licensed by the Department of Agriculture. The requirements pertaining to sources apply to dogs and cats obtained through sales, donations, or offers. Monetary penalties are established for violations.
Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021 This bill repeals a lifetime ban that prohibits individuals convicted of certain offenses related to the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or assistance under programs funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants. Any state law that imposes conditions on eligibility for SNAP benefits or TANF assistance based on an individual's conviction of such an offense shall have no force or effect. In addition, individuals who are incarcerated and scheduled to be released within 30 days shall qualify as individual households for purposes of SNAP eligibility. Under current law, unless specifically excepted, individuals residing in institutions do not constitute a household.
