Congressional Oversight of Unjust Policing Act This bill establishes the U.S. Commission on Unjust Policing to investigate law enforcement activities and decisions related to the security breach at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Specifically, the commission must investigate decisions made by leadership of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security leading up to and during the siege at the Capitol, including an assessment of whether conscious and unconscious bias was a factor in the miscalculation of the risk posed by protesters to Members of Congress and their staff. The commission must also investigate whether current USCP officers have ties to white supremacist and other extremist groups, movements, and organizing efforts, and whether any USCP officers neglected their duty and colluded with protestors or other law enforcement entities. Further, the commission must recommend specific measures and reforms related to realigning (1) USCP priorities and practice to address disparate use of force and surveillance targets in and around the Capitol; and (2) USCP recruitment, hiring, and retention policies and practices to address conscious and unconscious biases.
Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the imposition of a death penalty sentence for a violation of federal law. A person sentenced to death before enactment of this bill must be resentenced.
Baseball Diplomacy Act This bill waives various embargo and immigration restrictions in order to allow Cuban nationals to enter the United States to play organized professional baseball. U.S. embargo authority may not regulate or prohibit various transactions by or on behalf of a Cuban national entering to play baseball, nor may the individual be prohibited from returning to Cuba with the earnings made from playing professional baseball. The President's authority to bar an alien whose entry is deemed to be detrimental to U.S. interests may not be used to deny a visa to a Cuban national entering to play baseball. An individual entering to play baseball may obtain a visa to remain in the United States only for the duration of the baseball season. The visa need not be renewed for reentry into the United States during the term of a contract between the individual and the team for which the individual played in the preceding season.
Restricting the Use of Solitary Confinement Act This bill imposes restrictions on the use of solitary confinement for inmates in federal custody. Among the restrictions, the bill prohibits placement in solitary confinement for nondisciplinary reasons; it limits the duration of such placement; and it provides an administrative review process for inmates to contest such placement.
Venezuela TPS Act of 2021 This bill permits nationals of Venezuela to qualify for temporary protected status, which prevents their removal from the United States and allows them to obtain employment and travel authorization. Such status shall be available to qualifying nationals of Venezuela for 18 months starting from this bill's enactment.
Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2021 This bill establishes measures to address global public health risks posed by wildlife markets, which are commercial markets that sell or slaughter wildlife for human consumption as food or medicine in communities where alternative nutritional or protein sources are available. Specifically, the bill prohibits importing, exporting, purchasing, or selling live wild animals in the United States for human consumption as food or medicine. The Department of the Interior must hire, train, and deploy at least 50 new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement attachés around the world, and the U.S. Agency for International Development must increase specified activities to address the threats and causes of zoonotic (animal-to-human transmission) disease outbreaks. Additionally, the United States must work with other United Nations member states to urge a global ban on commercial wildlife markets and enforcement of laws to end wildlife trafficking. Further, the President may impose sanctions against a foreign country or foreign nationals that the Department of State has determined are taking certain actions that enable or facilitate commercial wildlife markets. Among other reports required by the bill, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine must conduct a study and submit a report that includes an evaluation of (1) the impact that consumption of terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine has on the transmission of novel viral and other pathogens, (2) the role of consuming terrestrial wildlife as food or medicine in the transmission of microbes from animals to humans, and (3) the conditions at live wildlife markets that lead to this transmission.
Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the manufacturer of a brand-name, generic, or biosimilar drug from entering into certain agreements to resolve or settle a patent infringement claim in connection with the sale of a drug or biological product. Specifically, such an agreement shall, with some exceptions, be a violation of the bill if the filer of a subsequent application to market a drug or biological product receives anything of value and agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the subsequent drug or biological product. (Typically, a subsequent application seeks to market a generic or biosimilar version of a patented drug or biological product.) Penalties for violations of the bill include civil penalties and loss of the 180-day exclusivity period for a generic drug. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shall have exclusive authority to litigate to enforce the bill. When a generic or biosimilar drug manufacturer enters into an agreement with another drug manufacturer related to the manufacturing, marketing or sale of a drug, the manufacturers shall certify that the material they have given the FTC concerning the agreement contains (1) the complete agreement; and (2) any agreements related to the main agreement, including descriptions of any oral agreements or representations.
This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
Oral Health for Moms Act This bill expands access to oral health care during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Specifically, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and health insurance plans in the individual and small-group markets must provide coverage for oral health services for pregnant and postpartum individuals. The federal government must cover, subject to certain exceptions, the costs of oral health services provided through Medicaid and CHIP, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must publish measures to assess the quality of oral health services provided through those public insurance programs. In addition, HHS must consult with tribal nations and organizations to improve the oral health of pregnant individuals, postpartum individuals, and infants in tribal populations. The bill also establishes grants and programs for purposes related to maternal oral health, including to promote good oral health practices among, and share information about oral health benefits with, pregnant and postpartum individuals in public insurance programs; to expand access to oral health services through federally qualified health centers; and to train maternal health providers about oral health during the pregnancy and postpartum period. Furthermore, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission must report on issues related to maternal oral health.
Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Advisory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence. Among other things, the advisory council must assess the needs of victims of gun violence and disseminate information about helpful resources.
Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the imposition of a death penalty sentence for a violation of federal law. A person sentenced to death before enactment of this bill must be resentenced.
Nonpartisan Postmaster General Act of 2021 This bill restricts the political activities of the members of the Postal Service Board of Governors, including the Postmaster General and the Deputy Postmaster General. Specifically, the bill prohibits (1) the Postmaster General and the Deputy Postmaster General from taking an active part in political management or political campaigns; and (2) the Board of Governors, the Postmaster General, and the Deputy Postmaster General from holding any political position while in office or soliciting funds for the campaign of a candidate for elected office or for a political party. An individual must make certain financial disclosures prior to assuming the duties of Postmaster General or Deputy Postmaster General.
