Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act or the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act This bill expands workplace protections for employees with a need to express breast milk. Specifically, it expands the requirement that employers provide certain accommodations for such an employee to cover salaried employees and other types of workers not covered under existing law. Further, time spent to express breast milk must be considered hours worked if the employee is also working. The bill also extends from one year to two years the available time period for such accommodations. Additionally, before making a claim of liability against an employer, an employee generally must first notify the employer that they are not in compliance and provide them with 10 days to come into compliance with the required accommodations. Finally, the bill provides certain exemptions from these requirements for air carriers.
Financial Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires federal financial regulatory agencies to adopt specified data standards with respect to format, searchability, and transparency. The bill also decreases, beginning September 30, 2031, the cap on the surplus funds of the Federal Reserve banks. (Amounts exceeding this cap are deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.)
Open RAN Outreach Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications network providers to raise awareness of the benefits, uses, and challenges of Open RAN networks and other open network architectures. Open RAN networks are wireless networks that follow the Open Radio Access Network approach to standardization, promoting the use of open interface standards in the portion of the telecommunications network that connects wireless devices (e.g., mobile phones) to the core of the network. The NTIA must also conduct outreach and provide assistance regarding participation in the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program.
Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2021 This bill makes changes to the administration and management of the Strategic National Stockpile. Among these changes, the bill authorizes through September 30, 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to transfer supplies from the stockpile to any federal departments or agencies under certain conditions. HHS must also ensure the contents of the stockpile remain in working order and may enter into maintenance service contracts to carry out this requirement. Furthermore, as part of its management of the stockpile, HHS must establish and maintain domestic reserves of certain supplies, including by entering into cooperative agreements or partnerships to access facilities and equipment to produce these supplies. The authority for such agreements and partnerships terminates on September 30, 2024. Additionally, the bill temporarily authorizes HHS to award grants to states for maintaining stockpiles of certain equipment and supplies for use during public health emergencies. HHS must also develop transparent processes for the use and distribution of supplies from the stockpile that address, for example, the prioritization of requests. Additionally, during the COVID-19 emergency, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response must report monthly on requests for supplies from states, tribes, and other jurisdictions. These reports must include the rationale for any partially fulfilled or denied requests. Lastly, the Government Accountability Office must study the feasibility of establishing user fees to offset costs for procuring single-source materials for, and distributing such materials from, the stockpile.
State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and otherwise changes the State Opioid Response Grant program. This program, which is managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, provides funding for states, territories, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations to address the opioid crisis. Specific changes to the program include (1) expanding its scope to also address stimulant use and misuse, (2) establishing a funding methodology and minimum funding allocations, and (3) allowing the use of grant funds for recovery support services. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on issues concerning the funding and other aspects of the program.
This resolution authorizes the use of the atrium in the Phillip A. Hart Senate Office Building for a bipartisan Halloween dog parade on October 27, 2021.
This resolution supports the designation of October 3-October 9, 2021, as National 4-H Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of 4-H in youth development and education, and (2) encourages all citizens to recognize 4-H for the significant impact the organization and members have made and continue to make by empowering young people with the skills needed to lead for a lifetime.
This bill designates the U.S. courthouse located at 201 South Evans Street in Greenville, North Carolina, as the Malcolm J. Howard United States Courthouse.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week each year as Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.
This resolution designates September 2021 as Healthy Aging Month.
This resolution designates September 25-October 3, 2021, as Blue Star Welcome Week and expresses gratitude for the sacrifices made by service members, transitioning veterans, and their families.
This resolution honors the life of Robert Dove, Parliamentarian Emeritus of the Senate, and offers the condolences of the Senate regarding his death.
