This resolution honors the memory of U.S. Capitol Police Officer William Francis "Billy" Evans for the selfless acts of heroism he displayed on April 2, 2021.
Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act of 2021 This bill provides for the portability of professional licenses of service members and their spouses who are relocated, because of military orders, outside of the jurisdiction that issued the license. Specifically, a professional license in good standing of a service member or spouse shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction for the duration of such military orders. To establish and maintain eligibility, a service member or spouse must (1) provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction; (2) remain in good standing with the licensing authority that issued the license; and (3) submit to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements. The bill also provides that if a service member or spouse is licensed to operate in multiple jurisdictions through an interstate licensure compact, the service member or spouse is subject to the requirements of the compact or the applicable provisions of the state law rather than the provisions of this bill.
Financial Institution Customer Protection Act of 2021 This bill specifies that a federal banking agency may not request or order a depository institution to terminate a customer account unless (1) the agency has a valid reason for doing so, and (2) that reason is not based solely on reputation risk. Valid reasons for terminating an account include threats to national security and involvement in terrorist financing, including state sponsorship of terrorism. A federal banking agency requesting a termination must provide the depository institution with notification and justification. The bill also sets forth additional requirements for the Department of Justice when seeking subpoenas, summoning witnesses, or compelling document production in the course of conducting a civil investigation in contemplation of a civil proceeding involving certain banking laws.
Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the troops from the United States and the Philippines who defended Bataan and Corregidor, in recognition of their personal sacrifice and service during World War II.
Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act This bill designates certain residents of the Xinjiang region in China as prioritized refugees of special humanitarian concern and addresses other related issues. This priority designation shall apply to Uyghurs and members of other predominately Turkic or Muslim ethnic groups (and the spouses, children, and parents of such individuals) who (1) reside in or fled Xinjiang and who suffered persecution on account of their religious or ethnic identity, or have a well-founded fear of such persecution; or (2) have been formally charged, detained, or convicted for certain peaceful actions related to Xinjiang. Such an individual may not be denied admission into the United States based primarily on an arrest or other adverse government action due to that individual's participation in religious, cultural, or protest activities. The bill also waives certain immigration-related requirements for such individuals. Furthermore, a Chinese national seeking refugee status shall be considered to have been persecuted on account of political opinion if the Chinese government revoked that individual's residency in any region of China because the individual submitted a nonfrivolous application for a U.S. immigration benefit. Similarly, if the Chinese government revoked a Chinese national's citizenship, nationality, or residency because that individual filed for a U.S. immigration benefit, that revocation shall constitute a changed circumstance. (Among other things, a changed circumstance may allow an individual who has been rejected for asylum to apply again.)
Voluntary Protection Program Act This bill provides statutory authority for the voluntary protection program within the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Under the program, workplaces that implement comprehensive safety and health management systems are exempt from certain paperwork and inspection requirements.
Healthy Families Act This bill provides for paid and unpaid sick leave for employees to meet their own medical needs and those of their families. It requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide their employees with at least one hour of earned paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours of paid sick leave in a year. An employer with fewer than 15 employees may also provide the same amount of paid sick leave, but may opt out of such requirement, in which case such employer must provide its employees at least 56 hours of unpaid leave in a year. An employee may use sick leave for absences (1) resulting from a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition; (2) resulting from obtaining professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventive medical care; (3) to care for a child, parent, spouse, a domestic partner, or other blood or close relative; and (4) resulting from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill makes it unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of an employee's right to accrue sick leave as provided by this bill. An employee may take legal action to enforce the right to sick leave granted by this bill and the Department of Labor must investigate complaints of violations of the requirements of this bill. Labor is authorized to conduct a public awareness campaign to educate and inform the public of the requirements for paid sick leave provided by this bill.
Wage Equity Act of 2021 This bill addresses workplace wage discrimination based on sex. Specifically, it limits the acceptable reasons for wage disparities based on sex to legitimate business-related factors unrelated to sex. Italso protects from liability for such discrimination those employers who conduct a job and wage analysis audit to identify wage disparities and take reasonable steps to remedy any such disparities. Further, the bill prohibits employers from relying on, or requesting, the wage history of a prospective employee for hiring and wage determination purposes unless it is voluntarily provided by the prospective employee. Employers generally may not prohibit employees from inquiring about, or discussing, wage information concerning another employee or from requesting information from an employer about wage differentials. Finally, the bill permits the Department of Labor to establish a grant program for negotiation skills education for women and girls. It also requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the causes and effects of sex-based wage disparities.
Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act This bill allows two borrowers, who had previously received a joint consolidation loan for their federal student loan debt, to submit a joint application to the Department of Education to sever their consolidated loan into two separate loans. One borrower may submit a separate application in the event that the individual is experiencing domestic or economic abuse from the other individual borrower or is unable to reasonably reach or access the loan information of the other borrower.
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2021 This bill modifies Medicare payment of ground ambulance services in rural areas. Specifically, the bill extends the specialized rate increase for such services for an additional five years (until January 1, 2028). The bill also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to (1) allow an area that has 1,000 or fewer individuals per square mile to retain its status as a rural area even if it would otherwise no longer qualify, and (2) establish an appeals process for providers to seek reconsideration of a change in an area's status.
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. It also honors and recognizes the contributions of veterans who served in Vietnam.
This resolution honors and recognizes the patriotism and contributions made by generations of veterans service organizations and commends the members of such organizations for their dedicated service to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, their families, and their communities. Additionally, the resolution encourages citizens to volunteer their support and services to veterans service organizations and to promote awareness of the contributions of such organizations to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families.
