Flexible Financing for Rural America Act This bill allows rural utility service providers to submit to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a request to adjust the interest rate or modify the terms of certain loans. The request shall include a report summarizing how the adjustment or modification will assist the borrower in providing critical utility services to a rural community. Specifically, on receipt of a request, USDA or the Department of the Treasury (in the case of a loan owned by the Federal Financing Bank) must adjust the interest rate on the loan to match certain interest rates for obligations of comparable maturity to the term remaining on the loan (or a higher rate requested by the borrower), and make modifications to the loan terms as necessary to address changes in the financial position of the borrower due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and to promote the financial sustainability of the borrower. In carrying out the adjustments or modifications, USDA or Treasury shall not impose or collect any fee from, or impose any penalty on, a borrower. The bill also provides funding to implement the adjustments and modifications and for the liquidation of residual intragovernmental amounts owed by the Federal Financing Bank in connection with certain loans.
This resolution condemns Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts for certain comments regarding Israel. It also expresses that Representative Ocasio-Cortez, Representative Tlaib, Representative Omar, and Representative Pressley each be censured.
This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of PCOS Awareness Month. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is caused by a hormone imbalance. Symptoms can include infertility, weight gain, excess hair growth, and acne.
Pro-Growth Budgeting Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation to incorporate a macroeconomic impact analysis in their cost estimates for major legislation. The macroeconomic impact analysis (commonly referred to as dynamic scoring) must include the budgetary effects of changes in economic output, employment, capital stock, tax revenues, the sources of financing new outlays, the total debt of the federal government, international trade, international capital flows, and other macroeconomic variables resulting from the legislation.
Protect Speech Act This bill modifies the immunity from liability of a provider or user of an interactive computer service (e.g., a social media company) for screening and blocking offensive content on its platform. Specifically, the bill provides that this immunity shall not apply to any action taken to restrict access to or availability of material provided by another information content provider unless the action is taken in good faith based on an objectively reasonable belief that the material is (1) obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, promoting terrorism or violent extremism, harassing, promoting self-harm, or unlawful; or (2) violates the applicable terms of service or use. In order to avoid liability for taking action based on either belief, certain good faith requirements must be met, such as (1) making publicly available terms of service or use that plainly state the criteria for content moderation practices, and (2) not restricting access to or availability of material on deceptive grounds. Further, the bill specifies that being responsible in whole or in part for the creation or development of information includes instances in which a person or entity solicits, comments upon, funds, or affirmatively and substantively contributes to, modifies, or alters information provided by another person or entity.
This resolution requires an analytical statement to be included in committee reports on whether, and the extent to which, the increased budget authority, outlays, or revenue produced by the enactment of a bill or joint resolution may have an inflationary impact on prices and costs in the operation of the national economy and the purchasing power of low- and middle-income families.
Saving American History Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the use of federal funds by an elementary or secondary school to teach the 1619 Project or by a local educational agency (LEA) to support its teaching in public schools. (The 1619 Project is an initiative that addresses the beginning of slavery in the United States.) Specified federal agencies must reduce federal funds in a prorated amount to an elementary or secondary school that teaches this project or an LEA that supports its teaching in public schools. However, federal funding shall not be reduced for programs for low-income students (e.g., free or reduced-price lunch) or students with disabilities.
Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 This bill modifies a program providing special immigrant visas to eligible citizens or nationals of Afghanistan who assisted U.S. efforts there and addresses related issues. The bill extends the program through 2023 and increases the number of visas available. An individual may become eligible for a visa after assisting U.S. efforts in Afghanistan for one year, whereas currently some individuals must have served for two years. Furthermore, for an applicant qualifying for a visa by performing duties with a NATO mission in Afghanistan, the bill eliminates a requirement that the duties performed qualify as sensitive and trusted duties. The bill removes a requirement that the individual has experienced or is facing an ongoing serious threat due to their assistance to the United States or NATO. The Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security may postpone the program's medical examination requirement. An individual who received a postponement must undergo a medical exam within 90 days of admission into the United States. The bill also expands surviving family member benefits for the Afghanistan program (and a similar program for Iraq) to a surviving spouse or child of an individual who submitted an application to the Chief of Mission that would have been approved but for the individual's death. Currently, such survivor benefits only apply if the deceased individual's petition was approved.
Iran Nuclear Treaty Act This bill requires Senate approval of certain actions with respect to Iran's nuclear program. Specifically, the bill deems any agreement reached between the President and Iran relating to Iran's nuclear program to be a treaty that is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. Further, the bill prohibits the President from (1) limiting the application of certain sanctions, or (2) refraining to apply such sanctions pursuant to an agreement unless the agreement is subject to the advice and consent of the Senate as a treaty.
Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to implement a program to ensure the security, resiliency, and survivability of natural gas pipelines, hazardous liquid pipelines, and liquefied natural gas facilities.
This joint resolution recognizes and affirms the sovereign and unilateral authority of states to defend themselves against invasion.
Fair-Value Accounting and Budget Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office to provide certain fair-value estimates of federal loan and loan guarantee programs. Under the bill, the fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair-value estimates generally use private-market interest rates to estimate the cost of a loan program rather than rates based on Treasury securities.
