The Post-Widows Tax Repeal SBP Open Enrollment for Service-Disabled Veterans Act This bill establishes an open enrollment period for the Survivor Benefit Plan for a member or former member of the uniformed services who, on the day before the first day of the enrollment period, discontinued participation in the Survivor Benefit Plan (due to spousal eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation), and is entitled to retired pay, or would be entitled to retired pay but for the fact the individual is under 60 years of age.
Transition for Success Act This bill allows members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces to participate in the Department of Defense's Skillbridge program, which provides job training to service members who are transitioning into civilian life.
Say No to Indoctrination Act This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to teach or advance concepts that separate individuals based on race, color, or national origin; assign characteristics to individuals based on race, color, or national origin; or imply that the United States is an inherently racist country.
Ensuring Quality Care for O ur Veterans Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with a nonfederal organization to conduct a quality management review of hospital care or medical services furnished by each Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provider whose license was terminated by a state licensing board based upon care or services provided in a non-VHA facility. If a review determines that the standard of care was not met, the VA shall notify the individual who received such care or services.
Veterans Cannabis Analysis, Research, and Effectiveness Act or the Veterans CARE Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct and support research on the efficacy and safety of certain forms of cannabis and cannabis delivery for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and diagnosed with conditions such as chronic pain or post-traumatic stress disorder. Collected data shall be preserved in a manner that facilitates further research.
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that government entities should consider using a portion of proceeds from litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors for drug take-back programs.
This resolution supports the designation of Gold Star Children's Day to honor the sacrifices and hardships of the children of fallen service members.
This bill requires federal agencies to submit zero-based budgets to the Office of Management and Budget and the congressional budget committees . A zero-based budget is a systematic budget analysis in which managers (1) examine current objectives, operations, and costs; (2) consider alternative ways of carrying out programs or activities; and (3) rank different programs or activities by order of importance. The bill also requires federal agencies to submit recommendations for spending reductions of at least 2% from the previous year's levels. The Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration are exempt from this requirement.
This bill expands the H-2A visa program (generally for temporary agricultural workers) to include workers entering the United States to perform labor related to (1) aquaculture or seafood processing, (2) cultivating or maintaining horticultural commodities, or (3) breeding or providing care of horses.
Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2021 This bill modifies criminal penalties for an offense involving the theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer, or from their business premises. Specifically, the bill does the following: increases from 10 to 20 years the maximum prison term, and creates a 3- or 5-year mandatory minimum prison term for an offense that occurs during the commission of a burglary or robbery. An attempt to commit an offense is subject to the same penalties as a substantive offense.
Passport Emergency Extension Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to establish an expedited procedure for providing individuals who wish to use their U.S. passport that expired during the COVID-19 emergency (or that is scheduled to expire by March 31, 2022) with a marker to be affixed to such passport indicating a renewal or extension of validity through July 31, 2022.
Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2021 This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program. A qualified catastrophe mitigation payment means any amount received for making improvements to an individual's residence for the sole purpose of reducing the damage that would be done to such residence by a windstorm, earthquake, or wildfire.
