Repeal Insurance Plans of the Multi-State Program Act or the RIP MSP Act This bill repeals the multi-state insurance plan program. (The multi-state plan program requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to contract with insurance issuers to provide a qualified health plan through the health insurance exchanges in multiple states.) The OPM must report about the process and timeline for ending the program within 60 days.
Military PFAS Testing Disclosure Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to publicly disclose the results of any testing for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, conducted on or at areas surrounding DOD military installations in the United States and National Guard facilities. DOD must also disclose the expected timing and location of any planned testing for PFAS at the specified sites. DOD may satisfy the disclosure requirements by publishing the information, data sets, and results relating to the testing on a publicly available DOD website or in the Federal Register. Prior to conducting any testing for PFAS, DOD must provide notice to (1) the managers of the public water system serving the areas located immediately adjacent to the military installation being tested, (2) the municipal government serving the areas located immediately adjacent to the military installation being tested, and (3) all Restoration Advisory Board members for the military installation where the testing is to occur. DOD must test for all PFAS for which a method of measurement in drinking water has been validated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Disclose Government Censorship Act This bill requires officers and employees of the legislative and executive branches to disclose communications with providers of interactive computer services (e.g., internet service providers) regarding restricting speech. Specifically, executive and legislative branch officers and employees must disclose their communications with a provider or operator of an interactive computer service regarding action to restrict access to material posted by another information content provider. The bill makes exceptions for legitimate law enforcement and national security purposes. The disclosure must be made within seven days of the date on which the communication is made. The bill establishes penalties for violations.
Guaranteeing Healthcare Access to Personnel Who Served Act This bill addresses the administration and provision of health care to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA providers. First, the bill provides statutory authority for the eligibility thresholds for when a veteran must receive non-VA care under the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) for primary care, mental health care, noninstitutional extended care services, specialty care, or specialty services. Additionally, the bill establishes access to care standards for non-VA care under the VCCP, meaning a veteran's appointment must be within specified distances and time frames. Among other requirements, the VA must also implement an 18-month pilot program to allow certain veterans to use a website or mobile application to request, schedule, and confirm medical appointments with VCCP providers; ensure that VCCP third party administrators and credentials verification organizations comply with specified requirements to help ensure that certain health care providers are excluded from providing non-VA health care services; develop a strategic plan to ensure the effectiveness of the telehealth technologies and modalities delivered by the VA; and establish an online health care education portal for veterans. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on (1) the VA program under which third parties provide transportation for veterans who are seeking VA services or benefits, (2) VA telehealth services, and (3) the VA's Foreign Medical Program. Finally, the Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply to the voluntary collection of information during research conducted by the Veterans Health Administration.
Healthy Dog Importation Act This bill imposes requirements on the importation of live dogs. Specifically, the bill prohibits the importation of a live dog into the United States unless the Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines the dog (1) is in good health, (2) has received all necessary vaccinations and demonstrated negative test results as evidenced by a certificate from a licensed veterinarian, and (3) is officially identified by a permanent method approved by USDA. Additionally, dogs entering the United States for transfer must be at least six months of age and accompanied by a USDA permit. Transfer is defined as a change of ownership or control of an imported dog to another person, including by sale, adoption, exchange, or donation. USDA must provide an exception to any requirements under the bill for dogs that are transferred for (1) research purposes; (2) veterinary treatment under certain conditions, including appropriate quarantining; or (3) lawful importation into the state of Hawaii if the dog is not transported out of Hawaii for resale at less than six months of age. USDA also has enforcement authority under the bill.
Conservation Reserve Program Flexibility Act of 2021 or CRP Flexibility Act of 2021 This bill modifies the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to permit emergency haying during the primary nesting season to respond to drought or other emergencies. (Under current law, emergency haying is only permitted outside of the primary nesting season.) Under CRP, the Department of Agriculture provides annual payments to agricultural producers to take highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land out of production and install resource-conserving practices.
UNRWA Accountability and Transparency Act This bill makes changes to U.S. foreign policy in matters concerning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). For purposes of this policy, the bill defines Palestinian refugee as a person who (1) resided from June 1946 to May 1948 in Mandatory Palestine (a region controlled by Britain until 1948), (2) was personally displaced as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, and (3) has not accepted citizenship or other permanent adjustment in status in another country. The bill withholds U.S. funding for the UNRWA unless the Department of State makes certifications concerning the UNRWA's staff, partners, and funding. Specifically, the State Department must certify that neither UNRWA staff and partners nor its funding and facilities are affiliated with terrorism or engaged in the dissemination of anti-American, anti-Israel, or anti-Semitic ideologies. Additionally, the State Department must certify that the UNRWA is subject to comprehensive financial audits by an independent auditing firm and is unaffiliated with any financial institutions that the United States considers to be complicit in money laundering or terror financing. The bill also requires the State Department to implement a plan to encourage other countries to align their activities and efforts regarding the UNRWA with U.S. policy objectives, including the phase out of the UNRWA by resettling Palestinian refugees in countries other than Israel and in territories not controlled by Israel. The State Department must report to Congress on this plan.
Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to expedite the environmental review of hazardous fuel or insect and disease risk reduction projects on certain National Forest System land and prioritize reducing the risks of insect infestations and wildfires over other objectives in forest plans. In addition, the bill directs states to retain good neighbor agreement timber sale revenues and use them for certain restoration services.
Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act of 2021 This bill allows energy tax credits through 2023 for investments in (1) qualified biogas property, or (2) qualified manure resource recovery property. Qualified biogas property comprises a system that (1) uses anaerobic digesters or other specified processes to convert biomass into a gas which is at least 52% methane, and (2) captures the gas for use as a fuel. The term includes property that cleans and conditions the gas for use as a fuel. Qualified manure resource recovery property comprises a system that uses specified processes to recover the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from a non-treated digestate or animal manure by reducing or separating at least 50% of the nutrients, excluding any reductions during the incineration, storage, composting, or field application of the non-treated digestate or animal manure. The term also includes certain processing equipment. The Department of the Treasury must enter into an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a study of biogas and report to Congress on the study.
This bill permits state, tribal, and territorial governments to use designated COVID-19 relief funding to support mental and behavioral health programs. Currently, this funding is available to eligible governments through December 31, 2024, for responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts; supporting essential workers and businesses; maintaining government services; and investing in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.
Tribal Transportation Equity and Transparency Improvement Act of 2021 This bill revises certain programs related to tribal transportation. First, the bill revises the Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) by directing the Department of the Interior to (1) request proposals from Indian tribes to include additional transportation facilities in the National Tribal Transportation Facility Inventory, and (2) ensure that all nonconfidential information from the inventory is made available on its website. Next, the bill specifies that funding allocations (i.e., tribal shares) under the TTP must be determined using the facility inventory for the most recent fiscal year for which data is available instead of using FY2012 data. It also requires each Indian tribe that intends to include a proposed road in the inventory to complete and submit certain documentation for the road. It also requires independent audits by the inspectors general of Interior and the Department of Transportation, as well as the Government Accountability Office, to review the administration of the TTP. Additionally, the bill permits Indian tribes to use funds for carrying out highway safety programs in cooperation with states, counties, and other local subdivisions. It also increases the federal share for Indian tribes under the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program and allows Indian tribes to use planning and design funds for grant applications under the program. Finally, the bill establishes the Tribal Transportation Advisory Committee, which must provide advice to Interior and study issues related to tribal transportation.
This resolution denounces socialism and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.
