Stop shielding Assets from Corporate Known Liability by Eliminating non-debtor Releases Act or the SACKLER Act This bill prohibits a bankruptcy court from releasing claims against non-debtors brought by states, tribes, municipalities, or the federal government. However, the bankruptcy court may issue a stay not exceeding 90 days regarding such a claim. Complex bankruptcies may involve creditor claims against non-debtors associated with the debtor, such as the debtor's officers, directors, or employees. Currently, in carrying out a bankruptcy plan, certain courts may release non-debtors from liability (there is a circuit split regarding this practice).
Help Extract Animals from Red Tape Act of 2021 or the HEART Act of 2021 This bill modifies notice requirements in a civil forfeiture proceeding that involves the seizure of an animal involved in animal fighting. Specifically, the government must notify interested parties of an animal's seizure within 30 days (currently, 60 days). The notice period may be extended only if a delay is warranted after considering certain factors, including the cost to the government of providing shelter for the animal, the health of the animal and the effect of a delay on its rehabilitation, any increased risk that a delay could necessitate the euthanasia of the animal, and any psychological harm incurred by the animal's owner due to the delay in disposition. Additionally, the bill authorizes amounts in the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund to be used to pay for costs associated with a seized animal, including transportation, shelter, care, veterinary services, and humane euthanasia.
COVID-19 Border Protection (CBP) Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to devise and implement a strategy to ensure that no alien with COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) in DHS or Department of Health and Human Services custody may be released into the community during a public health emergency related to COVID-19. Funds previously provided to the Department of State for supporting international efforts to help migrants and refugees respond to COVID-19 shall be transferred to DHS to implement this strategy.
Medication Access and Training Expansion Act of 2021 or the MATE Act of 2021 This bill requires health care providers, as a condition of receiving or renewing a registration to prescribe potentially addictive drugs, to complete a one-time training on managing patients with substance use disorders. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must award grants to health professional associations and education programs for integrating substance use disorder training into relevant curricula.
This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 - October 15, 2021; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
PrEP Assistance Program Act This bill establishes a grant program to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and related services to individuals at no cost. PrEP is medication given to individuals at risk of HIV to reduce their likelihood of contracting the virus. The Department of Health and Human Services must award the grants to state, tribal, and local governments; certain health clinics; and community-based organizations.
Outdoors for All Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish an outdoor recreation legacy partnership grant program under which Interior may award grants to states, certain political subdivisions of a state, special purpose districts, Indian tribes, or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian communities or organizations. Funds must be used for projects to (1) acquire land and water for parks and other outdoor recreation purposes in qualifying areas, and (2) develop new or renovate existing outdoor recreation facilities that provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public in qualifying areas. A qualifying area is an area that has a population of 30,000 or more in the most recent census, or that is administered by an Indian tribe or an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian community organization. Interior shall give priority to projects that create or significantly enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban neighborhood or community, engage and empower underserved communities and youth, provide opportunities for employment or job training for youth or underserved communities, establish or expand public-private partnerships, and take advantage of coordination among various levels of government.
Cybersecurity Opportunity Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish a grant program to promote cybersecurity training and education at institutions of higher education with an enrollment of needy students, historically Black colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions.
Natural Immunity Is Real Act This bill requires all federal agencies to acknowledge and consider natural immunity to COVID-19 when promulgating any regulation related to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Arts Education for All Act This bill expands arts education and programming for children in early education, K-12 students, and juveniles and adults in the criminal justice system. Specifically, the bill allows Child Care and Development Block Grant funding to be used for additional activities, including arts programming. Additionally, the bill addresses arts programming in elementary and secondary schools by directing each state educational agency to include information on arts programming in its state plan, including how it will integrate arts education instruction into the curriculum and increase the number of arts teachers in schools; requiring state report cards to include information on arts courses; requiring local educational agency (LEA) plans to describe how the LEA will encourage the use of arts education to improve student achievement; and allowing certain funds to be used for professional development for arts teachers. The bill directs the National Center for Education Research to carry out research on the use of arts and arts education in elementary and secondary schools, including in low-performing schools. Further, the National Center for Education Statistics must compile data on arts education. The National Assessment of Educational Progress must include a specified arts assessment. The bill requires a state's juvenile justice and delinquency plan to describe how the state will coordinate services and activities for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention with arts agencies and arts organizations. Additionally, grants for adult offender reentry demonstration projects may be used for facilitating arts education.
Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring a financial institution to report the transfers into and out of a financial account. This prohibition does not apply to laws or regulations in effect on October 1, 2021.
Reducing Waste in National Parks Act This bill directs the National Park Service to establish a program for the National Park System to reduce disposable plastic products and, if applicable, eliminate the sale and distribution of disposable plastic products. Each regional office of the National Park Service must eliminate the sale of water in disposable plastic products and the sale and distribution of other disposable plastic products after consideration of several specified factors (e.g., the costs and benefits to overall operations). Each regional office must develop a proactive visitor education strategy to address visitor expectations of water availability and explain the rationale for the program and its implementation.
