Military Spouses Retirement Security Act This bill allows a small business employer a tax credit for each employee who is a military spouse and eligible to participate in the employer's defined contribution retirement plan.
Access to Credit for Small Businesses Impacted by the COVID-19 Crisis Act of 2021 This bill temporarily provides credit unions with an exception to limits on outstanding member business loans. Specifically, a loan does not count towards this limit if (1) it is used for recovery from the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency, (2) it is made by an insured credit union that has received a specified soundness rating, (3) it is made during a specified time period, and (4) it does not threaten the safety and soundness of the insured credit union.
Menstrual Equity in the Peace Corps Act This bill requires the Peace Corps to ensure access to menstrual products for its volunteers who require them, either by increasing stipends for these products or providing these products to its volunteers.
Small Business Emergency Savings Accounts Act of 2021 This bill allows a new tax deduction from gross income for amounts paid into a small business emergency savings account. Such savings accounts are established exclusively to pay the qualified disaster and public health emergency expenses of the account beneficiary. The bill defines qualified disaster and public health emergency expenses as disaster loss replacement expenses, disaster recovery operations expenses, and public health emergency expenses.
Emergency Savings Accounts Act of 2021 This bill allows an individual taxpayer occupying a residence a deduction from gross income for up to $5,000 of amounts paid into such taxpayer's emergency savings account. The bill defines emergency savings account as an account established exclusively to pay the qualified disaster and public health emergency expenses of the account beneficiary. The bill defines qualified disaster and public health emergency expenses as disaster mitigation expenses, disaster recovery expenses, public health emergency expenses, and unemployment-related expenses.
This bill redesignates the federal building located at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, in the District of Columbia (currently known as the J. Edgar Hoover Building) as the Federal Bureau of Investigation Building.
The COVID-19 Hospital and Health Provider Loan Conversion Act of 2021 This bill establishes and otherwise modifies requirements for the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The program provides Medicare payments in advance to eligible providers experiencing claims or cash flow disruptions, such as during national emergencies; the program was specifically expanded in response to COVID-19 to encompass more types of providers, subject to certain recoupment and repayment provisions. The bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to waive recoupment and repayment for providers who meet specified requirements. Among other criteria, providers must not have engaged in surprise billing practices with respect to COVID-19 patients. Providers must still repay any amounts not used for COVID-19 expenses; the bill caps the interest rate on such repayments at 2% upon a demonstration of hardship. The bill also requires private health insurers to treat out-of-network COVID-19 services as in-network for purposes of payment and cost-sharing.
Protecting American Energy Production Act This bill prohibits the President from declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the moratorium. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that states should maintain primacy for the regulation of hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production on state and private lands.
Coronavirus Containment Corps Act This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop, within 21 days, a nationwide contact tracing strategy for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) that addresses issues including workforce needs. To implement that strategy, the bill establishes grant programs in the CDC and the Indian Health Service (IHS). It also expands programs in the Department of Labor. The CDC must award grants to state and local health departments to, among other purposes, hire and train individuals for contact tracing positions and related roles. The IHS must award similar grants to tribes and tribal organizations. Additionally, Labor must award grants for states and other jurisdictions to support recruitment and employment of dislocated workers and other individuals in public health roles. Grants and contracts that include contact tracing in their scope of work must comply with prevailing wage requirements that apply to federal service contracts. Employees who work under such grants or contracts must receive similar compensation to that prevailing in the locality where work is performed. The CDC and Labor must report certain information on specified timelines, and the Government Accountability Office must evaluate the activities of grantees.
Stop Infant Mortality And Recidivism Reduction Act of 2021 or the SIMARRA Act This bill directs the Bureau of Prisons to establish a pilot program for incarcerated women and their children born during incarceration to reside together in a separate prison housing unit. It sets forth inmate eligibility criteria and program participation requirements.
Thin Blue Line Act This bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.
Knife Owners' Protection Act of 2021 This bill permits an individual to transport a knife between two places (e.g., states) where knife possession, carry, or transport is legal. The knife must be securely stored during transport, unless it is an emergency knife designed to cut seat belts. An individual who is transporting a knife in compliance with this bill may not be arrested or detained for a knife violation unless there is probable cause to believe the individual failed to securely store the knife during transport. An individual may assert compliance with this bill as a claim or defense in any civil or criminal proceeding. The bill repeals provisions, commonly known as the Federal Switchblade Act, that prohibit the introduction of switchblade knives into interstate commerce. It also repeals the Ballistic Knife Prohibition Act of 1986, which prohibits the possession, manufacture, sale, or importation of a ballistic knife. Finally, it eliminates two criminal provisions—one that restricts the mailability of switchblade knives, and one that restricts the mailability of ballistic knives.
