Securing Consumers Against Misrepresented Debt Act of 2021 or the SCAM Debt Act This bill provides additional requirements for debt collectors when taking legal action to collect a debt. Among other requirements, debt collectors must provide advance notice to the consumer of the intent to take legal action, and provide in the initial pleading certain evidence regarding the debt and a sworn affidavit stating that the statute of limitations has not expired. The bill also sets forth additional information a debt collector must provide to a consumer regarding the debt.
Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2021 This bill allows tax credits for (1) energy storage technologies, and (2) battery storage technology. The bill expands the tax credit for investments in energy property to include equipment that (1) receives, stores, and delivers energy using batteries, compressed air, pumped hydropower, hydrogen storage (including electrolysis), thermal energy storage, regenerative fuel cells, flywheels, capacitors, superconducting magnets, or other technologies identified by the Internal Revenue Service; and (2) has a capacity of at least five kilowatt hours. The bill also expands the tax credit for residential energy efficient property to include expenditures for battery storage technology that (1) is installed on or in connection with a dwelling unit located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer, and (2) has a capacity of at least three kilowatt hours.
Emergency Tribal Housing Assistance Act of 2021 This bill provides additional FY2021 funding for tribal communities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill provides funding for federal housing assistance through the Native American Housing Block Grant, Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant, and Indian Community Development Block Grant programs. The bill also reserves funds for technical assistance and administrative costs.
COVID-19 Medical Production Act This bill provides additional funding for FY2021 to acquire medical supplies, vaccines, and other equipment to combat COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) using authorities under the Defense Production Act of 1950. That act confers on the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry to provide essential materials and goods for the national defense. This funding is available through FY2025. Beginning in FY2023, it may be used to meet public health needs to address any pathogen determined by the President to have the potential to create a public health emergency.
Stabilizing Rural Homeowners During COVID Act of 2021 This bill provides additional FY2021 funding to the Department of Agriculture's Direct Home Loan and Housing Repair Loan programs for rural housing assistance.
Rural Broadband Window of Opportunity Act This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to prioritize the processing of applications for certain rural broadband expansion projects that are located in areas with the shortest construction seasons (e.g., areas with long winters and heavy snowfall).
Stop the Biden Caravan Now Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to transfer all equipment and personnel used to provide additional security in the District of Columbia since January 12, 2021, to the southern U.S. border.
Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act This bill expands the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)to act as the only lead agency for the purpose of coordinating the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) of natural gas pipeline project applications under the Natural Gas Act. Thus, federal, state, and local agencies involved in the environmental review process must defer to FERC's approved scope for a NEPA review. FERC must invite and designate the other participating agencies involved in the authorization process. In addition, FERC must consult with the Transportation Security Administration regarding pipeline infrastructure security, pipeline cybersecurity, pipeline personnel security, and other pipeline security measures. The bill establishes a deadline for agencies to complete NEPA reviews of pipeline projects and requires concurrent reviews when multiple federal or state agencies are involved. If a federal or state agency requires the person applying for a pipeline authorization to submit data, the agency must consider any such data gathered by aerial or other remote means that the person submits.
Stop Underrides Act This bill requires the installation of rear, side, and front underride guards on certain trucks and trailers. Specifically, the Department of Transportation (DOT) must require the installation of rear, side, and front underride guards on the following a trailer or semi-trailer with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more, and a single unit truck for which the bottom of the carriage is greater than 22 inches above the ground and that is 10,000 pounds or more. For rear and side underride guards, DOT must require adherence to a performance standard that requires the guards to be able to prevent intrusion from the body or frame of a trailer, semi-trailer, or truck into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle that contacts the guard while traveling at 35 miles per hour. In addition, DOT must require drivers to (1) conduct a pre-trip inspection of the underride protection system on their vehicles; (2) identify rusted metal compromising structural integrity, cracked welds, or missing or loose fasteners; and (3) complete any necessary repairs. DOT must establish a Committee on Underride Protection to oversee the ongoing underride guard rulemaking process. DOT must publish data on victims of truck underride crashes on a publicly accessible website and update such data quarterly.
Maximizing Our Redevelopment and Efficiency for Transit Oriented Development Act of 2021 or the More TOD Act This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to provide transit-oriented development planning grants to states, local governments, or metropolitan planning organizations. These grants shall be awarded to assist in the financing of comprehensive planning that is associated with a new or existing fixed guideway capital system project. Grants may be used to (1) enhance economic development, ridership, and other goals; (2) facilitate multimodal connectivity and accessibility; (3) increase access to transit hubs for pedestrian and bicycle traffic; (4) enable mixed-use development; (5) identify infrastructure needs; and (6) include private sector participation in facilitating a project. A grant shall not exceed 80% of total project costs, except that a grant that includes an affordable housing component shall not exceed 90% of total project costs.
Ports-to-Plains Highway Act of 202 1 This bill expands and designates certain route segments on the National Highway System. Specifically, the bill (1) designates the portion of the Heartland Expressway (relating solely to the portion from Limon, Colorado to Interstate Route I-76 in the vicinity of Brush, Colorado) and the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as future parts of the Interstate System; and (2) permits the continued operation of vehicles on any segment of the Heartland Expressway (relating solely to the portion from Limon, Colorado to I-76 in the vicinity of Brush, Colorado) and the Ports-to-Plains Corridor that is designated as a route on the Interstate System in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico, without regard to vehicle weight limitation requirements.
Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 20 21 This bill prohibits operating helicopter flights over any city with a population of over 8 million and a population density of over 25,000 people per square mile, except for purposes of (1) public health and safety, including law enforcement and emergency response; and (2) heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance.
