Adoption Information Act This bill requires federally funded family planning programs to provide each person who inquires about their services with specified information about adoption centers in their state. The Department of Health and Human Services must provide the programs with pamphlets containing the required information.
Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act This bill prohibits the Department of Energy (DOE) from using the Nuclear Waste Fund for certain expenditures involving repositories for disposing of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste. Specifically, DOE may not use the fund to pay for disposal in a repository or planning, construction, or operation of a repository unless DOE has entered into an agreement with the state in which the repository is located and with affected local governments and Indian tribes.
Vital Standardization of Thoughtful Administrative Techniques and Statistics Act of 2021 or the Vital STATS Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to commission a study from the National Academy of Medicine on coordination and standardization of vital-statistics reporting and data sharing between federal, state, and local agencies.
Federally Integrated Species Health Act or the FISH Act This bill gives the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) the sole authority to protect endangered or threatened species that are anadromous species (species of fish that spawn in fresh or estuarine waters and that migrate to ocean waters) or catadromous species (species of fish that spawn in ocean waters and migrate to fresh waters). Currently, the FWS shares this authority with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act of 2021 or the RISE Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, the Interior, Health and Human Services, and Transportation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation, and Environmental Protection Agency to provide support for research regarding COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or research disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Support may be used to provide supplemental funding to extend the duration of a grant to a research institution, national laboratory, or individual that was awarded prior to the enactment of this bill, or to expand the purposes of such a grant as specified; issue awards to research the effects of the current pandemic and potential future pandemics; and provide flexibility on awards to account for facility closures or other limitations during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Agencies must provide the support as rapidly as possible. Provided funds shall remain available through FY2021.
Protecting American Energy Jobs Act This bill limits the President's authority to prohibit or withdraw federal land or waters from energy production activities. Specifically, the bill requires the President and federal agencies to obtain the approval of Congress before prohibiting or substantially delaying certain new energy or mineral leases or permits on federal lands, including oil and gas leases, coal leases, hard rock leases, or critical minerals leases. In addition, the President and agencies must obtain the approval of Congress before withdrawing certain federal lands from mineral and geothermal leasing activities. Further, the bill repeals the President's authority to withdraw unleased lands on the outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing. The bill nullifies Executive Order 13990 titled Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis; Executive Order 14008 titled Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad; and the Department of the Interior's Secretarial Order 3395 concerning a temporary suspension of delegated authority to all of Interior's Bureaus and Offices, including the authority to approve leases.
Emergency Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2021 This bill allows, and provides funds for, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants and loans, as well as loan forgiveness, modification, and refinancing, to rural water, wastewater, or waste disposal facilities. Specifically, USDA may provide such assistance for purposes of ensuring public health, safety, and order and to address financial hardships, in particular those due to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator Act This bill establishes and capitalizes a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator. The independent, nonprofit accelerator must invest in clean energy technologies and infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The accelerator must make capital available to state, territorial, or local green banks. The banks must be public or nonprofit specialized finance entities that use finance tools to mitigate climate change. The accelerator may also provide technical assistance and funding to states and other political subdivisions that do not have green banks to establish such banks. When investing in projects that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, the accelerator must prioritize investments that serve climate-impacted communities (e.g., communities of color or low-income communities). In addition, the accelerator must explore the establishment of a program to provide low-interest and zero-interest loans, up to 30 years in length, to any school, metropolitan planning organization, or nonprofit organization seeking financing for the acquisition of zero-emissions vehicle fleets or associated infrastructure. Finally, the accelerator must explore the establishment of an accelerated clean energy transition program to (1) expedite the transition within the power sector to zero-emissions power generation facilities or assets, and (2) invest in local economic development in communities affected by this transition away from carbon-intensive facilities or assets.
This bill raises the borrowing limit of the Commodity Credit Corporation from $30 billion to $68 billion.
This resolution calls on the United States to recommit itself to the promotion of disability rights and to the values enshrined in the Prologue Room at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the dedication of the Prologue Room. The resolution recognizes the important work of the disability community, and the historic campaign championed by that community, that led to the expansion of the memorial to include a statue that clearly and visibly depicts President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheelchair. Finally, the resolution calls on the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation to continue to increase access to the memorial for individuals with disabilities and to support the development of accessible educational materials to ensure awareness is raised about the history of the memorial and disability rights.
This resolution expresses support for the goals of the International Decade for People of African Descent and calls on the United States, in cooperation with African descent communities and organizations, to develop strategies to combat racism domestically and globally.
Blue Collar Bonus Act of 2021 This bill allows a refundable income tax credit to supplement wages received by an individual taxpayer that are less than the median wage. The bill defines median wage as $16.50 per hour, increased by annual inflation adjustments beginning after 2021. The bill also provides for advance payments of the credit. The bill requires taxpayers to provide their Social Security account numbers on their tax returns to be eligible for the credit. The credit expires after 2023.
