Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act of 2021 This bill allows a tax credit for a portion of a taxpayer's expenses for eldercare. The credit applies to expenses to care for certain relatives or members of the taxpayer's household who have attained the age of 65 and require assistance with activities of daily living. Eldercare expense include amounts paid for: medical care, lodging away from home, adult day services, personal care, respite care, assistive technologies and devices (including remote health monitoring), environmental modifications (including home modifications), and counseling or training for a caregiver. The amount of eldercare expenses incurred during any year that may be taken into account for the credit may not exceed $6,000.
All Dependents Count Act of 2021 This bill extends the 2020 recovery rebates of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to all taxpayer dependents.
States Achieve Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021 or the SAME Act of 2021 This bill provides an enhanced federal matching rate to every state that expands Medicaid coverage for individuals who are newly eligible under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Under current law, the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) is equivalent to 100% in 2014 through 2016, 95% in 2017, 94% in 2018, 93% in 2019, and 90% thereafter. The bill retains this enhanced FMAP, but bases it on a term of years rather than on specific dates. The bill applies retroactively.
Senior Corps Distance Volunteering Act This bill directs the Corporation for National and Community Service to establish an online service platform to connect volunteers in the National Senior Service Corps with service projects, and enable the volunteers to carry out distance volunteering on an online network. The corporation shall provide outreach services to promote the platform, including outreach to institutions of higher education, the Department of Veterans Affairs for mentorship projects, and state and local governments for community engagement projects.
Emergency Family Stabilization Act This bill establishes a competitive grant program within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) for family stabilization agencies to provide emergency relief to children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. These agencies include current ACF grantees or subgrantees, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other organizations with expertise providing direct services to those experiencing homelessness. Recipients may use grant funds for, among other purposes, personnel costs, personal protective equipment, and other supplies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), as well as payments for security deposits and other housing-related needs. Additionally, the ACF must award the grants based on factors including the need for the services in the area served by the agency and specified allocation and prioritization requirements.
United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2021 This bill repeals the trade embargo on Cuba and other provisions restricting trade and travel to Cuba. Specifically, the bill (1) removes restrictions on certain transactions related to trademarks used in connection with a confiscated business or asset, (2) extends nondiscriminatory trade treatment to Cuban products, and (3) prohibits and rescinds limits on remittances to Cuba. The bill authorizes common carriers to provide telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba. In addition, travel by U.S. citizens and residents to Cuba may not be regulated or prohibited if such travel would be lawful in the United States. The President shall take all necessary steps to engage with Cuba to (1) negotiate settlements relating to claims that Cuba had taken the property of U.S. nationals, and (2) secure the protection of internationally recognized human rights. The President may, with respect to Cuba, impose new export controls and exercise powers related to declared national emergencies. The President must submit a specified determination about a foreign country to Congress prior to denying an income tax credit for taxes paid to the foreign country.
Supporting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Act This bill provides FY2021 supplemental appropriations for grants to assist states in providing special education and related services to children with disabilities and for specified early childhood education programs for children with disabilities. Additionally, the bill specifies reporting requirements related to the use of these funds. It also requires the Department of Education to publish on its website, and the Department of Health and Human Services to release, certain expenditure reports related to these funds. The amounts provided by the bill are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (PAYGO) and the Senate PAYGO rule.
Financial Defense for Industrial Contractors Act or the FDIC Act This bill requires the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to begin proceedings for terminating the insured status of large depository institutions that deny banking services to federal contractors that otherwise qualify for such services.
Dream Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel removal and grant lawful permanent resident status on a conditional basis to an alien who is inadmissible or deportable or is in temporary protected status who (1) has been continuously physically present in the United States for four years preceding this bill's enactment, (2) was younger than 18 years of age on the initial date of U.S. entry, (3) is not inadmissible on various grounds such as those related to crime or security, and (4) has fulfilled specified educational requirements. DHS shall cancel the removal of, and adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on a conditional basis, an alien who was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status unless the alien has engaged in conduct that would make the alien ineligible for DACA. DHS shall remove the conditional basis of the permanent resident status granted under this bill if the alien meets various requirements, such as (1) maintaining residence in the United States, and (2) acquiring a degree from an institution of higher education or serving in the uniformed services. DHS may not disclose or use information provided in applications filed under this bill or in DACA requests for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill repeals a restriction barring states from providing higher education benefits to undocumented aliens unless those benefits are available to all U.S. citizens.
Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2021 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow for the personal importation of prescription drugs from Canada in certain instances. Such a drug must (1) be purchased from an approved Canadian pharmacy and dispensed by a pharmacist licensed in Canada; (2) be purchased by an individual for personal use only and in quantities not to exceed a 90-day supply; (3) be filled using a valid prescription from a physician licensed in a U.S. state; and (4) have the same active ingredients, route of administration, dosage form, and strength as an FDA-approved drug. Certain types of drugs may not be imported under this program, such as controlled substances, biological products, or intravenously injected drugs. An approved pharmacy under this program must be located and licensed in Canada and meet additional requirements, such as participation in ongoing and comprehensive quality assurance programs. The FDA shall publish a list of approved Canadian pharmacies on a website.
COVID-19 Whistleblower Protection Act This bill establishes whistleblower protections for government contractors and private sector workers who may witness waste, fraud, or abuse or be victims of misconduct with respect to a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic-related program, project, or activity. Specifically, employers may not discharge, demote, or otherwise discriminate against such protected individuals who disclose information concerning fraud, misuse, or other misconduct related to COVID-19 program funds. A protected individual may submit to the Department of Labor a complaint alleging a violation of these protections and Labor may adjudicate such complaints and award relief in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service whistleblower procedures.
Assuring that Robust, Thorough, and Informed Congressional Leadership is Exercised Over National Emergencies Act or the ARTICLE ONE Act This bill terminates a declaration of national emergency made by the President after 30 days unless Congress votes to extend the declaration. (Currently, Congress can cancel an emergency declaration only by passing a resolution that can withstand a presidential veto.) The bill establishes procedures for congressional review of declarations of national emergencies. The President shall (1) transmit specified information to Congress with any proclamation declaring or renewing a national emergency, including a description of the circumstances necessitating the declaration or renewal of a national emergency declaration and its estimated duration; and (2) report periodically on the status of the emergency.
