Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning Act of 2021 or the SCHOOL Act of 2021 This bill allows certain federal funds for elementary and secondary education to follow the student to the school that they attend (i.e., public, private, or home school), regardless of whether the student is learning in person or remotely. These funds may be used for educational and instructional materials, tutoring, tuition for private school, and extracurricular activities.
Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act This bill revises requirements governing the management of endangered or threatened species, establishes a process to compensate land owners under certain circumstances, and removes protections for black vultures and ravens. The Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce must obtain the consent of each state for adding species to the list of threatened or endangered species when the species is present in the state. A state may regulate endangered or threatened species that are only present within the state. If a state elects to regulate them, it is given exclusive authority to manage them. State action with respect to such species is not subject to judicial review. Species are taken off the federal list after five years, but Interior may petition for the species to be relisted. The bill requires congressional approval before a species may be listed as endangered or threatened. The bill eliminates awards of attorney fees in citizen suits concerning endangered or threatened species. Owners or lessees of property may apply to Interior for a determination of whether a proposed property use will violate requirements governing endangered or threatened species. The use is deemed compliant if Interior fails to respond within 90 days. The owners and lessees may seek monetary compensation for unfavorable determinations. The bill removes migratory bird protections provided to black vultures and ravens in certain circumstances.
Safe Routes to All Schools Act This bill expands the safe route to school program of the Department of Transportation to high schools. Currently, the program is carried out for the benefit of children in primary and middle schools (schools providing education from kindergarten through eighth grade).
Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, commonly known as the Hello Girls , in recognition of their military service, devotion to duty, and 60-year struggle for veterans' benefits and recognition as soldiers.
Enhancing North Korea Humanitarian Assistance Act This bill addresses humanitarian concerns related to sanctions on North Korea. The Office of Foreign Assets Control shall take one or more specified actions relating to U.S. sanctions on North Korea, such as (1) expanding the current humanitarian exception to such sanctions to include items that meet basic human needs and are not subject to the Export Administration Regulations, or (2) exempting certain nonsensitive items for humanitarian operations from specific licensing requirements. For the purposes of such sanctions, personal computers for authorized humanitarian activities by nongovernmental organizations shall not be considered luxury goods. The Department of State shall direct the U.S. representative to the United Nations (UN) to urge the UN to (1) make it less burdensome for nongovernmental organizations to apply for humanitarian exemptions to UN sanctions on North Korea, and (2) speed up approval for such applications. The State Department shall devise a strategy to expedite and simplify the process for U.S. passport holders to obtain permission to travel to North Korea to provide humanitarian assistance.
Connecting America's Active Transportation System Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to carry out an active transportation investment program to provide competitive grants to state, local, and regional government entities, and Indian tribes to construct projects that connect walking and bicycling infrastructure within and between communities, metropolitan regions, or states. The bill sets forth various limitations on the use of funds by DOT, including that it must obligate at least 30% of funds to projects that connect people with public transportation, businesses, workplaces, schools, residences, recreation areas, and other community activity centers; set aside at least $3 million to provide planning grants for eligible entities; and set aside at least $2 million to cover the costs of administration, research, technical assistance, communications, and training activities under the program. The federal share of grants must not exceed 80% of the total project cost. However, DOT may increase the federal share to 100% for disadvantaged communities with a poverty rate of over 40%.
English Language Unity Act of 2021 This bill establishes English as the official language of the United States. It establishes a framework for implementation and enforcement, including by testing English as part of the naturalization process.
Tar Sands Tax Loophole Elimination Act This bill expands the definition of crude oil for purposes of the excise tax on petroleum and petroleum products to include any bitumen or bituminous mixture, any oil derived from a bitumen or bituminous mixture (tar sands), and any oil derived from kerogen-bearing sources (oil shale). The bill also authorizes the Department of the Treasury to classify as crude oil or as a petroleum product subject to such tax any fuel feedstock or finished fuel product transported by pipeline, vessel, railcar, or tanker truck if (1) such classification is consistent with the definition of oil under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, and (2) such fuel feedstock or finished fuel product is produced in sufficient commercial quantities as to pose a significant risk of hazard in the event of a discharge.
COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Data Transparency Act This bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to collect and report various information about detained individuals, including data on COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) testing. During the COVID-19-related declared public health emergency and for one year after, ICE, CBP, and ORR shall publicly post on a website certain data about its detention facilities, including COVID-19 testing numbers for detained individuals and detention facility staff, COVID-19 case outcomes, vaccinations, and COVID-19-related information about detained individuals who were released or removed from the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shall issue guidance as to the COVID-19-related data that ICE, CBP, and ORR must collect and report weekly to the CDC. The CDC shall periodically report to Congress a summary of this data and an analysis of the trends and pattern of the spread of the disease. ICE, CPB, and ORR shall ensure that each detained individual receives all medical records related to any COVID-19 test administered to the individual. ICE, CPB, and ORR shall also report to Congress on (1) the COVID-19 safety protocols in its facilities, and (2) information relating to their efforts to ensure that each detained individual has access to legal counsel. This bill's data collection and reporting requirements that apply to ICE, CPB, and ORR shall also apply to any contract facilities that they use to hold detained individuals.
Allied Burden Sharing Report Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to report to Congress on the contributions of allies to the common defense. Specifically, DOD must report on (1) the defense spending and military activities of certain countries with cooperative defense agreements with the United States, (2) whether a country places limits on the use of funds contributed to the common defense, and (3) any U.S. actions to minimize such limitations. The report shall cover each North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member state, each Gulf Cooperation Council member state, each country party to the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty), and other specified countries.
Speeding Therapy Access Today Act of 2021 This bill requires and authorizes various actions to accelerate the development of therapies for rare diseases. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall establish the Intercenter Institute on Rare Diseases and Conditions. The institute shall (1) coordinate engagement with relevant stakeholders, (2) build the FDA's expertise in the review of medical products to treat rare diseases, (3) coordinate regulatory science initiatives related to rare diseases, (4) establish and implement a program to make recommendations to address challenges associated with developing medical products to treat rare diseases in an individual or in very small populations, (5) convene a stakeholder meeting to consider potential amendments to labels for medical products to treat rare diseases, and (6) establish and carry out a program to facilitate voluntary communication between the sponsors of such medical products and third-party payers (e.g., insurance companies). The bill also authorizes the FDA to make grants to assist in developing practices related to the development and production of individualized therapies or therapies to treat very small populations. The bill also establishes an advisory committee to advise the FDA on issues related to the development of therapies to treat rare diseases.
Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE Safe Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21. Under the program, an apprentice must complete two probationary periods that total 400 hours of on-duty time, of which at least 240 hours must be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle. Additionally, the apprentice must be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver. Further, the bill requires all commercial motor vehicles used in the program for training to be equipped with safety technology such as active braking collision mitigation systems and video event capturing systems. An employer shall not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver under the age of 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the driver is participating in, or has completed, an apprenticeship program that meets the requirements set forth in this bill.
