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.
Stop Sewage Overflow Act This bill extends through FY2030 and revises a grant program that addresses stormwater and sewer overflows into rivers or other water bodies. Under the existing program, the Environmental Protection Agency awards grants to states, which in turn provide subgrants for projects that address the infrastructure needs for municipal combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, and stormwater management. The bill reduces the share of the cost of grant projects that financially distressed communities must pay, increases the minimum allocation for green infrastructure and other environmentally innovative activities, and prioritizes grant assistance for municipalities with high levels of sewage in rivers, lakes, and bays.
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2021 This bill allows a physical therapist to receive payment under Medicare for services provided to the physical therapist's patients by another physical therapist through a qualifying temporary arrangement, regardless of the geographic area or population served. Currently, physical therapists may only receive payment with respect to such arrangements for services provided in medically underserved, rural, or health professional shortage areas.
Promoting Infrastructure by Protecting Our Subcontractors and Taxpayers Act This bill revises the transportation infrastructure finance and innovation program to require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that the design and construction of a project carried out under the program must have appropriate payment and performance security, regardless of whether the obligor is a state, local government, agency or instrumentality of a state or local government, public authority, or private party. DOT may accept such payment and performance security requirements if it makes a written determination that the federal interest is adequately protected.
Donald Payne Sr. Colorectal Cancer Detection Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment, subject to specified frequency limits, of certain colorectal cancer screening blood-based tests.
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021 This bill allows additional hospitals to qualify as critical access hospitals (CAHs) that receive special payment under Medicare. Currently, in order to qualify as a CAH under Medicare, a hospital must either (1) be located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in mountainous regions or areas with only secondary roads) from another hospital, or (2) have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, by the state as a necessary provider of services in the area. The bill allows a hospital to also qualify if the hospital is a small, rural hospital that (1) serves a health professional shortage area, or a high number of low-income individuals or Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries; (2) has experienced financial losses for two consecutive years; and (3) attests to having a strategic plan to address financial solvency. In addition, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation must test a new delivery and payment model for rural hospitals that promotes financially sustainable access to care and must establish a corresponding transition process for CAHs.
