This resolution censures and condemns President Donald J. Trump for asking the Georgia Secretary of State on January 2, 2021, to overturn the Georgia results of the November 2020 presidential election. It further calls on President Trump to (1) retract and disavow this behavior, and (2) acknowledge President-elect Joseph R. Biden as the victor of the November 2020 presidential election.
Restructuring Environmentally Sound Pensions in Order to Negate Disaster Act of 2021 or the RESPOND Act of 2021 This bill addresses issues related to the impact of climate change on the economy, including federal retirement plans. The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board must establish an advisory panel on the economics of climate change to advise on how the board may invest in clean and renewable energy and make investments in a manner that helps ensure net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by 2050. The board must then assess whether implementing low-carbon investment strategies is profitable and consistent with its duties. If the board cannot implement such strategies, the bill establishes the Climate Choice Stock Index Fund as part of the Federal Employees Retirement System's Thrift Savings Plan. This fund is established as an investment portfolio that performs similarly to other plan index funds, but does not invest in fossil fuels. Finally, the Federal Reserve Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission must annually report on the economic costs of climate change.
Coronavirus Emergency Student Loan Refinancing Act This bill establishes a refinancing program for federal student loans. Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) must, within 30 days, establish a program that allows qualified borrowers to refinance their federal student loans down to lower interest rates. The refinanced interest rates are (1) calculated based on the type of student loan (e.g., Stafford), and (2) fixed for the period of the loan. In addition, the bill requires ED to establish eligibility requirements for the refinancing program based on income or debt-to-income ratio. ED must also coordinate with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to alert borrowers of their program eligibility.
Drone Integration and Zoning Act This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to prescribe regulations or standards related to unmanned aircraft systems. Among other requirements, the FAA must designate the area between 200 feet and 400 feet above ground level for use of civil unmanned aircraft systems; authorize, only with a property owner's permission, the operation of a civil unmanned aircraft in the immediate reaches of airspace above private property; preserve state, local, and tribal authority to issue certain reasonable restrictions on the operation of a civil unmanned aircraft system within 200 feet of the ground or a structure; and establish a process for the designation of routes above 200 feet of the ground as authorized commercial routes.
Chris Allen Multiemployer Pension Recapitalization and Reform Act of 2021 This bill makes various changes with respect to the administration of multiemployer pension plans. Among other provisions, the bill allows qualified multiemployer plans to apply for special partition assistance from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Partition assistance generally authorizes the PBGC to take financial responsibility for a portion of the liabilities of a plan at risk of insolvency. Subject to certain exceptions and conditions, special partition assistance expands eligibility for partition assistance and does not require plans to repay the amount of assistance received. The bill also revises the PBGC rules for determining whether a plan is insolvent and the procedures for terminating a plan that fails to meet certain standards. Additionally, the bill sets forth the discount rates used to estimate a plan's future benefit payment obligations, which affect an employer's minimum contribution to the plan. It also establishes a stable funding status and an unrestricted funding status and revises the criteria for plans that are in endangered, critical, and critical and declining statuses. Finally, the bill establishes rules for new composite plans. Composite plans provide annuity benefits to plan participants, establish fixed contributions from employers, and require realignment measures if the plan's projected funded ratio falls below 120%. A composite plan's projected funded ratio is the actuarial projection of the plan's assets compared to liabilities as of the first plan day of the 15th plan year following a given plan year.
Addressing Climate Financial Risk Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Climate Risk Advisory Committee that must consult with the Financial Stability Oversight Council of the Department of the Treasury regarding a report on the impact of climate risk on U.S. financial stability. Additionally, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the National Credit Union Administration must include climate risk in the guidance provided to a supervised financial institution.
End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2021 or ERRPA This bill establishes a framework to eliminate racial profiling at the federal, state, and local levels. Specifically, it requires federal law enforcement agencies to maintain policies and procedures to eliminate racial profiling, including training, data collection, and complaint procedures. State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies must maintain similar policies and procedures as a condition of receiving funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program and the Community Oriented Policing Services program. To enforce violations, the bill authorizes civil suits by the Department of Justice and affected individuals.
Broadband Reserve Fund Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Broadband Reserve Fund into which the proceeds from certain spectrum auctions must be deposited. The Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration may use the amounts in the fund if Congress specifically authorizes the spending. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress regarding the purposes for which amounts in the fund should be used, including (1) broadband deployment to unserved areas, (2) distance and remote learning, (3) securing the telecommunications supply chain, and (4) telehealth technologies.
Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2021 This bill establishes specified measures to combat forced organ harvesting and the international trafficking in persons for the purpose of removing their organs. These measures include (1) establishing property-blocking and visa-blocking sanctions, (2) prohibiting exports of certain surgery devices to entities that are identified as being responsible for forced organ harvesting or related human trafficking, and (3) requiring the Department of State to report on these practices.
Background Check Completion Act of 2021 This bill prohibits a licensed gun dealer from transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person prior to the completion of a background check. Current law permits a licensed gun dealer to transfer a firearm to an unlicensed person if a submitted background check remains incomplete after three business days.
Nuclear SLCM Ban Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the obligation or expenditure of Department of Defense or Department of Energy funds for FY2022, or any year thereafter, for the research and development, production, or deployment of the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile and its associated nuclear warhead.
Keeping Critical Connections Act of 2021 This bill provides funds with which the Federal Communications Commission shall reimburse small business broadband providers for costs incurred during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period to voluntarily (1) provide free or discounted service to students in need of distance learning capacity, or (2) refrain from disconnecting low-income households that cannot afford to make a full payment.
