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 that is more than 10,000 pounds, and a single unit truck for which the bottom of the carriage is greater than 22 inches above the ground and that is more than 10,000 pounds. 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.
Department of State Student Internship Program Act This bill requires the Department of State to establish the Department of State Student Internship Program to offer paid internship opportunities at the State Department to raise awareness of the role of diplomacy in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. Participants must be enrolled at an institution of higher education (IHE) and able to receive and hold an appropriate security clearance. The State Department must pay participating interns a specified amount, as well as provide housing and travel assistance. The State Department may also enter agreements with IHEs to ensure these internships satisfy criteria for the academic programs in which participants are enrolled. Additionally, the State Department must transition all of its unpaid internship programs to internship programs that offer compensation.
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2021 This bill expands Medicare coverage of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity. Specifically, the bill allows coverage for therapy that is provided by (1) a physician who is not a primary care physician; or (2) other health care providers (e.g., physician assistants and nurse practitioners) and approved counseling programs, if provided upon a referral from, and in coordination with, a physician or primary care practitioner. Currently, such therapy is covered only if provided by a primary care practitioner. The bill also allows coverage under Medicare's prescription drug benefit of drugs used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss management for individuals who are overweight.
Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction In the Nation Act or the NOPAIN Act This bill temporarily establishes separate payments for certain non-opioid treatments under the Medicare prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services and the payment system for ambulatory surgical center services. The bill applies to pain management treatments that are able to replace or reduce opioid consumption, as shown through clinical trials or data.
VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 This bill adds a new source of revenue for the Crime Victims Fund and makes changes to formula grants supported by the fund. Specifically, the bill directs revenues collected from deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements to be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. Currently, such revenues are deposited into the general fund of the Treasury. Additionally, the bill increases the percentage—from 60% to 75%—of state compensation payments to crime victims in the prior fiscal year used to calculate formula grants for state victim compensation programs. Finally, the bill directs states to waive the matching requirement for recipients of state victim assistance formula grants during and for one year after a pandemic-related national emergency. It also allows states to waive the matching requirement pursuant to a policy established by the state.
Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2021 This bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to approve or deny applications for facilities, such as liquefied natural gas terminals, to export natural gas from the United States to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries.
Tribal Internet Expansion Act of 2021 This bill extends to Indian reservations, dependent Indian communities, Indian allotments, and areas with high populations of Indians the universal service principle that telecommunications and information services in rural, insular, and high cost areas should be available at rates that are reasonably comparable to urban areas.
Improving Access to Alternative Pain Management Act This bill allows psychological evaluation requirements for Medicare coverage of specified neurostimulation services to be met via telehealth. The bill also expands Medicare coverage to include such telehealth services.
Nuclear Licensing Efficiency Act This bill revises the permitting and licensing process for nuclear production or utilization facilities. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must follow specified procedures when reviewing an application for an early site permit, construction permit, operating license, or combined construction permit and operating license for a nuclear production or utilization facility. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on the effects of eliminating mandatory hearings for uncontested licensing and construction permit applications under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The bill revises the composition of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, and provides specific timelines for the committee to complete its review for a construction permit or an operating license for a nuclear facility. The bill also places a limit on the amount of annual fees that may be charged to a nuclear fuel facility, with specified exceptions.
Modernize Nuclear Reactor Environmental Reviews Act This bill directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to report on its efforts to facilitate efficient, timely environmental reviews of nuclear reactors through expanded use of categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and generic environmental impact statements in lieu of environmental impact statements as required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The commission must promulgate a final rule to (1) establish an optional generic environmental impact statement that may be used in the licensing process for nuclear reactors, and (2) eliminate or modify the list of actions that require environmental impact statements.
Methane Emissions Reduction Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to carry out a program to reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during oil and natural gas production activities.
Securing America's Critical Minerals Supply Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to conduct ongoing assessments of and secure any energy resource that (1) is essential to the energy sector and energy systems of the United States, and (2) has a supply chain which is vulnerable to disruption.
