Rep. Debbie Lesko

Fair and Open Competition Act or the FOCA Act This bill prohibits federal construction contracts or controlling documents for federally supported construction projects from requiring or prohibiting project labor agreements. Such documents also may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder or contractor who signs or refuses to sign a project labor agreement. An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.

American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2021 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures scheduled to begin in 2022, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.

Acre In, Acre Out Act This bill prescribes a new requirement for any acquisition of land by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture that would result in a net increase of total land acreage under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or the Forest Service. The department concerned must offer for sale an equal number of acres of federal land that is under the same jurisdictional status. The bill exempts from this requirement any easements acquired to facilitate management of federal lands. Land sold pursuant to this bill shall be offered for sale at fair market value (based on local comparable sales), with monthly price reductions if the land is not sold in six months. All net proceeds from the sale of federal lands pursuant to this bill shall be deposited directly into the Treasury for reduction of the public debt.

Saving America's Energy Future Act This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior from declaring a moratorium on issuing new oil and gas leases and drill permits on certain federal lands. In addition, the bill prohibits the departments from declaring a moratorium on renewals of such permits.

Eliminate Agency Excess Space Act This bill modifies requirements with respect to the disposal of surplus and excess property by federal agencies. Among other things, the bill repeals provisions that require federal agencies to report excess property to the General Services Administration (GSA). Additionally, the GSA must issue regulations that allow federal agencies to dispose of surplus and excess property without first making the property available to other agencies or state or local governments. The bill also requires the GSA to survey all unused or underutilized office spaces held by federal agencies, make recommendations to reduce agency real estate assets, and report on costs associated with property disposal.

Iran Nuclear Verification Act This bill prohibits the United States from becoming a party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or any other agreement with Iran that relates to Iran's nuclear program until the President makes certain certifications. The JCPOA is an agreement, signed by Iran and several other world powers (including the United States), that places restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for certain sanctions relief. The United States withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018. The United States may not become a party to any such agreement until the President certifies to Congress that United Nations nuclear inspectors are allowed full access to all of Iran's nuclear facilities, and that they have completed their comprehensive report relating to those facilities.

Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal commemorating the bravery and endurance of the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis. Following its award, the medal shall be given to the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution for display and research. The Department of the Treasury must strike duplicate medals in silver for presentation to a hostage (or the personal representative of a deceased hostage), and Treasury may also strike and sell duplicate medals in bronze.

Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to submit a report on tracking Form 299 requests. Form 299 is the application form for the right to install, construct, modify, or maintain a communications facility on federal real property. Such report must include (1) a plan describing how the NTIA will track a Form 299 submitted by a requesting party, (2) a description of how the NTIA would most expeditiously implement such plan, (3) a way to increase transparency to a requesting party on the status of a Form 299, and (4) an assessment of barriers that could delay implementation of the plan.

Connecting And Building Lines for Expedited Expansion Act or the CABLE Expansion Act This bill modifies the requirements governing decisions about the placement, construction, or modification of a facility that provides cable service to subscribers using an easement or public right-of-way. A franchise authority (i.e., a state or local entity that regulates certain aspects of cable operators) may not regulate the placement, construction, or modification of such facilities in a manner that effectively prohibits a cable operator from providing or enhancing its service under a franchise granted by the authority. Additionally, a franchise authority must approve or deny a complete request to place, construct, or modify a facility within specified time frames. The denial of a request must be in writing, supported by substantial evidence contained in a written record, and publicly released at the same time as the decision is made.

Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act This bill establishes measures to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry. Specifically, the bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish an interagency working group to develop recommendations for addressing these workforce needs. The FCC must also establish and issue guidance on how states can meet the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry, including guidance on how a state workforce development board can (1) utilize federal resources available to meet telecommunications industry workforce needs; and (2) promote and improve recruitment in qualified industry-led workforce development programs, including the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program. The Government Accountability Office must submit to Congress a report that estimates the number of skilled telecommunications workers that will be required to build and maintain (1) broadband infrastructure in rural areas, and (2) the 5G wireless infrastructure needed to support 5G wireless technology.