Rep. Jim Costa

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct outreach to build awareness among former members of the Armed Forces of the process established for the review of discharge characterizations related to sexual orientation (i.e., on the basis of Don't Ask, Don't Tell or a similar policy). DOD must also provide for specified relief for former members of the Armed Forces who were impacted by the discharge characterizations and ensure that DOD oral historians review related facts and receive testimony from affected individuals.

National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum Act This bill designates the memorial and museum that is being constructed on an approximately 26-acre area on the POW-MIA Memorial Parkway in Jacksonville, Florida, as the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum. The director of the memorial and museum shall submit a report to Congress that includes a budget for the memorial and museum.

Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to take certain actions promoting the normalization of relations between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. Specifically, the State Department must develop a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords (the term used to refer collectively to agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain marking the public normalization of relations between the two Arab countries and Israel). The strategy must include a description of how the U.S. government will encourage further normalization of relations with Israel. In addition, the State Department must report on options for U.S. international efforts to promote the strengthening of ties between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The State Department must also report on the status of the normalization of relations with Israel, including information on (1) laws that punish individuals for people-to-people relations with Israelis (i.e., anti-normalization laws), and (2) evidence of steps taken by Arab governments toward permitting or encouraging normalized relations between their citizens or residents and Israeli citizens.

This resolution recognizes the cultural and historical significance of the Hmong New Year and wishes Hmong Americans and all individuals who observe this holiday a happy new year.

This resolution supports the designation of National Voter Registration Day.

Promoting Readiness and Ensuring Proper Active pharmaceutical ingredient Reserves of Essential medicines Act of 2021 or the PREPARE Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Reserve. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must annually publish a public list of essential generic medicines that are medically necessary to have available at all times. HHS must report and implement a plan to establish the reserve, which must be designed to minimize the impact of an interruption or reduction in imports of (1) key starting materials (including active pharmaceutical ingredients) for essential generic medicines, and (2) finished dosage forms of essential generic medicines for which key starting materials are not imported. The plan must also contain provisions to strengthen domestic capacity for active pharmaceutical ingredient production, storage, and conversion. Within one year of this bill's enactment, the plan must include at least 25 of the essential generic medicines on the required list. The plan must add at least 25 medicines each year until the full list is covered. HHS must prioritize domestically manufactured key starting materials for the reserve to the maximum extent possible. A manufacturer of an essential generic medicine that switches to an active pharmaceutical ingredient sourced through the reserve shall not have to update the approved application for that medicine. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing, including the time and costs needed to develop domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act This bill directs the Agricultural Marketing Service of the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to award grants to states or state departments of agriculture to provide support to agricultural fairs for losses sustained by such fairs due to COVID-19. As a condition of receiving a grant, recipients shall agree to (1) prioritize supporting agricultural fairs in the state facing the greatest financial hardship, and (2) use not more than 5% of grant funds for administrative costs incurred in providing support to agricultural fairs.

This resolution supports the designation of National Hispanic Nurses day and recognizes the contribution of these nurses to the U.S. health care system.

Veterans Jobs Opportunity Act This bill allows a new business-related tax credit for the start-up expenses of a veteran-owned small business in an underserved community. The allowable amount of such credit is 15% of start-up expenditures that do not exceed $50,000. To be eligible for the credit, the small business must (1) be owned and controlled by one or more veterans or their spouses, and (2) have its principal place of business in an underserved community. An underserved community is any area located within (1) a HUBZone (as defined by the Small Business Act), (2) an empowerment zone or an enterprise community, (3) an area of low income or moderate income (as recognized by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council), or (4) a county with persistent poverty (as classified by the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture).

This resolution supports the designation of National Clean Energy Week.