Jerry Lewis VA Clinic Act This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Redlands, California, as the Jerry Lewis Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic or the Jerry Lewis VA Clinic.
This concurrent resolution recognizes the disparity between wages paid to Latina women, and its impact on women, families, and the nation and reaffirms Congress' commitment to supporting equal pay and to narrowing the gender wage gap.
Caring for Survivors Act of 2021 This bill increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill also adjusts the amount payable to surviving spouses and children of veterans who were rated as totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death.
Environmental Justice Act of 2021 This bill requires agencies to address and mitigate the disproportionate impact of environmental and human health hazards on communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities resulting from agencies' programs and policies. The bill also requires agencies to address cumulative impacts of pollution in permitting decisions and expands the types of legal actions available to individuals regarding charges of federal discriminatory practices. Specifically, the bill provides statutory authority for a variety of existing programs, executive orders, federal guidance, and committees concerning environmental justice, including Executive Order 12898; a guidance issued in 1997 by the Council on Environmental Quality titled Environmental Justice Guidance Under the National Environmental Policy Act ; a guidance issued in 2016 by the Environmental Protection Agency titled EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes: Guidance for Discussing Tribal Treaty Rights ; the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council; the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program; and the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program. In addition, the bill requires agencies renewing or issuing specified permits under the Clean Water Act or the Clean Air Act to consider the cumulative impacts of pollution. The bill also allows individuals to bring actions under the Civil Rights Act against entities that receive federal assistance and engage in discriminatory practices that have a disparate impact. Currently, individuals must request that federal agencies bring such actions on their behalf.
Stop Hate Crimes Act of 2021 This bill lowers the statutory burden of proof for showing intent with respect to a federal hate crime offense. Current law makes it unlawful to willfully cause bodily injury, or attempt to do so using a dangerous weapon, because of the actual or perceived protected characteristic (e.g., race) of a person. In 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held that the because of standard requires proof that a person's actual or perceived protected characteristic was the sole motivating factor in the offense. This bill replaces the because of standard with a new standard. Specifically, willfully causing bodily injury, or attempting to do so using a dangerous weapon, is a hate crime offense if a person's actual or perceived protected characteristic was a contributory motivating factor in the offense.
Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act of 2021 or the EACH Act of 2021 This bill requires federal health care programs to provide coverage for abortion services and requires federal facilities to provide access to those services. The bill also permits qualified health plans to use funds attributable to premium tax credits and reduced cost sharing assistance to pay for abortion services.
Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2021 This bill authorizes advance appropriations for several covered appropriations accounts of (1) the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education within the Department of the Interior, and (2) the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. The advance appropriations provide new budget authority that first becomes available for the first fiscal year after the budget year. The covered accounts within the Bureau of Indian Affairs are (1) Operation of Indian Programs, (2) Contract Support Costs, (3) the Indian Guaranteed Loan Program, (4) Construction, and (5) Payments for Tribal Leases. The covered accounts within the Bureau of Indian Education are (1) Operation of Indian Education Programs, and (2) Education Construction. The covered accounts within the Indian Health Service are (1) Indian Health Services, (2) Contract Support Costs, (3) Payments for Tribal Leases, and (4) Indian Health Facilities. The bill also requires the President's budget and the supporting documents submitted to Congress to include detailed estimates related to the advance appropriations.
This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
Hispanic Military Officers Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the reasons for the low number of Hispanic officers and members of the Armed Forces in leadership positions and recommendations to increase those numbers.
Military Service Academy Hispanic Representation Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the reasons for the low number of Hispanic cadets and midshipmen at the military service academies and recommendations to increase those numbers.
