Rep. Tony Cárdenas

Renewable Energy for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Act This bill addresses renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Specifically, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish a grant program under which USDA may award grants for renewable energy systems, energy efficiency activities, energy storage, smart grids, or microgrids. In addition, USDA may award grants to train residents of Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands to develop, construct, maintain, or operate renewable energy systems. The Department of Energy must ensure that its national laboratories offer to provide technical assistance to grant recipients. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on renewable energy and energy efficiency in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act This bill establishes resources and a program to address cybersecurity of elementary and secondary schools. First, the bill directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to establish an information exchange to disseminate information, best practices, training, and resources to improve cybersecurity in elementary and secondary schools. In addition, CISA must establish a registry to track cyber incidents affecting information technology systems that are owned or managed by schools and educational agencies. Schools and educational agencies may voluntarily submit information to the registry. Finally, the bill requires CISA to establish a program to address cybersecurity threats to school information systems.

Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2021 This bill exempts traditional large and premium cigars from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation and FDA-assessed user fees.

This bill requires health insurers to include expenditures for activities that address social determinants of health when calculating the proportion of premium revenues spent on clinical services and quality improvement (i.e., medical loss ratio).

This resolution expresses support for the efforts of health and wellness coaches.

Unsubscribe Act of 20 21 This bill requires that certain consumer protections are included in negative option agreements (i.e., an agreement under which a consumer's failure to take an affirmative action is considered approval to be charged for goods or services). These agreements are prohibited unless the terms provide the consumer with a way to cancel the agreement, in the same manner by which the agreement was entered, before incurring further or increased charges. Further, under free-to-pay conversion contracts, where a consumer is charged a nominal introductory rate and an increased rate after the introductory period ends, the provider of the good or service must require the consumer to perform an additional action, like clicking a confirmation button, before the increased rate takes effect. The bill also requires that certain notifications are provided to consumers in the context of other forms of negative option agreements online, such as notice between two and seven days before an automatic renewal. The bill provides for enforcement of these requirements by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.

This resolution recognizes the historical significance to the nation of Juneteenth Independence Day (commemorating the end of slavery in the United States).

Support UNFPA Funding Act This bill authorizes annual contributions to support the core functions and programs of the United Nations Population Fund for the five fiscal years following the bill's enactment.

Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2021 This bill makes various changes to the Federal Pell Grant program, including by expanding student eligibility for Pell Grants. The bill also revises student eligibility for federal student-aid programs. Specifically, the bill provides funding to increase the maximum Pell Grant award for each eligible student. Further, the bill requires the award amount to be adjusted for inflation. Next, the bill allows students who receive means-tested federal benefits (e.g., Medicaid) to automatically qualify for the maximum Pell Grant award plus an additional award amount. In addition, the bill moves the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant program into the Pell Grant program. Next, the bill raises from 12 to 18 the total number of semesters during which a student may receive a Pell Grant. The bill makes Dreamer students (i.e., students who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status) who entered the United States before the age of 18 and who meet certain educational criteria eligible for federal financial aid. The bill also revises satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal student-aid programs, including by allowing a student who has not been enrolled in an institution of higher education for two years to regain eligibility for federal student aid.

Sustainable Skies Act This bill allows a business-related tax credit through 2031 for each gallon of sustainable aviation fuel used by a taxpayer in the production of a qualified mixture (i.e., a mixture of sustainable aviation fuel and kerosene that is sold for use in certain U.S. aircraft). The bill generally defines sustainable aviation fuel as liquid fuel that consists of synthesized hydrocarbons, meets certain recognized international standards, is derived from biomass, waste streams, renewable energy sources, or gaseous carbon oxides, is not derived from palm fatty acid distillates, and achieves at least a 50% life cycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction in comparison with petroleum-based jet fuel. To be eligible for such credit, a taxpayer must meet certification requirements showing that the sustainable aviation fuel conforms with one of the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction tests set forth in this bill.