Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Trillion Trees Act This bills establishes a variety of requirements and incentives to plant trees and conduct other land management practices for the purposes of capturing and storing carbon in domestic and international trees and forests. Additionally, the bill provides incentives to research or develop other carbon sequestration tools. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to set targets to increase forest carbon stock through January 1, 2100, for the purposes of sequestering and storing carbon in U.S. forests. It also establishes and provides funding for the Trillion Trees Challenge Fund to provide grants to nonfederal entities for activities related to reforestation efforts on public or private lands. In addition, it raises the cap on the Reforestation Trust Fund to enhance forest health in the National Forest System and requires the USDA to establish a Tree City USA Grant Program. The bill also allows the U.S. Agency for International Development to enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization to establish an International Forest Foundation to promote reforestation and prevent deforestation. Additionally, it establishes requirements and incentives to address seedling shortages and support nurseries. Finally, the bill provides market incentives to research or develop other carbon sequestration tools relating to biochar, sustainable building practices, biochemical and bioplastic products, and biomass energy.

Flexible Financing for Rural America Act This bill allows rural utility service providers to submit to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a request to adjust the interest rate or modify the terms of certain loans. The request shall include a report summarizing how the adjustment or modification will assist the borrower in providing critical utility services to a rural community. Specifically, on receipt of a request, USDA or the Department of the Treasury (in the case of a loan owned by the Federal Financing Bank) must adjust the interest rate on the loan to match certain interest rates for obligations of comparable maturity to the term remaining on the loan (or a higher rate requested by the borrower), and make modifications to the loan terms as necessary to address changes in the financial position of the borrower due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and to promote the financial sustainability of the borrower. In carrying out the adjustments or modifications, USDA or Treasury shall not impose or collect any fee from, or impose any penalty on, a borrower. The bill also provides funding to implement the adjustments and modifications and for the liquidation of residual intragovernmental amounts owed by the Federal Financing Bank in connection with certain loans.

This resolution condemns Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts for certain comments regarding Israel. It also expresses that Representative Ocasio-Cortez, Representative Tlaib, Representative Omar, and Representative Pressley each be censured.

Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021 This bill makes physical therapists eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. This program assists primary care, mental health, and dental providers in repaying eligible student loans in exchange for working in areas with shortages of such providers.

This joint resolution recognizes and affirms the sovereign and unilateral authority of states to defend themselves against invasion.

Military Education and Values Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to issue guidance prohibiting the use of any education or training methodology within DOD and the Armed Forces that promotes or causes a racial divide or lack of equality. Such guidance must also reiterate that members of the Armed Forces of all races will be treated equally and update service members on the core tenets of the U.S. military. DOD must report on the status of critical race-theory and other race-based training education methodologies in the Armed Forces.

Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution Act or the SELF DRIVE Act This bill establishes the federal role in ensuring the safety of highly automated vehicles by encouraging the testing and deployment of such vehicles. A highly automated vehicle is a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, that is equipped with an automated driving system capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis. The bill preempts states from enacting laws regarding the design, construction, or performance of highly automated vehicles or automated driving systems unless such laws enact standards identical to federal standards. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must require safety assessment certifications for the development of a highly automated vehicle or an automated driving system. Manufacturers of highly automated vehicles must develop written cybersecurity and privacy plans for such vehicles prior to offering them for sale. The bill applies certain safety exemptions and testing standards to highly automated vehicles. DOT must (1) inform prospective buyers of highly automated vehicles of the capabilities and limitations of such vehicles; (2) establish the Highly Automated Vehicle Advisory Council to, among other things, develop guidance regarding mobility access for the disabled, elderly, and underserved populations; (3) require all new passenger motor vehicles less than 10,000 pounds to be equipped with a rear seat occupant alert system; and (4) research updated safety standards for motor vehicle headlamps.

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report analyzing the impact on global COVID-19 vaccine access of a waiver of certain obligations held by nations who are members of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. (India and South Africa previously submitted a petition to suspend all intellectual property rights associated with COVID-19 innovations, such as vaccines.) Based on this report, the U.S. Trade Representative must oppose such elimination or waiver with respect to COVID-19 vaccines if HHS determines that the elimination or waiver will not materially increase global vaccine access or that it will have a negative impact on specified factors relating to access to, manufacture of, and investment in COVID-19 vaccines.

Patient Access to Urgent-Use Pharmacy Compounding Act of 2021 This bill relaxes certain requirements for compounding drugs that are facing shortages. Drug compounding is the process of mixing or otherwise altering drugs to create a medication. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows for drug compounding subject to certain requirements. Generally a licensed pharmacist or physician not registered with the FDA may only compound drugs in limited quantities for prescriptions for a specific individual patient. On the other hand, an FDA-registered outsourcing facility may compound drugs in bulk for use in medical facilities but is subject to additional requirements. This bill allows a compounder not registered with the FDA to compound drugs in limited quantities for urgent medical need not involving a specific patient if, among other things, (1) the prescriber certifies that they are unable to obtain, despite reasonable attempts, certain related drugs with the same active ingredient and route of administration; (2) the compounded drug meets certain labeling requirements, including an indication that the compounded drug is provided only for urgent administration to a patient; and (3) the compounder requests and maintains certain records about patients receiving the compounded drug. Furthermore, a restriction against an unregistered compounder regularly compounding (or compounding inordinate amounts of) what is essentially a copy of a commercially available drug shall not apply if the drug is on a shortage list maintained by the FDA or the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists.

This resolution expresses support for Israel's efforts of self-determination and collective security against external forces, recognizes Jerusalem as the legitimate capital city of Israel, and condemns actions by Hamas against the people of Israel.