Rep. Debbie Dingell

Exposing Discrimination in Higher Education Act This bill requires the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to publish prominently on its website the names of the institutions of higher education (IHEs) that request, and the names of the IHEs that receive, religious exemptions from the prohibition on sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. It also requires an IHE that requests, receives, exercises, or intends to exercise such a religious exemption to publish prominently on its website certain information with respect to such exemption.

Mature Technology Node Resiliency and Manufacturing Act of 2021 This bill provides $2 billion in FY2022 funds for the Department of Commerce to give financial assistance that incentivizes investment in semiconductor facilities and equipment at mature technology nodes. (A technology node is a specific semiconductor manufacturing process and its design rules.) This assistance shall be provided to certain entities with a demonstrated ability to substantially finance, construct, expand, or modernize a semiconductor facility. Such entities must also (1) provide equipment or materials or operate at mature technology nodes, and (2) commit to using federal financial assistance received pursuant to the bill to increase semiconductor production at such nodes. Commerce must prioritize entities that support the resiliency of the semiconductor supply chain for critical manufacturing industries in the United States.

Close the Medigap Act of 2021 This bill (1) expands guaranteed issue rights with respect to Medigap policies (Medicare supplemental health insurance policies), (2) eliminates certain limitations on Medigap policies for newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and (3) modifies other provisions related to Medigap policies. (Guaranteed issue rights require that a policy be offered to any eligible applicant without regard to health status.)

Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People Everywhere To Excel Act or the RECOMPETE Act This bill establishes a grant program to assist economically distressed local communities and labor markets that meet specified economic criteria, including employment criteria. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) must award 10-year grants to a local government, tribal government, economic development district, or consortium of local government units located in such areas. Each grant recipient must develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to address the economic challenges specific to the area. The grants may be used to increase employment opportunities, increase local per capita income, support economic development, and develop infrastructure and housing. Additionally, the EDA must periodically evaluate each grant recipient based on certain benchmark criteria and annually report on the implementation of the program. The bill specifies formulas for determining the grant amount for each community or market and the federal share of the cost of each program or activity conducted under the program.

United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act of 2021 This bill establishes restrictions on businesses that relocate call centers or redirect customer service calls to locations outside the United States. Specifically, a business must notify the Department of Labor that it intends to move its customer service call center overseas and Labor must maintain a publicly available list of such businesses. Subject to narrow exceptions, a business appearing on such list is ineligible to receive federal grants or guaranteed loans for five years after the business is added to the list. Further, agencies must condition the awarding of government contracts on the requirement that any call center activity pursuant to the contract must be performed in the United States. Additionally, the bill requires call center employees to disclose their physical location at the beginning of each call initiated or received, unless all employees of the business participating in the communication are located in the United States, among other exceptions.

PFAS Action Act of 2021 This bill establishes requirements and incentives to limit the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, and remediate PFAS in the environment. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain PFAS, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate the PFAS perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as a hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, thereby requiring remediation of releases of those PFAS into the environment. Within five years, the EPA must determine whether the remaining PFAS should be designated as hazardous substances. The EPA must publish human health water quality criteria under the Clean Water Act for each measurable PFAS and class of such substances and establish standards to limit discharges of PFAS from industrial sources into waters of the United States. In addition, the EPA must issue a national primary drinking water regulation for PFAS that, at a minimum, includes standards for PFOA and PFOS. Among other requirements, the EPA must also issue a final rule adding PFOA and PFOS to the list of hazardous air pollutants, test all PFAS for toxicity to human health, and regulate the disposal of materials containing PFAS. The EPA must also require PFAS manufacturers to submit analytical reference standards for PFAS. The EPA and states may use those standards for (1) the development of information, protocols, and methodologies, and (2) activities relating to the implementation of enforcement of requirements. Finally, the bill provides incentives to address PFAS, such as grants to help community water systems treat water contaminated by PFAS and grants to schools for testing and filtrating PFAS from drinking water.

VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 This bill adds a new source of revenue for the Crime Victims Fund and makes changes to formula grants supported by the fund. Specifically, the bill directs revenues collected from deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements to be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. Currently, such revenues are deposited into the general fund of the Treasury. Additionally, the bill increases the percentage—from 60% to 75%—of state compensation payments to crime victims in the prior fiscal year used to calculate formula grants for state victim compensation programs. Finally, the bill directs states to waive the matching requirement for recipients of state victim assistance formula grants during and for one year after a pandemic-related national emergency. It also allows states to waive the matching requirement pursuant to a policy established by the state.

Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Commerce to assist trusted companies (i.e., companies determined to pose no national security threat) and relevant stakeholders with participation in organizations that set standards for telecommunications, wireless devices, and related equipment.

Consumer Protection and Recovery Act This bill authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to seek monetary relief in federal court from businesses that engage in unlawful commercial practices such as false advertising, consumer fraud, and anticompetitive conduct. Specifically, the FTC may seek restitution in these cases for losses, rescission or reformation of contracts, refund of money, return of property, or disgorgement of unjust enrichment. On April 22, 2021, the Supreme Court held in AMG Capital Management, LLC v. Federal Trade Commission that the Federal Trade Commission Act does not authorize the FTC to seek, or a court to award, such relief.

This resolution supports the designation of a Muslim-American Heritage Month. The resolution also honors the contributions and integral role of Muslim Americans in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.