Rep. Bob Gibbs

This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses and is not in the best interest of the United States.

Combatting COVID Unemployment Fraud Act of 2021 This bill requires additional documentation for individuals seeking pandemic unemployment assistance, requires state unemployment agencies to use designated fraud prevention tools, and otherwise addresses pandemic-related unemployment benefits.

This bill eliminates federal pandemic unemployment compensation on May 31, 2021. Under current law, this supplementary compensation is available to claimants in participating states until September 6, 2021.

Contents of Our Character Act of 2021 This bill prohibits agencies from using federal funds to conduct or promote specified workplace training related to race or sex.

Defund the Wuhan Institute of Virology Act This bill prohibits making federal funds available to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on federal funds given to the institute over the past 15 years. The report must list any such funds that the institute provided to the Chinese government, the Chinese Communist Party, or affiliates of these entities.

COVID-19 Origin Act of 2021 This bill requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to declassify all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of COVID-19. The ODNI shall submit to Congress an unclassified report containing such information, with redactions only as necessary to protect sources and methods.

Providing Assistance for Vital Enhancements Act or the PAVE Act This bill provides FY2021 supplemental appropriations to the Department of Transportation for providing emergency assistance to states with transportation projects and activities. Funds may be used for certain projects that are otherwise eligible for funding through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program (e.g., construction of highways, bridges, and tunnels and some transit capital projects). Funds may also be used for administrative and operating expenses, including employee salaries. Additionally, the federal share of the funds shall be up to 100% (at the election of the recipient) and shall be available for any nonfederal share of other transportation grants, programs, and projects. The bill designates the funding as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. Additionally, the amounts provided by the bill are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (PAYGO) and the Senate PAYGO rule. (This exempts the budget effects from being counted for the purposes of enforcing the PAYGO rules.)

Save Local Business Act This bill provides that a person may be considered a joint employer in relation to an employee under federal labor law only if such person directly, actually, and immediately (and not in a limited and routine manner) exercises significant control over the essential terms and conditions of employment. Such control may by demonstrated by hiring and discharging employees, determining individual employee rates of pay and benefits, day-to-day supervision of employees, assigning individual work schedules, positions, and tasks, and administering employee discipline.

Fauci's Incompetence Requires Early Dismissal Act or the FIRED Act This bill retroactively prohibits an individual from serving as the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for more than 12 years.

Reducing Unnecessary Regulations on Agricultural Lands Act or the RURAL Act This bill modifies requirements governing the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency or states from requiring permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System for discharges of pesticides into navigable waters if the pesticides are (1) registered, (2) used for their intended purposes, and (3) used in compliance with their pesticide label requirements. The bill establishes exemptions from this prohibition.