This resolution supports the designation of National Clean Energy Week.
No Militarization of Space Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop and report on a plan to transfer all authorities, duties, functions, missions, personnel, units, facilities, and assets from the Space Force to the appropriate commands of the Armed Forces. As soon as practicable after such report is submitted and no later than one year after the enactment of this bill, DOD must abolish the Space Force as an armed force within the Department of the Air Force. During the period preceding the abolishment of the Space Force, DOD is prohibited from transferring any authorities, duties, functions, missions, personnel, units, facilities, or assets from another armed force to the Space Force. Any authorities, duties, functions, missions, personnel, units, facilities, and assets of the Space Force must be transferred to the Air Force Space Command (or other applicable command) upon the abolishment of the Space Force.
Securing the Rights our Veterans Earned Act or the SERVE Act This bill provides eligibility for specified Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to former members of the Armed Forces who were separated or discharged (honorably or otherwise) by reason of sexual orientation or gender identity.
2020 WHIP+ Reauthorization Act This bill expands disaster indemnity programs through which the Department of Agriculture provides payments to agricultural producers for crop and milk losses resulting from hurricanes, wildfires, and other qualifying natural disasters. In particular, the bill extends the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+), the On-Farm Storage Loss Program, and the Milk Loss Program to make losses that occurred in the 2021 and 2022 calendar years eligible for payments. Under current law, these programs provide disaster payments to agricultural producers with crop and milk losses resulting from qualifying natural disasters that occurred in the 2018 and 2019 calendar years.
Paws Off Act of 2021 This bill forbids the sale of food that contains xylitol unless the food's label contains a warning about the toxic effects of xylitol for dogs if ingested.
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights. A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years; 10 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself; or 3 or more violations occurred during the previous 25 years and the state administers the elections. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as changes to methods of election and redistricting. Further, states and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. Next, the bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights. The bill also outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the extent of any history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.
Social Security Stabilization and Enhancement Act This bill increases benefits and certain taxes related to the Social Security program. Changes to benefits include (1) increasing the primary insurance amount for certain beneficiaries; (2) revising the method of calculating cost-of-living adjustments; (3) establishing a new minimum benefit for certain low earners; and (4) allowing certain children of retired, deceased, or disabled workers to receive benefits until age 22 if they are a full-time student. Changes to taxes include increasing the net investment income tax for certain taxpayers and extending payroll taxes on wages, salaries, and self-employment earnings to income above $250,000. Under current law, the maximum amount subject to the Social Security payroll tax is $142,800 for 2021. The bill also combines the existing Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund into a single Social Security Trust Fund.
Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue 50,000 $5 gold coins, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the service that working dogs provide to society. The designs of the coins minted under this bill shall be emblematic of the contributions of working dogs to society, including in detection, military service, therapy and assistance. Treasury may issue coins only during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2023. All sales of coins shall include a surcharge, which shall be paid to America's VetDogs for general expenses associated with the fulfillment of its mission.
Protecting Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assign, for purposes of the disability compensation program, a disability rating of total to a veteran who meets certain parameters and is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to a service-connected disability. Specifically, the VA may make such a disability determination if a veteran has a service-connected disability rated at least 60%, or has two or more service-connected disabilities with one being at least 40% and a combined total of at least 70%. The VA may also make a determination on the disability rating in circumstances where a veteran meeting the specified parameters maintains marginal employment (income is less than the poverty threshold), or if the veteran maintains substantially gainful employment (exceeds the poverty threshold) and the VA determines that the rating is appropriate. The bill prescribes what disabilities may be considered as one disability (e.g., disabilities incurred or aggravated as a prisoner of war). The VA may not consider the age of a veteran or eligibility for retirement benefits when making any determination related to disability rating.
Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act of 2021 This bill establishes several requirements relating to the prices of prescription drugs. Specifically, the bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies regarding prices for drugs covered under Medicare. (Current law prohibits the CMS from doing so.) If the CMS is unable to negotiate the price of a drug, such drug is subject to competitive licensing in order to further its sale under health insurance programs, notwithstanding existing government-granted exclusivities. The negotiated prices also apply to other federal health care programs, private health insurance, and the uninsured; pharmacies that charge more than the negotiated price for uninsured individuals are subject to civil penalties. Manufacturers must also comply with specified reporting requirements relating to prices and licensing, subject to civil penalties. The bill also institutes an excise tax on drugs for which the price spikes beyond a certain limit, subject to specified exemptions, as well as on drugs for which the price exceeds the negotiated price.
