Rep. Fred Keller

This resolution celebrates the contributions of small businesses in every U.S. community and supports the designation of National Small Business Week. Further, it supports efforts to provide small businesses with aid and assistance through certain programs and initiatives.

Renter Protection Act of 2021 This bill limits the use and availability of assistance provided under certain emergency rental assistance programs created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, rental assistance not yet used by grantees to assist eligible households as of July 1, 2021, must only be used for rental arrears after this date, and not for rent, utilities and home energy costs and arrears, or other expenses as allowed under current law. Further, the bill changes the deadline for distribution of these funds from September 30, 2022, to December 31, 2021.

Guaranteeing Healthcare Access to Personnel Who Served Act This bill addresses the administration and provision of health care to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA providers. First, the bill provides statutory authority for the eligibility thresholds for when a veteran must receive non-VA care under the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) for primary care, mental health care, noninstitutional extended care services, specialty care, or specialty services. Additionally, the bill establishes access to care standards for non-VA care under the VCCP, meaning a veteran's appointment must be within specified distances and time frames. Among other requirements, the VA must also implement an 18-month pilot program to allow certain veterans to use a website or mobile application to request, schedule, and confirm medical appointments with VCCP providers; ensure that VCCP third party administrators and credentials verification organizations comply with specified requirements to help ensure that certain health care providers are excluded from providing non-VA health care services; develop a strategic plan to ensure the effectiveness of the telehealth technologies and modalities delivered by the VA; and establish an online health care education portal for veterans. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on (1) the VA program under which third parties provide transportation for veterans who are seeking VA services or benefits, (2) VA telehealth services, and (3) the VA's Foreign Medical Program. Finally, the Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply to the voluntary collection of information during research conducted by the Veterans Health Administration.

Curriculum Review of Teachings Transparency Act or the CRT Transparency Act This bill requires a local educational agency, in order to receive certain federal education grants, to post on a publicly accessible website the curriculum for each grade level of its elementary and secondary schools.

Countering Communist China Act This bill addresses issues related to China, tax incentives, and other topics. The bill imposes visa- and property-blocking sanctions on certain entities and individuals that (1) are involved in acts of malign disinformation on behalf of a foreign government or political party, or (2) have engaged in a pattern of significant infringement of intellectual property belonging to a U.S. entity or individual. It also authorizes sanctions on developers and owners of software that makes unauthorized transmissions of user data to servers that are located in China and are accessible by China's government. The bill also provides tax incentives for relocating pharmaceutical, medical supply, or medical device manufacturing to the United States, including by allowing accelerated depreciation of nonresidential real property acquired in connection with such relocation; eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures scheduled to begin in 2022, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred; prohibits an institution of higher education from receiving certain federal funds if the institution has a contractual partnership with an entity controlled by China's government or organized under China's laws; modifies presumptions and evidentiary standards in administrative patent validity challenges; bars China from asserting sovereign immunity in certain instances; requires U.S. representatives to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to take certain actions, such as opposing any increase to the weight given to China's currency when determining the value of IMF Special Drawing Rights; and permanently rescinds unobligated funds previously made available for certain economic relief programs related to COVID-19.

This concurrent resolution condemns and censures President Joseph R. Biden for the military withdrawal from Afghanistan, which the resolution states was executed in a haphazard manner.

Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the Harlem Hellfighters, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service during World War I.

This resolution condemns the President's failure to heed military and intelligence advisors about the speed and nature of the Taliban offense in Afghanistan and urges the President to commit to maintaining the evacuation operation as long as necessary to evacuate any U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or Afghan partner who requests evacuation assistance .

Stopping Terrorist Minerals Trade Act This bill requires the President to prohibit the importation into or transit through the United States of any mineral or mineral product from Afghanistan. The President may waive this requirement for up to one year after certifying that (1) a mineral was mined (or a mineral product was produced) prior to August 16, 2021; (2) the waiver is in U.S. national interests; or (3) a fair, free, and democratic government has control of Afghanistan and is not funding, supporting, or engaging in global terrorism. The President must develop and maintain a list of countries engaged in the trade of minerals with Afghanistan and require the heads of federal departments and agencies to review the standards, practices, and procedures of U.S. persons seeking to import any mineral or mineral product of a country on this list. Such U.S. person must keep a full record of complete information relating to the mineral or mineral product sought to be imported. The bill provides for enforcement through fines and through customs laws relating to seizure and forfeiture. The President must also establish an Oversight Coordinating Committee to coordinate implementation of the bill's requirements. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of these requirements in preventing the importation of minerals or mineral products from Afghanistan.

Information Sharing And Advanced Communication Alerting Act or the ISAAC Alerting Act This bill requires the Technological Advisory Council of the Federal Communications Commission, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to submit a report that identifies measures, barriers, and recommendations for implementing a 9–1–1 disability alerting system. The alerting system must allow an individual to register and create a profile associated with an individual who has a disability that includes information such as whether the individual is a wandering risk, nonverbal, or physically limited. The alerting system then transmits such information to public safety answering points to be conveyed to first responders.