Rep. Conor Lamb

Advancing Energy Manufacturing in Coal Communities Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a program to award grants to certain manufacturing firms for qualifying advanced energy projects. To qualify for a grant, a project must (1) re-equip, expand, or establish a manufacturing or recycling facility for the production or recycling of advanced energy property (e.g., property designed to produce renewable energy); or (2) re-equip an industrial or manufacturing facility with equipment designed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of that facility substantially below the greenhouse gas emissions under current best practices. Further, the project must have a reasonable expectation of commercial viability and be located near or in an area where a coal mine has closed or coal-fired plant that produced electricity has been retired.

Investing in Energy Regions Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a program to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of carrying out clean energy projects on current and former mine land. Under the program, DOE must select no more than five projects that will be carried out in geographically diverse regions. At least two of the projects must be solar projects.

American Jobs in Energy Manufacturing Act of 2021 This bill revises the definition of qualifying advanced energy project for purposes of the tax credit for such project. Specifically, the bill expands the definition to include property designed to produce energy from water, property designed to produce energy conservation technologies, light-, medium-, or heavy-duty electric or fuel cell vehicles, certain hybrid vehicles, and manufacturing facilities designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The definition also includes projects located in a census tract in which a coal mine closed after 1999 and in which a coal-fired electric generating unit was retired after 2009, and provides additional credit allocations for projects to retool, expand, or build new facilities that make or recycle energy-related products, and for projects in communities where coal mines have closed or coal-fired electric units have been retired.

Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions Act or the SEED Act This bill expands the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to include early childhood educators.

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.

Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants for implementing and evaluating specified models of care that integrate the delivery of behavioral health and primary care services. Specifically, HHS must award grants to primary care providers for the initial costs (e.g., hiring staff) of implementing such models. In awarding the grants, HHS must prioritize recipients that provide care to medically underserved populations and in areas where the prevalence of behavioral health conditions exceeds the national average. HHS must also provide additional incentive payments to recipients that use appropriate billing codes and quality measures for behavioral health services. In addition, HHS must award grants to national and regional organizations for providing technical assistance to health care providers and systems to improve implementation of integrated behavioral health and primary care models. Furthermore, HHS may direct its agencies to expand efforts to evaluate current and emerging integrated behavioral health and primary care models.

Restore Environmental Vitality and Improve Volatile Economy by the Civilian Conservation Corps Act or the REVIVE the CCC Act This bill permits AmeriCorps to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to address unemployment and environmental conservation and requires the Department of Agriculture to establish an agricultural workforce development program to incentivize apprenticeships in agriculture. The CCC must make grants to local host entities to allow those entities to select applicants to participate in conservation-related service projects. Local entities eligible for grants include, among others, state and local offices, nonprofit organizations, sponsors of apprenticeship programs, and individual farmers. A prospective CCC member must apply for placement with an approved local host for a service position hosted by that local entity. Applicants selected are considered CCC members but are not considered employees of the local host. The local host must provide CCC members with an allowance of $15 per hour of service and must provide a basic healthcare plan to full-time members. A CCC member who completes a term of service with a local host may be eligible to receive an award of up to $5,000 from AmeriCorps towards the costs of an apprenticeship program. These awards and allowances are not considered income for purposes of federal income taxation. The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to establish an agricultural workforce development program to encourage agricultural businesses to employ apprentices by reimbursing up to 50% of apprenticeship costs.

Veterans' Access to Care Concerning Inoculations Needed in Emergency Situations Act or the VACCINES Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish specified care during a public health emergency declared by a federal authority. Specifically, during such emergency, the VA must furnish to veterans (1) diagnostic products to detect the disease relating to the emergency, and (2) vaccinations for such disease. The VA may not require any copayment or other cost sharing for any diagnostic product or vaccine furnished under this bill. Additionally, the VA must conduct outreach to ensure that veterans are aware of the diagnostic products and vaccines available during the public health emergency.

Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act or the CHIP IN for Veterans Act This bill extends from 5 to 10 years the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program under which the VA may accept donations of property or facilities from specified entities (e.g., state or local authorities).

Access to Contraception Expansion for Veterans Act or the ACE Veterans Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to authorize veterans to fill prescriptions for a year's supply of contraceptive pills, transdermal patches, vaginal rings, or other hormonal contraceptive products.