Rep. Dwight Evans

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.

Member Business Loan Expansion Act This bill revises requirements related to the terms and lending limits of certain credit union loans. Specifically, the bill (1) allows the National Credit Union Administration Board to lengthen the maturity term of certain loans made by a credit union, and (2) raises the credit limit for credit union member businesses under which such loans are excluded from overall credit union lending limits. Finally, the bill expands the definition of a community financial institution by (1) allowing insured credit unions to qualify, and (2) raising the average asset limit. (Community financial institutions are subject to reduced asset requirements for purposes of Federal Home Loan Bank membership.)

Creating Opportunities in Research for Environmental Justice Act of 2021 or the CORE Justice Act of 2021 This bill allows certain educational institutions a tax credit for up to 30% of amounts paid that are necessary for a qualified environmental justice program. The bill defines qualified environmental justice program as a program conducted by educational institutions that is designed to address, or improve data about, qualified environmental stressors (e.g., contaminations of air, water, soil, or food) for the primary purpose of improving health and economic outcomes of individuals residing in low-income areas or areas at risk of experiencing multiple exposures to environmental stressors. The bill requires (1) the allocation of credit amounts to educational institutions over a five-year period, and (2) public disclosure of the identity of educational institutions receiving allocations and the amount of each allocation.

Small-Dollar PPP Forgiveness Simplification Act of 2021 This bill makes changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to with respect to forgiveness of certain PPP loans. Specifically, the bill includes as covered loans under the PPP loan forgiveness program excess loan amounts that were received due to a good faith error. The bill also increases the threshold, from $150,000 to $350,000, used to determine whether a PPP loan may use the simplified forgiveness application.

Improving Medicare Coverage Act This bill temporarily expands eligibility for Medicare. It also temporarily establishes a premium and cost-sharing assistance program for low-income beneficiaries. Specifically, the bill lowers the age of eligibility for Medicare from 65 to 60. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must establish procedures to provide for automatic enrollment of qualifying individuals. Enrollment must be completed within 11 months of the bill's enactment. The bill also establishes a program under Medicare to assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries with premiums, coinsurance, deductibles, and other costs. Currently, such assistance is provided through Medicare Savings Programs, which are administered by state Medicaid programs. The bill also establishes a related special enrollment period under Medicare, expands eligibility for assistance to beneficiaries with income up to 200% of the federal poverty line, and provides for joint eligibility determinations with respect to the bill's program and the low-income subsidy program under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. The bill's provisions generally take effect six months after the bill's enactment and terminate five years later.

Incentivizing Solar Deployment Act of 2021 This bill extends the tax credit for the production of electricity from solar energy.

Prohibition of Medicaid Funding for Conversion Therapy Act This bill prohibits state Medicaid programs from covering conversion therapy. The bill defines conversion therapy as any practice or treatment that seeks to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity in exchange for monetary compensation.

Senior Health Planning Account Act This bill allows tax-exempt senior health planning accounts that are funded using a taxpayer's gains from the sale or assignment of a life insurance contract. The bill excludes from gross income (1) the gains that are contributed to the accounts, and (2) distributions from the accounts that are used exclusively for the health care expenses of the account beneficiary or the account beneficiary's spouse.

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.

No Federal Funding for Confederate Symbols Act This bill prohibits federal funds from being used for the creation, maintenance, or display of any Confederate symbol on federal public land or other federal property. An exception to such prohibition is provided (1) if the use of such funds is necessary to allow for the removal of the Confederate symbol to address public safety; or (2) in the case of a Confederate symbol created, maintained, or displayed in a museum or educational exhibit.