Rep. David B. McKinley

Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2021 or the BTU Act of 2021 This bill expands the 30% energy tax credit to include open-loop biomass heating property and extends the residential energy efficient property tax credit for five years. The bill defines open-loop biomass heating property as any property that uses open-loop biomass to produce thermal energy in the form of heat, hot water, hot air, or steam and is used for space heating, air conditioning, domestic hot water, or industrial process heat, but does not include any boiler or furnace unless they operate at thermal output efficiencies of at least 75% and are installed indoors.

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.

This bill waives certain eligibility requirements for hospitals participating in the 340B drug discount program (i.e., a program that allows entities to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices from manufacturers) during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. Specifically, the bill waives the required minimum proportion of low-income patients served for hospitals that began participating in the program during or prior to the COVID-19 emergency.

This resolution designates National Pregnancy Center Week.

This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week.

Student Loan Marriage Penalty Elimination Act of 2021 This bill allows married couples filing a joint tax return to apply the $2,500 limitation on the tax deduction for student loan interest separately to each spouse.

Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder Act of 2021 or the HELPER Act of 2021 This bill establishes a program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide mortgage assistance to law enforcement officers, elementary and secondary school teachers, firefighters, or other first responders. Specifically, these individuals may be eligible for a one-time mortgage on a primary family residence with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance premium.

Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act This bill requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether a state substantially provides public safety officers or employees the right to form and join a labor organization; recognition by public safety employers of the employees' labor organization, agreement to bargain with the organization, and reduction of any agreements to writing in a contract or memorandum of understanding; the right to bargain over hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment; and binding interest arbitration to resolve an impasse in collective bargaining negotiations. The bill makes the authority responsible for (1) determining the appropriateness of units for labor representation; (2) supervising elections; (3) conducting hearings and resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; and (4) protecting the right of employees to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from doing so. An employer, public safety officer, or labor organization may not engage in a lockout, sickout, work slowdown, strike, or any other organized job action that will measurably disrupt the delivery of emergency services and is designed to compel an employer, public safety officer, or labor organization to agree to the terms of a proposed contract.

Block, Report, And Suspend Suspicious Shipments Act of 2021 This bill creates additional requirements for drug manufacturers and distributors who discover a suspicious order for controlled substances. In addition to reporting the suspicious order to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a manufacturer or distributor must also exercise due diligence and decline to fill the order. The DEA must issue regulations specifying the indicators that give rise to a suspicious order.

Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention Act of 20 21 or the STANDUP Act of 2021 This bill requires state, tribal, and local educational agencies that receive grant funding for priority mental-health needs, including through the Project AWARE State Education Agency Grant Program, to establish and implement evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention training policies. In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in coordination with the Department of Education and Bureau of Indian Education, must provide educational agencies with best practices for these trainings.