This resolution designates National Pregnancy Center Week.
Save Local Business Act This bill provides that a person may be considered a joint employer in relation to an employee under federal labor law only if such person directly, actually, and immediately (and not in a limited and routine manner) exercises significant control over the essential terms and conditions of employment. Such control may by demonstrated by hiring and discharging employees, determining individual employee rates of pay and benefits, day-to-day supervision of employees, assigning individual work schedules, positions, and tasks, and administering employee discipline.
Stop CRT Act This bill grants Executive Order 13950 the force and effect of law. That order prohibits federal agencies and contractors from advancing specified policies or training related to race or sex.
Freedom to Work Act This bill requires federal agencies to review and reduce occupational licensing requirements. Specifically, each executive agency must review relevant laws, policies, and regulations that institute occupational licensing requirements for agency positions, or that cause a state, local, or tribal government to adopt licensing requirements for positions within their jurisdictions, and identify possible changes to eliminate such requirements or to provide alternatives that are the least restrictive while also maintaining consumer protection. Agencies must implement changes to the extent permissible under law. The bill also requires states to describe their plans to reduce occupational licensing barriers as part of their unified state plans for programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Several executive orders have required similar review of occupational licensing requirements. For example, the executive order titled Increasing Economic and Geographic Mobility, which was issued on December 14, 2020, outlined certain principles for occupational licensing requirements, including that such requirements should be the least restrictive to competition while also maintaining consumer protection; the order directed executive agencies to review and identify changes to their regulations, guidance, and policies in accordance with these principles. Additionally, the executive order titled Promoting Competition in the American Economy , which was issued on July 9, 2021, directs the Federal Trade Commission to consider addressing practices that inhibit competition, including unfair occupational licensing restrictions, through regulations.
Combatting Racist Training in the Military Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the Armed Forces and academic institutions of the Department of Defense from promoting specified anti-American and racist theories (e.g., that any race is inherently superior or inferior to any other race). Specifically, the bill prohibits including anti-American and racist theories or materials in curricula, reading lists, seminars, workshops, trainings, or other educational or professional settings in a manner that could appear as sponsorship, approval, or endorsement; contracting with, hiring, or otherwise engaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons for the purpose of advocating anti-American and racist theories; compelling members of the Armed Forces to affirm or profess belief in anti-American and racist theories; and segregating members of the Armed Forces by race in any setting, including educational and training sessions.
Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises Act or the RIFLE Act This bill repeals the excise tax on the transfer of firearms. The bill shall not be construed as placing any regulated firearms under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Anti-CCP Espionage via Social Media Act of 2021 or the ACES Act of 2021 This bill requires certain actions related to ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese parent company of TikTok (a video-sharing mobile application). Specifically, the bill grants Executive Order 13942 the force and effect of law. That order prohibits certain transactions by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States with ByteDance. The bill provides statutory authority for that prohibition and specifies exceptions. Further, the bill establishes enforcement procedures and penalties for related violations. The bill requires ByteDance, within 90 days of this bill's enactment, to divest itself of (1) any assets or property used to enable or support ByteDance's operation of the TikTok application in the United States, and (2) any data obtained or derived from TikTok application or Musical.ly application users in the United States. The bill outlines further requirements and procedures for such divestment. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) must review proposed sales or transfers by ByteDance to a third party. CFIUS may implement measures as necessary to verify compliance with the required divestment. CFIUS must review and issue a report to the President on the relationship of each covered U.S. business with ByteDance to determine the effects of such relationship on U.S. national security. The President may take actions to suspend or prohibit the relationship.
Health Care Prices Revealed and Information to Consumers Explained Transparency Act or the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act This bill provides statutory authority for requirements for hospitals and health insurance plans to disclose certain information about the costs for items and services. Specifically, hospitals must publish in their list of standard charges certain rates negotiated with insurers, discounts for cash payments, and billing codes. Further, hospitals generally must publish the standard charges for the services provided by the hospital that may be scheduled in advance. Additionally, insurance plans must publish the in-network and out-of-network charges for covered items and services and the negotiated prices for covered prescription drugs. Plans must provide a tool for consumers to search for this cost information. Consumers also may request additional information about the costs of specific items or services under their plans.
This bill expands a provision that prohibits China from participating in certain naval exercises until specified conditions are met. In addition to the already existing conditions, China may not participate in the naval exercises until the Department of State certifies that China's government has (1) stopped committing any ongoing genocide, (2) apologized for such genocide, and (3) engaged in a credible justice and accountability process for the victims.
Preventing Foreign Attempts to Erode Healthcare Innovation Act This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to support, allow, or facilitate the negotiation or approval of any measure at the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property rights, including the petition titled Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment, and Treatment of COVID-19 . (The petition was submitted by India and South Africa to suspend all intellectual property rights associated with COVID-19 innovations, such as vaccines.)
