Sen. Mike Braun

Consider Teachers Act of 2021 This bill revises the service obligation verification process for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant program. The TEACH program awards grants to postsecondary students who commit to teaching for four years in high-need subjects in low-income schools. In addition, the bill establishes certain program flexibilities with respect to the service obligations of teachers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the bill provides a process for the Department of Education (ED) to reconsider and reverse the conversion of a TEACH grant to a loan. Under current program terms, TEACH grants are converted into loan obligations if service requirements are not met. In addition, the bill directs ED to notify TEACH grant recipients of the requirements for submitting employment certifications. ED must also provide an alternative to certification. ED must maintain and annually update a list of qualifying schools and high-need fields. The bill also provides certain program flexibilities with respect to the service obligations of teachers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the bill (1) extends the service obligation window for TEACH grants, and (2) requires ED to consider teaching service that is interrupted as a result of a qualifying emergency as full-time service for purposes of Federal Perkins Loans.

This resolution honors and commends the women who served in the Navy Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) during World War II. Additionally, the resolution recognizes that the WAVES opened opportunities for women and contributed vitally to the victory of the United States and Allies in World War II.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 409) symbolically designates the week beginning October 17, 2021, as "National Character Counts Week." It encourages schools, families, youth organizations, and communities to focus on character education during this week, highlighting traits like trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, and caring. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but calls for voluntary observance through ceremonies and activities to promote character development in young people. It is a non-binding, commemorative measure aimed at raising awareness about character education.

Maddy summarySRES 372 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating the week beginning September 13, 2021, as "National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week." It recognizes Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) - colleges and universities with at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment - as vital providers of higher education to underserved students, particularly Hispanic learners. The resolution calls on the public and organizations to observe the week with events supporting these institutions, which serve 2.3 million Hispanic students nationwide. This is a non-binding commemorative measure with no policy changes or funding impacts.

This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to analyze current and projected demands for data transmission on rural broadband networks and publish a report of its findings. The analysis must include, for example, estimates of the quantity of data transmitted and certain unrecovered costs to rural broadband providers associated with those transmissions.

Accelerated Drug Approval for Prescription Therapies for Coronavirus Act or the ADAPT for COVID Act This bill authorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)to create an expedited drug approval process specifically for drugs that are currently approved for sale in certain countries (i.e., a European Economic Area member country, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, or Switzerland) and meet certain criteria. Such criteria shall include establishing that (1) the drug is safe and effective, (2) all relevant U.S. patents or legal exclusivities have expired, and (3) the drug is intended to treat or prevent COVID-19 or another disease of epidemic potential. The FDA must process and review an application under this bill within 180 days of submission.

Protecting Financial Privacy Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the Internal Revenue Service from creating or implementing any new financial account reporting program that would require financial institutions to report data on financial accounts in an information return listing balances, transactions, transfers, or inflows or outflows of any kind, and that was not in effect as of October 1, 2021.

FDA Modernization Act of 2021 This bill allows an applicant for market approval for a new drug to use methods other than animal testing to establish the drug's safety and effectiveness. Under this bill, these alternative methods may include cell-based assays, organ chips and microphysiological systems, computer modeling, and other human biology-based test methods.

State-Based Education Loan Awareness Act This bill excludes certain arrangements or agreements regarding education loans from the definition of a preferred lender arrangement . A preferred lender arrangement is an arrangement or agreement between a lender and an institution of higher education (IHE) that receives federal funding or assistance (1) under which a lender issues education loans to students attending the IHE; and (2) that relates to the IHE recommending, promoting, or endorsing the education loan products of the lender. The bill provides that arrangements or agreements made under a state-based education loan program or that are funded, insured, or guaranteed by any federal agency other than the Department of Education do not meet the definition of a preferred lender agreement for purposes of certain required disclosures to student borrowers.

Student Loan Repayment Freedom Act This bill allows a federal student loan borrower to terminate repayment under an income-based repayment plan and instead elect to repay such loan under any other repayment plan for which the borrower is eligible. Currently, a federal student loan borrower repaying under an income-based repayment plan may only change to the standard repayment plan.