Sen. Steve Daines

Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take various actions to address transparency in pricing and contract terms in the cattle industry. Among these requirements, USDA must (1) establish regional minimum percentages of cattle that meat packers must procure through negotiated purchases or negotiated grid purchases (i.e., transactions where the price is known and negotiated at the time of the transaction), and (2) maintain a publicly available catalog of contracts offered by meat packers to livestock producers for the purchase of fed cattle.

Maddy summarySRES 451 is a commemorative Senate resolution honoring the late Senator Max Cleland (D-GA), who died November 9, 2021. The resolution recognizes his service as a Vietnam War veteran (losing both legs and an arm in combat), his 50+ years of public service including roles as Georgia State Senator, Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and Administrator of the Veterans Administration, and his advocacy for veterans. It formally expresses the Senate’s "profound sorrow" and "deep regret" over his death, commemorates his legacy of service to Georgia and veterans, and requests the Secretary of the Senate transmit the resolution to his family. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes or legal effect.

Supporting Made in America Renewable and Traditional Energy Act or the SMART Energy Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to (1) conduct certain sales of leases of onshore and offshore federal land for the development of oil and gas; (2) establish priority areas for geothermal, solar, and wind energy projects on federal lands; and (3) review and make proposals for leasing federal offshore land for wind energy projects in the Atlantic and Pacific Regions of the outer Continental Shelf. The bill also limits delays on federal oil and gas leases.

This resolution establishes the McCain-Mansfield Fellowship Program for wounded or disabled veterans. Under the program, qualifying individuals may serve a 24-month fellowship in the office of a Senator. The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration must issue regulations for program administration, including eligibility criteria.

Expanded Telehealth Access Act This bill permanently allows audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other providers designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide telehealth services under Medicare. Currently, the CMS is authorized to waive requirements for Medicare telehealth services during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19, and it has done so to allow all providers that are otherwise eligible to furnish in-person services under Medicare to also furnish telehealth services.

Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act This bill prohibits using federal funds to make settlement payments to compensate any individuals for being separated from family members while detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection if the detention was (1) a result of the individual improperly entering (or attempting to improperly enter) the United States, and (2) in accordance with a Department of Justice memorandum that adopted a zero-tolerance policy for such improper entry into the United States.

This resolution recognizes the efforts and sacrifices of the wildland firefighters who have risked their lives to fight intense wildfires in 2021. The resolution also (1) expresses support for communities throughout the West as they focus on recovery and rebuilding areas and communities affected by wildfires, and (2) extends gratitude to the families and loved ones of wildland firefighters for supporting the wildland firefighter community.

This concurrent resolution celebrates the first anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family.

Circumspectly Reducing Unintended Consequences Impairing Alliances and Leadership Act of 2021 or the CRUCIAL Act of 2021 This bill establishes requirements relating to the President's ability to impose sanctions on individuals or entities that engage in a significant transaction with the defense or intelligence sectors of Russia's government if the transaction involves a member of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. (The dialogue is a coalition comprised of the governments of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia.) Specifically, before imposing such sanctions for a transaction involving a member of the dialogue, the President must certify to Congress that the government in question is not participating in the dialogue on security matters that are critical to U.S. strategic interests.

Maddy summarySRES 429 designates October 26, 2021, as the "Day of the Deployed" to honor currently deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. The resolution calls on the public to reflect on their service and encourages observance through appropriate ceremonies and activities. This is a commemorative resolution, not a law creating new obligations, and it aligns with an annual designation first established in 2011.