Sen. Margaret Wood Hassan

This resolution supports the designation of October 3-October 9, 2021, as National 4-H Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of 4-H in youth development and education, and (2) encourages all citizens to recognize 4-H for the significant impact the organization and members have made and continue to make by empowering young people with the skills needed to lead for a lifetime.

Prevent Release Of Toxics Emissions, Contamination, and Transfer Act of 2021 or the PROTECT Act of 2021 This bill adds specified perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. These substances are man-made and may have adverse human health effects.

This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 - October 15, 2021; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.

Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks Act of 2021 or the HAVANA Act of 2021 This bill specifically authorizes the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of State, and other agencies to provide payments to agency personnel who incur brain injuries from hostilities while on assignment. Specifically, the bill allows agency personnel and their families to receive payments for brain injuries that are incurred (1) during a period of assignment to a foreign or domestic duty station; (2) in connection with war, insurgency, hostile acts, terrorist activity, or other agency-designated incidents; and (3) not as the result of willful misconduct. The bill's authority applies to injuries incurred before, on, or after the date of the bill's enactment. Agencies must submit classified reports on the bill's implementation, including the number of payments made and the amount of each payment. Since 2016, some intelligence, diplomatic, and other governmental personnel have reported experiencing unusual cognitive and neurological impairments while on assignment (particularly abroad), the source of which is currently under investigation. Symptoms were first reported by personnel stationed in Cuba and have since been collectively referred to as Havana Syndrome .

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week each year as Buddy Check Week for the purposes of organizing outreach events and educating veterans on how to conduct peer wellness checks. The VA shall ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line has a plan for handling the potential increase in calls that may occur during such week.

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase the amounts payable for wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Specifically, the VA must increase the amounts by the same percentage as the cost-of-living increase in benefits for Social Security recipients that is effective on December 1, 2021. The bill requires the VA to publish the amounts payable, as increased, in the Federal Register. The VA is authorized to make a similar adjustment to the rates of disability compensation payable to persons who have not received compensation for service-connected disability or death.

Maddy summarySRES 411 designates October 6, 2021, as "Energy Efficiency Day" to celebrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency policies and private sector innovation. The resolution calls on the American public to observe the day with programs and activities highlighting how these efforts have saved consumers billions annually in energy costs and reduced energy waste. It references decades of bipartisan support for energy efficiency, including federal policies that have driven significant energy savings and job growth in the sector. The bill does not create new regulations but serves as a symbolic recognition of existing achievements in energy conservation.

Maddy summarySRES 413 designates the week of October 3-9, 2021, as "National Community Policing Week" in the U.S. Senate. The resolution encourages all Americans, law enforcement agencies, and elected officials to support community policing efforts that build trust and improve public safety through collaboration. It does not create new laws, funding, or obligations but symbolically recognizes community policing as a tool for strengthening relationships between police and communities. The resolution was introduced by Senators Shaheen, Cornyn, Hassan, Van Hollen, and Peters and passed unanimously.

Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 This bill sets out programs and otherwise directs the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to carry out activities to prevent and treat malnutrition globally. In coordination with relevant federal agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors, partner countries, and other stakeholders, the USAID may scale up programs for preventing and treating malnutrition globally. This includes focusing on interventions for the populations most susceptible to severe malnutrition (e.g., pregnant and lactating women and children younger than five years of age). The USAID must select countries based on specified malnutrition-related indicators for purposes of targeting malnutrition prevention and treatment programs and update the selection within five years. To support these programs, the USAID must leverage additional private sector resources in priority countries, including by considering opportunities within the Development Finance Corporation's impact framework for supporting improved nutrition outcomes. The USAID must provide Congress with an implementation plan and annual reports concerning its programs for preventing and treating malnutrition. The bill also establishes the Nutrition Leadership Council, comprised of various USAID bureaus and offices, to coordinate agency activities to prevent and treat malnutrition. The bill's provisions terminate seven years after its enactment.

Arctic Diplomacy Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Arctic Affairs within the Department of State. The position shall maintain continuous observation and coordination of matters pertaining to foreign policy in the Arctic, including trade, the environment, and political-military affairs.