Protecting International Pipelines for Energy Security Act This bill requires the President to obtain the approval of Congress before revoking a permit or other authorization required under executive orders for constructing, connecting, operating, or maintaining an oil or natural gas pipeline, an electric transmission facility, or a border-crossing facility.
Alabama Underwater Forest National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act This bill designates an ancient cypress forest in the Gulf of Mexico as the Alabama Underwater Forest National Marine Sanctuary under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. In the sanctuary, the following activities are prohibited: cutting, removing, or any kind of subsurface salvage of the cypress trees; lowering certain devices (e.g., dredging) below the surface of the water; detonating explosives below the surface of the water; drilling or coring the seabed; and lowering, laying, positioning, or raising any type of seabed cable or cable-laying device. However, the prohibitions do not apply to fishing, diving, mooring, or similar recreational or commercial activities; necessary operations of public vessels; construction or placement of artificial reef structures for the purpose of enhancing fishery resources, fishing opportunities, or recreational diving opportunities; exploration, development, or production of oil or gas projects authorized before this bill's enactment; and certain other activities authorized by the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must develop a comprehensive management plan for the sanctuary. NOAA must also establish an advisory council for the sanctuary.
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies provide critical benefits to the people and communities of the United States and their work should continue to be promoted.
Department of State Inclusivity Act of 2021 This bill establishes measures at the State Department to promote diversity and to prevent and respond to harassment, discrimination, sexual assault, and retaliation. The bill requires the State Department to develop a comprehensive policy for responding to harassment, discrimination, sexual assault, and retaliation; expand anti-harassment, antidiscrimination, implicit bias, and whistleblower training; establish the Office of Employee Advocacy; survey employees regarding harassment, discrimination, sexual, assault, retaliation, and issues affecting employee retention and diversity; report on the diversity of its workforce; develop a pilot program to use gender-neutral terms in evaluation forms; investigate and report wrongful terminations based on sexual orientation; establish a board to address issues faced by LGBTI+ Foreign Service employees and their families; report on countries that refuse to issue spousal visas for Foreign Service employee spouses due to sexual orientation and recommend how to address this issue; establish a permanent exhibit on the so-called Lavender Scare , which involved the wrongful dismissal of at least 1,000 people from the State Department for alleged homosexuality in the 1950s and 1960s; and make other changes related to anti-harassment, antidiscrimination, diversity, and recruitment. The bill also establishes the Office of the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the State Department; offers a formal apology from Congress for encouraging the Lavender Scare; and prohibits the use by federal employers of nondisclosure and non-disparagement provisions that cover prohibited discrimination, harassment, or related retaliation.
Expanding Medical Education Act This bill authorizes the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to award grants to institutions of higher education, or consortia of such institutions, to establish or expand medical schools. In awarding these grants, HRSA must prioritize minority-serving institutions or those that propose to establish or expand schools in medically underserved communities or areas with shortages of health professionals where no such schools exist.
Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits federal agencies and private businesses from publicly posting certain personal information (e.g., home addresses) of federal judges and their immediate family members. It also (1) requires information to be removed upon written request from the federal judge concerned, (2) prohibits data brokers from purchasing or selling such information, and (3) establishes programs to protect such information at the state and local level and to enhance security for judges.
Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act This bill authorizes the establishment of a National Global War on Terrorism Memorial in the area of the National Mall.
This bill authorizes the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal land in the District of Columbia in honor of the extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice displayed by Medal of Honor recipients. The foundation shall be solely responsible for the acceptance of contributions for, and the payment of expenses of, the establishment of the commemorative work. Federal funds may not be used to pay any expenses for the establishment of the commemorative work.
Protecting Our Democracy by Preventing Foreign Citizens from Voting Act This bill prohibits federal funds from being made available to state or local governments that allow noncitizens to vote in federal, state, or local elections.
Stop Federal Vaccine Mandates for Employees Act This bill prohibits the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from issuing any emergency temporary standard that requires an employee to receive a drug, vaccine, or other biological product.
Answer COVID FOIAs Now Act This bill addresses pending Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests related to COVID-19. Specifically, the bill requires each federal agency, within 100 calendar days, to complete all pending FOIA requests related to a drug or medical device to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, or treat COVID-19; gain-of-function or potential pandemic pathogen research; or a policy, rule, or standard requiring COVID-19 vaccination of individuals. For each calendar day on which any applicable FOIA request remains pending, the Department of the Treasury must transfer $1 million from the appropriations account of the office of the head of the agency to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program of the Health Resources and Services Administration. A person submitting such a request shall be deemed to have demonstrated a compelling need for expedited processing.
Spending Safeguard Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish spending limits for direct spending programs that (1) are enacted or reauthorized after the enactment of this bill, and (2) do not have a specific level of authorized spending expressed as a dollar amount. The spending limits must be equal to (1) 120% of the cost of the program for defense, health, Medicare, income security, Social Security, and veterans benefits and services programs; and (2) 110% of the cost for any other program. The OMB must maintain a publicly available scorecard that displays the spending level for any program that is subject to the limits. The OMB and the President must submit specified reports to Congress comparing current spending to the limits. The bill prohibits obligations for programs that have reached the applicable spending limit. Agencies implementing programs listed on the OMB's scorecard must ensure that any contract, offer of benefits, or other material provided to program participants specifies that the program is subject to a spending limit that may impact future availability of funds to pay benefits.
