Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act of 2021 This bill requires the share of federal funds for cancer research that is allocated to pediatric cancer research to equal the percentage of the U.S. population that is under the age of 18.
Baby Food Safety Act of 2021 This bill imposes certain safety requirements on infant and toddler food. The bill establishes maximum levels of certain toxic elements (cadmium, and lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic) allowable in infant and toddler food, defined as food intended to be sold for children up to 36 months old. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall periodically review and, if necessary, further lower these levels. The FDA may also establish limits on other toxic elements upon review of relevant health and dietary data. Furthermore, facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold infant and toddler food must have certain controls and plans to ensure that their food complies with the limits on toxic elements established by this bill. Such facilities shall also make publicly available certain information, including results from tests for toxic elements in their infant and toddler foods. The bill also expands the FDA's authority to require a recall of adulterated or misbranded food to include infant and toddler food that exceeds limits on toxic elements. The Centers for Disease Control shall carry out a public awareness campaign about the risks of toxic elements in infant and toddler food. The FDA shall commission research on agricultural methods that minimize levels of toxic heavy metals in crops.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2023-FY2029; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. Additionally, one-third of the positions that are made available under the bill must be allocated to hospitals that are already operating above applicable resident limits. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
Innovative Materials for America's Growth and Infrastructure Newly Expanded Act of 2021 or the IMAGINE Act This bill encourages the use of innovative construction materials and techniques to accelerate the deployment, extend the service life, improve the performance, and reduce the cost of domestic transportation and water infrastructure projects. Among other things, the bill establishes an Interagency Innovative Materials Standards Task Force to assess existing standards and test methods for the use of innovative materials in infrastructure, identify key barriers in the standards area that inhibit broader market adoption, and develop new methods and protocols to better evaluate innovative materials; requires the Department of Transportation to enhance the development of innovative materials in the United States by providing awards to entities for establishing and operating new innovative material innovation hubs; directs the Federal Highway Administration to provide grants to states' departments of transportation, tribal governments, public toll authorities, and units of local government for coastal or rural infrastructure bridge projects and value engineering projects to enhance the performance of bridges through the use of innovative materials; and provides grants for the design and installation of water infrastructure projects.
Reinforcing Utility Restoration After Losses (RURAL) Act This bill provides authority and funding for the Department of Agriculture to establish a loan program for certain rural utility service providers (e.g., electric, telecommunications, or waste disposal service providers) to replace specified losses during a federally declared disaster or emergency. During such a disaster or emergency, interest on the loan shall not accrue, and repayment of principal shall not be required. Borrowers may qualify for partial loan forgiveness if certain requirements are met. The bill also establishes and provides funding for a Rural Utility Bridge Loan Fund to implement the program.
Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Willie O'Ree or, if unavailable, to a member of his family, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and recreational opportunity.
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to enter into an agreement to obtain a statue of Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress. The committee shall place the statue in a permanent public location in the U.S. Capitol.
Our Homes, Our Votes Act This bill facilitates voter registration for residents of certain federally assisted housing for the purpose of federal elections. Specifically, the bill requires each lease and annual income recertification for such housing that is administered by a public housing agency (PHA) to include a voter registration application. A PHA must send any completed application to state election officials. The bill also treats owners of federally assisted housing as voter registration agencies.
Delivering Envelopes Judiciously On-time Year-round Act or the DEJOY Act This bill requires the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to maintain the service standards for first-class mail that were in effect on January 1, 2021. The Postmaster General proposed in March 2021 a 10-year restructuring plan for the USPS that would lengthen the permissible mail-delivery window.
Ending Punitive, Unfair, School-based Harm that is Overt and Unresponsive to Trauma Act of 2021 or the Ending PUSHOUT Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to local educational agencies and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of reducing suspension and expulsion of students (i.e., exclusionary disciplinary practices). The bill requires ED to collect data on exclusionary discipline in schools. It also establishes a joint task force to end school pushout.
Investing in Cures Before Missiles Act of 2021 or the ICBM Act This bill addresses the transfer and use of funds intended for defense programs. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to transfer $1 billion of unobligated balances intended for its ground-based strategic deterrent program to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease for research on the development of a universal coronavirus vaccine. Next, the bill requires the Department of Energy to transfer unobligated balances for the W87-1 warhead modification program administered by the National Nuclear Security Administration to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to research and combat emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases. The bill prohibits the use of funds authorized for FY2022 for the ground-based strategic deterrent program or the W87-1 warhead modification program. Finally, the bill requires DOD to enter into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study extending to 2050 the life of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Colonel Young Oak Kim Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Colonel Young Oak Kim, in recognition of his achievements and contributions to heroism, leadership, and humanitarianism.
