Electric Vehicles for Underserved Communities Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to support the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in underserved or disadvantaged communities. Specifically, DOE must establish an EV Charging Equity Program. Under the program, DOE must provide technical assistance and award grants to increase the deployment and accessibility of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in such communities. If practicable, DOE must ensure that relevant programs promote electric vehicle charging infrastructure, support clean and multimodal transportation, provide improved air quality and emissions reductions, and prioritize the needs of such communities.
Kira Johnson Act This bill establishes grants to improve maternal health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority groups and other underserved populations. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services must award grants for community-based programs to improve maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant and postpartum individuals, as well as individuals in other underserved groups; training for health care providers and others who work in maternity care settings on reducing and preventing racism, bias, and discrimination; and respectful maternity care compliance programs in specified health care facilities. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine must study issues related to the training programs, and the Government Accountability Office must study issues related to the compliance programs.
Protecting Our Wealth of Energy Resources Act or the POWER Act This bill requires the President and federal agencies to obtain the approval of Congress before prohibiting or substantially delaying certain new energy or mineral leases or permits on federal lands, including oil and gas leases, coal leases, hard rock leases, or critical minerals leases. In addition, the President and agencies must obtain the approval of Congress before withdrawing certain federal lands from mineral and geothermal leasing activities.
Saving America's Mines Act This bill bars the President, the Department of the Interior, or the Department of Agriculture from declaring a moratorium on or reversing any existing lease, permit, or claim, for the mining and extraction of any critical mineral or common varieties of sand, stone, and gravel on National Forest System or Bureau of Land Management land unless specifically authorized by statute or upon the lessee, permittee, or claimant's failure to comply with any of the provisions of its agreement.
Assuring You Uniform Dietary Assistance (AYUDA) Act of 2021 This bill makes the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands eligible to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program).
COLA's Don't Count Act of 2021 This bill revises requirements for determining eligibility and benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to exclude household income received from certain cost-of-living adjustments and supplementary payments under the Social Security Act.
Feed Emergency Enhancement During Disasters with Cover Crops Act of 2021 or the FEEDD Act of 2021 This bill expands relief under the federal crop insurance program for agricultural producers that harvest second crops as a result of a prevented planting. Specifically, a producer may collect 100% of the prevented planting guarantee for the acreage of the first crop if (1) the acres planted are in an area with low hay or forage supplies due to widespread excessive moisture, flood, or drought; (2) the second crop will be planted with an intended use of animal feed that is hayed, gazed, or chopped; and (3) the second crop will be donated or used by the producer. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture may not reduce the amount of a payment collected by a producer that hays, grazes, or chops over crops on prevented planting acres after the harvest date that it establishes for each region of the United States.
This bill authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to James Megellas for acts of valor on January 28, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Make It in America Act This bill addresses domestic content requirements and narrows instances in which waivers may be granted. Specifically, the bill directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), acting through the Office for Federal Procurement Policy, to promulgate regulations to standardize and simplify how federal agencies comply with, report on, and enforce the Buy American Act, including guidelines to ensure that a project is not disaggregated for purposes of avoiding the applicability of such requirements. The bill increases American-made content requirements from 50% to 75%. Before granting a waiver in the public interest with respect to a product sourced from a foreign country, a federal agency shall assess whether a significant portion of the cost advantage of the product is the result of the use of dumped steel, iron, or manufactured goods or the use of injuriously subsidized steel, iron, or manufactured goods. The OMB shall establish within it a Made in America Office to maximize and enforce compliance with domestic preference statutes, develop and implement procedures to review waiver requests, ensure that contracting personnel at each federal agency annually complete training on obligations under such statutes, and ensure the development of a domestic supply base to meet federal procurement requirements. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to enter into a technical assistance partnership with the Department of Commerce to ensure the development of a domestic supply base to support intermodal transportation in the United States and to ensure compliance with domestic preference statutes.
Equality Act This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. The bill expands the definition of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide (1) exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; (2) goods, services, or programs; and (3) transportation services. The bill allows the Department of Justice to intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity.
Paycheck Protection Clarification for Producers Act This bill expands eligibility for agricultural producers under the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), to include certain agricultural producers such as partnerships or limited liability companies. Currently, only certain agricultural producers that are sole proprietorships, independent contractors, or self-employed individuals may receive support under the program.
ABLE Age Adjustment Act This bill increases from 26 to 46 the age threshold for tax-favored ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts. (ABLE accounts are designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for disability-related expenses. To establish an account, an individual must have a qualifying impairment that began before the individual attained the age threshold.)
