12/27/2021

PL 117-81, S.1605, Sen. Rick Scott [R-FL]

This bill authorizes Department of Defense (DOD) activities and programs for FY2022 and addresses various other issues.

For example, the bill

• provides or extends procurement authority for certain helicopters and amphibious shipbuilding programs;
• imposes various cost and operational limits on the F-35 aircraft program;
• provides statutory authority related to DOD Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories, including direct hire authority with respect to advanced degree holders for positions at such laboratories;
• authorizes DOD to establish a consortium of institutions of higher education to study irregular warfare;
• establishes pilot programs for using private-sector partnerships to promote technology transition, deploying fifth-generation wireless telecommunications services on military installations, and digitally optimizing organic industrial base maintenance and repair operations;
• extends and modifies authorities to assist vetted Syrian groups and individuals, provide assistance to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and support the activities of the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq;
• extends and modifies the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative and the Pacific Deterrence Initiative;
• extends a pilot program providing regional cybersecurity training for members of the Army National Guard;
• establishes a program within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to continuously monitor cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure entities that support national critical functions;
• authorizes a Department of Energy program to improve defense environmental cleanup processes;
• authorizes the establishment of an Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs within the Department of State; and
• imposes limits on when the State Department may use a nonstandard design when constructing an embassy or consulate compound.

PL 117-80, H.R.1664, Rep. Marc A. Veasey [D-TX]

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.

The establishment of the commemorative work shall be in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act.

PL 117-79, H.R.3537, Rep. Mike Quigley [D-IL]

This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities for scientific research utilizing data from expanded access to investigational ALS treatments for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for clinical trials. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

HHS shall also establish the Public-Private Partnership for Neurodegenerative Diseases between the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and at least one eligible entity (generally, an institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization). The partnership shall support the development and regulatory review of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

The FDA shall publish on its website a five-year action plan for fostering the development of drugs that improve or extend the lives of people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases.

The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress about the grants provided under this bill, including an analysis of the impact of such grants on research and development of treatments for ALS.

PL 117-78, H.R.6256, Rep. James P. McGovern [D-MA]

This bill imposes importation limits on goods produced using forced labor in China, especially the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and imposes sanctions related to such forced labor.

The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force shall report to Congress a strategy for preventing the importation of goods produced in China using forced labor. The strategy must contain certain information, including a list of entities (1) producing goods in Xinjiang using forced labor; or (2) working with the government in Xinjiang to move forced labor or Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or members of other persecuted groups out of Xinjiang.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall generally presume that goods produced by these entities and certain other entities, including those sourcing material from Xinjiang or involved with Chinese government forced labor programs, are barred from importation into the United States. An importer may rebut this presumption by establishing, with clear and convincing evidence, that the good in question was not produced wholly or in part using forced labor.

The bill also expands existing asset- and visa-blocking sanctions related to Xinjiang to cover foreign individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights abuses in connection with forced labor.

The Department of State shall report to Congress a strategy to enhance international awareness of forced labor in Xinjiang and to address such forced labor.

PL 117-77, S.3377, Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]

A bill to empower the Chief of the United States Capitol Police to unilaterally request the assistance of the DC National Guard or Federal law enforcement agencies in emergencies without prior approval of the Capitol Police Board. 

PL 117-76, H.R.5545, Rep.David J. Trone [D-MD]

To extend certain expiring provisions of law relating to benefits provided under Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance programs during COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.

PL 117-75, H.R.4660, Rep. David B. McKinley [R-WV]

To designate the Federal Building and United States Courthouse located at 1125 Chapline Street in Wheeling, West Virginia, as the "Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse".

PL 117-74, H.R.390, Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]

To redesignate the federal building at 167 North Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee (commonly known as the Clifford Davis and Odell Horton Federal Building), as the Odell Horton Federal Building.

PL 117-73, S.J.Res.33, Sen. Charles Schumer [D-NY]

A joint resolution joint resolution relating to increasing the debt limit, This joint resolution increases the public debt limit by $2.5 trillion. 

PL 117-72, H.R.5142, Rep. Lisa C. McClain [R-MI]

To award posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal, in commemoration to the servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, during the evacuation of citizens of the United States and Afghan allies at Hamid Karzai International Airport, and for other purposes.

PL 117-71, S.610, Sen. Tim Kaine [D-VA] 

This bill makes several budgetary, technical, and procedural changes, particularly in relation to Medicare and increasing the debt limit. Specifically, the bill continues to exempt Medicare from sequestration until March 31, 2022. (Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.)The bill also establishes expedited Senate procedures for considering legislation to increase the debt limit. The procedures limit debate, waive points of order, and prohibit amendments. The procedures may only be used once and expire after January 16, 2022.Additionally, the bill (1) temporarily extends other provisions under Medicare, including a payment increase under the physician fee schedule; and (2) requires any debits recorded for FY2022 on the statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) scorecards to be deducted from the scorecards for 2022 and added to the scorecards for 2023. 

PL 117-70, H.R.6119, (Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro [D-CT])

Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes. 

PL 117-69, S.796, (Sen. Tammy Duckworth [D-IL])

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement the maternity care coordination program. The VA must provide community maternity care providers (i.e., non-VA maternity care providers) with training and support with respect to the unique needs of pregnant and postpartum veterans, particularly regarding mental and behavioral health conditions in relation to the service of the veterans in the Armed Forces.

Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among pregnant and postpartum veterans, with a focus on racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes for veterans.

PL 117-68, S.1095, (Sen. Jerry Moran [R-KS])

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to disapprove courses of education provided by public institutions of higher learning if such institutions charge a higher rate for tuition and fees than in-state tuition for individuals who are entitled to educational assistance under the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program.

PL 117-67, S.894, (Sen. Mike Braun [R-IN])

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to consult with the Department of Defense to identify and refer members of the Armed Forces with health care occupations for employment with the VA during their separation from the Armed Forces.

The VA must refer interested members to a recruiter for consideration of open positions in the member's specialty and geography of interest. Referrals must not be made earlier than one year before the member's separation from the Armed Forces.

PL 117-66, S.1031, (Sen. Raphael Warnock [D-GA])

This bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to assess whether there are disparities associated with race and ethnicity with respect to (1) compensation benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), (2) disability ratings determined by the VA, and (3) the rejection of fully developed claims for VA benefits. The GAO must also develop recommendations to facilitate better data collection on such disparities associated with race and ethnicity.

Within one year, the GAO must brief Congress on the initial results of the study. The GAO must also submit a final report on the study following the briefing.

PL 117-65, S.108, (Sen. Marco Rubio [R-FL])

This bill allows the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease, sell, convey, warrant, or transfer its real property that is not held in trust by the United States. 

PL 117-64, H.R.1510, (Rep. David B. McKinley [R-WV])

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report on its policies and procedures relating to the usage and maintenance of video cameras for patient safety and law enforcement at VA medical facilities. 

PL 117-63, H.R.2911, (Rep. Mike Bost [R-IL])

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit a plan for obligating and expending covered funds, which are funds made available to the VA for response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill requires the VA to submit biweekly reports regarding obligations, expenditures, and planned uses of the funds until seven days after the VA has expended all covered funds.

The Inspector General of the VA must submit reports examining the obligations and expenditures made using covered funds during the specified reporting period.

Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit an interim report and final report containing a review of obligations and expenditures made using covered funds.

PL 117-62, H.R.2093, (Rep. Hakeem S. Jeffries [D-NY])

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make all of its fact sheets available in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and each of the 10 most commonly spoken languages not listed. The bill also requires the VA to establish a publicly available website that provides links to all VA fact sheets. Finally, the VA must report to Congress regarding the utilization of such fact sheets as well as the details of the Language Access Plan of the VA.

PL 117-61, S.1511 (Sen. Chuck Grassley [R-IA]) 

A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 with respect to payments to certain public safety officers who have become permanently and totally disabled as a result of personal injuries sustained in the line of duty, and for other purposes. 

PL 117-60, S.1502 (Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto [D-NV]) 

Confidentiality Opportunities for Peer Support Counseling Act or the COPS Counseling Act

This bill sets forth requirements related to peer support counseling programs. A peer support counseling program is a program provided by a law enforcement agency that provides counseling services from a peer support specialist to a law enforcement officer of the agency.

Among other things, the bill does the following:

• generally prohibits the disclosure of the contents of a peer support communication, and
• requires the Department of Justice to develop best practices and professional standards for peer support counseling programs.

PL 117-59, S.921 (Sen. John Cornyn [R-TX])

This bill explicitly grants extraterritorial jurisdiction over the following criminal offenses:

• killing (or attempting to kill) a federal officer or employee;
• assaulting, kidnapping, or murdering (or threatening to do so, or attempting to kidnap or murder) a family member of certain federal officials to retaliate against or to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the federal official;
• threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder certain federal officials to retaliate against or to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the federal official; and
• assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.

The United States may prosecute such conduct that occurs outside the United States.

PL 117-58, H.R.3684, This bill addresses provisions related to federal-aid highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, research, hazardous materials, and rail programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Among other provisions, the bill

• extends FY2021 enacted levels through FY2022 for federal-aid highway, transit, and safety programs;
• reauthorizes for FY2023-FY2026 several surface transportation programs, including the federal-aid highway program, transit programs, highway safety, motor carrier safety, and rail programs;
• addresses climate change, including strategies to reduce the climate change impacts of the surface transportation system and a vulnerability assessment to identify opportunities to enhance the resilience of the surface transportation system and ensure the efficient use of federal resources;
• revises Buy America procurement requirements for highways, mass transit, and rail;
• establishes a rebuild rural bridges program to improve the safety and state of good repair of bridges in rural communities;
• implements new safety requirements across all transportation modes; and
• directs DOT to establish a pilot program to demonstrate a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee to restore and maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund and achieve and maintain a state of good repair in the surface transportation system.

PL 117-57, H.R.4172, This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be located in Aurora, Colorado, as the Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley Clinic (Rep. Jason Crow [D-CO]).

PL 117-56, H.R.3475, This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Columbus, Georgia, as the Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic (Rep. Sandford D. Bishop Jr [D-GA]).

PL 117-55, H.R.3919, This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish rules stating that it will no longer review or approve any authorization application for equipment that is on the list of covered communications equipment or services. (Listed communications equipment or services are those that the FCC determines pose an unacceptable risk to national security or the security and safety of U.S. persons.) (Rep. Steve Scalise [R-LA]).

PL 117-54, S.1064,  This bill establishes measures to monitor, report on, and address corruption and human rights abuses in Nicaragua.

Specifically, the bill directs U.S. leadership at international financial institutions to advocate for oversight with respect to any loan or financial or technical assistance for projects in Nicaragua.

The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury must establish a strategy to align diplomatic engagement with implementing sanctions to facilitate free, fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua. Pursuant to this strategy, the President must prioritize implementing targeted sanctions on persons obstructing such elections. The State Department must also engage in diplomatic efforts with partner countries to impose targeted sanctions on such individuals.

The bill adds Nicaragua to a list of countries whose citizens are subject to visa-blocking sanctions for knowingly engaging in (1) actions undermining democratic processes or institutions, or (2) significant corruption or obstruction of investigations into such corruption.

Further, the bill requires the State Department to report on

• the involvement of President Daniel Ortega, members of his family, and senior government officials in significant acts of public corruption;
• Russian activities in Nicaragua; and
• gross human rights violations by the Ortega government against campesinos (i.e., natives of Latin American rural areas, especially Latin American Indian farmers or farm laborers) and indigenous communities.

In addition, the State Department must report on obstacles to news and information about domestic and international affairs and submit a strategy for strengthening independent broadcasting, information distribution, and media platforms in Nicaragua (Sen. Robert Menendez [D-NJ]).

PL 117-53, H.R.1899, This bill provides statutory authority for certain regulations governing the modification, transfer, and termination of a registration to manufacture, distribute, or dispense controlled substances.

It terminates the registration of individuals and entities when they die, cease legal existence, discontinue business, or surrender such registration. It sets forth notification requirements, as well as conditions for transferring or assigning a registration (Rep. H. Morgan Griffith [R-VA]).

PL 117-52, H.R.5763, To provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, and transit programs, and for other purposes (Rep. Peter DeFazio [D-OR]).

PL 117-51, H.R.4981, To amend the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, to modify certain deadlines relating to the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking (Rep. David J. Trone [D-MD]). 

PL 117-50, S.1301,  A bill to provide for the publication by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of physical activity recommendations for Americans.  This bill increases the public debt limit by $480 billion (Sen. Sherrod Brown [D-OH]).