[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 129 (Thursday, July 22, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5052-S5054]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. Padilla):
S. 2430. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand
the exclusion for certain conservation subsidies to include subsidies
for water conservation or efficiency measures and storm water
management measures; to the Committee on Finance.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the
``Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act,'' which I introduced today.
Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA) has introduced companion
legislation in the House of Representatives.
Access to water has always been a major issue in California and
throughout the Western United States. That issue has only become more
pressing as climate change increases the risk of drought in the West.
Right now, 87 percent of California is facing ``Extreme Drought''
conditions and 33 percent of the state is experiencing ``Exceptional
Drought'' conditions, the most severe category.
A growing number of States, including California, have begun offering
rebates to homeowners to improve the water efficiency of their homes.
Unfortunately, many homeowners are unaware that they are required to
pay federal income taxes on these rebates and are surprised to be stuck
with that bill. Still other homeowners aware of the tax implications
are disincentivized from making these efficiencies to their homes.
The ``Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act'' would exempt such
State and local rebates for water conservation improvements, as well as
improvements to better handle storm water runoff, from taxable income.
This would eliminate the unexpected bill homeowners face, increasing
the incentive to make these improvements, which benefit all of us.
I note that such State rebates for energy conservation improvements
are already excluded from taxable income. Thus, my bill would simply
put water conservation rebates on par with energy conservation rebates
for tax treatment.
It is critical that Congress explore many ways to address climate
change and mitigate the impacts that we are already seeing. Encouraging
homeowners to make their properties more water-efficient is one way to
do that.
I hope my colleagues will join me in support of this bill. Thank you,
Mr. President, and I yield the floor.
______
By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Burr, Mr. Padilla, and Mr.
Tillis):
S. 2432. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude
from gross income amounts received from State-based catastrophe loss
mitigation programs; to the Committee on Finance.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the
``Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act,'' which Senator Burr and I
introduced today. Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) has introduced
companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Encouraging homeowners to take steps to reduce the risk of natural
catastrophe damage to their homes has long been a goal of policy
makers. In California, it has been a special challenge to incentivize
individuals to purchase earthquake insurance and to harden their homes
against potential earthquake damage.
The threat of natural disasters and extreme weather events has become
a much greater problem in recent years due to climate change, which is
driving an increasing frequency and severity of wildfires, droughts,
hurricanes, and other catastrophic events. This, in turn, is reducing
the availability and increasing the costs of insurance for individuals
and businesses.
A growing number of states, including California, have begun offering
rebates to homeowners to improve their homes to mitigate against damage
from such events. Unfortunately, many homeowners are unaware that they
are required to pay Federal income taxes on these rebates and are
surprised to be stuck with that bill. Other homeowners who are aware of
the tax implications are disincentivized from making these improvements
to their homes.
The ``Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act'' would exempt such
State rebates for disaster mitigation improvements from taxable income.
This would eliminate the unexpected bill homeowners face, increasing
the incentive to make these improvements, which benefit all of us.
I also note that such State rebates for energy conservation
improvements are already excluded from taxable income. Thus, our bill
would simply put disaster mitigation rebates on par with energy
conservation measures.
I am pleased that Congress is exploring many ways to address climate
change-related matters. Encouraging homeowners to make their properties
more resistant to natural catastrophe damage is one way to help.
I hope my colleagues will join me in support of this bill. Thank you,
Mr. President, and I yield the floor.
______
By Mr. THUNE:
S. 2437. A bill to amend the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003
to require the Secretary of Agriculture to expedite hazardous fuel or
insect and disease risk reduction projects on certain National Forest
System land, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2437
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Expediting Forest
Restoration and Recovery Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. APPLICATION BY FOREST SERVICE OF AUTHORITIES TO
EXPEDITE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSES IN CARRYING OUT
HAZARDOUS FUEL AND INSECT AND DISEASE RISK
REDUCTION PROJECTS.
Section 104 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003
(16 U.S.C. 6514) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(i) Application by Forest Service of Authorities to
Expedite Environmental Analyses in Carrying Out Hazardous
Fuel and Insect and Disease Risk Reduction Projects.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Insect and disease treatment area.--The term `insect
and disease treatment area' means an area that--
``(i) is designated by the Secretary as an insect and
disease treatment area under this title; or
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``(ii) is designated as at risk or a hazard on the most
recent National Insect and Disease Risk Map published by the
Forest Service.
``(B) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' has the meaning
given the term in section 101(14)(A).
``(2) Use of authorities.--In carrying out a hazardous fuel
or insect and disease risk reduction project in an insect and
disease treatment area authorized under this Act, the
Secretary shall--
``(A) apply the categorical exclusion established by
section 603 in the case of a hazardous fuel or insect and
disease risk reduction project carried out in an area--
``(i) designated as suitable for timber production within
the applicable forest plan; or
``(ii) where timber harvest activities are not prohibited;
``(B) conduct applicable environmental assessments and
environmental impact statements in accordance with this
section in the case of a hazardous fuel or insect and disease
risk reduction project--
``(i) carried out in an area--
``(I) outside of an area described in subparagraph (A); or
``(II) where other significant resource concerns exist, as
determined exclusively by the Secretary; or
``(ii) that is carried out in an area equivalent to not
less than a hydrologic unit code 5 watershed, as defined by
the United States Geological Survey; and
``(C) notwithstanding subsection (d), in the case of any
other hazardous fuel or insect and disease reduction project,
in the environmental assessment or environmental impact
statement prepared under subsection (b), study, develop, and
describe--
``(i) the proposed agency action; and
``(ii) the alternative of no action.
``(3) Priority for reducing risks of insect infestation and
wildfire.--Except where established as a mandatory standard
that constrains project and activity decisionmaking in a
resource management plan (as defined in section 101(13)(A))
in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, in the case
of an insect and disease treatment area, the Secretary shall
prioritize reducing the risks of insect and disease
infestation and wildfire over other planning objectives.
``(4) Inclusion of fire regime groups iv and v.--
Notwithstanding section 603(c)(2)(B), the Secretary shall
apply the categorical exclusion described in paragraph (2)(A)
to areas in Fire Regime Groups IV and V.
``(5) Excluded areas.--This subsection shall not apply to--
``(A) a component of the National Wilderness Preservation
System; or
``(B) an inventoried roadless area, except in the case of
an activity that is permitted under--
``(i) the final rule of the Secretary entitled `Special
Areas; Roadless Area Conservation' (66 Fed. Reg. 3244
(January 12, 2001)); or
``(ii) a State-specific roadless area conservation rule.
``(6) Reports.--The Secretary shall annually make publicly
available data describing the acreage treated under hazardous
fuel or insect and disease risk reduction projects in insect
and disease treatment areas during the previous year.''.
SEC. 3. GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY.
Section 8206(b)(2) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16
U.S.C. 2113a(b)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraph (C)
and inserting the following:
``(C) Treatment of revenue.--Funds received from the sale
of timber by a Governor of a State under a good neighbor
agreement shall be retained and used by the Governor--
``(i) to carry out authorized restoration services under
that good neighbor agreement; and
``(ii) if funds remain after carrying out authorized
restoration services under clause (i), to carry out
authorized restoration services within the State under other
good neighbor agreements.''.
______
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Hirono, and Mr.
Booker):
S. 2442. A bill to amend section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 in order to allow adjunct faculty members to qualify for public
service loan forgiveness; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2442
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Adjunct Faculty Loan
Fairness Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR ADJUNCT FACULTY.
Section 455(m)(3)(B)(ii) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(3)(B)(ii)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``teaching as'' and inserting the
following: ``teaching--
``(I) as'';
(2) by striking ``, foreign language faculty, and part-time
faculty at community colleges), as determined by the
Secretary.'' and inserting ``and foreign language faculty),
as determined by the Secretary; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(II) as a part-time faculty member or instructor who--
``(aa) teaches not less than 1 course at an institution of
higher education (as defined in section 101(a)), a
postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in section
102(c)), or a Tribal College or University (as defined in
section 316(b)); and
``(bb) is not employed on a full-time basis by any other
employer.''.
______
By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Casey, Mr. Durbin, Ms.
Klobuchar, Mr. Menendez, and Mrs. Murray):
S. 2452. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide
matching payments for retirement savings contributions by certain
individuals, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today I have introduced the Encouraging
Americans to Save Act (EASA). This legislation makes common sense
reforms to the saver's tax credit by making the credit refundable and
restructuring it as a government matching contribution that is directly
deposited into a taxpayer's retirement savings account. This bill would
offer matching contributions for the first time to millions of middle
and low income individuals not covered by an employer-sponsored
retirement plan, including those who save through an IRA under a state
or local government savings program--such as workers in my home State
of Oregon under the OregonSaves program. The government match is also
available to middle and lower income savers who participate in an
employer-sponsored plan. The government match provided by the bill
would both encourage saving and help middle and low income earners
build assets by providing an immediate, meaningful return on their
personal contributions. The legislation would also establish a
coronavirus bonus recovery credit that would provide an additional
government match of up to $5,000 to workers on their retirement saving
for a five year period. I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation.
______
By Mr. PADILLA (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr. Ossoff):
S. 2454. A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to
reauthorize the pilot program for alternative water source projects,
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works.
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the ``Water Reuse and
Resiliency Act.'' This legislation would authorize $1 billion for
innovative water infrastructure projects that respond to our Country's
growing water needs and the historic drought facing the Western United
States.
In the face of unprecedented heat and drought conditions across the
Western United States, and growing water resource challenges across the
entire Nation, it is critically important that we invest now to
modernize and adapt our water systems for the 21st century.
The Environmental Protection Agency's Alternative Water Source
Projects pilot program provides competitive grants to engineer, design,
construct, and test alternative water source systems, including water
recycling systems and projects that conserve, manage, reclaim, or reuse
water resources.
The Water Reuse and Resiliency Act would reauthorize the EPA's
Alternative Water Source Projects pilot program for five years,
increase the authorization to $1 billion, and make stormwater reuse and
groundwater recharge projects eligible for grant funding.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), as of July 13, an estimated 89% of the Western U.S. is
experiencing drought. Unfortunately, historic droughts are becoming the
new normal. The impacts of drought on water availability are compounded
by triple-digit temperatures, record low snowpack levels, and a growing
population.
By expanding the use of alternative, non-traditional water sources,
such as capturing stormwater runoff and recycling wastewater for
groundwater recharge, the Water Reuse and Resiliency Act supports
innovations in water treatment that can deliver a new, safe, and
reliable source of water for potable use or irrigation.
I thank my co-lead, Senator Feinstein, for her tireless leadership
fighting for clean water for Californians and
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all Americans. I also thank the cosponsors of this bill for championing
this vital effort with us in the Senate.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the ``Water
Reuse and Resiliency Act'' as quickly as possible.
Thank you, Mr. President, I yield the floor.
____________________