The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION” mentioning Rick Scott was published in the Senate section on pages S1424-S1427 on March 9.
Of the 100 senators in 117th Congress, 24 percent were women, and 76 percent were men, according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr.
Blunt, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Cramer, Mr.
Crapo, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Daines, Ms. Ernst, Mrs. Fischer, Mr.
Grassley, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Marshall,
Mr. McConnell, Mr. Moran, Mr. Risch, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Rubio, Mr.
Scott of Florida, Mr. Shelby, and Mr. Wicker):
S. 617. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
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. 617
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 ``Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. REPEAL OF ESTATE AND GENERATION-SKIPPING TRANSFER
TAXES.
(a) Estate Tax Repeal.--Subchapter C of chapter 11 of subtitle B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 2210. TERMINATION.
``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), this chapter shall not apply to the estates of decedents dying on or after the date of the enactment of the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021.
``(b) Certain Distributions From Qualified Domestic Trusts.--In applying section 2056A with respect to the surviving spouse of a decedent dying before the date of the enactment of the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021--
``(1) section 2056A(b)(1)(A) shall not apply to distributions made after the 10-year period beginning on such date, and
``(2) section 2056A(b)(1)(B) shall not apply on or after such date.''.
(b) Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Repeal.--Subchapter G of chapter 13 of subtitle B of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 2664. TERMINATION.
``This chapter shall not apply to generation-skipping transfers on or after the date of the enactment of the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021.''.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) The table of sections for subchapter C of chapter 11 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
``Sec. 2210. Termination.''.
(2) The table of sections for subchapter G of chapter 13 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
``Sec. 2664. Termination.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply to the estates of decedents dying, and generation-skipping transfers, after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. MODIFICATIONS OF GIFT TAX.
(a) Computation of Gift Tax.--Subsection (a) of section 2502 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows:
``(a) Computation of Tax.--
``(1) In general.--The tax imposed by section 2501 for each calendar year shall be an amount equal to the excess of--
``(A) a tentative tax, computed under paragraph (2), on the aggregate sum of the taxable gifts for such calendar year and for each of the preceding calendar periods, over
``(B) a tentative tax, computed under paragraph (2), on the aggregate sum of the taxable gifts for each of the preceding calendar periods.
``(2) Rate schedule.--
``If the amount with respect to which the The tentative
tentative tax to be computed is: tax is:
Not over $10,000.......................... 18% of such amount.
Over $10,000 but not over $20,000......... $1,800, plus 20% of the
excess over $10,000.
Over $20,000 but not over $40,000......... $3,800, plus 22% of the
excess over $20,000.
Over $40,000 but not over $60,000......... $8,200, plus 24% of the
excess over $40,000.
Over $60,000 but not over $80,000......... $13,000, plus 26% of the
excess over $60,000.
Over $80,000 but not over $100,000........ $18,200, plus 28% of the
excess over $80,000.
Over $100,000 but not over $150,000....... $23,800, plus 30% of the
excess over $100,000.
Over $150,000 but not over $250,000....... $38,800, plus 32% of the
excess over $150,000.
Over $250,000 but not over $500,000....... $70,800, plus 34% of the
excess over $250,000.
Over $500,000............................. $155,800, plus 35% of the
excess over $500,000.''.
(b) Treatment of Certain Transfers in Trust.--Section 2511 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) Treatment of Certain Transfers in Trust.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section and except as provided in regulations, a transfer in trust shall be treated as a taxable gift under section 2503, unless the trust is treated as wholly owned by the donor or the donor's spouse under subpart E of part I of subchapter J of chapter 1.''.
(c) Lifetime Gift Exemption.--
(1) In general.--Paragraph (1) of section 2505(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows:
``(1) the amount of the tentative tax which would be determined under the rate schedule set forth in section 2502(a)(2) if the amount with respect to which such tentative tax is to be computed were $10,000,000, reduced by''.
(2) Inflation adjustment.--Section 2505 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Inflation Adjustment.--
``(1) In general.--In the case of any calendar year after 2011, the dollar amount in subsection (a)(1) shall be increased by an amount equal to--
``(A) such dollar amount, multiplied by
``(B) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for such calendar year by substituting
`calendar year 2010' for `calendar year 2016' in subparagraph
(A)(ii) thereof.
``(2) Rounding.--If any amount as adjusted under paragraph
(1) is not a multiple of $10,000, such amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $10,000.''.
(d) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 2505(a) of such Code is amended by striking the last sentence.
(2) The heading for section 2505 of such Code is amended by striking ``UNIFIED''.
(3) The item in the table of sections for subchapter A of chapter 12 of such Code relating to section 2505 is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 2505. Credit against gift tax.''.
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply to gifts made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(f) Transition Rule.--
(1) In general.--For purposes of applying sections 1015(d), 2502, and 2505 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the calendar year in which this Act is enacted shall be treated as 2 separate calendar years one of which ends on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act and the other of which begins on such date of enactment.
(2) Application of section 2504(b).--For purposes of applying section 2504(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the calendar year in which this Act is enacted shall be treated as one preceding calendar period.
______
By Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Coons, and Mr.
Leahy):
S. 632. A bill to amend chapter 11 of title 35, United States Code, to require the voluntary collection of demographic information for patent inventors, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Inventor Diversity for Economic Advancement Act of 2021. I thank my colleague from North Carolina, Senator Tillis, for working with me on this important piece of legislation, which serves as a first step to closing the diversity gap in our patent system by collecting demographic data on patent applicants.
Women and racial minorities have made some of the most significant inventions in this Nation's history. The $75 billion home security industry grew from an initial home security system invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown. The computer would never have become the multimedia device it is today without the microcomputer system invented by Mark Dean. The genetic revolution would still be science fiction if not for the CRISPR gene-editing tool discovered by Jennifer Doudna--raised on Hawaii's Big Island.
We should celebrate these inventors and the many others like them who have contributed to innovation in this Nation. But we must also recognize the hard truth that women, racial minorities, and many other groups are greatly underrepresented in the U.S. patent system.
The Patent and Trademark Office's recent report on women inventors shines a spotlight on one part of this problem. The PTO found that only 22 percent of U.S. patents list a woman as an inventor and that women make up only 13 percent of all inventors. This is true even though women held 43 percent of all full-time jobs in 2016 and 28 percent of STEM jobs in 2015.
Other reports highlight racial patent gaps. For example, a report by the Institute for Women's Policy Research found that the percentage of African American and Hispanic college graduates who hold patents is approximately half that of their white counterparts.
Closing these gaps would turbocharge our economy. According to a study by Michigan State University Professor Lisa Cook, including more women and African Americans in the ``initial stage of the process of innovation'' could increase GDP by as much as $640 billion. Another study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that eliminating the patent gap for women with science and engineering degrees alone would increase GDP by over $500 billion.
It's simply good policy and good business to want to fully integrate people of all types into our innovation economy. But if we have any hope of closing the various patent gaps, we must first get a firm grasp on the scope of the problem.
Studies of the demographic makeup of patentees, like the ones I described, are few and far between. The reason is a simple one. A lack of data. The PTO does not collect any data on applicants beyond their first and last names and city, State, and country of residence. As a result, those wishing to study patent gaps between different demographic groups are forced to guess the gender of an applicant based on his or her name, determine the race of an applicant by cross-
referencing census data, or explore a number of other options that are time-consuming, unreliable, or both.
The IDEA Act solves this problem. It would require the PTO to collect demographic data--including gender, race, and military or veteran status--from patent applicants on a voluntary basis. It would further require the PTO to issue reports on the data collected and, perhaps more importantly, make the data available to the public with appropriate protections for personally identifiable information. Outside researchers could therefore conduct their own analyses and offer insights into the various patent gaps in our society.
Let me be clear. Closing the information gap facing researchers alone will not solve the patent gap facing women, racial minorities, and so many others. But it is a critical first step. I therefore encourage my colleagues to support the IDEA Act.
______
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Lankford):
S. 644. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to restore State authority to waive for certain facilities the 35-mile rule for designating critical access hospitals under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
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. 644
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 ``Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. RESTORING STATE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE THE 35-MILE RULE
FOR CERTAIN MEDICARE CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL
DESIGNATIONS.
(a) In General.--Section 1820 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395i-4) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(2)--
(A) in subparagraph (B)(i)--
(i) in subclause (I), by striking at the end ``or'';
(ii) in subclause (II), by inserting at the end ``or''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following new subclause:
``(III) subject to subparagraph (G), is a hospital described in subparagraph (F) and is certified on or after the date of the enactment of the Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021 by the State as being a necessary provider of health care services to residents in the area;''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(F) Hospital described.--For purposes of subparagraph
(B)(i)(III), a hospital described in this subparagraph is a hospital that--
``(i) is a sole community hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii)), a medicare dependent, small rural hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(G)(iv)), a low-volume hospital that in 2021 receives a payment adjustment under section 1886(d)(12), a subsection (d) hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(1)(B)) that has fewer than 50 beds, or, subject to the limitation under subparagraph
(G)(i)(I), is a facility described in subparagraph (G)(ii);
``(ii) is located in a rural area, as defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D);
``(iii)(I) is located--
``(aa) in a county that has a percentage of individuals with income that is below 150 percent of the poverty line that is higher than the national or statewide average in 2020;
``(bb) in a health professional shortage area (as defined in section 332(a)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act); or
``(II) has a percentage of inpatient days of individuals entitled to benefits under part A of this title, enrolled under part B of this title, or enrolled under a State plan under title XIX that is higher than the national or statewide average in 2019 or 2020;
``(iv) subject to subparagraph (G)(ii)(II), has attested to the Secretary two consecutive years of negative operating margins preceding the date of certification described in subparagraph (B)(i)(III); and
``(v) submits to the Secretary--
``(I) at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, an attestation outlining the good governance qualifications and strategic plan for multi-year financial solvency of the hospital; and
``(II) not later than 120 days after the date on which the Secretary issues final regulations pursuant to section 2(b) of the Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021, an application for certification of the facility as a critical access hospital.
``(G) Limitation on certain designations.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary may not under subsection
(e) certify pursuant to a certification by a State under subparagraph (B)(i)(III)--
``(I) more than a total of 175 facilities as critical access hospitals, of which not more than 20 percent may be facilities described in clause (ii); and
``(II) within any one State, more than 10 facilities as critical access hospitals.
``(ii) Facility described.--
``(I) In general.--A facility described in this clause is a facility that as of the date of enactment of this subparagraph met the criteria for designation as a critical access hospital under subparagraph (B)(i)(I).
``(II) Nonapplication of certain criteria.--For purposes of subparagraph (B)(i)(III), the criteria described in subparagraph (F)(iv) shall not apply with respect to the designation of a facility described in subclause (I).''; and
(2) in subsection (e), by inserting ``, subject to subsection (c)(2)(G),'' after ``The Secretary shall''.
(b) Regulations.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue final regulations to carry out this section.
(c) Clarification Regarding Facilities That Meet Distance or Other Certification Criteria.--Nothing in this section shall affect the application of criteria for designation as a critical access hospital described in subclause (I) or (II) section 1820(c)(2)(B)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-4(c)(2)(B)(i)).
SEC. 3. CMI TESTING OF NEW RURAL HOSPITAL DELIVERY AND
PAYMENT MODEL.
Section 1115A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The models selected under this subparagraph shall include the testing of a new rural hospital delivery and payment model (or models), as described in subsection (h).''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Testing of New Rural Hospital Delivery and Payment Model.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Testing.--The Secretary shall test the implementation of a new rural hospital delivery and payment model (or models) that the Secretary determines would promote financially sustainable ways to ensure patient access to care in rural communities, which may include models under which such hospitals furnish outpatient emergency care services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for which payment is made under title XVIII based on the amount determined under the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services under section 1833(t), plus a fixed rate for the cost of furnishing the emergency services.
``(B) Promulgation of regulations.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to test a new rural hospital delivery and payment model (or models) described in subparagraph (A), unless Congress enacts legislation that establishes such a payment model (or models) prior to the promulgation of regulations pursuant to this subparagraph.
``(2) Transition.--Effective beginning on the date on which the testing of a new rural hospital delivery and payment model (or models) described in paragraph (1)(A) is implemented under this subsection or such a payment model (or models) is established through the enactment of legislation described in paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall provide a process under which--
``(A) all critical access hospitals may transition to such new model or models under this subsection; and
``(B) any facility that was designated as a critical access hospital pursuant to a certification by a State under section 1820(c)(2)(B)(i)(III) may revert to the prospective payment model (or models) under which the facility received payment under title XVIII prior to being so designated.''.
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