United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2023
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Reauthorization Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes and expands the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration program, which helps fund collaborative and community-based forest management. To be eligible for support, a collaborative forest landscape restoration proposal must describe plans to prevent, remediate, or control invasions of pathogens. For each proposal nominated for selection by a Forest Service regional office, the office must provide a federal government staffing plan for providing support to collaboratives. In selecting proposals, the Department of Agriculture must give special consideration to proposals that seek to use innovative implementation mechanisms, including conservation finance agreements and good neighbor agreements; reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire or increase ecological restoration activities within areas across land ownerships and within the wildland-urban interface; and enhance watershed health and drinking water sources. The bill increases the number of proposals that may be funded during any fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
Reproductive Health Care Training Act of 2023 This bill establishes a grant program that supports training for providers of abortion care. Specifically, the Health Resources and Services Administration must award grants to health professional schools, academic health centers, or other nonprofit health care safety net providers to support training in abortion care, if such training is authorized in the state in which they are located. Funds may be used to train students, residents, and advanced practice clinicians in abortion care and to connect them to appropriate entities to provide such care, among other activities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 This bill provides certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) with a path to receive permanent resident status and contains other immigration-related provisions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall provide conditional permanent resident status for 10 years to a qualifying individual who entered the United States as a minor and (1) is deportable or inadmissible, (2) has deferred enforced departure (DED) status or temporary protected status (TPS), or (3) is the child of certain classes of nonimmigrants. The bill imposes various qualifying requirements, such as the individual being continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2021, passing a background check, and being enrolled in or having completed certain educational programs. DHS shall remove the conditions placed on permanent resident status granted under this bill if the alien applies and meets certain requirements, such as completing certain programs at an educational institution, serving in the military, or being employed. Furthermore, DHS and DOJ shall provide lawful permanent resident status to certain individuals who had TPS, were eligible for TPS, or were eligible for DED status on certain dates. Such individuals must meet certain requirements and apply for such status within three years of this bill's enactment. DHS may not use information from applications filed under this bill or for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status for immigration enforcement purposes. This bill also repeals a restriction that bars a state from providing higher education benefits to undocumented individuals unless those benefits are available to all U.S. nationals without regard to residency in the state.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
Augmenting Research and Educational Sites to Ensure Agriculture Remains Cutting-edge and Helpful Act or the AG RESEARCH Act This bill provides funding for maintenance at agricultural research facilities. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must (1) revise its review process for evaluating proposals for agricultural research facilities to include consulting with representatives of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) peer review panels; and (2) establish a grant program within NIFA to provide agricultural research facilities with a federal share of the cost for the construction, alteration, acquisition, modernization, renovation, or remodeling of the research facilities or the equipment necessary for agricultural research. Additionally, the bill provides funding for the grant program and for USDA to provide direct payments to research facilities of the Agricultural Research Service for addressing deferred maintenance. USDA must give priority to the most critical structures in accordance with the Agricultural Research Service Capital Investment Strategy (April 2012).
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act This bill waives the adjusted gross income limitations for payments or benefits under specific Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance programs for a person or legal entity that derives a portion of their income from agriculture. (Currently, a person or entity is not eligible to receive certain benefits during a crop, fiscal, or program year if their average gross income exceeds $900,000.) Specifically, in the case of an excepted payment or benefit, the adjusted gross income limitation is waived if 75% or more of the average adjusted gross income for the person or entity is derived from farming, ranching, or silviculture activities. These activities include agritourism, direct-to-consumer marketing of agricultural products, and the sale of agricultural equipment owned by such person or entity. The bill applies to the USDA Livestock Indemnity Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Tree Assistance Program; and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
Right to Contraception Act This bill sets out statutory protections for an individual's right to access and a health care provider's right to provide contraception and related information. Contraception refers to an action taken to prevent pregnancy, including the use of contraceptives (i.e., a device or medication used to prevent pregnancy), fertility-awareness based methods, and sterilization procedures. Generally, the bill prohibits measures that single out and impede access to contraception and related information. However, a party may defend against a claim that a measure violates the bill's prohibitions by demonstrating, through clear and convincing evidence, that the measure significantly advances the safety of contraception and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The bill also specifies that the prohibition preempts inconsistent state and local laws and applies in spite of other federal laws, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. The Department of Justice, individuals, or health care providers may bring a lawsuit to enforce this bill, and states are not immune from suits for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2023
Recycling and Composting Accountability Act This bill establishes data collection and reporting requirements concerning composting and recycling programs. Specifically, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue several reports related to composting and recycling, including a report on the capability of the United States to implement a national composting strategy in order to reduce contamination rates for recycling. The EPA must also inventory certain facilities that recycle residential materials and describe the materials that the facilities can process; collect data related to curbside and drop-off recycling and composting programs in order to establish a comprehensive baseline of data for the U.S. recycling system; and develop and disseminate best practices that states, local governments, and Indian tribes may use to enhance recycling and composting. The EPA must also develop a metric for determining the proportion of recyclable materials in commercial and municipal waste streams that is being diverted from circular markets, which are markets that utilize industrial processes and economic activities to enable post-industrial and post-consumer materials used in those processes and activities to maintain their highest values for as long as possible. After developing the metric, the EPA must then study the proportion of recyclable materials in such waste streams that were diverted from those markets in the prior ten years. Finally, the Government Accountability Office must report on the recycling practices of federal agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2023
This resolution condemns Iran's state-sponsored persecution of the Baha'i religious minority and Iran's continued violation of international human rights treaties. The resolution calls on Iran to (1) immediately release Baha'is and others imprisoned or detained solely on account of religion, (2) end its state-sponsored campaign of hate propaganda against the Baha'is, and (3) reverse certain policies that discriminate against Baha'is and other religious minorities. The resolution also urges the President and the Department of State to impose sanctions on Iranian officials and others who are responsible for serious human rights abuses, including abuses against Iran's Baha'i community.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2023
Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2023 This bill establishes the Advisory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence. Among other things, the advisory council must assess the needs of victims of gun violence and disseminate information about helpful resources.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2023
Neighborhood Homes Investment Act This bill allows a business-related tax credit for certain development costs for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or remediation of qualified real property (i.e., real property affixed on a permanent foundation and comprised of four or fewer residential units, a condominium unit, or a house or apartment owned by a cooperative housing corporation). The bill also provides for the exclusion from gross income, for income tax purposes, of the value of any subsidy provided to a taxpayer by any state energy office for purposes of improvements made to a qualified residence.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2023
Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative to prioritize certain loans and grants that address childcare in agricultural and rural communities. Under the bill, childcare includes eligible programs that provide quality care and early education for young children who are in kindergarten or have not yet entered kindergarten. Under the initiative, USDA must give priority to applicants that propose to use certain loans or grants to address the availability, quality, or costs of childcare in an agricultural or rural community. In addition, USDA must prioritize communities in farming-dependent counties and ensure a balanced geographical distribution of the benefits. USDA must conduct a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the projects carried out under the initiative and submit a report to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2023 This bill expands Medicare coverage of diabetes outpatient self-management training. It also requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model in which such training is provided virtually.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act This bill specifies that state Medicaid programs are authorized to provide primary care services through direct primary care arrangements (i.e., arrangements in which primary care providers receive a fixed periodic fee for their services). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must (1) issue guidance on how state Medicaid programs may implement direct primary care arrangements, and (2) report on the extent to which state Medicaid programs contract with independent providers and on the quality and cost of care under direct primary care arrangements that are offered through Medicaid managed care organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education Payment program, which supports education and training for medical residents and fellows in children's hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
Pride in Mental Health Act of 2023 This bill establishes grants and reporting requirements concerning the mental and behavioral health of youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or questioning, nonbinary, intersex, or Two Spirit (gender-variant members of indigenous communities). Specifically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) must award grants to assess and improve mental health and substance abuse outcomes for those youth. Recipients may use grants for providing mental and behavioral health resources for such youth (including training for caregivers and school-based interventions) and collecting data. Recipients may not use grants for any practice or treatment that seeks to change another individual's sexual orientation or gender (i.e., conversion therapy). Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must (1) conduct a survey to measure issues related to mental health and health care among such youth; and (2) report about the mental health and related care of such youth who are in foster care and otherwise participate in federal social services programs. HHS must also review existing publications on SAMHSA's website that focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, nonbinary, intersex, and Two Spirit individuals and update or commission new publications to fill information gaps related to the mental and behavioral health of those individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2023
This bill requires the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to develop a strategic plan that supports rapid deployment of diagnostic tests during public health emergencies. Specifically, ASPR must develop and periodically update a plan for rapid development, procurement, and distribution of diagnostic tests during public health emergencies, including laboratory and at-home tests. The plan must promote collaboration among government agencies and private sector stakeholders (e.g., manufacturers of diagnostic tests).
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2023
U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham Accords Enhancement Act of 2023 This bill modifies and extends certain authorities related to Israel. For example, the bill extends the authorization for the Department of Defense (DOD) to transfer certain defense items to Israel; extends the authorization to finance cooperative projects among the United States, Israel, and developing countries related to water resources, agriculture, and energy storage; extends energy cooperation and authorizes the Department of Energy to make grants to Israel to support advanced nuclear technologies, as well as for carbon capture, utilization, and storage; requires the U.S. Agency for International Development to ensure that applicants from Abraham Accord countries are eligible for Middle East Regional Cooperation grants; and requires the Department of State to report to Congress on U.S. diplomatic efforts to oppose politically motivated investigations against the United States and Israel at the International Criminal Court.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2023
Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act or the SHIP Act This bill requires the President to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against foreign persons that knowingly transport, process, refine, or otherwise deal in petroleum and petroleum products originating in Iran. These sanctions also extend to certain foreign persons associated with the sanctioned individual, such as adult family members and any entities owned or controlled by the sanctioned individual.
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 2023
Industrial Hemp Act of 2023 This bill exempts industrial hemp production from certain inspection and testing requirements. Under current law, the hemp production program requires that all hemp production meet the same inspection and testing requirements. The bill amends the hemp production programs for a state, Indian tribe, and the Department of Agriculture to (1) establish a separate definition for industrial hemp, (2) require a procedure for hemp producers to designate the type of hemp production as industrial hemp or hemp for any other purpose, and (3) exclude industrial hemp from testing requirements. Industrial hemp producers are subject to annual visual inspections. If a producer fails a visual inspection, the producer may be (1) required to provide certain documentation on the in-field practices, and (2) subject to chemical testing on harvested material. Currently, a person with a felony conviction related to a controlled substance is prohibited from participating in the hemp production program for ten years. This bill includes an exception to allow participation by a person producing industrial hemp. However, a person who knowingly produces a crop that is inconsistent with the industrial hemp designation is prohibited from participating in the hemp production program for five years. The bill also preempts state and tribal law for the regulation of industrial hemp.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2023 This bill provides specific statutory authority for the Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) State Educational Agency Grant Program that is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program supports school-based mental health services, including screening, treatment, and outreach programs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to undertake various activities to address mental and behavioral health issues among the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations. Specifically, SAMHSA must develop and implement an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance abuse among AANHPI populations. Additionally, SAMHSA must study (1) mental health and substance use disorders among AANHPI youth, including the number of individuals who attempted suicide or died by suicide or drug overdose; and (2) strategies for increasing AANHPI representation in the behavioral and mental health workforce.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2023 This bill revises certain grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that support youth suicide early-intervention and prevention strategies. Specifically, the bill requires SAMHSA to award a portion of the grants for statewide training programs on emotional well-being, mental health, and suicide awareness and prevention for elementary and secondary school students and staff.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2023
Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2023 This bill expands access to menstrual products through federal programs, in certain locations, and for particular groups. It also prohibits states and localities from taxing retail sales of a range of menstrual products (e.g., sanitary napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups). The bill expands access to that range of menstrual products by requiring Medicaid to cover those products, establishing a grant program in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to provide benefits to ensure access to those products, and increasing Social Services Block Grant funding for providing those products to low-income individuals and exempting that increase from sequestration (a process of automatic, usually across-the-board cancellations of budgetary resources to enforce specific budget policy goals). Additionally, the bill sets out requirements to make free sanitary napkins and tampons available in federal and state correctional facilities (including Department of Homeland Security detention facilities) and restrooms in federal buildings that are open to the public. Further, the bill (1) establishes a grant program to support the provision of free sanitary napkins and tampons on campuses of institutions of higher education, and (2) permits elementary and secondary schools to use certain grants to provide sanitary napkins and tampons to students. In addition, the bill requires employers with at least 100 employees to provide free sanitary napkins and tampons for employees. It also permits the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to provide sanitary napkins and tampons to homeless individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2023
Promoting Resources to Expand Vaccination, Education and New Treatments for HPV Cancers Act of 2023 or the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2023 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out a campaign to raise awareness about human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination with a particular focus on combatting misinformation and increasing vaccination rates, especially among males. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2028 the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and otherwise extends activities to reduce breast and cervical cancer mortality.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2023
Doctors at the Ready Act This bill permanently authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to directly appoint candidates to positions within the National Disaster Medical System if HHS determines the number of personnel in the system is insufficient to address a public health emergency or potential public health emergency. Currently, the authorization expires on September 30, 2023. The National Disaster Medical System is a partnership between HHS, the Department of Defense, and other federal departments that responds to public health and other emergencies, including by deploying medical response teams.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2023
Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 This bill expands hospital price transparency requirements and establishes additional reporting requirements with respect to prescription drugs and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The bill also extends funding for various programs such as the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program, and National Health Service Corps. Specifically, the bill provides statutory authority for the requirement that hospitals publish an annual list of shoppable services they provide, including specified pricing information. Beginning in 2025, a hospital may not use an internet-based price estimator tool to meet the publication requirement for shoppable services. The bill also modifies the health insurance plan disclosure requirements to include the rates for certain in-network services and prescription drug payment information. The bill further requires providers of diagnostic laboratory tests under Medicare to publish online certain price information. Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations must report information about payments made to providers in which the MA organization has an ownership interest. Medicare prescription drug plan sponsors must report certain price information for covered drugs. Additionally, the bill requires health insurance plan issuers (or the PBM providing services on behalf of the plan) to report to the plan sponsor specified information about prescription drugs dispensed under the plan. This includes rebates, fees, alternative discounts, or other remuneration the plan receives from drug manufacturers. Finally, the bill requires pass-through pricing models, and prohibits spread-pricing, for payment arrangements with PBMs under Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Hot Foods Act of 2023 This bill expands the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to permit the use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2023 or the SAFE Act of 2023 This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.) Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption. The bill subjects a violator to a fine. The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony. In recent years, appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
United States Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training to support the collection, curation, and sharing of diplomatic history in the United States via oral history, books, social media, and other means.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Doxing Threat Assessment Act This bill requires the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and disseminate a threat assessment regarding the use of cyber harassment, including doxing, by terrorists and foreign malicious actors. Doxing means knowingly publishing the personally identifiable information of another individual, without the individual's consent and with intent to threaten, intimidate, harass, or stalk any person; facilitate another to threaten, intimidate, harass, or stalk any person; incite or facilitate the commission of a crime of violence against any person; or place any person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury. The threat assessment (1) shall be developed in coordination with the DHS Privacy Office and the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and (2) may be informed by existing products. I&A shall, consistent with the protection of classified and confidential unclassified information (1) disseminate the threat assessment with state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials; and (2) ensure that a version of the assessment is published on the DHS website within 30 days of dissemination to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Fire Department Repayment Act of 202 3 This bill requires standard operating procedures for reciprocal fire suppression cost share agreements. The Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, Homeland Security, and Defense shall establish standard operating procedures relating to fire suppression cost share agreements established under the Reciprocal Fire Protection Act; and with respect to each agreement in operation on one year after enactment of this bill, review each agreement and modify it as necessary to comply with the standard operating procedures. The standard operating procedures shall include a requirement that each fire suppression cost share agreement be aligned with each of the cooperative fire protection agreements applicable to the entity subject to such fire suppression cost share agreement. The standard operating procedures shall also include a requirement that the departments, to the maximum extent practicable, complete reviews, including second-level reviews of a fire suppression cost share agreement, as soon as practicable after a wildfire related to the area covered by such cost share agreement is contained; and a requirement that in completing such reviews, the department concerned consults with state and local fire suppression organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Give Kids a Chance Act of 2023 This bill authorizes certain targeted clinical trials involving combinations of drugs to treat pediatric cancer. Specifically, the bill modifies requirements relating to molecularly targeted pediatric cancer investigations so as to authorize investigations of new drugs that are used in combination with active ingredients that have already been approved and that (1) have been determined to be the standard of care for treating a pediatric cancer, or (2) have been approved to treat an adult cancer and are directed at molecular targets for pediatric cancer. The Food and Drug Administration must issue guidance and report on the bill's implementation. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the bill's changes with respect to the development of pediatric cancer drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Forest Conservation Easement Program Act of 2023 This bill replaces the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) with a new forest conservation easement program. Both the HFRP and the new program provide for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to purchase easements on private land for forest conservation purposes. Under the new program, USDA must provide cost-share assistance to states, local governments, Indian tribes, or certain organizations for their purchase of forest conservation easements. The bill also sets aside program funding to purchase easements from certain classes of landowner, including beginning forest landowners, socially disadvantaged forest landowners, and veteran forest landowners.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Youth Workforce Readiness Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Labor to award grants to certain national youth-serving organizations for comprehensive workforce readiness programs that are provided to youth and take place before or after school, during summer vacation or a holiday, or on the weekend (i.e., out-of-school-time programs). Such grants must be used to develop and implement nationwide youth workforce readiness programs, including for activities such as on-the-job training and leadership development opportunities, internships, and other supportive services. The bill also requires local workforce development boards to establish youth councils as subgroups of the boards.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2023
Wise Investment in Children Act of 2023 or the WIC Act of 2023 This bill expands eligibility for children to receive benefits under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Specifically, the bill extends eligibility for the program until the period that ends on the earlier of the sixth birthday of a child or when the child enters kindergarten; extends the certification period under the program for infants to up to two years, instead of the current one year; and increases the certification time under the program for postpartum women to a period of up to two years. The bill also authorizes the Department of Agriculture to grant a waiver to a state, on request, that waives certification deadline requirements for the eligibility extensions if such state demonstrates there are unusual technological barriers to implementation, operational costs are not affordable within the nutrition services and administration grant of the state, or it is in the best interest of the program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2023
Enhancing COPS Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Act This bill allows funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to be used to provide bonuses for the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers or career law enforcement officers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2023
Promoting Transparency and Healthy Competition in Medicare Act This bill requires Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations and prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to report certain information relating to their ownership interests in participating providers. Specifically, MA organizations must report on items and services, patient risk scores and associated diagnoses, prior authorization requests, and incentive payments with respect to providers in which the MA organization has an ownership interest as compared to other providers. Similarly, PDP sponsors under the Medicare prescription drug benefit must report on the prices of prescription drugs with respect to pharmacies in which the PDP sponsor has an ownership interest as compared to other pharmacies. The bill also prohibits PDP sponsors from contracting with PBMs in which the PDP sponsor has an ownership interest unless the PBM reports certain information on rebates and payments between the PBM, PDP sponsor, pharmacies, and drug manufacturers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2023
Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act This bill directs multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health with a particular focus on racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must address the social determinants of maternal health (i.e., child care, housing, and other nonmedical factors that affect health outcomes). HHS and other departments must also carry out other actions to increase access to maternal health care and otherwise improve maternal health, such as growing and diversifying the maternal health workforce; establishing various grants and other programs, including ones related to maternal health disparities and maternal behavioral health; testing alternative payment models for perinatal care in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); addressing maternal health during public health emergencies; and supporting training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. The bill further provides for extended postpartum and breastfeeding eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; increased research and data collection on maternal health indicators; activities to mitigate adverse maternal health outcomes associated with climate change; and expanded public education to improve maternal vaccination rates. The bill also addresses maternal health for incarcerated populations. For example, it (1) requires the Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice to establish programs to improve maternity care; and (2) reduces grants for criminal justice activities unless the recipient state or territory has a law to limit the use of restraints during pregnancy for incarcerated populations.
![Official portrait of Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s001216_200.jpg)