United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to take certain actions promoting the normalization of relations between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. Specifically, the State Department must develop a strategy on expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords (the term used to refer collectively to agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain marking the public normalization of relations between the two Arab countries and Israel). The strategy must include a description of how the U.S. government will encourage further normalization of relations with Israel. In addition, the State Department must report on options for U.S. international efforts to promote the strengthening of ties between Israel, Arab states, and other relevant countries and regions. The State Department must also report on the status of the normalization of relations with Israel, including information on (1) laws that punish individuals for people-to-people relations with Israelis (i.e., anti-normalization laws), and (2) evidence of steps taken by Arab governments toward permitting or encouraging normalized relations between their citizens or residents and Israeli citizens.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2021
Endless Frontier Act This bill establishes a Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the National Science Foundation (NSF) and establishes various programs and activities. The goals of the directorate shall be, among other things, the strengthening of U.S. leadership in critical technologies through basic research in key technology focus areas, such as artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and advanced manufacturing, and the commercialization of those technologies to businesses in the United States. The bill gives the NSF the authority to provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information within the United States concerning the NSF’s activities and the results of those activities. The Office of Science and Technology Policy shall annually develop a strategy for the federal government to improve national competitiveness in science, research, and innovation to support the national security strategy. The Department of Commerce shall (1) establish a supply chain resiliency and crisis response program to address supply chain gaps and vulnerabilities in critical industries, (2) designate regional technology hubs to facilitate activities that support regional economic development that diffuses innovation around the United States, and (3) award grants to facilitate development and implementation of comprehensive regional technology strategies. The bill extends through FY2026 the Manufacturing USA Program and expands such program to support innovation and growth in domestic manufacturing.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Natural Gas Export Expansion Act This bill revises requirements regarding natural gas imports or exports to expand the expedited application and approval process to any nation, even if not a party to a free trade agreement with the United States, that is not specifically excluded by this bill. The bill excludes any nation subject to sanctions or trade restrictions imposed by the United States or excluded by the President or Congress for national security reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2021
Access to Contraception for Servicemembers and Dependents Act of 2021 This bill addresses Department of Defense (DOD) contraceptive care and family planning services. Specifically, the bill prohibits cost-sharing with respect to TRICARE beneficiaries for specified prescription contraceptives. Additionally, the bill prohibits cost-sharing for TRICARE Select and TRICARE Prime beneficiaries in relation to any in-network method of contraception or contraceptive care (including with respect to insertion, removal, and follow-up), any sterilization procedure, or any related patient education or counseling service. The bill requires DOD to provide information on all methods of emergency contraception and care to sexual assault survivors at its medical treatment facilities. Upon request by a sexual assault survivor, DOD must provide such emergency contraception or a prescription for emergency contraception. Finally, DOD must establish a uniform standard curriculum for education programs on family planning for all members of the Armed Forces. Such education programs must be provided to service members during their first year of service and at other appropriate times, as determined by each military department.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2021
Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act of 2021 This bill provides for the portability of professional licenses of service members and their spouses who are relocated, because of military orders, outside of the jurisdiction that issued the license. Specifically, a professional license in good standing of a service member or spouse shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction for the duration of such military orders. To establish and maintain eligibility, a service member or spouse must (1) provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction; (2) remain in good standing with the licensing authority that issued the license; and (3) submit to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements. The bill also provides that if a service member or spouse is licensed to operate in multiple jurisdictions through an interstate licensure compact, the service member or spouse is subject to the requirements of the compact or the applicable provisions of the state law rather than the provisions of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2021
Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2021 This bill expands Medicare coverage of chiropractic services to include all services provided by chiropractors, rather than only subluxation corrections through manual manipulation of the spine.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 2021
Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act This bill extends public safety officers' death benefits to Transportation Security Administration employees performing official duties related to protecting the nation's transportation systems.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 2021
Public Housing Fire Safety Act This bill creates a grant program, to be administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, for public housing agencies to install automatic sprinkler systems in certain public housing projects.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2021 This bill recognizes service as a member of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps between July 1, 1943, and December 31, 1948, as active duty service. The active duty designation entitles qualifying individuals to certain benefits afforded to veterans, such as burial benefits (not including interment or inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery) and honorary veteran status. Under the bill, the Department of Defense (DOD) must issue individuals who served in the corps during the specified period a discharge from their service under honorable conditions if such a discharge is warranted based on the duration and nature of the service. Such individuals are not entitled to Department of Veterans Affairs benefits aside from those related to burials and memorials. The bill also authorizes DOD to produce a service medal or other commendation, memorial plaque, or grave marker to honor the individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
SFC Heath Robinson Burn Pit Transparency Act This bill implements reporting requirements and policies related to the treatment and documentation of veterans who have been exposed to open burn pits. A burn pit is an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment. First, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit quarterly reports on veterans' burn pit exposure The bill also requires the VA to collaborate with the Department of Defense to submit an annual report detailing specified information about veterans who have been exposed to open burn pits, such as the number of claims for disability compensation approved and denied (including the rationale for denials). The bill authorizes the survivor of a deceased veteran to report a veteran's exposure to toxic substances from an open burn pit in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, even if the veteran was not included prior to their death. VA medical professionals must inform veterans of the registry if they present at a medical facility for treatment related to exposure to toxic chemicals by open burn pits. Finally, the Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of any memorandum of understanding entered into by the VA with respect to the processing of reported cases of burn pit exposure and the coordination of care and provision of health care related to such cases at VA and non-VA facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety and Oversight Improvements Act of 2021 This bill expands requirements for foreign manufacturers of cylinders used for transporting hazardous materials in the United States (e.g., compressed gas cylinders). Current regulations require foreign manufacturers to apply for authorization from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration for testing such cylinders outside of the United States. This bill requires that, to obtain an authorization, manufacturers must meet minimum levels of financial responsibility and answer in their applications specified questions, including whether the manufacturer is or has been subject to various civil or criminal penalties. The administration must publish each application in the Federal Register for public comment and must also annually publish a list of authorized manufacturers online. The bill limits an authorization to one year; however, the administration may extend an authorization for five years if the manufacturer (1) complies with applicable requirements for at least three years; and (2) meets conditions regarding the accuracy of its application, sufficiency of its financial responsibility, and other matters. The administration may suspend or terminate an authorization if a manufacturer impedes an inspection or knowingly or intentionally provides inaccurate application information. The administration must also establish a process whereby an interested party may petition for a reevaluation of an authorization if that party has evidence of inaccurate or fraudulent information in the manufacturer's application.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
Fire Fighters and EMS Employer-Employee Cooperation Act This bill requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether a state substantially provides fire and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel the right to form and join a labor organization; recognition by fire and EMS employers of the employees' labor organization, agreement to bargain with the organization, and reduction of any agreements to writing in a contract or memorandum of understanding; the right to bargain over hours, wages, and terms and conditions of employment; and arbitration or other mechanisms to resolve an impasse in collective bargaining negotiations. The bill makes the authority responsible for (1) determining the appropriateness of units for labor representation; (2) supervising elections; (3) conducting hearings and resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; and (4) protecting the right of employees to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from doing so. An employer, fire and EMS personnel, or labor organization may not engage in a lockout, sickout, work slowdown, strike, or any other organized job action that will measurably disrupt the delivery of emergency services and is designed to compel an employer, fire and EMS personnel, or labor organization to agree to the terms of a proposed contract.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2021
Tax Fairness for Workers Act This bill allows an above-the-line tax deduction for union dues and expenses. (An above-the-line deduction is subtracted from gross income and is available whether or not a taxpayer itemizes other deductions.) The bill also reinstates the miscellaneous itemized tax deduction for unreimbursed expenses attributable to the performance of services as an employee (Under current law, all miscellaneous itemized deductions are suspended through 2025).
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2021
Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2021 This bill provides federal workers' compensation to firefighters who contract certain illnesses as a result of their service. Specifically, the bill provides that (1) heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for at least 5 years are presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of employment; and (2) the disability or death of the employee due to such disease is presumed to result from personal injury sustained in the performance of duty. These presumptions also apply to fire protection employees (regardless of the length of employment) who contract any communicable disease at the center of a designated pandemic or any chronic infectious disease that the Department of Labor determines is related to job-related hazards. An employee in fire protection activities is a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2021
Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2021
Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Radiation Study Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study and report on the level of radiation exposure experienced by members of the Armed Forces who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2021
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 82422 Cadiz Jewett Road in Cadiz, Ohio, as the "John Armor Bingham Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2021
This resolution recognizes the opportunity for Black Maternal Health Week to raise national awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2021
Made in America Act of 2021 This bill requires that materials used in carrying out federal infrastructure aid programs are made in the United States. The term produced in the United States means, in the case of iron or steel products, that all manufacturing processes for the iron or steel product, from the initial melting stage through the application of coatings, occurred in the United States; manufactured products, that the product was manufactured in the United States and that the cost of the components of the manufactured product that are mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States is greater than 50% of the total cost of all components of the manufactured product; and construction materials, that all manufacturing processes for the construction material occurred in the United States. The Department of Commerce must (1) issue uniform standards that define the term all manufacturing processes for purposes of this bill, and (2) take into consideration and seek to maximize the jobs benefited or created in the production of the construction material. The bill requires that all steel, iron, manufactured products, non-ferrous metals, plastic, concrete and aggregates, glass (including optical glass), lumber, and drywall used in these programs be produced in the United States. Includes within infrastructure addressed by this bill federal-aid highways, railroads, public transportation, civil aviation, drinking water, and stormwater.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2021
Healthy Families Act This bill provides for paid and unpaid sick leave for employees to meet their own medical needs and those of their families. It requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide their employees with at least one hour of earned paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours of paid sick leave in a year. An employer with fewer than 15 employees may also provide the same amount of paid sick leave, but may opt out of such requirement, in which case such employer must provide its employees at least 56 hours of unpaid leave in a year. An employee may use sick leave for absences (1) resulting from a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition; (2) resulting from obtaining professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventive medical care; (3) to care for a child, parent, spouse, a domestic partner, or other blood or close relative; and (4) resulting from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill makes it unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of an employee's right to accrue sick leave as provided by this bill. An employee may take legal action to enforce the right to sick leave granted by this bill and the Department of Labor must investigate complaints of violations of the requirements of this bill. Labor is authorized to conduct a public awareness campaign to educate and inform the public of the requirements for paid sick leave provided by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2021
Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), during FY2022, to establish and maintain three new centers of the Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) Program in areas with interest from personnel and a need for additional mental health care for rural veterans. The RANGE Program serves veterans in rural areas who are experiencing mental illness. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study and report on whether the VA has sufficient resources to serve rural veterans who need mental health care that is more intensive than traditional outpatient therapy.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2021
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2021 This bill modifies Medicare payment of ground ambulance services in rural areas. Specifically, the bill extends the specialized rate increase for such services for an additional five years (until January 1, 2028). The bill also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to (1) allow an area that has 1,000 or fewer individuals per square mile to retain its status as a rural area even if it would otherwise no longer qualify, and (2) establish an appeals process for providers to seek reconsideration of a change in an area's status.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2021
Gluten in Medicine Disclosure Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the sale of any drug intended for human use that contains an ingredient derived from a gluten-containing grain unless the drug's label (1) states that the drug contains such an ingredient, and (2) identifies the type of grain from which the ingredient is derived.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2021
Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of Fentanyl Act of 2021 or the STOP Fentanyl Act of 2021 This bill addresses data collection, treatment, harm reduction, and other issues related to substance misuse and addiction. It particularly focuses on opioids, fentanyl, and related substances. Specifically, the bill expands surveillance of fentanyl and related substances. This includes establishing a pilot program to screen for contaminants in illicit drugs and a grant program to collect data on fentanyl-involved overdoses. The bill also specifies requirements concerning the collection and use of information about drugs seized by law enforcement. Additionally, the bill establishes and modifies requirements to increase access to treatment and prevention services. For example, the Bureau of Prisons must make certain services, including medication-assisted treatments, available to individuals in its custody. The bill also repeals a provision that requires dependence on opioids for at least one year before an individual may be admitted to certain treatment programs; allows providers to prescribe medications to treat substance use disorders following a telehealth evaluation; creates grant programs for treatment and harm reduction activities; and addresses issues pertaining to opioid overdose reversal drugs. Furthermore, the bill limits civil and criminal liability under specified laws for individuals who administer opioid overdose reversal drugs to an individual who reasonably appears to be experiencing an overdose, as well as for individuals who seek medical attention for themselves or on behalf of another for a drug overdose. The bill also requires multiple reports, including a report by the Department of State on foreign sources of certain drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2021
Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2021 This bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases associated with exposure to burn pits (an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) and other toxins by veterans who were awarded specified medals on or after August 2, 1990. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. Under the bill, if the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) receives a written petition to add a disease to the list, the VA must request a determination by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with respect to whether there is a positive association between the exposure of humans to a covered toxin and the occurrence of the disease in humans. The bill makes disability or death of certain employees from specified diseases compensable as a work injury. Specifically, such employees are those who were employees of the Department of State, the Department of Defense, or an element of the intelligence community on or after August 2, 1990, and carried out job responsibilities for at least 30 days during a contingency operation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Prohibition of Medicaid Funding for Conversion Therapy Act This bill prohibits state Medicaid programs from covering conversion therapy. The bill defines conversion therapy as any practice or treatment that seeks to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity in exchange for monetary compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Prescription Drug Monitoring Act of 2021 This bill imposes, as a condition on certain federal funding for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), additional notification and reporting requirements concerning prescriptions for potentially addictive drugs. States or territories that receive this funding must require prescribers to consult the PDMP before starting treatment with such drugs, and dispensers to report within 24 hours to the PDMP each time they fill a prescription for such drugs. In addition, the state agency administering a PDMP must analyze reported data for patterns of prescription drug misuse or abuse and provide certain information to prescribers, law enforcement, the public, and other states and territories.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Building Rural Investments, Development, and Growth for the Economy Act or the BRIDGE Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce and the Department of State to promote the export of goods and services by small- and medium-sized businesses from, and facilitate business investment in, rural areas of the United States. A rural area is an area with a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants that is outside an urbanized area.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act of 2021 This bill establishes an alternative formula to calculate Social Security retirement benefits for those who receive pensions for certain non-covered employment. (The existing formula is known as the windfall elimination provision.) The alternative formula adjusts an individual's total lifetime earnings based on the proportion of covered earnings (i.e., earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes). It applies to individuals who (1) first become eligible for benefits after 2022, (2) have earnings from non-covered service performed after 1977, and (3) have less than 30 years of coverage (i.e., years in which a beneficiary is considered to have contributed a substantial amount into the Social Security trust funds). Beneficiaries receive the higher benefit amount as calculated under the alternative method or the existing formula. In addition, the bill provides rebates for certain beneficiaries currently impacted by the existing formula. The Social Security Administration must include non-covered earnings in Social Security account statements, and the Government Accountability Office must study the availability of certain information related to retirement plans maintained by state and local governments.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Automatic Voter Registration Act This bill provides for automatic voter registration of individuals through state motor vehicle authorities. Specifically, the bill requires each state motor vehicle authority, upon receiving specified identifying information regarding an individual who requests services from the authority, to transmit the identifying information to the appropriate state election official. The state election official must then notify the individual that the individual shall be automatically registered to vote in federal elections unless the individual declines to be registered to vote, does not meet voter registration eligibility requirements, or is already registered to vote. The bill provides an individual with a 21-calendar day period to opt out of automatic voter registration. A state may only use identifying information regarding an individual's citizenship status for determining whether the individual is eligible to vote in federal elections.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Elaine M. Checketts Military Families Act This bill directs the Department of Defense to amend regulations to ensure that parental leave that has already been approved for a member of the Armed Forces who is a primary or secondary caregiver may not be terminated upon the death of the child for whom the leave was taken.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
This resolution urges the Department of State to take action on unpaid Peruvian agrarian reform bonds by encouraging Peru to negotiate in good faith with U.S. bondholders regarding payment of these bonds.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2021
Military Hunger Prevention Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to pay a basic needs allowance to certain low-income members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, those eligible for the basic needs allowance are members who (1) have completed initial entry training, (2) have a gross household income that did not exceed an amount equal to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and (3) do not elect to decline the allowance. In situations where a household contains two or more eligible members, the bill specifies that only one allowance may be paid per year to one member they jointly elect. The amount of the allowance must be the aggregate amount equal to 130% of the HHS federal poverty guidelines minus the gross household income of the covered member during the preceding year divided by 12. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) of DOD must notify, in writing, individuals determined to be eligible for the allowance. The notice must include information regarding financial management and assistance programs administered by DOD for which the individuals are also eligible. Individuals who seek to receive the allowance must submit specified information to DFAS.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2021
Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy Act of 2021 This bill addresses the manufacturing capacity of the United States. The bill establishes the Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy, led by the Chief Manufacturing Officer, to serve as a source of manufacturing and industrial innovation analysis and judgment for the President with respect to the major policies, plans, and programs of the federal government. The office must establish a national strategic plan for manufacturing and industrial innovation that identifies critical needs to the manufacturing sector, including emergency readiness and resilience. Additionally, the bill establishes the President's Advisory Committee on Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation to promote regular communication between the federal government and the U.S. manufacturing sector. The Government Accountability Office must report on the efforts of the office along with recommendations for improvements. The bill also establishes the Federal Strategy and Coordinating Council on Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation within the executive branch to be chaired by the President to coordinate manufacturing and industrial innovation policy. Further, the bill establishes the Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy Institute to assemble information relating to significant manufacturing and industrial development and trends in research and applications. Finally, the bill establishes the National Medal of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation to be awarded for outstanding contributions to knowledge in manufacturing and industrial innovation.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 This bill allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. This action is available only to individuals who were exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days. The bill prohibits the U.S. government from asserting specified immunity from litigation in response to such a lawsuit. The bill also prohibits an individual who brings such an action from bringing a separate tort action against the United States based on the same harm.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Flexible Financing for Rural America Act This bill allows rural utility service providers to submit to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a request to adjust the interest rate or modify the terms of certain loans. The request shall include a report summarizing how the adjustment or modification will assist the borrower in providing critical utility services to a rural community. Specifically, on receipt of a request, USDA or the Department of the Treasury (in the case of a loan owned by the Federal Financing Bank) must adjust the interest rate on the loan to match certain interest rates for obligations of comparable maturity to the term remaining on the loan (or a higher rate requested by the borrower), and make modifications to the loan terms as necessary to address changes in the financial position of the borrower due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and to promote the financial sustainability of the borrower. In carrying out the adjustments or modifications, USDA or Treasury shall not impose or collect any fee from, or impose any penalty on, a borrower. The bill also provides funding to implement the adjustments and modifications and for the liquidation of residual intragovernmental amounts owed by the Federal Financing Bank in connection with certain loans.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2023-FY2029; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. Additionally, one-third of the positions that are made available under the bill must be allocated to hospitals that are already operating above applicable resident limits. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Social Emotional Learning for Families Act of 2021 or the SELF Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to local educational agencies to develop, implement, and evaluate teacher and school leader training programs on family engagement.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Willie O'Ree or, if unavailable, to a member of his family, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and recreational opportunity.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act of 2021 or the EACH Act of 2021 This bill requires federal health care programs to provide coverage for abortion services and requires federal facilities to provide access to those services. The bill also permits qualified health plans to use funds attributable to premium tax credits and reduced cost sharing assistance to pay for abortion services.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, if it creates a presumption of service-connection between the occurrence of a disease and exposure to an herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces between January 9, 1962, and June 30, 1976, at a military base in Thailand, such presumption must also apply to exposure at any military base in Thailand, regardless of where on the base the veteran was located or what military job specialty the veteran performed.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act This bill addresses the overpayment of retired or retainer pay to a joint account (bearing the name of the decedent and the decedent's designated beneficiary) during the month of the death of a retired member of the armed forces. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to forgive or offset the overpayment if the decedent was enrolled in the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). In the case of an offset, each of the first 12 SBP annuity payments after the death of the retired service member must be reduced by one-twelfth of the overpayment. If the decedent was not enrolled in the SBP, DOD is authorized to forgive the overpayment.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2021
Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley. After the award the medal shall be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
GI Bill National Emergency Extended Deadline Act This bill extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill when educational institutions are temporarily or permanently closed due to an emergency situation or another reason that prevents an individual from pursuing their chosen program of education.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
This resolution honors and recognizes the patriotism and contributions made by generations of veterans service organizations and commends the members of such organizations for their dedicated service to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, their families, and their communities. Additionally, the resolution encourages citizens to volunteer their support and services to veterans service organizations and to promote awareness of the contributions of such organizations to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Neighborhood Homes Investment Act This bill establishes a new business-related tax credit to finance home building and rehabilitation in neighborhoods that meet certain eligibility criteria relating to poverty rates, income, and home values. The credit is limited to 35% of the lesser of the qualified development cost (i.e., the cost of construction, substantial rehabilitation, demolition, and environmental remediation of residential properties) or 80% of the national median sale price for new homes. The credit applies to single family homes containing four or fewer residential units, condominiums, or houses or apartments owned by cooperative housing corporations.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Military Family Violence Prevention Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to take various actions and implement programs related to the prevention of and response to domestic violence and child abuse and neglect among military families. Specifically, the bill requires DOD to report on current and recommended staffing levels for the Family Advocacy Programs (FAPs) of the Armed Forces at each installation, ensure that appropriate statistical data on incidents report to the FAPs is shared among and across the Armed Forces, establish a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of various mechanisms to inform families about the FAPs and resiliency training of the Armed Forces during their enrollment in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, report on the results of the study conducted by the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services that includes information on initial entry points for use by members of military families seeking support for domestic abuse or child abuse and neglect, and modify internal policy related to FAPs to enhance collaboration among the specified DOD programs (e.g., the Defense Suicide Prevention Office). Each military department must improve the information available to military families on the services available in connection with domestic abuse or child abuse and neglect. Finally, the bill requires the Inspector General of DOD to report on best practices among military installations in prevention and response to domestic abuse and child abuse and neglect among military families.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
Safe Step Act This bill requires a group health plan to establish an exception to medication step-therapy protocol in specified cases. A medication step-therapy protocol establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs are covered by a group health plan or a health insurance issuer. A request for such an exception to the protocol must be granted if (1) an otherwise required treatment has been ineffective, (2) such treatment is expected to be ineffective and delaying effective treatment would lead to irreversible consequences, (3) such treatment will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction to the individual, (4) such treatment is expected to prevent the individual from performing daily activities or occupational responsibilities, (5) the individual is stable based on the prescription drugs already selected, or (6) there are other circumstances as determined by the Employee Benefits Security Administration. The bill requires a group health plan to implement and make readily available a clear process for an individual to request an exception to the protocol, including required information and criteria for granting an exception. The bill further specifies timelines under which plans must respond to such requests.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2021
This resolution recognizes the disparity between wages paid to men and women, and its impact on women, families, and the nation and reaffirms Congress' commitment to supporting equal pay and to narrowing the gender wage gap.
![Official portrait of Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_oh_13_ryan_tim_200.jpg)