United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2022
Provider Relief Fund Improvement Act This bill extends deadlines, expands the uses of, and makes other changes pertaining to the Provider Relief Fund. The fund reimburses health care providers for increased expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19. Specifically, the bill extends the deadline by which providers must use any reimbursements they received in 2020 from the fund to the end of the COVID-19 emergency. Providers must use reimbursements received in the first half of 2021 by the end of the emergency or June 30, 2022, whichever is later. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services must distribute the remaining provider relief funds by March 31, 2022. Providers must use these funds by June 30, 2023. The bill also allows the use of the funds for workplace safety activities, such as hiring additional security personnel.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2022
Strengthening American Cybersecurity Act of 2022 This bill addresses cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure and the federal government. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) must perform ongoing and continuous assessments of federal risk posture. An agency, within a specified time frame, must (1) determine whether notice to any individual potentially affected by a breach is appropriate based on a risk assessment; and (2) as appropriate, provide written notice to each individual potentially affected. Each agency must (1) provide information relating to a major incident to specified parties, and (2) develop specified training for individuals with access to federal information or information systems. The bill requires reporting and other actions to address cybersecurity incidents. Entities that own or operate critical infrastructure must report cyber incidents and ransom payments within specified time frames. The bill limits the use and disclosure of reported information. The bill establishes (1) an interagency council to standardize federal reporting of cybersecurity threats, (2) a task force on ransomware attacks, and (3) a pilot program to identify information systems vulnerable to such attacks. The bill provides statutory authority for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) within the General Services Administration (GSA). FedRAMP is a government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud computing products and services. The bill establishes a FedRAMP Board to examine the operations of FedRAMP and the Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2022
This resolution expresses support for observing National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month during the period of January 1-February 1, 2022.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2022
This resolution celebrates 100 years of continuous diplomatic relations between the United States and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the Baltic States). The resolution also commits to providing continued support for the Baltic States through economic and security cooperation, including through the Baltic Security Initiative.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2022
Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act of 2022 or the EARN IT Act of 2022 This bill revises the federal framework governing the prevention of online sexual exploitation of children. The bill establishes the National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention. The commission must develop best practices for interactive computer services providers (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) to prevent, reduce, and respond to the online sexual exploitation of children. Additionally, the bill limits the liability protections of interactive computer service providers with respect to claims alleging violations of child sexual exploitation laws. The bill replaces various statutory references to child pornography and material that contains child pornography with child sexual abuse material . Finally, the bill makes changes to the reporting requirements for electronic communication service providers and remote computing service providers (providers) who report apparent instances of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Among the changes, the bill requires providers to report facts and circumstances sufficient to identify and locate each minor and each involved individual. The bill also increases the amount of time that providers must preserve the contents of a report.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2022
National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act This bill requires the President to identify or appoint a Chief Resilience Officer that must (1) direct a government-wide effort to build resilience to climate change vulnerabilities in the United States in collaboration with existing federal initiatives and interagency adaptation efforts, and (2) create working groups. The officer and the working groups must jointly submit to the President and Congress a strategy for the government to address such vulnerabilities in partnership with nonfederal partners, a plan to implement the strategy, and updates by specified deadlines.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2022
Empowering States to Protect Seniors from Bad Actors Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and otherwise revises the Senior Investor Protection Grant Program. The bill moves the program from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to the Securities and Exchange Commission, establishes a task force to oversee the program, and eliminates certain grant eligibility requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2022
Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 This bill temporarily waives certain requirements related to the President's authority to lend or lease defense articles if the defense articles are intended for Ukraine's government and necessary to protect civilians in Ukraine from Russian military invasion. An agreement to lend or lease defense articles under this bill shall not be subject to certain requirements and provisions that typically apply to such lend-lease agreements, including (1) a requirement that prohibits a loan period from exceeding five years, (2) a requirement that the United States may recall the loaned defense article at any time, (3) a requirement that the receiving party has agreed to pay the United States all costs incurred in leasing the defense article, and (4) a provision that allows Congress to prohibit certain transfers of defense articles upon the enactment of a joint resolution. The waivers provided by this bill shall be in effect until (1) the conflict beginning with Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014 has ceased, and (2) Russia has reduced its military force on Ukraine's eastern border to the levels maintained prior to March 1, 2021. The President must establish expedited procedures to ensure the timely delivery of defense articles loaned or leased under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2022
Strengthening the Public Health Workforce Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 and makes changes to the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (a program that awards student loan repayment to individuals with qualifying degrees who commit to work full-time for a federal, state, tribal, or local public health agency for a period of obligated service). Changes to the program include increasing the maximum repayment amount; eliminating the option for individuals to complete the service obligation in a federal public health agency; and expanding the scope of qualifying degrees to cover, for example, those in statistics, computer science, and programs related to information technology. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services may take actions to equitably distribute awards across geographic regions, among jurisdictional levels, and between urban and rural areas. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct an evaluation of the public health workforce.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2022
Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2022 This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Constance Baker Motley in recognition of her contributions and service to the United States in advancing civil rights as an attorney, elected official, and judge.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2022
Drug Shortages Shelf Life Extension Act This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue or revise guidance to address issues relating to extending drug expiration dates. Specifically, the guidance must address recommendations to drug companies relating to (1) submitting stability testing data in applications for market approval for drugs or biological products; and (2) establishing on drug labels the longest feasible expiration date supported by such data, taking into consideration how extended expiration dates may help prevent or mitigate drug shortages. The FDA must also periodically report to Congress certain information about requests to change the expiration date on a drug label, including the number of such requests from the FDA to the manufacturer and the rationale for each request.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2022
Planning, Reporting, and Enabling Voluntary Expansion of Notifications Targeting Medical Device Shortages Act of 2022 or the PREVENT Medical Device Shortages Act of 2022 This bill expands existing requirements for manufacturers of certain medical devices to alert the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of supply disruptions and addresses related issues. Under this bill, a manufacturer of a medical device that is critical to public health during a declared public health emergency must notify the FDA as soon as practicable of any circumstance that is likely to lead to a meaningful disruption to the supply of the device in the United States. Currently, the manufacturer is only required to notify the FDA of supply disruptions stemming from manufacturing issues. The bill also authorizes the FDA to receive notifications from manufacturers of medical devices that are critical to public health about manufacturing issues that are likely to lead to a meaningful disruption to the U.S. supply of the device. Each manufacturer of a medical device that is critical to the public health must develop and implement a redundancy risk management plan in each manufacturing facility for the device. Such a plan shall be subject to FDA inspection.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2022
Securing Uninterrupted Pandemic Preparation Of Resources and Therapies Act or the SUPPORT Act This bill expressly incorporates the provision of mental health and substance use disorder services during public health emergencies into the authorities and other activities of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Additionally, SAMHSA must report to Congress about recommendations to improve the provision of such services during public health emergencies. The Government Accountability Office must also report on SAMHSA's programs and activities for supporting the provision of such services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2022
Registration of Certain Foreign Establishments Act This bill expands statutory provisions that require foreign manufacturers of drugs or medical devices for the U.S. market to register with the Food and Drug Administration. Specifically, if an establishment outside of the United States manufactures (or otherwise processes or prepares) a drug or medical device to be imported (or offered for import) into the United States, the establishment must comply with the registration requirements even if the drug or medical device in question undergoes further manufacturing at another non-U.S. establishment prior to importation into the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions Act or the SEED Act This bill expands the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to include early childhood educators.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
Neuroscience Center of Excellence Act of 2021 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish the Neuroscience Center of Excellence to address neuroscience diseases and disorders (e.g., addiction, Alzheimer's disease, and psychotic disorders). The center must carry out various activities, including (1) coordinating with FDA programs that focus on certain areas, such as drug evaluation; (2) convening periodic public meetings to engage with stakeholders to address challenges associated with developing medical products for neuroscience diseases and disorders; (3) establishing a program to facilitate the collection and systemic use of patient experience data to develop such medical products; and (4) convening a public meeting to discuss how to promote equity and the inclusion of traditionally underrepresented populations in the development of such medical products. The FDA must take actions related to these issues, such as issuing final guidance with recommendations on the collection and use of patient experience data for developing such medical products. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress a study that (1) reviews the participation of traditionally underrepresented populations in clinical trials for such medical products, and (2) provides recommendations for improving the participation of these populations.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
Stop Iranian Drones Act of 2021 This bill expands existing provisions requiring sanctions against individuals or entities that provide certain types of weapons to Iran. Specifically, the bill modifies the provisions by adding unmanned combat aerial vehicles to the list of weapons covered by the sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2021
STEM Education in Accounting Act This bill authorizes states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to use grant funds provided through the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program for accounting education. In particular, LEAs may use these grant funds to implement programs to teach accounting, including by increasing access to high-quality accounting courses through 12th grade for students who are members of underrepresented groups.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2021
This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month and decreasing the prevalence of diabetes in the United States through increased research, treatment, and prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2021
Max Cleland VA Medical Center Act This bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Atlanta, Georgia, as the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center or the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2021
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing, subject to civil penalties. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment. The bill specifies exceptions to these prohibitions, including if such animal testing (1) is conducted outside the United States to comply with a foreign regulatory authority; (2) is pursuant to a specified finding that there are no nonanimal alternatives to test the safety of a potentially dangerous cosmetic product or ingredient; (3) is of a product or ingredient for a drug or device subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or (4) is required for a noncosmetic purpose pursuant to a state, federal, or foreign regulatory authority. Further, no animal-testing evidence may be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic product or ingredient that is regulated by the FDA after the effective date of this bill, subject to limited exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2021
Coastal Fellowships Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Coastal Management Fellowship and Digital Coast Fellowship of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The bill also provides direct hire authority for fellows who complete the fellowships to facilitate their transition into the federal workforce.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2021
Robocall Trace Back Enhancement Act This bill provides liability protection for specified information-sharing activities undertaken to trace the origins of unlawful robocalls, illegally spoofed calls, and other illegal calls. Specifically, the bill protects a designated consortium that conducts private-led efforts to trace unlawful robocalls from liability for receiving, sharing, or publishing information about illegal calls, including their origin or source. The bill also applies liability protection to a voice service provider (i.e., a provider of any service that enables real-time, two-way voice communications) or other entity or person that shares information with the consortium.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2021
This resolution designates December 18, 2021, as National Wreaths Across America Day and honors the Wreaths Across America project, patriotic escort units, the U.S. trucking industry, and the volunteers and donors involved in this tradition. Additionally, the resolution recognizes the service and sacrifices of veterans and members of the Armed Forces and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2021
High Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2021 This bill classifies any automatic fire sprinkler system retrofit property as 15-year property for purposes of accelerated depreciation.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2021
Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act This bill establishes a competitive grant program, administered by the Economic Development Administration, for national nonprofit organizations to partner with local organizations to provide specialized technical assistance, capacity building, and related services that support small businesses and business district revitalization in low-income, rural, and minority communities.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2021
Protect American Taxpayer Dollars from Illegal Immigration Act This bill prohibits expending federal funds for legal settlements to individuals who violated certain laws relating to the proper time and place to enter the United States, if the settlement pertains to claims based on the lawful detention of such an individual as part of a family unit after the individual's entry into the United States at the southern border after January 20, 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2021
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain, and the Architect of the Capitol to permanently install in the U.S. Capitol or on the U.S. Capitol Grounds, statues honoring Associate Justices of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2021
Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to hold national hearings to review Federal Milk Marketing Orders. (USDA uses these orders to establish a minimum price for various classes of milk.) The hearings must include the review of proposals from producers and the dairy industry on the price of Class I skim milk.
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2021
Criminal Judicial Administration Act of 2021 This bill expands the authority of federal judges to reimburse defendants for expenses related to attending court proceedings. The bill also broadens the authority of magistrate court judges. Currently, when a defendant is released pending further court appearances, federal judges may order the U.S. Marshals Service to provide transportation and subsistence (food and lodging) expenses for a defendant to travel to court appearances, but not expenses during or to return home from such court appearances. This bill allows federal judges to order the Marshals Service to provide a defendant's transportation and subsistence expenses to return home from court proceedings, as well as subsistence expenses during such proceedings. Additionally, the bill authorizes magistrate court judges to rule on post-judgment motions pertaining to misdemeanor cases they tried and disposed of. Current law permits magistrate judges to try and dispose of misdemeanors in the district courts if the defendant consents.
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2021
This bill redesignates the Geospatial Learning Center in the Next NGA West facility in St. Louis, Missouri, as the Senator Roy Blunt Geospatial Learning Center.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2021
This resolution recognizes the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The resolution applauds UNICEF for the critical role it plays in protecting the rights and lives of vulnerable children around the world, including in the global fight against COVID-19. Finally, the resolution pledges to work with UNICEF to reimagine the future for every child as the world recovers and rebuilds from the COVID-19 pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2021
Clean Cooking Support Act This bill provides for a way of increasing the number of clean cookstoves and fuels for household, institutional, or commercial use throughout the world. The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) shall jointly establish the Clean Cooking Interagency Working Group to assist with overseeing the planning, management, and coordination of initiatives to increase the number of clean cookstoves and fuels worldwide. The State Department, USAID, the Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency shall work with the Clean Cooking Alliance to carry out clean cooking activities that relate to the missions of such departments or agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2021
Bolstering Infectious Outbreaks Preparedness Workforce Act of 2021 or the BIO Preparedness Workforce Act of 2021 This bill establishes a student loan repayment program for health care and related professionals who are engaged in either bio-preparedness and response activities or infectious disease care in underserved communities. For each year that a professional meets the work requirements of the program, the Health Resources and Services Administration may pay up to $50,000 of the professional's student loan principal and interest, up to a maximum amount of $150,000.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2021
Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act This bill establishes the Interagency Working Group on Coastal Blue Carbon to (1) assess the impediments to the conservation and restoration of coastal blue carbon ecosystems, and (2) establish national conservation and restoration priorities regarding these areas. Coastal blue carbon ecosystems are vegetated coastal habitats and include mangroves, tidal marshes, and other tidal, freshwater, or saltwater wetlands that have the ability to sequester and store carbon.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2021
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor emergency temporary standard for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in employment settings. Under the standard issued on November 5, 2021, employers with 100 or more employees must require their onsite employees to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act This bill addresses sexual harassment and sexual assault at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and provides for greater diversity and inclusion at the academy and within the maritime transportation system workforce. The Department of Transportation (DOT) shall establish a Sexual Assault Advisory Council to review the academy's policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and other relevant matters related to sexual assault and sexual harassment. The DOT's Maritime Administration shall (1) establish an information management system to track the number of sexual assault or sexual harassment incidents every fiscal year at the academy, and (2) implement comprehensive in-person sexual assault risk-reduction and response training for all midshipmen at the academy. Additionally, the bill designates a Special Victims' Counsel to provide legal assistance to any cadet of the academy who is the victim of a sex-related offense. Further, the Coast Guard shall assess the feasibility of implementing a program modeled on the Catch a Serial Offender program of the Department of Defense. The bill also expands the authority of the Coast Guard to suspend or revoke a mariner's license on grounds related to sexual harassment or assault. With respect to diversity and inclusion, DOT shall establish an interagency task force to discuss and share tools and practices that promote diversity and inclusiveness within the maritime transportation system workforce. The Maritime Administration shall promulgate a Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan to increase recruiting efforts in historically underrepresented communities.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
Expanded Telehealth Access Act This bill permanently allows audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other providers designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide telehealth services under Medicare. Currently, the CMS is authorized to waive requirements for Medicare telehealth services during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19, and it has done so to allow all providers that are otherwise eligible to furnish in-person services under Medicare to also furnish telehealth services.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2021
Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to submit to Congress a study on the factors affecting employment opportunities for certain individuals with professional credentials obtained in a non-U.S. country, specifically individuals who are lawfully present noncitizens or naturalized U.S. citizens. The study shall include policy recommendations for better enabling such individuals to obtain skill-appropriate employment in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2021
Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act This bill prohibits using federal funds to make settlement payments to compensate any individuals for being separated from family members while detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection if the detention was (1) a result of the individual improperly entering (or attempting to improperly enter) the United States, and (2) in accordance with a Department of Justice memorandum that adopted a zero-tolerance policy for such improper entry into the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2021
Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Modernization Act This bill revises the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program. Among other changes, the bill (1) expands program eligibility to undergraduate students who are noncitizens; (2) allows the related foundation to award research internships to outstanding undergraduate students who intend to pursue careers in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics; (3) allows students who are awarded such research internships to receive stipends; and (4) authorizes the Department of the Treasury to invest related fund assets in securities other than U.S. public debt securities under certain circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2021
Preventive Care Awareness Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promote the use of preventive health care services. In particular, HHS must focus on decreasing disparities in accessing preventive services for individuals in rural and underserved communities who delayed or forewent recommended preventive services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, HHS must carry out a campaign to increase public awareness about and use of recommended preventive services. HHS must also convene a task force to develop recommendations regarding preventive services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics. The recommendations must address, among other considerations, reducing disparities in health outcomes and identifying barriers to implementing the recommendations. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must provide grants to states, tribes and providers of tribal health services, territories, and localities for increasing patient uptake of recommended preventive services.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2021
Cancer Drug Parity Act of 20 21 This bill requires group health plans that cover anticancer medications administered by a health care provider to provide no less favorable cost sharing for patient-administered anticancer medications. This requirement applies to medications that are (1) approved by the Food and Drug Administration; (2) medically necessary for the cancer treatment; and (3) clinically appropriate in terms of type, frequency, extent site, and duration. To comply with this requirement, plans may not, with respect to anticancer medications (1) change or replace benefits to increase out-of-pocket costs, (2) reclassify benefits to increase costs, or (3) apply more restrictive limitations to orally administered medications than to intravenously administered or injected medications.
![Official portrait of Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001035_200.jpg)