Sen. Bill Cassidy

Due Process Continuity of Care Act This bill allows an otherwise eligible individual who is in custody pending disposition of charges (i.e., pretrial detainees) to receive Medicaid benefits at the option of the state. The bill also provides funds for state planning grants to support the provision of such benefits.

This resolution expresses the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of the Honorable Maurice Robert Gravel, former Senator from Alaska.

Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and revises the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) program. The bill also authorizes new grants under the FIPSE program. Specifically, the Department of Education may award grants to institutions of higher education for dual or concurrent enrollment programs or early college high school programs that allow high school students to earn postsecondary credits.

This bill allows penalty-free distributions from tax-exempt retirement plans for a federally declared disaster (i.e., a qualified disaster recovery distribution). The bill defines qualified disaster recovery distribution as any distribution within a 180 day period after a disaster declaration that is made to an individual whose principal residence is located in a qualified disaster area (an area for which a major disaster has been declared) and who has sustained an economic loss due to the disaster. The bill sets forth rules for the recontribution of withdrawals from a plan for first-time home purchases or for purchases or construction of a principal residence in a disaster area, and increases the limit on loans from a qualified employer plan that an individual may take in lieu of a distribution.

Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Act of 2021 This bill revises and reauthorizes through FY2026 grants for residential substance use disorder treatment programs at state and local correctional and detention facilities. Among the revisions, the bill replaces statutory references to substance abuse with substance use disorder , specifies that the term residential substance use disorder treatment program includes a medication-assisted treatment program, requires the chief medical officer or other staff overseeing a program to complete training on the science of addiction and the latest research and clinical guidance on treating substance use disorders in criminal justice settings, and allows people who are awaiting trial or in pretrial detention to participate in the programs.

This resolution expresses the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of the Honorable Carl Levin, former Senator for Michigan.

This resolution expresses the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of the Honorable Mike Enzi, former Senator for Wyoming.

This resolution designates August 11, 2021, as Hip Hop Celebration Day, August 2021 as Hip Hop Recognition Month, and November 2021 as Hip Hop History Month. The resolution recognizes the contributions of Hip Hop to art and culture. Finally, the resolution encourages local governments to build partnerships with local Hip Hop entities and other members of the creative arts and music communities.

Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act of 2021 or the RISE Act of 2021 This bill establishes requirements for institutions of higher education (IHEs) concerning students with disabilities. Specifically, the bill requires IHEs to allow students to use certain documents, such as individualized education programs, to establish their disabilities. In addition, IHEs must make the process for determining the eligibility for accommodations transparent. Finally, IHEs must submit key data related to their undergraduate students with disabilities for inclusion in federal postsecondary institution data collection efforts.

Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act This bill revises payment rules and establishes several requirements relating to coverage of orthotics and prosthetics under Medicare. Specifically, the bill requires suppliers of orthotics and prosthetics to meet certain standards with respect to licensure and accreditation, physical facilities, and liability insurance. Orthotists and prosthetists may also issue written orders for commercial purposes that meet specified standards; such orders must be signed by the treating physician. The bill also prohibits payment under Medicare for certain prosthetics and orthotics that are delivered via drop shipment (i.e., direct shipment to a beneficiary who has not received corresponding patient care from a health care practitioner).