Data to Save Moms Act This bill expands data collection and research on maternal morbidity and mortality among minority populations. Specifically, the bill adds requirements to a program within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that supports maternal mortality review committees. To the extent practicable, the committees must use the most up-to-date indicators of severe maternal morbidity; review deaths caused by suicide, overdose, or other behavioral health conditions attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy or childbirth; and consult with representatives of communities about nonclinical factors that may contribute to adverse maternal outcomes. The CDC may also award grants to committees to increase their engagement with local communities, such as by bringing on community representatives as committee members. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality must consult with diverse stakeholders to review maternal health data collection processes and quality measures and make recommendations to improve them. The Indian Health Service and the Department of Health and Human Services must also arrange for studies on adverse maternal health outcomes among tribal and minority populations, respectively.
Sponsored bills
U.S. Citizenship Act This bill establishes a path to citizenship for certain undocumented individuals. The bill also replaces the term alien with noncitizen in the immigration statutes and addresses other related issues. Specifically, the bill establishes a new status of lawful prospective immigrant . This status shall be available to an applying noncitizen who meets certain requirements, including being continually present in the United States from January 1, 2021, and passing background checks. After at least five years with this status, an eligible noncitizen may apply for and receive permanent resident status. The bill also provides permanent resident status to certain applying noncitizens, specifically for eligible noncitizens who (1) entered the United States as a minor, (2) were eligible for temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure on January 1, 2017, or (3) worked a certain amount of agricultural labor in the five years prior to applying. Among other things, the bill also redefines for immigration purposes the term conviction to exclude convictions that have been expunged or vacated, requires the Department of State to implement a strategy to advance reforms in Central America and address key factors contributing to migration from the region to the United States, requires the State Department to establish refugee processing centers in Central America, requires Customs and Border Patrol sectors and stations to have a certain number of employees with certain qualifications such as paramedic training, generally prohibits religious discrimination in granting or denying immigration benefits, and establishes grant programs for providing training and services to immigrants.
Officer Eugene Goodman Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman for his actions to protect the Senate chamber during the security breach at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act This bill requires the Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Marshal Service, and state and local correctional facilities to publish on their websites and report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention certain data on COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) cases, vaccinations, and outcomes.
PPP Access for Rural Hospitals Act This bill includes within the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), certain rural hospitals or hospitals serving low-income patients that are designated as critical care hospitals.
Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021 This bill revises the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to make the online redemption of benefits, including the acceptance of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, more widely available by requiring the implementation of online SNAP purchasing in every state and providing funding for an online redemption portal and a technical assistance center. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must award on a competitive basis one or more contracts to develop an EBT Online Redemption Portal to (1) allow program participants to use online or mobile electronic benefits transactions to purchase program foods from, and make online payments to, authorized program retailers under SNAP; and (2) facilitate food purchase delivery for program participants using such electronic benefits transactions. The Food and Nutrition Service of USDA must award competitive grants or enter into cooperative agreements with nonprofit entities to establish a SNAP Online Purchasing Technical Assistance Center to provide state agencies, authorized program retailers, and program participants information on and technical assistance with accepting SNAP benefits through online transactions and use of the portal. In providing technical assistance, the center must give priority to entities that are small and limited-resource retailers. The bill provides funding for both the online redemption portal and the technical assistance center. USDA must maintain on its website a publicly available listing, organized and searchable by region, locality, and state, of all approved retail food stores accepting benefits from recipients of SNAP, including through online transactions.
This resolution recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on U.S. history and to commemorate the contributions of African Americans. It calls for the United States to (1) honor the contribution of pioneers who helped to ensure its legacy; and (2) move forward as a nation "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
This resolution calls on the President to take executive action to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers. Further, it encourages the President to (1) ensure that borrowers have no tax liability from the debt cancellation, (2) ensure that the debt cancellation helps close racial wealth gaps, and (3) pause student loan payments and interest accumulation on federal student loans for the duration of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide a variety of assistance to address historical discrimination and disparities in the agricultural sector. For example, the bill establishes an equity commission in USDA to examine discrimination by the agency against Black farmers and ranchers and recommend actions to end the systematic disparities in the treatment of Black farmers and ranchers. USDA must also establish a Farm Conservation Corps to provide young adults who are from socially disadvantaged groups with the skills necessary to pursue careers in farming and ranching. The bill provides funding for historically Black colleges and universities to commence and expand courses of study that are focused on careers in agriculture or related disciplines. The bill also increases the authorization of appropriations for a program to resolve issues relating to ownership and succession on farmland. Additionally, it expands credit assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Further, the bill (1) establishes that a minimum of 50% of a covered packer's (not including a packer that owns only one livestock processing plant) daily volume of livestock slaughter must be purchased through spot market sales from nonaffiliated producers; (2) increases funding for the Local Agriculture Market Program; and (3) gives priority to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers for conservation technical assistance, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Rural Energy for America Program.
End Diaper Need Act of 2021 This bill establishes and expands programs to provide low-income families and other vulnerable groups with access to diapers and related supplies. Specifically, it provides additional funding for FY2022-FY2025 to meet the diapering needs of certain low-income families and adults through the Social Services Block Grant Program. This grant program provides a flexible funding stream to states and territories to support social services for vulnerable children, adults, and families. The bill exempts these funds from sequestration. Sequestration is a process of automatic, across-the-board reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals. In particular, these funds must be used to meet the diapering needs of low-income families with one or more infants, toddlers, or medically complex children (i.e., children who are age three or older and diagnosed with a serious condition such as bowel or bladder incontinence); and low-income adults and adults with disabilities who rely on diapers and other adult incontinence materials. Additionally, the bill permits states to use Medicaid funds to provide medically necessary diapers and supplies to low-income families with one or more medically complex children. It also allows individuals to buy medically necessary diapers and supplies with funds from health savings accounts and other tax-advantaged accounts for health care expenses.