Taiwan International Solidarity Act This bill requires the Department of State to annually report to Congress on efforts by China to undermine Taiwan's participation in international organizations or Taiwan's relationships with other countries.
No Taxpayer Funding for the U.N. Population Fund This bill prohibits the use of funds to provide contributions directly or indirectly to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The UNFPA is a United Nations agency that supports access to sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, maternal health care, and sexuality education.
No Funding for Terrorists Act This bill prohibits the use of specified funds for the West Bank and Gaza that directly benefits the Palestinian Authority. Current law authorizes foreign aid for economic assistance to be made available for the West Bank and Gaza if the Department of State certifies that the Palestinian Authority is taking specified actions to end violence in the region. The bill repeals this authorization and prohibits the use of economic assistance funds for the West Bank and Gaza in a manner that directly benefits the Palestinian Authority.
This resolution condemns the acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of eight lives in Georgia on March 16, 2021.
This resolution condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism and anti-Asian and Pacific Islander or ethnic intolerance and calls for specified actions by the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and federal law enforcement. The resolution (1) calls on the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider holding a hearing related to the surge in violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and (2) applauds DOJ's commitment to conducting a 30-day review of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The resolution calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to expeditiously and vigorously investigate all reports of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, work to improve the reporting of such hate crimes, and hold the perpetrators of those crimes accountable and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021 This bill modifies the process and policy related to the disposition of charges and convening of courts-martial for certain sexual assault cases and other specified offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Among other elements, the bill provides that the determinations on the preferral, disposition, and referral of charges for specified offenses under the UCMJ must be made by a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces who is designated as a court-martial convening authority (in grade O-6 or higher) and who is available for detail as trial counsel, has significant trial experience, and is outside the chain of command of the member subject to the charges.
Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021 or the CONNECT for Health Act of 2021 This bill expands coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Among other provisions, the bill allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to waive certain restrictions, such as restrictions on the types of technology that may be used; permanently removes geographic restrictions on originating sites (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) and allows the home of the beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services; permanently allows federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner); and allows the CMS to generally waive coverage restrictions during any public health emergency. Additionally, the CMS must report on the effects of expanded telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency, including with respect to the utilization, quality, and outcomes of services. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation may also test alternative payment models relating to expanded telehealth services.
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the President to provide assistance to implement a comprehensive five-year strategy to contribute toward the global goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths by 2030.
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.
USTR Inspector General Act of 2021 This bill requires the President to appoint an Inspector General of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Among other responsibilities, the Inspector General shall (1) conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the USTR, (2) recommend policies for preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in those programs, and (3) provide a means for keeping the USTR and Congress informed about problems and deficiencies in those programs and operations.
Coronavirus Housing Counseling Improvement Act This bill authorizes additional housing counseling services provided through the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. Funding priority is given to counseling organizations that target low-income and minority homeowners, renters, individuals experiencing homelessness, and individuals at risk of homelessness.
Essential Medicines Strategic Stockpile Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a pilot program with private entities to test the effectiveness of acquiring, maintaining, managing, and distributing a stockpile of generic drugs at risk of shortage. Specifically, HHS must enter into contracts of up to three years for entities to create a six-month stockpile of up to 50 types of such drugs. The bill establishes various program requirements, including annual evaluations by the Government Accountability Office.
