Sen. Mark Kelly

Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types. The Government Accountability Office must report on the resulting utilization and effectiveness of such tests.

This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to take land into trust for all federally recognized Indian tribes. Specifically, the bill applies the Indian Reorganization Act to all federally recognized Indian tribes, regardless of when a tribe became recognized. The amendments made by this bill are retroactively effective as if included in the Indian Reorganization Act. This effectively overrules the Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, which held that Interior could not take land into trust for a specified tribe because that tribe had not been under federal jurisdiction when the Indian Reorganization Act was enacted in 1934.

Border Response Resilience Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a plan for responding to irregular increases in migration at the border that present risks to border security. The plan shall include various elements including (1) a list of each agency, component, and office involved; (2) a process for quickly expanding capacity to temporarily process and hold individuals; and (3) a strategy for coordinating with local governments and other entities when DHS releases detained individuals. DHS must also identify metric thresholds for determining when to activate the plan and must activate the plan when such thresholds are satisfied. Furthermore, DHS must notify Congress no later than 14 days after activating the plan.

This resolution offers the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of Senator David Henry Gambrell and honors his life and legacy.

This resolution designates May 2021 as Older Americans Month.

John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act This bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or religion in the provision of child welfare programs and services by entities receiving federal funding. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must provide technical assistance to help states follow this requirement, including (1) guidance for bringing state laws into compliance, (2) developing training to increase cultural competency related to social identity, and (3) training for judges and attorneys involved in child welfare cases, among other supports. Additionally, HHS must establish the National Resource Center on Safety, Well-Being, Placement Stability, and Permanency for LGBTQ Children and Youth Involved with Child Welfare Services to provide training, technical assistance, and guidance to applicable state and local agencies and service providers. Further, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act may not be the basis for challenging the application or enforcement of this bill. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on states' compliance with the requirements of the bill no later than three years after enactment.

Fixing Infrastructure Damaged by Disasters Act This bill expands the allowable uses of funds available to states for repairing federal-aid highways and other roadways damaged by natural disasters and catastrophic failures. At the request of the governor and with approval of the Department of Transportation, a state may use funds for emergency maintenance projects (including those considered heavy or routine maintenance) that are necessary due to a natural disaster or catastrophic failure. Additionally, the bill increases the percent of funds a state may use for projects to protect public safety or to maintain or protect roadways from a disaster or catastrophic failure. The bill also includes within the scope of natural disasters blizzards, ice storms, and wildfires.

Assisting Community Colleges in Educating Skilled Students to Careers Act of 2021 or the ACCESS to Careers Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to community and technical colleges and to states for education and career training programs and related activities. Specifically, the bill requires ED to award grants to community and technical colleges and consortia of such colleges to (1) carry out student support services, such as child care, transportation, direct financial assistance, and case management services; and (2) carry out certain program activities, such as developing programs that accelerate learning, expand career pathways to postsecondary credentials, or expand dual or concurrent enrollment programs. Additionally, ED must award grants to states to establish statewide systemic reforms that support education and career training programs. States receiving these grants must (1) use funds to implement statewide policies, such as policies to support the expansion of education and career training programs for in-demand industry sectors or occupations, and (2) provide subgrants to community college partnerships to carry out program activities and student support services. Further, ED must (1) contract with an independent third party to perform an evaluation of the grants awarded under the bill, (2) provide technical assistance, and (3) submit an annual report to Congress.

American Indian and Alaska Native Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, the AI/AN Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, or the AI/AN CAPTA This bill establishes additional resources to assist tribal communities with preventing and treating child abuse and neglect. First, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on child abuse and neglect in tribal communities for the purpose of making recommendations to Congress regarding these issues. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services must include Indian tribes and tribal organizations in its equitable distribution of assistance for programs and projects related to child abuse prevention and treatment.

Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities to facilitate patients' access to investigational drugs that diagnose or treat ALS. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other severely debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. HHS shall also establish the Public-Private Partnership for Neurodegenerative Diseases between the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and at least one eligible entity (generally, an institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization). The partnership shall support the development and regulatory review of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. The FDA shall publish on its website a five-year action plan for fostering the development of drugs that improve or extend the lives of people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases.