Rep. Raul Ruiz

Jennifer Kepner Healthcare for Open air burn Pit Exposure Act or the Jennifer Kepner HOPE Act This bill extends eligibility for hospital, nursing home, and medical services from the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who were exposed to burn pits on or after January 1, 1990, while serving in support of a contingency operation. Burn pits are areas used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment.

Veterans' Right to Breathe Act This bill provides a presumption of service-connection to burn pit-exposed veterans for certain diseases. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. A burn pit-exposed veteran is a veteran who was supporting a contingency operation on or after January 1, 1990, and was stationed at a location where an open burn pit (an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) was used.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. (A journeyman lineworker is a person who builds and maintains electrical power systems.)

Protecting Seniors from Health Care Fraud Act of 2021 This bill directs the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to report annually to Congress and the public on health care fraud that targets seniors. Specifically, the report must include (1) the 10 most prevalent health care fraud schemes targeted to seniors, (2) steps being taken to combat such schemes, and (3) policy suggestions to improve protections for seniors. The report may omit information or details that would compromise an ongoing investigation or would serve criminals rather than seniors. The report must be posted on certain agency websites and disseminated to Medicare beneficiaries, as specified.

Accessing Higher Education Opportunities Act This bill expands the allowable uses of grants for Hispanic-serving institutions. Specifically, grants may be used for (1) support programs that facilitate student advancement to doctoral degree programs in health care occupations; and (2) the development of, or expanded access to, dual or concurrent enrollment programs and early college high school programs.

Reducing Exposure to Burn Pits Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide budget information regarding incinerators and waste-to-energy waste disposal alternatives to burn pits. DOD must include the information as a dedicated budget line item in the President's FY2022 budget.

Department of Defense Burn Pits Health Provider Training Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to train its medical providers on the potential health effects of burn pits, which are areas used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment.

Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2021 This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or religion. Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Coverage includes (1) routine dental cleanings and exams, basic and major dental services, emergency dental care, and dentures; (2) routine eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and (3) routine hearing exams, hearing aids, and exams for hearing aids. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements.

Clean Drinking Water Equity Act This bill revises the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF) program to increase the cap on the total amount of loan subsidies that states may give to assist disadvantaged communities. The drinking water SRF program is a financial assistance program to help water systems and states achieve the health protection objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act.