Rep. Brian J. Mast

Open Schools Act This bill directs the Department of Education to make grants to parents of eligible students for certain education-related expenses. Eligible student refers to a student who is enrolled for the 2021-2022 school year in an elementary or secondary school that (1) is located in a local educational agency that received certain COVID-19 relief funds; and (2) does not provide, for any reason related to COVID-19, in-person learning for each enrolled student for each school day during the school year. Grant funds may be used to pay the tuition and fees for a private elementary or secondary school, pay the cost of attending a public school that provides in-person learning, or for other expenses and educational materials.

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 for scientific research utilizing data from expanded access to investigational ALS treatments for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for clinical trials.  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 rare 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. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress about the grants provided under this bill, including an analysis of the impact of such grants on research and development of treatments for ALS.

Land and Water Conservation Fund Water Amendments Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for water quality improvement projects from amounts made available under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Interior shall only provide such financial assistance to projects that seek to improve water quality by improving, restoring, remediating, or developing natural hydrological systems, such as wetlands and living shorelines. To be eligible for assistance, a state's comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plan shall identify any body of water within the state for which a water quality control plan has been developed pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and any proposed water quality project to be conducted with respect to such body of water.

Stop Federal Vaccine Mandates for Employees Act This bill prohibits the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from issuing any emergency temporary standard that requires an employee to receive a drug, vaccine, or other biological product.

This bill posthumously provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of the 13 service members who died on August 26, 2021, while stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan.

Saving Americans From Executive Reach in Travel Act or the SAFER Travel Act This bill prohibits executive branch agencies and private entities from imposing a vaccine mandate against COVID-19 on individuals traveling within the United States on commercial public or private transportation, including air, rail, commercial motor vehicles, vessels, or other public or private forms of transportation. Additionally, the bill prohibits executive branch agencies from requiring a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States to enter into a period of quarantine related to COVID-19 after having traveled on any commercial public or private transportation.

Border Agents Stay Employed Act or the BASE Act This bill prohibits using federal funds to require any U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer or employee to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste Act of 2021 or the PAAW Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from conducting or supporting research that causes significant pain or distress to a dog. The bill also requires reporting about the use of dogs in research studies. First, the National Institutes of Health must report on ongoing or prospective research conducted or supported by NIAID that causes significant pain or distress to a dog and the amount of funds obligated for such research. Second, NIAID must report on efforts to phase out the use of dogs in the research it conducts or supports.

This resolution states that the Chinese government is responsible for ongoing abuses against the Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups and that these abuses constitute genocide and crimes against humanity. The resolution also condemns such genocide and crimes against humanity and calls on the President to take certain actions to put an end to these atrocities.

This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from taking specified actions against a member of the National Guard based on whether the member has received a COVID-19 vaccine. Specifically, DOD may not (1) involuntarily discharge or discipline the member, (2) withhold pay or benefits from the member, or (3) prohibit the member from participating in training or using equipment.