Rep. Brett Guthrie

This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance on whether and how state Medicaid programs may extend certain flexibilities after the end of the public health emergency relating to COVID-19.

This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor emergency temporary standard for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in employment settings. Under the standard issued on November 5, 2021, employers with 100 or more employees must require their onsite employees to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.

Maddy summaryHRES 802 is a symbolic House resolution designating November 2021 as "National College Application Month." It encourages all students - particularly those from low-income backgrounds, first-generation college applicants, and students of color - to explore higher education options, complete financial aid applications (like the FAFSA), and access support resources. The resolution urges communities, schools, and officials to promote college application awareness during this month, highlighting barriers like high student-to-counselor ratios and complex financial aid systems. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise awareness about college access challenges identified during the pandemic.

This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.

Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act of 20 21 This bill modifies the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to add requirements for supporting individuals impacted by a substance use disorder. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture to collaborate with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and disseminate nutrition education materials for individuals impacted by a substance use disorder, including materials for infants impacted by prenatal substance exposure and neonatal abstinence syndrome; conduct outreach to individuals who are potentially eligible for the WIC program and who are impacted by a such a disorder; and make available to states through an online clearinghouse any nutrition education and training materials related to nutrition for individuals impacted by a substance use disorder or neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Protect and Serve Act of 2021 This bill establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly assaulting a law enforcement officer and causing serious bodily injury (or attempting to do so) in circumstances that affect interstate commerce. It imposes criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both—on a violator.

Maddy summaryHRES 779 is a symbolic resolution introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on November 5, 2021. It expresses Congress’s disapproval of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) emergency temporary standard (ETS) requiring employers with over 100 workers to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing/mask-wearing. The resolution argues OSHA overstepped its authority by treating COVID-19 as a workplace-specific risk, despite Congress having delegated vaccine-related authority to other agencies like the FDA and CDC. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change any laws or enforceable requirements - it only states congressional opinion on the ETS.

Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution This concurrent resolution requires the congressional budget committees to conduct an annual joint hearing to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General regarding (1) the Government Accountability Office's audit of the financial statement of the executive branch, and (2) the financial position and condition of the federal government.

Employment Freedom for All Act This bill prohibits an employer from enforcing a noncompete agreement with an employee, or former employee, who has been fired for not receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general are authorized to enforce this bill.

Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2021 This bill establishes a student loan repayment program for public health professionals. As a condition of participation, recipients must agree to complete a period of full-time employment with a state, tribal, or local public health agency. Individuals eligible for this program include those with public health or health professions degrees, as well as those with degrees in statistics, computer science, or related information technology fields.