Rep. Josh Gottheimer

Help Ensure Lower Patient Copays Act or the HELP Copays Act This bill requires health insurance plans to apply certain payments made by, or on behalf of, a plan enrollee toward a plan's cost-sharing requirements. Specifically, plans must apply third-party payments, financial assistance, discounts, product vouchers, and other reductions in out-of-pocket expenses toward the requirements.

Veterans Patient Advocacy Act This bill requires the Office of Patient Advocacy within the Veterans Health Administration to ensure (1) there is not fewer than one patient advocate for every 13,500 veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, and (2) highly rural veterans may access the services of patient advocates. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the implementation of such policies.

Security After Sandy Act This bill cancels and waives certain debts owed to the United States. The bill cancels repayment for all uncollected amounts owed with respect to community disaster loans made by the federal government between January 1, 2006, and January 1, 2021, with respect to any major disaster declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Small Business Administration shall waive a debt owed to the United States related to such assistance provided to an individual or household if (1) such debt owed is a result of an unauthorized use of funds for such assistance, and (2) the use of funds related to the same recovery for which the assistance was provided. Such debt may not be waived if it involves fraud by the debtor.

Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Neurological Impact Act This bill authorizes grants and requires other activities to address neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19 infection. Specifically, the National Science Foundation may award competitive grants for multidisciplinary research on such illnesses. In addition, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy must establish a temporary interagency working group to coordinate relevant federal programs, data collection, and other activities focused on neurological and psychiatric illnesses associated with COVID-19 infection. The working group must also engage with researchers and nonfederal stakeholders to ensure the sharing and dissemination of relevant research, information, and best practices pertaining to those illnesses. The working group terminates after five years.

This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' support for the celebration of Filipino American History Month as a testament to the advancement of Filipino Americans and a time to renew efforts toward researching and examining the history of Filipino Americans to give all people of the United States an opportunity to learn about their contributions.

National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Act of 2021 This bill establishes an interagency steering committee within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand, intensify, and coordinate federal and nonfederal actions to prevent domestic violence. HHS may include nonfederal subject matter experts if necessary to carry out the committee's activities. Specifically, the committee must develop an action plan to guide a whole-of-government, goal-oriented approach to domestic violence prevention. The committee must include, as part of the plan, a national media campaign to engage with the public on matters concerning domestic violence prevention.

Portal for Appraisal Licensing Act of 2021 This bill establishes a central portal for real estate appraisers and real estate appraisal management companies to apply for and to renew certain licenses, certifications, and registrations. The portal must provide connectivity with state agencies and include the ability to pay fees. The Department of Justice must provide access to criminal history information to state officials for required background checks.

Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act This bill provides increased locality pay rates to certain Bureau of Prisons employees whose duty stations are located in the pay locality designated as Rest of U.S. The Rest of U.S. GS (general schedule) locality is the default locality area that applies to GS employees in any city that does not fall within another specified GS locality. Such an employee shall not be subject to this bill if his or her official work site is not located within 100 miles of any pay locality other than Rest of U.S .

China Watcher Act This bill establishes the China Watcher Program within the Department of State. The program must (1) monitor and combat China's malign influence in foreign countries, (2) monitor China's military trends abroad and counter its activities and advancements in foreign nations that pose a threat to U.S. interests and the rules-based order, and (3) strengthen U.S. government capacity to engage with foreign countries and international organizations to counter China's malign influence. Under this program, the State Department must place officers in select U.S. diplomatic and consular posts to engage with Chinese and third-party nationals, as well as host governments and nongovernment entities, on the above-referenced matters.

Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 20 21 This bill modifies, expands, and reauthorizes through FY2026 the Family Violence and Prevention Services program, which funds emergency shelters and supports related assistance for victims of domestic violence. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants and enter cooperative agreements with state and tribal domestic violence coalitions, and community-based organizations, to support prevention services. Depending on the type of organization, grant recipients must use funding to (1) provide technical assistance; (2) promote evidence-informed prevention strategies; (3) implement coordinated, community responses to reduce risk factors for family violence; and (4) develop prevention partnership strategies. Further, HHS must award specified grants to organizations that provide population-specific services in underserved communities and to community-based organizations that provide culturally specific domestic violence services to racial and ethnic minority groups. The bill also establishes a grants program for tribal domestic violence coalitions to support the provision of local, tribal, family domestic or dating violence services and requires HHS to award a grant for the administration of a hotline dedicated to serving Indians affected by domestic violence. In addition, the bill modifies certain program-wide definitions; changes the requirements for specified grant applications, eligibility criteria, and use of funds; and makes other technical revisions.