Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act or the PRIME Act This bill expands the exemption of custom slaughtering of animals from federal inspection requirements. Under current law, the exemption applies if the meat is slaughtered for personal, household, guest, and employee uses. The bill expands the exemption to include meat that is slaughtered and prepared at a custom slaughter facility in accordance with the laws of the state where the facility is located; and prepared exclusively for distribution to household consumers in the state or restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments in the state that either prepare meals served directly to consumers or offer meat and food products for sale directly to consumers in the state. The bill does not preempt any state law concerning (1) the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, parts thereof, meat and meat food products at a custom slaughter facility; or (2) the sale of meat or meat food products.
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2021 This bill modifies Medicare payment of ground ambulance services in rural areas. Specifically, the bill extends the specialized rate increase for such services for an additional five years (until January 1, 2028). The bill also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to (1) allow an area that has 1,000 or fewer individuals per square mile to retain its status as a rural area even if it would otherwise no longer qualify, and (2) establish an appeals process for providers to seek reconsideration of a change in an area's status.
Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 This bill modifies a program providing special immigrant visas to eligible citizens or nationals of Afghanistan who assisted U.S. efforts there and addresses related issues. The bill extends the program through 2023 and increases the number of visas available. An individual may become eligible for a visa after assisting U.S. efforts in Afghanistan for one year, whereas currently some individuals must have served for two years. Furthermore, for an applicant qualifying for a visa by performing duties with a NATO mission in Afghanistan, the bill eliminates a requirement that the duties performed qualify as sensitive and trusted duties. The bill removes a requirement that the individual has experienced or is facing an ongoing serious threat due to their assistance to the United States or NATO. The Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security may postpone the program's medical examination requirement. An individual who received a postponement must undergo a medical exam within 90 days of admission into the United States. The bill also expands surviving family member benefits for the Afghanistan program (and a similar program for Iraq) to a surviving spouse or child of an individual who submitted an application to the Chief of Mission that would have been approved but for the individual's death. Currently, such survivor benefits only apply if the deceased individual's petition was approved.
Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2021 This bill accelerates and expands certain changes that are scheduled to take effect relating to the coverage of cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare. Currently, such programs require physician supervision. Effective January 1, 2024, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists may also supervise these programs. The bill expedites the effective date of these changes to January 1, 2022, and also allows these practitioners to administer programs in their offices, prepare and sign treatment plans, and prescribe exercise.
Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act or the ACE Act This bill modifies tax rules relating to donor advised funds (DAFs) (separately identified funds maintained and operated by a tax-exempt charitable organization for which a donor retains advisory privileges with respect to the distribution of funds and the investment of assets). Specifically, the bill places certain restrictions on charitable contribution deductions for gifts made to a nonqualified DAF. It also sets forth rules for the treatment of private foundation administrative expenses paid to disqualified persons and for the treatment of distributions to DAFs from private foundations. The bill imposes a 50% penalty on contributions held in a DAF that are not timely distributed. The bill also sets forth special rules for the treatment of contributions from DAFs for purposes of meeting the public support test (the requirement that charitable organizations receive a certain percentage of their support from public sources). The bill exempts from the tax on the investment income of a private foundation (1) distributions to a DAF of not less than 7% of the foundation's assets, and (2) for foundations that have a duration, specified in their governing documents, of not more than 25 years.
This bill revises requirements for the tax exclusion for contributions to the capital of a corporation. Specifically, the bill allows an exclusion for certain amounts received by a regulated public utility that provides water or sewerage disposal services.
Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2021 This bill makes physical therapists eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. This program assists primary care, mental health, and dental providers in repaying eligible student loans in exchange for working in areas with shortages of such providers.
Nullifying Opportunities for Variants to Infect and Decimate Act or the NOVID Act This bill establishes the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Program to coordinate and carry out the U.S. government's global health response to COVID-19, its variants, and other pathogens with pandemic potential. As part of the program, the bill requires, within 30 days, the development of a comprehensive strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy must outline efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccinations worldwide, including through the immediate release of the COVID-19 vaccine doses that the United States committed to sending abroad. The bill also requires a long-term strategy for the program to prevent future pandemics.
Resilient Highways Act of 20 21 This bill addresses projects to improve the resiliency of federal-aid highways, bridges, and tunnels on and off the National Highway System. Specifically, the bill allows states to use up to 15% of funds apportioned under the national highway performance program for projects to mitigate the risk of recurring damage or the cost of future repairs from extreme weather, flooding, and other natural disasters on infrastructure that is part of the National Highway System; provides for a maximum federal cost-share of up to 100% for these projects; and authorizes emergency relief funds to be used to pay for these projects, including raising roadway grades, deepening channels to prevent flooding, improving drainage, and stabilizing slopes.
Medical Nutrition Equity Act of 2021 This bill expands coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, other specified federal health care programs, and private health insurance to include foods, vitamins, and individual amino acids that are medically necessary for the management of certain digestive and metabolic disorders and conditions.
State-Based Universal Health Care Act of 20 21 This bill establishes the option for states, or groups of states, to apply to waive certain federal health insurance requirements and provide residents with health insurance benefits plans through a state-administered program. Such programs must cover 95% of the residents in the state within five years and plan benefits must be at least as comprehensive and affordable as the coverage under the equivalent federal program. State programs are supported with funds from the federal programs the state programs replace, which may include Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Federal Employee Health Benefits program, certain federal tax credits, and premium-assistance funds, among others. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to appoint an Independent Assessment Panel for Comprehensive Care to review and recommend whether to approve state applications. Each approved state program must be independently reviewed every five years to evaluate changes in health benefits access, quality, and coverage, including whether the state has met the 95% coverage requirement. The federal government must pay all health insurance costs for American Indians and Alaska Natives who enroll in a plan through a state insurance program.
This resolution expresses support for the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals. The resolution r ecognizes that LGBTQ rights are human rights and protected by the laws of the United States and international treaties. Additionally, the resolution encourages the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month in June.
