Building Equitable Access to Contribute to Our National Security Act of 2021 or the BEACON Act of 2021 This bill implements plans and requirements related to minority institutions of higher education and their contributions to national security efforts. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a plan for the establishment of the Minority Institute for Defense Research. The plan must be made available on a publicly accessible DOD website. DOD is authorized to establish a program to award grants to leading minority institutions to, among other purposes, advance research capabilities relating to national security. Under the bill, certain contracts awarded to educational institutions must include a requirement to subcontract with one or more minority institutions for a total amount of at least 5% of the amount awarded in the contract.
This bill establishes Rosa Parks Day as a federal holiday.
1st Lt. Hugh Conor McDowell Safety in Armed Forces Equipment Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of the Army and the Department of the Navy to jointly implement a five-year pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of using data recorders to monitor, assess, and improve the readiness and safety of the operation of military tactical vehicles (e.g., Army Strykers). The program must be carried out at not fewer than one military station in the United States that (1) contains the necessary force structure, equipment, and maneuver training ranges to collect necessary driver and vehicle data; and (2) represents at least one of the five training ranges that did not track unit location during training, as identified by the Government Accountability Office.
This resolution condemns the President's failure to heed military and intelligence advisors about the speed and nature of the Taliban offense in Afghanistan and urges the President to commit to maintaining the evacuation operation as long as necessary to evacuate any U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or Afghan partner who requests evacuation assistance .
Just In Case Act This bill allows the Department of Defense (DOD) to reimburse contractors for paid leave provided to employees or subcontractors who are prevented from working due to an emergency or disaster. The bill also allows DOD to reimburse small business contractors for other costs related to the emergency or disaster if necessary to ensure the continuation of contractor performance.
Quality Higher Education Act of 2021 This bill revises the accreditation standards under which an accrediting agency or association must assess an institution of higher education (IHE), and it requires the Department of Education to establish procedures for an agency or association to follow when an IHE fails to meet these standards. An accrediting agency or association must measure an IHE's success in student achievement against at least one standard each in the categories of completion, workforce participation, and progress toward meeting such completion and workforce participation standards. An agency or association must also make certain information such as student achievement standards and IHE performance benchmarks available on a publicly accessible website. Additionally, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity must evaluate the effectiveness of the revised standards and compare similar accrediting agencies or associations based on their assessments of IHEs.
This bill increases the cap on the number of days reserve component members performing active duty or full-time National Guard duty may serve before counting against active duty end strengths from 1,095 days out of 1,460 days to 1,825 days out of 2,190 days.
Student Loan Refinancing Act This bill establishes a refinancing program for federal student loans. Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) must, within 30 days, establish a program that allows borrowers to refinance their federal student loans down to lower interest rates. The refinanced interest rates are (1) calculated based on the type of student loan (e.g., Stafford), and (2) fixed for the period of the loan. In addition, the bill requires ED to coordinate with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to alert borrowers of their program eligibility.
No Federal Funding for Confederate Symbols Act This bill prohibits federal funds from being used for the creation, maintenance, or display of any Confederate symbol on federal public land or other federal property. An exception to such prohibition is provided (1) if the use of such funds is necessary to allow for the removal of the Confederate symbol to address public safety; or (2) in the case of a Confederate symbol created, maintained, or displayed in a museum or educational exhibit.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that policies concerning medication abortions should be grounded in science, be based on a review of medical evidence, and ensure equitable access for patients.
Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish grant programs and set up a website to reduce suicide rates among youth and young adults (those under age 26), including by addressing the use of firearms in suicides and suicide attempts. Specifically, HHS must award grants to states, Indian tribes, health departments, hospitals, or other organizations to train health care providers on lethal means safety (e.g., safe storage of firearms), relevant laws concerning the use and possession of firearms, and other suicide prevention and intervention strategies for youth and young adults. Grantees may use a portion of funds to make secure gun storage or safety devices available to residences with an individual under age 26 who is at risk of suicide. In addition, HHS must award grants to health professional schools to integrate content into their curricula and continuing education programs about suicide prevention strategies and interventions to reduce suicide rates among youth and young adults. The bill also requires HHS to develop and maintain a website that contains information for individuals under age 26, their families, health care providers, and health professional schools concerning suicide prevention and the use of firearms in suicide attempts.
Diversifying Investigations Via Equitable Research Studies for Everyone Trials Act or the DIVERSE Trials Act This bill requires activities to increase diversity in clinical trials. It also expands reporting by laboratories that test for and diagnose COVID-19 and requires a study on data collection and data sharing during public health emergencies. Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must issue guidance on decentralized clinical trials to promote meaningful demographic and geographic diversity in patient engagement, enrollment, and participation. Decentralized clinical trials include those executed through telemedicine or other digital technologies to allow for the remote collection and assessment of clinical trial data. The FDA may also work with foreign regulators to harmonize international regulations governing decentralized clinical trials and the use of digital health technology. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may support community education, outreach, and recruitment activities for clinical trials of treatments for conditions that disproportionately impact populations underrepresented in clinical trials. The bill also specifies that drug or device manufacturers may provide, subject to some limits, free digital health technologies and other remuneration to patients in approved clinical trials without violating laws that address fraud and abuse in federal programs. Furthermore, laboratories that test for and diagnose COVID-19 must report additional demographic data, including information about social determinants of health. HHS must also contract with the National Academy of Medicine to study and propose a design for an interoperable platform to facilitate data sharing during public health emergencies.
