TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act This bill aligns eligibility for TRICARE health coverage with the age at which personnel of the Retired Reserve (former National Guard and Reserve members) begin receiving retired pay. Specifically, personnel of the Retired Reserve who are not yet age 60 but are receiving their retirement pay may purchase TRICARE health coverage for retired military personnel, rather than the presently allowed TRICARE Retired Reserve. Under current law, Reserve Component personnel may retire below age 60, but not below 50, based on active duty performance.
Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021 This bill allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to negotiate drug prices under the Medicare prescription drug benefit and to institute a price structure for the reimbursement of drugs covered under the benefit.
Fostering Postsecondary Success for Foster and Homeless Youth Act of 2021 This bill establishes a program through which the Department of Education (ED) must annually recognize institutions of higher education (IHEs) that offer outstanding services and programs to foster care and homeless youth. Further, ED must establish a Center for Fostering Postsecondary Success for Foster and Homeless Youth to assist IHEs with creating and maintaining their programs for these youth.
Huntington's Disease Disability Insurance Access Act of 2021 This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with Huntington's disease. This is an inherited disorder that causes brain cells to die, including in areas of the brain that help to control voluntary movement. Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with Huntington's disease. Under current law, individuals generally must wait five months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.
Outdated AUMF Repeal Act This bill repeals the authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq (dated January 14, 1991, and October 16, 2002) and repeals a joint resolution authorizing the provision of military assistance in the general area of the Middle East (dated March 9, 1957).
College Transparency Act This bill requires the National Center for Education Statistics to establish a secure and privacy-protected data system that contains information about postsecondary students. Specifically, the data system must evaluate student enrollment patterns, progression, completion, and postcollegiate outcomes, and higher education costs and financial aid; provide complete and customizable information for students and families making decisions about postsecondary education; reduce the requirements for reporting by institutions of higher education; and periodically match with other federal systems of data. The bill also establishes a postsecondary student data system advisory committee.
American Dream Employment Act of 2021 This bill establishes that, for the purposes of eligibility to be an officer or employee of an office of Congress, an individual shall be treated as a U.S. citizen if that individual has (1) employment authorization under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, (2) employment authorization under a grant of deferred enforced departure, or (3) temporary protected status. (Generally, these programs and statuses allow eligible aliens to remain and work in the United States.)
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.
This resolution honors the 100th anniversary of the birth of George Daniel Crowe, a professional baseball player.
This resolution congratulates the people of Greece as they celebrate the 200th anniversary of Greece's independence. The resolution also expresses support for the principles of democratic governance to which the people of Greece are committed.
Taiwan Fellowship Act This bill directs the Department of State to establish a program to provide fellowships in Taiwan to qualifying U.S. government employees. Each program fellow shall work in (1) a Taiwanese government agency; or (2) a nongovernmental organization, such as the American Institute in Taiwan, whose interests are associated with the interests of the fellow's employing U.S. government agency. (In 1979, the United States established diplomatic relations with China and ended formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The American Institute in Taiwan is a private organization that has a contract with the State Department to represent U.S. interests in Taiwan and provide consular services.)
Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act of 2021 This bill increases the current 21% income tax rate of corporations whose ratio of compensation of their principal executive officers or other highest compensated employees to median worker compensation is more than 50 to 1, in which case the increase is 0.5%. The pay ratio disparity extends from 100 to 1 to 500 to 1, in which case the increase is 5%. The bill exempts from such increase certain corporations based upon their average annual gross receipts.
