Fairness for Federal Contractors Act of 2021 This bill prohibits executive agencies from requiring contractors to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to study the degree to which Executive Order 14042 (Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors) caused disruptions to federal contracts, supply chains, and transportation systems.
Access to Birth Control Act This bill requires pharmacies to comply with certain rules related to ensuring access to contraceptives. Specifically, pharmacies must provide without delay a customer with any contraceptive or related medication that is in stock. If the contraceptive is not in stock, the pharmacy must immediately inform the customer and either order the contraceptive or refer the customer to a pharmacy that has it in stock. Laws in some states provide pharmacists with the right to refuse to dispense contraceptive-related drugs on religious or conscience grounds. Pharmacies may refuse to provide a contraceptive to a customer (1) if the customer lacks a valid prescription for a prescription contraceptive or is unable to pay for the contraceptive, or (2) based on a pharmacy employee's professional clinical judgment. The bill also establishes a private cause of action and civil monetary penalties for violations of the bill.
Pregnancy Loss Mental Health Research Act of 2021 This bill expands research and related activities that address mental health complications following a pregnancy loss (i.e., miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion). Specifically, the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) must expand and intensify research on mental health complications following pregnancy loss. In particular, NIMH must conduct a longitudinal study to determine the prevalence and other information about such mental health complications. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services must award grants to health providers, state or local governments, or other appropriate nonprofits to deliver services to individuals with mental health conditions following a pregnancy loss. Funding made available under this bill may not be provided to an entity (or an entity's affiliate, subsidiary, successor, or clinic) that performs abortions other than in the case of a pregnancy (1) that is the result of rape or incest; or (2) when the life of the woman is in danger due to a physical disorder, injury, or illness.
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.
HRES 801 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing violence against women in politics as a global issue and supporting women's political participation. It cites research showing women face gendered abuse - including online harassment, threats, and physical violence - across political contexts worldwide. The resolution formally urges the U.S. government to adopt policies promoting women's political engagement and addressing this violence, though it has no binding effect. It directly addresses the experiences of women candidates, officeholders, and staff, particularly highlighting disproportionate impacts on women of color and marginalized groups.
Parents' Bill of Rights Act of 2021 This bill establishes various rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary school education of their minor children. Specifically, the bill prohibits a state (or its agents, subdivisions, or agents of its subdivisions) from denying certain rights to a parent or guardian of a minor child regarding the child's education. These include, among others, the right to (1) fully review and make copies of the curricula, books, and other educational materials used by the child's school; (2) access information on teachers, guest lecturers, and outside presenters; (3) access school records; and (4) visit the child during school hours. A person aggrieved by a violation of this bill, and a state on behalf of its residents, may bring a civil action for injunctive relief. The bill also requires the Department of Education to withhold federal education funds from a state for noncompliance with this bill.
Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take various actions to address transparency in pricing and contract terms in the cattle industry. Among these requirements, USDA must (1) establish regional minimum percentages of cattle that meat packers must procure through negotiated purchases or negotiated grid purchases (i.e., transactions where the price is known and negotiated at the time of the transaction), and (2) maintain a publicly available catalog of contracts offered by meat packers to livestock producers for the purchase of fed cattle.
Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 This bill invalidates arbitration agreements that preclude a party from filing a lawsuit in court involving sexual assault or sexual harassment, at the election of the party alleging such conduct.
Restoring Brand USA Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to make $250 million available (out of unobligated balances remaining from certain fees collected by Treasury) for the Corporation for Travel Promotion, also known as Brand USA.
USACE Military Personnel Augmentation Act of 2021 This bill expands the types of Army personnel entitled to receive certain pay and allowances while assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on nonmilitary public works projects. Currently, regular Corps officers and reserve Army officers assigned to the Corps are entitled to receive pay and allowances from funds appropriated for the project that they are working on. The bill entitles warrant officers and enlisted members of the Army, whether regular or reserve, to receive such pay and allowances when assigned to the Corps.
Forage Fish Conservation Act of 2021 This bill addresses the management and conservation of forage fish. The Department of Commerce must issue a definition for the term forage fish . It must consider certain factors in defining such term, including whether a species covered by the definition (1) is at a low trophic level; (2) is generally small to intermediate-sized; (3) occurs in schools or other dense aggregations; (4) contributes significantly to the diets of other fish, marine mammals, or birds; and (5) serves as a conduit for energy transfer to species at a higher trophic level. Commerce must also establish guidelines to assist regional fishery management councils in (1) developing a list of unmanaged forage fish areas and prohibiting the development of any new forage fish fisheries until the potential impacts of such fisheries have been assessed; and (2)setting annual catch limits for forage fish fisheries that assess, specify, and reduce such limits by the diet needs of other fish species and marine wildlife. The bill adds shad (American shad and hickory shad)and river herring (blueback herring and alewife)to the list of managed stocks for the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
This resolution supports the designation of National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day. Microtia is a congenital condition affecting the outer ear; it is often accompanied by aural atresia (the absence or closure of the external ear canal resulting in hearing loss).
