Frank Harrison, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and Miguel Trujillo Native American Voting Rights Act of 2021 This bill addresses the voting rights of Native American and Alaska Native voters and voting access on tribal lands. The bill includes provisions expanding the types of facilities that can be used as voter registration agencies; increasing polling site accessibility, including by expanding early in-person voting and providing ballot drop boxes; providing enforcement power to citizens and attorneys general; requiring approval for actions like moving a polling place; validating certain tribal identification for voting or registering to vote; permitting voters to designate another individual to return a ballot on their behalf; and expanding requirements for bilingual voting accessibility. In addition, the bill establishes a Native American voting task force grant program for the purpose of increasing voter outreach, education, registration, turnout, and accessibility for Native American communities. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report on (1) the prevalence of nontraditional or nonexistent mailing addresses among Indians, members of tribes, and individuals residing on Indian lands; and (2) the alternatives for removing barriers to voter registration, receipt of voter information and materials, and receipt of ballots.
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.
Tribal Wildlife Corridors Act of 2021 This bill authorizes tribal wildlife corridors. Specifically, the bill permits an Indian tribe to nominate a corridor within the land of such tribe as a tribal wildlife corridor. The Department of the Interior must establish criteria for determining whether such a corridor qualifies as a tribal wildlife corridor, including criteria for restoring historical habitat. Interior must provide tribes with technical assistance to establish, manage, or expand a tribal wildlife corridor. Such assistance must include support with accessing wildlife data and working with voluntary private landowners to access programs for facilitating connectivity on nonfederal land. Additionally, Interior must (1) establish a program to award grants to tribes to increase connectivity through tribal wildlife corridors, and (2) consult with tribes to determine whether a tribal wildlife corridor may be expanded into public lands or otherwise benefit connectivity between public lands and such corridor.
Livestock Disaster Relief Act This bill modifies the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), with a particular focus on addressing the needs of agricultural producers during droughts. (The Department of Agriculture carries out these programs to assist agricultural producers affected by natural disasters.) The changes include increasing the number of months a producer may receive LFP assistance and allowing transportation costs for feed and water as covered losses under ELAP.
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.
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that it should not pass legislation mandating the registration of women for the Selective Service System.
This bill establishes a fund within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to assist states and tribal governments in supporting entities that oversee broadband programs and broadband deployment. Priority must be given to states that either do not have such an entity or that need to increase the capacity of such an entity. The administration's Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth must provide technical and other assistance (1) to support the expansion of broadband, and (2) regarding cybersecurity resources and programs available through federal agencies.
Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act This bill specifically includes pharmacy services as part of covered home infusion therapy under Medicare, and specifies that certain payment components still apply regardless of whether or not a qualified supplier is physically present in the beneficiary's home. The bill also allows nurses and physician assistants to establish and review the plan of care for home infusion therapy.
Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of services that are furnished by a certified radiologist assistant under the supervision of a radiologist. Payment must be made to the supervising radiologist.
U.S.A. Beef Act This bill modifies label requirements for meat food products of cattle. Specifically, the bill prohibits the label of cattle meat or a meat food product of cattle from bearing the phrase Product of U.S.A. unless such meat or meat food product is exclusively derived from one or more cattle born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States. The requirement does not apply to cattle meat or a meat food product of cattle that is intended and offered for export to a foreign country.
Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the Harlem Hellfighters, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service during World War I.
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2021 This bill allows a physical therapist to receive payment under Medicare for services provided to the physical therapist's patients by another physical therapist through a qualifying temporary arrangement, regardless of the geographic area or population served. Currently, physical therapists may only receive payment with respect to such arrangements for services provided in medically underserved, rural, or health professional shortage areas.
