This bill makes changes to enrollment processes and other aspects of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Under current law, an individual who participates in Medicaid and other specified means-tested programs automatically meets applicable income eligibility for WIC. The bill extends this automatic income eligibility to participants in Head Start programs, certain nutrition programs (e.g., the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations), and the Children's Health Insurance Program. It also extends income eligibility to individuals who reside in a household in which a member receives assistance from such a program. Other changes in the bill include (1) allowing states to certify a child's eligibility for WIC for up to two years, and (2) requiring states to address benefits for infants and children under the care of kinship families in WIC plans.
Green New Deal for Public Schools Act of 2021 This bill provides environmental and educational resources to public elementary and secondary schools and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to provide climate capital facilities grants to eligible entities (e.g., public schools and BIE schools). Grant recipients must use these funds to construct new, or convert existing facilities into, healthy zero-carbon schools. Healthy zero-carbon school refers to a school with highly energy-efficient facilities that produce or procure sufficient carbon-free and pollution-free renewable energy to meet the school's needs. Next, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award resource block grants to qualified local educational agencies (LEAs) to hire and retain educators and support staff in high-need schools. ED must award grants to eligible consortia of LEAs for educational equity planning and implementation. In addition, ED must establish the Climate Change Resiliency Program to increase the resiliency of public and BIE schools during climate change-related events, natural disasters, and public health crises. Further, ED must establish a related grant program for state educational agencies. Grant recipients must use these funds for certain activities (e.g., green infrastructure projects). The bill establishes the Office of Sustainable Schools within ED to (1) administer the resource block grant and educational equity grant programs, and (2) coordinate with DOE and the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy on climate capital facilities grants and the Climate Change Resiliency Program.
Tribal Access to Clean Water Act of 2021 This bill provides funding for and expands access to water resources for Native communities (i.e., Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian communities). First, the bill provides funding for the Indian Health Service to (1) plan, design, construct, modernize, improve, and renovate water, sewer, and solid waste sanitation facilities; (2) provide technical assistance; and (3) operate and maintain water facilities that serve Native communities. Next, the bill provides funding for the Department of Agriculture to provide water and wastewater facility grants to eligible entities (e.g., Native communities) that have residents facing significant health risks due to inadequate water supply systems. An eligible entity shall not be required to provide a matching contribution in order to receive a grant. In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2031 the Bureau of Reclamation's Rural Water Supply Program. Further, the bill provides funding for and establishes a grant program for tribal clean water access projects. It also provides funding for the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program. The bill also provides funding for the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants to Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages for drinking water and clean water.
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.
Intelligence Community Workforce Agility Protection Act of 2021 This bill allows a current tax deduction for the moving expenses of an employee or new appointee of the intelligence community who moves due to a change in assignment that requires relocation. It also allows a current tax exclusion for such employees or appointees for moving expense reimbursements. Under current law, the tax deduction and exclusion for the moving expenses of other taxpayers are suspended for the period beginning in 2018 through 2025.
Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act of 2021 This bill requires federal agencies to develop and disclose safety plans that contain certain information for on-site employees and contractors during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires each agency to post a safety plan on its website that includes descriptions of (1) the personal protective equipment that the agency will provide to its on-site employees and contractors; (2) protections for employees whose work requires them to travel off-site; (3) testing, contact-tracing, and vaccination protocols; and (4) protocols that ensure the continuity of operations in the event it is necessary to reverse on-site requirements. Each agency's Office of the Inspector General must report on whether the agency has published and implemented its safety plan.
Veterans Health Care Freedom Act This bill requires the Center for Innovation for Care and Payment within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a three-year pilot program to improve the ability of veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system to access hospital care, medical services, and extended care services through the covered care system by providing such veterans with the ability to choose health care providers. Under the bill, the covered care system includes VA medical facilities, health care providers participating in the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), and eligible entities or providers that have entered into a Veterans Care Agreement. A veteran participating in the program may elect to receive care at any provider in the covered care system. The pilot program removes certain requirements (e.g., location of the veteran) to access care at VA and non-VA facilities. After four years, the bill permanently phases out the requirements for accessing care under the VCCP and Veterans Care Agreements and requires the VA to provide such care under the same conditions of the pilot program. Additionally, after four years, veterans may receive care at a VA medical facility regardless of whether the facility is in the same Veterans Integrated Service Network as the veteran.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides essential protection for our country from foreign and domestic threats and that defunding DHS would be detrimental to our national security.
This resolution recognizes and expresses support for the efforts of democracy and human rights activists in Cuba.
Native American Child Protection Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and otherwise revises certain programs related to the prevention, investigation, treatment, and prosecution of family violence, child abuse, and child neglect involving Indian children and families. Specifically, the bill revises the Indian Child Abuse Treatment Grant Program to encourage the use of grants for culturally appropriate treatment services and programs. The bill renames the Indian Child Resource and Family Services Centers as the National Indian Child Resource and Family Services Center. It also requires the center to (1) provide advice, technical assistance, and training to urban Indian organizations; (2) develop technical assistance for Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations; and (3) develop model intergovernmental agreements between tribes and states to prevent, investigate, treat, and prosecute incidents of family violence, child abuse, and child neglect involving Indian children and families. Additionally, the bill revises the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Program to allow Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and intertribal consortia to use program funds for additional activities, such as operational costs for child protective services.
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. (A journeyman lineworker is a person who builds and maintains electrical power systems.)
Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2021 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2021 This bill prohibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurance plans from discriminating against health providers participating in the 340B drug pricing program, including pharmacies contracted with such providers to dispense 340B drugs. The 340B program allows certain providers to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices from manufacturers. Specifically, PBMs and insurance plans may not reimburse 340B participants at a lower rate than other entities not participating in the program; impose differing terms (such as fees, charge-backs, or audits) on 340B participants; interfere with an individual's choice to receive drugs from a 340B participant; require 340B participants to identify which drugs fall within the program; or refuse to contract with a 340B participant on the basis that they utilize the program. Violations of this bill are subject to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 per violation per day. These prohibitions also apply to prescription drug (Part D) sponsors under Medicare. The bill also provides for a process to prevent duplicate 340B drug discounts to states under Medicaid.
