COVID-19 Border Protection (CBP) Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to devise and implement a strategy to ensure that no alien with COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) in DHS or Department of Health and Human Services custody may be released into the community during a public health emergency related to COVID-19. Funds previously provided to the Department of State for supporting international efforts to help migrants and refugees respond to COVID-19 shall be transferred to DHS to implement this strategy.
Medication Access and Training Expansion Act of 2021 or the MATE Act of 2021 This bill requires health care providers, as a condition of receiving or renewing a registration to prescribe potentially addictive drugs, to complete a one-time training on managing patients with substance use disorders. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must award grants to health professional associations and education programs for integrating substance use disorder training into relevant curricula.
This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 - October 15, 2021; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
Outdoors for All Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish an outdoor recreation legacy partnership grant program under which Interior may award grants to states, certain political subdivisions of a state, special purpose districts, Indian tribes, or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian communities or organizations. Funds must be used for projects to (1) acquire land and water for parks and other outdoor recreation purposes in qualifying areas, and (2) develop new or renovate existing outdoor recreation facilities that provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public in qualifying areas. A qualifying area is an area that has a population of 30,000 or more in the most recent census, or that is administered by an Indian tribe or an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian community organization. Interior shall give priority to projects that create or significantly enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban neighborhood or community, engage and empower underserved communities and youth, provide opportunities for employment or job training for youth or underserved communities, establish or expand public-private partnerships, and take advantage of coordination among various levels of government.
HRES 722 is a symbolic resolution designating October 15, 2021, as "National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day." It recognizes individuals who have experienced pregnancy loss or infant death, acknowledging the emotional impact on families and the need for support. The resolution requests the President issue a proclamation encouraging public observance of this day to raise awareness and foster community for affected families. This resolution does not create new laws or funding but formally expresses congressional support for remembrance.
Countering China Economic Coercion Act This bill establishes an interagency task force to respond to the Chinese government's acts of economic coercion. The task force must oversee the development and implementation of an integrated U.S. government strategy to respond to such acts of economic coercion. The strategy must include an evaluation of the costs such acts have on U.S. businesses and economic performance. The task force must also report to Congress on the strategy as well as a comprehensive review on the economic tools that the Chinese government uses (or can use) to coerce other governments, non-Chinese companies, and multilateral institutions and organizations.
Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring a financial institution to report the transfers into and out of a financial account. This prohibition does not apply to laws or regulations in effect on October 1, 2021.
The Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S. 1301) requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish physical activity recommendations for Americans. This bill directly affects the Department of Health and Human Services, which would be responsible for developing and issuing these guidelines. The key provision mandates the publication of these recommendations, providing official guidance on appropriate physical activity levels for the public. The bill does not create new funding or impose requirements on individuals or organizations, but establishes a process for the HHS to provide this information. This is a procedural bill focused on publishing guidelines rather than implementing new programs.
Veterans Census-Enabled National Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement for Mental Health Act of 2021 or the Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure the number of Vet Centers in certain states is increased by at least one additional center if the VA determines the state meets specified requirements. The VA must also establish a community-based outpatient clinic in each state that does not share a land border with another state, is located at least 2,000 miles from the contiguous United States, and contains no such clinic.
Revising and Expediting Actions for the Crisis Hotline for Veterans Act or the REACH for Veterans Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to update training and procedures for call responders of the Veterans Crisis Line. Specifically, the VA must enter into an agreement with an outside organization to review the training for crisis line call responders. The VA must update the training if any deficiencies are identified after the review. Among other requirements, the VA must develop guidelines on retraining and quality management for when a call responder has an adverse event or needs improvement, annually perform a common cause analysis for identified callers to the crisis line who died by suicide in situations where the crisis line was the last point of contact, develop enhanced guidance and procedures to respond to calls to the crisis line related to substance use and overdose risk, review the current emergency dispatch standard operating procedure of the crisis line, and solicit feedback from veterans service organizations on how to conduct outreach regarding the move to 988 as the new suicide and mental health crisis hotline. Each call responder must be subject to at least two calls per month that are silently monitored by a supervisor to check for quality of conduct. The Veterans Crisis Line, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention of the VA, and National Center for Patient Safety of the VA must establish quality management processes and expectations for staff of the crisis line.
Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make permanent and expand the program that establishes at least two peer specialists in patient aligned care teams at VA medical centers to promote the use and integration of services for mental health, substance use disorder, and behavioral health in a primary care setting.
Solid Start Act of 2021 This bill permanently authorizes and expands the Solid Start program, which is an outreach program for veterans in their first year of separation from the military. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to coordinate with the Department of Defense to collect updated contact information during transition classes or separation counseling for members of the Armed Forces who are separating from service; explain the existence and purpose of the program; call veterans three times within the first year of separation; publish information about the program in booklets and on the VA website; provide women veterans with information tailored to their health care and benefit needs; provide information on access to state and local resources, such as Vet Centers; gather and analyze data that assesses the effectiveness of the program; ensure calls are tailored to each veteran's needs by conducting quality assurance tests; and prioritize outreach to veterans who have accessed mental health resources prior to separation from the Armed Forces. Under the bill, the VA is authorized to (1) encourage members of the Armed Forces to provide additional contact information if they are unreachable following their separation, (2) follow up on missed phone calls, and (3) reach out to veterans who separated prior to the initiation of the Solid Start program.
