Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act This bill makes a series of changes to requirements for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, including additional testing parameters, procedural steps, and reporting requirements for models.
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.
Building Equitable Access to Contribute to Our National Security Act of 2021 or the BEACON Act of 2021 This bill implements plans and requirements related to minority institutions of higher education and their contributions to national security efforts. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a plan for the establishment of the Minority Institute for Defense Research. The plan must be made available on a publicly accessible DOD website. DOD is authorized to establish a program to award grants to leading minority institutions to, among other purposes, advance research capabilities relating to national security. Under the bill, certain contracts awarded to educational institutions must include a requirement to subcontract with one or more minority institutions for a total amount of at least 5% of the amount awarded in the contract.
This bill establishes Rosa Parks Day as a federal holiday.
Next Generation Fuels Act of 2021 This bill supports the use of biofuels (e.g., gasoline blended with ethanol) in vehicles, including by establishing a minimum octane standard for gasoline as well as making related biofuel requirements for vehicles, their fuels, and fuel infrastructure.
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.
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act or the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act This bill implements a program and a policy related to service dog therapy for veterans. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as an element of a complementary and integrative health program. Eligible veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have been recommended for participation by a qualified mental health care provider or clinical team. The VA must seek to enter agreements containing specified elements with accredited nongovernmental entities that have demonstrated ability to provide canine training. Veterans who participate in the program are authorized to adopt the dog they assisted in training if their health provider determines it is in the best interest of the veteran. The VA must establish processes to document and track the progress of participating veterans with respect to health benefits and improvements. The Government Accountability Office must brief Congress and submit a report on the program. The bill also authorizes the VA to provide service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses, regardless of whether they have a mobility impairment.
This resolution states that the House of Representatives opposes diplomatic recognition of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. It also states that the House recognizes and supports Amrullah Saleh's leadership as the acting president of the former Afghan government and in the resistance against the Taliban.
This resolution condemns the President's failure to heed military and intelligence advisors about the speed and nature of the Taliban offense in Afghanistan and urges the President to commit to maintaining the evacuation operation as long as necessary to evacuate any U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or Afghan partner who requests evacuation assistance .
Just In Case Act This bill allows the Department of Defense (DOD) to reimburse contractors for paid leave provided to employees or subcontractors who are prevented from working due to an emergency or disaster. The bill also allows DOD to reimburse small business contractors for other costs related to the emergency or disaster if necessary to ensure the continuation of contractor performance.
Quality Higher Education Act of 2021 This bill revises the accreditation standards under which an accrediting agency or association must assess an institution of higher education (IHE), and it requires the Department of Education to establish procedures for an agency or association to follow when an IHE fails to meet these standards. An accrediting agency or association must measure an IHE's success in student achievement against at least one standard each in the categories of completion, workforce participation, and progress toward meeting such completion and workforce participation standards. An agency or association must also make certain information such as student achievement standards and IHE performance benchmarks available on a publicly accessible website. Additionally, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity must evaluate the effectiveness of the revised standards and compare similar accrediting agencies or associations based on their assessments of IHEs.
This bill increases the cap on the number of days reserve component members performing active duty or full-time National Guard duty may serve before counting against active duty end strengths from 1,095 days out of 1,460 days to 1,825 days out of 2,190 days.
