Reconciliation in Place Names Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish the Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names to advise the Board on Geographic Names with regard to renaming geographic features with offensive place names. The board shall rename a geographic feature with an offensive name in accordance with a recommendation of the committee unless the board determines that (1) there is a compelling reason and substantial public interest in rejecting the recommendation, or (2) approving the recommendation would violate federal law. The board shall accept or reject a recommendation within three years of receiving the recommendation.
Stabilizing Medicare Access to Rehabilitation and Therapy Act or the SMART Act This bill modifies the application of a certain Medicare payment methodology for outpatient physical therapy services and outpatient occupational therapy services that are furnished by a therapy assistant. Under current law, effective January 1, 2022, payment for such services is 85% of the otherwise applicable rate. The bill delays this effective date by one year and excludes services that are furnished in rural or medically underserved areas from this payment methodology. The bill also specifies that supervision requirements for outpatient physical therapy services that are furnished through private practice may not be more stringent for purposes of Medicare coverage than under state law.
This resolution urges the people of the United States to acknowledge an Italian and Italian-American Heritage Month in recognition of the contributions Italians and Italian Americans have made to this country and the world.
Supporting Older Workers Act This bill allows states to use allocated Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds for statewide training activities to support older workers. Specifically, the bill authorizes training activities that coordinate with existing programs for older workers, support the development of activities that enhance the skills of older individuals, or enhance economic choices available to older individuals. The bill also requires the Department of Labor to award grants to states and local areas to hire WIOA coordinators for older worker and establishes the Older Workers Bureau. The Government Accountability Office must study how well existing state and local performance accountability measures under WIOA measure the success of older individuals.
Primary and Virtual Care Affordability Act This bill extends until December 31, 2023, the exemption for telehealth services from certain high deductible health plan rules. It also provides a high deductible health plan safe harbor for the absence of a deductible for certain primary care services provided in any plan year beginning on or before December 31, 2023 (COVID-19 emergency period). The Government Accountability Office must complete a study, and report on, the effects of the safe harbor for certain primary care services provided during the COVID-19 emergency period.
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting the United States or any state from denying or abridging equal rights under the law on account of sex.
This resolution honors and commends the women who served in the Navy Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) during World War II. Additionally, the resolution recognizes that the WAVES opened opportunities for women and contributed vitally to the victory of the United States and Allies in World War II.
Protecting Data at the Border Act This bill limits government access to digital information at the border. A governmental entity may not (1) access the digital contents of electronic equipment of a U.S. person at the border without a warrant, (2) deny such a person's entry into or exit from the United States because the person refused to provide access to digital content on electronic equipment or online account information, (3) delay such a person's entry or exit for more than four hours to determine whether the person will consent to providing access to online information, or (4) seize electronic equipment from a U.S. person without probable cause to believe that such equipment contains information relevant to a felony. A governmental entity may access the contents of electronic equipment of a U.S. person without a warrant in an emergency. The entity must subsequently apply for a warrant within seven days, and if a warrant is not granted, the seized information must be destroyed and may not be disclosed. A governmental entity may not make or retain a copy of information accessed under this bill without probable cause to believe that such information relates to a crime. Information seized in violation of this bill (1) must be destroyed, (2) may not be disclosed, and (3) may not be received in evidence in any trial or government proceeding. A governmental entity shall keep a record of each instance in which it obtains access to an individual's digital information at the border.
Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish grant programs and set up a website to reduce suicide rates among youth and young adults (those under age 26), including by addressing the use of firearms in suicides and suicide attempts. Specifically, HHS must award grants to states, Indian tribes, health departments, hospitals, or other organizations to train health care providers on lethal means safety (e.g., safe storage of firearms), relevant laws concerning the use and possession of firearms, and other suicide prevention and intervention strategies for youth and young adults. Grantees may use a portion of funds to make secure gun storage or safety devices available to residences with an individual under age 26 who is at risk of suicide. In addition, HHS must award grants to health professional schools to integrate content into their curricula and continuing education programs about suicide prevention strategies and interventions to reduce suicide rates among youth and young adults. The bill also requires HHS to develop and maintain a website that contains information for individuals under age 26, their families, health care providers, and health professional schools concerning suicide prevention and the use of firearms in suicide attempts.
Reducing Waste in National Parks Act This bill directs the National Park Service to establish a program for the National Park System to reduce disposable plastic products and, if applicable, eliminate the sale and distribution of disposable plastic products. Each regional office of the National Park Service must eliminate the sale of water in disposable plastic products and the sale and distribution of other disposable plastic products after consideration of several specified factors (e.g., the costs and benefits to overall operations). Each regional office must develop a proactive visitor education strategy to address visitor expectations of water availability and explain the rationale for the program and its implementation.
Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2021 This bill authorizes advance appropriations for several covered appropriations accounts of (1) the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education within the Department of the Interior, and (2) the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services. The advance appropriations provide new budget authority that first becomes available for the first fiscal year after the budget year. The covered accounts within the Bureau of Indian Affairs are (1) Operation of Indian Programs, (2) Contract Support Costs, (3) the Indian Guaranteed Loan Program, (4) Construction, and (5) Payments for Tribal Leases. The covered accounts within the Bureau of Indian Education are (1) Operation of Indian Education Programs, and (2) Education Construction. The covered accounts within the Indian Health Service are (1) Indian Health Services, (2) Contract Support Costs, (3) Payments for Tribal Leases, and (4) Indian Health Facilities. The bill also requires the President's budget and the supporting documents submitted to Congress to include detailed estimates related to the advance appropriations.
Fostering Overseas Rule of law and Environmentally Sound Trade Act of 2021 or the FOREST Act of 2021 This bill restricts certain commodities produced on illegally deforested land from accessing the U.S. market. Specifically, the bill prohibits the importation of any product made wholly or in part of a covered commodity produced from illegally deforested land. The bill outlines requirements for import declarations of covered commodities. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) must, within 30 days, publish (1) an initial list of covered commodities that consists of palm oil, soybeans, cocoa, cattle, rubber, and wood pulp; and (2) an initial list of covered products that are defined by the bill in accordance with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. These lists must be updated at least on an annual basis. Further, the USTR must identify foreign countries without adequate and effective protection against illegal deforestation caused by the production of commodities that are likely to enter the United States. The USTR must develop an action plan that includes benchmarks for each identified country. Additionally, the bill creates an interagency working group to provide advice and recommendations to the USTR, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant agencies. The bill provides funding to assist foreign governments in combating illegal deforestation. The bill also includes illegal deforestation as a specified unlawful activity under a federal financial crime statute. The bill establishes a federal procurement preference for commodities that are not produced from land subject to deforestation.
