Rep. Troy E. Nehls

Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act This bill updates policies and procedures related to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances. Specifically, the bill extends the eligibility period for VA hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for combat veterans who served after September 11, 2001, and were exposed to toxic substances, radiation, or other conditions, including those who did not enroll to receive VA care during the eligibility period. The VA must incorporate into its existing health care screening a screening to help determine potential exposures to toxic substances during military service. Among other requirements, the VA must also provide annual training to health care and benefits personnel with respect to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances; analyze total and respiratory disease mortality in veterans who served in specified locations on specified dates; conduct an epidemiological study on the health trends of veterans who served in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001; conduct a study to determine trends in the rates of the incidence of cancer in veterans; publish a list of VA resources for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances, families and caregivers of such veterans, and survivors of such veterans who are receiving death benefits; and report on the data quality of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record and its usefulness in supporting veterans in receiving VA health care and benefits.

Due Process Continuity of Care Act This bill allows an otherwise eligible individual who is in custody pending disposition of charges (i.e., pretrial detainees) to receive Medicaid benefits at the option of the state. The bill also provides funds for state planning grants to support the provision of such benefits.

Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3903 Melear Drive in Arlington, Texas, as the "Ron Wright Post Office Building."

Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions Act or the REMOTE Act This act addresses the administration of certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance benefits. First, the act extends through June 1, 2022, certain adjustments for veterans' education benefits that were put in place due to COVID-19. The act allows the VA to waive the requirement that an educational institution verify the enrollment of a student utilizing VA educational assistance if the VA determines the institution uses a flat rate tuition and fee structure that would make the use of a second verification unnecessary. The act provides an exception from the imposition of specified disciplinary actions (e.g., suspending course and program approval) in situations where an educational institution provides a commission, bonus, or other incentive payment to entities engaged in student recruiting or admission activities related to recruiting foreign students who reside in foreign countries and are ineligible for federal student assistance. Additionally, the act generally exempts from certain requirements and restrictions imposed by the VA or a state approving agency educational institutions (1) located in foreign countries, or (2) that provide information regarding the costs of a program of education using a form or template developed by the Department of Education. The act also exempts educational institutions located in foreign countries from (1) having records and accounts that pertain to an individual who is not receiving VA educational assistance examined by government representatives, and (2) furnishing certain information related to tests that require payment. The act authorizes the VA, in certain circumstances, to provide educational assistance (including a housing stipend) to veterans or eligible persons who are in their last academic period (e.g., semester) of a program of education and are pursuing the program on less than a half-time basis. Specifically, such assistance may be provided if the number of credits the person needs to complete the program of education is less than the number of credits that would constitute enrollment on more than a half-time basis for that last academic period and the person (1) is enrolled in or has completed every course offered by the program of education during that academic period, and (2) enrolls in an additional course that is not required for the program of education to reach enrollment on a more than a half-time basis. The act extends certain loan fee rates through January 14, 2031, under the VA's home loan program. Finally, the act removes the cap on the number of full-time VA employees who provide equal employment opportunity counseling.

Providing Our Law Enforcement with Adequate Resources for a Response Act or the POLAR Response Act This bill includes a polar vortex as a major disaster for which a declaration of a state of emergency can be made and provides a definition for a disaster-related emergency for purposes of the Department of Defense (DOD) excess personal property program (therefore authorizing DOD to transfer certain personal property for a polar vortex emergency).

Protecting Our Democracy by Preventing Foreign Citizens from Voting Act This bill prohibits federal funds from being made available to state or local governments that allow noncitizens to vote in federal, state, or local elections.

Crucial Communism Teaching Act This bill directs the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to develop a civic education curriculum and oral history resources for high school students to promote understanding of certain political ideologies (e.g., communism and totalitarianism) that conflict with principles of U.S. democracy.

This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor emergency temporary standard for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in employment settings. Under the standard issued on November 5, 2021, employers with 100 or more employees must require their onsite employees to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.

This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.

Protect and Serve Act of 2021 This bill establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly assaulting a law enforcement officer and causing serious bodily injury (or attempting to do so) in circumstances that affect interstate commerce. It imposes criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both—on a violator.