Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services Act or the TREATS Act This bill modifies requirements relating to coverage of certain telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill permanently allows telehealth services for substance-use disorders and mental health disorders to be provided via audio-only technology, if a physician or practitioner has already conducted an in-person or video telehealth evaluation. Schedule III or IV controlled substances may also be prescribed online if a practitioner has conducted a telehealth evaluation with video.
Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2021 This bill provides for the automatic acquisition of citizenship for certain individuals adopted by a U.S. citizen. A child born outside the United States and adopted by a U.S. citizen shall automatically acquire citizenship upon meeting certain requirements, regardless of when the adoption was finalized. Currently, adoptees who were over the age of 18 on February 27, 2001, do not automatically acquire citizenship. An individual born outside the United States and residing in the United States shall automatically acquire citizenship if the individual (1) was adopted by a citizen before becoming 18 years old, (2) was physically present in the United States in the citizen parent's custody pursuant to lawful admission before becoming 18 years old, (3) never acquired citizenship before this bill's enactment, and (4) was lawfully residing in the United States on this bill's enactment date. An individual born outside the United States and residing outside the United States but who otherwise meets all of the requirements shall automatically acquire citizenship upon being physically present in the United States pursuant to lawful admission. Such an individual shall be subject to a background check. If the background check reveals the individual has committed a crime that was not properly resolved, the individual may not receive a visa unless the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State have coordinated with law enforcement to ensure that action was taken to resolve the issue.
George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to take specified steps to address accreditation standards, management operations, and misconduct of law enforcement. Specifically, it requires DOJ to develop uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and adopt policies and procedures to encourage law enforcement agencies to pursue accreditation. It authorizes DOJ to make grants to law enforcement agencies to obtain accreditation from certified organizations. The bill authorizes DOJ to make grants for studying law enforcement agency management and operations standards and developing pilot programs to address law enforcement misconduct. DOJ must study the prevalence and effect of any law, rule, or procedure that allows a law enforcement officer to delay the investigation and prosecution of complaints of law enforcement misconduct. The bill also establishes the Task Force on Law Enforcement Oversight to coordinate the detection and referral of complaints of alleged law enforcement misconduct. Law enforcement agencies must report data regarding practices on traffic violation stops, pedestrian stops, frisk and body searches, and use of deadly force. Finally, DOJ must create a medallion for survivors of each law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty and memorialized on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
MBS Must Be Sanctioned Act or MBS MBS Act This bill requires the President to impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions against the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, until specified actions are taken with respect to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and other grave human rights violations.
Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act This bill revises the federal statutory framework regulating the manufacture, possession, sale, import, shipment, delivery, receipt, or transfer of undetectable firearms. Current law requires firearms to be detectable by walk-through metal detectors after the removal of grips, stocks, and magazines. Specifically, firearms must be as detectable as a security exemplar (i.e., a piece of stainless steel that is 3.7 ounces and in a shape resembling a handgun). There are exceptions, including for firearms manufactured for or sold to U.S. military or intelligence agencies. This bill requires firearms to contain detectable material after the removal of all parts other than major components. It defines detectable material as material that produces a magnetic field equivalent to that produced by 3.7 ounces of stainless steel. The bill also revises and broadens the exceptions to include firearms (1) received by, in the possession of, or under the control of the United States; or (2) produced pursuant to a contract with the United States.
This resolution urges the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) to support peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement. The resolution also expresses support for subsequent agreements relating to the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, including the agreement concerning the UK's withdrawal from the EU. (The island of Ireland is divided between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state.)
Congressional Inherent Contempt Resolution This resolution authorizes the House of Representatives to enforce congressional subpoenas by holding noncomplying individuals in contempt and levying monetary penalties against them.
This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day to increase awareness of health disparities and other challenges facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders.
Paying a Fair Share Act of 2021 This bill requires an individual taxpayer whose adjusted gross income exceeds $1 million (high-income taxpayer) to pay a minimum tax rate of 30% of the excess of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income over the taxpayer's modified charitable contribution deduction for the taxable year (tentative fair share tax). The amount of the tax is the excess (if any) of the tentative fair share tax over the excess of (1) the sum of the taxpayer's regular tax liability, the alternative minimum tax (AMT) amount, and the payroll tax for the taxable year; over (2) certain tax credits. The bill provides for a phase-in of such tax and requires an inflation adjustment to the $1 million income threshold for taxable years beginning after 2021. The bill also expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should enact tax reform that repeals unfair and unnecessary tax loopholes and expenditures, simplifies the tax system, and makes sure that the wealthiest taxpayers pay a fair share of taxes.
Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction In the Nation Act or the NOPAIN Act This bill temporarily establishes separate payments for certain non-opioid treatments under the Medicare prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services and the payment system for ambulatory surgical center services. The bill applies to pain management treatments that are able to replace or reduce opioid consumption, as shown through clinical trials or data.
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for qualified employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. A qualified employee is an employee or applicant who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position, with specified exceptions. Specifically, the bill declares that it is an unlawful employment practice to fail to make reasonable accommodations to known limitations of such employees unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on an entity's business operation; require a qualified employee affected by such condition to accept an accommodation other than any reasonable accommodation arrived at through an interactive process; deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee; require such employees to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided; or take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against a qualified employee requesting or using such reasonable accommodations. The bill sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies that cover different types of employees in relation to such unlawful employment practices. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must provide examples of reasonable accommodations that shall be provided to affected employees unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship. The bill prohibits state immunity under the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution from an action for a violation of this bill.
Accurate Reporting of Smoking Variants Act of 2021 This bill requires the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to include, in the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, relevant strategies to capture in electronic health records an individual's use of electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, or other smoking variants in the same manner as the use of traditional tobacco products is captured in such records. Currently, the collection of information about a patient's smoking status with respect to cigarettes or other traditional tobacco products is one of the measures used to determine meaningful use of electronic health records by health care providers.
