Medicaid Saves Lives Act This bill requires and provides funds for the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a program that provides health benefits to the Medicaid expansion population in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Specifically, the program must provide coverage for individuals who are newly eligible for Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (i.e., the Medicaid expansion population) without premiums and in accordance with Medicaid cost-sharing and other requirements. The bill also extends and increases the temporarily enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for states that elect to participate in Medicaid expansion if they have not already done so.
Cargo Flight Deck Security Act of 202 1 This bill requires all-cargo aircraft to be equipped with intrusion-resistant cockpit doors that remain locked while such aircraft is in flight. The requirement takes effect on January 1, 2023, regardless of whether the Federal Aviation Administration has issued regulations to implement such requirement.
Securing Our Border States Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to provide grants to states for building barriers and related infrastructure along the U.S.-Mexico border. Within 30 days of receiving a certification from a border state that it intends to use such grant funding for constructing a border barrier, Treasury must disburse funds to the state, with the amount based on the number of miles of border in that state that currently does not have a border barrier. The bill provides $22 billion of funding for this grant program and permanently rescinds $22 billion from funds made available for various assistance programs related to COVID-19.
Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act of 2021 or the Allies Act of 2021 This bill increases the number of special immigrant visas available to qualified Afghan nationals who worked for the U.S. government or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) missions in Afghanistan. The bill also relaxes certain qualifications for such visas. Specifically, this bill makes available an additional 8,000 visas for principal aliens under this special visa program, to be available until all such visas have been issued. (The numerical limitations in this program apply only to the principal alien who applies for the visa, not to any accompanying spouse or child.) Under this bill, an alien may qualify based on a credible basis for concern about the possibility of an ongoing serious threat in Afghanistan due to their work with the U.S. government or a NATO mission, where currently the alien must have experienced such a threat. The bill also eliminates a requirement for each applicant to submit a credible sworn statement describing that threat. Furthermore, for an applicant qualifying for a visa by performing duties for U.S. military personnel stationed with a NATO mission, this bill eliminates a requirement that the duties performed qualify as sensitive and trusted duties. If an alien submits a visa application that included an accompanying spouse or child but the alien passes away before the application is granted, the surviving spouse or child shall remain eligible to receive a visa under that application. Currently, a surviving spouse or child retains eligibility only if the application was approved before the alien passed away.
This resolution declares that the Pledge of Allegiance has been a valuable part of life for the people of the United States for generations and defends its constitutionality.
This resolution denounces socialism and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.
New Opportunities for Value that Extend Lives Act of 2021 or the NOVEL Act of 2021 This bill establishes a process for expediting the assignment of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes to medical products that have been designated as a breakthrough product or regenerative advanced therapy by the Food and Drug Administration; it also establishes a process for determining coverage under Medicare of such breakthrough products that have been assigned HCPCS codes.
Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2021 This bill allows for the reporting of certain positive consumer-credit information to consumer reporting agencies. Specifically, a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development may report information related to a consumer's performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a dwelling or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. However, information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications service may be reported only to the extent that the information relates to payment by the consumer for such service or other terms of the provision of that service. Furthermore, an energy-utility firm may not report a consumer's outstanding balance as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of that plan. Specified provisions that establish civil liability with respect to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies shall not apply to any violation of the bill. The Government Accountability Office must report on the consumer impact of such reporting.
Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the award of federal funds to an institution of higher education (IHE) that hosts or is affiliated with a school-based service site that provides abortion drugs or abortions to its students or to employees of the IHE or the site. An IHE that hosts or is affiliated with a site must, in order to remain eligible for federal funds, annually certify that the site does not provide abortion drugs or abortions to students or employees.
Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 This bill modifies vaccination programs and coverage for children under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Specifically, the bill expands and otherwise modifies the Vaccines for Children Program, which provides free vaccinations to individuals 18 years of age or younger who are uninsured or underinsured (i.e., with limited or no insurance for vaccines), are eligible for Medicaid, or are American Indians or Alaskan Natives. The bill expands the program to include children enrolled in CHIP and temporarily provides for additional payments to incentivize provider participation. The Government Accountability Office must report on the related effects of the bill's changes. The bill also expands coverage under Medicaid and CHIP to include vaccine counseling and educational services for children and temporarily requires payments to be made at a rate that is no less than the rate under Medicare for equivalent services. It also temporarily increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for states that conduct culturally appropriate outreach regarding the benefits of vaccinations for children.
Taiwan Partnership Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to submit a report annually to the Congressional defense committees on the feasibility and advisability of enhanced cooperation between the National Guard and Taiwan.
Fracturing Regulations are Effective in State Hands Act This bill gives states the sole authority to promulgate or enforce any regulation, guidance, or permit requirement regarding hydraulic fracturing on or under any land within their boundaries. Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is a process to extract underground resources such as oil or gas from a geologic formation by injecting water, a propping agent (e.g., sand), and chemical additives into a well under enough pressure to fracture the geological formation. Hydraulic fracturing on federal land must comply with the law of the state in which the land is located.
