Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness Act or the MOMMA's Act This bill establishes various programs and requirements to reduce maternal mortality. It also increases federal tobacco taxes and equalizes the tax treatment of different tobacco products. Specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must provide technical assistance and best practices for collecting data, standardizing reporting, and preventing maternal mortality. The CDC must consult with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on this assistance. The bill also provides statutory authority for CDC grants for state-based collaboratives to improve care immediately before and after birth and to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, and a HRSA program to improve the quality and safety of maternity care. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish regional centers through health professional schools and training programs to educate health care providers about implicit bias and culturally competent care. In addition, the bill expands eligibility for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and other benefits for pregnant and postpartum individuals. Specifically, it extends postpartum eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP for one year; provides coverage for oral health services for pregnant and postpartum individuals under Medicaid and CHIP; and extends postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children for two years. HHS must also take steps to publicize the benefits available to pregnant and postpartum individuals under Medicaid and CHIP, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must provide guidance on Medicaid coverage for doula services.
Vieques Recovery and Redevelopment Act This bill provides a framework to compensate certain residents of the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, for the use of such island for military readiness. The bill sets forth provisions regarding award amounts for individuals and for claims by the municipality of Vieques. An individual claimant who has resided on the island of Vieques for not less than five years shall be awarded monetary compensation if the claimant contracted a chronic or life threatening case of cancer, hypertension, cirrhosis, kidney disease, diabetes, or heavy metal poisoning during or after the government used the island for military readiness. The bill limits total amounts awarded to $1 billion and bars claims not filed within 15 years of enactment.
Network Security Trade Act of 2021 This bill expands the overall trade negotiating objectives of the United States to require that negotiators seek to ensure the security and autonomy of global communications infrastructure.
Empower Act of 2021 This bill modifies the system for the public financing of presidential primary and general elections. The bill (1) increases the amount of matching funds for participating candidates by matching the first $200 of contributions by individuals to a candidate at a 6:1 ratio; (2) eliminates spending limits on participating candidates; (3) allows the national committee of a political party to make expenditures of up to $100 million in coordination with participating candidates; (4) requires all payments made to candidates, beginning with the 2028 presidential election, to be made from the Freedom From Influence Fund established by this bill; and (5) prohibits joint fundraising committees for any authorized committee of a candidate.
New Deal for New Americans Act of 2021 This bill provides assistance to immigrants and addresses issues related to naturalization. The bill establishes the National Office of New Americans to (1) welcome and support immigrants, (2) promote and support immigrant integration, and (3) promote the pursuit of U.S. citizenship among immigrants. The bill also establishes grant programs for eligible entities that provide (1) legal services for immigrants, (2) English language education that focuses on integrating students into society, and (3) workforce development training that supports the economic integration of immigrants. The bill also reauthorizes the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS shall establish a nonprofit entity to spur innovation in the expansion of citizenship preparation programs and to support assistance for immigrants seeking permanent resident status or citizenship. The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security to (1) report to Congress before increasing fees for immigration adjudication and naturalization services above the levels of such fees on January 1, 2019, and (2) waive or reduce certain immigration-related fees for low-income aliens. The bill also (1) waives the English proficiency requirement for the naturalization of certain permanent residents, (2) repeals the public charge ground for deportation, (3) requires states to provide for automatic voter registration to qualifying new citizens unless that individual declines, and (4) sets a floor of 125,000 to the maximum number of refugees who may be admitted into the United States each year.
Complete Streets Act of 2021 This bill directs each state to establish a competitive program to provide technical assistance and grants for the design and construction of complete streets to make transit routes safer and more accessible. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish benchmarks and guidance by which states can implement complete streets programs and eligible entities can carry out complete streets policies and principles; eligible entities seeking technical assistance or funds for a complete streets program to adopt policies using complete streets principles that are approved by the state or metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) with jurisdiction over such entites; states and MPOs to certify that their complete street policies meet the minimum requirements set out by DOT; states to set aside 5% of their federal highway money to implement a complete streets program; and states and MPOs to adopt design standards for federal surface transportation projects that provide for the safe and adequate accommodation of all users of the surface transportation network, including motorized and non-motorized users, in all phases of project planning, development, and operation.
Supporting Best Practices for Healthy Moms Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to publish and periodically update guidance for hospitals, freestanding birth centers, and other maternal care providers on ways to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The CMS must also report on the Medicaid payment methodologies that apply to facility transfers of pregnant women.
Fair and Open Competition Act or the FOCA Act This bill prohibits federal construction contracts or controlling documents for federally supported construction projects from requiring or prohibiting project labor agreements. Such documents also may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder or contractor who signs or refuses to sign a project labor agreement. An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.
Enhancing the Strength and Capacity of America's Primary Evacuation routes Act or the ESCAPE Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide assistance for projects that strengthen and protect mass evacuation routes. Specifically, DOT must (1) establish criteria for states, tribal and local governments, and other entities to identify mass evacuation routes; (2) establish a competitive grant program to provide grants for resilience projects that strengthen and protect evacuation routes that are essential for providing and supporting mass evacuations caused by emergency events; and (3) provide grants to resilience projects that ensure the ability of the evacuation route to provide safe passage during a mass evacuation and reduce the risk of damage to evacuation routes as a result of future emergency events.
American Broadband Buildout Act of 2021 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide matching grants to help states improve broadband infrastructure. The bill requires the FCC to distribute matching grants for state-led, public-private partnership projects connecting areas where internet service is not available above a certain speed to broadband infrastructure. As part of these projects, the bill also requires the FCC to award grants for digital literacy programs and public service campaigns designed to increase adoption of broadband internet access and service.
Iran Diplomacy Act of 2021 This bill outlines U.S. policy with respect to Iran and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. Specifically, the bill states that the United States and Iran should promptly return to full compliance with their commitments under the JCPOA. Further, the bill encourages the United States to lead international efforts to advance diplomatic measures that promote U.S., regional, and international security.
International Human Rights Defense Act of 2021 This bill establishes in the Department of State a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex) Peoples who shall serve as the principal State Department advisor regarding human rights for LGBTQI people and represent the United States in diplomatic matters relevant to the human rights of LGBTQI people. The special envoy shall periodically provide Congress with a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI people. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development may provide assistance to prevent and respond to such activities against LGBTQI people. The bill also requires that annual country reports on human rights practices include information on criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
