This joint resolution (S.J. Res. 33) increases the federal debt limit by $2.5 trillion, allowing the U.S. government to borrow additional funds to meet existing obligations. It directly affects the federal government’s ability to finance operations, including paying bills and servicing existing debt, without requiring new revenue. The bill amends Section 3101(b) of Title 31, United States Code, which sets the statutory debt ceiling. Passed by Congress on December 14, 2021, and signed into law on December 16, 2021 (Public Law 117-73), it is a routine procedural adjustment to prevent default.
This bill posthumously provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of the 13 service members who died on August 26, 2021, while stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan.
Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act This bill makes several budgetary, technical, and procedural changes, particularly in relation to Medicare and increasing the debt limit. Specifically, the bill continues to exempt Medicare from sequestration until March 31, 2022. (Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.) The bill also establishes expedited Senate procedures for considering legislation to increase the debt limit. The procedures limit debate, waive points of order, and prohibit amendments. The procedures may only be used once and expire after January 16, 2022. Additionally, the bill (1) temporarily extends other provisions under Medicare, including a payment increase under the physician fee schedule; and (2) requires any debits recorded for FY2022 on the statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) scorecards to be deducted from the scorecards for 2022 and added to the scorecards for 2023.
Further Extending Government Funding Act This act provides continuing FY2022 appropriations for federal agencies, provides supplemental appropriations, and extends several expiring authorities. Specifically, the act provides continuing FY2022 appropriations to federal agencies through the earlier of February 18, 2022, or the enactment of the applicable appropriations act. It is known as a continuing resolution (CR) and prevents a government shutdown that would otherwise occur if the FY2022 appropriations bills have not been enacted when the existing CR expires on December 3, 2021. The CR funds most programs and activities at the FY2021 levels with several exceptions that provide funding flexibility and additional appropriations for various programs. In addition, the act provides supplemental appropriations to several federal agencies for activities related to the evacuees from Afghanistan. Specifically, the act provides appropriations to the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of State. The act also extends several expiring authorities, including the authority for the Department of Health and Human Services to make certain appointments for the National Disaster Medical System, the special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 on nonindigent people or entities convicted of certain criminal offenses (e.g., sexual abuse and trafficking), the temporary scheduling order issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration to place fentanyl-related substances in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the current Medicaid federal matching rate (also known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage or FMAP) for certain territories, and the pay freeze for certain senior officials and political appointees in the executive branch.
Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to disapprove courses of education provided by public institutions of higher learning if such institutions charge a higher rate for tuition and fees than in-state tuition for individuals who are entitled to educational assistance under the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program.
This bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to assess whether there are disparities associated with race and ethnicity with respect to (1) compensation benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), (2) disability ratings determined by the VA, and (3) the rejection of fully developed claims for VA benefits. The GAO must also develop recommendations to facilitate better data collection on such disparities associated with race and ethnicity. Within one year, the GAO must brief Congress on the initial results of the study. The GAO must also submit a final report on the study following the briefing.
Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to consult with the Department of Defense to identify and refer members of the Armed Forces with health care occupations for employment with the VA during their separation from the Armed Forces. The VA must refer interested members to a recruiter for consideration of open positions in the member's specialty and geography of interest. Referrals must not be made earlier than one year before the member's separation from the Armed Forces.
Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement the maternity care coordination program. The VA must provide community maternity care providers (i.e., non-VA maternity care providers) with training and support with respect to the unique needs of pregnant and postpartum veterans, particularly regarding mental and behavioral health conditions in relation to the service of the veterans in the Armed Forces. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among pregnant and postpartum veterans, with a focus on racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes for veterans.
This bill allows the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease, sell, convey, warrant, or transfer its real property that is not held in trust by the United States.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report on its policies and procedures relating to the usage and maintenance of video cameras for patient safety and law enforcement at VA medical facilities.
VA Transparency & Trust Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit a plan for obligating and expending covered funds, which are funds made available to the VA for response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill requires the VA to submit biweekly reports regarding obligations, expenditures, and planned uses of the funds until seven days after the VA has expended all covered funds. The Inspector General of the VA must submit reports examining the obligations and expenditures made using covered funds during the specified reporting period. Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit an interim report and final report containing a review of obligations and expenditures made using covered funds.
Veterans and Family Information Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make all of its fact sheets available in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and each of the 10 most commonly spoken languages not listed. The bill also requires the VA to establish a publicly available website that provides links to all VA fact sheets. Finally, the VA must report to Congress regarding the utilization of such fact sheets as well as the details of the Language Access Plan of the VA.
