Rep. Jerry McNerney

John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act This bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or religion in the provision of child welfare programs and services by entities receiving federal funding. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must provide technical assistance to help states follow this requirement, including (1) guidance for bringing state laws into compliance, (2) developing training to increase cultural competency related to social identity, and (3) training for judges and attorneys involved in child welfare cases, among other supports. Additionally, HHS must establish the National Resource Center on Safety, Well-Being, Placement Stability, and Permanency for LGBTQ Children and Youth Involved with Child Welfare Services to provide training, technical assistance, and guidance to applicable state and local agencies and service providers. Further, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act may not be the basis for challenging the application or enforcement of this bill. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on states' compliance with the requirements of the bill no later than three years after enactment.

Keeping All Students Safe Act This bill prohibits the use of seclusion and limits the use of physical restraint in schools and Head Start programs that receive federal funding. Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of seclusion, which is the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. The term does not include a time out, which may involve separating the student from others in a non-locked setting. The bill prohibits the use of mechanical or chemical restraints or physical restraints that restrict breathing or are life threatening. The bill outlines the requirements for the use of physical restraint, including that the student's behavior must pose an imminent danger of serious physical injury to the student or other individual. Each state must ensure that a sufficient number of program personnel are trained and certified by a state-approved crisis intervention training program. Additionally, each program must establish procedures to follow after an incident involving physical restraint. Further, the bill establishes enforcement provisions, including a private right of action for a student who has been subjected to unlawful seclusion or restraint. The Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services must withhold payments from a program for unlawful seclusion or restraint. Finally, the bill requires each state educational agency (SEA) to establish, implement, and enforce policies and procedures required by the bill. It also creates a grant program to assist SEAs with these activities.

Stop Child Hunger Act of 2021 This bill establishes a permanent program and provides funds for electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to cover meals for children during extended school closures. Specifically, the Department of Agriculture must establish a program to provide EBT cards to cover meals for children who are enrolled in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program when a school is closed, operating remotely, or a combination of both for a period of five days or more. Cards may be used to purchase food from approved retailers under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Air America Act of 2021 This bill establishes the service of Air America employees as qualifying service for purposes of the Civil Service Retirement System. (Air America was a government-owned airline that provided air transport for certain covert operations in Southeast Asia, including Laos and Vietnam, between 1950 and 1976.) The bill applies to U.S. citizens who were employees of Air America or another affiliated company, as specified, between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 1976. Benefit applications must be filed within two years of the date of enactment of this bill.

Promoting Programming, Research, Education and Preservation in Civics and Government Act or the PREP Civics and Government Act This bill amends the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 to include the study and interpretation of civics and government under the definition of humanities.

This resolution condemns the acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of eight lives in Georgia on March 16, 2021.

Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish grants to support sex education and sexual health services for young people (ages 10 through 29) and repeals requirements that apply to certain federally funded sex education programs. HHS must award grants, in coordination with the Department of Education, to (1) provide sex education to young people through elementary and secondary schools, institutions of higher education, and youth-serving organizations; and (2) train education professionals to effectively teach, and otherwise support, sex education. Sex education refers to high quality teaching and learning that follows, to the maximum extent practicable, specified educational standards; covers a variety of topics concerning sex and sexuality; explores values and beliefs about those topics; and helps young people gain skills to navigate relationships and manage sexual health. Additionally, HHS must award grants for the provision of sexual health services to marginalized youth to youth-serving organizations and health care entities that are eligible to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices through the 340B drug discount program. Recipients of any of these grants must comply with certain nondiscrimination requirements. In addition, they may not use funds for sex education programs or sexual health services that provide incomplete or inaccurate medical information or fail to address specified issues. The bill also eliminates prohibitions regarding the content of specified federally funded sexual health education and information programs and repeals the Abstinence Only Until Marriage program.

Coastal and Ocean Acidification Stressors and Threats Research Act of 2021 or the COAST Research Act of 2021 This bill addresses the effects of ocean and coastal acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and revises the Ocean Acidification Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the ocean acidification grant program of the National Science Foundation. The bill expands those programs, as well as the ocean acidification activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to include efforts to research and monitor the effects of coastal acidification.

Represent America Abroad Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of State to establish the Represent America Mid-Career Foreign Service Entry Program to increase diversity in the Foreign Service by recruiting mid-career professionals who are from minority groups. As part of the program, the State Department shall (1) establish and publish eligibility criteria for participation; (2) carry out recruitment efforts to attract highly qualified, mid-career professionals from minority groups; and (3) include appropriate mentorship and other career development opportunities for program participants. The State Department must submit an annual report on the status of the program.

Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133d Signal Service Company, known as the Ghost Army , collectively, in recognition of its service during World War II.