Rep. W. Gregory Steube

Blocking Joseph Robinette Biden's Overreaching Vaccine Mandates Act This bill restricts implementation and enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services may not require, as a condition of participation in the programs, that providers mandate COVID-19 vaccination for their employees, or otherwise penalize participating providers that do not mandate such vaccination. The bill also prohibits the use of federal funds to implement or enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum Act This bill designates the memorial and museum that is being constructed on an approximately 26-acre area on the POW-MIA Memorial Parkway in Jacksonville, Florida, as the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum. The director of the memorial and museum shall submit a report to Congress that includes a budget for the memorial and museum.

Freedom from Mandates Act This bill nullifies certain executive orders regarding COVID-19 safety and prohibits the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services (HHS) from taking specified actions with respect to vaccination against COVID-19. Specifically, the bill nullifies Executive Order 14042 (relating to ensuring adequate COVID-19 safety protocols for federal contractors) and Executive Order 14043 (requiring COVID-19 vaccination for federal employees). Labor may not issue any rule requiring employers to mandate vaccination of employees against COVID-19 or requiring testing of employees who are unvaccinated. HHS may not (1) require a health care provider, as a condition of participation in the Medicare or Medicaid program, to mandate vaccination of employees against COVID-19 or require testing of employees who are unvaccinated; or (2) otherwise penalize such a provider for failure to mandate such vaccination or require such testing.

Preventing the Recognition of Terrorist States Act of 2021 This bill imposes sanctions related to the Taliban and addresses other related issues. The President must impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that knowingly provide significant support to the Taliban or senior Taliban members. The bill also repeals an exception to existing sanctions against certain entities related to energy, shipping, and shipbuilding in Iran. Specifically, the bill repeals a provision authorizing the President to exempt certain entities involved in the reconstruction of Afghanistan from such sanctions. No federal department or agency may take any action that states or implies recognition of the Taliban's claim of sovereignty over Afghanistan. The bill also bars the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department of Defense from using federal funds to prepare or implement any policy that extends diplomatic recognition to the Taliban-controlled government in Afghanistan. The State Department must designate (1) the government of Afghanistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, and (2) the Taliban as a foreign terrorist organization. Furthermore, USAID must take appropriate steps to ensure that certain foreign assistance provided in or for certain countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, is not going to or through any individual or entity involved in terrorist activity. The bill also prohibits using certain federal funds to provide direct assistance to any country where the duly elected head of government has been deposed in a coup or decree in which the military played a decisive role.

No Corrupt Racist Training Act or the No CRT Act This bill directs the Department of Education to make grants to parents of eligible students for certain education-related expenses. Eligible student refers to a student who (1) is served by a local educational agency that, for the 2021-2022 school year, teaches or advances certain curricula or other activities related to race; and (2) is from a household with a household income that is less than 250% of the reduced-price lunch rate income. Grant funds may be used for tuition and fees for private elementary or secondary schools, private tutoring, home school expenses, or educational materials.

Masks Off Act This bill directs the Department of Education to make grants to parents of eligible students for certain education-related expenses. Eligible student refers to a student who (1) is served by a local educational agency that required students to wear face masks during in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year, and (2) is from a household with a household income that is less than 250% of the reduced-price lunch rate income. Grant funds may be used for tuition and fees for private elementary or secondary schools, private tutoring, home school expenses, or educational materials.

No Support for Terror Act This bill establishes measures to prevent the allocation or use of certain funds to support genocide or terrorism. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to oppose the allocation of Special Drawing Rights (a currency support tool) to any country that is a perpetrator of genocide or a state sponsor of terrorism and to advocate that the IMF adopt a rule prohibiting such allocation. Further, the bill requires Treasury, the Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to jointly review and report on assistance provided to nongovernmental organizations and international organization to ensure such assistance is not being provided to the Taliban or other terrorist organizations. Each prime awardee of this assistance must provide evidence that all subawardees are complying with U.S. anti-terrorism financing laws.

Re-using Equipment for Environmental Fortification Act or the REEF Act This bill requires the Department of the Navy to notify Congress of the pending retirement of vessels that are viable candidates for artificial reefing (intentionally sinking a vessel to promote marine life). Specifically, the Navy must provide such notice not later than 90 days before the viable candidate's retirement from the Naval Vessel Register.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Estuaries Week.

Ejiao Act This bill prohibits the knowing sale or transport of ejiao (or products containing ejiao) in interstate or foreign commerce. (Ejiao is a gelatin made with donkey skin and used in traditional Chinese medicine and beauty products.)