Abortion Is Not Health Care Act of 2021 This bill prohibits a tax deduction for medical expenses paid for an abortion.
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2021 This bill allows a refundable tax credit equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent of the taxpayer. Qualified access technology is hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats useable by blind individuals. The credit is limited to (1) costs that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,000 per blind individual in any period of three consecutive taxable years. The credit must be adjusted for inflation after 2021 and terminates after 2026.
Protecting American Resources, Innovation, and Sovereignty Act or the PARIS Act This bill requires the President to submit a report to Congress prior to taking certain actions under the Paris Agreement, and it gives Congress the authority to block such actions. The bill also prohibits any legal cause of action in U.S. courts pursuant to the Paris Agreement. Prior to establishing or revising a climate change-related action (referred to under the agreement as a nationally determined contribution or NDC), the President must submit a detailed report to Congress that includes information such as how the NDC will impact the level of total global emissions. If any action proposed in this report results in increased costs of energy or manufacturing, the report must include specific policy measures to prevent (1) job displacement, (2) reduced global competitiveness of U.S. goods, and (3) leaked emissions that may occur as a result of the proposed action. Congress may block the NDC by enacting a joint resolution of disapproval within 60 days of the President submitting this report.
Nurses Certification And Recognition of Experience Act of 2021 or the Nurses CARE Act of 2021 This bill expands qualifying training and competency requirements for nurse aides in Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and Medicaid nursing facilities (NFs) for nurse aides who initially train and work during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Currently, SNFs and NFs may not hire nurse aides for longer than four months unless they meet certain training and certification requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has waived some of these requirements during the emergency period so as to allow facilities to maintain adequate staffing levels. The bill allows individuals who complete a training program, competency assessment, and at least 80 hours of supervised work experience as a temporary nurse aide during the emergency period, and who meet other specified competency requirements, to qualify for prolonged work as nurse aides in SNFs and NFs beyond the emergency period.
Transparent Representation Upholding Service and Trust in Congress Act or the TRUST in Congress Act This bill requires a Member of Congress, as well as any spouse or dependent child of a Member, to place specified investments into a qualified blind trust (i.e., an arrangement in which certain financial holdings are placed in someone else's control to avoid a possible conflict of interest) until 180 days after the end of their tenure as a Member of Congress.
Save Democracy Act This bill addresses issues involving voter registration, casting of ballots, and tabulation of ballots in federal elections. Specifically, regarding voter registration for federal elections, the bill prohibits the use of automatic voter registration systems, requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, requires individuals to provide their full Social Security number on their voter registration application, and requires courts to notify state election officials when an individual is recused from jury duty because the individual is not a U.S. citizen. Next, regarding the casting of ballots in federal elections, the bill requires individuals to provide proof of identification for absentee and in-person voting, prohibits states from mailing unrequested absentee ballots, prohibits the use of a drop box for collecting voted absentee ballots unless it is located inside of a building that serves as an office for the election official, restricts the delivery of ballots by third parties (i.e., prohibits ballot harvesting), requires that absentee ballots be received before the polls close on election day, and requires states to use Social Security numbers to verify the identification of each individual who casts a ballot. Finally, regarding the tabulation of ballots in federal elections, the bill requires states to permit poll watching by at least two campaign representatives per campaign, requires continuous counting of ballots after the closure of polling places on election day, and requires an audit of voting systems.
Safe Testing at Residence Telehealth Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare payment of certain at-home diagnostic tests and telehealth assessments that are provided in relation to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, during the public health emergency, the bill requires Medicare payment of diagnostic tests for respiratory conditions other than COVID-19 (e.g., influenza) that are used to finalize a COVID-19 diagnosis and of COVID-19 blood tests that are ordered via telehealth, as well as for related telehealth assessments, regardless of whether the practitioner who orders the test is the one who furnishes it and regardless of the location of the practitioner. The bill requires practitioners to report specified demographic data with respect to such tests and services in order to receive payment, and prohibits payment for in-person tests that were already ordered via telehealth.
Pandemic Healthcare Access Act This bill preserves the eligibility of health savings account (HSA) participants covered by any health plan during the coronavirus emergency period. The coronavirus emergency period is the period beginning on March 13, 2020, and ending on the later of (1) the last day on which a presidential declaration of emergency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act with respect to the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19) is in effect, or (2) the last day on which a presidential declaration of national emergency under the National Emergencies Act with respect to the coronavirus is in effect.
