Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act of 2021 This bill establishes a new section in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice to enforce federal laws concerning animal cruelty.
Hadiya Pendleton and Nyasia Pryear-Yard Gun Trafficking and Crime Prevention Act of 2021 This bill makes trafficking in firearms a stand-alone criminal offense. A person who commits or conspires to commit a gun trafficking offense is subject to criminal penalties—a prison term of up to 20 years (or up to 25 years, if the person also acted as an organizer), a fine, or both.
Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 This bill directs multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments must address the social determinants of maternal health, which include child care, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must (1) award specified grants; (2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and (3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. The bill also increases research and data collection on maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly among tribal populations and minority groups. The Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice must establish programs to improve maternity care for incarcerated populations. The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission must also report on the impact of Medicaid ineligibility for pregnant and postpartum prisoners. Additionally, as a condition for certain grants, states and territories must have laws limiting the use of restraints on pregnant individuals in prisons. The bill also directs activities to mitigate adverse maternal health outcomes associated with climate change and to improve maternal vaccination rates.
Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021 This bill establishes new requirements related to grants, programs, and reports to improve the treatment and care of pregnant and postpartum women who are incarcerated. Specifically, the bill requires the following: states must restrict the use of restraints on pregnant women in prison in order to receive full funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program; the Bureau of Prisons must establish programs to optimize maternal health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women in federal prisons; the Bureau of Justice Assistance must award state grants for programs to support pregnant and postpartum women in state and local prisons and jails; the Government Accountability Office must report on adverse maternal and infant health outcomes among incarcerated individuals and infants born to such individuals, with a particular focus on racial and ethnic disparities; and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission must report on the impact of Medicaid ineligibility for pregnant and postpartum women in prison.
Protecting Our Election Workers Act of 2020 This bill makes it a crime to intimidate, threaten, or coerce (or attempt to do so) an individual (i.e., an election official or a poll worker) for the purpose of interfering with their duties in administering elections. Violators are subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both.
This concurrent resolution calls for renewed U.S. leadership in addressing the climate crisis that is disproportionately affecting the health, economic opportunity, and fundamental rights of children. It also recognizes the need for the departments and agencies of the executive branch with delegated authority over energy and climate policy to prepare a climate recovery plan that puts the United States on a trajectory consistent with reducing global atmospheric carbon dioxide to below 350 parts per million by the year 2100.
This resolution supports the recognition of Overdose Awareness Day, including by lowering U.S. flags at federal buildings to half-staff.
Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2021 This bill increases the excise tax on cigarettes and equalizes tax rates among all other tobacco products.
Child Care for Working Families Act This bill provides funds and otherwise revises certain child care and early learning programs for low- to moderate-income families. Specifically, the bill provides funds for the Child Care and Development Block Grant program and reestablishes it as a child care and development assistance program. The bill also allocates program funds for states to provide services and supports to infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities. Further, the bill revises the program to require each state to create a tiered and transparent system for measuring the quality of child care providers, which must include evidence-based standards and payment rates that are based on a certain cost estimation model; ensure that copayments are based on a sliding scale and that no family receiving assistance pays more than 7% of its household income on child care; and use quality child care amounts for certain activities, such as increasing the supply of child care providers. The bill also provides funds and establishes grants for states to create preschool programs for low- to moderate-income children between the ages of three and five years. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must make grants to Head Start agencies to provide children with access to full-school-year and full-school-day services, provide access to additional service hours for migrant and seasonal agencies, or enhance the quality of existing services. Finally, the bill requires, and provides funds for, HHS to assist Head Start agencies with ensuring their teachers and staff are paid a living wage.
Clean Commute for Kids Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises the Clean School Bus Program. Under the revised program, the Environmental Protection Agency must provide financial assistance to replace existing school buses with clean school buses that do not emit specified pollutants, including greenhouse gases.
