Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Scientific Integrity Act This bill revises provisions regarding the release of scientific research results by federal agencies. Each agency that funds, conducts, or oversees scientific research must (1) adopt and enforce a scientific integrity policy that includes requirements such as that scientific conclusions are not based on political considerations, and (2) submit such policy to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for approval. Each agency must make such policy available to the public and submit such policy to Congress. Agencies and the OSTP must periodically review the policies. The Government Accountability Office shall review implementation of the policies. Each agency shall (1) appoint a Scientific Integrity Officer, (2) establish a process for dispute resolution consistent with the scientific integrity policy, and (3) establish a specified training program for current and new employees.

Restoring Communities Left Behind Act This bill directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish a grant program for local partnerships to carry out neighborhood revitalization support activities in economically distressed areas. Eligible activities include weatherization and energy efficiency improvements; housing accessibility improvements for seniors and persons with disabilities; purchasing delinquent mortgages; purchasing and developing vacant or distressed properties to create affordable rental housing and for other purposes; and improving parks, sidewalks, and street lighting.

Access to Technology and Equipment for Same-day Tests Act or the Access to TESTs Act This bill establishes grant programs to increase access to diagnostic tests. Specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must award grants to hospitals, primary care facilities, and other health care providers to buy equipment and supplies to increase access to same-day diagnostic testing in point-of-care settings. The CDC must also award grants to public health and other laboratories to buy high-throughput diagnostic equipment and supplies to increase testing capacity and expedite test results.

First Responder Identification of Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations or the FRIENDS Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report that describes select state and local programs and policies related to the preparedness and protection of first responders, which may include information on the degree to which such programs and policies include consideration of the presence of a first responder's family in an area impacted by a terrorist attack, the availability of personal protective equipment for first responders, and the availability of home Medkits for first responders and their families for biological incident response. The GAO may provide information (1) in a format that delineates high risk urban areas from rural communities; and (2) on the degree to which the selected state and local programs and policies were developed or are being executed with funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including grants from the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative. DHS shall consider the report's findings and assess its applicability for federal first responders.

This resolution identifies women's cardiovascular health as an important health care issue and supports gender-specific cardiovascular health research, prevention, and treatment.

This resolution recognizes the contributions of frontline workers and other essential personnel and reaffirms the responsibility of Congress to meet the needs of those workers and the elderly during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.

Medical Debt Relief Act of 2021 This bill modifies requirements related to the reporting of medical debt. Specifically, a consumer reporting agency is prohibited from adding medical debt information to a consumer credit report if the debt was fully paid or settled, or is less than a year old. Additionally, a debt collector must notify the consumer prior to reporting medical debt to a consumer reporting agency.

Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers Act or the Keep Our PACT Act This bill provides funding through FY2031 for grant programs operated by local educational agencies to provide supplementary educational and related services to low-achieving students and other students who attend elementary and secondary schools with relatively high concentrations of students from low-income families. Additionally, the bill permanently reauthorizes the grant program to assist states and outlying areas in providing special education and related services to children with disabilities.

Pandemic Emergency Manufacturing Act of 2021 This bill establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) an Emergency Office of Manufacturing for Public Health to manufacture and distribute medical products to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or medical products that are on shortage or vulnerable to shortage. The office must (1) obtain the rights to manufacture the applicable medicines, ingredients, diagnostic tests, medical devices, personal protective equipment, and supplies; (2) manufacture or contract to manufacture such items; and (3) construct, or enter into construction contracts for, facilities to manufacture certain medicines, such as vaccines. HHS may issue involuntary licenses allowing the office to make, use, sell, import, or export an invention related to an applicable drug, biological product, or device and to use clinical trial data and confidential information. Such a license must provide the rights holder with reasonable compensation. The office must (1) provide such COVID-19 products at no cost to federal, state, local, and other health programs and certain domestic health care providers and suppliers; (2) offer COVID-19 products at cost to other commercial and international entities; and (3) offer other medical products to entities at a fair price, based on cost and other considerations. The office shall prioritize the manufacture of certain COVID-19 products and meet manufacturing timelines specified in the bill.

Unconscionable Pricing Act This bill makes it unlawful for any person to sell, rent, or lease an emergency supply at an unconscionable price during a federally-declared emergency. A price is unconscionable if (1) it exceeds 10% of the average price for the same or similar emergency supply during the 30 days before the emergency was declared, and (2) such price increase is not related to the reasonable costs incurred to sell or rent the supply. The bill provides authority for the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to enforce the requirements of this bill.