Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act of 2021 or the Helping MOMS Act of 2021 This bill permanently allows states to provide one year of postpartum coverage under Medicaid and temporarily increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for pregnancy-related services in states that choose to do so.
This resolution condemns the acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of eight lives in Georgia on March 16, 2021.
GI Bill National Emergency Extended Deadline Act This bill amends various provisions related to educational assistance benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). First, the bill extends the time limitation for using educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and for eligibility under the Veteran Readiness and Employment program, when educational institutions are temporarily or permanently closed due to an emergency situation or another reason that prevents an individual from participating. Next, the bill requires the VA to disapprove of courses of education provided by public institutions of higher learning that charge higher tuition and fees than in-state tuition for individuals who are entitled to educational assistance under the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program. The bill also makes adjustments to the time limitation for using educational assistance under this program. The VA must implement an information technology service using one or more commercial software systems to process claims for VA educational assistance benefits. Finally, the bill requires the Veterans' Employment and Training Service within the Department of Labor to implement a pilot program under which states may use grants or contracts to carry out a short-term fellowship program to provide veterans with opportunities for long-term employment.
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.
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.
This resolution expresses support for the designation of DIPG Awareness Day. DIPG is diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a terminal childhood brain cancer.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States can achieve a more perfect union by condemning the violence and destruction perpetrated against the African American community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The resolution states that a more perfect union may be achieved through other means as well, including by promoting tolerance and unity, and it recognizes Congress's commitment to acknowledge and learn from the history of racism and racial violence in the United States in order to reverse the legacy of white supremacy and fight for racial justice.
This resolution recognizes the forthcoming centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. The resolution acknowledges the historical significance of this event as one of the largest single instances of state-sanctioned violence against Black people in American history; honors the lives and legacies of the estimated 300 Black individuals who were killed during the massacre and the nearly 9,000 who were left homeless and penniless; condemns efforts to cover up the truth and shield the white community, especially government officials, from accountability; condemns the continued legacy of racism and white supremacy against Black people in the United States, particularly in the form of police brutality; encourages education about the massacre, the history of white supremacy that fueled the massacre, and subsequent attempts to deny or cover up the massacre, in all elementary and secondary education settings and in institutions of higher education; and recognizes the commitment of Congress to acknowledge and learn from the history of racism and racial violence to reverse the legacy of white supremacy and fight for racial justice.
Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for HBCU Excellence Act or the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act This bill establishes a grant program to support long-term improvements of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and graduate programs at HBCUs. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to HBCUs to improve campus facilities. A recipient must use grant funds for certain activities, such as constructing or renovating facilities, carrying out major repairs, and strengthening the safety and security of a campus. Any new construction, modernization, or renovation projects must meet building code and energy and water conservation requirements. Further, HBCUs must seek to procure contracts from certain small businesses, including those owned and controlled by veterans and service-disabled veterans. The bill prohibits the use of grant funds for specified activities, including for the payment of routine and predictable maintenance costs, minor repairs, and utility bills. The Government Accountability Office must study the implementation of the grant program. The bill also requires ED to repay the outstanding balance of principal, interest, fees, and costs and any related reimbursements for certain capital financing loans.
Protect Drinking Water from PFAS Act of 2021 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the level of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain PFAS, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing. In addition, the EPA must publish a maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) and promulgate a national primary drinking water regulation for PFAS. The MCLG and regulation must be protective of the health of subpopulations that may be at greater risk than the general population of adverse health effects from exposure to PFAS in drinking water.
