Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and others to undertake efforts to reduce health disparities. For example, the bill (1) requires more detailed reporting of demographic and health disparities data, including related to public health emergencies; (2) directs certain components of HHS to support health workforce diversity; and (3) increases access to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care. The bill also modifies eligibility and other requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, nutrition assistance, and other programs to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations. The bill includes specific provisions with respect to noncitizens; maternal, infant, and child health; mental and behavioral health; specified conditions that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority groups, such as certain cancers, HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, and diabetes; investments in communities facing health and other inequities; and nondiscrimination in the provision of services in federally supported health programs. Additionally, the bill (1) revises health information technology programs to address health disparities, and (2) supports health impact assessments and other efforts pertaining to environmental justice and social determinants of health (i.e., nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes, such as income and educational attainment). The bill also requires various studies and reports on issues related to health care and health disparities, including a report by the Government Accountability Office on health workforce diversity.
Rep. Marilyn Strickland
Sponsored bills
This resolution calls on the Russian government to immediately release Brittney Griner. The resolution urges the United States, in all interactions with the Russian government, to raise the case of Brittney Griner and to press for her release. The resolution further urges the Russian government to provide consular access to Brittney Griner while she remains in detention and to respect her human rights. Finally, the resolution expresses support to the family of Brittney Griner and a commitment to bringing her home.
Telemental Health Parity Act of 2022 This bill requires private health insurance plans to apply benefits for mental health or substance use disorder services that are furnished via telehealth in the same manner as those services that are furnished in person. Under current mental health parity rules, insurance plans that provide benefits for mental health or substance use disorder services are generally required to make those benefits comparable to the benefits the plan provides for medical and surgical care.
Veterans Equal Access Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to authorize VA health care providers to (1) provide veterans with recommendations and opinions regarding participation in their state's marijuana programs, and (2) complete forms reflecting such recommendations and opinions.
Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act or the SAD Act This bill prohibits advertisements that use deceptive or misleading statements related to the provision of abortion services. Abortion services include (1) surgical and non-surgical procedures to terminate a pregnancy, or (2) providing referrals for such procedures. The Federal Trade Commission must promulgate rules to implement the prohibition, and the bill provides for enforcement by the commission.
Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act of 2021 or the SAFE Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the transporting, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation by a person of an equine (e.g., horse) that the person has reason to believe will be slaughtered for human consumption.
Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021 This bill establishes a grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development for states and other entities to provide qualifying assistance to certain first-time, first-generation home buyers in purchasing their first homes. Qualifying assistance includes assistance for mortgage down payments, mortgage closing costs, reduction of mortgage interest rates, subsidies for shared equity homes, or for certain preoccupancy modifications to a home to accommodate persons with disabilities. The bill also establishes grant requirements regarding home buyer income, types of housing, homeowner occupancy, types of mortgages, and home buyer counseling.
Reproductive Health Information for Veterans Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide abortion counseling to a veteran who has an unwanted pregnancy.
Maddy summaryHRES 1190 is a symbolic resolution expressing congressional support for designating November 9 as "Gold Star Father’s Day" to honor fathers who lost children in military service. It directly affects Gold Star Fathers - men who have lost a child while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces - and aims to recognize their sacrifice alongside existing observances like Gold Star Mother’s Day (established in 1936). The resolution does not create new laws or benefits but seeks to promote annual recognition of these fathers’ loss, aligning with the 2015 Gold Star Fathers Act that ensured fathers received similar benefits to mothers of fallen service members. It was introduced in June 2022 with bipartisan co-sponsors.
HBCU Research, Innovation, Security, and Excellence Act This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a pilot program to increase capacity for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that are designated as high research activity status to achieve and maintain very high research activity status. High research activity status (known as R2 status) and very high research activity status (known as R1 status) are classifications by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. DOD must award grants to support research activities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and critical technologies. DOD may expand the program to other HBCUs beyond those that are classified as high research activity status if DOD determines that the program can support such an expansion. DOD must annually establish a list of research areas for STEM and critical technologies for which grant applicants may seek funding.