Rep. Mark Pocan

Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2021 This bill establishes a student loan repayment program for public health professionals. As a condition of participation, recipients must agree to complete a period of full-time employment with a state, tribal, or local public health agency. Individuals eligible for this program include those with public health or health professions degrees, as well as those with degrees in statistics, computer science, or related information technology fields.

Commission to Study the Stigmatization, Criminalization, and Ongoing Exclusion and Inequity for LGBTQ Servicemembers and Veterans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study the Stigmatization, Criminalization, and Ongoing Exclusion and Inequity for LGBTQ Servicemembers and Veterans. The Commission must identify and compile information about the history of military policy regarding homosexuality from 1778 onward, including regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) sexual orientation and gender identity. The Commission must hold public hearings, gather public testimony, examine lasting and disparate impacts of the discriminatory policies on the physical and mental well-being of members of the Armed Forces, and make recommendations on appropriate remedies.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that it is the duty of the Department of Defense (DOD) to reduce the overall environmental impact of military activities and missions and to monitor and report greenhouse gas emissions from all of its operations. The resolution also suggests that DOD take other environmentally conscious actions, including committing to annual greenhouse gas emission reporting mechanisms and repurposing and managing its properties to promote carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

Pets Belong With Families Act This bill prohibits public housing agencies from imposing breed restrictions on pets owned by residents of public housing units. The bill continues to allow public housing agencies to prohibit ownership of dangerous animals in public housing, but prohibits classification as dangerous by breed and requires that any such classification be based on specific behaviors or actions of the animal.

Pandemic Risk Insurance Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Pandemic Risk Reinsurance Program within the Department of the Treasury. The program generally provides compensation to property and casualty insurers if they incur losses as a result of coverage related to pandemics and outbreaks of disease. All insurers as specified in the bill must participate in the program. These insurers must offer, in all property and casualty insurance policies, coverage of losses related to an outbreak of infectious disease or a pandemic for which a covered public health emergency is certified by the Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, these insurers must offer, in all its commercial property insurance policies, coverage to compensate the insured for a portion of 180 days' fixed costs and payroll triggered upon the certification of a public health emergency and state or local government closure orders without requiring specific proof of losses. The bill establishes the share of insured losses covered by the program and conditions for payment to insurers. The bill also provides for the treatment of reinsurance, captive insurers, other self-insurance arrangements, and state residual market insurance entities. The Government Accountability Office must report on the availability and affordability of property and casualty insurance.

Help Ensure Lower Patient Copays Act or the HELP Copays Act This bill requires health insurance plans to apply certain payments made by, or on behalf of, a plan enrollee toward a plan's cost-sharing requirements. Specifically, plans must apply third-party payments, financial assistance, discounts, product vouchers, and other reductions in out-of-pocket expenses toward the requirements.

Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2021 This bill expands Medicare coverage of diabetes outpatient self-management training. It also requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model in which such training is provided virtually.

Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act This bill establishes requirements, expands health insurance coverage, and directs other activities to support the provision of behavioral health crisis services along a continuum of care. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish standards for a behavioral health crisis continuum of care that health care providers and communities may use in responding to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. This continuum of care must include 24-7 crisis hotlines, emergency treatment, stabilization services, and other specified components. In addition, the bill expands health insurance coverage for behavioral health crisis services. It also expands the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant to assist states and territories with developing the infrastructure to provide crisis response services. Furthermore, HHS, in consultation with the Department of Justice, must convene an expert panel to make recommendations concerning training for emergency services dispatchers and crisis call center personnel to respond appropriately to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Maddy summaryHRES 752 is a symbolic House resolution (not a binding law) introduced on October 28, 2021, that urges U.S. House members to stand in solidarity with workers advocating for fair pay, quality retirement benefits, and safer workplaces. It references widespread strike activity in 2021 (including nurses, auto workers, and theater employees) and highlights statistics showing growing worker demands and public support for unions (68% of Americans support labor unions). The resolution does not create new policies or change existing laws - it serves solely as a statement of support for workers' efforts to secure better compensation and working conditions through collective action.

This resolution recognizes National Respiratory Care Week and expresses gratitude for the contribution of respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic.