This resolution recognizes the significance of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month as an important time to celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States. The resolution also recognizes that the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities enhance the rich diversity of the United States.
Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2021 This bill specifies that certain Medicare payment rules applicable to imaging services shall apply to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry services used in bone mass scans beginning in 2022. The bill also establishes national minimum payment amounts for such services.
Trust in Public Service Act This bill incorporates customer experience as a central measure of performance for federal agencies. Specifically, the bill requires each agency to develop a high-quality customer experience by allocating sufficient resources to and prioritizing customer experience capabilities and initiatives, adapting government-wide and global good practices, streamlining the process for soliciting voluntary customer feedback and requiring limited internal review if the collection is within the scope of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance, and using human-centered design practices. Each agency shall develop and use tools to experiment with different approaches to improve customer experience, ensure the privacy of federal customers, use the data collected to continually improve customer experience and agency performance, and share the data collected with research entities to permit external analysis. The bill sets forth agency communication responsibilities. In addition, the OMB must issue guidance for agencies in collaboration with specified entities. It may establish programs that annually recognize individuals and teams across the federal workforce meeting customer service-related goals. The bill (1) integrates customer experience provisions into the U.S. code and the Federal Citizen Services Fund, (2) directs the OMB to establish an Office of Customer Experience, and (3) integrates customer experience into the responsibilities of key agency officials. The OMB, in coordination with the Office of Customer Experience, must establish the Participatory Government and Civic Dialogue Advisory Council. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress, assessing agency efforts and examining best practices.
Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types. The Government Accountability Office must report on the resulting utilization and effectiveness of such tests.
This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to take land into trust for all federally recognized Indian tribes. Specifically, the bill applies the Indian Reorganization Act to all federally recognized Indian tribes, regardless of when a tribe became recognized. The amendments made by this bill are retroactively effective as if included in the Indian Reorganization Act. This effectively overrules the Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, which held that Interior could not take land into trust for a specified tribe because that tribe had not been under federal jurisdiction when the Indian Reorganization Act was enacted in 1934.
Border Response Resilience Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a plan for responding to irregular increases in migration at the border that present risks to border security. The plan shall include various elements including (1) a list of each agency, component, and office involved; (2) a process for quickly expanding capacity to temporarily process and hold individuals; and (3) a strategy for coordinating with local governments and other entities when DHS releases detained individuals. DHS must also identify metric thresholds for determining when to activate the plan and must activate the plan when such thresholds are satisfied. Furthermore, DHS must notify Congress no later than 14 days after activating the plan.
Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2021 This bill allows certain hospitals to receive additional payment under Medicare for full-time equivalent residents who receive training in rural areas. Specifically, hospitals, critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals may elect to receive payment for time spent by a resident in a rural training location if the resident trains for at least eight weeks in the location and the hospital pays the salary and benefits of the resident during this time. Additionally, hospitals may receive payment for all time spent by residents in a residency program in which 50% of all training is in rural locations, regardless of where the training occurs or specialty. Payments are based on the difference between the total amount of eligible payments (as determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and the amount of graduate medical education payments received (if applicable).
This resolution supports the designation of ALS Awareness Month. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
This resolution (1) encourages the Department of Agriculture to lead efforts, in partnerships with states, localities, universities, international partners and organizations, and various farming and ranching groups, to prepare for the future transformation of the agriculture industry; and (2) promotes biotechnology and other modern technologies that will have positive effects for the climate and natural carbon solutions.
John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act This bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or religion in the provision of child welfare programs and services by entities receiving federal funding. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must provide technical assistance to help states follow this requirement, including (1) guidance for bringing state laws into compliance, (2) developing training to increase cultural competency related to social identity, and (3) training for judges and attorneys involved in child welfare cases, among other supports. Additionally, HHS must establish the National Resource Center on Safety, Well-Being, Placement Stability, and Permanency for LGBTQ Children and Youth Involved with Child Welfare Services to provide training, technical assistance, and guidance to applicable state and local agencies and service providers. Further, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act may not be the basis for challenging the application or enforcement of this bill. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on states' compliance with the requirements of the bill no later than three years after enactment.
Fixing Infrastructure Damaged by Disasters Act This bill expands the allowable uses of funds available to states for repairing federal-aid highways and other roadways damaged by natural disasters and catastrophic failures. At the request of the governor and with approval of the Department of Transportation, a state may use funds for emergency maintenance projects (including those considered heavy or routine maintenance) that are necessary due to a natural disaster or catastrophic failure. Additionally, the bill increases the percent of funds a state may use for projects to protect public safety or to maintain or protect roadways from a disaster or catastrophic failure. The bill also includes within the scope of natural disasters blizzards, ice storms, and wildfires.
Assisting Community Colleges in Educating Skilled Students to Careers Act of 2021 or the ACCESS to Careers Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to community and technical colleges and to states for education and career training programs and related activities. Specifically, the bill requires ED to award grants to community and technical colleges and consortia of such colleges to (1) carry out student support services, such as child care, transportation, direct financial assistance, and case management services; and (2) carry out certain program activities, such as developing programs that accelerate learning, expand career pathways to postsecondary credentials, or expand dual or concurrent enrollment programs. Additionally, ED must award grants to states to establish statewide systemic reforms that support education and career training programs. States receiving these grants must (1) use funds to implement statewide policies, such as policies to support the expansion of education and career training programs for in-demand industry sectors or occupations, and (2) provide subgrants to community college partnerships to carry out program activities and student support services. Further, ED must (1) contract with an independent third party to perform an evaluation of the grants awarded under the bill, (2) provide technical assistance, and (3) submit an annual report to Congress.
