Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and revises several programs and activities relating to newborn screening for certain conditions and genetic, endocrine, and metabolic diseases. Among its changes, the bill reauthorizes and makes mandatory the Hunter Kelly Research Program at the National Institutes of Health, and national surveillance activities conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill also aligns statutory requirements for research on non-identified newborn blood spots with federal regulations governing research on human subjects. These blood spots are collected as part of newborn screening programs, and some states make them available for biomedical and public health research. Under current regulations, research on non-identified bio-specimens such as blood spots is not considered to be research on human subjects, to which additional protections apply.
Stop Senior Scams Act This bill establishes a Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group, which must create model educational materials to educate employees of retailers, financial-services companies, and wire-transfer companies about how to identify and prevent scams that affect seniors.
Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act of 2021 This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a feasibility study on the use of canine units to detect the presence of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) in individuals with the virus. The TSA must also determine (1) whether the canine units can be used at airports to screen passengers, individuals accompanying passengers, crew members, and other individuals passing through airports and airport screening locations; and (2) how the screening would be implemented and what metrics would be used to monitor the efficacy of the screening.
Stop Corporations and High Earners from Avoiding Taxes and Enforce the Rules Strictly Act or the Stop CHEATERS Act This bill provides additional appropriations through FY2031 for the enforcement activities of the Internal Revenue Service and to increase audits yearly until 2025 to reach specified targets. It also provides additional appropriations for taxpayer services and operations support. The bill establishes new reporting requirements for certain banks or other financial institutions and increases enforcement penalties for accuracy-related underpayments of tax up to a maximum of 40% of the underpayment for taxpayers with a taxable income greater than $5 million.
Teacher Diversity and Retention Act This bill revises certain grant programs related to teacher recruitment and training. First, the bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and otherwise revises the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program, which provides grants to establish teacher preparation programs at minority-serving institutions. It allows grants to be used for school leader preparation programs. In addition, the bill consolidates certain grant programs for teacher preparation into a single grant program. In particular, the Department of Education must award grants to eligible partnerships (e.g., high-need local educational agencies and certain programs at institutions of higher education) to expand teacher preparation programs that embed dual certification in special education and training on social and emotional learning competencies and behavior management practices.
Iran Nuclear Verification Act This bill prohibits the United States from becoming a party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or any other agreement with Iran that relates to Iran's nuclear program until the President makes certain certifications. The JCPOA is an agreement, signed by Iran and several other world powers (including the United States), that places restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for certain sanctions relief. The United States withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018. The United States may not become a party to any such agreement until the President certifies to Congress that United Nations nuclear inspectors are allowed full access to all of Iran's nuclear facilities, and that they have completed their comprehensive report relating to those facilities.
Help Extend Auditory Relief Act of 2021 or the HEAR Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of hearing aids and hearing rehabilitation services. Covered services include hearing aid assessments, fittings, and related instructional services.
Opioid Patients' Right to Know Act of 2021 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to states to educate health care providers about opioid prescribing practices. To receive a grant, a state must have a law or regulation that requires providers to, before issuing an initial opioid prescription to treat acute pain, inform patients about the risks of opioids and the availability of non-opioid treatment alternatives. States must use the grants to educate providers about relevant laws or regulations and safe opioid prescribing recommendations.
Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men Act or the PSA Screening for HIM Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover preventive prostate cancer screenings that are not already covered under the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for men with a family history of prostate cancer, without imposing any cost-sharing requirement.
This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of International Mother Language Day.
This resolution honors the life and legacy of Rush Limbaugh and commends him for his devotion to the United States.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the federal government has a duty to develop a holistic agenda to respond to racial injustice, unemployment, the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, and climate change. The resolution further outlines the goals of this agenda to build a society with greater racial, economic, and gender justice; dignified work; healthy communities; and a stable climate. Additionally, the resolution identifies efforts to support these goals.
