Leveraging Integrated Networks in Communities to Address Social Needs Act of 2021 or the LINC to Address Social Needs Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to better integrate health care and social services using technology platforms and related infrastructure. To receive a grant, a state or territory must enter into a partnership with nonprofits and similar organizations or tribal nations. These public-private partnerships must foster the use of technology platforms by providers and payors of health care and social services to improve cross-sector coordination. This includes developing funding models to make the platforms financially self-sufficient. HHS must consult with stakeholders to develop data standards and guidelines for these grants, and the Government Accountability Office must evaluate the impact of the grants.
Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2021 This bill expands the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increases cost-sharing subsidies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Unemployment Insurance Technology Modernization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Labor to study and report on the technology needs of federal and state unemployment compensation programs. Based on this study, Labor must develop, operate, and maintain a modular set of technology capabilities to modernize the delivery of unemployment compensation. Before the deployment of the technology capabilities to all states, Labor must select at least four states to participate in a pilot program to test the technology capabilities and demonstrate that they meet requirements. The bill establishes accessibility requirements for filing online unemployment compensation claims. In addition, it prohibits the technology capabilities from relying solely on a high-risk automated decision system to (1) deny a claim for unemployment compensation, (2) reduce the amount of unemployment compensation for which a claimant is eligible, or (3) deny a claimant's right to appeal an unemployment compensation decision.
Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act of 2021 This bill expands data collection and reporting on demographic information and disparities related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). During the COVID-19 emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must publish data on COVID-19 testing, treatment, vaccinations, and outcomes on the CDC website. They must update the data daily and disaggregate it by race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors. In addition, the Indian Health Service must consult with tribal nations about COVID-19 data collection and reporting. The Department of Health and Human Services must make a summary of final statistics related to COVID-19 publicly available and report specified information to Congress within 60 days of the end of the COVID-19 emergency. The bill also establishes the Commission on Ensuring Data for Health Equity. The commission must determine approaches to using data to reduce disparities in health outcomes, including specifically with respect to COVID-19. In addition, it must provide recommendations to improve demographic data collection and use in future public health emergencies.
Clean School Bus Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the Clean School Bus Grant Program in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Under the program, DOE must award grants for the replacement of existing diesel school buses with electric buses.
Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.
Reclamation of War Powers Act This bill prohibits Armed Forces funding from being obligated or expended for the introduction of the Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, in the absence of a declaration of war, specific statutory authorization, or a national emergency created by an attack or imminent threat of attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Armed Forces. In the case of a national emergency created by an attack (or threat of attack), funds may be used for only 60 days. The House of Representatives or the Senate may not consider a bill or joint resolution that makes funds available in violation of these provisions. The President shall, in the case of such introduction of the Armed Forces, submit to Congress a report that includes an analysis of the threat to be countered by the use of the Armed Forces; the specific objectives and justification for those objectives; and a description of the scope, duration, cost, and likelihood of success.
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain, and the Architect of the Capitol to permanently install in the U.S. Capitol or on the U.S. Capitol Grounds, a monument honoring Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Unemployment Insurance Technology Modernization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Labor to study and report on the technology needs of federal and state unemployment compensation programs. Based on this study, Labor must develop, operate, and maintain a modular set of technology capabilities to modernize the delivery of unemployment compensation. Before the deployment of the technology capabilities to all states, Labor must select at least four states to participate in a pilot program to test the technology capabilities and demonstrate that they meet requirements. The bill establishes accessibility requirements for filing online unemployment compensation claims. In addition, it prohibits the technology capabilities from relying solely on a high-risk automated decision system to (1) deny a claim for unemployment compensation, (2) reduce the amount of unemployment compensation for which a claimant is eligible, or (3) deny a claimant's right to appeal an unemployment compensation decision.
The COVID-19 Hospital and Health Provider Loan Conversion Act of 2021 This bill establishes and otherwise modifies requirements for the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). The program provides Medicare payments in advance to eligible providers experiencing claims or cash flow disruptions, such as during national emergencies; the program was specifically expanded in response to COVID-19 to encompass more types of providers, subject to certain recoupment and repayment provisions. The bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to waive recoupment and repayment for providers who meet specified requirements. Among other criteria, providers must not have engaged in surprise billing practices with respect to COVID-19 patients. Providers must still repay any amounts not used for COVID-19 expenses; the bill caps the interest rate on such repayments at 2% upon a demonstration of hardship. The bill also requires private health insurers to treat out-of-network COVID-19 services as in-network for purposes of payment and cost-sharing.
Arctic Refuge Protection Act This bill repeals the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas program. The bill designates approximately 1,559,538 acres of land within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Coronavirus Containment Corps Act This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop, within 21 days, a nationwide contact tracing strategy for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) that addresses issues including workforce needs. To implement that strategy, the bill establishes grant programs in the CDC and the Indian Health Service (IHS). It also expands programs in the Department of Labor. The CDC must award grants to state and local health departments to, among other purposes, hire and train individuals for contact tracing positions and related roles. The IHS must award similar grants to tribes and tribal organizations. Additionally, Labor must award grants for states and other jurisdictions to support recruitment and employment of dislocated workers and other individuals in public health roles. Grants and contracts that include contact tracing in their scope of work must comply with prevailing wage requirements that apply to federal service contracts. Employees who work under such grants or contracts must receive similar compensation to that prevailing in the locality where work is performed. The CDC and Labor must report certain information on specified timelines, and the Government Accountability Office must evaluate the activities of grantees.
