Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act of 2021 This act requires federal agencies to post budget justification materials on certain public websites, including a single searchable website (e.g., USAspending.gov) and each agency's website. The materials most be posted in an open format that enables users to download individual reports, all reports in bulk, and the results of a search. In addition, the materials must be posted no later than two weeks after they are first submitted to Congress. The act also requires the Office of Management and Budget to maintain a public website that includes details regarding the materials, including a list of the agencies that submit budget justification materials to Congress, the dates that the materials were submitted to Congress and posted online, and links to the materials.
Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the Harlem Hellfighters, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service during World War I.
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act or the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act This bill implements a program and a policy related to service dog therapy for veterans. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as an element of a complementary and integrative health program. Eligible veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have been recommended for participation by a qualified mental health care provider or clinical team. The VA must seek to enter agreements containing specified elements with accredited nongovernmental entities that have demonstrated ability to provide canine training. Veterans who participate in the program are authorized to adopt the dog they assisted in training if their health provider determines it is in the best interest of the veteran. The VA must establish processes to document and track the progress of participating veterans with respect to health benefits and improvements. The Government Accountability Office must brief Congress and submit a report on the program. The bill also authorizes the VA to provide service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses, regardless of whether they have a mobility impairment.
VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 This bill adds a new source of revenue for the Crime Victims Fund and makes changes to formula grants supported by the fund. Specifically, the bill directs revenues collected from deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements to be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. Currently, such revenues are deposited into the general fund of the Treasury. Additionally, the bill increases the percentage—from 60% to 75%—of state compensation payments to crime victims in the prior fiscal year used to calculate formula grants for state victim compensation programs. Finally, the bill directs states to waive the matching requirement for recipients of state victim assistance formula grants during and for one year after a pandemic-related national emergency. It also allows states to waive the matching requirement pursuant to a policy established by the state.
Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), during FY2022, to establish and maintain three new centers of the Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) Program in areas with interest from personnel and a need for additional mental health care for rural veterans. The RANGE Program serves veterans in rural areas who are experiencing mental illness. The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study and report on whether the VA has sufficient resources to serve rural veterans who need mental health care that is more intensive than traditional outpatient therapy.
Juneteenth National Independence Day Act This bill establishes Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19, as a legal public holiday.
Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize All Veterans and Every Spouse Act or the SAVE LIVES Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) vaccine to covered individuals during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Under the bill, covered individuals are veterans who are not eligible to enroll in the VA health care system; specified veterans who are eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care abroad; beneficiaries who are eligible for care due to a specified disability or death of a veteran; family caregivers of veterans who are participating in the VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers; caregivers of veterans participating in the VA's Program of General Caregiver Support Services; caregivers of veterans participating in the VA's Medical Foster Home Program, Bowel and Bladder Program, Home Based Primary Care Program, or Veteran Directed Care Program; and the spouses of veterans. The VA must prioritize the vaccination of (1) veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system, (2) veterans who fail to enroll but receive hospital care and medical services for specified disabilities in their first 12 months of separation from service, and (3) caregivers accompanying such prioritized veterans. Under the bill, the VA is authorized to determine the timing for offering a vaccine to the spouse of a veteran.
This bill makes several budgetary and technical changes to provisions under Medicare and Medicaid. The bill continues to exempt Medicare from sequestration until December 31, 2021. (Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.) The bill also specifically applies certain modified payment limits to rural health clinics that temporarily enrolled in Medicare during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or that applied to enroll by December 31, 2020; and preserves higher Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital payments for public hospitals in California under forthcoming payment methodology changes.
PPP Extension Act of 2021 This bill extends the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), through June 30, 2021. Currently, the program is set to expire on March 31, 2021. For the final 30 days of the program (i.e., from June 1 until June 30), the Small Business Administration may only process applications submitted prior to June 1, and it may not accept any new loan applications. The bill excludes the budgetary effects of this bill from PAYGO scorecards under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 and from Senate PAYGO scorecards.
COVID-19 Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act of 2021 This bill extends existing provisions that provide relief to debtors in bankruptcy, including those related to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. These provisions (1) exclude certain COVID-19 aid payments from income for the purposes of bankruptcy, and (2) increase the debt eligibility threshold for businesses qualifying for certain types of Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy. Currently, these provisions expire March 27, 2021. The bill extends these provisions for one year. The bill also allows for modification of a Chapter 13 repayment plan for plans confirmed before the date of enactment of this bill if the debtor is experiencing material financial hardship due to COVID-19. Currently, such a modification is only available for plans confirmed before March 27, 2020.
