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Weekly Legislative Update: April 19, 2021

Congressional Schedule: April 19-23, 2021

Floor Action:

The Senate is in session this week.

Small Business/Entrepreneurship- This week, the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 408, the Department of Homeland Security Mentor-Protégé Program Act of 2021, which includes a provision requiring inclusion of small business concerns owned and controlled by women.

The House will also consider H.R. 1602, the Eliminate Barriers to Innovation Act of 2021, which would establish a digital asset working group to include representatives from women-owned businesses. 

Mark-Ups:

Employment- On Tuesday, the House Financial Services Committee will mark up several bills, including H.R. 1277, the Improving Corporate Governance through Diversity Act, H.R. 2123, the Diversity and Inclusion Data Accountability and Transparency Act, and H.R. 2516, the Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Banking Act. 

Hearings: 

Judiciary- On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property will hold a hearing, “Improving Access and Inclusivity in the Patent System: Unleashing America’s Economic Engine.” 

Tax Policy- On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing, “The Tax Code and Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities.” 

Veterans- On Wednesday, the House Veterans Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on several bills, including the Improving VA Accountability to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Act of 2021 (as-yet-unnumbered). 


Bills Introduced: April 12-16, 2021

Abortion

S. 1144—Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)/Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (4/15/21)—A bill to prohibit federal funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

H.R. 2619—Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN)/Energy and Commerce (4/16/21)—A bill to prohibit federal funding to entities that do not certify the entities will not perform, or provide any funding to any other entity that performs, an abortion.

Crime 

H. Res. 313—Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA)/Judiciary (4/14/21)—A resolution supporting the designation of April 18-24, 2021, as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. 

Education

S. 1153—Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)/Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (4/15/21)—A bill to authorize block grants to states for prekindergarten education, and for other purposes.

H.R. 2560—Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN)/Education and Labor (4/15/21)—A bill to block grants to states for prekindergarten education, and for other purposes.

Employment

H.R. 2465—Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)/Education and Labor; House Administration; Oversight and Reform (4/13/21)—A bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families.

H.R. 2490—Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)/Education and Labor (4/13/21)—A bill to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex, and for other purposes.

H.R. 2491—Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)/Education and Labor (4/13/21)—A bill to enhance provisions related to wage discrimination, and for other purposes.

S. 1158—Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)/Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (4/15/21)—A bill to provide paid family and medical leave to federal employees, and for other purposes.

S. 1185—Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)/Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (4/15/21)—A bill to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parent-in-law, or adult child, or another related individual, who has a serious health condition, and to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement and family wellness leave to participate in or attend their children’s and grandchildren’s educational and extracurricular activities or meet family care needs.

S. 1195—Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)/Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (4/15/21)—A bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families.

H.R. 2589—Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)/Education and Labor; Oversight and Reform; House Administration (4/15/21)—A bill to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parent-in-law, or adult child, or another related individual, who has a serious health condition, and to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement and family wellness leave to participate in or attend their children’s and grandchildren’s educational and extracurricular activities or meet family care needs, and for other purposes.

Family Support 

H.R. 2524—Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY)/Energy and Commerce (4/14/21)—A bill to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program to make grants to states to inform Medicaid enrollees, SNAP participants, and low-income residents of potential eligibility for the Lifeline program of the Commission.

Health 

S. 1067—Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)/Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (4/12/21)—A bill to prohibit group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage from imposing cost-sharing requirements or treatment limitations with respect to diagnostic examinations for breast cancer that are less favorable than such requirements with respect to screening examinations for breast cancer.

S. Res. 153—Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)/Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (4/13/21)—A resolution recognizing the week of April 11 through April 17, 2021, as “Black Maternal Health Week” to bring national attention to the maternal health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing persons.

H.R. 2478—Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY)/Transportation and Infrastructure (4/13/21)—A bill to increase the availability of menstrual products in certain public buildings, and for other purposes.

H. Res. 304—Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC)/Energy and Commerce; Financial Services; Transportation and Infrastructure; Education and Labor; Judiciary; Natural Resources; Agriculture; Veterans’ Affairs (4/13/21)—A resolution recognizing the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 2021, as “Black Maternal Health Week” to bring national attention to the maternal health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing persons.

S. 1114—Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH)/Finance (4/14/21)—A bill to increase vaccination rates among pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and for other purposes.

S. 1117—Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)/Finance (4/14/21)—A bill to require Medicaid coverage of approved vaccines for pregnant women.

H.R. 2555—Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC)/Education and Labor (4/15/21)—A bill to establish a grant program to provide grants to local agencies and clinics to improve the health of mothers and infants, and for other purposes.

H.R. 2556—Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC)/Energy and Commerce (4/15/21)—A bill to support states in their work to end preventable morbidity and mortality in maternity care by using evidence-based quality improvement to protect the health of mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and in the postpartum period and to reduce neonatal and infant mortality, to eliminate racial disparities in maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes.

H.R. 2598—Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)/Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Labor (4/15/21)—A bill to expand access to maternal health care, and for other purposes.

International 

H.R. 2488—Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)/Foreign Affairs (4/13/21)—A bill to prohibit United States contributions to the United Nations Population Fund.

H. Res. 319—Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)/Foreign Affairs (4/14/21)—A resolution recognizing the seventh anniversary of the Chibok Girls kidnapping by the Boko Haram terrorist organization and calling on the government of Nigeria to redouble efforts to bring an end to the conflict in northeast and central Nigeria and to provide assistance to the victims.

Military 

H.R. 2502—Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA)/Armed Services (4/14/21)—A bill to direct the secretaries concerned to take certain actions to reduce gender-related inequities in costs of uniforms to members of the Armed Forces.

Miscellaneous

S. Res. 160—Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)/Agreed to in Senate (4/15/21)—A resolution commending and congratulating the Stanford University Cardinal women’s basketball team on winning the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women’s basketball championship.

H.R. 2597—Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA)/Transportation and Infrastructure (4/15/21)—A bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 1501 North 6th Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the “Judge Sylvia H. Rambo United States Courthouse,” and for other purposes.

Small Business/Entrepreneurship  

H.R. 2449—Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL)/Small Business (4/12/21)—A bill to extend the waiver of matching funds requirement under the women’s business center program.

Veterans 

H.R. 2521—Rep. Brenda L. Lawrence (D-MI)/Veterans’ Affairs (4/14/21)—A bill to require the secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot program to furnish doula services to veterans.

H.R. 2568—Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL)/Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services (4/15/21)—A bill to recognize and honor the service of individuals who served in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II, and for other purposes.

Violence Against Women 

S. 1122—Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)/Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (4/14/21)—A bill to provide protection for survivors of domestic violence or sexual violence under the Fair Housing Act. 

H.R. 2542—Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)/Judiciary (4/14/21)—A bill to provide protection for survivors of domestic violence or sexual violence under the Fair Housing Act.