This week, the House will consider 10 bills on topics ranging from health care to military. The House will also consider a continuing resolution that will fund the federal government through November 18.
Legislation under consideration this week includes:
The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2011 (H.R. 2005): extends funding for surveillance, research, education, early detection, and intervention programs for autism and other developmental disabilities. I am a cosponsor of this bill because I believe that government must do everything it can to support the estimated 1.77 million American families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
The Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2011 (H.R. 1852): extends and reauthorizes appropriations for payments associated with operating graduate medical residency training programs.
The Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital Improvement Act of 2011 (H.R. 2646): authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out certain medical facility construction projects and leases at outpatient and community-based outpatient clinics. It also extends authority for the treatment of mentally ill and homeless veterans and housing assistance for homeless veterans.
The United States Parole Commission Extension Act of 2011 (H.R. 2944): extends funding for the U.S. Parole Commission, which is responsible for releasing and supervising federal offenders, D.C. Code offenders, Uniform Code of Military Justice Offenders, and offenders in the Federal Witness Protection Program.
The Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2011 (H.R. 2189): requires states to report to the Attorney General regarding the death of any person who is detained, arrested, or incarcerated in state or local facilities or boot camp prisons.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 28 (S.Con.Res. 28): authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during WWII.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act (H.R. 2943): makes temporary appropriation extensions for grants to states for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs.
The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (H.R. 2883): extends funding for the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program, the Safe and Stable Families Program, and monthly caseworker visits and regional partnership grants. It would also revise grant requirements to assist children affected by substance abuse and allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to authorize states to review their Foster Care and Adoption Assistance programs.
House FY 2011 Appropriations Joint Continuing Resolution 79 (H.J.Res.79): extends funding for government programs funded through the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2011 and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 until November 18, 2011, or sooner if funding is allocated for any of those programs for Fiscal Year 2012.
The Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2011 (H.R. 2401): requires the President to establish a committee to analyze the cost—and not the benefit—of air quality regulations. In effect, the bill blocks and indefinitely delays two of the most important, life-saving Clean Air rules in decades – the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which limit the amount of mercury and other toxic pollutants that utilities can emit and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which reduces air pollution emitted in upwind states that harms health in downwind states.