Social Determinants and Health Disparities Legislation
Aligning for Health has been active in advocating for key legislative solutions to address social determinants, including through the introduction of the Leveraging Integrated Networks in Communities (LINC) to Address Social Needs Act (S. 509/H.R. 6072) and the reintroduction of the Social Determinants Accelerator Act of 2021 (H.R. 2503/S. 3039).
Aligning for Health is proud to support the Leveraging Integrated Networks in Communities (LINC) to Address Social Needs Act, which was introduced in the Senate (S.509) by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and in the House (H.R. 6072) by Representatives Dan Kildee (D-MI), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Richard Hudson (R-NC).
The LINC to Address Social Needs Act would assist States in establishing statewide or regional public-private partnerships to better coordinate health care and social services, leveraging local expertise and technology to overcome longstanding challenges in linking people to health, food, housing, child development, job training, and transportation supports and services.
Senate Finance Committee Response on Health Disparities
- On July 8th, 2020, Aligning for Health sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chair Grassley (R-IA) in response to a request for input on steps the Committee can take to address health disparities.
- AFH strongly supports the Committee’s efforts to assess and discuss what actionable steps Congress can take to improve access to, and the coordination of, public health, health care, and social services both during and after the public health emergency subsides.
- AFH noted that the Social Determinants Accelerator Act (S. 2986/H.R. 4004) is a bipartisan, bicameral proposal that has been referred for consideration by the Senate Finance Committee and if passed, would take important steps toward improving the health of families on Medicaid by helping to address their social needs.
Senate HELP Response on Preparing for the Next Pandemic
- On June 26th 2020, Aligning for Health sent a letter to Senate HELP Committee Chair Alexander (R-TN) in response to a request for information on recommendations for creating a system of health care resiliency and preparing for the next pandemic.
- AFH recommended strengthening medical and social care alignment, noting that social service networks are generally not connected to the health care system in a sustainable way. Congress should take advantage of this moment to catalyze a large-scale effort to build community-based infrastructure that will efficiently allow health and social providers to collaborate while maintaining accountability among entities for better health outcomes.
- AFH recommended that Congress take up consideration of a proposal to help states develop community integration networks. AFH described the need to provide seed funding to states to develop and launch community integration networks built around a lead entity and which connect payers, providers, community based organizations, and state agencies.
Senate Finance Committee Response on Maternal Health
- On March 20, 2020, Aligning for Health sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee in response to a request for information on solutions to improve maternal health.
- In its letter, AFH noted that the Social Determinants Accelerator Act (S. 2986/H.R. 4004) would provide funding for states and localities to design and tailor approaches and strategies that meet their residents’ needs, which could be focused on efforts to improve maternal health.
Ways and Means Response on Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force
- On November 27, 2019, Aligning for Health sent a letter to the Ways and Means Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force in response to a request for information on November 15, 2019. In response to the RFI, AFH described barriers that impede coordination between health and social service programs, and the lack of comprehensive evidence around interventions focused on the social determinants of health, which limits the replicability or scaling of successful interventions.
Care That’s Fair Act of 2021 Letter of Support
Aligning for Health is proud to endorse the Care That’s Fair Act of 2021 (H.R. 4554), introduced by Reps. Butterfield (D-NC) and Joyce (R-OH). This bill would provide grants for support for States to identify and act on racial disparities, and seeks to empower states to utilize medical claims, clinical, and social data to address racial disparities, social determinants of health, and maternal and infant mortality.
The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 Letter of Support
Aligning for Health is proud to endorse the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 introduced by Rep. Barragan (D-CA), which would authorize the CDC to create a program to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities by coordinating CDC social determinants of health activities and improve the capacity of public health agencies and community organizations to address social determinants of health.
Aligning for Health thanks Representatives Blunt Rochester (D-NY) and Bilirakis (R-FL) for introducing the Collecting and Analyzing Resources Integral and Necessary for Guidance (CARING) for Social Determinants Act of 2019. The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to provide guidance for states to address social determinants of health under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This is an important bipartisan step in the right direction to help states address social determinants of health.
UNDERSTAND ACT Letter of Support
Aligning for Health is proud to support the introduction of S. 1323, the Utilizing National Data, Effectively Reforming Standards and Tools, to Address Negative Determinants of Health (UNDERSTAND) Act, which would improve the collection of data related to the social determinants of health for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
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Aligning for Health has also endorsed the following legislation: CARING for Social Determinants Act of 2021 (H.R. 3894); Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Medicare Advantage Act (H.R. 4074); Building a Sustainable Workforce for Healthy Communities Act (S. 3479); White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger, and Health Act (H.R. 5724/S. 3064); John Lewis Equality in Medicare & Medicaid Treatment (EMMT) Act (S. 4067/H.R. 7755); Social Determinants of Health Data Analysis Act (H.R. 4026); IMPACT to Save Moms Act (H.R. 950/S. 334); Moms Matter Act (H.R. 909/S. 484); Kira Johnson Act (H.R. 1212/S. 1042); Social Determinants for Moms Act (H.R. 943/S. 851).
Other Social Determinants Legislation
Here is a full list, updated regularly, of other pieces of legislation related to social determinants, health disparities, health equity and maternal health in the 118th Congress.
To see a full list of the legislation related to social determinants, health disparities, and health equity from the 116th Congress, click here.
To see a full list of legislation related to social determinants, health disparities/health equity, and maternal health from the 117th Congress, click here.
House of Representatives
H.R. 68 – Housing Fairness Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Green (D-TX), this bill would authorize funds to prevent housing discrimination through the use of nationwide testing, to increase funds for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program.
H.R. 309 – Opportunity to Address College Hunger Act
- Introduced by Reps. Bonamici (D-OR) and 54 cosponsors, this bill would require institutions of higher education to provide notice to students receiving work-study assistance about potential eligibility for participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
- Introduced by Reps. Miller (R-WV) and Chu (D-CA), this bill would allow community supports to meet specific needs of families and children through an electronic care portal under the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program. The bill would permit states to use already-allocated money to access online portals that connect families in need with resources such as pregnancy centers, child care programs, food pantries, churches, and non-profits.
H.R. 479 – Targeting Child Care Funds Based on Poverty Act
- Introduced by Rep. Miller (R-WV), this bill would target additional childcare funds by allocating to States based on the number of children in poverty in each state. This legislation will provide federal resources to families who need them most through greater flexibility and access to affordable child care, and paid family and medical leave.
H.R. 491 – Return Home to Housing Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Williams (D-GA), Tenney (R-NY), Jacobs (D-CA) and Garbarino (R-NY), this bill would adjust the rate of per diem payments provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to grantees that provide services to homeless veterans.
H.R. 516 – Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act*
- Introduced by Reps. Lieu (D-CA), Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), and Garcia (D-CA), this bill would authorize a $1 billion annual grant program within HRSA for housing programs that offer comprehensive services and intensive case management for homeless individuals and families.
H.R. 523 – Veterans Jobs Training Act
- Introduced by Reps. Neguse (D-CO) and Bowman (D-NY), this bill would increase the authorization of appropriations for homeless veteran reintegration programs.
H.R. 645 – Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act
- Introduced by Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and nine cosponsors, this bill would permanently authorize the use of certain funds to improve flexibility in the provision of assistance to homeless veterans.
H.R. 706 – SNAP Access for Medically Vulnerable Children Act
- Introduced by Reps. Brown (D-OH), Kaptur (D-OH), Hayes (D-CT), and Bishop (D-GA), this bill would allow households with children with chronic medical conditions to deduct allowable medical expenses incurred by such household member that exceeds $35 per month.
H.R. 773 – Homelessness and Behavioral Health Care Coordination Act
- Introduced by Reps. Dean (D-PA) and Garcia (D-TX), this bill would help persons in the United States experiencing homelessness and significant behavioral health issues, including substance use disorders, by authorizing a grant program within the Department of Housing and Urban Development to assist State and local governments, Continuums of Care, community-based organizations that administer both health and homelessness services, and providers of services to people experiencing homelessness, better coordinate health care and homelessness services.
H.R. 837 – Restoring Communities Left Behind Act
- Introduced by Reps. Kaptur (D-OH), Tlaib (D-MI), and 10 cosponsors, this bill would direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a grant program to help revitalize certain localities, including through activities such as homeowner rehabilitation assistance, weatherization, improved housing accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities, housing counseling, and more.
H.R. 893 – Heating and Cooling Relief Act*
- Introduced by Rep. Bowman (D-NY) and 35 cosponsors, this bill would amend the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 to increase the availability of heating and cooling assistance.
H.R. 981 – One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act
- Introduced by Reps. Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) and Brown (D-OH), this bill would authorize implementation grants to community-based nonprofits to operate one-stop reentry centers that centralize housing, job training, mental health counseling, and other vital services in a single location.
- Introduced by Reps. Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Bilirakis (R-FL), this bill would require the Secretary of HHS to issue and disseminate guidance to states to clarify strategies to address social determinants of health under Medicaid and CHIP.
H.R. 1072 – Health Center Community Transformation Hub Act
- Introduced by Reps. Clarke (D-NY) and eight cosponsors, this bill would authorize HRSA to award supplemental funds to health centers that care for medically underserved populations to establish community transformation hubs, a community-based network of organizations capable of addressing the social determinants of health. HRSA and CMS must also issue guidance on sustaining these networks after the supplemental funding terminates.
H.R. 1168 – School Lunch Affordability Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Alford (R-MO) and Schrier (D-WA), this bill would require that only a school food authority that had a negative balance in the nonprofit school food service account on June 30th of the year preceding the previous school year shall be required to establish a price for paid lunches.
- Introduced by Rep. Carson (D-IN) and 34 cosponsors, this bill would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to states to support the establishment and operation of grocery stores in underserved communities.
H.R. 1269 – Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act
- Introduced by Rep. McGovern (D-MA), this bill would permanently increase federal reimbursement rates of school meals to help address funding challenges, enhance menus, increase access to locally grown food, and support expanded services like afterschool snacks and breakfast in classrooms.
H.R. 1334 – Liberty City Rising Act*
- Introduced by Rep. Wilson (D-FL), this bill would reform requirements regarding the safety and security of families living in public and federally assisted housing located in high-crime areas.
H.R. 1424 – Helping Schools Feed Kids Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Spanberger (D-VA) and Fitzaptrick (R-PA), this bill would extend additional reimbursement rates for certain child nutrition programs.
H.R. 1427 – SNAP Second Chance Act
- Introduced by Reps. Trone (D-MD), Correa (D-CA), McGovern (D-MA), Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Smith (D-WA), and Del. Norton (D-DC), this bill would limit the use of business integrity and reputation factors when determining the eligibility of a retail food store or a wholesale food concern to be approved to redeem supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits.
H.R. 1509 – Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Reauthorization Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Reps. Lee (D-CA), Brown (D-OH), and Evans (D-PA), this bill would reauthorize the Healthy Food Financing Imitative, a critical public-private partnership that combats America’s obesity epidemic by providing access to affordable, healthy, and fresh food options. HFFI provides loan and grant financing to attract grocery stores and other fresh food retailers to underserved, urban, suburban, and rural areas, and renovates and expands existing stores so they can provide the healthy foods communities need.
H.R. 1510 – Improving Access to Nutrition Act
- Introduced by Rep. Lee (D-CA), Adams (D-NC) and 40 cosponsors, this bill would repeal the particular work requirement that disqualifies able-bodied adults for eligibility to participate in SNAP to ensure that all Americans have access to nutritious food and the ability to stay healthy in everyday life.
H.R. 1708 – Housing is a Human Right Act
- Introduced by Rep. Jayapal (D-WA) and 18 cosponsors, this bill would address root causes of homelessness, meet the needs of community members experiencing harms from homelessness, transition communities towards providing housing for all, end penalization of homelessness, and ensure full democratic participation and inclusion of persons experiencing homelessness.
H.R. 1711 – Rural American Health Corps Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Reps. Kustoff (R-TN), Budzinski (D-IL), and Harshbarger (R-TN), this bill would establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. The bill would incentivize more health professionals to serve and plant roots in rural communities as a result.
H.R. 1712 – Rural Health Innovation Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Reps. Kustoff (R-TN) and Kuster (D-NH), this bill would establish a rural health center innovation awards program and a rural health department enhancement program. The bill would strengthen access to care in rural areas by incentivizing communities to leverage their existing resources to provide for the community’s urgent care needs.
H.R. 1763 – Military Family Nutrition Access Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Reps. Panetta (D-CA) and McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), this bill would exclude from income for purposes of eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) the basic allowance for housing received by members of the uniformed services. The bill is designed to provide essential support to military families in accessing healthy food and affordable food options.
H.R. 1764 – Military Food Security Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Panetta (D-CA), Moore (R-UT), Strickland (D-WA), Bacon (R-NE), Jacobs (D-CA), Levin (D-CA), and McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), this bill would exclude the basic allowance for housing from the calculation of gross household income for purposes of the basic needs allowance (BNA) for eligible members of the Armed Force. Specifically, the removal of housing benefits from income computation to determine BNA eligibility would better target personnel facing the highest rates of hunger.
H.R. 1765 – SNAP Benefits Fairness Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Payne (D-NJ) and 10 cosponsors, this bill would repeal the limitation on the maximum deduction for shelter expenses allowable for determination of benefits under such Act. The bill would remove caps on housing expenses so that families in higher cost of living areas receive the proper food assistance.
H.R. 2378 – Farmers’ Market and Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2023
- Introduced by Reps. Kaptur (D-OH) and Evans (D-PA), this bill would provide increased financial assistance for farmers markets and farmers market nutrition programs, to increase local agricultural production through food bank in-house production and local farmer contracting
H.R. 2400 – Reentry Act of 2023 (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Reps. Tonko (D-NY), Rutherford (R-FL), Trone (D-MD), Turner (R-OH), and 16 cosponsors, this bill would allow States to make medical assistance for Medicaid- eligible inmates available during the 30-day period preceding their release.
- Introduced by Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Bonamici (D-OR), this bill would permit video or telephone certifications in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
H.R. 2525 – Health Care for Homeless Veterans Act
- Introduced by Reps. Ruiz (D-CA) and Titus (D-NV), this bill would expand eligibility for, and extend authorization of, certain programs for homeless veterans.
H.R. 2537 – Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Restoration Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Strickland (D-WA), Bacon (R-NE) and 22 cosponsors, this bill would increase the basic allowance for housing inside the United States for members of the uniformed services, and increase access to housing on and off base.
H.R. 2559 – Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Joyce (R-PA), Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Stefanik (R-NY), and Fletcher (D-TX), this bill would extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corps. The bill would reauthorize funding for Community Health Centers through 2028 and provide continued access to care for over 30 million Americans in rural and underserved communities.
H.R. 2567 – School Meals Expansion Act
- Introduced by Rep. McGarvey (D-KY) and 20 cosponsors, this bill would amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act with respect to expanding community eligibility.
H.R. 2645 – Keeping Families Fed Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Caraveo (D-CO), this bill would extend for one year the availability of certain flexible benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) initially enacted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the bill would extend the emergency allotment flexibility to one year past bill passage and requires USDA to submit a strategy plan to state SNAP agencies providing resources and guidance for public awareness and preparation for the end of the extension.
- Introduced by Rep. Courtney (D-CT) and 31 bipartisan cosponsors, this bill would direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social services industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan.
H.R. 2692 – Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILO) Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Sanchez (D-CA), this bill would provide grants and training to support area agencies on aging or other community-based organizations to address social isolation among vulnerable older adults and adults with disabilities.
H.R. 2718 – Elder Justice Reauthorization and Modernization Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Rep. Neal (D-MA) and six cosponsors, this bill would reauthorize the Elder Justice Act and dedicates new funding to programs proven to safeguard older adults and adults with disabilities.
H.R. 2764 – Green New Deal for Health Act*
- Introduced by Reps. Khana (D-CA), Jayapal (D-WA), Lee (D-PA), Frost (D-FL), and 20 cosponsors, this bill would establish a Green New Deal for Health to prepare and empower the health care sector to protect the health and wellbeing of our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate crisis. The bill would invest $130 billion over five years in community health centers through the Community Health Center Fund, among other areas.
H.R. 2777 – School Meals During School Closures Act
- Introduced by Reps. Omar (D-MN), Schiff (D-CA), Hayes (D-CT), and 24 cosponsors, this bill would establish a waiver under such Act to address certain school closures. The bill would allow states or school districts to continue to provide free and subsidized meals during disruptions, such as extreme weather events, to ensure kids can continue to access nutritious meals during these disruptions and closures.
H.R. 2842 – Dignity in Housing Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Malliotakis (R-NY), this bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to inspect certain public housing developments to ensure compliance with housing quality and safety standards.
H.R. 2846 – Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Reps. Peters (D-CA), Schiff (D-CA), Evans (D-PA), Bonamici (D-OR), and Delegate Holmes Norton (D-DC), this bill would prohibit discrimination based on source of income, veteran status, or military status. The bill would expand protections by adding source of income and veteran status to the list of protected classes under the Fair Housing Act of 1968, giving more individuals and families access to affordable housing.
H.R. 2974 – Interagency Council on Affordable Housing Act
- Introduced by Reps. Schiff (D-CA), Clarke (D-NY) and six cosponsors, this bill would establish a federal Interagency Council on Housing Affordability and Prevention that would advise on preserving and strengthening existing affordable housing, public housing, and federal housing voucher assistance programs.
H.R. 3037 – Closing the Meal Gap Act*
- Introduced by Rep. Adams (D-NC) and 64 cosponsors, this bill would require that supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits be calculated using the value of the low-cost food plan.
H.R. 3073 – Community Mental Wellness & Resilience Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Reps. Tonko (D-NY), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Castor (D-FL), Bacon (R-NE), and Peltola (D-AK), this bill would promote mental wellness and resilience and prevent and heal mental health, behavioral health, and psychosocial conditions through developmentally and culturally appropriate community programs, and award grants for the purpose of establishing, operating, or expanding community-based mental wellness and resilience programs.
H.R. 3080 – Health Center Service Expansion and Provider Shortage Reduction Act
- Introduced by Reps. Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Kuster (D-NH), and Barragan (D-CA), this bill would expand services provided at community health centers. Specifically, the bill would increase access to mental and behavioral health services provided through health centers, expand weekend and evening hours, create new service sites, and invest in strengthening the primary care workforce through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC).
H.R. 3092 – Transit to Trails Act*
- Introduced by Rep. Gomez (D-CA) and 35 cosponsors, this bill would establish a program to award grants to entities that provide transportation connectors from critically underserved communities to green spaces.
H.R. 3112 – No Hungry Kids in School Act
- Introduced by Reps. Porter (D-CA), Aguilar (D-CA), and 11 cosponsors, this bill would allow states to provide free meals to all schools in eligible districts by establishing statewide community eligibility for certain special assistance payments.
H.R. 3113 – Expanding Access to School Meals Act
- Introduced by Rep. Porter (D-CA) and nine cosponsors, this bill would eliminate reduced price breakfasts and lunches and require that the income guidelines for determining eligibility for free breakfasts and free lunches be 200 percent of the poverty-level to ensure students from low-income families get nutritious food.
H.R. 3117 – Hotels for Housing Conversation Act
- Introduced by Reps. Schiff (D-CA), Vargas (D-CA), and Mullin (D-CA), this bill would establish a program for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make grants to states and continua of care to carry out conversions of structures for use as emergency shelters and housing for homeless persons and families.
Senate
S. 24 – Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act*
- Introduced by Sens. Feinstein (D-CA), Padilla (D-CA), Klobuchar (D-MN), and Shaheen (D-NH), this bill would authorize a $1 billion annual grant program within HRSA for housing programs that offer comprehensive services and intensive case management for homeless individuals and families.
S. 32 – Choice in Affordable Housing Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Coons (D-DE), Cramer (R-ND), Warnock (D-GA), Smith (D-MN), and Moran (R-KS), this bill would increase the number of landlords participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program.
S. 73 – Helping Households And Neighbors Distribute Services (HANDS) for Families Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Sens. Rubio (R-FL) and Casey (D-PA), this bill would allow community supports to meet specific needs of families and children through an electronic care portal under the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program. The bill would permit states to use already-allocated money to access online portals that connect families in need with resources such as pregnancy centers, child care programs, food pantries, churches, and non-profits.
S. 290 – Preserving Our Commitment to Homeless Veterans Act
- Introduced by Sen. Rubio (R-FL), this bill would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that the supported housing program of the Department of Veterans Affairs has not fewer than one program manager for every 35 rental assistance cases under such program.
S. 324 – Study, Treat, Observe, and Prevent (STOP) Neglected Diseases of Poverty Act
- Introduced by Sen. Booker (D-NJ), this bill would authorize the Secretary of HHS to carry out activities relating to neglected diseases of poverty. The bill would create an Interagency Task Force to provide recommendations to the HHS Secretary, provide resources to states to implement a public health surveillance system to determine prevalence and distribution of these illnesses, require the development of educational programs, and facilitate research to address and eliminate these diseases.
S. 405 – Heating and Cooling Relief Act*
- Introduced by Sens. Markey (D-MA), Warren (D-MA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Blumenthal (D-CT), Booker (D-NJ), Sanders (I-VT), and Padilla (D-CA), this bill would amend the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 to increase the availability of heating and cooling assistance.
S. 497 – Military Family Nutrition Access Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Sens. Duckworth (D-IL), Murkowski (R-AK), and 15 cosponsors, this bill would exclude a basic allowance for housing from income for purposes of eligibility for SNAP. The bill aims to support active duty military families experiencing food insecurity and prevent hunger in these families.
S. 578 – Liberty City Rising Act*
- Introduced by Sen. Rubio (R-FL), this bill would reform requirements regarding the safety and security of families living in public and federally assisted housing located in high-crime areas.
S. 643 – Farm Fresh Food for Families Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Ossoff (D-GA) and Ernst (R-IA), this bill would modernize the farmers’ market nutrition program under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
S. 657 – Neighborhood Homes Investment Act (NHIA) (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Cardin (D-MD), Young (R-IN), Wyden (D-OR), Moran (R-KS), and Brown (D-OH), this bill would establish a tax credit for neighborhood revitalization in distressed neighborhoods. The bill would cover the cost between building or renovating a home in these areas so that homeowners can renovate and stay in their homes, and caps the price of sales for each home to ensure they are affordable housing options in the community.
S. 665 – Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Klobuchar (D-MN), Collins (R-ME), and 17 cosponsors, this bill would provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities.
S. 680 – Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for All (DASH) Act
- Introduced by Sen. Wyden (D-OR), this bill would provide rental vouchers for the homeless, expand essential services to ensure permanent housing stability, create new down payment tax credit for first-time homebuyers, and expand the production of affordable housing for low-income and middle-income families.
S. 703 – Physicians for Underserved Areas Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Rosen (D-NV) and Boozman (R-AR), this bill would make improvements to the redistribution of residency slots under the Medicare program to give medical residency programs in areas with physician shortages a greater chance of gaining available residency slots after hospital closures take place elsewhere in the country.
S. 705 – Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Rosen (D-NV) and Wicker (R-MS), this bill would authorize a loan repayment program to encourage specialty medicine physicians and non-physician specialty providers to serve in rural communities experiencing a shortage of specialty medicine physicians.
- Introduced by Sens. Reed (D-RI), Collins (R-ME), Van Hollen (D-MD), Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Klobuchar (D-MN), this bill would strengthen the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
S. 760 – Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Reauthorization Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Sens. Casey (D-PA) and Gillibrand (D-NY), this bill would reauthorize the Healthy Food Financing Imitative, a critical public-private partnership that combats America’s obesity epidemic by providing access to affordable, healthy, and fresh food options. HFFI provides loan and grant financing to attract grocery stores and other fresh food retailers to underserved, urban, suburban, and rural areas, and renovates and expands existing stores so they can provide the healthy foods communities need.
S. 940 – Rural American Health Corps Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Sens. Blackburn (R-TN), Durbin (D-IL), Capito (R-WV), Rosen (D-NV), Smith (D-MN), and Murkowski (R-AK), this bill would establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. The bill would incentivize more health professionals to serve and plant roots in rural communities as a result.
S. 953 – Rural Health Innovation Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Sens. Blackburn (R-TN) and Hickenlooper (D-CO), this bill would establish a rural health center innovation awards program and a rural health department enhancement program. The bill would strengthen access to care in rural areas by incentivizing communities to leverage their existing resources to provide for the community’s urgent care needs.
S. 974 – WIC Healthy Beginnings Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Marshall (R-KS) and Gillibrand (D-NY), this bill would amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to make publicly available information on infant formula procurement under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
- Introduced by Sens. Gillibrand (D-NY) and Marshall (R-KS), this bill would permit video or telephone certifications in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
S. 1036 – Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2023
- Introduced by Sens. Casey (D-PA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Fetterman (D-PA), Blumenthal (D-CT), Kelly (D-AZ), and Warren (D-MA), this bill would streamline nutrition access for older adults and adults with disabilities by increasing the minimum monthly SNAP benefit for all participants and simplifying application and certification processes in nutrition programs.
S. 1165 – Reentry Act of 2023 (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Sens. Baldwin (D-WI), Braun (R-IN), Brown (D-OH), and Vance (R-OH), this bill would allow States to make medical assistance for Medicaid- eligible inmates available during the 30-day period preceding their release.
S. 1176 – Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act*
- Introduced by Sen. Baldwin (D-WI) and 30 cosponsors, this bill would direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social services industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan.
S. 1198 – Elder Justice Reauthorization and Modernization Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Sens. Wyden (D-OR) and Casey (D-PA), this bill would reauthorize the Elder Justice Act and dedicates new funding to programs proven to safeguard older adults and adults with disabilities.
S. 1229 – Green New Deal for Health Act*
- Introduced by Sens. Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Sanders (I-VT), and Warren (D-MA), this bill would establish a Green New Deal for Health to prepare and empower the health care sector to protect the health and wellbeing of our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate crisis. The bill would invest $130 billion over five years in community health centers through the Community Health Center Fund, among other areas.
S. 1257 – Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Van Hollen (D-MD) and Young (R-IN), this bill would authorize a new type of housing choice voucher to help achieve the goals of ending homelessness among families with children, increasing housing opportunities, and improving life outcomes of poor children.
S. 1267 – Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Sen. Kaine (D-VA) and 12 cosponsors, this bill would prohibit discrimination based on source of income, veteran status, or military status. The bill would expand protections by adding source of income and veteran status to the list of protected classes under the Fair Housing Act of 1968, giving more individuals and families access to affordable housing.
S. 1298 – Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act
- Introduced by Sen. Kaine (D-VA) and eight cosponsors, this bill would award grants for the creation, recruitment, training and education, retention, and advancement of the direct care workforce and to award grants to support family caregivers.
S. 1336 – Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Sens. Gillibrand (D-NY) and eight cosponsors, this bill would require that supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits be calculated using the value of the low-cost food plan.
S. 1377 – Visitable Inclusive Tax Credits for Accessible Living (VITAL) Act
- Introduced by Sens. Casey (D-PA), Duckworth (D-IL), Gillibrand (D-NY), Klobuchar (D-MN), and Welch (D-VT), this bill would improve the low-income housing credit to address the housing affordability and accessibility crisis for people with disabilities.
S. 1389 – Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Smith (D-MN) and Rounds (R-SD), this bill would reform rural housing programs and strengthen the supply of affordable housing.
S. 1440 – Transit to Trails Act*
- Introduced by Sen. Booker (D-NJ) and eight cosponsors, this bill would establish a program to award grants to entities that provide transportation connectors from critically underserved communities to green spaces.
S. 1452 – Community Mental Wellness & Resilience Act*
- Introduced by Sens. Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Blumenthal (D-CT), and Whitehouse (D-RI), this bill would promote mental wellness and resilience and prevent and heal mental health, behavioral health, and psychosocial conditions through developmentally and culturally appropriate community programs, and award grants for the purpose of establishing, operating, or expanding community-based mental wellness and resilience programs.
* Denotes bicameral legislation
House of Representatives
H.R. 232 – Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX), this bill would prioritize veterans treatment court programs that ensure equal access for racial and ethnic minorities and women, and requires DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to implement a pilot program to make grants for local governments to improve retention in veteran treatment court programs and drug court programs.
H.R. 417 – Tribal Healthcare Careers Act
- Introduced by Rep. Gomez (D-CA), this bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reserve a portion of Health Profession Opportunity Grants for Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal colleges and universities.
H.R. 418 – Affordable Housing Equity Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Gomez (D-CA), this bill would designate projects serving extremely low-income households for purposes of allocating the State housing credit ceiling and determining an increased amount of low-income housing tax credit.
H.R. 420 – Language Access for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2023
- Introduced by Rep. Gomez (D-CA), this bill would provide for enhanced Medicare beneficiary information through access to annual Medicare notifications in multiple languages.
H.R. 613 – Wayne Ford Racial Impact Statement Act of 2023
- Introduced by Reps. Torres (D-NY), Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), and Crockett (D-TX), this bill would establish a process for the creation of minority impact assessments to determine whether pending bills, if enacted, are likely to create or exacerbate disparate outcomes among racial or ethnic minority groups
H.R. 630 – Urban Indian Health Confer Act*
- Introduced by Reps. Grijalva (D-AZ), Stansbury (D-NM), and Davids (D-KS), this bill would establish an urban Indian organization confer policy for the Department of Health and Human Services regarding health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in urban areas to improve care and meet the unique needs of Indigenous communities and create parity between urban Indian organizations and other components of the Indian Health System.
H.R. 827 – Home Internet Accessibility Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Williams (D-GA) and Timmons (R-SC), this bill would require the Comptroller General to submit to Congress a report on the capacity of federally assisted housing to support broadband service, and would task the Department of Housing and Urban Development with producing an action plan to close internet service gaps across the country.
H.R. 834 – Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2023 (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Reps. Harshbarger (R-TN), Schrier (D-WA), Cuellar (D-TX), and Bacon (R-NE), this bill would support rural residency training funding that is equitable for all States. The bill would improve Medicare reimbursements and enhance the current structure of the Medicare-funded graduate medical education program to bring more medical residents and doctors to rural areas.
H.R. 1041 – American Opportunity Accounts Act*
- Introduced by Rep. Pressley (D-MA) and 30 cosponsors, this bill would establish American opportunity accounts, or federally funded savings accounts, for every child in order to make economic opportunity a birthright for every American and help close the racial wealth gap.
H.R. 1412 – Digital Equity Foundation Act*
- Introduced by Reps. Matsui (D-CA), Bonamici (D-OR), Eshoo (D-CA), Smith (D-WA), Grijalva (D-AZ), and Carter (D-LA), this bill would establish the Foundation for Digital Equity, a nonprofit foundation that would channel public and private investments into making progress in closing the divide on digital equity, inclusion, and literacy.
H.R. 1589 – Tribal Nutrition Improvement Act of 2023
- Introduced by Reps. Leger Fernandez (D-NM), McGovern (D-MA), Stansbury (D-NM), and Gallego (D-AZ), this bill would improve nutrition in tribal areas.
H.R. 2535 – Stronger Engagement for Indian Health Needs Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Stanton (D-AZ) and Joyce (R-OH), this bill would elevate the position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, with the goal of improving Native American health outcomes. The position would bring greater attention within the Administration to addressing health care status and needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
H.R. 2730 – Health Equity and MENA Community Inclusion Act of 2023
- Introduced by Reps. Tlaib (D-MI), Dingell (D-MI), Eshoo (D-CA), and Kelly (D-IL), this bill would include Middle Easterners and North Africans in the statutory definition of a “racial and ethnic minority group”
H.R. 2762 – Tribal Family Fairness Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Bacon (R-NE), Davids (D-KS), and Fitzpatrick (R-PA), this bill would remove administrative barriers to participation of Indian tribes in Federal child welfare programs, increase Federal funding for tribal child welfare programs, and provide culturally appropriate services to preserve Tribal families.
H.R. 2834 – Community Finance Language Inclusion Act of 2023
- Introduced by Reps. Garcia (D-TX), Beatty (D-OH), Nickel (D-NC), Green (D-TX), and Vargas (D-CA), this bill would amend the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 to include in technical assistance provided by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund resources for non-English speaking individuals.
H.R. 2835 – Multilingual Financial Literacy Act
- Introduced by Reps. Garcia (D-TX), Beatty (D-OH), Nickel (D-NC), Green (D-TX), and Vargas (D-CA), this bill would require the Financial Literacy and Education Commission to carry out a study on the impact of language barriers to financial health, to require the website and toll-free telephone number of the Commission to be provided in the most commonly spoken languages in the United States.
H.R. 2904 – Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Reps. Pressley (D-MA) and 47 cosponsors, this bill would provide for public health research and investment into understanding and eliminating structural racism and police violence. The bill would declare racism a public health crisis, create a National Center for Anti-Racism, and establish a Law Enforcement Violence Prevention Program at the CDC.
H.R. 3068 – Equal Health Care for All Act
- Introduced by Rep. Schiff (D-CA) and 18 cosponsors, this bill would prohibit discrimination in health care and require the provision of equitable health care. The bill would make equal access to health care a protected civil right, addressing racial inequities and systemic failures in the United States medical system that continue to exacerbate health and mortality disparities among Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities.
H.R. 3069 – John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment (EMMT) Act*
- Introduced by Rep. Sewell (D-AL) and six cosponsors, this bill would improve access to care for all Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries through models tested under the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The bill would require CMMI to work with experts to consider health disparities when developing payment models.
Senate
S.230 – Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2023 (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Sens. Tester (D-MT), Barrasso (R-WY), and 10 cosponsors, this bill would support rural residency training funding that is equitable for all States. The bill would improve Medicare reimbursements and enhance the current structure of the Medicare-funded graduate medical education program to bring more medical residents and doctors to rural areas.
S. 441 – American Opportunity Accounts Act*
- Introduced by Sen. Booker (D-NJ) and 15 cosponsors, this bill would establish American opportunity accounts, or federally funded savings accounts, for every child in order to make economic opportunity a birthright for every American and help close the racial wealth gap.
S. 460 – Urban Indian Health Confer Act (bipartisan)*
- Introduced by Sens. Smith (D-MN) and Mullin (R-OK), this bill would establish an urban Indian organization confer policy for the Department of Health and Human Services to meet the unique needs of Indigenous communities and improve care, therefore creating parity between urban Indian organizations and other components of the Indian Health System.
S. 599 – Digital Equity Foundation Act*
- Introduced by Sens. Lujan (D-NM), Feinstein (D-CA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Blumenthal (D-CT), Heinrich (D-NM), Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), and Durbin (D-IL), this bill would establish the Foundation for Digital Equity, a nonprofit foundation that would channel public and private investments into making progress in closing the divide on digital equity, inclusion, and literacy.
S. 1219 – Health Equity for People with Disabilities Act
- Introduced by Sens. Casey (D-PA), Merkley (D-OR), Welch (D-VT), Kaine (D-VA), Gillibrand (D-NY), and Duckworth (D-IL), this bill would provide health equity for people with disabilities.
S. 1296 – John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment (EMMT) Act*
- Introduced by Sens. Booker (D-NJ), Padilla (D-CA), and Brown (D-OH), this bill would improve access to care for all Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries through models tested under the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The bill would require CMMI to work with experts to consider health disparities when developing payment models.
S. 1317 – Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023*
- Introduced by Sens. Warren (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Markey (D-MA), Smith (D-MN), Hirono (D-HI), and Wyden (D-OR), this bill would provide for public health research and investment into understanding and eliminating structural racism and police violence. The bill would declare racism a public health crisis, create a National Center for Anti-Racism, and establish a Law Enforcement Violence Prevention Program at the CDC.
* Denotes bicameral legislation
House of Representatives
H.R. 477 – Community Mentors for Moms Act*
- Introduced by Rep. Miller (R-WV), this bill would establish a grant program for community-based maternal mentoring programs for low-income mothers to support and prepare them to raise their children for success.
H.R. 982 – Pregnant Women in Custody Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Rep. Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) and Lesko (R-AZ), this bill would address the health needs of incarcerated women related to pregnancy and childbirth.
H.R. 1117 – Advancing Safe Medications for Moms and Babies Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Castor (D-FL), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Underwood (D-IL), this bill would implement certain recommendations to promote the inclusion of pregnant and lactating women in clinical research.
H.R. 2480 – Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2023 (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Reps. Bacon (R-NE), Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Sewell (D-AL), Wild (D-PA), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon (R-PR), this bill would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on coverage under the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act of certain pelvic health services furnished during the postpartum period.
Senate
S. 48 – Community Mentors for Moms Act*
- Introduced by Sen. Rubio (R-FL), this bill would establish a grant program for community-based maternal mentoring programs for low-income mothers to support and prepare them to raise their children for success.
S. 712 – Connected Maternal Online Monitoring (MOM) Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Cassidy (R-LA), Hassan (D-NH), Young (R-IN), Carper (D-DE), Thune (R-SD), and Rosen (D-NV), this bill would identify and address barriers to coverage of remote physiologic devices under State Medicaid programs to improve maternal and child health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women.
S. 948 – Healthy Moms and Babies Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Grassley (R-IA) and Hassan (D-NH), this bill would improve maternal health coverage under Medicaid and CHIP.
S. 964 – Mothers and Newborns Success Act (bipartisan)
- Introduced by Sens. Kaine (D-VA) and Murkowski (R-AK), this bill would improve maternal health and promote safe motherhood.
* Denotes bicameral legislation