High Country Times

On September 11, 2024, the Education and the Workforce Committee passed six bills aimed at enhancing student safety, child protection, and health care access. The bills include H.R. 5646 (Stop Campus Hazing Act), H.R. 7233 (Jenna Quinn Law of 2024), H.R. 736 (PROTECT Kids Act), H.J. Res. 181 (Congressional Review Act resolution to stop the Biden-Harris rule limiting access to Association Health Plans or AHPs), H.R. 3120 (Healthy Competition for Better Care Act), and H.R. 9457 (Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024).

Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) stated: “The bills before us today touch on some of the most important issues facing our country—from student safety and child protection to health care access and parental rights. I am grateful to all the Members who have worked diligently to bring these bills to the forefront, and I am confident that by advancing these pieces of legislation, we are making meaningful strides in the well-being of our constituents and accountability from our government.”

H.R. 5646 aims to combat hazing by requiring universities to report hazing incidents under the Clery Act and provide comprehensive hazing prevention programs.

H.R. 7233 allows federal grants for educating students, parents, teachers, and school employees on recognizing and preventing child sexual abuse while directing a report on grant effectiveness.

H.R. 736 emphasizes parental consent in sensitive decisions regarding a child's pronouns, preferred name, or sex-based accommodations as a condition for receiving certain educational funds.

H.J. Res. 181 seeks to prevent restrictions on AHPs by stopping a Biden-Harris administration rule that limits access to these plans.

H.R. 3120 targets anticompetitive terms in contracts to foster an open market with better leverage for employers in lowering costs and expanding health care access.

H.R. 9457 aims to ban unnecessary hospital facility fees for telehealth services.

A full video of the markup is available online.

###