United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2022
Russia and Belarus SDR Exchange Prohibition Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from engaging in any transaction involving the exchange of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) held by Russia or Belarus. The SDR is an international reserve asset maintained by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) based on contributions from IMF member countries. SDRs may be exchanged between member countries and may also be exchanged for currencies. Treasury must also (1) vigorously advocate for IMF member countries to prohibit transactions involving the exchange of SDRs held by Russia or Belarus, and (2) direct U.S. representatives to the IMF to oppose any allocation of SDRs to Russia or Belarus. The bill's provisions shall be in effect until the earlier of (1) five years after this bill's enactment, or (2) 30 days after the President reports to Congress that the governments of Russia and Belarus have ceased destabilizing activities directed at Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2022
American Energy Independence from Russia Act This bill addresses U.S. energy security, the production of oil and gas, and the importation and exportation of oil and gas. Specifically, the President must submit an energy security plan that (1) evaluates U.S. crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas imports and exports; (2) assesses the energy security risks of such imports; and (3) includes strategies to encourage increased domestic production of crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas to offset Russian imports. The bill also approves the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline in Phillips County, Montana for the import of oil from Canada to the United States. In addition, the bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to approve or deny applications for facilities to export natural gas from the United States to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries. The President and federal agencies must obtain congressional approval before (1) prohibiting or substantially delaying certain new energy mineral leases or permits on federal lands, or (2) withdrawing certain federal lands from mineral and geothermal leasing activities. The Department of the Interior must resume issuing oil and gas leases on federal lands and offshore submerged lands in the Outer Continental Shelf as specified under the bill. Finally, the bill limits the drawdown of petroleum in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until the Department of Energy develops a plan to increase the percentage of federal lands leased for oil and gas production.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2022
Porch Pirates Act of 2022 This bill extends federal criminal penalties for obstruction of correspondence and theft of stolen mail matter (which apply to U.S. Postal Service mail) to matter (e.g., packages) sent or delivered by private or commercial interstate carriers.
United States · United States Congress · 18 February 2022
This joint resolution nullifies the rule issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on February 3, 2021, that requires the use of face masks on planes, trains, buses, and other public conveyances and at transportation hubs to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2022
Ban IRS Biometrics Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring taxpayers to provide biometric information as a condition of filing any tax return, receiving any service, or accessing taxpayer information. The bill defines biometric information as any information regarding any measurable physical characteristic or personal behavioral trait used to recognize the identity, or verify the claimed identity or location, of an individual, including facial images, fingerprints, and iris scans. Treasury must also develop a plan for the safe and secure destruction and disposal of any biometric information collected or used prior to the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2022
This resolution requests the President and directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to transmit to the House of Representatives, no later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, copies of certain documents and other materials, both classified and unclassified, in the possession of the President or DHS as of the date of adoption of this resolution that refer or relate to certain aspects on border policy, particularly along the southwestern border.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2022
This bill ensures that members of the Armed Forces who were granted a general discharge under honorable conditions (on the sole basis that the members failed to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID-19) are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty and Post-9/11 GI Bill programs.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2022
Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2022 This bill makes permanent provisions affecting individual and business taxpayers that were enacted in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The bill makes permanent provisions that reduce individual and capital gain tax rates. The bill increases the standard tax deduction for individual taxpayers. It also increases and modifies the child tax credit and raises the contribution base for the tax deduction of charitable contributions. The bill allows additional contributions to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt accounts designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save and pay for disability-related expenses). It exempts from taxation combat zone benefits of members of the Armed Forces serving in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and the moving expenses of servicemembers. Additionally, the bill lowers to $750,000 the amount of mortgage debt eligible for an interest expense tax deduction; excludes from the gross income of student borrowers income attributable to the discharge after 2025 of loan debt due to death or disability; makes permanent the limitation on the tax deduction for state and local taxes and denies a deduction for foreign real property taxes; makes permanent the tax deduction of the income of certain pass-through business entities; repeals the tax deduction for personal tax exemptions and the exclusion of employer-provided bicycle commuter fringe benefits; terminates certain miscellaneous itemized tax deductions; doubles the estate and gift tax exemption amount; and makes permanent the increase of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individual taxpayers.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2022
Blockchain Solutions for Small Businesses Act This bill requires the Small Business Administration to study the current and potential uses of blockchain technology (i.e., the technology that supports digital currencies such as Bitcoin) in making loans to qualified small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2022
Invest to Protect Act of 2022 This bill directs the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to award a grant to a local or tribal government that employs fewer than 200 law enforcement officers. Grant funds may be used for various activities, including to purchase body cameras, provide de-escalation training, and improve recruitment and retention.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2022
This resolution condemns the terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022. It also expresses support for the affected community, commends the actions of law enforcement and emergency responders, and reaffirms a commitment to combat hate, bigotry, anti-Semitism, and violence against Jewish Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2022
Open Schools Act This bill directs the Department of Education to make grants to parents of eligible students for certain education-related expenses. Eligible student refers to a student who is enrolled for the 2021-2022 school year in an elementary or secondary school that (1) is located in a local educational agency that received certain COVID-19 relief funds; and (2) does not provide, for any reason related to COVID-19, in-person learning for each enrolled student for each school day during the school year. Grant funds may be used to pay the tuition and fees for a private elementary or secondary school, pay the cost of attending a public school that provides in-person learning, or for other expenses and educational materials.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies provide critical benefits to the people and communities of the United States and their work should continue to be promoted.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2021
Survivor Benefits Fairness Act This bill adjusts the effective date of a reduction or discontinuance of compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, or pension payments to the last day of the month during which a marriage, remarriage, or death of a payee occurs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2021
FDIC Board Accountability Act This bill revises provisions related to the board of directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Specifically, the bill removes the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from the board as a voting member and requires the appointment of an individual with demonstrated primary experience working in or supervising small depository institutions. Further, the bill limits the term length of a board member to twelve years.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2021
Upholding the Law at Our Border Act This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to periodically investigate and report on certain issues until there have been fewer than 35,000 apprehensions at the southwest border for three consecutive months. When required, the reports must address certain issues, including (1) the vetting procedures applicable to aliens seeking entry into the United States who were apprehended along the southwest border, (2) the total number of individuals not lawfully present who have been processed and released into the United States, (3) the number of such individuals who have received parole, and (4) an audit of the parole applications. The office must submit such reports (and provide briefings on the reports) to the President, Congress, DHS, and the Department of Justice.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2021
Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act This bill places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. Additionally, the bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for schedule I research that is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Veterans Affairs or that is conducted under an investigative new drug exemption from the Food and Drug Administration. The bill also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2021
Middle Class Mortgage Insurance Premium Act of 2021 This bill increases the adjusted gross income threshold for the phaseout of the mortgage insurance premium tax deduction and makes such deduction permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2021
Conscience Protection Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for certain protections for health care providers that refuse to participate in abortions based on religious beliefs or other convictions. Health care providers include individual professionals, medical facilities, health insurance organizations, and social services providers that refer clients to health care services. The federal government and entities that receive federal funding for health-related activities, including state and local governments, may not discriminate against a health care provider that refuses to be involved in, or provide coverage for, abortions. Currently, similar requirements apply to various related activities, including certain employment or personnel decisions (the Church Amendments), abortion services training (the Coats-Snowe Amendment), qualified health plans offered through health insurance exchanges, and annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies (the Weldon Amendment). The HHS Office for Civil Rights must investigate complaints of this kind of discrimination. Furthermore, HHS may terminate or reduce HHS funding for health-related activities if a person or entity fails to comply with nondiscrimination requirements. Additionally, the Department of Justice or any entity adversely affected by such discrimination may bring a civil action to obtain appropriate relief. A plaintiff does not need to seek or exhaust administrative remedies before bringing the action. A plaintiff may also bring an action, including one for money damages, against a governmental entity. In many cases, principles of sovereign immunity shield states and some localities from these kinds of actions.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2021
Parents Bill of Rights Act This bill outlines various rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary school education of their children. Among other requirements, the bill (1) directs local educational agencies to publicly post the curriculum for each elementary and secondary school grade level; and (2) requires schools to notify parents and guardians of their rights, including the right to review the school's curriculum and budget.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2021
Housing Promotes Livelihood and Ultimate Success Act of 2021 or the Housing PLUS Act of 2021 This bill modifies the requirements under which the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must award grants under the Continuum of Care Program, which provides funding for nonprofit providers and state and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families. Specifically, the bill bars HUD from prohibiting, limiting, or restricting Continuum of Care grants to recipients that (1) require program participants to receive supportive services, (2) require program participants to be sober or drug-free, or (3) are faith-based organizations. The bill also requires that 30% of Continuum of Care grant funds be set aside for eligible grant recipients that provide or offer access to wraparound services.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2021
This bill prohibits the Small Business Administration from directly making a loan under the 7(a) Program, which authorizes loans and loan guaranties to small businesses that meet certain requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2021
Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection-Inspector General Reform Act of 2021 or the CFPB-IG Act of 2021 This bill establishes a separate Office of Inspector General for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Currently, such oversight of the CFPB is combined with the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2021
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor emergency temporary standard for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in employment settings. Under the standard issued on November 5, 2021, employers with 100 or more employees must require their onsite employees to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2021
Keep Innovation in America Act This bill modifies provisions enacted by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act relating to the definitions of broker and digital assets and their reporting requirements. The bill redefines broker , for tax reporting purposes, to mean any person who (for consideration) stands ready in the ordinary course of business to effect sales of digital assets at the direction of their customers. The bill redefines digital asset to mean any digital representation of value which is recorded on a cryptographically secured distribution ledger (this revised definition eliminates the discretion of the Department of the Treasury to include similar technology in the definition of digital asset). The bill eliminates the cash reporting requirement for digital assets (i.e., receipt of more than $10,000) but requires Treasury to conduct a study of, and report on, the effect of expanding the definition of cash to include any digital asset.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2021
This resolution recognizes the importance, effectiveness, and need for veteran-to-veteran sponsorship programs and encourages the use and practice of such programs within the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2021
Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act This bill prohibits the payment of a settlement to an alien for a civil action brought against the United States in connection with the alien's inadmissibility to, or unlawful presence in, the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2021
Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2021 This bill phases in a new funding formula for determining benefit amounts under the windfall elimination provision (WEP). The WEP reduces Social Security retirement and disability benefits for those who receive pensions for certain non-covered employment. The new formula adjusts an individual's total lifetime earnings based on the proportion of those earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes. It applies to individuals who (1) become eligible for Social Security benefits after 2061, and (2) have earnings from non-covered service performed in a year after 1977. Beneficiaries who become eligible for benefits between 2023 and 2061 receive the higher of their benefit calculated under the existing WEP or the new formula. In addition, certain beneficiaries currently impacted by the WEP receive an additional payment. The Social Security Administration must include non-covered earnings in Social Security account statements and must study the feasibility of partnering with certain pension systems to address data sharing issues related to non-covered pensions.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2021
Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2021 This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into or enforcing a settlement agreement on behalf of the United States that provides for a payment to any person or entity other than the United States. The bill provides exceptions to allow payments that (1) remedy actual harm (including to the environment) caused by the party making the payment, or (2) constitute a payment for services rendered in connection with the case. Government officials or agents who violate this prohibition may be removed from office or required to forfeit to the government any money they hold for such purposes to which they may otherwise be entitled. Agencies must report annually for seven years to the Congressional Budget Office about the parties, funding sources, and distribution of funds for their settlement agreements permitted by the exceptions in this bill. The Office of Inspector General for each agency must also report annually on any settlement agreements that violate the bill's requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2021
No Veteran Falls Through the Cracks Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to attempt to reschedule a veteran's mental health care appointment if the veteran has canceled such an appointment.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2021
Original National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Resolution of 2021 This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Further, it expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should continue to raise awareness of and support programs to end domestic violence.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2021
State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act This bill allows states, tribes, territories, and localities to use certain COVID-19 relief funds for new categories of spending, including for natural disasters and infrastructure projects. It also makes changes to expenditure deadlines and other aspects of this funding. Specifically, recipients may use funds for emergency relief from natural disasters and associated negative economic impacts of natural disasters. In addition, recipients may use a portion of their COVID-19 relief funds for designated infrastructure projects, such as nationally significant freight and highway projects. Furthermore, the bill allows recipients to expend COVID-19 relief funds on these types of infrastructure projects until September 30, 2026. Under current law, recipients must expend the funds by December 31, 2024. Other changes in the bill include (1) modifying eligibility and allocation requirements for funding set aside for counties and Indian tribes that are near public lands, (2) allowing Indian tribes an additional year to expend their COVID-19 relief funds, and (3) establishing a process for government entities to decline COVID-19 relief funds and requiring any declined funds to be used to reduce the federal deficit.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2021
Access to Small Business Investor Capital Act This bill allows a registered investment company to exclude from the calculation of acquired fund fees and expenses those incurred indirectly from investment in a business development company. Instead, such fees and expenses may be disclosed in a footnote. Acquired fund fees and expenses is a required line item on a fund's fee schedule that provides the operating expenses of the fund.
United States · United States Congress · 15 October 2021
Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring a financial institution to report the transfers into and out of a financial account. This prohibition does not apply to laws or regulations in effect on October 1, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2021
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 Crown Road Southwest in Atlanta, Georgia, as the "John R. Lewis Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2021
Accountability in Foreign Animal Research Act This bill prohibits the National Institutes of Health from conducting or supporting research that involves testing on vertebrate animals in China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or other countries determined to be a foreign adversary.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2021
This bill requires online marketplaces (e.g., Amazon) to collect and verify certain contact and financial information from third-party sellers whose transactions and related revenues exceed specified thresholds. Subject to certain exceptions, online marketplaces must clearly and conspicuously disclose the contact information of certain high-volume third-party sellers to consumers and must also provide consumers with methods to report suspicious activity on the marketplace. The bill provides the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general with the authority to enforce these requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2021
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2021 or the PAST Act of 2021 This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2021
This resolution recognizes the cultural and historical significance of the Hmong New Year and wishes Hmong Americans and all individuals who observe this holiday a happy new year.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2021
This resolution urges the Biden Administration to expeditiously restore the Migrant Protection Protocols, a policy requiring many asylum seekers arriving at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their cases are being adjudicated. It also urges the Administration to use certain public health powers, commonly referred to as Title 42 authority, to promptly expel migrants.
United States · United States Congress · 3 September 2021
Curriculum Review of Teachings Transparency Act or the CRT Transparency Act This bill requires a local educational agency, in order to receive certain federal education grants, to post on a publicly accessible website the curriculum for each grade level of its elementary and secondary schools.
United States · United States Congress · 31 August 2021
This bill posthumously provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of the 13 service members who died on August 26, 2021, while stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan.
United States · United States Congress · 31 August 2021
Afghanistan Withdrawal Oversight and Liability Act or the AWOL Act This bill prohibits using federal funds appropriated for FY2021 to provide support to the Taliban. The bill also requires reports and certifications related to Afghanistan. Specifically, no FY2021 funds may be used to (1) make payments or contributions of material support to the Taliban, or (2) provide relief from sanctions against the Taliban or its leaders. The bill requires the President to report to Congress on efforts to evacuate U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents from Afghanistan. The President must also certify to Congress when all such individuals seeking evacuation from Afghanistan have been evacuated. The Department of State must periodically report to Congress on any agreements between the United States and the Taliban. Within seven days of the United States reaching an agreement with the Taliban, the State Department must provide to Congress all materials relevant to that agreement. The bill also requires the Office of the Inspector General of the State Department to report to Congress about the State Department's compliance with legal requirements in connection to agreements with the Taliban. Specifically, the office must assess compliance with a law that requires the State Department to provide certain information to Congress when the United States enters certain international agreements. The Department of Defense must report to Congress concerning U.S. equipment, property, and classified material that was destroyed, surrendered, or abandoned in Afghanistan during a period starting from February 29, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 24 August 2021
This resolution condemns the President's failure to heed military and intelligence advisors about the speed and nature of the Taliban offense in Afghanistan and urges the President to commit to maintaining the evacuation operation as long as necessary to evacuate any U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or Afghan partner who requests evacuation assistance .
United States · United States Congress · 23 August 2021
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report daily on the efforts to evacuate U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents from Afghanistan until the President certifies to Congress that all such individuals who sought evacuation have been evacuated. Until such certification is submitted, DOD may not use FY2021 funds for activity which would have the effect of reducing the total number of service members deployed to Afghanistan, except in specified circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 13 August 2021
Information Sharing And Advanced Communication Alerting Act or the ISAAC Alerting Act This bill requires the Technological Advisory Council of the Federal Communications Commission, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to submit a report that identifies measures, barriers, and recommendations for implementing a 9–1–1 disability alerting system. The alerting system must allow an individual to register and create a profile associated with an individual who has a disability that includes information such as whether the individual is a wandering risk, nonverbal, or physically limited. The alerting system then transmits such information to public safety answering points to be conveyed to first responders.
![Official portrait of Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s001213_200.jpg)