United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2022
Funding Attorneys for Indigent Removal (FAIR) Proceedings Act This bill expands access to counsel for non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) in immigration proceedings and provides protections related to such proceedings. Such an individual shall have the privilege of being represented by counsel in any immigration proceeding, whereas currently this privilege is statutorily provided for only in removal proceedings. Similarly, the Department of Justice (DOJ) may provide counsel at government expense to individuals in any immigration proceeding, whereas currently DOJ is statutorily authorized to provide counsel only for removal proceedings and at no expense to the government. Under this bill, DOJ shall provide counsel to children and vulnerable individuals in such proceedings, at government expense if necessary. If DOJ fails to do so, certain limits on filing a motion to reopen removal proceedings (such as the time limit for filing) shall not apply, and the individual's removal shall be stayed upon the motion's filing. The bill establishes the Immigration Counsel Account to be used to provide counsel under this bill. A portion of certain immigration fees shall be deposited into the account. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall provide each individual, generally at the beginning of proceedings, a complete copy of the individual's case file in DHS possession, unless the individual waives this right in writing. Failure to provide such documents shall delay the individual's removal proceeding. DHS shall facilitate for all detained individuals access to counsel and programs that inform such individuals of their immigration-related rights and obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2022
Original National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Resolution of 2022 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 · 21 October 2022
Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2022
Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2022 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award competitive grants to consortia that represent various community entities (e.g., schools, businesses, and health and human services providers) for carrying out community mental wellness and resilience programs that use a public health approach.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 2022
This concurrent resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, commonly known as the Clean Water Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 2022
Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2022 This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Justice's Office of Environmental Justice. It also establishes grants to improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal governments to enforce environmental laws involving environmental justice matters.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act This bill establishes various grants and related programs that address sexual and reproductive health care for individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the Health Resources and Services Administration must support training for health care providers who offer sexual and reproductive health care to individuals with disabilities, and educating individuals with disabilities about sexual and reproductive health care. The Administration for Community Living must establish a national center to provide recommendations, technical assistance, and other resources related to the provision of sexual and reproductive health care for individuals with disabilities. The bill also authorizes support for medical schools, nursing schools, and other educational institutions that offer obstetrics and gynecology training programs to expand the number of individuals with disabilities entering the reproductive health care workforce. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services must study the effectiveness and other aspects of reproductive health care services and programs for individuals with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2022
Updated Drug Labeling for Patient Safety Act This bill allows generic drug manufacturers to revise labels with updated safety information that differs from the referenced brand-name drug.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act of 2022 This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a program to award grants and provide technical assistance to certain entities for youth fishing projects. In awarding grants, NOAA must prioritize applicants with proposals for youth fishing projects that focus on an underserved community.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2022
Access to Reproductive Care for Servicemembers Act This bill establishes leave policies for the military departments regarding abortion care for members of the Armed Forces, including policy elements related to privacy. Additionally, the bill requires the military departments to reimburse members for travel costs incurred if a member must travel to a different jurisdiction for an abortion. Under the bill, no member may be subject to any adverse action for requesting or taking leave in relation to abortion care.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2022
Public Lands and Waters Climate Leadership Act of 2022 This bill addresses greenhouse gas emissions, including by restricting fossil fuel leasing and permitting on public lands.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2022
Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2022 This bill extends a payment increase under Medicare's physician fee schedule through the end of 2023 (currently set to expire at the end of 2022).
United States · United States Congress · 2 September 2022
Expanding the Voluntary Opportunities for Translations in Elections Act or the Expanding the VOTE Act This bill expands access to voting materials for individuals with limited proficiency in the English language, including by establishing incentive grants for states and political subdivisions to provide translated voting materials. Additionally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study the impact of (1) reducing the threshold requirement under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and (2) expanding the definition of language minorities to include native speakers of additional languages.
United States · United States Congress · 19 August 2022
Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes criminal penalties and/or fines on individuals for directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine or imprisonment.
United States · United States Congress · 9 August 2022
Afghan Adjustment Act This bill expands eligibility for special immigrant visas to certain Afghan nationals (and accompanying spouse and children) and addresses related issues. The Department of Homeland Security may provide such visas to Afghan nationals who provided qualifying service as a member of the Afghan Air Force or other specified entities and meet eligibility requirements, such as passing a background check. Currently, special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals are generally only available to those who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan. Such visas shall also be available to an Afghan national who is a qualifying relative of a veteran or member of the U.S. Armed Forces. The bill also modifies procedures for providing lawful permanent resident status to certain classes of Afghan nationals, such as by (1) providing a streamlined process with specified vetting requirements for certain individuals, including those who provided support to the U.S. government in Afghanistan; and (2) preserving the eligibility of certain battered spouses whose eligibility for such status stemmed from a marriage that has terminated. Furthermore, the Department of State (1) must respond to inquiries from Members of Congress about specific applications from Afghan nationals seeking special immigrant or refugee status; and (2) establish an office in Afghanistan to perform certain tasks, such as issuing visas, if no U.S. embassies are operational in Afghanistan. The President must establish a task force to develop and implement a strategy to assist Afghan nationals who qualify for admission to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2022
VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act of 2022 or the VALID Act of 2022 The bill requires a Federal Housing Administration mortgage notice to a veteran to contain comparative rate and fee information about loans available under the Veterans Affairs home loan program.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2022
Technology Assessment for Air Quality Management Act of 2022 This bill addresses air quality monitoring technology, including by requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to update its Air Sensor Toolbox with specified information and establish an Air Quality Technology Working Group to report on air quality monitoring systems. The Government Accountability Office must inventory national air quality monitoring infrastructure by documenting specified elements, such as locations and populations near such monitors.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2022
Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act of 2022 This bill expressly classifies broadband internet as a telecommunications service rather than an information service for purposes of regulation by the Federal Communications Commission. (Current law treats providers of telecommunications services as common carriers and subjects them to more stringent requirements.)
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2022
Responsible Firearms Marketing Act This bill requires the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and report on potentially unfair or deceptive practices that may be prevalent in the advertising or marketing of firearms. Additionally, the commission must issue regulations prohibiting such practices, and the bill provides for enforcement by the commission.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2022
Protect Sexual and Reproductive Health Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to undertake activities to promote access to sexual and reproductive health and well-being. The bill renames HHS's Office of Population Affairs as the Office of Sexual and Reproductive Health and modifies its responsibilities. Among other activities, the office must develop and implement a strategy to promote sexual and reproductive health and well-being. This strategy must include recommendations to integrate sexual and reproductive health equity and reproductive justice into federal programs. HHS must also award grants for improving access to sexual and reproductive health care to nonprofit or community-based organizations that assist individuals seeking abortion services through programs that are unbiased and medically and factually accurate. Grant funds may not be used to pay for abortion services. Additionally, HHS and the Director of the White House Gender Policy Council must jointly establish an interagency task force to coordinate and promote federal programs and activities related to sexual and reproductive health and well-being.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2022
Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2022 This bill increases oversight of the insurance coverage parity requirements for mental health and substance use disorder, including providing a process for auditing insurance providers and filing formal complaints for violations of the requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2022
Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to pay for travel, childcare, and other expenses of an individual seeking access to abortion services. Eligible grant recipients must be nonprofit or community-based organizations that assist individuals seeking abortion services through programs that are unbiased and medically and factually accurate. The grants may not be used to pay for abortion procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2022
Respect for Marriage Act This bill provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages. Specifically, the bill replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.) The bill also replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The bill allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2022
Puerto Rico Status Act This bill provides for a plebiscite to be held on November 5, 2023, to resolve Puerto Rico's political status. Specifically, such plebiscite shall offer eligible voters a choice of independence, sovereignty in free association with the United States, or statehood. The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall carry out a nonpartisan voter education campaign through traditional paid media and make available at all voting locations voter education materials related to the plebiscites. All voter educational materials and ballots used to carry out this bill shall be made available in English and Spanish. The bill sets forth transition and implementation provisions for each choice offered in the plebiscite.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2022
Right to Contraception Act This bill sets out statutory protections for an individual's right to access and a health care provider's right to provide contraception and related information. Contraception refers to an action taken to prevent pregnancy, including the use of contraceptives (i.e., a device or medication used to prevent pregnancy), fertility-awareness based methods, and sterilization procedures. Generally, the bill prohibits measures that single out and impede access to contraception and related information. However, a party may defend against a claim that a measure violates the bill's prohibitions by demonstrating, through clear and convincing evidence, that the measure significantly advances access to contraception and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or health care providers may bring a lawsuit to enforce this bill, and states are not immune from suits for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2022
Public Health Air Quality Act of 2022 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to take specified actions related to monitoring and improving air quality, including by implementing a program to administer or conduct emissions measurement and quantification, promulgating regulations related to specified source categories, and deploying not fewer than 1,000 air quality sensors.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2022
Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022 This bill prohibits anyone acting under state law from interfering with a person's ability to access out-of-state abortion services. ( Abortion services includes the use of any drugs that are approved to terminate pregnancies and any health care services related to an abortion, whether or not provided at the same time or on the same day.) Specifically, the bill prohibits any person acting under state law from preventing, restricting, impeding, or retaliating against health care providers who provide legal abortion services to out-of-state residents, any person or entity who helps health care providers to provide such services, any person who travels to another state to obtain such services, any person or entity who helps another person travel to another state to obtain such services, or the movement in interstate commerce of drugs that are approved to terminate pregnancies. The Department of Justice may enforce this bill through civil actions; the bill also establishes a private right of action for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2022
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. (A journeyman lineworker is a person who builds and maintains electrical power systems.)
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2022
Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act or the SAD Act This bill prohibits advertisements that use deceptive or misleading statements related to the provision of abortion services. Abortion services include (1) surgical and non-surgical procedures to terminate a pregnancy, or (2) providing referrals for such procedures. The Federal Trade Commission must promulgate rules to implement the prohibition, and the bill provides for enforcement by the commission.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2022
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) rights are human rights and protected by the U.S. Constitution; (2) LGBTQIA+ Pride Month should be celebrated; and (3) all Americans should be treated equally regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2022
Generating Resilient and Energy Efficient Network Communications Act or the GREEN Communications Act This bill establishes a program and sets out other requirements for federal agencies concerning the efficiency and resiliency of communications infrastructure. Specifically, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must competitively award grants and revolving loans to public or private providers, operators, or owners of communications networks or communications infrastructure for efficiency and resiliency projects. The NTIA must also (1) develop best practices concerning energy-efficient and carbon-neutral communications infrastructure, and (2) annually report on the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of communications infrastructure and certain network outages. Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must establish a framework to promote resilient communications networks and communications infrastructure. The FCC must consult with specified federal entities on the framework. The FCC must also report on the feasibility of maintaining a map of projected risks to communications infrastructure arising from severe weather, natural disasters, and climate change; provide technical assistance to a provider, owner, or operator of communications infrastructure concerning risks and vulnerabilities related to severe weather, natural disasters, and climate change; and require broadband network outages to be reported to the Network Outage Reporting System. The bill also requires the Department of Energy to report on the projected growth of electrical consumption of, and recommendations for energy efficiency standards for, data centers in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2022
This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Federal Pell Grant program and expresses support for the designation of National Federal Pell Grant Day.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2022
My Body, My Data Act of 2022 This bill establishes protections, subject to certain limits, for personal reproductive or sexual health information. This includes information relating to past, present, or future surgeries or procedures, such as the termination of a pregnancy. Specifically, commercial entities, including individuals, nonprofits, and common carriers, may not collect, retain, use, or disclose personal reproductive or sexual health information except (1) with the express written consent of the individual to whom such information relates, or (2) as is strictly necessary to provide a requested product or service. Commercial entities also must provide individuals with access to, and a reasonable mechanism to delete, any of their reproductive or sexual health information upon request. Further, commercial entities must maintain and publish a privacy policy describing their practices with respect to such information. The bill's provisions do not apply to entities that are subject to certain existing health-related privacy regulations, such as the privacy regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Additionally, the provisions do not apply to the disclosure of personal reproductive or sexual health information for the publication of newsworthy information of legitimate public concern. The bill provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and by private civil actions.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2022
This resolution recognizes the historical significance to the nation of Juneteenth Independence Day (commemorating the end of slavery in the United States).
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2022
Recycling and Composting Accountability Act This bill establishes data collection and reporting requirements concerning recycling and composting programs. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency must report on the capability of the United States to implement a national composting strategy for compostable materials in order to reduce contamination rates for recycling.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2022
This resolution declares gun violence to be a public health crisis. It also urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand research and data collection on preventing gun violence and the Surgeon General to report on firearm injuries and violence prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2022
This resolution supports access to contraception and related reproductive health services, including by affirming the substantive due process rights that protect such access.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2022
Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health for Military Servicemembers Act or the MARCH for Military Servicemembers Act This bill repeals the restriction on utilizing Department of Defense funds and facilities for performing abortions. The restriction only allows such funds and facilities to be used for abortions in cases of rape, incest, or where the mother's life is endangered.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2022
Protecting Our Kids Act This bill makes various changes to federal firearms laws, including to establish new criminal offenses and to expand the types of weapons and devices that are subject to regulation. Among the changes, the bill generally prohibits the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals who are under 21 years of age; establishes new federal criminal offenses for gun trafficking and related conduct; establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate ghost guns (i.e., guns without serial numbers); establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels; subjects bump stocks to regulation under federal firearms laws; and generally prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 2022
Depend on Domestic Clean Energy Act or the DOD Clean Energy Act This bill addresses energy policy and climate resilience efforts of the Department of Defense (DOD), including by establishing in statute specified DOD clean energy targets, providing direct hire authority for DOD to appoint qualified candidates in positions that support the energy independence and climate resilience efforts, and authorizing DOD to develop charging or refueling stations for alternative fuel vehicles on its installations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2022
People Over Petroleum Act This bill repeals or limits certain fossil fuel subsidies for large oil companies. It also allows individual taxpayers a 2022 gas prices rebate for the first taxable year beginning in 2022. The bill defines 2022 gas prices rebate as the sum of $500 ($1,000 for joint returns), plus $500 times the number of taxpayer dependents who had attained the age of 16 as of the end of the taxable year. The bill allows advance payments of the rebate and requires taxpayers to provide a Social Security account number on their tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2022
Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take certain actions to address emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions (particularly the shortage of infant formula in the United States) affecting participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The bill directs USDA to require each infant formula cost containment contract to include remedies in the event of an infant formula recall, including how an infant formula manufacturer would protect against disruption to WIC participants in the state. USDA must, within 30 days, ensure there is a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Health and Human Services that includes procedures for coordination and information sharing regarding any supply chain disruption, including a supplemental food recall. The bill also authorizes USDA to waive or modify any WIC qualified administrative requirement during emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions. Specifically, USDA may waive or modify such a requirement for one or more state agencies if (1) the requirement cannot be met by state agencies during the emergency, disaster, or disruption; and (2) the modification or waiver is necessary to provide assistance to WIC participants and does not substantially weaken the nutritional quality of supplemental foods. For example, USDA may waive the maximum monthly allowance for infant formula. The bill establishes notification requirements for USDA and state agencies related to supply chain disruptions.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2022
This concurrent resolution expresses opposition to the application of criminal laws to pregnancy outcomes and affirms that people deserve access to high-quality health care without fear of reprisal or punishment.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2022
Building America's Health Care Workforce Act This bill extends certain flexibilities relating to training and competency requirements for nurse aides in Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and Medicaid nursing facilities (NFs). Generally, SNFs and NFs may not hire nurse aides for longer than four months unless they meet certain training and certification requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services waived some of these requirements during the COVID-19 emergency period so as to allow facilities to maintain adequate staffing levels; the waiver ends in June 2022. The bill extends these flexibilities for at least two years after the bill's enactment and specifies that (1) any time worked by a nurse aide during the emergency period counts toward the 75 hours required for initial training, and (2) a competency evaluation may be conducted at the SNF or NF where the nurse aide is employed if the state does not offer such an evaluation at least once a week.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2022
This resolution extends collective bargaining rights prescribed in the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to employees of the House of Representatives.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2022
Pride in Mental Health Act This bill expands programs that prevent and treat child abuse and neglect to address issues facing youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, nonbinary, or gender-variant members of indigenous communities (e.g., Two Spirit). Specifically, these programs include (1) research and reporting requirements, (2) providing technical assistance, (3) grants to states and local agencies to train child-welfare personnel, and (4) community-based prevention-service grants. The bill also establishes a grant program to provide mental and behavioral health resources for such youth, including trauma-informed care.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2022
Spectrum Innovation Act of 2021 This bill specifies a process for auctioning a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between 3100 megahertz (MHz) and 3540 MHz for nonfederal use, shared federal and nonfederal use, or a combination of those uses. Most wireless technologies (e.g., mobile communication) rely on the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit signals. Specifically, the Office of Management and Budget must transfer funding from the Spectrum Reallocation Fund to federal entities for planning related to the reallocation. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Executive Office of the President must oversee the planning. Informed by the planning, the Department of Commerce must identify at least 200 MHz of spectrum for reallocation. In identifying the spectrum, Commerce must consult with the Department of Defense, the Office of National Science and Technology Policy, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC must (1) adopt rules authorizing the use of the identified spectrum in consultation with the NTIA, and (2) auction licenses for the identified spectrum within seven years of the bill's enactment. Additionally, the President must modify or withdraw (subject to certain limits) current federal assignments of the identified spectrum to increase nonfederal use. The FCC must allow for opportunistic uses (i.e., allow devices to opportunistically identify and transmit on unused spectrum without infringing on the rights of the spectrum license holder) of a withdrawn or modified assignment. An allowed opportunistic use must cease after the auction if the use is inconsistent with the rights of the licensee that obtains its license through the auction.
