United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2022
The Range of Light National Monument Act This bill establishes the Range of Light National Monument as a unit of the National Park System in California, between Yosemite National Park and Kings Canyon National Park. The monument consists of approximately 1,427,750 acres of federal land and includes the entirety of Sierra National Forest. The Department of the Interior shall manage the public lands included in the monument area in a manner that protects and enhances the natural resources and values of the lands; and prohibit the cutting, sale, harvest, or removal of timber and other vegetative material within the monument for commercial purposes or for biomass energy production. Interior shall develop and apply an integrated visitor services plan for the monument.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2022
Legacies of War Recognition and Unexploded Ordnance Removal Act This bill authorizes the President to provide humanitarian aid to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia for (1) the clearance of unexploded ordnance, and (2) assistance for survivors of the explosive remnants of war in the region. The President must annually brief Congress on such activities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2022
International Violence Against Women Act of 2022 This bill requires a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. The bill establishes in the Department of State an Office of Global Women's Issues, which shall be headed by an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. The Ambassador-at-Large shall (1) coordinate U.S. government efforts regarding gender equality and the advancement of women and girls in foreign policy, and (2) develop or update periodically a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The bill establishes in the U.S. Agency for International Development the position of Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment who shall coordinate policies, programs, and funding regarding gender equality and women's empowerment.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2022
Courtney Wild Crime Victims' Rights Reform Act of 2022 This bill expands the rights of crime victims, including by (1) allowing victims to make motions requesting that the government seek to void prosecutorial agreements, and (2) providing for attorneys' fees for victims who prevail against the United States in enforcement actions.
United States · United States Congress · 22 November 2022
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that state legislatures should pass comprehensive sexual assault kit reform legislation that includes certain requirements, such as for the auditing and testing of backlogged sexual assault evidence kits.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2022
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6401 El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego, California, as the "Susan A. Davis Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2022
Independent Drug Value Assessment Act This bill requires the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation to contract with outside entities to conduct independent value assessments of approved drugs (i.e., economic analysis of the benefits to patients and the health care system).
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2022
Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic Lending Act of 2022 or the SAFE Lending Act of 2022 This bill revises requirements related to consumer financial protection and small-dollar lending, including matters concerning remotely created checks, electronic fund transfers, registration of small-dollar lenders, overdraft fees, and the collection of personal information. Under the bill, remotely created checks may only be issued by a person specifically designated in writing by a consumer and provided to the consumer's depository institution. (A remotely created check is a check not issued by the bank and not signed by the account owner.) A voluntary agreement to repay a small-dollar consumer credit transaction by an electronic fund transfer is subject to certain protections, including the right of the consumer to stop payment. Small-dollar consumer credit providers must register with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Any small-dollar consumer credit transaction is subject to the laws of the state in which the consumer resides. The bill also prohibits overdraft fees on prepaid accounts.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2022
Prison Staffing Reform Act of 2022 This bill requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to (1) complete (through an external entity) a comprehensive review of staffing across the BOP, and (2) implement a plan for filling vacancies.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2022
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6444 San Fernando Road in Glendale, California, as the "Paul Ignatius Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2022
This resolution denounces Saudi Arabia's treatment of journalists and activists, including Salma al-Shehab (a human rights defender who was detained for protesting the guardianship system).
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 2022
This resolution affirms that there is well-established authority for the Food and Drug Administration to approve, license, and otherwise regulate reproductive health products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act. The resolution also affirms that (1) such federal laws preempt (i.e., supersede conflicting state or local laws) any state or local laws that prohibit or limit access to or use of any reproductive health product, and (2) the Department of Justice has authority to enforce the preemptive effect of such federal laws by suing any state or political subdivision of a state that prohibits or limits access to or use of any reproductive health product.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2022
Advancing Justice for Servicemembers Act This bill requires authorized officials to ensure procedures and requirements for a complaint are completed within 180 days after the complaint is received for complaints from members of the Armed Forces related to harassment or prohibited discrimination. If an authorized official does not take final action on a harassment or prohibited discrimination complaint within 180 days or provide the member a written explanation of the final action in relation to the complaint, a member of the Armed Forces may seek a court order directing the military department concerned to take final action or provide a written explanation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2022
FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act This bill allows whistleblowers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to appeal agency decisions regarding alleged reprisals to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Whistleblowers may also seek action directly from the board if the agency does not issue a decision within 180 days of receiving such an allegation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2022
Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to commemorate the participants in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising who led an armed resistance against Nazi occupiers.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 333 North Sunrise Way in Palm Springs, California, as the "Chairman Richard Milanovich Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This concurrent resolution commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran who are (1) participating in the current protests to defend their fundamental human rights, and (2) risking their safety to speak out against the human rights abuses committed by the Iranian regime. The resolution condemns (1) the brutal beating and death of Mahsa Amini; and (2) the violent suppression by the Iranian regime of women and men participating in the current demonstrations, including children, and calls for transparent accountability for all killings of protesters by Iranian security forces. Finally, the resolution encourages continued efforts by the Biden Administration to respond to the protests, including the recent sanctioning of the Iranian morality police.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2022 This bill expands eligibility for certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to the surviving spouse and children of individuals who served in the organized military forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts. In determining eligibility under this bill, the VA must take into account any alternative documentation regarding such service, other than the recognized guerilla rosters stored at the National Personnel Records Center.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Support for Iranian Political Prisoners Act This bill authorizes the Department of State to continue providing assistance to civil society organizations in Iran that support arbitrarily detained individuals. The bill calls on Iran to immediately end human rights violations of political prisoners and persons imprisoned for exercising freedom of speech. The bill also calls on Iran to allow the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights unimpeded access to investigate alleged abuses.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2022
This resolution condemns Azerbaijan's violations of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, encourages investigation of war crimes committed by Azerbaijani forces, and reaffirms the House of Representatives' support of Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
This resolution welcomes His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide spiritual head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to Illinois, Texas, and Maryland. The resolution commends the efforts of His Holiness towards promoting a pathway to achieve individual and global peace, as well as individual and global justice. The resolution commends His Holiness for condemning extremism and terror in all its forms. Finally, the resolution commends His Holiness for his perseverance in counseling all Ahmadi Muslims to shun any form of violence, even in the face of severe persecution.
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 · 15 September 2022
Saving Abortion Facilities from Extremists for Patients Act or the SAFE for Patients Act This bill establishes a civil action for damaging or destroying a reproductive health care facility or for harassing, injuring, or intimidating a person who provides or obtains reproductive health services.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
End Veteran Hunger Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a five-year pilot program to make grants to eligible entities (e.g., nonprofit organizations, veterans service organizations, or government agencies) to support partnerships that address food insecurity among veterans and their family members, including veterans who utilize Vet Center services and those who have recently transitioned from serving as members of the Armed Forces to civilian life.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Enhancing Questions to Understand Intentions for Pregnancy Act of 2022 or the EQUIP Act of 2022 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide eligible health organizations with demonstration program grants to implement routine screenings about people's pregnancy intentions in order to provide better contraceptive and prepregnancy care.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2022
This resolution condemns Azerbaijan's September 2022 military attack on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh and calls for an end to all U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2022
Seaman Danyelle Luckey Military Medical Accountability Amendment Act of 2022 This bill authorizes claims by members of the uniformed services for an act or omission constituting medical malpractice that occurs onboard a naval aircraft carrier or amphibious ship that, at the time of occurrence, was not engaged in combat operations.
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 · 9 September 2022
Nationwide Right To Unionize Act This bill provides authorization for labor agreements to require membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment regardless of state law (thus preempting state laws that prohibit such agreements).
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 · 2 August 2022
This resolution directs the House of Representatives Fine Arts Board to acquire a mural depicting the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The House's Fine Arts Board shall select an appropriate location in the House wing of the Capitol to display the mural acquired.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2022
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123 South 3rd Street in King City, California, as the "Chief Rudy Banuelos Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2022
Banning Oil Exports to Foreign Adversaries Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to prohibit the export or sale of petroleum products (e.g., crude oil) from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to (1) China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran; (2) any other country the government of which is subject to sanctions imposed by the United States; and (3) any entity owned, controlled, or influenced by such countries or the Chinese Communist Party. However, DOE may issue a waiver of the prohibition if the export or sale of petroleum products is in the national security interests of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2022
National Plan to End Parkinson's Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out a project to prevent and cure Parkinson's disease (a progressive brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements) and related conditions. Among other components of the project, HHS must (1) implement and periodically update a national plan to coordinate and guide efforts to prevent and cure the disease; (2) improve diagnosis, treatment, and care of those with the disease; and (3) address health and other disparities related to the disease. HHS must also conduct annual assessments on the preparation for and response to the increased burden of Parkinson's disease. In addition, the bill establishes a council, comprised of federal and nonfederal stakeholders, to advise HHS on and make recommendations concerning the prevention and cure of Parkinson's disease. The bill's provisions terminate at the end of calendar year 2035.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2022
Atrocity Crimes, Relief and Accountability Act or the ACRA Act The bill requires the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to provide assistance to suspected victims, survivors, and witnesses of war crimes; establishes a Ukraine victims trust fund; and establishes a Ukraine atrocity crimes rewards fund. The bill also allows the International Criminal Court to conduct limited activities in the United States relating solely to foreign nationals suspected of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2022
Housing Access Improvement Act This bill increases from 20% to 50% the amount of funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program that a public housing agency (PHA) may use for project-based vouchers. (This program subsidizes rent for low-income recipients.) Under current law, a PHA must use at least 80% of its funding for tenant-based vouchers (which subsidize recipients' rental of any private apartment that meets program guidelines) and may use up to 20% of its funding for project-based vouchers (which attach to a specific rental unit that the landlord commits to make available for voucher recipients for a contracted term).
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2022
Clinical Trial Coverage Act of 2022 This bill requires health insurance plans (including Medicare) to cover out-of-network routine care for clinical trial participants at the in-network rate when an in-network provider is not available.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2022
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, election as the first African American woman in Congress, and campaign to be the first African American to gain the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2022
Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings Act of 2022 or the SWIMS Act of 2022 This bill establishes prohibitions on capturing, importing, exporting, or breeding of orcas, beluga whales, false killer whales, or pilot whales for the purpose of public display. Specifically, the bill prohibits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from issuing any permit under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 that authorizes the taking (e.g., capturing) or importation of such orcas or whales for the purpose of public display. The bill further revises the act to make it unlawful to export such orcas or whales, unless they are being transported to marine mammal sanctuaries or for release into the wild. Further, the bill makes it unlawful under the Animal Welfare Act for any person to breed or artificially inseminate such marine mammals for purposes of using their progeny for public display.
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 · 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
Tax Filing Simplification Act of 2022 This bill directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a free on-line tax preparation and filing service and allows taxpayers to access third-party provided tax return information and information held by the IRS. The bill prohibits the IRS from entering into any agreement that restricts its legal right to provide tax return preparation services or to provide tax return filing services. The bill requires the IRS to establish and operate programs to (1) facilitate claims for the child care and the earned income tax credits, (2) provide software for the preparation and filing of individual income tax returns for taxable years beginning after 2022, (3) allow taxpayers to download third-party provided return information and IRS-held information to their tax returns, and (4) allow taxpayers to elect to have their tax returns prepared by the IRS. The bill also requires verification of taxpayer identity and requires the IRS to conduct an outreach campaign to provide the public with information about this bill's programs and software.
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 bill bars state or local officials from prohibiting or restricting the possession, sale, purchase, transportation, or use of contraceptives (i.e., drugs or devices that are primarily used to prevent pregnancy). Individuals or the Department of Justice may bring civil actions for violations of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2022
Defense Maintenance Data Transparency Act This bill requires the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment within the Department of Defense to develop guidelines and resources on the acquisition or licensing of intellectual property.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2022
Faster Payments to Veterans' Survivors Act of 2022 This bill modifies policies and procedures related to the payment of benefits under certain life insurance programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). If a primary beneficiary has not made a claim for payment within one year (currently two years) after the death of the insured under the National Service Life Insurance (NSLI) program or the United States Government Life Insurance (USGLI) program, the VA is authorized to make payment to another designated beneficiary as if the primary beneficiary had predeceased the insured. If no designated beneficiary makes a claim within two years (currently four years) after the death of the insured, the VA is authorized to make a payment to a person the VA deems to be equitably entitled to such benefit. The bill also modifies the beneficiary designation process under NSLI and USGLI. Specifically, if a person does not designate a beneficiary for insurance, or if the designated beneficiary predeceases the insured person, the VA must determine the beneficiary in a specified order of succession. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to improve its processes and procedures with respect to identifying, locating, and paying hard-to-find beneficiaries of life insurance policies, including by improving its website search tools.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2022
This resolution expresses support for implementing a Transgender Bill of Rights that guarantees certain rights for transgender and nonbinary people with respect to public services and accommodations, employment, housing, health care, and other specified areas.
