United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2022
Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2022 or the ZEVs Act of 2022 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a zero-emission passenger vehicle standard. Specifically, the bill sets a schedule for increasing the percentage of zero-emission vehicles a vehicle manufacturer delivers for sale, culminating in a requirement to sell only zero-emission vehicles from 2035 on. The bill also requires the EPA to establish a zero-emission vehicle credit program that approves one zero-emission vehicle credit for each zero-emission vehicle delivered for sale in the United States and partial credits for qualified electric vehicles based on the estimated proportion of the mileage driven on the battery. Manufacturers that fail to meet the minimum required percentage of zero-emission vehicle sales must submit to the EPA a quantity of zero-emission vehicle credits sufficient to offset the excess. Credits may also be sold, transferred, exchanged, or retired in certain circumstances. The bill imposes civil penalties for the failure to comply with zero-emission vehicle credit standards, with collected penalties being deposited into the Highway Trust Fund. After 2035, the EPA must issue injunctions on the manufacture of passenger vehicles other than zero-emission vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2022
This resolution congratulates the Portland Thorns Football Club on winning the 2022 National Women's Soccer League championship and completing a successful 2022 season.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2022
Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act or the I CAN Act This bill allows other health care providers besides physicians (e.g., nurses) to provide certain services under Medicare and Medicaid. Among other changes, the bill (1) allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for Medicare coverage of special shoes for diabetic individuals; (2) expedites the ability of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise Medicare cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs; and (3) allows nurse practitioners to certify the need for inpatient hospital services under Medicare and Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2022
This concurrent resolution recognizes the disparity between wages paid to Latina women, and its impact on women, families, and the nation and reaffirms Congress' commitment to supporting equal pay for equal work and to narrowing the gender wage gap.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2022
No Tax Subsidies for E-Cigarette and Tobacco Ads Act This bill denies a tax deduction for expenses relating to direct-to-consumer advertising of tobacco products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2022
Methane Emissions Research Act of 2022 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a methane research pilot study to quantify methane emissions from infrastructure used for the production, gathering and boosting, processing, transmission, and storage of oil and natural gas in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2022
Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury 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 · 7 December 2022
Coral Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the federal agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to carry out prize competitions that promote coral reef research and conservation. The prize competitions must be designed to help the United States achieve its goal of developing new and effective ways to advance the understanding, monitoring, and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems. Priority is given to establish programs that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the decline or degradation of coral reef ecosystems.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2022
Student Loan Literacy Act of 2022 This bill provides funding for and establishes a grant program for community-based nonprofit student loan consumer assistance programs. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to states for establishing, expanding, or providing support for community-based nonprofit student loan consumer assistance programs. These programs must provide assistance to borrowers of federal student loans, including by educating borrowers about their rights and responsibilities with respect to federal student loans. ED must (1) make publicly available through its website a list of programs receiving grant funds; and (2) ensure that each holder, servicer, and collector of federal student loans provides at least one federal student loan liaison to communicate with such assistance programs on various issues, including the handling of borrower complaints.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2022
Crypto-Asset Environmental Transparency Act of 2022 This bill establishes greenhouse gas emission reporting and related requirements for certain crypto-asset (e.g., Bitcoin) mining operations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2022
Protecting Students from Worthless Degrees Act This bill makes an institution of higher education (IHE) ineligible to receive federal student financial assistance if it fails to meet certain requirements. It also requires an IHE to make certain certifications about its gainful employment programs. Specifically, an IHE that offers a degree or certificate program to prepare students for entry into a profession that requires licensing or certification as a precondition for entry is not eligible to receive any federal student financial assistance unless (1) a student is fully qualified to take the required entry examination or be licensed or certified for the profession upon the successful completion of the program, and (2) the institution provides timely placement for all of the academically related pre-licensure requirements for entry into the profession (e.g., clinical placements or internships). An IHE must also certify that each eligible gainful employment program meets specified requirements, including approval or accreditation by a recognized agency and satisfaction of applicable educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification. If an IHE does not satisfy such prerequisites, it must notify a student who intends to enroll in the program and obtain a handwritten acknowledgement from the student that they wish to enroll. Lastly, an IHE that offers distance education or correspondence courses must be legally authorized within each state in which its enrolled students are located.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2022
Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act This bill requires certain providers, as a condition of Medicare participation, to limit mandatory overtime for nurses. Specifically, the bill prohibits hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, home health agencies, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and other specified providers from requiring nurses to work (1) more than a previously scheduled shift, 48 hours in a workweek, or 12 consecutive hours in a 24-hour period; or (2) during the 10 hours immediately following the 12th hour worked in a shift during a 24-hour period. Qualifying work hours include time spent in training, on call, and on standby. The bill's provisions do not apply during declared emergencies or disasters, subject to specified conditions, and do not preclude voluntary overtime. The bill also establishes (1) certain protections for nurses who file complaints against providers, (2) documentation and notice requirements for providers, and (3) potential civil penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2022
Protecting Communities from Plastics Act This bill sets forth a variety of requirements and incentives to reduce the production and use of plastics and other petrochemicals, including by directing the Environmental Protection Agency to place a temporary pause on certain new permits for petrochemical facilities under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2022
End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act This bill imposes an excise tax, with certain exclusions, on individuals who own more than 100 single family homes. The amount of such tax is the product of $20,000 and the number of homes owned over 100. The bill establishes a Housing Trust Fund into which the excise tax amounts shall be deposited and used to provide grants for down payment assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2022
Eliminating Discrimination And Creating Corridors to Expand Student Success Act of 2022 or the ED ACCESS Act of 2022 This bill repeals the prohibition against granting the American Opportunity Tax Credit to students with federal or state felony drug convictions.
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 · 15 November 2022
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2022 This bill expands access to study abroad for U.S. undergraduate students. It revises the Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students program (commonly known as the IDEAS program) and formally renames the program as the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 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 · 11 October 2022
Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a grant program to help states address contamination by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, on agricultural land and commercial farms. The bill also requires USDA to establish a task force to provide (1) advice regarding whether addressing PFAS contamination should be added as an eligible activity for each USDA program, and (2) technical assistance to states in addressing PFAS contamination.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 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 · 29 September 2022
This resolution recognizes the long history and positive economic effects of the Social Security programs. It also expresses the belief that the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs should continue to be funded through mandatory spending.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Klamath Power and Facilities Agreement Support Act This bill addresses projects in the Klamath River Basin in Oregon and California. The Bureau of Reclamation must support lowering the Klamath Irrigation District's net delivered power cost through certain agreements (e.g., an agreement with the Bonneville Power Administration). Further, Reclamation may enter into contracts and agreements with state and local governments, tribes, and private parties to plan, construct, operate, and maintain projects in the basin watershed to include facilities to reduce fish entrainment (i.e., the transport of fish along the flow of water, out of their normal habitat and into unnatural or harmful environments); projects that reduce or avoid impacts on aquatic resources caused by diversion of water for irrigation; and projects that restore basin watershed habitats, including tribal fishery resources held in trust. The bill also authorizes Reclamation to pay for a portion of the operation and maintenance costs of an irrigation pumping plant in Tulelake, California. It also provides for contracts to cover certain costs involved with the replacement of the C-Canal flume within the Klamath Project. Further, the bill provides statutory authorization for Reclamation to implement a 2016 agreement to take ownership and operation of the Keno Dam and operation of the Link River Dam.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act of 2022 This bill makes certain individuals and households eligible for housing assistance in connection with a major disaster, including Hurricane Maria of 2017. To be eligible, an individual or household must be (1) residing on or otherwise occupying property located in the area for which the major disaster was declared but does not have documented ownership rights to and is not renting such property; or (2) residing in or occupying, or have resided in, an area for which the major disaster was declared during the designated incident period, including individuals experiencing homelessness. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must consider alternative forms of proof to determine the eligibility of an individual or household for assistance. In the case of an individual or household that does not have documented ownership rights in the predisaster primary residence, FEMA must consider evidence of constructive ownership. FEMA shall create and distribute a declarative form statement that applicants for assistance can use to self-certify eligibility for assistance and shall make the statement available in specified languages at all active Disaster Recovery Centers and on its website and social media. FEMA shall conduct an analysis comparing the costs, benefits, and effectiveness of assistance provided under the Disaster Housing Assistance Program with other temporary housing options provided by FEMA. FEMA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development must consult regarding the implementation of a disaster housing assistance program or similar joint program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This bill authorizes the Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Commerce, to initiate a U.S. plan to secure Taiwan's meaningful participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This resolution designates the week of September 26-October 2, 2022, as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week and recognizes the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This resolution supports the designation of October 2-October 8, 2022, as National 4-H Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of 4-H in youth development and education, and (2) encourages all citizens to recognize 4-H for the significant impact the organization and members have made and continue to make by empowering young people with the skills needed to lead for a lifetime.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2022
This resolution condemns the death and detention of Mahsa Amini (an Iranian woman who died in the custody of the Morality Policy of Iran after being detained for purportedly wearing her hijab improperly). It also calls on Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2022
International Children with Disabilities Protection Act of 2022 This bill establishes the International Children with Disabilities Protection Program in the Department of State to assist organizations of persons with disabilities and family members of children with disabilities in communicating about and advocating for policies that ensure the family inclusion and transition to independent living of children with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
Election Worker Protection Act of 2022 This bill addresses certain protections for election workers. Among other provisions, the bill (1) establishes grants for the recruitment, training, and safety of election workers; and (2) makes it a crime to intimidate, threaten, coerce, or harass an election worker with the intent to interfere with the official duties of, or retaliate against, the worker.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
This resolution designates September 2022 as National Voting Rights Month, encourages people to uphold the right to vote, encourages Congress to pass certain voting rights legislation, recommends the development of a curriculum in public schools and universities regarding voting, encourages the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special Representative John R. Lewis stamp during the month of September, and invites Congress to allocate funds for public service announcements regarding elections.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
Non-Recognition of Russian Annexation of Ukrainian Territory Act This bill prohibits any federal agency from taking any action or extending any assistance that recognizes or implies recognition of Russia's sovereignty over any internationally recognized territory of Ukraine, including its airspace and territorial waters.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2022
This resolution expresses concern for the environmental, economic, and humanitarian threats to the Mekong River in Southeast Asia and declares the policy of the U.S. government to coordinate aid and other support throughout the Mekong River Basin.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2022
Stop Automatically Voiding Eligible Voters Off Their Enlisted Rolls in States Act or the Save Voters Act This bill prohibits a state from removing registrants from the official list of eligible voters unless it meets certain verification and notice requirements. Specifically, the bill prohibits a state from removing a registrant from the official list of eligible voters unless it verifies, on the basis of objective and reliable evidence, that the registrant is ineligible to vote in federal elections. Further, a state is prohibited from considering failure to vote in an election or failure to respond to any election mail as evidence of ineligibility to vote. Additionally, the bill requires a state to provide individual registrants who are removed with a notice, which must include the grounds for the removal and information on contesting the removal. Public notice must be provided after conducting any general program to remove the names of ineligible voters.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2022
Same Day Registration Act This bill requires states with a voter registration requirement to make same-day voter registration available at the polling place on any day voting is permitted.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act This bill addresses various public land concerns in Malheur County in Oregon, including grazing. The bill also designates wilderness areas and conveys land to the Burns Paiute Tribe in Oregon.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 2022 This bill authorizes various activities in connection with Civilian Conservation Centers. For example, the Departments of Agriculture and of the Interior shall offer at Civilian Conservation Centers specialized training programs focused on (1) forestry and rangeland management, (2) wildland firefighting, or (3) any other topic related to the mission of the Forest Service or Interior or the public interest.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Digital Equity Foundation Act of 2022 This bill sets out a process for establishing the Foundation for Digital Equity to raise funding for, develop programs and partnerships to, and otherwise support efforts to expand access to broadband internet and promote digital literacy, inclusion, and equity. The bill authorizes the foundation to carry out a range of activities to advance its mission, such as (1) establishing for-profit subsidiaries to stimulate economic development and attract investment partners, and (2) awarding grants.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2022 This bill expands the Teacher Loan Forgiveness program. Among other provisions, the bill (1) renames the program the Educator Loan Forgiveness program, (2) expands program eligibility to early childhood educators and program directors serving in early childhood education programs and school leaders serving in public high-need schools, and (3) establishes a program in which the Department of Education cancels monthly student loan payments during qualifying service and provides complete loan forgiveness after five years of service.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2022
National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2022 This bill sets out a pilot program to support state agencies, state boards of nursing, nursing schools, or other eligible entities with establishing or expanding state-based nursing workforce centers that carry out research, planning, and programs to address nursing shortages, nursing education, and other matters affecting the nursing workforce. The bill also expands the authority of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish health workforce research centers and specifically requires that HRSA establish a center focused on nursing.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2022
This bill establishes within Mount Hood National Forest one or more Indian Treaty Resources Emphasis Zones in areas agreed upon by the Forest Service and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon to protect and enhance treaty resources, protect the reservation from wildfires, and enable a comanagement strategy between the Forest Service and the tribe.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2022
This resolution remembers Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her more than 70 years of service in support of the British people and the Commonwealth of Nations. The resolution also expresses gratitude to Queen Elizabeth II for her efforts to maintain strong bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and the United States. Finally, the resolution extends condolences to the family of Queen Elizabeth II, to the people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and to the peoples of the Commonwealth of Nations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2022
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2022 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2022 This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements. Specifically, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda. The Government Accountability Office must, for each four-year election cycle, study and report on the incidence of illicit foreign money in federal elections. Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the Federal Election Commission to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle. The bill also requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
United States · United States Congress · 8 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 · 7 September 2022
This resolution urges the Brazilian government to ensure that the October 2022 elections are conducted in a free, fair, credible, transparent, and peaceful manner that enables all citizens of Brazil to exercise the right to vote. The resolution call for the U.S. government to immediately recognize the outcome of the election in Brazil, if that election is determined by international observers and organizations to have been free and fair.
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 2022
This resolution expresses that the Senate has heard the announcement of the death of the Honorable Jacqueline R. Walorski, Congresswoman for the Second Congressional District of Indiana. The resolution also honors Representative Walorski for her service to Indiana and the United States. The resolution expresses that when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Representative Walorski.
![Official portrait of Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001176_200.jpg)