This non-binding resolution, introduced in March 2022, calls for the House wing of the U.S. Capitol and House Office Buildings to reopen to the public, citing the unprecedented closure since March 2020 as the longest in history. It urges removing visitor restrictions like logs and prioritizing public access, noting that other state capitols and public venues operated safely during the same period. As a "sense" resolution, it does not mandate action but expresses the House’s position on restoring public access to a democratic symbol. The resolution specifically targets the House wing (not the full Capitol) and aims to encourage the Capitol Police and House leadership to act.
This resolution expresses that the House of Representatives does not recognize Russia as the inheritor of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics' seat as a permanent member on the U.N. Security Council, and encourages the Biden Administration to take all necessary action at the United Nations to remove Russia from its position as a permanent member of the Security Council.
No Energy Revenues for Russian Hostilities Act of 2022 This bill prohibits, with some exceptions, the Department of the Treasury from authorizing certain energy-related transactions that would otherwise be blocked by an executive order barring transactions related to specified harmful foreign activities of the Russian government. The bill also revokes a license issued February 28, 2022, by the Office of Foreign Assets Control within Treasury that authorized certain transactions barred by the executive order. The bill allows a waiver from the limitation on an energy transaction if the transaction involves funds owed to a Russian person and the funds are to be used for the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices. The bill terminates on the earlier of five years after its enactment, or 30 days after the President reports to Congress that Russia has ceased activities destabilizing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
This resolution supports reopening the U.S. Capitol Building and Senate Office Buildings to visitors under the public visitation policies that were in place before the COVID-19 pandemic.
H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2022 This bill modifies requirements related to H-1B (specialty occupation) and L-1 (intracompany transfers) nonimmigrant visas and contains related provisions. Provisions relating to H-1B visas include requiring the Department of Labor to review petitions for indicators of fraud or misrepresentation of material fact; requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize certain petitions, with top priority for workers with advanced degrees in science, technology, or engineering; requiring an H-1B worker to possess at minimum a bachelor's degree to meet specialty occupation requirements (currently, relevant experience may be used instead); and prohibiting an alien classifiable in certain H-1B categories from obtaining a B-1 (temporary business visitor) visa. Provisions relating to L-1 visas include requiring a waiver from Labor for an L-1 worker to be primarily stationed with an employer other than the petitioning employer; prohibiting an alien from receiving an L-1 visa to open or be employed in a new office if the alien has received two or more such visas in the last two years; and increasing the L-1 worker minimum wage to the highest of certain amounts, such as the median wage for the worker's occupational classification in the area of employment (currently, an L-1 worker must be paid at least the higher of the federal or state minimum wage). In regards to both visas, the bill (1) expands the authority of DHS and Labor to take various enforcement actions, and (2) directs DHS to conduct annual audits of a certain percentage of employers.
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 This bill authorizes Department of Defense (DOD) activities and programs for FY2022 and addresses various other issues. For example, the bill provides multiyear procurement authority for certain helicopters and destroyers; imposes various cost and operational limits on the F-35 aircraft program; requires DOD to establish a consortium of institutions of higher education to study irregular warfare; generally prohibits DOD from disposing of certain waste, including hazardous waste, in open-air burn pits outside of the United States; requires DOD to impose a temporary moratorium on burning perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred to as PFAS); expands Selective Service registration to include women; requires the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard to appoint special victim prosecutors; requires that a formal complaint alleging sexual harassment committed by a service member against another service member be investigated by an independent investigator; authorizes the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy to take actions to provide nonmedical counseling services to military families through the DOD Family Readiness System; directs DOD to implement certain recommendations for reducing gender-related inequities in out-of-pocket uniform costs; requires DOD to provide a basic needs allowance to low-income service members; extends temporary authorities for providing premium pay and benefits to certain DOD civilian employees; establishes within the General Services Administration the National Digital Reserve Corps to help address the digital and cybersecurity needs of executive agencies; extends authority for DOD to support stabilization activities in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia; and imposes sanctions on entities (and certain officers and shareholders of such entities) responsible for operating, constructing, or operating the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination , which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on November 5, 2021. The rule requires health care providers, as a condition of Medicare and Medicaid participation, to ensure that staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
HRES 952 is a resolution expressing the U.S. House of Representatives' support for designating February 28, 2022, as "Rare Disease Day." It recognizes that rare diseases affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. and that over 7,000 such conditions impact approximately 1 in 10 Americans. The resolution calls for improved awareness, earlier diagnosis, and support for developing treatments, diagnostics, and cures for rare diseases. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws, funding, or direct policy changes but aims to highlight challenges faced by individuals with rare diseases and their families.
HRES 946 is a symbolic House resolution supporting improved cardiovascular health for women in the U.S. It does not create new laws or funding but encourages action on key issues affecting women. The resolution specifically calls for increased participation of women - especially women of color - in cardiovascular clinical trials, greater awareness of advanced treatment options for heart recovery, and collaboration among healthcare providers, manufacturers, and patient advocates. It highlights that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women but notes women are often underdiagnosed and underrepresented in medical research. The resolution aims to address these gaps through awareness and partnership, not through new policy mandates.
This resolution expresses that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the energy independence of the United States is critical to national security and should include the production and use of all available energy sources, including coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear energy, and renewables, as well as strategic minerals critical to electric vehicles and other clean energy sources; and President Biden should take immediate action to restore the energy security of the United States and provide U.S. allies with an affordable and secure supply of energy.
American Energy Independence Act of 2022 This bill addresses U.S. energy independence, the production and importation of oil and natural gas, and the rescission of specified environmental requirements. Specifically, the bill directs the President to develop a plan for the United States to achieve energy independence by 2024. The Department of Energy (DOE) must also develop a program and issue rules to ensure that the United States achieves such energy independence and becomes a net exporter of energy. The bill also addresses energy pipelines, including by approving the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline in Phillips County, Montana for the import of oil from Canada to the United States. It also provides for energy production, including by requiring regulations to be issued by DOE to reduce requirements on entities harvesting energy through hydraulic fracturing, the Department of Transportation to promote stable and affordable gasoline and diesel prices, and the Department of the Interior to promote the leasing of federal land for oil and natural gas production. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must identify and repeal certain regulations that substantially reduce energy independence. Further, the bill prohibits the use of any funds to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. Finally, the bill rescinds (1) Executive Order 14008 about tackling climate change, (2) the 2021 proposed rule issued by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about the scope of the Clean Water Act, and (3) the 2021 proposed rule issued by the EPA about methane gas emissions.
Freedom to Fly Maskless Act of 2022 This bill restricts the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Aviation Administration to issue regulations or safety standards that apply to interstate travelers for preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Specifically, the bill prohibits regulations or safety standards that require an interstate traveler to (1) undergo screening, testing, or treatment (e.g., vaccination); (2) quarantine or isolate; or (3) wear a face covering.
