Protect Camp Lejeune Victims Ensnared by Trial-lawyer's Scams Act or the Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act This bill limits attorney's fees for claims involving individuals who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
Alaska Offshore Parity Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to share more revenues derived from energy and mineral development in the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) region with Alaska and its coastal political subdivisions. Currently, only revenue generated by certain nearshore areas of the OCS is shared with Alaska. Alaska may use the funding from such revenue for coastal protection, coastal infrastructure, systems to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions, programs at institutions of higher education, and other related purposes.
Continuity for Operators with Necessary Training Required for ATC Contract Towers Act of 2021 or the CONTRACT Act of 2021 This bill exempts certain air traffic controllers from a required reduction in their retirement annuity payment on account of earnings from certain work performed while entitled to such annuity. Under current law, retired Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers receive an annuity payment during the period between the mandatory retirement age of 56 and the Social Security minimum age of 62. Such annuity payment is required to be reduced by a certain percentage of any excess earnings during this period. The bill exempts from such reduction in annuity payments an air traffic controller who participates in the Air Traffic Control Contract Program (a public-private partnership for air traffic control services) following mandatory retirement.
250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and shall only be used for the purposes of supporting the mission of the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
This bill authorizes the Department of Commerce to award competitive grants to Indian tribes to further achievement of tribal coastal zone objectives. Specifically, these tribal coastal zone objectives include protecting, restoring, or preserving areas in the zone that hold important ecological, cultural, or sacred significance for the tribes or traditional, historic, and aesthetic values essential to the tribes; preparing and implementing a special area management plan and technical planning for important coastal areas; and implementing any coastal or shoreline stabilization measure for the purpose of public safety, public access, or cultural or historical preservation.
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.
This bill recognizes Alexander Creek, Incorporated, as an Alaska Native village corporation, subject to certain conditions, and Alexander Creek village as an Alaska Native village. Alexander Creek, Incorporated, must submit to the Department of the Interior any amendments to its state corporate charter that are necessary to convert from a group corporation to a village corporation. The bill requires Interior to offer to enter into negotiations with Alexander Creek, Incorporated, to settle aboriginal land claims and any other claims against the United States. As a condition of recognition as a village corporation, Alexander Creek, Incorporated must enter into such an agreement with Interior no later than 13 months after this bill's enactment. Alexander Creek, Incorporated, must notify its members that (1) they will cease to receive benefits from Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated, individually as at-large shareholders, and (2) all future resource payments shall be retained by Alexander Creek, Incorporated.
This bill recognizes Alexander Creek, Incorporated, as an Alaska Native village corporation, subject to certain conditions, and Alexander Creek village as an Alaska Native village. Alexander Creek, Incorporated, must submit to the Department of the Interior any amendments to its state corporate charter that are necessary to convert from a group corporation to a village corporation. The bill requires Interior to offer to enter into negotiations with Alexander Creek, Incorporated, to settle aboriginal land claims and any other claims against the United States. As a condition of recognition as a village corporation, Alexander Creek, Incorporated must enter into such an agreement with Interior no later than 13 months after this bill's enactment. Alexander Creek, Incorporated, must notify its members that (1) they will cease to receive benefits from Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated, individually as at-large shareholders, and (2) all future resource payments shall be retained by Alexander Creek, Incorporated.
This bill excludes certain settlement trust payments to an Alaska Native or descendant of an Alaska Native who is aged, blind, or disabled for purposes of determining the individual's eligibility for need-based federal programs (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
This concurrent resolution recognizes that people with disabilities experience barriers to access every day and pledges to make universal and inclusive design a guiding principle for all infrastructure bills and projects.
This resolution addresses issues related to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the resolution recognizes the importance of independent living for individuals with disabilities made possible by the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and encourages all Americans to celebrate the advancement of inclusion and equality of opportunity made possible by its enactment; pledges to continue to work on a bipartisan basis to identify and address the remaining barriers that undermine the national goals of equality of opportunity, independent living, economic self-sufficiency, and full participation for individuals with disabilities; pledges to work with states to improve access to home- and community-based services for individuals with disabilities; calls on the Department of Labor to develop policies and practices and provide technical assistance to enable individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency; and calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to provide information, resources, and technical assistance regarding such services that enable individuals with disabilities to live independently.
Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2022 or the POWER 2.0 Act This bill makes permanent the requirement for the chief judge of each federal judicial district to lead, at least annually, a public event to promote pro bono legal services for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The requirement was enacted in 2018; it is scheduled to sunset after a four-year period.
