Strengthening Tribal Families Act of 2022 This bill requires a state plan for child welfare services and a state plan related to the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program to ensure that the state shall comply with all federal standards established under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to submit biennial reports to Congress on certain reviews of child and family service programs.
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.
Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and expands programs for runaway, homeless, and disconnected youth, including resources and services to support youth victims of human trafficking and youth at risk of being trafficked.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Boundary Modification Act of 2021 This bill modifies the boundary of the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona and provides for a study of the feasibility of designating the Don Young Legacy Trail in Alaska. Specifically, with respect to the monument, the bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to acquire private or state land or interest in land by donation, exchange, or purchase from willing sellers in order to expand the boundaries of the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona. The bill transfers administrative jurisdiction over specified parcels of Bureau of Land Management land to the National Park Service (NPS) or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and specifies an exchange of land between the BIA and the NPS. Upon the acquisition of land or an interest in private or state land, and with respect to any transferred land, Interior shall administer the acquired or transferred land as part of the monument, and modify the boundary of the monument to include the acquired or transferred land. Interior may enter into an agreement with Arizona to provide for cooperative management of approximately 200 acres of specified state lands.
University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a program to identify and convey available federal land in Alaska to the University of Alaska for a land grant to support higher education. The bill also permits the BLM or the Department of Agriculture to acquire by purchase or exchange, with the university's consent, university-owned inholdings within conservation system units. Any land exchanged shall be of equal value. No later than four years after enactment of the bill, Alaska and the university may jointly identify no more than 500,000 acres of land for inclusion in the program, of which not more than 360,000 acres may be conveyed and patented to the university. Upon the request of Alaska and the university, the BLM shall provide technical assistance in the identification of land. If Alaska and the university notify the BLM in writing that Alaska and the university jointly concur with the conveyance of all or a portion of the land identified for conveyance, and that Alaska relinquishes its selection rights to the land covered by the notification, the BLM shall convey the land to the university, to be held in trust for the exclusive use and benefit of the university. The BLM shall notify Congress of the land conveyed and patented.
Social Security Fairness Act of 2021 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. These changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2021.
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.
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).
Military to Mariners Act of 2022 This bill modifies requirements related to U.S. Merchant Marine credentials for veterans and members of the uniformed services. Specifically, the bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard to review and examine all current procedures for issuing credentials for applicants who are veterans and members of the uniformed services seeking to become merchant mariners; provide the availability for a fully internet-based application process for a merchant mariner credential; issue new regulations to reduce the paperwork, delay, and other burdens for applicants for a merchant mariner credential who are veterans and members of the uniformed services and increase the percentages of time equivalent to sea service for such applicants; reduce burdens and create a means of alternative compliance to demonstrate instructor competency for Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers courses; and assess the use of the SkillBridge program of the Department of Defense as a means for transitioning active duty sea service personnel toward employment as a merchant mariner.
Simplify Timelines and Assure Regulatory Transparency Act or the START Act This bill sets forth a variety of provisions to expedite the environmental review of energy projects, such as the Mountain Valley Pipeline project.
Securing American Acquisitions, Readiness, and Military Stockpiles Act of 2022 or the Securing American ARMS Act of 2022 This bill provides that acquisition procedures other than competitive procedures may be used to (1) replenish United States stockpiles with like defense articles when stockpiles are diminished as a result of the response to an armed attack by a foreign adversary against a U.S. ally or partner, or (2) contract for the movement or delivery of defense articles transferred to such ally or partner through the President's drawdown authorities in connection with such response, provided that the United States is not a party to the hostilities. The head of the applicable agency must provide the congressional defense committees written notification of the use of such procedures within one week after such use.
Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2021 or the SAFE Banking Act of 2021 This bill generally prohibits a federal banking regulator from penalizing a depository institution for providing banking services to a legitimate cannabis-related business. Prohibited penalties include terminating or limiting the deposit insurance or share insurance of a depository institution solely because the institution provides financial services to a legitimate cannabis-related business and prohibiting or otherwise discouraging a depository institution from offering financial services to such a business. Additionally, proceeds from a transaction involving activities of a legitimate cannabis-related business are not considered proceeds from unlawful activity. Proceeds from unlawful activity are subject to anti-money laundering laws. Furthermore, a depository institution is not, under federal law, liable or subject to asset forfeiture for providing a loan or other financial services to a legitimate cannabis-related business. The bill also provides that a federal banking agency may not request or order a depository institution to terminate a customer account unless (1) the agency has a valid reason for doing so, and (2) that reason is not based solely on reputation risk. Valid reasons for terminating an account include threats to national security and involvement in terrorist financing, including state sponsorship of terrorism.
