Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act or the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act This bill expands eligibility for Veterans Health Administration mammography screenings to veterans who served in certain locations during specified periods, including those who were exposed to toxic substances at such locations. The specified locations and corresponding time periods include Iraq between August 2, 1990, and February 28, 1991, and from March 19, 2003, until burn pits (areas used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) are no longer used in Iraq; the Southwest Asia theater of operations, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar, from August 2, 1990, until burn pits are no longer used in such locations; Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Yemen from September 11, 2001, until burn pits are no longer used in such locations; and other locations and time periods as determined by the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. The bill specifies that the listed locations do not include bodies of water around or airspace above such locations.
United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the U.S. Army Rangers Veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take certain actions to address emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions (particularly the shortage of infant formula in the United States) affecting participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The bill directs USDA to require each infant formula cost containment contract to include remedies in the event of an infant formula recall, including how an infant formula manufacturer would protect against disruption to WIC participants in the state. USDA must, within 30 days, ensure there is a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Health and Human Services that includes procedures for coordination and information sharing regarding any supply chain disruption, including a supplemental food recall. The bill also authorizes USDA to waive or modify any WIC qualified administrative requirement during emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions. Specifically, USDA may waive or modify such a requirement for one or more state agencies if (1) the requirement cannot be met by state agencies during the emergency, disaster, or disruption; and (2) the modification or waiver is necessary to provide assistance to WIC participants and does not substantially weaken the nutritional quality of supplemental foods. For example, USDA may waive the maximum monthly allowance for infant formula. The bill establishes notification requirements for USDA and state agencies related to supply chain disruptions.
Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 This act provides $40.1 billion in FY2022 emergency supplemental appropriations for activities to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The act provides appropriations to several federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Treasury. Among other things, the act provides appropriations for defense equipment, migration and refugee assistance, regulatory and technical support regarding nuclear power issues, emergency food assistance, economic assistance, and seizures of property related to the invasion.
Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 This bill temporarily waives certain requirements related to the President's authority to lend or lease defense articles if the defense articles are intended for Ukraine's government or the governments of other Eastern European countries affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. For FY2022 and FY2023, an agreement to lend or lease defense articles under this bill shall not be subject to certain requirements and provisions that typically apply to such lend-lease agreements, including a requirement that generally prohibits a loan or lease period from exceeding five years. The President must establish expedited procedures to ensure the timely delivery of defense articles loaned or leased to Ukraine under this bill.
Better Cybercrime Metrics Act This bill establishes various requirements to improve the collection of data related to cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime (cybercrime). Among the requirements the Department of Justice (DOJ) must enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to develop a taxonomy for categorizing different types of cybercrime faced by individuals and businesses; DOJ must establish a category in the National Incident-Based Reporting System for collecting cybercrime reports from federal, state, and local officials; DOJ's Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Bureau of the Census must include questions about cybercrime in the annual National Crime Victimization Survey; and the Government Accountability Office must assess the effectiveness of reporting mechanisms for cybercrime and disparities in reporting cybercrime data and other types of crime data.
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain, and the Architect of the Capitol to permanently install in the U.S. Capitol or on the U.S. Capitol Grounds, statues honoring Associate Justices of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act This bill suspends normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus. It also permanently authorizes the President to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions based on violations of human rights. Specifically, the bill authorizes the President to proclaim increases in the rates of duty applicable to products of Russia or Belarus. This authority terminates on January 1, 2024. The President may restore normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, subject to congressional disapproval. The bill directs the U.S. Trade Representative to (1) condemn the recent aggression in Ukraine, (2) encourage other World Trade Organization (WTO) members to suspend trade concessions to Russia and Belarus, (3) consider steps to suspend Russia's participation in the WTO, and (4) seek to halt the accession process of Belarus.
Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act This bill prohibits the importation of energy products from Russia. Specifically, the bill prohibits the importation of Russian products that are classified under chapter 27 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (which includes mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation, bituminous substances, and mineral waxes). The President may terminate this prohibition, subject to congressional disapproval, if the President certifies that Russia (1) has reached an agreement to withdraw Russian forces and cease military hostilities in Ukraine, (2) poses no immediate military threat of aggression to any North Atlantic Treaty Organization member, and (3) recognizes the right of the Ukrainian people to independently and freely choose their own government.
Postal Service Reform Act of 202 2 This bill addresses the finances and operations of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The bill requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to establish the Postal Service Health Benefits Program within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program under which OPM may contract with carriers to offer health benefits plans for USPS employees and retirees. The bill provides for coordinated enrollment of retirees under this program and Medicare. The bill repeals the requirement that the USPS annually prepay future retirement health benefits. Additionally, the USPS may establish a program to enter into agreements with an agency of any state government, local government, or tribal government, and with other government agencies, to provide certain nonpostal products and services that reasonably contribute to the costs of the USPS and meet other specified criteria. The USPS must develop and maintain a publicly available dashboard to track service performance and must report regularly on its operations and financial condition. The Postal Regulatory Commission must annually submit to the USPS a budget of its expenses. It must also conduct a study to identify the causes and effects of postal inefficiencies relating to flats (e.g., large envelopes). The USPS Office of Inspector General shall perform oversight of the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Emmett Till Antilynching Act This bill makes lynching a federal hate crime offense. Specifically, the bill imposes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 30 years, or both—on an individual who conspires to commit a hate crime offense that results in death or serious bodily injury or that includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.
Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act This bill establishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health among health care providers. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants to hospitals, medical professional associations, and other health care entities for programs to promote mental health and resiliency among health care providers. In addition, HHS may award grants for relevant mental and behavioral health training for health care students, residents, or professionals. Additionally, HHS must conduct a campaign to (1) encourage health care providers to seek support and treatment for mental and behavioral health concerns, and (2) disseminate best practices to prevent suicide and improve mental health and resiliency among health care providers. HHS must also study and develop policy recommendations on improving mental and behavioral health among health care providers, removing barriers to accessing care and treatment, and identifying strategies to promote resiliency. Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office must report on the extent to which relevant federal grant programs address the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions and substance use disorders among health care providers.
