United States Foundation for International Conservation Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of State to establish a foundation to provide grants for projects to manage protected and conserved areas in low- and middle-income countries with high levels of biological diversity or species and ecosystems of significant importance. Recipients of grants from this foundation must secure outside funding to match, at minimum, the amount of the grant.
Food Deserts Act This bill establishes a Department of Agriculture program to provide grants to states for revolving funds to support the establishment and operation of grocery stores in underserved communities. An underserved community is a community that has (1) limited access to affordable, healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, in grocery retail stores or farmer-to-consumer direct markets; and (2) a high rate of hunger or food insecurity or a high poverty rate. States must use the funds to make loans to support grocery stores in underserved communities, including for opening a store (excluding new construction), or supporting or purchasing an existing store. States may only make loans for grocery stores that meet requirements related to emphasizing unprocessed, healthful foods; providing staple foods and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables; having a plan to keep the foods in stock; charging affordable prices at or below market averages; meeting specified matching requirements using nonfederal funds; and being qualified to operate a store or having partnerships with organizations that provide technical assistance. States must prioritize loan applications from entities that meet criteria related to hiring workers from the underserved community, providing classes or educational information about a healthful diet, sourcing food from local urban farms and gardens, or demonstrating existing supply chain relationships or expertise in the grocery industry.
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.
Fire Grants and Safety Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2030 the U.S. Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) Grants Program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program. The bill imposes a new sunset date of 2032 for the SAFER and AFG programs.
SRES 846 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating November 2022 as "National College Application Month." It encourages all Americans to evaluate college options, submit financial aid applications (like the FAFSA), and support students in navigating the college application process. The resolution urges communities, educators, and officials to host activities promoting college applications and financial aid awareness, with a specific focus on helping low-income and first-generation students. It does not create new programs or funding but aims to raise awareness about higher education opportunities.
This resolution expresses support for the principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and memorializing the lives lost this year.
This bill prohibits the supervision requirements for physical therapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants for covered outpatient services under Medicare from being different from supervision requirements under state law.
Advancing Government Innovation with Leading-Edge Procurement Act of 2022 or the AGILE Procurement Act of 2022 This bill addresses federal procurement policy and barriers to entry in federal contracting. Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) to pilot a program for entry of junior and mid-career professionals to the General Schedule Contracting series workforce, including by (1) considering the inclusion of program participants from other job series and fields, and (2) providing alternatives to education and training requirements for entry into the General Schedule Contracting series workforce. The Federal Acquisition Institute must (1) incorporate experiential learning into the training framework for the General Schedule Contracting series, and (2) provide a cross-functional information and communications technology acquisition training program to acquisition workforce members involved in acquiring information and communications technology. The OFPP shall issue guidance (1) to inform executive agencies on the availability of streamlined and alternative procurement methods for procurement of information and communications technology; and (2) on when a wider range of projects, as well as government projects, should be accepted as relevant past performance. The OFPP must (1) convene a working group or an appropriate existing body to make recommendations to reduce barriers to entry for entities seeking to do business with the federal government, and (2) expand a pilot program to use noncompetitive procedures for certain follow-on contracts to qualified businesses wholly owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
Chance to Compete Act of 2022 This bill modifies examination requirements and other components of the federal hiring process for positions in the competitive service, including prohibiting examinations from consisting solely of a self-assessment from an automated examination, allowing for the use of subject matter experts to develop position-specific assessments, and requiring the creation of an online platform through which agencies may share developed assessments.
Reinvesting In Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems Act of 2022 or the RISEE Act of 2022 This bill expands the amount of revenue generated from leases for energy development on federal land or submerged lands in the Outer Continental Shelf that is shared with certain states and coastal communities. For example, the bill dedicates a percentage of the revenue generated from offshore wind leases for coastal states. Currently, this revenue is deposited in the U.S. Treasury. In addition, the bill increases the amount of revenue generated from offshore oil and gas leases that is shared with states under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act. States must use the funding from the revenue for specified purposes, such as coastal restoration, conservation, or infrastructure.
Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2022 This bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to collaborate with state, local, and tribal entities that are conducting or have completed community vulnerability assessments, research planning, climate action plans, or other similar activities related to ocean acidification and coastal acidification and their impacts of ocean acidification on coastal communities. NOAA must (1) support collaborative interagency relationships and information at the state, local , and tribal level; and (2) assist state, local, and tribal entities in improving existing systems and programs to better address ocean acidification and coastal acidification and identify whether such activities can be used as a model for other communities.
Preventive Services Early Action Act This bill requires the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to review scientific evidence concerning clinical preventive service recommendations and update those recommendations if supported by those reviews on a more frequent basis. The task force is an independent panel of national experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine that makes recommendations (subject to public comment) about clinical preventive services. Currently, the task force must review relevant evidence about its recommendations, and update them if necessary, at least once during every five-year period. Under this bill, the task force must implement a process for carrying out ongoing reviews of scientific evidence related to its existing recommendations and new topics and report findings and other information about those reviews on a quarterly basis. The bill also requires the task force to determine whether to initiate the process for updating or modifying a recommendation before the close of the five-year period if (1) the scientific review supports such early action, or (2) the Food and Drug Administration approves or clears a new screening test or medication that could serve as a preventive strategy or modality related to a recommendation.
