Rep. Raul Ruiz

Native Educator Support and Training Act or the NEST Act This bill establishes scholarships, loan forgiveness plans, and training programs for students and educators who commit to teaching in Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools or other specified schools serving Indian students. The bill establishes three scholarship programs: (1) the Indian Student Educator Scholarship Program for students seeking degrees, (2) the Indian Educator Scholarship Program for Indian students seeking degrees, and (3) the Indian Educator Graduate Fellowship Program for Indian students seeking graduate degrees. Recipients of the scholarships must commit to working for a BIE school, a tribal early childhood education program, or other specified schools or agencies for the greater of three years or the number of school years that the scholarship funded. The bill also establishes loan forgiveness programs for educators and Indians who have taught for at least five consecutive years at BIE schools or local educational agencies with high percentages of Indian students. The bill extends the federal Perkins Loan Cancellation Program to educators teaching in BIE schools or in Native American language immersion programs. The bill authorizes professional development grants for Native-serving elementary and secondary schools. It also establishes the Native American Language Teacher Training Program to provide grants for institutions of higher education to develop training programs for Native American immersion and language teachers.

Renewable Energy Jobs Act This bill directs the Department of Labor to establish a pilot program to award competitive grants to certain eligible entities (i.e., renewable energy and energy efficiency employers and workforce development boards as primary entities and institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and labor organizations as secondary entities) to train individuals for careers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries.

Rewarding American Investments to Support Employees Act of 2022 or the RAISE Act of 2022 This bill allows employers a tax credit for 10% of the excess of the aggregate amount of wages paid to specified employees (i.e., continuously-employed employees whose earned wages do not exceed $75,000 in a calendar year) in a taxable year, over the aggregate amount of wages paid to such employees during the immediately preceding calendar year. The amount of such credit may not exceed $500,000 for any employer in any taxable year.

Salton Sea Public Health and Environmental Protection Act of 2022 This bill provides support for restoring the Salton Sea in California. Specifically, the Bureau of Reclamation must establish a program to provide for water quality improvements, dust mitigation, and environmental restoration at the Salton Sea. The Department of the Interior must, in coordination with efforts by California, engage in activities to improve dust control and habitat conservation. Interior must also establish a Salton Sea Council to coordinate and expedite various Salton Sea projects.

Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the legacy of Harriet Tubman as an abolitionist. The Secretary may issue coins under this bill only during the period of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid equally to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and The Harriet Tubman Home, Inc. in Auburn, New York, for the purpose of accomplishing and advancing their missions.

Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 This bill makes it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, except for certain shotguns; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; (4) only capable of firing rimfire ammunition; or (5) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. The bill also exempts from the prohibition the following, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The bill also allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.

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.

This resolution recognizes the importance of Chicano Heritage Month and asserts that Mexican Americans enhance the diversity and strength of the United States.

Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, election as the first African American woman in Congress, and campaign to be the first African American to gain the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.

Desert Lands Protection Act This bill revises a provision regarding the California Desert Conservation Area to specify that the prohibition on activities contrary to the conservation purposes of the area only applies within the area.