Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis

Fleet Reserve Association 100th Anniversary 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 in recognition and celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Fleet Reserve Association. All sales of coins issued under this bill shall include a surcharge which shall be paid to the Fleet Reserve Association.

Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act This bill updates policies and procedures related to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances. Specifically, the bill extends the eligibility period for VA hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for combat veterans who served after September 11, 2001, and were exposed to toxic substances, radiation, or other conditions, including those who did not enroll to receive VA care during the eligibility period. The VA must incorporate into its existing health care screening a screening to help determine potential exposures to toxic substances during military service. Among other requirements, the VA must also provide annual training to health care and benefits personnel with respect to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances; analyze total and respiratory disease mortality in veterans who served in specified locations on specified dates; conduct an epidemiological study on the health trends of veterans who served in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001; conduct a study to determine trends in the rates of the incidence of cancer in veterans; publish a list of VA resources for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances, families and caregivers of such veterans, and survivors of such veterans who are receiving death benefits; and report on the data quality of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record and its usefulness in supporting veterans in receiving VA health care and benefits.

Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2022 This bill makes permanent provisions affecting individual and business taxpayers that were enacted in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The bill makes permanent provisions that reduce individual and capital gain tax rates. The bill increases the standard tax deduction for individual taxpayers. It also increases and modifies the child tax credit and raises the contribution base for the tax deduction of charitable contributions. The bill allows additional contributions to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt accounts designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save and pay for disability-related expenses). It exempts from taxation combat zone benefits of members of the Armed Forces serving in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and the moving expenses of servicemembers. Additionally, the bill lowers to $750,000 the amount of mortgage debt eligible for an interest expense tax deduction; excludes from the gross income of student borrowers income attributable to the discharge after 2025 of loan debt due to death or disability; makes permanent the limitation on the tax deduction for state and local taxes and denies a deduction for foreign real property taxes; makes permanent the tax deduction of the income of certain pass-through business entities; repeals the tax deduction for personal tax exemptions and the exclusion of employer-provided bicycle commuter fringe benefits; terminates certain miscellaneous itemized tax deductions; doubles the estate and gift tax exemption amount; and makes permanent the increase of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individual taxpayers.

DMEPOS Relief Act of 2022 or the DRA of 2022 This bill increases payment adjustments for certain items that were included in Round 2021 of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program but for which contracts were not executed. The bill applies to items that are furnished between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, and that were not subject to the unadjusted fee schedule amount as of January 1, 2021. Under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sets payment for certain durable medical equipment under Medicare based on a competitive bidding process with suppliers, rather than the fee schedule amount. The CMS included 16 product categories in Round 2021 of the program but ultimately did not award contracts for 13 of these categories (that were also in previous rounds) as the resulting payment amounts did not achieve expected savings.

Due Process Continuity of Care Act This bill allows an otherwise eligible individual who is in custody pending disposition of charges (i.e., pretrial detainees) to receive Medicaid benefits at the option of the state. The bill also provides funds for state planning grants to support the provision of such benefits.

This bill requires the military departments to reinstate individuals (upon their request) who were involuntarily separated from the Armed Forces solely based on their refusal to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Such individuals must be reinstated in the grade they held prior to the separation.

Restore Veterans' Compensation Act of 2022 This bill eliminates the recoupment of separation pay, special separation benefits, and voluntary separation incentive payments from members of the Armed Forces who subsequently receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition, the bill limits recoupment of such pay from service members who subsequently receive military retired or retainer pay.

Protecting Life in Health Savings Accounts Act This bill prohibits distributions from health savings accounts (HSAs) or other tax-preferred savings accounts for abortions except for abortions to terminate a pregnancy that is the result or rape or incest or to protect a women's health or life.

Veterans Early Treatment for Chronic Ailment Resurgence through Examinations Act of 2021 or the VET CARE Act of 2021 This bill addresses dental care programs for veterans. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish administrative support to a dental care provider that provides services to a veteran that would not be covered by VA benefits. The bill also requires the VA to implement a pilot program to provide free outpatient dental services and treatment, and related dental appliances, to eligible veterans. Eligible veterans are those who are (1) enrolled in the VA health care system but are not eligible for VA dental care, (2) not receiving regular periodontal care, (3) between 40 and 70 years old, and (4) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities for scientific research utilizing data from expanded access to investigational ALS treatments for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for clinical trials.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. HHS shall also establish the Public-Private Partnership for Neurodegenerative Diseases between the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and at least one eligible entity (generally, an institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization). The partnership shall support the development and regulatory review of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. The FDA shall publish on its website a five-year action plan for fostering the development of drugs that improve or extend the lives of people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress about the grants provided under this bill, including an analysis of the impact of such grants on research and development of treatments for ALS.