Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Law Act of 2021 This bill prohibits using federal funds to establish any diplomatic facility in Jerusalem other than the U.S. Embassy to Israel.
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.
This resolution supports the goals of National Catholic Schools Week, an event cosponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and established to recognize the contributions of Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States.
Maddy summaryHR 6518 would establish a new office within the U.S. Department of State, led by a Special Envoy, to address the global rise of authoritarian socialism and communism. The bill amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act to create this position, specifying it as a permanent part of the Department's structure. This change directly affects the Department of State by adding a dedicated leadership role focused on monitoring and countering these political systems internationally. The bill does not detail specific actions or policies for the office, only its creation and leadership structure.
Protecting Guides and Outfitters from Coronavirus Vaccine Mandates in the Great Outdoors Act This bill prohibits the denying of certain permit applications for activities on federal lands and waters for reasons based on the coronavirus vaccination status of applicants or their employees. Specifically, the Department of the Interior shall not deny based on vaccination status (1) a commercial use authorization to provide services to visitors to National Park System units, or (2) a special recreation permit for specialized recreation uses of federal recreational lands and waters.
This resolution condemns the repression of Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia and all brave Cuban activists, and demands their immediate and unconditional release from prison. The resolution also condemns the brutal torture and inhumane treatment of Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia by the Cuban regime and calls for an immediate humanitarian medical visit by an independent human rights organization to him and to all political prisoners who have been unjustly and illegally detained by the Cuban regime since July 11, 2021. Further, the resolution calls for the international community to stand with the Cuban people and against Cuba's totalitarian Communist regime for infringing on the freedom of thought, will, expression, assembly, and prosperity of the Cuban people. Finally, the resolution commends the courage of the pro-democracy movement and all freedom activists in Cuba for risking everything to bring freedom to the Cuban people.
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.
Land and Water Conservation Fund Water Amendments Act of 2021 This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for water quality improvement projects from amounts made available under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Interior shall only provide such financial assistance to projects that seek to improve water quality by improving, restoring, remediating, or developing natural hydrological systems, such as wetlands and living shorelines. To be eligible for assistance, a state's comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plan shall identify any body of water within the state for which a water quality control plan has been developed pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and any proposed water quality project to be conducted with respect to such body of water.
Taiwan Preclearance Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to report to Congress on various issues, including (1) a plan for establishing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility in the Indo-Pacific region; (2) an analysis of the feasibility and advisability of establishing a preclearance facility in Taiwan; and (3) an assessment of the impact that a preclearance facility will have on trade, tourism, and the security partnership between Taiwan and the United States. (Preclearance facilities are stations in designated foreign airports that inspect travelers prior to boarding U.S.-bound flights.)
