Rep. Sean Casten

Protecting Communities from Plastics Act This bill sets forth a variety of requirements and incentives to reduce the production and use of plastics and other petrochemicals, including by directing the Environmental Protection Agency to place a temporary pause on certain new permits for petrochemical facilities under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.

Lymphedema Treatment Act This bill provides for Medicare coverage of lymphedema compression treatment items. Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of standard and custom fitted gradient compression garments and other approved items that are prescribed by a physician or other specified health care professional to treat lymphedema.

Pullman National Historical Park Act This bill redesignates the Pullman National Monument in Illinois as the Pullman National Historical Park. Specifically, the Pullman National Monument, is abolished and all lands or interests in land that constitute the monument are incorporated in, and shall be considered to be part of, the historical park. Any funds available for purposes of the monument shall be made available for purposes of the historical park.

Safeguarding America's Future and Environment Act or the SAFE Act The bill requires the development of an integrated national approach to help fish, wildlife, and plants adapt to extreme weather changes and climate change. Specifically, the bill requires the President to establish an interagency National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy Joint Implementation Working Group. The working group must adopt the 2013 National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy, which addresses the effects of extreme weather and climate change on fish, wildlife, and plants. After the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences releases a periodic scientific assessment required under the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the working group must use sound science to review and revise the strategy to incorporate new information and advances in the development of strategies to help fish, wildlife, and plants adapt. Each federal agency must integrate the strategy into agency plans, environmental reviews, and programs. The Department of the Interior must establish a National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center to assess and develop scientific information, tools, strategies, and techniques to support the working group and other interested parties in addressing the effects of extreme weather and climate change. Interior must establish an Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Sciences to advise the working group.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 75 Commerce Drive in Grayslake, Illinois, as the Army Specialist Joseph "Joey" W. Dimock II Post Office Building.

Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2022 or the PAST Act of 2022 This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.

Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act This bill reauthorizes and expands (1) child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and other institutional food service programs; and (2) the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2022 This bill directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to promulgate a standard that requires employers to implement certain measures for protecting workers from heat stress and related illnesses or injuries. Heat stress refers to the load of heat that a person experiences due to sources of heat or heat retention (including metabolic heat, environmental factors, and clothing or personal protective equipment) or the presence of heat in a work setting. Further, if an employer cannot reduce exposure to heat stress below hazardous levels through engineering controls (e.g., heat shields and insulation) or personal protective equipment (e.g., heat reflective clothing), the employer must implement a program that mitigates such exposure through access to appropriate hydration and cool-down spaces, acclimatization policies, and periodic paid rest breaks. Additionally, the bill establishes requirements concerning judicial review, implementation, enforcement, recordkeeping, and whistle-blower protections related to the standard. The bill also requires the Department of Labor to include questions about heat-related illness and injury in the National Agricultural Workers Survey (an employment-based, random-sample survey of U.S. crop workers that collects demographic, employment, and health information).

Dr. Joanne Smith Memorial Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act of 2022 This bill directs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to publish and biennially update a list of all rehabilitation innovation centers. The bill defines rehabilitation innovation centers as rehabilitation facilities that (1) hold specified federal research and training designations for traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury research, and (2) serve at least a certain number of Medicare patients. The CMS may waive such criteria as it deems appropriate.

This concurrent resolution expresses opposition to the application of criminal laws to pregnancy outcomes and affirms that people deserve access to high-quality health care without fear of reprisal or punishment.