Rep. Ron Estes

TCJA Permanency Act 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 reductions in 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 for 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 limits the deduction for moving expenses to active duty members of the Armed Forces. Additionally, the bill expands the types of elementary and secondary school expenses eligible for payment from qualified tuition programs (529 programs); lowers to $750,000 the amount of mortgage debt eligible for an interest expense tax deduction; reinstates after 2023 the exclusion of income from the gross income of student loan borrowers for loan debt discharged due to death or total and permanent 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.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1368) is a symbolic House of Representatives expression of support for the 50th anniversary of the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. It honors the festival’s founding in 1972 by Bob and Kendra Redford and others, highlighting its role as a long-running music event featuring championships in flatpicking, bluegrass, and other genres. The resolution specifically recognizes the festival’s community impact, educational value, and status as a gathering place for musicians and attendees since 1972. It does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the festival’s significance to Cowley County and its 50-year legacy.

Protect the UNBORN (Undo the Negligent Biden Orders Right Now) Act or the Protect the UNBORN Act This bill prohibits federal implementation of and funding for specified executive orders that address access to reproductive health care services, including services related to pregnancy or the termination of a pregnancy.

Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2022 This bill establishes several requirements and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Specifically, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards, including the ability to provide real-time decisions in response to requests for items and services that are routinely approved; (2) annually publish specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations.

Ensuring Seniors' Access to Quality Care Act This bill repeals certain restrictions under Medicare and Medicaid that prohibit the approval of nurse-aide training and competency evaluation programs in skilled nursing facilities that have been subject to specified regulatory actions (e.g., civil penalties) for substandard quality of care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must still disapprove such programs for up to two years; however, the CMS must rescind the disapproval upon completion of corrective action and may require additional oversight of the program for purposes of rescission. The bill also allows Medicaid and Medicare providers (e.g., skilled nursing facilities) to access, through the National Practitioner Data Bank, disciplinary information for affiliated physicians and other health care practitioners, as reported by state licensing authorities.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1344) is a symbolic gesture expressing the House's support for celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. It recognizes the festival's history since 1972, founded by Bob and Kendra Redford, and its role as a long-running music event featuring championships in flat pick, finger style, and other acoustic genres. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds; it merely affirms congressional backing for the festival's milestone anniversary celebration. It directly acknowledges the Redford family's legacy and the festival's significance to the Cowley County community and music lovers.

Protecting the Permian Basin Act of 2022 This bill eliminates a program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that provides incentives for petroleum and natural gas systems to reduce their emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases. It also repeals a charge on methane emissions from specific types of facilities that are required to report their greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program.

National World War II Memorial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia. The design of the coins shall be emblematic of the memorial and the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during World War II. All surcharges received from the sale of such coins shall be paid to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the memorial, and for educational and commemorative programs.

Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2022 or the SECURE Notarization Act of 2022 This bill allows a notary public commissioned under state law to remotely notarize electronic records and perform notarizations for remotely located individuals. The bill provides technical requirements for such notarizations, including the creation and retention of video and audio recordings and the use of communication technologies (i.e., video chat). Additionally, the bill requires U.S. courts and states to recognize notarizations—including remote notarizations of electronic records and notarizations of remotely-located individuals—that occur in or affect interstate commerce and are performed by a notary public commissioned under the laws of other states. The bill also allows a notary public to remotely notarize electronic records involving an individual located outside of the United States, subject to certain requirements.

Formula Act This bill provides through December 31, 2022, duty-free treatment to infant formula. During this time period, articles of infant formula shall not be subject to (1) any additional safeguard duties that may be imposed under subchapter IV of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule; or (2) any other import quotas, tariff-rate quotas, additional duties, or any other duties, fees, exactions, or charges that otherwise would apply to such articles. Importers shall provide the applicable and anticipated tariff classifications for articles of infant formula on applicable customs entry documents.