Rep. Tom Emmer

Continuity for Operators with Necessary Training Required for ATC Contract Towers Act of 2021 or the CONTRACT Act of 2021 This bill exempts certain air traffic controllers from a required reduction in their retirement annuity payment on account of earnings from certain work performed while entitled to such annuity. Under current law, retired Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers receive an annuity payment during the period between the mandatory retirement age of 56 and the Social Security minimum age of 62. Such annuity payment is required to be reduced by a certain percentage of any excess earnings during this period. The bill exempts from such reduction in annuity payments an air traffic controller who participates in the Air Traffic Control Contract Program (a public-private partnership for air traffic control services) following mandatory retirement.

Maddy summaryHRES 1114 is a non-binding House resolution expressing support for recognizing "National Police Week" as a way to honor law enforcement officers across the United States. The resolution acknowledges the service and sacrifices of law enforcement officers, particularly those who have died in the line of duty, and specifically references 619 officers who died in 2021 as listed in the resolution. This resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds but serves as a symbolic gesture to encourage public recognition of law enforcement personnel. It calls for Americans to observe National Police Week by honoring officers and raising awareness about their essential role in community safety. The resolution was introduced by multiple members of Congress and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

This resolution (1) supports the constitutional rights of parents to assemble and petition school boards, and (2) condemns the weaponization of federal law enforcement agencies against parents exercising their rights.

Maddy summaryHRES 566 is a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). The resolution recognizes CAP's 80 years of service, including its roles in disaster response (such as Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon spill, and the COVID-19 pandemic), search and rescue operations, support for the U.S. Air Force, and youth aviation education programs. It honors CAP's contributions as a volunteer organization with over 10,000 trained members and assets like 560 aircraft, which have impacted millions of Americans through community support and emergency services.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should not waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, or other related innovations.

Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for performing or attempting to perform an abortion if the probable gestational age of the fetus is 15 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.

Require Evaluation before Implementing Executive Wishlists Act of 2022 or the REVIEW Act of 202 2 This bill prohibits a final agency rule from taking effect until (1) the agency submits the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), and (2) OIRA makes a determination as to whether the rule is a high-impact rule that may impose an annual cost on the economy of at least $1 billion. In addition, an agency must postpone the effective date of a high-impact rule until the final disposition of all actions seeking judicial review of the rule.

Maddy summaryHR 8563, the Sunset Act of 2022, requires most federal agency rules to automatically expire 10 years after issuance unless Congress passes a specific extension. Agencies must submit reports to Congress 180 days before expiration and identify rules for annual review, with 10% of rules reviewed each year for 9 years. Congress can extend rules only through a joint resolution introduced within 3 days of receiving the agency report, requiring bipartisan leadership sponsorship. This law directly affects federal agencies (who create rules) and Congress (who must vote on extensions), changing how long regulations remain in effect without renewal.

Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2026 the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program. The program provides state, local, and tribal grants to improve the criminal justice system's response to people with mental health disorders. Among the modifications, the bill allows funds for diversion and alternative prosecution and sentencing programs to be used for training for state and local prosecutors related to diversion programs; allows funds for multidisciplinary teams to be used to support police officers and mental health crisis workers responding together to mental health calls; and allows grants to be awarded for additional purposes such as suicide prevention programs and services, case management services, and state and local implementation of the 988 suicide hotline. Additionally, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the requirement for the Department of Justice to examine and report on the prevalence of mentally ill offenders in prisons and jails.

Midland Over Moscow Act This bill imposes sanctions related to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and revises the expedited approval process for natural gas imports and exports in or out of the United States. (Nord Stream 2 is a pipeline constructed to increase the export of natural gas from Russia to Europe.) Within 10 days of this bill's enactment, the President must impose sanctions on any entity responsible for the planning, construction, maintenance, financing, or operation of Nord Stream 2, as well as any corporate officer or principal shareholder with a controlling interest in such an entity. The bill also revokes the President's authority to waive certain sanctions related to Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream, another Russian natural gas pipeline project. The bill also allows any nation, with specified exclusions, to use an expedited process to receive approval to import or export natural gas in or out of the United States (currently only a nation with a free trade agreement with the United States may use the expedited process). Specifically, the bill excludes any nation (1) subject to U.S.-imposed sanctions or trade restrictions, or (2) excluded by the President or Congress for national security reasons.