Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2021 This bill reauthorizes the Department of the Interior to collect fees on the production of coal through FY2036, expands the eligible uses of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, and revises requirements concerning the fund. Under current law, operators of active coal mines must pay such fees through FY2021. Revenue from the fees are deposited into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, which is used for the reclamation of abandoned coal mines. The bill authorizes Interior to reimburse states and tribal governments from the fund for the emergency restoration, reclamation, abatement, control, or prevention of adverse effects of coal mining practices. It also increases the minimum amount of funds from $3 million to $5 million that Interior must award to states and Indian tribes that have approved abandoned mine reclamation programs.

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.

This bill authorizes the deposit of specified interest payments for water rights settlements into the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund. Established in 2010 under separate settlement agreements, the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund is for the Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico and the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos' Fund is for the Pueblos of Nambe, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque, New Mexico.

This bill authorizes the deposit of specified interest payments for water rights settlements into the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund.

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).

This concurrent resolution supports the goals and ideals of the International Transgender Day of Visibility. It celebrates the accomplishments and leadership of transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and gender-diverse people.

Maddy summaryHJRES 53 proposes a constitutional amendment to ban slavery and involuntary servitude as a criminal punishment. Currently, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution permits such punishments for crimes, creating a legal loophole. If ratified by 3/4 of state legislatures, this amendment would eliminate that exception nationwide, making it unconstitutional to impose forced labor or slavery as part of criminal sentences. The change would directly affect all states' criminal justice systems, particularly prison labor practices, by prohibiting these punishments for any offense.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that the rights protected by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, shall have no rights under the Constitution and are subject to regulation. The amendment requires federal, state, and local government to (1) regulate, limit, or prohibit election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures; and (2) require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. The judiciary is prohibited from construing the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment, and the amendment shall not be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.

This resolution expresses support for implementing a Transgender Bill of Rights that guarantees certain rights for transgender and nonbinary people with respect to public services and accommodations, employment, housing, health care, and other specified areas.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) rights are human rights and protected by the U.S. Constitution; (2) LGBTQIA+ Pride Month should be celebrated; and (3) all Americans should be treated equally regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.