Rep. Chrissy Houlahan

Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill extends through FY2029 the Highlands Conservation Act, which provides for land conservation in Highlands states (i.e., Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania). The bill authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Service to add a municipality to the Highlands region upon the request of a Highlands state, with the concurrence of the municipality. The bill revises the way in which land is identified for conservation to require using the best available science and geographic information systems. The bill allows political subdivisions of states to enter into agreements with the Department of the Interior for land conservation projects. A Highland state that receives funds for a land conservation partnership project may not use more than 5% of the funds to administer that project. The bill extends through FY2029 Forest Service and other Department of Agriculture programs to conserve land and natural resources in the Highlands region. With respect to an appraisal related to a land acquisition carried out under this bill, a Highlands state shall use an appraisal methodology approved by the Department of the Interior.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Payment Completion Fairness Act or the PSLF Payment Completion Fairness Act This bill removes the requirement that a borrower must be employed in a public service job at the time of loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Under the current PSLF program, the Department of Education must cancel the balance of interest and principal due on a borrower's Federal Direct Loans after the borrower makes 120 monthly loan payments while employed in a public service job and, at the time of loan forgiveness, the borrower is employed in a public service job. This bill removes the requirement that the borrower must be working in a public service job at the time of loan forgiveness.

Maddy summaryHRES 1034 is a non-binding resolution supporting Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, observed each April. It recognizes math and statistics as foundational to STEM fields, innovation in areas like medicine and cybersecurity, and daily life applications. The resolution urges the House to celebrate these disciplines, highlight their importance to U.S. economic prosperity, and acknowledge ongoing efforts to increase diversity in math and statistics education and careers. It does not create new laws or programs but formally endorses the annual observance.

Resilient Assistance for Mitigation for Environmentally Resilient Infrastructure and Construction by Americans Act or the Resilient AMERICA Act This bill addresses disaster resilience issues and expands coverage for hazard mitigation. The bill increases from 6% to 15% the estimated aggregate amount of grants that may be set aside for national public infrastructure pre-disaster hazard mitigation assistance; makes private nonprofit facilities eligible for technical and financial assistance for implementing cost-effective pre-disaster hazard mitigation measures; provides funding for water resources development projects; and expands the use of hazard mitigation assistance to cover certain activities pertaining to wildfires, tsunamis, and ice storms. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must set aside 10% of funds made available for any given year to further the implementation and enforcement of the latest published editions of relevant consensus-based building codes. FEMA must require as a condition of providing nonemergency financial assistance for construction projects costing at least $1 million that the steel and iron used in the projects be produced in the United States, with certain exceptions. FEMA must carry out a residential resilience pilot program to provide grants for residential resilience retrofits (e.g., elevation of homes, floodproofing measures, wildfire retrofit and mitigation measures, and wind retrofits). The Government Accountability Office must study the challenges to states and territories in obtaining funds under public assistance alternative procedures.

Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment of congenital anomalies and birth defects, such as reconstructive services and items. Coverage must include services and items that functionally improve, repair, or restore any body part that is medically necessary for normal bodily functions or appearance, as determined by the treating physician. Coverage limits and cost-sharing requirements for such services and items may not be more restrictive than those applicable to all medical and surgical benefits under the plan.

Supply Chain Disruptions Relief Act This bill modifies the treatment of liquidations of new motor vehicle inventory as qualified LIFO (last in first out accounting method) inventory. It allows new motor vehicle dealers to elect to wait until the end of 2025 to replace their inventory for purposes of determining income attributable to the sale of such inventory during 2020 and 2021.

Strengthen Kids' Mental Health Now Act of 2022 This bill establishes several requirements to support the provision of behavioral health services under Medicaid and other programs, particularly for children. For example, the bill temporarily requires payment for pediatric mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under Medicaid to align with Medicare payments to providers. The bill provides for a 100% Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for any associated additional expenditures. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must issue guidance on how state Medicaid programs may expand the availability of telehealth services and mental, emotional, and behavioral health services. In addition, the Health Resources and Services Administration must award grants to support (1) pediatric behavioral health care integration in communities, (2) pediatric mental health and substance use disorder workforce training, and (3) the infrastructure of pediatric hospitals and rural health clinics with respect to behavioral health services.

Emmett Till Antilynching Act This bill makes lynching a federal hate crime offense. Specifically, the bill imposes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 30 years, or both—on an individual who conspires to commit a hate crime offense that results in death or serious bodily injury or that includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.

This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month and recognizes the women and organizations that continue to promote the teaching of women's history.

Gerald's Law Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide a burial and funeral allowance for a veteran who dies from a non-service-connected disability in a home or other setting at which the veteran was receiving VA hospice care (if such care was directly preceded by VA hospital or nursing home care).