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.
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.
Renewing Investment in American Workers and Supply Chains Act This bill classifies nonresidential real property and residential rental property as 20-year property for depreciation purposes.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to annually report to Congress on the Warrior Training Advancement Course (WARTAC) of the Veterans Benefits Administration. The report must include specified elements, including information regarding the Transition Assistance Program practices of WARTAC and the hiring of members of the Armed Forces who complete WARTAC.
This joint resolution nullifies a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rule published on April 26, 2022, concerning regulatory definitions and identification of firearms.
This joint resolution nullifies the interim final rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security and published on March 29, 2022, concerning procedures for the consideration of asylum claims and other related issues. (Among other changes, the interim final rule requires an asylum seeker subject to expedited removal to be screened by an asylum officer for a credible fear of persecution or torture, rather than a credible fear of persecution, reasonable possibility of persecution, or reasonable possibility of torture.)
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 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.
Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022 This bill modifies the responsibilities of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) satellite offices, increases the discount on patent-related fees for small and micro entities, and addresses related issues. Specifically, the bill modifies the statutory purpose of PTO satellite offices to include outreach and retention activities targeting underrepresented groups and individuals from economically, geographically, and demographically diverse backgrounds. For each satellite office established after July 1, 2022, the PTO must consider the office's proximity to anchor institutions (e.g., hospitals primarily serving veterans and institutions of higher education) and populations that are underrepresented in patent filings, including women, people of color, and rural populations. The PTO must establish (1) a satellite office in the southeastern United States within three years of this bill's enactment, (2) at least four community outreach offices throughout the United States within five years of this bill's enactment, and (3) a pilot program to help prospective first-time patent applicants assess the likelihood that a potential patent will be issued. The PTO must also (1) conduct and report to Congress a study on patent pro bono programs, including whether such programs are sufficiently serving underrepresented groups; and (2) use the study's findings to update such pro bono programs. In addition to increasing the discount on fees for small and micro entities, the bill also imposes penalties for making a fraudulent certification to obtain the discount, specifically by revoking any patent resulting from an application related to the fraudulent certification.
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.
