Rep. Adam Smith

Maddy summaryHR 4380 designates the Healing Garden at 6900 Delta Drive in El Paso, Texas, as the "El Paso Community Healing Garden National Memorial." This designation does not make the site part of the National Park System and explicitly states that no federal funds will be required or authorized for the memorial's upkeep or operations. The bill is purely procedural, focusing on naming the site.

Digital Equity Foundation Act of 2022 This bill sets out a process for establishing the Foundation for Digital Equity to raise funding for, develop programs and partnerships to, and otherwise support efforts to expand access to broadband internet and promote digital literacy, inclusion, and equity. The bill authorizes the foundation to carry out a range of activities to advance its mission, such as (1) establishing for-profit subsidiaries to stimulate economic development and attract investment partners, and (2) awarding grants.

Expanding Service Coordinators Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 funding for service coordinator programs, which embed staff in certain federally assisted housing to arrange for transportation, case management, and other supportive services for eligible residents. The bill also makes service coordinators eligible to have qualifying student loans discharged through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must study best practices and other matters concerning service coordinator programs in federally assisted housing in rural areas.

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.

Grant Assistance and Technical Education Act This bill supports the capacity of community-based organizations to obtain federal funding for public health and related programs. In particular, the bill establishes a position within the Office of Minority Health to assist such organizations apply for and meet conditions of grants available through the Department of Health and Human Services. It also creates grants for state and local public health entities to provide technical assistance and similar assistance to community-based organizations to carry out and obtain federal funding for public health programs.

Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings Act of 2022 or the SWIMS Act of 2022 This bill establishes prohibitions on capturing, importing, exporting, or breeding of orcas, beluga whales, false killer whales, or pilot whales for the purpose of public display. Specifically, the bill prohibits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from issuing any permit under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 that authorizes the taking (e.g., capturing) or importation of such orcas or whales for the purpose of public display. The bill further revises the act to make it unlawful to export such orcas or whales, unless they are being transported to marine mammal sanctuaries or for release into the wild. Further, the bill makes it unlawful under the Animal Welfare Act for any person to breed or artificially inseminate such marine mammals for purposes of using their progeny for public display.

Madeleine K. Albright Democracy in the 21st Century Act This bill establishes programs to promote democracy abroad, authorizes Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) democracy programs from FY2023 through FY2027, and addresses related issues. The State Department must establish programs (1) to defend democracy globally, including by enhancing the ability of the State Department and USAID to respond quickly and flexibly to democratic openings and backsliding; (2) to support efforts to enhance government transparency and other activities related to reducing corruption; and (3) for democracy research and development, such as activities to drive innovation in State Department, USAID, and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) responses to complex challenges to democracy. The bill establishes the Democracy in the 21st Century Fund, to be administered by the State Department, to support the programs established by this bill and other related activities. U.S. government assistance for democracy programs shall not be subject to the prior approval of any foreign government. The bill also protects the identities of implementing partners of certain State Department, USAID, and NED assistance programs in countries that are undemocratic or have engaged in gross violations of civil and political rights, including by exempting the names of partners for democracy programs in such countries from Freedom of Information Act requests. The President must report to Congress a comprehensive strategy to promote democracy abroad.

Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the legacy of Harriet Tubman as an abolitionist. The Secretary may issue coins under this bill only during the period of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid equally to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and The Harriet Tubman Home, Inc. in Auburn, New York, for the purpose of accomplishing and advancing their missions.

Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 This bill makes it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, except for certain shotguns; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; (4) only capable of firing rimfire ammunition; or (5) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model. The bill also exempts from the prohibition the following, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture. The bill also allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.

No Tax Deductions for Workplace Harasser Buyouts Act This bill modifies the tax deduction for trade or business expenses to deny a deduction for payments made to any employee in connection with the termination of employment if a factor in the termination was sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, or workplace harassment based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or other specified factors.