Sen. Martin Heinrich

This bill gives the consent of Congress for the amendment to the Constitution of New Mexico proposed by House Resolution 1 of the 55th Legislature of the State of New Mexico, First Session, 2021, titled A Joint Resolution Proposing an Amendment to Article 12, Section 7 of the Constitution of New Mexico to Provide for Additional Annual Distributions of the Permanent School Fund for Enhanced Instruction for Students at Risk of Failure, Extending the School Year, Teacher Compensation and Early Childhood Education; Requiring Congressional Approval for Distributions for Early Childhood Education .

Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access Program Inclusion Act or the PAVA Program Inclusion Act This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to distribute Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access (PAVA) program grants to the protection and advocacy systems of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the American Indian consortium.

This resolution recognizes the long history and positive economic effects of the Social Security programs. It also expresses the belief that the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs should continue to be funded through mandatory spending.

This resolution supports the designation of October 2-October 8, 2022, as National 4-H Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of 4-H in youth development and education, and (2) encourages all citizens to recognize 4-H for the significant impact the organization and members have made and continue to make by empowering young people with the skills needed to lead for a lifetime.

Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Forest Restoration Program Relief Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to waive the cost share requirement with respect to a payment provided for restoration of land damaged by the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. That fire started as the result of a prescribed burn initiated by the Forest Service in the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, on April 6, 2022.

Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2022 This bill promotes the remediation of abandoned hardrock mine sites by Good Samaritans. A Good Samaritan means a person that is (1) not a past or current owner or operator of the abandoned site; (2) had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue; and (3) is not potentially liable under any law for the remediation, treatment, or control of the historic mine residue. The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a Good Samaritan pilot program. Under the program, the EPA may issue permits to allow Good Samaritans to remediate historic mine residue at abandoned hardrock mine sites without assuming liability under specified environmental laws for past, present, or future releases, threats of releases, or discharges of hazardous substances or other contaminants at or from the abandoned mine site. In addition, the bill establishes a Good Samaritan Mine Remediation Fund for land management agencies that authorize Good Samaritans to conduct remediation projects on federal land.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates November 5, 2022, as National Bison Day to honor the historical, cultural, and economic significance of bison in the United States. It specifically recognizes bison as the national mammal (adopted in 2016), their vital role in Native American tribal heritage and conservation, and their contributions to rural economies. The resolution encourages the public to observe the day with ceremonies and activities, building on an annual tradition celebrated since 2012. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or regulations.

Living Schoolyards Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to local educational agencies for developing outdoor learning spaces on school grounds. Outdoor learning space refers to an outdoor physical space on school grounds that is (1) dedicated to meet or conduct curriculum-tied activities, (2) a dedicated space for outdoor classrooms that has seating and tables installed for students and teachers to meet regularly, or (3) a place that is used when the need arises to take learning outdoors. Additionally, ED must maintain a clearinghouse that provides specified information, including links and information about state and local entities with expertise in outdoor learning spaces and environmental education.

Bus Integration Dedicated to Improving Resilience, Eliminating Congestion, and Triggering Innovation Over Numerous Applications and Localities Act or the BIDIRECTIONAL Act This bill establishes requirements to encourage the deployment of vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-everything technologies and applications that enable bidirectional charging, such as technologies that enable electric vehicles to use their batteries to power the energy grid or homes when they are not being driven. Specifically, the bill requires states to consider measures to promote vehicle-to-grid integration under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. The bill also directs the Department of Energy to establish a grant program for projects that use at least one electric school bus with such technology. Grants may be awarded to electric energy suppliers, state public utility commissions, school bus manufacturers, school districts, suppliers of charging infrastructure, renewable energy developers, and other eligible entities.

Tribal Connect Act of 2022 This bill expands tribal access to the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-rate) program, which provides discounted broadband internet access and telecommunications services to certain schools and libraries. It also establishes a pilot program to provide broadband internet access service to essential community-serving institutions (e.g., community centers) located on tribal land.