This joint resolution nullifies the interim final rule issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) titled Reproductive Health Services and published on September 9, 2022. The rule authorizes the VA to provide certain abortion-related care to veterans. The rule also applies to such care provided to beneficiaries covered under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).
Respect for Marriage Act This act provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages. Specifically, the act replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage between two individuals that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.) The act also replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The act allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations. The act does not (1) affect religious liberties or conscience protections that are available under the Constitution or federal law, (2) require religious organizations to provide goods or services to formally recognize or celebrate a marriage, (3) affect any benefits or rights that do not arise from a marriage, or (4) recognize under federal law any marriage between more than two individuals.
International Violence Against Women Act of 2022 This bill requires a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. The bill establishes in the Department of State an Office of Global Women's Issues, which shall be headed by an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. The Ambassador-at-Large shall (1) coordinate U.S. government efforts regarding gender equality and the advancement of women and girls in foreign policy, and (2) develop or update periodically a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The bill establishes in the U.S. Agency for International Development the position of Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment who shall coordinate policies, programs, and funding regarding gender equality and women's empowerment.
Senator Johnny Isakson VA Regional Office Act of 2022 This act designates the Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office in Georgia as the Senator Johnny Isakson Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office or the Isakson VA Atlanta Regional Office.
This resolution asks the President to provide to the House of Representatives copies of all documents and other communications detailing expenditures of appropriated funds directed to Ukraine between January 20, 2021, and November 15, 2022. The resolution also directs the Department of Defense and the Department of State to provide such documents.
Free Speech Defense Act This bill addresses issues relating to the federal government and social media. For example, the bill (1) terminates the Disinformation Governance Board; and (2) prohibits the federal government from encouraging a social media company to remove a user or label content as misinformation, with certain exceptions.
Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season, including by applying the Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that are applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with more than 10% ethanol.
The Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027, increases funding for, and modifies the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. This program supports home visits for expectant and new parents who live in communities that are at-risk for poor maternal and child health outcomes. Changes to the program include setting out requirements for allocating program funds; increasing the percentage of funds reserved for tribal entities; establishing a publicly available dashboard that reports program outcomes; requiring activities to reduce unnecessary data collection, reporting, and other administrative requirements of the program; and allowing for virtual home visits (provided certain conditions are met). The bill also reduces funding for the Medicare Improvement Fund.
Improving Government for America's Taxpayers Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO), in its annual report to Congress, to consolidate matters for congressional consideration into one report, organized by policy topic, and to identify congressional oversight actions that can help agencies implement unimplemented priority recommendations. The GAO is also required to publish the above information and publish any known costs of unimplemented priority recommendations.
Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into contracts to pay for specified veterans (i.e., certain veterans who have service-connected disabilities and require nursing home care) to be placed in medical foster homes at their request. A medical foster home is a home designed to provide non-institutional, long-term, supportive care for veterans who are unable to live independently and prefer a family setting. Veterans receiving such care must agree, as a condition of payment for their care, to accept home health services furnished by the VA. Under the bill, no more than a daily average of 900 veterans may have their care in a medical foster home covered by the VA. The VA must create a monitoring system to assess its workload in carrying out the medical foster home payments. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must submit to Congress reports that assess the implementation of this program and provide recommendations for improvements. The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through February 15, 2031, under the VA's home loan program.
Uyghur Policy Act of 2021 This bill addresses human rights issues concerning the Uyghurs and other minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. The bill authorizes the establishment of a Special Coordinator for Uyghur Issues position within the Department of State. The State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs may, subject to appropriations, make certain funds available to human rights advocates working on behalf of Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups persecuted in China. The funds, if made available, shall be used to facilitate the presence of such human rights advocates at public diplomacy forums to speak on issues related to the human rights and religious freedoms of minority groups persecuted in China. The State Department must ensure that Uyghur language training is available to Foreign Service officers. It must also ensure that a Uyghur-speaking member of the Foreign Service is assigned to U.S. diplomatic and consular missions in China.
Mandatory Materiality Requirement Act of 2022 This bill limits additional disclosure requirements applicable to issuers of securities. Specifically, the Securities and Exchange Commission may only require an additional disclosure if the commission determines that there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor of the issuer would consider the information important with respect to an investment decision.
