Russians Engaged in Threating Ukraine Refuge Now Act or the RETURN Act This bill prohibits the U.S. government from charging U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents for their evacuation related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Specifically, the Department of State must waive repayment for travel expenses incurred on behalf of such an individual as part of the evacuation from Ukraine. Similarly, no federal employee may solicit or accept funds from such an individual as a condition of using government-provided transportation to repatriate the individual to the United States. No traveler may be denied State Department-sponsored air travel related to such an evacuation due to a failure to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test or recovery from COVID-19.
Passport Sanity Act This bill prohibits the Department of State from issuing a passport, passport card, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad with an unspecified (X) gender designation. The State Department must also ensure that applications for such documents include only male and female gender designations.
John White Ensuring Timely Black Lung Benefits Act This bill requires payment of black lung benefits to eligible individuals within 60 days of their eligibility determination. Black lung disease (or pneumoconiosis) is a lung disease caused by the inhalation of coal dust. Coal miners and certain other workers (and their survivors) are eligible for benefits for disability or death caused by black lung disease arising out of coal mine employment. Generally, operators of underground coal mines are responsible for the payment of black lung benefits for their workers. Under this bill, if operator liability has not been determined within 60 days of a worker's eligibility determination, the Department of Labor must pay the worker's benefits from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. (Typically, that fund pays benefits in cases where the responsible operator either no longer exists and has no successor operator or is unable to pay benefits.) Operators that are subsequently found liable for the benefits must reimburse the fund.
Readable Legislation Act of 2022 This bill requires every bill or joint resolution that amends an existing section of an act to set forth the entire section, showing proposed changes to that section by appropriate typographical device. This eliminates the current practice of revising or amending a section of an act by mere reference to it.
Internal Revenue Service Processing Returns Instead Of Removing Innocent Taxpayers' Income Every Season Act of 2022 or the IRS PRIORITIES Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the Internal Revenue Service from hiring new enforcement personnel (i.e., special agents in the criminal investigation division, revenue officers, or revenue agents) until all individual tax returns for 2019 and 2020 are processed.
Resident Education Deferred Interest Act or the REDI Act This bill allows borrowers in medical or dental internships or residency programs to defer student loan payments until the completion of their programs.
This resolution authorizes (1) Daniel Schwager, a former employee of the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, to provide testimony in the case of United States v. Reffitt (except concerning matters for which a privilege should be asserted); and (2) the Senate Legal Counsel to represent Mr. Schwager and any current or former employee of his office in connection with the production of evidence in that case.
This resolution designates October 30, 2021, as a national day of remembrance for the workers of the nuclear weapons program, including uranium miners, millers, and haulers, plutonium producers, and on-site participants at atmospheric nuclear weapons tests.
Never Yielding Europe's Territory (NYET) Act of 2022 This bill addresses Russia's actions against Ukraine and other countries in the region. The bill authorizes and expedites the provision of security assistance, including by (1) prioritizing delivering excess defense articles to Ukraine, (2) authorizing the Department of State to waive certain costs for defense articles leased to Ukraine, and (3) authorizing additional Foreign Military Financing for programs in Europe. The bill also provides funding for (1) Foreign Military Financing assistance to Ukraine, (2) the Global Engagement Center to counter foreign-sponsored propaganda and disinformation, (3) the Countering Russian Influence Fund to support Ukraine and other countries in response to Russia's aggression, and (4) International Military Education and Training assistance for Ukraine. Furthermore, the bill imposes sanctions, including on (1) senior Russian military officials responsible for planning or executing military operations that violated Ukraine's sovereignty or territorial integrity, and (2) foreign individuals or entities that acted on behalf of Russia's government to destabilize Ukraine or disrupt Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The bill also addresses additional matters, including (1) authorizing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to explore opening new bureaus to reach audiences on Russia's periphery; and (2) providing for expedited approval of natural gas exports to qualifying nations, including NATO members, whereas currently expedited approval is only available for exports to countries that are in a free trade agreement relating to natural gas with the United States.
Debt Ceiling Reform Act This bill replaces the existing federal debt limit with procedures that allow the Department of the Treasury to continue issuing additional debt unless Congress passes a joint resolution of disapproval regarding the additional debt, and the joint resolution becomes law.
Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022 This bill expands access to substance use disorder treatment by modifying the regulation of opioid treatment programs and narcotic drugs used for treatment, including with respect to a patient's unsupervised use of such drugs. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must issue regulations to further increase patients' access to unsupervised use or handling of drugs for treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) must study the effects of these revisions, and HHS must, as appropriate, promulgate additional regulations based on the study's findings. SAMHSA must also study the impact of certain exemptions from certification requirements for opioid treatment programs that were granted as part of COVID-19 response efforts, including any additional costs or savings that resulted from the exemptions. The bill also (1) allows specified types of health care providers to prescribe (subject to certain requirements) methadone that is dispensed through pharmacies for a patient's unsupervised use, and (2) provides statutory authority for a regulation that allows registered opioid treatment programs to operate mobile medication units without separately registering the unit.
No Propaganda Act This bill prohibits federal funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The bill also rescinds unobligated funding made available to the corporation in specified appropriations acts. (The corporation is a congressionally created nonprofit that supports local public television and radio broadcasting.)
