Bus Rapid Transit Act This bill directs the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to establish a grant program to provide grants to state, local, and tribal governments for the design and implementation of bus rapid transit systems, including for the redesign, retrofit, renovation, update, and repair of existing bus systems. As a condition of receiving a grant, eligible entities must certify that fares for riding the bus rapid transit system shall not increase solely due to improvements carried out with grant funds and for any reason for at least one year after completion of a project funded by the bill. In carrying out the program, the FTA must prioritize projects located in economically disadvantaged communities.
PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 research, health care provider education, and other activities focused on preventing and treating preterm birth.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Modernization Act or the SARE Modernization Act This bill reauthorizes the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and expands the program to include research on agricultural production systems that increase resilience and climate mitigation in the context of a changing climate. The bill also expands SARE's regional councils to include representatives from 1890 land grant institutions, 1994 land grant institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native serving institutions, or Native Hawaiian serving institutions.
Expanding the Voluntary Opportunities for Translations in Elections Act or the Expanding the VOTE Act This bill expands access to voting materials for individuals with limited proficiency in the English language, including by establishing incentive grants for states and political subdivisions to provide translated voting materials. Additionally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study the impact of (1) reducing the threshold requirement under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and (2) expanding the definition of language minorities to include native speakers of additional languages.
American Choice and Innovation Online Act This bill prohibits certain large online platforms from engaging in specified acts, including giving preference to their own products on the platform, excluding or disadvantaging competing products from another business on the platform, or discriminating among similarly situated users. Further, a platform may not materially restrict or impede the capacity of a competing business user to access or interoperate with the same platform, operating system, or hardware or software features. The bill also restricts the platform's use of nonpublic data obtained from or generated on the platform and prohibits the platform from restricting access to platform data generated by the activity of a competing business user. The bill also provides additional restrictions related to installing or uninstalling software, search or ranking functionality, and retaliation for contact with law enforcement regarding actual or potential violations of law. The bill establishes affirmative defenses for the prohibited conduct. The Federal Trade Commission or the Department of Justice must designate whether an entity is a platform covered by the bill, and both must carry out enforcement activities. The bill also provides for civil penalties, injunctions, conflicts of interest, a private right of action, and the forfeit of profits for repeat offenders.
Behavioral Intervention Guidelines Act of 2022 This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to report on best practices for behavioral and mental health intervention teams that support students who exhibit behaviors interfering with learning or who are at risk of harm to self or others in elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education.
Fair and Open Skies Act This bill prohibits the Department of Transportation (DOT) from issuing a foreign air carrier permit or an exemption from certain air carrier certificate requirements under the United States-European Union Air Transport Agreement of April 2007, unless DOT finds that issuing the permit or exemption would be consistent with Article 17 bis of the agreement, which provides that opportunities created by the agreement do not undermine labor standards or the labor-related rights and principles contained in the laws of the respective parties to the agreement; and imposes conditions on the permit or exemption necessary to ensure compliance with Article 17 bis . The bill modifies policy considerations relating to air carrier certificates to require DOT to consider preventing entry into U.S. markets by flag of convenience carriers (i.e., foreign air carriers established in a country other the home country of their majority owner in order to avoid regulations of the home country) and preventing the undermining of labor standards. In carrying out such air carrier certificate requirements, DOT must consider preventing entry of flag of convenience carriers into U.S. markets as being in the public interest and consistent with public convenience and necessity for safety in air transportation and air commerce. In formulating U.S. international air transportation policy relating to the elimination of discrimination and unfair competition, the Department of State and DOT must include in their considerations the undermining of labor standards.
CISA Cyber Exercise Act This bill establishes the National Cyber Exercise Program to evaluate the National Cyber Incident Response Plan and related plans and strategies. (The National Cyber Incident Response Plan outlines the roles and responsibilities, capabilities, and coordinating structures that support how the United States responds to and recovers from significant cyber incidents posing risks to critical infrastructure.) Based on current risk assessments, the exercise program shall be designed to (1) simulate partial or complete incapacitation of a government or critical infrastructure network resulting from a cyber incident, (2) provide for the systematic evaluation of cyber readiness and enhance operational understanding of the cyber incident response system and relevant information sharing agreements, and (3) develop after-action reports and plans that can incorporate lessons learned into future operations.
Defense of United States Infrastructure Act of 2021 This bill sets out programs and requirements related to critical infrastructure and cybersecurity threats, including (1) a pilot program to enable federal and nonfederal entities to share information in order to prevent, identify, and mitigate cyber threats; (2) reporting about the federal government's efforts to support security certifications for information technology; and (3) a working group to develop a strategy for implementing security measures for foundational internet protocols.
Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2022 This bill provides support for long-term improvements to public elementary and secondary school facilities. First, the bill sets forth allocations to states and establishes a need-based grant program for local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve school facilities. Further, the bill specifies allowable uses of grant funds, including carrying out major repairs, improving indoor air quality, and making facilities accessible to disabled individuals. Additionally, the bill requires LEAs that receive funds for new construction, modernization, or renovation projects to comply with hazard-resistance building codes and performance criteria under the WaterSense program of the Environmental Protection Agency. Further, the bill requires such LEAs to adopt certain green practices (environmental standards) and requires the use of iron, steel, and manufactured products that are made in the United States (Buy America). The bill restores school infrastructure tax credit bonds. The bill also sets forth reporting requirements, including annual reports on grant program projects and a report by the Government Accountability Office that requires a study of the geographic distribution of projects, the impact of selected projects on student and staff health and safety, and the accessibility of projects to high-poverty schools. The bill also establishes the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability within the Department of Education. Next, the bill extends through FY2027 the Impact Aid Construction program. Finally, the bill establishes a grant program to assist LEAs with repairing or replacing concrete foundations affected by pyrrhotite (an iron sulfide material linked to crumbling foundations).
HRES 1525 is a non-binding House resolution condemning antisemitism spread by public figures, celebrities, and officials on social media. It cites the Anti-Defamation League’s report of 2,717 antisemitic incidents in 2021 (a 34% increase from 2020) and urges influential people to use their platforms to speak out against antisemitism. The resolution calls for unity with Jewish communities and emphasizes the need for Holocaust education to combat rising hate. As a symbolic measure, it does not create new laws or penalties but formally expresses the House’s stance against antisemitic rhetoric.
Investing in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 activities that support infant and early childhood mental health promotion, intervention, and treatment programs. It also authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to provide, directly or through grants or contacts with nonprofits, training and technical assistance related to such programs.
