Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act This bill specifies that private health insurers may not limit, restrict, or condition benefits for renal dialysis services for individuals with end-stage renal disease as compared to other types of benefits for other medical conditions under Medicare secondary payer rules.
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.
National World War II Memorial Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 50,000 $5 coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memorial in the District of Columbia. The design of the coins shall be emblematic of the memorial and the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during World War II. All surcharges received from the sale of such coins shall be paid to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the memorial, and for educational and commemorative programs.
Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act This bill addresses economic and political development in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia), including by supporting anti-corruption and trade initiatives.
Data-Driven Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention Act of 2022 This bill requires state plans for child welfare services to provide for the development and implementation of a family partnership plan to improve foster care placement stability, increase rates of kinship placements, and align the racial and ethnic composition of foster and adoptive families with that of children in need of homes.
Lifting Local Communities Act This bill specifies that religious organizations are eligible to apply for and receive federal funds to provide services for social services programs (i.e., programs for low-income individuals) on the same basis as private, nonreligious organizations. Additionally, government entities may not discriminate against private organizations on the basis of religion when selecting funding recipients.
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act of 2022 This bill provides financial and technical assistance to states, territories, and the District of Columbia for the purposes of (1) recovering species listed as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act or under state law, or (2) avoiding the need to list species under such laws. For example, the bill establishes the Endangered Species Recovery and Habitat Conservation Legacy Fund. A portion of the fund must be used to establish an Endangered Species Recovery Grant Program. It also provides funding for (1) the conservation or restoration of wildlife and plant species of greatest conservation need; (2) the wildlife conservation strategies of states, territories, or the District of Columbia; and (3) wildlife conservation education and recreation projects. The Department of the Interior must use a portion of the funding for a grant program. The grants must be used for innovative recovery efforts for species of greatest conservation need, species listed as endangered or threatened species, or the habitats of such species. In addition, the bill requires certain revenues generated from fees and penalties for violations of environmental requirements to be used as a source for the funding.
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.
SRES 729 is a Senate resolution designating the week beginning November 7, 2022, as "National Pregnancy Center Week." It recognizes community-supported pregnancy centers across the United States for providing services like counseling, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and material resources to individuals facing pregnancy decisions. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally acknowledges these centers' work through symbolic recognition. It highlights their role in serving over 2 million people annually, though the resolution itself has no binding policy effect.
HRES 1297 is a non-binding House resolution designating the week beginning November 7, 2022, as "National Pregnancy Center Week." It recognizes community-supported pregnancy centers - nonprofit organizations providing free services like pregnancy tests, counseling, ultrasounds, and material support - to individuals facing pregnancy decisions. The resolution highlights these centers' role in serving over 2 million people annually through local, volunteer-driven support. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new policies or alter funding, focusing solely on acknowledging their work.
Department of Homeland Security Seal Protection Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the use of the seal of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression that DHS or any organizational component or element of it has approved, endorsed, or authorized such use, except with the written permission of DHS.
Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2022 or the SECURE Notarization Act of 2022 This bill allows a notary public commissioned under state law to remotely notarize electronic records and perform notarizations for remotely located individuals. The bill provides technical requirements for such notarizations, including the creation and retention of video and audio recordings and the use of communication technologies (i.e., video chat). Additionally, the bill requires U.S. courts and states to recognize notarizations—including remote notarizations of electronic records and notarizations of remotely-located individuals—that occur in or affect interstate commerce and are performed by a notary public commissioned under the laws of other states. The bill also allows a notary public to remotely notarize electronic records involving an individual located outside of the United States, subject to certain requirements.
