Rep. Clay Higgins

Accountable Federal Employees Act or the Accountable Feds Act This bill establishes and modifies requirements relating to the administration of the federal workforce, including (1) creating a new Schedule F in the excepted service for certain positions that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition; (2) specifying certain standards and principles relating to removals, grievance procedures, and adverse personnel actions; (3) placing certain restrictions on the use of union time; and (4) creating a workgroup to manage the efficiency of labor-management relations.

Energy Freedom Act This bill establishes requirements to provide for domestic energy production, including by limiting delays on oil, gas, or coal development; requiring a minimum number of annual sales of leases on federal lands and waters for oil and gas development; requiring sales of leases of federal land for wind, solar, and geothermal development; allowing the Department of the Interior to grant licenses for the exploration and mining of hardrock minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Congressional Voting Accountability Act This resolution amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to eliminate proxy voting and remote committee activity, to require a recorded vote for any question put before the House, and to require affirmative or negative votes for record votes in the House. The resolution also requires the Chair to entertain a point of order that a quorum is not present during general debate.

This resolution condemns the terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022. It also expresses support for the affected community, commends the actions of law enforcement and emergency responders, and reaffirms a commitment to combat hate, bigotry, anti-Semitism, and violence against Jewish Americans.

American Ammo in Defense of Ukraine Act This bill authorizes the President to waive certain payments and requirements for deliveries of ammunition to Ukraine until the armed conflict in Ukraine ends. Specifically, for certain types of ammunition or ordnance to be delivered to a qualified entity providing such items to Ukraine, the President may transport the items without charging the transportation costs to Ukraine. The President may also, to expedite delivery of such items, waive any applicable Department of State or Department of Commerce export criteria.

American Energy Independence from Russia Act This bill addresses U.S. energy security, the production of oil and gas, and the importation and exportation of oil and gas. Specifically, the President must submit an energy security plan that (1) evaluates U.S. crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas imports and exports; (2) assesses the energy security risks of such imports; and (3) includes strategies to encourage increased domestic production of crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas to offset Russian imports. The bill also approves the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline in Phillips County, Montana for the import of oil from Canada to the United States. In addition, the bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to approve or deny applications for facilities to export natural gas from the United States to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries. The President and federal agencies must obtain congressional approval before (1) prohibiting or substantially delaying certain new energy mineral leases or permits on federal lands, or (2) withdrawing certain federal lands from mineral and geothermal leasing activities. The Department of the Interior must resume issuing oil and gas leases on federal lands and offshore submerged lands in the Outer Continental Shelf as specified under the bill. Finally, the bill limits the drawdown of petroleum in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until the Department of Energy develops a plan to increase the percentage of federal lands leased for oil and gas production.

Prohibition on Imports of Russian Oil Act This bill requires the President to prohibit the importation of petroleum products from Russia. Petroleum product means crude oil, residual fuel oil, or any refined petroleum product, including natural gas liquid product. Further, the bill authorizes the President to (1) modify or remove the prohibition for some or all petroleum products if the President notifies Congress that such modification or removal is appropriate given the situation in Ukraine, and (2) use appropriate authorities to impose civil or criminal penalties as necessary to enforce the prohibition.

Reducing Costs of DHS Acquisitions Act This bill requires notification of the Management Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Congress if a major acquisition program of DHS fails to satisfy any approved cost, schedule, or performance threshold. Major acquisition program means (1) a capital asset, service, or hybrid acquisition program that is estimated by DHS to require an eventual total expenditure of at least $300 million over the life-cycle cost of the program; or (2) an acquisition program identified as a program of special interest. If such a failure occurs, or is expected to occur, the bill requires a remediation plan and root cause analysis. The Management Directorate must review such plan and either approve it for continuation or provide an alternative proposed corrective action.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination , which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on November 5, 2021. The rule requires health care providers, as a condition of Medicare and Medicaid participation, to ensure that staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

This resolution expresses that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the energy independence of the United States is critical to national security and should include the production and use of all available energy sources, including coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear energy, and renewables, as well as strategic minerals critical to electric vehicles and other clean energy sources; and President Biden should take immediate action to restore the energy security of the United States and provide U.S. allies with an affordable and secure supply of energy.