Rep. Jerry L. Carl

Maddy summaryThis non-binding resolution, introduced in March 2022, calls for the House wing of the U.S. Capitol and House Office Buildings to reopen to the public, citing the unprecedented closure since March 2020 as the longest in history. It urges removing visitor restrictions like logs and prioritizing public access, noting that other state capitols and public venues operated safely during the same period. As a "sense" resolution, it does not mandate action but expresses the House’s position on restoring public access to a democratic symbol. The resolution specifically targets the House wing (not the full Capitol) and aims to encourage the Capitol Police and House leadership to act.

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.

DMEPOS Relief Act of 2022 or the DRA of 2022 This bill increases payment adjustments for certain items that were included in Round 2021 of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program but for which contracts were not executed. The bill applies to items that are furnished between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, and that were not subject to the unadjusted fee schedule amount as of January 1, 2021. Under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sets payment for certain durable medical equipment under Medicare based on a competitive bidding process with suppliers, rather than the fee schedule amount. The CMS included 16 product categories in Round 2021 of the program but ultimately did not award contracts for 13 of these categories (that were also in previous rounds) as the resulting payment amounts did not achieve expected savings.

Stop Arduous Vaccine Enforcement Act of 2022 or the SAVE Act of 2022 This bill prohibits transplant centers from discriminating against an individual on the basis of COVID-19 vaccination status for purposes of determining eligibility or assigning priority for organ transplants.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 883) is a symbolic gesture designating January 22 as "National Sanctity of Human Life Day" to recognize the value of human life at all stages. It contains statements opposing abortion and citing fetal development milestones, but the resolution itself has no legal effect or policy changes. It does not alter laws, allocate funding, or directly affect any individuals or groups. The bill solely encourages Americans to reflect on "the value of life" through a non-binding designation. As a procedural resolution, it has no binding provisions or concrete policy impact.

Financial Accountability for Uniquely Compensated Individuals Act or the FAUCI Act This bill broadens the scope of executive branch employees and officers whose financial disclosures are subject to automatic electronic publication by including highly compensated executive branch officers and employees. The bill also requires the Office of Government Ethics to provide public access to a list of highly compensated executive branch officers and employees who file confidential financial disclosures under existing law, including the specific types of information disclosed in the confidential report.

Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act This bill establishes grant programs to address neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and contains other related provisions. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall award grants to eligible entities for scientific research utilizing data from expanded access to investigational ALS treatments for individuals who are not otherwise eligible for clinical trials.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall award grants to public and private entities to cover the costs of research and development of drugs that diagnose or treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. HHS shall also establish the Public-Private Partnership for Neurodegenerative Diseases between the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and at least one eligible entity (generally, an institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization). The partnership shall support the development and regulatory review of drugs that address ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. The FDA shall publish on its website a five-year action plan for fostering the development of drugs that improve or extend the lives of people living with rare neurodegenerative diseases. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress about the grants provided under this bill, including an analysis of the impact of such grants on research and development of treatments for ALS.

Alabama Underwater Forest National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act This bill designates an ancient cypress forest in the Gulf of Mexico as the Alabama Underwater Forest National Marine Sanctuary under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. In the sanctuary, the following activities are prohibited: cutting, removing, or any kind of subsurface salvage of the cypress trees; lowering certain devices (e.g., dredging) below the surface of the water; detonating explosives below the surface of the water; drilling or coring the seabed; and lowering, laying, positioning, or raising any type of seabed cable or cable-laying device. However, the prohibitions do not apply to fishing, diving, mooring, or similar recreational or commercial activities; necessary operations of public vessels; construction or placement of artificial reef structures for the purpose of enhancing fishery resources, fishing opportunities, or recreational diving opportunities; exploration, development, or production of oil or gas projects authorized before this bill's enactment; and certain other activities authorized by the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must develop a comprehensive management plan for the sanctuary. NOAA must also establish an advisory council for the sanctuary.

This bill posthumously provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of the 13 service members who died on August 26, 2021, while stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan.

This resolution recognizes the importance of Christmas symbols and traditions. The resolution (1) disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas, and (2) supports the use of these symbols and traditions by those who celebrate Christmas.