Rep. Jackie Speier

Atrocity Crimes, Relief and Accountability Act or the ACRA Act The bill requires the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to provide assistance to suspected victims, survivors, and witnesses of war crimes; establishes a Ukraine victims trust fund; and establishes a Ukraine atrocity crimes rewards fund. The bill also allows the International Criminal Court to conduct limited activities in the United States relating solely to foreign nationals suspected of committing war crimes in Ukraine.

Housing Access Improvement Act This bill increases from 20% to 50% the amount of funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program that a public housing agency (PHA) may use for project-based vouchers. (This program subsidizes rent for low-income recipients.) Under current law, a PHA must use at least 80% of its funding for tenant-based vouchers (which subsidize recipients' rental of any private apartment that meets program guidelines) and may use up to 20% of its funding for project-based vouchers (which attach to a specific rental unit that the landlord commits to make available for voucher recipients for a contracted term).

Clinical Trial Coverage Act of 2022 This bill requires health insurance plans (including Medicare) to cover out-of-network routine care for clinical trial participants at the in-network rate when an in-network provider is not available.

Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, election as the first African American woman in Congress, and campaign to be the first African American to gain the nomination of a major political party for President of the United States. Following its award, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it shall be available for display and research.

Overdraft Protection Act of 2021 This bill prohibits a financial institution from engaging in unfair or deceptive acts in connection with overdraft coverage. Each financial institution that offers overdraft coverage for accounts must disclose overdraft coverage fees. It must also disclose that the consumer's transaction may be declined if there are insufficient funds in the related account, and the consumer will not be charged a fee if such transaction is declined. A financial institution must provide certain other disclosures regarding its overdraft protection program, including prompt notification of the account's overdraft status. The bill limits the number of overdraft fees a consumer may be charged each month and year, and provides that such fees must be reasonable. The bill prohibits an overdraft coverage fee if the overdraft results solely from a debit hold amount that exceeds the actual dollar amount of the transaction. The bill also prohibits a financial institution from charging a non-sufficient fund fee for any automated teller machine or debit card transaction, or reporting negative information regarding consumer use of overdraft coverage to any consumer reporting agency when the overdraft amounts and coverage fees are paid under the terms of an overdraft coverage program.

Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2022 This bill removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers and the disclosure of gun trace data in civil actions. Specifically, the bill repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm. Additionally, the bill states that firearms trace data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is not immune from legal process. Such data is subject to discovery; is admissible as evidence; and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in a civil action or administrative proceeding.

Right to Contraception Act This bill sets out statutory protections for an individual's right to access and a health care provider's right to provide contraception and related information. Contraception refers to an action taken to prevent pregnancy, including the use of contraceptives (i.e., a device or medication used to prevent pregnancy), fertility-awareness based methods, and sterilization procedures. Generally, the bill prohibits measures that single out and impede access to contraception and related information. However, a party may defend against a claim that a measure violates the bill's prohibitions by demonstrating, through clear and convincing evidence, that the measure significantly advances access to contraception and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or health care providers may bring a lawsuit to enforce this bill, and states are not immune from suits for violations.

Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to pay for travel, childcare, and other expenses of an individual seeking access to abortion services. Eligible grant recipients must be nonprofit or community-based organizations that assist individuals seeking abortion services through programs that are unbiased and medically and factually accurate. The grants may not be used to pay for abortion procedures.

Improving Digital Identity Act of 2021 This bill establishes the Improving Digital Identity Task Force to establish a government-wide effort to develop secure methods for governmental agencies to validate identity attributes to protect the privacy and security of individuals and support reliable, interoperable digital identity verification in the public and private sectors. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shall develop and periodically update a framework of standards, methodologies, procedures, and processes as a guide for federal, state, and local governments to follow when providing services to support digital identity verification. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall award grants to states to upgrade systems that provide drivers' licenses or other types of identity credentials to support the development of highly secure, interoperable state systems that enable digital identity verification. The Government Accountability Office shall submit to Congress a report that includes (1) an analysis of legal and regulatory requirements with respect to the collection and retention of Social Security numbers by nongovernmental organizations, and (2) a recommendation on the necessity and effectiveness of any such legal and regulatory requirement analyzed and the use of a form of identification other than a Social Security number. DHS shall issue binding operational directives to federal agencies to implement (1) the Digital Identity Guidelines published by NIST; and (2) the memorandum of the Office of Management and Budget issued on May 21, 2019, which includes the subject Enabling Mission Delivery through Improved Identity, Credential, and Access Management .

Return Home to Housing Act This bill increases the maximum rate of per diem payments provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to entities (i.e., grant recipients or authorized entities) that furnish services and transitional housing to homeless veterans.